New Jersey Stage logo
New Jersey Stage Menu



 

Nalani & Sarina Spice Up The Bitter End

By Danny Coleman

originally published: 03/25/2015


We play there as often as we can," stated Nalani and Sarina about their musical home "The Bitter End" in New York City. "We had a residency there last year and we try and get back there as much as possible."

Tonight they'll be making good on that statement as they rock the popular Bleeker Street venue yet again with a full band that features "Late Night with David Letterman" bassist Will Lee, Jim Hines, Tom Mandel and "A Great Big World" guitarist Oscar Rodriguez. "We are so excited to play this show! We've got a great band backing us up, we love to play at The Bitter End and we are working on a new EP which we are going to be previewing a little on Wednesday. We are going to be playing a lot of new stuff that nobody has heard yet."

Twin sisters from a central New Jersey town, the ladies bring their "A Game" to every performance; wowing audiences with their talent and unabashed enthusiasm from their opening chords to the final note. Taking a quote from their Facebook page ( https://www.facebook.com/nalanisarinamusic/info?tab=page_info), Nalani sums up their philosophy on performing for an audience well when she says, "We didn't take all those lessons and spend all those hours practicing so we could lip-sync to pre-recorded tracks.”

With that infectious energy comes a guarantee to win over any crowd but these young ladies attribute much of this success to their band mates as well. "Our band is so incredible," they both gushed at once. "We have Will Lee, c'mon! We have Jimmy on drums; we recruited him from Brian Wilson and we have a great working relationship with him. Oscar from A Great Big World and Leni on guitar; great talent and a Leni is a great African pop guitarist!"

"Scattered World" is the new six song EP currently under production and not expected out until the late spring or early summer months. They say that the decision to go the EP route versus a full length disc like their debut "Lessons Learned" was an easy one. "We weren't planning on another album. We just kind of started writing again after seeing a series of live shows; it inspired us. We really didn't want to make another album but as we started getting into it more and writing, we found ourselves going in a new direction."

That direction was a vast departure from not only their first effort but their style as well. "We grabbed the title from a song on our first disc, "Scattered Girl" because these songs are just that; scattered. They are all different yet they work together. They are still pop rock and funk but the difference is more from a lyrical standpoint."

Claiming that they needed to try something different; the duo pulled from unlikely sources and a bit of their own imaginations as they penned the tunes. "The music is definitely our style but the words; well, they are a departure from the usual stuff we write. On this EP we are relying on other people's stories and not writing about our own personal experiences. We even write in the third person; it is a lot different than what we have always done. We have really went out of our comfort zone with this one. We have made things up, changed and embellished some of the stories and yet we find it so freeing. We really enjoyed the process this time and we see it as the sky really is the limit!"

After their show this evening they will maintain a busy performance schedule, work on the EP and continue to be creative as they show no signs of slowing down. "We need to finish the EP," they said with a laugh. "Once that is done, we will play as much as possible to support it. We may release a single and we have a video we are prepping for a June release but we intend to just constantly keep writing too."




New Jersey Stage provides affordable advertising for the arts, click here for info



Admission is $10 to the 8 p.m. show this evening at the Bitter End which is located at 147 Bleeker Street in NYC. To discover more about Nalani and Sarina please log onto their web site at www.nalanisarina.com .

About the author:

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.


EVENT PREVIEWS

(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."
Rising Sun Presents: A Funky Reggae Party on August 1st

Rising Sun Presents: A Funky Reggae Party on August 1st

(KING OF PRUSSIA, PA) -- Rising Sun Presents will celebrate summer with A Funky Reggae Party in Heuser Park on Saturday, August 1, 2026. The evening will feature performances from legendary acts Steel Pulse, Karl Denson's Tiny Universe playing Jimmy Cliff, and The Original Wailers ft. Al Anderson. The lineup also includes The Philly Reggae Allstars ft. members of Wareika Hill. Tabernacle & more, along with DJ sets from Solomonic Sound System (Rob Paine) and Traveler Sounds.

New Brunswick Performing Arts Center presents John Violinist on August 1st

(NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ) -- John Violinist will perform at the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center (NBPAC) on Saturday, August 1, 2026 7:30pm. John is an international violinist and performer who has fused the sound of classical music with the sound of today's popular music.

The Stone Pony presents John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band on August 1st

(ASBURY PARK, NJ) -- John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band return to The Stone Pony on Saturday, August 1, 2026. The band has been delivering their patented good time rock 'n' roll for more then 50 years now. This is an all ages show; doors are at 6:30pm.
Art, Poetry, and Conversation Unite at Monmouth Museum at Dunellen

Art, Poetry, and Conversation Unite at Monmouth Museum at Dunellen

(DUNELLEN, NJ) -- Jo-El Lopez will present a special edition of Art in Conversation on Saturday, August 1, 2026 at 2:00pm at the Monmouth Museum at Dunellen (266 North Avenue) in Dunellen. The free public event will feature an engaging artist talk by acclaimed abstract artist Bryant Small, followed by original spoken-word performances inspired by his artwork.

The Vogel presents Enjoy Every Sandwich: A Tribute to Warren Zevon on Saturday

(RED BANK, NJ) -- The Vogel presents Enjoy Every Sandwich: A Tribute to Warren Zevon on Saturday, August 1, 2026 at 7:30pm. This is another one of Pat Guadagno's popular tribute shows featuring an all-star cast. Limited tickets remain.
bergenPAC presents Buddy Guy on August 4th

bergenPAC presents Buddy Guy on August 4th

(ENGLEWOOD, NJ) -- Bergen Performing Arts Center (bergenPAC) presents Buddy Guy on Tuesday, August 4, 2026 at 7:00pm. Buddy Guy remains a singular force in American music. Fresh off earning his ninth GRAMMY® Award in 2026 for Best Traditional Blues Album (Ain't Done with the Blues), the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee and one of the last living architects of electric blues will celebrate a historic milestone with the Buddy Guy 90 Tour, featuring select headline performances across North America in 2026.
The Newton Theatre presents Adrian Vandenberg "My Whitesnake Years Tour"

The Newton Theatre presents Adrian Vandenberg "My Whitesnake Years Tour"

(NEWTON, NJ) -- The Newton Theatre presents Adrian Vandenberg "My Whitesnake Years Tour" with Marco Mendoza, and Vinnie Moore on Wednesday, August 5, 2026 at 8:00pm.

Cape May Convention Hall presents Croce Plays Croce on August 7th

(CAPE MAY, NJ) -- A.J. Croce brings his Croce Plays Croce show to the Cape May Convention Hall on Friday, August 7, 2026 at 8:00pm. Son of the legendary singer songwriter, Jim Croce, A.J. purposefully waited thirty years to perform his father's music, only introducing his acclaimed Croce Plays Croce Tour when he felt there was a meaningful way to honor his musical legacy with depth, intention, and musical integrity.
State Theatre New Jersey presents Buddy Guy

State Theatre New Jersey presents Buddy Guy

(NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ) -- State Theatre New Jersey presents Buddy Guy on Saturday, August 8, 2026 at 8:00pm. At nearly 90 years old, Buddy Guy remains a singular force in American music. Fresh off earning his ninth Grammy® Award in 2026 for Best Traditional Blues Album (Ain't Done with the Blues), the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee and one of the last living architects of electric blues will celebrate a historic milestone with the Buddy Guy 90 Tour, featuring select headline performances across North America in 2026.

 

FEATURED EVENTS


Stone Flower - ​Santana Tribute Band

Saturday, August 01, 2026 @ 7:30pm
Lizzie Rose Music Room
Tuckerton, NJ


The Concert: A Tribute to ABBA

Wednesday, August 05, 2026 @ 7:30pm
Mayo Performing Arts Center (MPAC)
Morristown, NJ


Dead On Live – Bob Weir Tribute

Thursday, August 06, 2026 @ 8:00pm
Mayo Performing Arts Center (MPAC)
Morristown, NJ


Mi Gente Live - Mayor's Summer Concert Series

Thursday, August 06, 2026 @ 7:00pm
Union County Performing Arts Center (UCPAC) - Main Stage
Rahway, NJ


James Maddock

Friday, August 07, 2026 @ 7:30pm
Lizzie Rose Music Room
Tuckerton, NJ



 

Advertise with NJ Stage for $50-$100 per month, click here for info