Eryn Shewell and her band will once again ring in the new year at Giamano's (310 Main Street in Bradley Beach, NJ) on New Year's Eve with a show featuring a Mardi Gras theme. NewJerseyStage.com had a chance to catch up with Eryn to talk about the NYE show, her love of New Orleans, and her upcoming album.

INTERVIEW WITH ANJELIA PELAY

Anjelia Pelay has a CD release party on November 11 at the Stone Pony (11/11/11). Tickets are $10 in advance or $12 at the door. Michael Dante Summonte and Town Hall will open the show. NewJerseyStage.com had the opportunity to talk with Anjelia about the new CD and the release party...

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LATEST STORIES

michael askin celebrates ep release in princetonMichael Askin, a New Brunswick area singer-songwriter, first made an impression in the Jersey Shore music scene when he joined the popular Asbury Park band known as Divine Sign sometime around 2006. At the time, he was known as the "guitarist with mystique" part of the band's expanded lineup which led the acoustic duo towards more of a full-fledged rock and roll sound. He would move on to the indie band My State of Attraction, before deciding to head out on his own. With a stripped down, alt-country/acoustic guitar sound, Askin writes deeply personal lyrics that remind me of classic songs from the '70s.

u.s. rails roll into asbury park on thursdayIn the summer of 2003, I began working on a new arts and entertainment magazine called Upstage. One of the very first features was on a band called 4 Way Street from Philadelphia who was putting out their debut album and had a show coming up at The Saint in Asbury Park. Comprised of Ben Arnold, Scott Bricklin, Joseph Parsons, Jim Boggia, and Matt Muir, the band was sort of a Philadelphia supergroup of area singer-songwriters. They had a sound that reminded me of Crosby, Stills, and Nash and I jumped at the opportunity to get them in the first issue.

interview with sean guessAs a kid, Sean Guess held boxing matches in his basement and tried to emulate Rocky Balboa. Realizing he could never take a beating like Rocky, he turned his passion to filmmaking. Born in Orlando, Fl, Guess is making a name for himself along the Jersey Shore. His current project reflects his love of Asbury Park and of its musical heritage. NewJerseyStage.com spoke with Guess about the upcoming film, his background, and how he has dealt openly with his struggles of mental depression.

andy vaughan & the drivelineAndy Vaughan & the Driveline are a band from Richmond, Virginia that's a blend of rockabilly, honky-tonk, and old fashioned country music. The relatively new band started towards the end of 2010 when Vaughan left the group Hamburger James that he fronted for four years. He lined up steel guitarist Tim Stanton, drummer Chip Farnsworth, lead guitarist Jerry Renshaw, and bass player Erik Kutzler and formed The Driveline. The band will be heading to the area for a pair of shows in support of their debut album, "Long Gone."

snubbing the snobbery, or, how i learned to stop complaining and love the cover bandsSummertime along the Jersey Shore can mean many things, but often includes one in particular - local clubs, bars, and amenable restaurants will be inundated with cover bands playing everything from doo-wop to stuff from the Bruno Mars' Doo-Wops and Hooligans album (not that I'm really sure I need a lounge version of "Grenade," but whatever). At one point I would have thrown my nose way up into the air, righteous in the belief that these bands were taking the easy way out, that they hadn't the courage to be a band, and questioning whether four or five people playing music from anyone but themselves could justify being called a band at all.

interview with joel plaskett & the emergencyJoel Plaskett is a Juno Award-winning artist from Nova Scotia whose band's set at the 2011 Southern Shore Music Festival in Millville was one of the highlights of the day. I was able to catch up with Joel after his set to talk about his band, Canadian music, opening for Paul McCartney, and building an audience in the States. His band will be returning to the area on Thursday, August 18th when they take part in the Philly Folk Festival in Schwenkesville, PA.

bask in my glory for a price!In a recent New York Times article, it was reported how bookstores are charging patrons for the privilege of attending an author's appearance at that same bookstore all the while, one assumes, engaging in the process of selling the book. It is, in some bizarre way, like somebody dialing up infomercials on demand.

your scene is born to die, kidThere is truth in the idea that a music scene coalesces around a sound. One points to the early-90s and the Seattle thing. I bite my tongue when the temptation to say "grunge" comes up. Punk, maybe. Classic rock, surely. There is a lot more of The Who in Pearl Jam than people cared to believe at that time.

raise a glass for the big man(JUNE 18, 2011) -- Words fail me. They really do. I had just come home from a music festival in South Jersey when I checked my emails to find that Clarence had passed away. To me, Clarence Clemons WAS the E Street Band. His sax provided the sound that I fell in love with as a kid. Through that sax, the definition of the Asbury Park Sound was written.

interview with mike blackMike Black is one of the leading photographers along the Jersey Shore. He's been shooting the Asbury Park music scene for many, many years. But, in addition to taking photos, Mike's a performer as well. He's also got a background in radio and has had videos of his seen millions of times on Youtube and cable stations across the world. In other words, he's a pretty interesting guy. New Jersey Stage got a chance to talk to him and get to know the man behind the lens.

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