As the year is winding down, I have noticed more and more people coming home for holiday break, visiting loved ones, and just ending out their college semesters. This is good news for music venues, because people will be in their home towns, looking for something to do! This is exactly what happened over Thanksgiving break, when I decided to venture out to The Stone Pony in Asbury Park for the 10-year reunion show of Status Green, with special guest opener, Last Perfect Thing. It has been a while since I had seen either of these bands, naturally, but I had to boogie early, with the sole intention of seeing the original lineup of LPT. That being said, I bundled up, gathered my posse, and headed out to Asbury Park.
I got there early to catch the opening act, which was slated to be local band The Obvious, but due to a medical emergency, GayGuy/StraightGuy graciously filled in. I must say, I was still just as excited to see them, because as many of you know, they put on a hell of a show. The place was busy early, people coming in from all avenues, ready to see some of their favorite bands, a blast from the past if you will. All of these groups have strong followings in the area, so even if it wasn’t a show of “significance,” I still have a feeling it would have been a good crowd. However, something about a reunion and an anniversary show tends to bring people out in droves. GayGuy/StraightGuy had the “pregame” element covered, bringing a fun energy to the stage, playing a lot of my favorites, and even making humor about their Black Friday shopping experiences (clearly made up, but if you were in the crowd, you were laughing just as hard as I was). Kudos to the band for stepping it up last minute and filling in the gap.
As I looked around the room, I couldn’t help but notice a lot of familiar faces, family members hugging, and old friends reuniting as if it were a night at the bar on Thanksgiving Eve. After all, that’s what this show was all about: reunions. The drinks were flowing, and Last Perfect Thing hit the stage. As I looked to my left, then looked to my right, I saw the crowd singing along to every word (of the songs they knew), with their fists in the air, yelling “LPT.”
It really has been a long time since I saw the original lineup back together; in fact, I almost forgot how much I used to enjoy this band growing up. They still had it; the energy, the talent, and the power to get a crowd off their feet. Naturally, my group and I were sucked in to Chris Donofrio’s drumming, because it is as powerful as a storm. They were in the perfect time slot, warming everyone up for what I am sure was an epic performance from Status Green.
Asbury Park is a place where live music is always happening, and I am glad that I got out of the house and out of my Thanksgiving food coma to enjoy some good music with family and friends. What the future holds for all of these bands, I do not know at the moment. However, I don’t think it even matters. This night was about one thing and one thing only: bringing people together who haven’t been in the same room in a while (and naturally, having a good time playing music). They accomplished just that. So, maybe we will have to wait another 10 years to see this lineup happen again, but it sure will be worth the wait. Cheers to all of the bands on the bill for a great night, and to many more!
