SIMON EMMETT
Liam Gallagher, left, and Noel Gallagher of Oasis, who will perform at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, Aug. 31 and Sept. 1.
Here is a roundup of major arts events taking place around New Jersey, through Sept. 4.
MUSIC
• Oasis’ eagerly anticipated North American stadium tour will come to MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, Aug. 31 and Sept. 1 at 6:30 p.m., with Cage the Elephant and Cast opening. These will be the group’s first New Jersey concerts since 2008.
Before this year, the band — know for hits such as “Wonderwall,” “Champagne Supernova” and “Don’t Look Back in Anger” — had not toured anywhere since 2009. Brothers Noel Gallagher (guitar, vocals) and Liam Gallagher (vocals) have pursued a variety of other projects since then.
The Gallaghers are being joined on the tour by guitarists Paul “Bonehead” Arthurs and Gem Archer, bassist Andy Bell, drummer Joey Waronker, keyboardist Christian Madden, singer Jessica Greenfield, trombonist Alastair White, saxophonist Steve Hamilton and trumpeter Joe Auckland.
• In honor of the 50th anniversary of the release of Bruce Springsteen’s Born to Run album, and in anticipation of its upcoming “Born to Run” symposium, The Bruce Springsteen Archives & Center for American Music at Monmouth University in West Long Branch will present a concert titled “Born to Run: A Jersey Shore Celebration Concert” at Monmouth University’s Pollak Theatre, Sept. 3 at 7:30 p.m. Participants will include original E Street Band drummer Vini Lopez as well as Williams Honor, Pat Roddy, Jake Thistle, Pat Guadagno, Richie Blackwell and others.
Most have participated in similar events honoring Springsteen’s first two albums, Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J., and The Wild, The Innocent & the E Street Shuffle.
CRAIG FINN
• In a show that was postponed because of bad weather, Craig Finn of the band The Hold Steady will perform at 90.5 the Night’s Songwriters on the Beach series at Newark Avenue Beach in Bradley Beach, Aug. 28 at 7 p.m.
Val Emmich will open; Kathleen Edwards had been scheduled to open the original show but cannot make this one.
• Sept. 1 at 4:30 p.m., SOMA Stage will present “Broadway in the Park: Miscast”at The Memorial Park Amphitheater in Maplewood, featuring more than a dozen local singer-actors with Broadway experience: Whitney Bashore, Haven Burton, Kennedy Caughell, Miguel Cervantes, Becky Gulsvig, Briga Heelan, Rosena M. Hill Jackson, Andy Kelso, Andrew Kober, Manu Narayan, Zal Owen, Charlie Pollock, Lance Roberts, Dana Spialter, Mariand Torres, Rebecca Covington Webber, Donald Webber Jr. and Jared Zirilli.
The “Miscast” theme means that they will all select songs from roles they aren’t really suited to play — i.e., roles in which they would be miscast.
There will be no admission charge, though donations of $15 or more will be accepted, to help SOMA Stage present more events like this in the future.
THE DEL McCOURY BAND
FESTIVALS
• Brandywine Friends of Old Time Music will present the 53rd edition of New Jersey’s biggest annual bluegrass event, The Delaware Valley Bluegrass Festival, Aug. 29-31 at The Salem County Fairgrounds in Woodstown, with artists including The Del McCoury Band, Rhonda Vincent, Danny Paisley & the Southern Grass, Don Flemons and The Lonesome River Band (all on Aug. 29), Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder, The Foghorn Stringband and The Malpass Brothers (all on Aug. 30), and Authentic Unlimited, The John Jorgenson Bluegrass Band and Martha Spencer & the Wonderland Band (all on Aug. 31).
Overall, there will be more than 20 sets of music on the main stage, plus smaller jam sessions, workshops and classes, and a children’s stage.
• The 50th annual New Jersey Friends of Clearwater Festival will take place at Sunset Park in Asbury Park, Aug. 30 from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., with music on two stages (by festival founder Bob Killian, The Black Ties, The Wag, Spook Handy, Cranston Dean and others), environmentally themed educational displays, crafts and food vendors, children’s activities and more.
• Scanfest, celebrating Scandinavian culture, will take place at Vasa Park in Budd Lake, Aug. 31 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with music, demonstrations, food and crafts vendors, speakers, children’s entertainment and more.
Performers will include Spirit of Scandinavia, The SmorgasBand, Swedish Meatballs, Hanne Ladefoged-Dollase, House of Hamill and others.
The cover of Peter Ames Carlin’s “Tonight in Jungleand: The Making of Born to Run.”
BOOKS
• Peter Ames Carlin, who wrote one of the best books about Bruce Springsteen (2012’s “Bruce”), has just published another one, inspired by the 50th anniversary of the release of Springsteen’s Born to Run album: “Tonight in Jungleland: The Making of Born to Run.” He will sign copies of it at River Road Books in Fair Haven, Sept. 4 at 7 p.m.; Thunder Road Books in Spring Lake, Sept. 5 at 6 p.m.; and The Asbury Book Cooperative in Asbury Park, Sept. 7 at 5 p.m.
• Actor David Duchovny will sign copies of his new book, “About Time: Poems,” Sept. 3 at 6 p.m. at Bookends in Ridgewood.
This is Duchovny’s seventh book, but his first collection of poetry.
FILM
• Peter Benchley, who wrote the novel “Jaws” and also co-wrote the movie’s screenplay, lived for much of his life in Princeton before dying there in 2006. In honor of his connections to the town, Princeton Garden Theatre presents a “Jaws Fest” every year, screening the movie and also presenting other “Jaws”-related activities. This year’s “Jaws Fest” will be at 7 p.m. Aug. 29, but since a new restoration of the movie is being released in honor of its 50th anniversary, there also will be additional screenings, Aug. 30-31 and Sept. 1-4.
• For rock fans who think Kiss is too understated … there is GWAR, who with their elaborate costumes and wild music take the idea of cartoonish musical mayhem to the next level. Kevin Smith’s SModcastle Cinemas in Atlantic Highlands will screen the documentary “This Is GWAR” at 8 p.m. Aug. 30, with Smith hosting a question-and-answer session with band members after the film.
• Action film star Fred “The Hammer” Williamson will appear in post-screening discussions when three of his films are screened by The Passage Theatre Company at Mill Hill Playhouse in Trenton, Aug. 30. “Joshua” (1976) will be shown at noon, followed by “Original Gangstas” (1996) at 3 p.m., and “One Down, Two to Go” (1982) at 6 p.m.
REVIEWS
“Pulp: The Fluid and The Concrete” at Hunterdon Art Museum, Clinton. Paper-making works. (Through Aug. 31)
“Léni Paquet-Morante: Extract/Abstract,” presented by Princeton University Art Museum at Art@Bainbridge. (Through Nov. 2)
“Indigenous Identities: Here, Now & Always” at Zimmerli Art Museum, New Brunswick. (Through Dec. 21)
“Morven Revealed: Untold Stories From New Jersey’s Most Historic Home” at Morven Museum & Garden, Princeton. (Through March 1)
_____________________________
CONTRIBUTE TO NJARTS.NET
Since launching in September 2014, NJArts.net, a 501(c)(3) organization, has become one of the most important media outlets for the Garden State arts scene. And it has always offered its content without a subscription fee, or a paywall. Its continued existence depends on support from members of that scene, and the state’s arts lovers. Please consider making a contribution of any amount to NJArts.net via PayPal, or by sending a check made out to NJArts.net to 11 Skytop Terrace, Montclair, NJ 07043.
