Des and the Swagmatics is one of the bands scheduled to perform in the Grand Arcade in Asbury Park’s Convention Hall June 14.
More than a dozen much-loved Asbury Park artists will step into the spotlight on the Showcase Stage at the Grand Arcade, a new feature of the Prudential presents North to Shore Festival in Asbury Park.
From 3:30 to 11 p.m. Fri., June 14, the stage in the Grand Arcade, in Asbury Park’s Convention Hall, will offer a continuous series of free performances by some of the city’s most-loved singer-songwriters, spoken word poets, hip hop artists and others, interspersed with sets by local DJ Adam Jay.
This presentation, is a new feature of Prudential presents North to Shore, the three-week, three-city summer festival of arts and ideas produced by NJPAC, now in its second season.
“The Showcase Stage is our way of highlighting the talent of Asbury Park’s incredible artists, but also of ensuring that all the folks who come out for a festival event not only have a great way to extend their visit, but get a real introduction to Asbury Park’s authentic sound and spirit,” said John Schreiber, President and CEO of NJPAC.
The majority of the local artists and groups appearing on the Showcase Stage are Prudential presents North to Shore Official Selections — performers chosen to take part in the event by the festival’s committee of city arts professionals and community leaders. Each was given a grant to enable them to appear at the festival.
Overall, this season they granted $355,600 to local artists and Prudential presents North to Shore Festival organizations in its three host cities: Asbury Park, Atlantic City and Newark.
“From singer-songwriters to R&B, funk, soul, global sounds, world music, rock, pop, punk to funk, this lineup checks all the boxes of Asbury’s eclectic global music sound,” says Jennifer Stine, President of Fortune Creative Collective, an Asbury Park-based marketing company, who is producing the Showcase Stage presentation.
Stine is also vice president of the Asbury Park Chamber of Commerce, a trustee of the Historical Society and is the daughter of historian Don Stine of Ocean Township.
“To have the Grand Arcade activated with such talented local artists is very exciting. We cannot wait for everyone coming into town that Friday and see, in this historic setting, everything that Asbury Park has to offer,” Stine said.
Artists who will be featured at the Showcase Stage include: Johnny Nameless, inger-songwriters Joe Miller, Mike Montrey Band and Dave Vargo, funky R&B singer Space and The Goodstock Jamband and local R&B, soul, rock, funk and pop band Des and the Swagmatics.
