Pop Break Live: 2018 Atlantic City Beer & Music Festival
Words & Photos by Patrick Gilrane
The annual A.C. Beer and Music Festival 2018 kicked off its thirteenth season, at the Atlantic City Convention Center on March 23 and 24th. Rated as one of the ten best festivals of its kind in the country by USA today, the festival attracted over 22,000 craft beer enthusiasts on this chilly winter weekend.
The host venue for this event was the beautiful Atlantic City Convention Center, situated at the base of the Atlantic City Expressway making getting in and out of town a breeze.
I arrived about an hour before the doors opened on Friday to find a long line of thirsty beer geeks waiting patiently (not) to get the nights festivities going. The event organizers have done a great job in years past, and I expected this year to be no exception. We’re very fortunate here in the Garden State, having almost 200 craft breweries calling the State home, and with over 150 local and out of state breweries in attendance this Festival had all the makings of an epic event.
The entertainment for this weekend was perfect with veteran punk band The Descendents laying it down on Friday night, followed by The Mighty Mighty Bosstones for the early session on Sat, and last and certainly not least the Island sounds of Pepper Sat night. The contrasting musical styles created a different vibe for each session, with Friday being a rowdy punk crowd, Saturday’s early session was all about cutting loose and dancing to the Bosstones and the late session with Pepper being chill in comparison.
With the crowd in line getting restless, the National Anthem was sung, the gates were opened and the Atlantic City Beer & Music Festival 2018 was underway. In a matter of minutes over 6000 thirsty hopheads made their way into the convention center on a quest for the perfect beer!
The Descendents
The Descendents are a punk band formed in 1977 with current band members Milo Aukerman on vocals, Steve Egerton on guitar and vocals, Bill Stevenson on drums and Karl Alvarez on bass and vocals. The Descendents are an Epitaph Records recording artist whose latest album “Hypercaffium Spazzinate” dropped in 2016.
The Descendents took the stage Friday night and wasted no time getting this set off to a high speed, high energy start working the crowd with a catalog of music spanning forty years. Watching the fans absorb the bombardment of punk rock anthems was a sight to see, with fans both young and old fixated by the performance. The Descendents played a total of twenty-six songs during their set including “Rotting Out,” Silly Girl” and “When I Get Old” to name a few. The Descendents are timeless band who seem to get better with age, and tonight showed no sign of slowing down!
Providing support for the Descendents were Gutter Drunk and Bigwig.
Saturday March 24th had two sessions, noon until 4pm and 6pm until 10pm. The day started early with the Hops Trot 5k run and continued into the day’s festivities!
Saturday March 24, early session
The Mighty Mighty Bosstones
The Mighty Mighty Bosstones are a Ska band from Boston Massachusetts formed in 1983 with band members Dicky Barrett on vocals, Joe Gittleman on bass and vocals, Tim Burton on sax and vocals, Ben Carr on vocals, Joe Sirois on drums, Lawrence Katz on guitar and vocals, Chris Rhodes on trombone and vocals, John Goetchius on keyboard and Leon Silva on sax.
Upon taking the stage it’s very clear to see that the Bosstones are a polished group of pure entertainers, not just a band. Dressed in their trademark blue suits and ties you almost get the sense of old school performers from another era, that is until the music starts. Watching the Bosstones it’s easy to focus on Dicky Barrett, a very dynamic and talented front man, but there is so much else going on including Ben Carr’s non-stop skanking and a horn section all-moving in unison. The Bosstones brought their “A” game to this set driving the crowd to dance, sing and crowd surf the afternoon away. When the set was done the Bosstones played a total of twenty-three songs delivering a Boston style skank fest for those in attendance!
Stacked Like Pancakes and High School Football Heroes provided support for the Bosstones!
Saturday March 24, late session
Pepper
Pepper hails from San Diego California by way of Hawaii. Pepper band members are Kaleo Wassman on guitar and vocals, Bret Bollinger on bass and vocals and Yesod Williams on drums and vocals. Pepper is a Law Records recording artist whose latest album “Ohana’ dropped in 2016.
Pepper’s music finds its roots in reggae with a strong Pacific Island influence, the combination blending to characterize their unique sound. Kaleo, Bret and Yesod unassumingly took the stage and proceeded to take the crowd somewhere warm and sunny, their constant light, friendly banter setting the mood for a very memorable set. Pepper took the crowd for an Island style ride with “Never Ending Summer,” Vacation,” Start Me Up” and “Perfect Stranger” to name a few. Watching the crowd I couldn’t help but take note of the contrasting musical styles represented here at the AC Beer & Music Fest, with Pepper leaving the crowd with lasting memories of palm trees and waves.
Providing support for Pepper was Cheesy and the Crackers and Tropidelic
In closing this event was a smashing success, attracting over 23,000 people over a two-day period. This event was a tremendous undertaking with no details overlooked. The contrasting musical styles creating a different vibe for each session, essentially creating three different festivals in one venue. Near Dark Entertainment & Good Time Tricycle Productions have done an incredible job in organizing and finding great talent for this event every year. I look forward to seeing what surprises they have in store for 2019.
Check out the Festival Website at www.acbeerfest.com for up to date information regarding this outstanding event, including next years dates!
