From Bruce Springsteen to Bon Jovi to Patti Smith, Asbury Park, New Jersey, is to rock 'n' roll what Salt Lake Valley is to Mormons — a blessed promised land. Its history is rich in guitar riffs and circle pits. And few bands are as familiar with both than the Bouncing Souls.
Last month, the punk veterans invaded Bamboozle Fest, taking place at their beloved Asbury Park. Playing to what the Star-Ledger described as the "largest crowd of the day at the Lumiez stage," they ran through a marathon set of classics like "Kids and Heroes" and "Private Radio," as well as new music from their latest record, Comet.
But the road to major American music festivals began in an unlikely place, at a Knights of Columbus Hall in Bernardsville, New Jersey. It was there, in 1989, that Greg Attonito, Pete Steinkopf, Bryan Kienlen, and Shal Khichi played together as a band for the first time.
The rest, of course, is history.
