On The Boardwalk Way Past Dark

Something in the Night edition

Sunday, September 15, 2024 Entry #112

With the Springsteen concert that concluded the Sea.Hear,Now Festival now over, I walked up the beach with tens of thousands of fellow giddy fans. It had been a very long day, but I didn’t want it to end. I exited the festival through the Asbury Park Convention Hall. I took note of the exact location inside the Hall of the Bruce Springsteen Archives’ pop-up exhibit space. It was closed, but I was glad I would have time the next day to pay it a visit before I left town.

Then I hit the boardwalk. Post-festival, it was packed, filled with life. Though I did not grow up anywhere near the ocean, the scene felt so familiar to me, an iconic slice of Americana. People strolling up and down the strip, souvenir shops and fast food abound, music and alcohol seemingly everywhere.

I ran into my tour friend Cassie back at Madame Marie’s “Temple of Knowledge” booth near where we had waited together for the festival to open many hours earlier. I also saw Grace, who I had met at the same place in the wee hours of this morning. She and I ended up quite near one another on the same side of the stage. Later, I saw that Grace had posted a tidy synopsis of our amazing day on a Springsteen social media site.

I decided to head off the beach to cruise the various music venues of Asbury Park. I had seen many of the well-known ones on my tour the previous year, but I had never witnessed any in action. Besides, Springsteen had appeared at the Stone Pony the night before, could lightening strike twice? I caught wind of a concert billed as being presented by Little Steven’s Sirius radio show, the Underground Garage, happening at Asbury Lanes, a bowling alley and live music club. I figured it was at least possible that Van Zandt (and perhaps The Boss himself) might be around. I found the place, but there was a really long line (surprise, surprise!). I thought about checking out the Stone Pony, but I suddenly got hit with a wave of massive wave of tiredness. It was well after midnight, and I had been awake since 4 A.M. after all. I reluctantly walked to my hotel (I hadn’t even checked in yet), only to discover on social media before falling asleep that Little Steven had indeed been around-I should have stayed in that line!

I fell asleep after reviewing my videos from the concert, and deciding on a plan for my last few hours in Asbury Park the next morning.