Oh, that was painful to watch.  Way to represent Reed College, buddy.

(Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

Bamboozle takes over Asbury Park this weekend, marking the tenth anniversary of the three-day festival. The popularity of Bamboozle has skyrocketed over the years and the headliners on each day are sure to please the masses. Bands like Incubus, The Foo Fighters and The Gaslight Anthem are sure to be received greatly, but perhaps the biggest of them all comes Sunday night when Bon Jovi takes the stage. Love ‘em or hate ‘em, Bon Jovi knows how to put on a concert, and what better place to do it than right here in Asbury Park.

You know you’re going to hear the classics. “Livin’ On A Prayer”, “You Give Love A Bad Name” and “It’s My Life” will no doubt be sung loudly and proudly by fellow New Jerseyans in the crowd. But what else can we expect?

I had a chance to see Bon Jovi in Foxboro, MA two summers ago when they were touring for their album, ‘The Circle’. Take a look at the setlist I got, courtesy of Setlist.fm:

“Blood on Blood”
“We Weren’t Born to Follow”
“You Give Love a Bad Name”
“Born to Be My Baby”
“Lost Highway”
“In These Arms”
“It’s My Life”
“I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead”
“We Got It Goin’ On”
“Bad Medicine”
“Old Time Rock n’ Roll” Bob Seger cover
“Lay Your Hands on Me”
“Bed of Roses”
“I’ll Be There For You”
“Someday I’ll Be Saturday Night”
“When We Were Beautiful”
“Work for the Working Man”
“Have a Nice Day”
“Who Says You Can’t Go Home”
“Keep the Faith”
Encore:
“Always”
“Wanted Dead or Alive”
“I Love This Town”
“Livin’ On A Prayer”

Keep in mind, this was to promote a new album, which they’re not doing this time around. Some of the songs I heard were played strictly because they were new at the time, not because they were any good. You probably won’t hear “Work For The Working Man” or “When We Were Beautiful”. If you’re asking me for a prediction, expect a lot of their big hits, that slightly annoying country song: “Who Says You Can’t Go Home”, and a lot of covers.

Will you be down in Asbury Park on Sunday? What Bon Jovi songs do you want to hear? Let us know in the comment section below!

Follow @JoeV1015

I live in Brick, closer to Point Pleasant than anyone else at the Hawk (I believe).  I end up hanging out in Point Pleasant a lot, moreso out of convenience than anything else.

I understand both sides. I get the fact that the locals don’t want drunks stumbling across their lawns, defacing property, being noisy, etc. I also get the fact that you can’t punish everyone for the actions of a few.

Will this drive tourists away from Point Pleasant to other beach towns?  If your goal is to go out all night and get drunk, sure, now you’ll end up in Seaside or Belmar or wherever. For the families that spend time (and money) at the arcades or the rides or the aquarium, I actually think this will encourage people to come. I don’t want to sound like I’m encouraging some sort of “segregation”, but I think that if families feel like Point is more “family-accessible” whereas Seaside is more “rowdy”, the two groups will find their homes and not be affected by the other.

I do think that it’s funny how people are selective with their opinion on tourists. When they clog up the parkway, crowd our restaurants, and take up all the parking spots, we all complain. Now that a town actually is proactive in maintaining a family-friendly, local-focused community, everyone else complains.

What do you think?  Leave your comments below!

Getty Images. Daniel Aguilar

It’s almost the summer concert season, and a great way to kick it all off  is this weekend with two music festivals.

The Seaside Music Festival is this weekend May 17th- May 19th and features live music in most of the bars in Seaside Heights, NJ. Click here for the complete schedule of events.

Also this weekend is the 10th Anniversary of the Bamboozle Music Festival in Asbury Park, NJ starring Bon Jovi, Foo Fighters, Blink 182, Incubus, Andrew Dice Clay & so many others.

Here is a tentative list of shows scheduled.  (Will update as more shows are added this year)

2012 Summer Concerts

May 17th: Glen Frey- Bergen Performing Arts Center

May 17th, 18th, & 19th: Seaside Music Festival- Seaside Heights, NJ

May 18th, 19th, 20th: Bamboozle Music Festival- Asbury Park

May 19th: Chickenfoot- Mohegan Sun Casino- Connecticut

May 21st: Chickenfoot- Beacon Theater- NYC

May 23rd: Steve Winwood- Beacon Theater- NYC

May 24th: Stryper- B.B. King Blues Club- NYC

June 1st: Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes- B.B. King Blues Club- NYC

June 2nd: Garden State Beer Expo: Session 1 noon To 3:30pm- PNC Bank Arts Center

June 2nd: Garden State Beer Expo: Session 2 5:30 To 9:30pm- PNC Bank Arts Center

June 23rd: James Taylor- PNC Bank Arts Center

June 27th: Beach Boys- PNC Bank Arts Center

June 30th: Stevie Nicks- PNC Bank Arts Center

July 6th: Scorpions- PNC Bank Arts Center

July7th: Roger Waters Performs The Wall- Yankee Stadium

July 14th: Dream Theater- PNC Bank Arts Center

July 25th: Santana & Allman Brothers- PNC Bank Arts Center

July 28th: Joe Cocker & Huey Lewis and the News- PNC Bank Arts Center

August 19th: Chicago & The Doobie Brothers- PNC Bank Arts Center

September 19th: Kiss & Motley Crue- PNC Bank Arts Center

What shows are you looking forward to seeing this summer?

Point Pleasant Beach (Facebook)

As you have been hearing all day, bar and club owners in the town of Point Pleasant, NJ have to stop serving alcohol at midnight starting July 1st, 2012 or face a hefty fine according to a 4-3 vote last night in Point Pleasant.

Lawmakers/politicians  hope it will curtail rowdy behavior in the streets by drunk bar patrons once the bars close while many business owners see it, of course, as a blow to their livelihoods.

You can read the complete story here at 105.7 The Hawk

My personal opinion is that this whole think is BS. The bars/restaurants offered the town a lump payment so Point Pleasant can pay for additional cops at night to keep the crowds under control.

That obviously wasn’t good enough for the town. When people rent houses for the season in Point Pleasant, they know what they are dealing with. I understand that people should not be urinating and making a mess on people’s property, but will that really end because bars will be closing at midnight? In my opinion, NO! They will just urinate 2 hours EARLIER.

The bar owners/restaurants rely heavily on seasonal revenue, and this can very well hurt the Point Pleasant businesses.

This ordinance that was just passed could give patrons a reason to spend their money in other towns along the Jersey Shore .

It just seems more and more laws are made everyday for no real reason, and that people don’t have a say in things anymore.

It just seems that people do not have a “voice” anymore. If lawmakers want to make a new law,  then that’s it. There is nothing you can do about regardless of how many town hall meetings are held.

Do you agree with Point Pleasant bars closing at midnight?

In defiance of tyranny, Wisth has gone public with his dispute over the all-you-can-eat policies at Chuck’s Place Family Restaurant. After a dozen pieces, the 6’6″ 350-pound man was denied his inalienable right to more fish at the restaurant’s Friday Fish Fry.

After a call to the local police department didn’t satiate Wisth’s appetite for justice, he took to the streets, protesting in front of the restaurant with a picket sign.

The restaurant fired back, noting that they’ve had problems with Wisth before, including extending him a running tab that he has yet to pay.

Hungry for satisfaction, Wisth has vowed to protest weekly until the restaurant changes its all-you-can-eat policy.

Frank is performing in Atlantic City in August.  Tickets on sale now.

Tom Dunphy, 105.7 The Hawk/Townsquare Media

Calling all Jets fans, we’ve found your dream vehicle.

Check out this one of a kind 1986 Ford Econoline 350 decked out for Gang Green fans.

We spotted this baby with ‘for sale’ signs on it parked on Sixth Avenue in Neptune near the Bradley Beach train station.

For the low price of $3,300 she can be yours.

The bus has just over 100,000 miles and the owner says it has recently replaced valves and head gasket with newer tires. It also has a spacious interior with plenty of room for your tailgating supplies and plenty of your buddies.

So what do you think, Jets fans? Who’s going to step up and buy this thing? And can we come with you when you take it to the stadium to tailgate this season? Please?

Pt. Pleasant Beach Boardwalk (Facebook)

Last night it was decided that if you’re getting drinks in Pt. Pleasant on the boardwalk, you’ll have to quit by midnight.

An ordinance was passed in a very close vote Tuesday night that prevents bars and restaurants from serving alcohol after midnight beginning on July 1st.

Many residents hope it will curtail rowdy behavior while many business owners see it, of course, as a blow to their livelihoods.

For the New Jersey Devils who have always struggled to fill the seats, this means droves of Rangers fans buying up tickets to the games at the Prudential Center. This year, the Devils have attempted to combat all the Ranger Blue in the seats at The Rock.

Bruce Benett/Getty Images

For the Conference Finals, the Devils and their fans are attempting to make the Rangers fans persona non grata in their home arena as they are imploring all Devils fans to not sell tickets to Ranger  fans.

The Devils launched a “No Blue” campaign, which they have since taken down from their website.  The campaign requested that you reach out to the organization or other fans before selling your seats. Here is an abstract from the campaign:

If you own seats and have to sell for any of the home games because of conflicts, do NOT list your seats on the secondary market. Blogs such as Fire and Ice, In Lou We Trust, and HFBoards provide you with outlets to speak directly with other Devils fans who are looking for seats. This will ensure you are selling ONLY to other Devils fans. You can ask for pictures or meet them to deliver tickets, to ensure where their loyalty lies.

Here is the promotion that the Devils had on their website :

Yahoo Sports

The Devils unfortunately offer the perfect combination unfortunately to attract Rangers fans. It is a quick trip over the river to Newark and the ticket s are cheaper and more accessible than at Madison Square Garden. How cana passionate Rangers fan NOT take advantage of this?

Although it may be a tad expensive and time consuming, maybe the Devils can do a DNA test and fingerprint every fan at the gate?  Better open those gates at the Prudential Center a little earlier if that’s the way the team decides to go.

Obviously these are tongue-in-cheek-ideas but maybe if they had more passionate fans, they wouldn’t need to campaign would they? Do they really think these tactics will stop the Rangers fan base from invading the Rock for Games 3 & 4 of the Conference Finals?

What do you think of the Devils’ tactics? Take our poll.

Two solid minutes of chaos!  Players, coaches, referees, everyone is just laid out by the end. Awesome.

My personal fave highlights = the goalie laying some dude out at :21 seconds and the running tackle that starts at :59.

Point Pleasant Beach Council meeting (Ilya Hemlin, Townsquare Media NJ)

In a tight 4-3 vote Tuesday night, that was ultimately decided by a tie breaking vote from Mayor Vincent Barrella, bars and restaurants will be required to stop serving alcohol at midnight starting July 1st.

The vote came after a contentious council meeting where residents from the affected 4 district spoke out passionately against many business owners and employees who see this as a devastating blow to their business.

Mayor Barrella says the segment of the population that comes to Point Pleasant to drink excessively gets unfairly lumped into the rest of the Borough’s tourism offerings. He believes the ordinance will help curb some of the behavior that is causing the problems.

“If you say, don’t line up six jello shots you’re somehow hurting tourism and games of chance and the people who are going to come to the beach.”

Though proponents of keeping the 2am limit for drinking say it brings revenue for municipality, Barrella notes the municipal parking makes only 3,000 dollars between 12 am to 6am, while 12,00 is made from 11 am to 6pm.

The issue of restricting the hours that patrons can be served came after complaints last year of drunken rowdy behavior increased, and the issue of dedicating more police force to the area was presented.

Point Pleasant Council members met with representatives from businesses along the Boardwalk to try and reach a resolution that would prevent a restriction from needing to be passed. An offer from the Boardwalk was made which would give the Borough 160 thousand dollars every year for five years (800 thousand total), however members of the board felt that not only was the money not enough but didn’t provide any kind of solution to the problem nor address the issue past the five year mark.

Additionally Barrella feels a lump sum of cash given by the Boardwalk doesn’t do anything to alleviate what he feels is the problem of drunken and disorderly behavior, and furthermore absolves boardwalk bars and restaurants from doing anything.

“If you just take the money, the argument is going to be without structural changes, the argument is going to be ‘well you took the money, it’s your problem’, and it’s not our problem. It’s our problem because they’re not treating it as their problem.”

The ordinance preventing the sale of alcohol past midnight (2012-15) was accompanied by another ordinance which would have allowed the very same bars and restaurants to have an optional fee to allow them to operate until 2 am (2012-16).

The second ordinance would have charged businesses 60 dollars per person of max capacity that would give them permission to serve alcohol to the 2 am time like before. The money from the sale of these would be then used to fund special police officers who would be responsible for patrolling the area addressing quality of life issues.

That piece of legislation stalled however, postponed until the next council meeting over issues of the ordinances legality.

There was concern from the Department of Consumer Affairs acting director Richard Constable that charging business owners 60 dollars a head goes beyond what can be charged for a liquor license.

The ordinance was brought to the attention of Governor Chris Christie during a town hall and he was asked to bring it to the DCA. Mayor Barrella says he personally brought the issue to the agency.

Though Barrella contends the ordinance is legal, in a letter first published on Point Pleasant Patch, Constable states “The borough appears to be undertaking an unlawful effort to institute a fee that it has no power to institute.”

Believes the state is interfering with a municipality matter.

“The state is meddled here, the state made a conscious decision to do something unprecedented which is get involved.”

Recently Point Pleasant instituted a ban on parking within the Fourth District by the boardwalk from 12 am to 6 am. That law would also take effect in July, however it is under litigation from several Boardwalk bars.

Barrella says that regardless of what happens with ordinance 2012-16, the Ordinance 2012-15 is currently law, and is autonomous with or without the other legislation.

Kevin Winter, Getty Images

In addition to being known as a brilliant singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, Paul McCartney‘s reputation as an all-around nice guy has been well-earned through the years. If he was less modest, he’d also be able to add the word “hero” to his CV, as it was recently revealed that, many years ago, he saved future producer Mark Ronson from drowning in Long Island Sound.

In an interview with Britain’s Live Magazine, Ronson, best known for his work with Adele and Amy Winehouse and whose step-father is Mick Jones of Foreigner, said that he had heard the story from his mother but never believed it. But a few months ago he worked with the ex-Beatle, who, according to Ronson, said, “Your mum’s Ann, right? Me and Linda would always run into your parents on the beach in Long Island.”

“I told him about my mum’s story that he saved me from drowning one time,” Ronson continued. “And he said he vaguely remembered something like that. So maybe he backed up her claim, which means I can’t really tease her about it now.”

If placed in a similar situation, most celebrities would brag about their actions in the press as often as possible. Paul McCartney not only kept quiet about it, but basically shrugged it off as if it was nothing when confronted about it years later by the person he saved. Could he also be a superhero?

Source: UltimateClassicRock.com

Here’s hoping you find a job quickly, and in the meantime, enjoy a live performance of  “School’s Out” from Alice Cooper live from Montreux.

Parents….Congrats as well for putting your little “rugrats” through school for all these years! Now run away…Far far away!

Get outta my way!!!

I should be in a great mood today. The Rangers won last night. The Mets won. I’ve got the beautiful Christina on the radio with me today.  Oh no…She’s cranky too. Things should be good right? Guess not!

It's warm in here!

Let’s just start off by saying that being inside an 82 degree studio when it is 65 degrees outside does not help my mood.

Help me get out of this funk today! What do YOU do when you are cranky to cheer yourself up??

All  comments/suggestions are welcome!

Kevin Winter, Getty Images

Original Black Sabbath drummer Bill Ward has issued a lengthy statement declaring that a “final effort” to reach an agreement with the management of his former band has failed, and that as threatened back in February, he will not be joining the band’s upcoming reunion shows.

Metal fans around the world were thrilled on Nov. 11 of last year, when the original four members of Black Sabbath announced a full-fledged world tour and new studio album would be delivered in 2012. However the reunion has been snake-bitten since then, with guitarist Tony Iommi’s lymphoma battle cutting the band’s tour down to just a handful of dates and Ward’s refusal to sign what he termed an unfair contract.

After much speculation and further explanations from Ward, it appears any last shot of the four original members of Black Sabbath — a roster that also includes Ozzy Osbourne and Geezer Butler – is now off. Here is Ward’s full statement on the matter:

Dear Sabbath Fans and Fellow Musicians,

I sincerely regret to inform you that after a final effort to participate in the upcoming Sabbath shows a failure to agree has continued. At this time I have to inform you that I won’t be playing with Black Sabbath at the Birmingham gig dated May 19th, 2012, nor will I be playing at Download on June 10th, 2012.

Further, I will not be playing at Lollapalooza on August 3, 2012.

It is with a very sad heart that I bring you this news. I am sincerely passionate in my desire to play with the band, and I’m very, very sorry that it’s fallen to this. This statement is even more painstaking to write, as I was particularly excited to play alongside Tony Iommi after the recent treatments he underwent. I wanted that to become a reality.

To express my thoughts about you, the Sabbath fans, I’m going to speak to you all through an experience my brother James had recently. My brother Jimmy lives in the U.K. When speaking with him a couple of days ago, he told me that an acquaintance had stopped him on the street and confronted him, “Is your brother playing Birmingham? What’s going on? I waited in line with my son and paid x amount for the concert tickets.”

The man’s son is a young drummer. He’s going to see Sabbath, and he wants to see Bill Ward play drums. Upon hearing this news, I felt horrible. I couldn’t help feeling some resentment towards the failure to reach an agreement, the failure to remember where we came from, the failure to be as brothers, as we once were. To be clear, I’m not blaming the other guys or finding any faults with them. I would think it can’t be easy for them either, but this situation is just really sad. It’s sad that it’s come to this. “This” will surely leave a mark and be unwelcome to the memory. Hopefully “this” will heal and pass in time.

My heart sank when Jimmy told me about this young boy. I know this boy is going to be disappointed, and I don’t know how to amend it, other than to put my arms around the boy and tell him I love him. Sabbath fans have a voice and a face, to me you’re human, you have families and despair. You have ferocity and emotions and graciousness, and at this moment as far as I’m concerned you are also that young boy in England. I don’t know how to amend my part in these failings other than to put my arms around you and say I love you and let you know I’m very, very sorry.

Throughout this process, which began over a year ago, I have had to stand up for myself time and time again. I have had to stand up for myself and in doing so realize my actions indirectly, although unintentionally, are upsetting and hurting a lot of you. I know in my heart I couldn’t have done these concerts by agreeing the terms suggested. I made a solemn vow after the last European and Ozzfest concerts that I would never again enter into what was, in my opinion, a totally unsatisfactory contract. I have to stand for something, and as painful as it is, I’m doing it.

Earlier in April 2012, I’d been asked to participate “minimally” in the Download festival. I believe I’d been offered no more than three songs to play while another drummer presumably played the rest of the show with Black Sabbath. I was not willing to participate in that offer. I was not prepared to watch another drummer play a Sabbath set, while I was to play only three songs.

I found out about the Birmingham gig on Monday, April 30 through the Internet ad. I was taken aback somewhat by the date, and the fact it was Birmingham. Knowing the “signable” contract negotiations were at best in shreds, I was upset by the idea that the band was going to play Birmingham and play it assumedly without me. I had no prior knowledge of the date and location, and I felt totally excluded.

We contacted the representative for Black Sabbath to see if something could be worked out. In the meantime my drum crew and I, along with our US endorsers, finished all the necessary planning for a swift departure to the UK. There wasn’t a whole lot to complete; we’d all been on standby more or less since mid-January 2012. The remaining work in the UK was confirmed done by our European and UK endorsers and we were good to go by Friday, May 4 2012. There were two stress points: firstly, getting an agreement in place, and secondly, getting to England in a timely manner. Jetlag time was taken into account as well as drum practice, a drum practice room in the heart of Birmingham, accommodation, and travel arrangements were all in place to meet with any band rehearsals that may have transpired before the Birmingham show. So far everything that had been arranged was on my dime, but we didn’t move ahead without a realistic confirmation.

Communications between the representative and my lawyer continued through the weekend of May 5 finalizing on Wednesday, May 9. The offer we received on May 9 was, “come to the UK, play for free and see how the first show goes.” I was tempted. Playing for free would not have been a problem for me, but “seeing how the first show goes” left an element of risk which could have affected Download. My ideal thought was to play in full the Birmingham show, in full Download, and in full Lollapalooza.

I had notified the representative that May 10 was my cutoff day in order to have good lead-in time for England. On the night of May 9 I asked for a brief letter to be sent to the representative asking to find out if we were at an end. On the morning of Thursday, May 10, I received a reply in the affirmative. After consulting with my advisors and crew a decision was made to let go and stop.

I can’t prioritize the Sabbath fans making one show more important than the other. I can’t do that. All of you are important. It’s all the gigs or none at all. I can’t come to Birmingham and “see what happens” knowing there is a risk of not being able to play Download or Lollapalooza. Again, for me, it’s all or nothing. I had to say “no” to Birmingham on the principle of wanting to play all the shows. Saying no to Birmingham is very difficult for me. My family grew up in Birmingham. Black Sabbath grew up in Birmingham. It’s still my hometown and I resent having to arrive at such a difficult choice.

Although the statement was made that, “the door is always open” for me, as explained above, walking through that door is not always as easy as it sounds. There are many complicated issues and unseen and unspoken agendas on hand. I can assure you, my criteria for a “signable” contract is based in mindful principles, respectability, and acknowledgement of my history within the band.

I hold no malice or resentment towards the other band members. I love them; I’m tolerant of them; I’m frustrated with them, as they may be with me. My fight has never been with them. I’ll love them forever. In my opinion, nobody wins this time; the band doesn’t win; the fans for an original lineup don’t win. Nobody wins, nobody. Even the ones who thought they did.

I didn’t want to make this decision, but I have to be honest and transparent. This is the statement I didn’t want to write; it’s the last thing I wanted to do. But, I have written it, and now it can go into the universe.

Since Spring of 2011, I’ve waited patiently and hopefully for a signable contract, you know the rest. I stand for the boy in the U.K., for the coming drum student, for all the drummers, who write their parts out and get stiffed on the publishing, I stand with the Sabbath fans chanting “Bill Ward” and asking “why?” and I stand with Tony and Geezer and Ozzy.

On a final note, even though I’m at an end with the upcoming announced concerts, I will remain with an open mind and a position of willingness to negotiate “signable” terms with Sabbath’s representatives in the future.

Stay strong.

Stay safe.

With all my heart and strength, I love you,

Bill Ward

Following on a separate page is a thank you message to some very extraordinary people.

Source: UltimateClassicRock.com

Jersey Funny Boy Scott Friedman (who grew up in Medford Lakes and lives in Linwood) will be the special guest among three other comedians at the Borgata Music Box this Thursday (5/17) at 9pm. Tickets on sale now.

He opened for Big Daddy Graham and Joe Conklin in Aug 2011, which was his re-debut after 20 years (first time on a stand-up stage since 1991).

I’ve known Scott for years and not only is he a very witty guy, but he’s a great guy, too!

Now that the weather’s getting nice (but still sometimes a little chilly for the beach) I got to thinking about the park that I love the most and wondered where your favorite spots are in the state.

Growing up (for the most part) in Old Bridge, I fell in love with Holmdel Park at a young age.  In all the states I’ve lived in and in all my travels, Holmdel Park remains my favorite spot, not just because it has some great memories, especially from high school days, but because I think it has one of the most beautiful beechwood forests I’ve ever seen.

So obviously, the title of this blog is a little off–Holmdel Park is my favorite park of any I’ve ever been to anywhere, and probably will always be.

I’d love to know what New Jersey parks are special to you and what you love about them.

Tell me in the comment section below!