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This Week in Music: Previews for Concerts from August 25-31, 2026

Published by New Jersey Stage

originally published: 08/25/2026

Here is a look at shows taking place from August 25-31, 2026 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, Coming Soon.

Most of the events previewed here are articles 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

Tuesday, August 25, 2026 - Joanna Connor - The Queen of Blues Rock Guitar (TUCKERTON, NJ) -- The Lizzie Rose Music Room presents Joanna Connor on Tuesday, August 25, 2026 at 7:30pm. What sets Joanna Connor apart from the rest of the pack of guitar-playing female blues singers is her skill on the instrument. Even though Connor has become an accomplished singer over time, her first love was guitar playing, and it shows in her live shows and on her recordings.





 

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Tuesday, August 25 - Local Community to Rally for Area Teen's Life-Saving Battle with Sold-Out Benefit Event at Pagano's UVA. (BRADLEY BEACH, NJ) -- Community members and music lovers have completely filled the house for an upcoming evening of music, solidarity, and hope. The event will take place on Tuesday, August 25, 2026 from 6:00pm to 10:00pm at Pagano's UVA Restaurant & Wine Bar in Bradley Beach. The benefit fundraiser for a local teenager courageously battling Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS)—an extremely rare disease in children—is officially sold out, but you can still contribute to the cause online.


Thursday, August 27 - 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.

Thursday, August 27, 2026 - All-4-One - Mayor's Summer Concert Series (RAHWAY, NJ) -- The Mayor's Summer Concert Series at Union County Performing Arts Center (UCPAC) presents the Grammy award winning R&B and pop group All-4-One in concert on Thursday, August 27, 2026 at 7:00pm. Admission is free.

 




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Friday, August 28, 2026 - Take Me Home - The Phil Collins Tribute (TUCKERTON, NJ) -- The Lizzie Rose Music Room presents Take Me Home - The Phil Collins Tribute on Friday, August 28, 2026 at 7:30pm. Experience the sound, energy, and emotion of one of pop and rock's most iconic catalogs. Take Me Home: The Phil Collins Tribute, celebrates the legendary music of Phil Collins, from the powerful drum-driven anthems to the unforgettable ballads that defined a generation.

Friday, August 28, 2026 - Ammy Virk (CARTERET, NJ) -- The Carteret Performing Arts & Events Center presents Ammy Virk on August 28, 2026 at 8:30pm. Experience Ammy Virk live in one of the biggest Punjabi concerts and productions of the year. From chart-topping hits like Qismat, Hath Chumme, Wang Da Naap, and the fan-favorite Teri Jatti, Ammy Virk has won millions of hearts across the globe.

Saturday, August 29, 2026 - The John Fogerty Tribute Project (TUCKERTON, NJ) -- The Lizzie Rose Music Room presents The John Fogerty Tribute Project on Saturday, August 29, 2026 at 7:30pm. Formerly known as Willy & The Poor Boys, this is a high energy tribute to the music of John Fogerty & Creedence Clearwater Revival.

Sunday, August 30, 2026 - The Jersey Beach Boys (MANASQUAN, NJ) -- Algonquin Arts Theatre presents The Jersey Beach Boys on Sunday, August 30, 2026 at 3:00pm. What happens when California surf rock meets Jersey swagger? Jersey Beach Boys blends the sounds of The Beach Boys with the style of The Four Seasons in one electrifying show.

Sunday, August 30, 2026 - The Doo Wop Project presents: Echoes of the Street (TOMS RIVER, NJ) -- Grunin Center for the Arts presents The Doo Wop Project with Echoes of the Street on Sunday, August 30, 2026 at 7:00pm. This is A Brand New Show from America’s Premiere Doo Wop Group.





 

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EVENT PREVIEWS

Saturday, August 29 - 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.

Saturday, August 29 - 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.

Wednesday, August 26 - Songwriters in the Pines Brings Nashville-Style Writers' Rounds to Albert Music Hall on August 26th. (WARETOWN, NJ) -- Albert Music Hall will put the spotlight on original music on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, with a special edition of its Songwriters in the Pines series featuring six singer-songwriters in a Nashville-style writers' round format. Music begins at 7:00pm.

Saturday, August 29 - Haddon Township presents the Summer of Love Music Festival on August 29th. (HADDON TOWNSHIP, NJ) -- Haddon Township invites residents and visitors to celebrate the sounds of three unforgettable decades at the Summer of Love 60's-70's-80's Music Festival on Saturday, August 29, 2026 from 2:00pm to 10:00pm. The festival will take place along Haddon Avenue between Strawbridge Avenue and Cooper Street.

COMING SOON

 

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  (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 (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.

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'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.

 

Tony Award Nominee Joshua Henry to open Kean Stage's 2026-2027 season  (HILLSIDE, NJ) -- Kean Stage is thrilled to announce that Joshua Henry, three-time Tony nominee and star of Lincoln Center Theater's Ragtime, will open their 2026-2027 season with two performances of his show Get Up, Stand Up! on Sunday, September 13, 2026 at 2:00pm & 7:00pm at Enlow Recital Hall (215 North Avenue) in Hillside.

 

MPAC presents Melissa Etheridge: The Rise Tour on September 9th  (MORRISTOWN, NJ) -- Known for her confessional lyrics and raspy, smoky vocals, Melissa Etheridge ("I'm the Only One," "Come to My Window," and "I Want to Come Over" to name a few) has remained one of America's favorite female singers since bursting onto the scene in 1988. Etheridge brings her Rise tour to Mayo Performing Arts Center on Wednesday, September 9, 2026 at 7:30pm.

Centenary Stage Company presents Gunhild Carling on September 12th  (HACKETTSTOWN, NJ) -- Centenary Stage Company will open its 2026/27 season with an extraordinary evening of music, swing, and entertainment when internationally acclaimed Swedish performer Gunhild Carling takes the stage at the Sitnik Theatre on Saturday, September 12 at 7:30pm.

 

Edmar Castañeda Quartet to Bring Colombian Roots and Jazz to McCarter on September 12th  (PRINCETON, NJ) -- Colombian-born harpist, composer, and bandleader Edmar Castañeda has redefined what the harp can do in contemporary jazz, using the instrument to create rhythm, bass, harmony, and melody. A Latin GRAMMY nominee, Castañeda brings his quartet to McCarter Theatre's Berlind Theatre on Saturday, September 12, 2026 at 7:30pm. Among his many credits, he performed and served as a music consultant for Disney's Encanto.

Acclaimed Americana Singer-Songwriter Chris Knight to Perform at The Vogel on September 15th  (RED BANK, NJ) -- After 28 years as a recording artist, singer-songwriter Chris Knight remains boldly empowered to make music that always delivers the unflinching truth. In fact, the man raised in Slaughters, Kentucky uses a simple, direct barometer to regularly check his muse: "If I can't believe myself, I won't sing the song."




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Oliver!

Oliver!

There are multiple performances including:

Saturday, October 17, 2026
@ 2:00pm

Algonquin Arts Theatre
Manasquan, NJ

A beloved musical based on Charles Dickens' timeless novel, Oliver! tells the story of a young boy searching for home and belonging. Featuring unforgettable songs like "Food, Glorious Food," "Consider Yourself," and "As Long As He Needs Me," this classic remains a moving and uplifting theatrical experience.

CLICK HERE to view all remaining performances.


Denise

Denise Miller & Son And Friends

Saturday, October 17, 2026
@ 7:30pm

Lizzie Rose Music Room
Tuckerton, NJ

Denise Miller is a singer-songwriter in the Country-Folk genre. Her influences are John Denver and Joni Mitchell.

 

Tusk

Tusk

Saturday, October 17, 2026
@ 8:00pm

Carteret Performing Arts & Events Center
Carteret, NJ

Tusk has been criss-crossing the country for over 15 years as The Ultimate Fleetwood Mac Tribute. But of all the Fleetwood Mac tributes playing around the United States today, what exactly sets Tusk apart? 

 

Brian

Brian McKnight In Concert

Saturday, October 17, 2026
@ 8:00pm

Union County Performing Arts Center (UCPAC) - Main Stage
Rahway, NJ

Brian McKnight has earned himself a spot in contemporary music history and is one of the most consistent and enduring R&B artists today.

 

A

A Beat of Our Own

There are multiple performances including:

Saturday, October 17, 2026
@ 2:00pm

McCarter Theatre Center (Matthews Theatre)
Princeton, NJ

From the Tony Award-winning producers of Hadestown comes A Beat of Our Own — a brand-new musical comedy that pulls you straight into the pulsating rhythms, kaleidoscopic colors and raw energy of competitive bhangra dance. 

CLICK HERE to view all remaining performances.

ADVANCED EVENTS

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EVENT PREVIEWS

(NEWARK, NJ) -- The Roseville Outreach Community Corporation presents the 6th Annual ROCC FEST - From Praise to Presence jazz gospel concert on Saturday, October 17, 2026 at the Roseville Church in Newark. The event begins at 6:00pm and is headlined by Anthony Nelson.



Speranza Theatre Company presents a reading of "Sylvia

Speranza Theatre Company presents a reading of "Sylvia's Moxie" by Margo Hammond on October 17th

(JERSEY CITY, NJ) -- Speranza Theatre Company presents Sylvia's Moxie by Margo Hammond at the Museum of Jersey City History on October 17, 2026 at 6:30pm. This is a developmental reading and talk-back with the playwright.



River Union Stage presents the premiere of their first film project "NJ Stories of Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness" on October 17th

River Union Stage presents the premiere of their first film project "NJ Stories of Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness" on October 17th

(FLEMINGTON, NJ) -- River Union Stage presents the premiere of their first film project, NJ Stories of Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness, on Saturday, October 17, 2026 at the Historic Hunterdon County Courthouse in Flemington. The event begins at 7:00pm.



The Summit Playhouse presents "By The Water"

The Summit Playhouse presents "By The Water"

(SUMMIT, NJ) -- The Summit Playhouse presents By The Water weekends from October 17 to November 1, 2026. This play by Sharyn Rothstein takes place in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, in which the Murphy family struggles to rebuild their Staten Island home and their lives.



Brad Upton to Kick Off New Comedy Series at StocktonPAC on October 17th

Brad Upton to Kick Off New Comedy Series at StocktonPAC on October 17th

(GALLOWAY, NJ) -- Stand-up comedian Brad Upton will headline a new comedy series at Stockton University’s Performing Arts Center on Saturday, October 17, 2026. Showtime is 7:30pm.



Zombies, Comedy, and Costume Contest Come to Hackensack on October 17th

Zombies, Comedy, and Costume Contest Come to Hackensack on October 17th

(HACKENSACK, NJ) -- North Jersey's award-winning improv comedy troupe, Howdy Stranger, brings its annual Halloween show to the Hackensack Performing Arts Center (HACPAC) on Saturday, October 17, 2026 at 8:00pm. Audience members are encouraged to dress in costumes for fun or to enter the evening's costume contest for a chance to win a prize.



The Theater Project to present a reading of "Domestic Blitz" on October 17th

The Theater Project to present a reading of "Domestic Blitz" on October 17th

(CRANFORD, NJ) -- Domestic Blitz, Stephanie Griffin's farce about exhausting family dynamics, is up next in The Theater Project's 2026 New Play Readings series and scheduled on Saturday, October 17, 2026 at Cranford Community Center's 110-seat theater. Admission is free, with no registration required. The event begins at 2:00pm.



A Book In Hand Reading of "Twelve Incompetent Jurors" to take place October 17-18

A Book In Hand Reading of "Twelve Incompetent Jurors" to take place October 17-18

(OLD BRIDGE, NJ) -- The Middlesex Bar Foundation in collaboration with Main Street Theatre Company presents a book in hand reading of Twelve Incompetent Jurors with two performances from October 17-18, 2026. The play by Ian McWethy is about a man accused of abducting half a dozen cats. He admits it. It's an open-and-shut case, even for a jury filled with oddballs – with the exception of one sane juror.



Stevie Van Zandt and Teachrock to be Honored by Count Basie Center for the Arts on Saturday

Stevie Van Zandt and Teachrock to be Honored by Count Basie Center for the Arts on Saturday

(RED BANK, NJ) -- For Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Stevie Van Zandt, Saturday, October 17, 2026 will bring together two defining parts of a career that has long extended beyond the stage, celebrating both his impact on music and culture and his commitment to the educators shaping the next generation.



CarteretPAC presents Tusk - The Classic Fleetwood Mac Tribute on Saturday

CarteretPAC presents Tusk - The Classic Fleetwood Mac Tribute on Saturday

(CARTERET, NJ) -- Tusk, the classic Fleetwood Mac Tribute, will perform at the Carteret Performing Arts & Events Center on Saturday, October 17, 2026 at 8:00pm. Tusk has been criss-crossing the country for over 15 years as The Ultimate Fleetwood Mac Tribute. But of all the Fleetwood Mac tributes playing around the United States today, what exactly sets Tusk apart?