ROCK ON! This Week's Sound Bites...10/16/14
By Danny Coleman
originally published: 10/16/2014

"I loved it! I am so glad to be coming back! My last time there I had to restrain myself from pawing through the vinyl but I'm not so sure that I can this time," says the "Beehive Queen" and SNL band member Christine Ohlman about her return to The Record Collector in Bordentown City, NJ on November 8. "I'm a collector myself, so it's not easy (laughs)!"
Still on the road along with her band Rebel Montez, in support of her latest release, "The Deep End," Ohlman continues to wow audiences from small, intimate venues such as The Record Collector; to being the top draw at the W.C. Handy Music Festival in Muscle Shoals, AL. "I've been kind of busy," she chuckled once again with a laugh that's best described as infectious. "We went down to the Handy Festival in July and we were the top selling ticket; I was feeling very good about that. I got to meet and do a duo with Candi Station, she's one of my favorites of all time; so that was a huge thrill. I was also asked to be the Grand Marshall for the 2015 festival and I gladly accepted, which is a huge honor itself. We went to New Orleans for another festival and visited the new Orleans Musicians Clinic. The clinic people are going to be very active with the governor's decision to not accept the Medicaid provision of Obama Care, it's designed to help people like musicians who have no insurance or who can't afford it and without it many of our own will suffer; especially in this depressed economy. I also got to have dinner twice with Zachary Richard. I'd never met him; what an interesting man. I was very glad to have had that opportunity, not just once but twice."
A tireless worker, performer and entertainer, her most recent release "The Deep End" and her role since 1991 as the voice and "The Hive" of the SNL band have kept her hopping. Topping the "Alternate Root Readers Poll" as the "Top Americana Vocalist" of 2013 and sharing the stage with such rock 'n' roll luminaries as Black 47, Bruce Springsteen, Elvis Costello, Sting, Bill Medley and the list goes on and on; Ohlman is one of the most sought after personalities in music today.
With charm as big as her bee hive hairdo, Ohlman carries herself with a refreshing grace and confidence which making her only more appealing. Her strong character and make up have led to six studio albums and one live recording; multiple television appearances apart from her weekly SNL gig and repeated requests for studio work from near and far. Ohlman says of her career and "The Deep End," "It is going great! I consider myself very fortunate. The album has been picked on several year end "Top Ten" lists and is doing very well. Saturday Night Live is back for the season so I'm there and I've got plenty of studio work and live shows coming up to keep me going."
Ohlman is somehow also finding time to write and has begun the process of another studio album titled, "The Grown Up Thing" which is due out in 2015. "I've had the material to do this but I pay great attention to lyrics," she explained. "There are too many distractions on the road to write. It's easy to start lyrics on the road but tough to finish them; on and off tour buses and travel make it difficult. The success of "The Deep End" has delayed this next one but hey; that's a good thing right?"
After her appearance in Bordentown City, Ohlman's remaining dates in November and December are in Connecticut. "I've got shows coming up at the Mystic Cinema which is a great old theater all redone and is amazing, then a show at Café 9 which is sort of my home; I've debuted all of my CDs there."
So make sure to catch Christine Ohlman in her only Jersey and area appearance before heading home to finish out the year. Ohlman is engaging, funny and so talented that The Record Collector show promises to be a great night of music; especially in this small setting. The Record Collector is located at 358 Farnsworth Ave. in Bordentown City, NJ. More information and tickets, which cost $15 in advance and $20 at the door can be found at www.the-record-collector.com . To uncover more about the fascinating Christine Ohlman, please visit www.christineohlman.net .
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. Arnie Baird
Sun. 9 p.m. Corey Ross-Jenkinson
Wed. 10 p.m. Open mic. night
All shows 21+
Amarones Windsor Inn
29 Church St. Windsor
(609) 448-7144
Thurs. 6:30 p.m. Scott Gager & Debbie
Fri. 8 p.m. Kim Yarson Band
Sat. 8 p.m. Shore Soundz
Tues. 7:30 p.m. Texas Hold'em
Wed. 7 p.m. FREE Salsa Lessons
Big Shots Bar and Grill/Hebe Music Lounge
835 E Rte. 130 South, Burlington
(609) 267-1200
Sat. 7 p.m. Wade In The Water, In The Proxinimity of Rockets, Husky Bundles, Formless Form
Wed. 7 p.m. Open Mic.
Blend Bar & Bistro
911 Highway 33, Hamilton
(609) 245-8887
Fri. 6 p.m. Rich Schneider w/ Tom Schneider and Jim Paraino
Tues. 8 p.m. Triviajam
Candlelight Lounge
24 Passaic St. Trenton
(609) 695-9612
Sat. 3 p.m. Jillian Pressley Sax Quartet. (No cover-$10 minimum)
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
Sat. 5 p.m. Prospect, Deadletter, From Under The Willow, Order 66, The Uncommonly Good, Shadows of Dawn, Deadly Nights. All ages, $10
Wed. 4 p.m. Brightwell, Sirena, Restless Streets, (TBA). All ages, $10/$12
Chickie's & Pete's
183 US Highway 130 North Bordentown
(609) 298-9182
Tues. 8 p.m. Acoustic Music Night feat. The Dawgs
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
Wed. 9 p.m. Trivia Night
Fran's Pub
116 S. Main St. New Hope, Pa.
(215)862-5539
Sat. 8 p.m. Bob T & The T-Bones
Sun. 3 p.m. Joe Zook
Mon. 8 p.m. Open Mic Blues Jam hosted by Jimmy Pritchard
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 p.m. "Rock and Roll Over" a Tribute to KI//. Doors at 6 p.m., $15
Sat. 8:30 p.m. Slamm Band
Sun. 6 p.m. "River of Dreams" Billy Joel Tribute. Doors at 4 p.m., $15
Mon. 10 p.m. Karaoke in the Bar w/ DJ Ron Sherr and Bridget
Wed. 8 p.m. Pat Foran and Friends
All shows 21+
Ivy Tavern
3108 S. Broad Street, Hamilton
(609) 888-1435
Fri. 10 p.m. El Ka Bong
Sat. 10 p.m. Tangled
All shows 21+
John & Peter's
96 S. Main St. New Hope, Pa.
(215) 862-5981
Thurs. 9 p.m. The Mayflys w/ Dirty Boots
Fri. 9 p.m. Paul Gargiulo Band
Sat. (3 p.m.) The Trip Dogs (9 p.m.) Sugar Burns
Sun. (3 p.m.) Dick & The Deer Gutters (9 p.m.) The Hyde
Mon. 9 p.m. Open Mic. Night w/ Lauren
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
All shows 21+
Patriot's Crossing
1339 River Rd. Titusville
(609) 737-2780
Fri. 7:30 p.m. Blues In Disguise
Sat. 7:30 p.m. Kevin Toft and The All Stars
Pete's Steak House
523 Whitehorse Ave. Hamilton
(609) 585-8008
Fri. 9:30 p.m. Infinite Bandwidth
Sat. 9:30 p.m. Deep Release
RHO Waterfront
50 Riverview Plaza Trenton
(609) 393-7300
Thurs. 9 p.m. College Night w/ DJ Wessy Wes
Fri. (4:30 p.m.) Happy Hour w/ DJ Big Jae (8 p.m.) The Main Event Band "All Pink Dance Party"
Sat. 9 p.m. Latin Dance Event w/ Son Siete Band, DJ Dors
All Shows 21+
Sunsets at Cream Ridge
181 Rte. 539 Cream Ridge
(609) 208-2500
Fri. 9:30 p.m. John & Maggs
Sat. 9:30 p.m. On The Rocks
Tavern On The Lake
101 Main St. Hightstown
(609) 426-9345
Fri. 9 p.m. Groove Pocket
Sat. 9 p.m. Speed Limit
Wed. 8 p.m. Karaoke Night
The Ivy Inn
248 Nassau St. Princeton
(609) 921-8555
Thurs. 10 p.m. Karaoke w/ Ron Sherr
Fri. 10 p.m. All For Bettee
Sat. 10 p.m. Stereo87
Tues. 8 p.m. Quizzo w/ Bob E Luv
Wed. 10 p.m. Karaoke w/ Ron Sherr
The HOB Tavern
146 Second Street
(609) 291-7020
Fri. 9 p.m. DJ A3RO
Wed. 9 p.m. Matt & Rachel
The Record Collector
358 Farnsworth Ave. Bordentown
(609) 324-0880
Fri. 8 p.m. Frank Cervantes Band / Buffalo Stack. All ages, doors at 7:30 p.m., $12 (advance)
Sat 8 p.m. Kim Simmonds and Savoy Brown "CD Release Party." All ages, doors at 7:30 p.m., $35 (advance)
The Sticky Wicket
2465 South Broad St. Hamilton
(609) 439-0007
Fri. 9 p.m. River's Bend
Sat. 9 p.m. Chemical Martinis
All shows 21+
The Sun National Bank Center
81 Hamilton Ave. Trenton
(609) 656-3200
Check web site for upcoming events
Tir Na Nog
1324 Hamilton Ave. Trenton
(609) 392-2554
Fri. (5 p.m.) Tommy Glover (9 p.m.) Mike Brill
Sat. 9 p.m. Bob Daley
Sun. 2 p.m. The Dixiecrats
Tues. (7 p.m.) "Rock On Radio Happy Hour" hosted by Danny Coleman (9 p.m.) Matt Kennedy
Wed. 9 p.m. Bill Shannon
All shows 21+
Trenton Social
449 South Broad Street Trenton
(609) 989-7777
Thurs. 8 p.m. Cinema Thursdays Presents: "Industrial Scorpion Retrospective" the Films of Joshua Birkhimer Borden
Fri. 10 p.m. Friday night w/ Jay Kountree & Jaxx
Mon. 10 p.m. Service Industry Night w/ DJ-Jay Kountree
Triumph Brewing Company (New Hope, Pa. Location)
400 Union Square New Hope, Pa.
(215) 862-8300
Fri. 10 p.m. Turbine. $5 (cover charge)
Sat. 10 p.m. Paper Submatines w/ Commonwealth Choir. $5 (cover charge)
Sun. 7 p.m. Open Jam Night
Tues. 9 p.m. Acoustic Grateful Dead feat. members of Splintered Sunlight
Wed. 9 p.m. Terrapin Flyer w/ Mark Karan and Melvin Seals. $20
All shows 21+
Wildflowers Inn
2572 Pennington Rd. Pennington
Sat. 9 p.m. Live Acoustic Rock
Mon. 9 p.m. Karaoke
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

Gateway Playhouse to produce "Concert For A Cure" Fundraiser on June 28th
(SOMERS POINT, NJ) -- Gateway Playhouse is producing Concert for a Cure, a three-part show highlighting three different musical acts on June 28, 2026, as a special fundraising event for three different cancer organizations: the American Cancer Society (ACS), Gilda's Club of Linwood, and Wigs & Wishes by Martino Cartier of Sewell. The event will feature three original musical acts: Tide ll Moon, a Philadelphia- based indie rock band formed by Drexel University film students; Steven Lemon, a South Jersey indie pop/rock/folk artist with a songwriting career that spans two decades; and Rachel Burghen, a dynamic South Jersey crossover artist known for her soaring pop sound, accompanied by Brian Conover on piano.

Brandon Tomasello to open Ocean City Pops Season with One-Man Rat Pack Spectacular on June 28th
(OCEAN CITY, NJ) -- Acclaimed vocalist and entertainer Brandon Tomasello will open the 2026 Ocean City Pops season with his highly anticipated "One-Man Rat Pack" concert on Sunday, June 28, at the historic Ocean City Music Pier. The Rat Pack will come to life musically on stage as local favorite Tomasello presents the timeless and unmistakable sounds of this remarkable musical era. Showtime is 7:30pm.
The Vogel presents Billy Bragg with special guest Sweet Petunia on Sunday
(RED BANK, NJ) -- The Vogel presents Billy Bragg with special guest Sweet Petunia on Sunday, June 28, 2026 at 8:00pm. Limited tickets remain.

Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul to Headline Concert at ParkStage on July 3rd
(FREEHOLD, NJ) -- Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul will headline a concert at ParkStage on Friday, July 3, 2026 that fans of Jersey music will love. The lineup includes Jake Clemons Band, Joe Grushecky and the Houserockers with Gary U.S. Bonds, Low Cut Connie, and The Weeklings. Showtime is 4:00pm.

Flamingosis to Bring Bright Moments 10th Anniversary Tour to Newark Culture Club
(NEWARK, NJ) -- Flamingosis is the stage name of Aaron Velasquez, a New Jersey-based DJ, beatboxer, and electronic music producer who is coming to Newark Culture Club on Friday, July 3, 2026 at 10:00pm. A special set by one world's leading DJs/producers!

The Sandbox at Seastreak presents Badfish on July 4th
(HIGHLANDS, NJ) -- Badfish is a vibe. Badfish is a sonic house party complete with plenty of gyrating fans sipping libations and enjoying various extracurricular activities. Simply put, Badfish is feel-good music. See for yourself when Badfish performs at The Sandbox at Seastreak on Saturday, July 4, 2026 at 7:00pm. It's a great way to celebrate the holiday!

MPAC presents Darren Criss on July 9th
(MORRISTOWN, NJ) -- Tony, Emmy and Golden Globe winner Darren Criss returns to Mayo Performing Arts Center for an all-new solo show on Thursday, July 9, 2026 at 8:00pm. Since bursting onto the pop-culture landscape over a decade ago in Fox's hit TV show Glee, Darren Criss has embodied the kind of kaleidoscopic artistry that's entirely uninhibited by form or genre.

Asbury Lanes presents There, There (A Tribute to Radiohead) on July 11th
(ASBURY PARK, NJ) -- There, There (A Tribute to Radiohead) will perform at Asbury Lanes on Saturday, July 11, 2026. Doors open at 7:00pm, showtime is 8:00pm.

2026 Maplewoodstock Music + Art Festival to Take Place July 11-12
(MAPLEWOOD, NJ) -- Going on 20+ years, the annual, free, two-day Maplewoodstock Music + Art Festival will take place the weekend of July 11-12, 2026, in Memorial Park in Maplewood. The festival features performances by Anders Osborne, Lettuce, Slap Dragon, and Megan Jean's Secret Family. It kicks off with music at noon and ends around 9:30pm each night. As always, it is free and welcomes the entire community.
bergenPAC presents Warrant on July 12th
(ENGLEWOOD, NJ) -- Bergen Performing Arts Center (bergenPAC) presents Warrant on Sunday, July 12, 2026 at 7:00pm. The California band first hit it big in 1989 with their album Dirty Rotten Filthy Stinking Rich.
FEATURED EVENTS
