September 4, 2024
If there is a better way to close out a summer at the Jersey Shore than witnessing Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes do their annual Labor Day Weekend thing at The Stone Pony Summer Stage, I have yet to find it. Once again, Southside and his boys helped put a big bow on the summer-vacation season this past Saturday night, “even if there are a few weeks left,” as Johnny Lyon himself said onstage at one point, reminding all of us that summer is not yet officially over. Johnny and his Jukes delivered their Labor Day Weekend 2024 extravaganza as only they can: with plenty of soulful singing, dancing, a big horns section, and some friends along the way to help.
Earlier in the week, the weather forecasters were calling for rain in Asbury Park over the approaching weekend. But as the days got closer, the weather improved, and the chance of rain decreased. By Saturday night, it was another beautiful evening in Little Eden for the show to go on.
The evening opened with a reunion of LaBamba and The Hubcaps, the horns-a-plenty R&B band that has a long history at The Stone Pony. Legend has it that the “Hubcaps” name was born on a cold night at the Pony in the early ‘80s. The main cast included Richie “LaBamba” Rosenberg, Mark “The Loveman” Pender and Bobby Bandiera - three Asbury Park music-scene stalwarts who were back together on this night.
After the Hubcaps finished their set, the crowded continued to gather, many sporting Southside Johnny tee-shirts…but also fresh-off-the-tour tees of that other guy who made his bones at the Pony. Wishful thinking of an appearance, maybe? Another reunion of sorts?
In any case, right at 7:59 p.m., the opening strains of "Angel Eyes" started, the stage filled, and Southside and the Jukes were off and running.
They delivered a stellar setlist that also included "Forever," "All I Needed Was You," "Crying"/"This Time Baby’s Gone For Good," "Hearts of Stone," "Woke Up This Morning,"
"Passion Street," "Love on the Wrong Side of Town," "Broke Down Piece of Man" w/ a snippet of "Walk On The Wild Side," "Help"/"Walk Away, Renee," "All the Way Home" (LaBamba and Bobby Bandiera joined here and stayed for the rest of the set,) "Without Love," "You Can’t Bury Me," "This Time It’s for Real," "Looking For A Love" (sung by Jeff Kazee,) "The Fever," "Talk To Me," "I Don’t Want To Go Home," "Working Too Hard"/"Let It Bleed," and of course an encore of "Havin' A Party" (with ex-Juke and current Weeklings drummer Joe Bellia.)
[Attention all E Street Radio/SiriusXM subscribers... A professional recording of Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes' complete Labor Day 2024 concert at The Stone Pony Summer Stage is now available for listening on demand via the SiriusXM app. Just go the E Street Radio channel on the app, and you can find the concert-recording under "E Street Radio Specials."]
As the final strains of "Havin' A Party" drifted over the AP boardwalk, the Jukes left the stage, leaving us to contemplate the end of summer and the age-old question: Did we all make the most of this summer? Did we put our toes in the sand enough? Did we see enough live music? Hope so…because now we’re faced with the looming winter months, those cold blasts that are sure to hit after the smell of pumpkin-spiced everything has dissipated, when the snow starts to fly on the boardwalk.
But what’s that you say? You SEA something in the not-too-distant future? You HEAR there’s more music to come from a local band, on the beach in Asbury Park, no less? NOW you’re talkin'!
All photos and text by Mark Krajnak, JerseyStyle Photography. Used with permission.
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