2005 Asbury Music Awards
Asbury Park: Is there anywhere more intrinsically New Jersey? It's got the boardwalk and the Stone Pony, a couple of big hotels, its own gay disco, and acres of new luxury condos under construction. But it's also a town where bail bondsmen and hair-braiding salons outnumber supermarkets and drug stores, and even the fast-food chains set up shop a town or two away.

The Asbury Music Awards, now in their 13th year, mirror this quirky ungainly half-decrepit, half-reborn seaside community. This year's event, at the Stone Pony, drew hundreds of scenesters, musicians, local businesspeople, and fans to see an eclectic lineup of local performers, as well as the award presentations. The show started promptly at 7 pm (the first group, the teenage jam band Karmic Juggernaut, was already onstage and performing when they opened the doors and started letting people in; ) and yet somehow, everything still managed to run over an hour behind schedule and last over 6 hours. I didn't get home until 3 a.m., and there were still a couple of bands and a half dozen awards to get through when I left to catch the last train back north. But I wouldn't have missed it.

I love the fact that Scott Stamper and Adam Weinberg of the Asbury Music Co. (and The Saint) make this event so inclusive: You get acoustic folksingers, jam bands, blues bands, rock bands, metal bands, poets - not only receiving awards but also performing every year. Asbury Park has this soft spot for frumpy, middle-aged, middle-of-the-road performers like Christine Martucci, Lance Larson, Jodi Joseph, Sonny Kenn, and Boccigalupe & The Bad Boys... and the Awards show always makes room for them. You gotta love that; it would be unthinkable for performers that far afield of trendy or stylish to be represented at a similar awards ceremony in Brooklyn or Hoboken. Even the Best Punk Band for the last few years, Barry & The Penetrators, is filled with guys who were around when Springsteen still played the Pony.

But that's not to say that youth is not served. There's a category for Best Young Band (which Karmic Juggernaut won, beating out Battle of The Bands winners The Shining and my personal pic, Augmented;) and the standout live performance this year was by a Sayreville prog-metal band called ashes.are.nutritious, whose charismatic lead singer had the sinewy intensity of the young Iggy Stooge. (That's him in the photo above.)

Other than that, though, I have to say that performance-wise, this was one of the weakest awards shows I've been to. Uber-popular local blues guy Matt O'Ree and his band have chops but not much stage presence; I was unimpressed by Val Emmich lookalikes Low Flying Jets; the Christine Martucci Band and Lance Larson's Wonder Bar cover band should really be playing resort cruises and weddings; and I just didn't grok the prog-rock Zelda Pinwheel from New Brunswick, who seemed neither psychedelic nor really progressive; just self-absorbed. (I missed most of What About Frank? and all of Days Awake because I had to leave for my train.)

A couple of other things: The awards show really needs to replace emcee Don Dazzo (of Everlounge); this is 2005, people, we don't need some Dean Martin wannabe making crude tits and ass jokes every time a pretty woman gets near the stage. It demeans the entire night. I do not understand the enduring popularity of Lord Sterling, who took Top Male Vocalist and Top Heavy Rock Act over several newer and far more interesting bands. I can't argue with Eric Safka of Days Awake winning Top Keyboard Player; he's very talented and adds a tremendous amount to that band. But Dan O'Brien from Lunch Money Criminals and Tom Brislin of Spiraling really should have been nominated in that category.

And while I'm kvetching, let me point out that the Aquarian won "Best News Publication Supporting Local Music" for the umpteenth time without bothering to send anyone to cover the event or pick up their award. No one from the Asbury Park Press seemed to be in attendance either; I wonder if Kelly Jane Cotter will cover the event the same way she did last year, by staying home and reprinting the press release with her byline above it? Way to support the local arts, APP. I guess if I want to have a chance in the Top Journalist and Top Publication categories next year, I'm going to have to start writing about more dinner theater and cover bands. And stop showing up.

Okay, enough whining. As I say every year, even with all its faults and shortcomings, I'm really glad the Asbury Music Awards happen, and I'm honored to participate and be nominated. And I really mean that.

Here are some of the winners:
Top Live Performance - What About Frank?
Top Male Vocalist- Binky, Lord Sterling
Top Female Vocalist - April Smith
Top Male Solo - Rick Barry
Top Female Solo - April Smith
Top Rock Band - Days Awake
Top Young Band - karmic juggernaut
Top Indie Band - What About Frank?
Top Local Release - Matt O'Ree, "Shelf Life"
Song Of The Year - "Saints & Sinners," Matt O'Ree & The Blues Hounds
Top Radio Station - WBJB 90.5 The Night
Top Journalist- Gary Wein, Upstage
Top News Publication - Aquarian
Top Keyboard Player - Eric Safka, Days Awake
Top Bassist - David Myers, Stringbean & The Stalkers
Top Guitarist - Matt O'Ree
Top Drummer - Sarah Tomeck, Days Awake
Top Punk Band - Barry & The Penetrators
Top Pop Band - Exit 105
Top Funk & Groove Band - Predator Dub Assassins
Top Heavy Rock Act - Lord Sterling
Top Ska Band - Hub City Stompers
Best Thing To Happen - Asbury Lanes emerges as new original music venue
Poet Laureate - Tony Tedesco
Top Garage Band - The Rib Eye Brothers
Living Legend - Jerry Bakal (Concerts East)
Jim MacDonald Musician Lifetime Achievement Award - Lance Larson
Top Website - Asburymusic.com


A full list of winners should be posted shortly at The Saint's new website, saint.jerseynetworks.com.