The Jersey Shore town of Asbury Park has launched the careers of everyone from rock legend Bruce Springsteen (a frequent surprise visitor) to pop newcomer Fletcher (who filmed the video for her single “Undrunk” right outside the legendary Stone Pony in Asbury Park) but this coming weekend, the city will be welcoming some new pop superstars, as The Jonas Brothers make their way to Asbury Park for a true summer event.
They will be hitting the Stone Pony, then cross over (a surely packed with beach travelers) Ocean Avenue and play on a stage that is currently being structured, facing the boardwalk and the beach this Sunday afternoon, August 25th. Naturally, a show on the Jersey Shore in the summer would not be complete without beachside fireworks at the conclusion of the performance.
A VMA employee (who asked to remain nameless, but did wear a prominent VMA badge & lanyard) confirmed to me that “the Jonas Brothers are coming” and, while he would not provide details on a set list, he did say to me simply, “I hope Asbury Park is ready”! The exclusive pictures taken earlier this evening show the stage being constructed and towers being built. While tickets are not being sold for the performance, MTV production “has fans ready for the weekend event already”, said the employee. The weekend event should be viewable from a distance, and many of the unique vantage points that Asbury Park has to offer.
The Stone Pony is already getting an influx of calls requesting tickets and information regarding the Jonas Brothers arrival, and seemingly confirmed their appearance this weekend with this Facebook post earlier today:
The rumblings about a possible Asbury Park performance started weeks ago, when MTV announced on August 15th that the Jonas Brothers would perform remotely at an undisclosed “iconic location” at the Jersey Shore as part of the live broadcast from the Prudential Center in Newark. Additionally, the marquee on the Stone Pony temporarily read “Jonas Brothers Sold Out” two weeks ago. A true sign of foreshadowing was an MTV camera crew that was seen filming the new rainbow crosswalk outside the Shep Pettibone owned Paradise nightclub at 101 Asbury Ave.
“With the VMAs coming to the Garden State, people from all across the nation will get a glimpse of what New Jerseyans enjoy every day: a state lush with vibrant, diverse communities that welcome all,” said Christian Fuscarino, executive director of Garden State Equality, of the rainbow crossing filming via email, to the Asbury Park Press. “It’s an incredible badge of honor that legends like Frank Sinatra, Bruce Springsteen and Whitney Houston were born and raised here, but it’s a greater source of pride that our state is leading the nation on equality for LGBTQ people. I am thrilled MTV has chosen two of our most diverse cities, Newark and Asbury Park, to host some the world’s most talented musical artists.”
The MTV Video Music Awards will be broadcast at 8 p.m. Monday, Aug. 26 on MTV (check local listings)
Pictures of staging- courtesy of the writer