Summer music at the Shore, with Bruce Springsteen, John Legend, Peach at the Beach, Barefoot Country Fest, and more

There are no giant beach concerts planned for Atlantic City this summer, so if you want to wiggle your toes in the sand with like-minded music lovers, you’ll need to head to Wildwood or Asbury Park. Or go Phish in Delaware and settle for rubbing your toes in the grass.

Then there’s the Peach on the Beach, the one-day fest that isn’t actually on the Atlantic City beach, but just on the other side of the Boardwalk.

But even in a season without any A.C. mega shows, summer at the Shore in 2024 is full up with pop, rock, and hip-hop concerts in outdoor and indoor spaces.

Most of the big name action in Atlantic City is happening in casino showrooms. The dominant venue is the Etess Arena at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.

Their calendar is packed. Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart play May 24. Snoop Dogg is June 1. Patti LaBelle and the Commodores team up on June 7. Indian vocalist Shreya Ghoshal plays June 29. And Kesha is July 3.

Philly soul vets the O’Jays and Spinners share a bill on July 13, and Hank Williams Jr. gets rowdy on July 26. Ludacris and T.I. play July 27. Austin psychedelic soul band Black Pumas are on Aug. 3; Miranda Lambert is Aug. 31.

At the Borgata, John Legend plays solo at the Event Center on June 21 and Philly songwriter Amos Lee brings his “Transmissions Tour” to the Music Box on July 13. Andy Bell of Erasure is at Caesars on June 15, and Christopher Cross plays July 12 at Harrah’s.

Also July 12, Philly electro-jam band Disco Biscuits play the Bourbon Ballroom, the seriously underutilized venue that formerly housed the House of Blues and might be the nicest venue in town. On July 27, at Boardwalk Hall, Xscape and SWV team up for “the Queens of R&B” double bill.

In lieu of beach concerts, Live Nation is launching a beachside venue adjacent to the Showboat Hotel and its Island Waterpark. The Summer Concert Stage will host Peach at the Beach, a scaled down Peach Music Festival, which usually goes off on July 4 weekend in Scranton, Pa. The Atlantic City iteration is on July 13 with Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, Trouble No More, Karina Rykman, and Black Uhuru. No word if the venue will be used for more shows this summer.

There are some cool small scale Atlantic City shows, too. Anchor Rock Club hosts the kickoff of the 2024 tour by Tuareg desert blues band Mdou Moctar on June 5. Punk folk band Gutter Drunk play June 7. Kurt Vile and the Violators plus Philly guitarist Emily Robb are part of the North to Shore Festival on June 20, and the Feelies return to the Anchor on Sept. 20.

Now in its second year, the North to Shore festival — “The Festival Only Jersey Can Handle,” whatever that means — happens in June in Asbury Park, Atlantic City, and Newark.

We’ll stick to the Shore. In Asbury, the Stone Pony Summer Stage is busy with Gary Clark Jr. on June 12 and Band of Horses June 13. Dramarama is at the Wonder Bar and I Am the Avalanche is at Asbury Lanes, both on June 15.

Atlantic City highlights include a double feature screening of the hip-hop movies Beat Street and Wild Style at Union Hall Arts on June 19. Vile is up at the Anchor on June 20, smooth R&B with Eric Roberson and Avery Sunshine on June 21 is at Caesars, and a Latin pop double bill with Prince Royce & Wisin is at Boardwalk Hall that same night. On June 22, the B-52s are at Ocean Resort, Barenaked Ladies plays Tropicana, and Keyshia Cole, K. Michelle, and Jaheim sing at Boardwalk Hall, as part of the festival.

Speaking of Asbury, the Central Jersey Shore boardwalk town has Sir Chloe on June 2 and Built to Spill on Aug. 31, both at Asbury Lanes. Taylor Swift producer Jack Antonoff’s band Bleachers headlines Stone Pony Summer Stage with Bartees Strange and Philly’s the Wonder Years on June 15. T-Pain’s Mansion in Wiscansin party comes to the venue on June 21. Gaslight Anthem plays Aug. 16 and Waxahatchee is on Sept. 1.

But the Asbury dates to circle are Sept. 14 and 15, when Sea. Hear. Now sets up for the standout Jersey fest of the season. Noah Kahan headlines Saturday, with the Black Crowes, Sierra Ferrell, Peaches, and Robert Randolph. And then on Sunday, hometown boy made good Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band top the bill. Trey Anastasio Band, Norah Jones, and Kool & the Gang are also on the bill.

Firefly, the camping festival at the Woodlands at Dover Downs, just off Route 1 on the way to the Delaware beaches, is not happening for the second year in a row. But never fear, Phish is stepping in.

The jam band known for its marathon shows fronted by Anastasio is putting on a fest running Aug. 15 to 18. Mondegreen promises “Phish performing over four days and nights, alongside an array of interactive fan experiences, specially curated regional food and drink, art installations and much more.” The band’s recently completed run at the Sphere in Las Vegas spanned four thematically linked nights, so expect a similarly visually ambitious presentation.

Other Delaware shows to look out for: Michael Franti & Spearhead on June 26 and UB40 on July 7 at the Freeman Arts Pavilion in Selbyville. Also, Cowboy Mouth on June 21 and Sara Evans on June 23 at the Bottle & Cork in Dewey Beach.

One surfside multiday festival remains on the South Jersey sand: Barefoot Country Music Fest, which brings in 40 acts on five stages from June 20 to 23 in Wildwood. Each night features an A-list mainstream country headliner in Luke Bryan, Keith Urban, Kane Brown, and Old Dominion. Other notable names include Jake Owen, Oliver Anthony (whose 2023 viral hit “Rich Men North of Richmond” became a political football), veteran Jersey rocker John Eddie, Poison singer Bret Michaels, and rising stars the War and Treaty, Hailey Whitters, and Alana Springsteen (no relation).

Fans looking to line dance can keep the vibe going throughout the Wildwood summer at the HonkyTonk Saloon, a new bar that opened this month in the spacious site that was formerly the home of the Boardwalk Mall. Tuesdays are for karaoke, Wednesday is line dancing, and there will be live music Thursday through Saturday, with Brian McConnell playing every Friday night.

The Ocean City Music Pier concert series is back with Kenny G on June 25, Bernadette Peters with the Ocean City Pops on June 30, the Wailers on July 8, 10cc on July 29, the Mike Love-led Beach Boys with two shows each on Aug. 5 and 6, and Graham Nash on Aug. 26.

The Hooters make their annual trek to Cape May Convention Hall on Aug. 24 and 25. The Somers Point Beach Concert Series includes John Cafferty & the Beaver Brown Band on July 4, the Tony Mart Legacy Last Waltz featuring members of the Radiators and Bonerama on July 26 and Third World on Aug. 9.

The Lizzie Rose Music Room in Tuckerton brings in Lil Ed & the Blues Imperials on May 22, Davey Knowles on June 14, and Rolling Stones cover band Brown Sugar June 29.

Moving on to a back-to-nature festival happening on the way to — or the way back from — the Shore. Beardfest is “a three-day celebration of personal expression” June 13 to 16 at the Pinelands preserve in Hammonton, where Nik Greeley & the Operators and Kuf Knotz and Christine Elise are on the bill.