Rock On! This Week's Sound Bites...3/5/20

"It's from a time when we were struggling to get shows in The States," he said with reflection in his voice. "We'd just played New York and we were leaving to go straight to Los Angeles because that was the only place that would give us a date and that was in two weeks' time. So as we were leaving Peter Gabriel said to me, "I just heard John Lennon giving an interview to WNEW and he said that Genesis was one of the bands that he was listening to;" so in my book, for me, the whole albums based 70's Genesis is somehow John Lennon approved. I realize the band became something else later on, we had a hit single off "Selling England" and then it was years before the band had another hit so that was a bit of a one off. What I love is the breadth of the album and the stories, obviously its Englishness but the opening track "Dancing with the Moonlit Knight" if there ever was a favorite Genesis track of mine that would have to be it because it goes through so many changes. It really lives up to the term progressive music because it doesn't sit still from the word go, it's like a time lapse film going from the past right through to the present day and it's ever more relevant with all of the issues that are raised in it; the word play, the musical references are so wide. It's a great tune, it shouldn't really work because its got so many influences but for me it does."

"Well, I also wanted to do a grand slam show and I thought that if I did two favorite albums and did them in their entirety; I chose "Selling England By The Pound" because it was my favorite Genesis album, "Spectral Mornings" because it was its fortieth anniversary last year and we ended up doing most of that but of course, "At The Edge of Light" my most recent studio album took off in the charts in 12 different countries so it was an embarrassment of riches in a way and I felt that I had to honor that and address that. So this year it's the fortieth anniversary of "Defector" so I'm doing a few things from that as well; last year we were doing "Dance on a Volcano" and "Los Endos" so we thought this year that we'd change it because we're going back to some of the same places. So we switched it to doing "Musical Box" and "Watcher of the Skies" from the Genesis era but there's plenty of time for my solo stuff as well believe me. We do a long comprehensive three hour show; you can't do everything because there isn't enough time to do everything all at once. There has been a lot of albums from Genesis, a lot of albums on my own, lots of different styles but this is a cross section of stuff."

Upon looking back, Hackett couldn't help but chuckle a bit about Genesis's early struggles for commercial acceptance but as always, hard work and perseverance helped win over what would become a loyal fan base; oh yeah and they received a little help from a popular television show along the way.

"That's funny how that works isn't it? I think a lot of that Genesis stuff wasn't always a case of instant conversion for people; it took a long time before we were really taken into America's Heartland. We were able to tour in certain areas, we weren't able to tour the south for a very long time until we did The Mike Douglas Show and the effect of that nationwide family show suddenly brought changes. We were suddenly able to play Showco's home town; they were the outfit that provided our lights and our sound and they were based in Dallas, we just weren't able to do it prior. It was a very different kind of homegrown music that was coming out of that area and here we were this typically British band that had unfathomable lyrics and a far cry from down home rock 'n' roll. Thankfully the walls came down but it was a result of a lot of touring. I'm always grateful for those breaks and without that; would it have taken off for us? I think no, we might have stayed at college radio level or clubs perhaps."

So does life on the road ever get old or tedious for him and the band? Does he ever find it a challenge to breathe fresh life into old material? How does this quintessential prog-rock deal with the daily grind of being a touring musician? Hackett replied with conviction and also with some advice for aspiring artists.

"Well, we are taking back the "Selling England" show, it's our second crack at it in some of the same territories but on this tour we are covering some places that we haven't done before; parts of Canada that are, let's just say, less well known. I'm looking forward to doing those, everywhere is interesting to me, everywhere we tour. I like being on the road, I like the challenge of it; it's not relaxing getting on stage but it's enlivening. You know that you've got to be on your mental game, you know that you're gonna wrestle with the same things every night but it's worth it when it comes off. It's its own currency whether you make money at it or not; it might feed you and put food on the table but if it doesn't do that it is still food for the soul and if you don't make a living at it, chances are you haven't bartered the muse. You know, that very thing that engaged you in the first place and nobody knows when they're going to get their big break that's going to make it the mainstreaming of what was once a hobby; it's almost imperceptible when it happens and I always say never give up because it might just be around the corner; that big break that you've been looking for."

Once the North American portion of the tour is done he has no plans of slowing down; as was mentioned earlier he has a full schedule lying in wait.

"I've got a busy year, we do Cruise to The Edge again out of Florida. I'm taking my mother on that one, she hits the big 9-0, she's going to be the most experienced person on that boat," he said with a laugh."We go to Australia, New Zealand, Japan this year and I've got a European and UK tour later in the year with a change of set; it's a busy old time. I'm still putting the finishing touches on the autobiography as I said earlier for which I'm eternally grateful because I've got holes in my fingers where the pen was (laughs)."

After a one night engagement in Englewood at the Bergen PAC, the band heads to one of their favorite "Haunts;" the Scottish Rite Auditorium in South Jersey. Just what is so special about this old building?

"We always love playing there, there's something about the atmosphere of the place; some say it's haunted and some of the guys in the band have had rather extraordinary experiences there but I always think that the place acts like an amplifier. There's some places that have acoustics that act like an amplifier so whatever you're doing that's amplified the hall gives it back in droves. So when you hit those bass pedals and the building starts shaking, yeah you're never going to be quiet at The Scottish Rite; it's a very powerful gig. We always see a lot of friends there and we're looking forward to it tremendously."

To discover more about Steve Hackett, the current tour or purchase tickets; please visit www.hackettsongs.com.

That's it for this week! Please continue to support live and original music and until next week....ROCK ON!

This week's event listings

Amalfi's Kitchen & Bar
146 Lawrenceville-Pennington Road Lawrenceville
(609) 912-1599
Sat. 9 p.m. Darkwater

Artworks Trenton
19 Everett Alley Trenton
(609) 394-9436
Sat. 12 p.m. "Art Making Day"

Bailey's Bar & Grille
6922 Bristol-Emilie Road Levittown, PA
(215) 946-7992
Sat. 7 p.m. Soul Custody

Bill's Olde Tavern
2694 Nottingham Way Hamilton
(609) 586-0192
Thurs. 7 p.m. "Ladies Night"
Ages 21+

Blend Bar & Bistro
911 Highway 33 Hamilton
(609) 245-8887
Sat. 9 p.m. "Back In The day" Dance Party w/ DJ John Rossi

Bordentown Elks
11 Amboy Road Bordentown
(609) 298-2085
Sat. 8 p.m. Karaoke

Bowman's Tavern
1600 River Road New Hope, PA
(215) 862-2972
Thurs. 6:30 p.m. Andrea Carlson Trio
Fri. (5 p.m.) Bennett Lee (8 p.m.) Bob Egan
Sat. 7 p.m. Dave Dales Trio
Sun. (12 p.m.) "Blues for Brunch" w/ Steve Guyger (6 p.m.) Lorenzo
Mon. 6 p.m. Andy Prescott
Tues. 6 p.m. Ryan Mayersky
Wed. 6 p.m. Lorenzo

Brickwall Tavern & Dining Room
19 E. Union Street Burlington
(609) 733-3562
Wed. 7 p.m. Quizzoholics

Broken Goblet Brewing
2500 State Road Bensalem, PA
(267) 812-5653
Thurs. 7 p.m. Mike Estabrook
Fri. 8:30 p.m. "First Friday" w/ Cara Cartney
Sat. 8:30 p.m. Kinky Quizzo
Tues. 7:30 p.m. "Local Music Forum #1" Hosted by Jay Grosse & Mike Lock w/ Mike Estabrook
Wed. 8 p.m. Open Mic w/ Dana Collins
All Shows 21+

BSB Gallery
143 East State Street (Suite 4) Trenton
(609) 599-3268
Sat. 11 a.m. "Collective Expeditions Exhibit" (5 p.m.) "Drink & Draw"

Candlelight Lounge
24 Passaic Street Trenton
(609) 695-9612
Thurs. 6 p.m. Thursday Night Blues Jam Hosted by The Mojo Gypsies. $5 (Includes hot buffet)
Sat. 3 p.m. (TBA) $10 (cover charge/$10 Minimum includes buffet)

Championship Bar
931 Chambers street Trenton
(609) 396-5457
Sat. 8 p.m. World Sucks (EP Release Party), Jaws, Dab Nebula, Wade Wilson. Ages 21+, $8
Mon. 8 p.m. "Art Chill Night"
Tuesday 8 p.m. "Jam Night" Hosted by Nikki & Caleb
Wed. 9 p.m. Comedy Open Mic. Ages 21+

Chickie's & Pete's

183 US Highway 130 North Bordentown
(609) 298-9182
Tues. 8 p.m. Acoustic Music Night
Wed. 9 p.m. Quizzo Trivia

City Streets
510 Highway 130 South East Windsor
(609) 426-9400
Sat. 9:30 p.m. ArHouse
Mon. 9 p.m. "Malibu Mondays"
Tues. 9 p.m. Trivia w/ Jessie & Chelsea
Wed. 6:30 p.m. "Wine Down Wednesdays" w/ Rich Genoval

COARadio.com
125 South Main Street Hightstown
(609) 241-7103
Sun. 7 p.m. "Rock On Radio" feat. The Paul Nelson Band (Rebroadcast from 2/22/20)

Conservatory Mansion
540 East State Street Trenton
(609) 858-2279
Sun. 3 p.m. 20/30 Somethings Second Sunday Brunch. $10

Continental Tavern
2 North Main Street Yardley, PA
(215) 493-9191
Sat. 8:30 p.m. Bridge Beat Duo

Cook A.A.
411 Hobart Avenue Hamilton
(609) 586-5117
Thurs. 7:30 p.m. "Karaoke at The Cook" Hosted by Superstar Entertainment
Sat. 9 p.m. The Drunk Monkeys

Cooper's Riverview
50 Riverview Plaza Trenton
(609) 393-7300
Thurs. (4 p.m.) Happy Hour (9 p.m.) "Late Night Thirsty Thursdays" Ages 21+
Fri. (4 p.m.) Sunset Happy Hour" (8 p.m.) Unleashed
Sat. 8 p.m. "Social Saturdays" feat. Small Potatoes / Close But Free Cigars
Sun. 11 a.m. "Sunday Brunch"
Mon. 7 p.m. Country Line Dancing w/ Jeremy Line Dance. $10
Tues. 7 p.m. Karaoke w/ Karen and Mark
Wed. 8 p.m. Blues Night w/ Joe Zook and Friends
All Events Ages 21+

Dacey's Pub
215 West Philadelphia Avenue Morrisville, PA
(215) 295-4838
Fri. 7 p.m. Acoustic Music Night
Wed. 8 p.m. Quizzo

Dog & Bull Brew House
810 Bristol Pike (Rte. 13) Croydon, PA.
(215) 788-2855
Sat. 11 a.m. "Saturday Brunch"
Sun. 11 a.m. "Sunday Brunch"

Friendly's
1031 Washington Boulevard Robbinsville
(609) 426-9203
Sun. 5:30 p.m. Open Mic and Karaoke

German American Society
215 Uncle Pete's Road Hamilton
(609) 585-5200
Sun. 12 p.m. German American Supper. $20

Greenhouse
90 South Main Street New Hope, PA
(215) 693-1657
Thurs. 8 p.m. "Musical Chair" (Rotating Live Music)
Sat. 9 p.m. Einstein Bridge
Tues. 8 p.m. Open Mic Hosted by Sam Ryan
Wed. 8 p.m. Trivia Hosted by Dwayne Dunlevy

Grover's Mill Coffee House

Princeton-Hightstown Road Princeton Junction
(609) 716-8771
Thurs. 6:30 p.m. Open Mic. Hosted by Anker

Halo Pub
4617 Nottingham Way Hamilton Square
(609) 586-1811
Sat. 7 p.m. John & Carm

Hamilton Tap & Grill
557 US Route 130 North Hamilton
(609) 905-0925
Thurs. 6 p.m.
Fri. 9 p.m. Karaoke
Sat. 9 p.m. Ess Gees Duo
Tues. 8 p.m. Quizzoholics Trivia
Wed. 7 p.m. Country Night. $5

Havana New Hope

105 S. Main Street New Hope, PA.
(215) 862-9897
Fri. (8 p.m.) "St Baldricks Cancer Fundraisering Head Shaving Event w/ Bigg Romeo. (12 a.m.) DJ Dance Party
Sat. (8:30 p.m.) Shot of Southern. $8 (12 a.m.) DJ Dance Party
Sun. 5 p.m. Soul Cruisers. Doors open at 3 p.m., $20
Mon. 9:30 p.m. Karaoke w/ Dwayne
Tues. 8 p.m. "Funk N Blues Jam" Hosted by Slidewinder Blues Band
Wed. 8 p.m. Original Music Showcase Hosted by Pat Foran feat. Corey & Kara

Hopewell Theater
5 South Greenwood Avenue Hopewell
(609) 466-1964
Thurs. 7 p.m. "Different Decade Dance Party: Disco." $15
Fri. 8 p.m. Adam Ezra Group. $21.50, $23.50
Sat. 11 a.m. / 1 p.m. "Born to Learn: The Montessori Story" w/ Alex Mitnik. $15
Sun. 7 p.m. "In Search of Chopin." $15

Hopewell United Methodist Church
20 Blackwell Avenue Hopewell
(609) 466-0471
Fri. 7 p.m. Open Mic Night
Sat. 2 p.m. Shenanigans.

Hopewell Valley Bistro & Inn
15 East Broad Street Hopewell
(609) 466-9889
Thurs. 6 p.m. "Jazz On Broad" Hosted by Phil Orr feat. Michelle Lordi w/ Nick Millevoi and Mathew Parrish. $15 (Ages 22 and under $5)
Fri. 8 p.m. Open Mic Night
Sun. 3 p.m. "Irish Sessions"

Hopewell Valley Vineyards
46 Yard Avenue Pennington
(609) 737-4465
Thurs. 6 p.m. John & Carm
Fri. 6 p.m. "Music & Merlot" feat. Just Us
Sat. 6 p.m. "Music & Merlot" feat. Rainbow Fresh
Sun. 3 p.m. "Jazzy Sundays" feat. Matt Robinson

Hurricane Jacks Bar and Grill
7759 New Falls Road Levittown, PA
(267) 914-4517
Fri. (6 p.m.) Happy Hour w/ Casey Welborn (9 p.m.) Union
Sat. 9:30 p.m. SamStorm
Tues. 9 p.m. Karaoke w/ Paula & Sam

Irish Rover Station House
1033 South Bellevue Avenue Langhorne, PA
(215) 970-5412
Fri. (8 p.m.) Acoustic Music (9:30 p.m.) DJ Entertainment
Sat. (7 p.m.) Acoustic Music (9:30 p.m.) Low Totem
Sun. 3 p.m. "Acoustic Sunday" feat. Se7en Band
Wed. 8:30 p.m. Trivia

Iron Plow Vineyards
26750 Mount Pleasant Road Columbus
(732) 306-9111
Fri. 7 p.m. Jon Savage Duo
Sat. 1 p.m. John & Carm
Sun. 1 p.m. Bob & Dave

Iron Plow Vineyards Tasting Room
61 High Street Mt. Holly
(732) 306-9111
Thurs. 7 p.m. Ed Wilson
Fri. 7 p.m. Don The Medicine Man
Sat. 7 p.m. Gregg Parker

Ivy Tavern
3108 S. Broad Street, Hamilton
(609) 888-1435
Thurs. 9:30 p.m. Karaoke
Fri. 9 p.m. Mark Sacco, Greg Bascik and Big D
Sat. 9 p.m. Honey Spot Blvd
All shows 21+

Jake's Eatery
869 Bustleton Pike Richboro, PA
(215) 322-6787
Thurs. 7 p.m. "Ladies Night"
Wed. 8 p.m. Trivia Night

Jimmy's Firestone American Grill
140 Route 130 South Bordentown
(609) 291-0200
Thurs. 8 p.m. "Bar Games and Trivia"

John & Peter's
96 S. Main Street New Hope, Pa
(215) 862-5981
Fri. 9 p.m. Red Rover Revue "Nerd Nite Edition" Hosted by D20 Burlesque. $10
Sat. 8 p.m. "A Benefit for Joe Rose" Hosted by Jonah Lloyd, Tim Nayfield, August Forming, Lauren Williams and feat. Bill and Fred's Excellent Adventure, Jonah and Friends w/ Sarah Essie Riddle / Calla Bere and The Attitude, The Mixxtape.
Mon. 9 p.m. Open Mic
Wed. 9 p.m. The Invitational
All shows 21+

Killarney's Publick House
1644 Whitehorse-Mercerville Road Hamilton
(609) 586-1166
Thurs. 6 p.m. "Girls Night Out"
Sat.10 p.m. DJ Jimmy G
Sun. 3 p.m. "St. Patrick's Day Kick-off Party Fundraiser"
Tues. 7 p.m. "Jameson Tasting" w/ Special Guests

Laurita Winery
85 Archertown Road New Egypt
(609) 752-0200
Thurs. 7 p.m. An Evening of Music w/ The Manasquan Music and Dance Academy
Fri. 7 p.m. "Battle of The Decades" Dance Party.
Sat. 12 p.m. "Shamrock Festival" (4:30 p.m.) The Successful Failures
Sun. 12 p.m. "Shamrock Festival"

Logan Inn

9 South Main Street New Hope, PA
(215) 862-2300
Fri. 7 p.m. Paul Elwood
Sat. 7:30 p.m. Bonnie Boland
Sun. 11 a.m. "Jazz Brunch" feat. Zeke Stambovsky

Mamma Rosa's
572 Klockner Road Hamilton
(609) 588-5454
Wed. 7 p.m. Karaoke

Marcellos Coal Fired Restaurant & Pizza
206 Farnsworth Avenue Bordentown
(609) 298-8360
Sun. 11:30 a.m. "Blues Brunch"

McGuinn's Place
1781 Brunswick Avenue Lawrence
(609) 392-0599
Fri. 9:30 p.m. "Flawless Friday"
Tues. 9 p.m. Karaoke
Ages 21+

McStews Irish Sports Pub
5316 New Falls Road Levittown, PA
(215) 949-9570
Thurs. 10 p.m. "Beer Pong Night"
Sat. 9 p.m. Michael Graves (Acoustic) w/ Johnny Ott, Riverside Odds, Trouser. Ages 21+, Doors open at 7 p.m., $15 (advance)

Millhill Basement
300 S. Broad Street Trenton
(609) 989-1600
Fri. 9 p.m. Public Serpents, Seeing Snakes, Honah Lee, SophistipunX. Ages 21=, $10
Sat. 8 p.m. Solar Circuit, The Business, FUNGKSHUI. Ages 21+, $10 (advance)
Tues. (9 p.m.) Millhill Experiment

New Hope Winery
6123 Lower York Road New Hope, PA
(215) 794-2331
Fri. 8 p.m. A Tribute to Van Morrison w/ "Into The Mystic." Doors open at 7 p.m., $35. (SOLD OUT please check venue for ticket availability)
Sat. 8 p.m. Chely Wright. Doors open at 7 p.m., $35

Newtown Brewing Company
103 Penns Trail Newtown, PA
(215) 944-8609
Thurs. 7:30 p.m. Movie Night: "Captain America: Civil War"
Fri. 7 p.m. E-Miners

Nook's PourHouse
2043 Route 130 South Florence
(609) 447-0927
Tues. 8 p.m. Trivia Tuesday w/ Quizoholics

Nottingham Tavern
9 Mercer Street Hamilton Square
(609) 587-6623
Thurs. (7 p.m.) "Rock On Radio Happy Hour" Hosted by Danny Coleman feat. Chin & Blum. (9:30 p.m.) Karaoke w/ Super Dave Curtis
Fri. 9 p.m. Blind Lemmon Pie
Sat. 9 p.m. Asylum Choir
Ages 21+

O'Connors American Bar & Grille
1383 Monmouth Road Easthampton
(609) 261-1555
Sat. 3 p.m. "St. Patrick's Day Parade After Party" w/ The Kennedys
Wed. 6 p.m. "Guinness Glass Giveaway"

Old Town Pub
135 Farnsworth Avenue Bordentown
(609) 291-9232
Thurs. 8 p.m. Quizzoholics Trivia
Fri. 9 p.m. Gypsy Mother
Sat. 9 p.m. Tom TV

Palermo's Of Hamilton
310 Klockner Road Hamilton
(609) 838-7979
Thurs. 8 p.m. Karaoke
All shows 21 +

Palmer Square
Nassau Street Princeton
Thurs. 4 p.m. "Skating On The Square" $10 (Includes skate rental)
Fri. 4 p.m. "Skating On The Square" $10 (Includes skate rental)
Sat.12 p.m./4 p.m. "Skating On the Square" $10 (Includes skate rental)
Sun 12 p.m./4 p.m. "Skating On the Square" $10 (Includes skate rental)

Patriots Crossing
1339 River Road Titusville
(609) 737-2780
Thurs. 8 p.m. Open Mic Night
Sat. 7 p.m. MLC Band
Tues. 7:30 p.m. Bill Shannon
Wed. 7 p.m. "Quizzo"

Patriot's Theater at The War Memorial
1 Memorial Drive Trenton
(609) 984-8400
Sat. 9 a.m. "American Dance Championships"

Pete's Steak House
523 Whitehorse Avenue Hamilton
(609) 585-8008
Fri. 9:30 p.m. Polish Nannies

Pj's Pancake House & Tavern
19 Main Street Robbinsville
(609) 772-4755
Tues. 6:30 p.m. Open Mic Night

Princeton Elks Lodge #2129
354 Route 518 Blawenburg
(609) 466-4945
Wed. 6:30 p.m. Country Dance Night

Revere Restaurant
802 River Road Ewing
(609) 882-6365
Thurs. 8:30 p.m. Keep The Change
Fri. 9 p.m. Rachel & Ty
Sat. 9 p.m. Danny Lynch Project

River Cat Cafe`
142 South Main Street New Hope, PA
(215) 693-1008
Mon. 6 p.m. "Monday Night Jazz"

Rossi's Bar & Grill
2110 Whitehorse-Mercerville Road Hamilton
(609) 890-2004
Thurs. 7 p.m. Ernie White

Salon 33
794 Alexander Road Princeton
Sat. 3 p.m. "Celebrate Yourself-You are a Star" w/ Sur Aur Taal

Small World Coffee
14 Witherspoon Street Princeton
(609) 924-4377 x2
Sat. 8 p.m. Chris Harford and The Band of Changes

Sparky World Famous Beer Garden
4333 New Falls Road Levittown, PA
(215) 943-2321
Thurs. 9 p.m. Karaoke
Fri. 9 p.m. DJ Dance Parties w/ the Paula & Sam Livingston
Sat. 9:30 p.m. Never Enough
Mon. 9 p.m. Game Night w/ Kid Dalton
Tues. 8 p.m. Johnny Betz

Spellbound Brewing
10 Lippincott Lane #12 Mt. Holly
(609) 832-0077
Sat. 12 p.m. "Parade Day: Bands, Beers and Blend"

Starbucks Coffee (Trenton Community Store)
102 South Warren Street Trenton
(609) 393-0261
Sat. 3 p.m. Open Mic

1867 Sanctuary
101 Scotch Road Ewing
(609) 392-6409
Fri. 8 p.m. Marc Berger. $20
Sat. (3 p.m.) Domra and Mandolin Alexandrov-Skliar Duo. $20 (8 p.m) Gene Bertoncini and Josh Marcum. $20
Sun. 3 p.m. "If These Stones Could Talk" an Author Talk/Fundraiser presented by the Ewing Township Preservation Society w/ Beverly Mills and Elaine Bock. $15

Tara's Tavern
1 Cookstown-New Egypt Road, Wrightstown
(609) 286-2300
Fri. 10 p.m. Ernie & Lisa
Sat. 10 p.m. Psycho Misfits

Tavern On The Lake
101 Main Street Hightstown
(609) 426-9345
Fri. 9 p.m. Suspended Justice
Sat. 9 p.m. Black Rose

Temperance House
5 South State Street Newtown, PA
(215) 944-8050
Thurs. 7 p.m. Blues Open Mic Hosted by Steve Guyger
Sat. 7 p.m. AudioPilot
Tues. 8 p.m. Trivia w/ Righteous Jolly
Wed. 7 p.m. Open Mic Night w/ Cara Cartney

Terhune Orchards
330 Cold Soil Road Princeton
(609) 924-2310
Sun.12 p.m. "Sunday Music Series" feat. Jerry Monk

Tessara's
812 Route 33 Hamilton
(609) 584-1700
Wed. 8 p.m. Karaoke

The Birdhouse Center For The Arts
7 North Main Street Lambertville
(215) 681-4660
Tues. 7:30 p.m. Not Just Nyckleharpa Orchestra

The Cool Cricket
216 Burlington Street Fieldsboro
(609) 291-9110
Fri. 9 p.m. Karaoke
Sat. 9 p.m. The Suspects

The Cure Insurance Center
81 Hamilton Ave. Trenton
(609) 656-3200
Check website for upcoming events

The Deck Restaurant and Bar @ the Bucks County Playhouse
70 South Main street New Hope, PA
(215) 862-2121
Thurs. (2 p.m.) Sam Ryan (7 p.m.) Matt Gordeuk
Fri. (2 p.m.) Sam Ryan (7 p.m.) Flip Band
Sat. (2 p.m.) Matt Gordeuk (7 p.m.)
Sun. (2 p.m.) Sam Ryan (7 p.m.) Matt Gordeuk
Tues. 7 p.m. Aidan Holtz
Wed. 7 p.m. Open Mic Hosted by Bob Egan

The Dubliner
34 North Main Street New Hope, PA
(215) 693-1816
Fri. 7 p.m. Ray Coleman
Sat. 7 p.m. Na Bodach

The Five Four Bar & Grill
8919 New Falls Road Levittown, PA
(215) 547-5525
Fri. 9 p.m. Scatter Shot
Sat. 9:30 p.m. Big Whiskey

The HOB Tavern
146 Second Street Bordentown
(609) 291-7020
Fri. 8 p.m. DJ Entertainment
Sun. 1 p.m. Open Circle
Wed. 8 p.m. Open Mic Night

The Ivy Inn
248 Nassau Street Princeton
(609) 921-8555
Thurs. 10 p.m. Karaoke w/ DJ Rockin' Ron
Fri. 10 p.m. DJ Fatha Ramzee
Sat. 10 p.m. DJ Darius the 1st
Tues. 8 p.m. Quizzo w/ Bob E Luv

The Pines Tavern
6217 North Radcliffe Street Bristol, PA
(215) 788-1659
Sun. 3 p.m. Soul Custody Trio

The Roost
181 Rte. 539 Cream Ridge
(609) 208-0050
Sun. 4 p.m. Dick Gratton

The Sticky Wicket
2465 South Broad Street Hamilton
(609) 439-0007
Fri. 9 p.m. "Retro Fridays" Hosted by Vibe DJs feat. Guest DJs

The Sycamore Grill
255 North Sycamore Street Newtown, PA
(215) 908-6326
Thurs. 7 p.m. Bob Rotondo
Fri. 8 p.m. Stage Left
Sat. 8 p.m. Mid Life Crisis
Sun. 3 p.m. Steve Tesluk

The Union Firehouse
18 Washington Street Mount Holly
(609) 288-6491
Thurs. (4 p.m.) Happy Hour (7 p.m.) "Open Jam" Hosted by Brian Corry
Fri. (4 p.m.) Happy Hour (8 p.m.) Don't Call Me Francis. $10
Sat. "St. Patrick's Day Parade" (11 a.m.) The Williamsboy (1 p.m.) Bruce Springsteen Tribute w/ "Bobby Jean" (4 p.m.) Ethan & Jeremy's "Students Rock Recital" (5 p.m.) Happy Hour (7 p.m.) Diarmuid MacSuibhne

The Vibe Lounge at Mastoris
Route 130 and Route 206 Bordentown
(609) 298-4650
Thurs. 5 p.m. Free Buffet and Live Music w/ Dave Boucher
Tues. 7 p.m. Trivia

Tindall Road Brewing Co.
102 Farnsworth Avenue Bordentown
(609) 526-8651
Thurs. 5 p.m. "Thirsty Thursdays"
Fri. 7 p.m. "First Fridays" w/ The Williamsboy
Sat. 7 p.m. Jim Gavin
Sun. 1 p.m. 2nd Sunday Jam Session

Tir Na Nog
1324 Hamilton Avenue Trenton
(609) 392-2554
Fri. 9 p.m. Billy O'Neal
Sat. (12 p.m.) "Kick-off to St. Patrick's day Season" / Diarmuid MacSuibhne (9 p.m.)Billy Walsh & Kevin McCloskey
Wed. 7 p.m. Open Mic Hosted by Monk & Monk
All Shows 21+

Train Wreck Distillery
25 Madison Avenue Mount Holly
(609) 288-6300
Sat. 7 p.m. Radio Fiction

Trenton Buzz
702 Pine Street Trenton
(609) 392-6000
Fri. 8 p.m. Live Band & Open Mic.
Sat. 10 p.m. "Buzzed Saturdays" w/ Bockman

Trenton Social
449 South Broad Street Trenton
(609) 989-7777
Thurs. 5 p.m. "Happy Hour" Hosted by Jay Kountree
Fri. 7 p.m. "First Friday"
Mon. 9 p.m. "Monday Night Karaoke" Hosted by Sweets
Tues. 7 p.m. Open Mic Night
Wed. 6 p.m. Dick Gratton

Triumph Brewing Company (New Hope, Pa. Location)
400 Union Square New Hope, Pa.
(215) 862-8300
Thurs. 8 p.m. Trivia
Sat. 10 p.m. Pearl Jam Tribute w/ "The Ledbetters." $5 (cover charge)
Sun. 7 p.m. Open Stage
All shows 21+

VFW Post 491
9 Fisher Place Yardville
(609) 585-9645
Fri. 8 p.m. Karaoke
All shows ages 21+

Wildflowers Inn
2572 Pennington Road Pennington
(609) 773-2392
Sat. 9 p.m. Acoustic Rock Night
Mon. 9 p.m. "Moonshine Mondays" Trivia

Working Dog Winery
610 Windsor Perrineville Road Hightstown
(609) 371-6000
Sat. 1 p.m. Spoondrift

WWFM 89.1 FM HD2 Radio
MCCC Old Trenton Road West Windsor
Jazzon2.org
Mon. 7 p.m. "Danny Coleman's Got The Blues"

Yankee Doodle Tap Room
10 Palmer Square Princeton
(609) 921-7500
Thurs. 8 p.m. Dueling Piano Night

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 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 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].