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...
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].
