"It was such a cool concept that I jumped at the chance when our record label / manager said, "I'd like you to do a second "Friends & Family" and it was like, "Hey!" Because, to be able to pick from some of the top and best bands of the late '60s and '70s, pick a song and lovingly and respectfully recreate it whether it's exactly the same or we play around with it a little bit is just such a cool idea and so much fun and I loved making the second one."
Firefall dominated the airwaves in the 1970s with songs such as "Just Remember I Love You," "You Are The Woman" and many others but this band, formed in Boulder, Colorado circa. 1974 from the remnants of other bands, including Flying Burrito Brothers and the Byrds was far more than their perceived "Soft Rock" persona.
Over the years, Firefall has influenced, been influenced and assisted by many of their peers and back in 2023, the band decided to release an album of cover tunes called "Friends & Family" which paid respect, in their own way to exactly that; their friends and family who've made them what they were and still are today.
In May of this current year, they and their record label, Sunset Blvd. Records, have released a follow up called, "Friends & Family 2" and recently, guitarist Jock Bartley took some time to discuss the record and several of the tracks that stand out.
"First of all, for anybody who doesn't know that the Firefall "Friends & Family 2" is out; the concept was presented to me by my manager maybe three or four years ago. He said to me, "You know Jock, the original members of Firefall played in a lot of other famous bands; why don't you do an album of just their material?" The lightbulb went off and I thought, what a great idea but let's expand that. When our first album came out in 1976, it went gold really fast and suddenly we were on the road with Fleetwood Mac and The Doobie Brothers out of the blue and to be able to step into the opening slot for Fleetwood Mac was like, oh my God. We have had so many albums out since 1976 and every one of them are all Firefall songs. So, the chance to lovingly and respectfully recreate some of these songs was just such a great idea and just so much fun. We kept it right in the ballpark a few times and didn't change anything; like the Dan Fogelberg song "Longer." When it came time to play the solo in the studio, everybody knows that solo and I said, "I should just learn the solo." So, there were times where I kept it close to the vest and played guitar licks that I knew everybody would probably be expecting and then there were other times where I just let my mind go and be in the studio and play like I play with love in my heart for the original song and artist and it was so great to create the first album and then to say, let's go for number two; I was in hog heaven (Laughs)."
When doing an album of selections from your mostly current contemporaries and especially after you've already done one such record; the song selection process must be done carefully; no?
"Well, it was the same process as the first one," said Bartley. "Although it was interesting because I needed help; for instance, when I wanted to do a second Fleetwood Mac song, we put one on the first album, I kind of thought; what Fleetwood Mac song? My lead vocalist John Bisaha, who lives in Nashville said, "I can really sing "Go Your Own Way" really well and to me, there are certain songs, like on the first album, when we were trying to pick a Heart song, somebody said, "Let's do "Barracuda" and I said, "No way!" Because that's a Heart song and kind of untouchable, at least it was in my mind. I kinda thought "Go Your Own Way" by Fleetwood Mac; first of all, I think it's one of Lindsey Buckingham's best songs and I kinda thought that was one that we really shouldn't consider but when John said he could sing it great, I went, "BINGO" and me as the lead guitar player, to have the shot at playing such a great Lindsey Buckingham song and playing solos and licks; I didn't copy his licks which were all great on the original, I just kind of kept it in my heart and just played how I played and it was really, really fun to do that one."
"On "Mr. Soul,"he continued, "I think I was a junior or senior in high school when that album came out in 1968. That song struck me so amazingly back when I was much younger because Neil Young's lyrics on that song are just out of this world. What do they mean? They don't mean anything! A lot of times, it's just how the lyrics sound when they're being sung. So, I picked "Mr. Soul" and when it came time to do the lead guitar parts; I mean, Neil Young has such a distinctive, fairly simplistic lead guitar thing going with his stuff that I just jumped at the chance to not duplicate but to give homage to and so, when I got to play that solo, I copped some of Neil's licks but a lot of that nasty, twangy, Telecaster thing was right up my alley yet pretty much different from what I normally play with my Les Paul. I'm more of a Clapton kind of player than a Neil Young player but it was so much fun to recreate the vibe of "Mr. Soul." Interestingly enough, one of our guest stars, Richie Furay, who sang on the original and was an original member of Buffalo Springfield ended up singing the exact same harmony part on our 2025 version with me singing lead as he did in 1968 with Neil. That's pretty historic right there and was really fun putting that together. I think our version rocks a little harder than the original but you can't beat early Buffalo Springfield or early Byrds."
" With "Shakin'," I kinda thought; what Eddie Money song should we do? Firefall toured a lot with Eddie in the '70s and again a couple of years before his untimely death. Eddie was the nicest guy and so funny. Filling out 12 more songs, having already done the 13 was a little harder search and John Bisaha said, "I can really sing that one good too" and immediately when I kind of focused on "Shakin'" came the old misconception of Firefall. A lot of people who listen to radio who are fans of '70s music, think that Firefall is just a really light rock band with "Just Remember I Love You" and "You Are the Woman" and we've always been a rock band that had some big ballads that were hits and "Shakin'" was going to be a chance for us to show our metal and show what we can do with a real rock song. I listened to the lead guitar riffs and thought, yeah, this will be great and John Bisaha sang the heck out of it and I really like my lead guitar on that song."
Bartley and the band didn't go this one alone. Again, when in the business for this long, you tend to acquire a lot of friends which in this case, paid off handsomely.
"We had a few guests on the first album too but when I was thinking about (this album), I thought, we need to do a Stephen Stills song and "Love The One You're With" was the obvious choice. When I listened to the original, I realized that there wasn't a drummer, it was all percussion and Stephen's percussive acoustic guitar and I immediately said, "We're putting drums on this" and I was friends with Cactus Moser when he was in Boulder and I actually played in a band with Cactus for a while and he was such a powerful drummer. Cactus is Wynonna Judd's husband and for the last 10 years, Wynonna and Cactus have been cracking the whip in Nashville and when I asked Cactus to play on a couple of songs, he said, "Great! That sounds wonderful, thank you for asking" and then I mustered the courage and said, "Do you think your lovely wife would care to sing on that song?" He said, "That's a great idea! I'm sure her producer is gonna say yes; of course I'm her producer." I laughed and said, "OK." So, to get both Wynonna Judd and Cactus on the same song was just really cool. I really love our version; he called me after they had done some stuff in the studio and said, "I hope you don't mind, I gave Wynonna a track to just scat on" and I said, "Hey! She can do anything she wants" and I left all of her scats and answer-backs on our version and to have somebody as powerful a female singer as Wynonna answering back the lead vocals; I'm really pleased with the whole album but that one is one of my favorites."
The "Misconception" that they are a soft rock band kind of causes Jock to bristle a bit and he, like many others can get somewhat annoyed when they are placed in a genre.
"I don't like genres pinned onto a band," he stated emphatically."One of the things about Firefall with our original singer songwriters Rick Roberts and Larry Burnett on the first three albums, we had such a wide variety of songs, grooves and genres that, that was one of the strong points and successful points about Firefall in those early days because you couldn't just pigeonhole us with just "You Are The Woman." I mean, it was great having a song that was that big and it has kept me working for 40 years but we have so many other great songs from that early time period, "Mexico, "Livin' Ain't Livin'" and Larry Burnett';s "Cinderella," oh my God, what great songs."
So, with the new album out, what are the plans to support it?
"June, July, August and September are totally full; we're mostly weekend warriors now. We'll play three or four gigs in a certain area. We are touring behind the new album but I have to say, when we're on the bill with two or three other '70s bands and given a 45-minute set to play, there are not too many of these new "Friends & Family" songs that we can fit in our set because people are paying good money for tickets and they want to hear all of the old Firefall songs. So, I kinda know, when we have a 45-minute set, I know which 10 or 12 songs or however many that we're gonna play because Firefall has so many songs that were either hits from the '70s or radio friendly FM kind of hits."
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
Ace Cafe 15 Market Place New Hope, PA Thurs. 6 p.m. Bike Night Fri. 6 p.m. Station Wagon Night Sat. 11 a.m. Cars & Coffee Sun. (1 p.m.) 2 Wheel Meetup (2 p.m.) Volvo / SAAB MeetupAllentown Borough Main Street Allentown Sat. 8 a.m. Fishing Tournament (Takes place at Pete Sensi Park)All Saints Church 16 All Saints Road Princeton Thurs. 7 p.m. Jazz On The Patio feat. Fr. George and Scott RickettsAl's Airport Inn 636 Bear Tavern Road West Trenton (609) 883-5252 Thurs. 5 p.m. Mark Sacco Sat. (12 p.m.) Acoustic Brunch w/ Ed Wall (7 p.m.) Jessica DiDonato Sun. (12 p.m.) Sunday Acoustic Brunch w/ Monk & Monk (6 p.m.) Mike Tusay Mon. 5 p.m. Bud Belviso Tues. 7 p.m. Jessica DiDonatoAmericana Kitchen & Bar 359 U.S. Highway Route 130 North Hightstown (732) 558-5999 Fri. 7 p.m. Prime Time Comedy Club Presents: Ira Summer Ancient Order of Hibernians 2419 Kuser Road Hamilton Fri. 8 p.m. Music BINGOAristaeus Brewing 2475C Big Oak Road Langhorne, PA (215) 757-2337 Thurs. 7 p.m. Trivia Arm & Hammer Park 1 Thunder Road Trenton (609) 394-3300 Thurs. 7 p.m. Hometown Heroes Night w/ Post-game Fireworks Sun. 1 p.m. "Nurses Day"Arts Council of Princeton 102 Witherspoon Street Princeton (609) 924-8777 Fri. 4 p.m. Glassblowing Workshop: Make Your Own Wine Glass (BYOB) Sat. (9:30 a.m.) Glassblowing Workshop: Make Your Own Cup or Vase (1 p.m.) Glassblowing Educational Experience for Kids: Make Your Own Orb! (7 p.m.) Cafe` Improv. $2 Sun. (9:30 a.m.) Glassblowing Workshop: Make Your Own Cup or Vase (1 p.m.) Glassblowing Educational Experience for Kids: Make Your Own Orb! Wed. 7 p.m. JAM: Jersey Art MeetupAshlynn Distillery 32 West Bridge Street Morrisville, PA Thurs. 6 p.m. Cecil & Mike Fri. 8 p.m. Just Biz Sat. 8 p.m. GB&J Sun. 3 p.m. Cecil & Friends Wed. 6 p.m. Cara CartneyBella Mia 3224 U.S. Highway 206 Bordentown (609) 291-7475 Tues. 7 p.m. Mason Jar Mug Paint NightBent Iron Brewing 70 Extonville Road Hamilton Thurs. 7 p.m. Trivia Fri. 5 p.m. Michael Tusay Sat. 5 p.m. Mike Pinto Wed. 5 p.m. Car CruiseBill's Olde Tavern 2694 Nottingham Way Hamilton (609) 586-0192 Thurs. 7 p.m. LakeHouse / Music BINGO Fri. (7 p.m.) '80s Undercover (10 p.m.) DJ Dream Sat. (7 p.m.) Jenks (10 p.m.) DJ Dan Murphy Sun. 7 p.m. BINGO Mon. 7 p.m. Trivia Tues. 9 p.m. / Wed. 9 p.m. Karaoke Ages 21+Bit-hin' Kitten Brewery 58-B East Bridge Street Morrisville, PA (267) 799-5348 Wed. 7 p.m. QuizzoBlend Bar & Bistro 911 Highway 33 Hamilton (609) 245-8887 Fri. 6:30 p.m. Chet & AriBlooming Grove Inn 40 West Upper Ferry Road West Trenton Fri. 4:30 p.m. Rick WinowBordentown City Farnsworth Avenue Bordentown Fri. 7 p.m. "Frightening Fridays!" Haunted History Tours. $20 Sat. 12 p.m. Bordentown Walking Tours. $20 Boro Bean 9 East Broad Street Hopewell (609) 466-6681 Sat. 11 a.m. John Abbott Bowman's Tavern 1600 River Road New Hope, PA (215) 862-2972 Thurs. 6:30 p.m. Max Rogers Fri. (5:30 p.m.) Bennett Lee (8 p.m.) Bob Egan Sat. 7 p.m. Dave Dales Sun. (12 p.m.) Bill Avayou Trio (6 p.m.) Lorenzo Wed. 6 p.m. Liz DuFourBroken Goblet Brewing 2500 State Road Bensalem, PA (267) 812-5653 Thurs. 6 p.m. Ice Cream & Beer Pairing. $40-$75 Fri. 8 p.m. A Night of Rock, Blues & Funk w/ "Jason Ager" (FREE event) Sun. 11 a.m. EMO Yoga. $15+ Bucks On Bridge 25 Bridge Street Lambertville (609) 483-2615 Fri. 6:30 p.m. Poetry Night Tues. 5 p.m. Chess Night Wed. 6 p.m. Trivia Cadwalader Park (Ellarslie Museum) 299 Parkside Avenue Trenton (408) 335-4400 Fri. 7 p.m. "Freedom" Open MicCazz's Sports Bar 'N' Grille 1560 Haines Road Levittown, PA (267) 580-5469 Fri. 9:30 p.m. Karaoke w/ PaulChristopher's Deli & Catering 516 High Street Mount Holly Fri. 11 a.m. Chris GiakasClub Atlantis 1858 Street Road Bensalem, PA (215) 944-1777 Sat. 9 p.m. DJ Robbie Tronco All Events Ages 21+ and Dress to ImpressContinental Tavern 2 North Main Street Yardley, PA (215) 493-9191 Fri. 8 p.m. Just Todd Sat. 8 p.m. Brian LattazaniCooper's Riverview 50 Riverview Plaza Trenton (609) 393-7300 Thurs. 7 p.m. Be5D Fri. 5 p.m. Happy Hour (8 p.m.) Shot of Southern Sat. 8 p.m. SpareParts / DJ David Matrix Sun. 1 p.m. Earthshare NJ Blues feat. Tad Shaefer and the Troublemakers, Lew Gatewood, Jenny Barnes Band, Peter V Blues Train. $25 (advance), doors open at 12 p.m. Wed. 7 p.m. Live Band Jam Cream Ridge Winery 145 Route 539 Cream Ridge (609) 259-9797 Sat. 8 p.m. Reggae Night w/ Random Test Sun. 1:30 p.m. Sangria SundayCrossing Vineyard and Winery 1853 Wrightstown Road Washington Crossing, PA (215) 493-6500 Thurs. 7 p.m. Trivia Night Fri. 7:15 p.m. "Summer Wine and Music Series" feat. Elton John Tribute w/ $15 (advance), Doors open at 5 p.m., Ages 21+ Sat. 2 p.m. On The Fly Sun. 2 p.m. Kat RiversCurran’s Irish Inn 1909 Bristol Pike Bensalem, PA (215) 245-1800 Thurs. 7 p.m. Music Bingo Mon. 7:30 p.m. QuizzoDacey's Pub 215 West Philadelphia Avenue Morrisville, PA (215) 295-4838 Fri. 6:30 p.m. Acoustic Music Night Wed. 8 p.m. QuizzoDadz Bar and Grill 744 Main Street Lumberton (609)267-4344 Thurs. 7 p.m. Open Mic Sun. 3 p.m. Wounded SoulsDharma Bums 4935 River Road New Hope, PA (215) 663-2867 Thurs. 7 p.m. Lloyd, Lally & Wasicko Fri. 8 p.m. Sofia Devitt w/ Sadie Gust & Riley Lauren. $10 (advance) Sat. 8 p.m. Pure Jerry. $12 (advance) Sun. 4 p.m. "Ecstatic Dance" w/ Love Portal. $25 (Kids 14 and under $15) Wed. 7 p.m. DBums Hootenanny: An Open Mic of Music, Comedy & Spoken Word Hosted by Michael Henry RobertEddington House Bensalem 2813 Hulmeville Road, Bensalem, PA (215) 639-1220 Fri. 8:30 p.m. The Groove DudesEscape Resort, Restaurant & Bar 120 Pheasant Run Road Newtown, PA Fri. 6 p.m. Aaron QuartermanFalls Township Community Park 9125 Mill Creek Road Levittown, PA Sun. 6 p.m. Barefoot Bobby & The BreakersFlying Pig Tavern & Tap 167 US-Route 130 North Bordentown (609) 899-7447 Thurs. 7 p.m. Ladies Night Tues. 9 p.m. Karaoke Wed. 8 p.m. TriviaFounding Father's Sports Bar & Grill 2900 Street Road Bensalem, PA (215) 923-1100 Fri. 6 p.m. Bob Pantano Dance Party w/ DJ Joe Castro Friendly's 1031 Washington Boulevard Robbinsville (609) 426-9203 Thurs. 5 p.m. Cruise Night Wed. 6 p.m. Open Mic Night Hosted by Kevin McGowan and/or Gino Formaroli (Sign-ups begin at 5:30 p.m.)Gallagher's Taproom 437 Pine Street Mount Holly (609) 261-0500 Fri. 6 p.m. Wounded Souls / RicochetGerman American Society 215 Uncle Pete's Road Hamilton (609) 585-5200 Fri. 6 p.m. Bike Night in the Biergarten Sat. 7 p.m. "Waynardstock 2025" feat. Rainbow Full of Sound, Dead Zep, Dark Side of the Rainbow. $20, doors open at 6 p.m.Gleason's Bar 6700 Mill Creek Road Levittown, PA (215) 943-4781 Thurs. 7 p.m. Music Bingo / “Ladies Night” Hosted by Best Choice Productions Fri. (6 p.m.) "Happy Hour" (8:30 p.m.) The Naturals Sat. 8:30 p.m. 44 Fridays Sun. 3 p.m. EarCandy Tues. 7 p.m. Game Show PaloozaGreen Parrot Restaurant Pub, & Patio 240 North Sycamore Street Newtown Township, PA (215) 504-7277 Tues. 7 p.m. Music BINGOGrover's Mill Coffee House Princeton-Hightstown Road Princeton Junction (609) 716-8771 Thurs. 6 p.m. Open Mic Hosted by Wade Prestridge. $10Halo Pub (Fete) 9 Hullfish Street Princeton (609) 921-1710 Sat. 6 p.m. The Wild GritHamilatte Cafe 1971 Route 33 Hamilton Sat. 6:30 p.m. Acoustic Saturdays Hamilton Veterans Park 1865 Yardville-Hamilton Square Road Hamilton Tues. 9 p.m. FireworksHavana New Hope 105 S. Main Street New Hope, PA. (215) 862-9897 Thurs. 7 p.m. Blues Jam Hosted by Mikey Jr & The Slidewinder Blues Band Fri. ( 8 p.m.) "Sailin' Shoes" A Tribute to Little Feat (11 p.m. ) DJ Dance Party Sat. 9:30 p.m. DJ Summer Dance Party w/ DJ Iron Mike Sun. 6 p.m. "Countdown to Ecstasy" Steely Dan Tribute Mon. 9 p.m. Karaoke w/ Steve Tues. 7 p.m. Jillian Ashcroft Jazz Quartet Wed. 7 p.m. Jumper DuoHightstown Memorial Park North Main Street Hightstown Fri. 5:30 p.m. DragonflyHopewell Train Station 2 Railroad Place Hopewell Mon. 7 p.m. Summer Concert Series feat. Blawenburg BandHopewell Valley Golf Club 114 Pennington-Hopewell Road Hopewell (609) 737-1199 Thurs. 6 p.m. Trivia Fri. 6 p.m. Keith Franklin Jazz Group Tues. 5 p.m. "9 & Dine" A Summer Southern BBQ. $70 ($40 food only)Hopewell Valley Vineyards 46 Yard Avenue Pennington (609) 737-4465 Fri. 4 p.m. "Music & Merlot" feat. (5:30 p.m.) Rainbow Fresh Sat. (1 p.m.) Deb & Mike (5:30 p.m.) "Music & Merlot" feat. Hit & Run Sun. 2:30 p.m. "Jazzy Sundays" feat. Hopewell Valley Vineyards Jazz EnsembleHub 13 13 West Front Street Trenton Sun. 12 a.m. "Art All Night" After Dark Presents: Vibes All Night Open Mic Mic Market and Dance SpaceHurricane Jacks Bar and Grill 7759 New Falls Road Levittown, PA (267) 914-4517 Thurs. 7:30 p.m. Music Bingo w/ DJ John W. Tues. 8 p.m. Acoustic Tuesday w/ Mikey Jr Wed. 7 p.m. Open Mic w/ Laura FioccoHyatt Regency 102 Carnagie Center Princeton Thurs. 6 p.m. James GedeonIl Portico Restorante Italiano 273 West Route 130 South Burlington (609) 239-1000 Thurs. 7 p.m. Jazz Night Fri. / Sat. 7 p.m. Live Music w/ Tony OIrish Rover Station House 1033 South Bellevue Avenue Langhorne, PA (215) 970-5412 Wed. 7 p.m. Quizzo NightIron Plow Vineyards 26750 Mount Pleasant Road Columbus (732) 306-9111 Fri. 5:30 p.m. Sarah James Sat. 4:30 p.m. Bob Daley Sun. 1 p.m. Bob O & Jessica DiDonatoIvy Tavern 3108 S. Broad Street, Hamilton (609) 888-1435 Thurs. 8:30 p.m. Karaoke All shows 21+ Jimmy's American Grill 140 US Route 130 South Bordentown (609) 291-0200 Tues. 7 p.m. TriviaJohn & Peter's 96 S. Main Street New Hope, Pa (215) 862-5981 Sat. 8 p.m. Earthwyrm, Airspace, Running In Flip Flops. Doors open at 8 p.m. Sun. 9 a.m. "Rumble By The River" Car Show feat. Drew & The Blue, Wiped Out, Vos Tones Mon. 9 p.m. Open Mic Night (Sign-ups start at 8 p.m.) Wed. 9 p.m. The Invitational All shows 21+Kelly's Bar n Banquet Hall 14 Railroad Avenue Fort Dix (732) 230-6169 Tues. 6 p.m. Open Mic Hosted by Carie McCayKillarney's Publick House 1644 Whitehorse-Mercerville Road Hamilton (609) 586-1166 Thurs. 7 p.m. Flying Ivories. Ages 21+ Fri. (5:30 p.m.) Lou Mutter (10 p.m.) DJ Dan Sat. (10 a.m.) Brunch (5:30 p.m.) Skyline (10 p.m.) DJ Jimmy G Sun. (10 a.m.) "Sunday Funday" Brunch feat. (11 a.m.) Ty Mares Mon. 5 p.m. Kid's Night "You're Our Superhero!" Wed. 7 p.m. Line Dancing w/ DJ DanLambertville Station Restaurant and Inn 11 Bridge Street Lambertville (609) 397-8300 Thurs. (6 p.m.) An Evening of French Wine & Food at The Wine Cellar" (6:30 p.m.) Trivia Fri. 6 p.m. "Highway Run" A Tribute to Journey and Women of RockLaurita Winery 85 Archertown Road New Egypt (609) 752-0200 Thurs. (6 p.m.) Turtle and Surfboard Paint & Take. (7 p.m.) Laurita Junior Idol Tryouts Fri. 7 p.m. We Love the '90s Dance Party Sat. 11 a.m. "Do Good, Eat Good, Food Truck Festival feat. (6 p.m.) Strictly '60s. $14 Sun. 11 a.m. "Do Good, Eat Good, Food Truck Festival Lawrenceville Main Street 17 Phillips Avenue Lawrenceville (609) 219-9300 Thurs. 6 p.m. "Music In The Park" feat. Kindred Spirit (Weeden Park FREE admission) Tues. 7 p.m. Fireworks at Rider University feat. Kindred SpiritLibrary Company of Burlington 23 West Union Street Burlington (609) 3861273 Fri. 6:30 p.m. Open Mic NightLillipies Bakery 30 North Harrison Street Princeton (609) 423-2100 Sat. 10 a.m. Storytime with JeffLogan Inn 10 West Ferry Street New Hope, PA (215) 862-2300 Thurs. 6 p.m. David Maida Fri. 7 p.m. Omeed Nyman Trio Sat. 7 p.m. Alan Okun Trio Sun. 11:30 a.m. Lambertville JazzMagikava 87a South Main Street New Hope, PA (215) 862-2739 Thurs. 6 p.m. Astrology Readings by Riss Cottrill Mon. 6 p.m. Magik "Art Mondays" Wed. 6:30 p.m. Open Mic Night McStews Irish Sports Pub 5316 New Falls Road Levittown, PA (215) 949-9570 Sat. 9 p.m. Thee Amazin' Grace and The Grace Little Band Tues. 7:30 p.m. Trivia NightMercer County Park (Boathouse at Mercer Lake) 334 South Post Road West Windsor (866) 683-3586 Thurs. 6 p.m. Polish NanniesMercer County Park Festival Grounds Hughes Drive/Old Trenton Road West Windsor (609) 448-1947 Thurs. 5 p.m. LEAD Fest Fri. 5 p.m. LEAD Feast Sat. 1 p.m. LEAD Fest feat. (3 p.m.) Cosmic Jerry Band Sun. 1 p.m. LEAD Fest feat. (7 p.m.) Kindred Spirit Mon. 5 p.m. LEAD Fest feat. (7 p.m.) Dave Bray Tues. 5 p.m. LEAD Fest feat. (7 p.m.) Lovelight Music Mountain Theater 1483 Route 179 Lambertville (609)397-3337 Fri. 8 p.m. "Young Frankenstein" Sat. 3 p.m./ 8 p.m. "Young Frankenstein" Sun. 3 p.m. "Young Frankenstein"Music Off Main (Takes place at Buttonwood Park) 25 East Main Street Yardley, PA Sat. 6 p.m. Magdaliz & her Latin Ensemble CrisolNaked Brewing Company 212 Mill Street Bristol, PA (267) 544-7129 Tues. 7 p.m. TriviaNeedle Creek Farm Brewery 91 Titus Mill Road Pennington Sat. 2 p.m. Bud & CarmNew Egypt Flea Market Village 933 Monmouth County Road Cream Ridge (609) 758-2082 Sun. 8 a.m. Flea Market Wed. 8 a.m. Flea MarketNew Hope Winery / Tavern 6123 Lower York Road New Hope, PA (215) 794-2331 Fri. 6 p.m. JB Kline & Ed Wall Sat. 8 p.m. "Kashmir" Led Zeppelin TributeNewtown Brewing Company 103 Penns Trail Newtown, PA (215) 944-8609 Thurs. 7:30 p.m. "Gilmore Girls" Trivia Fri. 6 p.m. Dave Maida Sat. 6 p.m. Sister Blue & Mark Furman Sun. 1 p.m. Local Artisan Craft Fair Wed. 4 p.m. Open Mic Night Hosted by Bill MonachNick's Roast Beef 4501 Woodhaven Road West Philadelphia, PA (215) 637-515 Thurs. 7 p.m. Trivia Wed. 7 p.m. KaraokeNomad Distilling Company 20 South Main Street New Hope, PA Sun. 10 a.m. BrunchNottingham Tavern 9 Mercer Street Hamilton Square (609) 587-6623 Thur. 9 p.m. Karaoke w/ Super Dave Curtis Sat. 9:30 p.m. Polish Nannies Mon. 6 p.m. BINGO Tues. 4 p.m. "Pie on The Patio" feat. (6:30 p.m.) Stephanie Chin Ages 21+ O'Fowley's Tavern & Grill 200 State Road Croydon, PA (215) 785-6998 Mon. 7 p.m. Music Bingo Hosted by Best Choice Productions w/ DJ John S Tues. 7 p.m. Quizzo Old Barracks 100 Barrack Street Trenton Sat. 7 p.m. Concerts by CandlelightOld Hights Brewing 123 West Ward Street Hightstown (609) 469-5976 Thurs. 5 p.m. Vinyl Night Fri. 3 p.m. Mackenzie Blair Foundation Beer Release feat. (7 p.m.) Laurie & Jim Sat. 6 p.m. Vintage Vibe Tribe Sun. 1 p.m. Local Performer's Showcase Old Town Pub 135 Farnsworth Avenue Bordentown (609) 291-9232 Wed. 7:30 p.m. TriviaOttoburger (Planet Animal Taste) 65 East Broad Street Hopewell (640) 867-4915 Sat. 1 p.m. Toast & Trivia Palmer Square 40 Nassau Street Princeton Thurs. 5 p.m. "Square After Sunset" feat. Jake & Dan Duo Sat. 1 p.m. Summer Music Series feat. "Living Proof" Sun. 1 p.m. Summer Music Series feat. "KickStart" Patriots Crossing 1339 River Road Titusville (609) 737-2780 Thurs. 8 p.m. Ladies Night Sat. 8 p.m. Frank Pinto & Richie Z Wed. 7 p.m. "Quizzo"Patriot's Theater at The War Memorial 1 Memorial Drive Trenton (609) 984-8400 Sat. 3 p.m. "Art All Night" Sun. "Art All Night" feat. (12 p.m.) CzarPete's Steak House 523 Whitehorse Avenue Hamilton (609) 585-8008 Fri. 9:30 p.m. Groove PocketPrinceton Country Club 1-Wheeler Way West Windsor (609) 452-9382 Thurs. 6 p.m. Karaoke Night w/ Live DJ Fri. (5 p.m.) Happy Hour (7 p.m.) Karaoke Sun. 11 a.m. Jazz Brunch Princeton Makes 301 North Harrison Street Princeton Fri. 6 p.m. Pop-Up Beer Garden feat. music by RevivalPuss N Boots Tavern 942 Trenton Road Fairless Hills, PA Fri. 8 p.m. Karaoke Tues. 7 p.m. TriviaRecovery Sports Grill 109 Hancock Lane Westampton (609) 702-3902 Fri. 6 p.m. StereotypesRistorante LUCCA & Piano Lounge 144 US Route 130 Bordentown (609) 262-0110 Thurs. 8 p.m. Jazz Night River Horse Brewery 2 Graphics Drive Ewing Sat. 5:30 p.m. Hygiene Hoedown Line Dancing River House at Odette’s 274 South Rive Road New Hope, PA (215) 682-2022 Thurs. 7 p.m. Cara Cartney Fri. 7 p.m. Max Rogers Sat. 7 p.m. Bob Egan Sun. 11:30 a.m. Brunch w/ Alex Otey Duo Wed. 5 p.m. Kat Rivers Rossi's Bar & Grill 2110 Whitehorse-Mercerville Road Hamilton (609) 890-2004 Thurs. 5:30 p.m. Ernie White Sat. 11 a.m. Brunch Sun. 11 a.m. Brunch Tues. 7 p.m. QuizzoholicsSandy's Beef & Ale 2028 E. Old Lincoln Highway Langhorne, PA (2670 852-2333 Thurs. 8 p.m. Quizzo Mon. 7 p.m. Music BingoSecond Sin Brewing Company 1500 Grundy Lane Bristol, P (267) 812-5251 Thurs. 7 p.m. TriviaShady Brook Farm 931 Stony Hill Road Yardley, PA (215) 968-1670 Thurs: 8 p.m. Cornhole League Fri. 6:30 p.m. "UnWINEd" Concert feat. Discoteks $12 (advance/online, $15 at door), doors open at 5:30 p.m. Sat./Sun. 11 a.m. "Summerween"Slim's Irish Pub 2195 Galloway Road Bensalem, PA (267) 332-0047 Sat. 830 p.m. Jukebox Graveyard Mon. 6 p.m. Open Mic Night Hosted by Cecil Wed. 6 p.m. Karaoke ContestSmall World Coffee 14 Witherspoon Street Princeton (609) 924-4377 x2 Sat. 7 p.m. Vince Di MuraSparky World-Famous Beer Garden 4333 New Falls Road Levittown, PA (215) 943-2321 Thurs. 9 p.m. Karaoke w/ DJ Dana Sat. 9 p.m. Never Enough Sun. 9 p.m. Open Mic Hosted by Cara Cartney Mon. 9 p.m. Game Night Hosted by Kid Dalton Tues. 7 p.m. Johnny Betz Spigola Vino E Cucino 3817 Crosswicks Hamilton Square Road Hamilton (609) 585-5255 Thurs. 5:30 p.m. Tommy Larocca Stars & Stripes Harley Davidson 600 South Flowers Mill Road Langhorne, PA (215) 752-9400 Fri. 5 p.m. Hot Rods & Harleys Bike NightStarving Artist Cafe 18 Bridge Street Stockton Fri. 10 a.m. JB Kline's Facebook Live Tavern On The Lake 101 Main Street Hightstown (609) 426-9345 Tues. 6 p.m. Trivia Wed. 7 p.m. Karaoke Temperance House 5 South State Street Newtown, PA (215) 944-8050 Thurs. 7 p.m. Steve Guyger and Filthy Rich Mon. 7 p.m. Trivia Hosted by Neville Esquire Tues. 7 p.m. Beginner Line Dance Lessons w/ Jeremy Line Dance. $40/4 Weeks Wed. 7 p.m. Open Mic Night w/ Cara CartneyTerhune Orchards 330 Cold Soil Road Princeton (609) 924-2310 Fri. "Sips & Sounds" feat. Ragtime Relics Sat. 1 p.m. "Weekend Music Series" feat. AudioPilot Sun. 1 p.m. "Weekend Music Series/Firefly Festival" feat. Billy O'Neal & Andy KoontzTGI Fridays 2703 Mount Holly Road Suite 3 Washington Twp. (609) 239-486 Thurs. 7 p.m. Trivia TGI Fridays 3535 U.S. Route 1 North #275 Princeton (609) 520-0378 Thurs. 8 p.m. Trivia Night The Birdhouse Center For The Arts 7 North Main Street Lambertville (215) 681-4660 Tues. 7:30 p.m. NJNO the "not just nyckelharpa orchestra" Community OrchestraThe Buck Hotel 1200 Buck Road Feasterville, PA (215) 396-2002 Thurs. 7 p.m. Kirko Fri. 8:30 p.m. Side Hustle Sat. (11 a.m.) Brunch (8:30 p.m.) Gilligan Tues. 7 p.m. Danny Lynch DuoThe Cool Cricket 216 Burlington Street Fieldsboro (609) 291-9110 Fri. 9 p.m. Karaoke w/ Dave Curtis Sat. 9 p.m. Audio Outlaws Mon. 7 p.m. Trivia Tues. 7 p.m. BINGOThe Corner Inn 24509 East Main Street Columbus (609) 298-8543 Sat. 9 p.m. Karaoke w/ We R EntertainmentThe Dubliner 34 North Main Street New Hope, PA (215) 693-1816 Fri. 7 p.m. Gabriel Donohue Sat. 7 p.m. Gerry Timlin Sun. 2 p.m. Gerry TimlinThe Federal Twist Vineyard 8 Federal Twist Road Stockton (609) 773-6066 Sun. 2 p.m. Bad Hombres Duo. $5 (Ages 20 and under FREE)The Five Four Bar & Grill 8919 New Falls Road Levittown, PA (215) 547-5525 Thurs. 8 p.m. Karaoke w/ Paula and Sam Fri. 9 p.m. Old School w/ Bob Chavis and Terry Downey Sat. 9 p.m. WitZend Tues. 7 p.m. Music Bingo w/ Jonathan AppelThe HOB Tavern 146 Second Street Bordentown (609) 291-7020 Sat. 8:30 p.m. KaraokeThe Irish Horne Bar & Restaurant 882 2nd Street Pike Richboro, PA (215) 942-4000 Sat. 8 p.m. Aaron Quarterman The Ivy Inn 248 Nassau Street Princeton (609) 921-8555 Thurs. (7 p.m.) Bingo (10 p.m.) Karaoke w/ Trey Brown Fri. 9:30 p.m. DJ Bockman Sat. 9:30 p.m. Talking In Cursive Tues. 7 p.m. Quizzo w/ Bob E Luv Wed. 10 p.m. Karaoke w/ Trey BrownThe Morrisville Tavern 376 West Trenton Avenue Morrisville, PA (215) 295-5310 Thurs. 7 p.m. Trivia Fri. 8 p.m. Herding Cats Sat. 8 p.m. Solomon Dub Sun. 2 p.m. Joe Zook Mon. 7:30 p.m. Karaoke Tues. 7 p.m. Music Bingo Wed. 7 p.m. Trivia Night The Newtown Theatre 120 North State Street Newtown, PA (215) 968-3859 Thurs. 6 p.m. "The Ultimate Guys Night" $69.44 (Includes 3 cigars, beer, pizza and the movie "Old School" Sat. 8 p.m. "Scarecrow" John Mellencamp Tribute. $40.10 Tues. 7:30 p.m. Cult Vault: "Independence Day" $10-$13 (FREE for members)The Penguin Rocks (24 Hour On-Demand Music/Radio) www.thepenguinrocks.com Mon. - Fri. "Radio Jersey" Hosted by Lee Mrowicki Sun. - Sat. "Classic Jersey" Hosted by Gary Wien Sun. - Sat. "Beyond The Palace" Hosted by Lee Mrowicki Sun. - Sat. "Danny Coleman's Rock On Radio" feat. Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal & Charlie Calv Sun. - Sat. "From The Basement" Hosted by Mike Marrone Sun. - Sat. "Deuce Radio" Hosted by Matt Barker Sun. - Sat. "Altrok Radio" Hosted by Sean Carolan Sun. - Sat. "Lighty's Corner" Hosted by Gary Wien Sun. - Sat. "The Troubador Show" Hosted by John GodfreyThe Roost 181 Rte. 539 Cream Ridge (609) 208-0050 Thurs. 6:30 p.m. DC Duo Fri. 9 p.m. Diablo Sandwich Band Sat. 8 p.m. ArHouse Mon. 6 p.m. Music BINGO Tues. 6 p.m. TriviaThe Union Firehouse 18 Washington Street Mount Holly (609) 288-6491 Sat. 8 p.m. GRUNGE-A-PALOOZA feat. Riot Act, Fave Grohl, Loud Love. $16 (advance), Doors open at 7 p.m.The Union House 19 East Union Street Burlington (609) 531-6077 Thurs. 7 p.m. Trivia Fri. 8 p.m. ShakeyLee Sat. (10 a.m.) Brunch (8 p.m.) OMGB Sun. 10 a.m. BrunchThunderBowl Lanes NJ 423 East Main Street Wrightstown (609) 723-7914 Sat. 5 p.m. Wounded SoulsTir Na Nog 1324 Hamilton Avenue Trenton (609) 392-2554 Sun. 3 p.m. "Irish Sessions" All Shows 21+Trenton Social 449 South Broad Street Trenton (609) 989-7777 Thurs. 5 p.m. "Happy Hour Throwback Thursday Sat. 9 p.m. Live Music (TBA) Mon. 6 p.m. "Monday Night Karaoke" Hosted by SweetsTriumph Brewing Company (New Hope, Pa. Location) 400 Union Square New Hope, Pa. (215) 862-8300 Fri. 8 p.m. Cody Tyler & Gypsy Convoy Sat. 8 p.m. Mighty Mystic Sun. 1 p.m. JDuoTriumph Brewing Company (Princeton Location) 20 Palmer Square east Princeton (609) 924-7855 Fri. 6 p.m. Pete Rodriguez Quartet Sat. 6 p.m. Mike Noordzy Trio Vault Brewing Company 10 South Main Street Yardley, PA (267) 573-4291 Fri. 7 p.m. Dave Posmontier Trio Sat. 7 p.m. Tony Miceli TrioVillage Idiot Brewing Company 42 High Street Mount Holly (609) 975-9270 Thurs. 7 p.m. TriviaWest Windsor Farm Market Vaughn Drive Princeton Sat. 9 a.m. Carmen MarrancoWhitehill Mansion 217 Fourth Street Fieldsboro Sat. 7 p.m. Investigate Whitehill Mansion w/ Dave Juliano Wildflowers Too 255 Route 156 Yardville (609) 585-5483 Wed. 7 p.m. Poker NightWindsor Chapel 401 Village Road East West Windsor Sun. 2 p.m. Line Dancing w/ Kristin Lyn and DJ Ashley RoseWoolsey Park 203-221 Washington Crossing-Pennington Road Titusville Sat. 4 p.m. "Annual Independence Day Car Show, Concert & Fireworks" feat. (6 p.m.) Castle Lane Working Dog Winery 610 Windsor Perrineville Road Hightstown (609) 371-6000 Thurs. 4 p.m. Make Your Own Pizza Night w/ Bella Ciao feat. music by Joe Vadala Fri. (4:30 p.m.) Open Mic Hosted by Kevin McGowan (5 p.m.) White Wines of Summer Tour. $20 Sat. 1 p.m. Chris Swatt Sun. 1 p.m. Dan Stinger Wed. 6 p.m. Wine & Cupcake Pairing. $45WWFM 89.1 FM HD2 Radio MCCC Old Trenton Road West Windsor Jazzon2.org Mon. 7 a.m./7 p.m. "Danny Coleman's Got The Blues"Yankee Doodle Tap Room 10 Palmer Square Princeton (609) 921-7500 Fri. 6 p.m. Music on the Patio w/ Paul Plumeri 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.
Here is a look at shows taking place from June 24-30, 2025 along with our featured listings and a look at some upcoming shows. New Jersey Stage offers previews of concerts throughout the Garden State as well as select shows in New York City and Philadelphia areas.
Prolific Asbury Park singer and songwriter Alexander Simone (grandson of the legendary Nina), Atlantic City's R&B songstress Mary Cross, and the pioneering female rapper, Newark's MC Rah Digga, are just a few of the beloved local talents who will present events as part of this year's Prudential North to Shore Festival. Performances and programs will be held June 14-29, 2025 in Asbury Park and Newark, while performances in Atlantic City will extend throughout the coming year.
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