5 can't miss Light of Day WinterFest shows in Asbury Park and Red Bank

The Light of Day is not just around the corner — it's right here.

The annual Light of Day Winterfest is now in overdrive, with dozens of shows featuring more than a hundred musicians in Asbury Park and Red Bank. The fest raises funds and awareness in the fight against Parkinson's and related diseases.

Bruce Springsteen is a supporter. He's performed at 12 of the previous 21 live Light of Days, all unannounced.

More:'There's no other place I'd rather be': Springsteen fans gather outside Red Bank rehearsals

The fest was founded in Red Bank in 1998 as a 40th birthday party for Bob Benjamin, a Highland Park artist manager who had just been diagnosed with Parkinson's. The Bob's Birthday Bash, which brings out the fest's biggest stars, annually culminates with a "Happy Birthday" sing-along to Benjamin.

While there's going to be a lot of good music at the Shore this weekend, here are five Light of Day shows you don't want to miss:

Silverball Night of Covers

What's "dead air"? It's the bane of radio disc jockeys.

As far as the Light of Day is concerned, Dead Aire is the name of a new music group featuring New York City radio stalwarts Jim Monahan, now on WDHA, and Tom Kaminski, helicopter reporter for WCBS 880 News.

"You can expect us to start right on time at 7 p.m. because, you know, radio guys like me and Jim Monaghan have to be precise when it comes to the clock," said Kaminski via email. "Second, expect some great rock and roll from Dead Äire and all the bands. We're very glad to support our friend Joe D'Urso and Light Of Day. Third, expect to play a few pinball machines that you haven't played since you were a kid!"

The show also features D'Urso and Stone Caravan, Kenny K and the Way, Me and Bobby D, and Freddy and the Phantoms. Ticket buyers can play for free in the retro arcade.

Go: Silverball Night of Covers, 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 13, Silverball Museum Arcade, 1000 Ocean Ave., Asbury Park, LOD wristband or $17.70; silverballmuseum.com.

Albert Lee and Billy Hector

This is a big one for fans of great guitar playing.

Albert Lee, who has delivered licks with Eric Clapton, Joe Cocker, Jerry Lee Lewis, Emmylou Harris, the Everly Brothers and more, plays Friday, Jan. 13, at Tim McLoone's Supper Club on the boardwalk in Asbury Park. Billy Hector, the Jersey electric blues guitar legend, opens the show.

"I'm always happy as can be whenever Albert Lee is in town," said Tony Pallagrosi, excutive director of the Light of Day.

Go: Albert Lee and Billy Hector, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 13, Tim McLoone's Supper Club, 1200 Ocean Ave., Asbury Park, $25 and up; timmcloonessupperclub.com.

Peter Scherer's Acoustic Carousel

The Acoustic Carousel at the Langosta Lounge keeps on spinning 'round.

"The Acoustic Carousel is a great way to hear some of Asbury’s best voices from new, veteran and headlining artists," said Carousel main man Peter Scherer, who founded the show with Peter Mantas of the Langosta. "It’s special to experience how these performers strip down the songs to their voice and their choices of instrumentation. This is always a highlight of the show."

Sunlight, Mojo Hand, Renee Maskin, Lilly Marshall, Joshua Mark, Ryan Gregg, Quincy Mumford, Paul Whistler, Chelsea Palermo, Alex English, Cara Smith, Gregory Schwartz and Scherer are set to perform.

More:E Street Band members talk Bruce Springsteen, 'Greetings' 50th anniversary at Monmouth U.

Go: Peter Scherer's Acoustic Carousel, 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 13, Langosta Lounge, 1000 Ocean Ave., Asbury Park, free, langostalounge.com.

Beatles acoustic

Did someone mention acoustic songs?

Bob Burger's All Together Now: The Beatles Acoustic show will feature lots of big talent at Langosta Lounge.

More:Barbara Walters: The Asbury Park and Paul McCartney connections

Each act on Saturday will perform one Beatles song. The fun starts at noon.

Burger knows the drill. He's part of the Beatles-inspired Weeklings, and he's actually played with Paul McCartney. James Maddock, Jeffrey Gaines, Emily Grove, Adam Ezra, Black Ties Acoustic, Ben Arnold, Dave Vargo, Jillian McCoy with Ron Haney, and John Kasun also will take the stage.

Go: Bob Burger's All Together Now: The Beatles Acoustic, noon, Saturday, Jan. 14, Langosta Lounge, Asbury Park, $15; langostalounge.com.

Bob's Birthday Bash

Brit rocker John Waite makes his Light of Day debut at Bob's Birthday Bash. A documentary on Waite, "The Hard Way," will be shown at the Basie Center Cinemas before the show on Saturday, Jan. 14.

More:Rocker John Waite joins Light of Day fight against Parkinson's at big Basie show

Joe Grushecky & The Houserockers, Willie Nile, Dave Hause, Jesse Malin, the Weeklings, Joe D’Urso, Jill Hennessy, Williams Honor, and Fantastic Cat will also perform at the Basie. This one is going to be interesting as LOD supporter Springsteen and the E Street Band were rehearsing at the Basie's Vogel theater in the days leading up to the show.

The show will also feature the premiere of the music video of a new version of the Boss' “Ghosts” by the Spring-Nuts, who are heading over to the Springsteen-themed Spring-Nut Shuffle, 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 15 at the Berkeley Oceanfront Hotel in Asbury Park where proceeds raised will go toward the LOD cause.

Go: Bob's Birthday Bash, 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 14, Hackensack Meridian Health Theatre at the Count Basie Center for the Arts, 99 Monmouth St., Red Bank, tickets start at $89.50; thebasie.org.

Visit lightofday.org for more information.

Light of Day WinterFest 2023 Schedule

Wednesday, Jan. 11

LOD Clarence Clemons Birthday Tribute with Jarod Clemons and the Late Nights, Glenn Alexander and Shadowland, Joe D’Urso and Stone Caravan, Jeffrey Gaines and Jeff Slate with Band, 7 p.m., City Winery Loft, 25 11th Ave., New York; citywinery.com/newyork.

Thursday, Jan. 12

LOD Kickoff with Steve Forbert, Williams Honor, James Maddock, Fantastic Cat, Adam Ezra Band and Lisa Bouchelle and The Bleu, 6:55 p.m., Asbury Lanes, 209 4th Ave., Asbury Park; asburylanes.com.

LOD Sandy Mack’s WonderJam Deluxe, 7:15 p.m., Wonder Bar, Fifth and Ocean avenues, Asbury Park; wonderbarasburypark.com.

LOD WinterFest 2023 Bluehawk Records Showcase with Matt and Eryn O'Ree with Joe Rapolla and the Blue Hawks Allstars, Bryan and Alexa Haring, Samantha Spano, Jenaw and Max, White Wing and Butterfly Garden, 8 p.m., Langosta Lounge, 1000 Ocean Ave. at Second Ave., Asbury Park. Free; langostalounge.com.

LOD Open Mic, 8 p.m., Sound Booth at The Asbury Hotel, 210 Fifth Ave., Asbury Park; theasburyhotel.com.

Friday, Jan. 13

LOD at the Wonder Bar with Dave Hause & The Mermaid, The Weeklings, Bobby Mahoney & Seventh Son and The Wag, 6:55 p.m. Wonder Bar, Asbury Park; wonderbarasburypark.com.

LOD at the Asbury Park Yacht Club, with Stringbean & The Boardwalk Social Club, 8 p.m. Asbury Park Yacht Club, on the Boardwalk adjacent to Langosta Lounge; apyachtclub.com.

LOD Asbury Angels Induction with Joe Grushecky & the Houserockers, Willie Nile, Tangiers Blues Band, Miss Emily, Jarod Clemons, Kulick, Adam Ezra, Ben Arnold, Evan Rotella and Ian Seaholm, 6:55 p.m., Stone Pony, 913 Ocean Ave., Asbury Park; stoneponyonline.com.

LOD Acoustic Carousel with Pete Scherer, Cara Smith, Alex English, Chelsea Palerno, Paul Whistler, Quincy Mumford, Ryan Gregg, Joshua Mark, Lilly Marshall, Renee Maskin, Mojo Hand and Sunlight, 8 p.m. Langosta Lounge, Asbury Park; langostalounge.com.

LOD Silverball Night of Covers with Joe D’ Urso & Stone Caravan, Dead Air, Kenny K, Me and Bobby D, and Freddy & The Phantoms, 7:30 p.m. Silverball Museum Arcade, 1000 Ocean Ave., Abury Park; silverballmuseum.com/asbury-park.

LOD at the Supper Club with Albert Lee and The Billy Hector Band, 7:30 p.m. Tim McLoones Supper Club, 1200 Ocean Ave., Asbury Park; timmcloonessupperclub.com.

LOD Best of National Touring Tribute Bands with Tusk (tribute to Fleetwood Mac) and Late For The Sky (celebrating the music of Jackson Browne), 7:30 p.m., Count Basie Center for the Arts, 99 Monmouth St., Red Bank; thebasie.org.

Saturday, Jan. 14

LOD Bob’s Birthday Bash: The Main Event with John Waite, Joe Grushecky & The Houserockers, Willie Nile, Dave Hause, Jesse Malin, The Weeklings, Joe D’Urso, Jill Hennessy, Williams Honor, Fantastic Cat and more, Count Basie Center for the Arts, Red Bank. 6:30 p.m.; thebasie.org.

LOD Asbury Blues with Billy Walton Band, Norman Seldin Band, Jobonanno & Godsons of Soul, Peter V Blues Train, Indigo Mane, Pam McCoy, Ian Seaholm, Boccigalupe & the Badboys, 12:30 p.m., Wonder Bar, Asbury Park; wonderbarasburypark.com.

Light of Day All Together Now Beatles Acoustic with Bob Burger, James Maddock, Jeffrey Gaines, Adam Ezra, Emily Grove, Pam McCoy, Jillian McCoy and Ron Haney, John Kasun and Ben Arnold, 12:30 p.m. Location to be announced.

LOD Songwriters in the Round hosted by Johnny Grushecky, Bobby Mahoney and Zack Sandler, noon, Transparent Clinch Gallery, 210 Fifth Ave., Asbury Park; transparentclinchgallery.com.

Sunday, Jan. 15

LOD Cover Me with Marc Ribler’s Tribute to Jimi Hendrix, Bob Burger & The Red Shoes (Elvis Costello), Eddie Testa Band, The One Hit Wonders and more, 1:30 p.m., Wonder Bar, Asbury Park; wonderbarasburypark.com.

LOD Next Generation with Rockit, Double A, Jake Ryan Band, Maddie, Rock’n Music Academy, Green Planet Band, Atomic Battery, School of Rock and more, 12:15 p.m. Stone Pony, Asbury Park; stoneponyonline.com.

LOD Songwriters By The Sea I with Stella Mrowicki, Jake Mathison, Mary McCrink, Joe Alton Miller, Chuck DeBryan, Sean Tobin, Arlon Bennett and more, 12:15 p.m., Watermark, 800 Ocean Ave., Asbury Park; watermarkap.com.

LOD Songwriters By The Sea II with Nick Ryan, Dave Vargo, Jeffrey Campbell, Gerry Perlinski, Victoria Taylor, Kyle Ward, Jake Thistle, Taylor Tote, Arlan Feiles, Tess Cameron and Jeff Slate, 3 p.m., Langosta Lounge, Asbury Park; langostalounge.com.

LOD Songwriters By The Sea III with Joe Grushecky, Willie Nile, James Maddock, Marc Ribler, Jeffrey Gaines, Miss Emily, Ben Arnold, Joe D’Urso, Lisa Bouchelle, Joe Rapolla, Glenn Alexander & Oria Aspen, Fantastic Cat, Emily Grove and Christine Martucci, 6:15 p.m., Tim McLoone’s Supper Club, Asbury Park; timmcloonessupperclub.com.

Friday, Jan. 20

LOD Songwriters In The Round with Willie Nile, Guy Davis, Jill Hennessy, Jeffrey Gaines, James Maddock, Joe D’Urso, Daniella Cotton, Jake Thistle, Rick Winowski, Williams Honor and Jon Caspi, 8 p.m., Outpost In The Burbs, 40 S. Fullerton Ave., Montclair; outpostintheburbs.org.

Schedule and lineups subject to change.

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Chris Jordan, a Jersey Shore native, covers entertainment and features for the USA TODAY NETWORK New Jersey. Contact him at @chrisfhjordan; cjordan@app.com.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Light of Day WinterFest: Best Asbury Park, Red Bank shows