By Uncle Mike
While everyone knows that May is the month for flowers and Moms, in terms of the local music scene it is the month of the killer B’s. That’s right, I said B’s, as in the Basie Awards and Bobfest at the Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank, The Brats at The Brighton Bar in Long Branch and Bon Jovi at TheBamboozle 2012 down in Asbury Park. First up are The 7th Annual Basie Awards honoring excellence in Monmouth County High School Theatre on the night of Wednesday, May 23 at 7p.m. and then on the very next night at 8p.m. it’s Red Bank’s hippest tradition, Pat Guadagno’s Bobfest: A Celebration Of Bob Dylan’s Birthday. Now, while this is the 15th annual for Pat Guadagno and his band the Tired Horses, it is the first time for Bobfest at the Basie. If that isn’t enough music for you why not checkout NYC rock legends The Brats at The Brighton on the 26th. And last, but certainly not least, the one and only Bon Jovi headlines the closing night of The Bamboozle 2012 on the oceanfront in A.P. on Sunday, May 20. Gates open at 2p.m.
As for the rest of the scene, back in the Grooves and kickin’ things off up in H’del is the PNC Bank Arts Center with Rob Zombie and Megadeth on May 11th and KTUphoria with Pitbull, Enrique Iglesias, Flo Rida, Adam Lambert, Dev, Calvin Harris, Karmin, K’NAAN and Havana Brown on the 20th. Plus in S’ville at the Starland Ballroom, it’s Escape The Fate, Attack Attack!, The Word Alive, Secrets and Mest on the 4th, Korn, Sluggo and J-Devil on the 10th, Eve 6, The Audition, Breathing Blue and The Hollow on the 11th, Little Big Town, Sean Patrick McGraw and Liv Devine on the 18th, Montgomery Gentry and After The Reign on the 26th and Michael Franti & Spearhead on the 30th.
Rollin’ into the Big R.B. at Jamian’s, it’s Matt O’Ree on the 4th, Juggling Suns on the 5th, Jukebox Criminals on the 11th, Pat Guadagno & Rich Oddo on the 12th and Quincy Mumford on the 26th. Down the street at the Count Basie Theatre, it’s Discopalooza III on the 5th, Willie Nelson & Family on the 12th, An Acoustic Evening with LeAnn Rimes on the 13th, An Evening with Joe Bonamassa on the 14th, Get The Led Out: The American Led Zeppelin on the 19th, Pat Guadagno’s Bobfest on the 24th, Glen Campbell – The Goodbye Tour on the 26th and Steve Winwood on the 27th. And at the Walt St. Pub, it’s Wild Bill Mojo Band on the 4th, Josh Zuckerman Band on the 5th, Craig Daniels & The Distractions on the 11th, Pez Head on the 12th, Six To Midnight on the 18th, The Jonzes on the 19th, Kindred on the 25th and Bob Burger on the 26th.
Slippin’ into R’son at Barnacle Bill’s, it’s Dave McCarthy on the 4th, Pat Guadagno & Richard Blackwell on the 5th, Dave Miller, Artie Bressler, Todd Sheman & Bob Pinto on the 11th, Rob Dye & Mike Dockery on the 12th, Dave McCarthy on the 18th, Sam Sherman & Tommy LaBella on the 25th and The Sonny Kenn Trio on the 26th. While down in L.B. at the Pier House, it’s Pat Guadagno & Lisa Bouchelle on the 4th, Primitive Soul on the 5th, BethAnne Clayton on the 11th, Carl Gentry Band on the 12th, Carl Gentry Trio on the 18th, Bob Burger on the 19th, Pat Guadagno on the 25th and Electric Boots on the 26th. And at The Brighton Bar, it’s “The Green Parrot Reunion Show” with The X-Men, The Whirling Dervishes, The Wall Bangers and Well Of Souls on the 5th, Endless Boogie, Mount Carmel, Rahway and Pyramada on the 11th, Spacehog, Frankenstein 3000, Tango Machina, Mars Needs Women and The Netherlands on the 12th, Jay Monday, Heebie Jeebies, The Magnums and Bible Fiction on the 18th, As Summer Dies on the 25th and The Brats, DJ Jimmie, The Graveyard School and The Nuclears on the 26th.
Slidin’ into the ‘Bury at The Paramount Theatre, it’s Bret Michaels and JacandJill on the 12th. At McLoone’s Supper Club, it’s Eryn Shewell on the 8th, Masters Of Music: Felix Cavaliere on the 10th, Billy Hector on the 15th, Jo Bonanno & The Godsons on the 17th, Glen Burtnick on the 22nd, Quincy Mumford & The Reason Why on the 25th and Tim McLoone & The Shirleys on the 26th. Across the way at Lance & Debbie’s Wonder Bar, it’s Juggling Suns and JP Jammin’ on the 4th, Sensational Soul Cruisers on the 5th, “The Monkees Tribute Night” with The Kitchen, Manwell Godspeed and Casino Sundae on the 11th and Joe Delia & Thieves on the 12th. Meanwhile at The Saint, it’s End Of a Era, Vextion and Black Tooth Grin on the 4th , ZO2, Ripped, Freak Of The Day and The Bad News on the 5th, The Brew and Matt O’Ree Band on the 11th, Cats Under The Stars and Brothers From Another Mother on the 12th, Earthman, Framing Dakota, Burlap To Cashmere and The Survival Instinct on the 18th, James Arlowe & Ruffian Circus, Indiana Bones, Elevator Art and Devil’s Holiday on the 25th and Disorder on the 26th. Plus at The Stone Pony, it’s Max Headroom, Sweet Karma and Rawson on the 4th, Candlebox and Urban Underclass on the 5th, Antigone Rising, Lori McKenna, Lisa Bianco & The Fury and Aster Pheonyx Project on the 11th, Art Stock’s Birch Hill Reunion Show with Edgar Cayce, Headbanger, Zyris and The Riffs on the 12th, The Parlor Mob on the 25th and Collective Soul on the 26th. And on the oceanfront, it’s “The Bamboozle 2012” with Skrillex, Incubus and Armor For Sleep Reunion on the 18th, Foo Fighters, Blink – 182, Jimmy Eat World, Less Than Jake and The All American Rejects on the 19th and Bon Jovi, Brand New, The Bouncing Souls, The Gaslight Anthem, Buckcherry and many, many more on the 20th.
Well, that’s it for the month of May! Hope you and yours have a terrific month! Be good to yourselves people. And remember, you’re never too old to rock n’ roll! Later!!!
