From the Front Row: “Asbury Park: Riot, Redemption, Rock ‘n Roll” Hits All the Right Notes

Sitting in the front row recently at the cozy ShowRoom Cinema theater on Cookman Avenue in Asbury Park felt a lot like settling in to watch home movies with an intimate audience of family and friends. That’s not a bad thing, especially when viewing the new documentary, “Asbury Park: Riot, Redemption, Rock ‘n Roll.” The film originally premiered at the Asbury Park Music and Film Festival at the Paramount Theatre in April 2017, was updated and presented again at this year’s festival in April 2019, and then released in select theaters in May 2019 in the U.S. and abroad. It tells the tale of glory days and dark days in Asbury Park, NJ, striking a chord with every kind of audience: those who love music, those who love the Jersey shore, those who love history, those who love certain performers, and most of all, those who love Asbury Park. For anyone with cherished memories of the town and its musical heritage, it’s like coming home again.

Directed by filmmaker Tom Jones and narrated by renowned radio personality Big Joe Henry, the documentary weaves historical and current video footage, photos, and news articles together with commentary by Bruce Springsteen, Southside Johnny, Steven Van Zandt, Max Weinberg, and other great musical talents, many of whom remain favorite familiar performers up and down the Jersey shore. There are also remarks from historians, former township officials, clergy, and more. Scenes with Springsteen – considered by so many fans as the ultimate Asbury Park icon – were added into the final cut of the film after he saw the initial film festival premiere and called to congratulate the director.

All of the participants speak with clear affection, rueful smiles, and sometimes teary eyes about the long-ago days when they were just starting out, the venues where they hung out till all hours, and the incredible magic that came from the music that permeated Asbury Park and became known as the “Jersey sound.” Sandwiched as it was between the church-based dry community of Ocean Grove and what was then considered the amusement park town of Long Branch, Asbury was a popular destination for music lovers. “You’d go to Ocean Grove to pray and Asbury Park to party,” laughs Southside Johnny.

Besides the music, the documentary also chronicles the city’s troubled history and social structure, where elegant hotels once graced the east side while the homes of black and immigrant workers were segregated to the west side until the 1950s. In Asbury’s heyday, it was the power of music that brought together what was, from its earliest times, a racially divided city, with its ethnic lines drawn by railroad tracks. Black and white musicians played together often in many of the 70+ clubs that were crowded within less than two square miles. The predominantly black west side of town was ground zero for famous jazz, soul, and blues performers in the 1940s and ‘50s. In the 1960s, Convention Hall became the focal point of the rock and roll scene, with appearances by The Who, The Rolling Stones, and The Doors.

But then, on July 4, 1970, the apparently tenuous harmony that existed erupted in flames as riots broke out, lasting for several days, destroying the west side, and leading to decades of urban decay. Much of the burned-out area of the west side remains undeveloped to this day, while other areas of Asbury have seen a resurgence of shops, restaurants, condos, entertainment, art, and tourism – in large part thanks to the gay population that has invested in the community.

“Asbury Park: Riot, Redemption, Rock ‘n Roll” does a remarkable job of both celebrating and mourning the history of the seaside town, its population, the visitors who flocked there, and the astounding collection of gifted musicians who performed there through the years. Along with some never-before-seen footage of old performances, some of the interviews were filmed inside the now-deserted space of the legendary Upstage, which flourished as an after-hours club for musicians that remained open into the wee hours of the morning, long after all the other clubs had shut down each night. 

Like Asbury Park itself, just when you think the movie is finished, there is more to be seen. For its May theatrical release, the movie included additional bonus footage of Springsteen, Van Zandt, Southside Johnny, and the Upstage All-Star musicians performing an exuberant reunion concert at the Paramount Theater in 2017. Jamming with them onstage were representatives of what will hopefully become the next generation of music in Asbury Park – talented young students from the Lakehouse Music Academy. To further that goal, the film’s theater distribution was financially supported by Jersey Mike’s, with profits from its worldwide run to be donated to support the promotion and creation of music education programs for children.

As with any good story or rockin’ concert, Asbury Park fans are left wanting more and wishing for a happy ending. With dates for its limited run in this area now past and enthusiastic responses coming in from all over the globe, it is hoped that “Asbury Park: Riot, Redemption, Rock ‘n Roll” may have encore screenings in theaters before going to digital releases. Stay tuned to www.asburyparkmovietickets.com for updates or follow Asbury Park: Riot Redemption Rock ‘n Roll on Facebook.