Beginning in 2001 as a small music festival in Asbury Park, Skate And Surf gradually grew into The Bamboozle Festival over the next couple years. However, the last Bamboozle was in 2012, and now Skate And Surf is back. While Skate And Surf is a day shorter and features less bands than what Bamboozle became, it is also much more intimate. Skate And Surf describes itself as a “youth culture event,” and it is where many people can listen to great music without being overwhelmed by the lineups and crowds. It is now a two-day festival on the beach, with various artists playing full sets on May 17 and 18. Many of the acts are considered to be rock bands, but other genres are also featured, such as rap, hip-hop and pop punk. Here are some of the bands scheduled to appear:
May 17
Midtown
Midtown, the New Jersey-based pop punk band created by former Rutgers students in 1998, recently reunited after a nine-year hiatus to headline the Skate And Surf Festival. The group has released three full-lengths, as well as three EPs, and have covered “Your Love” by The Outfield on the compilation album, Punk Goes ’80s. The lead singer, Gabe Saporta, went on to form Cobra Starship, but is now back for the shows. Midtown will perform on both days of the festival.
Saosin Featuring Anthony Green
A post-hardcore alt rock band with a name meaning “careful” in Mandarin, Saosin was formed in 2003 in Newport Beach, California. The original frontman, Anthony Green, left the group in 2004, but is back to sing for Saosin. They have released two studio albums: 2006’s eponymous debut and 2009’s In Search Of Solid Ground. They have also played at Warped Tour and worked with rock bands such as My Chemical Romance. The act will perform on the first day of the Skate And Surf Festival.
Jake Miller
A rising American hip-hop artist who got his first shot when he opened for rap legend Snoop Dogg in 2011, Jake Miller has had an exciting couple of years. He’s also played with acts as diverse as Mac Miller, Flo Rida, Sean Kingston, Cody Simpson and We The Kings. His debut, Us Against Them, was released in 2013, and reached considerable critical and chart success. He will perform a full set on the festival’s first day.
Kid Ink
Kid Ink, formerly known as Brian Todd Collins and Rockstar, is a heavily-tattooed rapper from Los Angeles. His 2012 debut, Up & Away, reached moderate success, and his sophomore studio album, My Own Lane, was released in January of this year. He has featured artists such as French Montana, 2 Chainz, Sean Kingston and Wale on many of his mixtapes, including his 2011 EP, Almost Home. Kid Ink will be one of the headliners on Saturday.
Emmure
Emmure are a Connecticut-based deathcore group who have been active since their formation in 2003. Their music is very heavy and a cross between death metal and metalcore, sometimes verging on nu-metal. They have played at Warped Tour and Bamboozle, and have toured with bands such as Of Mice And Men, Pierce The Veil and Asking Alexandria. They have received considerable notice for their abundance of breakdowns in their songs. Emmure will play on the first day of Skate And Surf.
Chasing Safety
Formerly called Us, From Outside, Chasing Safety are a hardcore band based in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. The name change was brought on by a desire to reestablish themselves after a messy feud. A new EP, The Machine, was released shortly thereafter, and included a heavier cover of My Chemical Romance’s famous song, “Helena,” as well as a surprisingly sweet ballad, “Time Zones.” Be sure to catch the hardcore quintet on day one.
Front Porch Step
Front Porch Step is the acoustic project of Jake Mcelfresh, a singer from Newark, Ohio, who details his whole experience with love and heartbreak in a folksy style. He has been influenced by everyone from Blink 182 to the Wu-Tang Clan, and Andrea Bocelli to Whitney Houston. He will not only play both May 17 and 18 of the Skate And Surf Festival, but also at Warped Tour and several other shows this year.
I See Stars
An electronicore band from Michigan, I See Stars combine elements of hardcore music with the more modern EDM. They have released two EPs and four full-length albums since their formation in 2006, with the most recent being 2013’s New Demons. The band has performed on Jimmy Kimmel Live, and on tour with Asking Alexandria and Memphis May Fire. I See Stars will play on the first day of the Skate And Surf Festival after extensively touring with Attila and Capture The Crown.
NGHBRS
An American alt rock act formed in 2010, NGHBRS have released only one studio album, titled Twenty One Rooms. Their first tour in 2011 was funded via a successful Kickstarter campaign, and three EPs soon followed. The group has played with other modern rock bands like Third Eye Blind, New Politics and Anarbor. Their music video for their first single, “Hold Up Girl,” received notable acclaim by the public due to its DIY style.
The Plot In You
The Plot In You are a metalcore group from Ohio, and originally started as a side-project of former guitarist of Before Your Eyes, Landon Tewers. The band started with the name Vessels, but it was soon changed once the band’s potential was realized. They have released two records: 2011’s First Born and 2013’s Can You Watch Your Children Burn. On their sophomore album, Tewers wrote, composed and performed all of the music except for the drums.
May 18
New Found Glory
Also known by their title, “the godfathers of pop punk,” New Found Glory are a Florida-based rock band that formed in 1997. The group has released seven studio albums, with the first being 1999’s Nothing Gold Can Stay and the most recent being 2011’s Radiosurgery. That same year, the act performed a full tribute to the Ramones with Marky Ramone at the Bamboozle Festival. New Found Glory will be headlining the second day of the Skate And Surf Festival.
Alkaline Trio
An Illinois-based punk rock band, Alkaline Trio have released nine full-length records since their formation in 1996. Their most recent album, “My Shame Is True,” was released last year. Their style originally started as pure punk rock, but later verged on emo and pop punk before returning to its roots. In 2011, the group released an EP titled Damnesia, which not only included fan favorites, but also a cover of “I Held Her In My Arms” by Violent Femmes as well. They will be one of the headliners on the festival’s second day.
Circa Survive
Fronted by Anthony Green, who will be also be performing at Skate And Surf as part of Saosin, Circa Survive are a rock band that formed in 2004 in a suburb of Philadelphia. Their first album, 2005’s Juturna, jumpstarted their career with success in the indie music scene. They have put out three other full-lengths since then, with the most recent being 2012’s self-released Violent Waves. The group has opened for acts such as Linkin Park and My Chemical Romance, and recently released a split with Sunny Day Real Estate.
Fucked Up
Fucked Up are a hardcore punk group from Toronto that formed in 2001. They have become infamous for the damage they and their fans cause, especially at the 2008 MTV Live concert. There, they were stopped after only one song because MTV feared for the safety of the audience, band and crew. They have performed with various other artists, such as members of The Horrors, Keith Morris of Circle Jerks and Jello Biafra of The Dead Kennedys, and have released a cover of “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” with singers like Tegan & Sara, Ezra Koenig and Bob Mould.
The Acacia Strain
A deathcore band from Chicopee, Massachusetts, The Acacia Strain formed in 2001. They have undergone numerous lineup changes since their formation, with the only remaining founding member being Vincent Bennett, the lead vocalist. The Acacia Strain have released six studio albums, and their newest one, 2012’s Death Is The Only Mortal, peaked at number five on the U.S. Hard Rock chart and 51 on the Billboard 200.
Like Moths To Flames
Like Moths To Flames are a metalcore band from Columbus, Ohio, and have been active since 2010. They have released two full-length albums: 2011’s When We Don’t Exist and 2013’s An Eye For An Eye. The band performed with Crown The Empire and My Ticket Home on a headlining tour in 2013, and played at the Warped Tour later that year. They have also toured with acts such as Texas In July, A Hero And A Fake and Hit The Lights.
We Came As Romans
We Came As Romans formed in Detroit in 2005 as a melodic metalcore and post-hardcore band. To date, they have released three full-lengths and two EPs. They have also been featured on the Punk Goes Pop series, covering both Justin Timberlake’s “My Love” on Volume 3 as well as “Glad You Came” by The Wanted on Volume 5. 2013’s Tracing Back Roots was their highest-ranking album to date, peaking at number one on the U.S. Indie chart and number eight on the Billboard 200.
Patent Pending
An American pop punk band from New York, Patent Pending formed in 2001. They put out six self-released albums until their debut, 2004’s Save Each Other, The Whales Are Doing Fine. In 2011, the group toured with Bowling For Soup and The Dollyrots, and then later performed at Warped Tour. The next year, they issued Spring Break ’99, an EP featuring covers of songs by Limp Bizkit, Lit, Smash Mouth and the Backstreet Boys.
Fit For A King
Texas-based five-piece Christian metal act Fit For A King were founded in 2007. Their debut, Creation/Destruction, as well as their sophomore album, Descendents, were both released in 2013. They have also released two EPs: 2008’s Fit For A King and 2009’s Awaken The Vesper. Fit For A King have done a lot of DIY touring in support of their records over the years, but will now be playing on Sunday at the Skate And Surf Festival.
Intervals
Until late 2013, Toronto-based progressive metal band Intervals were purely instrumental. They formed in 2011 without a singer, but finally found and added a vocalist, Mike Semesky, two years later for their 2014 debut, A Voice Within. They have toured in support of acts such as The Contortionist, Between The Buried And Me, Texas In July, Misery Signals and Protest The Hero. You can see them on the second day of Skate And Surf.
