The Upstage Club

Welcome to the Upstage Club and Green Mermaid Café!

Brief History of the upstage

The Green Mermaid Café was opened in downtown Asbury Park, NJ on the corner of Cookman Ave. and Bond Ave. in the late 60’s as a result of several factors. Tom and Margaret Potter had a successful beauty shop business as well as numerous other projects and ventures around town when a small adversity struck their family. Tom developed an allergic reaction to hair dye and other various chemicals common to the hairdresser on his hands. This meant he had to find alternate means of income.

Meanwhile his wife Margaret had a band known as The Distractions. They used to meet at the potter’s apartment above the beauty shop to practice weekly. On a regular basis Tom and Margaret had many friends and local musicians over to their home for BBQ and jam sessions that lasted way into the early mornings. The huge crowds that gathered at their home eventually got to be to big for the apartment to handle and then Tom realized what he could do. He soon spoke with the Owner/Operator of the three-story building that housed the Thom McCann shoe store, located next door to his apartment and beauty shop at 700 Cookman Ave., about leasing the second floor above the shoe store for a Café.

After squaring away all the legalities that night the band met for rehearsal at he potter’s apartment. Tom gathered everyone together including Margaret and asked them what they thought about his idea for a café where folks could come and listen to music and order coffee, teas, and other various foods. Following a short conversation about the pros and cons the group admitted that would be a great place to have. Then as Distractions Band member Joe Petillo tells us “ Tom, said:’ Well rehearsal is cancelled for tonight! I just signed the lease and we are all gonna go next door and paint, I already have all the paint, brushes and ladders ready!!’” And that was the beginning of THE GREEN MERMAID CAFÉ. As the popularity spread the second floor soon became too small without sufficient dancing room. It bled over to the leasing of and expansion into the third floor and a whole new section was born dedicated to hardcore ROCK AND ROLL and DANCING! That was the birth of THE UPSTAGE CLUB! AND THE REST IS HISTORY!

Many eyewitness visitors told us today what it was like experiencing the Club and Café. Some of their accounts are rendered below as well as throughout the website. They all agree that what made the Upstage special was Tom and Margaret’s way of conducting the music not allowing clicks, but encouraging mixing and matching band members. The fact that they stayed open until 5:00 am every morning also made for a unique place to play!! Along with all of this Tom was adamant about young teens NOT using marijuana or under age drinking at his Club. This made it a safer place to be and so many parents allowed their kids to go b/c they knew it was a stable environment. It spawned the careers of many successful and famous musicians by the way it was and is a precious memory to all who went there.

It stuck out as a diamond in the ruff back then as it does today. There was never another place like it before that time and so far there has not been one created since. This website is dedicated to it’s memory and atmosphere and is striving to once again provide such a place. The actual building is still there and inside lay the Upstage and magnificent murals that dazzled visitors in very good condition. Although another owner has no interest in reopening the club in the same spot for tours steps are being taken to preserve what is left for posterity and hopefully in the near future a museum exhibit. Soon the remains will suffer the same fate as the rest of Asbury Park and be renovated into condominiums, unless another buyer with means and interest come forth who wants to preserve the building.

There are MANY more details and stories about the rise and fall of the Upstage and Green Mermaid Café as well as factors from the town of Asbury collapsing around it. All these are being written down and combined with over 1000 color photos of the town and Club, as well as quotes from bystanders and musicians who played there to make a graphic and detailed book for all to enjoy.

ABOUT OUR RECENT EFFORTS:

The Potter family started the attempt to reactivate the Upstage and all it stood for in 2002/2003 after becoming aware of the existence of many people left from the music community as well as the upstage club (while out of business) still in tact. Soon after investigating the situation we discovered a whole community of people who still loved what the Upstage was and were very interested in seeing the rest of the world be educated that it existed and the way it was conducted as well as the deep grass roots history it contained. SO efforts were started to attempt to purchase the building so as to protect the valuable relics still inside from the 60’s and provide a wonderful tourist stop for Asbury Park! Unfortunately in 2004/2005 the building was purchased by another owner due to our lack of time and inability to raise enough funds for the building and all the renovations needed. The new property owners have other plans for the building that houses the remains of Upstage however steps are being taken to preserve as much as possible during the renovation process so as to exhibit pieces of the old club to the world! We are also blessed with over 1000 color photos left to us by Tom Potter of the club and town in action during the glory days! These photos are all relatively unseen and are going to be revealed in due time for all to enjoy! All of this is sure to provide a wonderful experience for those who did not have the pleasure of visiting it while it was still open.

We have been assisted a great deal by Tom Jones of the HALO GROUP located in Santa Monica, California. As a New Jersey native, with roots of his own at the shore, he has used his media company to help preserve the photo collection as well as begin an exciting documentary about the Upstage Club and Asbury’s past and present music scene! He is also by means of a non-profit organization he is involved in helping to show the world the Upstage history by putting in order a tentative exhibit! There are sure to be many more developments that come from our relationship with HALO GROUP and we will happily keep everyone informed! It has been a lengthy journey but worth every minute! We must acknowledge two special people who have really hung in there with us and helped out not only financially but also emotionally and are still some of our most dedicated helpers, Dan and Nancy Eitner of Hardy, Virginia!!! We also have so many people who have signed up for the newsletter and kept track of our progress and showed their interest and support over the years we would like to thanks as well! And of course everyone who sends their stories and lends their advice and guidance to make sure that this project and club is as successful as it can be is so appreciated! It just goes to show that we already have an Upstage community and it will continue to grow because of the outstanding people involved! We hope everyone enjoys this new website and finds joy in this ever growing talented, musical, and artistic community!

MISSION STATEMENT:

The goal and purpose of this website and club is to provide a productive environment that encourages new and experienced musicians to associate, share memories, connect and continue to make great music and art! As did the original Upstage Club it will provide an equal opportunity for anyone who wants to express him or herself and be part of something special! Our other goals are to benefit and support the music and art society any way we can as individuals, a group, and community. We pledge to preserve, support and educate people about the past of Rock n Roll as well as other genres of music and art!

A LETTER FROM THE FOUNDERS

It is the Potter family’s pleasure to present this website in honor of the creators Tom and Margaret Potter and all the Upstage members from the past as well as the new ones we meet everyday! My name is Carrie Potter-Devening and along with Tom’s other grandchild Geoff Potter Jr., many other family members and friends we warmly invite you to look around and join the club! Many wonder how the Upstage and Green Mermaid came about and how we came to this point. It has been with great excitement that we compiled this account for all who are interested!