Next Exit Shore Guide (Week of May 16-22)

Summer jams and days spent Down the Shore go hand in hand. Now that May is in its third week, predictions are sure to abound about what the summer music hit of 2014 will be. Will Pharrell’s “Happy” continue to reign the charts? Will The Chainsmokers’ “Selfie” climb back up the charts and set fire to the dance floor? Or will it be a single from any of the new releases set to drop in the next month?

Time will tell. In the meantime, music lovers of all types will certainly find something to enjoy this week.

Jersey Shore Festival

Seaside Heights gears up for the summer season early this week with its signature three-day Jersey Shore Festival. The free multi-venue event, formerly known as the Seaside Music Festival, is the place to hear emerging music acts. Over 100 bands and singer/songwriters will perform through-out the weekend. 

Action sports will also be a highlight with BMX stunt shows plus free surf and paddle board clinics. There will be a dedicated vendor village and car show with vintage wheels as well as souped up hotrods and custom built rides. Those folks with 4×4 vehicles are welcome to camp out on the beach.

Fri, May 16, 8 p.m. to 1 a.m.; Sat, May 17, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sun, May 18, 12-7 p.m. – Grant Avenue, Seaside Heights, N.J.

Baroque Feast

New Jersey Chamber Singers commemorates its 35th anniversary with Baroque Feast, a concert inspired by a pivotal meeting between two great composers.

It was back in 1705 when a 20 year-old Johann Sebastian Bach travelled 250 miles by foot to learn from one of the most important composers of the mid-Baroque era, Dieterich Buxtehude. The Danish-German organist was so influential that Bach not only turned his permitted four-week leave into a four month unauthorized extension, but his own early cantatas reflected that his time with Buxtehude left a considerable imprint.

The vocal ensemble, joined by baroque instrumentalists, will perform Buxtehude’s cantata, Membra Jesu Nostri (The Limbs of our Jesus). Tickets are $15 in advance or $20 at the door. Students can get in for $5. Sun, May 18, 4 p.m. – St. Pio of Pietrelcina Church, 103 Washington Ave., Lavallette, N.J.

Neon Trees

Utah-based pop-rock band, Neon Trees, begins the east coast leg of their 2014 U.S. tour in Atlantic City on Fri, April 16 in support of their third album, Pop Psychology.

The band is best known for past hits “Animal”, “Everybody Talks” and the buzz surrounding singer Tyler Glenn’s announcement in April that he’s gay (Glenn and fellow bandmates are all Mormon). They currently have a Billboard Hot 100 hit, “Sleeping With A Friend”, that could be a summer jam contender with its breezy melody and plaintive hook.

They’ll play with indie rock opener, Smallpools. Tickets range from $23 to $33. Fri, May 16, 8 p.m. – House of Blues, 801 Boardwalk Ave., Atlantic City, N.J.

Something for the Kiddies

Time to skull and crossbone up on some sea chanteys. It’s a buccaneer’s bonanza in Wildwood with the return of Captain Kidd Pirates Day. Legend has it that the famous sea farer buried his treasure somewhere along the Jersey coast.

A costume parade begins the fun, followed by a treasure hunt for children ages 12 and under. The booty? Prizes of $500, bicycles, weekend stays and more. Would-be swashbucklers must register for the parade, starting May 1, by calling (609) 522-2955. No registration is needed to participate in the treasure hunt. Sat, May 17, 11 a.m. – parade route begins at 26th and the Boardwalk, treasure hunt at 19th and the beach, North Wildwood, N.J.

Guns and Hoses

In a battle between a city’s Bravest versus Finest, who would win? Atlantic City rolls out a new two-day festival, Fire on the Water, to discover the answer.

Highlights include an amateur boxing tournament which pits police against firefighters. The firefighter combat challenge is a race against opponents and clock. Participants, dressed in full gear, compete in simulations of real life firefighting tasks such as climbing a five-story tower, hoisting, dragging hoses and rescuing a 175 pound “victim”.

The festival also features food vendors, beer garden, live music, crafters and activities for the kids. Children ages four through 12 can take part in the firefighter kids challenge – putting on gear and running through an obstacle course similar to the adult challenge.

The event is free with free parking available adjacent to the festival grounds. Saturday, May 17 and Sun, May 18, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. – Gardner’s Basin Waterfront Park, Atlantic City, N.J.