ROCK ON! This Week's Sound Bites...7/24/14

By Danny Coleman

originally published: 07/24/2014

"What was it like?" said Don Felder at a recent back stage meet and greet with several fans when questioned about being on the cover of Rolling Stone Magazine while a member of the Eagles. "It was, well, let's say I was happy and a little ticked off at the same time," he answered with a minor chuckle. "The editor put us on the cover but panned our album in his review so...." The album which Felder is referring to was none other than "Hotel California."

Felder had just finished a smokin' hot set that kicked off a sweltering evening at the Susquehanna Bank Center in Camden, NJ as he did his part opening for Styx and Foreigner on the "Sounds of Summer Tour."

Starting right on time at 7 p.m., Felder took the stage dressed in white with a black vest, briefly addressed the crowd and broke into "Already Gone," this being the first of nine popular Eagles songs in this eleven song set. Others were, "One of These Nights," Victim of Love" and an incredible display of vocal harmonies on "Seven Bridges Road." A smiling Felder (who is also an avid golfer), prefaced "Witchy Woman" by saying that "Tiger Woods seems to have known a few of these women in the past."
Stepping away from his former band and stating something to the effect that some in the audience may or may not remember this next song and continuing with, "...if you do remember it; you weren't high enough in the movie theater," Felder broke into his mega hit "Heavy Metal." "Heartache Tonight" and "Life In The Fast Lane" sped along nicely, much to the approval of the large crowd, which only earlier in the set Felder had implored to move down into the covered section of the amphitheater as a blustery summer thunder storm blew threw; soaking those who chose to stay in their lawn seats.
The set ended with this seemingly ageless rocker calling tour mates Tommy Shaw and Todd Sucherman of Styx out on stage as Don and his all star band broke into "Hotel California," which was greeted with, appropriately enough, thunderous applause.
Running on a tight schedule, the road crew worked a fifteen minute change over to the set up for Styx and at 8:05 p.m. EST the opening notes of "The Grand Illusion," split the night air. "Too Much Tim on My Hands" and "Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man)" followed and the band was in full party mode as once again the now near capacity crowd, most of which were 40 and 50 somethings, were reliving their days gone by with a vengeance.
The frenzied crowd was calmed for a moment when transported back to the leisure suit/powder blue tuxedo junior prom theme classic "Lady" which was followed by "Suite Madame Blue," "Light Up" and "Superstars," truly to this point, something for Styx fans from every era. During this run, Tommy Shaw took a run of his own as he jumped down from the stage, guitar in hand and wandered the aisles and around the perimeter of a surprised Susquehanna Bank Center.
The lights went low once Shaw returned to the stage, Tommy returned the favor and called upon Don Felder to join the band for a rollicking version of "Blue Collar Man (Long Nights)." The main spotlight was then trained on keyboardist Lawrence Gowan, who began to play the Rolling Stones "You Can't Always Get What You Want," inciting a brief sing along until he stopped pre second verse and said, "Ok, let's just talk about the elephant in the room shall we?" Referring to social media and the fact that word had spread literally like wild fire; he poked fun at the recent misfortunes of the band's tour bus catching fire. Being unable to resist, Gowan broke into a refrain of the Doors "Light My Fire" and thanked the Philadelphia, PA fire fighters who responded so quickly to their plight. After several more chuckles and thanks, the opening notes of the arena rock classic "Come Sail Away" sent the crowd into a frenzied sing along, which by the smile on Gowan's face, ignited another fire within his already enthusiastic stage performance.
An encore of "Rockin' The Paradise" and "Renegade" put a wrap on this highly energetic set which seemingly left no one disappointed. Dan Sclocchini who made the trip with other friends from the Philadelphia area said, "We were all kind of sitting around the picnic table and we saw a commercial for this show and we thought, sounds like a good idea; I'm glad we came, it's a great so far." Dan's friend Ron Mestichelli added, "Yeah, any band that you can see when you're age 14 and still see when you're 52; you have got to go!"
Foreigner would be the last to take the stage at 9:43 p.m. with a crisp version of "Double Vision" and then immediately into "Head Games." Kelly Hansen had many in the crowd saying, "Lou who?," as his vocals pierced the night air. The man who replaced Lou Gramm seemed to be very comfortable breezing through the band's catalog of hits. "Not to belabor the point but Styx hasn't told us WHY that tour bus caught fire," Hansen laughed as the band broke into "Cold As Ice." "Waiting For a Girl Like You" was followed by 'Dirty White Boy" and Hansen, dripping with sweat referenced the fact that anyone over the age of forty should "Not be sitting down."
Hansen next spoke briefly about the band's history and lamented the ailing health of original member Mick Jones who makes only select appearances on the tour. Fortunately for the Camden crowd, this was one of those nights and Hansen introduced Jones to huge appreciative applause as the opening riffs of "Feels Like The First Time" flowed like a river from the sound system followed by "Urgent."
Wearing a strained smile, an obviously pleased Jones thanked his well wishers and drew yet another massive round of applause when he spoke of the now gone Spectrum in Philadelphia and what a special a place the old building was to the band and entertainers in general; he then dedicated "Starrider" to his mother.
A nifty call and answer between drums and keyboard ensued before the entire band joined in for a fantastic version of "Juke Box Hero." The band was steamrolling ahead at this point, building to a crescendo at song's completion upon which they said their temporary good byes and exited the stage.
Moments later they retook the stage along with the Cherokee High School Choir. As the large contingent filtered into their positions Hansen commanded the crowd to join arms and/or hands and love the person next to them as they performed "I Want To Know What Love Is." The band members encouraged their teenaged guests to sing loudly and bassist Jeff Pilson even allowed a choir member to strum his bass as the audience swayed and sang along.
"Hot Blooded" brought the evening to a close at approximately 11 p.m. and the house lights immediately sent the signal, that for at least this night, the "Soundtrack of Summer" tour had run its playlist to the end. Fan Tracy Solomon was overheard saying, "I loved it and I didn't even really want to come tonight!" Solomon then stated that Don Felder was her favorite as her husband Brad proclaimed that he, "Enjoyed both Styx and Foreigner" as well. A woman known only as "Scrumptious" expressed that she "Loved the sax guy in Foreigner," whose amazing solos throughout the set added much to the band's already great sound.
Overall, a fabulous night of music and for those over 40 years of age; definitely a soundtrack from summers long ago passed. To see where the soundtrack is playing next, please go to www.soundtrackofsummer.com
A couple of local events are taking place via Randy Now's Man Cave in Bordentown City located at 134 Farnsworth Ave.
First is the return of "Tod the Mod" Ellis in a rare acoustic performance along with fellow Smart Remarks band mate Chris Gordon. Old 45 rpm records of Smart Remarks material have fetched up to $300 per record on line and this pair will be bringing it live on Saturday July 26 at 8 p.m. Tickets are a mere $5 and it is a BYOB affair. There are only 30 tickets sold for this intimate venue and they are going fast.
Monday July 28 at 6:30 p.m. the New Hope Film Festival will be having a screening of "Riot On The Dance Floor" a documentary about the infamous Trenton, NJ club City Gardens. Randy Now was instrumental in bringing acts like Green Day, The Ramones, Henry Rollins and numerous others into this now legendary venue. The New Hope Arts Council Building located at 2 Stockton Street will be hosting this event.
That's it for this week! Please continue to support live and original music and until next week....ROCK ON!

THIS WEEKS CALENDAR LISTINGS

Alchemist & Barrister

28 Witherspoon Street Princeton
(609) 924-5555
Thurs. 10 p.m. Paul Plumeri Blues Band

Promote your shows at New Jersey Stage! Click here for info

Wed. 8 p.m. An Evening w/ Sonny Landreth / Jazz Academy All Stars. Doors at 6 p.m., $30

All shows 21+
Ivy Tavern
3108 S. Broad Street, Hamilton
(609) 888-1435
Fri. 10 p.m. Kindred Spirit

Sat. 10 p.m. Infinite Bandwidth
All shows 21+

John & Peter's
96 S. Main St. New Hope, Pa.
(215) 862-5981

Thurs. 9 p.m. Jerry Feiss

Fri. 9 p.m. Weird Hot

Sat. 9:30 p.m. The Hyde w/ The Burgeoning

Sun. (3 p.m.) Drag Show (9:30 p.m.) Red Light Special

Mon. Open Mic. w/ Tim

Tues. 9 p.m. DJ Aggreschen

Wed. The Invitational (Featuring John & Peter's House Band)
All shows 21+
JoJo's Tavern

2677 Nottingham Way Hamilton

(609) 586-2678
Wed. 10 p.m. Karaoke
Paint the Roses Tea and Café Restaurante

37 W. Broad St. Hopewell

(609) 466-8200
Sat. 11 a.m. Bryan Hill
Palermo's Of Hamilton
310 Klockner Rd. Hamilton
(609) 838-7979

Thurs. 9 p.m. Karaoke

All shows 21+
Patriot's Crossing

1339 River Rd. Titusville

(609) 737-2780
Fri. 7:30 p.m. Just Us

Sat. 7:30 p.m. Gary & Deana
Pete's Steak House
523 Whitehorse Ave. Hamilton
(609) 585-8008

Fri. 9:30 p.m. Ernie White & Tom Reock

Sat. 9:30 p.m. Blind Lemmon Pie
RHO Waterfront

50 Riverview Plaza Trenton

(609) 393-7300
Thurs. 9 p.m. College Night w/ DJ Jeff Scott

Fri. (5 p.m.) Jerry Watkins. $10 Buffet (9 p.m.) The Soul Cruisers (10:30 p.m.) DJ Jimmie Palumbo

Sat. 9 p.m. Tropical Festival w/ The Edward Lebron Orquestra/Magic Mike's Birthday Bash/DJs On The Deck $20 (advance) $30 (door)

All Shows 21+
Spigola Ristorante

3817 Crosswicks Hamilton Square Rd. Hamilton

(609) 585-5255
Sat. 8:30 p.m. After Dark Band
Sunsets at Cream Ridge

181 Rte. 539 Cream Ridge

(609) 208-2500
Fri. 9:30 p.m. Drew's Farm

Sat. 9:30 p.m. El Ka Bong

Tavern On The Lake

101 Main St. Hightstown
(609) 426-9345

Fri. 9 p.m. FarCry

Sat. 9 p.m. Anything Goes

Wed. 8 p.m. Karaoke Night
The Cool Cricket

216 4th St. Fieldsboro

(609) 291-9110
Fri. 9 p.m. Karaoke

Sat. 9 p.m. (TBA)

Sun. 1 p.m. Bikes, Burgers, Beer feat. Out Of Ashes / Never Enough
The Man Cave

134 Farnsworth Ave. Bordentown

(609) 424-3766
Sat. 8 p.m. "Tod The Mod" Ellis / Chris Gordon. Doors at 7:30 p.m., $5
The Ivy Inn

248 Nassau St. Princeton

(609) 921-8555
Thurs. 10 p.m. Karaoke w/ Ron Sherr

Fri. 10 p.m. DJ Darius

Sat. 10 p.m. Gravity Hill

Tues. 8 p.m. Quizzo w/ Bob E Luv

Wed. 10 p.m. Karaoke w/ Ron Sherr
The Sticky Wicket
2465 South Broad St. Hamilton
(609) 439-0007
Fri. 9 p.m. Never Enough

Sat. 9:30 p.m. Deep release

All shows 21+
The Sun National Bank Center
81 Hamilton Ave. Trenton
(609) 656-3200
Check web site for upcoming events
Tir Na Nog
1324 Hamilton Ave. Trenton
(609) 392-2554

Fri. 9 p.m. Mike Barniskis

Sat. 9 p.m. Black Brant

Tues. 9 p.m. Open Mic. w/ Bob Daley

All shows 21+
Trenton Social

449 South Broad Street Trenton

(609) 989-7777
Thurs. 8 p.m. Cinema Thursdays Presents: OK, good

Fri. 10 p.m. Friday night w/ Jay Kountree & Jaxx

Mon. 10 p.m. Service Industry Night w/ DJ-Jay Kountree

Tues. 9 p.m. LiveMusic/Open Mic.
Triumph Brewing Company (New Hope, Pa. Location)
400 Union Square New Hope, Pa.
(215) 862-8300

Fri. 10 p.m. Tigerman. $5 (cover charge)

Sat. 10 p.m. Pure Jerry / Space Rooster. $5 (cover charge)

Sun. 7 p.m. Open Jam Night

All shows 21+
Wildflowers Inn

2572 Pennington Rd. Pennington

Sat. 9 p.m. Live Acoustic Rock
Mon. 9 p.m. Karaoke

All shows 21+

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.

Beat: Belew/vai/levin/bozzio Performing The Music Of King Crimson
Monday, November 09, 2026 @ 8:00pm
NJPAC - Prudential Hall
1 Center Street, Newark, NJ

Following more than 100 acclaimed performances across North and South America, Europe, and Japan, BEAT returns this fall for the last North American tour. Former King Crimson members Adrian Belew and Tony Levin are joined by guitar virtuoso Steve Vai and legendary drummer Terry Bozzio to perform the music of the three landmark 1980s King Crimson albums—Discipline, Beat, and Three of a Perfect Pair.

Joe Russo's Almost Dead
Thursday, November 12, 2026 @ 7:30pm
State Theatre New Jersey
15 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ

Joe Russo's Almost Dead is Marco Benevento, Dave Dreiwitz, Tom Hamilton, Scott Metzger and Joe Russo. We're a Grateful Dead cover band.

Mccarter At The Museum: An Evening With Jason Robert Brown
Thursday, November 12, 2026 @ 7:00pm
Princeton Art Museum
45 Elm Drive, Princeton, NJ

Join us for McCarter at the Museum - renowned performing artists in one-night only events at the Princeton University Art Museum.

Jason Robert Brown is a four-time Tony Award-winning composer and lyricist of The Last Five Years, Parade, Songs for a New World, 13, The Bridges of Madison County, Honeymoon In Vegas and The Connector, has performed as a soloist or with his band in venues around the world, including sold-out shows at the London Palladium and Carnegie Hall. His albums as a singer-songwriter include Wearing Someone Else’s Clothes and How We React and How We Recover on Ghostlight, and Coming From Inside the House and Live In Concert with Stephen Sondheim on Concord.

With Special Guest Tony nominee Betsy Wolfe. Tony Award-nominated actress Betsy Wolfe is currently starring as Audrey in the acclaimed Off-Broadway production of Little Shop of Horrors, following her recent Broadway run as Madeline Ashton in the hit musical Death Becomes Her. She previously originated the title role in Joy, the new musical inspired by inventor Joy Mangano, and earned a 2023 Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her celebrated performance as Anne Hathaway in & Juliet. Other Broadway credits include starring as Jenna in Waitress, Cordelia in the acclaimed revival of Falsettos, Bullets Over Broadway, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Everyday Rapture, and 110 in the Shade, as well as her critically acclaimed performance as Cathy in the Off-Broadway revival of The Last Five Years. Wolfe made her Metropolitan Opera debut in Die Fledermaus and has appeared as a guest artist with more than 65 symphony, pops, and philharmonic orchestras worldwide, including the New York Philharmonic and BBC Symphony Orchestra, with performances at Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center. Her screen credits include First One In, Estella Scrooge, CBS’s Instinct, and the film adaptation of The Last Five Years. Wolfe is also the co-founder of BroadwayEvolved, the acclaimed musical theatre training program she launched in 2018 to train and mentor the next generation of theatre artists.

A limited number of early access tickets for McCarter Director’s Circle members and members of the Museum’s Partner Circle are available, on sale Wednesday, September 16, 2026 at 12:00 PM. General public on sale begins Friday, September 18, 2026 at 12:00 PM.

Please be aware there is no public drop-off or parking at the Museum. For visitors with mobility needs, please contact the Museum at least three business days in advance of your visit to request special access to the Museum via Elm Drive. Call 609-258-3788 and select option 1 to speak to a visitor services staff member, or email Louise Barrett at [email protected].

John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band
Friday, November 13, 2026 @ 8:00pm
Carteret Performing Arts & Events Center
46 Washington Ave, Carteret, NJ

The legendary Rhode Island multi-platinum rock’n’roll group JOHN CAFFERTY & THE BEAVER BROWN BAND began their career in 1973 and achieved mainstream success in the 1980s with the “Eddie & The Cruisers – Motion Picture Soundtrack”. The hit single “ON THE DARK SIDE” held the “#1” position on the Billboard Rock charts and the MTV video charts for five consecutive weeks.

Griffin House
Friday, November 13, 2026 @ 7:30pm
Lizzie Rose Music Room
217 E. Main Street, Tuckerton, NJ

“If you are looking to be blown away by raw talent, then look no further than Griffin House.” —American Songwriter

EVENT PREVIEWS

State Theatre New Jersey and Relix present Joe Russo's Almost Dead

(NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ) -- State Theatre New Jersey and Relix present Joe Russo's Almost Dead on Thursday, November 12, 2026 at 7:30pm. The band was formed in Brooklyn, NY in 2013. While they are a Grateful Dead cover band, they are known more for interpreting songs by the Dead rather than attempting to replicate the band's work.

NJPAC presents Gregory Porter with special guests Madeleine Peyroux and Catherine Russell
(NEWARK, NJ) -- With a voice that can fill a concert hall and make every listener feel personally embraced, Gregory Porter has become one of the most beloved artists in contemporary jazz. On Friday, November 13, 2026 at 8:00pm, the two-time GRAMMY® winner returns to the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) with special guests Madeleine Peyroux and Catherine Russell for an evening of soulful expression, exquisite storytelling and remarkable vocal artistry, presented as part of the TD James Moody Jazz Festival.

Lizzie Rose Music Room presents Griffin House on Friday
(TUCKERTON, NJ) -- The Lizzie Rose Music Room presents Griffin House on Friday, November 13, 2026 at 7:30pm. Griffin House is an American singer-songwriter and storyteller who has been making records for over 20 years.

Forte Piano Music Company presents Exquisite Contrasts: Haydn & Schubert Piano Trios
(PARAMUS, NJ) -- The Forte Piano Music Company presents a Piano Trio Concert - "Exquisite Contrasts" - Haydn & Schubert on Sunday, November 15, 2026 at 2:30pm. This program brings together two landmarks of the piano trio repertoire, revealing the evolution of the genre from the Classical era to early Romanticism.

Mahwah Museum Hosts "Les Paul from Start to Finish" with Jim Wysocki
(MAHWAH, NJ) -- Come to the Mahwah Museum on Sunday, November 15, 2026 for a discussion of a 29-year friendship, rare memorabilia, and the story behind Les Paul's home with Mahwah Mayor Jim Wysocki from his nearly three-decade friendship with legendary musician and inventor Les Paul. The event begins at 2:00pm.

Princeton Folk Music Society presents Kate Taylor
(PRINCETON, NJ) — The Princeton Folk Music Society presents Kate Taylor on Friday, November 20, 2026 in an evening of upbeat and bubbling song filled with enthusiasm and love. The concert takes place at Christ Congregation Church in Princeton. Showtime is 8:00pm. A livestream option is available as well.

NJPAC to Celebrate Ben Vereen's 80th Birthday with All-Star Concert on November 21st
(NEWARK, NJ) -- New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) presents Ben Vereen's 80th Birthday Concert on Saturday, November 21, 2026 at 8:00pm. This special one-night only celebration is part of NJPAC’s 2026 TD James Moody Jazz Festival (November 6-22). Several of today's leading Broadway stars and vocalists unite for a spectacular birthday bash performance toasting the legendary actor/dancer/singer Ben Vereen who turns 80 on October 10, 2026.

Musicians on a Mission to Celebrate 16th Anniversary with Gala Concert at Jersey Shore Arts Center
(OCEAN GROVE, NJ) -- Musicians on a Mission (MOAM) will celebrate sixteen years of friends helping friends through music with a special anniversary gala and concert on Sunday, November 22, 2026, at the Jersey Shore Arts Center in Ocean Grove.

NJPAC Announces Top Five Finalists of the 15th Annual Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition
(NEWARK, NJ) -- New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) has announced the top five finalists of the 15th annual Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition. Selected from a record-breaking pool of more than 360 entrants spanning 38 different countries, these gifted young singers represent the next generation of great jazz vocalists. The 2026 finalists are: Alyssa Allgood (Chicago, IL), Vahn Black (Detroit, MI), Nathan Farrell (New York City, NY), Angélique Nicolas (Paris, France), and Jackie Ribas (New York City, NY).

Westfield Garden State Plaza to Blend Musical Nostalgia with Today's Hits at Annual Big Santa Celebration
(PARAMUS, NJ) -- Westfield Garden State Plaza, a destination for fashion, dining, and entertainment located in Bergen County, is ushering in the holiday spirit with iconic musical groups from the 80's, 90's, 00's and today at its annual Big Santa celebration taking place Sunday, November 22, 2026. The lineup includes Ryan Cabrera, All-4-One, TKA, Spice Wannabe, and JYT.

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