Sea.Hear.Now’s sixth annual festival was given a wave of positive reviews after Bruce Springsteen’s headlining set. Here are six highlights of the sixth year in Asbury Park.
Local bands rise on the big stages
As always, it was another great year for local acts in Asbury Park. On Saturday, Sonic Blume opened the Park Stage and Joe P performed on the Sand Stage after his viral TikTok for his new song “Violet.”
On Sunday, Rachel Ana Dobken and Sunshine Spazz both played at the same time, with both artists playing great sets. The groups both call Asbury Park home and showed up for the hometown crowd. Sunshine Spazz even debuted an unreleased song, “Mess.”
Robert Randolph Band, Kool & the Gang, and The Gaslight Anthem are also from other parts of New Jersey and put on killer sets. Oh, and Bruce Springsteen too.
Transparent Clinch Gallery gives opportunity for fun, intimate sets
The Clinch Gallery pop-up was a great place for art, but also for surprise performances. David Shaw from The Revivalists, Guster, Illiterate Light, Sunshine Spazz, and Kool & the Gang headlined the cool surprise sets at the pop-up.
Bruce Springsteen lights up Asbury Park oceanfront with deep cuts
The Boss came home to Asbury Park to perform for well over 35,000 attendees on the Asbury Park Oeanfront. Not only were there tens of thousands of patrons inside the grounds, thousands were lined up outside the festival gates to listen.
On top of that, many took to boat to line up in the ocean to watch from afar, though many left after the rough waves and bad boating weather.
The Black Crowes rock longest subheadlining set in festival history
The Black Crowes took Saturday strong leading into Noah Kahan’s set with a 75-minute long performance on their ‘Happiness Bastards’ tour, supporting their newest album.
The group played new songs like ‘Wanting and Waiting’ and ‘Bedside Manner,’ and closed with ‘Remedy,’ which was dedicated to Perry Farrell of Jane’s Addiction. Lead singer Chris Robinson mentioned a hope that “they can work it out,” though the band has since canceled their tour.
The Boss appears at The Stone Pony along with Trey Anastasio and The Gaslight Anthem’s set
Bruce Springsteen played for three hours and 15 minutes at his headlining set on Sunday, but also showed up to Trey Anastasio Band and The Gaslight Anthem’s set.
During Trey Anastasio’s set, Springsteen came out to perform his own song, ‘Kitty’s Back.’ It was a highlight in a set full of Phish and Trey Anastasio songs.
Springsteen also joined The Gaslight Anthem’s set on the Park Stage for two songs. The two performed ‘History Books,’ which Bruce features on, and ‘American Slang,’ which the two have played live before.
Improvement.Hear.Now: fixed screens, sound, and blanket helps festival
Finally, the festival improved by a large margin over last year. In 2023, fans left the Foo Fighters’ headlining set full of complaints over sound, overcrowding, and too many blankets.
One fan was quoted saying, “[patrons] are taking up land like Christopher Columbus.”
In 2024, the festival announced a new “no-blanket or towel” zone near the Surf Stage. This allowed fans to camp out for the festival without having to step on other fans’ blankets.
The festival also announced more delay speakers for the main stage, so sound could be heard all the way past Convention Hall clearly. In addition, two delay screens were added. One on the sound tower and one near the ocean midway back.
The success in 2024, capped off by a Bruce Springsteen headlining set, leaves fans excited for what’s next to come.
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