While creating a mission to get in the holiday spirit, I took the time to chat with another one of the many openers on The Bouncing Souls’ Home For The Holidays showcase! Having been a fan of The Brigantines for a while, I thought it would be the perfect time to talk with them about their participation in the events. I recently spoke with bassist/vocalist Aaron Leonovich about his feelings on The Bouncing Souls, the band’s excitement for the festivities and more. The conversation is below:
How excited are you to be on such a legendary showcase?
It goes without saying! This has turned into such a big event for Asbury Park and for the NJ punk rock scene. It’s like being part of the biggest Christmas party and family reunion at the same time. Each year keeps getting better.
Have you guys ever been to the Home For The Holidays shows other than performing?
This is the first year we’ve had the honor to perform and share the stage with The Bouncing Souls. We have been to almost every Home For The Holidays each year except the one year with the blizzard that completely shut down Asbury Park.
What night are you playing?
We are playing the second show on Friday night, Dec. 27, along with Laura Stevenson and Molly & The Zombies. Our friends Wig and Matty O’Brien are writing the Souls’ setlist on this night, so they better pick some good ones!
Is there a specific part you are most excited for?
We’re really excited to play for this audience and just to be a part of the entire event. We’re also really excited to see and catch up with all our friends at the show. It really is a family reunion and appropriately named Home For The Holidays.
I’m going to assume that The Bouncing Souls have influenced your music, or that perhaps you are just a big fan of the band.
Quite honestly, we play a different blend of music than the Souls, so they haven’t had a direct influence on our music. We play surf pop and the only surf song the Souls have that I’m aware of is “Moon Over Asbury.”
On the other hand, we would see the Souls play countless weekend basement shows at the Handy Street house in New Brunswick. Those shows brought together so many friends and bands that it created a family, which influenced our lives and values.
What puts you in the holiday spirit the most?
Classic Christmas albums from the ‘60s, such as A Christmas Gift For You From Phil Spector or The Beach Boys’ Christmas Album.
Do you have a favorite Souls song? Is that even possible to answer?
With such a large repertoire of music and even albums at this point, it’s hard to pick just one, but there are a few that stand out. “Old School” is an old favorite. “I Think That The World…” is a newer fun and catchy tune, and I also really like the wit and energy of “Hopeless Romantic.”
Will you also be participating in some of the weekend’s other festivities in Asbury Park?
I’d like grab a taco at Mogo and check out the Descendents movie, Filmage, happening Saturday afternoon at The ShowRoom Cinema on Cookman Ave. The ShowRoom is a quaint, independently run movie theater that runs a diverse selection of old and new movies, and they deserve our support!
You can catch Aaron and The Brigantines at The Stone Pony on Dec. 27 for The Bouncing Souls’ Home For The Holidays showcase. For more information, go to thebrigantines.com.
