The Stone Pony had their act cancel on them this past Saturday so they
threw together a bunch of bands that are just starting out, younger
kids, made them sell tickets, ten bucks each,. and that was the Pony's
entertainment this past Saturday night. Although selling tickets to play
a venue is nothing new, I still think that is low rent, especially for a
club with the supposed stature of the Pony.
First night in AP appeared to be an overwhelming success as there were
plenty of people walking the downtown streets, lots of entertainment. I
can't help but wonder why Cookman Ave is left open for vehicular
traffic? At one point we were listening to an amazing singer doing R&B
songs, there were so many listening that we were in the street and a bus
came flying by well above a safe speed. If I hadn't pulled a young lady
out of that bus' path, she would have been hit. It makes sense to close
the street and erect a stage so that bands can play to the crowd.
Playing on a street corner for Vini's Steel Mill Retro was kind of silly.
As for Skippy's constant and obnoxious ridicule of everything and
anything that is going on in Asbury, it should be noted that Skippy not
only doesn't live in Asbury, he doesn't work in Asbury, and, I have it
on good authority, all he does is drink beer in Asbury, as long as the
beer is free. I am in 100% agreement with BlueBishop on Skippy s sad and
boring constant derisiveness.
If anyone took me up on downloading and listening to Vin Scelsa's
interview with Daniel Wolff, author or 4th of July Asbury Park,
coincidentally enough, the overwhelming theme of the interview was the
correlation between racism and music in Asbury Park. Wolff went so far
as quoting David Sancious as saying he always brought someone with him
when he crossed the tracks to go to the Upstage because Blacks didn't
simply cross the tracks in those days. I found the racism discussion of
the past two weeks very interesting. BlueBishop, with his long history
in Asbury Park, cannot be simply dismissed in his assertions regarding
the state of Racism in AP today. Of course, it would be simply wonderful
if he was correct, it would have been prudent for him to put actions
behind his words and take up Jim Keady's walk Asbury offer. I am not
surprised BB didn't take up Mr. Keady's offer, however, BB's affiliation
with the Tri-City News makes it easy to understand why. The rose colored
lens that Messrs Jacobsen and his flacks use to portray Asbury gives
away the fact that no one at that pseudo paper has ever even though
about putting their nose to the pavement to get to the real story, to
get to the truth. The truth as Tri-City sees it is in their collective
imaginations about what Asbury should be to suit them, not what Asbury
is and especially not what Asbury should become to suit everyone.
Asbury Park's 1st Saturday was a success, I was there, I saw it myself.
When we decided we wanted some ice cream we had to leave Asbury as no
Ice Cream store is presently open in Dan and Tom's beloved little art
colony by the sea, so we went to Ocean Grove. Ocean Grove didn't have a
1st Saturday night celebration going on, it was simply the 1st Saturday
in august in Ocean Grove. I would wager there were3 to 6 times as many
people walking Main Street in Ocean Grove, and the line at the olde ice
cream store was so long, we drove to Scoops on Hwy 35 in Ocean for that
elusive hot fudge Sunday.
Vini Lopez wrote a truly great song that the band played Saturday night
called Whatever Happened to Asbury Park. A whole lot has happened to
Asbury Park, but if you take the time, and walk the streets and visit
the many businesses in Asbury Park, it is a Beatles song that describes
whatever happened to Asbury Park. And that song is It's Getting Better
All The Time.
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