By JOANNE L. PAPAIANNI
The Jonas Brothers, who performed at the Stone Pony in Asbury Park in 2005, returned to the iconic music venue Sunday night to perform and wow a younger audience.
The Asbury Park beachfront came alive Sunday night as thousands of screaming fans greeted and cheered for the famous Jersey born brothers, who came to town to film a video for the MTV Awards, which aired Monday night.
The group sang one song inside the Stone Pony before walking across the street to perform on a temporary stage set up on the boardwalk.
Plans for the event, which Viacom tried to keep under wraps, did not emerge on social media until Wed., Aug. 21
As the day drew near postings detailed the event telling fans there would be plenty of room on the beach to hear the band.
The Watermark lounge on the boardwalk invited fans to its second story terrace for a fantastic view of the stage for the 7 p.m. show.
A helicopter circled continuously above, both Saturday night during set up, and Sunday during the event.
When the band finally ascended the stage, screams escalated, the music started and stage lights flashed.
Towards the end of the song fireworks lit up the sky to the delight of all.
The screaming, however, did not stop but grew as the brothers walked off the stage and along the walkway, lit up with footlights, and onto Ocean Avenue where a black van with black windows was waiting for them.
Catherine Drea, 12, of Neptune, was thrilled to see the Jonas Brothers perform as she taped the show sitting on the shoulders of an adult.
After the performance she was on Ocean Avenue when the band left the stage and walked to the waiting van.
Nick Jonas reached out as he walked by, grabbing Catherine’s hand as she yelled “I love you!”
The almost teen pledged to never wash her hand again and as she was riding home in the car screaming to everyone she passed on the street, “Nick Jonas touched this hand! This beautiful hand! I want everyone in the world to know!”
For her, it will be a day she will remember for the rest of her life.
“It was the best day ever; we saw it on MTV last night,” she said Tuesday, referring to Monday night’s MTV Awards show.
Asbury Park Mayor John Moor said Viacom and MTV contacted the city in July about filming the performance and originally wanted more streets to be closed.
“I told them no, it’s a Sunday night in August….we’re not Mayberry,” he said.
The mayor said organizers will be billed for any city employee overtime and paid for the extra security including the helicopter that flew overhead Saturday and Sunday nights.
The mayor praised police, fire, beach and bathing, construction and the Department of Public Works for their efforts and the success of the event.
“Especially Leesha Floyd…she handled all the go betweens,” he said of the city’s special events coordinator.
Moor said all things considered, including the logistics of hosting such an event, he was happy with the outcome.
“Aside from some glitches with Viacom and MTV, everything worked out fantastic,” he said.
