The Stone Pony: Live Music in Asbury Park, NJ

Brian Kirk and the Jirks

Special Event with Early Door at 6 pm

NJ’s legendary party band Brian Kirk & the Jirks is back at the Pony! Brian Kirk is the ultimate rock ‘n’ roll ringmaster — equal parts singer, musician, comedian and band leader. Join us for a memorable Locals Summer party at the Pony. It’s a special event with an early showtime of 7 pm. Get ready to rock with BKJ’s favorites that will keep you singing and dancing all night long! This event is sponsored by/benefitting the New Jersey Homicide Investigators Association. This event is open to the public and all are welcome.

WYATT FLORES
DRIVE ALL NIGHT TOUR
Shelby Stone

Acclaimed singer, songwriter and musician Wyatt Flores is in the midst of a breakout year following the release of his full-length debut album, Welcome to the Plains, this past fall (Island Records). With the record, produced by Beau Bedford (Orville Peck, Shane Smith & The Saints), Flores continues to gain widespread attention, having appeared on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” NPR Music’s “Tiny Desk Concert” series and “CBS Saturday Morning,” while the album landed on several “Best of 2024” lists such as NPR, Rolling Stone and more. Known for his electric concerts, Flores recently released his first live album, Live At Cain’s Ballroom, and will continue to tour through this summer with his “Welcome Back to the Plains” headline tour as well as several festival dates across the country. Born and raised in Oklahoma, the Mexican-American artist has established himself as one of country music’s most vital voices. In the past year, he’s been recognized as one of Rolling Stone’s 25 “Future of Music” artists, was nominated for Emerging Act of the Year at the 2024 Americana Awards, was selected as Amazon’s Breakthrough Artist of the Year, included in Spotify’s Hot Country Class of 2024 and CMT’s Listen Up class and made his Grand Ole Opry debut. Additionally, Flores has garnered over 325 million streams to date and had his song “Before I Do” with Jake Kohn featured on the soundtrack for the Twisters movie. 

Wyatt Flores has partnered with PLUS1 so that $1 per ticket goes to supporting Music Health Alliance and their work providing access to healthcare and mental health support by removing barriers, finding solutions, and restoring health and hope for music industry professionals nationwide.

CHARLEY CROCKETT
Age of the Ram Tour
Durand Jones & the Indications
on The Stone Pony Summer Stage

Charley Crockett, in partnership with PLUS1, will contribute $1.00 from every ticket sold to Last Prisoner Project, a 501(c)(3) organization, to support efforts to free individuals incarcerated for cannabis-related offenses and repair the harms of the war on cannabis. Founded in 2019, Last Prisoner Project works nationwide to advance cannabis justice and advocate for policies that repair the harms of cannabis prohibition. Charley Crockett is proud to support this work and help raise awareness in communities across the country. For more information, visit LastPrisonerProject.org. No portion of the ticket purchase is tax deductible.

RISE AGAINST
Ricochet 2026
with ALKALINE TRIO
Teen Mortgage
on The Stone Pony Summer Stage

Few bands have ever been as accurately named as the Chicago punk quartet Rise Against. While fleeting styles and fashionable imitations have entered and exited vogue, Rise Against have remained a north star of artful resistance. While continuously updating their formula, they’ve sustained their original spirit of rebellion over a quarter century – amassing a body of work that doubles as a chronicle of our collective unraveling. Melodic hardcore detonations co-exist in perfect tension with dire warnings about looming dystopia. And on their latest release, Ricochet, they’ve made what might be their most visceral, urgent, and high-stakes song cycle.
“We rely on each other, whether we like it or not,” Rise Against lead singer, rhythm guitarist, and lyricist, Tim McIlrath says. “Everything that you do will affect somebody.”
“We are not as isolated as we think,” the musician said. “What we do, good or bad, creates one big ricochet effect.”
Ricochet is a success at simplest level: a collection of indelible rock and roll songs with infectious hooks that sound best played at eardrum-shattering volume. But it also functions as something more profound: a document of artists capturing the chaos of the moment, articulating complex truths with seismic power, and an awareness of the consequences that may befall us. This is an album built to be a part of the solution.

In more than 25 years together, Alkaline Trio has created their own little universe in their songs, one that is a bit dark, a bit brooding, and always just a few short steps away from Armageddon. Their music has been a reliable black mirror of reality. And now, as the band releases their 10th album, the real world looks more like an Alkaline Trio song than ever before.
“A lot of the stuff that was inspiring me on this record was this apocalypse culture that we live in,” says guitarist Matt Skiba. “Without sounding trite, it’s the way that we get our information now through social media. There’s always been good and there’s always been horror, but it feels like the horror hits our doorsteps much quicker these days.”
“It’s tough all around right now,” adds bassist Dan Andriano. “We can’t do drugs anymore because they’ll kill you. We can’t go anywhere safely because people are shooting places up. It’s dark and it’s a bummer.”

Gates: 5:30PM
Show: 6:30PM

Medium Build, King of Having Fun
with special guest Ken Yates

Medium Build’s Nick Carpenter never planned for a career as a singer-songwriter to take him to great heights. But when it did — an ascent made possible on the merits of his razor-sharp and fearlessly reflective tunes, electrifying performances, and acerbic, hilarious wit — he certainly wasn’t prepared to end up so close to the edge.

Now, on the heels of his breakthrough 2024 album Country, years of relentless touring under increasingly brighter lights and bigger stages, and recovery from the subsequent fallout that often follows fame, comes King of Having Fun, Medium Build’s most cohesive, extroverted, and joyful record yet. An album made not in an isolated bedroom like much of his past work but live in a studio with his closest friends and collaborators, it is fueled by a fresh rock-and-roll energy paired with the artist’s familiar lo-fi-meets-indie-and-country sound yet still driven by the biting lyrical insight and potent self-examination that has endeared Carpenter to throngs of fans worldwide. Sure to bring Medium Build to a whole new level of stardom through its sheer sonic power and songwriting prowess, King of Having Fun is the sound of a fractured soul picking up the pieces out of the darkness of rock-bottom and rediscovering real love — for others, for joy, and for oneself.

Carpenter, who was raised in an evangelical household in Georgia and learned at an early age how to both perform and to be performative, credits the birth of Medium Build to two significant personal heartbreaks: once as an aspiring Christian at the hands of the Church, and once by the music industry as a member of an indie rock band called, fittingly, Little Moses.

“Most of my upbringing was spent learning how to perform the act of existence,” he says. “Being a good boy at church or school was how you got ahead, so the church was a place for me to perform this sort of existence to earn praise and perks. But when I found out how fucked up its inner workings are, the church dream died. And my experience in Nashville for music was very similar. So, Medium Build was created to be a place where no one could ever take anything from me. It was born from a kill-all-accessibility perspective: Say the darkest, nastiest thought you’re otherwise afraid to say; don’t filter — all the shit you weren’t allowed to say at church, say it here. I just wanted a place where I could be ugly.”

Having tried his hand in a few different Southern music hubs, Carpenter took advantage of an opportunity to restart as far away from home as possible and moved in with his older brother in Anchorage, Alaska, in 2018, where he continued writing stripped-down, angsty, and wry songs under the Medium Build name. Adding guitar and vocals to beats or loops, Carpenter let the raw, emotional texture of his voice shine, and when paired with the evocative, heartrendingly real nature and relatability of his lyrics, a winning formula emerged. Recruiting a production-savvy friend to help him record and engineer, the output retained a strong DIY sensibility while revealing itself clearly capable of reaching a larger audience. Galvanized by that performative religious background, early Medium Build shows were communal, life-affirming affairs, and their spectacle spread via social media and word of mouth. A steady grip of EPs, full-lengths, and singles over the next five years culminated with a slowplay/Island Records deal, bigger tours, and a move to Nashville in 2023, followed by the 2024 LP Country.

All the while, Carpenter, who had been bartending in Anchorage while not playing shows and had a history of drinking-to-excess amid spells of sobriety, was abusing alcohol and partying more and more. That, paired with his deep-seated approval-seeking, social-chameleon tendencies and the perils of the road, was making it difficult for him to maintain his health, interpersonal relationships, and any sense of himself. He was depressed, unfulfilled, and his bipolar disorder was then as-yet undiagnosed and thereby unmedicated. Nick Carpenter’s personal life existed in sharp contrast to the rising star of Medium Build.

“After the pandemic, my career was starting to go well, I was in a serious relationship, and my home life was chill. It felt like I couldn’t do any wrong. Got signed, put out the album in 2024, did all the festivals, the world tour. My cocky drinking started going off the charts, and my lore began to overshadow my existence. I had a full-blown panic attack on stage, ruined a couple shows. That was basically rock-bottom: waking up in a hotel room in Australia, just feeling like I could die. I think I could be done. I played Bonnaroo, played London, met David Gray. I’ve done everything I thought I could do. This little thing clicked in my head: Nobody would blame you if you wanted to kill yourself now. You’ve put out a record, been successful. You’ve done all the drugs, had sex with anyone you want. What do you want now? I just wasn’t curious about anything anymore. I felt boredom and pressure to continue doing this thing that I wasn’t enjoying. I didn’t have a firm base in anything, no spiritual grounding. Something had changed. I wanted to die.”

He called a meeting with his team and bandmates that was essentially a cry for help. The response was immediate, and Carpenter began to slowly chip away at his path to recovery. He took a break from music, got diagnosed, got meds, got sober, became single, started working on himself…and got better. And, in true Medium Build fashion, he was constantly writing candid, incisive songs about his experience throughout the entire process.

“It was scary to say something out loud like that,” he says. “I basically spent 2025 in this weird cocoon, licking my wounds, making amends. But there’s also the pink cloud of early sobriety and the confidence that comes with that: I’m losing weight. I’m running a fuck-ton of miles. I’m single and I’m feeling good. The suicidal thoughts have gone away and now: Here I am. And so that’s when we made the record.”

Although it is without a doubt his brainchild, Carpenter insists he has never done Medium Build alone, and from the start he knew he wanted to make these new songs into a rafters-reaching rock record with his band together in a live room. He booked a studio for two weeks, and assembled his collaborative dream team — Paul Rogers, the musical director; Jimmy Mansfield, the engineer; and Jake LiBassi, the atmospheric moodmaker — to lock in and steer the creative process. They often reverse-engineered from the perspective of playing the songs live in bigger rooms and arenas at the objective forefront, and added upbeat tempos, guitar solos, singalongs, and more with those specific, future rock and roll moments in mind. And yet despite the dark subject matter hanging over much of it all, Carpenter’s lyrics also poke and prod at the gloaming, revealing a newfound maturity and rediscovered zest.

“You pull a guy out of the noose, squash his bipolar down, give him running and sunshine and the chance to sit at home for awhile…the songs just started falling out. These tunes feel like they were made in a padded room where I could be really honest. A lot of the record’s got tempo, a lot is fun to sing. There’s a playfulness, sonically, and it’s a big collaboration, with six or seven people involved on almost every tune.”

Throughout King of Having Fun, the kitchen sink of Medium Build’s abilities and Carpenter’s chameleon-like skill to succeed in multiple genres is on full display. “Do Something Productive” sets an early tone of anthemic power-pop mixed with modern country sentimentalism, while “Cone Off” apes the latter genre’s sonics while celebrating the singer’s untethered freedom. The title track is a hero’s journey from darkness to light, with nostalgic revelry for simpler times sung through a George-Strait-meets-Andy-Shauf sincerity, and the achingly simple acoustic ditty “Feed the Boys” depicts a young Carpenter in the car with his mom as they enjoy a treat on their way home. “Bird Woman”’s wall of guitars and obscure lyrics (“They’re dark,” Carpenter, who identifies as queer, says: “I’m watching a woman do Tai Chi while talking about a guy not leaving his wife for me”) hearken to Carpenter’s indie-est idols, with offerings made to Pedro the Lion, Alvvays, and Dinosaur Jr, and “Home Depot” is a ’90s pop-country radio jam that tells the story of Steve, a guy who is simply incapable of being emotional without his tools. Carpenter calls “Armor” the heart of the record, with its three verses of headspinning neuroses in the arena-busting style of Harry Styles, Sam Fender, and U2. The album closes with the gorgeous “Thank You Cook” like an end credits number in a film, with brushes melting over an early-Coldplay-esque tone and whisper-soft vocals. A love song to his partner, the musician Annika Bennett (who co-wrote throughout the record and sings background vocals on several songs), the track represents a new gear for Medium Build, one that suggests that all the lows in Carpenter’s past life have served the purpose of helping him to appreciate the highs to come.

“A lot of my songs come from a sense of discomfort that I then have to frame in criticism,” he says. “I’m great at taking something down or writing about tension in a relationship; I’ve never been good at writing about how nice a relationship can be. So this record feels like the first time I was able to say, in an artistic way that didn’t feel cloying, Thank you for loving me. Obviously, I had to lose it to be able to put it into words. That’s really hard to do when you’re in it, but that time and space helps you see. And I now realize I have the power to give myself all the things I need. So I’m back, I’m doing it, and I love it. This album has a genuine love song for my partner and a genuine love song for my mom; there aren’t many knocking someone off their high horse. I guess it’s a sign of my growth. It’s maybe the best and most important thing I’ve ever made. I got all my favorite people in a room and we had fun. It’s a celebration of life.”

And, as he sings on the album’s final, powerful moment — When the love I learn from you / Becomes the love I give myself… I love myself, I am home / I don’t need anything — we, too, can take heart, knowing that Nick Carpenter is planted firmly on solid ground, at last.

An Intimate Evening with
MIKE DELGUIDICE

Mike DelGuidice has ​t​oured ​t​he world with Billy Joel, including Billy Joel’s iconic monthly 10-year residency at Madison Square Garden. If you’ve attended a Billy Joel concert in the past 1​2 years, you’ve likely seen Billy Joel spotlight Mike’s powerful vocals and talent. Mike has also been featured on The Today Show, in The New York Times, Rolling Stone, and many more. | Join us Friday, ​O​ctober ​11, 202​6 for an unforgettable evening with Mike DelGuidice and his band, performing a show of astonishing renditions of some of the biggest names in classic rock and a few of Mike’s original songs, and much more.

General Admission Tickets: $59.50 plus applicable surcharges

There are a limited number of VIP tickets at $99.50 each plus applicable surcharges
VIP ticket includes early entry, pre-show meet & greet with Mike at 6:30 pm, photo op with Mike, reserved seat for the show in the VIP sections, access to the VIP Bar all night

Food truck on the outdoor patio all night

Presented by Michael Martocci

HANK AZARIA & THE EZ STREET BAND
A SPRINGSTEEN CELEBRATION

Hank Azaria & The EZ Street Band is a labor of love for Azaria, a life-long Springsteen fan. “I’ve never worked harder preparing for any role than I did in perfecting a singing vocal impression of Bruce,” said Azaria.

Azaria is an acclaimed actor and voice artist, perhaps best known for his decades of work on The Simpsons. Now he’s using his voice in a new and different way, and having a blast entertaining people in a live, concert setting. Azaria spent months creating an impression of Bruce’s distinctive speaking cadence and singing ‘voice’ to conceive the tribute show. As Azaria told Rolling Stone, “I think of it as a theatrical performance,” he says. “I’m staying in character as Bruce even though I’m telling stories about myself. It’s a performance piece, but I’m not a Bruce impersonator.”

The tribute performance itself is a joyful, full-tilt rock ’n roll event, and Azaria’s physicality and flair are a true homage to Bruce. Azaria channels many familiar components of Bruce Springsteen’s iconography: intimate, irreverent storytelling, connection to family, preternatural stamina, camaraderie with the band, and a palpable love for performing. Azaria has delivered a show we want to root for — invigorating, upbeat and ambitious.

ElmThree presents
An Evening with
DANIEL DONATO’S COSMIC COUNTRY

There are a lot of musical influences and sources that Daniel Donato has drawn on during his career and that inform his latest album, Horizon (Retrace Music), his second all-original album. But within those, Donato has carved out a unique and individualized spot for himself, one that speaks to the deep American music heritage that inspires him — and that he’s pushing towards the future with inspired, intentional vigor.

He calls it Cosmic Country, a moniker that’s both self-descriptive and a statement of purpose. It’s an organic rock band aesthetic with plenty of roadhouse twang; a showcase for Donato’s instrumental virtuosity and facility for melodically infectious songcraft. Bridging Nashville and the Great West, Kentucky and mid-60s northern California, tie-dye and plaid, it’s a world of his own, and a wide world of musical adventure at that.

While growing up in Nashville his his father, who turned his young son on to music of all genres, suggested the fledgling and industriously minded (even at just 14) artist start busking in Nashville’s lower Broadway area and outside concerts, for eight hours at a time on the weekends. One night, the two happened by Robert’s Western World where legendary honky-tonk local mainstay the Don Kelly Band were performing. Donato eventually became a member of the band, playing four hours a night at Robert’s (464 shows in total).

Horizons is the follow up to 2023’s Reflector, which received critical acclaim from a wide range of press, including No Depression, Glide Magazine, Magnet Magazine, and more. Donato the subject of features in Rolling Stone, UPROXX, Garden & Gun and Relix. Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country made their network television debut on CBS Saturday Morning and appeared on The Late Show’s #LateShowMeMusic online series.

The whole package of player, singer, writer and band leader was in place. Three albums in, Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country, featuring Nathan “Sugarlegg” Aronowitz (keyboards/guitars/vocals), Will “Mustang” McGee (bass/vocals) and Will “Bronco” Clark (drums, percussion/vocals) are selling out venues throughout the country and bringing their brand of Cosmic Country to an ever growing, passionate fanbase

Doors open 7 pm, show at 8 pm

An Evening with Melvin Seals & JGB

Melvin Seals is a powerhouse Hammond B-3 organist, producer and arranger whose sound has become inseparable from the spirit of the jam band world. He spent 15 years as a core member of the Jerry Garcia Band, joining in 1980 and helping define its soulful, genre-blending style. With his deep roots in gospel, blues, and R&B, Seals brought a warmth and groove that gave the band its unmistakable feel, locking in with Garcia night after night and elevating the music with rich textures and expressive improvisation.

After Garcia’s passing in 1995, Seals stepped naturally into the role of bandleader, forming Melvin Seals & JGB and continuing to carry that music forward. Rather than treating it as a tribute, he’s kept it alive—stretching it, reshaping it, and bringing his own voice into the mix while staying true to the spirit of the original band.

Decades into his career, Seals is still out on the road, delivering high-energy shows that pull from the same well of soul, spontaneity, and connection that made the Jerry Garcia Band so special. His playing isn’t just part of that legacy—it’s one of the reasons it still resonates today.

SHE WANTS REVENGE
Rosegarden Funeral Party

She Wants Revenge, the dark-alternative duo who first exploded onto the scene with the 2005 hit, “Tear You Apart”, are back with a new song, festival appearances, a new lineup, and a massive global audience hungry for the 3rd wave gothic rock they ushered in 2up and down decades before.
For Justin Warfield and Adam Bravin, She Wants Revenge began as a production duo making songs to DJ at clubs. But when a 3-song demo was passed to a friend, they signed to Geffen records, and soon the songs became the basis of their 2005 self-titled LP. They hit the road supporting Bloc Party, The Kills, and OKGO, and along the way, “Tear You Apart” became a bona fide hit. Soon they were opening for Depeche Mode, The Psychedelic Furs, Placebo, co-headlining with Peter Murphy of Bauhaus, headlining Coachella alongside Daft Punk, and in constant rotation on alternative rock across the country. In under a year the oddball tune they thought to be an evil cousin of the B52’s and Wall of Voodoo saw them blitzing through the late-night talk show circuit, and with singles “Out of Control”, and “These Things” also climbing the charts, they went on to sell over 300,000 albums.
Though they came to prominence in the mid-aughts post-punk revival, Justin and Adam were more indebted to their early influences; Prince, Tangerine Dream, ELO, Giorgio Moroder, and 90s hip-hop. It was their true to the era production style, thoughtful songwriting, and heart-on-the-sleeve lyricism which ran counter to the studied dance punk and emotionally distanced, clever sound of their contemporaries which endeared them to the legions of fans who hungered for their brand of bold, emotive music which was sorely lacking at the time. In doing so, they made fans of both the older “all-black” crowd as well as their younger counterparts, and more pointedly, drew nods and praise from the bands who directly inspired them – cementing SWR’s legacy as torch bearers for the moody and morose who came before.
They release their 2nd LP (2007) This Is Forever, followed by back-to-back EP’s Save Your Soul (2008) and Up and Down (2009), and finally, their swan song, Valleyheart (2011). Musically and creatively, their sound evolved, but as blogs and streaming reshaped the industry, the live shows still grew as more and more devoted fans discovered them. Along the way they collaborated with Timbaland, made videos with Shirley Manson and Joaquin Phoenix, and created a body of work that both broke new ground, while also paying homage to the music, films, and pop-culture of the 70s and 80s which shaped their youth.
Road-worn and weary from a breakneck touring schedule, the band announced in 2012 that they’d be going on an indefinite hiatus. For their fans to whom they’d become like musical family, this was nothing short of heartbreaking, the uncertainty of the word, “hiatus” only making it worse. But behind the scenes, it was clear; this was a break-up, and difficult as it may have been, it was the only way to retain the friendship which was at the heart of all they’d done, so they went their separate ways, played a round of farewell shows, and dove head-first into separate projects and creative pursuits.
But as sometimes happens, the universe had other plans, and in late 2015, following a 4-year hiatus, fan, friend, and vocal supporter Lady Gaga put “Tear You Apart” in the premiere episode of her star turn in American Horror Story, instantly reigniting interest in the band. Suddenly SWR was back in the charts and steadily streaming, and overnight, the broken-up duo was now the “favorite new band” of young audiences longing for more of what they heard on the show.
The band could no longer ignore the signs, and in 2016 they reunited for the 10-year anniversary of their debut album and hit the road playing the album in its entirety for captive audiences worldwide. Old fans were ecstatic, and new fans were thrilled to finally see them live. What started as a tour to honor their anniversary turned into a 4-year sprint across the US, Canada, Europe, and the UK. The band was in top form, the tours were well-attended, and the momentum was building.
In early 2020 after a run of sold-out shows in LA, they sat down to finally record a new album, but when the pandemic hit, like everyone else, their personal and professional worlds were turned upside down.
In 2022 they reconvened, and more driven than ever, set about touring like they had in the early days, covering the entire US, Eastern and Western Europe, the UK, and Australia. What they discovered wasn’t just sold-out shows in nearly every market, but new, young audiences of teenagers and 20-somethings brought up on the 3rd wave goth that the boys inspired, yet never had the chance to see them live. Reinvigorated, inspired, and more certain of their place and purpose than ever, they began work on their long-awaited 4th album, writing and recording between tours.
2024 not only saw the band become the most popular they’d ever been on DSP’s (2.5 million monthly listeners, but also was the year a deep-cut from the 2009 EP Up And Down went viral on TikTok, with hundreds of thousands of creator-generated videos circulating, hoisting the song to the #2 most popular of the band’s catalog.
Now, with a revamped lineup featuring Justin on vocals/guitar, Adam on Bass VI and synths,Thomas Froggatt (formerly guitar) on bass, Tony Bevilacqua (The Distillers) on guitar, and Lia Braswell (Sextile, A Place To Bury Strangers, TR/ST) on drums, the revitalized SWR exudes the same sort of spirit they first hit the road with 20 years ago.
With prominent slots at their beloved hometown Cruel World festival, the UK’s sister fest Forever Now, plans for the Summer and into next year, a new song in the wings, and recording of the long-teased 4th LP still underway, She Wants Revenge is doing what would seem impossible for bands of their era – staying true to the dark dance music and gothic sound they first pioneered decades past, while also remaining fresh, reinventing, and playing music with joy to the millions of kids getting to experience it for the first time.

MICHELLE BRANCH
Everywhere And Back Again Tour

Michelle Branch was 17 years old when she signed to Madonna’s Maverick Records. In 2001, she released her highly acclaimed debut album, The Spirit Room, which featured the hit singles “Everywhere” (MTV Video Music Award Viewer’s Choice winner), “All You Wanted” and “Goodbye to You”, and ushered in a new era of young women writing and performing their own songs. The album went on to sell 3 million copies worldwide, and was certified double-Platinum in the U.S., Platinum in Japan, Gold in Australia and Canada, and Silver in the U.K., among others. Branch won a Grammy Award for her 2002 collaboration with Carlos Santana, “The Game of Love,” which peaked at No. 5 on Billboard’s Hot 100, No. 1 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart, and was a major international hit. Her second album, 2003’s Hotel Paper, debuted at No. 2 on the US Billboard album chart and was a top 10 hit around world. Certified Platinum in the U.S., and Gold in Australia, Canada and Japan, it spawned the hit single “Are You Happy Now?,” which was nominated for a Grammy for Best Female Rock Performance (she was also nominated for Best New Artist). In 2006, Branch found success with Jessica Harp as modern-country duo The Wreckers, whose debut Stand Still, Look Pretty was praised by critics for breaking down barriers between pop and country. The Gold-certified album spawned the hit single “Leave the Pieces,” which topped the Hot Country Songs chart for several weeks, and earned Branch her fourth Grammy nomination, as well as “My Oh My” and “Tennessee”. In 2017, Branch released her critically acclaimed fourth album, Hopeless Romantic (Verve), co-produced with her husband Patrick Carney (The Black Keys). Paste said of it, “Sprinkled with gorgeous, transparent and colorful synths, Hopeless Romantic casts Branch as a newly matured lover and songwriter and is indeed likely to succeed at satisfying diehards and welcoming in new devotees.” In 2026, Michelle is set to embark on her Everywhere And Back Again national tour and release her highly anticipated new music.

Bumpin Uglies
Orange Crush Tour
with Artikal Sound System, Joey Harkum Band

Bumpin Uglies, proudly hailing from Annapolis, Maryland, have cultivated a dedicated fanbase through relentless touring, powerful songwriting, and an unwavering DIY ethos. Formed in 2008, the band’s core lineup consists of Brandon Hardesty (vocals, lead guitar), Brent Schraffenberger (bass), T.J. Haslett (drums), Ethan Lichtenberger (keys, trombone, trumpet, backing vocals), and Will Lopez (saxophone). Their extensive discography—including well-received albums such as Go Folk Yourself, Mid-Atlantic Dub, and Lyrics Over Everything—showcases their dynamic musical approach that blends reggae rhythms, punk spirit, ska grooves, and heartfelt folk storytelling. Their honest, unfiltered approach to songwriting resonates deeply with fans, fostering an inviting and tightly-knit community known as Uglies Nation.

Joe Baracata Band
25th Anniverary Show

A celebration of everything Joe Baracata and his stellar band delivering the good times on the Jersey Shore for 25 years strong!
Door 7:00, Show 8:00 to 11:30

Joe Baracata Band have been one of the Jersey Shore’s most in-demand live acts for over 25 years. Known for nonstop energy, packed dance floors, and crowd-pleasing sets that blend rock, pop, Motown, and party anthems, the band has built a reputation for turning every event into an unforgettable experience. From weddings and clubs to major Shore venues… the Joe Baracata Band has become a beloved staple of the Jersey Shore music scene.

Tramps Like Us
Bruce Springsteen Tribute Show

Tramps return to their NJ Home the Stone Pony with a special show theme to be Announced soon!
For more than 36 years, Tramps Like Us has been bringing the music of Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band to audiences across the country. Bruce Springsteen’s official radio station, SiriusXM’s E Street Radio, named Tramps Like Us “The Best of All Springsteen Tribute Bands.” With more than 3,000 concerts performed for over one million fans and a repertoire of more than 150 songs, the band captures the power, passion, energy and authenticity of a Springsteen concert. No costumes or impersonations—just an uncompromising dedication to the music and the unmistakable spirit of Bruce & The E Street Band.
Door 7:00, Early show at 8:00 to 11:30pm.

START MAKING SENSE
The Talking Heads Tribute Show

SMS returns to the Pony with their stellar Talking Heads tribute recreating the music of Talking Heads’ entire career. The musicians in this tribute take pride in faithfully recreating the music of Talking Heads. Together they bring much of the Heads’ unique live show to the stage, with front man Jon Braun the spot-on David Byrne, giving you a “once in a lifetime” experience. Expect to hear Heads hits and fan favorites in this always grooving musical delight of a show. Prepare yourself to boogie… SMS is a rocking funky, danceable celebration of everything Talking Heads! “The music of Talking Heads has excited, inspired, and healed folks worldwide since their first show at CBGB’s in 1975. If David Byrne is one of the geniuses of modern times, then Start Making Sense is a tribute to genius.” Somebody smart said that.

Jon Fadem Band opens at 8:00pm

Door 7:00, Show 8:00 to 11:30

MARKY RAMONE
PLAYS THE RAMONES CLASSICS

Marky Ramone is best known for the 15 years he spent drumming for the legendary Ramones. Prior to joining the Ramones, Marky played with an array of influential musicians dating back to his high school years when he was a member of the Brooklyn based hard rock band, Dust.
In 1976, Marky was introduced to Richard Hell. Along with Bob Quine and Ivan Julian, they formed Richard Hell & the Voidoids. The Voidoids released their groundbreaking debut album in 1977 on Sire Records, entitled “Blank Generation”. Shortly after the Voidoids historic U.K. tour with The Clash, Marky found himself at the bar at CBGB with Dee Dee Ramone. Dee Dee asked him if he would be interested in joining The Ramones.
The spring of 1978, Marky joined the Ramones. In a matter of weeks he was in the studio recording his first album with The Ramones entitled, “Road to Ruin”, which features one of the biggest Ramones songs “I Wanna Be Sedated”. The following year the Ramones filmed the cult classic “Rock ‘n’ Roll High School”. Later that year, they joined forces with producer legend, Phil Spector to record “End Of The Century.”
In February 2010 The Ramones received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. It was the first Grammy for the punk rock pioneers.
In early 2010 Marky Ramones Blitzkrieg with Michale Graves released their first single “When We Were Angels” with former member of Sheer Terror, Mark Neuman, playing bass and guitar.
With no signs of slowing down, Marky Ramone continues to tour the world with his band, Marky Ramone’s Blitzkrieg, featuring various lead vocalists including Andrew W.K. and Michale Graves.
Marky is currently in his eighth year as a DJ on SiriusXM hosing “Marky Ramone’s Punk Rock Blitzkrieg”. Marky has also appeared on numerous TV shows including The Simpsons, Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations and ZRock.

Doors at 7 pm, show 8 pm

Fantastic Cat

Fantastic Cat returns for a special Thanksgiving Eve show with special guest James Felice.

Dubbed “the Harlem Globetrotters of Americana” by Rolling Stone and “The Wu-Tang Clan of folk rock” by The Village Voice, Fantastic Cat is, much like pornography, better seen than described. Featuring four widely lauded singer/songwriters who trade vocals and swap instruments on nearly every tune, the band emerged to broad critical acclaim with the release of their irreverent debut, The Very Best of Fantastic Cat, which earned the group their first national TV appearance, sold out headline dates around the US and Europe, a performance at the Sundance Film Festival, and a song in the Paramount+ series Tulsa King. Two years later, they followed it up with the similarly celebrated Now That’s What I Call Fantastic Cat, which featured an appearance from Counting Crows frontman Adam Duritz, landed the band dates with Dawes and Lucius, and prompted WFUV to declare them “one of the best Americana and rock bands to tumble out of New York over the last few years.”

Now, Fantastic Cat has defied the odds—and their therapists’ strong urging—to return with their third and most-likely-to-prompt-a-lawsuit-from-the-Meat-Loaf-estate album yet, Cat Out Of Hell. Produced by the band and mixed by D. James Goodwin (Goose, Kevin Morby, The Hold Steady), the collection elevates Fantastic Cat’s trademark blend of craftsmanship and chaos to new sonic heights, capturing the freewheeling, lightning in a bottle energy of their must-see live show and channeling it into a ramshackle house party full of existential searchers, desperate romantics, and barstool philosophers.

Individually, each member of Fantastic Cat boasts their own impressive resume including appearances everywhere from the New York Times and the Tiny Desk to Bonnaroo and Cayamo. NPR said Anthony D’Amato “sings and writes in the tradition of Bruce Springsteen or Josh Ritter.” Pitchfork called Brian Dunne’s new album “wise and poetic,” declaring that “every song sounds like his life depends on it.” Paste proclaimed Don DiLego’s latest record a “stunner,” and Rolling Stone hailed Mike Montali’s band, Hollis Brown, as “the soundtrack for a late-night drive through the American heartland.”

Together, they form a four-headed songwriting Hydra (yes, we know the Hydra had nine heads, but this one has four, so just deal with it) that combines the lush harmonies of CSNY, the playful wit of The Traveling Wilburys, and the relentless interpersonal strife of the Eagles.

DAVE HAUSE AND THE MERMAID

“As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be in a rock and roll band.”

Dave Hause had an epiphany rewatching Goodfellas. “There’s that scene in the beginning where Henry Hill says, ‘As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster.’” The Philly-bred, California-based singer-songwriter always longed to be in a different kind of mob.

“This record is my realization that, as far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be in a rock and roll band. This record is that rock and roll band distilled into 10 songs.”

This record is …And The Mermaid. And those 10 songs offer a welcome shock to the system, blending Hause’s signature lyrical elan and gift for surging melodies with his keening vocals and some deliciously sharp musical elbows courtesy of the titular group.

JAKE THISTLE BAND

Join Jake Thistle for his first headline show at The Stone Pony. A New Jersey native, Jake is currently releasing his second studio album titled A Stranger By Design. Influenced by Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen and Sam Fender, Jake is a rising young performer and songwriter sharing this new body of work about self reflection and growing up. You may know Jake from numerous Asbury Park events and an impressive American Idol run this past year. Join us at the Pony for what’s going to be an unforgettable holiday show.

Jake Thistle has been chasing songs for as long as he can remember. Well before albums, tours, or national television, there was a three-year-old boy glued to a Super Bowl halftime show, mesmerized not by spectacle, but by the simple power of a guitar and a story. Now 21, Thistle is stepping into a wider frame, appearing on the 2026 season of American Idol while releasing his second full-length record – the latest chapter in a story nearly two decades in the making, now unfolding on the public stage. The groundwork was laid early: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers set the wheels in motion, sparking a deep love for classic rock music first as a wide-eyed fan, and soon after as a young musician determined to understand how those songs were built. By age nine, Thistle was discovering that spark in himself. Six months after picking up the guitar, he played his first open mic night in New Jersey, a foothold that soon turned into a steady run of showcases, restaurant sets, and street-corner performances where he learned his craft in real time. As the rooms grew, so did his commitment to writing songs of his own – and when the pandemic brought live music to a halt, he turned inward. Taking the downtime as an opportunity to focus, Thistle self-produced and self-released his debut album, Down the Line, in late 2020. The record marked a turning point for his self-image: No longer was he just a young performer cutting his teeth on stage, but a songwriter stepping forward with his own body of work. A radio performance soon caught the ear of industry veteran Joe Riccitelli, who signed Thistle to Gold’n Retriever Entertainment and helped usher in the next phase of his career.

SUIT & MAI TAI
The Ultimate Yacht Rock Experience

Join us for a Yacht Rock party like no other! Ahoy! NJ’s Premiere Yacht Rock show Suit & Mai Tai sails into The Stone Pony on Sat., Feb. 20, 2027.

Suit & Mai Tai brings the smooth sounds of yacht rock to life, then cranks it up with a fresh, unexpected edge. With a large following across New Jersey, this seven-piece band has become a staple at top clubs, outdoor festivals, and exclusive private events. They deliver a high-energy, sonically rich show that turns soft rock nostalgia into a full-on experience. Come aboard landlubbers — it’s time to party in yacht rock style!

Fueled by three powerhouse lead vocalists, flawless harmonies, searing guitar work, blazing horns, and a rhythm section that kicks like thunder, Suit & Mai Tai takes audiences on a journey through the best of the ’70s and ’80s- from Christopher Cross, The Doobie Brothers, Fleetwood Mac, Toto, Linda Ronstadt and Steely Dan to Styx, The Eagles, Billy Joel, and many more. Think yacht rock classics with grit, mixing in rock anthems with polish. It’s the perfect blend of velvet with voltage.

Their slogan says it all: “Yacht That Rocks.” This isn’t background music. It’s a full-production, crowd-igniting event designed to keep audiences singing, dancing and coming back for more. If you’re looking for a show that needs to deliver both musical excellence and undeniable entertainment, Suit & Mai Tai is the act that brings smooth to the stage — and rocks the boat while they’re at it. Showtime 8 pm.