Where Springsteen, Southside Johnny and Little Steven Made History: Stone Pony Hits 50

Saddle up: There's a big anniversary in Asbury Park, NJ

The Stone Pony, the birthplace of Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes, is celebrating 50 years. In February 1974, New Yorker Jack Roig opened the Ocean Avenue club, located across the boardwalk in Asbury Park, and local superstar Bruce Springsteen soon brought it to national fame.

The Jukes began playing regularly at the Pony in 1974 as one of the venue's first house bands – and early incarnations included future E Street Band member Little Steven Van Zandt. Springsteen started hanging around soon after.

The 1976 release party for the Jukes' debut, I don't want to go home, helped put the club on the map. Springsteen, members of the E Street Band and legendary singers Ronnie Spector and Lee Dorsey made guest appearances at the concert, which was simulcast throughout the region, including on Philadelphia's major rock station WMMR-FM. The Asbury Park sound – a fusion of rock'n'roll and R&B and soul with horns – was a hit.

The venue has had several owners since its '70s heyday with Roig and his partner, Robert “Butch” Pielka, who sold the venue in 1991 before it became a short-lived dance club called Vinyl from 1998 to 1999. A year later, Domenic O'Santana reopened the club with a high-profile press conference that included an appearance by then-New Jersey Governor Christine Todd Whitman, to fast-forward to 2003 and leave real estate firm Asbury Partners in charge. . With the Stone Pony's future in doubt, he hired Asbury Park local Caroline O'Toole, who left a nearby club, to manage the venue. O'Toole stayed on when developer Madison Marquette took over ownership in 2008. The company brought in Live Nation that year.

For more than 30 years, the city and its oceanfront were on a downward spiral that included riots in the 1970s, a deserted downtown and empty beaches on hot summer days. Springsteen spoke of Asbury Park's “broken windows, empty streets” in “My City of Ruins.” These days, the city and its famous music scene are top destinations.

“Shows are sold out at the Stone Pony,” President Barack Obama said on the city's boardwalk, steps away from the venue, in 2013 after Superstorm Sandy. “I think a friend of mine from here once said it very well: 'Down on the shore, everything's all right.' “

The Stone Pony's 850-capacity indoor stage and 4,500-capacity summer stage have hosted stars from Elvis Costello to Blondie, Green Day to Demi Lovato, as well as local favorites like Springsteen during its 50-year history . The austere building, painted white stucco on the outside with a simple rectangular floor plan, will continue its historic legacy with anniversary performances throughout the year. The Jukes played there on February 16 and 17 (although Southside Johnny left the second show early and was briefly hospitalized for dehydration, according to a band representative).

On the boardwalk overlooking the venue, O'Toole — whom Roig has called the Stone Pony's “best manager” — discusses the venue today, its role in Asbury Park and the magic of a rock'n'roll night on the coast of Jersey.

Founding owner Jack Roig is still a familiar sight at the Stone Pony.

One of the things that makes the space so special is that we never tried to erase the past. We embrace the past. And Jack, it doesn't get any sooner than him and Butch [Pielka]and his spirit is always there.

When you're off-hours at the club, what are the walls talking about?

I probably can't tell you most of it. (laughs.) But I think it speaks volumes about the customer experiences, the band experiences, and the history that was created when we didn't even know it was being made. Many members of E Street meet their wives there. Bruce [Springsteen]especially, meeting Patti [Scialfa] there. All of this was happening except for the music being played. It's amazing to hear these stories and know that the Stone Pony was a part of it.

Why do you think people make such a strong connection with the Stone Pony?

People come there for the music and the atmosphere. It's like the perfect conditions to meet someone, and you meet someone with the same interest, the same ideology that you have. This music is a source for the good things in your life.

What was the space and city like when you first started working here?

It was 2003, and the boardwalk was still very much a deserted area. The redevelopment company of the time, Asbury Partners, was here, but everything was still in the very early stages. What I noticed the most [as someone] hailing from the Belmar community [where O’Toole lived at the time] was that Memorial Day weekend in Belmar was a big deal. I remember being here in the summer and thinking, “This doesn't look like Belmar,” and it's only three towns away. I couldn't get over it. I just couldn't believe what Asbury was like [in the midst of its decadeslong economic decline] the summer. It took every effort on my part, by a few other people, to keep it [the Stone Pony] there because there were so many times in that five years [it] it could have gone out of order.

What is Live Nation showing at Stone Pony? How does this work?

They close 99% of outside shows [on the Summer Stage, adjacent to the club]. Every once in a while, I'll throw one in, or there'll be a special rental or something. They book a lot of our indoor shows, mostly all the national shows, and it's probably over 100 a year just inside. Outside, we average 35 shows.

What happened in 2008 when the current owner, developer Madison Marquette, came along?

2008 was the turning point. Gary Mottola, who is with Madison [as president of property investments], right when the real estate market tanked, he said to the company, “Come on, let's do this.” They threw 90 million dollars on the boardwalk [after the crash]and that turned Asbury Park.

Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes live in 1976 really put the Stone Pony on the map.

There's no doubt about it, and that's why he gets a lot of credit for Pony being here. Not only is it a part of history, but it has created moments for other people to create history. He is a special guy. it's a special band.

One thing people get wrong is that Springsteen didn't start here — although he obviously helped put the Stone Pony on the map as well.

I always say Southside and Bruce made Pony famous, not the other way around.

Springsteen is also a familiar face. He'll occasionally play private benefits, danced with Scialfa at a Quincy Mumford soundcheck in 2019, and came to the memorial service for longtime club fan Kerry Layton, who many called “the ambassador for the Stone Pony.”

Every time he's there, it's special. Especially when it's just a normal moment, like he wants to show Patti the new back bar, and that's when the dance happened because Quincy Mumford was soundchecking the stage. Something so simple, like he wanted to show his wife how good she looked in there, was very nice.

What do musicians who play Stone Pony for the first time tell you or want to know about the venue?

Its funny. At sound check, I will [sometimes] hear them do a Bruce song they don't usually do. There is nothing else they need or want to know. They are here because of history and they want to be a part of it. Every act that comes here and adds to the story just keeps the legacy going.

The region has experienced two really tough times in recent years: superstorm Sandy in 2012 and the coronavirus pandemic. The club helped build a sense of community after these two events.

It is a beacon of hope, a beacon of light in our city and on our coast. People say, “Is the pony okay? OKAY! The pony is fine, I'm fine, we'll be fine.” It mattered to many people who were still here after both terrible events.

What is Stone Pony's role in the big festivals to come?

We are happy to be included. Stacie George, vice president of Live Nation New York, was determined from the start to really do [the annual New Jersey LGBTQ+ Pride Celebration in Asbury Park] something. Until then, it might have been a show here or there, but this year we're going to have three or four solid days of Pride shows, and that's never been done before. Again, the story is in the making, and I'm very proud of what's happening. I'm glad the community embraced the acts that came here. [For] Sea.Hear.Now, we've had some legendary aftershows, and I'm glad a festival like this is here. The people who run it [including Asbury Park-based music photographer Danny Clinch] they are our friends and they are incredible people.

What is the Stone Pony's role in Asbury Park in 2024?

The future of the community has become much brighter with new things coming. The Pony is a symbol that we don't have to let go of our past to embrace our future. The Pony is a symbol of both of these things.

Chris Jordan is the music writer for the Asbury Park Presswhich is part of the USA Today Network.

This story will appear in the March 9, 2024 issue Advertising sign.