"The album is all me, it's the most that I've ever done, it's all new material, no covers, no instrumentals. I always like to put an instrumental on my albums because I kind of grew up on in the early days in my bands playing songs by The Ventures and that kind of music but these are really tight songs. I'm starting to get a little bit more conscious of coming up with really interesting lyrics. So, out of the 11 songs I wrote lyrics for nine of them; that's the most I've ever written for one record. Even back in the Blue Öyster Cult days, I would do two, maybe three songs for an album but when you're doing your own album the pressure is on to come up with the goods from beginning to end and I really think that on this one; there's no weak spots and that's great."
The first single release titled "My Way Is the Highway" is somewhat of an homage to Joe's youth and the life of a touring band.
"Well, I wanted to capture that feeling," he continued, "We were all stuck inside but I started thinking; what do I really want to write about? Well, one of the things I was thinking was that the most exciting part of my life was in the '70s when we were just breaking into playing at places like The Spectrum in Philadelphia and arenas and all of those types of shows. We did Madison Square Garden on that tour and we loved touring with Foghat and of course there was the "Black and Blue Tour" with Black Sabbath; those were big, big tours. So, I tried to write the first single, which was "My Way Is The Highway," about being on the road and you're behind schedule and you've gotta get to the concert on time; that was a lot of fun to put that one together. Then the second single, "In The Golden Age" was of course right to the heart of being on tour and playing shows and how when you go into one of these little towns, you're the biggest thing that they may see that month or even all year; you know the way it was we could do that six and seven nights a week."
Many artists will test out new material while on tour and others kind of wait until an album is released before performing new songs in front of people but Bouchard, well, he took another approach.
"We are going to Scotland and London and France in August and we're going to be playing The Hard Rock Cafe in France I believe; it's not on the calendar yet but in Paris, France which is beautiful, it's odd eating American hamburgers but I don't care I'm going to definitely get some of that French food," he said with a loud laugh. "I don't mind playing anywhere, I play all kinds of things; in fact, to sort of warm up for this for this album, I hit some open mics. My brother and I would do these open mics because nobody was really going to a club; you know? So, this is how I would test out some of the songs for my last couple of albums. We would be like; oh I'll sneak into this open mic; we only get to play two songs so they gotta be good and a lot of the songs for this album were developed in that way; sort of by sneaking around. Our thinking was, there's an open mic here and they'll put us on at 9:30 and we'll get off because you never know until you put the songs in front of the public how they could go over."
When asked how he adapted from selling out arenas with Blue Oyster Cult and larger stages to doing those open mics and Hard Rock Cafe type of shows; he recalled another band who, like Blue Oyster Cult and himself liked to use the element of surprise.
"When we wanted to develop new material, we had heard that The Rolling Stones would do an unannounced show at a club so we never thought it was kind of weird because we had been playing on big stages. We always felt that we should be able to play in any situation; if you're good you should be able to play anywhere. I remember for the first couple of days of doing those kinds of shows as Soft White Underbelly that they were fun but then of course after some time, we went back to being just Blue Oyster Cult but it was a good sort of divergence for us for a while."
With the album now being distributed, Joe says he has plans to get warmed up with a gig or two here in the U.S. before heading for that French food.
"We're playing a festival in upstate New York in July and that's with our band called Blue Coupe with Dennis Dunaway (Alice Cooper bassist) and my brother Albert. Then we go up to Canada for a short tour, about six days in Canada and then in August the Bouchard brothers which is myself and my partner Joan on guitar and we're going to Scotland England and France and so yeah, we're excited about that but afterwards, we're not sure about the booking situation because everybody wants to be healthy and you know; you go out and meet with the public and you know you might have to cancel a couple of gigs. So, we're taking it a little cautiously at this point but after the tour I think we're going to put out both of these albums in vinyl so we'll be doing another whole round of promotion to promote the vinyl. We also want to do a Bouchard Brothers album, an official shared Brothers album and I think that's going to be a lot of fun. During the pandemic we recorded a bunch of music, I would record in my studio and my brother would record in his and then we would pull the tapes and put them all together. We sent off seven songs to a charity in in France; some classic Blue Öyster Cult done for acoustic guitar. So, we may do an album of all Bouchard Brothers; some of our greatest hits I guess you could call it."
Tell me Joe; how would you sum up this album?
"Good rocking fun time and if you look at it; there are positive messages. I think it's the kind of thing we need right now, somebody may say this is great, this is one of those albums where you just want to get in your car and just slam the stereo up loud and go for a drive. That's where this album is; it's very positive, very high energy and people have said my voice has never been better, that's good; right? You know we're getting older, so you have to really step up to the plate and make it happen and so far, everything is fantastic!"
To discover more about Joe Bouchard and/or "American Rocker," please visit https://joebouchard.com/home.
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
Al's Airport Inn636 Bear Tavern Road West Trenton
(609) 883-5252
Thurs. 5 p.m. George Becker
Sat. (12 p.m.) Acoustic Brunch w/ Mark Sacco (5 p.m.) Anthony "Fast Ant" Cannuli
Sun. (12 p.m.) Sunday Acoustic Brunch feat. (6 p.m.) DJ Bobby Jones
Mon. 5 p.m. Joe Hutchinson
Tues. 7 p.m. Mike & Laura Tusay
Wed. (4 p.m.) LGBTQ Happy Hour Fundraiser for Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice feat. music of Diane Chiorello (7 p.m.) Diane Chiorello
Aristaeus Brewing2475C Big Oak Road Langhorne, PA
(215) 757-2337
Thurs. 7 p.m. Trivia
Fri. 7 p.m. Beth Arnold Gilbert
Sat. 3 p.m. Bill Thomas
Sun. 10 a.m. “Sunday Funday Brunch” (2 p.m.) Brieann Wall
Arm & Hammer Park1 Thunder Road Trenton
(609) 394-3300
Mon. 7 p.m. Christmas In July
Arts Council of Princeton 102 Witherspoon Street Princeton
(609) 924-8777
Thurs. 6 p.m. "Summer Nights" Concert Series feat. Essie & Nap. (Takes place at the Princeton Shopping Center 301 North Harrison Street)
Sat. 7 p.m. Cafe Improv
Artworks Trenton 19 Everett Alley Trenton
(609) 394-9436
Wed. 7 p.m. Ink & Drink: DIY Linoleum Printing
Bellemont FarmValley Road Lambertville
Sat. 6:30 p.m. Big Bear Gear Concert Series: Midsummer Night Swing feat. Fred Astaire Dance Studio and music by The Lifters
Bill's Olde Tavern 2694 Nottingham Way Hamilton
(609) 586-0192
Thurs. 7 p.m. Tour de Force Duo
Fri. 7 p.m. Honey Spot Blvd.
Sat. 7 p.m. Black Zeppelin
Mon. 7 p.m. Trivia
Tues./Wed. 8 p.m. Karaoke w/ DJ "Super" Dave Curtis
Ages 21+
Blend Bar & Bistro 911 Highway 33 Hamilton
(609) 245-8887
Fri. 7 p.m. The Barry Wass Band / The Risers
Bordentown Elks11 Amboy Road Bordentown
(609) 298-2085
Sat. 7 p.m. UWC Live Pro Wrestling
Boro Bean9 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. Dave Dales Trio
Fri. (5:30 p.m.) Bennett Lee (8 p.m.) Bob Egan
Sat. 7 p.m. Wendy Simon Trio
Sun. (12 p.m.) Larry Tamanini (6 p.m.) Lorenzo
Wed. 6 p.m. Andy Prescott
Bristol Lions Park100 Basin Park Bristol, PA
Sun. 6 p.m. Stranger Than Normal
Bristol Riverside Theater2501 Bath Road Bristol, PA
(215) 785-0100
Thurs. 7:30 p.m. "Iconic Ladies of Song" w/ Keith Baker & The Bristol Riverside Theater Concert Band.
Fri. 8 p.m. "Iconic Ladies of Song" w/ Keith Baker & The Bristol Riverside Theater Concert Band.
Sat. 8 p.m. "Iconic Ladies of Song" w/ Keith Baker & The Bristol Riverside Theater Concert Band.
Sun. 3 p.m. "Iconic Ladies of Song" w/ Keith Baker & The Bristol Riverside Theater Concert Band.
Wed. 2 p.m. "Iconic Ladies of Song" w/ Keith Baker & The Bristol Riverside Theater Concert Band.
Broken Goblet Brewing2500 State Road Bensalem, PA
(267) 812-5653
Thurs. 7 p.m. Mike Estabrook
Sat. 7:30 p.m. Octave Cat / Crucial. $23.06
Sun. 3 p.m. Music Bingo
Tues. 7 p.m. Luck of the Draw Weekly Dart Tournament
Wed. 7 p.m. Quizzo Hosted by Righteous Jolly
Brother's Pizza 871 Highway 33 Hamilton
(609) 586-2727
Wed. 6 p.m. Anthony "Fast Ant" Cannuli
Burlington County Fairgrounds and Pavillion 1960 Jacksonville Jobstown Road Columbus
(609) 265-5858
Sat. 4 p.m. Farm Fair feat. Acoustic Explorer
Candlelight Lounge24 Passaic Street Trenton
(609) 695-9612
Thurs. 6 p.m. Thursday Night Blues Jam Hosted by The Mojo Gypsies. $5
Sat. 3 p.m. Victor North. $20
Catch A Rising Star (Hyatt Regency Princeton)
102 Carnagie Center Princeton
(781) 568-1471
Fri. 8 p.m. Tony V. $23.69 Doors open at 7 p.m.
Sat. (7:30 p.m.) Tony V. $23.69, Doors open at 7 p.m. (9:30 p.m.) "Gaalipedia Party" feat. Tony V, Shafi Hossain, Amanda gail, Sonya Vai. $32.50
Chickie's & Pete's 183 US Highway 130 North Bordentown
(609) 298-9182
Fi./Sat. 8 p.m. DJ Entertainment
City Streets 510 Highway 130 South East Windsor
(609) 426-9400
Sat. 9 p.m. Tanglewood
Clubhouse at Mountain View (The Patio)
850 Bear Tavern Road Ewing
(609) 538-0808
Fri. 6:30 p.m. John B. Austin Band
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”
Sun. 7 p.m. "Rock On Radio" feat. Albert Cummings, The Return of Engineer Art and music by various artists
Color Me Mine (Princeton Shopping Center)
301 Harrison Street Princeton
(609) 581-9500
Mon. 10 a.m. Summer Camp! Imaginarium-Recycle & Create!
Cooper's Riverview 50 Riverview Plaza Trenton
(609) 393-7300
Thurs.(7 p.m.) GruvTyme (9 p.m.) Club Night w/ DJ Ran D. Ages 21+
Fri. (5 p.m.) "It's 5 O'clock Somewhere Happy Hour" w/ James Popik ( 7 p.m.) Dinner & Show w/ The Amish Outlaws. $20, $45, doors open at 6 p.m. (VIP available) (10 p.m. DJ Dance Party w/ MC Mike Alba and DJ Filter.
Sat. (8 p.m.) El Ka Bong (9 p.m.) Club Night w/ DJ Bockman
Sun. 11 a.m. "Latin Jazz Brunch" w/ Victor Tarassov
Tues. 7 p.m. Karaoke
Wed. (7 p.m.) Blues Jam on the Deck (8 p.m.) Disco “Hustle” Night w/ "Guest" DJs. $5
All Events Ages 21+
Crafty Crab 1847 Street Road Bensalem, PA
(267)855-2722
Sat. 8 p.m. Karaoke w/ Paula & Sam
Cream Ridge Winery 145 Route 539 Cream Ridge
(609) 259-9797
Fri. 6:30 p.m. Friday Music Nights w/ $5, Ages 21+ (Monies collected go to a local charity)
Sun. 1:30 p.m. Sangria Sunday w/ Redbird
Crossing Vineyard and Winery 1853 Wrightstown Road Washington Crossing, PA
(215) 493-6500
Thurs. 5 p.m. "Dog Days" of Summer (Pet Friendly Event)
Fri. 7:15 p.m. "Summer Wine and Music Series" feat. The AM Radio Tribute Band. $15 (advance), Doors open at 5 p.m., Ages 21+
Sat. 2 p.m. Rodney Wright
Sun. 2 p.m. Kim & Chuck Duo
Cross Pollination Gallery2 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 Inn1909 Bristol Pike Bensalem, PA
(215) 245-1800
Thurs. 7 p.m. Music Bingo
Sat. 9 p.m. EarCandy
Tues. 7:30 p.m. Quizzo
Dacey's Pub215 West Philadelphia Avenue Morrisville, PA
(215) 295-4838
Fri. 6 p.m. Acoustic Music Night
Wed. 8 p.m. Quizzo
Dadz Bar and Grill744 Main Street Lumberton
(609)267-4344
Thurs. (4 p.m.) "Yappy Hour" (7 p.m.) Open Mic w/ Jimmy Mannix
Fri. 9 p.m. El Ka Bong
Sat. 8 p.m. Christmas In July and Ugly Sweater Competition
Sun. 4 p.m. Oldies with DJ Deuce
Tues. 7 p.m. Open Mic Hosted by Edgar Anderson
Wed. 7 p.m./9 p.m. Poker Night
Decades2465 South Broad Street Hamilton
(609) 439-0007
Fri. 8 p.m. Dance Party w/ DJ Ran D
Sat. 8:30 p.m. "Throwback Saturday" w/ DJ Matty Bruce
Tues. 8 p.m. Karaoke Hosted by DJ Wildman Manny
Eddington House Bensalem2813 Hulmeville Road, Bensalem, PA
(215) 639-1220
Wed. 7 p.m. Music Bingo
El Barrio Cantina & Tequila Bar1470 Buck Road Southampton, PA
(267) 685-0725
Fri. 8 p.m. Cara Cartney
Sat. 8 p.m. Big Country
Escape Resort, Restaurant & Bar120 Pheasant Run Road Newtown, PA
(215) 968-0600
Fri. 6 p.m. Corner Brothers
Sat. 8 p.m. "Lost In Space" an Outer-Space Inspired Pool Party w/ Live DJ, Drink Specials. $25 (Non-members)
Tues. 6 p.m. Karaoke
Etra Lake ParkDisbrow Hill Road East Windsor
Sun. 6 p.m. Crosby, Stills & Nash Tribute w/ "Wooden Ships"
Flying Pig Tavern & Tap167 US-Route 130 North Bordentown
(609) 899-7447
Fri. 7 p.m. Ryan Sab
Wed. 8 p.m. Trivia
Forsgate Country Club 375 Forsgate Drive Monroe
(732) 521-0700
Sat. 12 p.m. Christmas In July feat. a Visit from Santa
Friendly's1031 Washington Boulevard Robbinsville
(609) 426-9203
Thurs. 5 p.m. Cruise Night
Gleason's Bar6700 Mill Creek Road Levittown, PA
(215) 943-4781
Thurs. 7 p.m. Music Bingo / “Ladies Night”
Fri. 6 p.m. "Happy Hour"
Greenhouse90 South Main Street New Hope, PA
(215) 693-1657
Thurs. 8 p.m. "Musicians Night Out"
Fri. 9 p.m. It Hurts Me Two
Tues. 8 p.m. Open Mic Hosted by Sam Ryan
Wed. 8 p.m. Trivia Hosted by Dwayne Dunlevy
Green Parrot Restaurant Pub, & Patio240 North Sycamore Street Newtown Township, PA
(215) 504-7277
Fri. 8 p.m. JD Valenteen
Sat. 8 p.m. Jeff Selby
Grover's Mill Coffee House Princeton-Hightstown Road Princeton Junction
(609) 716-8771
Sat. 11 a.m. Joe Hutchinson
Hamilton Tap & Grill557 US Route 130 North Hamilton
(609) 905-0925
Thurs. 7 p.m. Music Bingo w/ DJ Nebbs
Tues. 5 p.m. Central Jersey Antique Car Club Cruise Night
Wed. 7 p.m. Trivia
Harvest Seasonal Grill (Newtown Shopping Center)
2865 South Eagle Road Newtown, PA
(215) 944-8469
Thurs. 6 p.m. Cara Cartney
Fri. 6 p.m. Brian Elliot
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.) 80s Revolution. $20 (11 p.m.) DJ Dance Party
Sat. 9:30 p.m D.J Dance Party
Mon. 9 p.m. Karaoke w/ Dwayne
Wed. 7 p.m. Jumper Duo
Hopewell Theater 5 South Greenwood Avenue Hopewell
(609) 466-1964
Thurs. 7 p.m. Films That Made Music: "All The Streets Are Silent" $12.50
Hopewell United Methodist Church20 Blackwell Avenue Hopewell
(609) 466-0471
Sat.6 p.m. Hopewell Hayride (Old Time Country & Bluegrass). Hosted by Frank Bruno feat. Al Kessel & Never Too Late Band, Big Valley Bluegrass Band, Ann Brown. $15 (Suggested donation adults includes food)
Hopewell Valley Vineyards 46 Yard Avenue Pennington
(609) 737-4465
Fri. 4 p.m. "Music & Merlot" feat. (5:30 p.m.) Catmoondaddy
Sat. (1 p.m.) Living The Dream (5:30 p.m.) "Music & Merlot" feat. Robert Ruffis Experience
Sun. 1:30 p.m. "Jazzy Sundays" feat. A Little Bit Off
Howe Commons Main Street Pennington
Thurs. 7 p.m. The Rangers Nouveau Band. (FREE event, BYOB, Food Trucks)
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. (6 p.m.) Happy Hour w/ Laura Fiacco (9 p.m.) Midnight Sun
Sat. 9 p.m. J. Geils Band Tribute w/ "Bloodshot" and Special Guests The Slappin' Pistons
Mon. 7 p.m. Motown Mondays w/ DJ Slow Ice
Tues. 8 p.m. Acoustic Tuesdays
Wed. 7 p.m. Summer BBQ and Open Mic w/ Laura Fiacco
Il Portico Restorante Italiano273 West Route 130 South Burlington
(609) 239-1000
Fri. / Sat. 6:30 p.m. Live Music (TBA)
Irish Rover Station House1033 South Bellevue Avenue Langhorne, PA
(215) 970-5412
Wed. 7 p.m. Quizzo
Iron Plow Vineyards 26750 Mount Pleasant Road Columbus
(732) 306-9111
Fri. 6:30 p.m. Ryan Zimmerman
Sat. 6:30 p.m. Tony Occhipinti
Iron Plow Vineyards Tasting Room61 High Street Mt. Holly
(732) 306-9111
Fri. 6:30 p.m. Wayne Palmer & Friends
Ivy Tavern 3108 S. Broad Street, Hamilton
(609) 888-1435
Thurs. 8:30 p.m. Karaoke
Sat. 9:30 p.m. Asylum Choir
Sun. 6 p.m. Karaoke Latinos
All shows 21+
John & Peter's 96 S. Main Street New Hope, Pa
(215) 862-5981
Thurs. 9 p.m. Vivienne "Baby Gaga" Artur / Anthony "Dad Rock" Artur
Fri. 9:30 p.m. Room For Mojo
Sun. 3 p.m. Eli Lev
Mon. 9 p.m. Open Mic (Sign-ups start at 8:30 p.m.)
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. Ladies Happy Hour w/ Music by Radio Fiction. $35 (Includes 4 wines and 4 appetizers)
Fri. (5 p.m.) Tour de Force Duo (7 p.m.) Guns 4 Hire (9 p.m.) DJ Jimmy G
Sat. (7 p.m.) Chet & Ari (9 p.m.) DJ Jimmy G
Sun. 10 a.m. Sunday Brunch
Lambertville House 32 Bridge Street Lambertville
(609) 397-0200
Fri. 6 p.m. Christine Havrilla
Lambertville Station Restaurant and Inn 11 Bridge Street Lambertville
(609) 397-8300
Sat. 1 p.m. Phase 3 (FREE event outdoors in parking lot)
Laurita Winery 85 Archertown Road New Egypt
(609) 752-0200
Thurs. 7 p.m. Laurita Junior Idol Tryouts
Fri. 5 p.m. "Cornhole Tournament"
Sat. 11 a.m. A Tribute to the Artistry of Billy Joel w/ Wade Preston
Lawrenceville Main Street17 Phillips Avenue Lawrenceville
(609) 219-9300
Thurs. 6 p.m. "Music In The Park" feat. Cover Up. (Weeden Park FREE admission)
Lillipies Bakery 30 North Harrison Street Princeton
(609) 423-2100
Sun. 11 a.m. Dom Palombi Band
Logan Inn 10 West Ferry Street New Hope, PA
(215) 862-2300
Thurs. 6 p.m. Jack Furlong w/ Pat Kerrsen
Fri. 8 p.m. Wayne Wesley Johnson
Sun. 11:30 a.m. Sunday Brunch feat. Aaron Quarterman
Magikava87a South Main Street New Hope, PA
(215) 862-2739
Wed. 7 p.m. Open Mic
Makefield Highlands Golf Club1418 Woodside Road Yardley, PA
(215) 321-7000
Fri. 5 p.m. Bruce Fredericks
Marie's Kozy Korner111 Trenton Road Fairless Hills, PA
(215) 943-3131
Fri. 8 p.m. Darlin and The Dogs
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
Sat. 9 p.m. Steal Your Face
Tues. 7:30 p.m. Trivia Night
Wed. 9 p.m. Karaoke w/ Paula and Sam
Mercer County Park (Boathouse at Mercer Lake)
334 South Post Road West Windsor
(866) 683-3586
Thurs. 5 p.m. Big Horse Band
Mercer County Park Festival Grounds Hughes Drive/Old Trenton Road West Windsor
(609) 448-1947
Fri. 6 p.m. Summer Concert Series: Morris Day. ($5 Parking Fee)
Millhill Basement 300 S. Broad Street Trenton
(609) 989-1600
Fri. 10 p.m. PISSED!, Oh The Humanity, Hassle. $8, ages 21+, doors open at 9 p.m.
Morven Museum & Garden 55 Stockton Street Princeton
(609) 924-8144
Thurs. 6:30 p.m. Ragtime Relics. $10-$15
Music Mountain Theater1483 Route 179 Lambertville
(609)397-3337
Fri. 8 p.m. La Cage Aux Folles
Sat. 3 p.m./8 p.m. La Cage Aux Folles
Sun. 3 p.m. La Cage Aux Folles
All Shows Require Masks for the Unvaccinated
Music On Main25 East Main Street Yardley, PA
Sat. 6 p.m. Full Grown Men
Naked Brewing Company212 Mill Street Bristol, PA
(267) 544-7129
Sat. 11 a.m. Weekend “Acoustic” Brunch
Sun. 11 a.m. Weekend Brunch
Tues. 7 p.m. Trivia
New Hope Winery / Tavern6123 Lower York Road New Hope, PA
(215) 794-2331
Sat. 8 p.m. The Billy Joel Songbook: Hits + B-Side Favorites. $40
Newtown Brewing Company103 Penns Trail Newtown, PA
(215) 944-8609
Thurs. 7:30 p.m. Trivia
Fri. 6 p.m. John Brennan Blues
Nick's Roast Beef4501 Woodhaven Road West Philadelphia, PA
(215) 637-5151
Thurs. 7 p.m. Trivia
Fri. 9 p.m. TailSpin
Sun. 4 p.m. Beg, Borrow & Steel Trio
Nottingham Tavern 9 Mercer Street Hamilton Square
(609) 587-6623
Thurs. 9:30 pm. Karaoke w/ Super Dave Curtis
Sat. 9:30 p.m. Paul Plumeri Band
Ages 21+
Old Town Pub 135 Farnsworth Avenue Bordentown
(609) 291-9232
Thurs. 7 p.m. Quizzoholics Trivia
Palmer Square40 Nassau Street Princeton
Thurs. 6 p.m. Dueling Piano Night w/ Flying Ivories
Sat. 12 p.m. “Summer Music Series" feat. Strictly 60s
Pasquale's Sports Bar9078 Mill Creek Road Levittown, PA
(267) 202-6268
Fri. 5 p.m. Happy Hour feat. (TBA)
Sat. 8 p.m. 44 Fridays
Tues. 7:30 p.m. Quizzo
Wed. 7 p.m. Open Mic
Pete's Steak House 523 Whitehorse Avenue Hamilton
(609) 585-8008
Fri. 9:30 p.m. Asylum Choir
Piccolissimo Italian Grille23203 Columbus Road Columbus
(609) 291-1033
Sat. 5:30 p.m. Ed Wilson
Princeton University (Richardson Auditorium)
Nassau Street Princeton
Thurs. 7:30 p.m. Zodiac Trio
Sat. 8 p.m. New Scores: 2022 Edward T Cone Institute Concert w/ New Jersey Symphony. $8
Puss N Boots Tavern942 Tenton Road Fairless Hills, PA
(215) 295-8236
Fri. 3 p.m. Nik from WXTU 92.5
River House at Odette’s274 South Rive Road New Hope, PA
(215) 682-2022
Thurs. (5:30 p.m.) Greg McGarvey (7 p.m.) Gina Corso
Fri. (5:30 p.m.) Joanna Caruso (7 p.m.) Paula Johns Duo
Sat. (11:30 a.m.) Brunch w/ Russell Norkevich (5:30 p.m.) Pentley Holmes (7 p.m.) Bob Egan
Sun. (11:30 a.m.) Brunch w/ Dave Dales Duo (7 p.m.) Michael Andrew
Mon. 7 p.m. Scott Gurney
Tues. 7 p.m. Lorenzo Branca
Wed. 7 p.m. Megan Knight
Robbinsville Community ConcertTown Center Lake Drive Gazebo, Robbinsville
Tues. 7 p.m. Gumbo Gumbas
Robbinsville Community Park West Manor Way Robbinsville
Fri. 8:15 p.m. "Wheels & Reels" Drive-In Movie Night. (Takes place at corners of Gordon and Sharon Roads)
Second Sin Brewing Company1500 Grundy Lane Bristol, PA
(267) 812-5251
Thurs. 7 p.m. Trivia
Shady Brook Farm931 Stony Hill Road Yardley, PA
(215) 968-1670
Fri. (6:30 p.m.) "Summer unWINEd Concert Series" feat. Stems & Seeds (6:30 p.m.) Joe Grillo
Wed. 7 p.m. Quizzo w/ Emily & Joe
Sherman Theater/Penn Community Bank Amphitheater 2400 Byberry Road Bensalem, PA
Wed. 7 p.m. A Tribute to The Eagles w/ "Desert Highway" (Doors open at 5:30 p.m., tickets available online)
Small World Coffee 14 Witherspoon Street Princeton
(609) 924-4377 x2
Sat. 6 p.m. Love, Said The Commander
Sparky World-Famous Beer Garden4333 New Falls Road Levittown, PA
(215) 943-2321
Thurs. 9 p.m. Karaoke w/ DJ Dana
Fri. 9:30 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. Sight Unseen
Stars & Stripes Harley Davidson600 South Flowers Mill Road Langhorne, PA
(215) 752-94
Sat. 11 a.m. Hind Sight
Steam Pub606 2nd Street Pike Southampton, PA
(215) 942-6468
Sat. 10:30 p.m. DJ Reed
Taps Sports Bar4021-4023 Veterans Highway Levittown, PA
(215) 486-7862
Fri. 9 p.m. Karaoke Hosted by Paula
Sat. 8 p.m. DJ Frankie Paige
Mon. 7 p.m. Open Mic Night Hosted by Joe Goodnall
Tara's Tavern1 Cookstown-New Egypt Road, Wrightstown
(609) 286-2300
Fri. 9 p.m. 2 If By C Duo
Sat. 9 p.m. The Williamsboy
Tavern On The Lake 101 Main Street Hightstown
(609) 426-9345
Fri. 9 p.m. Complicated Matter (Takes place downstairs in bar) Tavern & Tiaras "Summer Beach Bash" Drag Show. $15 (advance/online $25 door), Ages 21+. doors open at 8 p.m. (Takes place upstairs)
Wed. 9 p.m. Karaoke
Temperance House 5 South State Street Newtown, PA
(215) 944-8050
Thurs. 7 p.m. Open Session Blues Hosted by Steve Guyger
Fri. 7 p.m. Bad Hombres
Tues. 8 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
Fri. 12 p.m. "Sips & Sounds Friday" feat. (5 p.m.) Joah Blume & Friends
Sat. 1 p.m. "Weekend Music Series" feat. Barbara Lin Band
Sun.1 p.m. "Weekend Music Series" feat. Allen Wilkcockson
TGI Fridays 319 US Highway 130 North East Windsor
(609) 490-1450
Fri. 6 p.m. Ernie White
TGI Fridays780 Route 130 South Hamilton
(609) 581-6910
Wed. 7 p.m. Karaoke w/ Big Daddy G
TGI Fridays3535 U.S. Route 1 North #275 Princeton
(609) 520-0378
Fri. 6 p.m. Lisa Bouchelle
Sun. 1 p.m. Don Lee
The Beer Garden at Snipes Farm890 West Bridge Street Morrisville, PA
Sat. 6 p.m. Steal Your Peach w/ Ron Hollaway and special guests Over The Counter
The Birdhouse Center For The Arts7 North Main Street Lambertville
(215) 681-4660
Fri. 8 p.m. Rachel Sumner & The Traveling Light
The Bog (Cranbury Golf Club)
49 Southfield Road West Windsor
(609) 799-0341
Fri. 7 p.m. Kindred Spirit
The Buck Hotel1200 Buck Road Feasterville, PA
(215) 396-2002
Thurs. 7 p.m. Kirko
Fri. 7 p.m. Love Junk
Tues. 6 p.m. Danny Lynch Duo
The Cool Cricket 216 Burlington Street Fieldsboro
(609) 291-9110
Fri. 9 p.m. Karaoke
Sat. Unleashed
The Dubliner34 North Main Street New Hope, PA
(215) 693-1816
Sat. 7 p.m. The King Brothers
Sun. 3 p.m. "Traditional Irish Session"
The Federal Twist Vineyard 8 Federal Twist Road Stockton
(609) 773-6066
Fri. 5 p.m. Sunset & Jazz w/ The Eric Mintel Quartet
Sat. 2 p.m. Laurie Vosburg Band
The Five Four Bar & Grill8919 New Falls Road Levittown, PA
(215) 547-5525
Thurs. 8 p.m. Karaoke w/ Paula and Sam
Fri. 9 p.m. Main Street
The HOB Tavern 146 Second Street Bordentown
(609) 291-7020
Tues 7 p.m. Music Bingo
The Irish Horne Bar & Restaurant882 2nd Street Pike Richboro, PA
(215) 942-4000
Sat. 9 p.m. Tuesday Night Special
The Ivy Inn 248 Nassau Street Princeton
(609) 921-8555
Fri. 9 p.m. DJ Fatha Ramzee
Sat. 9 p.m. My Hut / DJ Darius The 1st
Tues. 8 p.m. Quizzo w/ Bob E Luv
Wed. 10 p.m. Total Request w/ DJ Rockin' Ron
The Morrisville Tavern376 West Trenton Avenue Morrisville, PA
(215) 295-5310
Thurs. 7 p.m. Trivia
Fri. 7 p.m. Spareparts
Sat. 8 p.m. Julia's Birthday w/ Bill Monach and Soulshine
Mon. 7 p.m. Musical Bingo
Tues. 7 p.m. Open Mic
Wed. 7 p.m. Trivia Night
The Newtown Theatre120 North State Street Newtown, PA
(215) 968-3859
Thurs. 6:30 p.m. "Reel" Garden Party
Sun. 3 p.m. Dueling Pianos "Disney" Sing-A-Long
The Pines Tavern 6217 North Radcliffe Street Bristol, PA
(215) 788-1659
Sat. 8 p.m. Joe & Krista
The Roost 181 Rte. 539 Cream Ridge
(609) 208-0050
Thurs. 6:30 p.m. Sean Cox & Joe Hoyer
Fri. 8 p.m. No Way Out
Sat. 8 p.m. The Shaykz
The Sycamore Grill 255 North Sycamore Street Newtown, PA
(215) 908-6326
Fri. 8 p.m. Kickbax
Sat. 8 p.m. Brian Elliot Duo feat. Tony Flagiello
The Union Firehouse18 Washington Street Mount Holly
(609) 288-6491
Sat. 8 p.m. "Comedy Show" $20, doors open at 7 p.m.
Train Wreck Distillery 25 Madison Avenue Mount Holly
(609) 288-6300
Fri. 7 p.m. Random Notes Duo
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)
Sun. 11:30 a.m. "Drink & Draw Brunch" Hosted by Brass Rabbit. $35
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.)
Under The Moon23 North Union Street Lambertville
(609) 397-1710
Fri. 6 p.m. Lia Menaker
Sat. (12 p.m.) Tony Alosi (6 p.m.) Russell Norkevich
Wed. 5:30 p.m. Russell Norkevich
Vault Brewing Company10 South Main Street Yardley, PA
(267) 573-4291
Fri. 7 p.m.Behn Gillece Duo
Sat. 7 p.m. Tom Cullen Trio
Villa Park Fairmount and Lyndale Avenues Trenton
Fri. 6 p.m. City of Trenton Summer Concert Series feat. Robert Ruffin Experience. (FREE event)
Wildflowers Inn 2572 Pennington Road Pennington
(609) 773-2392
Sat. 6 p.m.Carmen Marranco
Wilson's Pub1870 Brownsville Road Trevose Heights, PA
(215) 355-4739
Fri. 8 p.m. Keep The Change
Working Dog Winery 610 Windsor Perrineville Road Hightstown
(609) 371-6000
Sat. 1 p.m. Erin McAndrews
Sun. 1 p.m. Ronnie Brandt
WWFM 89.1 FM HD2 RadioMCCC Old Trenton Road West Windsor
Jazzon2.org
Mon. 7 p.m. "Danny Coleman's Got The Blues"
Yankee Doodle Tap Room10 Palmer Square Princeton
(609) 921-7500
Fri. 7 p.m. Rob Messina
About the author:
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.
EVENT PREVIEWS

Gateway Playhouse to produce "Concert For A Cure" Fundraiser on June 28th
(SOMERS POINT, NJ) -- Gateway Playhouse is producing Concert for a Cure, a three-part show highlighting three different musical acts on June 28, 2026, as a special fundraising event for three different cancer organizations: the American Cancer Society (ACS), Gilda's Club of Linwood, and Wigs & Wishes by Martino Cartier of Sewell. The event will feature three original musical acts: Tide ll Moon, a Philadelphia- based indie rock band formed by Drexel University film students; Steven Lemon, a South Jersey indie pop/rock/folk artist with a songwriting career that spans two decades; and Rachel Burghen, a dynamic South Jersey crossover artist known for her soaring pop sound, accompanied by Brian Conover on piano.

Brandon Tomasello to open Ocean City Pops Season with One-Man Rat Pack Spectacular on June 28th
(OCEAN CITY, NJ) -- Acclaimed vocalist and entertainer Brandon Tomasello will open the 2026 Ocean City Pops season with his highly anticipated "One-Man Rat Pack" concert on Sunday, June 28, at the historic Ocean City Music Pier. The Rat Pack will come to life musically on stage as local favorite Tomasello presents the timeless and unmistakable sounds of this remarkable musical era. Showtime is 7:30pm.
The Vogel presents Billy Bragg with special guest Sweet Petunia on Sunday
(RED BANK, NJ) -- The Vogel presents Billy Bragg with special guest Sweet Petunia on Sunday, June 28, 2026 at 8:00pm. Limited tickets remain.

Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul to Headline Concert at ParkStage on July 3rd
(FREEHOLD, NJ) -- Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul will headline a concert at ParkStage on Friday, July 3, 2026 that fans of Jersey music will love. The lineup includes Jake Clemons Band, Joe Grushecky and the Houserockers with Gary U.S. Bonds, Low Cut Connie, and The Weeklings. Showtime is 4:00pm.

Flamingosis to Bring Bright Moments 10th Anniversary Tour to Newark Culture Club
(NEWARK, NJ) -- Flamingosis is the stage name of Aaron Velasquez, a New Jersey-based DJ, beatboxer, and electronic music producer who is coming to Newark Culture Club on Friday, July 3, 2026 at 10:00pm. A special set by one world's leading DJs/producers!

The Sandbox at Seastreak presents Badfish on July 4th
(HIGHLANDS, NJ) -- Badfish is a vibe. Badfish is a sonic house party complete with plenty of gyrating fans sipping libations and enjoying various extracurricular activities. Simply put, Badfish is feel-good music. See for yourself when Badfish performs at The Sandbox at Seastreak on Saturday, July 4, 2026 at 7:00pm. It's a great way to celebrate the holiday!

MPAC presents Darren Criss on July 9th
(MORRISTOWN, NJ) -- Tony, Emmy and Golden Globe winner Darren Criss returns to Mayo Performing Arts Center for an all-new solo show on Thursday, July 9, 2026 at 8:00pm. Since bursting onto the pop-culture landscape over a decade ago in Fox's hit TV show Glee, Darren Criss has embodied the kind of kaleidoscopic artistry that's entirely uninhibited by form or genre.

Asbury Lanes presents There, There (A Tribute to Radiohead) on July 11th
(ASBURY PARK, NJ) -- There, There (A Tribute to Radiohead) will perform at Asbury Lanes on Saturday, July 11, 2026. Doors open at 7:00pm, showtime is 8:00pm.

2026 Maplewoodstock Music + Art Festival to Take Place July 11-12
(MAPLEWOOD, NJ) -- Going on 20+ years, the annual, free, two-day Maplewoodstock Music + Art Festival will take place the weekend of July 11-12, 2026, in Memorial Park in Maplewood. The festival features performances by Anders Osborne, Lettuce, Slap Dragon, and Megan Jean's Secret Family. It kicks off with music at noon and ends around 9:30pm each night. As always, it is free and welcomes the entire community.
bergenPAC presents Warrant on July 12th
(ENGLEWOOD, NJ) -- Bergen Performing Arts Center (bergenPAC) presents Warrant on Sunday, July 12, 2026 at 7:00pm. The California band first hit it big in 1989 with their album Dirty Rotten Filthy Stinking Rich.
FEATURED EVENTS
