Lets Get Free or Die!

Local poet, Chris Rockwell, just debuted his first music video for "Back to Babylon", and you might see some familiar faces ^_^

Screenshot!

Like it the video and check out Rockwell on Reverbnation here.

A Sad Farewell

Thanks to the businesses that support us, we belong to a garden of poets, bands, and artists. Closing just one of these businesses is a loss, so you can imagine how sad I was to hear that three of my favorite spaces announced their closing dates. Trinity and the Pope and the Ocean Bay diner of Point Pleasant are closing their doors with no anticipated reopening date.  The Annex is in the process of remodeling, and some fear this change may do more harm than good since the intimate space is what we love about it. These beloved spaces gave us a place to call home. Many have invested their time and love into these businesses so they could prosper and become a melting pot of diverse people and ideas. Trinity was the place to be on a Thursday night, Chris Rockwell hosted the Spoken Word Open Mic Nights at the Annex which brought people from all over together, and how can you be a Brick or Point high school graduate and not know about the OB diner: the late nights, the conversations, and the table you felt most comfortable at. Elevator Art's very first show was immediately followed by an excursion to the OB with all the performers. It's hard to say which business I'll miss the most.

Trinity and the Pope stood out in the venue-saturated Asbury Park.  It was one of the few that didn't ask bands to sell tickets, didn't charge at the door, and provided sound in a sophisticated setting. Sure, I support venues so they can continue to survive in this economy, but Trinity was a place we all congregated because of its accessibility. There were nights where atleast one person from each band would be there and everyone was talking about their progress and future plans with their band. Elevator Art had some important conversations about the Martian Diver EP at Trinity. It was a guaranteed great show when Mad Feather Group, Lightning Jar, Accidental Seabirds, We Used to Cut the Grass, Karmic Juggernaut, or Moon Motel played at the venue. You know that awkward space that separates the band from the audience? There was none of that at Trinity; you had no choice but to stand right in front of the band, and that only made the experience better for everyone.

This goes out to you Annex,  Trinity, and OB.  At least your last weeks were in October when we are all submissive to the reality of change. You will be missed.

Small Business of October

October's small business goes to.... 

Eric, founder of Atomic in 1999, started a small business that turned into a culture center 10 years later; bringing together local musicians, artists, collectors, and appreciators.  New artists have a chance to build a reputation thanks to Atomic, making this venue an important staple in my community.  I'm inspired by Eric and his partner Maureen because they give artists a chance- Atomic was the first store to have my artwork and Skullboy's work for sale, who now has had great success as a local artist. And he allows local bands to sell their demos without taking a cut of the band's profits. Why? Because he cares more about creating a network and has faith that this philosophy will "profit" his business in a more rewarding way; giving back to the community, protecting a freedom of speech, and encouraging the youth to participate in their local culture. Because this largely defines the purpose behind the store, I'm proud to support the business and what it stands for.

Atomic has a lot of everything to say the least. It's an experience just to walk through the door.  Vintage clothing, records, cds, jewelry, comic books, handmade items, art, vintage furniture and lots of little chotchkies saturate every little nook and cranny of the store. There's even has a whole shelf dedicated to mini versions of Godzilla! I love the handmade jewelry by Tess Bungay, a local crafter who uses plastic foods for earrings and necklaces; now you know where I got that ketchup packet necklace! You can find Elevator Art and the Amboys ep's too.

Atomic is the only store that has Creative Coop pillows, including these eyeball pillows, requested by the owner.

I always find the most unusual items.. I think I have to go back for that seashell Christmas scene.

Here's 3 of my favorite finds from Atomic.  I bought the purple and blue dress for $8, the wishing well earrings (one of my favorite finds!) for $8, and the black and red skirt for $4.

Atomic has some great, affordable items perfect for any halloween costume you've been planning, and be sure to check the links below for event details. Atomic hosts drum circles, artist meet & greets, and themed costume parties every other Friday.  It's conveniently located on Arnold Ave. in Point Pleasant just 2 storefronts away from Green Planet and a few blocks from the beach. Free parking too! Try a local business first before rushing to walmart!

Window Display by Richie Brown

https://www.facebook.com/atomiccds
http://www.atomiccds.com/

An Elevator Art Throwback

Every year, Elevator Art has added a new member and created a new sound with each of our talents. We can't fit any more members on stage at this point, but we love to get the audience involved so they can be a part of the band. You can tell we've gotten older! From Arnold Ave in Point Pleasant to opening for Jefferson Starship and headlining the Pony, here's the "EA" timeline:

When Elevator Art was in its infancy, Daimon, Mike and I would play in "the barn"; a safe haven in Jackson to play music as loud as we want without waking the neighbors. Daimon and Mike would write the songs, and I would add my little harmonies Our acoustic songs later became band arrangements after we picked up our drummer, Joe. The song, "The Worst Song Ever", was a tune that we ventured to record, and the only 2 venues where we played the song were the Saint, in Asbury Park, and on the green in Smithville, NJ. The song is very personal to me, was recorded by Daimon and Mike in "the barn", and the band's excited to share it with you. The song is finally available to listen to on bandcamp:  

http://elevatorart.bandcamp.com/album/the-worst-song-ever

Our ep release show is scheduled for October 20th at The Stone Pony. For more info, check out the facebook event page here.

When the Bennies go Home

The common trend is that you go to a beach that's south of where you live. Even the Point Pleasant dwellers will find their way to Island Beach. Tourism is what helps Point Pleasant's local economy, but it's a bittersweet reality that without the tourism, Point Pleasant would surely turn into a hopeless town. We've seen it in New Jersey history, particularly in Asbury Park. I'm grateful to call this place my home and hope that the businesses continue to thrive despite the economy.

The best time to visit the boardwalk is in September, when the water is still warm and the games are readily available for you to play. The locals know that this is the best time to appreciate their local resources, see some shows in Seaside, and get your feet wet. Today, there's a huge surfing competition in Belmar where Karmic Juggernaut's playing. Check out some of the shore's events; before you know it, you'll be taking our your shovel and gloves.

My first love was... herpetology??

That's right.. before there was arts and crafts, music, teaching or aiding people in discovering their true potential, I wanted to be a herpetologist FIRST!  I wanted to study frogs, snakes, lizards. and turtles (well, I think I was more interested in catching them for researchers, you know, just the fun part of being a herp).  Even though I changed my mind in middle school, I still held jobs that allowed me to live the dream- I worked at Cattus Island in Toms River for a year and Jenkinsons Aquarium as a reptile handler and tour guide for nearly 7 years. 

 My parents picked the best property to settle down, with a quiet backyard behind Beaver Dam Park. That would allow me to be a tenacious child with a net in one hand and bucket in the other.  

Anybody that knows me pretty well would know I love finding (or catching) frogs when I spot them. No net for me; I've got some fast hands! 

When I was a kid, I used to see huge snapping turtles coming up from the creek. Their shells were the size of garbage can lids! My dad would pick 'em up by their tails- I wish so badly I had some photos of that.

It's so exciting to find these little black things in August; they're frog eggs, which means there's something to look forward to next summer.

I love to inspect, measure and ask questions about nature and local ecology. For this reason, I volunteer whenever I can for the Jackson Forestry Festival and Cattus Island Festivals in October. Even though it's a career I won't pursue, I know that the excitement I get from nature reminds me of how much I loved being a kid. In addition, if you show an interest to children that you're young at heart, maybe it will preserve a sense of wonder that kids lose when they're older.