By Gary Wien
originally published: 08/06/2006
(ASBURY PARK, NJ) - On Saturday, August 5th Will Hoge returned to the Saint on a bill that also featured Rick Barry & The Mourning After and Almost There. People have been raving about Will Hoge's shows for years and after seeing him live it's easy to see why. It was an enormously fun night with great sets from all three acts, but Hoge's set might have been one of the best I've seen this year.
Almost There from Ocean Township kicked off the night. Dressed up in slick suits (thank God the heat wave broke the day before) they blazed through a rather energetic set of rock and roll tunes that had a solid pop rock base. A cover of the Beatles somewhat missed the mark but the band's originals were pretty solid. Speaking of the suits, are we experiencing some sort of Jersey Shore 60s image revival going on with Status Green and now Almost There both dressing up even during hot summer shows? Both bands have a serious 60s influence too. It's like Liverpool has taken over!
Rick Barry & The Mourning After followed. Well, actually a couple members of Rick's band couldn't make it so it was more like a "Rick Barry & Friends" show. Even with a makeshift band, it certainly didn't sound like one.
Rick opened with a solo performance of "Courage For A Rainy Day" - the song which was a finalist in the John Lennon Songwriting Contest for song of the year. He then brought the band on stage for the rest of the night. As the club began to fill, the crowd somewhat resembled an "Asbury-palooza" of sorts. The local music scene was well represented through member of Days Awake, Status Green, Woodfish, Maybe Pete, Last Perfect Thing, Divine Sign, and Agency.
Didn't anybody else have a gig on a Saturday night?
It was an interesting set from Mr. Barry. Probably due to the makeshift band, but this was the closest I've ever seen to a "Greatest Hits" night from him. Normally, he's debuting several songs per show. Tonight, he focused on the songs he's most known for. There were killer versions of "The Vixen" (a song that sounds a million times better with a band behind him), "Will You Be My Whore" (which probably appeared the earliest in a set I've ever seen Rick play it), "I've Got Your Number", "Wasteland" (which is my favorite Rick Barry song when he's doing a full band show), "Broken English" and "Stupid American Song".
I swear someday I'm gonna try convincing Rick to hire 20 beautiful models for a big show to sing backup on "Broken English". Maybe have them dancing in a steel cage - yeah, steel cages and bikinis! All I know is that it would be guaranteed to grab at least a few dozen new fans.
The great Will Hoge closed out the night. I'd been hearing tales of his Saint shows for years and finally got the chance to see him live. Let's just say that everything I was told was true. He truly is a spectacular live performer. And it was one of the most fun sets I've seen in a long time. The band reminds me of the first time I saw the Black Crowes on tour in the late 80s. They have the energy and passion of the Rolling Stones and the gritty raspyness of the Crowes. Hoge even sounds a bit like Chris Robinson.
Some highlights included "Man Who Killed Love" and "Pocketful of Change" off of his most recent CD and several cover tunes that rocked the house. The band did a very trippy cover of Chuck Berry's "Around and Around" - it kind of sounded how I would imagine Eric Burdon would have done it in the 60s. A wonderful cover of "Money (That's What I Want)" took the party to a new level, but it was the surprise of Van Halen's "Jump" that made the evening complete. Apparently "Jump" is one of the songs Will Hoge and his band fool with during soundchecks and always threatened to do live. With Russell on lead vocals, "Jump" was one of those moments you just had to see.
With his choice of covers it's easy to see why people have compared a Will Hoge show to an early Bruce Springsteen show. Both seem to enjoy taking classic songs that you know by heart but probably haven't heard it a while and simply have fun jamming with them on stage. On this night, it looked every bit like Will Hoge was having as much fun as the audience was.
Two people that weren't having much fun were from the Asbury Park Fire Marshall department who came to the club halfway through Hoge's set. Interesting to see them on a Saturday night, but their timing couldn't have been better as Adam Weisberg, the co-owner of the Saint and the club's legal arm, was in the house. Adam answered their questions and had them on their way within a few minutes. Another disaster avoided!
If you've ever wondered how a tiny club like The Saint gets people like Will Hoge to make a stop through town, Hoge offered up a hint tonight. He told a little story about when he first put the band together he was playing in New York City and needed additional places to play. A booking agent told him about the Saint and it wound up being one of the first places they played in the area. He then personally thanked Scott Stamper for giving him that chance. The loyalty so many artists show to Scott and the Saint is why the club is able to continually bring big names to town.
For an encore Will Hoge introduced a song that should appear on their next CD. It was a beautifully soulful number written from a woman's perspective. Hoge said the inspiration came from listening to an awful lot of Aretha Franklin on the road. And with that, the enormously fun night came to a close. From party songs to bluesy numbers to straight rock and roll, Will Hoge and his band did it all. If you've never seen him live, make sure to catch him next time he rolls through town. The cult is growing bigger each time...
About the author:
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. His personal website is at
lightyscorner.com. He can be contacted at
[email protected].
You can have your events appear here,
whenever someone reads an article about
ASBURY PARK
click here for more information
Singer/songwriter Evening In The Round
Saturday, November 07, 2026 @ 7:30pm
Lizzie Rose Music Room
217 E. Main Street, Tuckerton, NJSomething Special a round robin evening of music featuring a group of the finest singer/songwriter from our local area who come together for this one of a kind show not be missed
Freestyle Takeover 3
Saturday, November 07, 2026 @ 7:00pm
Carteret Performing Arts & Events Center
46 Washington Ave, Carteret, NJStarring Cynthia, The Jets, George Lamond, Johnny O, Nyasia, Denine and hosted by Dom G! Freaturing Dare Goes Da DJzz. After-Party available for additional fee. (Must purchase a show ticket to buy the After Party ticket)
The Righteous Brothers: Lovin’ Feelin’ Farewell Tour
Sunday, November 08, 2026 @ 3:00pm
Mayo Performing Arts Center (MPAC)
100 South Street, Morristown, NJBlue-eyed soul pioneers The Righteous Brothers are back! With a string of #1 clas-sics, including the most played song in radio history,
You’ve Lost
That Lovin’ Fee/in’, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame duo of Bill Medley and Bobby Hatfield topped the charts in four decades. After Bobby’s death in 2003, Bill Medley con-tinued to perform to sold-out crowds around the world, but fans and friends pleaded with him to keep The Righteous Brothers alive.
Beat: Belew/vai/levin/bozzio Performing The Music Of King Crimson
Monday, November 09, 2026 @ 8:00pm
NJPAC - Prudential Hall
1 Center Street, Newark, NJFollowing more than 100 acclaimed performances across North and South America, Europe, and Japan, BEAT returns this fall for the last North American tour. Former King Crimson members Adrian Belew and Tony Levin are joined by guitar virtuoso Steve Vai and legendary drummer Terry Bozzio to perform the music of the three landmark 1980s King Crimson albums—Discipline, Beat, and Three of a Perfect Pair.
Joe Russo's Almost Dead
Thursday, November 12, 2026 @ 7:30pm
State Theatre New Jersey
15 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick, NJJoe Russo's Almost Dead is Marco Benevento, Dave Dreiwitz, Tom Hamilton, Scott Metzger and Joe Russo. We're a Grateful Dead cover band.
EVENT PREVIEWS
Rick Steves Joins New Jersey Symphony for a Symphonic Journey Through Europe
(MORRISTOWN, NJ) -- Guidebook author and public television host Rick Steves joins New Jersey Symphony November 7–8, 2026 for Rick Steves' Europe: A Symphonic Journey, a concert that pairs Europe's most stirring Romantic-era anthems with high-definition travel footage and Steves' insights into European history.
Albert Music Hall to Celebrate Pinelands Folklore with Annual Jersey Devil Show on Saturday
(WARETOWN, NJ) -- Halloween may have come and gone, but the Jersey Devil is always lurking in the Pines! On Saturday, November 7, 2026, Albert Music Hall will celebrate one of New Jersey's most enduring legends with its annual Jersey Devil Show, an evening combining live music, storytelling, and the rich folklore of the New Jersey Pinelands.
The Newton Theatre presents Puss N Boots featuring Norah Jones, Sasha Dobson, and Catherine Popper
(NEWTON, NJ) -- The Newton Theatre presents Puss N Boots featuring Norah Jones, Sasha Dobson, and Catherine Popper on Sunday, November 8, 2026 at 7:00pm.
Grunin Center's "Jazz on a Sunday Afternoon" Celebrates 100 Years of Louis Armstrong's Hot Five Recordings
(TOMS RIVER, NJ) -- The Jay and Linda Grunin Center for the Arts' "Jazz on a Sunday Afternoon" series brings a century of jazz history to the stage this fall with a celebration of Louis Armstrong's groundbreaking Hot Five recordings, featuring trumpeter Andrew Stephens on Sunday, November 8, 2026 at 3:00pm.
U.K. Folk Trio, The Longest Johns, to Perform at The Vogel
(RED BANK, NJ) -- U.K. folk trio The Longest Johns will perform at the Vogel on Sunday, November 8, 2026. They are are known the world over for their rollicking harmonies and raucous energy, blowing new wind into the sails of traditional sea shanties and work songs. They are on a U.S. tour to support their latest release End of the Earth. Showtime is 7:00pm.
State Theatre New Jersey and Relix present Joe Russo's Almost Dead
(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
(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.
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, 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.
Princeton Folk Music Society presents Kate Taylor
(PRINCETON, NJ) — The Princeton Folk Music Society presents Kate Taylor on Friday, November 20, 2026 in an evening of upbeat and bubbling song filled with enthusiasm and love. The concert takes place at Christ Congregation Church in Princeton. Showtime is 8:00pm. A livestream option is available as well.
