On Wednesday, November 6th, Sammy Rae & The Friends played an electric show at the iconic Stone Pony in Asbury Park, New Jersey as part of their '“Something for Everybody” tour. In a tumultuous moment immediately following the announcement of the 2024 US election results, The Pony became a temporary safe haven full of queer joy and compassion amidst the harsh reality knocking at the venue’s door. Opening the evening with a heartfelt and captivatingly vulnerable speech, the band’s frontman, Sammy, offered words of comfort and opened space for a dialogue about the crowd’s feelings given the morning’s news. With an awareness of the band’s largely queer fanbase, this intimate conversation offered many validation and comfort while providing everyone a collective moment to grieve and feel *all the emotions* before lifting the energy of the crowd with the classic sound of The Friends that everyone has come to love and expect, this time charged with a new, heightened energy.

With a setlist comprised mostly of songs off of their debut album, the evening really did have… “Something for Everybody.” After introducing the band to the quintessential “Friends Intro,” Sam turned the crowd into a chorus to supplement the next track, “Thieves,” before picking things up with “The Feeling” and “Jackie Onassis.” Groove and funk flowed through the set accented by powerful musical solos and moments of crowd engagement. The party continued as a disco ball lit up the room while guitarist Will Leet took the stage for a lively performance as “Cool-Doug, at Night.” In a moment of respite, a hush fell over the crows as they were graced with “David,” one of the band’s slower songs which explores the powerful conflict between traditional masculinity and mental health, something Sammy and the rest of the band are passionate about.

Now, it wouldn’t be a show at The Stone Pony without a classic Jersey reference, to which the band answered the call with an incredible cover of Springsteen’s “Tenth Avenue Freeze Out.” The track was met by a resounding “Bruuuuuuuce” that echoed through the venue and continued throughout the evening, which was embraced and encouraged by the band. Even after the show, Sammy took to Instagram to remark that “you Bruuucing me will ring in my ears forever. I would actually love it if that became a thing at other shows.” Momentum picked up as the evening came to a close with a “Good Life” medley along with “Good Time Tavern,” reminding the fans that they were welcome and safe to have a good time here. At this point, The Stone Pony was HOT.

After leaving the stage for a moment, the band returned for an encore of “State Song,” a cover of Toto’s “Hold the Line” and “Coming Home Song,” which has become a classic and powerfully beautiful way to end a SRF concert.

At the end of the night, also on Instagram, the frontman took the opportunity to thank the crowd yet again on behalf of the band…

“Stone Pony, Thank you for one of the most memorable nights of our career. I will actually remember this show for as long as I live.”

What could’ve easily been an evening of blatant celebration became one of solace and community thanks to the intention and care of the band, showcasing the beauty and power of live performance as a vehicle for true connection. When you’re with the friends… you always feel like family.