Live music is officially back! Nicole Atkins & the Family performed at The Stone Pony Inside on Friday, July 9th, after originally being scheduled to perform outside on the new post-pandemic Stone Pony South Side stage. The show was moved indoors after threats of Tropical Storm Elsa loomed. The Stone Pony South Side currently occupies the same lot as the Summer Stage, which is set to make its grand reopening on July 30th with Grateful Dead tribute band, Splintered Sunlight.
It’s been a long time coming for an official return to live performances, and you could feel the excitement in the room, from both the crowd and the performers. Opening for Nicole was Asbury Park’s own Rachel Ana Dobken, who captivated the early birds with her smooth blend of jazz-inspired indie rock.
By the time Nicole Atkins and her band took the stage, the room was packed and cheering like no time had passed. Although, everyone seemed to be acutely aware of how surreal it felt to be standing in the middle of a crowd and experiencing live music again after so long without it. Atkins, dressed in a flowing white pantsuit complete with a pair of retro square sunglasses, joyfully grooved around the stage as she performed songs off her most recent album Italian Ice, released last May, as well as other fan favorites like “A Little Crazy” and “Girl You Look Amazing.”
A performance at Ardmore Music Hall in Pennsylvania the following night marked the end of this little tri-state mini-tour, but Nicole Atkins & the Family will make their way to Nashville next to perform two nights at The Dive Motel on July 15th and 16th. Check out the music video for “Mind Eraser” below and keep scrolling to see more photos from the show!
