Rock On! This Week's Sound Bites... 10/29/2026

by Danny Coleman

originally published: 10/29/2026

"I heard you're coming to The December 6 Christmas party only because I'm playing," laughed Dave Keyes as he discussed his upcoming gigs at The Lizzie Rose Music Room on October 24, Jamey's House of Music in Lansdowne, PA on Halloween and the Jersey Shore Jazz & Blues Foundation's holiday party on the aforementioned December 6 at McCloone's Supper Club in Asbury Park, NJ. "It's gonna be a hell of a band, Bernard (Purdie) is playing drums and Mike Merritt from Conan O'Brien's show is playing bass and Arthur Nielson from Shemekia's (Copeland) band is gonna play guitar so it should be a fun soiree as they say and then I have a gig with Benny Turner down at Jamey's so I've got some interesting stuff coming up."

To say Keyes is seasoned would be an understatement. A veteran musician, performer and songwriter whose resume lists like a virtual who's who of Blues music has graced stages with many of the biggest names in music all over the world.

A reliable and incredibly talented keyboard and piano player, fantastic human and tireless performer, Keyes will be bringing his band to the previously mentioned venues with dates on another continent mixed in between. He is still touring on the strength of his latest release, "Two Trains," an extremely personal record for various reasons.

"I'm still pushing the record; it seems like I do a record every other year but this year there has been a lot going on," he began slowly. "The last record was; I went through a lot. I lost my wife who I'd been married to for 33 years, she passed away at the end of '23 and I was processing that and the bass player in my band passed away; a guy named Jeff Anderson. So, there was a bunch of stuff going on and I was sort of in that frame of kind of just trying to come to some peace about life in general and mortality I guess is the bway to put it. "Two Trains," the title, was basically about, even in the worst of situations you'll find something positive. In the cas of my wife's passing, she had ALS and it was difficult but we also had a lot of time to sit and talk about things and enjoy each other's company. I had a great relationship with her and a wonderful marriage and that was the overall concept of "Two Trains." There was bad stuff going on, there was good stuff going on; it was trying to find the good in the bad basically and that's what the album kind of focused on. So, I was writing with a buddy of mine that I knew from way back who was a hit Nashville writer in the '80s and then got disgusted with the scene down there and he became a rabbi of all things. So, we co-wrote nine of the 10 tunes and it was really a wonderful collaboration."

"So, that was the overriding thing, it's basically; what I said in the label notes, album notes, I don't know what we even call them anymore, CD notes? Good, bad, love lost, duality, call it whatever you want but even in the darkest moments there is light," he went on. "So, like I say, that was sort of the overriding theme and it was interesting because I recorded tracks with Bernard in '23 actually and then as my wife got progressively sicker, I really just kind of put everything on the shelf and had to take care of her and there was just a lt going on obviously. Then I came back to it in early '25 because it took me a bit to just kind of get back in the groove. So, there are two different rhythm sections, Frank Pagano is a great drummer who has played with me forever and Mike Merritt and John Putnam played on half the tracks and Bernard, Jeff Anderson the bass player who passed and Putnam played on the other tracks and it just worked out really well. Alexis P Suter is on it and Vicki Bell from Alexis' band and they added some great vocal work and Rob Popparozzi played some absolutely killer harmonica on nfive of the tracks; Chris Bergson played on a track too. So, it's a swell bunch of people and I'm pleased with how it came about; the longer you stick around the more experiences you have (Laughs)."

In death, the surviving members, be they family or friends, tend to grieve not only in individual ways but in varying stages. So, with his wife's illness putting much on hold and her unfortunate passing, did he find himself with the time once again to return to whatever was now considered "Normal" and did it affect him creatively?

"Yeah, I do," he started deliberately. "First of all, I have more time and I think emotionally, I have more space which I think is a big part of playing music too especially when you're your own artist so to speak and you're writing tunes; the answer is definitely yes but that's part of adapting to what happens in life too. It has taken me a while to kind of grab that space back but I feel like I'm getting back to it now, which is good. I haven't been writing that much, I've been playing a lot but I haven't been writing that much. So, yes, it does affect your writing and one of the things about "Two Trains" is; I lost the bass player, lost my wife and also lost a very dear friend of mine, Woody Mann who was a wonderful acoustic player who plays on one of the tracks on the record. I do a duo with him of an old Bill Broonzy tune and he kind of; this is kind of a philosophical discussion but when I did the record, I wanted to do the grieving and resolve it and move on to whatever is next and the songs that I'm writing now are just more focused on playing good music, being a decent person and enjoying life."

Anyone who knows Dave Keyes will tell you that he is beyond a decent person. This relatively soft spoken man with the gutsy blues voice is one of the best in a profession that doesn't always bring out the best and as he spoke of his upcoming gigs, he relayed who he thinks als falls into the same category.

"We had the gig at The Lizzie Rose on October 24 and this Saturday, Halloween night, I am at Jamey's with Benny Turner, Freddie King's brother. I think he is 84 and he is still at the top of his game, he is incredible. He sings great, plays a great bass and you talk about nice people, he is one of the nicest people you'll ever meet and a good old style entertainer. I say that in a very loving way, he just knows what he's doing (Laughs)."

"The second week of November, I'm going to Czechoslovakia with Jimmy Carpenter who is a terrific sax player, singer, songwriter and also the musical director of The Blues Bender in Vegas. I do about two or three tours with Jimmy every year and we're going to a festival called Blues Alive in Prague which is a great fest and I'm looking forward to that, it'll take up about 10 days in November. I've done a couple of tours with Chris O'Leary. We just did a show in Chicago, we did a mid-west tour last month. We played at Buddy Guy's and Bruce Iglauer of Alligator Records came down and it's always a treat to see him; he had a great time and stayed the whole night."

Again, Dave has toured the globe bringing blues music to many enthusiastic audiences and when asked if he favored any certain type of event or area, he was very diplomatic.

"I play in Clarksdale, Mississippi every year at the Pinetop thing that benefits his camp, usually the Saturday right after the BMAs at Ground Zero. That's quite a scene down there, it's a special place. There are so many great festivals and places. I mean, the Bender is a fun hit from a musician's standpoint because you get to see everybody, you get to see other people. The blues cruises are always fun, Roger Naber's thing is always fun when you get out on that; the piano bar is always fun on those things. Buddy Guy's place is special, Legends is a special club just because he may be near and in the deep South, a place like Clarksdale, there is something magical about that. Playing overseas is great too, the French, they love the blues. The Cognac Blues Festival is a great festival over there, I played there with Odetta once, I did a solo show over there once; there is a lot of different stuff in different places. I played a great festival over in Switzerland for 20 years every year that I love to play and I bring over an artist every year. I brought over Eddie Kirkland, Eddy Clearwater, the Brooks Brothers Lonnie and Wayne and all kinds of people. So, those places are great because you develop relationships over a period of time which is important to me too. There's something about the blues though, to me the best blues are when people in the band are looking at each other and they're smiling and feeding off of each other. There's an improvisational aspect that I think is special to the blues and the connection to the people; it's the music of the people and that's what music should do, it should take you somewhere else. I think that's why people come to see it because it gets them out of their head and into a little bit of a different space or whatever and that's part of the entertainment value and the joyful part of it and you know as a drummer, there is a certain feeling when you play that is really special and I think people can appreciate that too"

The December 6 gig in Asbury Park will be one of the remaining few for calendar year 2026; any plans for '27? Well, of course there are!

"I'm always writing tunes and I'm hoping to have something out by April of next year; that's the plan," he laughed. "I have my rhythm section, working with Bernard is always a trip, he just elevates everything. So, I'll use him on some tracks, I'd like to use Mike Merritt and John Putnam are rock solid, Frank Pagano the drummer; we've been playing together for 40 years and then I bring in guys that I know as a little extra spice like Popparozzi, put anything in front of Rob and he makes magic with it. So, that's the way it's been and I'm very happy with the way I've been making records. I thought this last one was the best one by far; "Dae" Bennett, who in addition to being Tony Bennett's son and who mixed a lot of Tony's stuff and he did a lot of pop stuff; Peter Karp introduced me to him as he's mixed Peter's records and he just really got what I was doing and I think he made it sound really good. I like to record at this place called Teaneck Sound in Teaneck, New Jersey, it's owned by a drummer named Andrea Valentini who is a terrific drummer and he has got probably 40 snare drums there and great drum kits and that keeps Bernard happy and Frank happy. They have a really good Yamaha Grand which I like to play, it's just an easy place to play, when I go into the studio, I just want to go in and play. I don't want to experiment that much. I know what I want to do when I go in and the way I want to get that stuff onto tape or whatever without interference is the best way to make the music for me."

To discover more about Dave Keyes or purchase tickets to any of his remaining shows, please visit https://www.davekeyes.com/

To hear this entire interview in its entirety, please visit "Danny Coleman's Rock On Podcast" at

https://www.mixcloud.com/thepenguin/rock-on-podcast-w-dave-keyes/?utm_medium=share&utm_source=clipboard&utm_content=show&utm_term=VXNlcjo1MDg4MjA3Ng%3D%3D

That's it for this week! Please continue to support live and original music and until next week....ROCK ON!

This week's event listings

Al's Airport Inn

636 Bear Tavern Road West Trenton

(609) 883-5252

Thurs. 5 p.m. Ed Wall

Fri. 7 p.m. Al's Halloween Party w/ DJ Mike K

Sat. (12 p.m.) Acoustic Brunch w/ Jerry Lee Watkins (7 p.m.) Acoustic Spiral

Sun. (12 p.m.) Sunday Acoustic Brunch w/ Bud Belviso (6 p.m.) Colie Brice

Mon. 5 p.m. Danny Lynch

Tues. 7 p.m. Jessica DiDonato

Wed. 7 p.m. Kindred Spirit Duo

Aristaeus Brewing

2475C Big Oak Road Langhorne, PA

(215) 757-2337

Thurs. 7 p.m. Trivia

Arts Council of Princeton

102 Witherspoon Street Princeton

(609) 924-8777

Fri. 4 p.m. Hometown Halloween Party

Sun. 1 p.m. Day of the Dead Celebration

Wed. 7 p.m. JAM: Jersey Art Meetup

Ashlynn Distillery

32 West Bridge Street Morrisville, PA

Thurs. 7 p.m. Trivia

Fri. 7 p.m. Nick Crocker

Sat. 7 p.m. Billy Futrell

Sun. 3 p.m. Cecil & Friends

Wed. 7 p.m. Music BINGO

Follow New Jersey Stage on social media
Facebook, Threads, Instagram, Twitter, Bluesky

Bent Iron Brewing

70 Extonville Road Hamilton

Thurs. 7 p.m. Trivia

Sat. 5 p.m. Halloween happy Hour. Ags 18+

Bill's Olde Tavern

2694 Nottingham Way Hamilton

(609) 586-0192

Thurs. 7 p.m. Music BINGO

Fri. 7 p.m. Old School Acoustic

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

Bowman's Tavern

1600 River Road New Hope, PA

(215) 862-2972

Thurs. 6 p.m. Larry Tamanini's Jazz Invitational

Fri. 8 p.m. Bob Egan

Sat. 6:30 p.m. Debra & Patrick

Sun. (12 p.m.) Jazz Brunch w/ Bill Avayou Trio (6 p.m.) Lorenzo

Tues. 6 p.m. Jenna Alvino

Wed. 6 p.m. Sam Ryan

Bristol Riverside Theater

2501 Bath Road Bristol, PA

(215) 785-0100

Wed. 2 p.m. "Fast Times" '80s Concert

Broken Goblet Brewing

2500 State Road Bensalem, PA

(267) 812-5653

Fri. 7:30 p.m. "October Crust" Unholy Water, The Jasons. $17

Wed. 5:30 p.m. Iron Rebels car Cruise

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

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

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

Continental Tavern

2 North Main Street Yardley, PA

(215) 493-9191

Fri. 8 p.m. Todd Oakes

Cooper's Riverview

50 Riverview Plaza Trenton

(609) 393-7300

Thurs. 7 p.m. Be5D

Fri. 7 p.m. Se7en and DJ John Rossi

Sat. 8 p.m. Halloween Costume Party w/ "Flower Power" and DJ Anthony Mig

Wed. 7 p.m. Cosmic Jerry Band

Crossing Vineyard and Winery

1853 Wrightstown Road Washington Crossing, PA

(215) 493-6500

Thurs. 7 p.m. Trick or Treat for Grownups. $35

Sat. 12 p.m. Spooktacular Halloween Celebration feat. (2 p.m.) Meg Russell

Sun. 2 p.m. Rodney Wright

Curran’s Irish Inn

1909 Bristol Pike Bensalem, PA

(215) 245-1800

Thurs. 7 p.m. Music Bingo

Fri. 7 p.m. Keep The Change Acoustic

Mon. 7:30 p.m. Quizzo

Dadz Bar and Grill

744 Main Street Lumberton

(609)267-4344

Thurs. 7 p.m. Open Mic Night

Fri. 6:30 p.m. Rough Cut

Dharma Bums

4935 River Road New Hope, PA

(215) 663-2867

Thurs. 7 p.m. Mill Creek

Fri. 8 p.m. "Born To Run Down The Dream" Petty vs Springsteen Tribute. $17

Sat. 8 p.m. Dead to the Core. $11.75

Sun. 3 p.m. A Concert for Democracy ll

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

Follow New Jersey Stage on social media
Facebook, Threads, Instagram, Twitter, Bluesky

Erini Restaurant

1140 River Road Ewing

Fri. 4 p.m. One Last Friday Happy Hour at the Tiki Bar (Costumes welcome)

Fireside Tavern & Table

215 West Philadelphia Avenue Morrisville, PA

(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

Thurs. 7 p.m. Game Show Trivia w/ Daniel Haney

Fri. 6 p.m. LakeHouse

Sat. 6 p.m. Sara & Tamer

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

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

Mon. 6 p.m. Music BINGO

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.) Never Enough

Sat. (12 p.m.) Music BINGO Brunch (8:30 p.m.) EarCandy

Tues. 7 p.m. Game Show Palooza

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

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

Hamilton Veterans Park

1865 Yardville-Hamilton Square Road Hamilton

Sun. 9 a.m. APOAANJ and Friends for Hope Team Walk to Help Stop Suicide

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.) '80s Revolution (11 p.m. ) DJ Dance Party

Sat. (3 p.m.) Break Even (9:30 p.m.) Halloween Costume Party (N cover if wearing costume)

Mon. 9 p.m. Karaoke w/ DJ Steve

Tues. 7 p.m. Jillian Ashcroft Jazz Quartet

Wed. 7 p.m. Jamie Stern

Hopewell Valley Vineyards

46 Yard Avenue Pennington

(609) 737-4465

Fri. 4 p.m. "Music & Merlot" feat. (5:30 p.m.) McMillan & Co.

Sat. (1 p.m.) The Ragtime Relics (5:30 p.m.) Halloween party w/ Deb & Mike

Sun. 2:30 p.m. "Jazzy Sundays" feat. Madison &bMikey Delucia

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. Rave On

Sat. 4:30 p.m. Mark Sacco

Sun. 1 p.m. Stone Martin

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. 9 p.m. Mom Weasel

Fri. 9 p.m. Famous & Fallen

Sat. (3 p.m.) Trip Dogs (9 p.m.) "Rocky Horror Picture Show" Halloween Dance Party

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

Tues. 9 p.m. Gobot

Wed. 9 p.m. The Invitational

All shows 21+

Kelly's Bar n Banquet Hall

14 Railroad Avenue Fort Dix

(732) 230-6169

Fri. 7 p.m. Halloween Bash w/ Leading Zero

Killarney's Publick House

1644 Whitehorse-Mercerville Road Hamilton

(609) 586-1166

Thurs. (4 p.m.) Halloween "Yappy" Hour (6 p.m.) Joanna Caruso / Country Line Dancing w/ Tiffany and DJ Dan Murphy

Fri. (5:30 p.m.) Chet & Ari (10 p.m.) DJ Gianni

Sat. 10 a.m. Halloween Kid's Brunch w/ DJ Dan Murphy (10 p.m.) Halloween Party Costume Contest w/ DJ Jimmy G. Ages 21+

Sun.10 a.m. "Sunday Funday" Brunch

Tues. 6 p.m. JJ Paint & Sip

Wed. 6 p.m. Just Bob

Laurita Winery

85 Archertown Road New Egypt

(609) 752-0200

Thurs. 7 p.m. Laurita Idol Tryouts

Fri. 7 p.m. Decades Dance Party. $11/$13

Sun. (10 a.m.) Run the Vineyards 5K (3 p.m.) Music BINGO w/ DJ Trina

Follow New Jersey Stage on social media
Facebook, Threads, Instagram, Twitter, Bluesky

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

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

Main Street Mt. Holly

28 Washington Street Mt. Holly

(609) 914-0811

Sat. 11 a.m. Howl-O-Ween Pet Pawrade

McStews Irish Sports Pub

5316 New Falls Road Levittown, PA

(215) 949-9570

Sat. 7 p.m. "Halloween Fest 2026" feat. SpareParts, The Groove Dudes, Jukebox Graveyard, Jeds Gold, The Fire Flyz, DJ Dangeruss. $20 (Includes buffet)

Tues. 7:30 p.m. Trivia Night

Music Mountain Theater

1483 Route 179 Lambertville

(609)397-3337

Fri. 8 p.m. "It's A Wonderful Life"

Sat. 3 p.m./ 8 p.m. "It's A Wonderful Life"

Sun. 3 p.m. "It's A Wonderful Life"

Needle Creek Farm Brewery

91 Titus Mill Road Pennington

Fri. 5:30 p.m. Mick Chorba

Neshaminy Creek Brewing Company

909 Ray Avenue Croydon, PA

(215) 458-7081

Thurs. 7 p.m. Trivia Night

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. "Halloween" Trivia

Fri. 6 p.m. Jimmmmm

Sat. (12 p.m.) Halloween Costume Party (6 p.m.) Dave Maida

Wed. 4 p.m. Open Mic Night w/ Bill Monach

Nick's Roast Beef

4501 Woodhaven Road West Philadelphia, PA

(215) 637-515

Wed. 7 p.m. Karaoke

Nottingham Tavern

9 Mercer Street Hamilton Square

(609) 587-6623

Thur. 9 pm. Karaoke w/ Super Dave Curtis

Fri. 8 p.m. Halloween Costume Party w/ DJ Nick Creo and Danny Dirt

Sat. 9 p.m. El Ka Bong

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

Thurs. 5 p.m. Vinyl Night

Fri. 3 p.m. Happy Hour feat. (5 p.m.) Johnathan Tristram

Sun. 2 p.m. Bluegrass Jam

Wed. 6:30 p.m. Trivia Night

Old Town Pub

135 Farnsworth Avenue Bordentown

(609) 291-9232

Sun. 10 a.m. Brunch

Wed. 7 p.m. Trivia

Palmer Square

40 Nassau Street Princeton

Sat. 1 p.m. Hampton Brass Quartet (Halloween Music)

Patriots Crossing

1339 River Road Titusville

(609) 737-2780

Thurs. 8 p.m. Ladies Night

Wed. 7 p.m. Pub Trivia

Pete's Steak House

523 Whitehorse Avenue Hamilton

(609) 585-8008

Fri. 9 p.m. Unleashed

Princeton Makes / Princeton Shopping Center

301 North Harrison Street Princeton

Sun. 1 p.m. Day of the Dead Celebration

Puss N Boots Tavern

942 Trenton Road Fairless Hills, PA

Fri. 8 p.m. Karaoke

Tues. 7 p.m. Trivia

Randy Now's Man Cave

119 West Ward Street Hightstown

(609) 424-3766

Fri. 7 p.m. Marcus Monroe

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. Debra & Patrick

Sat. 7 p.m. Bob Egan

Wed. 5 p.m. Tony Alosi

Robbinsville Bar & Grill

1380 U.s. Route 130 South Robbinsville

(609) 336-0001

Fri. 7 p.m. Kool Beanz

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

Second Sin Brewing Company

1500 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. 6 p.m. Fall Fest feat. Polish Nannies

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. Dennis King

Sparky World-Famous Beer Garden

4333 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

Starving Artist Cafe

18 Bridge Street Stockton

Thurs. 5:30 p.m. Open Mic Hosted by Daisy Jane

Fri. (9 a.m.) JB Kline Facebook Live (6 p.m.) Jerry Monk

Sat. 6 p.m. Halloween w/ Cait Black, Gabe Parsons. Doors open at 5 p.m.

Subculture Artisan Ales

11 West Second Street Florence

Thurs. 5 p.m. Vinyl Night

Tavern On The Lake

101 Main Street Hightstown

(609) 426-9345

Thurs. 6 p.m. Country DJ Music BINGO Night

Tues. 6 p.m. Trivia

Wed. 7 p.m. Karaoke

The Beer Garden and Education Center at Snipes Farm

890 West Bridge Street Morrisville, PA

Sat. 6 p.m. "Steal Your Face" Halloween/Day of the Dead Party

The Birdhouse Center For The Arts

7 North Main Street Lambertville

(215) 681-4660

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. 8 p.m. The Naturals / Halloween Singles Speakeasy (Ages 45-65) $41-$71.75

Sat. (11 a.m.) Brunch (8 p.m.) Halloween Costume Party w/ DJ Vinny

Tues. 7 p.m. Danny Lynch Duo

The Cool Cricket

216 Burlington Street Fieldsboro

(609) 291-9110

Fri. 9 p.m. Karaoke w/ Dave Curtis

Sat. 9 p.m. Halloween Bash feat. "Unleashed"

The Corner Inn

24509 East Main Street Columbus

(609) 298-8543

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

The Five Four Bar & Grill

8919 New Falls Road Levittown, PA

(215) 547-5525

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 Iron Mike

Sat. 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. 10 p.m. 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

Fri. 7 p.m. "Young Frankenstein"

Sun. 3 p.m. "Let's Get It On" Celebrating the Music of Marvin Gaye and Motown

Wed. 7 p.m. Movie Club: "The Time Machine"

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. Sheila Vee and a Call from Rob of Despyre

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 Firehouse

18 Washington Street Mount Holly

(609) 288-6491

Fri. 7 p.m. Lady Luck Halloween Party

Wed. 1 p.m. Open Mic Hosted by Carie McCay and Billy Garrett

The Union House

19 East Union Street Burlington

(609) 531-6077

Thurs. 7 p.m. Trivia

Sat. 10 a.m Brunch

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 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 Palmer Square east Princeton

(609) 924-7855

Fri. 5 p.m. George Vanderbilt Duo

Sat. 5 p.m. Nat Janoff Trio

Vault Brewing Company

10 South Main Street Yardley, PA

(267) 573-4291

Fri. 7 p.m. Dave Posmontier Trio

Sat. 7 p.m. Tony Micelli Trio

Village Idiot Brewing Company

42 High Street Mount Holly

(609) 975-9270

Thurs. 7 p.m. Trivia

Working Dog Winery

610 Windsor Perrineville Road Hightstown

(609) 371-6000

Thurs. 4:30 p.m. Dave Bermingham

Fri. 4:30 p.m. George Becker

Sat. 1 p.m. Patty Blee

Sun. 1 p.m. Rob Silvers

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"

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.

Your shows can be listed here for just $10
click here for more information

Mariza

Thursday, October 29, 2026
@ 7:30pm
McCarter Theatre Center (Matthews Theatre)
Princeton, NJ

Born in Mozambique and raised in Mouraria, one of Lisbon’s most historic neighborhoods, Mariza grew up surrounded by the voices, guitars, and traditions of fado. From an early age, she embraced that legacy and transformed it into a universal language, becoming the most acclaimed Portuguese artist in the world.

The Mavericks & Friends

Thursday, October 29, 2026
@ 8:00pm
Mayo Performing Arts Center
Morristown, NJ

The music lives on.

George Street Playhouse presents The Unexpected 3rd

Thursday, October 29, 2026
@ 2:00pm
New Brunswick Performing Arts Center (NBPAC)
New Brunswick, NJ

Written by and Starring Kathryn Grody
Directed by Timothy Near

A Radical, Rollicking Rumination on the Optimism of Staying Alive

Isabel Klee

Thursday, October 29, 2026
@ 4:30pm
Kean Stage - NAAB Auditorium
Union, NJ

Isabel Klee is a writer, content creator, and one of the most prominent voices in the pet advocacy space. Based in Brooklyn, Isabel has built a deeply engaged audience around her writing and her firsthand experience fostering dogs in New York City, bringing visibility to the urgent need for fosters and the animals who depend on them. Her debut memoir, Dogs, Boys, and Other Things I’ve Cried About debuted April 2026 as a New York Times #1 Best Seller.

Aziz Ansari: Hypothetical Tour

There are multiple performances including:

Thursday, October 29, 2026
@ 7:00pm
State Theatre New Jersey
New Brunswick, NJ

Aziz Ansari is an award-winning actor, director, writer, and comedian. He co-created, writes, directs, and stars in the Netflix original series Master of None for which he has won two Emmys® for Outstanding Comedy Writing, as well as an Emmy® and DGA Award nomination for directing. He recently released the film Good Fortune, which he wrote, directed, and co-starred in with Keanu Reeves and Seth Rogen.

CLICK HERE to view all remaining performances.

ADVANCED EVENTS

To search for a single date, choose the same starting and ending date.

EVENT PREVIEWS

Kean University Welcomes New York Times Bestselling Author and Animal Advocate Isabel Klee on October 29th for President's Distinguished Lecture Series

(UNION, NJ) -- New York Times bestselling author Isabel Klee will discuss her journey as a writer and animal welfare advocate at Kean University on Thursday, October 29, 2026, as part of the President's Distinguished Lecture Series. The event, which is open to the public, will offer insights into the connections between compassion, community engagement and storytelling. The event begins at 4:30pm.

Atlantic City Ballet to make Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Debut with "Dracula"

(ATLANTIC CITY, NJ) -- For the first time, Atlantic City Ballet's Dracula comes to Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City on Thursday, October 29, 2026 at Sound Waves. The performance welcomes audiences ages five and older for a wickedly unforgettable start to Halloween weekend. Guests are invited to dress up and enter the costume contest, with prizes awarded at the show. Showtime is 7:00pm.

Arden Theatre Company presents "Topdog/Underdog"

(PHILADELPHIA, PA) -- Philadelphia-based Arden Theatre Company continues its 2026/27 Mainstage Season with Suzan-Lori Parks' Pulitzer Prize- winning play Topdog/Underdog, a gripping two-person drama exploring brotherhood, rivalry, survival, and the ties that bind families together. Directed by three-time Barrymore Award-winning artist Amina Robinson and co-produced with People's Light, Topdog/Underdog starts its run on the Arden's Arcadia stage on October 29, with opening night on November 4, and performances running through December 13, 2026.

State Theatre New Jersey presents Netflix Special Taping of Aziz Ansari: Hypothetical Tour

(NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ) -- State Theatre New Jersey presents a Netflix Special Taping of the new show, Aziz Ansari: Hypothetical Tour on Thursday, October 29, 2026 with performances at 7:00pm & 9:30pm. Tickets are $40.

Seton Hall Theatre presents "Twelfth Night" at SOPAC

(SOUTH ORANGE, NJ) -- Seton Hall Theatre presents William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night from October 29 to November 1, 2026 at South Orange Performing Arts Center (SOPAC). The production is directed by Stephanie ila Silver-Silberstein.

McCarter Theatre Center presents a Week of Music and Dance with Mariza, Cecile McLorin Salvant, London City Ballet, and Suzanne Vega

(PRINCETON, NJ) -- From the music of Portugal to jazz, contemporary ballet, and some of the most recognizable songs in contemporary songwriting, McCarter Theatre Center welcomes four distinctive performances in early November: Mariza, Cécile McLorin Salvant, London City Ballet, and Suzanne Vega.

The Broadway Theatre of Pitman presents Psycho with Jamie Wolf on Thursday

(PITMAN, NJ) -- The Broadway Theatre of Pitman presents Psycho with Jamie Wolf on Thursday, October 29, 2026 at 7:30pm. The lineup also includes special guests Tyler Wolf and Chris Aileo.

MPAC presents The Mavericks on Thursday

(MORRISTOWN, NJ) -- Mayo Performing Arts Center (MPAC) presents The Mavericks on Thursday, October 29, 2026 at 8:00pm. A limited number of tickets remain available.

State Theatre New Jersey presents Get the Led Out on October 30th

(NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ) -- State Theatre New Jersey presents Get The Led Out on Friday, October 30, 2026 at 8:00pm. From bombastic and epic to the folky and mystical, Get The Led Out (GTLO) have captured the essence of the recorded music of Led Zeppelin and brought it to the concert stage. The Philadelphia-based group consists of six veteran musicians intent on delivering.

The Lizzie Rose Halloween Spectacular takes place October 30th

(TUCKERTON, NJ) -- On Friday, October 30, 2026, Lizzie Rose Music Room presents a Halloween Spectacular show with a Costume Contest, and Halloween music by The Wag. Are you looking for something fun to do this Halloween? You just found it! Showtime is 7:30pm.

New Jersey Stage

Nobody covers the Arts throughout
the Garden State like
New Jersey Stage!

Images used on this site have been sent to us from publicists, artists, and PR firms. If there is a problem with the rights to any image, please contact us and we will look into the matter.

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, and on our RSS feed

Rock On! This Week's Sound Bites... 10/29/2026

by Danny Coleman

Follow New Jersey Stage on social media
Facebook, Threads, Instagram, Twitter, Bluesky

Follow New Jersey Stage on social media
Facebook, Threads, Instagram, Twitter, Bluesky

Follow New Jersey Stage on social media
Facebook, Threads, Instagram, Twitter, Bluesky

Follow New Jersey Stage on social media
Facebook, Threads, Instagram, Twitter, Bluesky

Mariza

The Mavericks & Friends

George Street Playhouse presents The Unexpected 3rd

Isabel Klee

Aziz Ansari: Hypothetical Tour

ADVANCED EVENTS

To search for a single date, choose the same starting and ending date.

Starting Date:

Ending Date:

All Events art comedy

dance film kids

music theatre community
North Jersey Central Jersey

South Jersey

EVENT PREVIEWS

Kean University Welcomes New York Times Bestselling Author and Animal Advocate Isabel Klee on October 29th for President's Distinguished Lecture Series

Atlantic City Ballet to make Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Debut with "Dracula"

Arden Theatre Company presents "Topdog/Underdog"

State Theatre New Jersey presents Netflix Special Taping of Aziz Ansari: Hypothetical Tour

Seton Hall Theatre presents "Twelfth Night" at SOPAC

McCarter Theatre Center presents a Week of Music and Dance with Mariza, Cecile McLorin Salvant, London City Ballet, and Suzanne Vega

The Broadway Theatre of Pitman presents Psycho with Jamie Wolf on Thursday

MPAC presents The Mavericks on Thursday

State Theatre New Jersey presents Get the Led Out on October 30th

The Lizzie Rose Halloween Spectacular takes place October 30th

New Jersey Stage

© 2026 by Wine Time Media, LLC
PO Box 811, Belmar, NJ 07719
[email protected]

Nobody covers the Arts throughout
the Garden State like
New Jersey Stage!

Images used on this site have been sent to us from publicists, artists, and PR firms. If there is a problem with the rights to any image, please contact us and we will look into the matter.

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, and on our RSS feed

Art | Comedy | Dance | Film | Music | Theatre | Advertising | About Us | Pitch a Story | Links | Radio Shows | Privacy Policy

Rock On! This Week's Sound Bites... 10/29/2026

by Danny Coleman

Follow New Jersey Stage on social mediaFacebook, Threads, Instagram, Twitter, Bluesky

Follow New Jersey Stage on social mediaFacebook, Threads, Instagram, Twitter, Bluesky

Follow New Jersey Stage on social mediaFacebook, Threads, Instagram, Twitter, Bluesky

Follow New Jersey Stage on social mediaFacebook, Threads, Instagram, Twitter, Bluesky

Mariza

The Mavericks & Friends

George Street Playhouse presents The Unexpected 3rd

Isabel Klee

Aziz Ansari: Hypothetical Tour

ADVANCED EVENTS

To search for a single date, choose the same starting and ending date.

EVENT PREVIEWS

Kean University Welcomes New York Times Bestselling Author and Animal Advocate Isabel Klee on October 29th for President's Distinguished Lecture Series

Atlantic City Ballet to make Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Debut with "Dracula"

Arden Theatre Company presents "Topdog/Underdog"

State Theatre New Jersey presents Netflix Special Taping of Aziz Ansari: Hypothetical Tour

Seton Hall Theatre presents "Twelfth Night" at SOPAC

McCarter Theatre Center presents a Week of Music and Dance with Mariza, Cecile McLorin Salvant, London City Ballet, and Suzanne Vega

The Broadway Theatre of Pitman presents Psycho with Jamie Wolf on Thursday

MPAC presents The Mavericks on Thursday

State Theatre New Jersey presents Get the Led Out on October 30th

The Lizzie Rose Halloween Spectacular takes place October 30th

New Jersey Stage

© 2026 by Wine Time Media, LLC PO Box 811, Belmar, NJ 07719 [email protected]

Nobody covers the Arts throughout the Garden State like New Jersey Stage!

Images used on this site have been sent to us from publicists, artists, and PR firms. If there is a problem with the rights to any image, please contact us and we will look into the matter. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, and on our RSS feed

Art | Comedy | Dance | Film | Music | Theatre | Advertising | About Us | Pitch a Story | Links | Radio Shows | Privacy Policy

Follow New Jersey Stage on social media
Facebook, Threads, Instagram, Twitter, Bluesky

Follow New Jersey Stage on social media
Facebook, Threads, Instagram, Twitter, Bluesky

Follow New Jersey Stage on social media
Facebook, Threads, Instagram, Twitter, Bluesky

Follow New Jersey Stage on social media
Facebook, Threads, Instagram, Twitter, Bluesky

© 2026 by Wine Time Media, LLC
PO Box 811, Belmar, NJ 07719
[email protected]

Nobody covers the Arts throughout
the Garden State like
New Jersey Stage!

Images used on this site have been sent to us from publicists, artists, and PR firms. If there is a problem with the rights to any image, please contact us and we will look into the matter.

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, and on our RSS feed