Bamboozle news – 90,000 came, saw, danced without a hitch

Bamboozle festival, this past weekend in Asbury Park, New Jersey, ended without a hitch.  The estimated number of 90,000 attendees broke down in this way:

Tilly, the familiar face of Asbury Park

Over 22,000 attended Friday night’s venue that started at approximately 5 PM to 11 PM, and featured the younger, more trendy artists that appealed to the teenage crowd.  At lot of screeching, yelling, and strange musical lyrics generated body surfing.  Body surfing is when a person’s body is on  its stomach or back, who is then lifted up and passed hand to hand throughout the crowd.  Unless, of course, you refuse to pass the person on.   This took place in the arena of the main stage.

There were after-concert events throughout Asbury Park on Saturday  night when 41,000 people took to Bamboozle via train, shuttle bus, and bicycle.   The crowd ran over from the main stage at the north end of the boardwalk and spilled onto a mile of beachfront.  From north to south beach, which included the boardwalk was filled to capacity for Saturday’s events.  It was more of a college-aged co-ed crowd that looked forward to these types of musical artists.  And the after-parties ran down Cookman Avenue to Main Avenue and throughout the bars and clubs in along the boardwalk and the east side of town in Asbury Park.

Saturday at Bamboozle - The crowd is organized and cooperative

Sunday afternoon, the crowds estimated at about 25,000, showed up for the raw comedy of Andrew Dice Clay in the Paramount Theater, where you were actually indoors and had seats to sit on between 7:30 to 8:30 PM.

As the day wore on, the warm sunshine diminished and the threat of rain in the air before the Bon Jovi concert started; the final act of the festival scheduled for 8:45 PM.  It didn’t look good.  The folks who showed up in the morning with shorts and t-shirts on were chilled to the bone by evening.  But the rain held off.

Sunday night on the beach, crowd cheers for Bon Jovi

And the chilly weather  didn’t stop the crowd from gathering a half a mile down on the boardwalk and filling the north end beach to capacity, as center stage and the main stage had opening performer acts.

Finally, 25,000 eager fans clapped, screamed, and continued to clap until Bon Jovi and his band took the main stage.   The crowd burst into applause to see Bon Jovi once more on the beach in Asbury Park after so many years.  It was riveting!

Jon Bon Jovi

The main arena lights lit the sky in brilliant colors and the crowd sang along with Bon Jovi.  My first experience at a concert on the beach was definitely an excellent one.  This speaks volumes of the Asbury Park Police Department, Neptune Township Police Department, Live Nation, the organizers of the event.  And a big cheer to John Esposito, the event’s founder.   Forever may Bamboozle remain on the beach is Asbury Park.

Bon Jovi live on the main stage

Everyone who is interested in Bamboozle 2013, please check your calendar in June 2013, and read my Striped Pot update to find out more about this event.  Just remember the word “Bamboozle!”

Neptune Law Enforcement red to cover the event

Photos by  Patricia Florio

Single photo of Jon Bon Jovi courtesy of Jessica Guica