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This Week in Music: Previews for Concerts from December 30 to January 5, 2025

Published by New Jersey Stage

originally published: 12/30/2025

Here is a look at shows taking place from December 30 to January 5, 2025 along with our featured listings and a look at some upcoming shows. New Jersey Stage offers previews of concerts throughout the Garden State as well as select shows in New York City and Philadelphia areas. Click on the title to go to the full preview. Jump to Featured Events, Event Previews, Event Listings, Coming Soon.

The majority of these previews were created by New Jersey Stage, but you can send press releases to [email protected] to have your events considered for previews. There is no cost for preview articles. Featured listings are found in the NJ Stage calendar, reserved for advertisers, and provided with individual event pages for every performance. Event pages are also available for $10 per event (multiple performances count as a single event). Event pages are also included with every banner ad purchase. Banner ads are available from $50-$100 per event and can be purchased up to 3 months in advance.

FEATURED EVENTS

Wednesday, December 31 - State Theatre New Jersey presents Salute to Vienna New Year's Concert. (NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ) -- Close out 2025 in style with State Theatre New Jersey's annual Salute to Vienna New Year's Concert on Wednesday, December 31, 2025 at 5:00pm. Celebrating 30 years in North America and 20 years at STNJ, the fan favorite returns to New Brunswick for a dazzling anniversary season.

Wednesday, December 31 - Close Out The Year with First Night Morris County 2026. (MORRISTOWN, NJ) -- First Night Morris County 2026 is the biggest and brightest New Year’s Eve celebration in New Jersey, providing a magnificent, family-friendly, substance- and alcohol-free celebration in the heart of Morristown. It offers a high-quality, curated cultural experience that unites the community and supports local partners. Your admission button grants you unlimited access to over 7 hours of spectacular entertainment—an excellent value for the whole family.




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EVENT PREVIEWS

Friday, January 2 - Start the New Year with Rikki Lee Wilson's Taylor Swift Tribute at The Broadway Theatre of Pitman. (PITMAN, NJ) -- The Broadway Theatre of Pitman presents Love Story – A Tribute to Taylor Swift from January 2-4, 2026. The show starring Rikki Lee Wilson brings the ultimate Taylor Swift concert experience and has wowed audiences nationwide.

Sunday, January 4 - Saxophonist/Educator Julius Tolentino to perform with Former Students at January Jersey Jazz LIVE!. (MADISON, NJ) -- Alto saxophonist/educator Julius Tolentino received a Lifetime Achievement Award for Jazz Education from DownBeat Magazine in 2024, the same year his Newark Academy jazz band, Chameleon, won first place in Jazz at Lincoln Center's Essentially Ellington competition. Tolentino is in his 19th year as NA's Jazz Director, and this year he has the added responsibility of Arts Department Chair, overseeing an Arts program that also encompasses theater, dance, and visual art.

COMING SOON

bergenPAC presents Sugarhill Gang - The Eras of Hip Hop Tour  (ENGLEWOOD, NJ) -- Englewood, New Jersey's own groundbreaking pioneers are coming home! Bergen Performing Arts Center (bergenPAC) presents Sugarhill Gang - The Eras of Hip Hop Tour on Saturday, January 10, 2026 at 8:00pm.

bergenPAC presents The Band Perry on January 11th  (ENGLEWOOD, NJ) -- Bergen Performing Arts Center (bergenPAC) presents The Band Perry on Sunday, January 11, 2026 at 7:00pm. The Band Perry is a GRAMMY®, CMA, and ACM Award-winning trio known for their genre- defying sound and bold artistic reinvention.

The Newton Theatre presents Queensrÿche  (NEWTON, NJ) -- The Newton Theatre presents Queensrÿche on Thursday, January 15, 2026. The band first burst onto the music scene in 1982 with the release of their self-titled 4 song EP "Queensrÿche". They very quickly gained international recognition and performed to sold out audiences around the world. Showtime is 8:00pm.

Brook Arts Center presents Gold Rush: The Music of Neil Young  (BOUND BROOK, NJ) -- The Brook Arts Center presents Gold Rush: The Music of Neil Young on Saturday, January 17, 2026 at 8:00pm. The band brings the spirit, sound, and soul of Neil Young to life like never before. This extraordinary tribute event captures the essence of one of rock's most iconic figures, delivering an unforgettable experience for fans old and new.

State Theatre presents Tusk: The Classic Fleetwood Mac Tribute  (NEW BUNSWICK, NJ) -- State Theatre New Jersey presents Tusk: The Classic Fleetwood Mac Tribute on Saturday, January 17, 2026 at 8:00pm. Tusk has been crisscrossing the country since 2008 as the number one Tribute to Fleetwood Mac in the world. No fancy tricks, no gimmicks, just five musicians recreating the music of Fleetwood Mac to perfection with note-for-note renditions that no other Fleetwood Mac tribute on the touring scene today can come close to duplicating.

Roomful of Blues to Celebrate New Record at Lizzie Rose Music Room  (TUCKERTON, NJ) -- Rhode Island-based horn-driven blues, jump, swing and soul band Roomful of Blues will celebrate the release of their new Alligator Records album, Steppin' Out!, with a live performance at the Lizzie Rose Music Room in Tuckerton on Sunday, January 18, 2026. Showtime is 7:30pm

EVENT LISTINGS

Click on the title to go to the event page for complete information on the show.

Wednesday, December 31 @ 4:30pm - First Night Morris 2026 at Mayo Performing Arts Center (MPAC), 100 South Street, Morristown

Wednesday, December 31 @ 5:00pm - Salute to Vienna New Year's Concert at State Theatre New Jersey, 15 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick

Wednesday, December 31 @ 6:00pm - FJ - Tribute To Foreigner and Journey at Algonquin Arts Theatre, 60 Abe Voorhees, Manasquan

Wednesday, December 31 @ 9:00pm - FJ - Tribute To Foreigner and Journey at Algonquin Arts Theatre, 60 Abe Voorhees, Manasquan

Sunday, January 4 @ 3:00pm - Father Alphonse's New Year 2026 at Algonquin Arts Theatre, 60 Abe Voorhees, Manasquan


EVENT PREVIEWS

(HAMPTON, NJ) -- Hunterdon Hills Playhouse presents Vegas Country Show August 21-23, 2026. Get ready for a night of country hits, high energy, and pure star power as Vegas Country brings the music of Shania Twain and Tim McGraw to life.
WBJB

WBJB's Songwriters on the Beach series presents Nicole Atkins on August 27th

(BRADLEY BEACH, NJ) -- WBJB's Songwriters on the Beach presents Nicole Atkins on Thursday, August 27, 2026 at 7:00pm. Cory Blair will open the night. The free outdoor concert takes place at the Newark Avenue Beach in Bradley Beach. ** The show was rescheduled from July 16th due to the Air Quality Alert issued across New Jersey.

51st Annual New Jersey Folk Festival to Take Place August 29th

(SOUTH BRUNSWICK, NJ) -- The New Jersey Folk Festival (NJFF) is back for the 51st year on Saturday, August 29, 2026 at Davidson's Mill Pond Park in South Brunswick. The event is free and open to the public. It runs from 11:00am to 5:00pm.
The Strand presents Matt Stone as Elvis on August 29th

The Strand presents Matt Stone as Elvis on August 29th

(LAKEWOOD, NJ) -- Most 22-year-olds are chasing the next trend, scrolling through TikTok, and binging Love Island. Matt Stone has spent the last decade looking in the opposite direction.

McCarter Theatre Center presents Mei Semones on September 4th

(PRINCETON, NJ) -- McCarter Theatre Center presents Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter Mei Semones in the Berlind Theatre on Friday, September 4, 2026 at 7:30pm. Drawing on her background in jazz guitar and her Japanese heritage, she blends inventive harmonies, intricate rhythms, and bilingual lyricism into a sound that is both intimate and exploratory.
51st NJ Clearwater Festival to Take Place Labor Day Weekend in Asbury Park

51st NJ Clearwater Festival to Take Place Labor Day Weekend in Asbury Park

(ASBURY PARK, NJ) -- New Jersey Friends of Clearwater invites everyone to start their Labor Day Weekend at its free 51st Annual Clearwater Festival Saturday September 5, 2026, a late summer, family-friendly celebration of great live music, Mother Earth and more in Sunset Park near the ocean in Asbury Park.
The Machine performs Pink Floyd at The Newton Theatre on September 5th

The Machine performs Pink Floyd at The Newton Theatre on September 5th

(NEWTON, NJ) -- The Machine Performs Pink Floyd on Saturday, September 5, 2026 at the Newton Theatre. The band has forged a nearly 40 year reputation of extending the musical legacy of Pink Floyd. Showtime is 8:00pm.

MPAC presents Melissa Etheridge: Rise Tour on September 9th

(MORRISTOWN, NJ) -- Mayo Performing Arts Center (MPAC) presents Melissa Etheridge: Rise Tour on Wednesday, September 9, 2026 at 7:30pm. Known for her confessional lyrics and raspy, smoky vocals, Etheridge has remained one of America's favorite female singers for more than two decades.
Prudential Center presents Ella Langley on September 10th

Prudential Center presents Ella Langley on September 10th

(NEWARK, NJ) -- It's been a landmark year for Ella Langley. Fresh off a sweep at the ACM Awards where she won all seven awards she was nominated for, two recent American Music Award wins, and being the soundtrack of the summer for a trio of German fans on Twitter traveling through America during the World Cup. Ella continues one of the most dominant runs in music. She brings The Dandelion Tour to the Prudential Center in Newark on September 10, 2026 at 7:00pm. Special guests ERNEST and Gabriella Rose will open the night.
The Soundtrack of Resilience: Explore Music

The Soundtrack of Resilience: Explore Music's Role in Post-9/11 America at the Lacey Library

(FORKED RIVER, NJ) -- In honor of Patriot Day, the Lacey Branch of the Ocean County Library will host "The Soundtrack of Resilience: Music and 9/11" on Thursday, September 10, 2026. The event begins at 2:00pm.
 

FEATURED EVENTS


IMAGINE LENNON LIVE

Saturday, August 22, 2026 @ 7:30pm
Lizzie Rose Music Room
217 E. Main Street, Tuckerton, NJ


Ready or Yacht: The Best of Yacht Rock

Saturday, August 22, 2026 @ 8:00pm
Algonquin Arts Theatre
60 Abe Voorhees Drive, Manasquan, NJ


The Peace & Presence Tour: Omari Dillard

Saturday, August 22, 2026 @ 7:30pm
New Brunswick Performing Arts Center (NBPAC)
11 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ


Ugly Kid Joe with Special Guests Wheatus and Platinum Moon

Sunday, August 23, 2026 @ 7:30pm
Carteret Performing Arts & Events Center
46 Washington Ave, Carteret, NJ


Joanna Connor - The Queen of Blues Rock Guitar

Tuesday, August 25, 2026 @ 7:30pm
Lizzie Rose Music Room
217 E. Main Street, Tuckerton, NJ



 

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