Saturday, May 7th

SOUTHSIDE JOHNNY & THE ASBURY JUKES @ Wellmont Theatre

Doors 7pm

“I've always wanted to be a Juke…and I still do .” (Jon Bon Jovi) 
““There's one thing I've always wanted to do,” Southside Johnny confesses, “and that is to sing.” And he has been doing just that for over a third of a century.

In a business where success is defined as getting a second single and longevity measured in nano-seconds, just surviving for thirty plus years is a rare accomplishment. But Johnny and the Jukes have not just survived, they have flourished: thirty albums, EPs and a box set; thousands of live performances around the globe; a legion of dedicated and enthusiastic fans; dozens of classic songs; a record— HEARTS OF STONE —that Rolling Stone called one of the "top 100 albums of the 70's and 80's," and the story continues as the band records its newest studio album, full of new material that is already getting rave reviews from fans.

To Johnny, it's just what he does. "I grew up on music. We listened to Billie Holiday, T-Bone Walker, Muddy Waters and Big Joe Turner. My parents loved music, the louder the better." Born and raised on the Jersey Shore, Southside's fascination for the club scene started early. "My father played in bands for years, and my mother actually went into labor with me at some seedy New Jersey club. I guess some things were just meant to be." Singing and playing in a number of blues and R&B bands at the now legendary Upstage Club, often joined by pals Bruce Springsteen, "Miami Steve" Van Zandt, and Garry Tallent, Johnny worked at making "meant to be" into "is." It wasn't easy. "We played for years on the shore, but it wasn't until Bruce hit with 'Born to Run' that these A&R guys would drive to Asbury Park to see what was happening."

Southside (so nicknamed because of his bent toward the Blues sounds of the Southside of Chicago) and his band, eventually called the Asbury Jukes, worked on growing their reputation as a dynamic live band through the late 60's and early 70's. "We built a big band, a home for lots of musicians, horns and all: sure we called it Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, but it was really just a bunch of guys getting crazy on stage." Then, in 1975, they signed with CBS/Epic Records, released the critically acclaimed I DON'T WANT TO GO HOME, and a legend was begun. What followed was over three decades of recording and touring and solidifying a place in rock 'n roll history. It was, and continues to be, a period of ups and downs, dozens of great songs and storied live performances that continue to thrill fans and newcomers alike. 

In 1992, following the release of BETTER DAYS, and the record industry turmoil that followed, Johnny, never a fan of the "big record business," took a hiatus from the studio, though he continued to work the road. "I went through some really bad times and never wanted to record again," Johnny recalls. He spent eight years working on the massive record collection he shares with E Street bassist, and childhood buddy, Garry Tallent, ruminating on life and his music, and just plain moping until, in 1999, Johnny returned to recording on his own terms and on his own label, Leroy Records.

The result, MESSIN' WITH THE BLUES, was a return to making music for the sheer joy of it; a collection of old and new true-blues songs that Johnny had long coveted but couldn't record in the pop-single driven, major label environment. MESSIN' WITH THE BLUES was the catharsis Johnny needed to get the band back in the studio and himself back in the groove. "You can be free do what you want, as you want…we weren't trying to be perfect…we just wanted to play…we were professional about it, while having a lot of fun."
Recharged and reenergized, Johnny and the Jukes have kept up the pace since with GOING TO JUKESVILLE, the balls-to-the-wall, honest-to-goodness Jukes record released in 2002, an introspective, soulful INTO THE HARBOUR in 2005, a live album and a live Internet stream of one of their legendary shows in 2008, and both a new live record and a new studio record in the works. Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes are brassing their way full steam ahead the same way they always have, with no holds barred, good time rock and roll. 
"I'll stack my group against any group out there. We enjoy playing, and the audience enjoys having a good time. Music is a shared emotion. We distill it down to that."
When you distill Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, you come down to great music and good times. It has been for thirty-plus years… and counting.

Saturday, July 2nd

SOUTHSIDE JOHNNY & THE ASBURY JUKES @ Stone Pony Summer Stage

Doors 6pm

“I've always wanted to be a Juke…and I still do .” (Jon Bon Jovi) 
““There's one thing I've always wanted to do,” Southside Johnny confesses, “and that is to sing.” And he has been doing just that for over a third of a century.

In a business where success is defined as getting a second single and longevity measured in nano-seconds, just surviving for thirty plus years is a rare accomplishment. But Johnny and the Jukes have not just survived, they have flourished: thirty albums, EPs and a box set; thousands of live performances around the globe; a legion of dedicated and enthusiastic fans; dozens of classic songs; a record— HEARTS OF STONE —that Rolling Stone called one of the "top 100 albums of the 70's and 80's," and the story continues as the band records its newest studio album, full of new material that is already getting rave reviews from fans.

To Johnny, it's just what he does. "I grew up on music. We listened to Billie Holiday, T-Bone Walker, Muddy Waters and Big Joe Turner. My parents loved music, the louder the better." Born and raised on the Jersey Shore, Southside's fascination for the club scene started early. "My father played in bands for years, and my mother actually went into labor with me at some seedy New Jersey club. I guess some things were just meant to be." Singing and playing in a number of blues and R&B bands at the now legendary Upstage Club, often joined by pals Bruce Springsteen, "Miami Steve" Van Zandt, and Garry Tallent, Johnny worked at making "meant to be" into "is." It wasn't easy. "We played for years on the shore, but it wasn't until Bruce hit with 'Born to Run' that these A&R guys would drive to Asbury Park to see what was happening."

Southside (so nicknamed because of his bent toward the Blues sounds of the Southside of Chicago) and his band, eventually called the Asbury Jukes, worked on growing their reputation as a dynamic live band through the late 60's and early 70's. "We built a big band, a home for lots of musicians, horns and all: sure we called it Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, but it was really just a bunch of guys getting crazy on stage." Then, in 1975, they signed with CBS/Epic Records, released the critically acclaimed I DON'T WANT TO GO HOME, and a legend was begun. What followed was over three decades of recording and touring and solidifying a place in rock 'n roll history. It was, and continues to be, a period of ups and downs, dozens of great songs and storied live performances that continue to thrill fans and newcomers alike. 

In 1992, following the release of BETTER DAYS, and the record industry turmoil that followed, Johnny, never a fan of the "big record business," took a hiatus from the studio, though he continued to work the road. "I went through some really bad times and never wanted to record again," Johnny recalls. He spent eight years working on the massive record collection he shares with E Street bassist, and childhood buddy, Garry Tallent, ruminating on life and his music, and just plain moping until, in 1999, Johnny returned to recording on his own terms and on his own label, Leroy Records.

The result, MESSIN' WITH THE BLUES, was a return to making music for the sheer joy of it; a collection of old and new true-blues songs that Johnny had long coveted but couldn't record in the pop-single driven, major label environment. MESSIN' WITH THE BLUES was the catharsis Johnny needed to get the band back in the studio and himself back in the groove. "You can be free do what you want, as you want…we weren't trying to be perfect…we just wanted to play…we were professional about it, while having a lot of fun."
Recharged and reenergized, Johnny and the Jukes have kept up the pace since with GOING TO JUKESVILLE, the balls-to-the-wall, honest-to-goodness Jukes record released in 2002, an introspective, soulful INTO THE HARBOUR in 2005, a live album and a live Internet stream of one of their legendary shows in 2008, and both a new live record and a new studio record in the works. Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes are brassing their way full steam ahead the same way they always have, with no holds barred, good time rock and roll. 
"I'll stack my group against any group out there. We enjoy playing, and the audience enjoys having a good time. Music is a shared emotion. We distill it down to that."
When you distill Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, you come down to great music and good times. It has been for thirty-plus years… and counting.

Friday, July 15

moe. @ Stone Pony Summer Stage 

Doors 5pm, Show 6pm

From modest beginnings in a Buffalo basement over two decades ago to today’s multifacetedsuccess, the members of moe. have never lost sight of the earnest, elemental goals that theyaspired to from their very first show: to deliver honest, heartfelt music and to ensure the audiencehas a good time. Considerate and conscientious in their actions and decision-making, moe.’srefreshingly unpretentious attitude has won them a devoted legion of dedicated fans (rangingfrom seasoned concert-goers to eager young newcomers) and has given rise to a thriving cottageindustry – a self-contained nation-state in which the band and their audience live as equals,thriving on a reciprocal appreciation rare in today’s increasingly fragmented musical landscape.2010 marks the twentieth anniversary of moe.’s frontline of Rob Derhak (bass, vocals), ChuckGarvey (guitar, vocals), and Al Schnier (guitar, keyboards, vocals), who continue to performtogether with the addition of drummer Vinnie Amico and percussionist and multi-instrumentalistJim Loughlin. Keeping a consistent lineup intact and productive over two decades is no smallfeat. moe.’s saga is made all the more remarkable because they have consistently done so ontheir own terms, as independent artists who actively manage their own affairs while staying wellahead of industry and technological developments, including successfully self-releasing theirown music and offering instant on-site digital concert recordings at their shows.

Friday, May 27th

House of Blues (Atlantic City)

Doors 8pm

Show 9pm

With today’s proliferation of mass media, pop culture icons have a tendency to seem overly ubiquitous. They stare at us from the covers of glossy magazines, talk to us from both the small and silver screen, interact with us through our laptops and hypnotize us with their inescapable hit singles. But too often these days, while our biggest stars may be omnipresent in our lives, we feel no genuine connection to them or their artistry.

Yet, hip-hop icon Snoop Dogg is different. While, he’s everywhere, all of the time—from The View to106th & Park, Sportscenter to One Life To Live, and from commercials with Adidas to Pepsi Max—Snoop’s continuing appeal to his legions of fans stems from a true bond that they have built with him through his music. And like Bigg Snoop, the music’s been everywhere. Whether it’s a stadium stage or the screen on your mobile phone, Snoop has most likely rocked it.

Now, as anticipation steadily climbs for his quickly approaching 11th studio album, Doggumentary, Tha Doggfather is continuing to enhance his connection with his fans through his music. Not only is Snoop utilizing his unrivaled digital presence to offer his fans inside access to the creative process behind theDoggumentary, but the album itself acts a memoir of sorts—both chronicling his journey in the game thus far and plotting where his path will lead him in the future.

The latest collection reflects everything that the world has come to embrace about the man born Calvin Broadus. While delivering several of the bombastic street raps that initially propelled Snoop to stardom,Doggumentary also boasts the sort of unpredictable collaborations that have made him a pop culture phenomenon.

 Unafraid to experiment with his established sound, the intoxicating lead single "Wet" sees Snoop working with the newly hot production duo The Cataracs. Together, they unite to startling effect, creating an entrancing and atmospheric club jam that has already pounced on various radio formats. Another first-time contributor to Snoop's illustrious catalogue is producer Lex Luger. The native Virginian (responsible for Rick Ross' thunderous anthems “MC Hammer” and  "B.M.F.") provides Tha Bigg Boss Dogg with something even more triumphant—the fittingly titled "Platinum," a song that also reunites Snoop with famed crooner R. Kelly.

From here, Snoop continues to roll out the blue carpet, inviting alternative heroes Gorillaz to provide the psychedelic organ thrusts to Snoop’s unusually playful flow on "Sumthin Like This Night". Rising sensation Wiz Khalifa stops by for the playful, self-explanatory "This Weed Iz Mine,"  which sees our host gleefully announce that he's taking it back to "classic Snoop." Then the melancholy strings of the Kanye West produced "Eyez Closed" inspire a wizened D-O-Double G to both reflect and caution, "If you taste success, make sure it's from a tall glass." Still the energy immediately ramps up with the surefire hit "Boom" featuring T-Pain. Here, Snoop announces himself the "chief rocka" over producer Scott Storch’s ingeniously utilized sample of Yaz’s “Situation”.

While mainstream audiences will undoubtedly rapturously receive the aforementioned, Snoop spends ample time on Doggumentary rewarding his loyal core fanbase. "My Fucn House" is as authoritative as its title suggests, as Snoop, Jeezy and E-40 delve into the trap over Rick Rock's energetic pomp. "We Rest N Cali" is Snoop's unapologetic ode to California's more sinister dwellings, aided by a typically merciless Goldie Loc. "Gangbang Rookie" will be considered vintage Snoop as he asserts himself as, "a Boss out here on the West" over Jake One's rattling funk. While Jake does an impeccable job recreating West Coast G-Funk on both "Rookie" and the album intro "Toyz N Da Hood," Snoop recruits a few other notable comrades to assist. These include Battlecat ("The Way Life Used To Be," "Wonder What It Do"), Fredwreck ("Peer Pressure"), and Meech Wells ("Take U Home.") All mentioned succeed in conjuring definitive Snoop, whether he is shamelessly spitting game, confronting adversaries, or reflecting on his incredible career trajectory

 To promote Doggumentary, Snoop has wisely conceptualized the album’s title. By aligning his social media prowess with his creative output, Snoop is "doggumenting" the album’s progress online. He has already launched the much discussed #PuffPuffPassTuesdays campaign, where he releases exclusive visual and audio content to his 2.5 million Twitter followers every week. Next, unprecedented access to Snoop's inner circle is granted via his frequent Ustream sessions. These afford millions of fans across the globe the opportunity to log-in and interact with Snoop live, as he streams new music. Snoop is also responsible for the prolific WestFestTV channel on YouTube, which regularly uploads candid footage of Snoop in action and a slew of viral music videos.

Snoop Dogg's ability to stay at the forefront of popular culture and connect with his fans has resulted in unwavering relevance. While he’s a TV and movie star, the founder and coach of a hugely successful youth football league and a savvy adapter of new technology, Snoop Dogg remains Tha Doggfather of hip-hop. Incredibly, his music is as "doggumented" now as it was in 1992 around the launch of his timeless debut Doggystyle. In fact, a stronghold over the various social networking platforms makes him more accessible than ever. With all eyes on the skinny kingpin from Long Beach, Doggumentary is the perfect title for the man who continues to occupy the throne as the world’s most famous rapper.

Fabolous

Friday, May 20th

House of Blues (Atlantic City)

It takes talent to make the struggle to succeed seem effortless, but that is the gift that separates artists like Brooklyn's John Jackson, aka Fabolous, from the everyday MC. While most rappers spend more and more time convincing the masses of their "hustle," Fabolous lets his work speak for his effort. With two platinum albums (2001's Ghetto Fabolous and 2003's Street Dreams) and one Gold (2004's Real Talk) to his credit, the veteran hitmaker still exudes a rookie-of-the year swagger. After recording for both Elektra and Atlantic Records, Fab is enjoying a home coming with the legendary Def Jam label. His first recorded song was "If They Want It" from DJ Clue's The Professional, which was released by Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam in 1998. Now he is preparing to release his fourth street classic, From Nothin' to Somethin' under the watchful eye of his longtime collaborators.

"I had people in my corner already over there," Fab says of DJ Clue and A&R Skane, the Desert Storm duo who discovered Fabolous. "So it wasn't like I was coming to a new neighborhood."

While he doesn't site any one reason for his move, Fabolous has learned a lot from his time in the industry and is eager to capitalize on his experience. "I haven't peaked yet," he explains. "I was happy with the past records, but I have some adversity to learn off of for the future."

It's appropriate that Fabolous is getting a fresh start for his latest release because he wants From Nothin' to Somethin' to be a rebirth for his fans old and new. "Everybody is trying to take what they have and make something more," says Fabolous, explaining the album's title. "It's a new year, everybody's on their hustle, back in the gym and I'm trying to give them some inspiration. This is music to chase your money too, work out--motivation music.

The first single "Make Me Better" is produced by Grammy Award winning producer Timbaland and finds Fabolous doing what he does best; blending radio ready sound beds with clever and memorable lyrics. Rapping that he needs "a Corretta Scott to make me King" Fab picks up with his female fans where "Baby" left off. "It's a great feel good record, it's got a lot of style to it," he says. "I wanted a record that could show that I could touch different people with my music."

Already recognized for his hit-making ability, Fabolous is eager to show the diversity of his technique while staying true to his blueprint for success. On the cocky "Make Money" he cleverly borrows Notorious B.I.G's trademark chuckle to comment on the laugh-ability of his competition: "these dudes is stand up rappers, hip-hop comedians, I start laughin as soon as I put your CD in." His wit and wordplay is not something he gets enough credit for, but the MC is confident people will come around. "Certain people recognize it," he says, "but its like they'll sing it in the shower, but they won't sing it outside. It's all good though. One of them days you gonna get drunk and start singing that song."

Enlisting a whose-who list of guests that includes Akon, Young Jeezy, Ne-Yo and Junior Reed, Fabolous plays to a variety of audiences on this disc, but there is no mistaking that it's his show from beginning to end. The anthemic "Brooklyn" features a yet to be disclosed surprise guest and "Change Up" pairs Fab with singer, producer extraodinaire Akon helping him reflect on his life and career.

"Anytime you become a successful person, people may look at you and say you changed," explains Fabolous, who references the October 2006 shooting that took place outside of Justin's restaurant in the lyrics of the song. "That record just talks about people changing as a person for money, how they carry themselves and treat other people. For me, I might have changed where I live or my number, but I haven't changed as a person…I slid a line or two about what happened in October but I'm not coming out with a bullet proof vest or anything."

The playful "Foggin Up The Windows," produced by Miami's The Runners, features R. Kelly's chopped and screwed vocals from his hit "Ignition" to prop up Fabolous' ode to parkin' lot pimpin' of the more carnal kind.

"I just took it back to trying to get some in the car," he says with a laugh. "Everyone's either done it or tried to get some in the car. It may not have been the place of choice but everybody's had a hotel on wheels."

Other rewind worthy tracks like "Real Playa" featuring Lloyd, "Diamonds" featuring Young Jeezy and the Just Blaze produced "Back To School" round out an impressive collection that makes From Nothin' to Somethin' worth the two-year wait. In his absence no artist has come close to matching his boyish charm, wit and unassuming cool both on and off the mic. With a new team and a pop of his collar Fabolous is indeed "fresh to Def."

"I'm trying to bring good music back to the game," he says confidently. "And anybody that's bringing good music, the hype is gonna follow them."