The Bouncing Souls Return Home for a Rain-Soaked Stoked for the Summer
As part of the Prudential North to Shore Festival, The Stone Pony Summer Stage welcomed New Jersey punk legends The Bouncing Souls back home on Saturday night for another edition of their annual Stoked for the Summer show. Even with steady rain throughout most of the night, fans packed the Summer Stage, proving that a little bad weather wasn't going to stop a hometown punk show.
The lineup was stacked from start to finish with Bane, School Drugs, Twenty Two, The Lawrence Arms, and direct support from Less Than Jake before The Bouncing Souls closed out the night. Between also covering Asbury Underground and the rain, I was only able to catch the final two openers, but both got the crowd ready for what was coming.
The Lawrence Arms brought their signature melodic punk sound and had no trouble getting the crowd going. Less Than Jake followed with one of the most fun sets of the night, mixing their ska-punk sound, nonstop energy, and plenty of jokes between songs. Rain or not, the crowd never stopped moving, or crowd-surfing.
Then it was time for the hometown heroes! For nearly 40 years, The Bouncing Souls have been one of New Jersey's most iconic punk bands. Their music has always been about friendship, growing up, and staying true to your roots, and that was on full display Saturday night. Fans screamed every word back as the band ripped through a career-spanning set that included favorites like "Manthem," "Sing Along Forever," and "Ghosts on the Boardwalk." Seeing thousands of fans singing those songs together just blocks from the Jersey Shore made the night feel even more special.
Rain or shine, Stoked for the Summer once again delivered. Between a stacked lineup, an energetic crowd, and another unforgettable hometown performance from The Bouncing Souls, it was another reminder of why this has become one of New Jersey's best summer traditions.
