The Bouncing Souls Come Home for the Holidays...One More Time
The Bouncing Souls brought back their Home for the Holidays to close out the 50th anniversary celebration of the legendary Stone Pony. This was the tenth (and final?) version of the event, and featured a stacked lineup. On Night 1, The Souls were joined by Strike Anywhere, Tim Barry of Avail, and Gimme Drugs. Night 2 saw them share the stage with Dave Hause & The Mermaid, the Ratchets, and Seaside Caves. The weekend also included acoustic performances by The Souls, Tim and Lela Jane Barry, and Play Date at the Asbury Park Punk Rock Flea Market.
But Night 3’s lineup was the one that excited me the most. It featured The Kilograms (which includes former Souls drummer Michael McDermott and The Mighty Mighty Bosstones bassist Joe Gittleman), punk rock supergroup Beach Rats (with Bryan Kienlen and Pete Steinkopf pulling double-duty for the evening), and my favorite ska band from my DC days, The Pietasters.
And what a night it was. All four bands played their hearts out, with The Bouncing Souls giving the sold-out crowd a helluva set to close out the three night event. They were even joined by Gittleman, McDermott, The Pietaster's horn section, and Johnny X.
Not a bad way to end 2024.
The Bouncing Souls
The Pietasters
Beach Rats
The Kilograms
Home for the Holidays took place December 28, 29, and 30, 2024. Check out all these amazing bands wherever you stream your music.
