By Danny Coleman
originally published: 05/29/2014
Moot Davis is a Jersey boy through and through; just don't tell his music that however.
You see, this Jersey native from a suburban Trenton community pens some of the best honky tonk, old school style rock 'n' roll one will ever encounter outside of possibly Nashville or Memphis.
"Goin' In Hot" is the latest effort from this talented artist, who has literally travelled the globe in search of the right avenues for his music. "Right now I'm living in Hollywood," says Davis. "I'm doing some acting and hoping to place some songs in film and that industry is here."
"Goin' In Hot" is his fourth disc and perhaps his most interesting to date. The disc was completed only days before the studio in which the mixes were finalized, burned to the ground. Ironically the title had been decided prior to the incident in which, fortunately for Davis, the engineer was able to pull the finished product off of the partially melted and saturated computer in which they were stored.
There's no irony in this disc other than the title, as Davis has put together a great collection of material; which when compared to his other efforts, has a bit more of an edge. "Goin' In Hot," the title cut kicks off with a twangy, honky tonk guitar backed up by a nifty drum track that makes this a superb opening track.
"Food Stamps," the second offering, features lines like, "Livin' on food stamps and four bottles of two dollar wine," with a prototypical old school country rhythm and additional lyrics which evoke images of a rural farm town supermarket where two young coworkers are more worried about falling in love, than how they're going to pay for it.
"Just Left Home" seems to be a testament to the innocence of youth as it meets the real world in search of love and adventure. "Made For Blood" is next up and features a syncopated guitar that is guaranteed to get your head bobbing and have you playing air or dashboard drums to its catchy story line.
Davis pulls back a bit on the fifth of this thirteen track album; "Used to Call It Love." A neat ballad which features some very nice pedal steel guitar work by Gary Morse. Moot doesn't let one rest however, as he jumps right back into "Walk Alone," followed by the two steppin', upbeat "Midnight Train."
True to Davis form, Moot likes to throw a rumba type tune in here and there and "Hurtin' For Real," which features the additional vocals of songstress Nikki Lane; does not disappoint.
The ninth cut is entitled "The Reason" and pays homage to not only his mom but mothers the world over. "You're the reason, I am who I am, you're the reason that I say please, thank you ma'am. I just wanted to tell you how much you mean to me, hey ma' I love you, you made a man outta me."
"Love Hangover" details the feelings of a broken heart as compared to that of the kind which comes from a night of overindulgence. Another up tempo tune that is guaranteed to get your toes tapping and your feet shuffling, this one also paints a nice mental picture as well.
Keeping with the rocking theme of this disc, "Rag Man's Roll" hits the ground running right from the chute with a prominent yet at times subtle piano part capable of making Jerry Lee Lewis smile. A smokin' slide guitar played by Bill Corvino adds to the total overall feel of this rollicking tune.
"I Wanna Go Back" speaks of the demise of a relationship and the desire to revisit the past and atone for mistakes. This one paints a picture with lyrics perhaps better than many an artist could do on canvas. "I want one more night where we didn't fight and I said things just right and we held each other oh so tight..." A powerful ballad from the man's point of view about divorce and his obvious mistakes.
"25 Lights," with its blatant references to UFO abduction and escaping from our earthly realm, is definitely the odd man out on the disc. Even with a driving beat and exemplary guitar work, it just seems a tad out of place in comparison to the rest of the songs which make up this very fine collection. Whether Davis intends for it to be an attention grabber or he placed it there for another reason; it does not detract from the product whatsoever.
"Goin' In Hot" is well worth its price and is a fantastic piece of work by this Jersey boy who can be found performing all across this great land of ours. Currently, Moot and the band are touring the east coast with stops scheduled in various bar rooms, gin joints and honky tonks near you.
To see the complete tour schedule and discover more about Moot Davis, please go to www.mootdavis.com.
This space welcomes any suggestions and/or comments. Please send them to: [email protected]
That's it for this week! Please continue to support live and original music and until next week....ROCK ON!
THIS WEEKS CALENDAR LISTINGS
Alchemist & Barrister
28 Witherspoon Street Princeton
(609) 924-5555
Thurs. 10 p.m. John Morrison Jazz Trio
Sun. 9 p.m. Princeton Area Bluegrass Jam
Wed. 10 p.m. Open mic. night Hosted by Eric Puliti
All shows 21+
Amarones Windsor Inn
29 Church St. Windsor
(609) 448-714
Thurs. (6:30 p.m.)Pizza Night w/Scott Gager & Debbie (7:30 p.m.) Texas Hold'em
Sat. 8 p.m. Sounds of The Street
Tues. 7:30 p.m. Texas Hold'em
Big Shots Bar and Grill/Hebe Music Lounge
835 E Rte. 130 South, Burlington
(609) 267-1200
Fri. 8 p.m. Charles Laurita & The Mischief
Sat. 8 p.m. No Commitment
Wed. 8 p.m. Open Mic.
Blend
911 Rte. 33 Hamilton
(609) 245-8887
Mon. 9 p.m. Karaoke
Tues. 8 p.m. Trivia Jam
Chambers Walk Cafe
2667 Main St. Lawrenceville
(609) 896-5995
Fri./Sat. 6 p.m. Dick Gratton
The Backstage at Championship Bar
931 Chambers St. Trenton
(609) 394-7437
Fri. 6 p.m. Rhino Cerous, Paradigms, Codex, VIA, Regressor, Winchester. All ages, $8/$10.
Sat. 7 p.m. Navigating The Decline, Prospect, Ancora, Geniverse. All ages, $8/$10
Mon. 4 p.m. Dog Fashion Disco, Psychostick, The Bunny The Bear, Super Terrific Action Team, Making-Out With Medusa, Stiff Motion, Valacar, Marina, Graye. All ages, $12/$15
Dubh Linn Square
167 Rte. 130 North Bordentown
(609) 298-7100
Sun. 4 p.m.Billy O'neal
Tues. 9 p.m. Open Mic. Night hosted by Shaun Ruymen
Fran's Pub
116 S. Main St. New Hope, Pa.
(215)862-5539
Fri. 9 p.m. DJ Night
Sat. 8 p.m. Blue Meanies
Mon. 8 p.m. Open Mic Blues Jam
All shows 21+
Havana New Hope
105 S. Main St. New Hope, Pa.
(215) 862-9897
Thurs. "Beat The Clock" College Night DJ Dance Party
Fri. 8:30 p.m. The Loop
Sat. 8:30 p.m. Fish Out of Water
Sun. 2 p.m. Midnight Sun Orchestra
Mon. 10 p.m. Karaoke w/ DJ Ron Sherr and Bridge
Wed. 8 p.m. Heather Heather
All shows 21+
Ivy Tavern
3108 S. Broad Street, Hamilton
(609) 888-1435
Fri. 10 p.m. Gunsmoke
Sat. 10 p.m. Papa Deluxe
All shows 21+
John & Peter's
96 S. Main St. New Hope, Pa.
(215) 862-5981
Thurs. 9 p.m. Na Bodach
Fri. 8 p.m. Ammunition
Sat. 9:30 p.m. Atomic Age
Sun. (3 p.m.) Fungible Amalgam (9:30 p.m.) The Silks w/ Satellite Hearts
Mon. Open Mic.
Tues. 9 p.m. The Hoochie Coochie Men
Wed. The Invitational (Featuring John & Peter's House Band)
All shows 21+
JoJo's Tavern
2677 Nottingham Way Hamilton
(609) 586-2678
Wed. 10 p.m. Karaoke
Palermo's Of Hamilton
310 Klockner Rd. Hamilton
(609) 838-7979
Thurs. 9 p.m. Karaoke
Sat. 9 p.m. Meg Hanson and Billy Hill
All shows 21+
Patriot's Crossing
1339 River Rd. Titusville
(609) 737-2780
Fri. 7:30 p.m. McMillan & Co.
Sat. 7:30 p.m. Gary and Deana
Pete's Steak House
523 Whitehorse Ave. Hamilton
(609) 585-8008
Fri. 9:30 p.m. Blind Lemmon Pie
Sat. 9:30 p.m. Sonny Kenn
RHO Waterfront
50 Riverview Plaza Trenton
(609) 393-7300
Thurs. 9 p.m. College Night w/ DJ Jeff Scott Gould
Fri. (4:30 p.m.) P.K. Lavengoode (9 p.m.) Radio Fiction (10 p.m.) DJ Jimmie Palumbo
Sat. 9 p.m. DJs Steve Hype, Jack Muler, Fake Brit, Larry T
All Shows 21+
Sunsets at Cream Ridge
181 Rte. 539 Cream Ridge
(609) 208-2500
Thurs. 7:30 p.m. Billy Simmons
Fri. (6 p.m.) Rob Silvers Duo (9 p.m.) John & Carm
Sat. 9:30 p.m. Tangled
Mon. 7 p.m. Open Mic. and Karaoke w/ Rich Barry
Tavern On The Lake
101 Main St. Hightstown
(609) 426-9345
Fri. 9 p.m. Kickback
Sat. 9 p.m. El Ka Bong
Wed. 8 p.m. Karaoke Night
The Cool Cricket
216 4th St. Fieldsboro
(609) 291-9110
Fri. 9 p.m. Karaoke
Sat. 9 p.m. Crosswick / Gridlock
The Ivy Inn
248 Nassau St. Princeton
(609) 921-8555
Thurs. 10 p.m. Karaoke w/ Ron Sherr
Fri. 10 p.m. WPRB Spring Fundraiser Night
Sat. 10 p.m. River Dogs
Tues. 8 p.m. Quizzo w/ Bob E Luv
Wed. 10 p.m. Karaoke w/ Ron Sherr
The Record Collector
358 Farnsworth Ave. Bordentown
(609) 324-0880
Sat. 8 p.m. Professor Louie & The Crowmatix. All ages, doors at 7:30 p.m., $12 (advance).
The Sticky Wicket
2465 South Broad St. Hamilton
(609) 439-0007
Thurs. 9 p.m. Karaoke
Fri. 9 p.m. D*Luxe
Sat. 9:30 p.m. Out of The red
All shows 21+
The Sun National Bank Center
81 Hamilton Ave. Trenton
(609) 656-3200
Please check web site for upcoming events
Tir Na Nog
1324 Hamilton Ave. Trenton
(609) 392-2554
Fri. 9 p.m. Seamus Kelleher
Sat. 9 p.m. Tommy Glover
Sun. 3 p.m. Irish Sessions w/ Gormley & DeAngelo
Tues. (7 p.m.) Rock On Radio Happy Hour w/ Danny Coleman feat. John Patrick Bastiani and Margaret Lewis (9 p.m.) Open Mic.
All shows 21+
Trenton Social
449 South Broad Street Trenton
(609) 989-7777
Thurs. 8 p.m. Cinema Thursdays Presents: The Hire
Fri. 10 p.m. Friday night w/ Jay Kountree & Jaxx
Mon. 10 p.m. Service Industry Night w/ DJ-Jay Kountree
Tues. 9 p.m. LiveMusic/Open Mic.
Triumph Brewing Company (New Hope, Pa. Location)
400 Union Square New Hope, Pa.
(215) 862-8300
Fri. 10 p.m. Ellis Ashbrook. $5 (coverage)
Sat. (1 p.m.) Hobnail (10 p.m.) The Happy Dog. $5 (cover charge)
Sun. 7 p.m. Open Jam Night
All shows 21+
Villa Romanza
429 Rte. 156 Hamilton
(609) 585-1717
Sat. 8 p.m. Comedy feat. Kevin Downey Jr.
Wildflowers Inn
2572 Pennington Rd. Pennington
Sat. 9 p.m. Live Acoustic Rock
Mon. 9 p.m. Karaoke
All shows 21+
About the author:
Danny Coleman is a veteran musician and writer from central New Jersey. He hosts a weekly radio program entitled 'Rock On Radio' airing Sunday evenings at 7:00pm EST on ThePenguinRocks.com where he features indie/original bands and solo artists.
EVENT PREVIEWS
The Newton Theatre presents Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives on August 12th
(NEWTON, NJ) -- The Newton Theatre presents Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives on Wednesday, August 12, 2026 at 7:00pm. In a career spanning over 50 years, dozens of albums, and too many shows to count, Marty Stuart charts a course through new territory at every chance possible.
BoDeans - 40th Anniversary Tour comes to Newton Theatre in August
(NEWTON, NJ) -- BoDeans are celebrating the 40th anniversary of their critically acclaimed debut album, Love & Hope & Sex & Dreams, in 2026. In honor of the anniversary, the band has a special tour planned which comes to The Newton Theatre on Friday, August 14, 2026 at 8:00pm.
Music Box at the Borgata presents The Marshall Tucker Band on August 14th
(ATLANTIC CITY, NJ) -- Music Box at the Borgata presents The Marshall Tucker Band on Friday, August 14, 2026 at 7:30pm.
Christone "Kingfish" Ingram to Headline 2026 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival
(MORRISTOWN, NJ) -- Christone "Kingfish" Ingram has been announced as the headliner for the 2026 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. The free festival will be held on Saturday, August 15th on the Green. The music begins at noon and runs until 10:00pm. The lineup also includes James Langton New York All-Star Big Band, Richard Baratta Gotham City Latin/Jazz Septet, LaBamba and the Hubcaps, and Dylan Triplett.
The Newton Theatre presents Supernova: A Tribute to Oasis on August 15th
(NEWTON, NJ) -- Supernova: A Tribute to Oasis comes to The Newton Theatre on Saturday, August 15, 2026 at 8:00pm. They are an Oasis tribute band obsessed with recreating the raw energy, intensity and swagger of a real Oasis gig.
Rob Garrett's Neil Diamond: The Tribute comes to Atlantic City
(ATLANTIC CITY, NJ) -- The Grand at Golden Nugget Atlantic City presents Rob Garrett's Neil Diamond Tribute on Saturday, August 15, 2026 at 8:00pm. The longtime Las Vegas performer has been called "the best of the best" when it comes to tribute acts.
Showboat Resorts Garden Pier hosts RE-WIND 69' Music Festival
(ATLANTIC CITY, NJ) -- The inaugural RE-WIND 69' Music Festival at Showboat Resorts Garden Pier takes place August 14-16, 2026 - the anniversary weekend of the original Woodstock 1969 festival. This is a spectacular revival of a moment in American history when music united generations, healed communities, and sparked cultural change. For three unforgettable days, Atlantic City becomes a living time capsule, bringing the spirit of Woodstock and 1969 back to life through world-class recreations of the now legendary musical performances by a dynamic mix of New Jersey musicians along with national and international touring acts.
Widespread Panic to Play Three Nights at Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena
(ATLANTIC CITY, NJ) -- Widespread Panic is taking over Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena for three nights from August 14-16, 2026 with shows at 8:00pm each night. The popular jam band has been together over three decades. Tickets are available for each show individually or as a 3-Day Pass.
The Temptations to Bring the Motor City to the Ocean City Boardwalk on August 18th
(OCEAN CITY, NJ) -- Legendary Motown group The Temptations look to continue their celebrated touring schedule with a summer stop at America's Greatest Family Resort, Ocean City, New Jersey on Tuesday, August 18, 2026. The Rock & Roll Hall of Famers and multiple GRAMMY Award winners celebrate more than six decades of hits with their acclaimed live performances, remain one of the most enduring and influential groups in American popular music. Renowned worldwide for their signature harmonies, impeccable choreography, and an iconic catalog of timeless hits, their legacy continues to span generations.
Prudential Center presents Reggae stars Beres Hammond and Beenie Man on August 20th
(NEWARK, NJ) -- Newark will see a night of reggae's best when Beres Hammond and Beenie Man perform live at Prudential Center on Saturday, August 20, 2026 at 8:00pm. Experience the artistry of Beres Hammond, one of Jamaica's most esteemed vocalists, as he graces the stage with Marcia Griffiths and Baby Cham. It will be an exceptional evening featuring the captivating performances of reggae music, showcasing soulful melodies and heartfelt expressions.
FEATURED EVENTS
