Chicken Fat Ball: "A Swinging Affair" at The Woodland in Maplewood

The Chicken Fat Ball, said tenor saxophonist Harry Allen is a little "like sitting around a dinner table with friends." But instead of deciding what to eat, they decide what tunes to play. "We certainly don’t talk about it ahead of time," Allen added. "It's pretty spontaneous. There might be a little discussion backstage right before we go on. One person suggests something. Someone else suggests something. It's very much like a conversation."

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Midtown Releases Cover Of Pavement's "Cut Your Hair"

(NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ) -- Midtown are back with another brand new tribute to one of their favorite bands for their forthcoming EP, We’re Too Old To Write New Songs, So Here's Some Old Songs We Didn't Write. They’ve shared their take on Pavement's "Cut Your Hair", streaming now here.

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PHOTOS from Best of Clapton Band at Cooper's Riverview

In March, I had the pleasure to attend a performance of the Best of Clapton Band at Cooper's Riverview in Trenton, NJ.

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Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes to Perform at Sherman Theater

(STROUDSBURG, PA) -- The legendary Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes bring their Jersey Shore rock and R&B sounds to the Sherman Theater stage on Friday, June 30, 2023. The doors will open at 7:00pm, showtime is 8:00pm.

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Teaneck International Film Festival, PBS Indie Lens Pop-Up and The Puffin Foundation present Screening of "Free Chol Soo Lee"

(TEANECK, NJ) -- On April 19 at 7:30pm, there will be a screening of Free Chol Soo Lee, the last of the virtual film series presented this winter and spring through the continued partnership between TIFF, The Puffin Foundation Ltd., PBS, and Indie Lens Pop-Up. Watch the film – at no charge - from the comfort of your own living room, via Ovee. Advance registration is required; go to the TIFF website: www.teaneckfilmfestival.org, and click on Eventbrite to sign up.

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PHOTOS from "A Midsummer Night's Dream" by Atlantic City Ballet

(ATLANTIC CITY, NJ) -- On March 26, the Atlantic City Ballet performed "A Midsummer Night's Dream" at Caesars and photographer John Posada was on hand to take photos. Founding Artistic Director/Choreographer Phyllis Papa first choreographed the classic Shakespeare play as a ballet in 2006, following the comic storyline and it has remained in the repertoire for the AC Ballet.

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Somers Point Poetry Society to Hold Monthly Poetry Meet Ups

(SOMERS POINT, NJ) -- The Somers Point Poetry Society is a new group that will hold a Poetry Meet Up on the 2nd Thursday of each month. The next Poetry Meet Up takes place on Thursday, April 13th at the Senior Center, starting at 6:00pm. The theme is Character Study; feel free to bring poems on theme.

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MCCC's Academic Theatre and Dance Company Presents the Hip-Hop Production "The Shadow Men" at Kelsey Theatre

(WEST WINDSOR, NJ) -- "The Shadow Men," an original dance theatre production inspired by 19 artworks and interviews with local Trenton artist Tamara Torres, will be performed by the Mercer County Community College Academic Theatre and Dance Company at Kelsey Theatre April 14 -16. Inspired by the parts of Torres's life story (what she is willing to reveal) and her artwork, the MCCC Academic Theatre and Dance Company draws inspiration to work through topics such as feminism, mental health awareness and racial inequality to create a haunting and thrilling production.

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Anirudh Draws Thousands of Fans to Local Arenas for his Debut US Tour

(FORT LAUDERDALE, FL) -- Anirudh Ravichander, one of India's mega musical stars, is embarking on the US leg of his "Once Upon A Time" Worldwide Tour. Kicking off today, March 31st, 2023, in Washington DC at the EagleBank Arena, Anirudh and his unique 360 concert experience will then travel the country hitting six major U.S. cities before the final stop, at the Oakland Arena. Similar to the rest of the tour worldwide, these performances are selling out rapidly amid massive excitement among fans. The tour comes to the Prudential Center in Newark on April 1st.

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Centenary Stage Company to Hold Auditions for Next Stage Rep Productions of "Rock of Ages" and "Seussical the Musical"

(HACKETTSTOWN, NJ) -- Centenary Stage Company, a not-for-profit professional theater in NW NJ, will hold auditions for its Summer Stock Season. This summer CSC will present Rock of Ages and Seussical the Musical. Auditions will take place on May 4 and May 5 from 6:00pm to 10:00pm at the Centenary Stage Company located at 715 Grand Ave, Hackettstown NJ.

Chicken Fat Ball: "A Swinging Affair" at The Woodland in Maplewood

The Chicken Fat Ball, said tenor saxophonist Harry Allen is a little "like sitting around a dinner table with friends." But instead of deciding what to eat, they decide what tunes to play. "We certainly don’t talk about it ahead of time," Allen added. "It's pretty spontaneous. There might be a little discussion backstage right before we go on. One person suggests something. Someone else suggests something. It's very much like a conversation."

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PHOTOS from Best of Clapton Band at Cooper's Riverview

In March, I had the pleasure to attend a performance of the Best of Clapton Band at Cooper's Riverview in Trenton, NJ.

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PHOTOS from "A Midsummer Night's Dream" by Atlantic City Ballet

(ATLANTIC CITY, NJ) -- On March 26, the Atlantic City Ballet performed "A Midsummer Night's Dream" at Caesars and photographer John Posada was on hand to take photos. Founding Artistic Director/Choreographer Phyllis Papa first choreographed the classic Shakespeare play as a ballet in 2006, following the comic storyline and it has remained in the repertoire for the AC Ballet.

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Carolyn Dorfman Dance Celebrates Four Decades Of A Moving Legacy In Two Evenings Of Multimedia Performance-exhibits At The Morris Museum

How much can art hold? Are we asking too much when we wish that it would make meaning out of our lives? Carolyn Dorfman doesn't think so; she never has. As founder and artistic director of the Union- and New York City-based modern dance company Carolyn Dorfman Dance, Dorfman has always taken bold swings.

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New Jersey Artists Have Much to Say about the State of the Planet

Is it OK to brag about our state? New Jersey often gets a bad rap, but those of us who live and work here know that among its many assets is the presence of some of the finest artists.

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Remember When... Pop & the Jukes

The Memorial Day radio concert in 1976, celebrating the release of the debut album by Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes, voted by Asbury Park Press readers as the show that brought Asbury Park notoriety, almost didn’t happen.

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PHOTOS from The Wag's 25th Anniversary and Album Release at The Strand

(LAKEWOOD, NJ) -- The Wag celebrated the band's 25th anniversary and the release of their latest album, Blue Bottles and Copper Coins, on Saturday, March 25, 2023 at The Strand in Lakewood. Photographer John Posada was on hand to take photos.

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Elvis Has Still Not Left the Building

Elvis. Now, nearly 46 years after his untimely and tragic death, rock star Elvis Presley has still not “left the building” as announcers used to tell eager Elvis fans after his shows, that drew huge crowds wherever he performed...

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There's a Bee at George Street Playhouse

Yes, there's a bee on the loose at New Brunswick's George Street Playhouse. Not to worry; it won't sting you. But it will get you laughing out loud, a lot. The wonderfully funny musical, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, is a show guaranteed to give you a ton of laughs. It is a well produced production that features a fabulous cast and even a few extras from the audience.

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PHOTOS from Third Eye Blind at Wellmont Theater

(MONTCLAIR, NJ) -- Third Eye Blind had a sold out show at the Wellmont Theater in Montclair on March 24, 2023 and photographer Julie Hoffman was on hand to take photos.

Makin Waves Song of the Week: "Never Meant to Be" by Jim Mill

“Never Meant to Be,” the latest single from Jersey Shore singer-songwriter Jim Mill’s new EP, “Unhappy Hour,” is the Makin Waves Song of the Week.

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Rock On! This Week's Sound Bites...3/30/23

“I have an hour and a half of mostly acoustic style songs and I'm in the process of editing 15 music videos so, I am busy," laughed a jovial and excited Joe Bouchard as he discussed his upcoming show at Factory Records in Dover, NJ. "People keep saying, you should do more of your own solo songs so, that's what we did; it's a duo, it's myself on acoustic guitar and my girlfriend, my partner; she plays the Stratocaster. I do the singing and most of the rhythm and then she fills in the parts that need to be played so yeah, it's all good and I’m having fun.”  

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BlowUpRadio.com's New & Notable NJ Music 3/27/23

Lazlo, founder of BlowUpRadio.com (an online radio station based around New Jersey artists), shines a light on some of the many new releases from NJ based musicians each week with this column. This week Lazlo takes a look at releases by AFTYN, Jim Mill, The Wag, The Blakes, Renee Maskin & The Mysterious Wilds, Phoneboy, Erika Sherger, and crowded shoulders.

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Top 15 Most Read Stories at New Jersey Stage from March 19-25, 2023

Here's a look at the top 15 most read articles published at New Jersey Stage from March 19-25, 2023. Each week we publish about 70 articles, including several original columns and features, along with news releases for events happening throughout the state and nearby areas like Philadelphia and New York City. This week's top 15 includes articles from 6 counties in New Jersey (Essex, Hudson, Hunterdon, Middlesex, Monmouth, Somerset). Topics included film, theatre, music, dance, and community.

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Makin Waves Song of the Week: "Small Town Factory" by Joe Normal

With his brand new album "Public Works," Springsteen-like blue-collar singer-songwriter Joe Normal pays homage to his hometown of Elizabeth, a place known for its importance in Revolutionary American history and industry, as well as its notorious struggles with environmental issues and crime.