Pop-Break Live: Shipwrecked at The Shore (4/26)

words and photos by bill bodkin…

Pop-Break presented a night of jazz, surf and reggae on Thursday April 26 at The Wonder Bar in Asbury Park.

Wakah Chan

Asbury’s resident jazz and funk quartet kicked off the night and set the tone for the entire night. This wasn’t a night of straight-up rock and punk like previous showcases — tonight it was all about the groove and beach-inspired sounds.

As a unit Wakah Chan is super-tight and if you really dig a sound that has a really funked out groove yet still maintain a jazzy coolness to it. Think of a band like Soulive or Lettuce but with a femlae front woman. Speaking of front women, lead singer Chloe Demos is absolutely dynamite. She’s got the whole jazz chanteuse thing down pat. She knows how to wail, to croon and how to grab the audience. The highlight of band’s set is when Demos’ father, Andy Demos, came onstage and performed a white hot sax set solo.

Check out Pop-Break’s interview with Wakah Chan.

The Brigantines

Pop-Break was very proud to host the Red Bank-based surf rock band’s first ever Jersey Shore show. As a band we can’t recommend seeing them live enough. Their sound is something highly unique to the area but it makes perfect sense — the rollicking, pop sound that the sound of a killer tube, a sweaty day baking in the sands or a spend a breezy night in front of the bonfire, drinking a couple of long necks.

So you can conclude that their set was a lot of fun — and your conclusion would be right. Throw in an updated and gender appropriate version of The Crystals ‘Then She Kissed Me” and it was one hell of a night.

Check out Pop-Break’s interview with The Brigantines.

Dub Proof

The Jersey Shore is littered with reggae bands, but there are very few that can match the talent of Dub Proof. This massive dub reggae collective is so tight and just has this intoxicating quality to them, that even if you’re not the biggest reggae head in the world, they’ll still entrance you. Lead singer Rory Fream is probably one of the best lead singers in the scene right now. His Bradley Nowell-esque voice is beyond thunderdome good. You also has to dig a band that has a percussionist who has a table full of instruments that he uses throughout the show.

Check out Pop-Break’s Interview with Dub Proof.