The 2023 Atlantic City Beer & Music Festival, presented by Ocean Casino Resort, occurred on Saturday, June 3rd, and Sunday, June 4th, at Bader Field. This was also part of North To Shore’s big run of shows all over New Jersey! It featured over 100 breweries pouring 400 beers! Guests could grab a bite from the delicious food trucks, participate in many fun games and activities, or just sit and relax.

While guests had to be over 21 to enter, there was something fun for everyone to do! The Ocean County Emerald Society Pipes and Drums made an appearance off-stage. There was also a Garden State Beardos: Beard competition. You could also look at the collective art wall or the beautiful sand sculpture being made. There were also a lot of places to play cornhole with a cornhole craze competition going on! The Rinse and Roast Stage, presented by the Atlantic City Comedy Club, went on multiple times throughout the day. There was also Wing Wars presented by Wingcraft Kitchen and Beer Bar.

Saturday, June 3

By Doug Dresher

The afternoon started with a wonderful, if not intimate, performance by Jesse Ahern. In so many ways, what's old is new again. There's a long and historical music connection from Jesse Ahern going back to Woody Guthrie and probably even farther back. There's always been an idea that someone singing with their guitar can talk about social issues, politics, and even love by standing up and belting out a tune. In Ahern's performance, you can hear traces of Woody Guthrie, Rambling Jack Elliott, the folk revival of the 1950s and 1960s in Soho, New York, and even the solo work of Joe Strummer. Add that together with a solid Irish mix of The Chieftains and a Boston accent that you couldn't ignore, and you have a fine performer and a fine performance.

Dentist, a transplant from the Asbury Park music scene, performed a very tight set as well. As time passes, they get tighter and better as vocalist Emily Bornemann becomes even more proficient at playing the bass. Dentist is an excellent example of what we might call the new Asbury Park sound – Post Punk, a slight distortion on the guitar, and excellent musicianship. Emily Bornemann’s voice cut through the music with passion and drive. I have to give the stage crew credit, the wind was blowing rather fiercely, but the sound was spot on, and the three-piece band could be heard throughout the open-air venue. I particularly like the ease and confidence with which Dentist performed. It shows what a serious local band does, hoping to break out of Asbury Park into a larger music scene.

The Dropkick Murphys did what the Dropkick Murphys always do. Their infectious music and the lead singer's unbridled energy whipped the crowd into a frenzy. I did get nervous when the band offered to let the crowd throw shot classes at them to prove that the band was not afraid of anything. But luckily, only a few audience members took them up on that invitation. The Dropkick Murphys offered an exciting mix of an Irish-infused sound of post-punk rock'n'roll. Their message is one of equality, understanding, and inclusion, and they're fearless in presenting that to their audience. The crowd sang along to the songs and particularly enjoyed it when the lead singer, Ken Casey, jumped closer to the audience. The band and the audience have a particularly close relationship. The band brought out family members of old friends and supporters who've passed on, and the crowd seemed to know whom exactly the Dropkick Murphys were speaking about. The best part of the performance was just how inclusive they made the audience feel.

All in all, all three performances were excellent. I wish the crowd had introduced themselves to the two openers. Beer was being served on the side of the stage, and the crowd missed out on seeing some fantastic performances.

Sunday, June 4

By Bri Skriloff

One of my favorite stops of the day was the acoustic stage presented by Norstep Productions. It was a small tent on the opposite side of the main stage, which was nice to take a break and relax. It featured bean bag chairs, couches, and many more flexible seating options. It lets you escape from the sun and be comfortable and gives off a very relaxing atmosphere.

Four local bands played in the tent throughout the day: Buncha Scrubs, The Record Keeper, Chris Rockwell Collective, and Friend Hospital. They each played a small acoustic set, and it was nice to see old and new fans stop by to support them in the tent. I wish the set times were more staggered with the main stage so I could have stayed longer to listen to their music!

Sensamotion opened up the main stage for the day. They are Atlantic City natives which made their performance very special. While I’m usually captivated by the lead singer, it was the bassist this time! He constantly made eye contact with me and the crowd and moved all over the stage. The band has a new-age reggae sound with a mix of a heavy sounds. They recently released a new single a couple months ago called "See The Good"; make sure to check it out!

Phoneboy is a boy band with many songs you could sing along to. You could definitely see why they were one of the opening bands for 311. They really got the crowd pumped up for what was to come! They just released their album titled Moving Out a few months ago! This is their second album, and it came just in time for their tour. You could easily vibe along to their music on stage, and even the fans who weren’t singing were moving along. While their music sounds new, it also gives a nostalgic feeling to it as well.

311 was the highlight of the entire festival for me and many others! In between each set, DJ Dave Mass got the crowd excited for 311. It was effortless to see they couldn’t wait for their favorite band. Many fans started lining up at the barricade as early as 12:00pm when doors opened for their set at 2:30pm. While I had never seen 311 live before, once they came on stage, I could tell they were worth the wait! Fans had 311 merchandise, and one fan even had a 311 license plate!

The lead singer Nick did an excellent job moving around the stage and mesmerizing the crowd. He always had his hands up or was doing some sort of move with his guitar, which not only made for some good photos but also helped 311’s stage presence. This band has been around since 1988, a very long time!

While I only knew of their older, more popular songs, I was thrilled to hear some new ones I hadn’t heard before. With almost three and a half million monthly listeners, 311 is more popular than ever. They mix reggae, hip-hop, funk, and metal sound. While that sounds chaotic, it actually comes together quite nicely. After taking photos, I could stand behind the crowd and see what it was all about. Fans jumped, threw their hands up, and sang to 311 together. They put on a great show, and The Atlantic City Beer & Music Festival did a fantastic job of securing their spot for the festival. I can’t wait to see who headlines the festival next year!