New Jersey Stage logo
New Jersey Stage Menu


?>

 

Brett Altman Releases "Holding on to Now"


By Gary Wien

originally published: 12/18/2020


Hoboken based singer-songwriter Brett Altman released "Holding on to Now" on Friday, December 18th. The song features music & lyrics by Brett Altman and Max Feinstein. The song is about living in the moment, a task which Brett admits has always challenged him. 

"If you were able to see inside my head, you would find that I’m typically preoccupied with my past or focused on some unknowable future," explained Altman. "I suppose we all do this, as we try to process our lives and determine if we’re on the right track. The problem with this philosophy is that if we are so consumed by our own thoughts, we will miss out on the beauty of the here and now. Especially during this pandemic, it can be difficult to stay off our phones or remain grounded during our daily activities, but I’ve made it a practice to embrace what’s right in front of me. This song is my mantra and north star, and I hope it can serve listeners in the same way. If we can collectively spend more time in the present, I’m optimistic we will have stronger relationships and more meaningful experiences."

An official music video for "Holding on to Now" will be released on December 29. They filmed the whole video in Hoboken/Jersey City and Jersey readers should see some familiar sites throughout.   The video was filmed and edited by Ryan Canney at Riverbank Creative.

This song was born and then re-born through several different iterations. According to co-writer, Max Feinstein, "The song originated from an idea I had back in 2014, which originally saw a brief flirtation with John Oates as a collaborator, but we eventually shelved it.  After working with Brett on his initial releases, I was compelled to dust the song off and have another go."

Altman recalls getting together with Max to write the song in the summer of 2018 at Max's studio Silver Horse Sound in Hoboken. "During that first session, we wrote a cheerful pop/rock song about living in the moment. We brought Max’s band into the studio to record a demo, but we didn’t have a second verse and the song sat idle for months. During this time, my grandmother sadly passed away. I was left to think about all our memories together and noticed most of the recent ones were quite fuzzy. I realized that I wasn’t paying close enough attention to our final interactions. I took them for granted. Needless to say, I was awfully disappointed in myself. This experience drove me back to the song, and I ended up changing its overall tone and sonic landscape to more properly reflect my feelings on the subject matter. This process led us to the version you now hear today."




Advertise with NJ Stage for $50-$100 per month, click here for info



A self-described late bloomer, Brett Altman didn’t sing publicly until the age of 20. Just 21 months later, he performed in front of a crowd of 17,000 at Penn State University for a talent competition, which he won. He has since won Indie Nation’s Viral Music Competition, and released his first single, “Come Find Me”, through Sony Music’s The Orchard. One of his recent singles, “Full of You”, is described by Atwood Magazine as “easily among the most dynamic of Altman’s work, with its quick pulse and energetic, harmony-laden choruses maintaining a lively atmosphere from start to finish.”

Since moving to Hoboken, New Jersey in 2015, Altman has established himself in the Tri-State area music scene through gigs at Rockwood Music Hall, The Bitter End NYC, The Bowery Electric, and other local venues. His music is a fusion of pop and folk, with songwriting that illuminates moments of everyday life. His biggest musical influences are John Mayer, Jason Mraz, and Dave Matthews.

You can follow Brett Altman on FacebookInstagramSpotify, Apple MusicSoundcloud, and Twitter.

Photo by Hayley Altman.  Album artwork by Max Guliani @maximusupinNYc



Gary Wien has been covering the arts since 2001 and has had work published with Jersey Arts, Upstage Magazine, Elmore Magazine, Princeton Magazine, Backstreets and other publications. He is a three-time winner of the Asbury Music Award for Top Music Journalist and the author of Beyond the Palace (the first book on the history of rock and roll in Asbury Park) and Are You Listening? The Top 100 Albums of 2001-2010 by New Jersey Artists. In addition, he runs New Jersey Stage and the online radio station The Penguin Rocks. He can be contacted at gary@newjerseystage.com.



Advertise with NJ Stage for $50-$100 per month, click here for info


FEATURED EVENTS

ART | COMEDY | DANCE | FILM | MUSIC | THEATRE | COMMUNITY

To narrow results by date range, categories,
or region of New Jersey
click here for our advanced search.


Straight

Straight No Chaser - Summer: The 90’s Part 2

Tuesday, July 08, 2025 @ 7:00pm
Bergen Performing Arts Center (bergenPAC)
30 North Van Brunt Street, Englewood, NJ 07631
category: music


 

Frisson

Frisson Winds

Thursday, July 10, 2025 @ 7:30pm
The Morris Museum Back Deck
6 Normandy Heights Road, Morristown, NJ 07960
category: music


 

Three

Three American Troubadours: A Tribute to James Taylor, Carly Simon, and Carole King

Thursday, July 10, 2025 @ 7:30pm
Axelrod Performing Arts Center
100 Grant Avenue, Deal Park, NJ 07723
category: music


 

Candlelight

Candlelight Concert: Tribute to Queen and The Beatles

Friday, July 11, 2025 @ 7:00pm
Monmouth University - Pollak Theatre
400 Cedar Avenue, West Long Branch, NJ 07764
category: music


 

Motor

Motor City Revue

Friday, July 11, 2025 @ 7:30pm
Bell Theater
101 Crawfords Corner Road, Holmdel, NJ 07733
category: music


 



Advertise with NJ Stage for $50-$100 per month, click here for info





 

EVENT PREVIEWS

All-Bluegrass,

All-Bluegrass, All Night: Live at Albert Hall on July 12th

​​​​​​​(WARETOWN, NJ) -- On Saturday, July 12, 2025, Albert Music Hall will present an evening dedicated entirely to Bluegrass music. The event begins at 6:00pm and features six live performances, each offering a 30-minute set, showcasing both new and returning acts.



Jazz

Jazz Concert at Trenton City Museum will Feature the Joe Baione Vibraphone Experience

(TRENTON, NJ) -- Trenton City Museum will present a free jazz concert Friday, July 18, 2025 at the museum's Ellarslie Mansion in Cadwalader Park. Featuring world-renowned vibraphonist Joe Baione, the Joe Baione Vibraphone Experience is the first group to perform in a series of jazz events leading up to the museum's 2026 TRENTON MAKES JAZZ exhibition, in collaboration with the City of Trenton.



The

The Newton Theatre presents Tonight's the Night - a tribute to Rod Stewart

(NEWTON, NJ) -- Tonight's the Night - a tribute band that celebrates the music of Rod Stewart - will perform at The Newton Theatre on Saturday, September 27, 2025 at 8:00pm.



Hoboken's

Hoboken's Sinatra Park to Host Concert by Freedy Johnson and Karyn Kuhl and the Gang

(HOBOKEN, NJ) -- Local events organizer, Geri Fallo, who retired last year, is inviting you to celebrate with her, as she embraces new and exciting endeavors. Come enjoy a free evening of music in Hoboken's Sinatra Park (525 Sinatra Drive) on Thursday, July 17, 2025. The evening is presented by Mayor Ravi Bhalla, The Hoboken Division of Cultural Affairs, and Geri Fallo. The event is free, and music starts at 6:30pm. Come early for the best seating.



An

An Interview with Dan Kurtz of The New Deal

Formed in 1999, Toronto, Canada based trio The New Deal, is a pioneer in jam-based electronic music. The group was founded by remaining members Dan Kurtz (bass) and Jamie Shields (keys), along with Darren Shearer (drums) who left tND in 2011. Since its inception, tND has remained committed to its improvisational roots and has served as a model for other jamtronica bands bridging the gap between multiple music genres as well as the border between Canada and the United States.