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Rock On! This Week's Sound Bites...12/15/22


By Danny Coleman

originally published: 12/15/2022

Charlie Thomas rose to prominence as a member of the fabulous vocal group The Drifters whose seemingly endless string of hits are still found on the airwaves today. So, it comes as no surprise that now in his eighth decade; Thomas has emerged with yet what's destined to become another classic called, "Be My Rock."    

Written by the late Doc Pomus along with Phillip Namanworth, who stated in a recent press release,

“Doc Pomus and I wrote the song in 1975, it was one of eight that we worked on together. He had the title and then the lyrics and melody flowed organically. It’s rich with beautiful harmonies and very purposely has a gospel, soulful blues character, it’s the gospel of being in love and feeling alive,” the song's current revival came about due to Namanworth mentioning it to another musician named David Backer who, along with Arnie Brown and "Mad" Mike Cullen were in Thomas' band. So, with Namanworth's approval; they set out to do the song and have it included on the twentieth anniversary re-release of "American Masters Sing The Blues" due out in the coming year of 2023 on Mad Hands Records.

The next step was to bring in someone with experience to do backing vocals along with the vocal arrangements; enter former Drifter's band mate, Dave Revels who was beyond thrilled for the opportunity and already familiar with the studio and its personnel.




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Recently, Revels spoke about the recording, his relationship with Thomas and The Jam Room in Howell, NJ where it all took place. So; how did he get involved with Charlie Thomas and the current project?

“It started before when I was in The Persuasions and they taught me a lot when I was young and in the acapella group and that sort of set me up to be at the right skill level to make my audition with The Drifters and Charlie back in the early ‘80s," he began. "So, I've worked with Charlie for quite a number of years and with The Drifters for years; basically, it goes back to “There Goes My Baby.” I got the call to work on the song a year ago and it was a great unexpected gift because it's nice when you can come full circle in your career and to work with a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and also somebody that you know personally. So, I jumped at the opportunity to do the vocal arrangements on the song. I just know it is a great song and I am thrilled to be a part of it and thrilled that I was asked to do the vocal arrangements and the background; it is an honor to be asked to do this.” 

One of the most pleasant surprises in music is when old material is “Discovered” or stumbled upon and either released for the first time or re-released with today’s modern technology enhancing the product. Revels says that finding the track and adding a “Life-experienced” Thomas were keys to the songs new, fresh sound.

“As a songwriter you are constantly writing things down and trying to find different things and then you go on to the next idea and then one day you’ll be cleaning up and you’ll come across something again that you overlooked. I think this song fits into one of those category levels as a gem that was overlooked and I guess anybody can hear the maturity in this song. Charlie's voice is full of life experiences and all those things that had come to him in their own set time and the right time. So, Charlie’s voice is rich with all those years of experience and you can hear it in his voice; he's not just mouthing words, he's experiencing this.”

With Thomas’ parts done, Revels was now tasked to arrange and put backing vocals on the piece; a process that he thoroughly enjoyed. How did he go about it?

“As I'm doing the backgrounds and coming up with the parts, I'm listening to Charlie’s lead and it was like, oh wow, listen to that. It's all about support, you know how it is when you're doing a song and arranging and writing it; it's all about supporting different layers of the song, the melody, the vocal and all of that stuff that goes into the creation of a recording. So, finding a voice that blended with myself, because it was just me and another person that did all of the background vocals, his name was Samuel White and he was with a group called The Joneses back in the ‘70s and he’s one of those people who has a great ear and you can give an idea to on the spot and he’ll run with it and you don't have to keep going over and over it; he was my Baritone. He is a solid Baritone and he was able to give me the color to offset my voice. So, that's the first thing and then listening to the song and being able to layer your own voice and another voice and be confident quick and having an engineer that is quick on the take and not an engineer that goes, oops, I didn't get that. So, those are the things for me and we did those backgrounds in under three hours. I like to know what I'm doing before I get there so I really listen to the song a lot and work out parts in my head and I put it down on paper and then I go in. I needed to do this right because one voice is really going to make this thing and with my personal vocal range and register, I can hit the lows, the mids and the highs; that's the process for me and then having a great engineer and a great room helps to get the product out.” 

Using Revels and members of The Uptown Horns along with a top-notch studio crew at The Jam Room, “Be My Rock” came to life. Which poses the question; what does Thomas think of the finished product and what are the plans for it?




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“Oh man, he was happy with it,” said an obviously pleased Revels, “For him and I it was coming back around full-circle because I left the group in 1990 to pursue other career opportunities and they went on; of course, you know The Drifters had many members in and out so they weren't going to miss me for long because there's always somebody coming in to sing with Charlie and Barry and so, to get this opportunity here was a nice feeling all around and he really felt good about it.”

“The song is up now so we will see how the song does because you know; everything is generated by the revenue to keep it going. So, that's the first step; trying to get this song out there for the people to hear it and really listen to it and appreciate it. The main thing in this day and age where everybody seems to be 17 and younger on the radio, is that it’s really nice to see and to imagine that someone of Charlie’s stature, an Octogenarian, for him to get a hit record and for him to be recognized because he still has such a rich voice; not too many people can sing in such a subtle way in that regard and get their point across without having to scream at you. There are a lot of young people and artists who really get it because they do their homework but I think a lot of younger artists today dismiss the artists of the past and it's a shame because there's so much they could learn from listening to them. Some of the best teachers are records; records are the best teachers that you can have as a singer. I listen to where they take a breath, where they breathe into the phrase and where they exit the phrase; where they are setting the scheme of the rhythm and the color of the instruments and all that stuff and it's a matter of listening; the biggest tool you have as an artist is your ears. I love it when you meet a young artist who gets it and I love collaboration; that's the biggest way you get great work.”

“Be My Rock” is Thomas’ first new release in years and is a smooth bluesy, soulful piece that showcases his legendary vocal talents as well as offering up a different style for Drifters fans to digest. Quite often, when bands who’ve reached the pinnacle of their success in the past continue to perform today, they do what are considered “Greatest Hits” tours and shows which sometimes can wear on the musicians as they perform the same or similar sets on a nightly basis. Revels has a different take on how he worked through those situations as a member of The Drifters. 

“I'll tell you what it was, the audience brought you to life every night,” he stated emphatically. “Playing to different crowds in different cities, different countries and seeing everyone always kind of brought you to life. I'll give you an example, it’s like when you go to vacation spot every year but then you bring a couple of friends along and they have never seen that vacation spot before and all of a sudden you watch them experience it through their eyes and all of a sudden you get a renewed joy for where you have been coming to forever. So, that's really how it was and you’ve got to remember the generation of talent back then was steeped in live performances; that's where they did their thing. The recordings came and that moment passed and the records were sustainable but at the same time it was the fact that they enjoyed being entertainers. So, no, you didn't get tired, I think that kind of changes if they send you to Las Vegas where you’ve got all of those splashy arrangements and they throw horns on all the things; you know what it’s like if you go to Vegas, you know what I'm talking about but if you're not doing it live in Vegas for an audience then the pureness of the song stays intact and when you're singing them; you know they're well-crafted songs man. The lyrics, the subject matter; it was an incredible body of work and The Drifters were one of the groups of that era that was blessed with great songwriters and talent to match. So, no, it doesn't really get old but of course when a new song comes along that catches your attention you wanna sing it and so I'm glad that Charlie in his later years at this stage of life has a new song for people to hear.”

Now, about that “Familiarity” that was mentioned earlier?

“I’ve known the owner operator and engineer of that studio, The Jam Room,  for 40 years; Arnie Brown. We are always on the same page and everybody should know that because he runs a great studio; it's a great 24-track state-of-the-art room, great room to work and record live; for bands too. He knows the language of communication between us and he kind of anticipates where I'm going to go because he's heard me do it many times so there's a familiarity there and for me it’s all about ease and comfort. I actually recorded a song with Jorma Kaukonen there. He and I wrote a song called, “Birds and Sleeping Dogs” and it’s a beautiful acoustical recording just him on the guitar and me and that room was perfect for it because it just captured the sound perfectly.”   

Revels will not be resting any time soon as he has his own music and some other things keeping him busy.

“I have a single that's on the charts of the Beach Music 45 chart down South and it's called, “Anytime You're Close To Me.” It’s an R & B song and it was on the charts at number 19 and of course I'm also promoting the song I did with Jorma from Jefferson Airplane and Hot Tuna which is out on all the platforms and that's what's driving me now. I'm also the producer and creative director for a nationally touring Motown tribute production called Shadows of the ‘60s that will involve tours all over the country and the world. We recently did a show in Jamaica and those are some of the things I'm doing and of course, being a family man is at the core of it all.”   

To hear the single, please visit https://madhandsrecords.bandcamp.com/album/american-masters-sing-the-blues nd to discover more about Rave Revels, please visit http://daverevels.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


All Saints Church 
16 All Saints Road Princeton
Sat. 8 p.m. Of One That Is So Fair and Bright: Music in Honour of The Virgin Mary 
Al's Airport Inn
636 Bear Tavern Road West Trenton
(609) 883-5252
Thurs. 5 p.m. Johnathan Savage
Sat. (12 p.m.) Acoustic Brunch w/  (5 p.m.) Marc Hoffman
Sun. 12 p.m. Sunday Acoustic Brunch 
Mon. 5 p.m. Bud Belviso
Tues. 7 p.m. Brian Elliot
Wed. 7 p.m. Mark Sacco
Ancient Order of Hibernians
2419 Kuser Road Hamilton 
Fri. 8:30 p.m. Christmas Karaoke w/ Colin Duffy 
Aristaeus Brewing
2475C Big Oak Road Langhorne, PA
(215) 757-2337
Thurs. 7 p.m. Trivia
Fri. 7 p.m. SoulShine or Bill Monach
Sat. 3 p.m. Jonathn Ashe
Sun. 10 a.m. “Sunday Funday Brunch”   
Arts Council of Princeton 
102 Witherspoon Street Princeton 
(609) 924-8777
Fri. 7 p.m. "Story & Verse" A storytelling and Poetic Open Mic
Sat. 11 a.m. "Jingle Jam" A Holiday Sing Along for Babies and Toddlers
Ashlynn Distillery
32 West Bridge Street Morrisville, PA
Thurs. 6 p.m. Mixology Class
Bill's Olde Tavern 
2694 Nottingham Way Hamilton 
(609) 586-0192 
Mon. 7 p.m. Trivia
Tues. 8 p.m. / Wed. 8 p.m. Karaoke
Ages 21+ 
Blend Bar & Bistro    
911 Highway 33 Hamilton 
(609) 245-8887 
Thurs. 6 p.m. Troeg's Mad Elf Mixology Event w/ Music by Corey & Cara  
Blue Bottle Cafe
101 East Broad Street Hopewell
(609) 333-1710
Wed. 6 p.m. Brian Elliot  
Bordentown City
Farnsworth Avenue Bordentown  
Fri. 6 p.m. Winter Market on Farnsworth Avenue / Ice Carving (Takes place at Old City Hall)
Bowman's Tavern 
1600 River Road New Hope, PA 
(215) 862-2972 
Thurs. 6:30 p.m. Patrick & Debra
Fri. (5:30 p.m.) Bennett Lee (8 p.m.) Bob Egan
Sat. 7 p.m. David Dales Trio
Sun. (12 p.m.) Larry Tamanini (6 p.m.) Lorenzo
Wed. 6 p.m. Liz DuFour
Broken Goblet Brewing
2500 State Road Bensalem, PA
(267) 812-5653
Thurs. 7 p.m. Grinches Night Out w/ Mike Estabrook
Fri. 8 p.m. "A Levittown Christmas Carol" A Live Theater, Concert, Comedy feat. Local Actors, Actresses and Musicians.
Sat. (2 p.m.) Vendor Village (8:30 p.m.) Dumb As You Are (Doing Christmas Songs Nirvana Style)
Sun. 11 a.m. Sunday Brunch  12 p.m. Aimee Robidoux's Classic Christmas Concert and Pics with Santa
Bucks On Bridge 
25 Bridge Street Lambertville
(609) 483-2615
Thurs. 5 p.m. Gareth Kear
Tues. 5 p.m. Chess Night   
Candlelight Lounge
24 Passaic Street Trenton 
(609) 695-9612 
Thurs. 6 p.m. Thursday Night Blues Jam. $5
Sat. 3 p.m. Wynard Harper. $20  
Catch A Rising Star (Hyatt Regency Princeton)
102 Carnagie Center Princeton
(781) 568-1471
Fri. 8 p.m. Ariel Elias, Christiana Jackson Hosted by Steve Trevalise. $23.69 Doors open at 7:30 p.m.
Sat. 7:30 p.m. Julia Scott, Rishi Mathur, Sheilah D. Smiley. Hosted by Dean Blizzard.$23.69, Doors open at 7 p.m. 
Chickie's & Pete's  
183 US Highway 130 North Bordentown   
(609) 298-9182 
Fi./Sat. 8 p.m.  DJ Entertainment   
Clubhouse at Mountain View  (The Patio)
850 Bear Tavern Road Ewing
(609) 538-0808
Thurs. 7 p.m. Karaoke  
COARadio.com 
125 South Main Street Hightstown 
(609) 241-7103
Fri. 7 p.m. "Danny Coleman's Got The Blues"
Sat. 3 p.m. “Rock On Radio Indie Hour Christmas Edition"
Sun. 7 p.m. "Rock On Radio" feat. The "14th Annual Christmas Spectacular: Part 1" feat. multiple in-studio gusts, live and recorded songs and general merriement and mayhem. 
Color Me Mine (Princeton Shopping Center)
301 Harrison Street Princeton 
(609) 581-9500
Fri. 6:30 p.m. 2 for 1 Paint Pour Workshop. (Registration required)  
Cooper's Riverview                                                                     
50 Riverview Plaza Trenton
(609) 393-7300
Thurs. 8 p.m. Club Night "Holiday Season Kick-off" w/ DJs Matarese, DJ Ricch. Ages 21+
Sat. 8 p.m. Se7en 
Wed. (7 p.m.) Blues Jam on the Deck  (8 p.m.) Disco “Hustle” Night w/ "Guest" DJs. $5   
Crossing Vineyard and Winery 
1853 Wrightstown Road Washington Crossing, PA
(215) 493-6500
Thurs. 6 p.m. Ladies Night Out
Sat. 2 p.m. Meg Russell
Sun. 2 p.m. Bill Thompson
Cross Pollination Gallery
2 North Union Street Lambertville
(609) 213-6734
Fri. 5 p.m. "Friday Happy Hour." (Talk art, wine and musicians who bring instruments)
Curran’s Irish Inn
1909 Bristol Pike Bensalem, PA
(215) 245-1800
Thurs. 7 p.m. Music Bingo
Tues. 7:30 p.m. Quizzo
Dacey's Pub
215 West Philadelphia Avenue Morrisville, PA
(215) 295-4838
Fri. 6:30 p.m. Acoustic Music Night
Wed. 8 p.m. Quizzo                                                                                                                                                      
  
Dadz Bar and Grill
744 Main Street Lumberton
(609)267-4344
Thurs. 7 p.m. Open Mic w/ Jimmy Mannix
Sat. 8 p.m. Karaoke w/ DJ Dubbs
Sun. 4 p.m. Oldies with DJ Deuce
Tues. 7 p.m. Open Mic Hosted by Edgar Anderson
Eddington House Bensalem
2813 Hulmeville Road, Bensalem, PA
(215) 639-1220
Fri. 8:30 p.m. The Naturals
Sat. 8 p.m. The Zone Duo 
El Barrio Cantina & Tequila Bar
1470 Buck Road Southampton, PA
(267) 685-0725
Fri. 8 p.m. Deuce Brothers
Sat. 8 p.m. Big Country
Flying Pig Tavern & Tap
167 US-Route 130 North Bordentown
(609) 899-7447
Fri. 8 p.m. Erik Daab Jazz Trio
Tues. 9 p.m. Karaoke
Wed. 8 p.m. Trivia  
Forsgate Country Club   
375 Forsgate Drive Monroe 
(732) 521-0700 
Thurs. 6:30 p.m. Holiday Wreath Workshop
Sat. 8 a.m. Breakfast with Santa
Sun. 6 p.m. Hanukkah Dinner  
Friendly's
1031 Washington Boulevard Robbinsville 
(609) 426-9203 
Wed. 6 p.m. Open Mic Night Hosted by Kevin McGowan and/or Gino Formaroli (Sign-ups begin at 5:30 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 p.m.) Sometime In September
Sat. 9 p.m. Last Call
Tues. 6:30 p.m. Trivia Night Hosted by Best Choice Productions
Green Parrot Restaurant Pub, & Patio
240 North Sycamore Street Newtown Township, PA
(215) 504-7277
Fri. 9 p.m. WURL
Sat. (10 a.m./12 p.m./2 p.m.) Brunch wth The Grinch. $34.95 (Adults, $12.95 Kids ages 12 and under) (8 p.m.) 
Hamilton Tap & Grill
557 US Route 130 North Hamilton
(609) 905-0925
Thurs. (4 p.m.) Toys 4 Tots Drive (6:30 p.m.) Music Bingo w/ DJ Nebbs
Sat. 5 p.m. Christmas Movie Night: "Polar Express"
Wed. 7 p.m. Trivia 
Haus of Vision
448 Whitehead Road Hamilton
(609) 977-1833
Sun. 5:30 p.m. Dee-Nim & Colors Comedy Cabaret Hosted by DeeKay & Friends w/ Live Entertainment by DJ E. $30  
Havana New Hope 
105 S. Main Street New Hope, PA. 
(215) 862-9897
Thurs. 7 p.m. Funk & Blues Jam Hosted by The Slidewinder Blues Band 
Fri. (8 p.m.) 80's Revolution. $20 (11 p.m.) DJ Dance Party
Sat. (8:30 p.m.) Legacy (11:59 p.m.) DJ Dance Party
Sun. 6 p.m. Best Of The Eagles. $40
Mon. (9 p.m.) "Lipstick Mondays Drag Show" Hosted by Cyannie Lopez (11 p.m.) Karaoke w/ Dwayne
Tues. 7 p.m. Tuesday Night Jazz w/ Jillian Ashcroft Quartet
Wed. 7 p.m. Jumper Duo  
Hopewell Theater  
5 South Greenwood Avenue Hopewell 
(609) 466-1964
Sat. 8 p.m. Danielia Cotton "Home For The Holidays"
Hopewell United Methodist Church
20 Blackwell Avenue Hopewell
(609) 466-0471
Fri. 6:30 p.m. Open Mic Night
Hopewell Valley Vineyards 
46 Yard Avenue Pennington 
(609) 737-4465 
Fri. 4 p.m. "Music & Merlot" feat. (5 p.m.) Catmoondaddy
Sat.  5 p.m. "Music & Merlot" feat. Winery Catz
Sun. 1:30 p.m. "Jazzy Sundays" feat. "7th Annual Ugly Holiday Sweater Party" w/ Music by Sergio and the Hopewell Valley Vineyards Jazz Ensemble
Hurricane Jacks Bar and Grill 
7759 New Falls Road Levittown, PA 
(267) 914-4517 
Thurs. 7:30 p.m. Music Bingo w/ DJ John W.
Fri. 5:30 p.m. Customer Appreciation Party (6 p.m.) Happy Hour w/ Johnny Betz  (9 p.m.) Big Country
Sat. 8:30 p.m. Karaoke w/ Paula & Sam
Mon. 7 p.m. Motown Mondays w/ rotating DJs BeeNice, Rawskillz, JusGroove
Tues. 8 p.m. Acoustic Tuesday w/ Sara and The Sound
Wed. 7 p.m. Open Mic w/ Laura Fiacco   
Il Portico Restorante Italiano
273 West Route 130 South Burlington
(609) 239-1000
Thurs. 7 p.m. Jazz Night
Fri. / Sat. 6:30 p.m. Live Music w/ Tony O  
Irish Rover Station House
1033 South Bellevue Avenue Langhorne, PA
(215) 970-5412
Thurs. 7 p.m. Ugly Sweater Party
Sat. 8 p.m. Unplugged
Wed. 7 p.m. Quizzo Night  
Iron Plow Vineyards 
26750 Mount Pleasant Road Columbus 
(732) 306-9111
Fri. 6:30 p.m. Bud & Gerard Belviso
Sat. 6:30 p.m. Curtis, Oliver & Michelle
Sun. 2 p.m. Jo Wymer Band
Iron Plow Vineyards Tasting Room
61 High Street Mt. Holly
(732) 306-9111
Sat. 6:30 p.m. Carrie McCay & Wounded Soul  
John & Peter's 
96 S. Main Street New Hope, Pa 
(215) 862-5981
Fri. 9 p.m. The Barefoot Honeys / Dan Gober
Sat. (3 p.m.) The Real Fugitives (9 p.m.) Kiersten Blue & Friends
Mon. 9 p.m. Open Mic w/ Mike Dialto (Sign-ups start at 8 p.m.)
Wed. 9 p.m. The Invitational 
All shows 21+  
Killarney's Publick House 
1644 Whitehorse-Mercerville Road Hamilton
(609) 586-1166
Thurs. 6 p.m. Radio Fiction
Fri. 9 p.m. DJ Jimmy G
Sat. (5 p.m.) Chet & Ari (9 p.m.) Annual Holiday Party w/ Out Of The Red
Sun. 6 p.m. Santa's Workshop 
Lakeside Cafe and Liquors
129 Route 31 North Pennington
(609) 621-9998
Sat. 1 p.m. Trivia
Tues. 5:30 p.m. Trivia.  
 
Lambertville Elks Lodge #1070 
66 Wilson Street Lambertville  
(609) 397-4210
Sun. 2 p.m. Holiday Concert feat. Barry Peterson, The Back Porch Jugband, Jeff Penque w/ Karen Fairweather, Allison Brown & Barry Sokol, Laurie Vosburg Band, Santa P & The Elves, The Brooks Brothers. (Donations Accepted)
  
Lambertville House 
32 Bridge Street Lambertville 
(609) 397-0200 
Fri. 6 p.m. Russell Norkevich  
Laurita Winery 
85 Archertown Road New Egypt 
(609) 752-0200
Thurs. 6 p.m. "Gnome for the Holidays" Workshop
Fri. (3 p.m.) Laurita North Pole Express. $25 (Advance, ages 18+ / $15 ages 3-17, ages 2 and under FREE. Includes candy cane matching game, visit with Santa, Rudolph's Magical Ice, Christmas Cookie Bar, Hot Chocolate. (7 p.m.) "Scrooge" the Musical (SOLD OUT check for ticket availability)
Sat. (1 p.m.) Laurita North Pole Express. $25 (Advance, ages 18+ / $15 ages 3-17, ages 2 and under FREE. Includes candy cane matching game, visit with Santa, Rudolph's Magical Ice, Christmas Cookie Bar, Hot Chocolate.) (2 p.m. / 7 p.m.) Billy Joel Christmas Tribute w/ Wade Preston. $30 (advance) 
Sun. (9 a.m.) Holiday Brunch. $64.95 (Adults, Kids ages 12 and Under $45) (1 p.m.) Laurita North Pole Express. $25 (Advance, ages 18+ / $15 ages 3-17, ages 2 and under FREE. Includes candy cane matching game, visit with Santa, Rudolph's Magical Ice, Christmas Cookie Bar, Hot Chocolate. (5 p.m.) New Jersey Chamber Singers
Magikava
87a South Main Street New Hope, PA
(215) 862-2739
Wed. 7 p.m. Open Mic
Marie's Kozy Korner
111 Trenton Road Fairless Hills, PA
(215) 943-3131
Fri. 8 p.m. Blue Reign  
McStews Irish Sports Pub 
5316 New Falls Road Levittown, PA 
(215) 949-9570 
Thurs. 7:30 p.m. Music Bingo
Sat. 9 p.m. Jukebox Graveyard
Tues. 7:30 p.m. Trivia Night
  
Millhill Basement 
300 S. Broad Street Trenton 
(609) 989-1600 
Fri. 9 p.m. "Booze In Our Stockings" Annual Christmas Show feat. Cathedral Ceilings, Stuyvesant, Stay Dead, Josh & The Dirty Rags
Music Mountain Theater
1483 Route 179 Lambertville
(609)397-3337
Fri. 8 p.m. Big Band Holiday Concert
Sat. 3 p.m./ 8 p.m. Big Band Holiday Concert
Sun. 3 p.m. Big Band Holiday Concert
Wed. 7 p.m. "A Very Lambertville Holiday Celebration" feat. Roxey Ballet, Holiday Songs from Local Artists. 
Naked Brewing Company
212 Mill Street Bristol, PA
(267) 544-7129
Thurs.6:30 p.m. Dana's Ugly Sweater Party
Sat. 7 p.m. Joe & Krista
Sun. 11 a.m. Weekend Brunch 
Tues. 7 p.m. Trivia  
Neshaminy Creek Brewing Company
909 Ray Avenue Croydon, PA
(215) 458-7081
Thurs. 7 p.m. Lunch Money Trivia
Sat. 12 p.m. "Christmas at the Creek" (2 p.m.) Visit from Santa (6 p.m.) Ugly Sweater Contest (7 p.m.) Movie Screening (Bring 3 non-perishable food items and receive a free draft beer)
Wed. 6 p.m. Dungeons & Drafts  
New Egypt Flea Market Village
933 Monmouth County Road Cream Ridge
(609) 758-2082
Fri. 5 p.m. Holiday Market  
New Hope Winery / Tavern
6123 Lower York Road New Hope, PA
(215) 794-2331
Fri. (5 p.m.) Stranger Things (8 p.m.) Matt Freeman & the Herd w/ Aaron Quarterman
Sat. (5 p.m.) Laurie Vosburg  (8 p.m.) Jeffrey Gaines  
Newtown Brewing Company
103 Penns Trail Newtown, PA
(215) 944-8609
Thurs. 7:30 p.m. Trivia
Fri. 6 p.m. Ugly Sweater Party w/ Frank Cervantes
Sat. 2 p.m. Nick Mich 
Sun. 1 p.m. Local Artisan Holiday Craft Fair  
Nick's Roast Beef
4501 Woodhaven Road West Philadelphia, PA
(215) 637-5151
Thurs. 7 p.m.  Trivia
Sat. 9 p.m. SideArm
Nottingham Tavern 
9 Mercer Street Hamilton Square 
(609) 587-6623 
Thurs.9:30 pm. Karaoke w/ Super Dave Curtis
Sat. 9:30 p.m. Small Potatoes
Ages 21+
Odd Logic Brewing Co. 
500 Bristol Pike, Bristol, PA 
Thurs. 6 p.m. Trivia  
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 Town Pub 
135 Farnsworth Avenue Bordentown 
(609) 291-9232
Thurs. 7 p.m. Quizzoholics Trivia 
Tues. 6 p.m. Taco Tuesday 
Palmer Square
40 Nassau Street Princeton
Sat.12 p.m. Spiced Punch
Sun  (11 a.m.) December DIY: Hand-Stitched Giftables (12 p.m.) Spiced Punch
Tues. 4 p.m. Annual Menorah Lighting
Patriots Crossing 
1339 River Road Titusville 
(609) 737-2780
Thurs. 8 p.m. Ladies Night  
Patriot's Theater at The War Memorial                                                                                                                                           1 Memorial Drive Trenton
(609) 984-8400
Thurs. 7 p.m. State Ballet of Ukraine Presents: "Sleeping Beauty"   
Piccolissimo Italian Grille
23203 Columbus Road Columbus
(609) 291-1033
Fri. 5:30 p.m. R & C Band  
Princeton Country Club 
1-Wheeler Way West Windsor
(609) 452-9382
Thurs. 6 p.m. Karaoke Night w/ Live DJ Edward "Eddie-Ed" Ward
Fri. 6 p.m. Happy Hour w/ Live DJ 
Sun. 11 a.m. Jazz Brunch
Princeton Makes 
301 North Harrison Street Princeton
Thurs. (10:30 a.m.) Live Painting and Open Studio w/ Adriana Groza (6:30 p.m.) Artist Talk w/ Piroska Toth and Tatiana Oles
Princeton Unitarian Church (Channing Hall)
50 Cherry Hill Road Princeton
Sun. 4 p.m. PSMA December 2022 "Menotti & Britten" $10 (Non-member singers)
Princeton University (Richardson Auditorium)
Nassau Street Princeton
Fri. 8 p.m. "Handel's Messiah"
Sun. 2 p.m. "Winter Wonderland" feat. The Princeton Brass Band and The Eastern Wind Symphony  
Puss N Boots Tavern
942 Tenton Road Fairless Hills, PA
(215) 295-8236
Sat. 7 p.m. "Parent Night Out" Benefitting the Pennsbury Falcons Wrestling Club. $30 (Advance, includes food and 2 drinks per person, raffles)  
River House at Odette’s
274 South Rive Road New Hope, PA
(215) 682-2022
Thurs. 7 p.m. Gina Corso
Fri. 7 p.m. Debra and Patrick
Sat. (11:30 a.m.) Brunch w/ Russell Norkevich (7 p.m.) Joshua Yudkin
Sun. (11:30 a.m.) Brunch w/ Dave Dales Duo (7 p.m.) Michael Andrew
Mon. 7 p.m. Alex Otey
Tues. 7 p.m. Cara Cartney
Wed. 7 p.m. Author Series w/ Lynn Steiger Strong. Music in the Lounge w/ Megan Knight 
Saint Mark United Methodist Church  
465 Paxson Avenue Hamilton Square
(609) 587-1286 
Sat. 9 a.m. Santa Photo Opp  
Second Sin Brewing Company
1500 Grundy Lane Bristol, PA
(267) 812-5251
Thurs. 7 p.m.  Trivia  
Shady Brook Farm
931 Stony Hill Road Yardley, PA
(215) 968-1670
Fri. 6 p.m. "Coke Caravan Comes to Shady Brook"
Mon. 5 p.m. Community Hanukkah Celebration
Silver Lake Nature Center
1306 Bath Road Bristol, PA
(215) 785-1177
Sat. 7:30 p.m. "Wonder Of It All" A Christmas Concert feat. Christopher Westfall w/ PattiAnn. $15
Slim's Irish Pub
2195 Galloway Road Bensalem, PA
(267) 332-0047
Fri. 8 p.m. Leading Zero
Sat. 8 p.m. Hind Sight
Mon. 6 p.m. Open Mic Night Hosted by Cecil    
Small World Coffee 
14 Witherspoon Street Princeton 
(609) 924-4377 x2
Fri. 6 p.m. Opening Art Exhibition feat. the works of Karen Wallo.
Sat. 6 p.m. Dan Kassel  
Sparky 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. Dino and The Demolition
Sun. 9 p.m. Open Mic Hosted by Cara Cartney
Mon. 9 p.m. Game Night Hosted by Kid Dalton
Tues. 8 p.m. Johnny Betz
Wed. 8 p.m. Acoustic Daze    
Stars & Stripes Harley Davidson
600 South Flowers Mill Road Langhorne, PA
(215) 752-9400
Thurs. 5 p.m. Guys Night Out Shopping Event (Photos w/ Santa's "Naughty" Elves)  
Steam Pub
606 2nd Street Pike Southampton, PA
(215) 942-6468
Fri. 10:30 p.m.  Turning The Tide
Sat. 10:30 p.m. DJ Junje
Mon. 7 p.m. Paint Night
1675 at The Ridges
4666 East Bristol Road Trevose, PA
(215) 876-6868
Sun. 6 p.m. Rock-a-Billy Sunday feat. Dibbs & the Detonators. $10
Taps Sports Bar
4021-4023 Veterans Highway Levittown, PA
(215) 486-7862
Fri. 9 p.m. Karaoke Hosted by Paula
Mon. 7 p.m. Open Mic Night  
Tara's Tavern
1 Cookstown-New Egypt Road, Wrightstown 
(609) 286-2300 
Fri. 9 p.m. Rave On
Sat. 9 p.m. The Williamsboy
Tavern On The Lake  
101 Main Street Hightstown 
(609) 426-9345  
Fri. 9 p.m. Suspended Justice
Tues. 6 p.m. Trivia
Wed. 7 p.m. Ugly Sweater Karaoke     
Temperance House 
5 South State Street Newtown, PA 
(215) 944-8050 
Sat. 7 p.m. Faraway Guys
Mon. 7 p.m. Trivia w/ Righteous Jolly
Wed. 7 p.m. Open Mic Night w/ Cara Cartney 
Terhune Orchards  
330 Cold Soil Road Princeton 
(609) 924-2310 
Sat. / Sun.12 p.m. "Weekend Music Series" feat. "Cheer The Holiday Season Weekend"   
TGI Fridays
3535 U.S. Route 1 North #275 Princeton
(609) 520-0378
Fri. 6 p.m. Edison Wilson
Sun. 1 p.m. Matthew Cook 
  
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"   
The Buck Hotel
1200 Buck Road Feasterville, PA
(215) 396-2002
Thurs. 7 p.m. Kirko
Fri. 7 p.m. Love Junk
Sat. (10 a.m.) Brunch with Santa. $39.95 (Adults / $32.95 Children. Reservations Required) (9 p.m.) Bigg Romeo
Tues. 6 p.m. Danny Lynch Duo
The Cool Cricket 
216 Burlington Street Fieldsboro 
(609) 291-9110 
Fri. 9 p.m. Karaoke
Sat. 9 p.m. El Ka Bong
The Dubliner
34 North Main Street New Hope, PA
(215) 693-1816
Fri. 7 p.m. Gerry Timlin
Sat. 7 p.m. Sean Fleming
Sun. 3 p.m. "Traditional Irish Session" 
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. Buzzer Band 
Sat. 9 p.m. WitZend
Tues. 7:30 p.m. Music Bingo w/ Jonathan Appel  
The Ivy Inn 
248 Nassau Street Princeton 
(609) 921-8555 
Fri. 9 p.m. DJ Darius the 1st
Sat. 9 p.m. DJ Slick
Tues. 8 p.m. Quizzo w/ Bob E Luv
Wed. 10 p.m. Total Request w/ DJ Rockin' Ron  
The Morrisville Tavern
376 West Trenton Avenue Morrisville, PA
(215) 295-5310
Thurs. 7 p.m. Trivia
Fri. 8 p.m. The Mojo Channel
Sat. 8:30 p.m. Christmas Party w/ Never Enough
Mon. 7 p.m. Musical Bingo
Tues. 7 p.m. Open Mic
Wed. 7 p.m. Trivia Night
The Newtown Theatre
120 North State Street Newtown, PA
(215) 968-3859
Thurs. 7:30 p.m. "White Christmas" Sing-A-Long Version
Fri. 8 p.m. Friday Night Jazz Series: "A Very Jazzy Christmas"
Sat. 8 p.m. Holiday Dueling Pianos
Sun. 2 p.m. / 7:30 p.m. "It's A Wonderful Life"
Tues. 8 p.m. Illuminated Classical Christmas Concert feat. Newtown Chamber Orchestra  
The Roost 
181 Rte. 539 Cream Ridge 
(609) 208-0050
Thurs. 6:30 p.m. DC Duo
Fri. 8 p.m. Sideways Willy
Sat. 8 p.m. 80s Undercover
Wed. 6 p.m. Joe Vadala
The Sycamore Grill 
255 North Sycamore Street Newtown, PA 
(215) 908-6326 
Fri. 8 p.m. Shawn Ryan
Sat. 8 p.m. Keep The Change
The Tavern at Penns Park
2295 Second Street Pike Newtown, PA
(267) 491-5658
Fri. 8 p.m. Red Wedding
Sun. 4 p.m. Kickbax
The Union Firehouse
18 Washington Street Mount Holly
(609) 288-6491
Fri. 8 p.m. The Grouser Girls. $10, Doors open at 7 p.m.  
The Union House
19 East Union Street Burlington
(609) 531-6077
Sat. 8:30 p.m. Double G Acoustic Duo  
Third State Brewing  
352 High Street Burlington  
(609) 387-1620 
Sat. 7 p.m. Radio Fiction  
Tir Na Nog 
1324 Hamilton Avenue Trenton 
(609) 392-2554
Sun. 3 p.m. "Irish Sessions"
Tues. 8 p.m. Open Mic Hosted by Jerry & John Monk
All Shows 21+
  
Train Wreck Distillery  
25 Madison Avenue Mount Holly  
(609) 288-6300  
Sun. 2 p.m. Rowdy Bardlings
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 Sweets
Tues. 8 p.m. Open Mic Night w/ Tobias & Lea (Sign-ups at 7:30 p.m.)
Trinity Church 
33 Mercer Street Princeton
(609) 924-2277
Fri. 7:30 p.m. Voices Chorale NJ Presents: "Winterlight" Songs of the Season
Trinity United Methodist Church of Roebling
1285 Hornberger Avenue
(609) 499-4809
Sat. 5:30 p.m. Pasta Dinner with Santa. $8 (Suggested donation or "Whatever you can afford.")
True Love Center
2630 South Broad Street Hamilton
Sun. 6 p.m. Jenbro and Cline Entertainment Presents: "Christmas with Da' Brothers and Friends" $25 (advance), doors open at 5:30 p.m.  
Vault Brewing Company
10 South Main Street Yardley, PA
(267) 573-4291
Fri. 7 p.m. Bread Service or Brian Elliot Duo
Sat. 7 p.m. Paul Lingerman Trio  
Village Idiot Brewing Company
42 High Street Mount Holly 
(609) 975-9270  
Thurs. 7 p.m. Trivia
Fri. 6 p.m. Bring a Toy and Get a Beer and Meet Philadelphia Eagle Shaun Bradley 
West Trenton Ballroom (West Trenton Firehouse)
40 West Upper Ferry Road Ewing 
(609) 883-0325 
Sat. 8 a.m. Breakfast with Santa 
West Windsor Arts Center/Nassau Park Pavilion 
952 Alexander Road Princeton  
Wed. 3 p.m. "Holiday Hoopla" (Live music, Off the Wall Holiday Market, refreshments)
Wildflowers Inn 
2572 Pennington Road Pennington   
(609) 773-2392
Thurs. 6 p.m. Rob Silvers
Working Dog Winery 
610 Windsor Perrineville Road Hightstown 
(609) 371-6000
Sat. 1 p.m. The Williamsboy
Sun. 1 p.m. Ginger Coyle
WWFM 89.1 FM HD2 Radio
MCCC Old Trenton Road West Windsor
Jazzon2.org
Mon. 7 p.m. "Danny Coleman's Got The Blues Christmas Edition" 
 


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.



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WP Piano Night: Just Dance

Monday, December 02, 2024 @ 7:30pm
William Paterson University - Shea Recital Hall 101
300 Pompton Rd, Wayne, NJ 07470
category: music

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WP Percussion Ensemble

Tuesday, December 03, 2024 @ 7:30pm
William Paterson University - Shea Auditorium
300 Pompton Rd, Wayne, NJ 07470
category: music

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Indigo Girls

Tuesday, December 03, 2024 @ 7:30pm
Count Basie Center for the Arts
99 Monmouth Street, Red Bank, NJ 07701
category: music

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(NEWARK, NJ) -- This Fall, AG Touring and Mammoth, Inc. proudly present the Rod Wave - Last Lap Tour. This large-scale multi-city outing will feature Rod Wave headlining 36 of North America's top arenas coast-to-coast. The tour will kick off on October 19 at Desert Diamond Arena in Phoenix, AZ visiting major markets across the country, including Newark’s Prudential Center on Tuesday, December 3, 2024 with special guests Moneybagg Yo, Toosii, Lil Poppa, Dess Dior and Eelmatic.


The

The Levoy Theatre presents Jane Lynch's "A Swingin' Little Christmas"

2024-12-03


Grunin

Grunin Center presents Big Bad Voodoo Daddy's Wild and Swingin' Holiday Party

2024-12-04