Nicole Atkins put out one of the best summertime records of 2020. Italian Ice was like a postcard from the Jersey Shore in the 1970s - full of warmth, vivid color and a tilt-a-whirl variety of musical grooves wrapped around Atkins' wonder of a voice.
You'd be forgiven if you missed it, as there was a bit of competition from world events. But now there's a second helping served up in Memphis Ice, a cabaret deluxe style reimagining of the songs.
“Italian Ice was one of the first feel-good records that I've made,” Atkins says, “and people needed to feel good last year. But of course, like everybody else, I couldn't go out and play it live.”
Resilient and resourceful, Atkins started hosting a variety show from her attic, distributed through Patreon. It was so well-received that Amazon soon picked it up and funded more expansive episodes, shot at Asbury Park's Paramount Theater, and featuring special guests like Ween and Kurt Vile. Atkins says, “Initially, I thought, 'We've got to figure out a way to keep playing, make some money and give ourselves something to look forward to.' But the variety show ended up saving our lives.”
It also reminded Atkins of where she came from as a singer. “I was doing a song on the show called 'A Night of Serious Drinking,'” she recalls. “It's very Dean Martin, very sparse, and it tells a story. I felt really connected to my singing and the story. Whereas the other songs, I'm caught up in all of the music and rock, rock, rock. So, I thought, 'How can I make my other songs feel like that?' And that's what Memphis Ice did.”
Backed by an ace trio of Dan Chen (piano), Laura Epling (violin) and Maggie Chaffee (cello), Atkins cut the album live in one day at Memphis Magnetic studio, simultaneously filming the performance with painterly shadow and light. The stripped-down, smoky style of both not only brings new emotional vistas to standout songs like “Domino,” “The Captain” and “Forever,” but opens the door even wider to where Atkins would like to go next as a singer.
“I always thought about my Judy Garland or Liza Minnelli moment coming later in life,” she says with a laugh. “But after we finished that day of recording, I had so much fun just singing and was so in the moment, I thought, 'I want to do that sooner, I want to do that for my next record.' I want to make a record of standards that are new if that's possible. Songs that make you feel like you're singing 'Stardust,' but you're not. I kept thinking that on my first record, Neptune City, the songs felt old, but they were new. Why can't there be new songs that feel like the old standards?”
And so, what Atkins calls “the happiest of accidents” has turned her pandemic year around with a new album, a film, an upcoming tour, and an exciting vision of a musical future that reconnects her with her beginnings. “I love rock music, but the way I really like to sing is long notes,” she says. “And you can really only do that over pianos and more orchestral-type arrangements. I can try all these different styles and put on different outfits with production. But at the end of the day, it comes back to me and my voice.”
FLOYD PINK is a Pink Floyd tribute band from the New York metro area, celebrating the music of Pink Floyd.
Multi-platinum selling, Grammy nominated singer/songwriter Geoff Tate is best known for his 30-plus years as the creative and driving force behind the progressive metal band Queensryche. Since its inception with Geoff at the helm, Queensryche has sold over 20 million albums worldwide and has performed in upwards of fifty countries. Geoff is regarded as one of the most skilled vocalists in the genre with hundreds of modern, popular artists citing him and his former band as a major influence. Combining social consciousness and expertly crafted lyrics with high-energy, melodically complex music, Queensryche with Geoff Tate at the forefront became internationally recognized as the thinking man’s rock band. The band’s first three albums — their self-titled EP (1983), The Warning (1984) and Rage for Order (1986) — all hit gold status selling over 500,000 units each.
He prowls the stage like a Tiger. He holds no hostages. He says what you are thinking but are afraid to say out loud. Oh…and he’s beyond hysterical! You’ve never seen anything like Vic Dibitetto on stage. See him this Holiday Season when he returns to Carteret!
CoComelon: Sing-A-Long LIVE is the perfect way to make memories you’ll cherish for years to come! Join Ms. Appleberry, JJ, Cody, Nina, and Cece for a lively Melon Patch musical adventure in this exciting touring production. This interactive live show brings CoComelon’s vibrant world to life, inviting families to sing, dance, and play together. With beloved characters, delightful surprises, and favorite songs like “Wheels on the Bus,” “Animal Dance,” and “If You’re Happy and You Know It,” it’s a celebration of connection and childhood wonder. Don’t miss the chance to share the magic of your child’s very first live show!
CoComelon: Sing-A-Long LIVE is the perfect way to make memories you’ll cherish for years to come! Join Ms. Appleberry, JJ, Cody, Nina, and Cece for a lively Melon Patch musical adventure in this exciting touring production. This interactive live show brings CoComelon’s vibrant world to life, inviting families to sing, dance, and play together. With beloved characters, delightful surprises, and favorite songs like “Wheels on the Bus,” “Animal Dance,” and “If You’re Happy and You Know It,” it’s a celebration of connection and childhood wonder. Don’t miss the chance to share the magic of your child’s very first live show!
Written by and starring Vicki Lawrence
Two Performances Only
Vicki Lawrence, the legendary actress, comedian, and singer, brings her signature wit and charm to the stage in Vicki Lawrence and Mama: A Two-Woman Show. Best known for her iconic role as Thelma Harper, or "Mama," from The Carol Burnett Show and Mama’s Family, Lawrence delivers a hilarious and heartfelt performance that takes audiences on a journey through her extraordinary career. From her Emmy-winning years alongside Carol Burnett to her chart-topping hit, “The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia,” she shares behind-the-scenes stories, comedy, and music—all with her trademark humor. Whether reminiscing about her Hollywood adventures or embodying the feisty Mama, Lawrence proves that laughter is timeless.
Music and lyrics by Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison
Music and lyrics by Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison
If you’re feeling all alone in the universe – or even if you’re not – Triangle’s newest musical comedy is for you! Join us as Triangle explores what it means to have friends in high – or should we say “sky”? – places. Extraterrestrial visitors, crazy conspiracy theories, and intergalactic shenanigans power this year’s annual laugh-fest of witty jokes, lavish production numbers, and, of course, Triangle’s famous kickline. Can interplanetary goodwill blossom in the dystopian desert of our current times? Get your Triangle tickets now and learn if Roswell That Ends Well!
Dunbar Repertory Company presents Ntozake Shange’s FOR COLORED GIRLS Who have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow is Enuf, the groundbreaking “choreopoem” – a spellbinding collection of vivid prose and free verse narratives about and performed by Black women. Directed by Darrell Lawrence Willis, SR.
(BRICK, NJ) -- During World War II, a tech-savvy New Jersey woman took it upon herself to be a priceless information provider for families of captured U.S. service members. Agnes Joan Negra's exploits are chronicled in the book Waves of Hope. Meet her son Ronald Edward Negra, the author, at the Brick Branch of the Ocean County Library on Saturday, November 14, 2026. The event begins at 11:00am.
(SOMERS POINT, NJ) -- SPQR Stage Co. presents Bill Sterritt's "Pumpin' the Chihuahua," an imaginative dark comedy running two weekends from November 14–22, 2026 at studio;space in Somers Point.
(RED BANK, NJ) -- Count Basie Center for the Arts will cap its Centennial Celebration with an immersive re-enactment of its opening night on Saturday, November 14, 2026 at 6:00pm. Patrons can expect an immersive theatrical presentation from the moment they approach the venue – from 'stars' of the era arriving in classic cars, Gatsby-esque fashion and flair, an authentic speakeasy experience with custom, era-specific cocktails and mocktails, 1920s hot jazz and more.
(MONTCLAIR, NJ) -- The Montclair Comedy Festival returns November 14–21, 2026 with eight straight days of stand-up, improv, sketch and musical comedy in downtown Montclair. The festival includes 12 shows and two free workshops at DiRasa House of Diversified Arts, The MC Hotel, Montclair Brewery and RecRoom in Lackawanna Station.
(JERSEY CITY, NJ) -- Interested in filmmaking? You can learn how to produce a film like a pro at "Producing 101: From Script to Set with The Gig Media" on Saturday, November 14, 2026 at Miraley Studios in Jersey City.
