There was a special time in Asbury Park’s musical history sandwiched between the era when the city was reminiscent of a set from The Walking Dead, and its current state of million dollar high-rise condos, where things were beautiful, wonderful, and weird.
The epicenter of this era was the Asbury Lanes. The bowling alley was a concert venue that hosted national touring acts, and bands playing their first shows. Yet, it was more than a venue. It was a home that welcomed so many musicians, artists, journalists and everyday folk into Asbury Park with open arms and an order of tater tots. It was a place of musical discovery, self-discovery, and where lifelong memories and friendships were forged.
Words will never do the Lanes just, but the 400 pages of photos found in Lightning in a Bottle: A Love Letter to Asbury Lanes by renowned photographer Mike McLaughlin (with forewords by Alex Biese, “Juicy” Jenn Hampton, and an afterword by Christina “Tini” White) just might.
McLaughlin was the “unofficial “keeper of the Asbury Lanes’ memories,” as he captured over 100,000 photos over 11 years. The book, according to the press release states, he “instinctively document[ed] the music, the misfits, the staff, the artists, and the rare magic that lived inside the Lanes’ walls. His camera became an extension of him, allowing him to preserve a community and a creative universe that no longer exists. […] McLaughlin offers a visual archive of a beloved cultural landmark — a collective fever dream shared by those who called the Lanes home.”
The release of Lightning in a Bottle: A Love Letter to Asbury Lanes will be celebrated on Friday December 19 and Saturday December 20 at The Parlor Gallery (717 Cookman Avenue), Showroom Cinema (707 Cookman Avenue) and The Art Spot (1100 Ocean Avenue). The weekend is hosted hosted by Mt Crushmore Records, Parlor Gallery, and Mike McLaughlin.
The release weekend kicks off at The Parlor Gallery (run by Hampton) from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. and will feature select work from the book.
According to the press release, “These photographs distill the essence of the Lanes: the sweat, the grit, the beauty, the unfiltered joy, and the singular community that made the space unforgettable. The exhibition honors the Lanes as both muse and main character — a beacon for artists, punks, musicians, and dreamers. Select prints from the book will be available for purchase.”
The festivities continue with three events on Saturday December 20.
Book Signing & Artist Talk – The Parlor Gallery (12 p.m. to 2 p.m.)
Signed copies of and prints from Lightning in a Bottle: A Love Letter to Asbury Lanes will be on sale. There will also be a gathering, which is being described as rare, of former Lanes regulars, staff, musicians and friends.
Artist Talk at The ShowRoom Cinema (2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.)
Alex Biese, who has performed at The Lanes and is a current writer for Pop Break, will host a discussion with McLaughlin. They will explore the three decades of photos, the creation of the book, the original Lanes’ cultural legacy and behind-the-scenes stories.
Evening Celebration at The ArtSpot (7 p.m. to late)
It wouldn’t be a celebration of the Asbury Lanes without music. This celebration will feature a “Guilty Pleasure Dance Party” with former house DJs – Values, Pete Pederson and Jack the Ripper. There will be an Asbury Lanes Flyer Show (described as a “visual history of the Lanes’ legendary flyers, posters, and ephemera.” There’s also a “Tales from the Pit Photo Show” which is a “a gritty, kinetic look at the energy of ‘the pit’ through McLaughlin’s lens.”
