Battle of the Bands Kicks Off in Manahawkin Tonight

The music is coming to Manahawkin.

Tonight marks the start of a summer-long at the Manahawkin Mart Shoppes, the shopping center on the site of the old Manahawkin Flea Market at 657 E. Bay Avenue in Stafford.

Behind the free summertime entertainment schedule is Gary Cooper, a Web promoter working with the shopping center to find ways to introduce local crowds to the convenient spot, which Cooper hopes can go from being a string of great stores to a community gathering place.

“To have an event during the week where people can go for free, shop if they want, hang out and get food, listen to the music – it becomes a win-win for everyone,” Cooper said.

The Thursday night concerts will feature two bands a week, plus an opening act singer. The top three acts – those who get the most audience votes after each performance – will be invited back for a grand finale Sept. 8.

Cooper said the bands he’s lined up run the gamut from acoustic duos to young pop rockers to jazz and blues. The majority of the artists are young locals, he said, but some are older groups that have been playing the Shore scene for years.

The winning band gets a four-hour recording session at Bayville-based Metro Music and other prizes, but Cooper said most of the performers are driven by a desire to play to a crowd and have a good time.

“They just want to get out and play, and that’s it,” he said.

While the performances are free and open to people of all ages every week, July 28 will be a special family night with gospel music, said Cooper.

Tonight’s show features opening singer and Barnegat High School alumna Amanda Fama at 6:30 p.m., immediately followed by local jazz and funk ensemble Cymbals and Swing.  At 8 p.m., Toms River-based pop-punk band A House Away takes the stage.

For the full schedule of shows, visit the event website at http://battleofthebandsnj.com, or check it out on Facebook.