Greetingss from Asbury Park:
Listening to you, I get the music: The Who’s Tommy
Another great weekend! It was the Tommy Weekend. Certainly we were proud and excited to attend the very grand opening of Bull Dog Clip Productions (son Tom’s new multimedia production business) at 611 Bangs Ave. If you are in the neighborhood check out their new studio. Daughter Linnea and my other son Dan and his girlfriend Bevin came down for the event and we all went out for an excellent late dinner at Trinity & The Pope. Then on Sunday, Patti and I checked out Revision Theatre’s very cool production of TOMMY. There is just so much going on in the “city by the sea.” “Come to this house! Into this House!” Only in Asbury Park!
Get ready cause this is going to be one very busy weekend. First it’s RoadTrip 2010 Weekend, our lgbt weekend party, which launches tonight at the Stone Pony with comedian Maggie Cassella and girl rock band Betty. The Friday Night Kickoff Party takes place in the Grand Arcade starting at 7 PM. It’s all on the beach on Saturday with The Ironman Dodgeball Tournament which takes place on the Fourth Avenue beach as well as The Sand Blast dance on the Fifth Ave. beach starting at noon. Awwa Mama Productions will be hosting the Crush Party in the balcony bar at the Paramount Theatre and the rooftop dance party. Or check out the Blackout at Swell at 911 Kingsley (corner of 2nd Avenue). Sunday brings everyone back to the Fifth Avenue beach. The Berkeley Oceanfront Hotel, this year’s RoadTrip headquarters, will be hosting the RIP Tide Pool Party starting at 11 am. A RoadTrip weekend would not be complete without a stop at Paradise and the Empress Hotel where there will be non-stop partying all weekend including Shep Pettibone’s Sunday poolside original Tea Dance starting at 4 pm. For the full schedule of events go to www.gayasburypark.com/calendar.php . Only in Asbury Park!
And if that wasn’t enough, The Metroman Triathlon will take place on Sunday morning. This is now USAT’s Regional Championship that is the Mid-Atlantic Region qualifier for the USAT Nationals. Huge! Only in Asbury Park!
The art exhibition “Vanished Asbury” now at Heaven Art & Antiques, 721 Cookman Ave. was highlighted in the NY Times on July 4th. This is a must see and features many local artists. The exhibit runs until August 15th. Cool!
Asbury Park now has its own garden center. Itsy Bitsy Garden Spaces opened up a garden center at the corner of Fourth and Main. Kudos to owners, Bob Collins and Charles Schreck who have opened this great new addition to the Asbury Park business community.
Carmine’s has undergone a remake and has a new name, Brando and menu. Check it out! Russo Music, our new musical instrument and accessories shop, has opened at 639 Cookman Ave. in the old Silverball Museum space. Huge!
Revision Theatre’s production of The Who’s Tommy continues until July 25th. Sammy Boyd’s son Salvatore (Sally), a senior at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, is a member of the pit band which, by the way, was excellent! Check out RevisionThreatre.org or call 732.455.3059 for schedule and ticket info. “I’m a sensation!”
Paranormal Books & Curiosities is conducting Ghosts & Legends Tours on Thursdays, Friday & Saturday at 8 pm. Only in Asbury Park!
Ruben Martinez will be hosting his “Aspirational Park” exhibit in the Casino building on Friday, July 16th from 1 to 4 pm.
Make sure you participate in the Asbury Park Press’ “Best Of” survey at http://php.app.com/bestof . Do it now!
Also this weekend:
Thursday, July 15
Farmers’ Market at First & Ocean, 10 am-1 pm
Film: Stonewall Rising at the Showroom, 6 pm
Michael Brett at Twisted Tree Cafe, 6:30 pm
Asbury Park Municipal Band at boardwalk and Fifth Ave., 7-8:30 pm
Film: Ajami at the Showroom, 8 pm
Funeral Pyre, Early Graves, Tiger Flowers, Chambers, An Open Ended Sky at Asbury Lanes, 8 pm
Film: Beach Blanket Bingo on the beach in front of Langosta Lounge, boardwalk & Second Ave., 8:30 pm, presented by the Asbury Park Film Initiative
Band Droids at Langosta Lounge, 9 pm
Friday, July 16
Buffalo Stance at the Train Station, Cookman and Main, 5-8 pm, free
Meredith Avakian, poet and performance artist, will be at words! for a book signing/reading
Vic Della Pello at Twisted Tree Cafe, 7 pm
Rebelution, Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad at The Stone Pony, 7 pm, all ages
Comedy with The Miserable Men from the Sirius XM Radio show featuring Mike Morse, Shuli, Mark Byrnes and John Tole at The Saint, 7:30 pm
Film: Ajami at the Showroom, 8 pm
Tiesto at Convention Hall, 10 pm
Saturday, July 17
Farmers’ Market at Fireman’s Park, Main St. at sunset & fifth – 8 am to 1 pm.
Gary Cavico at Twisted Tree Cafe, 1 pm
Film: Cropsey at the Showroom, 5 pm
At Twisted Tree Cafe Danny DeFonza – 5 pm, We Are – 6 pm, & Patti Bramson – 7 pm
Film: Ajami at the Showroom, 7:30 pm
Roland Eckstein & the Rumrunners at The Stone Pony, 7:30 pm, all ages
Joe Grushecky & the Houserockers, The I Drive, Jon Caspi Band at the Wonder Bar, 8 pm
Maxim 77, Underground All Stars, The Bereznak Brothers Band at The Saint, 8 pm
Tiesto at Convention Hall, 10 pm
Improv Comedy Jam at the Showroom, 10 pm
Sunday, July 18th
Metroman Triathlon
Flea Market & Crafts at Sunset Park, 10 am-5 pm
Hammerheaded Jazz Quartet at Langosta Lounge, 1 pm
At Twisted Tree Cafe Jenny Woods – 2 pm & Charles Wuth – 3 pm
Film: 8 1/2 at the Showroom, 3 pm
Author Robert Olen Butler at the Showroom, 5:30 pm
Hot Tuna, Steve Earle on The Stone Pony Summer Stage, 5:30 pm, all ages
Film: Stonewall Uprising at the Showroom, 7 pm
The Lightyears, Root Glen at The Saint, 8 pm
Electric Six, Township at Asbury Lanes, 8 pm
Film: Cropsey at the Showroom, 8:30 pm
Monday, July 19
Joe Harvard’s Long Weekend at Synaxis, 9 pm
The Monmouth Cancer Coalition will be on our boardwalk this Saturday hosting “Choose Your Cover,” a free skin cancer screening. Health professionals will provide skin cancer screening exams from 10 am to 2 pm. Be smart – get checked.
Have to share that this Friday, tomorrow, I will be the recipient of some very needed and not soon enough surgery to repair a surprise bi-lateral hernia. Life for the past two weeks has been far from pleasant so it will be good to get fixed. My doc says recovery should be about two weeks, so if for some reason next week’s email doesn’t get out on time, not to worry. Say a prayer!
Sorry, I can’t join you this weekend. Will miss you!
ASBURY PARK – Where Music Lives
Wishes for a wonderful and safe weekend,
Tom Gilmour
Director of Commerce and Good Times
