It's that time of year again! No, not the passing of yet another year, not the time to make resolutions or renew gym memberships (which most of us will abandon before Valentine's Day); it is time once again for the annual "Monster Jam" Monster Truck event at the Sun National Bank Center in Trenton!
"Monster Jam 2014" rolls into town on January 3 and 4 featuring Grave Digger, Shockwave, Instigator, Backdraft, Stinger and "Monster Jam World Finals" titlist Batman! Recently I spoke with the driver of Batman, John Seasock, a Pottsville, Pa. native who told me that he got the bug in the business after attending his first monster truck show as a teenager. "I was sixteen years old and I went to the old Spectrum in Philadelphia to a truck show, I was hooked. I built my first truck in my dad's driveway 24 years ago. While most kids were driving Camaros and what not, I was driving a huge truck (laughs)."
Now driving for Bell Motorsports, Seasock has moved on to bigger and more expensive trucks than the one created in his father's driveway all those years ago. "To be competitive, operation costs run about $250,000 per year," he said. "For example, if I blow a motor during a show, that's $48,000 right there. Tires cost around $5,000 and the truck body about $18,000. It's all worth it, there's nothing we/I can't do with this truck."
Weighing in at approximately 10,000 pounds, Seasock tells me that his crew has no issues when it comes to handling a behemoth such as Batman. "My crew is fantastic! They can change a hot transmission in twenty minutes and a full motor in about two and one half hours; they are top notch, the best in the game in my opinion."
I asked John how he views his competition, how they get along both in and out of the field of battle, is there any animosity, is it friendly competition, or is it dog eat dog? "The other guys are really neat, we really are like a family. We help each other out with things; until the starting line, then our egos are bigger than our trucks! (laughs)"
So of course, I asked Seasock what his favorite music was and if he listened to it before, during or after the shows, to which he replied," Besides the voices in my head (laughs)? I like cklassic rock, Van Halen, 38. Special, the guys in 3 Doors Down are good friends of mine so I listen to them. I never listen to anything during the race other than the truck but before or after those types of groups are what I like to listen to."
Seasock says seeing the kids and families enjoying the shows are always one of the highlights of being in the business and he expects much of that when "Monster Jam 2014" rolls into Trenton. "This is going to be a highly packed, high energy event, a family event, there is nothing here that kids shouldn't see; it's fun and acceptable for all ages."
Tickets for Monster Jam 2014" are available on line at www.ComcastTix.com , or the Sun National Bank Center and start as low as $10. There are $45 VIP and $55 front row seats also available. There is an added bonus of a "Pit Party" occurring at 11 a.m. only before the Saturday January 4th. 2 p.m. show. An additional $10 allows guests with a show ticket to have an "up close experience with the monster trucks."
The local schedule is jam packed once again with great entertainment! The Meg Hanson Band featuring the incomparable Billy Hill on vocals will be performing at Amarone's in Windsor this Friday, then at Spigola in Hamilton on Saturday. A fine keyboardist and vocalist herself, the combination of Meg and Billy is truly a night of enjoyable music.
Friday, Uncle Floyd brings his unique brand of comedy to The Record Collector in Bordentown. Check out this all ages show featuring this veteran comic; tickets are $17 in advance.
Saturday, Out of The Red are rocking The Cool Cricket in Fieldsboro and Tangled will be doing the same at The Sticky Wicket and Deep Release at Pete's Steak House, both in Hamilton as they all perform their brands of classic rock covers.
Finally, it's also that time of year where I thank you all for your continued support of this space and the local scene! I wish you all a healthy, prosperous and Happy New Year in 2014!
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. Ed Hynes Trio
Sun. 9 p.m. Kenny Cunningham
Wed. 10 p.m. Open mic. night Hosted by Eric Puliti
All shows 21+
Amarones Windsor Inn
29 Church St. Windsor
(609) 448-7144
Thurs. 6:30 p.m. Scott Gager & Debbie
Fri. 8 p.m. Meg Hanson w/ Billy Hill
Sat. 7:30 p.m. Sounds of The Street
Tues. New Year's Eve w/ The Gyrl Band
Blend
911 Rte. 33 Hamilton
(609) 245-8887
Tues. 8 p.m. New Year's Eve Party
All shows 21+
Candlelight Lounge
24 Passaic St. Trenton
(609) 695-9612
Sat. 3 p.m.-7:30 p.m. Earl Ross Texas Tenor Sax Quartet. (No cover-$10 minimum)
Cedar Gardens Pub
661 Hwy. 33 Hamilton
(609) 587-0930
Thurs. 8 p.m. Open Mic.
Fri. 9 p.m. Joe Hoyer & Friends
Sat. 9 p.m. Ernie White & Tom Reock
All shows 21+
Centro Bar And Grille
2360 Rte. 33 Robbinsville
(609) 208-9300
Thurs. 9:30 p.m. Joe Vadala
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. 7 p.m. Malphas, Burning The Sky, Alchemy, Oceansend, Paradigms. All ages, $10
Sat. 5 p.m. The Nightmare After Christmas- Deadly Nights, The Zombie Mafia, Who Killed Marilyn?, Boy Meets Ghoul, Doomsday Jesus. All ages, $10
Dubh Linn Square
167 Rte. 130 North Bordentown
(609) 298-7100
Sun. 4 p.m. Irish Sessions w/ Billy O'Neal
Havana New Hope
105 S. Main St. New Hope, Pa.
(215) 862-9897
Thurs. 10 p.m. "Beat The Clock" College Night DJ Dance Party
Fri. 8:30 p.m. The Loop
Sat. 8:30 p.m. Bigg Romeo
Sun. 6 p.m. JB Kline
Tues. 9 p.m. New Year's Eve w/ Soul Purpose
Wed. 8 p.m. Local & Original Music Series feat. Colorado Youth
All shows 21+
Ivy Tavern
3108 S. Broad Street, Hamilton
(609) 888-1435
Fri. 10 p.m. Charles Laurita & The Mischief
Sat. 10 p.m. Gunsmoke
All shows 21+
John & Peter's
96 S. Main St. New Hope, Pa.
(215) 862-5981
Thurs. 9 p.m. The Ben Vaughn Quintet w/ Dan Montgomery
Fri. 9 p.m. Ammunition
Sat. (3 p.m.) Snackpile (9:30 p.m.) Chris Harford & The Band of Changes w/ Have Been Floating
Sun. (3 p.m.) Christmas Service w/ Rev. B. Ill (9:30 p.m.) Rushland
Mon. Open Mic.
Tues. 9 p.m. New Year's Eve Party w/ DJ Aggreschen
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
Mastoris Lounge
144 Rte. 130 Bordentown
(609) 298-4650
Fri. 7 p.m. DJ Chris Barlow
Palermo's Of Hamilton
310 Klockner Rd. Hamilton
(609) 838-7979
Thurs. 9 p.m. Karaoke
All shows 21+
Pete's Steak House
523 Whitehorse Ave. Hamilton
(609) 585-8008
Fri. 9:30 p.m. Kindred Spirit
Sat. 9:30 p.m. Deep Release
Tues. 9:30 p.m. No Way Out
RHO Waterfront
50 Riverview Plaza Trenton
(609) 393-7300
Thurs. 9 p.m. College Night w/ DJ Jeff Scott
Fri. (5 p.m.) Happy Hour feat. Dennise Rogers (8 p.m.) The Temporaries Party Band. (10 p.m.) DJ Jimmie Palumbo. $10 (cover charge includes buffet, bands and DJs)
Sat. 8 p.m. Latin Night. Holiday Celebration w/ Paul Perez feat. DJ David Alvarez, Klave Mayor, Victor Colon Jr.
Tues. New Year's Eve 2014 "Shine Bright Like A Diamond!"
All Shows 21+
Spigola Ristorante
3817 Crosswicks Hamilton Square Rd. Hamilton
Fri. 8:30 p.m. Sal Anthony
Sat. 8:30 p.m. Meg Hanson Band feat. Billy Hill
Tues. 10 p.m. New Year's Eve w/ DJ John Rossi
Star Subs Café
621 Rte. 130 Buckley Plaza Hamilton
(609) 333-1230
Wed. 7 p.m. Acoustic Open Mic. Night hosted by Bri LoBue
Tavern On The Lake
101 Main St. Hightstown
(609) 426-9345
Fri. (8 p.m.) Sarcasm Comedy Night (9 p.m.) FarCry
Sat. 9 p.m. Jam Lab
The Cool Cricket
216 4th St. Fieldsboro
(609) 291-9110
Thurs. 8 p.m. Kinky Bingo
Fri. 9 p.m. Karaoke
Sat. (6 p.m.) Comedy Night feat. Bob DiBuono and Scott Friedman (9 p.m.) Out Of The Red
Wed. 5 p.m. DJ Chris Barlow
The Record Collector
358 Farnsworth Ave. Bordentown
(609) 324-0880
Thurs. 8 p.m. Uncle Floyd. All ages, doors at 7:30 p.m., $17 (advance)
Fri. 8 p.m. Billy Hector Band. All ages, doors at 7:30 p.m., $15 (advance)
The Sticky Wicket
2465 South Broad St. Hamilton
(609) 439-0007
Fri. 9 p.m. Alright Alright
Sat. 9 p.m. Tangled
Tues. New Year's Eve w/ DJ Big Jae
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. Galway Guild Duo
Sat. 9 p.m. Chris Pinto
Tues. New Year's Eve Party w/ Chay & Taylor
All shows 21+
Trenton Social
449 South Broad Street Trenton
(609) 989-7777
www.trentonsocial.com
Thurs. 7 p.m. Social Thursdays w/ DJ Tangency
Fri. 7 p.m. Social First Fridays
Mon. 10 p.m. Service Industry Night w/ DJ-JayKountree
Triumph Brewing Company (New Hope, Pa. Location)
400 Union Square New Hope, Pa.
(215) 862-8300
www.triumphbrewing.com
Fri. 10 p.m. The Brodegas w/ Skunkmello. $5 (coverage)
Sat. 10 p.m. Birdie Num Num and The Spirit Squad w/ Paper Submarines. $5 (cover charge)
Sun. (2 p.m.) Dharma's Kindness (7 p.m.) Open Mic. Night
Tues. 10 p.m. Hey Bulldog. $5 (cover charge)
All shows 21+
Villa Romanza
429 Rte. 156 Hamilton
(609) 585-1717
Fri. (6 p.m.) Arturo Romay (10 p.m.) DJ Big Red
Sat. 10 p.m. "The Better Choice" w/ DJ Iron Mike
Tues. New Year's Eve Blast
Wildflowers Inn
2572 Pennington Rd. Pennington
www.wildflowersinnrestaurant.com
Sat. 9 p.m. Live Acoustic Rock
Mon. 9 p.m. Karaoke
All shows 21+
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].
