The Struts’ show at the Stone Pony was nothing short of extraordinary. In the midst of their “Pretty Vicious” 2024 tour, the band stopped in what some would consider the heart & soul of New Jersey, Asbury Park.
The Stone Pony dates back to 1979, established by local Jersey resident and legend, Bruce Springsteen, The Stone Pony Summer Stage was practically built for rock bands like The Struts to bring to life.
The weekend had a promising opening, full of sunshine and a cool breeze blowing the familiar scent of the ocean all through town. The bustling crowd was lined up around the corner, ready to rush in and rock on as soon as the gates opened up. Fans traveled from all over the country to see their favorite Derby rock group and their neighboring opener, Barns Courtney, take the stage.
But unfortunately, the day quickly took a turn when the clouds above turned dark and stormy, and the air sent a sudden, haunting chill across the boardwalk.
The Stone Pony let everyone know that the show would be delayed, and Barns Courtney’s set would unfortunately be canceled, entirely in the interest of safety for the band and the excited fans.
Around 8 PM, the storm finally hit, and it hit hard. For the most part, the crowd dissipated in every direction to escape the rain. However, others remained in place, remaining hopeful that they would soon see the band take the stage.
About an hour later, the rain had stopped, and the crowd stood in quiet anticipation for the next announcement. That was when, from the very front of the line, we heard a couple of damp security guards yell out, “gates are open, please begin moving to the stage”, and the crowd roared.
Almost immediately after all of the fans finished filing in, the lights dimmed and the show began. The Struts took the stage and were clearly dedicated to giving a stellar performance to all of their fans who were able to catch the show.
Front runner Luke Spiller ran and jumped around the damp stage with the same rockstar spirit that the fans know and love. Bassist Jed Elliot, accompanied by Adam Slack on lead guitar, supported Spiller with matching energy across the entire stage. Along with drummer Gethin Davies, who slammed down on his rain-soaked drum kit as the band performed an extended encore of their hit single, “Kiss This”.
Unfortunately, due to the time constraints, the band was forced to alter their setlist in order to accommodate the venue’s regulations. But they didn’t let this stop them from bringing the exact same energy that they do to every show.
Seeing the generosity and devotion that The Struts brought to their fans in Asbury Park this weekend gave me a newfound appreciation for the trials and tribulations of live music. It’s clear that they care about their music and their fans enough to counter all of the challenges that they came up against.
