(ASBURY PARK, NJ) -- The North to Shore Music Festival, presented by Prudential, presents Gary Clark Jr., who will rock the legendary Stone Pony Summer Stage in Asbury Park on Wednesday, June 12, 2024 at 6:30pm. Gates are open at 5:00pm.
Anyone who has listened to a Gary Clark Jr. album or watched the four-time Grammy Award winner perform live knows he's a gifted multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and performer. And never more so than on his album, entitled Illuminating This Land. But while This Land signaled a breakthrough in displaying his musical versatility beyond the blues, his latest album, JPEG RAW, represents a quantum leap.
Gary Clark Jr. was a teen guitar prodigy getting co-signs from Eric Clapton, among others. Making his major label debut in 2011 on Warner Records with his EP, The Bright Lights, Clark has since released three studio albums: Black and Blu, The Story of Sonny Boy Slim, This Land, and his latest release, JPEG RAW.
Tickets to the Stone Pony Summer Stage show are available for purchase online. Stone Pony Summer Stage is located at 913 Ocean Avenue in Asbury Park, New Jersey.
Gary Clark Jr. started playing guitar when he was 12 years old. He was born and raised in Austin, Texas and performed at small gigs during his teenage years. He met Clifford Antone, who ran the Antone's music club in Austin, which was famous for launching the careers of Jimmie Vaughan and Stevie Ray Vaughan. After meeting Clifford, Clark started to perform with other musicians, including Jimmie Vaughan. This helped him to establish his solo career within the Austin music community.
He's now a 4X Grammy Winner and continues to enjoy sweet success; with a recent "Saturday Night Live" performance.
At once, mighty, insightful, and thought-provoking, JPEG RAW picks up where This Land left off. But unlike its predecessor, Clark's fourth studio album was born out of an unprecedented two years during which a global pandemic rocked the country, coast-to-coast civil rights protests following the murder of George Floyd, and a political insurrection staged inside the nation's capital. As a Black man and father concerned about the future of his three young children in a still challenging climate, Clark found himself back in the studio recording a personal call-to-action that's compelling both musically and lyrically.
"Blues will always be my foundation," says Clark. "But that's just scratching the surface. I'm also a beat maker and an impressionist who likes to do different voices. I've always loved theater and being able to tell a story. When I play the trumpet at home, I think of Lee Morgan or John Coltrane when I play the sax. I've even got bagpipes just in case I need them. So while this is my most honest and vulnerable album about relating to the human condition, it's also the most freeing."
Clark also tapped singer-songwriter Valerie June and funk master George Clinton as additional guest on JPEG RAW. The celestial harmonies backing several of the album selections belong to Clark's sisters, Shannan, Shawn, and Savannah. Tying the whole project together are photos that Clark took of himself and a fallen tree outside his studio that double as cover art for the vinyl package.
Asbury Park North 2 Shore Festival Line – Up June 11 – June 16th
JUNE 11
4 p.m.: “Cultivating Advocacy: Leveraging the Arts for Food Justice” panel, online
8 p.m.: Alexander Simone & Whodat? Live Crew present “Soul in the Park 2” at The Watermark
JUNE 12
6:30 p.m.: Gary Clark, Jr. at Stone Pony Summer Stage
6:30 p.m.: “A Crane House Garden of Verses” readings at The Stephen Crane House
JUNE 13
5 p.m.: Blue Dot Inclusive Dance Party at 820 Ocean Ave.
5 p.m.: LGBTQ+ Singer/Songwriter Showcase at Georgies Bar
6 p.m.: Asbury Park African-American Music Project’s Turf Club Jam at Blackbird Community Commons, emceed by Gregg “Toogie” Bouie
6 p.m.: “She’s NorMale — A Transgender Odyssey” featuring Dr. Geena Buono at The Showroom
6:30 p.m.: Band of Horses Stone Pony Summer Stage
7 p.m.: “Sequined Dragnolias” (“Steel Magnolias” parody) at Talking Heads Barbershop
7:30 p.m.: Fauna & Flora starring Blaise and others at Baronet at The Asbury Hotel
8 p.m.: Mihali at Wonder Bar
JUNE 14
Noon: Showcase Stage at Grand Arcade featuring Des & the Swagmatics; Joseph Alton Miller, Mike Montrey and Dave Vargo; Johnny Nameless; Myster-E Edutainment; Space & the Goodstock Jamband; The Mercury Brothers
5 p.m.: Paint on Pine (art-making event), Pine Street and Third Avenue
6 p.m.: “She’s NorMale — A Transgender Odyssey” featuring Dr. Geena Buono at The Showroom
6:30 p.m.: Lake Street Dive at Stone Pony Summer Stage
6:30 p.m.: “Sonic Mass,” presented by Luminous Abstract at Trinity Church
6:30 p.m.: “Triumphant Life Church: Family Comedy & Concert Celebration” in collaboration with the Cazzeek Brothers at Springwood Park
8 p.m.: Delta Sleep at Asbury Lanes
8 p.m.: The Weeklings, The Beatles tribute at Wonder Bar
JUNE 15
10 a.m.: Artist in Residence Exhibition featuring Stephen Allan at Trinity Church
10:30 a.m.: “A Day of Queer Celebration!” at Asbury Book Cooperative
Noon: Asbury Underground Art and Music Crawl at various downtown Asbury Park venues
2 p.m.: Shadow of the City festival featuring Bleachers and others TBA at Stone Pony Summer Stage
2 p.m.: Ocean Avenue Stompers at R Bar
3 p.m.: Print-a-Palooza at Over the Moon Art Studios
6 p.m.: “She’s NorMale — A Transgender Odyssey” featuring Dr. Geena Buono at The Showroom
6 p.m.: “Dance Is Life: A Hustle Dance Party!” at Carousel Building
6 p.m.: KYDS SOULcase Community Event at KYDS Community Center
6:30 p.m.: Rainbow Silent Disco for All Genders and Ages, presented by The Light Brigade Collective at Trinity Church
7 p.m.: I Am the Avalanche at Asbury Lanes
8 p.m.: Dramarama at Wonder Bar
9:30 p.m.: ’90s Karaoke After Party with DJ Ted D’Bierre and DJ Tallspeedy at Georgies Bar
11:30 p.m.: Late Night Silent Disco with Space of Balance at Baronet at The Asbury Hotel
JUNE 16
Noon: illSound Lovers Rock Day Party at The Watermark
Noon: St. Stephen AMEZ Church & United Fellowship Church/Manna Food Pantry’s A Family Festival: Honoring our Fathers, featuring Zal Walton at Springwood Park
1 p.m.: Drag Brunch at Georgies Bar
1:30 p.m.: Local Jazz Showcase, presented by The Light Brigade Collective at Trinity Church
2 p.m.: Sunday on St. John’s with Steve Forbert, The Wonderful Winos (featuring Vini Lopez) at St. John’s Island
2 p.m.: Ocean Avenue Stompers at R Bar
5 p.m.: “HEAVEN vs H.E.L.L.” (stage production) at NTL Event Hall, Neptune City
6 p.m.: Life Drawing with Jim Dessicino at Union Hall Arts
7 p.m.: Luminous Abstract’s “Memory Palace” (interactive installation) at Carousel Building
7:30 p.m.: Clarence Clemons Celebration with Jarod Clemons & the Late Nights at Wonder Bar
