Asbury Park Music and Film Festival: Melissa Etheridge playing in 2020; how to get tickets

Alex Biese | Asbury Park Press

Show Caption Hide Caption Asbury Park Music in Film Festival kicks-off! The 5th annual Film Festival sponsored by the Asbury Park Press promises to be bigger and better than ever

Melissa Etheridge is coming to Asbury Park, and she'll be rocking for a great cause.

The Grammy- and Oscar-winning singer/songwriter performs Thursday, April 23, 2020, at the historic Paramount Theatre on the Asbury Park Boardwalk on the opening night of the 2020 edition of the Asbury Park Music and Film Festival.

Tickets, $35 to $129, and VIP packages will available via Ticketmaster, on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. Friday, Nov. 22. A VIP package pre-sale began at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 19, followed by an online venue pre-sale at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 20.

Listeners of area radio station The Boss 1071. FM, also will have the chance to win free tickets this week during episodes of "The Boss Morning Show" starting at 6:30 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 19, according to the station's social media channels.

The Asbury Park Music and Film Festival, now in its sixth year, will take place Thursday, April 23, to Sunday, April 26, in Asbury Park.

This year’s APMFF also will feature an evening with “Sopranos” creator David Chase, in conversation with Mike Fleming of Deadline Hollywood at 7 p.m. Saturday, April 25, at the Paramount Theatre, as well as the return of the Bob Dylan retrospective showcase Dylan Archives V at the House of Independents on Sunday, April 26.

More: Asbury Park Paramount Theatre making these ADA fixes to help disabled customers

Tickets for Chase ($25 to $129) and the Dylan Archives ($25 in advance and at the door) go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday, Nov. 22.

Since launching in 2015, the festival has benefited underserved children in Asbury Park and the surrounding areas by providing music education, instruments and social connection opportunities.

Funds raised by the festival support the Asbury Park Music Foundation and its Music Saved My Life youth education program with the Asbury Park-based Lakehouse Music Academy, including the instructional mobile recording studio known as the beat bus as well as scholarships and after-school programming in areas including Asbury Park, Long Branch, Red Bank and Bradley Beach, according to a news release from the festival and a statement from the foundation.

The Asbury Park Music Foundation changes lives The foundation raises money to support youth music programs throughout Asbury Park

Speaking with the Asbury Park Press in 2015, Etheridge sang the praises of New Jersey audiences.

"They love rock 'n' roll and that, I so appreciate," she said.

Before her Asbury Park bow, Etheridge brings The Medicine Show tour to the Ocean Casino Resort in Atlantic City on Saturday, April 4, and the Bergen Performing Arts Center in Sunday, April 5. For tickets and a full list of tour dates, visit melissaetheridge.com.

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The Asbury Park Press and RWJ Barnabas Health sponsor the festival as founding partners, with First Atlantic Federal Credit Union as the presenting sponsor and the Jay and Linda Grunin Foundation and Madison Marquette as sponsors.

The festival's co-chairs include Sony Pictures Classics co-president and co-founder Tom Bernard, photographer and filmmaker Danny Clinch, Amazon Music's global head of music catalog Adam Block and Tom Donovan, the former Asbury Park Press president and publisher and president of the Northeast Group of the USA TODAY NETWORK who retired in June.

Stars of film and music such as Bruce Springsteen, Danny DeVito, David Crosby, Cameron Crowe, Wyclef Jean and Peter and Bobby Farrelly have been among the guests to appear at the festival over the years.

Etheridge told the Asbury Park Press about the influence Springsteen in particular has had on her life and career over the years.

"I've learned everything from him because I used to make my decisions and it was 'What would Bruce do?' Because he always seemed to have an eye on the long run and a vision," she said. "And he even told me back in the '90s, he said, 'You know, a hit's nice to have every now and then, but you don't want them too much. You want to maintain the connection with your fans.'

"He was the one who said, 'Always go to Europe. They're so loyal, as long as you go over there they will come see you.' And he does it. He still plays stadiums over there. He goes over there all the time. And so, I always watch how he handles things, what he does with his fans, how he does his shows. I'm always watching what he does."

Further details on screenings, performances and panel discussions for the 2020 Asbury Park Music and Film Festival are expected to be revealed in the coming months via the festival's website, www.apmff.org, as well as its social media channels.

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