Lightning in a Bottle – A Love Letter to Asbury Lanes is a raw, intimate, and unfiltered photographic chronicle of one of New Jersey’s most beloved underground venues. Shot over 11 years by photographer Mike McLaughlin, the book captures the heart and soul of Asbury Lanes, in the heart of Asbury Park—a vintage bowling alley turned DIY music venue—before its redevelopment in 2015.
We had the opportunity to talk long-distance with Mike McLaughlin, a fantastic photographer with a catalog of images documenting "The Old" Asbury Lanes. Home to the party faithful and wayward souls, Asbury Lanes was, for a time, the coolest place to both play and spectate. Asbury Park's version of Max's Kansas City and CBGBs, The Lanes was a safe place for those who needed safe spaces to dance, sing, and create.
Mike talked about his start in photography and his time at Asbury Lanes. And like everything else in life, he talked about when it was time to move on, and somehow land in Italy.
Asbury Park Vibes Podcast
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