When one has had an extensive and musically diverse career such as his, writing a book can be a herculean task; what made him decide to do so?
"The motivation obviously was to write my memoirs about being involved with music my whole life but also to tell the story about family, which is a very important thing for me and my siblings and about life in general. I mean, it's all about me being involved in the music business as a musician or as an executive but it's all about life as well, why we are who we are, why I was traumatized when my father died in my arms when I was 15 or 16 years old and how it affected me through my life. We've all been through these times of things that affect you and you don't realize this was the reason until after therapy or whatever and so the theme across the board is my life in music and the various other things in between which talk about why I'm me and the artists I've been involved with and their issues as well. Yes, I've been involved with some of the biggest artists ever and I'm very lucky and privileged to have been in that situation. I feel that the story, I hope, is one about, as we started off; real music. I was thinking the other day about having a blank page in front of you and creating something with your own mind, with your own fingers and your heart, putting it down and doing something which is yours; not somebody else's, not trying to be like somebody else and this is what I tried to do and hopefully, in some respect succeeded to a certain degree. Hopefully other people will do that as opposed to going on their Pro Tools or artificial intelligence machines and saying, "Make it like this" and here you go."
With family and the music industry so prevalent in his life; what about bands who were considered his peers? Groups such as Creedence Clearwater Revival, King Crimson, The Rolling Stones, etc have all written material that has withstood the test of time. What is his take on today's music climate? Does he see it having the same longevity as its predecessors?
"Major labels are dependent completely on catalog and if it wasn't for catalog, the major labels would not exist," he stressed once again. "You mentioned Creedence Clearwater, we're talking about all of the bands that broke through in the '60s, '70s. '80s and even the '90s, their music, including Gentle Giant, their music is still relevant. In the last 20 or 25 years, there are maybe a handful of artists that in 50 years; will they be relevant? I don't know, I don't think so personally, maybe a handful, maybe U2 for instance or whatever but they're only a handful. When I was growing up, The Beatles were it and The Beatles still are to me no matter where and who you are; they changed everything and their songs and music still resonate for me and I think it does for everyone."
"I hate to sound like a crotchety old man, which I am by the way," he continued with a laugh "The younger generation feels that if they get "Likes" and looks and Tik-Tok appearances; being famous and being rich is the most important thing for them whereas when I was a musician, playing music was important to me and being a musician that was able to make a living being a musician. That was the most important thing, being able to master my instrument to be good on stage together as a band and if we were good together as a band, people would come to see us and pay a little bit of money and we were able to make a living out of it. It wasn't about being famous online and being a personality, it was about music first and today it's about fame first. The superficiality of that wears very thin across the board and I don't know who or why and when these things will turn into something subhuman which it kind of is already actually; I've been hearing about this "Demon Hunter" stuff and I looked at it and I thought, "Wow!" This is kind of where these catalogs are gonna go once AI gets hold of them, maybe they will just become AI versions of their catalogs but my point is, the younger generation, I think there is a sense of entitlement to be famous and rich as opposed to putting in work. As a musician and even as an executive, I put in a lot of work and I think that's what the book is about by the way. I worked my ass off to be as good as I could be. I didn't just go online and do a video and stick my tongue out and be funny. That's something that I guess the younger generation believes is the way to do it and again, I don't want to be negative because perhaps, that's enough for them but it's not enough for me."
Above, there was mention of just a few of the acts he has influenced or broke wide open. When asked what it was like being an A&R representative for a label, he quickly relayed two of his favorite instances.
"I'll give you one major example; Pantera. When I was running ATCO, I was aware of the band before I signed them because I was living in Texas for a minute and I was running a pretty big company of about 150 employees and the attorney came to me and showed me a VHS video of some new songs and with a new singer and I was completely blown away. I knew the band and I saw this video and I thought, "I think this is something very special." So, I sent an A&R guy down there and he called me literally at 11:30 at night and said, "This band Pantera that you told me to go see, you've got to come see them." I said, "I know, how are they?" He said, "Just come down and see them." The next week, I knew they had a show in Arlington, Texas and I went down myself and within three songs; I'd hoped that they were gonna be as good as it looked like it was gonna be and within three songs I wasn't just a fan, I was completely sold on this band; I almost jumped in the mosh pit and that would've been dangerous (Laughs). I knew this band, Phil (Anselmo) was just an incredible front guy, Dimebag (Darrell) was just an incredible guitarist and personality and they had this word, I.T., they had "It." I immediately said, "OK;" no one was interested in this band, no majors because they were heavy and completely doing their own thing and that's key as well; they were authentic and they meant what they did and within three songs, I went from being someone going to check them out to becoming their biggest fan. So, I signed them and I knew they wouldn't be on MTV because of how they looked and their music on radio would have been hard to push but what I did do was put money behind them to go on tour because the fact that they made a difference to me as someone who has been around music most all of my life and I immediately became a fan, I knew that other kids who came to see them would be a fan too. So, I put money behind them to tour and sure enough when they went out there, 500 people would show up and six months later 5,000 and that's exactly what happened when "Cowboys from Hell" came out. I had confidence in their ability and again, they were authentic, they weren't following anyone. The music that I heard and the way they played was theirs, they weren't like anything else and that was the key to Pantera being leaders in their field and most of the bands that I've been involved in, they still are; whether it was 30 or 40 years ago, they're still leaders in their field, whatever field that is."
"AC/DC is another story as well because they were gonna be dropped by Atlantic. They had two albums that did not do well and the deal was pretty high but I came in when I was running ATCO and the head of Atlantic said, "We're gonna drop AC/DC because their last two albums didn't do well and AC/DC didn't particularly like the people who were running their show. I said, "You can't drop AC/DC. This is the band that invented that kind of rock." So, I sat down with him and I inherited when I took on running ATCO, a couple of artists that were already signed and one of them was Stevie Nicks. I said, "I'll tell you what, I'll trade you Stevie Nicks for AC/DC" which is what I did. AC/DC was very reluctant, they were standoffish with their record company, they did not like record people. However, their brother George Young in England was in the band called The Easybeats and when I was in my first group Simon Dupree, we played with The Easybeats several times and we got on very well and Angus and Malcolm called George and said, "There's this guy called Derek Shulman who is running this record company" and he said, "Is it the same guy who was in Simon Dupree and Gentle Giant? He's cool and he's a musician." So, George telling Angus and Malcolm that I was cool made a difference and it enabled me to sit down with those guys and become part of their team. I sort of convinced them to go to Vancouver with their favorite producers Bruce Fairbairn and Bob Rock and when we got up to Vancouver, they allowed me in the studio a lot of times and we came back when the record was done. The album was called "The Razors Edge" and we put out "Thunderstruck" and AC/DC was back and bigger than ever."
There is something to be said for "Following your gut" and Shulman's instincts have served him well over his lifetime but even he admits that despite his possible aversion to it, AI and today's technology does have its place.
"Funny enough, I'm gonna eat my words and tell you a story from the end of the book because we had our Gentle Giant albums remixed and for whatever reason, they are almost as popular as 40 or 50 years ago because the young generation of musicians, they've seen us online and played along; that's a whole different animal. There are a whole lot of musicians out there who want to play and be good at what they do; so, most of our catalog had been remixed but there was one we couldn't find the multitracks to and that was an album called, "In A Glass House." So, I've been in the studio in Brooklyn working with a brand new highest end AI program which can separate not just the stems of the music but the tracks themselves and I'm remixing the album "In A Glass House" because for some reason the multis got lost. So, the new technology has been very helpful to me recreating something that we should have done back then. What I'm not doing is creating something brand new, I'm just recreating something we would've liked to have done back in the day. The music is already written, I'm just making the drum sound a little better."
Derek is looking forward to meeting people and answering questions at Progstock but he's also looking forward to some rest and relaxation as well.
"I'm doing a Q & A, book signings and after; how about a good night's sleep (Laughs)? It has been a wild ride putting my life in music down in print and that's something I never thought I'd be called in a million years; an author per se but it turned out fairly well and I'm glad it's getting some decent reviews and people seem to like the book and it's an honest book I believe. It's an honest look at being involved in the music business from when I was a kid, the earliest days in the '60s until today."

To discover more about Derek Shulman, the book or his long career, please visit https://gentlegiantband.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
Abbott Marshlands157 Westcott Avenue Hamilton
Sat. 1 p.m. A History of White City Amusement Park (FREE event)
Ace Cafe 15 Market Place New Hope, PA
Thurs. 6 p.m. Bike Night
Fri. 6 p.m. Station Wagon Night
Al's Airport Inn636 Bear Tavern Road West Trenton
(609) 883-5252
Thurs. 5 p.m. Connor Choi
Sat. (12 p.m.) Acoustic Brunch w/ Bill Thomas (7 p.m.) Kindred Spirit Duo or Tara Woodcock
Sun. (12 p.m.) Sunday Acoustic Brunch w/ Frank Pinto (6 p.m.) Mike Tusay
Mon. 5 p.m. Rob Silvers
Tues. 7 p.m. Mike & Laura
Wed. 7 p.m. AudioPilot
Ancient Order of Hibernians 2419 Kuser Road Hamilton
Fri. 7 p.m. Music BINGO
Sat. 12 p.m. Irish Pub Crawl
Aristaeus Brewing2475C Big Oak Road Langhorne, PA
(215) 757-2337
Thurs. 7 p.m. Trivia
Arts Council of Princeton 102 Witherspoon Street Princeton
(609) 924-8777
Thurs. 5:30 p.m. ART OF: Ancient Manuscripts
Fri. 10:30 a.m. Magical Baby and Toddler Storyplays w/ Miss Pam
Sat. 7 p.m. Cafe` Improv. $2
Sun. (1 p.m.) Festival Cultural Latino: A Community Mercado (3 p.m.) Home is Where the "heART" is
Wed. 7 p.m. JAM: Jersey Art Meetup
Ashlynn Distillery 32 West Bridge Street Morrisville, PA
Thurs. 6 p.m. Cecil & Mike
Fri. 7 p.m. Tim Schmidt
Sat. 7 p.m. GB&J
Sun. 3 p.m. Cecil & Friends
Wed. 6 p.m. Cara Cartney
Bent Iron Brewing70 Extonville Road Hamilton
Thurs. 7 p.m. Dynamo Trivia
Fri. 5 p.m. Anker
Sat. 5 p.m. Gwynn Aldean
Sun. (11 a.m.) Yoga & Beer (12 p.m.) Jazz w/ Adam Shaber
Bill's Olde Tavern2694 Nottingham Way Hamilton
(609) 586-0192
Fri. 7 p.m. Black Brant / Music BINGO
Sun. 7 p.m. BINGO
Mon. 7 p.m. Trivia
Tues. 9 p.m. / Wed. 9 p.m. Karaoke
Ages 21+
Blooming Grove Inn40 West Upper Ferry Road West Trenton
Sun. 11 a.m. Brunch w/ The Blue Jersey Band
Bordentown CityFarnsworth 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. Dave Dales Trio
Fri. (5:30 p.m.) Bennett Lee (8 p.m.) Bob Egan
Sat. 6:30 p.m. Jill Salkin Duo
Sun. (12 p.m.) Bill Avayou Trio (6 p.m.) Lorenzo
Tues. 6 p.m. Brian Elliot
Wed. 6 p.m. Liz DuFour
Broken Goblet Brewing2500 State Road Bensalem, PA
(267) 812-5653
Thurs. 7 p.m. Mike Estabrook All Request Show
Fri. 8 p.m. "GayC/DC" All Gay AC/DC Tribute. $15-$29, doors open at 7 p.m., ages 21+
Sat. (12 p.m.) "Dad Rock Party" $11-$35, doors at 11:30 p.m. (8 p.m.) "Smooth Riders" A Dave Matthews Band Experience. $15-$29, doors open at 7 p.m., ages 21+
Sun. (12:45 p.m.) School of Rock Presents: Left of the Dial (3 p.m.) AC/DC
Wed. 7 p.m. Carnival of Death Tour 2025 w/ Vader, Kataklysm, Malevolent Creation, Skeletal Remains. $30.44, doors at 6:30 p.m., ages 18+
Bucks On Bridge25 Bridge Street Lambertville
(609) 483-2615
Fri. 6:30 p.m. Poetry Night
Tues. 5 p.m. Chess Night
Wed. 6 p.m. Trivia
B2 Bistro Jimmy's American Grill140 US Route 130 South bordentown
(609) 291-0200
Tues. 7 p.m. Trivia
Cadwalader Park (Ellarslie Museum)
299 Parkside Avenue Trenton
(408) 335-4400
Fri. 7 p.m. Freedom Friday Open Mic
Sat. 1:30 p.m. Opening Reception: Sport Night Extravaganza
Sun. 12 p.m. Yoga In the Park
Catch A Rising Star (Hyatt Regency Princeton)
102 Carnagie Center Princeton
(781) 568-1471
Fri. 8 p.m. Tommy Gooch. $26.50, Doors open at 7:30 p.m.
Cazz's Sports Bar 'N' Grille1560 Haines Road Levittown, PA
(267) 580-5469
Fri. 9:30 p.m. Karaoke w/ Paul
Chesterfield Inn633 Chesterfield-Arneytown Road Chesterfield
(609) 298-1917
Thurs. 8:30 p.m. Karaoke
Fri. 9 p.m. DJ entertainment
Sat. 9 p.m. Hit and Run
Sun. 5 p.m. AudioPilot
Wed. 7 p.m. Trivia
Club Atlantis1858 Street Road Bensalem, PA
(215) 944-1777
Sat. 9 p.m. DJ Robbie Tronco
All Events Ages 21+ and Dress to Impress
Continental Tavern2 North Main Street Yardley, PA
(215) 493-9191
Fri. 8 p.m. Black Cat Habitat
Sat. 8 p.m. Omeed
Tues./Wed. 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. "Spirits On Main" Ghost Walk Tour
Cooper's Riverview 50 Riverview Plaza Trenton
(609) 393-7300
Thurs. 7 p.m. Cosmic Jerry Band
Fri. 5 p.m. Happy Hour (8 p.m.) The Discoteks / DJ Cesar Cab. Doors open at 6 p.m. (General Admission or Dinner and VIP packages available)
Sat. 8 p.m. Freestyle Forever. $10. $15 ($20 VIP)
Sun. 10 a.m. "1st Annual OG Allstars and Cooper's Car Show"
Wed. 7 p.m. Live Band Jam
Crossing Vineyard and Winery1853 Wrightstown Road Washington Crossing, PA
(215) 493-6500
Thurs. 7 p.m. Trivia Night
Sat. 1 p.m. Kim & Chuck
Sun. 2 p.m. Macaroon & Wine Tasting. $40 / Bunny Barnes
Curran’s Irish Inn1909 Bristol Pike Bensalem, PA
(215) 245-1800
Thurs. 7 p.m. Music Bingo
Mon. 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
Fri. 6:30 p.m. Signature (Album release party)
Dharma Bums 4935 River Road New Hope, PA
(215) 663-2867
Thurs. 7 p.m. Jason Ager Bluegrass Trio
Fri. 8 p.m. "Born to Run Down the Dream" Bruce vs Petty. $15 (advance)
Sat. (12 p.m.) Craft & A Cocktail: Ceramic Skeleton Workshop. $100 (8 p.m.) Steal Your Face. $15 (advance)
Sun. 6 p.m. The New Hope Nonet. $10 (advance)
Wed. 7 p.m. DBums Hootenanny: An Open Mic of Music, Comedy & Spoken Word Hosted by Michael Henry Robert
Eddington House Bensalem2813 Hulmeville Road, Bensalem, PA
(215) 639-1220
Fri. 9 p.m. Supertrain
Fleurique Design46 South Main Street Lambertville
Sat. 11 a.m. Autumn Pop-Up Event
Flying Pig Tavern & Tap 167 US-Route 130 North Bordentown
(609) 899-7447
Fri. 9 p.m. Rave On!
Tues. 9 p.m. Karaoke
Wed. 8 p.m. Trivia
Founding 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.)
German American Society 215 Uncle Pete's Road Hamilton
(609) 585-5200
Fri. 6 p.m. "Oktoberfest 2025" feat. Kids At Play. $5 (Kids under age 12 FREE)
Sat. 12 p.m. "Oktoberfest 2025" feat. Dan Bitterlich and Yob (4:15 p.m.) Aqua String Band (5 p.m.) The Austrian Boys. $10 (Kids under age 12 FREE)
Sun. 12 p.m. "Oktoberfest 2025" feat. (1 p.m.) Die Heimatklange-HK (Kids under age 12 FREE)
Gleason's Bar6700 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.) Springbrooke
Sat. 8:30 p.m. Covered In Ash
Tues. 7 p.m. Game Show Palooza
Green Parrot Restaurant Pub, & Patio240 North Sycamore Street Newtown Township, PA
(215) 504-7277
Tues. 7 p.m. Music BINGO
Grover's Mill Coffee House Princeton-Hightstown Road Princeton Junction
(609) 716-8771
Thurs. 6 p.m. Open Mic Hosted by Wade Prestridge. $10
Halo Pub4617 Nottingham Way Hamilton Square
(609) 586-1811
Sat. 6 p.m. Stephanie Chin & Kathy Haynie
Halo Pub (Fete)
9 Hullfish Street Princeton
(609) 921-1710
Sat. 6 p.m. The Rangers Nouveau
Hamilatte Cafe1971 Route 33 Hamilton
Sat. 6:30 p.m. Acoustic Saturdays
Hamilton Veterans Park 1865 Yardville-Hamilton Square Road Hamilton
Sat. 9 a.m. APOAANJ and Friends for Hope Team Walk to Help Stop Suicide
Havana New Hope105 S. Main Street New Hope, PA.
(215) 862-9897
Thurs. 7 p.m. Bluess Jam Hosted by Mikey Jr. & The Slidewinder Blues Band
Fri. ( 8 p.m.) "Bell Bottom Blues" Eric Clapton Tribute (11 p.m. ) DJ Dance Party
Sat. (3 p.m.) Matt Setzer (8:30 p.m.) Castle Lane (11:59 p.m.) DJ Dance Party
Sun. 6 p.m. The Amish Outlaws
Mon. 9 p.m. Karaoke w/ DJ Steve
Tues. 7 p.m. Jillian Ashcroft Jazz Quartet
Wed. 7 p.m. Jumper Duo
Hopewell Train Station 2 Railroad Place Hopewell
Sat. 11 a.m. 18th Hopewell Tour Des Arts 2025
Hopewell Valley Vineyards46 Yard Avenue Pennington
(609) 737-4465
Fri. 4 p.m. "Music & Merlot" feat. (5:30 p.m.) DJ Darius the 1st
Sat. (1 p.m.) On The Fly (5:30 p.m.) "Music & Merlot" feat. "Bottle of Bread" Bob Dylan Songs
Sun. 2:30 p.m. "Jazzy Sundays" feat. Hopewell Valley Vineyards Jazz Band
Hurricane Jacks Bar and Grill7759 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
Wed. 7 p.m. Open Mic w/ Laura Fiocco
Il Portico Ristorante 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 O
Irish Rover Station House 1033 South Bellevue Avenue Langhorne, PA
(215) 970-5412
Sat. 8 p.m. Meshed Up
Wed. 7 p.m. Quizzo Night
Iron Plow Vineyards26750 Mount Pleasant Road Columbus
(732) 306-9111
Fri. 5:30 p.m. Ryan Zimmerman
Sun. 1 p.m. Bob O & Kim Montalvo
Ivy Tavern3108 S. Broad Street, Hamilton
(609) 888-1435
Thurs. 8:30 p.m. Karaoke
All shows 21+
John & Peter's96 S. Main Street New Hope, Pa
(215) 862-5981
Sun. 8 p.m. John Doe / Stephen Maglio. $35 (advance)
Mon. 8 p.m. John Doe / Stephen Maglio. $35 (advance)
Wed. 9 p.m. The Invitational
All shows 21+
Joseph Lawrence Park317 Ward Avenue Bordentown
Sat. 6 p.m. Bordentown Township Presents: Music Fest feat. The Princeton School of Rock House Band (7:30 p.m.) Vintage Vibe Tribe
Kelly's Bar n Banquet Hall14 Railroad Avenue Fort Dix
(732) 230-6169
Fri. 7 p.m. Heart Fulla Blues
Killarney's Publick House1644 Whitehorse-Mercerville Road Hamilton
(609) 586-1166
Thurs. 5:30 p.m. Ken Dubman Duo
Fri. (5:30 p.m.) Skyline (10 p.m.) DJ Dom
Sat. (10 a.m.) Brunch (1 p.m.) "Oktoberfest" feat. Bryan Hill (6 p.m.) The Fryboys (10 p.m.) DJ Bay
Sun. 10 a.m. "Sunday Funday" Brunch feat. (11 a.m.) Bob Banka
Tues. 7 p.m. Music BINGO
Wed. 5:30 p.m. Big Daddy
Lambertville Station Restaurant and Inn 11 Bridge Street Lambertville
(609) 397-8300
Thurs. 6:30 p.m. Trivia
Laurita Winery 85 Archertown Road New Egypt
(609) 752-0200
Thurs. (5:15 and 6:15 p.m.) Pumpkin Sip, Pick and Paint. $45 (6 p.m.) Everlasting Pumpkin Fall Artist Series. $50 (7 p.m.) Laurita Fall Idol Tryouts
Fri. 5 p.m. Sip & Snip u-Pick Flowers AND Pumpkins. $40 (5:15 and 6:15 p.m.) Pumpkin Sip, Pick and Paint. $45
Sat. 11 a.m. "Italian Festival" $14-$16 (Ages 20 and under FREE) (12 p.m.) Sip & Snip u-Pick Flowers AND Pumpkins. $40 / Pumpkin Sip, Pick and Paint. $45
Sun. 11 a.m. "Italian Festival" $14-$16 (Ages 20 and under FREE) (12 p.m.) Sip & Snip u-Pick Flowers AND Pumpkins. $40 / Pumpkin Sip, Pick and Paint. $45
Lawrenceville Main Street 17 Phillips Avenue Lawrenceville
(609) 219-9300
Thurs. 6 p.m. "Music In The Park" feat. The Beagles w/ Joy (Weeden Park FREE admission)
Library Company of Burlington23 West Union Street Burlington
(609) 3861273
Fri. 6:30 p.m. Open Mic Night
Lillipies Bakery30 North Harrison Street Princeton
(609) 423-2100
Sat. 10 a.m. Storytime with Jeff
Locust Hall at Johnson's Farm2691 Monmouth Road Jobstow
(609) 723-2630
Fri. 6 p.m. An Evening on the Farm
Sat./Sun. 10 a.m. Fall Harvest Festival
Logan Inn 10 West Ferry Street New Hope, PA
(215) 862-2300
Thurs. 6 p.m. Robert Lanter Duo
Fri. 7 p.m. Mark Feingold Trio
Sat. 7 p.m. Hot Club Philly
Sun. 11:30 a.m. Scott Mcallister Trio
Magikava87a 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
Main Street Mt. Holly 28 Washington Street Mt. Holly
(609) 914-0811
Sat. 11 a.m. Fall Fest Howl-O-Ween and Pawrade
McManimon's Pub151 Liberty Street Trenton
(609) 393-9023
Fri. 6 p.m. Horse Soldier Mixology Night
McStews Irish Sports Pub5316 New Falls Road Levittown, PA
(215) 949-9570
Sat. 9 p.m. Last Call
Tues. 7:30 p.m. Trivia Night
Mercer County Park Festival Grounds Hughes Drive/Old Trenton Road West Windsor
(609) 448-1947
Sat. 1 p.m. Central Jersey Beverage Fest feat. (5 p.m.) Chet & Ari (VIP 12 p.m. entry)
Sun. 10 a.m. Walk for PKD
Mill Hill Park 165 East Front Street (Corner of South Broad Street)
(609) 393-8998
Sun. 5 p.m. Can't Get Enough of the '90s
Morven Museum & Garden55 Stockton Street Princeton
(609) 924-8144
Sat. 6 p.m. Princeton Community Housing's "Homecoming"
Mountainview Golf Club890 Bear tavern Road Ewing
(609) 882-4093
Fri. 6:30 p.m. Radio Fiction
Music In The Square (Village Square Park)
30 Saddle Way Chesterfield
Sat. 12 p.m. Chesterfield Harvest Festival
Music Mountain Theater1483 Route 179 Lambertville
(609)397-3337
Fri. 8 p.m. "Deathtrap"
Sat. 3 p.m./ 8 p.m. "Deathtrap"
Sun. 3 p.m. "Deathtrap"
Naked Brewing Company 212 Mill Street Bristol, PA
(267) 544-7129
Thurs.6:30 p.m. Dana Collins Project
Fri. 7 p.m. Monkey Bars
Sat. 7 p.m. Righteous Jolly & Psychic Bison
Sun. 12 p.m. "Sunday Stroll
Tues. 7 p.m. Trivia
Needle Creek Farm Brewery91 Titus Mill Road Pennington
Fri. 3 p.m. "Family Fall Weekend" (FREE event)
Sat./Sun. 12 p.m. "Family Fall Weekend" feat. Touch a Tractor (FREE event)
Neshaminy Creek Brewing Company 909 Ray Avenue Croydon, PA
(215) 458-7081
Thurs. 7 p.m. Trivia Night
Sat. 12 p.m. Crypt Video Rentals Goes to Hell feat. "Lapses," "Pizza Party Massacre"
Sun. 12 p.m. Crypt Video Rentals Goes to Hell feat. "Hearts of Darkness" w/ Documentarian Adam Marcus
New Egypt Flea Market Village 933 Monmouth County Road Cream Ridge
(609) 758-2082
Sun. 8 a.m. Flea Market
Wed. 8 a.m. Flea Market
New Hope Winery / Tavern 6123 Lower York Road New Hope, PA
(215) 794-2331
Fri. 8 p.m. Joel Hoekstra & Brandon Gibbs
Sat. (2 p.m.) John Brennan (8 p.m.) "Broken Arrow" A Tribute to Neil Young
Newtown Brewing Company103 Penns Trail Newtown, PA
(215) 944-8609
Thurs. 7:30 p.m. "Marvel" Trivia
Fri. 3 p.m. "Oktoberfest Day 1" feat. (6 p.m.) John Rodden
Sat. 3 p.m. "Oktoberfest Day 2"(6 p.m.) Dave Cudrak
Wed. 4 p.m. Open Mic Night Hosted by Bill Monach
Nick's Roast Beef4501 Woodhaven Road West Philadelphia, PA
(215) 637-515
Thurs. 7 p.m. Trivia
Wed. 7 p.m. Karaoke
Nomad Distilling Company20 South Main Street New Hope, PA
Sun. 10 a.m. Brunch
Nottingham Tavern 9 Mercer Street Hamilton Square
(609) 587-6623
Thur. 9 pm. Karaoke w/ Super Dave Curtis
Fri. 9 p.m. LakeHouse
Sat. 9:30 p.m. Groove Pocket
Mon. 6 p.m. BINGO
Tues. 4 p.m. Pies on the Patio feat. (6:30 p.m.) John Ezzo
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 Barracks100 Barrack Street Trenton
Sat. 7 p.m. Concerts by Candlelight
Old Hights Brewing 123 West Ward Street Hightstown
(609) 469-5976
Thurs. 5 p.m. Vinyl Night
Fri. 3 p.m. Happy Hour feat. (6 p.m.) Separatr
Sat. 6 p.m. JT Rox
Sun. 1 p.m. Local Performers Showcase
Old Town Pub135 Farnsworth Avenue Bordentown
(609) 291-9232
Sun. 10 a.m. Brunch
Wed. 7 p.m. Trivia
Ottoburger (Planet Animal Taste)
65 East Broad Street Hopewell
(640) 867-4915
Sat. 6 p.m. Shaxe
Palmer Square 40 Nassau Street Princeton
Sat. 1 p.m. Fall Music Series feat. Kindred Spirit
Patriots Crossing 1339 River Road Titusville
(609) 737-2780
Thurs. 8 p.m. Ladies Night
Wed. 7 p.m. "Quizzo"
Pete's Steak House 523 Whitehorse Avenue Hamilton
(609) 585-8008
Fri. 9 p.m. Kindred Spirit
Pita Chip (Oxford Oaks Shopping Center)
1623 Big Oak ROad Yardley, PA
(267) 573-4173
Thurs. 6:30 p.m. Trivia w/ Righteous Jolly
Plainsboro Preserve80 Scotts Corner Road Cranbury
(609) 799-4013
Sat. 10 a.m. Archery for Adults
Princeton Country Club1-Wheeler Way West Windsor
(609) 452-9382
Thurs. 6 p.m. Karaoke Night w/ Live DJ
Fri. 5 p.m. Happy Hour
Sun. 11 a.m. Jazz Brunch
Princeton Public Library (Hinds Plaza)
65 Witherspoon Street Princeton
(609) 924-9529
Fri. 7 p.m. Salsa Under The Stars
Puss N Boots Tavern942 Trenton Road Fairless Hills, PA
Fri. 8 p.m. Karaoke
Tues. 7 p.m. Trivia
Randy Now's Man Cave119 West Ward Street Hightstown
(609) 424-3766
Mon./Tues. 7 p.m. The Cocktail Slippers. Doors open at 6 p.m.
Ristorante LUCCA & Piano Lounge 144 US Route 130 Bordentown
(609) 262-0110
Thurs. 8 p.m. Jazz Night
River Horse Brewery2 Graphics Drive Ewing
Fri. 6:30 p.m. DIY Sock Pumpkins
Sun. 12 p.m. "Fall Haul" Craft and Vendor Show / Vinyl Pop-Up
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. Patrick & Debra
Sat. 7 p.m. Liz Du Four
Sun. 11:30 a.m. Brunch w/ Alex Otey Duo
Roebling Museum 100 2nd Avenue Roebling
(609) 499-7200
Sat. 11 a.m. Horse Farm Autumn Leaves Bike Tour
Rossi's Bar & Grill2110 Whitehorse-Mercerville Road Hamilton
(609) 890-2004
Thurs. 5:30 p.m. Ernie White
Sat. (11 a.m.) Brunch (6:30 p.m.) Mark Sacco
Sun. 11 a.m. Brunch
Tues. 7 p.m. Quizzoholics
Sandy's Beef & Ale2028 E. Old Lincoln Highway Langhorne, PA
(2670 852-2333
Thurs. 8 p.m. Quizzo
Mon. 7 p.m. Music Bingo
School of Rock Princeton1761 Princeton Avenue Hamilton
(609) 890-7090
Sat. 6 p.m. The Cryptkeeper Five, Alpha Rabbit, True Will, Deerking
Second Sin Brewing Company1500 Grundy Lane Bristol, P
(267) 812-5251
Thurs. 7 p.m. Trivia
Shady Brook Farm 931 Stony Hill Road Yardley, PA
(215) 968-1670
Fri. 11 a.m. "FallFest" (6:30 p.m.) "Party On The Patio" feat. Mike Estabrook & the E-Miners
Sat. 11 a.m. "FallFest" and Fire Prevention & Touch A Truck "Party On The Patio" feat. (6:30 p.m.) Joe Rebl
Sun.11 a.m. "FallFest" "Party On The Patio" feat. (12 p.m.) TBA
Slice of Brooklyn NJ1295A Route 33 Hamilton
(609) 527-9663
Sat. 2 p.m. Pasta Making Class with Chef Jorge
Slim's Irish Pub 2195 Galloway Road Bensalem, PA
(267) 332-0047
Mon. 6 p.m. Open Mic Night Hosted by Cecil
Wed. 6 p.m. Karaoke Contest
Small World Coffee 14 Witherspoon Street Princeton
(609) 924-4377 x2
Sat. 7 p.m. Free Soil
South River Walk Park Lalor Street @ Route 29 North Trenton
Sun. 12 p.m. Sundays on the River Concert & Beer Garden feat. Eco del Sur
Sparky World-Famous Beer Garden4333 New Falls Road Levittown, PA
(215) 943-2321
Thurs. 9 p.m. Karaoke w/ DJ Dana
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 Cucino3817 Crosswicks Hamilton Square Road Hamilton
(609) 585-5255
Sun. 4:30 p.m. Mark Sacco
Starving Artist Cafe18 Bridge Street Stockton
Thurs. 6 p.m. Open Mic Hosted by Daisy Jane (Signups at 5:30 p.m.)
Fri. (10 a.m.) JB Kline's Facebook Live (6 p.m.) Ketchel & Creeksnake w/ Ed McGrath
Sat. 8 p.m. Jeffrey Gaines / Frank Pinto & Richie Z
Sun. 4 p.m. "Cornerfest"
Wed. 6 p.m. Beni and the Jets
Steam Pub 606 2nd Street Pike Southampton, PA
Sat. 10 p.m. Bonehead
Stone Terrace by John Henry's2275 Kuser Road Hamilton
(609) 581-8855
Fri. 6 p.m. "I'm Possible" Gala
Stratosphere Brewing Company72 Washington Street Mount Holly
(609) 6677116
Sat. 7 p.m. "IPA's and LOLs" Comedy Night feat. Mike from Delran, Holly Huff, Ricky Ramesses, Andrew Bauss, David Burrows. $15, ages 21+
Subculture Artisan Ales11 West 2nd Street Florence
Fri. 7 p.m. Chris and Dylan
Tavern On The Lake 101 Main Street Hightstown
(609) 426-9345
Thurs. 8 p.m. Country DJ Night
Fri. 9 p.m. 80s Undercover
Tues. 6 p.m. Trivia
Wed. 7 p.m. Karaoke
Team 85 Fitness & Wellness8500 K Johnson Boulevard Bordentown
Fri. 6 p.m. Back To School Dance Party
TGI Fridays2703 Mount Holly Road Suite 3 Washington Twp.
(609) 239-486
Thurs. 7 p.m. Trivia
The Birdhouse Center For The Arts7 North Main Street Lambertville
(215) 681-4660
Tues. 7:30 p.m. NJNO the "not just nyckelharpa orchestra" Community Orchestra
The Bog (Cranbury Golf Club)
49 Southfield Road West Windsor
(609) 799-0341
Sat. 7 p.m. The Emulators
The Buck Hotel 1200 Buck Road Feasterville, PA
(215) 396-2002
Thurs. 7 p.m. Kirko
Fri. 8:30 p.m. The Heartbeats
Sat. (11 a.m.) Brunch (8 p.m.) Kricket Comedy feat. David Graham, Ryan Maher. $60 (Includes show, buffet, cash bar), seating begins at 7 p.m. (8:30 p.m.) The Zings
Tues. 7 p.m. Danny Lynch Duo
The Cool Cricket216 Burlington Street Fieldsboro
(609) 291-9110
Fri. 6:30 p.m. No Cover Country Night w/ Dance lessons
Sat. 9 p.m. Angry Friday
Mon. 7 p.m. Bike Night
Tues. 7 p.m. Trivia
The Corner Inn24509 East Main Street Columbus
(609) 298-8543
Sat. 9 p.m. Karaoke w/ We R Entertainment
The Dubliner34 North Main Street New Hope, PA
(215) 693-1816
Sat. 7 p.m. Fiona Tyndall
Sun. 3 p.m. "Traditional Irish Session"
The Federal Twist Vineyard 8 Federal Twist Road Stockton
(609) 773-6066
Sat. 3 p.m. Ray Coleman. $5 (Ages 20 and under FREE)
Sun. 2 p.m. The Lifters. $5 (Ages 20 and under FREE)
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. EarCandy
Sat. 9 p.m. The Groove Dudes
Tues. 7 p.m. Music Bingo w/ Jonathan Appel
The Ivy Inn248 Nassau Street Princeton
(609) 921-8555
Thurs. 10 p.m. Karaoke w/ Trey Brown
Fri. 9:30 p.m. DJ Marcmyskillz
Sat. 9:30 p.m. Balanced Breakfast Band
Sun. 2 p.m. Gameday
Tues. 7 p.m. Quizzo w/ Bob E Luv
The Morrisville Tavern 376 West Trenton Avenue Morrisville, PA
(215) 295-5310
Thurs. 7 p.m. Trivia
Fri. 8 p.m. Blue Reign
Mon. 8 p.m. Karaoke
Tues. 7 p.m. Music Bingo
Wed. 7 p.m. Trivia Night
The Newtown Theatre120 North State Street Newtown, PA
(215) 968-3859
Fri. 8 p.m. A Tribute to The Allman Brothers Band and The Grateful Dead w/ "Steal Your Face" Doors open at 7 p.m.
Sat. 8 p.m. A Night of U2 w/ "Mysterious Ways" Doors open at 7 p.m.
Sun. 3 p.m. "Forever Ray" A Tribute to Ray Charles. Doors Open at 2 p.m.
Tues. 7:30 p.m. Cult Vault: "Silence of the Lambs" Doors open at 7 p.m.
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. The Billy Penn & The Inside Drivers
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 Godfrey
The Roost181 Rte. 539 Cream Ridge
(609) 208-0050
Thurs. (6:30 p.m.) (TBA) (9 p.m.) "Tiki Thursday" DJ entertainment
Fri. 9 p.m. Twice As Good
Sat. 9 p.m. East Coast Funk
Mon. 7 p.m. Music BINGO
Tues. 7 p.m. Trivia
Wed. 6 p.m. Joe Vadala
The Union Firehouse18 Washington Street Mount Holly
(609) 288-6491
Fri. 7 p.m. Open Jam.
The Union House 19 East Union Street Burlington
(609) 531-6077
Thurs. 7 p.m. Trivia
Fri. 8 p.m. Sister Blue
Sat. (10 a.m.) Brunch (8 p.m.) Blackwater
Sun. 10 a.m. Brunch
Wed. 7 p.m. Karaoke
Tir Na Nog 1324 Hamilton Avenue Trenton
(609) 392-2554
Sun. 3 p.m. "Irish Sessions"
All Shows 21+
Trenton Social449 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
Trinity Church33 Mercer Street Princeton
(609) 924-2277
Sat. 5 p.m. Westminster Choir: "Evensong"
Triumph Brewing Company (New Hope, Pa. Location)
400 Union Square New Hope, Pa.
(215) 862-8300
Sat. 8 p.m. Howl
Triumph Brewing Company (Princeton Location)
20 Pamer Square east Princeton
(609) 924-7855
Fri. 6 p.m. Eric McGarry Trio
Sat. 6 p.m. Diego Hedez Quartet
Under The Moon 23 North Union Street Lambertville
(609) 397-1710
Fri. 6 p.m. Oyster Nights in the Garden
Sat. 6:30 p.m. Jerry Monk
Vault Brewing Company10 South Main Street Yardley, PA
(267) 573-4291
Sat. 7 p.m. JDuo
Sun. 12 p.m. "Oktoberfest" $25
Tues. 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. "Spirits On Main" Ghost Walk
VFW Post 4919 Fisher Place Yardville
(609) 585-9645
Fri. 6 p.m. Diane Chiorello
All shows ages 21+
Village Idiot Brewing Company42 High Street Mount Holly
(609) 975-9270
Thurs. 7 p.m. Trivia
Washington Crossing Inn 1295General Washington Memorial Boulevard Washington Crossing, PA
(877) 882-1776
Sat. 5 p.m. End of Summer Celebration
Woodlin Lodge 3019 Park Street Bordentown
(609) 298-9849
Sun. 2 p.m. Family and Friends Day
Working Dog Winery610 Windsor Perrineville Road Hightstown
(609) 371-6000
Thurs. (4:30 p.m.) George Becker (6 p.m.) Red Wines: Tasting the Grapes, Tasting the Wine
Fri. 4:30 p.m. The Williamsboy
Sat. 1 p.m. Rich Cassenti
Sun. 1 p.m. Bob Daley
WWFM 89.1 FM HD2 RadioMCCC 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. Curnie
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

Telegraph Quartet to Perform on the Morris Museum's Back Deck to Kick Off Its Celebrated Summer Outdoor Concerts Series
(MORRISTOWN, NJ) -- On Thursday, June 11, 2026, the Telegraph Quartet will return to perform for the Morris Museum's seventh annual Back Deck season. This outdoor concert series began during the pandemic, and The New York Times describes it as "Live Music Splendor in a Parking Lot." Showtime is 7:30pm.

Carteret PAC presents Jo Dee Messina
(CARTERET, NJ) -- Chart-topping country music icon Jo Dee Messina will perform at The URSB Carteret Performing Arts and Events Center on Friday, June 12, 2026. Messina is known for her powerful vocals and extensive catalog including nine number-one hits, 16 Top 40 songs, and awards and nominations from the ACM, CMA, AMA, Billboard, and the Grammys. Showtime is 8:000pm.

SOPAC to Celebrate 20th Anniversary with Gala 20: Featuring Max Weinberg's Jukebox
(SOUTH ORANGE, NJ) -- The South Orange Performing Arts Center (SOPAC) will celebrate its 20th Anniversary on Friday, June 12, 2026 with Gala 20: Featuring Max Weinberg's Jukebox — a venue-wide celebration from 5:00pm–11:00pm.

Trenton City Museum presents Art & Song: A Musical Gallery on June 12th
(TRENTON, NJ) -- Trenton City Museum presents the concert Art & Song: A Musical Gallery on Friday, June 12, 2026 at 6:30pm. Versatile vocalists Tom Chiola and Pam Jorgensen, accompanied by the George Sinkler Trio, will delight audience members with selections from Broadway, Blues, Jazz, and more. Transformed into a stylish jazz café, the museum will also provide delicious food and beverages amid the art of the just-opened Ellarslie Open 43 exhibition. Doors will open at 6:00pm.
Lizzie Rose Music Room presents Jason Ricci on Friday
(TUCKERTON, NJ) -- Multiple award winning jazz, funk and blues harmonica player, singer, songwriter Jason Ricci comes to the Lizzie Rose Music Room on Friday, June 12, 2026. Doors are at 7:00pm, showtime is 7:30pm.

French Montana to Headline Grand Opening of Dream Live Performing Arts Center
(EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ) -- American Dream will celebrate the region's opening World Cup match between Brazil and Morocco with the debut of its newest venue, the Dream Live Performing Arts Center, with a postgame concert by French Montana on June 13, 2026 at 9:00pm.

Outlaw Country Comes to the Jersey Pines at Albert Music Hall on Saturday
(WARETOWN, NJ) -- The outlaw spirit of classic Country music will ride into Albert Music Hall on Saturday, June 13, 2026, as the historic Waretown venue presents a special evening dedicated to the songs, stories, and the independent spirit of Outlaw Country.

Sergio Mendes' Wife, Gracinha Leporace, Brings His 'Best Band Ever' to New Jersey
Sixty years ago, Herb Alpert Presents Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 (A&M Records) emerged as both a masterful artistic statement and a major commercial breakthrough album. The record helped introduce the sophisticated rhythms and cool elegance of Brazilian bossa nova and samba to a truly global audience, blending Brazilian musical traditions with American pop, jazz, and contemporary studio production and repertoire.

Marc Ribler & Friends to perform Paul McCartney birthday tribute "When I'm 84" at Axelrod PAC
(DEAL, NJ) -- As a tribute to Sir Paul McCartney's upcoming 84th birthday in June, Jersey Shore musician Marc Ribler has put together an all-star lineup to perform "When I'm 84" at the Axelrod Performing Arts Center on Saturday, June 13 and Sunday, June 14, 2026.
Levoy Theatre presents Paul Thorn on June 18th
(MILLVILLE, NJ) -- The Levoy Theatre presents Paul Thorn on Thursday, June 18, 2026 at 7:30pm. When it comes to songwriting, less is more, and simplicity is strength. Just ask Paul Thorn, who’s spent three decades turning soulful grooves and small syllables into songs that pack a big wallop.
MORE EVENTS
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