Bobby Mahoney Takes Over Wonder Bar
Shot and Written by Michael Campanile
August 5, 2026
Shot and Written by Michael Campanile
August 5, 2026
Summer wouldn't feel complete without a Bobby Mahoney show in Asbury Park. Thankfully we got just that last Friday as he teamed up with Wave Break and Doug Zambon of The Vansaders for a great night of local music at Wonder Bar.
Mahoney's shows are always high-energy affairs, and you just can't help but have fun. You can see and hear the influence that Bruce, JBJ, Brian Fallon, and Gerard Way have had on one of the best singer songwriters that New Jersey has to offer. It's no surprise that he landed on Stevie Van Zandt’s Wicked Cool Records label. I've seen him live many times since I moved to the Jersey Shore, and it's always worth the price of admission.
Mahoney's setlist included some of his best songs like "Empty Passenger Seats", ".38 Special" and "Another Deadbeat Summer", "Smoke and Drive" which he released last year, and covers of My Chemical Romance's "Teenagers" and Neil Young's "Rocking' in the Free World". The band was joined by a number of friends throughout their performance including Reagan Richards and Gordon Brown of Williams Honor, James Maddock and Zack Sandler.
Zambon kicked the night off with a great acoustic set that featured "So Many Ways", "Walking Through Raindrops" and "Siren's Song". His solo shows really shouldn't be missed as he puts his heart and soul into every song. On this night, his punk-folk style set the stage for Mahoney and his crew really well.
Alt emo rockers Wave Break ended up closing the night out and showed why they are becoming a staple of the Jersey Shore music scene. This was my first time seeing them live, and they were quite impressive. Lead singer Kelly Barber has a dynamic stage presence and the band flat out rocked. I look forward to seeing them again sometime soon.
Want to know when you can see these bands next? Give them a follow on social media for future show announcements and be sure to check out their previous releases wherever you stream your music.
Coverage from July 31, 2026 at Wonder Bar in Asbury Park, NJ. All photos are © Michael Campanile Photography and cannot be used without permission.