2014 Concert Buses to PNC Arts Center

The bus to the concert is back at Aberdeen-Matawan train station! Take a NJ Transit North Jersey Coast Line train from New York or Newark towards Long Branch and Bay Head, get off at Aberdeen and you can catch a free shuttle to the PNC Arts Center and back again. Watch yourself crossing the tracks and roadway. Obey the police if they show up for crowd control, something they do selectively based on the anticipated crowd. Have fun!

Greenspan's MAMS Chorus Wins 2014 Music in the Parks

The Matawan Nadine Greenspan and her 205-member Aberdeen Middle School (MAMS) chorus and ensembles won high praises at the 2014 Music in the Parks competition held at Monroe Middle School on May 30th. They were rated superior and won first place in the following categories: Mixed Choir, Women's Ensemble (for Dolce) and Men's Ensemble (for Vigoroso). The ladies' performance of Dolce was awarded outstanding overall performance. Individual awards went to Karl Kim and Benedikt Winzer for his piano and violin accompaniment, respectively, and Ryan Deahl as outstanding soloist. After the competition, the group spent the day at Six Flags Great Adventure.

History: Matawan Presbyterian Choir, Matawan (1929)

Below is an update on the music program at the First Presbyterian Church of Matawan, as reported in the 4 Oct 1929 edition of The Matawan Journal (pg 5 col 3).

PRESBYTERIAN CHOIR BEGINS SEASON'S ACTIVITIES
Past Year's Work Has Been Especially Successful.

The Presbyterian choir began its fall and winter activities this month under the continued leadership of Mrs. Wilson W. Hobrough. The year's work just closed has been especially successful.

An anthem was provided for each Sunday morning service and two anthems for the evening service throughout the year, with the exception of August when special solos were rendered by vocalists who were not in the regular church choir. On one Sunday evening of each the winter months, the service was made up almost entirely of music. At Easter a cantata was given by an augmented choir of twenty voices, with instrumental accompaniment of organ, piano, flute and violin.

A feature of the choir work has been the fostering of the social life of the organization. Socials have been held in the lecture room of the church, and in the homes of the members. An out-of-doors picnic was held at Matthews' Log Cabin * and a shore dinner enjoyed at Asbury Park.

Emerson J. Lisk is president of the choir, Miss G. M. Farry, vice president; W. Oliver Diggin, secretary and treasurer; Mrs. Wilson W. Hobrough, director, and Mrs. George Davison, organist. Gustav Vockler,  flutist; Miss Edith Davison, pianist, and Mrs William Pengel, violinist assisted on special occasions.  Assisting soloists were Mrs. Conover Burlew, soprano; Harry Bolte, Jr. of Keyport, and Dr. William Pengel, baritone. Out-of-town soloists were Miss Mildred Morrison, of Dayton, O., and Miss Marie Ruesch, of Fair Haven.

* The 23 Jul 1930 edition of The Red Bank Register has a reference to Matthew's Log Cabin as a picnic grounds in Colts Neck.

2012 Marching Huskies Have Winning Season

The Matawan Regional High School Marching Huskies did so well this year in marching band competition that they qualified to attend the Tournament of Bands 2012 Atlantic Coast Championships at Hershey Stadium in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Unfortunately, the impact of Hurricane Sandy on our community kept the band from participating in those early November championships. Just another local victim of the storm.

On the bright side, congratulations to Livingston High School, which was able to compete and took the prize. And I recently heard that the Marching Huskies held a special performance of their championship show for parents and friends. Nicely done.

Just Know You're Not Alone

Home, by Phillip Phillips, has been getting a lot of airplay in the greater New York City area in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. The song came out before the storm, but the lyrics resonate with people who have battled the demon winds and waters.

History: Matawan's Response to Johnstown Flood (1889)

The 8 Jun 1889 edition of The Matawan Journal included a supplement full of particulars on the 31 May 1889 flood at Johnstown, Pennsylvania. It also contained the following local blurbs:

• Mrs G D White is spending the week with her brother in Philadelphia.
• Peter V Hyer has purchased an elegant team of bays from Frank Bedle.
• The rails of the Keyport and Matawan street railway were cast at Johnstown.
• The US Express, by J S Harris, agent, will send packages or money free to Johnstown sufferers.
• Excellent music and literary exercises at the Reform Club meeting next Tuesday evening at 8 o'clock.
• We enjoyed a pleasant call from Mr William Reckless, son of the late Hon. Anthony Reckless, on Monday.
• The lawn tennis ground on the lot fronting Main street of the Chapman estate is a popular after-ten resort.
• John Albert has removed from Atlantic avenue to the house vacated by Edward Eastmond on Stilwell street.
• The June meeting of the Board of Chosen Freeholders will be held at the court house next Wednesday morning.
• Edward Eastmond has removed from Stilwell street to the house owned by Mr William Spader near the up town pottery.
• John Stephens is building quite an addition to his house near the junction of the Freehold turnpike with the road to Old Bridge.
• We are in the very cream of the strawberry season and are having a cream of a crop, and strawberries and cream are especially palatable.
• The Matawan Building and Loan Association held its regular meeting on Wednesday evening. $1,000 was sold at 1 per cent premium.
• Mrs Annie Pennington and Miss Emma Burnham, of Delaware, who have been visiting at the Presbyterian parsonage, returned home on Monday.
• The Union News Co will erect a news stand at Matawan station, similar to the one at Red Bank and those being built at South and Perth Amboy.
• Mr E S Hammell, editor of the Jamesburg Record, with his wife and child, spent from Saturday to Monday as guests at the residence of Mrs D I Stilwell.
• Commencing next Saturday June 15, the steamer Minnie Cornell will leave New York every Saturday at 9:30 pm. On the other weekdays she will leave at 4 o'clock.
• E I Brown will open in a few days in the store room formerly occupied by George B Shepherd as a furniture store, No 10 Commercial Block, with a large stock of new carriages, wagons, etc.
• An effort is being made to secure a post office at Mount Pleasant, and it is proposed to name it Freneau, after the Revolutionary poet, Philip Freneau, who lies buried on the Hyer farm at that place.
• J L M Dominick, agent for Adams Express Company, will receive and ship FREE to the flooded districts, any clothing, potatoes or other articles not perishable. They can be left at his express office, or he will call anywhere in Matawan.
• The funeral services of the infant child of Mr and Mrs John S Woolley took place at the residence of the parents, upper part of Main street, at 3 o'clock last Sunday afternoon, and were conducted by Rev Mr Chattin. The remains were interred at Rose Hill Cemetery.
• On Tuesday evening, at the regular meeting of the Washington Engine Co, Garrett Hendrickson was put in nomination for Chief of the Fire Department. Matawan Truck Co on Wednesday evening nominated Isaac T Rue. The two companies will meet this Friday evening to elect.

Rock n Arrests at Train Station

Lots of emergency vehicles at Ab-Mat train station tonite. Some rockers heading from NJ Transit trains to shuttle buses going to the 311 Slightly Stoopid concert at the PNC Arts Center were arrested for fighting. Others were taken away to hospitals with heat exhaustion.

See The Patch for details on this story.

I Believe A Song By Mahalia Is In Order

My father always loved Mahalia Jackson's "I Believe" album, especially the title song. In honor of Whitney's recent death, I'm posting a video of the song from that album.

Neither the album not the song is available at iTunes, even though they have a wide assortment of her other work, including an Essential Mahalia album. She was the queen of gospel.

Huskies Doing Great - Fall 2011

Matawan Regional High School has been very competitive this fall. The Lady Huskies won sectionals in soccer for the first time ever, according to Freehold Patch, and came really close to advancing to the state championships. The Marching Huskies came in third in Tournament of Bands competition at Hershey. And the Huskies football team just beat the Manasquan Warriors in the Central Jersey Group II semifinals, according to The Mat-Ab Patch, which has a lengthy article with photos and statistics.

Graduates from Matawan have gone on to do well in college as well. Native Robin Anderson is a freshman on the UCLA tennis team. The Daily Bruin recently posted an article and great photo identifying Robin and a teammate as Double Trouble after their victorious first doubles match for the Bruins. And Kyle Hardy is a sophomore playing football at C W Post on Long Island. Kyle is a successful wide receiver who is studying criminal justice, according to the Pioneers' website. Kyle caught a 38 yard touchdown pass on 5 November 2011 to put the Pioneers on top at the half against Cheyney and ultimately win the game that week. And there's Brandyn Curry, a junior point guard for the Harvard Crimson. Brandyn was a rising star in football, basketball and baseball at Matawan, according to the Crimson website, but his parents' divorce prompted a sudden move to North Carolina before he could achieve a quarterback and/or point guard position for the Huskies. But he did well at his new school and recruiters came a-knocking.

Congratulations to Huskies everywhere.

Jackson Browne at Count Basie

We went to Count Basie Theater on Tuesday and enjoyed an evening of music with Jackson Browne. He had maybe 16 guitars at the ready, each equipped for a different type of song. For some reason, his fans felt the need to shout out the names of songs they wanted to hear, which was really annoying. I have his live album on my iPod and the audience that night did the same thing. Our seats were fine, even in Row Z.

The film above will give you a good sense of the look and sound of this year's tour, except to note that his performance went quite flawlessly in Red Bank. Sky Blue and Black, The Load Out/Stay, These Days, and The Pretender are all great songs. My favorite line of the night came from the song Rock Me On the Water:

Oh people, look among you
It's there your hope must lie


We went to Houlihan's for dinner before the show. I recommend finding a place to park and then eating in Red Bank. We ended up parking on a side street across from Gaetano's. At least I had the chance to show off my parallel parking skills in a space on the left side of the street.

14th Annual Keyport Country Jamboree and Chili Fest

Keyport is having its 14th annual chili fest today. Local food outlets will be offering samples from noon to 5 pm, all hoping to be voted Best Chili. You'll need to buy a sampling kit for $5. There will also be a cake, pie and jam contest on Sunday from noon to 4 pm.

The weekend is a country jamboree, so there will be plenty of bands. Local stores will have their wares on display. Activities will be centered on West Front Street and will run 11 am to 6 pm Saturday and Sunday 8 - 9 October 2011.

UPDATE: My wife and daughter and I spent a few hours touring the chili fest vendors. We sampled lots of chili, watching people and listening to music all along the way.

We went down the right side of West Front Street from Espresso Joe's to Lenora's and then McDonagh's. My wife and daughter both fancied Espresso Joe's chili, while I favored Lenora's. None of  us liked McDonagh's chili. A woman leaving McDonagh's commented on the nice plate that the chili came on and the accompanying crouton, telling her husband knowingly, "Presentation is everything!" but we thought their chili tasted like cigarettes. It won the chili competition. Argh.

Outside of McDonagh's was a cowboy playing guitar on a portable stage and a cowgirl dressed in black doing rope tricks with a lasso.

We went up Broad Street to Seaport Diner. They offered their chili with a little triangle made of corn meal. They put a pico de gallo on top. I noticed that an Italian restaurant is due to open where Drew's Bayshore Bistro used to be. Trinity Restaurant didn't participate in this year's chili fest for some reason.

Next we went down East Front Street to Drew's new location. Drew offered a black bean chili as well as a sweet potato bisque. The chili came with shredded cheddar and the bisque was topped with Craisens and chopped nuts. Oh my God! Mmmmm! There were also chili brownies to try. Drew's came in 3rd place? How could that be? Especially given the supposed winners?!

We continued down East Front Street towards Church Street. Along the way I saw the Spanish-American Club and an interesting old building with a small belfry. Across the intersection, we visited Papa Ganache. They had a vegan chili that was quite yummy. They had row upon row of cookies and cupcakes on display, some on top of the counter and others inside a glass case. I just had to have a chocolate chip cookie, so my wife and daughter also indulged. I heartily recommend their desserts.

We left Papa Ganache and walked towards the shore, then down 1st Street. There was lots of excitement in a park area along the water. An announcer was conducting organized competitions with kids on skateboards and scooters. Looked like fun. We ran into a guy from the Constitution Party encouraging us to vote their line this November. They sounded like a tax revolt group with links to the Tea Party. Check them out if you're interested. I'm not.

We got to Broad Street, where we visited the Bayshore Bar and Grill. The chili was a bit too sweet, like they'd added honey or maple syrup. Uptown Bar and Grill, like last year, wasn't all that into the festival. They told us they were out of chili. Again. I'm not sure why they bother.

We walked up the hill back to West Front Street, then over to Main Street to visit Jersey Shore Subs and Soups. They had loud speakers out front and an unpalatable chili mixture that -- I'm sorry to say -- I actually had to spit back out into my sample cup. We all agreed it was the worst chili of the day, without a doubt. Somehow it came in 2nd place in the voting.

We ended our tour by hitting the food court chili entrants -- Bahr's and Chilango's.  Bahr's had a seafood chili that was interesting but more like a soup than a chili. It probably needed a thickener of some sort. Chilango's was a Mexican dish -- ok.

The voting didn't reflect the relative quality of the chili choices today. I'm not sure what happened. Whatever. Here's some photos of what I saw today. Congratulations to all who participated. Tomorrow should be fun, too.

Staten Island Jug Band to Play at Espresso Joe's in Keyport

On Saturday evening, Espresso Joe's in Keyport will be hosting the Wahoo Skiffle Crazies Jug Band. Also appearing will be Michael Brett and Gerald Edward.



UPDATE:

Over a 150 people showed up for tonight's Twilight Series event. We dropped in at Nemo's Restaurant for dinner and got back in time to see Wahoo Skiffle Crazies perform. What a treat! A beautiful night, great food, great music. Thanks, Sonny, for bringing such great music to our area.

Classic Car Show at Aberdeen Town Hall, Tuesday Evening

Aberdeen Township is hosting a family oriented classic car show and concert at the municipal building on Church Street near Atlantic tonight (Tues 12 July 2011) from 6 pm to 9 pm. There will be games and food as well. Check the announcement for details.

Sara Bareilles - King of Anything

Here's one of my favorite artists.

Twilight Series in Keyport

Live music in Keyport tonight by Kagero!

Jets Stadium Beckons Matawan Fan

Matawan resident Andrea Riemen is vying with 13 other candidates to have the honor of singing the national anthem on Fan Appreciation Day at the Jets' new stadium in the Meadowlands on 23 October 2011, according to APP. Riemen is a music teacher at the Harmony School in Middletown.

Just The Way You Are, Bruno Mars

I enjoy the Bruno Mars video Just The Way You Are. It's a bit of a chick flick, and I'm not sure that many people are using cassette tapes anymore, but the artistry in the video is interesting and the concept is fun. There's an annoying ad at the beginning, but I guess we have to pay the piper.

Beer Fest At Maloney's 'til 9 pm

The beer fest is running til 9 pm at Maloney's Pub in downtown Matawan. Come enjoy $4 craft beers on tap and music courtesy Espresso joe's in Keyport. I had an Oskar Blues Ten Tinney Russian imperial stout and a chocolate stout. Yummy! Music by Clan Suibhne and Michael Dante Summonte with Nick Kiefer.

Maloney's Craft Beer and Music Festival, 12 Jun 2011

Maloney's Pub & Grill and Espresso Joe's are collaborating to have a craft beer and music festival at Maloney's in Matawan next Sunday, 12 June 2011, from 2 pm to 9 pm. Maloney's has over 70 beers on tap, many of which will be selling at a discounted $4/10oz glass during the festival. A number of live music performances are planned. The event is getting some great buzz. For details, see the page set up for this event on Facebook.

PNC Shuttle Continues at Aberdeen Matawan

The shuttle to PNC Arts Center continues to meet concert goers at the Aberdeen Matawan train station this summer. It's a popular route to an evening's entertainment.