This past Friday, Asbury Park’s hottest new venue in town, House of Independents, was sold out days in advance feverishly awaiting the return of the fiercely passionate frontman Remember Jones and his 20 piece tribute to Amy Winehouse going Back to Back to Black. Adding to the already stellar show was exciting up & coming acts, Kiirstin Marilyn & Nik Greeley & The Operators. The show was part of the annual Light of Day Winter Fest in Asbury Park which raises money to cure Parkinson’s Disease.

This is the 16th year that the Light of Day Foundation has been putting on these shows, featuring songwriters and big name artists while bringing in music lovers from all over the world that are familiar with LOD. This year featured headliner’s the Smithereens and has attracted big name artists such as Bruce Springsteen, Bon Jovi, Southside Johnny and so many more in the past.

The show kicked off with high energy from the start with Marylin, who has toured internationally with shows in London, Toronto, Dublin, and all around the US. Her theatrical take on Alt-Pop kicked off the night with a heavy dose of energy & big beats. Greeley took the stage after, and is being hailed as one of the best performers & frontmen in Philadelphia and his impressive band features Philly powerhouse Swift Technique’s horn section “The ST’s” as well as members of other Philly jam favorites, Out of the Beardspace. Greeley & co. made their presence felt in Asbury Park, and their over-the-top performance even included a special tribute to another fallen legend we lost last week, David Bowie, with their excellent cover of his classic “Fame”.

The stage was set & ready by the time Remember Jones hit, rolling 20-deep, stacked with the area’s top musicians from New York, Philly, and Asbury. RJ’s performance was one for the ages, as they continue to wow audiences with their spot on performances, while making these songs their own, which in itself is an incredible feat. Each song was given the sincerity and passion needed, while he held the audience in the palm of his hand, complete with crowd surfing, and screaming fans singing every word. By the time the band kicked into the popular “Valerie” the crowd was at a fever pitch frenzy, begging for more, and RJ gave them just that, clocking in a near 2 hour plus performance that will certainly be remembered (no pun intended). Taste this out:

Remember Jones, “Rehab” with intro from Light of Day Founder Tony Pallagrosi, stating “It’s about time there is a venue in f***ing downtown Asbury Park”:

Remember Jones, “Hey Little Rich Girl”

Crowd surfing during Remember Jones, “Monkey Man” (cover of The Specials)

Remember Jones’ shows have been attracting some large and diverse crowds with his truly top song interpretations of all different genres. This past summer, the group performed Joe Cocker’s double album Mad Dog’s and Englishman in its entirety. Keep an eye out this year as Remember Jones sets out to release a new record as well as perform Jeff Buckley‘s classic album in its entirety, Grace featuring Gary Lucas, who co-wrote “Grace” and “Mojo Pin” at the House of Independents July 1st and 2nd. On top of that, in July they also plan to take their “Back to Black to Black” Amy Winehouse tribute on the road five years after her passing and will most definitely making stops in New York, Philadelphia, and around the country. Don’t miss out!

Check out the full gallery, courtesy of FotoCavallo.