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Rock On! This Week's Sound Bites...2/8/24


By Danny Coleman

originally published: 02/08/2024

"Oh yeah, absolutely! I'm excited to get the music out there and obviously kick-off this tour for 2024 and start playing some of these new songs for the fans," stated Kenny Wayne Shepherd as he discussed his new record, his touring philosophy and the difference between Kenny Wayne Shepherd then and now. "This one is called "Dirt On My Diamonds Vol. 1" because there is a "Volume Two" so we have a whole other record ready to go to follow this one up and that sets us up and puts us in a really good position for the next couple of years to have new material, to keep the tour going and to keep the fans interested in what we're doing for sure."

Keeping the fans "Interested" is the goal and something Shepherd has done since he was signed to a major label deal at the age of 13. Always mature beyond his years, he has been wowing his fan base and audiences ever since with well-written, lyrically poignant material and of course; his guitar mastery. 

Recently, Shepherd wrapped up a very successful 25th Anniversary tour celebrating his second album, "Trouble Is..." and he obviously has no plans on slowing down with the November 2023 release of "Dirt On My Diamonds Vol. 1"  and a tour which kicks off on February 8 in Sarasota, FL to support it. When asked why he hurried to get back out on the road; he didn't hesitate to respond.   

"We just want to keep the momentum going and keep things moving along," he said immediately. "So, yes, historically over the past 30 years of my career, if there is a pattern then it's probably to put a record out and then tour for a couple of years and then put another record out; sometimes there has been bigger gaps, sometimes smaller but if you look at the average it is an album every two years. Recently, we've tried to step it up a little bit but I've also felt like I have been in a more creative space and I'm doing a lot of different things; right now, I've got about six different albums that I'm working on. They are various types of music; whether they are Kenny Wayne Shepherd albums or me collaborating with somebody else or doing a cover record or a new material album, I've got a lot of different things happening all at once. I feel like, especially in today's world where there are so many things vying for people's attention that if you can get something out at least once a year or every year-and-a-half then you can really keep your fans engaged on what you're doing."

Exposed to Rock 'N' Roll and more particularly, Blues music by his radio personality father at a young age, Kenny was set on a path of authenticity and "Reality."  This path  made him a respected and much sought after talent by the time he was 18 and by staying firmly entrenched in his blues roots, he has never strayed far from keeping it real; hence, the title of this recent release. 




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"It's a song that's on the record; it's the title track and we usually use a song title as an album title," he began. "There was a lot of debate over it between me and Marshall; the guy I co-produced the record with, he felt very strongly that "Dirt On My Diamonds" was a good title track and the opening song on the record. So, the message behind that song; I think it's relevant. I mean, in the world we live in today; the whole song is about embracing our imperfections and our flaws and those are the things that make us different. Social media kind of pushes everybody into this pursuit of this artificial perfection that's not realistic and trying to look perfect with all of these filters that are changing our appearance or posing in front of this background to make everybody think that we're living this fabulous life on this awesome vacation or having this house or that car and all this stuff that; you know, getting everybody to think that is what you have to be or what you have to have in order to achieve happiness and it's not even realistic. I think it's our differences and oftentimes our flaws that make us the most beautiful. That is what the song is about in a nutshell and it seems relevant; so we went with it."

Shepherd, who readily admits it took him quite a while to gain enough confidence in his voice to sing lead on his own songs; is big on "Stories" and melodies as well as creating music that is relatable to everyone.

"We kind of run the gamut, every song has a different story. Generally, my songs are just about life, living life, life's ups and downs, just observing what it's like to be human; you know? So, every song has a different story and really, we've been focusing on and it's about the music and obviously, a lot of it is about the guitar because it is a guitar centric band. My first three albums, all I did was play guitar, I didn't even sing lead vocals in my own band because my voice didn't sound the way I wanted it to and then I started singing lead vocals on my fourth album. We have two lead singers in the band, Noah Hunt who has been singing with me since my second record is still in the band and we share the vocal responsibilities. So, having two lead singers in the band gives us that much more creative ground that we can cover because we have very different voices. There are a lot of different songs that we can do because of the nature of having two lead singers. The guitar is the focal instrument but I've always been all about the songs; if you look at probably the biggest hit song of my career, "Blue On Black," that song is all about the song. It's about the story; it's every element, the melodies, the chorus, the instrumentation and the solo. I don't write songs solely as a platform for me to be able to get up there and shred on guitar. I want to tell good stories and sing great songs that stick in people's minds and play what's appropriate for the music." 

As he and the band hit the road once again armed with new material, Kenny says the show and material varies depending on circumstance and that it's all about satisfying not only himself but most importantly, the fans as well. 

"If it's just us with no opening band, they call that, "An Evening with;" right? An evening with the Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band, so generally those shows will run up to two hours long but obviously if there is an opening band then we would have to cut that back a little bit to around an hour-and-a-half. So, it just depends on how the show is booked but what we're doing is; I'm trying to squeeze in as much material as we can with the time that we have and try and cover a lot of ground because we've put out a lot of records over the past 30 years. Obviously, we are going to feature some songs from the new record and then we're gonna go back and hit some various songs from some of the catalog that we've put out over the years. We just did a 25th Anniversary tour of my second album, "Trouble is..." and we played that whole tour every night live in concert for the first time ever. We finished that up and for the last six or nine months of last year we were kind of bouncing back and forth between the first album, "Ledbetter Heights" and the most recent record up to that point called, "The Traveler" which came out in 2018 or 2019. So, now, the goal is to put some of the new songs from the new record in the set and find some other songs from previous records that we haven't played in a while because we have some fans who have seen us multiple times and will come see us every time we come to town; some people have seen us 25 times and we want to give those people a different show every time they show up. So, we're putting the setlist together, we're rehearsing it and I think it's gonna be a lot of fun." 




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Funny thing about musicians, when starting out, most form bands that play and cover other established artist's material until hitting a point where they begin to write their own music and playing or performing those "Cover" songs loses its luster only to revisit playing, performing and/or recording them once again years later. Shepherd views and uses cover material differently and on "Dirt On My Diamonds Vol.1" he chose to include the Elton John classic, "Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting."

"I have a list of cover songs that I keep in my back pocket for situations when we're in the studio and we may be on a little break or we're in between recording other songs and you just want to do something that's fun and easy, not a lot of pressure and I'll whip out that list and say, hey, let's try this song or let's try that song and that's what happened on this record. We had a break and I said, let's take a shot at this Elton John song, I think we can really rock this song out. I think it came out great, a lot of people always bring it up in every interview we do; it's a great rock 'n' roll song, it has a lot of cool guitar work on it, the timing of it I think is cool because Elton is on his farewell tour and all of that stuff and it's just a way for us to show our appreciation for who he is an artist. He is the kind of guy who can play any kind of music; it's pretty incredible."

When one breaks into the recording industry at age 13 and is still viable and vibrant more than three decades later; surely things have changed. Has Kenny Wayne Shepherd changed or is it the process that is different?  

"I think a lot of it has stayed the same," he said quickly. "I have always been all about writing great songs and telling good stories, having a catchy melody and a great chorus but at the same time playing some killer guitar because that is what I do best. In the beginning, you have this opportunity, you're a young person and you're an unknown artist and it's like you have to prove yourself. So, it seems like every moment you pick up a guitar is a moment that you are trying to prove yourself. It's kind of this relentless pursuit of establishing who I am and this is why I should be here and why I want you to know my name. Now that I've been doing this for 30 years I don't feel that I have to prove myself anymore when I pick up the guitar. That doesn't mean that I don't play as good or as ferociously or however you want to put it; I don't have that thought that I have to prove myself to everyone now. I've established myself and with that in a 30 year, three decades long career comes the luxury I think of being able to focus on other things which is cultivating your craft, pursuing inspiration wherever the music might inspire you or wherever it might take you and to go after that because I think the fans really appreciate that." 

To discover more about Kenny Wayne Shepherd, the tour and "Dirt On My Diamonds Vol. 1," please visit https://www.kennywayneshepherd.net/ 

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


Allentown Borough
Main Street Allentown
Thurs. 11:45 a.m. Family Storytime (Takes place at the library located at 16 South Main Street)
All Saints Church
16 All Saints Road Princeton
Sat. 6:30 p.m. Rivertown Vintage Jazz Band
Tues. 6:30 p.m. Mardi Gas Celebration
Al's Airport Inn
636 Bear Tavern Road West Trenton
(609) 883-5252 
Thurs. 5 p.m. Diane Chiorello
Sat. (12 p.m.) Acoustic Brunch (5 p.m.) Redbird
Sun. 12 p.m. Sunday Brunch 
Mon. 5 p.m. Bud Belviso
Tues. 7 p.m. Jessica DiDonato
Wed. 7 p.m. Mark Sacco  
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 
Thurs. 7 p.m. ART OF: Chocolate Making (BYOB) 
Fri. 7 p.m. Community Dance party: Valentine's Edition
Wed. 7 p.m. Jersey Art Meetup
Ashlynn Distillery 
32 West Bridge Street Morrisville, PA 
Thurs. 6 p.m. Cecil & Carl
Fri. 7 p.m. Sara & Tamer
Sat. 7 p.m. SoulShine
Sun. 3 p.m. Cecil & Troy Cain
Wed. 6 p.m. Cara Cartney
Bill's Olde Tavern
2694 Nottingham Way Hamilton
(609) 586-0192
Mon. 7 p.m. Trivia 
Tues. 8 p.m. / Wed. 8 p.m. Karaoke w/ DJ Burn
Ages 21+
Blaze DoubleTree by Hilton 
4355 US Route 1 Princeton
(609) 452-2400
Sun. 4 p.m. Superbowl Party 
Blend Bar & Bistro   
911 Highway 33 Hamilton 
(609) 245-8887
Thurs. 5 p.m. Hamilton Has Heart: A Benefit For RWJ Cardiac Interventional Suite feat. Guest Bartenders, Appetizer Buffet, Prizes. 
Bordentown City
Farnsworth Avenue Bordentown  
Fri. 5:30 p.m. Bordentown Chocolate Walk. $8 (Advance, begins at 204 Farnsworth Avenue)
Sat. 12 p.m. Bordentown "Lovers Lane Date Night" Walking Tours. $20
Bowman's Tavern 
1600 River Road New Hope, PA 
(215) 862-2972
Thurs. 6:30 p.m. Jefferey Fadden Trio
Fri. (5:30 p.m.) Bennett Lee (8 p.m.) Bob Egan 
Sat. 7 p.m. Jim Dedrick Trio
Sun. (12 p.m.) Bill Avayou (6 p.m.) Lorenzo
Tues. 6 p.m. Chris Giakas
Wed. 6 p.m. Liz DuFour 
Broken Goblet Brewing
2500 State Road Bensalem, PA
(267) 812-5653
Thurs. 7 p.m.  Mike Estabrook
Sat. 7:30 p.m. "Superunknown" A Tribute to Chris Cornell. $19.56, $27.16, $30.42, doors open at 7 p.m.
Mon. 7:30 p.m. Angelmaker, Reflections. $22 (advance), doors open at 7 p.m., ages 18+
Wed. 7:30 p.m. Profanatica, Nunslaughter, Tombs. $25 (advance), doors open at 7 p.m., ages 18+
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
Cadwalader Park (Ellarslie Museum)
299 Parkside Avenue Trenton 
(408) 335-4400 
Sat. 8 a.m. Coffee Outside! (Takes place at the gazebo)
Candlelight Lounge 
24 Passaic Street Trenton  
(609) 695-9612 
Thurs. 6 p.m. Thursday Night Blues Jam. $5
Sat. 3 p.m. Glenn Williams. $20
Catch A Rising Star (Hyatt Regency Princeton) 
102 Carnagie Center Princeton
(781) 568-1471
Fri. 8 p.m. Tim Hayes, Amanda Gail. $26.50, Doors open at 7:30 p.m.
Sat. 7:30 p.m. Tim Hayes, Amanda Gail. $26.50, Doors open at 7 p.m.
Wed. 7:30 p.m. Valentine's Day Comedy w/ Lowell Sanders.  $26.50, Doors open at 7 p.m.  
Cazz's Sports Bar 'N' Grille
1560 Haines Road Levittown, PA 
(267) 580-5469 
Fri. 9:30 p.m. Karaoke w/ Paul
City Streets
510 Highway 130 South East Windsor
(609) 426-9400
Sat. 9 p.m. Sideways Willy
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
Clubhouse at Mountain View (The Patio)
850 Bear Tavern Road Ewing 
(609) 538-0808
Fri. 6:30 p.m. Full Grown Men
Color Me Mine (Princeton Shopping Center)
301 Harrison Street Princeton 
(609) 581-9500 
Thurs. 5 p.m. Mom & Son Date Night 
Continental Tavern
2 North Main Street Yardley, PA  
(215) 493-9191
 Wed. 6 p.m. Valentine's Day w/ Matthew Swanson
Cooper's Riverview                                                                     
50 Riverview Plaza Trenton
(609) 393-7300 
Thurs. 7 p.m. Lovelight w/ Mark Diomede
Fri. 5 p.m. Happy Hour (8 p.m.) '80s Undercover / DJ Jonny Rossi
Sat. 8 p.m. Cosmic Jerry Band
Sun. (10 a.m.) Sunday "Jazz" Brunch w/ Victor Tarassov. $22.95 (Includes 2 Mimosas) $34.95 (Adults, kids ages 6-12 $14.95, kids under age 5 FREE) 
Crossing Vineyard and Winery
1853 Wrightstown Road Washington Crossing, PA
(215) 493-6500 
Thurs. 7 p.m. Trivia Night
Sat. 1 p.m. Valentine's Weekend feat. Kim & Chuck
Sun. 2 p.m. Valentine's Weekend feat. Kat Rivers
Wed. 5 p.m. Romantic Candlelit Valentine's Dinner. $80 (Includes three course meal and a glass of wine)
Curran’s Irish Inn
1909 Bristol Pike Bensalem, PA
(215) 245-1800
Thurs. 7 p.m. Music Bingo 
Fri. 8 p.m. Brian Loftus & Jenny Leigh
Mon. 7:30 p.m. Quizzo
Dacey's Pub 
215 West Philadelphia Avenue Morrisville, PA
(215) 295-4838
Fri. 6:30 p.m. Acoustic Music Night 
Wed. 8 p.m. Quizzo                                                                                                   
Dadz Bar and Grill 
744 Main Street Lumberton
(609)267-4344
Thurs. 7 p.m. Open Mic w/ Jimmy Mannix
Fri. 7 p.m. Talking In Cursive
Tues. 7 p.m. Open Mic Hosted by Random Notes
Wed. 6 p.m. Dog Adoption & Dine and Donate Event
Dharma Bums 
4935 River Road New Hope, PA
(215) 663-2867
Thurs. 8 p.m. James Dalton 
Fri. (6 p.m.) Craft & a Cocktail "Ceramic Bird Feeder." $50 (8 p.m.) Dead Band Acoustic
Sat. 8 p.m. Chinese New Year Celebration / Phish Tribute w/ "Rift." $10 (advance)
Sun. (1 p.m.) Kids Workshop "Heart Pinecone Bird Feeder. $5 (4 p.m.) Drum Circle. $10 (Suggested donation or pay what you can) 
Wed. (6 p.m.) Craft & a Cocktail "Bottle Terrarium Workshop." $50 (7 p.m.) DBums Hootenanny an Open Mic of Music, Comedy & Spoken Word Hosted by Michael Henry Robert
Dockside Bensalem 
3330 Hulmeville Road Bensalem, PA
(267) 520-7184
Fri. 6 p.m. Bigg Romeo Duo
Sat. 6 p.m. Mike Estabrook
Sun. 11:30 a.m. "Mean Girls" Trivia
Eddington House Bensalem
2813 Hulmeville Road, Bensalem, PA 
(215) 639-1220 
Fri. 8:30 p.m. EarCandy
Sat. 8:30 p.m. Springbrooke
Mon. 5:30 p.m. "Family Fun Night" w/ Amazing Balloon Creations by Kelsi-Joe
Escape Resort, Restaurant & Bar 
120 Pheasant Run Road Newtown, PA 
Tues. 6 p.m. Karaoke
First Presbyterian Church of Lambertville
37 North Union Street Lambertville
Sat. 8 p.m. Romance de Amor w/ Riverside Symphonia. $15-$200
First United Methodist Church 
187 Stockton Street Hightstown
Sat. 6 p.m. "I Love Music" Coffee House feat. Teen and Young Adult Talent. (FREE event, donations of canned foods and baked goods accepted)
Flying Pig Tavern & Tap 
167 US-Route 130 North Bordentown 
(609) 899-7447
Thurs. 7:30 p.m. DJ Dan Murphy
Fri. 9 p.m. Sunrise Cries
Sat. 9 p.m. Masterpiece
Tues. 9 p.m. Karaoke
Wed. 8 p.m. Trivia
Forsgate Country Club   
375 Forsgate Drive Monroe
(732) 521-0700 
Sat. 6 p.m. Sweetheart Dinner Dance / Kids Club Paint Night
Founding Father's 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.)
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 
Fri. (6 p.m.) "Happy Hour" (8 p.m.) Starship Lovechild
Sat. (12 p.m.) Music Bingo Brunch Hosted by Best Choice Productions (8 p.m.) Glow Party w/ DJ Dangeruss
Mon. 6 p.m. "Galentine's Day" feat. Drink specials, permanent jewelry, sweet treats from The Cake Girl, tarot card readings. 
Tues. 6:30 p.m. Trivia Night Hosted by Best Choice Productions  
Green Parrot Restaurant Pub, & Patio
240 North Sycamore Street Newtown Township, PA 
(215) 504-7277 
Sat. 10:45 a.m. Galentine's Yoga & After Party Fundraiser for Dream Drive.  (8 p.m.) Joe and Krista 
Grover's Mill Coffee House 
Princeton-Hightstown Road Princeton Junction   
(609) 716-8771  
Thurs. 6 p.m. Open Mic Hosted by Wade Prestridge
Hamilatte Cafe
1971 Route 33 Hamilton
Sat. 6:30 p.m. Acoustic Saturdays Hosted by Sheli Monacchio 
Hamilton Tap & Grill
557 US Route 130 North Hamilton 
(609) 905-0925
Thurs. 6:30 p.m. Music Bingo w/ DJ Nebbs
Sat. 8 p.m. Karaoke 
Hamilton Township Public Library 
1 Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. Way Hamilton 
(609) 581-4060
Thurs. 10:30 a.m. Storytime for Ages 3-5
Fri. 10:30 a.m. Tim Hoh's Music for Kids
Tues. 10:30 a.m. Baby Rock n Rhyme for Ages 12-24 Months (With Caregiver)
Havana New Hope
105 S. Main Street New Hope, PA.
(215) 862-9897
Thurs. 7 p.m. Funk & Blues Jam Hosted by The Slidewinder Blues Band
Fri. ( 8 p.m.) A Tribute to Sheryl Crow w/ "Chrissie Crow" $25 (11 p.m. ) DJ Dance Party 
Sat. (3 p.m.) Strange Brew Crew (8:30 p.m.) Jumper (11:59 p.m.) DJ Dance Party 
Mon. 9 p.m. Karaoke w/ DJ Steve
Tues. 7 p.m. Jillian Ashcroft Jazz Quartet 
Wed. 7 p.m. Jumper Duo
Hopewell Valley Golf Club
114 Pennington-Hopewell Road Hopewell
(609) 737-1199
Thurs. 6:30 p.m. Trivia Hosted by Jack Furlong
Sat. 5:30 p.m. Mardi Gras Party feat. (6 p.m.) Jack Furlong Quartet
Tues. 6:30 p.m. Music Bingo
Wed. 7 p.m. Valentine's Day Dinner feat. The Jack Furlong Orchestra. $150 per couple (Includes four course dinner, beer and wine.)
Hopewell Valley Vineyards
46 Yard Avenue Pennington 
(609) 737-4465 
Fri. 4 p.m. "Music & Merlot" feat. (5 p.m.) Catmoondaddy
Sat. 5 p.m. "Music & Merlot" feat. Chris from Rave On
Sun. (11 a.m.) Valentine's Day Brunch (2:30 p.m.) "Jazzy Sundays" feat. Mark Feingold Group
Hurricane Jacks Bar and Grill
7759 New Falls Road Levittown, PA
(267) 914-4517
Thurs. 7:30 p.m. Music Bingo w/ DJ John W. 
Tues. 8 p.m. Acoustic Tuesday
Wed. 7 p.m. Open Mic w/ Laura Fiocco
Il Portico Restorante 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 
Sat. 8 p.m. Racheal & Ty
Wed. 7 p.m. Galentine's Day "Parks and Recreation" Quizzo Night
Iron Plow Vineyards
26750 Mount Pleasant Road Columbus 
(732) 306-9111 
Thurs. 7 p.m. Acoustic Open Mic/Comedy/Spoken Word
Sat. 2 p.m. Steve Guyger
Sun. 2 p.m. Michael Newsham 
Iron Plow Vineyards Tasting Room
61 High Street Mt. Holly 
(732) 306-9111
Wed. 6:30 p.m. Valentine's Event by The Sweet Spot w/ Music by Billy Garrett
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 
Fri. 9 p.m. Dinosaur Eyelids, Sunglass
Sat. (3 p.m.) TripDogs RocknRoll (9 p.m.) The Cryptkeeper 5, Reeder Station
Sun. 6 p.m. Super Bowl Telecast
Mon. 9 p.m. Open Mic Comedy Night w/ Mike Dialto feat. (Sign-ups start at 8 p.m.) 
Wed. 9 p.m. The Invitational
All shows 21+ 
Killarney's Publick House
1644 Whitehorse-Mercerville Road Hamilton
(609) 586-1166 
Thurs. 5:30 p.m. Radio Fiction 
Fri. (5:30 p.m.) Wayne Bilotti (9 p.m.) Electric Stingray
Sat. (10 a.m.) Brunch (11 a.m.) Ivy On Main Floral Arrangement Class (5:30 p.m.) Anthony Cannuli (10 p.m.) Stupid Cupid Dance Party w/ DJ Jimmy G
Sun. (10 a.m.) "Sunday Funday Galentine's Day Brunch feat. (11 a.m.) Lasting Linx / Ty Mares (6 p.m.) Superbowl Watch Party
Mon. 5 p.m. Kids Night: "Elsa is Coming" 
Wed. 5 p.m. Paint, Sip, Candle Pouring w/ Spotted Frog and Music by Lou Mutter  
KUMO 27
3376 Route 27 South Brunswick
(732) 419-3452 
Sat. 5:30 p.m. The Concert of Love feat. Alexandra Zykova, Barry Bassen and Lisa Neeld, Brendan Maher, Crown Acoustic, Helen O'Shea & Rich Bozic, Hrithiki Badri, Jim McNicholas, Mary Pitoniak, Nancy Dunn, Nitya Bhattiprolu, Noga Pickholtz, Risha Madan, Shreya Basu, Steven Georges, The Band of Love. 
La Cena Ristorante
2233 Galloway Road Bensalem, PA
(215) 639-9969
Wed. 6 p.m. Joe Plush and Friends 
Laurita Winery 
85 Archertown Road New Egypt 
(609) 752-0200 
Thurs. 7 p.m. Wine and Bundt Cakes. $35
Sat. 12 p.m."Wine & Chocolate Weekend" feat. (1 p.m.) Steve Berger (FREE event) (6 p.m.) Valentine's Dinner feat. Steve Berger
Sun. 12 p.m."Wine & Chocolate Weekend" feat. (1 p.m.) Rick Winow
Wed. 6 p.m. Valentine's Dinner feat. Steve Berger
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 
Logan Inn 
10 West Ferry Street New Hope, PA 
(215) 862-2300
Sun. 11:30 a.m. Brunch w/ Aaron Quarterman
Tues. 6 p.m. Fat Tuesday Cocktail Class 
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  
McStews Irish Sports Pub
5316 New Falls Road Levittown, PA 
(215) 949-9570 
Sat. 9 p.m. Supertrain
Tues. 7:30 p.m. Trivia Night 
Millhill Basement 
300 S. Broad Street Trenton 
(609) 989-1600
Sat. 9:30 p.m. Anti-Valentine's Day Punk feat. The Geriatrics, Bad Smidgen, Raoul and the Dukes, The Lousekateers. $10 (cash only), ages 21+
More Barn Studios
104 Sandy Ridge-Mount Airy Road Stockton
(609) 414-3636
Sat. 7 p.m. The Honey Badgers, The Dust-ups
Music Mountain Theater
1483 Route 179 Lambertville
(609)397-3337
Fri. 8 p.m. "City of Angels"
Sat. 3 p.m./ 8 p.m. "City of Angels"
Sun. 3 p.m. "City of Angels"  
Naked Brewing Company 
212 Mill Street Bristol, PA 
(267) 544-7129
Thurs.6:30 p.m. Dana Collins Project 
Fri.  7 p.m. Faraway Guys
Sat. 7 p.m. Low Totem
Sun. 11 a.m. Weekend Brunch 
Tues. 7 p.m. Trivia 
Neshaminy Creek Brewing Company 
909 Ray Avenue Croydon, PA 
(215) 458-7081
Thurs. (4 p.m.) "Beer My Valentine" (7 p.m.) Video Game Night
Sat. 12 p.m. Blown Glass Ornament Workshop
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
New Hope Winery / Tavern 
6123 Lower York Road New Hope, PA 
(215) 794-2331 
Sat. (1 p.m.) Stranger Things (5 p.m.) Laurie Vosburg (8 p.m.) Mary Fahl
Wed. 8 p.m. Griffin House "Valentine Show"
Newtown Athletic Club 
120 Pheasant Run Newtown, PA 
(215) 968-0600 
Fri. 6 p.m. Pop Up Sexy Heels Class Valentine's Day Edition
Newtown Brewing Company
103 Penns Trail Newtown, PA 
(215) 944-8609 
Thurs. 7:30 p.m. "Useless Knowledge Trivia 
Fri. 6 p.m. Rachel & Ty
Sat. (3 p.m.) Magic by Jared (6 p.m.) Sister Blue
Wed. 4 p.m. Open Mic Night
Nick's Roast Beef
4501 Woodhaven Road West Philadelphia, PA 
(215) 637-515
Thurs. 5 p.m. Brian & Mindy
Fri. (5 p.m.) Brian & Mindy (8 p.m.) Secret Service
Sat. 9 p.m. Fat Mezz
Sun. 6 p.m. Superbowl Party and Buffet. $40 (Advance, includes buffet and a limited open bar)
Wed. 7 p.m. Karaoke
NJWeedman's Dispensary
322 East State Street Trenton
(609) 437-0898
Thurs. 8 p.m. Karaoke
Nomad Distilling Company
20 South Main Street New Hope, PA
Sun. 10 a.m. Brunch
Nottingham Tavern 
9 Mercer Street Hamilton Square 
(609) 587-6623
Thur. 9:30 pm. Karaoke w/ Super Dave Curtis 
Fri. 6 p.m. "Valentine's Night Out" Benefitting Joey's Little Angels feat. Thrown Together. $65 (Includes Palm Reading, Light Food, Photo Booth, 50/50 and a Martini of Choice)
Sat. 9:30 p.m. Asylum Choir
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 Hights Brewing 
123 West Ward Street Hightstown 
(609) 469-5976
Sat. 6 p.m. Modern Mojo
Sun. 1 p.m. Pop-up Shop: Katie's Cookie Nook & Karch Creations
Wed. (5  p.m.) Valentine's Pop-up Market (6 p.m.) Candles & Brews  
Old Town Pub
135 Farnsworth Avenue Bordentown 
(609) 291-9232
Thurs. 7 p.m. Quizzoholics Trivia
Fri. 9 p.m. Fuey
Sat. 9 p.m. Sami Eldebs
Sun. (10 a.m.) Brunch (5:30 p.m.) Superbowl Party. $25 (Includes two buffet rounds) 
Palmer Square 
40 Nassau Street Princeton 
Thurs. 4 p.m. "Skating On The Square" $10/$12 (Includes skate rental) 
Fri. 4 p.m. "Skating On The Square" $10/$12 (Includes skate rental) 
Sat. 12 p.m. / 4 p.m. "Skating On the Square" $10/$12 (Includes skate rental)  
Pasquale's Sports Bar 
9078 Mill Creek Road Levittown, PA 
(267) 202-6268 
Tues. 7 p.m. Music Bingo
Wed. 7 p.m. Karaoke
Patriots Crossing 
1339 River Road Titusville 
(609) 737-2780
Thurs. 8 p.m. Ladies Night  
Sat. 8 p.m. No More Fences
Wed. 7 p.m. "Quizzo" 
Patriot's Theater at The War Memorial                                                             
1 Memorial Drive Trenton 
(609) 984-8400
Sat. 4 p.m. Dance Pe Chance: Celebrating 40 Glorius Years of Culture and Talent 
Pete's Steak House 
523 Whitehorse Avenue Hamilton
 (609) 585-8008
Fri. 9:30 p.m. Asylum Choir
Princeton Country Club
1-Wheeler Way West Windsor
(609) 452-9382 
Thurs. 6 p.m. Karaoke Night w/ Live DJ
Fri. 5 p.m. Happy Hour  
Sun. 11 a.m. Jazz Brunch   
Princeton Public Library (Hinds Plaza)
65 Witherspoon Street Princeton  
(609) 924-9529 
Fri. 7 p.m. "The Beatles and Ed Sullivan 60 Years Later" feat. Musicians and Bands of the Einstein Alley Musician's Collaborative, Joy & Rob with The Beagles and The Rebound. 
Princeton Unitarian Church (Channing Hall)
50 Cherry Hill Road Princeton 
Sun. 4 p.m. Princeton Musical Amateurs February 2024: Haydn "The Creation"
Princeton University (Richardson Auditorium)
Nassau Street Princeton
Sun. 2 p.m. The Carlin Lee Project
Tues. 4:30 p.m. Atelier @Large: Jennifer Finney Boylan and Bridget Kearney
Puss N Boots Tavern
942 Trenton Road Fairless Hills, PA
Fri. 8 p.m. Karaoke
Tues. 7 p.m. Trivia
Ristorante LUCCA & Piano Lounge 
144 US Route 130 Bordentown 
(609) 262-0110
Thurs. 8 p.m. Jazz Night
River Horse Brewing
2 Graphics Drive Ewing 
(609) 883-0890
Sat. 7 p.m. Stand Up Comedy Night feat. Bhavik Patel, James McAliney, Tracy Locke. $10-$65, doors open at 6 p.m., ages 21+, no pets allowed. 
River House at Odette’s 
274 South Rive Road New Hope, PA 
(215) 682-2022 
Fri. 7 p.m. Andy Prescott
Sat.  7 p.m. Bob Egan 
Sun. 11:30 a.m. Brunch w/ Neil Podgurski Duo
Wed. 7 p.m. Max Rogers 
Rossi's Bar & Grill
2110 Whitehorse-Mercerville Road Hamilton
(609) 890-2004 
Thurs. 5:30 p.m. Ernie White
Fri. 6:30 p.m. Marc Hoffman
Sat. 11 a.m. Brunch
Sun. 11 a.m. Brunch 
Tues. 7 p.m. Quizzoholics
Saint Mark United Methodist Church  
465 Paxson Avenue Hamilton Square 
(609) 587-1286
Sun. 10 a.m. "Souper" Bowl Soup and Bake Sale
Salon 33 
794 Alexander Road Princeton 
Fri. 7 p.m. Rob Lanter Trio
Sun. 7 p.m. Riverview Early Music
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. "Friends" Trivia
Fri. 7 p.m. Beer, Chocolate and Cheese Pairing. $40 (SOLD OUT please check for availability)
Sat. 4 p.m./6 p.m./7:30 p.m. Beer, Chocolate and Cheese Pairing. $40 ( The 6 p.m. seating is SOLD OUT please check for availability)
Shady Brook Farm 
931 Stony Hill Road Yardley, PA 
(215) 968-1670 
Fri. 6:30 p.m. "UnWINEd"  feat. Kindred Spirit Duo
Sat. 6:30 p.m. "UnWINEd" feat. Tim Fitzpatrick w/ Todd Fern
Slim's Irish Pub 
2195 Galloway Road Bensalem, PA
(267) 332-0047
Sat. 8 p.m. All Lit Up
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. Larry Corban
Sparky World-Famous Beer Garden
4333 New Falls Road Levittown, PA 
(215) 943-2321 
Thurs. 9 p.m. Karaoke w/ DJ Dana
Sat. 9:30 p.m. Blue Reign
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 
Wed. 8 p.m. Timi & Jake
Starving Artist Cafe
18 Bridge Street Stockton
Sat. 12 p.m. Bill Ihling
Wed. 6 p.m. Valentine's Dinner and Show feat. Ernie White
Steam Pub 
606 2nd Street Pike Southampton, PA 
Fri. 10 p.m. DJ Kurteousy
Sat. (10 a.m.) Galentine's Day Brunch (10:30 p.m.) Fish Out of Water
1675 at The Ridges
4666 East Bristol Road Trevose, PA
(215) 876-6868
Fri. 7 p.m. Fever SC Beef and Beer Fundraiser 
1867 Sanctuary
101 Scotch Road Ewing
(609) 392-6409
Fri. 7:30 p.m. Love went A-Riding feat. Clipper Erickson and Alexandra Gilliam
Tara's Tavern 
1 Cookstown-New Egypt Road, Wrightstown 
(609) 286-2300 
Fri. 8:30 p.m. Karaoke w/ Big Daddy G 
Tavern On The Lake 
101 Main Street Hightstown 
(609) 426-9345  
Sun. 6 p.m. Super Bowl Party (FREE, includes buffet at half-time)
Tues. 6 p.m. Trivia 
Wed. 7 p.m. Valentine's Day Karaoke 
Temperance House
5 South State Street Newtown, PA 
(215) 944-8050
Thurs. 7 p.m. Steve Guyger and Filthy Rich 
Mon. 7 p.m. Trivia Hosted by Neville Esquire
Tues. 7 p.m. Beginner Line Dance Lessons w/ Jeremy Line Dance. $40/4 Weeks 
Wed. 7 p.m. Open Mic Night w/ Cara Cartney 
Terhune Orchards  
330 Cold Soil Road Princeton
(609) 924-2310 
Sat. 1 p.m. "Wine & Chocolate Weekend" feat. Sarah Teti
Sun. 1 p.m. "Wine & Chocolate Weekend" feat. Michael Montemurro 
TGI Fridays
319 US Highway 130 North East Windsor 
(609) 490-1450
Thurs. 7 p.m. Paint with Priya "Sunset Elephant Love"  
TGI Fridays 
780 Route 130 South Hamilton
(609) 581-6910 
Sun. 9 p.m. Trivia Game Night / SIN Sundays
TGI Fridays
2703 Mount Holly Road Suite 3 Washington Twp.
(609) 239-486 
Thurs. 7 p.m.  Trivia   
TGI Fridays
3535 U.S. Route 1 North #275 Princeton
(609) 520-0378
Thurs. 8 p.m. Trivia Night 
The Birdhouse Center For The Arts
7 North Main Street Lambertville
(215) 681-4660
Fri. 8 p.m. 10th Annual LoveBirds Concert feat. Justin Nawn & Bronwyn Bird, Dan & Chloe Manchester, Emma Fania & Stephen Rockwell, Sarah Dodge and Pablo Londo, Lauralee and John Beacher, Joy and Ben Cole, Meg and Jim Lomax, Michael and Lauren Bird (Gizmo and Gadget), DebraJean. $10
Tues. 7:30 p.m. NJNO the "not just nyckelharpa orchestra" Community Orchestra  
The Buck Hotel 
1200 Buck Road Feasterville, PA 
(215) 396-2002 
Thurs. 7 p.m. Kirko
Fri. (6 p.m.) Valentine's Sinatra Show. $68 (Includes show, buffet, cash bar) (8 p.m.) Love Junk 
Sat. (11 a.m.) Brunch (9 p.m.) Bigg Romeo
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. Polish Nannies
The Cure Insurance Center  
81 Hamilton Ave. Trenton  
(609) 656-3200  
Fri. 7:30 p.m. Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Glow Party
Sat. 12 p.m./7 p.m. Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Glow Party
Sun. 12 p.m. Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Glow Party 
The Dubliner
34 North Main Street New Hope, PA 
(215) 693-1816
Fri. 7 p.m. Na Bodach
Sat. 7 p.m. Andrew Koontz & Billy O'Neal
Sun. 3 p.m. "Traditional Irish Session"
The Five Four Bar & Grill
8919 New Falls Road Levittown, PA 
(215) 547-5525
Thurs. 8 p.m. Karaoke w/ Paula and Sam 
Fri. 9 p.m. Pixie Twist
Sat. 9 p.m. Big Whiskey
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/ Trey Brown
Fri. 9:30 p.m. DJ Fatha Ramzee
Sat. 9:30 p.m. DJ Darius
Tues. 7 p.m. Quizzo w/ Bob E Luv 
Wed. 10 p.m. Karaoke w/ Trey Brown
The Morrisville Tavern 
376 West Trenton Avenue Morrisville, PA
(215) 295-5310
Thurs. 7 p.m. Trivia
Fri. 8 p.m. Break Even
Sat. 8 p.m. Never Enough
Sun. 6:30 p.m. Superbowl Watch Party
Mon. 8 p.m. Karaoke
Tues. 8 p.m. Music Bingo
Wed. 7 p.m. Trivia Night  
The Newtown Theatre
120 North State Street Newtown, PA
(215) 968-3859
Fri. 8 p.m. The Best of Bob Marley...and More. $34.86
Sat. 3 p.m. / 8 p.m. The Songs of Simon & Garfunkel. $39 (Both shows SOLD OUT please chec k for availability)
Tues. 7:30 p.m. Galentine's Day with "Barbie (and Ken)." $29 (Includes one free drink/cocktail, free popcorn, photo opportunity w/ Barbie and/or Ken, party games, Barbie Trivia, prizes for "Pinkiest Outfit" and "Most Creative Use of Pink"), doors open at 6:30 p.m., ages 21+
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. Jersey Johnny Mora with a Call from The Gumbo Gumbas Joe Grillo
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 
Fri. 8 p.m. Even Odds
Sat. 8 p.m. The Za Band
Wed. 6 p.m. Joe Vadala
The Sycamore Grill
255 North Sycamore Street Newtown, PA
(215) 908-6326 
Fri. 8 p.m. Sound Wave
Sat. 8 p.m. Plush Duo
The Tavern at Penns Park 
2295 Second Street Pike Newtown, PA
(267) 491-5658
Fri. 8 p.m. Retro X Revival
Wed. 7 p.m. Music Bingo w/ Jonathan Appel  
The Union Firehouse
18 Washington Street Mount Holly
(609) 288-6491
Thurs. 6:30 p.m. Open Mic Night
Sat. 8 p.m. Sensational Soul Cruisers. Doors open at 7 p.m.
The Union House 
19 East Union Street Burlington
(609) 531-6077
Thurs. 7 p.m. Trivia
Fri. 8 p.m. Tom Craig Band 
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
Triple Sun Spirits
126 South State Street Newtown, PA
(215) 944-3057  
Fri. 8 p.m. Bill Thomas
Wed. 7 p.m. Quizzo w/ Ed Packer
Triumph Brewing Company (New Hope, Pa. Location)
400 Union Square New Hope, Pa.
(215) 862-8300
Thurs. 6:30 p.m. "Happy Little New Hope" Paint and Sip Night
Vault Brewing Company
10 South Main Street Yardley, PA 
(267) 573-4291
Fri. 7 p.m. Tom Trovas Duo
Sat. 7 p.m. Suzette Ortiz and Her Latin Ensemble
Mon. 7 p.m. Vhaturanga & Cheers w/ Renee Mahoney
VFW Post 491
9 Fisher Place Yardville 
(609) 585-9645 
Sun. 5:30 p.m. Superbowl 2024 Pot Luck
All shows ages 21+
Village Idiot Brewing Company
42 High Street Mount Holly
(609) 975-9270 
Thurs. 7 p.m. Trivia 
Fri. 6:30 p.m. Rowdy Bardlings
West Windsor Arts Center/Nassau Park Pavilion
952 Alexander Road Princeton 
Fri. 7 p.m. Dancing In The Dark
Wildflowers Inn
2572 Pennington Road Pennington 
(609) 773-239
Thurs. 6 p.m. Rob Silvers
Wildflowers Too 
255 Route 156 Yardville
(609) 585-5483
Sun. 6 p.m. Superbowl Party
Tues. 7 p.m. "Decades" Trivia
Wed. 7 p.m. Poker Night 
Working Dog Winery
610 Windsor Perrineville Road Hightstown
(609) 371-6000
Thurs. 4:30 p.m. Vinny Rugnetta
Sat. 1 p.m. Jersey Sure Cats
Sun. 1 p.m. Roger Gardella 
WWFM 89.1 FM HD2 Radio
MCCC Old Trenton Road West Windsor
Jazzon2.org
Mon. 7 p.m. "Danny Coleman's Got The Blues"
Zlock Performing Arts Center
275 Swamp Road Newtown, PA
(215) 968-846 
Fri. 7:30 p.m. "People Say We're In Love" John Smitherman and Jessica Edwards: A Valentine's Day Special


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.



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FEATURED EVENTS

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HAPPY

HAPPY FRANKS-GIVING! – Swingtime Big Band Celebrates Sinatra

Saturday, November 23, 2024 @ 8:00pm
Bergen Performing Arts Center (bergenPAC)
30 North Van Brunt Street, Englewood, NJ 07631
category: music

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StevieMac:

StevieMac: A Fleetwood Mac & Stevie Nicks Experience

Saturday, November 23, 2024 @ 8:00pm
William Paterson University - Shea Center for Performing Arts
300 Pompton Rd, Wayne, NJ 07470
category: music

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Wooden

Wooden Ships Band

Saturday, November 23, 2024 @ 7:30pm
Lizzie Rose Music Room
217 E. Main Street, Tuckerton, NJ 08087
category: music

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EVENT PREVIEWS

(NEWTON, NJ) -- The Artimus Pyle Band comes to The Newton Theatre on Saturday, November 23, 2024. Six Gun Sally will open the night. Showtime is 8:00pm.

 

UPCOMING EVENTS

(NEWARK, NJ) -- This Fall, AG Touring and Mammoth, Inc. proudly present the Rod Wave - Last Lap Tour. This large-scale multi-city outing will feature Rod Wave headlining 36 of North America's top arenas coast-to-coast. The tour will kick off on October 19 at Desert Diamond Arena in Phoenix, AZ visiting major markets across the country, including Newark’s Prudential Center on Tuesday, December 3, 2024 with special guests Moneybagg Yo, Toosii, Lil Poppa, Dess Dior and Eelmatic.


Katchats

Katchats 11/20/24 - an interview with Rod Picott

2024-11-20 to 2024-12-01


Top

Top 5 Finalists for the 13th Annual Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition to Compete on November 24th

2024-11-24


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