INTERVIEW: At Sea.Hear.Now, come for Bruce, but stay for Little Steven’s ‘Go-Go!’
Photo: Bobby Mahoney’s new album is called Another Deadbeat Summer. He’ll be part of the Asbury Park A Go-Go! concert at Asbury Lanes. Photo courtesy of Hannah Greve / Provided by Earshot Media with permission.
Asbury Park, the music capital of New Jersey, is gearing up for one of its biggest weekends in history. Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, who helped put the seaside city on the map, will return to headline the annual Sea.Hear.Now festival. Other acts set to perform on the beach include the Gaslight Anthem, Noah Kahan, the Black Crowes, 311, the Revivalists, the Trey Anastasio Band and Norah Jones, among many others. The official festivities take place Sept. 14-15 on three stages that surround Convention Hall near the boardwalk.
But the fun doesn’t stop when Springsteen leaves the stage on Sunday night. Asbury Lanes, a bowling-alley-turned-concert-venue, will host a special music showcase called Asbury Park A Go-Go!, presented by Little Steven’s Underground Garage. Yes, that Little Steven, who will be playing a few blocks away with Springsteen and the E Street Band.
The Go-Go! will feature bands who have become common presences on Little Steven’s radio show. The lineup consists of Joy Buzzer, Wyldlife, the Chesterfield Kings, Bobby Mahoney and the Shang Hi Los. Recently Hollywood Soapbox exchanged emails with each band to see what’s in store for their special Sunday sets and how they feel about performing in the legendary Asbury Park. Questions and answers have been slightly edited for style.
What’s the joy of being a musician in 2024?
JED BECKER (JOY BUZZER): Performing with truly talented people like the members of Joy Buzzer is something that never gets old. It’s a real buzz every time we get together to play!
DAVE FELDMAN (WYLDLIFE): The joy of being a musician in 2024 is also the thing that makes it the worst: There is now no longer any barrier to entry to get involved in this thing. Giant label deals are not necessary for success any more. You can make and distribute massively big records from your bedroom. It’s more about drive and creativity.
CHESTERFIELD KINGS: Everyday exciting new ways to be seen and heard are growing and are embraced by musicians and listeners/fans. The number of streaming services and creative live events, pop-up festivals, cross-genre festivals, rock/rap/country cruise ship vacations [continues to grow]. None of this is new, but it got a fresh look in 2024. There are always growing opportunities and a desire for new and live music.
BOBBY MAHONEY: The joy of being a musician in 2024 is being able to literally create joy — for our audiences and for ourselves. Music is one of the closest things we have to magic as humans, and to be able to create and share it with the world is pure joy. Anytime I get to play my guitar or play with the band I am very grateful and truly happy.
JEN D’ANGORA (SHANG HI LOS): The joy of being a musician in 2024 is there’s really no geographical limit for music. It can be heard anywhere in the world. A personal joy for this particular year would be being a member of The Shang Hi Los.
What are the difficulties of being a musician in 2024?
JED BECKER (JOY BUZZER): We’re a NYC band; sadly a few rooms have closed down over the past couple of years, so it’s harder to find places to play in the city.
DAVE FELDMAN (WYLDLIFE): The flip side of that coin is, now that everyone can do it and get involved, there’s a ton of shitty music out there you gotta navigate past. I’d say that’s the worst part, and the fact that bands are overly concerned with what scene they fit into versus just making music.
CHESTERFIELD KINGS: There are so many artists and so many voices and platforms to be heard that it’s easy to feel lost in the crowd. The desire for a steady stream of new music on demand forces you to keep up while doing your best to stay creative and relevant. There is still a lack of live venues and economic struggle in many markets, and that can lead to difficulties touring and traveling. The cost of live music is crazy. The smaller touring acts have trouble charging enough to stay on the road while the larger acts require an entire paycheck for a ticket.
BOBBY MAHONEY: On one hand, it has never been more accessible to make or consume music — with computers / phones / tablets and the internet, but it is very difficult to cut through and to get people to care. People only have a finite amount of attention span, and with all the entertainment that has ever been created all at people’s fingertips at any moment, it is sometimes difficult to convince them to listen to new music. It is also difficult in 2024 because so many venues that would nurture developing touring artists are closing.
JEN D’ANGORA (SHANG HI LOS): While I can appreciate the progress made in recording, sound, media, reach, etc., I do miss the days when fans would wait eagerly for the release of an album, line up at the record store, listen to the music over and over, and memorize the lyrics and album credits. Now everything is about instant gratification, and we’re on to the next new thing.
What’s it like to perform in Asbury Park, the musical capital of New Jersey?
JED BECKER (JOY BUZZER): Always a thrill to play on the Jersey Shore, and to play the after-party for a Springsteen gig — wow! So happy to be a part of it!
DAVE FELDMAN (WYLDLIFE): I just want to play a few songs [and] a few games of pinball, and have a hotdog somewhere in the shade. And that last part is especially important because I sunburn quite easily.
CHESTERFIELD KINGS: We are honored to perform in Asbury Park. So many local legends of music got their start at the Stone Pony, and some of the biggest acts in music performed at the Paramount Theatre! It give you chills! Being such a huge vacation destination, Asbury Park brings in music fans from all over the world to see and be a part of the rich music history there.
BOBBY MAHONEY: Every time I get to play the guitar in Asbury Park it is literally a dream come true. I grew up dreaming of the day I could play the Stone Pony and play the stages that our heroes made famous/infamous, and we are very fortunate to have been able to play most of those stages in town. It is an important place with so much history, and it is imperative that we don’t forget that history and protect it. Also, there are so many incredible local bands there now, you could go see a great band somewhere in town every night of the week. It is inspiring.
JEN D’ANGORA (SHANG HI LOS): We’ve never had the opportunity to perform in Asbury Park. We’re all beyond excited!
How has the Underground Garage shaped your musical careers? Has it led to more exposure?
JED BECKER (JOY BUZZER): Being “Coolest Song in the World” twice on the Underground Garage has meant not only national, but international exposure. We’re hearing from folks from all over responding to the tunes they hear on the station. It has meant a lot to us. Long live Little Steven’s Underground Garage!
DAVE FELDMAN (WYLDLIFE): I think the Underground Garage has undoubtedly opened up the band to new audiences being that you can hear us on the radio now. It’s definitely added a couple dozen years to our core listener demographic, and that’s cool, too.
CHESTERFIELD KINGS: From its start, the Underground Garage has had an impact on our musical careers [because of] the long reach of the Sirius XM channel, the live music promotions, the dedicated creative team and the powerful influence and creativity of Little Steven Van Zandt. The Underground Garage is an invaluable marketing vehicle for our sub genre of rock ‘n’ roll we call garage rock! Without them we may still be underground.
BOBBY MAHONEY: I grew up listening to Little Steven in the Underground Garage (on Q104.3) on Sunday nights, so I was literally shaped by it. And every time we hear one of our songs on the station, it is a thrill! It has definitely led to more exposure, and it is cool to have so many new people hearing our music.
JEN D’ANGORA (SHANG HI LOS): The Underground Garage has been a part of my life in particular for a long time now, starting with my former band, The Downbeat 5. LSUG gave The DB5 a lot of exposure on air and live that we would never have gotten otherwise. Now The Shang Hi Los are getting those opportunities. I am so incredibly grateful, and I know both bands are, too!
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Little Steven’s Underground Garage presents Asbury Park A Go-Go! at the Asbury Lanes in Asbury Park, New Jersey. The concert begins Sunday, Sept. 15, at 10 p.m. Click here for more information and tickets.
