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The stained glass art that sat behind the bar of The Stony Pony in Asbury Park.

(Star-Ledger file photo)

By Wallace Stroby

Some highlights in the 40-year history of New Jersey's most famous rock club.

Feb. 8, 1974: The Stone Pony opens its doors for the first time, under the ownership of Robert "Butch" Pielka and John "Jack" Roig. It had previously been a disco called The Magic Touch.

Southside Johnny onstage in 1990.

Sept. 8, 1974: Bruce Springsteen, a year after the release of his second album, "The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle," makes his first appearance onstage, guesting with the Blackberry Booze Band, which would evolve into Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, the Pony's house band.

May 30, 1976: Southside and the Jukes celebrate the release of their first album, "I Don't Want to Go Home," with a syndicated live broadcast from the club.* Springsteen, singer Ronnie Spector and E Street Band saxophonist Clarence Clemons join them onstage.

Steven Van Zant, left, and Bruce Springsteen perform in 1976.

June 8, 1984: Springsteen and most of the E Street Band give a surprise, 12-song performance as a warm-up for their upcoming "Born in the U.S.A." tour.

1991: The club closes its doors after declaring bankruptcy, following a series of drunken-driving liability lawsuits.

1992: The club reopens under new ownership, this time catering to younger audiences, with bands such as Soul Asylum, Bad Religion and Hole. It would close again six years later.

Oct. 17, 1995: Springsteen joins Pittsburgh's Joe Grushecky and The Houserockers for a full show to kick off their "October Assault" mini-tour, in support of Grushecky's album "American Babylon," which was produced by Springsteen.

2000: Restaurateur Domenic Santana buys and renovates the club, with a grand reopening on Memorial Day weekend. Gov. Christine Todd Whitman does the ribbon-cutting honors.

In 2002, protesters voice their opposition to a plan to demolish The Stone Pony.

January 2002: Reports that the Pony will be razed as part of a redevelopment plan for the city's waterfront spur a "Save the Pony" effort that includes a series of protests during hearings at City Hall. As with many prior Asbury Park redevelopment efforts, the plans eventually fall through.

Nov. 1, 2003: Springsteen and Grushecky headline the annual "Light of Day" concert raising funds for research into Parkinson's disease. They're joined onstage by actor Michael J. Fox, who has Parkinson's; he jams with the band on guitar into the early morning hours.

The Boss greets audience members after playing during the 2003 Light of Day benefit concert at the Asbury Park rock club.

April 2008: The Pony partners with international concert promoter Live Nation to bring higher-profile national acts to the club.

Summer 2009: After additional renovations, including a new roof, the Pony opens its expanded "Summer Stage" area for outdoor concerts on an adjoining lot, with a capacity of more than 3,000.

Source: "Rock & Roll Tour of the Jersey Shore" (Fourth Edition), by Stan Goldstein and Jean Mikle