By Danny Coleman
originally published: 05/29/2014
Moot Davis is a Jersey boy through and through; just don't tell his music that however.
You see, this Jersey native from a suburban Trenton community pens some of the best honky tonk, old school style rock 'n' roll one will ever encounter outside of possibly Nashville or Memphis.
"Goin' In Hot" is the latest effort from this talented artist, who has literally travelled the globe in search of the right avenues for his music. "Right now I'm living in Hollywood," says Davis. "I'm doing some acting and hoping to place some songs in film and that industry is here."
"Goin' In Hot" is his fourth disc and perhaps his most interesting to date. The disc was completed only days before the studio in which the mixes were finalized, burned to the ground. Ironically the title had been decided prior to the incident in which, fortunately for Davis, the engineer was able to pull the finished product off of the partially melted and saturated computer in which they were stored.
There's no irony in this disc other than the title, as Davis has put together a great collection of material; which when compared to his other efforts, has a bit more of an edge. "Goin' In Hot," the title cut kicks off with a twangy, honky tonk guitar backed up by a nifty drum track that makes this a superb opening track.
"Food Stamps," the second offering, features lines like, "Livin' on food stamps and four bottles of two dollar wine," with a prototypical old school country rhythm and additional lyrics which evoke images of a rural farm town supermarket where two young coworkers are more worried about falling in love, than how they're going to pay for it.
"Just Left Home" seems to be a testament to the innocence of youth as it meets the real world in search of love and adventure. "Made For Blood" is next up and features a syncopated guitar that is guaranteed to get your head bobbing and have you playing air or dashboard drums to its catchy story line.
Davis pulls back a bit on the fifth of this thirteen track album; "Used to Call It Love." A neat ballad which features some very nice pedal steel guitar work by Gary Morse. Moot doesn't let one rest however, as he jumps right back into "Walk Alone," followed by the two steppin', upbeat "Midnight Train."
True to Davis form, Moot likes to throw a rumba type tune in here and there and "Hurtin' For Real," which features the additional vocals of songstress Nikki Lane; does not disappoint.
The ninth cut is entitled "The Reason" and pays homage to not only his mom but mothers the world over. "You're the reason, I am who I am, you're the reason that I say please, thank you ma'am. I just wanted to tell you how much you mean to me, hey ma' I love you, you made a man outta me."
"Love Hangover" details the feelings of a broken heart as compared to that of the kind which comes from a night of overindulgence. Another up tempo tune that is guaranteed to get your toes tapping and your feet shuffling, this one also paints a nice mental picture as well.
Keeping with the rocking theme of this disc, "Rag Man's Roll" hits the ground running right from the chute with a prominent yet at times subtle piano part capable of making Jerry Lee Lewis smile. A smokin' slide guitar played by Bill Corvino adds to the total overall feel of this rollicking tune.
"I Wanna Go Back" speaks of the demise of a relationship and the desire to revisit the past and atone for mistakes. This one paints a picture with lyrics perhaps better than many an artist could do on canvas. "I want one more night where we didn't fight and I said things just right and we held each other oh so tight..." A powerful ballad from the man's point of view about divorce and his obvious mistakes.
"25 Lights," with its blatant references to UFO abduction and escaping from our earthly realm, is definitely the odd man out on the disc. Even with a driving beat and exemplary guitar work, it just seems a tad out of place in comparison to the rest of the songs which make up this very fine collection. Whether Davis intends for it to be an attention grabber or he placed it there for another reason; it does not detract from the product whatsoever.
"Goin' In Hot" is well worth its price and is a fantastic piece of work by this Jersey boy who can be found performing all across this great land of ours. Currently, Moot and the band are touring the east coast with stops scheduled in various bar rooms, gin joints and honky tonks near you.
To see the complete tour schedule and discover more about Moot Davis, please go to www.mootdavis.com.
This space welcomes any suggestions and/or comments. Please send them to: [email protected]
That's it for this week! Please continue to support live and original music and until next week....ROCK ON!
THIS WEEKS CALENDAR LISTINGS
Alchemist & Barrister
28 Witherspoon Street Princeton
(609) 924-5555
Thurs. 10 p.m. John Morrison Jazz Trio
Sun. 9 p.m. Princeton Area Bluegrass Jam
Wed. 10 p.m. Open mic. night Hosted by Eric Puliti
All shows 21+
Amarones Windsor Inn
29 Church St. Windsor
(609) 448-714
Thurs. (6:30 p.m.)Pizza Night w/Scott Gager & Debbie (7:30 p.m.) Texas Hold'em
Sat. 8 p.m. Sounds of The Street
Tues. 7:30 p.m. Texas Hold'em
Big Shots Bar and Grill/Hebe Music Lounge
835 E Rte. 130 South, Burlington
(609) 267-1200
Fri. 8 p.m. Charles Laurita & The Mischief
Sat. 8 p.m. No Commitment
Wed. 8 p.m. Open Mic.
Blend
911 Rte. 33 Hamilton
(609) 245-8887
Mon. 9 p.m. Karaoke
Tues. 8 p.m. Trivia Jam
Chambers Walk Cafe
2667 Main St. Lawrenceville
(609) 896-5995
Fri./Sat. 6 p.m. Dick Gratton
The Backstage at Championship Bar
931 Chambers St. Trenton
(609) 394-7437
Fri. 6 p.m. Rhino Cerous, Paradigms, Codex, VIA, Regressor, Winchester. All ages, $8/$10.
Sat. 7 p.m. Navigating The Decline, Prospect, Ancora, Geniverse. All ages, $8/$10
Mon. 4 p.m. Dog Fashion Disco, Psychostick, The Bunny The Bear, Super Terrific Action Team, Making-Out With Medusa, Stiff Motion, Valacar, Marina, Graye. All ages, $12/$15
Dubh Linn Square
167 Rte. 130 North Bordentown
(609) 298-7100
Sun. 4 p.m.Billy O'neal
Tues. 9 p.m. Open Mic. Night hosted by Shaun Ruymen
Fran's Pub
116 S. Main St. New Hope, Pa.
(215)862-5539
Fri. 9 p.m. DJ Night
Sat. 8 p.m. Blue Meanies
Mon. 8 p.m. Open Mic Blues Jam
All shows 21+
Havana New Hope
105 S. Main St. New Hope, Pa.
(215) 862-9897
Thurs. "Beat The Clock" College Night DJ Dance Party
Fri. 8:30 p.m. The Loop
Sat. 8:30 p.m. Fish Out of Water
Sun. 2 p.m. Midnight Sun Orchestra
Mon. 10 p.m. Karaoke w/ DJ Ron Sherr and Bridge
Wed. 8 p.m. Heather Heather
All shows 21+
Ivy Tavern
3108 S. Broad Street, Hamilton
(609) 888-1435
Fri. 10 p.m. Gunsmoke
Sat. 10 p.m. Papa Deluxe
All shows 21+
John & Peter's
96 S. Main St. New Hope, Pa.
(215) 862-5981
Thurs. 9 p.m. Na Bodach
Fri. 8 p.m. Ammunition
Sat. 9:30 p.m. Atomic Age
Sun. (3 p.m.) Fungible Amalgam (9:30 p.m.) The Silks w/ Satellite Hearts
Mon. Open Mic.
Tues. 9 p.m. The Hoochie Coochie Men
Wed. The Invitational (Featuring John & Peter's House Band)
All shows 21+
JoJo's Tavern
2677 Nottingham Way Hamilton
(609) 586-2678
Wed. 10 p.m. Karaoke
Palermo's Of Hamilton
310 Klockner Rd. Hamilton
(609) 838-7979
Thurs. 9 p.m. Karaoke
Sat. 9 p.m. Meg Hanson and Billy Hill
All shows 21+
Patriot's Crossing
1339 River Rd. Titusville
(609) 737-2780
Fri. 7:30 p.m. McMillan & Co.
Sat. 7:30 p.m. Gary and Deana
Pete's Steak House
523 Whitehorse Ave. Hamilton
(609) 585-8008
Fri. 9:30 p.m. Blind Lemmon Pie
Sat. 9:30 p.m. Sonny Kenn
RHO Waterfront
50 Riverview Plaza Trenton
(609) 393-7300
Thurs. 9 p.m. College Night w/ DJ Jeff Scott Gould
Fri. (4:30 p.m.) P.K. Lavengoode (9 p.m.) Radio Fiction (10 p.m.) DJ Jimmie Palumbo
Sat. 9 p.m. DJs Steve Hype, Jack Muler, Fake Brit, Larry T
All Shows 21+
Sunsets at Cream Ridge
181 Rte. 539 Cream Ridge
(609) 208-2500
Thurs. 7:30 p.m. Billy Simmons
Fri. (6 p.m.) Rob Silvers Duo (9 p.m.) John & Carm
Sat. 9:30 p.m. Tangled
Mon. 7 p.m. Open Mic. and Karaoke w/ Rich Barry
Tavern On The Lake
101 Main St. Hightstown
(609) 426-9345
Fri. 9 p.m. Kickback
Sat. 9 p.m. El Ka Bong
Wed. 8 p.m. Karaoke Night
The Cool Cricket
216 4th St. Fieldsboro
(609) 291-9110
Fri. 9 p.m. Karaoke
Sat. 9 p.m. Crosswick / Gridlock
The Ivy Inn
248 Nassau St. Princeton
(609) 921-8555
Thurs. 10 p.m. Karaoke w/ Ron Sherr
Fri. 10 p.m. WPRB Spring Fundraiser Night
Sat. 10 p.m. River Dogs
Tues. 8 p.m. Quizzo w/ Bob E Luv
Wed. 10 p.m. Karaoke w/ Ron Sherr
The Record Collector
358 Farnsworth Ave. Bordentown
(609) 324-0880
Sat. 8 p.m. Professor Louie & The Crowmatix. All ages, doors at 7:30 p.m., $12 (advance).
The Sticky Wicket
2465 South Broad St. Hamilton
(609) 439-0007
Thurs. 9 p.m. Karaoke
Fri. 9 p.m. D*Luxe
Sat. 9:30 p.m. Out of The red
All shows 21+
The Sun National Bank Center
81 Hamilton Ave. Trenton
(609) 656-3200
Please check web site for upcoming events
Tir Na Nog
1324 Hamilton Ave. Trenton
(609) 392-2554
Fri. 9 p.m. Seamus Kelleher
Sat. 9 p.m. Tommy Glover
Sun. 3 p.m. Irish Sessions w/ Gormley & DeAngelo
Tues. (7 p.m.) Rock On Radio Happy Hour w/ Danny Coleman feat. John Patrick Bastiani and Margaret Lewis (9 p.m.) Open Mic.
All shows 21+
Trenton Social
449 South Broad Street Trenton
(609) 989-7777
Thurs. 8 p.m. Cinema Thursdays Presents: The Hire
Fri. 10 p.m. Friday night w/ Jay Kountree & Jaxx
Mon. 10 p.m. Service Industry Night w/ DJ-Jay Kountree
Tues. 9 p.m. LiveMusic/Open Mic.
Triumph Brewing Company (New Hope, Pa. Location)
400 Union Square New Hope, Pa.
(215) 862-8300
Fri. 10 p.m. Ellis Ashbrook. $5 (coverage)
Sat. (1 p.m.) Hobnail (10 p.m.) The Happy Dog. $5 (cover charge)
Sun. 7 p.m. Open Jam Night
All shows 21+
Villa Romanza
429 Rte. 156 Hamilton
(609) 585-1717
Sat. 8 p.m. Comedy feat. Kevin Downey Jr.
Wildflowers Inn
2572 Pennington Rd. Pennington
Sat. 9 p.m. Live Acoustic Rock
Mon. 9 p.m. Karaoke
All shows 21+
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, NJJoe 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, NJJoin 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].
John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band
Friday, November 13, 2026 @ 8:00pm
Carteret Performing Arts & Events Center
46 Washington Ave, Carteret, NJThe legendary Rhode Island multi-platinum rock’n’roll group JOHN CAFFERTY & THE BEAVER BROWN BAND began their career in 1973 and achieved mainstream success in the 1980s with the “Eddie & The Cruisers – Motion Picture Soundtrack”. The hit single “ON THE DARK SIDE” held the “#1” position on the Billboard Rock charts and the MTV video charts for five consecutive weeks.
Griffin House
Friday, November 13, 2026 @ 7:30pm
Lizzie Rose Music Room
217 E. Main Street, Tuckerton, NJ“If you are looking to be blown away by raw talent, then look no further than Griffin House.” —American Songwriter
Floyd Pink - Celebrating The Music Of Pink Floyd
Saturday, November 14, 2026 @ 7:30pm
Lizzie Rose Music Room
217 E. Main Street, Tuckerton, NJFLOYD PINK is a Pink Floyd tribute band from the New York metro area, celebrating the music of Pink Floyd.
EVENT PREVIEWS
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.
Lizzie Rose Music Room presents Griffin House on Friday
(TUCKERTON, NJ) -- The Lizzie Rose Music Room presents Griffin House on Friday, November 13, 2026 at 7:30pm. Griffin House is an American singer-songwriter and storyteller who has been making records for over 20 years.
KANSAS to perform at Scottish Rite Auditorium on Friday
(COLLINGSWOOD, NJ) -- One of classic rock's most iconic bands, KANSAS, will perform at the Scottish Rite Auditorium on Friday, November 13, 2026 at 8:00pm. This "garage band" from Topeka released their debut album in 1974 after being discovered by Wally Gold, who worked for Don Kirshner, and have gone on to sell more than 30 million albums worldwide. A limited number of tickets remain.
NJPAC presents Jesse Cook on Saturday
(NEWARK, NJ) -- New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) presents Jesse Cook on Saturday, November 14, 2026 in the Victoria Theater at 8:00pm. A global artist in every sense of the term, Jesse Cook redefines music's power to connect people across cultures and continents.
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.
Atlantic City Punk Rock Flea Market - Holiday Edition to take place on Sunday
(ATLANTIC CITY, NJ) -- You can get your holiday shopping done on Sunday, November 15, 2026 when Anchor Rock Club hosts the Atlantic City Punk Rock Flea Market - Holiday Edition. The event runs from noon to 6:00pm.
Song of the Meadowlark takes place on Sunday in Hopewell
(HOPEWELL, NJ) -- Song of the Meadowlark takes place Sunday, November 15, 2026 at Highland Design Farm. This is a meditative rock odyssey weaving reimagined contemporary songs, stream-of-consciousness poetry, and live painting. Doors are at 2:00pm, showtime is 2:30pm.
Avenel Performing Arts Center presents Chris Smither
(AVENEL, NJ) -- Chris Smither will perform at the Avenel Performing Arts Center on Wednesday, November 18, 2026 at 7:30pm. Born in Miami, during World War II, Chris Smither grew up in New Orleans where he first started playing music as a child. The son of a Tulane University professor, he was taught the rudiments of instrumentation by his uncle on his mother's ukulele.
