Rock On! This Week's Sound Bites... 07/23/2026

"Correct! I actually performed on The Totally Tubular Festival two years ago. I was playing solo that night and they asked me to come back, so I thought I'd do something a bit different and so I decided to reform my backing band from 1988, The Lost Toy People. The last show we played together was with Depeche Mode and OMD at the Rose Bowl for  the legendary 101 Concert and the other night in Phoenix was our first show in 38 years; how about that?"

As the decade of '80s was coming to a close, music was in a state of flux. There were varieties of rock, metal, pop, remnants of disco, punk, new wave, alternative, videos had become what dominated the landscape and VJs were all the rage. In many cases, how bands looked had become more important than how they sounded and the sounds were changing too. Drum machines, synthesizers, electronic sounds were gracing stages and took precedence over more traditional ways of making music. One of the masters of pushing limits and setting the pace during this time was Thomas Dolby and as he stated above, he and other heavy hitters such as  A Flock Of Seagulls, The Producers, Animotion, The Escape Club, Tommy Tutone, Bow Wow Wow and Men Without Hats will be bringing the Totally Tubular Festival to Atlantic City on August 8th for a show at Hard Rock Live's Etess Arena.

"The album that we made together, "Aliens Ate My Buick," was a little bit different from a lot of what I had done previously," he explained. "I've always had flashes of exhibitionism like, "Hyperactive" or "She Blinded Me With Science" but a lot of my stuff was actually quite introspective and quite personal and "Aliens Ate My Buick;" when I first moved to Los Angeles in 1986, I was having a great time and it was like a postcard back home to my stuffy British relatives, "Hey mom, I'm in L.A. and I'm having a wild time!" So, it seemed appropriate to focus on that particular album and get the band together and play it because it's very tight and funky and not as electronic as most of my stuff."

"My father was a professor of archeology at Oxford University, my mum taught algebra and most of my siblings were teachers at one point or another,  so it was really not in the cards for me to go into show biz. I wasn't very applied at school, I had a short attention span and could never really learn scales. I never learned a lot of music theory and my technique as a keyboard player is a bit sort of two fingered but I've made up for that in terms of imagination and creativity especially when it came to experimenting with new technologies whether it was synthesizers, drum machines, samplers, whether it was music videos on MTV or later on being an entrepreneur in Silicon Valley; nowadays AI and stuff like that, I've always been drawn to new technologies and the idea of being the first to explore them and show people what the limits are. My family were kind of delighted actually. I definitely was not following in the parental footsteps but I think when I became a professor of music, they got a big kick out of it; I finally joined the family firm but annoyingly, most pull down menus don't have "Professor" as a title, so it doesn't help me get a good table at a restaurant."

Reuniting after 38 years is fantastic but has it been difficult recalling and/or reclaiming the energy of yesterday? 

"The thing is, I've lived my music non-stop through the years, for my side musicians, they've done a million other gigs so I can't really expect them to remember stuff and frankly, you know, you get to a certain age, your cognitive abilities start to decline as we well know. So, the learning process has been longer than I would like but it has been fun as Hell to walk down memory lane and rekindle some of that old fire. I think we have rose colored spectacles but I think this music is still relevant and I think it's very escapist music and Lord knows we need that right now." 

Slightly more than six decades into life, Dolby, by his own admission, has always pushed the limits of technology, new trends and sounds but growing up in the 1970s and early '80s, it was more what is today considered, "Classic Rock" that overwhelmed the airwaves then. So, how did he become interested in electronic music and pushing the envelope and with this recent rebirth of sorts, how does he or anyone else for that matter cut through the muck and stand out? His advice may surprise you but musicians/performers young and old should consider heading it for sure. 

"I grew up listening to that stuff, my first concert was The Beatles in 1964 which I remember very clearly actually. I followed British music over the years and probably in my teens I was into progressive music; of course it wasn't called "Prog" back then but people like Yes, Genesis and Pink Floyd and then it was all blown wide open when the punk explosion happened and that was this sort of burst of raw energy that was really thrilling but musically it wasn't so inspiring to me until people like Talking Heads, XTC and people like Devo came along that were doing something different and using that punk energy but doing some interesting music. I think all of that blossomed in the '80s; really because of MTV. When "She Blinded Me With Science" went on MTV, suddenly I was getting tons of radio play because people were getting hooked on the song and calling their local radio stations and requesting it. So, it sort of blew through the pigeon hole that was intended to happen on American radio and it led to some amazing diversity into the richness of different musical styles in the '80s."

"It's been very challenging even since I started because record companies back in those days only had room on the roster for a handful of acts unless you were signed to a big record company who would front you the money to go into an expensive recording studio, you just didn't stand a chance," he continued. "We could have easily never heard The Beatles for example if they didn't get lucky; I was one of the ones who got lucky and I'm very grateful for that. I was especially lucky also when I had a big international hit with "She Blinded Me With Science." A lot of my music is not really very commercial, it's sort of more of a niche thing. This is in line with my musical heroes, people like Frank Zappa, Van Morrison, Joni Mitchell, Dan Hicks and so on; I didn't care where they ended up in the charts, how many records they were selling, how much radio play they were getting, they were precious to me. I think it's that sort of preciousness that you have to strive for, it's too tempting to sound like those 10,000 other guys that uploaded to iTunes today. You have to find a way to express yourself, to find your own individual voice and use your creativity and imagination to do something totally different." 

Each act gets about 45 minutes onstage per performance and with him focusing on one record in particular, what can fans expect in the way of surprises; or do hey come after this tour hits all of its 15 markets? New record? New Music? Where does Thomas go from here?

"I'm headlining, we get 45 minutes on stage and I'm basically doing the "Aliens Ate My Buick" in full. There is an eight-and-a-half minute ballad on that album which we won't be doing but that gives me time to fill in with hits like "Hyperactive," "She Blinded Me With Science" and so on."

"I'm not sure if an album is; that's a bit of a quaint idea these days," he laughed,  "I mean, I'd like to do some more recording. I've been teaching at Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore for the last 12 years and teaching is fairly time consuming. I think when that tenure comes to an end I may easily go back to writing and recording some new music. Obviously, it's a very different landscape so maybe it would be a soundtrack for a movie or a TV show, a video game or something like that. I took a couple of decades off which is the kiss of death for most people's careers. I was in Silicon Valley for over 10 years as an entrepreneur with my own software company which created the software synthesizer that Nokia put in their mobile phones to play polyphonic ringtones. Then I was at the TED Conference for 10 years, I was the musical director of all of the TED Conferences and then I went to teaching and I've been doing that for about 10 years. So, although my music has never left me, I haven't been out there playing very much and so to come back to it in my 60s and having the privilege of being out there and playing it for full houses is a real honor. Atlantic City has always been very good to me so I'm very much looking forward to that show. Usually when I'm there it's the Winter so I never make it down to the beach, so maybe this time." 

Allentown Presbyterian Church

20 High Street Allentown

(609) 259-7289

Sat. 12 p.m. Farmers Market

Al's Airport Inn

636 Bear Tavern Road West Trenton

(609) 883-5252 

Sat. (12 p.m.) Acoustic Brunch w/ Bill Burns-Lynch (7 p.m.) Two For Flinching

Sun. (12 p.m.) Sunday Acoustic Brunch w/ Frank Pinto (6 p.m.) Mike Tusay

Mon. 5 p.m. Bud Belviso

Tues. 7 p.m. Jessica Didonato

Wed. (3 p.m.) LGBTQ Happy Hour (7 p.m.) Jessica DiDonato

Americana Kitchen & Bar 

359 U.S. Highway Route 130 North Hightstown

(732) 558-5999

 Fri. 8 p.m. Leah Joy

Ancient Order of Hibernians 

2419 Kuser Road Hamilton 

Fri. 7 p.m. Music on the Patio: Beatles Band 

Aristaeus Brewing

2475C Big Oak Road Langhorne, PA 

(215) 757-2337

Thurs. 7 p.m. Trivia 

Arm & Hammer Park

1 Thunder Road Trenton 

(609) 394-3300

Thurs. 7 p.m. Irish Heritage Night + Post Game Fireworks

Fri. 7 p.m. Christmas Eve in July

Sat. 6 p.m. Faith & Family Night + Post Game Fireworks

Wed. 7 p.m. Dollar Dog Night and The Phillie Phanatic

Arts Council of Princeton 

102 Witherspoon Street Princeton 

(609) 924-8777 

Thurs. 6 p.m. Moths in Art + Culture: Presentation and Dance Performance

Fri. 6 p.m. ACP BYOB: Wheel Ceramics

Sat. (1 p.m.) Gallery Talk + Card Making Workshop w/ The Princeton Sankofa Stitchers Modern Quilt Guild (7 p.m.) Cafe` Improv. $3

Wed. (6:30 p.m.) Craft Corner (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. Juz Biz

Sat. 7 p.m. Keep The Change

Sun. 3 p.m. Cecil & Friends

Bailey's Bar & Grille 

6922 Bristol-Emilie Road Levittown, PA  

(215) 946-7992 

Thurs. 7 p.m. Chunky Knit Blanket

Bent Iron Brewing

70 Extonville Road Hamilton

Thurs. 5:30 p.m. Line Dancing

Sun. 1 p.m. "Shock It" Annual Get-Together

Bill's Olde Tavern

2694 Nottingham Way Hamilton

(609) 586-0192

Thurs. 7 p.m. Sara & Tamer / Music BINGO

Fri. (7 p.m.) LakeHouse (10 p.m.) DJ Baynice

Sat. (7 p.m.) On The Rocks (10 p.m.) DJ Mickey G

Sun. 7 p.m. BINGO

Mon. 7 p.m. Trivia 

Tues. 9 p.m. / Wed. 9 p.m. Karaoke 

Ages 21+

Bordentown City

Farnsworth Avenue Bordentown  

Fri. 7 p.m. "Frightening Fridays!" Haunted History Tours. $20

Sat. 12 p.m. Bordentown Walking Tours. $20 

Bristol Riverside Theater 

120 Radcliffe Street Bristol, PA

(215) 785-0100 

Thurs. 7:30 p.m. "Rock Revisited"

Fri. 8 p.m. "Rock Revisited"

Sat. 2 p.m./8 p.m. "Rock Revisited"

Sun. 3 p.m. "Rock Revisited"

Broken Goblet Brewing

2500 State Road Bensalem, PA

(267) 812-5653

Fri. 7 p.m. "Y2Kids" A 2000s Nostalgia Experience. $15-$32, ages 21+

Sat. 7 p.m. Lightwatch, Shattered Figures, Loose Panic. $11.28

Bucks On Bridge

25 Bridge Street Lambertville

(609) 483-2615

Fri. 6:30 p.m. Poetry Night 

Tues. 5 p.m. Chess Night

Wed. 6 p.m. Trivia

Burlington County Fairgrounds and Pavillion

1960 Jacksonville Jobstown Road Columbus

(609) 265-5858

Thurs./Fri. 2 p.m. Farm Fair

Sat./Sun. 12 p.m. Farm Fair

Burlington County Library/Amphitheater

5 Pioneer Boulevard Westampton

(609) 267-9660

Sat. 6 p.m. Legends of Classic Rock Live

Burlington Riverfront Promenade

Tues. 4 p.m. Outdoor Market and Food Trucks

B2 Bistro Jimmy's American Grill

140 US Route 130 South bordentown

(609) 291-0200

Tues. 7 p.m. Trivia  

Cazz's Sports Bar 'N' Grille

1560 Haines Road Levittown, PA 

(267) 580-5469 

Fri. 9:30 p.m. Karaoke w/ Paul

City Streets

510 Highway 130 South East Windsor

(609) 426-9400

Sat. 9 p.m. Ess Gees Duo (Ant Geo)

Club Atlantis

1858 Street Road Bensalem, PA 

(215) 944-1777 

Sat. 9 p.m. DJ Robbie Tronco 

All Events Ages 21+ and Dress to Impress

Cody's Roadhouse Distillery

5605 Bensalem Boulevard Bensalem, PA

(215) 252-3575

Thurs. 7 p.m. Line Dancing. $10

Fri. 8 p.m. Karaoke

Cooper's Riverview                                                                     

50 Riverview Plaza Trenton

(609) 393-7300 

Thurs. (7 p.m.) Be5D (10 p.m.) Glow Nightlife w/ DJ J-Kosuk

Fri. 5 p.m. Happy Hour  (7 p.m.) Se7en Band / DJ John Rossi

Sat. 5 p.m. "Sol Splash" Live Music and Arts Festival Benefitting Jamaica Hurricane Relief feat. (6 p.m.) The Kels, TBA

Sun. (10:30 a.m.) Bubbly Brunch (4 p.m.) Cigar Sunday w/ DJ

Wed. 7 p.m. Open Band Jam

Crossing Vineyard and Winery

1853 Wrightstown Road Washington Crossing, PA

(215) 493-6500 

Thurs. 7 p.m. Music BINGO

Fri. 7:15 p.m. "Summer Wine and Music Series" feat. "The Danny V's 52nd Street" Billy Joel Tribute $25 (advance), Doors open at 5 p.m., Ages 21+ 

Sat. 12 p.m. Sip, Shop Christmas In July feat. (2 p.m.) On The Fly

Sun. 2:30 p.m. Jim Nelsen

Curran’s Irish Inn

1909 Bristol Pike Bensalem, PA

(215) 245-1800

Thurs. 7 p.m. Music Bingo 

Mon. 7:30 p.m. Quizzo

Dadz Bar and Grill 

744 Main Street Lumberton

(609)267-4344

Thurs. 7 p.m. Open Mic Night

Dharma Bums 

4935 River Road New Hope, PA

(215) 663-2867

Fri. 8 p.m. The Sam Houseal Band. $11.75

Sat. 8 p.m. The Big Trip. $11.75

Sun. 6 p.m. New Hope Jazz Nonet w/ Mike Neer. $17

Wed. 7 p.m.  DBums Hootenanny: An Open Mic of Music, Comedy & Spoken Word Hosted by Michael Henry Robert

Eddington House Bensalem

2813 Hulmeville Road, Bensalem, PA 

(215) 639-1220  

Sat. 9 p.m. Christmas In July w/ DJ Jesse

Fireside Tavern & Table

(215) 295-4838

Fri. 6:30 p.m. Acoustic Music Night 

Wed. 8 p.m. Quizzo

Flying Pig Tavern & Tap 

167 US-Route 130 North Bordentown 

(609) 899-7447

Fri. 7 p.m. Tamer Tewfik

Tues. 9 p.m. Karaoke

Wed. 8 p.m. Trivia

Founding Fathers 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  ('50s Theme)

Wed. 6 p.m. Open Mic Night Hosted by Kevin McGowan and/or Gino Formaroli (Sign-ups begin at 5:30 p.m.)

Gallagher's Taproom

437 Pine Street Mount Holly 

(609) 261-0500 

Fri. 6 p.m. Random Notes  

Gleason's Bar

6700 Mill Creek Road Levittown, PA

(215) 943-4781 

Thurs. (7 p.m.) Music Bingo / “Ladies Night” Hosted by Best Choice Productions (9:30 p.m.) Karaoke.

Fri. (6 p.m.) "Happy Hour" (8:30 p.m.) FireFlyz

Sat. (12 p.m.) Music BINGO Brunch "Boy Bands" (3 p.m.) Love Island Party w/ Forever Honeymoon Duo (8:30 p.m.) DJ RV

Sun. 3 p.m. Christmas In July w/ Never Enough

Tues. 7 p.m. Game Show Palooza

Wed. 7 p.m. BINGO & Martinis

Green Parrot Restaurant Pub, & Patio

240 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  

Sat. 11 a.m. Cathie C

Thurs. 6 p.m. Open Mic Hosted by Wade Prestridge. $10

Harpoon Willy's

2360 NJ Route 33 Robbinsville

Fri. 7 p.m. Rayella Cruz

Havana New Hope

105 S. Main Street New Hope, PA.

(215) 862-9897

Thurs. 7 p.m. Bluess Jam Hosted by Mikey Jr. 

Fri. (8 p.m.) "Pure Petty" Tom Petty Tribute (11 p.m. ) DJ Dance Party 

Sat. (3 p.m.) BreakEven (9:30 p.m.) DJ Dance Party 

Sun. 2 p.m. Dibbs & the Detonators

Mon. (7 p.m.) Carte Blanche Duo (9 p.m.) Karaoke w/ DJ Steve

Tues. 7 p.m. Jillian Ashcroft Jazz Quartet 

Wed. 7 p.m. Tim & John: Jumper Duo

Hightstown Memorial Park

North Main Street Hightstown

Fri. 5:30 p.m. The Danjonian Project

Hopewell Train Station 

2 Railroad Place Hopewell

Mon. 7:15 p.m. Summer Concert Series feat. Blawenburg Band

Hopewell Valley Golf Club

114 Pennington-Hopewell Road Hopewell

(609) 737-1199

Wed. 5:30 p.m. "9 and Dine" $75 (Includes golf and dinner / $45 dinner only begins around 7 :30 p.m.)

Hopewell Valley Vineyards

46 Yard Avenue Pennington 

(609) 737-4465 

Fri. 4 p.m. "Music & Merlot" feat. (5:30 p.m.) A Little Bit Off "Albo"

Sat. (1 p.m.) Jon Savage & The Classic Rockers (5:30 p.m.) "Music & Merlot" feat. The Dadz

Sun. 2:30 p.m. "Jazzy Sundays" feat. Hopewell Valley Vineyards Jazz Band

Hub 13

13 West Front Street Trenton 

Sat. 1 p.m. Trenton Women's Gathering

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 

Wed. 7 p.m. Quizzo Night

Iron Plow Vineyards

26750 Mount Pleasant Road Columbus 

(732) 306-9111 

Fri. 5:30 p.m. Songs From The Basement

Sat. 4:30 p.m. Stone Martin

Sun. 1 p.m. AudioPilot

Ivy Tavern

3108 S. Broad Street, Hamilton 

(609) 888-1435 

Thurs. 8:30 p.m. Karaoke 

All shows 21+    

John & Peter's

96 S. Main Street New Hope, Pa 

(215) 862-5981 

Thurs. 8:30 p.m. Mike Dialto's Comedy Showcase feat. "Dead Air"

Fri. 8 p.m. Grand Sedan, Trouble, Gravity Hill

Sat. (3 p.m.) Ditch (9 p.m.) Above The Moon, Yawn Mower, Malibu 

Sun. (3 p.m.) Irish Sessions (10:30 p.m.) Pesterer, Trash Boy, The Muddy Branch Boys

Mon. 9 p.m. Open Mic Night (Sign-ups start at 8 p.m.) 

Tues. 8:30 p.m. Gobot w/ John Beacher

Wed. 9 p.m. The Invitational

All shows 21+

Killarney's Publick House

1644 Whitehorse-Mercerville Road Hamilton

(609) 586-1166 

Thurs. 5:30 p.m. Joanna Caruso

Fri. (5:30 p.m.) Riverline Demo Band (10 p.m.) DJ Jimmy G

Sat. 10 a.m. Brunch feat. (11 a.m.) Bob Banka (5:30 p.m.) 3twenty6 Band (10 p.m.) DJ Nick

Sun.10 a.m. "Sunday Funday" Brunch feat. (11 a.m.) Ty Mares

Tue. 7 p.m. Music BINGO w/ DJ Brother Mike

Wed. (5:30 p.m.) Mark Sacco (6 p.m.) Country Line Dancing feat. Kristin Lyn 

Laurita Winery 

85 Archertown Road New Egypt 

(609) 752-0200 

Thurs. 5 p.m. Summer ClamBake. $40 

Fri. (5 p.m.) Summer ClamBake. $40  7:30 p.m. Kricket Comedy feat. Johnny Watson, Jennifer Espenshade. $25, doors open at 7 p.m., ages 21+

Sat. (12 p.m.) Summer ClamBake. $40 (6:30 p.m.) Dueling Pianos. $21

Sun. 3 p.m. FREE Music BINGO

Lawrenceville Main Street 

17 Phillips Avenue Lawrenceville

(609) 219-9300

Thurs. 6 p.m. "Music In The Park" feat. Drift Avenue (Weeden Park FREE admission) 

Leaping Dog/Sleeping Cat Art Studios

1 1/2 Crosswicks Street Bordentown

Fri. 6:30 p.m. Monthly Jazz Jam

Library Company of Burlington

23 West Union Street Burlington

(609) 3861273

Fri. 6:30 p.m. Open Mic Night

Lillipies Bakery

30 North Harrison Street Princeton 

(609) 423-2100  

Sat. 10 a.m. Storytime with Jeff

Logan Inn 

10 West Ferry Street New Hope, PA 

(215) 862-2300

Thurs. 6 p.m. Karen Payne Duo

Fri. 7 p.m. Sammy Ryan

Sat. 7 p.m. Aaron Quartermann

Sun. 11:30 a.m. The Burners

Wed. 6 p.m. Pete Demeo

Magikava

87a 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  

MarketFair

3535 U.S Highway 1 Princeton (Center Courtyard)

(609) 452-7777

Thurs.-Wed. 10 a.m. - 9 p.m. "The Great Summer Dash"

McManimon's Pub

151 Liberty Street Trenton 

(609) 393-9023

Sat. 1 p.m. Charlie's Living Celebration of Life

McStews Irish Sports Pub

5316 New Falls Road Levittown, PA 

(215) 949-9570 

Sat. 9 p.m. The Cut Offs, The Wize Guise

Tues. 7:30 p.m. Trivia Night

Mercer County Park (Boathouse at Mercer Lake)

334 South Post Road West Windsor 

(866) 683-3586 

Thurs. 6 p.m. Skyline

Mill Hill Park

165 East Front Street (Corner of South Broad Street)

(609) 393-8998

Sat. 12 p.m. "Art On Front"

Music Mountain Theater

1483 Route 179 Lambertville

(609)397-3337

Fri. 8 p.m. "Urinetown"

Sat. 3 p.m./ 8 p.m. "Urinetown"

Sun. 3 p.m. "Urinetown"

Needle Creek Farm Brewery

91 Titus Mill Road Pennington

Thurs. 5 p.m. Girly Night Market

Neshaminy Creek Brewing Company 

909 Ray Avenue Croydon, PA 

(215) 458-7081

Thurs. 7 p.m. Trivia Night 

Fri. 7 p.m. Film Screening: "Octopussy"

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

Newtown Brewing Company

103 Penns Trail Newtown, PA 

(215) 944-8609 

Thurs. 7 p.m. "Useless Knowledge" Trivia

Fri. 6 p.m. Drew Passerini

Sat. 6 p.m. Chris Nickey

Sun. 1 p.m. Artisan Craft Fair

Wed. 4 p.m. Open Mic Night Hosted by Bill Monach

Nick's Roast Beef

4501 Woodhaven Road West Philadelphia, PA 

(215) 637-515

Wed. 7 p.m. Karaoke

Nomad Distilling Company

20 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 

Sat. 9 p.m. Madwire

Mon. 6 p.m. BINGO

Tues. 4 p.m. Pies on the Patio feat. (6:30 p.m.) Anthony Cannuli

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 Barracks

100 Barrack Street Trenton

Sat. 7 p.m. Concerts by Candlelight

Old Hights Brewing 

123 West Ward Street Hightstown 

(609) 469-5976

Fri. 3 p.m. Happy Hour feat. (6 p.m.) Barron Caromano 

Sat. 6 p.m. Mixt & Karl Dentino

Sun. (2 p.m.) Pasta Making Class (3 p.m.) Local Performers Showcase

Wed. 6:30 p.m. BINGO 

Old Town Pub

135 Farnsworth Avenue Bordentown 

(609) 291-9232

Sun. 10 a.m. Brunch

Wed. 7 p.m. Trivia

Ottoburger (Hopewell Fare)

65 East Broad Street Hopewell

(640) 867-4915

Fri. 6 p.m. Harmony in the Canyon

Sat. 6 p.m. Chris Turner & Clear Stream 

Palmer Square 

40 Nassau Street Princeton 

Sat. 1 p.m. The Ravens

Sun. 9:30 a.m. lululemon: (Mindful) Summer Yoga on The Green

Patriots Crossing 

1339 River Road Titusville 

(609) 737-2780

Thurs. 8 p.m. Ladies Night  

Wed. 7 p.m. Pub Trivia

Plainsboro Preserve

80 Scotts Corner Road Cranbury

(609) 799-4013

Sat. 5 p.m. Guided  Kayacking Tour

Princeton Country Club (The Apron)

1-Wheeler Way West Windsor

(609) 452-9382 

Fri. 5 p.m. Happy Hour 

Sat. 7 p.m. Slingshot

Princeton Makes 

301 North Harrison Street Princeton 

Fri. 6 p.m. DragonFly

Princeton University (Art Museum)

Nassau Street Princeton

Thurs. 8 p.m. Summer Film Series: "In the Heights"

Sat. 2 p.m. Marine Zines Workshop

Puss N Boots Tavern

942 Trenton Road Fairless Hills, PA

Fri. 8 p.m. Karaoke

Tues. 7 p.m. Trivia

Raza's at Hamilton

557 Route 130 North Hamilton

Sun. 12 p.m. Brunch w/ DJ Manny the Greek

Ristorante LUCCA & Piano Lounge 

144 US Route 130 Bordentown 

(609) 262-0110

Thurs. 8 p.m. Jazz Night 

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. Maci Miller Duo

Sat. 7 p.m. Liz Du Four

Sun. 11:30 a.m. Brunch w/ Dave Dals Duo

Wed. 5 p.m. Brad Staudle

Robbinsville Community Concert 

Town Center Lake Drive Gazebo, Robbinsville 

Tues. 7 p.m. The Rangers Nouveau

Rossi's Bar & Grill

2110 Whitehorse-Mercerville Road Hamilton

(609) 890-2004 

Thurs. 5:30 p.m. Ernie White

Sat. 11 a.m. Brunch

Sun. 11 a.m. Brunch 

Tues. 7 p.m. Quizzoholics

Sandy's Beef & Ale

2028 E. Old Lincoln Highway Langhorne, PA

(2670 852-2333

Thurs. 8 p.m. Quizzo  

Mon. 7 p.m. Music Bingo

School of Rock Princeton

1761 Princeton Avenue Hamilton

(609) 890-7090

Fri. 7 p.m. House Band Night w/ School of Rock East Brunswick

Second Sin Brewing Company

1500 Grundy Lane Bristol, P

(267) 812-5251

Thurs. 7 p.m. Trivia

Sherman Theater/Penn Community Bank Amphitheater 

2400 Byberry Road Bensalem, PA 

Wed. 7 p.m. "Something Wonderful Tonight" George Harrison/Eric Clapton Tribute (Doors open at 5:30 p.m., tickets available online)

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. Larry Corban

Sparky World-Famous Beer Garden

4333 New Falls Road Levittown, PA 

(215) 943-2321 

Thurs. 9 p.m. Karaoke w/ DJ Dana

Sat. 9 p.m. Midnight Sun Rize

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 

Starving Artist Cafe

18 Bridge Street Stockton

Thurs. 6 p.m. Open Mic Hosted by Daisy Jane

Fri. 9 a.m. JB Kline Facebook Live 

Sat. 6 p.m. Frank Pinto & Richie Z / Zook, Guyger, Holt

Stewart's of Hamilton

578 Route 33 Hamilton 

Tues. 5 p.m. Cruise Night

Tavern On The Lake 

101 Main Street Hightstown 

(609) 426-9345  

Thurs. 8 p.m. Music BINGO DJ Night

Sat. "Tavern Fest" feat. (3 p.m.) DJ Mike Dworkin (4 p.m.) T-Bone Jam (6 p.m.) Asylum Choir (8 p.m.) War Hammer (9:30 p.m.) All Star Jam (10 p.m.) Black Zeppelin

Tues. 6 p.m. Trivia 

Wed. 7 p.m. Karaoke   

Terhune Orchards  

330 Cold Soil Road Princeton

(609) 924-2310 

Thurs. 5:30 p.m. Wine & Flower Arrangements

Fri. 5 p.m. Mike & Laura

Sat. 1 p.m. "Weekend Music Series" feat. Gavin Skinner

Sun. 1 p.m. "Weekend Music Series" feat. Jerry Steele

The Birdhouse Center For The Arts

7 North Main Street Lambertville

(215) 681-4660

Fri. 4:30 p.m. Family Open Mic Night

Tues. 7:30 p.m. NJNO the "not just nyckelharpa orchestra" Community Orchestra

The Buck Hotel 

1200 Buck Road Feasterville, PA 

(215) 396-2002 

Fri. (7 p.m.) Singles Deck Party (8 p.m.) Acoustic Bandwagon 

Sat. (11 a.m.) Brunch (8 p.m.) Pixie Twist

Tues. 7 p.m. Danny Lynch

The Cool Cricket

216 Burlington Street Fieldsboro

(609) 291-9110

Fri. 6 p.m. Outdoor Line Dancing (No cover charge)

The Corner Inn

24509 East Main Street Columbus

(609) 298-8543

Sat. 9 p.m. Karaoke w/ We R Entertainment

The Federal Twist Vineyard 

8 Federal Twist Road Stockton

(609) 773-6066 

Sat. 4 p.m. Blue Flame Six. $5 (Ages 20 and under FREE)

Sun. 2 p.m. Ed Wall & JB Kline. $5 (Ages 20 and under FREE)

The Five Four Bar & Grill

8919 New Falls Road Levittown, PA 

(215) 547-5525

Sun. 2 p.m. "Kisses For Kyle" Fundraiser in Memrium of Lisa Leinheiser Zolna feat. WitZend, Hattrick, SpareParts (Donaions and Gift Cards accepted at door)

Tues. 7 p.m. Music Bingo w/ Jonathan Appel

The Ivy Inn

248 Nassau Street Princeton

(609) 921-8555

Thurs. 10 p.m. Karaoke w/ DJ Trey

Fri. 9:30 p.m. DJ Marcmyskillz

Sat. (5 p.m.) CJ Coward (9:30 p.m.) DJ Bob E Luv

Sun. 2 p.m. Gameday

Mon. 7 p.m. Open Mic Night

Tues. 7 p.m. Quizzo w/ Bob E Luv 

Wed. (6 p.m.) Music BINGO (10 p.m.) Karaoke w/ DJ Trey

The Morrisville Tavern 

376 West Trenton Avenue Morrisville, PA

(215) 295-5310

Thurs. 7 p.m. Trivia

Mon. 8 p.m. Karaoke

Tues. 7 p.m. Music Bingo

Wed. 7 p.m. Trivia Night  

The Newtown Theatre

120 North State Street Newtown, PA

(215) 968-3859

Thurs. 8 p.m. The Music of Michael McDonald w/ "Minute By Minute" $34.99-$53 (VIP Available)

Fri. 8 p.m. "Imagine Lennon Live" John Lennon Tribute. $34.99-$53 (VIP Available)

Sat. 8 p.m. Mary Fahl. $38-$51 (VIP Available)

Sun. 7 p.m. "The Best of Clapton" Eric Clapton Tribute. $34.99-$53 (VIP Available)

Tues. 7:30 p.m. Cult Vault: "The Untouchables"

Wed. 10 a.m. FREE Kids Movie: "Tarzan"

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. "Franken" Show

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 Roost

181 Rte. 539 Cream Ridge

(609) 208-0050

Thurs. 6:30 p.m. DC Duo 

Mon. 6 p.m. Music BINGO

Tues. 6 p.m. Trivia

Wed. 6 p.m. Joe Vadala

The Union House 

19 East Union Street Burlington

(609) 531-6077

Thurs. 7 p.m. Trivia

Fri. 8 p.m. Be5D

Sat. 10 a.m. Brunch 

Sun. 10 a.m. Brunch 

Tir Na Nog 

1324 Hamilton Avenue Trenton 

(609) 392-2554

Sun. 3 p.m. "Irish Sessions" 

All Shows 21+

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)

Mon. 6 p.m. "Monday Night Karaoke" Hosted by Sweets

Triumph Brewing Company (Princeton Location)

20 Pamer Square east Princeton 

(609) 924-7855

Fri. 6 p.m. Mike Noordzy Trio

Sat. 6 p.m. Eric Mcgarry Trio

Unitarian Universalist Church

268 Washington Crossing-Pennington Road Titusville

Sat. 8 p.m. Smith & Fury. $10

Vault Brewing Company

10 South Main Street Yardley, PA 

(267) 573-4291

Fri. 7 p.m. Liam Sutcliffe Trio

Sat. 7 p.m. Tony Micelli Trio

Vault Smoke House

19 West College Avenue Yardley, PA

(267) 907-8550

Sat. 12 p.m. "Cars & Cans" Food Trucks & Hot Rods

Village Idiot Brewing Company

42 High Street Mount Holly

(609) 975-9270 

Thurs. 7 p.m. Trivia

Vinyl Lab Record Store

925 Lincoln Highway Floor #2 Morrisville, PA

Fri. 7:30 p.m. Open Mic Night

Washington Crossing Historic Park 

1112 River Road Washington Crossing, PA

Sat. 7:30 a.m. Saturday Trails

Washington Crossing Inn 

1295General Washington Memorial Boulevard Washington Crossing, PA

(877) 882-1776

Thurs. 6 p.m. Ladies Night: National Tequila Day

West Windsor Arts Center/Nassau Park Pavilion

952 Alexander Road Princeton 

Tues. 7 p.m. Artist Meetup

Working Dog Winery

610 Windsor Perrineville Road Hightstown

(609) 371-6000

Thurs. 4:30 p.m. Kevin McGowan

Fri. (4:30 p.m.) Ronnie Brandt (6 p.m.) Summer Crushed Glass Suncatcher

Sat. 1 p.m. Sandy Zio & Lisa Bouchelle

Sun. 1 p.m. Erez Lirov

WWFM 89.1 FM HD2 Radio

MCCC Old Trenton Road West Windsor

Jazzon2.org

Mon. 7 a.m./7 p.m. "Danny Coleman's Got The Blues"

EVENT PREVIEWS

Essex County Summer Players Orchestra present "Made in America" on August 2nd

(LIVINGSTON, NJ) -- As local residents and friends stroll, bike or jog around the Livingston Oval on Tuesday evenings this July, musicians from several community orchestras are gathering in the township's high school band room to celebrate works "Made in America."

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Middletown Arts Center presents Reina Williams + The Remedy

(MIDDLETOWN, NJ) -- The Middletown Arts Center presents a concert featuring Reina Williams + The Remedy on Thursday, July 23, 2026. Special guest performers Renee Maskin and Patrick Bamburak will open the show. Enjoy an evening of original music spanning reggae, hip-hop, soul, folk, Americana, and indie rock from some of New Jersey's most talented musicians. Showtime is 7:00pm.

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Harmonium Choral Society presents "I Dreamed Last Night" on July 23rd

(MADISON, NJ) -- On Thursday, July 23, 2026, Harmonium Choral Society presents I Dreamed Last Night. Directed by Lennie Watts with music direction by John Fischer, I Dreamed Last Night is a one woman show with Gloria Bangiola. There are songs and stories about dreams, hopes, wishes, ambitions, fantasies, nightmares, impossibilities and that big ol' American one we are all still working to make real. Showtime is 7:00pm.

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HOT 97's Summer Jam 2026 to Take Place July 24th at Prudential Center

(NEWARK, NJ) -- HOT 97, New York's #1 station for Hip Hop, is once again bringing the culture's biggest night back to the tri-state area with Summer Jam 2026, on Friday, July 24, 2026, at Prudential Center in Newark. Produced by The Black Promoters Collective, Summer Jam continues its legacy as the most iconic Hip Hop concert in the world.

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Strand Center for the Arts presents Lover Taylor - Tribute to Taylor Swift on Friday

(LAKEWOOD, NJ) -- Swifties of all ages are invited to sing, dance and celebrate the music of one of pop's biggest superstars when Lover Taylor – Tribute to Taylor Swift comes to the Strand Center for the Arts on Friday, July 24, 2026 at 8:00pm.

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Grammy-Winning Superstars Erica Campbell and Jonathan McReynolds to Headline 2026 Gospel Music Festival

(NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ) -- Middlesex County, as part of its FolkLIVE free community event series, will host its third annual Gospel Music Festival in New Brunswick (2 Livingston Ave) on Saturday, July 25, 2026, from 3:30pm to 7:30pm. This year's star-studded lineup features multi-Grammy-winning performer Erica Campbell—known both for her solo work and as part of the dynamic "Mary Mary" duo—and Billboard chart-topper Jonathan McReynolds as the headliners.

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Mahwah Museum Hosts "Unlock the Fretboard" Guitar Workshop with Mark Sganga on July 25th

(MAHWAH, NJ) -- Guitar players of all levels are invited to "Unlock the Fretboard," a hands-on guitar workshop taking place on Saturday, July 25, from 11:00am to 2:00pm, with a short break included, at The Mahwah Museum. The workshop will be taught by Mark Sganga, an International Fingerstyle Guitar Champion, bringing expert instruction and high-level musicianship to this special event. Designed to help players better understand the fretboard through a system of caged chords and scales, the workshop offers practical strategies that participants can apply immediately in their playing.

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The 2026 Sourland Mountain Fest to Take Place July 25th

(RINGOES, NJ) -- The Sourland Mountain Fest is back for its 21st year on Saturday, July 25, 2026. It promises a summer afternoon of soulful talent, tasty bites, refreshing drinks and meaningful dialogue on why the Sourland Region is so important to Central Jersey, and why it's more important than ever to protect it. Performers include Gravity Hill, The Swiss Guard, Hickory, Jake Thistle, and headliners The Harrisons and Company.

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Two River Theater presents Tiny Room Concerts with Joe Iconis

(RED BANK, NJ) -- Two River Theater presents Tiny Room Concerts w/ Joe Iconis, a concert series offering audiences an up-close and personal experience with one of musical theater's most celebrated songwriters. The series takes place July 23-25, 2026 in the Victoria J. Mastrobuono Library at Two River Theater.

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Centenary Stage Company's Summerfest 2026 presents FOUR STICKS: The Music of Led Zeppelin on July 25th

(HACKETTSTOWN, NJ) -- Centenary Stage Company's Summerfest 2026 continues with an electrifying evening of classic rock as FOUR STICKS: The Music of Led Zeppelin takes the stage on Saturday, July 25, 2026 at 8:00pm in the Sitnik Theatre of the Lackland Performing Arts Center.
 

FEATURED EVENTS

Reina Williams and The Remedy, Patrick Bamburak, and Renee Masking

Thursday, July 23, 2026 @ 7:00pm
Middletown Arts Center
36 Church Street, Middletown, NJ

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Brown Sugar - Rolling Stones Tribute

Friday, July 24, 2026 @ 7:30pm
Lizzie Rose Music Room
217 E. Main Street, Tuckerton, NJ

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Bruce Hornsby & The Noisemakers

Friday, July 24, 2026 @ 8:00pm
Mayo Performing Arts Center (MPAC)
100 South Street, Morristown, NJ

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Jamaican Me Dancehall Night (21+)

Friday, July 24, 2026 @ 9:00pm
Carteret Performing Arts & Events Center
46 Washington Ave, Carteret, NJ

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Kinderhook

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

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