Words & Photos by Anthony Vito Cosentino & Bri Skriloff

June 7, 2023

Photo: Anthony Vito Cosentino

The first ever Adjacent Music Festival took place on the beach in Atlantic City, NJ over Memorial Day Weekend. It was a great way to kick off the summer season with great weather and even better music! Atlantic City Beach Concerts has been hosting concerts and festivals since 2014, such as the Vans Warped Tour 25th Anniversary and TidalWave Music Festival. In partnership with the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA) and the City of Atlantic City, Live Nation created this fantastic festival, and some of the proceeds even went towards the Atlantic City Boys & Girls Club.

Photos: Anthony Vito Cosentino

The festival featured all different kinds of food vendors, and every option at your disposal was delicious! There was official Adjacent Music Festival merch available, as well as several independent vendors selling all kinds of clothing, accessories, records, and music memorabilia. The security and staff at the festival were also charming and very helpful. Adjacent Music Festival made sure to feature a lot of New Jersey bands in the lineup, which made it feel very close to home for us Jersey natives.

Photos: Bri Skriloff

Neil Rubenstein - We were able to meet up with Neil briefly at the beginning of the first day of the festival for a quick photoshoot. Neil is a comedian with a strong passion for the alternative music scene; he’s been in a couple of bands himself, he’s been the manager for Motion City Soundtrack, and he’s even gone on tour as a supporting comedy act for several bands in the punk/emo scene, such as Taking Back Sunday. At the Adjacent Music Festivalhe performed a few scattered sets throughout both days, eliciting big laughs as the fans waited for the next band. [Neil Rubenstein Photo Gallery]

Gel was the first band we caught on the first day of the Adjacent Music Festival, and they are a relentless hardcore band from New Jersey. Their performance was aggressive and powerful, featuring brutal vocals and heavy riffs to keep all heads banging and the whole pit moshing. Their most recent album Only Constant just released earlier this year. [GEL Photo Gallery]

Jeff Rosenstock released his new single "Liked U Better" just a few days before the festival, but that didn’t stop the passionate fans from singing along to it already! Jeff and his DIY punk band brought a cheery, inclusive energy to the main stage, constantly encouraging participation from the audience throughout their entire set. Jeff was always inviting singing and clapping from the rowdy crowd, and everyone was happy to oblige. [Jeff Rosenstock Photo Gallery]

Meet Me @ The Altar is a younger pop punk trio with a commanding stage presence and beautiful synergy between members. The band got their start while living in different states and working on music remotely over the internet, so to see them flow together so effortlessly on stage as if they were all siblings is truly incredible. They just released their debut album a couple of months ago and have been experimenting with their sound. One of their big influences is Paramore, which is remarkable since they got to perform on the same day. [Meet Me @ The Altar Photo Gallery]

The Happy Fits are a New Jersey indie rock trio who recently released a live album this year, which only makes sense considering their absolutely electric stage antics. They were an incredibly fun, upbeat, and energetic band to behold. The crowd that gathered for their set was dancing, singing, and bouncing along to every song. Their pop rock style is given a unique flair with frontman Calvin Langman’s impressive prowess on the cello! [The Happy Fits Photo Gallery]

Thursday was one of, if not the most lively band from the first day of Adjacent Music Festival! The lead singer, Geoffrey, could be seen all over the stage using the microphone as part of his performance, swinging it in circles and holding the mic stand out to the crowd to sing along. Their drummer Tucker Rule was a standout as well, with a visible intensity to his performance behind the kit. Thursday have been New Jersey legends of the emo/post-hardcore scene since their formation in 1997, and the crowd’s rowdy response to their explosive performance is proof of their impact. [Thursday Photo Gallery]

Jimmy Eat World has been around since 1993, and as a result their brand of emo punk rock music became the soundtrack to many 90’s kids’ adolescence. This is their 30th year together as a band, and the nostalgia their music conjures just seems to take you back to a simpler time in life. Their set included a lot of red, purple, and blue lights in the background, which made it very cool to watch. Listening to all of their classic hits, many of which were featured in popular media such as movies and video games, just felt like listening to the highlight reel of your childhood. [Jimmy Eat World Photo Gallery]

Bleachers put on a very engaging performance with beautiful crowd interactions, and their entire set was filled with surprises! At one point, the lead singer Jack Antonoff (also a New Jersey native) even invited his dad to play guitar with the band! The frontman could be seen kicking or using his hands to showcase his emotions, and he addressed the crowd as elder late 90’s New Jersey emo people, which was pretty funny. He mentioned how cool it was to see all the bands we grew up with, and I couldn’t agree more! [Bleachers Photo Gallery]

Paramore has been around since 2004 and started recording together again last year. The lead singer Hayley Williams thanked the crowd for letting them continue to grow and try new things. She said thank you for growing up with them. Everyone went to the main stage for their performance. It was absolutely packed. She talked about the record they just released a few months ago. It was great that she addressed and talked to the crowd in between songs. Hayley is such a great lead singer and interacts with the crowd. The rest of the band was energetic and could be seen moving to the beat while playing their instruments. Their set had a lot of red, pink, and orange lights, which made for a hot and inviting look. Hayley did a lot of leg kicks, hair flipping, and hand movements, which always made her fun to watch.

Photo: Live Nation

Jersey Calling was an entertaining group to watch! One member had a tambourine, making it a unique addition to their pop-punk sound. They had a fun rock sound and captivated the audience, especially for being the first band of the second day! The member that really stole the show was bassist Randy Ballinger. He is a Philadelphia firefighter who sadly was seriously injured just months before the Adjacent Music Festival. After hearing his story, it was evident that he has been through a lot and is truly a hero. What an inspiration to musicians all over! [Jersey Calling Photo Gallery]

Loveless is a rock duo comprised of singer Julian and multi-instrumentalist Dylan. While they started off doing covers, they have found their own sound, and it’s very unique. I discovered them on TikTok and have been listening to them ever since. I was looking forward to their set and was happy it was earlier in the day, so I didn’t have to choose between other bands I liked! The lead singer asked the crowd how they were doing and said his family was in the VIP section to watch him, which was pretty cool! I caught up with Julian after his set, and he was very nice. I can’t wait to see how much this band grows in the future. [Loveless Photo Gallery}

Oxymorrons is a very unique band that combines elements of hip-hop and rock together. It’s hard to photograph them without bobbing your head to the music; I found myself singing along to their catchy songs. The band’s stage presence differs from any other I have seen. For those watching their set who had not heard their songs before, Oxymorrons helped them sing along with them for one song in their set. They also explained the origin of their name and why it is spelled with two r’s instead of one, which should help the new fans at the festival to find them on social media. [Oxymorrons Photo Gallery]

Midtown was yet another band representing the Garden state, coming to prominence in the New Jersey punk scene in the early 2000’s. This band kept viewers eyes glued to the stage during their performance, showing off their high energy and high flying stage antics from frontman Gabe Saporta. Many younger fans may not have been familiar with Midtown, but they surely gained some new ones after such a fun set. [Midtown Photo Gallery]

Hot Milk is a dual-fronted pop rock band based in Manchester, England. Formed in 2018 by singer/guitarists Hannah “Han” Mee and Jim Shaw, this group has become known for their genre bending sound and angsty, biting lyrics. Regardless of how well known Hot Milk is in the states, this band’s raucous performance commanded the crowd to move, inciting a circle pit just a few songs in and maintaining that relentless energy for the entirety of their set. [Hot Milk Photo Gallery]

Waterparks had the most passionate fan group I saw at Adjacent Music Festival! Their fans screamed once they came out and sang along to all of their songs. The lead singer Awsten came out in a red puffy jacket to match his hair with a furry white hood. As soon as he stepped foot on the stage, the crowd erupted. [Waterparks Photo Gallery]

Knocked Loose had a lot of fans crowd around for their set. You could see multiple mosh pits form on both sides of the aisle and a ton of crowd surfers. Fans in Pikachu and Spiderman costumes even crowd-surfed during their set. Knocked Loose has played a lot of significant festivals recently, so I’m happy they could come to New Jersey for this one. They’re a heavy band and it’s apparent by watching their fans in the crowd. [Knocked Loose Photo Gallery]

LS Dunes is a supergroup comprised of Anthony Green (Circa Survive) on vocals, Frank Iero (My Chemical Romance) on guitar, Travis Stever (Coheed and Cambria) on guitar, and bassist Tim Payne with drummer Tucker Rule (Thursday). With so many music legends coming together in one band, you know you’re in for one hell of a show. They hit the stage running, both figuratively and literally; singer Anthony Green departed the stage as quickly as he got on, preferring to stand on the front barricade and sing directly to the crowd as they all screamed back passionately at him. This set was a sure crowd pleaser for fans of all members of this supergroup, and the music they create together stands out in its own right. [LS Dunes Photo Gallery]

The Starting Line had a fabulous stage presence. The lead singer, Kenny, could be seen jumping around with his guitar and singing. They played their hit song "The Best Of Me" which has over 45 million plays on Spotify! The crowd absolutely loved it and could be seen singing along and clapping with him. Crowd surfers could be seen with smiles as they were brought closer to the stage. [The Starting Line Photo Gallery]

Japanese Breakfast stood out from other bands at Adjacent Music Festival with their calming, atmospheric sound and beautiful, dreamlike visuals accompanying their performance on the main stage. This indie pop band slowed things down for a little bit, allowing exhausted festival goers a chance to relax while they take in the music, before inevitably hopping into the next mosh pit. [Japanese Breakfast Photo Gallery]

Motion City Soundtrack has been a staple in the emo/pop punk scene for two decades now, and their comfort and delight in taking the stage certainly shows it. Opening the show with emo classic “L.G. FUAD” (just look up the lyrics for the meaning of that acronym), there wasn’t a fan in attendance that didn’t scream back every single word. Despite frontman Justin Courtney Pierre dealing with some medical issues, he still marched on stage suited up, dapper cane in hand, and delivered an impressive vocal performance. His band mates took care of the frantic movement onstage, especially keyboardist Jesse Johnson, who at one point flung his feet above his head with his hands still firmly grasped on his keyboard. [Motion City Soundtrack Photo Gallery]

Coheed and Cambria may have been the most technically impressive and instrumentally talented band performing at Adjacent Music Festival. Every member of this band seems to have such an effortless command over their instrument, which is on full display as they march enthusiastically across the stage, smiles and tongues out the entire time. Coheed and Cambria is a progressive rock band formed in 1995, known for incorporating aspects of rock, pop, heavy metal, and post-hardcore, with a little flair of emo in the lyrics for good measure. Fans of the band were sure to either stick to the front of the barricade, or crowdsurf their way to the front; any method will do to catch a glimpse of frontman Claudio Sanchez shredding his legendary double-necked guitar during “Welcome Home.” [Coheed and Cambria Photo Gallery]

The Front Bottoms recently celebrated the 10th anniversary of their famous album Talon of the Hawk. They did a very short tour run to celebrate with only 9 select dates, and Adjacent Music Festival was one of them! Their set was extraordinary, and fans from all over the beach flocked to their set just to get a glimpse of the band. There were fans lined up so far back they could barely see the stage, but that didn’t stop them from enjoying the music. The Front Bottoms have a new album on August 4th titled You Are Who You Hang Out With. They just recently announced their upcoming tour to celebrate the new album. [The Front Bottoms Photo Gallery]

Turnstile is a hardcore punk band that has definitely broken a lot of barriers to get to where they are. They are currently on tour with Blink-182 and joined them at the Adjacent Music Festival. This band has become very popular recently, and after watching them for the first time, I can see why! I have never seen a singer hold up a microphone stand or jump as much as Turnstile’s lead singer Brendan did. The rest of the band shared his energy, radiating off the stage. Fans could be seen creating mosh pits and crowd surfing to their frantic yet catchy songs. Even if you haven’t listened to Turnstile before, it was still a fantastic show. The crowd sang along, and it made for an enjoyable time. They were the last band to play before Blink-182, and the crowd was huge. [Turnstile Photo Gallery]

Blink-182 is a legendary pop punk band that needs no introduction, and after reuniting with founding member Tom Delonge, every long time fan of the band has been eager to see them play with their original lineup again. Forming in 1992, the group has been entertaining misfit crowds with their hilarious stage banter and catchy punk rock tunes for over thirty years now. The crowd at Adjacent Music Festival erupted as soon as blink-182 took the stage; seeing Mark, Travis, and Tom together again was like one big dysfunctional family reunion for everyone in attendance. They played all the classic hits fans were clamoring for, and even some unexpected deep cuts spanning every era of their career. Just like old times, Tom was quick to crack crude jokes, Mark would offer a witty retort, and Travis just wailed away at his drum kit with both reckless abandon and laser precision. Blink is back and better than ever, and what better place to celebrate than on the beach in Atlantic City at the first ever Adjacent Music Festival?

Photo: Live Nation

Born and raised in Brick, NJ, I’ve had a strong passion for music for as long as I can remember. I found my love of photography in high school when I took an intro photo class my junior year, and realized over time that I could find a way to combine my two greatest passions, which is how I became a concert photographer. I graduated suma cum laude from the Honors School at Monmouth University, where I majored in Art with a concentration in Photography. I started shooting shows my senior year of college, practicing and learning at basement shows and local bar venues primarily in West Long Branch and Asbury Park. When I joined the on campus record label, Blue Hawk Records, that opened the door for all of the local shows I would frequent nearly every weekend at the start of my journey as a concert photographer. I’ve gained amazing connections though every band that I’ve photographed over the years, building my portfolio and making friends along the way. Now after over six years of shooting shows, I’ve had the opportunity to photograph some of my favorite bands at some of my favorite Jersey venues, including Rise Against, Blink 182, Sum 41, Silverstein, Bayside, Four Year Strong, A Day To Remember, Atreyu, The Used, Coheed and Cambria, and Greta Van Fleet, just to name a few. Each new show I have the opportunity to shoot becomes my new favorite show, and I love it more and more with each concert I attend. I hope that my passion shines through in my photography, as well as the accompanying reviews for all the talented bands that I have the pleasure of photographing.

Hi! My name is Bri but you may know me as Honey Bri Photos. I am based out of Edison, New Jersey. I photographed many local bands from 2011-2012. I stopped to pursue my dream career of teaching. Now, 11 years later, after getting my degree and becoming tenured, I found my way back to my passion for concerts and photography. It is a dream come true to be able to do both of the things I love. Teacher by day, concert photographer by night!