Sunday at the Stone Pony 4

And so we gathered for the fourth time on a Sunday afternoon in the seaside suburb of St Kilda in Melbourne's south to celebrate the legendary sounds of Asbury Park and raise money for a worthy cause -- in this case the Rainbow Network, which provides essential services to the Victorian LGBT community.

The original purpose of these gatherings was to evangalise music I grew up with that was synonymous with Bruce Springsteen, i.e. Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes, Gary US Bonds, Little Steven, etc. (on this occasion the playlist was dominated by live songs from Springsteen's current 'The River' tour). Like any preacher I wanted as large a flock as possible to gather and listen and spread the gospel of the range of bands that played the Stone Pony in Asbury Park back when it was the center of a bluesy, horns-based musical sound when disco dominated US airwaves.

But a funny thing's happened over the course of four Sunday at the Stone Pony's ... I no longer care about the size of our crowd. Only the quality.

And on this latest Sunday we had spectacular quality.

All told the group of people featured in these photographs raised $865, with the Local Taphouse generously contributing an additional $50.

Thanks to everyone who attended. If there's an SP5 I'm thinking it'll be by invitation only.

As always, nothing happens without the tremendous contributions of Mary (left) and Piera (right). Their generosity and spirit cannot be adequately celebrated. Piera's holding the arm of Carly, who flew in from Sydney to join our soiree. Piera's friend Pauline rounds out the foursome.

If there's a more beautiful smile in Melbourne than Maria's I've yet to witness it. Here she stands beside the day's best dressed man, Jamie, while Rebecca inhales an item off the Local Taphouse's food menu. Somehow, she manages to remain glamorous.

Highlight of the day was the appearance of Dave and Effie Wright's twin daughters Sophia and Memphis. Here, Mary prepares Memphis for a lifetime of wise choices.

Dave holds Sophia while Mary & Piera fuss over Mem.

Richard (left) traveled with his partner Eden (who's not in this or any other non-group photos, unfortunately) to attend SP4. Rita's flashing a perfect smile beside him while Maja focuses on artwork in the arms of mum Sara.

Sophia shoots a look that says "I may be a toddler but I know a photo of me sitting on a bar is NOT dignified" while Stewart shows off the day's most appropriate hooded garment.

Sunday was Dave's actual birthday but Stewart and Michael had recently celebrated theirs so a group cake was arranged and devoured.

Legends. All.

'Til next time.

Sunday at the Stone Pony II, The Local Taphouse, St Kilda

A paltry but passionate crowd made its way to the Local Taphouse in St Kilda yesterday afternoon for our second 'Sunday at the Stone Pony'.

As is standard, 'Teachers for Tom Morello' Piera and Mary gave the Local a quick Stone Pony makeover beforehand.

The day's proceeds went to Joey and Bats Sanctuary (JABS), a suburban Melbourne animal shelter run by amazing human Julie and her equally amazing husband Francois.

The back of Mary's t-shirt.

I'd like to thank everyone who came out yesterday. With such a low turnout, it's clear I overestimated the desire of Melbourne's Springsteen fans to come together. We tried. 'So walk tall, or baby, don't walk at all ...'

Regardless of the turnout, and regardless of whether we do this again in Melbourne, I can state unequivocally that on the final day of August, 2014, nowhere in this land of mediocrity could better music be heard than downstairs at the Local Taphouse in St Kilda. Here's proof:

1. All I Need / Jake Clemons / It's On. EP
2. Overshadowed / Jake Clemons / It's On. EP
3. For You (live) / Bruce Springsteen (BS) / Paramount Theater, Asbury Park Nov 26 1996
4. Spill the Wine (live) / Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band (BS & ESB) / Hunter Valley NSW Feb 23 2014
5. Treat Her Right (live) / BS & ESB / Albany NY May 13 2014
6. O Mary Don't You Weep (live) / BS & ESB / Tampa FL May 01 2014
7. Devils & Dust (live) / BS / Paris June 20 2005
8. Coming Back / Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes / Better Days
9. Daddy's Come Home / Gary U.S. Bonds / Dedication
10. Solidarity / Little Steven / Voice of America
11. Just Like Fire Would (live) / BS & ESB / Melbourne Feb 15 2014
12. Jole Blon (live) / BS & ESB / Melbourne Feb 15 2014
13. New Orleans / Gary U.S. Bonds / Birth Of A Legend
14. Maybellene / Chuck Berry / Greatest Hits
15. Cadillac Ranch (live) / BS & ESB / Uniondale NY Dec 31 1980
16. Sherry Darling (live) / BS & ESB / Uniondale NY Dec 31 1980
17. Someday / Steve Earle / Ain't Ever Satisfied: The Steve Earle Collection
18. Handwritten / The Gaslight Anthem / Handwritten
19. The Fever / Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes / I Don't Want to Go Home
20. Spirit In The Night (live) / BS & ESB / Brisbane Feb 26 2014
21. Song for Hope / Jake Clemons / Embracing Light EP
22. You Must Be Crazy / Jake Clemons / Embracing Light EP
23. The E Street Shuffle (live) / BS & ESB / Brisbane Feb 26 2014
24. Two Hearts (live) / BS & ESB / Auckland March 2 2014
25. Shackled and Drawn / BS & ESB / Sydney Feb 19 2014
26. Behind the Wall of Sleep / The Smithereens / Especially for You
27. Princess Of Little Italy / Little Steven & The Disciples Of Soul / Men Without Women
28. Wild Summer Nights / John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band / Eddie And The Cruisers soundtrack
29. Kitty's Back (live) / BS & ESB / Passaic, NJ Sept 19 1978
30. Clampdown (live) / BS & ESB / Tampa FL May 01 2014
31. The King of Hell / The Nightwatchman / The Fabled City
32. Brothers Under The Bridge (live) / BS & ESB / Tampa FL May 01 2014
33. The Ghost Of Tom Joad (live) / BS & ESB / Tampa FL May 01 2014
34. Mansion On the Hill / Billy Bragg & The Blokes / Light of Day: A Tribute to Bruce Springsteen
35. Love'll Never Change / Jake Clemons / It's On - EP
36. A Man In Love / Clarence Clemons / Rescue
37. All I Needed Was You / Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes / Better Days
38. Tunnel of Love (live) / BS & ESB / Minneapolis MN May 10 1988
39. Boom Boom (live) / BS & ESB / Minneapolis MN May 10 1988
40. Down In The Valley / Otis Redding / Otis Blue - Sings Soul
41. Misery Loves Company / Mike Ness w/Bruce Springsteen / Cheating at Solitaire
42. Light of Day / Joan Jett & The Blackhearts / Flashback
43. The Promised Land (live) / BS & ESB / Winterland Dec 15 1978
44. Because The Night (live) / BS & ESB / Winterland Dec 15 1978
45. This Little Girl / Gary U.S. Bonds / Dedication
46. Among the Believers / Little Steven / Voice of America
47. World Wide Rebel Songs / The Nightwatchman / World Wide Rebel Songs
48. The Rising (live) / BS & ESB / Albany NY May 13 2014
49. Mary's Place (live) / BS & ESB / Pittsburgh April 22 2014
50. Stuck Between Stations / The Hold Steady / Boys And Girls In America
51. Point Breeze / Marah / Kids in Philly
52. Backstreets (live) / BS & ESB / Atlanta Sept 30 1978
53. You're a Friend of Mine / Clarence Clemons / Hero
54. Lyin' In A Bed Of Fire / Little Steven & The Disciples Of Soul / Men Without Women
55. Dedication / Gary U.S. Bonds / Dedication
56. It's Been a Long Time / Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes / Better Days
57. Highway to Hell / BS & ESB / Melbourne Feb 15 2014
58. Born in the USA (live) / BS & ESB / Melbourne Feb 15 2014
59. Cover Me (live) / BS & ESB / Melbourne Feb 15 2014
60. Darlington County (live) / BS & ESB / Melbourne Feb 15 2014
61. Working on the Highway (live) / BS & ESB / Melbourne Feb 15 2014
62. Downbound Train (live) / BS & ESB / Melbourne Feb 15 2014
63. I'm on Fire (live) / BS & ESB / Melbourne Feb 15 2014
64. No Surrender (live) / BS & ESB / Melbourne Feb 15 2014
65. Bobby Jean (live) / BS & ESB / Melbourne Feb 15 2014
66. I'm Goin' Down (live) / BS & ESB / Melbourne Feb 15 2014
67. Glory Days (live) / BS & ESB / Melbourne Feb 15 2014
68. Dancing in the Dark (live) / BS & ESB / Melbourne Feb 15 2014
69. My Hometown (live) / BS & ESB / Melbourne Feb 15 2014
70. Thunder Road (live) / BS & ESB / Atlanta Sept 30 1978
71. Born To Run (live) / BS & ESB / Sydney Feb 19 2014
72. Ramrod (live) / BS & ESB / Hunter Valley Feb 23 2014
73. Rosalita (Come Out Tonight) (live) / BS & ESB / Uniondale NY Dec 31 1980

Sunday at the Stone Pony ... in St Kilda.

My 'Springsteen & Us' colleagues Piera and Mary, aka 'Teachers for Tom Morello'.

Before abandoning life BA (Before Aradhna) I worked in advertising, most frequently as a senior copywriter. Not the most soul-satisfying of occupations but it was nice to be paid to think, create, and collaborate with brilliant colleagues. Whether in Silicon Alley of lower Manhattan or an office building off the Turnpike in Woodbridge, NJ or a refurbished factory near Fenway Park in Boston or a hotel room in El Segundo, CA, my fondest professional memories are of working alongside inspiring men and women, battling the usual client nonsense, and creating good goddamned work as part of a team.

Thus, it was a satisfying reminder of professional victories gone by to collaborate with a pair of remarkable women named Piera and Mary on a celebration of Jersey shore music called 'Sunday at the Stone Pony' exactly two weeks ago. The northern suburbs pair (shown above) dubbed themselves 'Teachers for Tom Morello' during the 2014 Springsteen tour of Australia. (Why? I don't know, other than they share an affinity for the latest addition to the E Street Band. And they're teachers.) They were strangers to me right up to the final weekend of the tour in Auckland, NZ. As the pit dispersed after night 1 -- the show that marked my debut on vocals during 'Rosalita' -- they tracked me down to say Piera had snapped a photo when my face appeared on the massive screen behind the stage. We kept in touch afterwards and I reached out to them with my proposal to hold a Springsteen get-together in Melbourne. They couldn't have been more enthusiastic or more eager to help.

I created a Facebook community called 'Springsteen & Us' to build a following and determine interest in such an event. Piera, Mary, 'Jersey Girl' Maria and I met over coffee in Brunswick to discuss ideas. A little while later Mary and Piera visited my neighbourhood in St Kilda to have a look at the venue I'd chosen to be our first Stone Pony in Australia, the Local Taphouse. It was hilarious: While I chatted with a former colleague at the Local (I worked there when it opened in 2008) Piera and Mary raced around like treasure hunters -- only instead of shovels they carried measuring devices and note pads and were planning to create treasures, not extract them.

Look at the wristbands Piera and her team of volunteer designers created (right). Fourteen of the 17 Springsteen shows I've seen in Australia have been General Admission but none of the wristbands handed out by resource-rich arenas or stadiums held a proverbial candle to these beauties. If you were lucky enough to get one, hold onto it. We're planning more of these celebrations of the sights and sounds of the Jersey shore. Your wristband will prove you had the good sense to attend the very first one.

Mary and Piera worked the door all afternoon. Eden from NZ is between them. 

Piera and Mary bookend our two visitors from Perth, the lovely Dal and heartthrob Jamie.

Iain, Eden and Dave, who's got a cafe in South Melbourne called Jimmy the Saint and a band called Dave Wright & the Midnight Electric.

Dancin' Julia led the Canberra brigade.

Besides this spectacular banner, Piera printed Stone Pony-related photos and put them up around the Local. These were given to attendees at the end of the night.

The Local Taphouse generously donated $1 from every purchase of a certain beer to Feed Melbourne. 

Shaddi -- in the middle -- was our lucky raffle winner. That's his partner Siobhan beside him. 

Stewart's one lucky man beside Rita and her daughter Rebecca. 

The dancing guy? My plumber, Paul.

Piera's family and friends.

Jamie and Iain hit the stage.

Proceeds from the day went towards Feed Melbourne, the same organisation Springsteen supported during his visits to Melbourne in 2013 and 2014. Here's the official receipt.

The setlist I put together was roughly 50% Springsteen, 40% Southside Johnny/Little Steven/Gary U.S. Bonds/Clarence Clemons, and a scattering of artists and bands who are either members of the E Street Band or have a connection to the Stone Pony and/or the music of Bruce Springsteen:

1. Thunder Road / BS & ESB / Live Hammersmith Odeon, London 1975
2. High Hopes / BS / High Hopes
3. Because the Night / BS & ESB / Live 19 Sept 1978, Capitol Theater, Passaic NJ
4. Devils & Dust / BS & ESB / Devils & Dust
5. Hearts of Stone / BS / Tracks
6. Out in the Street / BS & ESB / London Calling: Live In Hyde Park 2009
7. This Time It's For Real / Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes / This Time It's for Real
8. Your Love / Gary U.S. Bonds / Dedication
9. Lyin' In A Bed Of Fire / Little Steven & The Disciples Of Soul / Men Without Women
10. A Woman's Got the Power / Clarence Clemons & The Red Bank Rockers / Rescue
11. My City of Ruins / BS / The Rising
12. The Promised Land / BS & ESB / Live 19 Sept 1978, Capitol Theater, Passaic NJ
13. On the Dark Side / John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band / 'Eddie And The Cruisers' soundtrack
14. Back It Up / Nils Lofgren / The Best Of Nils Lofgren & Grin: The A&M Years
15. Light of Day / Joe Grushecky & The Houserockers / Light of Day: A Tribute to Bruce Springsteen
16. Growin' Up / BS / Live 5 Feb 1975, The Main Point, Bryn Mawr PA
17. Save My Love / BS / The Promise
18. Red Headed Woman / BS / In Concert/MTV Plugged, 1993
19. Rumble Doll / Patti Scialfa / Rumble Doll
20. Without Love / Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes / This Time It's for Real
21. Dedication / Gary U.S. Bonds / Dedication
22. Saint Isabelle / The Nightwatchman / The Fabled City
23. Sherry Darling / BS & ESB / Live 26 Feb 2014, Brisbane
24. Lucky Town / BS / Lucky Town
25. No Surrender (acoustic) / BS / Live 24 April 24 1996, Brixton UK
26. Get Down Moses / Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros / Streetcore
27. Under the Gun / Little Steven & The Disciples Of Soul / Men Without Women
28. You're a Friend of Mine / Clarence Clemons & Jackson Browne / Hero
29. Got To Be a Better Way Home / Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes / Hearts Of Stone
30. 4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy) / BS & ESB / Live 19 Sept 1978, Capitol Theater, Passaic NJ
31. Further On (Up The Road) / BS / The Rising
32. Walt Whitman Bridge / Marah / If You Didn't Laugh, You'd Cry
33. Disorder in the House / Warren Zevon / The Wind
34. Because the Night / Patti Smith / Easter
35. This Little Girl / Gary U.S. Bonds / Dedication
36. Jersey Girl / BS & ESB / Live 1975-85
37. Frankie Fell In Love / BS / High Hopes
38. How Can a Poor Man Stand Such Times and Live / BS / We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions (American Land Ed.)
39. Out of the Darkness / Little Steven / Voice Of America
40. Paradise By the C / Clarence Clemons / Live In Asbury Park
41. You Must Be Crazy / Jake Clemons / Embracing Light
42. Jungleland / BS & ESB / Live 19 Sept 1978, Capitol Theater, Passaic NJ
43. Stolen Car / Patty Griffin / Light of Day: A Tribute to Bruce Springsteen
44. One Headlight / The Wallflowers / Bringing Down the Horse
45. Havin' a Party / Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes / Best of Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes
46. Dancing In the Dark / BS / Born In The U.S.A.
47. Fire / BS & ESB / Live 19 Sept 1978 Capitol Theater, Passaic NJ
48. Angelyne / Gary U.S. Bonds / On The Line
49. Drive All Night (feat. Eddie Vedder & Jake Clemons) / Glen Hansard / Drive All Night
50. Coma Girl / Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros / Streetcore
51. Tougher Than the Rest / BS / Chimes of Freedom (Live 1988)
52. Just Like Fire Would / BS / High Hopes
53. Prove It All Night / BS & ESB / Live 19 Sept 1978, Capitol Theater, Passaic NJ
54. Inside Of Me / Little Steven & The Disciples Of Soul / Men Without Women
55. State Trooper / Steve Earle / Ain't Ever Satisfied: The Steve Earle Collection
56. Savin' Up / Clarence Clemons / Live In Asbury Park
57. Born In the U.S.A. / BS & ESB / Live 01 March 2014, Auckland
58. If I Should Fall Behind / BS & ESB / Live In New York City (Madison Square Garden, NY 2000)
59. Quarter To Three / BS & ESB / Live Hammersmith Odeon, London '75
60. The '59 Sound / The Gaslight Anthem / The '59 Sound
61. Tender Years / John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band / 'Eddie And The Cruisers' soundtrack
62. Jolé Blon / Gary U.S. Bonds / Dedication
63. Next To You / Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes / Hearts Of Stone
64. Who'll Stop The Rain / BS & ESB / Live 31 Dec 1980, Nassau Coliseum, NY
65. Gypsy Biker / BS / Magic
66. Murder Incorporated / BS & ESB / Live In New York City (Madison Square Garden, NY 2000)
67. Woke Up This Morning / Alabama 3 / 'The Sopranos' soundtrack
68. Save Me / Little Steven & The Disciples Of Soul / Men Without Women
69. Clampdown / The Clash / London Calling
70. The River / BS & ESB / Live 01 March 2014, Auckland
71. American Land / BS / Wrecking Ball
72. Sweet Soul Music / BS & ESB / Live 22 May 1988, Madison Square Garden, NY
73. Blood Brothers / BS / Greatest Hits
74. Until the Good Is Gone / Little Steven & The Disciples Of Soul / Men Without Women
75. Hold On (To What You Got) / Gary U.S. Bonds / On The Line
76. I Don't Want To Go Home / Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes / I Don't Want To Go Home
77. It Was A Very Good Year / Frank Sinatra / 'The Sopranos' soundtrack
78. The Ghost of Tom Joad / BS & ESB / Live 01 March 2014, Auckland
79. Land of Hope and Dreams / BS & ESB / Live 01 March 2014, Auckland
80. Born To Run / BS & ESB / Live 01 March 2014, Auckland
81. Rosalita / BS & ESB / Live 01 March 2014, Auckland
82. Seven Nights To Rock / BS & ESB / Live 15 Feb 2014, Melbourne
83. Shout / BS & ESB / Live 15 Feb 2014, Melbourne
84. Thunder Road (acoustic) / BS & ESB / Live 15 Feb 2014, Melbourne