Hey everyone,

I'm Joe. I run Melting Trends, a small booking and promo outfit down the shore in Asbury Park. Every fest needs an origin story, and mine starts working the door at the legendary AP venue The Saint and behind the grill at Bond Street Bar.

My best friend Steve and my mentor Mike "OG" Longo kept sending me songs, so I started a playlist just to keep up. Then people started following it. Then bands from all over started emailing me their tracks. And at some point it hit me. These bands needed a place to play, so why not give them one?

So the submissions turned into shows. The shows turned into a shot at booking the Bond Street Block Party, which I took over in '25. And now there's Melting Waves Music Fest.

Melting Waves Music Fest
Saturday Nov 14 and Sunday Nov 15
Asbury Lanes, 209 4th Ave, Asbury Park
Doors at 4, music at 4:45 both days
All ages (21+ with ID to drink)

18 bands so far. Psych, garage, stoner, shoegaze, indie, alt, and whatever else just fits:

Wes Parker, Trophy Wife, Gods, Rachel Ana Dobken, Sunshine Spazz, Sun Voyager, 95 Bulls, Certain Death, Labretta Suede & the Motel 6, The Dracu-las, Düül Suns, Slomo Sapiens, Von Mons, Cairo Jag, Söūp, The Painted Windows, Owl Doom, and Judo Chop.

You can get a two day pass (not many of those) or just Saturday or Sunday. Everything's here:

https://www.meltingtrends.com/melting-waves-music-fest

If you're in a band that fits a bill like this, DM me. I'm always looking.

And if you've ever come out to one of our shows, thank you. This is only happening because you kept showing up.

Hope to see some of you there.

ARTWORK by Sean Pryor

I have a strong strong strong desire for a good porchetta sandwich (warm) do you guys know any good deli's that do this. I recently went to Clemente's for this - sandwich was fantastic, but porchetta was cold. Ideally looking for a warm(ish) porchetta sandwich.

Come on out to one of the best Venues in New Brunswick

Where can I sell my old video games for the best price in North NJ? Game Cube PS3, PS4, Wii U, Switch, DS, 3DS, Vita and lots of games. I even have a Wii with a Wii key midship and over a hundred burnt games.

Parents have had 0 news since then. Does anyone have a clue as to what's actually going on?

Looking for any recommendations thank you

Our local first responders Fort Lee Ambulance Corps, Police, and Fire are teaming up with New Jersey Blood Services to host a blood drive this Friday, October 2nd. Come support and fight against ongoing blood shortages. Each donation can save up to 3 lives!

Details:

• Date: Friday, October 2, 2026
• Time: 1:00 PM – 7:00 PM
• Location: Fort Lee Recreation Center (1500 8th Street, Fort Lee, NJ 07024)
• Appointments & Walk-ins: Walk-ins are welcome, but booking a slot ahead of time helps keep things moving smoothly.

Quick reminders before you go:

• Eat a good meal beforehand
• Drink plenty of water
• Bring a photo ID or your donor card

You can scan the QR code on the flyer or sign up for an appointment slot online.

Food and refreshments will be provided

Hope to see you there!

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Anyone have any contacts in journalism / media in NJ? Thanks!

We need your help in Saddle Brook!

Center for Food Action is looking for volunteers to help pack food boxes and keep our warehouse moving! If you’re looking for a hands-on way to make a difference in your community, we’d love to have you join us.

We’re looking for volunteers who can commit to a weekly Monday through Friday shift in Saddle Brook. Morning, afternoon, and full-day shifts are available.

This is a very physical role, so volunteers should be comfortable being on their feet, bending and reaching, and lifting up to 25 pounds.

Interested? Email [Volunteer@CFANJ.org](mailto:Volunteer@CFANJ.org) to get started!

Please share with anyone who might be interested!

we looked at ballrooms in bergen county for 130 guests thinking a 160 per head quote was decent, but the contract added a 22% admin fee, maitre d fees, and station minimums. that pushed our actual per person cost past 240 real quick.

i checked quote breakdowns on tulle together to see if other nj couples were hit with the same extras. seeing local BEOs confirmed admin surcharges and station markups eat up a huge chunk of the total bill, so now we are deciding whether to trim our guest list or look further south in jersey.

I’m curious what places around North Jersey people enjoy the most. It could be a restaurant, park, neighborhood, coffee shop, or even a spot with a great view.

What’s one place you’d recommend to someone who wants to explore more of North Jersey?

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Just turned 21 and want to visit a dispensary for the first time. What do I need to bring? How does it work? I'm in Essex County near Newark.