By Steffen Klenk
“Let the Good Times Roll!” It is a catch phrase that stems from a track off Louis Jordan’s 1956 album “Rock ‘N’ Roll”. Today, those words continue to be echoed at every show produced by the great Tony Mart Presents, which organizes an array of spectacular concerts throughout the South Jersey region. One of those concerts includes the weekly Friday night Concert Series at William Morrow Beach in Somers Point.
With beach chairs and blankets in hand, over a thousand people gather weekly to hear some of music’s finest names. It can be hard to find an empty space in the sand as attendees tap their toes and dance around the stage. From blues to rock ‘n’ roll, reggae and funk, those in attendance are sure to be in for a party every single week.
Today, the concerts are produced and curated by local icon Carmen Marotta, son of the late Antonio Marotta who immigrated to the United States from Sicily. In 1944, he purchased Schick’s Tavern, on the corner of Bay and Goll avenues. The building soon became Tony Mart’s and was later converted from a bar into the famed nightclub. It became a staple of Somers Point and would remain so for 38 years.
Carmen’s passion for music began at the age of three, sleeping in a small apartment over Tony Mart’s. “When the television wasn’t on, I heard Dion’s “Runaround Sue” and Ray Charles “What’d I Say.” The venue was put on the map as an entertainment venue thanks to a group called Len Carey and the Crackerjacks. Carey was the drummer and protégé for the Spike Jones Band.
Following the closure of Tony Mart’s, Carmen attended the 1984 World’s Fair in New Orleans, only to find his way to Bourbon Street. It immediately felt like home. “I felt like I was back on Bay Avenue with all the bars, and all the people and the action.”
This year marks the 30th Anniversary of weekly concerts in Somers Point, a tradition that was started by Nicholas Regine, the city’s Community Recreation and Education Director. Regine brought forth the vision of bringing live music back to the area, long after the closure of the legendary Tony Mart’s. What started on a stage at Kennedy Park was later moved to a more spacious bayfront beach along Bay Avenue, and the rest is history.
In 2004, after serving on Somers Point city council, Marotta was tasked with running the Beach Concerts, a series that has seen such names as Devon Allman, Third World, Marcia Ball, The Cowsills, Joe Louis Walker, Martin Barre of Jethro Tull, even John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band, whose hit single “On the Dark Side” has appeared in the hit 1983 film Eddie and the Cruisers. And it just so happens that part of that movie was filmed at the iconic Tony Marts in Somers Point.
Since its inception, the Friday night concerts have become a tradition for many in our region. Now, fans have another reason to celebrate its success. Late last week, the Somers Point Beach Concert Series was given a huge accolade by USA Today’s 10Best, selected the Number One Free Outdoor Concert Series in the country. Marotta describes it as magical and unique. “It is unique because you’re getting the greatest people, musicians, in the world for free, and magical because of the gorgeous setting and that small town feel.”
What sets the Somers Point Beach Concerts apart is a certain type of quality you won’t find in many places. While many casinos and large venues continue to bring in big names, Marotta and the team of volunteers at the Beach Concerts and Tony Mart Presents offer great, critically acclaimed music that is culturally important while providing the venue and patronage to support the artists, similar to what you would find through your local performing arts center. “We have this inextricable link to the city of New Orleans, but we have several very important links to the history of American music.”
The Somers Point Beach Concert Series will take to the sand for up to 12 free weekly concerts beginning Friday, June 16th, along with a special July 4th concert featuring local guitar hero Billy Walton and Michael “Tunes” Antunes. Tony Mart Presents is also preparing for another season of shows at Atlantic City’s Kennedy Plaza on Wednesdays, dubbed Mardi Gras AC, and Tony Mart Rocks The Point on Bay Avenue Thursdays, starting June 22nd, from 6-10pm. Further announcements are forthcoming. To learn more or to view this year’s stellar lineup of amazing shows, visit tonymart.com.
Steffen Klenk is a photographer and multimedia journalist who enjoys capturing the eclectic moments of shore life. You may contact Steffen at shorelocalsteffen@gmail.com.
