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ROCK ON! This Week's Sound Bites...4/26/18

By Danny Coleman

originally published: 04/26/2018


Danny Blu formed Echo Black in 2015 and this New York City based outfit has just released their first full length album; “Dawn” and are currently out on the road with City of the Weak on, “The Turn It To Eleven Tour.”

Kicking off on April 7 in Fayetteville, NC and making stops in Florida, Texas, South Dakota and many more in between, the schedule is heavy on dates with three of the last four being area shows in Asbury Park, NJ, Philadelphia, PA and New York City.

May 2 sees them stop in Jersey's best music town; Asbury Park with a show at the Asbury Park Music Foundation located at 621 Lake Avenue. Joining them and City of the Weak are New York City metal band In Loving Memory.

May 3 has the same three acts across the river in Philadelphia, PA at the very intimate Voltage Lounge located at 421 North 7th Street; followed by a May 4 show at the Knitting Factory. The Knitting Factory is located at 361 Metropolitan Avenue in Brooklyn, NY.

Press releases have them labeled as; “Dance rock” but these four men are a definite mix of multiple genres. Some may consider them, “Glam rock,” others, “Metal”and still others, “Power Pop”  but one thing is for sure; they’re chock full of energy. The paradox here is that along with that energy they have somewhat dark lyrical content both of which are on display in their music and corresponding videos. 





 

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Debut album and single of the same name, "Dawn" are throwbacks to 80's and 90's techno, retro, new wave rock with a definite edge. Their stage presence consists of bygone glam rock days and make up with a vintage Duran Duran look, encapsulated in ebony. "I'm so glad that you caught the reference," said Blu. "Most guys don't catch that and we kind of did that intentionally. Those bands back in the day, that whole look and stage show; we're kind'of paying tribute to the music and bands that we grew up on."

According to their website, "Dawn" is their, "Coming of age story" and was,"Completely funded by their fans via Indiegogo." "We've got a great fan base and we are so grateful for their support." 

The tour is a whirlwind of dates with the group only having seven off dates from start to finish but Blu says the band intends on bringing it to their fans nightly without fail. "When you come see us be ready to rock and dance. We're high energy and ready to rock. We love connecting with the crowd."

To discover more about Echo Black, please visit www.echoblackmusic.com. 

That's it for this week! Please continue to support live and original music and until next week....ROCK ON! 

Alchemist & Barrister  
28 Witherspoon Street Princeton  
(609) 924-5555  
Thurs. "Pasta and Sinatra Night"
Wed. 10 p.m. (TBA)

Arts Council of Princeton  
102 Witherspoon Street Princeton  
(609) 924-8777  
Check Website for Details




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Bill's Olde Tavern  
2694 Nottingham Way Hamilton  
(609) 586-0192  
Thurs. 9 p.m. Trivia  
Ages 21+  

Blend Bar & Bistro  
911 Highway 33 Hamilton  
(609) 245-8887  
Tues. 8 p.m. Trivia  Jam  
Wed. 7 p.m. Karaoke 

Bowman's Tavern  
1600 River Road New Hope, PA  
(215) 862-2972  
Thurs. 7 p.m.  David Dales Trio
Fri. 8 p.m. Bob Egan
Sat. 7 p.m. Larry Tamanini Trio
Sun. 6 p.m. Lorenzo
Mon. 6 p.m. Andy Prescott
Tues. 6 p.m. Ed Wilson
Wed. 6 p.m. Lorenzo

Brickwall Tavern & Dining Room  
19 E. Union Street Burlington  
(609) 733-356  
Fri. 10 p.m. DJ Sara M
Sat. 9 p.m. Basmati Vice

Broken Goblet Brewing
1500 Grundy Lane Bristol, PA
(267) 812-5653
Sat. 8 p.m. "Kinky Quizzo"

Bung's Tavern  
2031 Route 130 South Burlington  
(609) 499-1355  
Thurs. 8:30 p.m. Karaoke
Fri. 9 p.m. Asylum Choir
Sat. 8 p.m. The Few
Wed. 7 p.m. Open Mic

Candlelight Lounge  
24 Passaic Street Trenton  
(609) 695-9612  
Sat. 3 p.m. (TBA) $10 (cover charge/$10 Minimum includes buffet)  
Tues. 6 p.m. "Tuesday Jazz Jam" Open Session feat.   James Stewart/Tom Littwin Trios $5 (Lite appetizers)

Cedar Gardens 
661 State Highway 33 Hamilton 
(609) 931-9464 
Sat. 7 p.m. "Comedy Show" feat. Rich Vos $23.16 Doors at 6

Championship Bar
931 Chambers Street Trenton
(609) 396-5457
Sat. 7 p.m. Waiting For December, Sawce, Mike Mulshine and the Manic Pixies, Broth. All ages $10

Chickie's & Pete's  
183 US Highway 130 North Bordentown  
(609) 298-9182  
Tues. 8 p.m. Acoustic Music Night  
Wed. 9 p.m. Quizzo Trivia  





 

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City Streets  
510 Highway 130 South East Windsor  
(609) 426-9400 
Fri. 9 p.m. Kindred Spirit
Mon. 9 p.m. "Malibu Mondays"
Tues. 9 p.m. Trivia w/ Jessie & Chelsea  
Wed. 6:30 p.m. "Wine Down Wednesdays" w/ Rich Genoval  

COARadio.com  
125 South Main Street Hightstown  
(609) 241-7103  
Sun. 7 p.m. "Rock On Radio" 

Diamond's of Hamilton  
661 Route 33 Hamilton  
(609) 981-7900  
Thurs. 6 p.m. "Ladies Night" and Dance Party w/ Frankie "O"
Fri. 6 p.m. Paul Plumeri
Sat. 9:30 p.m. The G-Man
Sun. 12 p.m. "Jazz Brunch" feat. Ambiance The Duo
Wed. 7 p.m. "Dine and Dance" w/ Radio Personality Bob Pantano.   

Dog & Bull Brew House  
810 Bristol Pike (Rte. 13) Croydon, PA.  
(215) 788-2855  
Thurs. 9 p.m. Stephen Anthony
Fri.  (4 p.m.) "Funky Friday Happy Hour" (9 p.m.) Monaco and Robinson
Sat. (11 a.m.) "Saturday Brunch" feat. Michael Leggerie 
Sun. (11 a.m.) "Sunday Jazz Brunch" feat. Kelli Vale Jazz (4 p.m.) Paul Donovan

 

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.



The

The Righteous Brothers: Lovin’ Feelin’ Farewell Tour

Sunday, November 08, 2026 @ 3:00pm
Mayo Performing Arts Center (MPAC)
100 South Street, Morristown, NJ

Blue-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:

Beat: Belew/vai/levin/bozzio Performing The Music Of King Crimson

Monday, November 09, 2026 @ 8:00pm
NJPAC - Prudential Hall
1 Center Street, Newark, NJ

Following 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

Joe Russo's Almost Dead

Thursday, November 12, 2026 @ 7:30pm
State Theatre New Jersey
15 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ

Joe Russo's Almost Dead is Marco Benevento, Dave Dreiwitz, Tom Hamilton, Scott Metzger and Joe Russo. We're a Grateful Dead cover band.

 
Mccarter

Mccarter At The Museum: An Evening With Jason Robert Brown

Thursday, November 12, 2026 @ 7:00pm
Princeton Art Museum
45 Elm Drive, Princeton, NJ

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].

 
John

John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band

Friday, November 13, 2026 @ 8:00pm
Carteret Performing Arts & Events Center
46 Washington Ave, Carteret, NJ

The 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.



 


 


EVENT PREVIEWS

(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

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

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

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

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

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 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 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.
NJPAC to Celebrate Ben Vereen

NJPAC to Celebrate Ben Vereen's 80th Birthday with All-Star Concert on November 21st

(NEWARK, NJ) -- New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) presents Ben Vereen's 80th Birthday Concert on Saturday, November 21, 2026 at 8:00pm. This special one-night only celebration is part of NJPAC’s 2026 TD James Moody Jazz Festival (November 6-22). Several of today's leading Broadway stars and vocalists unite for a spectacular birthday bash performance toasting the legendary actor/dancer/singer Ben Vereen who turns 80 on October 10, 2026.
Musicians on a Mission to Celebrate 16th Anniversary with Gala Concert at Jersey Shore Arts Center

Musicians on a Mission to Celebrate 16th Anniversary with Gala Concert at Jersey Shore Arts Center

(OCEAN GROVE, NJ) -- Musicians on a Mission (MOAM) will celebrate sixteen years of friends helping friends through music with a special anniversary gala and concert on Sunday, November 22, 2026, at the Jersey Shore Arts Center in Ocean Grove.