The music of Jimi Hendrix will be celebrated at all-star concerts in Newark and Red Bank.
A roundup of arts events taking place around the state, through April 3:
POP/ROCK/FOLK
• Expect instrumental fireworks when the Experience Hendrix Tour comes to Prudential Hall at NJPAC in Newark, March 29 at 8 p.m., and the Count Basie Center for the Arts in Red Bank, April 2 at 8 p.m. An assortment of top-notch rock, blues and metal musicians will play songs written by or associated with Jimi Hendrix: Joe Satriani, Dave Mustaine (of Megadeth), Jonny Lang, Taj Mahal, Dweezil Zappa, Eric Johnson, Mato Nanji (of Indigenous), The Slide Brothers, Billy Cox (of Hendrix’s Band of Gypsys), dUg Pinnick (of King’s X), Henri Brown, Kevin McCormick, Chris Layton (of Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble) and Kenny Aronoff.
• The annual Atlantic City Beer and Music Festival, taking place at the Atlantic City Convention Center, started as the Atlantic City Beer Festival in 2006, but added the “Music” in 2011, and now offers nonstop entertainment on a main stage as well as a smaller one (for acoustic performances). The March 29, 8 p.m.-midnight session will feature The Used, Can’t Swim, latewaves, Gabriel Fallon, Lady Lightning, The Victory Drive, End November and J. Pardi & Chase. Performers from noon to 4 p.m. March 30 will include SOJA, Iya Terra, Sensamotion, Ash Dakota, The Cigarbox Stompers, Jeff Murray and LNJ Sessions. The 6-10 p.m. March 30 session will feature The Wonder Years, Have Mercy, Save Face, Chip Rishell, Regrown, Goalkeeper and Bad Mary.
• The long-running Fest for Beatles Fans, a celebration of all things Fab, presents its 2019 edition at the Hyatt Regency in Jersey City, March 29-31. The Zombies, who will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at a March 29 ceremony at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, will make an appearance on March 30. Other guests throughout the weekend will include Denny Laine and Laurence Juber of Paul McCartney’s Wings; Alan White of Yes (who also played with John Lennon); Lennon producer and engineer Jack Douglas; the bands The Weeklings, Liverpool and Blac Rabbit, and many others.
Richard Barone, right, with Glenn Mercer.
• The Outpost in the Burbs will present Richard Barone’s “Music + Revolution: Greenwich Village in the 1960s,” March 29 at 8 p.m. Joining Barone will be Eric Andersen, the duo The Kennedys, Glenn Mercer of The Feelies, Jeffrey Gaines, Tammy Faye Starlite and Steve Addabbo; Mary Lee Kortes will also present an opening set. The show will explore the Village’s interwoven pop, rock and folk scenes of the ’60s via covers of songs from that era or, with artists such as Andersen (who was active there, at that time), performances of his own songs. The show will be at the First Congregational Church at 40 S. Fullerton Ave. in Montclair. (For a chance to win two tickets, send an email to njartscontest@gmail.com by midnight March 27 with the word “Barone” in the subject line.)
• Atlanta-based roots-rock band Blackberry Smoke released an acoustic EP, The Southern Ground Sessions, last year and is following it up with an acoustic tour that comes to BergenPAC in Englewood, April 1. Ida Mae will open the 8 p.m. show. (For a chance to win two tickets, send an email to njartscontest@gmail.com by midnight March 28 with the word “Blackberry” in the subject line.)
• The annual Singer-Songwriter Cape May conference and festival is scheduled for March 29 and 30, with 150 acts (including keynote speakers Erin McKeown and Jesse Terry) performing at 15 venues, plus workshops, mentoring sessions and more.
THE ALLMAN BETTS BAND
• The Allman Betts Band — featuring Devon Allman, Duane Betts and Berry Duane Oakley, the sons of Allman Brothers Band members Gregg Allman, Dickey Betts and Berry Oakley Jr., respectively — performs at the Hopewell Theater, March 31 at 7:30 p.m. Among the other band members is New Jersey’s own John Ginty, on organ. Shows are also scheduled for the Newton Theatre, April 12; and the Ocean City Music Pier, July 8.
• Singer-songwriter James Dalton will host an evening of “Songs & Stories” at the Pollak Theatre at Monmouth University in West Long Branch, March 29 at 8 p.m., in an “in the round”-style show also featuring Steven Delopoulos (of Burlap to Cashmere), Michael Ronstadt, Steve Reilly, April Centrone, Andy Keenan, Tara Dente and Karlee Bloom.
Also at Monmouth University, but in the smaller Lauren K. Woods Theatre, Joe D’Urso and Joe Rapolla will host and perform at one of their similar “Songwriters by the Sea” evenings of songs and stories, March 30 at 8 p.m., with Jeffrey Gaines and Eryn also participating.
• Phil Ochs’ sister, Sonny Ochs, will host a Phil Ochs Song Night at the Minstrel Acoustic Concert Series at the Morristown Unitarian Fellowship, March 29 at 7:30 p.m., with participants including Greg Greenway, Reggie Harris, Colleen Kattau and Pat Wictor.
PAT METHENY
JAZZ
• Guitarist Pat Metheny brings his Side Eye project, which features a rotating cast of up-and-coming musicians, to the McCarter Theatre Center in Princeton, April 2 at 7:30 p.m., and BergenPAC in Englewood, April 3 at 8 p.m. He will be joined at these shows by keyboardist James Francies and drummer Nate Smith.
THEATER
• A new classical theater company, Shakespeare@, will present “Hamlet” at Grace Church Van Vorst in Jersey City, March 28-30 and April 4-6 and 11-13 at 7:30 p.m., and March 31 and April 7 and 14 at 7 p.m.
DANCE
• Peak Performances presents “Elizabeth, the dance,” choreographed by Ann Carlson and performed by the Ririe Woodbury Dance Company, March 28-31 at the Kasser Theater at Montclair State University. According to the Peak Performances web site, Carlson creates “a world in which classical ballet, modern dance icon Martha Graham, and questions of cultural appropriation collide with clowns, basketball players, and hula dance. The site also says that in “Elizabeth,” Carlson “pays homage to ‘the visionaries and teachers’ of modern dance history.” Shows are at 7:30 p.m. March 28-29, 8 p.m. March 30, and 3 p.m. March 31.
UNCLE FLOYD
OTHER
• Rutherford Congregational Church presents an Environmental Expo and Concert with comedian Uncle Floyd, singer-songwriter John Dull “and Friends” (including musicians Loretta and Gary Hagen, Ted Clancy, Dave Rimelis, Alex Zetelski, Martin Dull and more), March 30 at 8 p.m. Representatives from local environmental groups will be on hand to discuss their projects and give about information, starting about an hour before the concert.
• The Showboat in Atlantic City presents a New Jersey Horror Con and Film Festival, March 29-31, with screenings, panel discussions, vendors, cosplay, trivia contests, and appearances by actors and other celebrities such as Shannon Elizabeth, Lea Thompson, Joe Bob Briggs, Adrienne Barbeau, Zach Galligan, Butch Patrick, Chris Jericho, Jake “The Snake’ Roberts, Linnea Quigley, Mick Garris, Richard Grieco, Denise Crosby, The Amazing Kreskin, Vinny Appice and Ernie Hudson. Convention hours are March 29 from 5 to 11 p.m.; March 30 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; and March 31 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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