...about our listening room?  When we set out to have a room for events, we weren't quite sure what the future held. We just knew we wanted 'em & we hoped you would too!  Well, cowabunga—if you've been following us since our very special Presents series kicked off in the Autumn of 2022, let alone our super duper open mics as well as our monthly First Friday Songwriter Series a few months prior, well you'll realize how taken aback we really are. As they say, the hits—they just keep on coming.

Brian St. John is a singer-songwriter based in Sussex County, New Jersey but his songs sound like they could come from anywhere. Fronting his eponymous Quartet in the late aughts, The Brian St. John Quartet released studio records before beginning his solo career. Playing venues up and down the tri-state area including The Stone Pony, The Newton Theater, and Maxwells, Boonton Coffee is pleased to present the record release show for St. John's sixth solo release "The Outlaw." The third record of a trilogy recorded with partner in crime Jon Irizarry, "The Outlaw" draw upon influences in folk, country, blues, and singer-songwriters of the 20th century. Please join us on Friday November 1st at 7pm with special guest Hidden Cabins is an eclectic, indie-folk duo comprised of Craig Cirinelli (microphone/hand percussion) & Brian Hofgesang (guitars/textures/synths), writing melodic songs with a simplified vision yet a complex emotive flair. Far reaching exposure has seen them journey both within and outside of the USA on multiple trips to England, as well as Scotland, Spain and Canada supporting releases on indie labels such as Engineer Records, Pyrrhic Victory Recordings, Combover Records, Oak Apple Records and Friends+Neighbors collective. After years of solely performing as a duo, Hidden Cabins expanded their sound a step further, recording and releasing an EP as a four piece, aptly titled The Hidden Cabins Band. Soon to follow, however, a move out-of-state resulted in the group's hiatus. After nearly 6 years, Brian and Craig reconnected to both record a new EP as well as reboot their live set as a two-piece, bringing Hidden Cabins back to it’s roots on stages near and far.

Since his early days in London, the New York City based British-born singer/songwriter James Maddock has ridden the wave of a music industry that's ebbed, flowed, peaked, and crashed. Maddock has stayed afloat throughout the entire ride, enjoying a brush with commercial success during the late 1990s - including a major-label record deal, a Top 5 AAA radio hit, and a song placements on major TV Series - before transforming himself into an independent solo artist during the decades that followed. James has performed regularly with Willie Nile, Aaron Comess (Spin Doctors), David Immergluck (Counting Crows), Brian Mitchell (Levon Helm Band) and SNL drummer Shawn Pelton and has shared the stage with many well known artists such as Bruce Springsteen, The Waterboys, Pete Seeger, Levon Helm and many others. Background: After fronting the Columbia Records band Wood, whose debut Songs From Stamford Hill was featured prominently on TV shows such as Dawson’s Creek, Maddock moved from England to New York City in 2003. His 2009 album Sunrise On Avenue C won a New York Music Award for Best Americana Album, while the follow-up Wake Up And Dream ranked among the top albums of 2011 in WFUV's (NYC) Listener Poll. With the release of Another Life (2013) and a 5 further albums over the following 7 years, his latest release in 2023 titled Night Work is a beautiful collection of songs demonstrating why many consider him to be one of the best singer/songwriters working today.

Tim & Dani • Tim Ryan (guitar) and Daniella Fischetti (fiddle) have spent the last decade making music together-- performing on stages, hosting bluegrass jams, hanging at festival and backcountry campgrounds, and sitting around the living room. They share a love of learning traditional fiddle tunes, modern instrumentals, and bluegrass and jazz standards and believe that to be a musician is to never stop learning. Koda Gursoy is a young singer-songwriter who got his start in Boonton singing indie-folk music at open-mics and small gigs at local venues. He released his debut EP, Know Me, in 2023, and has since followed it up with a full length album, In Between Scenes, released in June 2024. Currently a college student, he sings with a semi-professional acapella group, the Princeton Footnotes, continuing to write and produce music from his dorm room.

Brian Vander Ark, singer-songwriter of the multi-platinum alternative rock band The Verve Pipe (w/hit single "The Freshmen” and more) comes to Boonton Coffee Presents! Brian set out on his own to launch a multi-faceted solo career during breaks from his work with the band, which has resulted in multiple acclaimed independent studio albums and tours which followed. Though still active with The Verve Pipe, he was challenged by the demand for a more personal fan experience, creating his Lawn Chairs and Living Rooms house concert series over a decade back, performing hundreds of intimate shows in the homes of fans across America. Whether solo or with The Verve Pipe, Brian performs in concert throughout North America, including notable appearances at Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits Festival, Lincoln Center, Hangout Music Festival, SummerStage in Central Park, and many more.

The Dust-Ups blend a down-home country sound with punk rock spirit. While they all call New Jersey home today, The Dust-Ups’ origins span from New Orleans to Quebec, allowing their alt-country signature to resonate as far from regional. Before becoming known for their lively, catchy songs, the outfit was assembled in 2022 after lead vocalist/rhythm guitarist Ryan Chatelain, a veteran of the New Orleans and New York solo-acoustic scenes, laid down roots in New Jersey and put out the call for musicians on Facebook and Craigslist. Multi-instrumentalist Joe Palmisano answered and expressed a shared fondness of some of Chatelain's biggest influences, including Old 97’s and Uncle Tupelo, and the two then partnered to start what would eventually become known as The Dust-Ups. Shortly after, bassist Stephen Swalsky, formerly of the alt-country bands Coal Palace Kings and Mud, Blood & Beer, and drummer Alek Speck, who toured the world with the indie rock group Run Run Run, completed the lineup. The symbiotic songwriting relationship between Chatelain and Palmisano brings a unique dynamic to The Dust-Ups, who released their eponymous debut album March 8. Now that the polishing touches have been put on the album, The Dust-Ups are endeavoring to continue extending the legacy of alt-country while remaining inspired by country legends and channeling their fervor for the genre into euphonic harmonies and raw, heartfelt lyrics. The Milwaukees - Fascinated and fired up by the sounds that surrounded him, Clark put his first band together when he was just 12. There was no grand concept behind it—just some school pals getting together to kick out the jams—but then again, lifelong obsessions rarely come with master plans. “Me and my friends were really interested in music, and we just wanted to play,” he recalls. “This was around ’89-’90, and the whole alternative thing was happening, and we just wanted to be a band—it really was that simple. I didn’t think about writing songs at first, but my father said, ‘Don’t waste a lot of time doing other people’s songs. You should try to write your own.’ And when I was 13, that’s what I started doing.” For over two decades now, Clark and Nordstedt have stuck together through shitty van tours, misadventures like getting “banned for life” from Canada, and multiple turnovers in the rhythm section. (Donovan Cain and Austin Faxon now hold things down on the bass and drums, respectively.) If anything, their relationship mirrors the kind of creative partnership and musical telepathy that Tom Petty enjoyed with Mike Campbell; Clark writes and sings the songs, while Nordstedt further refines them with layers of melodic-yet-understated fretwork. “Mike Campbell is my hero,” Nordstedt enthuses. “That dude is so focused in his pursuit of craft, but as a musician he’s also totally happy to play a supporting role, and to excel at it. That’s what I want to do, too.

On a fated summer getaway in Cape Cod, two families on the verge of fracture contend with the secrets of the past in a powerful and moving novel by the author of April & Oliver. April, her brother-in-law Oliver, and their families reunite in Cape Cod on an exquisite stretch of beach called Dawnland. After eleven summers of building traditions--kayaking, whale watching, bonfires, and ocean swims--this year comes with new threats both on and off the coastline. Before their marriages, April and Oliver had an intense but disastrous fling that they kept hidden. Although they moved on with their lives, their more recent fiery encounter is getting harder to keep secret--especially as the week unravels, revealing fault lines not only between husbands and wives but between brothers, fathers and sons, and children growing up amid discord and lies. Ground zero for conflict is April's volatile teenage son, Lochlann. The family structure begins to teeter. Secrets are surfacing. As everyone faces the consequences of their choices, the truth could finally forge them together or tear them apart forever. Tess Callahan is the author of April & Oliver. Her essays and stories have appeared in the New York Times Magazine, Writer's Digest, National Public Radio, AGNI, Narrative Magazine, AWP: The Writer's Notebook, Newsday, The Common, the Best American Poetry blog, and elsewhere. Her TEDx talk on creativity is titled "The Love Affair Between Creativity and Constraint." Tess is a graduate of Boston College and Bennington College Writing Seminars and teaches creative writing and meditation. A dual citizen of the United States and Ireland, she lives with her family and number one life coach: her dog.

For the 17th show in our Presents series, world-class drummer/multi-instrumentalist Omar Hakim & his hand-picked band will treat us to an intimate, dialed back storyteller session of songs by his brand new project, SONIC BOOM SQUAD! Sonic Boom Squad (Unplugged) will feature: Omar Hakim: Vocals, Guitar, Drums, Percussion Paul Pesco: Guitar, Vocals Jerry Brooks: Bass and Vocals Rachel Z: Piano Topé: Drums, Percussion, Background Vocals Samora Free: Background Vocals (Pictured in poster: Chogyi Lama, Jerry Brooks, Samora, Topé, Rachel Z, Omar Hakim, Sharlene and Paul Pesco) Background: Widely acclaimed for his versatility, technological prowess and groove, Omar Hakim is one of the most successful drummers and session men of the past 40 years. Omar has releases under his own name and as collaborative visions with groups The Trio of Oz, Ozmosys, Omar Hakim Experience, and now fronting his own again, Sonic Boom Squad. A glimpse of Omar's recorded collaborations include illustrious artists ranging from David Bowie to Lionel Richie. Weather Report to Madonna. Dire Straits to Chaka Khan. Anita Baker to Mariah Carey. Bobby McFerrin to Bruce Springsteen. Michael Jackson to Celine Dion. Sting to Daft Punk. All of these examples simply scratch the many surfaces spanning his wide-ranging musical career. Sonic Boom Squad is of Omar’s ultimate vision in the present.

Stacia Thiel - Americana, alt. country, singer songwriter Stacia Thiel is a classically trained musician, born and raised in rural Wisconsin on an eclectic mix of old time country, 60's Folk, and Barbershop harmonies. An insatiable analyzer of human quirks, twists of fate, and idiosyncrasies, Stacia explores through captivating lyrics and searing vocal lines, the raw emotions that connect us all. Stacia has been writing and performing music since childhood and cut her first full length album of original folk/pop songs at age 17. With a master’s degree in vocal performance (opera) she utilizes her voice and registers in ways that fans have shared is 'powerful and achingly beautiful.' While her music combines the classic elements of Americana, Folk and Country her soaring melodies, poetic lyrics and vocal prowess serve up a sound that feels fresh. Bernie Drury - Music became a big part of Bernie’s life in 1976 when he spent nearly a year busking through France and Italy playing at outdoor cafes, the Paris metro, night clubs and colleges. His songwriting is influenced by storytellers whose songs range from serious to lighthearted. Favorites include John Prine, Jim Croce and Lyle Lovett. Today he is a proud member of Skylands Songwriters Guild in Morris County, NJ, and co-hosts “The Song Writer’s Gig” podcast. A full-length CD is coming in late 2024.

Rachael Parenta - An emotionally-inappropriate comedian, has been cracking audiences up from coast to coast and all of NYC for over a decade. She's been seen on Lifetime, Animal Planet, and the Discovery Channel. She's a former co-host of Sports Ball on TWIB.FM and the creator of the hilarious podcast Football Laces. When not performing Ms. Parenta is writing writing writing having had short and full-length plays produced on both costs as well having contributed prose to Gawker.com and the 2009 book What Was I Thinking?! alongside Carrie Fisher. Nick Fierro is a comedian and writer from New Jersey performing his endearing yet unsettling brand of comedy everywhere from subway stations to punk houses to theaters—he once performed at Rikers Island to mixed reviews. He started his comedy career as a sketch writer and actor, performing regularly at the Peoples Improv Theater in New York City, WFMU’s Monty Hall in Jersey City, and the Manhattan Neighborhood Network. Nick produced and performed on WFMU’s Prove it All Night and Redundancy Radio, and was a regular contributor on WFMU's In Real Life. He has been seen on The Special without Brett Davis and The Best Show with Tom Sharpling. Curretly, Nick produces a show in Paterson called Comedy Prototype. Andrew Fairleigh is in fact, Andrew Fairleigh. You can't get enough of him and we can't get rid of him. Or is it the other way around?

The Bitter Chills are a pretty rootsy, often rocky, sometimes mellow, but always melodic trio from North Jersey. The members, Matt, Christian, and Tim, are all exceedingly courteous fellows who wear ties and read books. They also create smart, catchy songs that display a healthy sense of humor and an affection for Americana, The British Invasion, and New Wave Power Pop. The Bitter Chills have released three albums on the New Jersey-based indie label Mint 400 Records. They also proofread this bio several times. Jeiris Cook, if asked will tell you his singing influences and style are reminiscent of the Motown era. A life long soul stirring vocalist, his aim is to marry old and new while delivering audiences a performance that is truly unique and memorable. His style is an infusion of vintage soul, folk and rhythm and blues rolled into a velvety serenade. Dana of Rising Artist Blog writes, “The singer has unlocked a whole new genre by blending big band, soul and jazz sounds with country, pop, RnB and Motown vibes.”.

Over the past three decades JR has been at the top of the music industry, JR has sold millions of records, penned chart-topping hit songs and performed around the world. His achievements, include the US #1 hit 'Counting Blue Cars' (written by JR a la Dishwalla) that won the Billboard award for 'Rock Song of the Year 1996 and two ASCAP Awards for "Song of The Year" in both 1997 and 1998. Along with his Dishwalla bandmates, he released 5 definitive records, including the Platinum-selling 'Pet Your Friends". Now JR is an Independent Artist with 4 solo albums under his belt and is currently working on his 10th album.

NJ.Com called him one of Hudson Counties most engaging performer over the last 5 years. James Calleo is a singer-songwriter from Jersey City, NJ. His style draws from a wide range of influences including the Wood Brothers, Ray Lamontagne and the Grateful Dead. Acoustic/Soul/Country/Funk you might say. James has led his high energy Americana band, Widely Grown, on tours through 15 states, performing at notable festivals in 2023 like MaplewoodStock and the Barefoot Country Music Festival. They will be releasing new music in 2024. He will be joined by Widely Grown bassist Dave Lockhart. Dave has played with highly regarded acts such as Lake Tahoe's Dead Winter Carpenters, NJ's Joe Cirotti, Nick Dunbar and even Dead Grass. Behind the creative force of Jake Swamp and the Pine is Drew Zieff. Jake Swamp and the Pine songs range from powerful acoustic anthems to knee-slapping hoedowns to slow and somber waltzes, drawing on diverse influences from the Americana, folk, singer-songwriter, bluegrass, and jam band traditions. With a collection of original songs and covers of artists, there’s always something to stomp, clap, or holler along to. At the end of 2022, JSATP released their debut album, Simpson and Banks, named after the cross streets in Somerville, MA where the band was formed. Within those cross streets, hours and hours of practice, laughing, writing, struggling with creating social content had been held. Simpson and Banks received praise from many prestigious publications including Americana UK, who noted that a "Gloriously atmospheric vocals carry a set of passionate, emotive and classy songs.”

Radiator Hospital is best known as the music vehicle of singer-songwriter & Michigan-turned-Philadelphia transplant, Sam-Cook Parrott. A writer of often hazy, yet equally adhesive, pop poetry which lay like a soft blanket across fuzzed out, whatever-fi acoustic/electric guitars and eclectic accompaniments. Radiator Hospital has a sound made for DIY basements, living room shows and couch sesssions, while endearingly catching a ride atop their swarms of fans on a decade plus ascent into fervent rock clubs. Sam-Cook Parrott joins Boonton Coffee Presents to showcase a night of acoustic songs and we couldn't be more psyched to have him on this double bill. Radiator Hospital released two albums in 2023, a self-released EP called Watching a Fire, as well as the full-length, Can't Make Any Promises via Salinas Records. Marissa Paternoster was the lead singer and guitar player for Screaming Females (2005-2023) who notably ripped up the indie rock world, toured across oceans, garnered interest from NPR, Carson Daly, were raved about by big magazines and small bloggers, all the while just doing what they do with nary a flinch. Marissa, a School of the Arts graduate from Rutgers University, works as a freelance illustrator in Philadelphia while also fronting her new solo, sometimes duo, studio-turned-live project, NOUN. Both Screaming Females and Noun albums can be found via Don Giovanni Records.

This night at Boonton Coffee Co. features two Americana songwriters, Teddy Owen and JM Stevens. Teddy is a local to Boonton, NJ and has been preparing songs for his debut album for quite sometime now. Workshopping them at open mics and occasional gigs, Teddy's style hovers accross the line of rockabilly, which is further on display with the addition of drummer/producer Matt Pelosi and bassist Henry Heissenbuttel. The trio will be playing the night and showcasing Teddy's debut album. JM Stevens: Hailing from Austin, Texas by way of West Point, Mississippi, critically acclaimed Americana and roots-rock/pop singer, songwriter, and producer, JM Stevens returns three years after his well-received solo debut, Invisible Lines. Releasing in April 2024, the 10-song Nowhere to Land is an overall mellower, more vulnerable record than its predecessor, though still speckled with some up-tempo rockers. It’s a thoughtful album further set apart by Stevens’ nuanced songcraft, intimate vocals, and organic production. From contemplative, optimistic opener “Dry Creek” and the more jaunty but no less questioning title track, it’s a record that preserves the raw emotions of Stevens’ songcraft through admirably restrained production. “I wanted to keep it real open,” he said. “And it sometimes sounds bigger that way, because there’s more space to sink into, more room to breathe.” Pangs of love, loss and loneliness punctuate Nowhere to Land’s bouts of doubt, jealousy, and recurring hope. Songs search for that old spark as lovers grow apart but often, tempered by empathy, resolve into acceptance and letting go. “After the Storm” came to Stevens almost fully formed while out running in the wake of Texas’ infamous 2021 ice storm, while fellow standout “Cherry Sunburst” takes doing whatever it took to acquire a coveted guitar as a metaphor for losing our senses in all manner of other situations. Catch Stevens on tour in 2024 supporting Nowhere to Land.

The New York Times called Buffalo, NY born Willie Nile "one of the most gifted singer-songwriters to emerge from the New York scene in years." Uncut Magazine called him “A one-man Clash” and “the unofficial poet laureate of New York City”. His album Streets Of New York was hailed as “a platter for the ages” by Uncut. Rolling Stone listed The Innocent Ones as one of the “Top Ten Best Under-The-Radar Albums of 2011” and BBC Radio called it “THE rock ‘n’ roll album of the year.” His single from that album, “One Guitar,” was the “Top Pick of the Week” in USA Today. Willie has toured across the U.S. with The Who and has sung with Bruce Springsteen and Ringo Starr. As the induction program from the Buffalo Music Hall of Fame says: “His live performances are legendary.” His 2020 album New York At Night got rave reviews, with The Associated Press calling it: “As sharp and guitar-driven as ever…the fire within Nile, once a peer of The Replacements and The Clash, continues to light a similar torch…anthemic…custom made for these times.” Downbeat Magazine calling it a “sonic love letter to Gotham.” His recent studio album The Day The Earth Stood Still features a duet with Steve Earle on the song “Blood On Your Hands.” The London Times called him “A man who embodies the true spirit of rock n’ roll.” The New Yorker wrote that Willie Nile is “One of the most brilliant singer-songwriters of the past 30 years.”

Brooklyn-based songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, Janet LaBelle, channels her love for varied musical traditions and a passion for classic and timeless sounds. As a New Jersey native, LaBelle emerged on the scene in her teen years as lead singer with the pop-punk band, Avery, touring nationally with songs featured on Nickelodeon and Disney. Since her early start, LaBelle has become a staple of the New York City scene, as a front woman, drummer, touring multi-instrumentalist (most notably performing with Jimmy Destri of Blondie), and most importantly, a forward-thinking producer, rapidly turning song sketches into fleshed out nuanced works. Her latest singles "You're Gone" and "Cry Me a River" are available via Wild Violet Records. LaBelle is gearing up for a series of shows and working on a new EP in 2024. She is looking forward to being a part of the Boonton Coffee Presents songwriters series this spring and performing new music from her upcoming EP. Pulling as much influence from the punk bands he discovered in his adolescence, as from the '50s rock 'n' roll playing in the house as a kid, Jared Knapik has honed a unique and distinguishable sound all his own. Taking pages from the books of esteemed acts such as Dashboard Confessional and The Gaslight Anthem, Jared's catalog simultaneously sounds familiar and refreshing. His, at times, bashing style of guitar playing paired with personal lyrics breeds a performance that - while not in volume - in spirit, rivals that of a full band. With his 2017 full length LP, More Than You'll Ever Know, laying a solid foundation of touring material, and his follow-up release, 2019's Waiting Me Out, garnering even more praise, Jared's first collection of songs in three years - 2022's Never Said EP - has been met with further acclaim.

Business Casual is a bicoastal sketch comedy trio performing a brand of comedy that blends both sketch, improvisation, and clowning. Their new hour "COWBOYS" blends sketch and improv for an hour of rootin' tootin' fun.  Also, let's give a warm-welcome back to comedian/actor Chris Gethard who'll be warming up the show with an opening set! (for those that couldn’t get tickets for his double-header with us last August, consider this a third chance!

Join us as we celebrate women in music on the first day of Women's History Month. Affectionately described by her peers as "NJ's Joni Mitchell", Mary Hubley, known as Maribyrd, is a singer/songwriter, born and raised in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains of Northern NJ. Her live performances range from intimate and acoustic, to dynamic full bands, and everything in between. Both fronting her own projects and sitting in with artists throughout NJ, NY, & PA, she plays acoustic guitar, mandolin, a little bass, and has both a gift and a passion for harmonies. "Ethereal" and "floating" are words commonly used in regard to her vocals. Christina Alessi is a seasoned storyteller who sings from the heart. Heartbroken, yet defiant. Down, but never out. Resolute. You could call it Americana music. But why not just listen? Both musicians will be perforoming solo as well as together during the night.

Tabitha Booth’s ethereal sounds set an atmosphere of awakening. As band leader, she is inspired by her musicians' divine rhythmic musings. Her audience is brought on her uninhibited journey, setting them free from the restraints of their daily routines. Her voice is uniquely strong & exquisite, soaring above, while complimenting arrangements of flute, upright bass & drums. Harnessing the confident freedom in melody & timing that artists like Tori Amos, Janis Joplin, & Portishead epitomize, Booth’s original songs, such as Curiosity & Death by Bridge have won awards, including: Best First Time Producer & Grand Jury Best Music Video. Tabitha Booth is represented by Mint400 Records based in Hawthorne, NJ. Regarding the Wolf Moon Live Album. “I began this album as a journey of reconciling a broken heart. Initially a piano arrangement of Silent Lucidity by Queensryche, the music quickly transformed into a voyage across the seas of sound, set design and an intimate listening session, filmed by Scott Abbott (Philadelphia) and recorded by Corey Zack, audio engineer at music production lab, Cocoon Studios (Jersey City.) Wolf Moon includes a song dedication to the people of Ukraine, as well as poems written by Paula Patrice (my grandmother) and adapted to live music with a stellar lineup of musicians featuring Naomi Smith on upright bass. Wolf Moon Live was presented by billboard-charting violinist, Tory Anne Daines, to the attention of Neil Sabotino of Mint400 Records who signed Tabitha Booth for a sophomore record. Wolf Moon is currently being enjoyed by listenership across the US on community and college radio stations such as RadioBoise, RadioFree Brooklyn, campuses in San Antonio, Minneapolis, Hawaii, Boston, Philly and more. As a recipient of Best Live Album of the Year (Elephant Talk Indie, Atlantic City) and traversing an exciting year since its debut, Tabitha Booth and friends are celebrating utopia with releasing 3 videos from last January’s charming performance, a most special night under the mysterious and howling Wolf Moon. Love? said the Commander is a duo from the "PhilaJersey" area that embraces maximal minimalism in order to create slow burning emo-folk that'll make ya feel stuff. The pair met on Craigslist in the winter of 2018 and have been writing, recording, and performing together ever since.

The Brother Brothers are the indie folk duo of Adam and David Moss. The identical twins were born and raised in Peoria, Illinois and originally based in Brooklyn, but have been ultimately and profoundly shaped by indiscriminate rambling. They are the kind of people who have a story about everything, and moreso, one you might genuinely like to hear. American Songwriter once said, “no matter what musical context Adam and David Moss may come to put themselves in, what the duo want to say through music will always come to show the beauty that exists—even in the deepest cracks—of human living.” Proclaims No Depression, “the warm harmonies and silky melodies of identical twins David and Adam Moss evoke the kind of ’60s-era folk tunes that reverberated through dark, wood-paneled bars in the Village… If these brothers aren’t among the Americana Music Association’s nominees for Emerging Artist or Duo-Group, I want a recount.” The Brother Brothers’ luminous touring career spans international headlining, support runs with the likes of I’m With Her, Big Thief, Lake Street Dive, and Shakey Graves, as well as key plays at NPR’s Mountain Stage, FreshGrass Festival, Folk Alliance, Woodford Folk, Nelsonville Music Festival, and Edmonton Folk among others.

Jason Kundrath, a member of Sparta's The Good Silver and previously, Hero Pattern, joins Adam Streicher, a NJ songwriter whose strength lay within power pop with some surprises. Inflences range from Beatles to Weezer, Billy Joel to ELO and Wings-influenced originals! Each will be showcasing their own songcraft while also joining together as a duo to celebrate their complimentary voices in song.

The Adventuring Party began in 2014 as a Dungeons & Dragons campaign comprised of musician friends. In 2016, they decided to become a band after singer-songwriter Brian Rothenbeck, the party’s sorcerer, shared a handful of songs intended for a solo record. They took the next year to develop, record, and turn those songs into what would become Basilisk, their debut LP on small punk label Black Numbers, released in January of 2018. The record was a well-received collection of story driven, punk-tinged folk rock in the vein of The Weakerthans (who, coincidentally, the band would contribute their version “My Favourite Chords” to the compilation One Great Tribute in 2019 alongside heavy hitters like Frank Turner and Austin Lucas). Following Basilisk, the band did what bands do: played a bunch of shows, hit the road as much as possible, continued playing D&D, and began writing songs together. During this time, Rothenbeck, keyboardist Jay Gogel, drummer Rory Burns, and bassist Matt Logie took on another member of the party: guitarist Tim “Turanno” Johnson. In December 2019, the band spent a snowy weekend in a makeshift studio in Logie’s vacationing parents’ home to begin production on their follow-up release. With the bulk of the production completed that weekend, they chipped away at the remaining work at Logie’s proper home studio over the following few months. Unfortunately, this coincided with the Covid pandemic, and all plans for a 2020 release were derailed. From that, however, came A Voicemail…, a slice-of-life story about that moment in time and a late addition to what would become DLC, which released in July of 2021 on Logie’s Rat House Records imprint. The collection of songs included a country-punk cover of Bad Religion’s “Skyscraper” as well as new arrangements of some older songs from Rothenbeck’s catalog, but it was the opening track “Castlemania” – the first song the band truly wrote together – that showcased their comfort living across genres while still maintaining their signature focus on storytelling above everything. Shortly after the release of DLC, Turanno moved to Mexico City, and the band continued as a quartet until a music-fueled bachelor party weekend inspired them to invite their dear friend, guitarist Mike Allocco into the party as they finished writing their next LP. Tim never officially left the band, and The Adventuring Party hopes to collect at least eleven more guitarists by the time they enter the studio in early 2024. . . . Marc Delgado is a singer/songwriter, poet & storyteller from Woodstock, NY. His recent studio album, Wildwood Road, is filled with cinematic, psychedelic snapshots of his days of addiction & violence, living out of motels up & down California’s San Joaquin Valley. Woven into these scenes are songs of loss & survival, redemption, recovery & love. Recorded in Hurley, NY at Hurley Sound with producer & band mate, Justin Tracy, Delgado has thrown his hat into the ring & announced his arrival in The Catskills as an artist to be noticed. Along with Tracy on drums, Delgado’s band consists of virtuosos, Todd Nelson on guitar & James Alanson Kirk on bass. Their performances are a mix of spoken-word, jazz improv, art rock, folk music, guerrilla theatre, lush vocal harmonies & loud rocknroll. When not performing with his band, Delgado plays constantly as a one-man show. Part folkie, poet, raconteur & stand-up comic, Delgado tells stories & shares his experience from dark to light & all the shadows in between. With two live solo records under his belt: Live at Pete’s Candy Store Volumes I & II, Delgado keeps moving forward finding his truest self on the stage. He is currently at work on a new studio album & his book, The Black Socks, a book of stories & poems & other stuff that may or may not have actually happened… is due out this Winter.

Rusted Root evolved around front-man Michael Glabicki's distinct sound and vision…a one of a kind blend of acoustic folk, rock and world music that took the Pittsburgh based band from local clubs to multi-platinum record sales and a worldwide touring career. Glabicki is also exploring new sounds and opening new doors with his solo career, regularly touring as a duo with Rusted Root's guitar player, Dirk Miller. A multi-faceted musician, producer and songwriter, Glabicki's duo tour dates feature many Rusted Roots hits, stories and songs yet to be released. The music of multi-instrumentalist Jenna Nicholls has been turning heads since she arrived on the door step of the Lower East Side of NY. Whether she’ s crooning a jazz standard, belting out a New Orleans dirge or plucking 1920’s style original ballads on her Ukulele, she’s giving a vintage genre a new spin with her own lush, nostalgic style. Recently, Jenna has toured with Ingrid Michaelson, shared the stage with Oscar Winner Glen Hansard, Amanda Palmer, Lucius, and Joan as Policewoman. Jenna has performed in venues all across the country including The Beacon Theater and Carnegie Hall.

Joe Allocco would like to think that he's an avant-garde instrumental guitarist in the manner of the primitive masters, but in reality he's a gentle fingerpicker from Circumstances, New Jersey, where sophistication is putting two muffins on forks and pretending they're dancing feet. Joe's roots in New Jersey's punk rock and hardcore scene add an "anything goes so let's figure it out" influence to the Fahey/Kottke/Rose inspired sound he has been drifting towards during the last decade. . . . Dustin Lowman is a musician and writer who has never met a five-syllable word he didn’t like. A self-taught singer, guitarist, lyricist, and harmonica player, he patterns his style on troubadours past and present: Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Adrienne Lenker, Cass McCombs Based in Brooklyn, Dustin performs regularly at venues in the borough, and has also appeared at the Poetry Foundation in Chicago, IL; The Bitter End in Manhattan, NY; and the Levitt Pavilion in Westport, CT. . . . Harrison Bieth is a singer/songwriter from northern New Jersey who has played in many different projects. He plays saxophone and guitar in Andrew & the Valentines. In addition, he has also released several solo records and EPs, which can be found on Spotify and Apple Music. He is currently in the process of recording new music which he plans to put out sometime early next year.

We’re hosting world-class jazz technologist, keyboardist, pianist & futurist, Rachel Z (Ozmosys Band; The Trio of OZ) in our burgeoning listening room! She’ll be performing within the Rachel Z Trio alongside Mino Cinelu (percussion) and Jonathan Toscano (bass). Special guest Alex Laurenzi will join them on saxophone for the night! This exquisite combination of the Rachel Z Trio is born of the influences and experiences gained from the members having performed with the architects of world jazz (Weather Report and Wayne Shorter); rock (Sting, Peter Gabriel, Pino Daniele); and pop/electronic music. They’ll be performing original songs that showcase their unique sound morphed together combining the band’s lifetime of experiences.

Joe Allocco would like to think that he's an avant-garde instrumental guitarist in the manner of the primitive masters, but in reality he's a gentle fingerpicker from Circumstances, New Jersey, where sophistication is putting two muffins on forks and pretending they're dancing feet. Joe's roots in New Jersey's punk rock and hardcore scene add an "anything goes so let's figure it out" influence to the Fahey/Kottke/Rose inspired sound he has been drifting towards during the last decade. . . . Dustin Lowman is a musician and writer who has never met a five-syllable word he didn’t like. A self-taught singer, guitarist, lyricist, and harmonica player, he patterns his style on troubadours past and present: Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Adrienne Lenker, Cass McCombs Based in Brooklyn, Dustin performs regularly at venues in the borough, and has also appeared at the Poetry Foundation in Chicago, IL; The Bitter End in Manhattan, NY; and the Levitt Pavilion in Westport, CT. . . . Harrison Bieth is a singer/songwriter from northern New Jersey who has played in many different projects. He plays saxophone and guitar in Andrew & the Valentines. In addition, he has also released several solo records and EPs, which can be found on Spotify and Apple Music. He is currently in the process of recording new music which he plans to put out sometime early next year.

Water Street - Since the Spring 2022 release of their debut LP All We Tried to Be, Blairstown, New Jersey sextuplet Water Street have been hard at work honing the eminently engaging brand of literary, folk-tinged pop and touring the Northeast. Water Street took their name as a nod to their roots; reflecting the close sense of community bonding them to their town, each other, and their work. The band released their full-length debut Waiting for Martin in 2016. The EP Dear You (2018) which led to hundreds of performances, including a spot on one of the main stages of Bethlehem’s, PA’s Musikfest. Arlan Feiles - Arlan Feiles (Fi-less) is an award winning singer songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and music producer. Discovered and mentored by the late great Rock and Roll Hall of Fame record producer Tom Dowd, Arlan has gone on to release 6 critically acclaimed records already, and has his music heard in many TV programs and movies, including the trailer for the Academy award winning film The Dallas Buyers Club. In addition, Arlan is equally known for his efforts supporting voting and civil rights.

Dylan Canfield - As Dylan Canfield approaches his first major release this year, with debut single, "In Your Atmosphere", listeners can expect those powerful lead vocals that were first heard on the acoustic EP, Gemini, by DD Canfield. Working on the EP with his brother, Devin Canfield, solidified his own desire to keep creating and pushing his boundaries, musically. When Dylan says, "It's a long time coming" he's not taking the words from his biggest inspiration, Bruce Springsteen. Growing up in Hackettstown, New Jersey, the words of Bruce Springsteen, amongst other singer/songwriters, inspired Dylan to reflect on his own trials in life. His struggles, his faith, his passions and a hope for redemption and perseverance. It's been five years since his move to Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, where he gigs and writes frequently. "Moving to Delaware allowed me to look at my own life in a way I never had before. Being able to perform my songs and songs I love on a regular basis keeps me pushing for that place I call, "The Promised Land." Earlier this year, Dylan released Live At Dogfish Head which showcases two performances. One of which being an unreleased original song, "Space" with Zach McCreery. "Approaching 21 was when I first picked up the guitar. Growing up I was surrounded by family members who were so talented at different instruments. I found joy in just watching ...but I longed for all of us to hit a stage one day. The power behind some of my favorite music, The Bee Gees/Kings Of Leon/Oasis/CCR, is unmatchable because of that family connection in those units." When Dylan Canfield hits the stage at Boonton Coffee, you can expect special feelings in that room. He's excited to revisit songs from Gemini while showcasing his songs as well. Dylan's stage presence soars, especially when accompanied by his family members. The intimacy of the room provides a space for Dylan to share his stories and reflect in a new way that the listener can look forward to. Zach Russack - For someone whose music is largely characterized by still introspection, Zach Russack doesn’t really slow down. Since releasing his eponymous debut album in 2016, the Hackettstown, NJ-based singer songwriter has worked as an audio engineer and started to build an home, maintained a steady stream of gigs around NYC and family with partner and long-time collaborator Cat Cirotti — all while continuing to develop new material for his sophomore album. But that’s because music has been at the center of Russack’s world for the majority of his life. His music, which broaches many subjects and is often marked by intricate acoustic guitar and his soft vocal style, chronicles his reflections on the dichotomies in his life: Growing up in a small town and performing in a big city or building a secure foundation to start a family while pursuing professional goals in the music industry, just to name a few. Whatever the challenge, on which ever side of the coin, Russack’s music and performances illustrate he has the versatility to handle them all.

Chris Gethard is a comedian, actor, and author who’s been doing comedy stuff for over twenty years. He’s the host of the Beautiful/Anonymous podcast, the former host of legendary public access television show The Chris Gethard Show, and had a special on HBO called Career Suicide. He’s acted on shows like The Office, Broad City, Space Force, Parks and Recreation, and a bunch more. He’s been in some movies like Don’t Think Twice, The Heat, The Other Guys, and Ghostbusters. But mostly, he’s a regular guy from New Jersey who likes traveling around and connecting with other human beings. Chris Gethard is a comedian based out of our great state yet can be seen performing all over the world.

Mourning Coffee - A singer-songwriter from New Jersey, formerly signed to Brink Records and Manic Kat Records, and former frontman of touring band The Foxfires. Mourning Coffee, their self-titled debut, was released in August 20th 2022. Their sound blends elements of folk, indie rock and grunge, all painted with a melancholy brush. ‘Sad coffee shop music’ is a fitting title. The band followed up their debut with a double new single titled "Gemini" on 11.11.22, a single titled “Pisces” on 12.21.22. Into 2023, Mourning Coffee dropped a new single titled “Scorpio” for Valentines Day along with a music video, all to help promote their latest EP Above & Below out which arrived this past March. Darrell Arden - Indie folk singer-songwriter Darrell Arden is as soft-spoken as they come, yet don't let that fool you. Though his songs give the impression of his delicate demeanor, they strike forward with a strong melody underlining each story he has to tell. Come hear songs from his debut EP Of Course released at the tail end of 2020, while also hearing new songs he's carved away since.

Bard - The Bard band's blend of original rock, funk, country and more is inspired by some of history's great poets. Shakespeare. E.E. Cummings. Robert Browning. C.P. Cavafy. All set to music that will get you moving and grooving. They'll be arriving into Boonton Coffee for an up close and personal setting, tailoring their sound to electric bass, keyboard, acoustic guitars and congas. Listen to their new album, Come Back Often, streaming everywhere. Shane Casey - Shane Casey is a singer-songwriter with a penchant of dressing his songs with a little bit of indie rock and a little bit of country twang. Where that line lay, is up to you to decide. His forthcoming album I Left You Outside and I'm Sorry is one grounded in simplicity. Real folk music for real people. Nothing political and nothing too deep. Just honest songs of love and longing. dressed up with a little bit of indie rock with a cowboy hat.

Get up and jump! We really think you’ll be doing so if you attend Presents Series #7 by none other than DAVID WAX MUSEUM! For those in the know, you know! For those who haven’t yet found them in front of you, you’re in for such an energetic treat! From stages like Newport Folk Fest to intimate concerts near and far, please help us welcome touring troubadours David & Suz as we bring them up from Virginia, one month following the release of their soon-to-come new album, You Must Change Your Life ! With singles already trickling out on their socials and such a fine bed of previous material, this is a thrill to be had. Background: For Wax, music has guided every step he holds sacred; he’s followed its palpable power, abiding by its requisite unpredictability. After graduating at the top of his class at Harvard, he wandered off an academic path to southern Mexico, finding what he calls “a clear before/after moment in my life.” There, he studied folk music “at the feet of the masters” and internalized structures and rhythms that continue to drive the band today. He and Slezak fell in love on their first national tour, setting in motion a future full of vivid waking dreams. Together (now with their two children in tow) they’ve logged 1,500 shows in every corner of the globe. From the back of a pick-up truck in Nome, Alaska at a solstice parade, to a surreal moment in a tent filled with a thousand Czechs hollering along to their iconic song “Harder Before It Gets Easier,” these dreams continue to unfold for Wax and Slezak.

Bobby Syvarth - In the fall of 2007, Bobby Syvarth recorded at the foot of Laurel Canyon with producer Bruce Witkin on his record, “Hellos And Goodbyes” for Bruce’s fledgling record label, Unison Music—the label he started with the help of his old bandmate and music aficionado Johnny Depp. He never imagined a kid from Jefferson, NJ could navigate his way to L.A. to be surrounded by the ghosts and spirits of Laurel Canyon's rich musical history, walking the same streets as his songwriting heroes of decades past. Fast forward 15 years and to the casual observer, success still seems elusive. But success isn’t always about those who burn brightest. One can dance around the cracks without falling through them and the act of creation, bringing a fully formed song into existence, is itself a success. By the time Bobby got to town again, Silver Lake Blvd. was the new Sunset Blvd. and he felt right at home chilling with the rovers, wanderers and artists who were dreaming their own dreams there. Enter Silver Lake Boulevard, the long anticipated follow up to Hellos And Goodbyes which arrived in 2022 featuring studio musicians Bill Goodwin (a member of the original Wrecking Crew), Tony Marino, as well as longtime collaborator Tim Carbone (Railroad Earth) who produced the record. Jake Roggenkamp - Jake Roggenkamp is a singer-songwriter from Belvidere, NJ. His musical style falls somewhere between folk, jazz, and soft rock with a strong emphasis on the art and craft of songwriting. NPR has described his voice as "completely unexpected - it sounds almost like Janis Joplin's: high, reedy and powerful, pulling back and letting loose in all the right places". He is influenced by many: Bob Dylan, The Beatles, Paul Simon, Neil Young, Wilco, Ray Charles, and Nat King Cole to name a few. Jake is excited to play this evening as a duo with his colleague, Ryan, to bring to you songs from his new EP entitled Floral Derangements he’ll be releasing the day of the performance!

Let's first preface that this type of event for Chamberlain, quite plainly put—never happens. Those that hold the music of Indiana's Chamberlain near and dear to their hearts are sure in for a treat. Whether it be their latest album Red Weather, their magnificent Americana twist of The Moon My Saddle, or harking back to their early indie rock Fate's Got a Driver (plus plenty more recorded material surrounding 'em (here's looking at you 5-Year Diary, Exit 263, Raise It High and more)—stories are what their songs are chock full of. We're thrilled to not only hear select songs from their repertoire stripped down to their beautiful bones by vocalist David Moore, guitarist Adam Rubenstein and special guest, pianist Jonathan Cohen, but also anecdotes between songs told by those who've written, recorded and toured 'em. Join us for this very special night. Background: Chamberlain's members (which also include guitarist Clay Snyder, bassist Curtis Mead and drummer Charlie Walker) first played together as teenagers in the seminal Midwestern band Split Lip. With their passionate songs and poetic lyrics, the Doghouse Records albums For the Love of the Wounded (1993) and Fate’s Got a Driver (1995) helped define the emerging emo-core genre and influenced such future stars as Thursday, the Gaslight Anthem, Taking Back Sunday, Rise Against, New Found Glory and the Get Up Kids. In 1995, the group changed its name to Chamberlain and introduced a refined, rootsier sound exemplified by The Moon My Saddle. After disbanding in 2000, Chamberlain reunited for a 2010 tour and recorded a new single entitled Raise It High. In addition to a 2019 EU/UK tour, the band also recently released Red Weather, its first new full length album in more than a decade.

Brian Fitzpatrick // Sturdy is the word when describing Brian Fitzpatrick's claim to the landscape that makes up Northern New Jersey's music scene over the years. No stranger to tucking into bar room corners or stepping confidently onto festival stages alike, Brian has no shortage of well-sung stories to tell among them all. After two decades of blending punk into folk, it's the enriched chapter of Americana in between which has given him stride. At times delivered like a shot of vinegar, while others, a fine glass of wine, it's a combination of songs you might not expect Fitzpatrick to place on your table as he instills the perspective of a man that's taken a lifetime of notes and simply lays them along a path for others to find. He has released four solo albums, “Other Side” (1998), "When I Bleed” (2000), “State of Grace” (2002), and “Further Down The Line” (2004). He also has three releases with his band “Brian Fitzpatrick and the Band of Brothers”, “Worse For Wear” (2008), “The Northern Lights EP” (2009), and “Heart of the Black Dirt” (2015). Eddie Kamenitzer // North Jersey native Eddie Kamenitzer has been described as “a cornucopia of Appalachia, Americana, and Alt-Folk” and is slated to release his solo debut album, Stuck At Home this May in a return to the Northern New Jersey music scene after an almost 10 year hiatus. Previously, Eddie played dates up and down the east coast USA with a number of bands, trios, duos & even solo over the years. Enter the pandemic times of self-evaluation and it was time for a new start. Writing both new songs while also refining some he kept tucked under his belt though the years, Eddie enlisted friends through his area music scene giving the songs which made Stuck at Home a solid new chapter to his trajectory. It’s a collaborative album which flourishes the imagination, yet at the core, derived from songs that sound equally endearing performed as a solo singer-songwriter.

Erika Sherger // Erika Sherger is a singer-songwriter and guitarist from Boonton Township. She has been writing music in one form or another since she was a child. Her voice is heartfelt with a gritty edge and her songs resonate with honesty.  Her musical style has been described as Americana, alt folk or folk rock and is musically reminiscent of stuff from the Laurel Canyon era. She released her first record, an eight song EP called Like Birds in spring of 2021, which included 8 songs she wrote during the Covid which were produced remotely during the pandemic lockdown.  Her second album, Bad Wolf (Release Date: March 24th, 2023) is a full-length 12 song album that was recorded in several places and features tracks by a few special guests well-known on the local scene. Mike Herz // NJ singer-songwriter Mike Herz will be releasing his fourth full length album on April 7th, 2023. This effort marks a return to Herz’s homespun DIY roots while simultaneously showcasing his evolution as a songwriter and producer. The album contains a diverse collection of material, with some sparse songs and others well saturated with sounds. Rich with lyrical themes of nostalgia and transformation, the record evokes the presence of a protagonist facing various fires and somehow walking out the other side with heightened perspective and, perhaps, a few battle scars. Mike Herz has built a following around the Northeast and beyond the old fashioned way: one new believer at a time. He’s cultivated an impressive catalog of songs over the years, from deeply personal narratives to impressionist inspired collages that somehow feel cohesive. Whether he is performing solo with simply a guitar or piano or fronting the indie rock band (Part-Time Custodian) his compelling vocals and inspired live shows are quite captivating.

Please welcome Cold Weather Company to our listening room, 5th in our Presents series. We can’t wait for you to experience the harmonies in their voices delivering such sincerity in their songs, create moving landscapes for the imagination, while musically, the perfect soundtrack to your ears. A true gem of a trio. Background: Forming in 2013, after a serendipitous meeting on a park bench at Passion Puddle on the Cook Campus of Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey, the band has always been a shared commitment to the common passions of its three core members. A synthesis of songwriters, Jeff, Steve, and Brian each bring their own inspirations and styles to the project. Their first two albums, Somewhere New and A Folded Letter, were self-produced in the basements, bedrooms, and rented cabins of the trio, who met up to write and record whenever there was time to spare. Both albums were supported by self-organized tours covering 17 states. Traveling by micro-bus and Crosstrek—through tornado warnings and snowstorms—the band played small towns and major cities alike, forging lasting bonds and finding inspiration on the road. The band’s third album, Find Light, was the first to be recorded in a dedicated studio, allowing each song to come to full instrumental fruition. Following Find Light’s sixteen tracks, and in the middle of recording demos for their upcoming fourth album, the band released an original holiday song, joined in the final chorus by a choir of friends, near and far. In October 2021, Cold Weather Company released their fourth full-length LP, Coalescence. As performances and touring opened up again, the trio continued to perform throughout 2022 and completed their first UK tour in August.

Best known for his high voice, unique guitar playing and songwriting, rock/reggae/folk singer-songwriter Sean Kelly, born in Norwalk, Connecticut, grew up in Vermont, then after moving to Colorado in 1987 to start a band, he became a fixture as the frontman for The Samples. The Samples original songs lifted them into notoriety in early ‘college rock’ alternative circuits of the 90s, eventually catching the eye of both indie and major labels. The band found it’s way onto Arista Records, riding the major label rollercoaster up, then down, yet found its viability for longevity to be touring. Sean’s songwriting career outlines hard work and focus. Whether it be decisions made with The Samples or his constantly voyaging solo career, he delivers his wares to an audience with conviction. 25 years after starting his full-fledged music career with The Samples, Sean Kelly continues to delight fans with music that transcends genres, age, and shatters the rules of the established music industry. Throughout his career, Sean has been the driving influence of 20 albums and over 1 million records sold. Kelly’s songs have been featured in Perks of Being a Wallflower and more recently in television’s Younger.

The Sunken City // The Sunken City is an indie pop folk-tinged trio based out of Red Bank, NJ. Their difficult to define sound incorporates an interplay of lush acoustic guitar layered with dreamy, melodic electric guitar leads and candid, ethereal female vocals. The Sunken City released their self-titled debut EP in 2022 and have been featured on Jeff Raspe's "Fresh Tracks" on Brookdale Public Radio 90.5 The Night. Tom Barrett // Tom Barrett is a singer-songwriter currently residing in Jersey City, NJ. His quiet, soft-spoken style is reminiscent of similar artists like Nick Drake, Low Barlow and Damien Jurado. He released his latest record, You Are and You’ve Always Been, in September on the stalwart Northern NJ indie label, Mint 400 Records.

Boonton Coffee Presents...invites you to listen to the lush yet rhythmic sounds of New Jersey’s own Hodera, as they enter the room to bounce minor chords with major feels from wall to wall in celebration of their new full-length album, Dear Friend slated for release the same day. Hodera is the endeavor of New Jersey native Matt Smith, which began in 2014 with the release of the 's first EP "Reset to Default". Now, nearly a decade into the band's existence, they've become something of a cult favorite in their home state. The project's first two LP's, United By Birdcalls and First Things First, garnered attention across New Jersey and beyond, with the latter of the two albums held as a subtle masterpiece for its effortless blend of heart-on-sleeve emo and Americana twang. Though the band put out EPs Besides and You’re Worth It in 2018 and 2020 respectively, the release of Dear Friend will be the first LP they've released in nearly 6 years. With each release, Smith’s lyrics have grown more confessional, his melodies stickier, and the riffs crunchier; Dear Friend is the obvious next step for the band who has never sounded this full-bodied, powerful, or confident.

Jodelle // Born and raised in NJ, Pop Rock/Americana singer-songwriter-pianist, Jodelle, has toured the US and Europe as a solo artist and as a backing vocalist/multi-instrumentalist. Performances include television and radio appearances, music festivals, NACA college tours, CBGBs, Rockwood Music Hall, The Living Room, The Cutting Room and NJPAC to name a few. Jodelle will be performing a collection of Americana inspired songs which she plans to record over the course of 2023. The songs were written during COVID which, like for many, proved to be emotionally challenging. The upside was inspiration and the emergence of the most heartfelt material Jodelle has written to date. Her influences include Stevie Nicks, Joni Mitchell, Sara Bareilles, Sufjan Stevens, Ray LaMontagne, Kathleen Edwards among many others. Lupe Dragon // Lupe Dragon is an alternative singer/songwriter from Northern New Jersey. She has performed in various parts of New Jersey and NYC including Stanhope House, Boontunes, Pete's Candy Store, and more. With the writing style of Ed Sheeran, the swagger of Billie Eilish and a voice similar to the likes of Hayley Williams (Paramore) and Alanis Morisette, she is a female powerhouse.

Who’s got a pocket full of kryptonite? Well, we’re going to have a roomful after we welcome Chris Barron to our listening room on January 28th 2023! The New York songwriter and frontman for Spin Doctors is no longer the debutant who set out on the circuit’s sharp end in 1988 with $100, a battered acoustic and a headful of the alt-rock anthems that would elevate Spin Doctors to global stardom. He’s now living in a world changed beyond recognition, compelled to write the music that chronicles the here-and-now. As far back as he can remember, he’s had a hunger driving him onward, towards something just out of reach. “I love being in the Spin Doctors,” says Barron. “We’ve been playing together a very long time — thousands of stage hours, time in the studio, time in vans — and I feel like we’re now in this really cool phase of our career. I have no intention of leaving the group. This solo project is really about learning and just expressing the broadness of my musicality. Because as a composer and a lyricist, I can’t fit everything I do into the Spin Doctors.” Just to dial back playfully, here’s a little more scooped from his bio at TheChrisBarron.com: With the ever-questing Barron at the bow, the Spin Doctors were bound to have a fascinating evolution. A four-album hot streak in the ’90s established them as a heavyweight of the era. There’s been acclaim for 2005’s Nice Talking to Me, before 2013’s If the River Was Whiskey reconnected them with the Delta-inspired tunes from early days in New York’s blues clubs. “I love being in the Spin Doctors,” says Barron. “We’ve been playing together a very long time — thousands of stage hours, time in the studio, time in vans — and I feel like we’re now in this really cool phase of our career. I have no intention of leaving the group. This solo project is really about learning and just expressing the broadness of my musicality. Because as a composer and a lyricist, I can’t fit everything I do into the Spin Doctors.” You suspect there’s no canvas large enough to capture the endless light bulbs pinging above the head of Chris Barron – but the thrilling Angels and One-Armed Jugglers is the closest we’ll get to a portrait of this visionary songwriter as a mature artist. “I’d be lying if I said that the response to this album doesn’t matter to me,” he considers. “I would like a lot of people to enjoy this record. It would mean a lot to me for it to be well received. Because in my heart of hearts, I really believe it’s a beautiful record. I got lucky with this one. It’s better than I could have imagined or hoped for. But whatever happens, I have the satisfaction of knowing I’ve made the best record that I’m capable of …”

Rory D'Lasnow // Heralded as a “golden-voiced troubadour” and one of the “32 N.J. bands and artists you need to hear in 2022” by NJ.com, Rory D’Lasnow picked up his late father’s guitar upside-down and backwards at the age of six. Despite never turning his guitar right-side up, Rory’s unique contemplative sound has propelled him on to perform at some of the nation’s most distinguished venues and festivals from Mercury Lounge and Rockwood Music Hall in New York, Hotel Cafe and The Viper Room in Los Angeles, and The Atlantic City Beer & Music Festival in his home state of New Jersey. Sonofdov // From post-punk beginnings to melancholy daydreams, New Jersey based singer-songwriter, Dennis King aka Sonofdov, writes hauntingly beautiful music. The kind of songs that “transport us and pierce us”. In 2019 Sonofdov released his first full length, Towers on Mint 400 Records, followed up by EP, Battle Lines. His latest EP Fangs, is a sparse mini series of lost innocence and tangled relationships. Each song becomes illuminated by King's idiosyncratic playing style and emotive vocals.

Mike Montrey // Mike Montrey arrives into Boonton Coffee Co. with his trio to share his signature Americana/rock sound off his latest album, Searching for My Soul, produced by two-time Grammy winner Marc Swersky. His sound is at the crossroads of where Americana, Folk, and Soul converge to be sung by a true singer-songwriter, with blissful harmonies courtesy of Jen Augustine. New Jersey Stage writes: “Soulful, pretty, bittersweet harmonies. Heartwarming, spine rattling, bone chilling duets. The sense of hope that inspired the title, will surely inspire listeners.” Sean Ryan // Warming up the night will be Sean Ryan, currently of NY State by way of Connecticut. Armed with melodically crafted songs, a voice, guitar and a heart on his sleeve, Sean Ryan delivers memorable acoustic rock songs that get stuck in your head for days. With influences spanning from The Beatles & David Bowie to U2 & Wilco, Sean believes in a simple song with a complex message. Sometimes melancholy. Sometimes arena rock ready. But always smothered with a heavy dose sticky sweet melody.

It was 30+ years ago that Michael Glabicki dropped out of college to start a band. At that time he had no idea what he was going to do or how to get there. Glabicki spent two years learning how to write songs, and create a vision. Rusted Root was then born. The multi-platinum band out of Pittsburgh, evolved around front-man Michael Glabicki’s distinct sound and grew into a musical entity that has thrived in a non-genre specific category all its own. Rusted Root built their career around dramatic performances; their polyrhythmic, multicultural rock-and-soul picked up fans like a junkyard magnet as they swept across the nation on tour. In many ways Glabicki is starting this process all over again. He is challenging himself to write in completely new and different ways to create an entirely new sound landscape. Michael takes all the new songs and old favorites Rusted Root has been performing, and performs re-envisioned versions of them in a more intimate setting with Rusted Root’s long time guitar player and background vocalist, Dirk Miller. A multifaceted musician, producer and songwriter, Glabicki’s talents are unique and extremely uplifting. His solo tour dates and new music are extensions of his creative talent, and will inspire all those who participate.

Enda Gallery // Enda Gallery is an artist with a real purpose, and that is to create beautiful and liberating art with a sound like a chameleon of sorts. The Irish songwriter’s latest ‘Liberation EP’ followed its predecessor album, ‘The Journey to Zero’, both of which show the many faces Enda Gallery wears. He brazenly takes influence from genre-defying artists such as Frank Ocean and Prince, mixing with the deep sincerity of Sufjan Stevens, Alicia Keys and even Freddie Mercury. @endagallery We/Or/Me // We/Or/Me is the musical alias of Bahhaj Taherzadeh, quite possibly the world’s only Persian-Irish singer/songwriter. Born and raised in Dublin to an Iranian father and an Irish mother, Taherzadeh now lives in Chicago. Steeped in storytelling traditions on both sides of his lineage, Taherzadeh released ‘Everything Behind Us is a Dream’, his first studio record and the first wide-scale We/Or/Me release produced by Adam Selzer (M. Ward, Decemberists).

Nick Rifken // Though his sound originated with alt-rock and pop influences, Nick Rifken took some turns genre hopping after time spent in Latina, pop, hip-hop and country bands. Traveling from the United States to Brazil and back again, Nick’s hybrid sound spills from these journeys into his solo career while digging into some deeply personal emotional moments. Jessie Haines // After being an industry songwriter for two decades, Jessie Haines has surrendered to it all in her elevated debut album, The Phoenix, out in late 2022. Leveraging her life experiences and art as a means to express emotions and thoughts in a profound manner. Share in the healing journey. Will Overman // Will Overman writes songs evoking the wisdom of an old soul with youthful optimism, blending genres such as folk, pop, country and rock n' roll. Think about the approach of legends like Dylan, Springsteen or Taylor, filtered though contemporaries such as Mayer, Isbell and Ritter.