Sea.Hear.Now 2024 — the best festival Asbury has ever seen

By:  | September 19, 2024 |  Entertainment |  Monmouth County

By Ryan Loughlin

Asbury Park’s annual Sea.Hear.Now festival took place this past weekend, thrilling attendees with two days of music, art and surfing on Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 14 and 15. The festival managed to continue its streak of good weather (it hasn’t had a single day of steady rain since its inception in 2018) with highs in the 70s both days, keeping crowds comfortable enough to rock out the whole time. The lineup of bands on the bill formed an eclectic musical net, with everyone from 311 and the Hives to Trey Anastasio, Noah Kahan, Kool & The Gang, The Gaslight Anthem and The Black Crowes all adding to the good vibes.

Of course, the main attraction of the entire weekend was Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band, who performed a jaw-dropping, career-spanning 3-hour set that felt almost like a religious experience for the elated hometown crowd. The Boss absolutely commanded the stage, bringing a passion, fire and intensity to his performance while showering the crowd (and the town itself) with the kind of love and appreciation that can only come from a man who has built his career on being proud of who he is, who he loves and where he came from. Bruce has been at the top of his game for more than half a century, but never more than he was that night.

In a town with a rich and storied musical legacy, Sea.Hear.Now 2024 may have been the best weekend Asbury Park has ever had.

Photo Credit: Matthew Legreca and Ryan Loughlin