Lightning in a Bottle – A Love Letter to Asbury Lanes

Written By Doug Dresher

Lightning in a Bottle – A Love Letter to Asbury Lanes is a raw, intimate, and unfiltered photographic chronicle of one of New Jersey’s most beloved underground venues. Shot over 11 years by photographer Mike McLaughlin, the book captures the heart and soul of Asbury Lanes, in the heart of Asbury Park—a vintage bowling alley turned DIY music venue—before its redevelopment in 2015.

We had the opportunity to talk long-distance with Mike McLaughlin, a fantastic photographer with a catalog of images documenting "The Old" Asbury Lanes.  Home to the party faithful and wayward souls, Asbury Lanes was, for a time, the coolest place to both play and spectate.  Asbury Park's version of Max's Kansas City and CBGBs, The Lanes was a safe place for those who needed safe spaces to dance, sing, and create.  

Mike talked about his start in photography and his time at Asbury Lanes.  And like everything else in life, he talked about when it was time to move on, and somehow land in Italy.

Doug Dresher

Assistant Editor / Media Content / Editor / Photographer / Podcaster / Assistant to the Regional Manager

Born from an existential argument between Modernists and Postmodernists, I have found my home with the post-punks and those who love a good slice of pizza. I live in a world of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction and the ever-elusive Decisive Moment. Punctum and Studium aside, I like to take photographs of people and things to see how they look photographed. While I miss both CBGBs and a cool place to bowl in Asbury Park, Punk is still whatever we made it to be. The Future is Unwritten, and I owe it all to Mr. Bradley and Mr. Martin. Let Us Now Praise Famous Men (and Women) and ask the Little Prince for his thoughts. Sometimes, I'm On the Road, but if it weren’t for the honor of the thing, I’d just as well walk. My loving wife supports this albatross of an obsession, and my kids put up with me well. BA, MFA, M.Ed., BCEA, Nikon, FUJI, Tri-X.

Visit Doug on Flickr.

http://www.dresherphoto.com
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