Peter McPoland @ The Stone Pony, Asbury Park NJ, 11.19.23
The Stone Pony stands as a venerable landmark in the history of rock music, renowned as the launching pad for the illustrious career of rock and roll great, Bruce Springsteen. A crowd of Peter’s friends, family, and fans gathered at the iconic venue in Asbury Park, New Jersey on Sunday night for the final show of The Piggy Tour, which ran all over the country over the past several weeks. Adorning the venue's walls were rows and rows of guitars, each bearing the signatures of some of our favorite bands from prior performances, including the likes of Cage The Elephant and the Plain White T’s. These artifacts bore witness as the venue filled with anticipation, the audience anticipating the final show.
The show was opened by the talented Stephen Dawes, whose “Teenage Dream” cover won the crowd over and had the entire room singing. However, the die-hard fans in the front rows knew all of Stephen’s originals as well, a true testament to the commitment of fans who follow their favorite artists around on tour to make the openers feel welcomed and appreciated too. Stephen’s set included some of his other hits, such as “It Could Be Me,” as well as some big songs from his new album that dropped last month, such as “19” and “Don’t Hate Me When It’s Over.” Once his set finished, fans eagerly awaited Peter’s arrival to the stage.
As Peter and his band took the stage beneath a canopy of deep blue lights, the crowd erupted in cheers. The inaugural notes of “Mold,” the opening track from his latest album, Piggy, reverberated, with Peter banging his head and thrashing his arms, infusing the Stone Pony with an authentic rock and roll fervor. From the energetic “Make It Stop” to the rhythmic dance moves that ensued, the performance seamlessly transitioned through selections from the album. Slowing down the energy to emphasize his strong vocal range, he sang “String Lights,” “Dead Air,” and “Eloise.” The room transformed as reflections from a suspended disco ball cast a shimmering ambiance upon the captivated audience.
In between songs, Peter regaled the crowd with stories of how he and his mother had dreamed of him playing this venue, how he and his band connected throughout this tour, and most importantly, how he broke his foot. For the latter half of this tour, Peter has been famously jumping around the stage in a bedazzled boot, an artifact harkening back to Peter’s old habit of jumping off of the stage, over the barricade, and into the crowd to have the chance to dance together with his fans. However, for the final show of this tour, Peter wanted to return to his roots as he carefully climbed over the barricade along with Stephen Dawes, and jumped around in the crowd with his fans one final time. The show was a night to remember for Peter and fans alike, an iconic night in an iconic venue that brought Peter and his fans even closer, both figuratively and literally.
All photos by Ben Robinson
