“It was a life changing experience,” I told my roommate when I got home from seeing Dogpark.
In August, I flew to New Jersey to go to Asbury Park to see Dogpark at their indoor venue, The Stone Pony. The first time I saw Dogpark was at the St. Pats in Five Points festival. I remember the guitarist, Billy Apostolou, signing a paper on someone’s back and I was thinking “who is this guy?” It wasn’t until after the festival that I searched "Dogpark" on Apple Music to listen to their songs, and discovered that he was a member of a band. After listening to a few of their songs and hearing Eamon Moore’s unique voice, I knew I had to see them in concert…intentionally.
At the concert in Asbury Park, we were in an indoor bar-ish venue. Despite being towards the back half of the line going in, my best friend and I actually managed to get a spot right in the front next to the stage. Being this close to the band made it 10 times better than it could’ve been otherwise.
In addition, the lighting for each song was incredible. Production would use a calm green during their slower songs like “Spanish Moss” or a vibrant red during “Breaking in Brooklyn” which perfectly matched the vibes of the songs. Additionally, the crowd was wild. Everyone was screaming the words to the songs and the music was perfect for dancing along. My favorite moment was during “Now It’s Over” when Eamon Moore angled the mic during a shouting moment followed by the lyrics “who do you think you are?” which was great for audience engagement. The band also engaged with the audience by getting off the stage and coming closer to the rails where the fans were standing.
Additionally, the song “Caviar” was completely different when hearing it live. Initially, it wasn’t a favorite of mine, but listening live made it stand out from some of the others. All of the band members brought their energy with this song and there were plenty of moments in the chorus where Eamon Moore was dancing around to match the story of the song.
Seeing Dogpark is now ranked as my favorite concert so far. In fact, this was the first concert that I suggested going to and actually knew the band. Because of this, and the fact I could stand right in front, it was an incredible night. Adding on to this great night, my best friend and I even got one of the members’ set lists before the encore!
Overall, it was a great experience and for the next week, my best friend and I were joking about having “Dogpark withdrawals.” They’re a band I will definitely see again and my top band recommendation to anyone who asks for new music.