OK, so we're home!
Honestly, a great trip, a cool place.
I REALLY liked Asbury Park. Small beach community, quite clean, easily walkable (ended up being further from the venue than expected, but was still only a 10 minute walk).
With a population of "only" 15k, whereas here in Winston Salem it's 250k, it was def a different feel. We both liked how we could walk around AP or Ocean Grove (technically where our B&B was) without feeling like it was a chore - once we arrived at the place and parked the car (right out front!) we didnt crank it again until we were pulling away to head back to NC. Part of that, Im sure, is the lack of humidity! We always have high humidity down south, up there was barely any
The B/B was nice - Ocean Park Inn. Small, quaint. Dominic, who runs the place, was very nice and prepared breakfast each morning. A modest breakfast, but still good. Each morning is an egg dish (example, Thursday we had a brocolli and cheddar frittata (sp?), and there's always some chobani, oatmeal, multiple kinds of bread, pastries, and fresh fruit offered. As well, of course, as milk, water, coffee, and juice.
I liked how chill the place was. We're used to Myrtle Beach SC...and that boardwalk is sketch. But here it was just very casual and had some nice shops in the covered market section (which is part of the boardwalk). Very clean, too. LOTS of trashcans on the beach and boardwalk, never an excuse to litter and we, really, saw SO LITTLE litter about the entire city as we walked. Nice beaches to look at, lakes just off the coash scattered about the city.
I just really liked it.
When anywhere Im always looking at cars...car scene seemed to suck. Again, it's a small place, but I saw one car that I liked, an old (late 80s) flare-side Ford F150 that was very clean. Other than that...nah. A lot of rusty locals. But I guess that's what happens in a beach community that gets snow!
The concert/show was...not great. Ive seen Brian Fallon before with a backing band and itw as EXCELLENT! But this time he was solo/acoustic and, honestly, I question if he was drunk. He was not him. Cussing quite a bit, seemed 'lost' and just rambled a ton. This was the first time Ive went to see a headliner and looked forward to the end. it got better with time, and as he drank some soda on stage, by the end it was good. But the first half (about a 75 minute show) was rough with it taking about half the time till we got one full, uninterrupted song. Yeah, it was rough. I love his music with his solo stuff as well as The Gaslight Anthem, but I will NOT go see him live if he's not with a band to keep him on track.
The opener, Donovan Woods, a Canadian folk singer, was great! His between song banter was OUTSTANDING, had the whole crowd rolling. I'll post a video later, I recorded some. And his heartbreaking music was great, too.
I'd like to go back sometime, go see another punk rock show. But the tolls hit the wallet hard (one time I had to pee and the service center was closed down, so I had to go to a 'normal' exit...total was almost 30 bucks between the exit and entrance). THat said, the roads were FANTASTIC! Not a single pot hole or bad patches etc. Just smooth sailing.
@ianF - ended up having dinner there at the German place before the show on Wednesday, very good.
