You're Making a Scene, New Jersey!
Oh New Jersey, you get made fun of so much - but what is your music scene like?
Attempting to sum up the music scene in New Jersey in a few easy sentences is nearly impossible. The Garden State, wedged between the two major metropolises of New York and Philadelphia, has laid the groundwork for thousands of bands over the years.
From mainstream rock icons like Bruce Springsteen and Bon Jovi, to underground stalwarts like Lifetime, The Bouncing Souls and Thursday - New Jersey seems to crank out more great bands per capita than just about any other major city or state in the nation. Why? Perhaps a weird combination of general gloomy disposition to keep musicians distressed, endless runs of diners full of caffeinated drinks to keep us up all night and the shadow of the city's skyline there to constantly remind us of the bigger dreams often dashed across the rocks of its shorelines.
I've lived in this state for my entire life and in all my travels; there's no place like it. Here are some spots you have to check out next time you find yourself in the Garden State in need for cool rock scenes.ASBURY PARK
Only in NJ do you go "down to the shore" and only in Jersey do its inhabitants understand what that means. There are miles of questionable watered coastlines from Seaside all the way down to Ocean City and Wildwood mostly loaded with clubs. The bars and clubs of the Jersey shores usually stand as a beacon for douchebaggery with the official uniform of the spiky haired frat guy with a popped collar or a muscle t-shirt. The theme songs to these clubs is usually a local cover band pumping out their best cover version of whatever breakingbenjaminnickebackhinder type band the local commercial station is currently cranking.
An exception to this is Asbury Park. Home of Bruce Springsteen, Asbury Park stands as a historical picture of “The Wonder Years.? Now mostly what stands in its footprint are rusty building structures, small barely-there businesses and the convention center where you can usually catch some great punk festivals (Skate N Surf and The Bamboozle). Asbury Park is where the punks go when they go "down the shore". At any given time you can catch members of bands recording albums at local basement recording studios, a band rehearsing at the convention center, or anyone of the famous residents of the rusty, sleepy beach town kicking it at the Stone Pony.
One of my favorite landmarks of Asbury Park is Asbury Lanes- an old throwback bowling alley where the decor hasn't changed since it was constructed in 1961. Forget about electric score keepers or megaplex lanes; this place doesn’t have them. Located next to a garage where cars and rat rods are built, the lanes tend to attract heavily tattooed grease monkeys that pile in for some cheap drinks and a great jukebox full of psychobilly and rockabilly tunes. Perhaps the best part of the Asbury Lanes is the stage, settled somewhere between lanes 3-6, this constructed stage has been known to host some late night gigs such as the Rev Horton Heat, Th' Legendary Shack Shakers and The Bouncing Souls. You can also catch a cult movie there or Burlesque show as well. Wednesday night is punk night, get there early and toss some games while the bands perform right there in the middle of the lanes.
Random Asbury Park Fact: Everyone from Brand New, Armor For Sleep and The Gaslight Anthem have shot music videos by the Asbury Park Convention Center.
NEW BRUNSWICK
What I could write about the Healthcare City could fill a book so this will be the abbreviated version. I've lived in New Brunswick for the last 10 years. In that time the city has gone through an enormous amount of changes, but one thing hasn't changed, the music scene. Since the city is located almost in the middle of the trek up the Turnpike from Philly to NYC and the home of Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey. Thousands of college students packed into a relatively small area spark a tremendous amount of creativity and ingenuity.
New Brunswick is the perfect spot for bands to stop by and play one of the countless college rental places where they put on basement shows or at nearby VFW halls. In fact bands like Lifetime, The DeGenerics, World/Inferno Friendship Society, The Bouncing Souls and Thursday all got their start playing to friends in basements of some rundown rental apartments. The basement show is so engrained into the New Brunwsick scene that people often pass along the legacy of the basement show to the house's new tenants when they move out making for generations of basement shows going on at the same house for many years.
Through the years and expanding hospital of Robert Wood Johnson (Healthcare City, get it?), we've lost our share of bars and clubs (R.I.P. Melody Bar) but one of the staples that still thrives is the Court Tavern. Tucked away on a side street off two of the busiest streets in the city, the Court Tavern has a lower level where you can get some decent drink specials and easily catch any of the local heroes on stage or the likes of Smithereens, Flaming Lips, Butthole Surfers, Circle Jerks, Henry Rollins, Urge Overkill, or Jesus Lizard as they are rolling through town. The tagline on the banner behind the stage reads "The Court Tavern, Cruel But Fair" acting as the mantra for bands to bring their "A" game or not come at all.
If you just want to grab a pitcher and relax with some friends, you have to head down Somerset St. and get yourself a table at McCormick's. Not your typical Irish Pub, the decor of this place hasn't changed in years - big enough to have just the bar, a few tables and a pool table. You will find a few of chalkboards with the specials written on them intermingled with blaxploitation posters and a few TVs. The highlight of McCormick's is its jukebox, which is hands down one of the best in central Jersey. At any given moment you will catch metalheads rocking out to Iron Maiden or GNR - but not to be outdone you'll get a great mix of Springsteen, Dead Kennedys, Bloc Party, Sex Pistols, The Ramones, Quicksand, Pixies, or Jawbox. Pop in a few quarters and play "Clean Sheets" by the Descendents and there's a better than 95% chance that you will get a singalong from the locals.
Random New Brunswick Fact: The entire artwork for the watermark Lifetime album Jersey's Best Dancers was shot in the Melody Bar by Jade Tree records co-owner Tim Owen.
MAXWELL'S
Hoboken is located as close to Manhattan as Brooklyn. It's main street, Washington St., is littered with a number of eateries and bars where you can catch a game or get a drink, but hands down the best place to catch a show in the city is Maxwell's. Located on the corner of 11th and Washington, their back room holds about 200 people and you catch most acts before or after a stint at the much larger Bowery Ballroom across the river in NYC. The setting is intimate, so much in fact that the band has to walk through the crowd to get to the stage.
If you are going to catch a show, come early and grab a meal in their bar/restaurant area. A solid jukebox chock full of most of today's best rock acts and a loft like atmosphere. On the walls you will catch exhibits from local artists that rotate about monthly, always giving you a something new to look at every time you come in. If the jukebox isn't on, local DJs handle the entertainment duties in the restaurant.
The menu is can't miss - there's not a bad thing on it; from burgers, quesadillas and some good appetizers. If you don’t get yourself a croc of their Mac N Cheese you might just be missing out on the best in Hoboken. It comes as an entrée, or you can get it as a side. Either way there's nothing better than catching dinner then rolling to the back room where you can see acts like Old 97's, Electric Six, The Shout Out Louds, We Are Scientists, Jonah Matranga, Blackpool Lights, or The Raveonettes every night of the week.
Random Maxwell's Fact: Maxwell's was at one point owned by members of Sonic Youth.
New Jersey is chock full of a ridiculous amount of great places and scenes those I just mentioned were only a few of my favorites. If you were to ask someone else, they might offer up 3 completely different places and that might just be the best compliment to the state. No matter where you go there's a club, VFW hall, or basement allowing you to catch something that might just be the next big thing.
Posted by Matt Kleinschmidt on Oct 15, 2007 @ 12:00 am