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Makin Waves Song of the Week: “No Way to Live” by Colossal Street Jam

By Bob Makin

originally published: 11/26/2021


In anticipation of “No Way to Live,” Colossal Street Jam’s next album early next year, the title track is the Makin Waves Song of the Week. 

You gotta have faith to be a musician. Faith in your music, faith in yourself to pull it off, and faith in the music scene to do right by you. No band I know — and I’ve known this one since 1989 — have more faith than Colossal Street Jam.

Twenty years after the drag of adulthood ground the popular Jersey Shore rockers to a halt, they had the faith to launch the most successful comeback of an unsigned band I’ve ever seen. Albums, videos, international tours followed, then wham! Illness strikes, and it strikes hard. But the Street Jam continue to have the Colossal faith to continue. Then blammy, the whole scene shuts down from Covid. But, of course, Colossal’s faith makes them one of the first acts to start working steady again.

While illness recently struck once more, and a couple of shows had to be canceled, Colossal’s faith in their music, themselves, and the scene keeps plans right on track for a late January release of a single, video, album and new website. That work will follow and allows me to catch up with the title-track single from the forthcoming LP, “No Way to Live,” the Makin Waves Song of the Week.

As the Makin Waves Song of the Week, “No Way to Live” also can be heard between 6 and 8 p.m. on Nov. 26 on “Radio Jersey” at ThePenguinRocks.com




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No word yet when Colossal will be able to hit the road again, but I have faith it will be soon, and I know they do too. Watch here for another Song of the Week by them along with a video premiere on Jan. 21, as well as an Artist of the Month Interview in April to preview another international tour. 

For more, visit https://www.facebook.com/colossalstreetjam.

Bob Makin has produced Makin Waves since 1988. Follow Makin Waves on Facebook and contact Bob at [email protected]

PHOTO BY CONNIE FREESTONE
About the author:

New Jersey Stage is proud to be the home of Bob Makin's Makin Waves column since 2017. His Song of the Week column comes out every Friday. He also writes an Album of the Month and Interview of the Month as well.




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EVENT PREVIEWS

(BRADLEY BEACH, NJ) -- WBJB's Songwriters on the Beach presents Nicole Atkins on Thursday, July 16, 2026 at 7:00pm. Cory Blair will open the night. The free outdoor concert takes place at the Newark Avenue Beach in Bradley Beach.
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(FREEHOLD, NJ) -- Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul will headline a concert at ParkStage on Friday, July 17, 2026 that fans of Jersey music will love. The lineup includes Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul, Jake Clemons Band, Joe Grushecky and the Houserockers with Gary U.S. Bonds, and The Weeklings. Showtime is 4:00pm.
Scottish Rite Auditorium hosts An Evening with Patty Griffin & Kathleen Edwards

Scottish Rite Auditorium hosts An Evening with Patty Griffin & Kathleen Edwards

(COLLINGSWOOD, NJ) -- The Scottish Rite Auditorium hosts An Evening with Patty Griffin & Kathleen Edwards on Friday, July 17, 2026 at 8:00pm. The concert is presented by the Camden County Board of Commissioners.
LoMotion Live Presents America at 250: A Celebration in Song to Benefit Elks Army of Hope

LoMotion Live Presents America at 250: A Celebration in Song to Benefit Elks Army of Hope

(PARSIPPANY, NJ) -- LoMotion Live invites the community to an inspiring evening of music, storytelling, and patriotism with America at 250: A Celebration in Song, a special benefit cabaret on Friday, July 17, 2026 at the Parsippany Arts Center. Showtime is 7:30pm. Proceeds from the evening will benefit the Elks Army of Hope, a charitable program dedicated to providing assistance to veterans, active-duty military personnel, and their families during times of need.

The Menzingers to Celebrate Album Release at Stone Pony on Friday

(ASBURY PARK, NJ) -- The Stone Pony presents The Menzingers' Album Release Show on Friday, July 17, 2026. The band will be celebrating the release of "Everything I Ever Saw". At this point, the Philadelphia punk legends are an absolute institution.

Grounds For Sculpture and Third Way Cultural Alliance to Present an Intimate Evening of Art and Music on July 18th

(HAMILTON, NJ) -- Grounds For Sculpture (GFS) and Third Way Cultural Alliance announce a special evening celebrating the power of creative freedom through music, art and conversation. "Creative Freedom: A Salon Experience featuring Marshall Allen, Salvador Jiménez-Flores and Jamaaladeen Tacuma," will take place on Saturday, July 18, 2026 from 7:00pm to 10:00pm.

bergenPAC presents Swingtime Big Band on Saturday

(ENGLEWOOD, NJ) -- New York's high-powered Swingtime Big Band returns to Bergen Performing Arts Center (bergenPAC) on Saturday, July 18, 2026 to celebrate America250 by showcasing the popular music that kept Americans dancing for decades—from the Lindy and Fox Trot to the Cha Cha to the Twist! Showtime is 8:00pm.
DePue Brothers Band to Bring "Grassical" Music to Sewell

DePue Brothers Band to Bring "Grassical" Music to Sewell

(SEWELL, NJ) -- Music at Bunker Hill welcomes the DePue Brothers Band on Sunday, July 19, 2026 at 3:00pm. In a departure from the series' customary chamber music fare, the DePue Brothers Band has long coined their music with the term "grassical," the combination of bluegrass with jazz, blues, rock, folk, and classical.
Albert Music Hall

Albert Music Hall's "Back to Our Roots" Benefit on Sunday to Support Preservation of Pinelands Music History

(WARETOWN, NJ) -- Albert Music Hall will present Back to Our Roots, a special fundraising concert on Sunday, July 19, 2026, inviting music lovers to enjoy an afternoon of live performances while helping preserve an important piece of New Jersey's musical heritage.

Lizzie Rose Music Room presents Heather Maloney & Hayley Reardon on Sunday

(TUCKERTON, NJ) -- The Lizzie Rose Music Room presents Heather Maloney & Hayley Reardon on Sunday, July 19, 2026. Doors are at 7:00pm, showtime is 7:30pm.

 

FEATURED EVENTS


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Saturday, July 18, 2026 @ 7:30pm
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The Wag's Beatles Spectacular

Saturday, July 18, 2026 @ 7:30pm
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Heather Maloney & Hayley Reardon

Sunday, July 19, 2026 @ 7:30pm
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Blues For Greeny The Music of Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac

Wednesday, July 22, 2026 @ 7:30pm
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