You have to give MTV a little bit of credit for their current smash show, Jersey Shore. They've completely alienated the entire state of New Jersey to the point where no one outside of the tri-state area believes that not everyone at the Jersey Shore is a guido. However, an inquisitive (and well-traveled) soul will soon find that New Jersey is actually a breeding ground for great punk rock shows, and on August 2nd, New Found Glory played an awe-inspiring set that served as the perfect example of the kind of people that make up the New Jersey not seen through the lens of an MTV camera. After openers Wicker Hollow and Lemuria got their sets out of the way (they were in a tough spot, admittedly: no one was really there to see either band), NFG took the stage for the first time ever at the Pony, a fact they did not take lightly (that's where Bruce Springsteen got his start, after all).
One of the more memorable aspects of the night was the cardboard box labeled "Requests" placed at the bands' merch table. Seeing their inaugural show at The Stone Pony as an opportunity to do something memorable by allowing fans' requests to make up about half their set. Thankfully, no one suggested a cover of any Top-40 hits, though the band did relearn a few covers from their "From the Screen to Your Stereo" series, including a plethora of key tracks from their earlier releases. As far as sound was concerned, the band lived up to their sterling reputation with spot-on, energetic performances of all 15 or so songs played. Vocalist Jordan Pundik's endless bounding across the stage and into the crowd paved the way for the rest of the band to follow suit, as each member's onstage persona seemed larger than life (even drummer Cyrus Bolooki's workmanlike approach was able to shine through). The crowd, which ranged in age from 15 to about 30, was astounding, and at times was louder than Pundik's voice over the sound system, as it got to a point in set closer "My Friends Over You" that Pundik gave up trying to sing over the crowd, letting them finish the song in near-perfect key.
It's hard to believe that at one point, when blink-182 and Sum 41 took over, it seemed like New Found Glory were the next band to take the plunge into the mainstream and get massive exposure as the former two mentioned had. However, for some reason, they never got as big as it seemed they were going to be. And now, (quite) a few short years later, NFG seems to be the only band out of the three that hasn't drawn a line in the sand for their fans to decide whether their newer or older material is better. This is thanks in part to their sterling return-to-form 2009 release Not Without a Fight, which more than made up for the fan-disappointing Coming Home. There is certainly a great amount of gratitude and respect for New Jersey fans have for the longtime pop-punk heroes, and the band returned that respect by playing an incredibly inspired set. "I could make the obvious jokes about the Jersey Shore," Jordan Pundik remarked in between songs, "but New Jersey has been like a home away from home for us over the years, and it wouldn't feel right." And in a time where bands are breaking up and reuniting left a right, it seemed fitting that Chad Gilbert ended the incredible night by adding "We've never broken up, never gone on hiatus, and we never will. We'll be in this band until we're all dead." Here's hoping that won't happen for a very, very long time, so that NFG can continue their reign as the kings of pop-punk.
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