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ROCK ON! This Week's Sound Bites...9/3/15

By Danny Coleman

originally published: 09/03/2015


On a warm, near perfect summer evening, Asbury Park, New Jersey's Stone Pony came alive to the sounds of its outdoor Summer Stage; headlined by Better Than Ezra along with Sugar Ray and Uncle Kracker on their "Under The Sun Tour."  
 
As the capacity crowd filed into the hallowed grounds of "The Pony," they were greeted by the sounds of a fourth act, Southern California's EVE6. Using power chords mixed with the right amount of today's pop sound, with a similar style at times to Linkin Park; they did a very nice job of getting the crowd moving and shaking towards the front of the stage. 
 
Three bands to follow and an odd 10 p.m. curfew led to short changeover/intermissions and Uncle Kracker wasted no time keeping the throngs and (yes) thongs in ready to rock condition. Beach goers, late arrivals and bopped along to a great set featuring hits such as "Follow Me," "In A Little While," "When The Sun Goes Down" and some great renditions of covers such as Sublime's "What I Got" along with some classics by AC/DC, Steve Miller, Kid Rock and my personal favorite; Dobie Grays "Drift Away." 
 
After surprising a handful of fans side stage whom thought they had an obstructed viewpoint by posing for multiple selfies;Sugar Ray emerged several minutes later to further the party which by now was in full swing. A quick stage romp included the hits"Every Morning" and "Fly" along with a nice mash up of "Someday" and The Rascals "Groovin'" which had arms in the air and bodies swaying throughout the approximate thirty minute set. 
 
Better Than Ezra was next and much like the first three acts performed a quick, hit and run yet very effective set and were the perfect closing act on this beautiful summer evening. "Good" was followed by "King of New Orleans" and "Extra Ordinary" and the band was on point and in rare form. Front man Kevin Griffin had the crowd literally on stage with him as the band plowed through "Laid" and a medley of "Miss You/Juicy/Rapper's Delight/O.P.P. Beach balls were flying, dancers were everywhere and the crowd in a frenzy as "Desperately Wanting" and "In The Blood" wrapped things up. The band was both impressive and very crowd friendly as the vibe at times was more like a back yard jam session among several thousand friends than a concert; kudos to BTE. 
 
Short sets or not, the night was a success and the audience very warm and receptive just as the tour name states; it was all good "Under The Sun." 
 
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. 9 p.m. "Thursday Jazz" feat. Sam Ward Trio

Sun. 9 p.m. Barley Harvest

All shows 21+









 

Blend Bar & Bistro

911 Highway 33, Hamilton

(609) 245-8887

 

Tues. 8 p.m. Triviajam 

 






Bruno's Bicycles, One Sweet Ride

19 South Main St. Allentown

(609) 208-0544

 

Fri. 7 p.m. Yo Yo Nick Frisbie, Becca Stover, Georgia w/ "The Band", Brandon Franks. All ages. 

 

The Backstage at Championship Bar 

931 Chambers St. Trenton

 

Fri. 4 p.m. King Conquer, Adaliah, Dealey Plaza, Enterprise Earth, Proletariat, Under The Red Hood, War Among Us. All ages, $12/$15





 

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Sat. 6 p.m. "Benefit for Tom Alderson's Medical Bills" feat. Garland Green, Ten Ton Hammer, Iron Price, Guttersnipe, Dissent. All ages, $5 minimum donation

Sun. 9 p.m. JE Double F, Sleep Beggar, Raymond Strife, Uni V. Sol, Aniya. Ages 21+, $6

 

Candlelight Lounge 

24 Passaic St. Trenton

(609) 695-9612



 

Sat. 3 p.m. Mike Lee Sax Quartet. (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

 

City Streets

510 Route 130 South East Windsor

(609) 426-9400

 

Sat. 10 p.m. Gyrl Band

 





 

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Dog & Bull Brew House

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

(215) 788-2855

 

Thurs. 8 p.m. Dane Rosenfeld

Fri. Vic's Mix

Sat. (11 a.m.) "Saturday Brunch Jam" feat. David Dzubinski Group (9 p.m.) Tommy Griggz

Sun. 11 a.m. "Sunday Brunch" feat. Dick Gratton

Mon. 8 p.m. The Keith Lesnik Trio

Tues. 8 p.m. Jay Regan

Wed. 8 p.m. Mia Johnson

 

Fran's Pub



116 S. Main St. New Hope, PA.

(215)862-5539

 

Sun. 3 p.m. The Mojo Gypsies

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. 8 p.m. "Little Feat Tribute" w/ Sailin' Shoes. Doors at 6 p.m., $15 (general admission)


Sat. 8:30 p.m. Coast 2 Coast

Sun. 2 p.m. Midnight Sun Orchestra

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

Wed. 8 p.m. Pat Foran & Friends 

 

Ivy Tavern 

3108 S. Broad Street, Hamilton

(609) 888-1435

 

Thurs. 9 p.m. Karaoke

Fri. 10 p.m. Ernie White Band

Sat. 10 p.m. Tangled

All shows 21+



 

John & Peter's 

96 S. Main Street New Hope, Pa.

(215) 862-5981

 

Thurs. 9 p.m. Collin J. Rocker & The Burning Barrels

Fri. 9 p.m. The Karmic Repair

Sat. (6:30 p.m.) Crosscut Saw (9 p.m.) The Hyde 

Sun. 3 p.m. Ran Tan Toon

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



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

 

Levitt AMP Trenton Music Series at the Capital Green

201 Barrack Street Trenton

 

Sat. 7 p.m. NJ Capital Philharmonic's Chamber Ensemble. All ages, outdoor event

 

Millhill Basement

300 S. Broad Street Trenton

(609) 989-1600

 

Please check web site for upcoming events

 

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. Sensei Juan & The Black Belts

Sat. 7:30 p.m. McMillan & Co. 

 

Randy Now's Man Cave

134 Farnsworth Avenue Bordentown

(609) 424-3766

 

Check Web Page for Upcoming Shows

 

RHO Waterfront








50 Riverview Plaza Trenton



(609) 393-7300

 

Thurs. 9 p.m. "College Night" w/ DJ Paul Desisto

Fri. (4 p.m.) Happy Hour Buffet. $10 (8:30 p.m.) The Soul Cruisers

Sat. 9 p.m. "All White Attire Party" w/ DJ Bark Da Ripper. Age 21+, Ladies $10 (advance) Guys $20 (advance)



Tavern On The Lake

101 Main St. Hightstown

(609) 426-9345

 



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. DJ Fatha Ramzee

Sat. 10 p.m. Mad Notes

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

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

 

The Sticky Wicket 

2465 South Broad St. Hamilton

(609) 439-0007

 

Fri. 9 p.m. Class of 84

Sat. 9 p.m. DJ Aero

 

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

 

Sat. 9 p.m. Mike Barniskis

Sun. 3 p.m. "Irish Sessions" w/ Kathy D'Angelo & Dennis Gormley

Tues. 9 p.m. Open Mic. w/ Taylor Reed




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 Presents: "Old Work Meets New" by Howard Michaels

Mon. 9 p.m. Monday Night Karaoke w/ Benny P

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. Challenge Accepted. ($5 cover charge)

Sat. 10 p.m. The Full Grown Men.($5 cover charge)

Sun. 7 p.m. Open Jam Night (Sign ups 6:30 p.m.)



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.