Robert “Butch” Pielka — the Stone Pony co-founder who died in June, at the age of 71 — will be honored by a show at the club Oct. 7 from 2 to 9 p.m. Acts will include reunions of former Pony house band Cats on Smooth Surface and Friends (featuring Joel Krauss, Harry Filkin, Peter Schulle, Bobby Bandiera, Glen Burtnik, Vinny Daniele) and The Shakes (featuring Vini “Mad Dog” Lopez and Bobby Campanell) with Lance Larson, and more are expected to be announced in the weeks to come.
The show will benefit the Asbury Angels project (honoring notable members of the city’s music scene) and the Light of Day Foundation (raising money for research fighting Parkinson’s Disease and associated illnesses).
Tickets are available via ticketmaster.com.
Pielka co-owned the club from 1974, when it opened, until 1991, when it closed briefly before reopening under new ownership.
In a press release, longtime Pony DJ Lee Mrowicki said Pielka and his business partner Jack Roig co-hosted many fundraisers at the club.
“Butch, Jack and I did hundreds of benefits during their tenure at the Pony, and it is simply a perfect way to pay tribute to Butch with a show featuring his friends that would benefit the Light of Day and Asbury Angels,” Mrowicki said.
CONTRIBUTE TO NJARTS.NET
Since launching in September 2014, NJArts.net, a 501(c)(3) organization, has become one of the most important media outlets for the Garden State arts scene. And it has always offered its content without a subscription fee, or a paywall. Its continued existence depends on support from members of that scene, and the state’s arts lovers. Please consider making a contribution of any amount to NJArts.net via PayPal, or by sending a check made out to NJArts.net to 11 Skytop Terrace, Montclair, NJ 07043.