Dashboard & Drafts: Friday At The Atlantic City Beerfest

Written by Ryan Demarco, Photos by Al Mannarino

Pop-Break Live: The Atlantic City Beer Festival – Day 1

Atlantic City held its 11^th annual beer and music festival last weekend. Thousands gathered to the South Jersey metropolitan area to experience craft beers from all over the country, as well as having the chance to play carnival style games and activities while listening to electrifying live music. Between the cold beers, delicious food, and amazing music, The Atlantic City Beer and Music Festival was a fantastic way to kick off the spring and summer season at the Jersey Shore!

Brewers came from all parts of the country, bringing along what makes them stand out from the rest. Dog Fish Head from Delaware, Founders brewing from Michigan, Coranado brewing from California, plus the dozens of others in between. Fans were able to enjoy a wide selection of ales, IPA’s, stouts, ciders, and more. Some notable standouts of the fest include the Beer To Drink Music To, a Belgian-style tripel from Dogfish Head, and the 3 Citrus Peel Out from Southern Tier Brewing Company.

The excitement ran through the entire festival as people stood by tents tasting and sharing their thoughts on the latest pour. If they wanted to take a break, competition games that you would normally find at a boardwalk or carnival could occupy you, as well as partaking in small events like the silent disco. Located in the middle was a wide selection of food trucks that could prepare anything to your liking.

During the Friday night session, Dashboard Confessional headlined a small group of bands that effectively set the mood for the entire night. First off was Canadian indie rock band The Elwins who opened up the festival and set the mood for the night. At the other end convention was the Acoustic Stage where local singer/songwriter, Chris Brown, entertained festivalgoers with tracks off his latest LP, “Sing Yourself to Sleep.”

Hidden In Plain View were the next band to play the main stage. The northern New Jersey band exploded on to the stage with a high energy performance. Their setlist included “Bleed for You,” Ashes to Ashes,” “Twenty Below,” and “Garden Statement” from their 2005 album, Life in Dreaming. Their set really kicked the festival into another gear and was a perfect opener for the final band of the night, Dashboard Confessional.

When lead singer and songwriter Chris Carrabba and his band took the stage to close out the Atlantic City Beerfest they were greeted to a sea of people. They opened with “Don’t Wait” off 2006’s Dusk and Summer to an energetic crowd. This year also marks the 15^th anniversary of The Swiss Army Romance, Dashboard’s debut album, and they made sure to include some of the band’s fan-favorite songs in the setlist, which includes “The Sharp Hint of New Tears,” “Screaming Infidelities,” and “Again I Go Unnoticed.” Dashboard closed their phenomenal set with an excellent cover of Coldplay’s “Fix You,” as well as hits “Vindicated” and “Hands Down.”

The AC beer festival proved to be a successful and organized event that offered crowds enough fun and enjoyment for the entire night. You couldn’t help but feel the sway of positive emotions from those around and get caught up in the entertainment. With the overwhelmingly high reactions, we look forward to many more years of this Atlantic City tradition!

Hidden In Plain View setlist:

Twenty Below

Ashes Ashes

Like an Ocean

Hunting the Hunter

The Point

Bendy

Bleed for You

Garden Statement

Dashboard Confessional setlist:

Don’t Wait

The Sharp Hint of New Tears