By Ashley Gallagher

Asbury Park, New Jersey has been home to the start of incredibly recognizable names such as Bon Jovi and Bruce Springsteen. This quaint town settled by the ocean has been a very prevalent music scene for the Jersey area and continues to have a powerful influence on music even after all this time. Although the most noteworthy venues are The Stone Pony, The House of Independents, or The Convention Hall, there are small shows that will always be found somewhere in this town by the shore. In fact, there is even a place for a band in the middle of a brewery. I find that these shows are always the ones worth stumbling upon. Though the acoustics could be improved, that did not stop Philly band, FV from rocking on December 20th. FV is an indie alternative band with a similar style comparing to The Smiths and Placebo. They have a fun, carefree sound that I enjoyed on their studio tracks and was able to hear live.

The brewery was small, but this made it easier to interact with the band before and after the show. They were very  different people have found their music, like through fliers after other shows, friends, or, like most people, social media. I said that I believed they had some sort of relation approachable and a lot of fun to talk to. We discussed how to The Maine, which is who I always associate with them, and they mentioned how The Maine has helped them on their journey and guided them a little bit. We talked about their relationship with Pat Kirch for The Maine, who helped with their newest release, Soho, which has a sort of 80’s style vibe to it, probably one of my favorite tracks they’ve released so far. However, we not only talked about music, but had more lighthearted conversations about food and living in New Jersey (yes, Central Jersey exists.)

Come the show, they had a few bands open, who all fit the small bar scene, then they performed. All the bands brought a new dynamic to the brewery, but kept a more laid back feeling to the show. It was a very relaxed and welcoming show and that was what it was suppose to be. Live music is suppose to be a good time and somewhere that feels very relaxed. Everyone there really just enjoyed the music and  carefree, which is something I feel bigger shows typically lack. When FV performed, they were energetic, peppy, and having a really good time, as was the crowd around them. Though they have no full length, they were able to play a set that felt fun and fulfilling. With songs, 19, Soho, and Fake Love (a Drake cover), they showed that a small bar show could be just as (or even more) enjoyable as an arena.

FV are currently recording their first EP and I am looking forward to hearing more from them.