(SOUTH ORANGE, NJ) -- Willie Nile will present a career retrospective show at South Orange Performing Arts Center (SOPAC) on Friday, February 23, 2024 at 8:00pm. With 20 albums to his name, Nile has earned his place among the Rock & Roll greats such as Bono, Bruce Springsteen, Lou Reed, Lucinda Willaims, and Little Steven, all of whom sing his praises.
The New York Times called Buffalo, NY born Willie Nile "one of the most gifted singer-songwriters to emerge from the New York scene in years." Uncut Magazine called him “A one-man Clash.” His album Streets Of New York was hailed as “a platter for the ages” by Uncut. Rolling Stone listed The Innocent Ones as one of the “Top Ten Best Under-The-Radar Albums of 2011” and BBC Radio called it “THE rock ‘n’ roll album of the year.” His single from that album, “One Guitar,” was the “Top Pick of the Week” in USA Today.
His album, American Ride, won “Best Rock Album of the Year” at the Independent Music Awards. It appeared on dozens of year-end Top Ten lists for 2013 and was voted “Album Of The Year” at Twangville Magazine. Bono called it, “One of the great guides to unraveling the mystery that is the troubled beauty of America.”
In November 2014 he released a new album of piano-based songs, If I Was A River, to great critical acclaim. “One of the most brilliant singer-songwriters of the past thirty years” said The New Yorker. Uncut called him “the unofficial poet laureate of New York City.”
MOJO wrote about his 2016 album World War Willie, “Four Stars! The real thing…stomp-‘til-ready rock’n’roll…timeless fare.” It won Album of the Year Reader’s Poll from Twangville Magazine and made numerous top ten lists for album of the year.
His album Positively Bob: Willie Nile Sings Bob Dylan from 2017 was hailed as “one of the best Dylan tribute albums ever made.” Powerpop Magazine wrote: “Astoundingly great…must be heard to be believed. If this doesn’t get your blood flowing, seek medical help.” And the Associated Press said his 2018 album Children Of Paradise “Might be the best album of his career!”
Willie has toured across the U.S. with The Who and has sung with Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band. As the induction program from the Buffalo Music Hall of Fame says: “His live performances are legendary.” His 2020 album New York At Night got rave reviews, with Downbeat calling it a “sonic love letter to Gotham.”
His last studio album The Day The Earth Stood Still, which features a duet with Steve Earle on the song “Blood On Your Hands.” was released on August 13, 2021.
Tickets for the show at SOPAC start at $29 and are available for purchase online.
South Orange Performing Arts Center (SOPAC) is located at One SOPAC Way in South Orange, New Jersey. SOPAC offers audiences exhilarating and diverse arts entertainment in its intimate venue, serving as the cultural heartbeat of the greater South Orange/Maplewood region and contributing to the economic and social vibrancy of its highly diverse community.
SOPAC is an accessible cultural destination that presents world-class artists in an intimate and welcoming environment. The Jennifer & Tony Leitner Performance Hall is a 439-seat mainstage theatre with superb acoustics, sight lines and seating. Audiences remark that performances in this space are like having their favorite artists right in their own living room. Artists acknowledge that the atmosphere encourages conversations with audiences. The Loft at SOPAC is a 2,185 square-foot multi-purpose space used for performances, rehearsals, classes and special events.
