Music by the beach at The Stone Pony Summer Stage (Photo: veronica lola via flickr)

Summertime at the Jersey Shore means a lot of different things: freedom from the grind, lounging on the beach, surfing, grilling with friends and family, and just downright relaxing. At night, it comes alive with activity, from the bustling boardwalk scene to the music venues that are scattered along our shoreline.

Music is what gives the Jersey Shore its soul. On almost any night of the week, you can walk the boardwalk or our sandy streets and hear music wafting through the air, whether its from a bar band or an iPod in a residential backyard, and smile; music provides a soundtrack to our summers at the shore.

There’s no better place to experience live music here than in Asbury Park, the musical mecca where Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band cut its teeth before hitting it big in the mid-1970s. And, there’s no better place to experience live music in Asbury Park than at The Stone Pony, a rock and roll institution where Springsteen jammed with other local musicians right before his meteoric rise into stardom.

[Video] Nothing captures the Jersey Shore sound better than a live version of “Sandy” by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band

With the ongoing revitalization throughout the city, The Stone Pony has capitalized on the buzz by re-branding itself as not only a small indoor rock and roll club, but now as the sponsor of an outdoor venue, The Stone Pony Summer Stage, which attracts headliner bands.

Drinks, anyone? (Photo: veronica lola via flickr)

Snoop Dogg, Ween, and .moe have already graced The Stone Pony Summer Stage this season, and upcoming acts include The Pretenders (with special guests Cat Power and Juliette Lewis) on August 9, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones on August 16, Peter Frampton on August 30 , and The Black Crowes on September 5. (All shows begin at 6 PM.)

[Video] .moe jamming on The Stone Pony Summer Stage this summer

So really, if you’re looking for powerhouse performances at the Jersey Shore, you don’t have to meander to the Parkway, sit in traffic, and battle crowds to go to the PNC Bank Arts Center. The remainder of your music summer can be spent where it should be, at the Jersey Shore, right by the beach.

After all, music is an integral part of summer living here.

The Stone Pony Summer Stage is located at 913 Ocean Avenue in Asbury Park. Ticket and additional information is available via Live Nation.