The Cape May Convention Hall will host its 2023 Summer Concert Series with Jersey Shore Pops (July 3), The British Invasion Years (July 7), The Lettermen (July 9), The Association (July 16), Jay & The Americans (July 23), Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone (July 30), The Drifters (August 6), The Hit Men (August 13) and Capestock (August 18, 19, 20).

Yo La Tengo—one of the defining bands of “The Hoboken Sound”—went to Citi Field in Queens to watch the Mets beat the Phillies. Singer-songwriter-guitarist Ira Kaplan took the mound to throw out the ceremonial First Pitch. Met rookie third baseman Mark Vientos caught the ball.

It’s been almost 20 years since Hoboken mainstays The Cucumbers released new music. The jangly guitars, bright pop melodies and brisk backbeat of their Power Pop—key to their national success—are all still evident.

At first, we didn’t think it was the same guy from Hades, Non-Fiction, Cass King and Patriarchs In Black on new single “I’m One Again.” But hell yeah, with horns upraised, it’s guitarist/songwriter Dan Lorenzo, our favorite metal dude from Paramus. So we asked him to explain.

Perhaps the most famous recording facility in all of jazz, Rudy Van Gelder’s studio, first in Hackensack, then in Englewood Cliffs, is the birthplace of seminal albums by the likes of Thelonious Monk, Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, Ray Charles, John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins and hundreds of others. The newest gem to emanate from these hallowed halls is the self-titled debut of The Heavy Hitters.

On Nils Lofgren’s new single, “Nothin’s Easy (for Amy),” that’s Neil Young warbling away on backing vocals. The song is for Lofgren’s producer wife. It’s the second single from Lofgren’s upcoming Mountains solo album due July 21. The first single was “Ain’t The Truth Enough” with Ringo Starr on drums.

Out Montclair will present its free Montclair Pride celebration again June 1-10 and The South Orange Performing Arts Center—in partnership with North Jersey Pride—will present its inaugural Pride weekend celebrating the LGBTQIA community starting June 9 with a series of shows starring LGBTQIA performers.

He swore he wouldn’t but Bergen County heavy metal hero Glenn Danzig, 67, is back out on the road and this time he’s got Behemoth, Twin Temple & Midnight with him.

Singer/Songwriter/Guitarist Albert Castiglia is on tour with St. Louis Guitar Hero Mike Zito on Zito’s Gulf Coast Records supporting their Blood Brothers album, a bona-fide classic of hard rockin’ blues.

From Phish and Oysterhead to Ghosts Of The Forest and The Trey Anastasio Band, this renaissance man has performed, recorded and written in rock, classical and theatrical circles. He’s collaborated with Dave Matthews, Herbie Hancock, Grateful Dead, Santana and BB King. His compositions have been performed by symphony orchestras. Now he’s on tour.

The beautiful sounds of jazz and classical will be presented once again this summer outside the Morris Museum on Normandy Heights Road in Morristown—the state’s second largest museum—in the back deck parking area.

The Camden County FREE 2023 Summer Parks Concert Series will inhabit 2,700+ acres of total greenery at Wiggins Waterfront Park in Camden, the McLaughlin Norcross Memorial Dell at Haddon Lake Park in Haddon Heights and Cooper River Park in Pennsauken, all with nationally known acts.

Hoboken’s Tammy Faye Starlite will return to Joe’s Pub in New York City July 24 as the legendary ‘60s chanteuse Nico [1938-1988] with songs by Lou Reed, The Doors, Jackson Browne, David Bowie, Rogers & Hart, Gordon Lightfoot and Bob Dylan.

The New Jersey Shore Jazz & Blues Foundation has announced a partnership with the Bruce Springsteen Archives & Center for American Music, the Mississippi Delta National Heritage Area and “Visit Clarksdale.”

As drummer Mickey Hart prepares for his summer tour with Dead & Company, he will have an exhibit of his paintings shown at The Wentworth Gallery at the Mall of Short Hills on June 23.

When we reported last month upon the direction of Paterson product John Pizzarelli’s new ‘Stage & Screen’ project, we obviously knew it was comprised of classic songs from Hollywood and Broadway. What we didn’t know was the profound scope, the jam-happy aesthetic, and the absolute transformation of these songs into something new, vital and incredibly swoon-worthy.

Singer Jessie Wagner remembers the moment she first saw the late actor Patrick Swayze in the 1987 ‘Dirty Dancing’ film. “Ever since I saw him gently sway Jennifer Grey in his beautifully sculpted arms to Soloman Burke’s ‘Cry To Me,’ I was immediately obsessed with this sensual song. It continues to be one of my favorites, and I am ecstatic to release my take on this sexy classic.”

The 18th annual FREE Maplewoodstock Music & Art Festival takes place this year July 8 and 9 in Memorial Park, across from the Maplewood train station. With 20 bands, 50 art venders, a beer garden and a kid zone.

The Gaslight Anthem is back on the road. After numerous starts and stops, the New Brunswick band is writing their sixth album and will be performing May 19 in Atlantic City.

Newark rapper—and NBA Hall of Famer—Shaquille O’Neal is back with his first new rap song in years. “King Talk” is playful, funky, boastful and tinged with a hardcore non-stop beat produced by Chilean actor/director/singer/songwriter Koko and shared with Ghanaian rapper Blackway who starts it, then gives Shaq the mic before returning.