By Danny Coleman
originally published: 07/19/2018
Asbury Park Music Foundation was the scene of a recent performance featuring Echo Black and City of The Weak. This unique and intimate venue provided the perfect setting for this show and the bands did not disappoint.
City of The Weak, a hard drivin' band out of Minneapolis, MN fronted by the dynamic, "Stef w/ an F" got things rolling with an intense set of some of the best straight forward rock and roll that this reviewer has ever seen. She set the tone not only for the band but the room with her grab your face and listen to me style which served well as it worked the room into a frenzy.
A tireless touring machine, City of The Weak pumps out high energy, raw, loud and edgy rock 'n' roll well worth the price of admission and should become even a bigger force to reckon with in the very near future.
Next up was Echo Black, fronted by enigmatic vocalist Danny Blu; this New York City area foursome, whom on the surface seem to be a cross between early glam and full blown Gothic rock with videos that have a techno twist. Their live show however, takes a totally different direction and sucks you into their realm with ease.
Their 10 song set rocked hard from start to finish, continued to energize the crowd and actually drew blood from Blu. Featuring great band and crowd interaction along with a well-designed set list which flowed perfectly, they navigated the room with ease.
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A very tight knit unit, Echo Black uses all the tools of their trade to keep one interested. Electronic drums, synthesized bass guitar, a nice change of pace featuring drummer Billy Long on acoustic guitar and yes, a bloody lip were all part of the package on this near perfect evening along the Jersey Shore. Blu somehow managed to take a microphone to the mouth during the title cut of their most recent release, "Dawn," no doubt in part due to the constant motion among each other on stage. This little mishap plagued him for the final three songs but had zero effect on his performance.
One of the features of the Asbury Park Music Foundation is its size; it is a small room which carries an, "Underground" vibe; the sort which may have been prominent during the late 1960's and early 1970's Greenwich Village scene and was the perfect choice for this show.
City of The Weak and Echo Black have toured extensively together at times and are a great fit for one another. Whether together or apart, each is worth the effort.
To discover more about these bands, please go to www.echoblackmusic.com and www.cityoftheweakofficial.com.
That's it for this week! Please continue to support live and original music and until next week....ROCK ON!
This week's event listings
Alchemist & Barrister28 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
Thurs. 6 p.m. "Summer Courtyard Concert Series" feat. Trinidelphia
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. 6:30 p.m. Neil Podgurski Trio
Fri. 8 p.m. Liz Du Four
Sat. 7 p.m. David Dales Trio
Sun. (12 p.m.) Brunch w/ Ottmar (6 p.m.) Lorenzo
Mon. 6 p.m. Andy Prescott
Tues. 6 p.m. Gary Reed & Arturo Baguer
Wed. 6 p.m. Lorenzo
Brickwall Tavern & Dining Room 19 E. Union Street Burlington
(609) 733-3562
Sat. 10 p.m. Organic Jam
Broken Goblet Brewing1500 Grundy Lane Bristol, PA
(267) 812-5653
Fri. 8 p.m. Giana Lynn
Wed. 7 p.m. Open Mic Hosted by Brian Bortnick
Brothers Pizza871 Route 33 Hamilton
(609) 586-2707
Thurs. 6 p.m. "Music On The Patio" feat. Bob Orlowski & Melissa Wegfahrt
BT Restaurant 2031 Route 130 South Burlington
(609) 499-1355
Thurs. 8:30 p.m. Karaoke
Wed. 6:45 p.m. "Bike Night" feat. Asylum Choir
Burlington County Amphitheater5 Pioneer Boulevard Westampton
Fri. 7 p.m. The Sensational Soul Cruisers
Sat. 7 p.m. Big Hix Band
Caffe Galleria23 North Union Street Lambertville
(609) 397-2400
Fri. 7 p.m. Swan Street Supper Club
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)
Championship Bar931 Chambers street Trenton
(609) 396-5457
Thurs. 6 p.m. Downswing, Great American Ghost, Degrader, Mom Fight, Life Itself, Deadbeat. All ages, $13/$15
Tues. 8 p.m. "Every Tuesday Jam Night" Hosted by Nikki & Caleb
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
City Streets 510 Highway 130 South East Windsor
(609) 426-9400
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" feat. Rick Barth (Re-air of previous episode)
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. "Diamond's After Dark" feat. (TBA)
Sun. 10 a.m. Live Jazz Brunch Buffet
Dog & Bull Brew House 810 Bristol Pike (Rte. 13) Croydon, PA.
(215) 788-2855
Thurs. 8 p.m. Stephen Anthony
Fri. 9 p.m. Cecil Middleton
Sat. (11 a.m.) "Saturday Brunch" feat. Keli Vale (9 p.m.) Soul Custody
Sun. (11 a.m.) "Sunday Brunch" feat. Keli Vale (4 p.m.) Paul Donovan
Fedora Bistro & Cafe 2633 Main Street Lawrenceville
(609) 895-0844
Wed. 6 p.m. Jerry Monk
Frans Pub116 South Main Street New Hope, PA
(215) 862-5539
Fri. 8 p.m. Ja-Tun & Random Acts of Soul
Sun. 2 p.m. Sammy Flow w/ Special Guests
Freddies Tavern 12 Railroad Avenue Ewing
(609) 882-0978
Fri. 8 p.m. Gyrl Band
Sat. 8 p.m. After Dark
Tues. 7 p.m. Open Mic Hosted by Joe Vadala
Wed. 7 p.m. "Wednesday Night Jazz" feat. Gary Schaeffer Trio
Grounds For Sculpture80 Sculptors way Hamilton
(609) 586-0616
Please check web site for upcoming events
Grover's Mill Coffee House Princeton-Hightstown Road Princeton Junction
(609) 716-8771
Thurs. 7 p.m. Open Mic. Hosted by Anker
Halo Pub4617 Nottingham Way Hamilton Square
(609) 586-1811
Sat. 7 p.m. Lefty Mann
Halo Pub (Fete) 9 Hullfish Street Princeton
(609) 921-1710
Sat. 6 p.m. John & Maggs
Havana New Hope 105 S. Main Street New Hope, PA.
(215) 862-9897
Fri. (8 p.m.) Best of The Eagles. Doors at 6 p.m., $40 (11 p.m.) DJ Dance Party
Sat. (8:30 p.m.) Coast 2 Coast (12 a.m.) DJ Dance Party
Mon. 9 p.m. Karaoke
Wed. 8 p.m. "Local Original Music Showcase" Hosted by Pat Foran feat. Paul Kurrey, Old Head
Hopewell Theater 5 South Greenwood Avenue Hopewell
(609) 466-1964
Sat. 8 p.m. The Slambovian Circus of Dreams. $22
Hopewell Valley Bistro & Inn 15 East Broad Street Hopewell
(609) 466-9889
Fri. 8 p.m. Open Mic. Night
Hopewell Valley Vineyards 46 Yard Avenue Pennington
(609) 737-4465
Thurs. 6 p.m. James Popik
Fri. 6 p.m. "Music & Merlot" feat. Deb & Mike
Sat. 6 p.m. "Music & Merlot" feat. Firedog
Sun. 2 p.m. "Jazzy Sundays" feat. Hazelrigg Brothers
Hurricane Jacks Bar and Grill 7759 New Falls Road Levittown, PA
(267) 914-4517
Thurs. 9 p.m. Karaoke w/ Paul Kircher
Fri. (6 p.m.) Casey (9:30 p.m.) Great Scott
Sat. 9 p.m. All Lit Up
Tues. 9 p.m. Karaoke w/ Paula & Sam
Iron Plow Vineyards 26750 Mount Pleasant Road Columbus
(732) 306-9111
Fri. 6 p.m. Frank Stagliano
Sat. 1 p.m. Jo Wymer Band
Sun. 1 p.m. Ronnie Brandt
Ivy Tavern 3108 S. Broad Street, Hamilton
(609) 888-1435
Thurs. 9:30 p.m. Karaoke
Fri. 9:30 p.m. Asylum Choir
Sat. 9 p.m. Smoked Ice
All shows 21+
Jake's Eatery 869 Bustleton Pike Richboro, PA
(215) 322-6787
Thurs. 7 p.m. "Ladies Night"
Wed. 8 p.m. Trivia Night
Jimmy's Firestone American Grill140 Route 130 South Bordentown
(609) 291-0200
Thurs. 8 p.m. "Bar Games and Trivia"
John & Peter's 96 S. Main Street New Hope, Pa
(215) 862-5981
Thurs. 9 p.m. Bansai Bills
Fri. 9 p.m. Hotel Ten Eyes
Sat. (3 p.m.) King of Nowhere (9:30 p.m.) Rhonette &The Smiths, Tara Dente
Sun. (3 p.m.) Flat Ernie (9:30 p.m.) You Kids
Mon. 9 p.m. Open Mic.
Tues. 9 p.m. Monette Sudler
Wed. 9 p.m. The Invitational
All shows 21+
Killarney's Publick House 1644 Whitehorse-Mercerville Road Hamilton
(609) 586-1166
Thurs. (5 p.m.) Dan Barrone (9 p.m.) Class A Kings
Sat. 9 p.m. Unleashed
Laurita Winery 85 Archertown Road New Egypt
(609) 752-0200
Thurs. 7 p.m. "2018 Laurita Junior Idol Singing Showcase" Idol Tryouts
Fri. 5 p.m. "Cornhole Tournament"
Sat. 11 a.m. "The Red, White & Blue and Bacon Too Food Truck Festival"
Sun. 11 a.m. "The Red, White & Blue and Bacon Too Food Truck Festival"
Wed. 6 p.m. "Laurita Summer Grill Night"
Logan Inn 10 West Ferry Street New Hope, PA
(215) 862-2300
Fri. 7 p.m. Arianne Rox
Sat. 7:30 p.m. Colleen Ryan
Sun. 11 am "Jazz Brunch" feat. Zeke Stambovsky
Mamma Rosa's 572 Klockner Road Hamilton
(609) 588-5454
Thurs. 6 p.m. Open Mic. Hosted by Richard Schneider
Fri. 6 p.m. Paul Plumeri & Joe Zook
McGuinn's Place 1781 Brunswick Avenue Lawrence
(609) 392-0599
Tues. 9 p.m. Karaoke
Ages 21+
McStews Irish Sports Pub 5316 New Falls Road Levittown, PA
(215) 949-9570
Thurs. 10:30 p.m."Beer Pong" w/ DJ RV & MC Slim
Sat. 9 p.m. Pixie Twist
Tues. 7 p.m. Quizzo hosted by Mike
Wed. 9 p.m. Karaoke w/ Kirchner Entertainment
Mercer County Park Boathouse MarinaHughes Drive/Old Trenton Road West Windsor
(866) 683-3586
Thurs. 5 p.m. "Happy Hour" feat. Jack & Joyce. (Food/drink specials, cigar bar, boat tours)
Mercer County Park Festival GroundsHughes Drive/Old Trenton Road West Windsor
(609) 448-1947
Please check web site for upcoming events
Millhill Basement 300 S. Broad Street Trenton
(609) 989-1600
Tues. 10 p.m. "Local Artist" Hip Hop, Experimental EDM and Bass Music Showcase
Mill Hill Park Levitt Amp Concert Series165 East Front Street Trenton
Thurs. 5:30 p.m. Hardwork Movement / Ladibug. (FREE Admission)
Music On Main15 South Main Street Yardley, PA
Sat. 7 p.m. Eco del Sur
Music On The Street16 South State Street Newtown, PA
Thurs. 6 p.m. Pixie Twist Acoustic
New Hope Winery 6123 Lower York Road New Hope, PA
(215) 794-2331
Please check web site for upcoming events
Nook's PourHouse 2043 Route 130 South Florence
(609) 447-0927
Tues. 8 p.m. Trivia Tuesday w/ Quizoholics
Nottingham Tavern 9 Mercer Street Hamilton Square
(609) 587-6623
Thurs. 9 p.m. Karaoke w/ DJ Super Dave
Fri. 8 p.m. John & Maggs
Sat. 9 p.m. Deep Release
Ages 21+
Old Town Pub 135 Farnsworth Avenue Bordentown
(609) 291-9232
Thurs. 8 p.m. Quizzoholics Trivia
Fri. 9 p.m. Fast Ant
Sat. 9 p.m. Jenny Cat
Tues. 7 p.m. Open Mic. Hosted by Sir Xerri
Palace Of Asia4591 Route 27 Kingston
(609) 497-9500
Wed. 7 p.m. True Acoustic
Palermo's Of Hamilton 310 Klockner Road Hamilton
(609) 838-7979
Thurs. 8 p.m. Karaoke
All shows 21 +
Patriots Crossing 1339 River Road Titusville
(609) 737-2780
Thurs. 8 p.m. Karaoke w/ DJ Bobby Jones
Fri. 8 p.m. AC Steel & the Galvanizers
Sat. 8 p.m. Blues In Disguise
Wed. 7 p.m. "Quizzo"
Parx Casino (360 Bar) 2999 Street Road Bensalem, PA
(888) 588-7299
Thurs. 9 p.m. "Latin Night" w/ DJ George Dennis
Fri. (5 p.m.) Village Sinner (9:30 p.m.) Split Decision (10 p.m.) DJ Capps
Sat. (5 p.m.) The Launch (9:30 p.m.) Chorduroy (10 p.m.) DJ Capps
Sun. 5:30 p.m. A Tribute to Heart w/ "Kick It Out"
Wed. 8 p.m. Sudsy
Pete's Steak House 523 Whitehorse Avenue Hamilton
(609) 585-8008
Fri. 9:30 p.m. Ernie White & Tom Reock
Sat. 9 p.m. Roundabout
Wed. 9 p.m. Karaoke
Randy Now's Man Cave 134 Farnsworth Avenue Bordentown
(609) 424-3766
Thurs. 6:30 p.m. Trenton Brass Quintet Plus One. All ages, (FREE Admission)
Wed. 7:30 p.m. Paul Collins & Paul Stingo. (FREE event)
Robbinsville Town Center Free Summer Concert SeriesGazebo at Town Center Lake Robbinsville
Tues. 7 p.m. Kindred Spirit
Rossi's Bar & Grill 2110 Whitehorse-Mercerville Road Hamilton
(609) 890-2004
Thurs. 7 p.m. Ernie White
Salt Creek Grille 1 Rockingham Row Princeton
(609) 419-4200
Fri. 8 p.m. Rainbow Fresh
Sat. 8 p.m. Jerry Topinka
Small World Coffee 14 Witherspoon Street Princeton
(609) 924-4377 x2
Thurs. 7 p.m. SOSI
Sat. 8:30 p.m. Joe DiVita
1867 Sanctuary 101 Scotch Road Ewing
(609) 392-6409
Thurs. 8 p.m. Jonathan Kirschner Band. $20
Fri. 8 p.m. Joe Holt w/ Danny Tobias. $20
Sat. 8 p.m. Minas Duo. $20
Sun. (3 p.m.) "Classical Piano Concert" (7:30 p.m.) The Jazz Thieves
Tara's Tavern 1 Cookstown-New Egypt Road, Wrightstown
(609) 286-2300
Fri. 10 p.m. Karaoke w/ Big Daddy G
Sat. 10 p.m. The Quattro
Tavern On The Lake 101 Main Street Hightstown
(609) 426-9345
Fri. 9 p.m. (TBA)
Sat. 9 p.m. Extreme Measures
Wed. 8 p.m. Karaoke Night
Temperance House 5 South State Street Newtown, PA
(215) 944-8050
Thurs. 7 p.m. Blues Open Mic Hosted by Steve Guyger
Tues. 7 p.m. Quizzo w/ Righteous Jolly
Wed. 7 p.m. Open Session Jazz Night
Terhune's Orchard330 Cold Soil Road Princeton
(609) 924-2310
Fri. 5 p.m. "Sips and Sounds Summer Music series" feat. Jerry Steele
The Birdhouse Center For The Arts7 North Main Street Lambertville
(215) 681-4660
Wed. 8 p.m. Open Folk Jam
The Cool Cricket 216 Burlington Street Fieldsboro
(609) 291-9110
Fri. 9 p.m. Karaoke
Sat. 9 p.m. ArHouse
The Cure Insurance Center 81 Hamilton Ave. Trenton
(609) 656-3200
Check website for upcoming events
The Dubliner34 North Main Street New Hope, PA
(215) 693-1816
Sat. 8 p.m. The Willie Lynch Band
Sun. 3 p.m. "Traditional Irish Session"
The Five Four Bar & Grill8919 New Falls Road Levittown, PA
(215) 547-5525
Wed. 7 p.m. "Lyrical Conundrums" w/ Cara and Righteous
The Four Crows Café41 North Main Street New Hope, PA
(215) 869-5252
Fri. 5 p.m. Henna Artist "Sarah"
Sat. 2 p.m. Tyler Rishel
The HOB Tavern 146 Second Street Bordentown
(609) 291-7020
Fri. 8 p.m. DJ Entertainment
Tues 9 p.m. Open Mic. Night
Wed. 8 p.m. (TBA)
The Ivy Inn 248 Nassau Street Princeton
(609) 921-8555
Thurs. 10 p.m. Karaoke w/ DJ Rockin' Ron
Fri. 10 p.m. Smoke 'n' Mirrors
Sat. 10 p.m. DJ Jon Gosselin
Tues. 8 p.m. Quizzo w/ Bob E Luv
Wed. 10 p.m. "Wednesday Wheel Night Spin To Win Karaoke" w/ DJ Rockn Ron
The Pines Tavern 6217 North Radcliffe Street Bristol, PA
(215) 788-1659
Sun. 3 p.m. Open Mic. Hosted by Bill Monach Jr.
The Record Collector 358 Farnsworth Avenue Bordentown
(609) 324-0880
Check web site for upcoming events
The Roost 181 Rte. 539 Cream Ridge
(609) 208-0050
Fri. 9 p.m. Robert Silvers
Wed. 9 p.m. Karaoke
The Sticky Wicket 2465 South Broad Street Hamilton
(609) 439-0007
Thurs. 9 p.m. "Throwback Thursday" w/ DJ Chillio
Tues. 7 p.m. Karaoke
The Sycamore Grill 255 North Sycamore Street Newtown, PA
(215) 908-6326
Fri. 8 p.m. Lisa Bouchelle
Sun. 3 p.m. Stem Live Trio
Wed. 6 p.m. AJ Slick
Third State Brewing 352 High Street Burlington
(609) 387-1620
Please check web site for upcoming events
Tir Na Nog 1324 Hamilton Avenue Trenton
(609) 392-2554
Fri. 9 p.m. Black Brant
All Shows 21+
Trenton Buzz 702 Pine Street Trenton
(609) 392-6000
Fri. 8 p.m. Live Band & Open Mic.
Sat. 10 p.m. "Buzzed Saturdays" w/ Bockman
Trenton Social 449 South Broad Street Trenton
(609) 989-7777
Sun. 9 p.m. "SIN Industry Night"
Tues. 7 p.m. Open Mic. Night w/ Benny P
Triumph Brewing Company (New Hope, Pa. Location)
400 Union Square New Hope, Pa.
(215) 862-8300
Thurs. 8 p.m. Trivia
Fri. 10 p.m. Zeke Sky Band (CD Release). $5 (cover charge)
Sat. 10 p.m. Core Four Ensemble. $5 (cover charge)
All shows 21+
Wildflowers Inn 2572 Pennington Road Pennington
(609) 773-2392
Sat. 9 p.m. Acoustic Rock Night
Mon. 9 p.m. "Moonshine Mondays" Trivia
Tues. 9 p.m. Ed Wilson
Working Dog Winery 610 Windsor Perrineville Road Hightstown
(609) 371-6000
Sat. 1 p.m. Deb & Mike
Yankee Doodle Tap Room10 Palmer Square Princeton
(609) 921-7500
Fri. 10 p.m. Bad Idea
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 7:000pm EST on multiple internet radio outlets where he features indie/original bands and solo artists.
