Surfing For Daisy Continues Their Rise with Hometown Show at The Stone Pony
As part of the Prudential North to Shore Festival, The Stone Pony in Asbury Park saw a packed house on Thursday night as Freehold natives Surfing For Daisy returned for another hometown headline set. The room felt electric all night, a testament to just how far this band has come. I had the pleasure of meeting these guys when they stopped by the APV studio for a podcast and special intimate live performance. They are incredibly nice, down-to-earth people, and their music reflects that sincerity. Their heartfelt songwriting, soaring melodies, rich harmonies, and beautiful instrumentation create a sound that feels both deeply personal and universally relatable.
This alternative folk-rock six-piece consists of Nick Francis on lead vocals and guitar, Mike Bernabei on guitar, Steven Filippone on drums, Cameron Seidel on bass, Dan DiSantis on guitar and vocals, and Kathryn McCarty on keyboard and vocals. It's been incredible watching this band build momentum from the ground up, progressing from early gigs in tiny venues to major festival appearances like Sea.Hear.Now and now, Lollapalooza later this year. This band is making moves fast, and you'll be happy to say you knew them before everyone else did.
Opening the night was Sunshine Spazz, a three-piece rock band from Toms River, NJ. I first saw them last year at Wonder Bar during North to Shore when they opened for The Parlor Mob, and they immediately caught my attention. Their sound was raw and energetic, yet incredibly full and surprisingly polished compared to the last time I saw them. If I had been blindfolded, I would have sworn there were at least five people on stage. A killer band and the perfect way to kick off the evening.
