Chris Rockwell at House of Independents. Photo by Alyssa Ciervo

You read that correctly. It’s been twenty five years since the now Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees released their seminal album Hello Nasty, which not only went multi-platinum internationally, but took home two trophies at the 41st Grammy Awards. A landmark for alternative music, Hello Nasty blended genres and bridged two eras of music together. And all of this is being celebrated live on stage March 31st at House of Independents in Asbury Park.

Chris Rockwell Collective have been paying tribute to Beastie Boys for years, with two past performances at The Stone Pony, the last of which took place in front of a sold out crowd on New Year’s Eve heading into 2018. Since then, the group has been performing throughout the tri-state area, bringing their own brand of alternative Hip-Hop music to crowds everywhere. And this event is no exception, as the locally lauded crew will also be playing a few of their own songs on this momentous night.

“Beastie Boys have had a huge impact on me musically and personally,” reflects Chris Rockwell. “They weren’t afraid to change as musicians or as people. I always admired that.” 

The performance will not only include standout cuts from Hello Nasty, but will commemorate the entire catalog of Beastie Boys, with select hits spanning as far back as their debut album License to Ill. To mark the occasion, the special guestlist is stacked, with local legend Alexander Simone, award winning Hip-Hop artist Nick Nubz, and a mainstay at MTV’s hit show Wildin’ Out, Kosha Dillz. 

In addition to commemorating this historic landmark album, Chris Rockwell Collective will also be honoring local history, donating a portion of the evening’s proceeds to Asbury Park African-American Music Project, a non-profit organization dedicated to developing accessible resources that reflect Asbury Park’s rich African American music heritage. 

Other guests include Andre Velazquez, Andrew Oliva, Josh Cabrera, "BassKidd" Timmy Douglas, Telegraph Hill recording artist Alixandria Gagliastro, and more.

The show takes place March 31st, 2023 at House of Independents (572 Cookman Ave), Asbury Park, NJ. Showtime is 7:00pm.

Tickets are available at www.mrchrisrockwell.com and at the House of Independents box office. All ages are welcome.