The stunning and iconic Stone Pony Summer Stage sits right on the beach of Asbury Park but on this cool night in October, the surfing was done on top of a crowd of excited fans gathered to watch Knocked Loose, The Garden, Drain, and Militarie Gun for an exhilarating display of todays hardcore/punk scene
Kicking off the night was a band that is quickly on the rise, Militarie Gun. Managing to blend elements of pop, punk, and hardcore it was an excellent way to open the night as they played songs off their debut album Life Under the Gun as well as their previous eps all roads lead to the gun pts I and II. A band that will no doubt be on the forefront of the alt-rock scene in due time and they showed exactly why.
Up next was the always energetic and exciting Drain. Bringing their Santa Cruz vibes to an actual beach for once as they ran through the hectic yet tight brand of hardcore while having the audience as involved in the show as possible. Whether it was throwing the microphone into the crowd or joining the crowd surfers, frontman Sammy Ciaramitaro shows a deep love and appreciation for his fans. This all while the rest of the band made continues to rip through the audience with blazing riffs and a deafening rhythm section.
Switching the vibe from the positive beach energy, The Garden hits the stage with the perfect blend of darkness and oddity. Donning suits and white and black clown makeup, the duo of brothers immediately unleashes their eclectic style that mixes punk, electronic, pop, and about a million other subgenres. With a variety of songs to appeal to each different taste of music, it was an exciting and fast-paced set that brought the energy and commitment to the crowd that was necessary for the headliner to follow.
That headliner being the one and only Knocked Loose. The Kentucky hardcore giants proved again why they are a shock of lightning to the hardcore world as they effortlessly blend elements of death metal and beat down with vocals to rival any legendary metalcore band. Playing a mix of older songs such as Mistakes like Fractures and Counting Worms as well as songs from their new album You won't Go Before You’re Supposed To. They gave the crowd exactly what they came for, from the amazing backdrop and stage setup to Brian Garris’ insane ability to control the crowd, as well as unleash screams from the pits of hell, it was a night to remember as Knocked Loose left their mark on The Stone Pony.
Knocked Loose
The garden
Drain
