New Jersey has always had a great music scene, especially in Asbury Park as you can see on “Asbury Park, Riot, Redemption, and Rock N Roll,” which is narrated by Big Joe Henry.
Growing up in the ’70s and ’80s and working at WBJB-FM, which was the radio voice of Brookdale Community College, I found myself hanging in many of the great New Jersey clubs, hearing bands like Bystander, Trigger, Sam the Band, and of course, Salty Dog featuring who came to be my good friend Paul Venier.
It was a terrific time as the Jersey music scene was exploding with not only Bruce Springsteen (who now has a museum in Freehold) exploding, but you never knew where he would turn up and start playing. Same with Southside Johnny.
There was also Cats on a Smooth Surface, Glen Burtnik, Backstreets who later became the B Street Band.
These were the bands that we saw back in the day in places that don’t exist anymore like the Beach House in Point Pleasant, the Ship’s Wheel in Brielle, Jimmy Byrnes in Sea Girt, Art Stock’s Royal Manor.
So I asked my following what was their favorite bar band from back in the day and where did they see them play? Of course, there was no better band than the one where you met someone you liked and no better place than the one where you got them to leave with you. See if these bring back any memories.
Mark Maher
Prophet at Birch Hill!!!
Christine Sine
Let’s go to the Way-Back Machine … Megatron at Squires in Bridgewater!
Jeffrey Rafter
The legendary Salvation, Jersey Bar Band. Played at Colonel’s Garter in South Amboy in the 70s. Also at the Osprey
Garth H. Raymond
CopShoo Bops
Tina Marie
The Nerds and The Benjamin’s, everywhere
Beth Coffey Fite
John Hamer at the Playpen in Wildwood Crest!
John J Ruppert
Philly band ‘ALL the POINTS’ I saw them headline at Hanger 84 In Vineland NJ
Rich Vos
The Watch at Arrow Lounge, Rivendell at Dunellen Hotel or Chester Huggs Goose and Gander
Michelle Trevelise Vitali
Twisted Sister, everywhere
Butch Budai
Good Rats at Emmitts or Zaffys
Gary DeLena
Um… the Other Side?
Tom Krawiec
Sam The Band at Carnegie Hall
Bill Valentine
The Bangs at the Fast lane
Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Steve Trevelise only. Follow him on Twitter @realstevetrev.
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Every NJ pizza joint Barstool’s Dave Portnoy has reviewed
Dave Portnoy, commonly known as El Presidente, is the founder of Barstool Sports. Somewhere along the way, he decided to start reviewing local pizzerias, and the concept took off. Here is every New Jersey pizzeria Dave has stopped in, along with the score he gave them.