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ROCK ON! This Week's Sound Bites...5/21/15

By Danny Coleman

originally published: 05/22/2015


"2008 was the first "William Control" CD. I was between records; a lull in my career," says the enigmatic front man William Control of William Control and The Neuromantic Boys. "I don't know; I've got a lot of things in my head that need to get out." 
 
Upon first glance and if one were to judge a book by it's cover; the outward appearance of this Seattle, WA based artist and his work could be misconstrued. The use of implied domination and overt sexual implications on CD covers and the band web site alludes to such but not so says Control, who views the name of the band and his music differently than suggested. "The band name comes from the last record, "Neuromancer" and my book title," he explained in halting tones. "It's a new romantic revival really. My songs are written about romance; more about adoration or devotions really." 
 
Back home in Washington State, Control is a member of the popular band "Aiden," who have been recording since circa. 2003. "We're an original band with seven albums and even some on vinyl. Aiden is my dance but when not with them I do what I want to do; that's how William came about." 
 
Control isn't enthralled with the current music climate in Seattle but he does respect the town's uncanny ability to often seemingly be ahead of the current trends. "Umm, honestly? I don't know if there really is a music scene in Seattle and if there is; it is too cool for me. I mean the whole grunge and Nirvana thing; Seattle was ahead of the curve. By the time they hit television the city had already moved on to something else, which is why I'm not sure if I fit in but it's a cool town; there is none more so than Seattle." 
 
With an inventory of four CDs, DVDs and an EP under the William Control moniker, plans for a new Aiden disc in the works and the current "Punishment Tour" under way; it's a wonder William finds time to be inspired and to write new material. "Melodies come first and what doesn't inspire me to write these things is the question. There's so much out there; I see a tree or a stretch of road and I'm inspired. There's no one particular thing and I like it that way. The tour itself has been going great man. It started just over two weeks ago and all of the shows have been great." 
 
Fresh off of wrapping up shows in NJ and New York City along with road mates Requiem and Justin Symbol; the three bands are in sync with one another as they head out to the southern half of the U.S. with a show tonight in Atlanta, GA then on to Florida for a couple followed by a blitz through the southwest before heading up the west coast and back home. 
 
What can one expect when seeing William Control and The Neuromatic Boys? A lot of songs they love or they're going to love. There will be less talk and more rock."
 
William Control can be found at www.williamcontrol.com .
 
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. Paul Plumeri Band

Sun. 9 p.m. (TBA)

All shows 21+




 
Amarones Windsor Inn




29 Church St. Windsor




 

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(609) 448-7144

 

Thurs. 6:30 p.m. "Country" Ron Crites

Fri. 8 p.m. Gyrl Band

Sat. 8 p.m. After Dark

Tues. 8 p.m. Ambiance the Duo




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Blend Bar & Bistro

911 Highway 33, Hamilton

(609) 245-8887

 

Tues. 8 p.m. Triviajam 

 

The Backstage at Championship Bar 

931 Chambers St. Trenton

 





 

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Thurs.  6:30 p.m. Master, Solstice, Dismemberment, Hate Storm Annihilation. All ages, $15

Fri. 5 p.m. Anaal Nathrakh, Incite, Secrets Of The Sky, Ashen Wings, Eye Of Eternity, Johan Weimer, (TBA). All ages, $15

Sat. 5 p.m. Extractus, Johan Weimer, Doomsday Jesus, My Silent Winter, The Shit Show, Ne(me)sis, (TBA). All ages, $10

Sun. 5 p.m. Starkill, Malphas, Dark After Dawn, One Day Waiting, Damien The Cat, Animist, Divergence. All ages, $10/$12

 

Candlelight Lounge 

24 Passaic St. Trenton

(609) 695-9612



 

Sat. 3 p.m. Ladies In Jazz Special. (No cover-$10 minimum)

 

Chickie's & Pete's

183 US Highway 130 North Bordentown

(609) 298-9182

 

Tues. 8 p.m. Acoustic Music Night feat. The Dawgs

Wed. 9 p.m. Trivia Night

 

Dog & Bull Brew House

810 Bristol Pike (Rte. 13) Croydon, PA.

(215) 788-2855

 





 

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Thurs. 8 p.m. Soul Kitchen

Fri. (4 p.m.) "Happy Hour Jam" feat. Keli Vale Jazz Duo  (9 p.m.) Jay Regan

Sat. (11 a.m.) "Saturday Brunch Jam" feat. Michael Leggerie (9 p.m.) Wizard Duo

Sun. (11 a.m.) "Sunday Brunch" feat. Keli Vale Jazz Duo (3 p.m.) Brian Bortnick

Mon. 8 p.m.  Mike Cono

Tues. 8 p.m. Mark Macmanus

Wed. 8 p.m. Dick Gratton

 

Dubh Linn Square 

167 Rte. 130 North Bordentown

(609) 298-7100

 

Thurs. Ladies Night

Sun. 4 p.m. Irish Sessions

Mon. Military Day

 

Fran's Pub



116 S. Main St. New Hope, PA.

(215)862-5539

 

Thurs. 9 p.m. Curtain Call

Mon. 8 p.m. Open Blues Jam

All shows 21+ 

 

Havana New Hope

105 S. Main Street. New Hope, Pa. 

(215) 862-9897

 



Thurs. 10 p.m. "Beat The Clock" College Night DJ Dance Party

Fri. 9:30 p.m. DJ Dance Party


Sat. 8:30 p.m. Rusty

Sun. 6 p.m. JB Kline Band

Mon. 10 p.m. Karaoke w/ DJ Ron

Wed. 8 p.m. Pat Foran & Friends feat. Black Cat Habit

 

Ivy Tavern 

3108 S. Broad Street, Hamilton

(609) 888-1435

 

Thurs. 9 p.m. Karaoke

Fri. 10 p.m. F2 & the Anchovy Brothers

Sat. 10 p.m. Honey Spot Blvd. (CD Release Party)

All shows 21+



 

John & Peter's 

96 S. Main St. New Hope, Pa.

(215) 862-5981

 

Thurs. 9 p.m. Richard Loyd of Television

Fri. 9 p.m. The Hyde

Sat. (3 p.m.) The Fermenters  (9 p.m.) Brother Eye

Sun. (3 p.m.) Ran Tan Toon a Jazz Trio (9 p.m.) Collin J. Rocker

Mon. 9 p.m. Open Mic. w/ Tim

Tues. 9 p.m. DJ Aggreschen



Wed. 9:30 p.m. The Invitational

All shows 21+

 

JoJo's Tavern

2677 Nottingham Way Hamilton

(609) 586-2678

  

Wed. 10 p.m. Karaoke

 

Paint the Roses Tea and Café

37 West Broad Street Hopewell

(609) 466-8200

 

Sat. 11 a.m. Bryan Hill

 

Palermo's Of Hamilton

310 Klockner Rd. Hamilton

(609) 838-7979







 

Thurs. 9 p.m. Karaoke

Sat. 9 p.m. Out Of The Red

All shows 21+ 

 

Patriot's Crossing

1339 River Rd. Titusville

(609) 737-2780

 

Fri. 7:30 p.m. Audiopilot

Sat. 7:30 p.m. Kevin Toft & The All Star Band

 

Pete's Steak House

523 Whitehorse Ave. Hamilton

(609) 585-8008

 

Fri. 9:30 p.m. Tangled

Sat. 9:30 p.m. The Polish Nannies

 

Randy Now's Man Cave

134 Farnsworth Avenue Bordentown

(609) 424-3766

 

Check site for upcoming events

 

 RHO Waterfront








50 Riverview Plaza Trenton



(609) 393-7300

 

Thurs. Closed

Fri. (4 p.m.) Happy Hour Buffet. $10 (8 p.m.) DJ Bob E Luv (9 p.m.) Soul Cruisers

Sat. Social dance w/ DJ Entertainment. $25



All Shows 21+

Tavern On The Lake

101 Main St. Hightstown

(609) 426-9345

 



Fri. 9 p.m. Dragonfly

Sat. 9 p.m. Anything Goes

Wed. 8 p.m. Karaoke Night 

 

The HOB Tavern

146 Second Street

(609) 291-7020

 

Sat. 9 p.m. Karaoke

 

The Ivy Inn

248 Nassau St. Princeton

(609) 921-8555

 

Thurs. 10 p.m. Karaoke w/ DJ Ron

Fri. 10 p.m. Rainbow Fresh

Sat. 10 p.m. DJ Copacetic

Tues. 8 p.m. Quizzo w/ Bob E Luv

Wed. 8:30 p.m. Tune Trivia (10:30 p.m.) DJ Rockn Ron

 

The Millhill Basement

300 South Broad St Trenton

(609) 989-1600

 

Sat. 8:30 p.m. The Catholic Girls, (TBA)

 

The Record Collector

358 Farnsworth Avenue Bordentown

(609) 324-0880

 

Fri. 8 p.m. Bex Marshall Band. All ages, doors at 7:30 p.m., $15 (advance)

 

The Roost

181 Route 539 Cream Ridge

(609) 208-2500

 

Fri. 9 p.m. Out Of The Red 

 

The Sticky Wicket 

2465 South Broad St. Hamilton

(609) 439-0007

 

Sat. 9 p.m. Slightly Used (aka Dirty Red) 

 

The Sun National Bank Center 

81 Hamilton Ave. Trenton

(609) 656-3200

 

Check web site for upcoming events

 

The Yardley Country Club

1010 Reading Avenue Yardley, PA

(215) 493-4531

 

Fri. 6 p.m. Ernie White & Tom Reock

 

Tir Na Nog 

1324 Hamilton Ave. Trenton

(609) 392-2554

 




Fri. 5 p.m. Eugene Wilson & Joey Kramer

Tues. 9 p.m. Jerry Monk

All shows  21+

Trenton Buzz

702 Pine St. Trenton

(609) 392-6000

 

Thurs. 8 p.m. Open Mic. w/ Hek Cat

 

Trenton Social

449 South Broad Street Trenton

(609) 989-7777

 

Thurs. 8:30 p.m. Cinema Thursday Presents: (TBA) 

Fri. 7 p.m. First Friday

Sat. 10 a.m. Trenton Pork Roll Festival

Mon. 10 p.m. Service Industry Night w/ DJ-Jay Kountree 

Tues. 7 p.m. Open Mic.

 

Triumph Brewing Company (New Hope, Pa. Location)

400 Union Square New Hope, Pa.

(215) 862-8300

 

Fri. 10 p.m. The Get Right Band. ($5 cover charge)

Sat. 10 p.m. Josh Olmstead Band. ($5 cover charge)

Sun. 7 p.m. Open Jam Night



Tues. 9 p.m. Looseleaf Trio

All shows 21+

 

Wildflowers Inn



2572 Pennington Rd. Pennington

Sat. 9 p.m. Acoustic Rock 

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.



Joe

Joe Russo's Almost Dead

Thursday, November 12, 2026 @ 7:30pm
State Theatre New Jersey
15 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ

Joe Russo's Almost Dead is Marco Benevento, Dave Dreiwitz, Tom Hamilton, Scott Metzger and Joe Russo. We're a Grateful Dead cover band.

 
Mccarter

Mccarter At The Museum: An Evening With Jason Robert Brown

Thursday, November 12, 2026 @ 7:00pm
Princeton Art Museum
45 Elm Drive, Princeton, NJ

Join us for McCarter at the Museum - renowned performing artists in one-night only events at the Princeton University Art Museum. 


Jason Robert Brown is a four-time Tony Award-winning composer and lyricist of The Last Five Years, Parade, Songs for a New World, 13, The Bridges of Madison County, Honeymoon In Vegas and The Connector, has performed as a soloist or with his band in venues around the world, including sold-out shows at the London Palladium and Carnegie Hall. His albums as a singer-songwriter include Wearing Someone Else’s Clothes and How We React and How We Recover on Ghostlight, and Coming From Inside the House and Live In Concert with Stephen Sondheim on Concord.


With Special Guest Tony nominee Betsy Wolfe. Tony Award-nominated actress Betsy Wolfe is currently starring as Audrey in the acclaimed Off-Broadway production of Little Shop of Horrors, following her recent Broadway run as Madeline Ashton in the hit musical Death Becomes Her. She previously originated the title role in Joy, the new musical inspired by inventor Joy Mangano, and earned a 2023 Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her celebrated performance as Anne Hathaway in & Juliet. Other Broadway credits include starring as Jenna in Waitress, Cordelia in the acclaimed revival of Falsettos, Bullets Over Broadway, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Everyday Rapture, and 110 in the Shade, as well as her critically acclaimed performance as Cathy in the Off-Broadway revival of The Last Five Years. Wolfe made her Metropolitan Opera debut in Die Fledermaus and has appeared as a guest artist with more than 65 symphony, pops, and philharmonic orchestras worldwide, including the New York Philharmonic and BBC Symphony Orchestra, with performances at Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center. Her screen credits include First One In, Estella Scrooge, CBS’s Instinct, and the film adaptation of The Last Five Years. Wolfe is also the co-founder of BroadwayEvolved, the acclaimed musical theatre training program she launched in 2018 to train and mentor the next generation of theatre artists.


A limited number of early access tickets for McCarter Director’s Circle members and members of the Museum’s Partner Circle are available, on sale Wednesday, September 16, 2026 at 12:00 PM. General public on sale begins Friday, September 18, 2026 at 12:00 PM.


Please be aware there is no public drop-off or parking at the Museum. For visitors with mobility needs, please contact the Museum at least three business days in advance of your visit to request special access to the Museum via Elm Drive. Call 609-258-3788 and select option 1 to speak to a visitor services staff member, or email Louise Barrett at [email protected].

 
John

John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band

Friday, November 13, 2026 @ 8:00pm
Carteret Performing Arts & Events Center
46 Washington Ave, Carteret, NJ

The legendary Rhode Island multi-platinum rock’n’roll group JOHN CAFFERTY & THE BEAVER BROWN BAND began their career in 1973 and achieved mainstream success in the 1980s with the “Eddie & The Cruisers – Motion Picture Soundtrack”. The hit single “ON THE DARK SIDE” held the “#1” position on the Billboard Rock charts and the MTV video charts for five consecutive weeks.



 
Griffin

Griffin House

Friday, November 13, 2026 @ 7:30pm
Lizzie Rose Music Room
217 E. Main Street, Tuckerton, NJ

“If you are looking to be blown away by raw talent, then look no further than Griffin House.” —American Songwriter

 
Floyd

Floyd Pink - Celebrating The Music Of Pink Floyd

Saturday, November 14, 2026 @ 7:30pm
Lizzie Rose Music Room
217 E. Main Street, Tuckerton, NJ

FLOYD PINK is a Pink Floyd tribute band from the New York metro area, celebrating the music of Pink Floyd.  



 


 


EVENT PREVIEWS

(NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ) -- State Theatre New Jersey and Relix present Joe Russo's Almost Dead on Thursday, November 12, 2026 at 7:30pm. The band was formed in Brooklyn, NY in 2013. While they are a Grateful Dead cover band, they are known more for interpreting songs by the Dead rather than attempting to replicate the band's work.
NJPAC presents Gregory Porter with special guests Madeleine Peyroux and Catherine Russell

NJPAC presents Gregory Porter with special guests Madeleine Peyroux and Catherine Russell

(NEWARK, NJ) -- With a voice that can fill a concert hall and make every listener feel personally embraced, Gregory Porter has become one of the most beloved artists in contemporary jazz. On Friday, November 13, 2026 at 8:00pm, the two-time GRAMMY® winner returns to the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) with special guests Madeleine Peyroux and Catherine Russell for an evening of soulful expression, exquisite storytelling and remarkable vocal artistry, presented as part of the TD James Moody Jazz Festival.
Lizzie Rose Music Room presents Griffin House on Friday

Lizzie Rose Music Room presents Griffin House on Friday

(TUCKERTON, NJ) -- The Lizzie Rose Music Room presents Griffin House on Friday, November 13, 2026 at 7:30pm. Griffin House is an American singer-songwriter and storyteller who has been making records for over 20 years.
KANSAS to perform at Scottish Rite Auditorium on Friday

KANSAS to perform at Scottish Rite Auditorium on Friday

(COLLINGSWOOD, NJ) -- One of classic rock's most iconic bands, KANSAS, will perform at the Scottish Rite Auditorium on Friday, November 13, 2026 at 8:00pm. This "garage band" from Topeka released their debut album in 1974 after being discovered by Wally Gold, who worked for Don Kirshner, and have gone on to sell more than 30 million albums worldwide. A limited number of tickets remain.
NJPAC presents Jesse Cook on Saturday

NJPAC presents Jesse Cook on Saturday

(NEWARK, NJ) -- New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) presents Jesse Cook on Saturday, November 14, 2026 in the Victoria Theater at 8:00pm. A global artist in every sense of the term, Jesse Cook redefines music's power to connect people across cultures and continents.
Forte Piano Music Company presents Exquisite Contrasts: Haydn & Schubert Piano Trios

Forte Piano Music Company presents Exquisite Contrasts: Haydn & Schubert Piano Trios

(PARAMUS, NJ) -- The Forte Piano Music Company presents a Piano Trio Concert - "Exquisite Contrasts" - Haydn & Schubert on Sunday, November 15, 2026 at 2:30pm. This program brings together two landmarks of the piano trio repertoire, revealing the evolution of the genre from the Classical era to early Romanticism.
Mahwah Museum Hosts "Les Paul from Start to Finish" with Jim Wysocki

Mahwah Museum Hosts "Les Paul from Start to Finish" with Jim Wysocki

(MAHWAH, NJ) -- Come to the Mahwah Museum on Sunday, November 15, 2026 for a discussion of a 29-year friendship, rare memorabilia, and the story behind Les Paul's home with Mahwah Mayor Jim Wysocki from his nearly three-decade friendship with legendary musician and inventor Les Paul. The event begins at 2:00pm.
Atlantic City Punk Rock Flea Market - Holiday Edition to take place on Sunday

Atlantic City Punk Rock Flea Market - Holiday Edition to take place on Sunday

(ATLANTIC CITY, NJ) -- You can get your holiday shopping done on Sunday, November 15, 2026 when Anchor Rock Club hosts the Atlantic City Punk Rock Flea Market - Holiday Edition.  The event runs from noon to 6:00pm.
Song of the Meadowlark takes place on Sunday in Hopewell

Song of the Meadowlark takes place on Sunday in Hopewell

(HOPEWELL, NJ) -- Song of the Meadowlark takes place Sunday, November 15, 2026 at Highland Design Farm. This is a meditative rock odyssey weaving reimagined contemporary songs, stream-of-consciousness poetry, and live painting. Doors are at 2:00pm, showtime is 2:30pm.
Avenel Performing Arts Center presents Chris Smither

Avenel Performing Arts Center presents Chris Smither

(AVENEL, NJ) -- Chris Smither will perform at the Avenel Performing Arts Center on Wednesday, November 18, 2026 at 7:30pm. Born in Miami, during World War II, Chris Smither grew up in New Orleans where he first started playing music as a child. The son of a Tulane University professor, he was taught the rudiments of instrumentation by his uncle on his mother's ukulele.