After an incredible time with my sister and brother-in-law seeing one of our favorite bands The Maine on their home turf in Arizona earlier this year, the band announced an exclusive series of shows to celebrate the 10th anniversary of their American Candy album, with the closest one being in Asbury Park, New Jersey in June. In fact, they set up residency there for the week, playing five shows there in six days. We couldn’t swing going to all of them, but decided to take a day and a half off work to do the Thursday night show, and stay over so we wouldn’t have to worry about driving home late after the show, although Asbury is a fairly smooth under 2-hour drive for us.
I had never been to Asbury Park before, but going for a concert seemed the perfect intro. Aside from being a favorite seaside retreat for the greater New York City area with sandy beaches and a boardwalk full of shops and entertainment, Asbury Park is just as well-known for its renowned music scene, most notably the Stone Pony venue that’s hosted New Jersey heroes Bruce Springsteen and Bon Jovi among many other greats. In the 1990s and early 2000s, the town also played a role in fostering a budding emo/punk/hardcore scene, and was the birthplace of the Bamboozle festival in 2003, which went on to be headlined by some other Jersey boys in My Chemical Romance a few years later.
Stay
We technically stayed not in Asbury Park itself, but in Ocean Grove just to the south of Asbury. We got a great rate on a room at the Ocean Plaza Hotel, which despite being in Ocean Grove was an easy walking distance to the venue for our concert. Ocean Grove is full of charming Victorian houses, reminding us of our beloved Cape May, and was very quiet and relaxing. The Ocean Plaza Hotel was a Victorian house overlooking a peaceful park one block from the beach, offering cozy rooms, and delicious breakfast buffet on its breezy second story veranda. The 10-15 minute walk from our hotel to the venue took us through quaint neighborhoods and across a footbridge over a body of water called Wesley Lake that separates Ocean Grove from Asbury Park.
The Venue
The concert was at the House of Independents, an intimate 500-capacity general admission venue in downtown Asbury. It’s a two-level venue with a bar and restrooms on both levels, and an industrial feel. The staff and experience were great for our show, and I would totally go back to see another show here!
Drinks and Eats
House of Independents is located on Cookman Ave, a main street in downtown Asbury lined with shops and restaurants, so there is no shortage of ways to kill time before a concert. We decided to head up the next block to Asbury Park Brewery, who did a special collaboration beer with The Maine for their series of shows, a delicious strawberry ale that was available in cans at House of Independents as well. The brewery perfectly encapsulates the music scene of Asbury Park, with records, tour posters, and music memorabilia around the taproom. As we sat at the bar and chatted with the friendly bartender, we ended up asking about who the MTV Moonman award on the bar belonged to, only to be in awe when he told us it was Fall Out Boy’s, and even more thrilled when he let us hold it and take pictures with it. A music fan could also spend a good amount of time sipping brews and taking in the mural wall at the rear of the taproom, a massive collage of artists who have played Asbury Park.
From the brewery we headed to Asbury Ale House, across the street from House of Independents, for a pre-show dinner. I had a delicious truffle burger, with truffle oil, arugula, onion bacon jam, and balsamic mushrooms, on a brioche bun. The ale house also proved to be a happening nightlife spot, which we wandered into for a nightcap after the show.
Shopping
The next day, we returned to Cookman Ave to explore some of the shops, with a favorite being Rebel Supply Co., a shop that is half quirky gifts and novelties and half consignment boutique. We also lost ourselves in the seemingly endless aisles of the Antique Emporium. Lastly, I had been thrilled to see a franchise location of River Street Sweets, the confectionery from Savannah, Georgia known for its mouth-watering pecan pralines, so I just had to get some.
What Else to See
On our way out of town, we took a drive up Ocean Avenue along the beachfront and boardwalk of Asbury Park, which takes you past several Asbury icons: first being the legendary Stone Pony. Next, on the side of Wonder Bar is the Tillie mural, a recreation of a mural that was once on the now-demolished Palace Amusements building. Tillie is a slightly creepy grinning “fun face” that has become a symbol of Asbury Park. Finally, we passed the ornate Asbury Park Convention Hall, built between 1928 and 1930. The complex, in addition to offering exhibition and event space, has hosted its own share of notable concerts in its lengthy history, but was ordered closed in 2021 for safety issues and is set to undergo preservation repairs.
Asbury Park was a great town for a little music getaway, a welcoming and inclusive seaside resort with a storied music scene and history that lives on in its venues, shops, and restaurants.
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