Meet the W-EATLES!!!

WU-TANG CLAN

VS.

THE BEATLES

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Wu-Tang Clan - C.R.E.A.M. (Beatles Mashup)

Wu-Tang Clan - Uzi (Pinky Ring) (Beatles Mashup)

Somewhere in the heavens Ol Dirty Bastard and John Lennon are sharing a glass of Cavasia listening to Tom Carvana's mega mashup of the Wu Tang Clan and Beatles. The deejay - who's done awesome remixes of MF Doom and Large Professor for Tea Sea Records - delicately mixes up Beatles music over Wu-Tang acapellas to the point where you really have to listen to the beats to find the Beatles parts. There's also some fun pop culture samples from radio and TV interview of both groups smashed in. Easily one of the best mix tapes I've ever heard.

Reckless: Radio Ga Ga

Hamilton, New Jersey, rockers, Reckless, debuted some new music on "Rock On Radio" last Sunday. This proves DJ Daniel Coleman has his pulse of what's cool around the Trenton music scene. Maybe he's reading from column every Thursday in the Trentonian, too, as we all know Reckless was first discovered by yours truly when I was running weekly features in the newspaper. Nah, Mr. Coleman knows what's up with good music in Garden State.

Check out the new tunes from Reckless, buy their album on iTunes, and tune into "Rock On Radio" Sunday nights at 10 p.m. at www.wifi1460am.com, www.wildniteradio.com, www.hamiltonradio.net and www.starfmradio.net.

The Attack - Sick of It All

The Attack open for NYC hardcore legends H2O at The Trocadero Theatre in Philly on Feb. 19 - four days after the Floridians' new record, "Of Nostalgia and Rebellion" hits stores.

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The Attack - Prove It

The Attack - a hardcore band from Florida - will get you sweating. The swift-rhythms and high-enery haymakers on "Of Nostalgia and Rebellion" - the bands new disc - is a chest-pumping good time. Reminded me a lot of classic Sick Of It All and the musical mayhem of the mid '90s New York City hardcore scene that used to get this face a bit bruised from time to time, so it's not too surprising to see the guys hitting the road with H2O. Other influences - especially in the spirited vocal kicks and rebellious attitude - seem to flow around Avail, Dropkick Murphys and The Cro-Mags.

No track on the record lasts more than 3:23 - and it's that quickness that'll get me buzzing through the 40-inches of snow that's accumulated outside my apartment building. Another cool thing about the disc is the jolly bass baselines a la The Bouncing Souls and a totally rad rendition of CCR's "Bad Moon Rising."

It's not out till next week, so in the meantime, On The Beat's got a free download for ya that help tie you over until next Tuesday.

Features a member of the Spitvalves.

RIYL: Ten Yard Fight, Avail, Sick of It All.

Thee Silver Mt. Zion Orchestra: Big Sound, Eh!

Canadians Thee Silver Mt. Zion Orchestra drop their "Lollaps Tradixionales" album on Feb. 16.

Got a lot of music to absorb as I pace myself between shoveling and more shoveling. Got the new Massive Attack. And some new Hot Chip. But its the psychedelic rock fuzz out slivering through Thee Silver Mt. Zion Orchestra's "Kollaps Tradixionales" that's snow-blowing me today. It's Canadian, so it's as expected ... weird. But I like it's modernized gypsy-music feel, it's hallowed singing structure, dark-aged chatting, sonic thust and refurbished '60s acid-rock, attack-the-brain-from-all-angles-(and the kitchen sink of musical experimentation)-energy. No tour dates in the states yet, but that could change. In the meantime check out, "Kollaps Tradicional (Bury 3 Dynamos)" below. RIYL: Black Mountain, Portugal.theMan, Dearhoof, Jac. - Scott Frost

On the Beat: Feb. 11-18

Virginia rockers Cloak/Dagger play with Off With Their Heads and Trenton's The Ruining at Asbury Lanes in Asbury Park, NJ, Friday night.

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Don't Need A - Cloak/Dagger

Return To Gold

The Save Your Strength kids are buried up to their shoulders in emo-centric harmonies in their new rock enterprise that should lasso in fans of Circa Survive, Saves The Day and the melodic parts of Thursday. The Trenton rockers headline a free, acoustic show at Shogun Skate Shop inside the Quaker Bridge Mall (8177 Route 1, Lawrence) tomorrow night. Show starts at 7. All-ages.

Upton Fink & Peggy Salano

The jazz and gospel duo headline a free show at the Turning Point Café (15 S. Broad St., Trenton) tomorrow night. Show starts at 7. All-ages.

Fluster Kluck

The groove rockers hit up McGuinn’s Place (1781 Brunswick Pike, Lawrence) tomorrow night. Show starts 9. Tickets cost $5. 21-plus.

The Tea & Whisky

The Old Bridge bunch’s indie-pop panache throws-back to the ’90s alternative radio days and the heavily rotated Lemonheads. Also for those who dig The Hold Steady and Ted Leo and the Pharmacists. The trio heads into Championships Sports Bar and Grill (931 Chambers St., Trenton) tomorrow night for a show with Take One Car and The Break Evens. Show starts at 9. Brick Mower and Filmstar play, too. Tickets cost $8. 21-plus.

The Lost Patrol

Shoe-gazing dream pop and starry-eyed female leads has this New York trio casting flashbacks of the mystical new-wave-despair found in early Cure, Cocteau Twins and Slowdive. The band – playing The Record Collector (358 Farnsworth Ave., Bordentown) tomorrow night - also tend to spill in some surf and Velvet Underground-style psychedelics in their wall-of-sound. Show starts at 8. Ocean Grove garage rockers, Mod Fun, plays, too. Tickets cost $10 in advance, $12 at the door. All-ages.

Off With Their Heads signed with Epitaph Records earlier this month after Mr. Brett saw the guys opening for Against Me!

Cloak/Dagger

“Lost Art: A Good Example of What Went Wrong” - the Richmond foursome’s Fall Jade Tree release - is a rocket-fueled punk wallop that’ll remind you of The Circle Jerks and Electric Frankenstein, but with vocal yelps heard in The Hives. Also for fans of Hot Snakes and Paint It Black. The guys play Asbury Lanes (209 4^th Ave., Asbury Park) tomorrow night with Off With Their Heads (Epitaph Records) – an underground sensation whose blue-color rock ’n’ roll karate chops graduated from the same dojo as Against Me! and The Gaslight Anthem. Show starts at 8. Trenton blood-and-guts punks, The Ruining – think Dillinger Four with an MMA obsession – open up the show. The Slow Death round out the bill. Tickets cost $8. All-ages.

The Doughboys

The Plainfield garage-rock shore stars headline The Stone Pony (913 Ocean Ave., Asbury Park) tomorrow night. Show starts at 7:30. The Easy Outs, Leider and Wakah Chan open. Tickets cost $10. All-ages.

Everyday Rockets play Championships Sports Bar and Grill in Trenton Saturday afternoon.

Everyday Rockets

The Philly band’s Hum-out guitar fuzz, post-punk rhythmic patterning and melodic female leads sounds like a less-poppy Rocking Horse Winner. Musically their influences also seem to lie somewhere between Sunny Day Real Estate and Fairweather – and that’s always cool, yet rare for Championship Sports Bar and Grill’s (931 Chambers St., Trenton) regularly hard-rocking Saturday matinees. In this case, Everyday Rockets open for The Honey Grape Vanillas. Acoustic soloist Acquainted With The Night plays, too. Show starts at noon. Shadowplay, Studio Trip and The Brain Farts round out the bill. Tickets cost $10. All-ages.

Vice Royal

“Heal,” the lead song on Philly four-piece’s MySpace Page, is a slow-burning, heart-hurting, alt-rocking musical wizard spell casted in the spirit of A Perfect Circle. Also for fans of Russian Circles and slower Soundgarden. The guys open for Hopewell’s La Violencia at McGuinn’s Place (1781 Brunswick Pike, Lawrence) Saturday night. Show starts at 9. Tickets cost $5. 21-plus.

Wasteland Eclipse

The Woodbridge doom dealer’s haunting synths, creepy, mid-evil chanting and grandiose guitar solos are a frightening black-metal mesh of In Flames, Opeth and Dimmu Borgir. Inspired “by an apocalyptic state of the soul and by the great search for the primordial beast,” the mayhem-makers headline Championship Sports Bar and Grill’s (931 Chambers St., Trenton) “Anti-Valentine’s Day Massacre” on Saturday night. Show starts at 9. Black Iron, Von Kull, Mythology and Absolution round out the bill. Tickets cost $8. 21-plus.

Glass Trees

The psychedelic noise-maker’s musical weirdness, minimalistic sound strokes and ear-alarming shoegazing – think Sonic Youth on a ’60s acid with Lou Reed – starts its South By Southwest journey in Trenton’s Mill Hill Basement (300 S. Broad St., Trenton) Saturday night. The band is slated to play the barbecued industry party March 14 after tour stops in Hoboken and Staten Island. Bizzaro is its stirring vocals and buckling guitar sneers, Glass Trees is also for fans of Black Angels, older Modest Mouse, Black Mountain’s “Druganaut” and the bizarre music Princeton Record Exchange uses to chase you away near closing time. Show starts at 9. Folk-punk freedom fighter Austin Lucas headlines. Sugarhigh and Neutralize The Knife play, too. Tickets cost $5. 21-plus.

The Good Rats

The Long Island rockers, whose career highlights include opening gigs for Led Zeppelin, Journey, Rush and Styx at places as large as The Philadelphia Spectrum and New York’s Central Park in the 1970s, cram their arena personal into The Record Collector (358 Farnsworth Ave., Bordentown) Saturday night. Their music mixes hard rock and jazz, but what made them infamous was their on-stage tomfoolery; including baseball-bat air guitar, garbage-can solos and rubber rats in flight. Show starts at 7:30. Tickets cost $15 in advance, $20 at the door. All-ages.

Rose Funeral

The Ohio hardcore hitmen’s savage death sets clobber your skull with a sound collision comparable to a wreaking ball taking out a Mack truck. For fans of The Red Chord and Job For A Cowboy. The metal heads – whose “The Resting Sonata” was released by Metal Blade Records last year - headline Championship Sports Bar and Grill’s (931 Chambers St., Trenton) presidential day-off celebration Monday afternoon. Show starts at 4. Decaying Crypts, After the Genocide, Taking The Tide, Within Cold Blood and An Ambiguous Descent play, too. Tickets cost $10 in advance, $12 at the door. All-ages.

Scott Frost’s On The Beat concert listing appears in The Trentonian every Thursday. If your band is playing around town, email the On the Beat web line at djscott111@aol.com.

On the Beat: Feb. 4-Feb.10

Poor Righteous Teacher, Wise Intellegent, joins Rakim and Brand Nubian on stage at the Trenton War Memorial's Patriot Theatre, Friday night

Popa Chubby

The erotically named New York blues performer’s music is often in a state of flux. Although inspired to play electric guitar through his appreciation for Jimi Hendrix and The Rolling Stones - and eventually becoming one of the top visionaries in the ’90s modern blues scene - the 49-year-old candy-store-owner’s son incorporated pop and hip-hop in his start-of-the-century recordings. And if that didn’t sound like a crazy clash, Chubby - whose name matches his immense girth - headlines The Trenton War Memorial’s Patriot’s Theatre (1 Memorial Dr., Trenton) tonight a couple years after constructing a country-punk CD, “Vicious Country,” with wifie, Galea. Show starts at 7. Tickets cost $25. All-ages.

Idgy Vaughn

The Texas-toasting cowgirl’s gravy train – and country-fried campfire tunes – mosey into The Record Collector (358 Farnsworth Ave., Bordentown) tonight. It’s classic pop Americana you hear at Southern “American Idol” auditions, but with Woody Guthrie-like venom in its true-to-life lyrical mastery. For fans of Jewel and LeAnn Rimes. Show starts at 7. Jim Rowland opens. Tickets cost $10 in advance, $12 at the door. All-ages.

DJ Kava

The New Brunswick selector sets the head-nod on bobble when spinning the dopest plastic from deceased beat miner J Dilla in the basement of The Court Tavern (124 Church St., New Brunswick) tonight. Dilla – the Jay part of Madlib’s Jaylib project and Slum Village’s deejay - also orchestrated fly production on A Tribe Quest’s “Beats, Rhymes & Life” and The Pharcyde’s “Labcabincalifonia.” Sets starts at 10. The Mad Notes play upstairs at 9. Tickets cost $5. 21-plus.

Eddie Spaghetti

The Supersucker drops the punk-rock snarl act for Hank Williams-dusted country-bumping and Whisky-drenched bar blues when rolling solo these days. The rocker - whose latest release, “Old No. 2,” features a frightening photo of a tatted babe dropping a deuce on the cover – headlines Asbury Lanes (209 4th Ave., Asbury Park) tonight. Show starts at 8. Tickets cost $10. 21-plus.

Wise Intelligent

Trenton hip-hop will always been defined by this Poor Righteous Teacher – rocking his first city set since 2008 tomorrow night at the War Memorial’s Patriot’s Theatre’s (1 Memorial Dr., Trenton) “Return of the God MCs” showcase. Be it his hip-hop party-movers or poetic-yet-militant vocal awakenings, Wise sets the standard for Trenton emceeing by educating and uplifting with his lyrics while promoting provocative thinking to a hungry hip-hop underground nationwide. And even as the most accomplished rapper to emerge for Trenton, Wise refuses to let whack, money-motivated trends blind his scientific wordplay. Of course, Wise spent the ’80s “Follow(ing) The Leader” – that “Microphone Fiend,” Rakim, whose headlining set a tomorrow’s show will most definitely “move the crowd.” Show starts at 8. Brand Nubian and Wu-Tang Clan members Cappadonna and Masta Killa light up the stage, too. Tickets cost $35, $45 and $75. All-ages.

Sourland Band

The Pennington blues-rock jammers – think Grateful Dead and early John Mayer - headline McGuinn’s Place (1781 Brunswick Pike, Lawrence) tomorrow night. Show starts at 9. Tickets cost $5. 21-plus.

Brooke Shive & the 45’s

Led by the gritty-yet-energetic holler of second-generation performer Brooke Rachel Shive, the Bucks County foursome get your hips-a-shaking with tight musicianship and a soul-rock vibe inspired by the spirit of Janis Joplin and Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings. Rachel – a Newtown, Pa., resident and soap actress whose father sessioned with Hall & Oates – leads the band into The Record Collector (358 Farnsworth Ave., Bordentown) tomorrow night. Show starts at 7:30. Shore singer Cara Salimando plays, too. Tickets cost $10 in advance, $12 at the door. All-ages.

Blanks 77

The Jersey street-punk’s time-warping exploits and nihilistic temperament embodies the climate-clash of Britain’s harsh, hardcore underground of the late ’70s featured in truth-speaking, anti-heroes Discharge and GBH. Lineup shifts through the early 2000s - including punk-rock outsourcing to AFI and Murphy’s Law – led to the band’s premature break-up. The spikey-haired hooligans, however, reformed in 2004, are said to be working on a follow-up to 1998’s “C.B.H.” and are slated to headline Asbury Lanes (209 4th Ave., Asbury Park) tomorrow night. For fans of The Casualties and Rancid. Show starts at 8. Despised Reunion, Night Birds, Radio Exile and Teenage Whoremoans round out the bill. Tickets cost $8. 18-plus.

Revocation

The Bostonian brain-scrambler’s vulgar display of power is sparked by glorious, well-calculated and tyrannical thrash-metal guitar insanity, demonic vocal spazzing and destructive drum turbos. Their Relapse Record’s debut, “Existence Is Futile,” represents a verity of maniacal musical fusions - from the groove-metal hell raising of Pantera and A Life Once Lost to the spastic lunacy of Every Time I Die and prog-metalcore of Misery Signals. Pretty powerful stuff – and best yet – there will be no wuss emo choruses damaging the speakers at their headlining gig at Championships Sports Bar and Grill (931 Chambers St., Trenton) Saturday afternoon. Show starts at noon. Hypnose, The Binary Code, Triggered Impulse, Thrasher, NoN-SToP!, Humanity Falls, Slutty Earth, The Necrophiliac Yacht Club, After the Genocide and The West Memphis open. Tickets cost $10 in advance, $12 at the door. All-ages.

Jed Steadson and the Kumas

Trenton folklore contends Steadson and his crew of merry minstrels’ “cheesy,” “yacht-rock” songstyles were greeted with mild success in the 1980s on the South London pop charts – only to crash in burn throughout the cocaine era. Well, they’re set to reunite for one night of pop-rock thrills in the Mill Hill Basement (300 S. Broad St., Trenton) Saturday night. Don’t be shocked if you recognize the cast of characters that make up the band. Strangely enough, the five-piece finds its inspiration from local luminaries Moscow Girls, Boxcar, Jac and Mad Elephant in their musical compositions Steadson himself described to On The Beat as “catchy pop tunes played with expert precession, which have relevant emotionality.” Show starts at 9. Tickets cost $5. 21-plus.

Heroes Anonymous

The Hopewell ragga-rappers – think SX-10, 311 and Matisyahu – will be jammin,’ man, at McGuinn’s Place (1781 Brunswick Pike, Lawrence) with Mercer pop-rockers Selkow Saturday night. Show starts at 9. Tickets cost $5. 21-plus.

Dennis Diken and The Bell Sound

When Ronnie Spector, Nancy Sinatra, The Beach Boys and Frankie Valli needed a studio drummer in New Jersey, they called in this Smithereens original – set to headline The Record Collector (358 Farnsworth Ave., Bordentown) Saturday night. Diken went solo with “Late Music” this past September – earning praise from a number of critics for its ’70s-style radio-pop feel. Or as Fountain of Wayne’s Chris Collingwood explained, Diken “paints a dreamy, wistful landscape that fondly recalls The Lovin’ Spoonful or ‘Pet Sounds’ on steroids.” Show starts at 7:30. Tickets cost $10 in advance, $12 at the door. All-ages.

Echo Movement

The stoney roots-rock wailers claim “God smokes weed,” and “was high when he made (them).” And they know it because they “feel it in (their) DNA.” Yeah, sounds like they burn more than the ganja when reshaping vintage Bob Marley – that Trojan and Upsetter rhythms - into their own brand of suburban-bred reggae. The Shore dub-steppers will attract fans of Pepper, Badfish and State Radio on Saturday when headlining a concert at the – appropriately named here - Stone Pony (913 Ocean Ave., Asbury Park) to celebrate what would have been Bob’s 65th birthday. Show starts at 8 p.m. Quincy Mumford, Can’t Hang, The Irie Sound and The Ice Picks play, too. Tickets cost $10 in advance, $12 at the door. All-ages.

Scott Frost’s On The Beat concert listing appears in The Trentonian every Thursday. If your band is playing around town, email the On the Beat webline at djscott111@aol.com.

Norah Jones - Beastie Break Down

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Norah Jones - That's What I Said (The NYC Remix by Adrock and Mike D)

Gentle jazz giant Norah Jones and two-thirds of The Beastie Boys are walking hand-in-hand these days - at least on a new remix part of the singer's "Chasing Pirates" EP. Doesn't fit all the way, but anything new from the Beasties is welcome On the Beat. It's pretty down-scoped and filled with zany break beats. Not a club banger. But tastier than Jones' traditional coffee house yawn.

Four Tet - Robot Love

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Four Tet - Love Cry

On the Beat: Jan. 28-Feb.3

Lemonhead founder Evan Dando headlines The Record Collector in Bordentown on Sunday.

Travesty

The merchandise-moving Dirty Jerzey Bandit’s science-dropping loopness embody the underground hip-hop spirit found in Company Flow’s most Rawkus recordings. The Ewing hip-hopper raps supreme at The All Call Inn (214 Weber Ave., Ewing) tomorrow night. Show starts at 9. To Live & Die in NJ open. Tickets cost $5. 21-plus.

Phantasm

The Philly trio’s twisted experimental prog-punk crosses the boundaries between vintage metal, jazz-fusion, hard rock and math-core. Watch out for their “kung-fu grip,” deejay effects and carnival-core crashing on “Two Left Feet” when they open for The Whyte Stuff at McGuinn’s Place (1781 Brunswick Pike, Lawrence) tomorrow night. Recommended if you dig At The Drive-In, Wolfmother and System of the Down. Show starts at 9. Tickets cost $5. 21-plus.

Bridge Underwater - Love is Like (The Fish Song) from Pat Mellon on Vimeo.

Bridge Underwater

The confused college-rock melodies and lo-fi instrumentation found in these Filthadelphians’ fuzzy geek-pop sounds a lot like Pavement. And that’s always awesome. Also fun for music nerds into Sebadoh, Dinosaur Jr. and hipless Beck. The trio play Championship Sports Bar and Grill (931 Chambers St., Trenton) tomorrow night. Show starts at 8. John Geoff, The Passion Movement, Deluxe Thumps, Talain Rayne and GARDENhead open. Tickets cost $8. 21-plus.

The Billy Hector Band

The Spring Lake bluesman and electric guitar virtuoso once shared a bill with Bonnie Raitt at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s “Tribute to Muddy Waters.” Now he’s headlining The Record Collector (358 Farnsworth Ave., Bordentown) with two sets set for tomorrow night. Pretty neat, huh? Show starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $10 in advance, $12 at the door. All-ages.

Jac

The folk-pop six-piece mold Latin-jazz influences into a smash of alt-rock gypsy music that doesn’t quite fit in any particular genre. The Mariachi horns are nice. So is the Eastern European-inspired Flamenco-styled guitar playing. Truly a one-of-a-kind musical experience around these parts – and it’s being given away for free at Triumph Brewery (138 Nassau St., Princeton) tomorrow night. The show starts at 9. The gang’s also playing The Trash Bar (256 Grand St., New York) in Brooklyn at 8 p.m. Saturday. 21-plus for both.

Splintered Sunlight

Known for their to-the-note renditions of Grateful Dead shows, the Philly band has inserted “Hard To Handle” into their jam-folk repertoire at a Jan. 21 concert in Ardmore, Pa. The Dead recalibrated its own version of the Otis Redding classic in more than 90 shows in the late-’60s-early-’70. Based on its last show, Splintered Sunlight fans going to tomorrow night’s performance at The Stone Pony (913 Ocean Ave., Asbury Park) could also expect renditions of “Scarlet Begonias” and “Casey Jones.” Show starts at 7:30. The Ronnie Penque Band, From The Ground and Definite No round out the bill. Tickets cost $10. All-ages.

Arms and Sleepers - Matador from David Altobelli on Vimeo.

Arms & Sleepers

The New Englander’s Four Tet-tilizing tubular belling and manic-minimalistic RJD2-y trip-hop clacks symbolize a darker, multi-media-motivated, movie-scene-influenced version of modern psych-tronica. Also for fans of Portishead, Boards of Canada and Mogwai. The duo headline Asbury Lanes (209 4th Ave., Asbury Park) tomorrow night. Show starts at 8. Black Wine and Cavalier Rose and the Barnstormers play, too. Tickets cost $10. 21-plus.

In Wake of the Plague

The barbaric Burlco brain-bashers release the beast on Championships Sports Bar and Grill (931 Chambers St., Trenton) Saturday afternoon. It’s metal – and it’s heavy-as-hell. Imagine a typhoon of guitar shreds and lighting-fast drumming crashing into your skull with enough power to mash it into pudding. Don’t tell anyone, but there’s fancy guitar sweeps in their ammunition, too. Show starts at noon. Total Ruination, I Am The Trireme, Decaying Crypts, Gravelight, Within Dying Days, Acrasia, Carcinogen and Hollow Lies round out the bill. Tickets cost $10. All-ages.

Paul Green School of Rock

It’s Rotton versus Strummer for the rock ’n’ roll trainees at McGuinn’s Place (1781 Brunswick Pike, Lawrence) on Saturday, as the teens perform an epic cover combat between The Sex Pistols and The Clash. Fighting punk-rock law is cool. Show starts at 6 p.m. Tickets cost $5. All-ages.

Larry White

The city reggae icon’s island boogies warm up any frigid weekend. On Saturday, he’ll headline McGuinn’s Place’s (1781 Brunswick Pike, Lawrence) late-night show. Members of United One will be there, too, to enhance the global grooves. Show starts at 9. Tickets cost $5. 21-plus.

The Sex Zombies

Brash, brazen and vulgar anti-punk you’d hear fleeing L.A. circa 1994 – think Butt Trumpet and L7 without the smash-mouth, chick-rock, beat downs beatification – has these Jersey-rock offenders turning a def ear to anything clean cut and cuddly in the music industry these days. Also for fans of the Dead Milkmen and The Vandals. The foursome open for Bildo & the Reacharounds at Championship Sports Bar and Grill (931 Chambers St., Trenton) Saturday night. Show starts at 9. Double Or Nothing, Common Enemy and Loafass play, too. Tickets cost $8. 21-plus.

The Sweetback Sisters

The Brooklynites rodeo road show – think honky-tonking Southern Culture on the Skids with cow-girlie Alison Krauss sharing the vocals – dosey-doe’s into The Record Collector (358 Farnsworth Ave., Bordentown) Saturday night. Also for fans of Scarlett Johansson and Pete Yorn’s “Relater.” Show starts at 7:30. Laura Baird opens. Tickets cost $12 in advance, $14 at the door. All-ages.

Evan Dando

The 42-year-old Lemonheads singer tends to candy-coat grief in his folk-pop ditties – giving life’s mostly complicated inner struggles a sunny disposition. But who cares about Ray’s shames these days. The real question is, will wife and British Calvin Klein model, Elizabeth Moses, warming up to a cup of joe at Torp’s Deli on Sunday across the street from Mr. Dando’s performance at The Record Collector (358 Farnsworth Ave., Bordentown)? Be cool, right? Show starts at 6:30 p.m. The Candles open. Tickets cost $20 in advance, $25 at the door. All-ages.

Dangerous

The metallic smooth criminals moonwalks into Asbury Lanes (209 4th Ave., Asbury Park) this weekend with a Jacko impression that’ll wake the dead. And in this case, hopefully it’s the King of Pop who crotch-grabs from the grave Sunday night to “Thiller-Night” these Brooklyn beat-killers into Bubbles chow. Show starts at 9. Sweetheart opens. Tickets cost $10. 21-plus.

John O’Neal

The United One guitarist’s idealistic folk-punk acoustic strums – and the accompanying of a couple Bad Religion, Bob Marley and Bob Dylan reanimations – make for the model modern-day workingman’s happy hour. The city musician - who also played in Towers Open Fire – hits Championships Sports Bar and Grill (931 Chambers St., Trenton) with Kyle McGill Wednesday evening. The free show starts at 6. 21-plus.

DJ CHOP - The Beast Within (Original Mix) by DJ CHOP AKA JERRY MONTANA

DJ Chop

The city spin thing – and his crew in the Trenton House Society sometimes – fight the beat with an arsenal of pop-techno, trance dreamscapes and club cuts that could pass for both Simian Mobile Disco and the Guru Josh Project. And Wednesday night at McGuinn’s Place (1781 Brunswick Pike, Lawrence) it’s going to be ’80s night so maybe a Depeche Mode or Cure remix will be order. Show starts at 9. Tickets cost $2. 21-plus.

Scott Frost’s On The Beat concert listing appears in The Trentonian every Thursday. If your band is playing around town, email the On the Beat web line at djscott111@aol.com.

On the Beat: Jan. 21-Jan. 27

ERIN HILL

The Amboys

The Asbury Park-bred indie cow-folks – think Fleet Foxes or acoustic Mike Ness – offer up a sweet slice of Americana tonight at the Langosta Lounge (Third Avenue Pavilion, Asbury Park), where they’ll be covering Neil Young’s classic “Harvest” record. The free show starts at 9. All-ages.

Synthetic Elements

The Denver pub punk’s slushy song socials are a mixed bag of Pogues, NoFX and The Dropkick Murphys. You know the kind of fun, party punk you can’t help but get soused to. They’ll be at Championships Sports Bar and Grill (931 Chambers St., Trenton) tomorrow night opening for Ordain. Show starts at 9. Phantasm, Soul Pole and The Last Barbarians play, too. Tickets cost $8. 21-plus.

School of Rock

The rock trainees showcase their power stances and smoking guitars as they pay homage to the space-age music Gods, KISS, at McGuinn’s Place (1781 Brunswick Pike, Lawrence) tomorrow night. Show starts at 6. Tickets cost $5. All-ages.

Mountain Man

The South Philly gypsy-folk gloom dealers sound like Gogol Bordello crashing The Squirrel Nut Zippers’ funeral. The roots-rock awakening hits Ewing’s All Call Inn (214 Weber Ave., Ewing) tomorrow night. Sharon Kenny plays, too. Tickets cost $5. 21-plus.

Erin Hill

New York’s psychedelic harp girl – who’s worked with Enya and Moby and acted in the film “Cradle Will Rock” – features a Celtic-conceived, Norah Jones-type feeling in her mystic, indie-pop pipes. Also, there’s something about Hill’s transcendental finger plucking and breathy, lullaby voice that’ll makes you want to run barefoot through a daisy-filled meadow. The singer will have her band The Space Rats in tow for one of two sets scheduled for The Record Collector (358 Farnsworth Ave., Bordentown) tomorrow night. Show starts at 7:30. Tickets cost $12 in advance, $15 at the door. All-ages.

Tunnels To Holland

The Old Bridge psyche rocker’s despondent lyrical adventures and too-cool-for-school edge gives off a less-robotic-Interpol-meets-The Smiths attitude. The guys – headlining The Court Tavern (124 Church St., New Brunswick) tomorrow night – admit their appreciation for late ’60s mood pop a la Lou Reed, as evident in the band’s darkly sly, beatnik vocal tones and Luna-esque rhythms. Show starts at 8 p.m. Los Miguelinos, Heart & Lungs and Marvin Sunk round out the bill. Tickets cost $10. 21-plus.

Snowball 37

The Jersey City power-pop hip-shakers – think Smithereens - storm The Stone Pony (913 Ocean Ave., Asbury Park) tomorrow night with Mad Cats & Beehives, The Eeries, Give Me Light and Locustwood. Show starts at 7:30. Tickets cost $10. All-ages.

Dear Dallas

Had Brett Favre not already crushed your dreams and jugular, this Morris County hardcore crew’s tech-tyrannical, mosh-inducing melodica, electronic bash-core lives on to stop Tony Roma’s breathing forever. For fans of Avenged Sevenfold, As I Lie Dying and Atreyu’s “Suicide Notes and Butterfly Kisses.” The guys open for Within Dying Days and Shadows Between Us at Championship Sports Bar and Grill (931 Chambers St., Trenton) Saturday afternoon. Show starts at noon. Within Darkness, Hatred Embrace, Rajabrah, Lifeless, Internal Fear and Within Cold Blood play, too. Tickets cost $10. All-ages.

Save Your Strength

Why do bands break up? Who knows. Probably to make an event out of their final show - and that’s where this promising Hamilton pop-core bands stands these days. Their final show is Saturday’s Russell Colon Benefit concert at Trenton Catholic Academy (175 Leonard Ave., Hamilton), and it’s a shame the teens are hanging up their neon bracelets. It’s a buffet of punk effects – the emo screams, happy-hardcore circle-pitting, lust-loving harmonies, morphed power-popping nu-metal slams and electric live shows – that made them the voice of the Hamilton Lanes all-ages scene a few summer’s ago. At least there’s one more tank of teen angst left – and for a good cause. The show starts at 2 p.m. and features a stellar lineup of local performances from On the Beat faves The Timid Roosevelt’s, Honah Lee, Keys to the Cadillac, The Cretins, Kelly Carvin and Reckless. The Glory Days and Bubbluv and the Realest Reeken round out the bill. Tickets cost $5 for students, $10 for adults and non-students. All-ages.

Tyrone “Chrome” Miller

The Trenton emcee’s low-budget comedy slams leap from the boob tube to the big stage at The All Call Inn (214 Weber Ave., Ewing) Saturday night. Miller, who one-time followed Sugar Ray around on Spike! TV’s “Road Rules”-style reality show, “On The Road,” is also featured on “Real Talk: Low Budget TV” – a cable access show that’s been described as a cross between “Dave Chapelle’s Show” and “Saturday Night Live.” Show starts at 9. Tickets cost $5. 21-plus.

Zigman Bird

The Beatles-inspired Kingston power-pop foursome headline McGuinn’s Place (1781 Brunswick Pike, Lawrence) Saturday night. Think The Police and Tom Petty, too. Show starts at 9. Rebel Pawn and Van Cleef open. Tickets cost $5. 21-plus.

Trunks & Tales

The Philly duo’s uplifting buddy punk and raspy, true-to-life lyrical approach would make for the perfect opener for Chuck Ragan’s Revival Tour. The tandem hit up The Mill Hill Basement (300 S. Broad St., Trenton) with Anniversary Club Saturday night. Show starts at 10. Tickets cost $5. 21-plus.

Savior In Ruin

Tough-guy hardcore with sprinkles of old school thrash, spoken-word spitting, vocal squeals and twisting, atmospheric progressions has these West Chester rockers reminding metal faith healers of Biohazard, Slayer and Full Blown Chaos. The five-piece play with Siberia and Burial Mound at Championships Sports Bar and Grill (931 Chambers St., Trenton) Saturday night. Wrath of Typhoon and Open Denile play, too. Show starts at 10. Tickets cost $8. 21-plus.

Silver Dollar

New Brunswick’s King Django’s multi-layers ska-sound escapes stay true to its most classic form when teaming with this crew of rudie revivalists and jazz junkies. For fans of The Skatalites, The Blue Beats and island umbrella drinks. The crew opens for sk-oi! scandals, The Hub City Stompers, at The Record Collector (358 Farnsworth Ave., Bordentown) Saturday night. Tickets cost $10 in advance, $12 at the door. All-ages.

Crash Romeo

The Somerset County new-found-glory-hound’s pop-punk opulence is pogo perfection. The quick hooks and sing-along choruses shares a close relationship with Sum 41 and older Midtown. The foursome play The Court Tavern (124 Church St., New Brunswick) Saturday night. Show starts at 9. Cleveland’s Driver Side Impact (Victory Records) and American Living round out the bill. Tickets cost $10. 21-plus.

Death Do Us Part

The mortal wounds left behind by these Runnemede dark stalkers metal head’s barbaric smash-core evolves into nothing more than a love bite once the harmonic choruses – and sweetie-pie lyrics like “dreams will bring us together” – take command of the carnage. For fans of non-sparkly vampire movies, mask-less hardcore and It Dies Today. The metal men headline Championships Sports Bar and Grill (931 Chambers St., Trenton) on Sunday afternoon. Show starts at noon. Preaching the Converted, Reptar, Back and Forth, Cold Blooded Promise, Down The Block, The Advent The Adversary, Dreams of Dohmer, Double Or Nothing, G Shok and Eye Sense Catastrophe round out the bill. Tickets cost $10. All-ages.

BRMR

The Toms River tandem’s finger snapping, synth-folk rearranging and faux Brit-pop vocal buzzing dives into your soul like a Danger Mouse-produced mix tape of The Rapture and The Black Keys. The duo open for Bedroom Girls at the Wonderbar (1213 Ocean Ave., Asbury Park) on Tuesday night. Show starts at 8. Super Genesis and Hrny Wrms play, too. Tickets cost $2. 21-plus. Scott Frost’s On The Beat concert listing appears in The Trentonian every Thursday. If your band is playing around town, email the On the Beat web line at djscott111@aol.com.

On the Beat: Jan. 14-20

Rumpelstiltskin Grinder play an all-ages show at Championships Sports Bar and Grill in Trenton on Saturday

The Paper Jets

The jangle-pop nice guy’s tight harmonies will remind you of Barenaked Ladies, Hootie and the Blowfish and Ben Fold Five. And there will be plenty of melodies to suck down at McGuinn’s Place (1781 Brunswick Pike, Lawrence) tomorrow night. Show starts at 9. Tickets cost $5. 21-plus.

The Air I Breathe

When not getting fancy-pants in its emo harmonizing and sweeping guitar progressions, these Flemington Slip-knoty fire breathers plant pulverizing metallic monstrosities through you skull a la Job For Cowboy. Also for fans of Between the Buried and Me, Killswitch Engage, new-nu metal bands with wuss lead singers and modern WWE walk-in themes. The trio is working on an EP. In the meantime, they’ll headline Championships Sports Bar and Grill (931 Chambers St., Trenton) tomorrow evening. Show starts at 5. Antarctica, Decaying Crypts, Among the Forgotten, WishMeWell and Purge The Plague round out the bill. Tickets cost $10. All-ages.

Rumpelstiltskin Grinder

The maniac Philly slime-corers high-velocity metaling barks with an energy that can only be described as Anthrax slamming Vodka and Red Bull shots with Dying Fetus. A mash of rocket-fueled grind-core sensationalism hidden on the Relapse Records crushing roster of bands - the beat bashers headline Championships Sports Bar and Grill (931 Chambers St., Trenton) on Saturday afternoon. Show starts at 2. Trenton thrashers Triggered Impulse - who scored an opening slot for Nile at The Trocadero in Philly on Sunday night – are also on the bill, alongside Zombie Mortropolis, NoN-SToP!, Last [Red] Ember. Awjita, Fisthammer and Demilitia. Tickets cost $10 in advance, $12 at the door. All-ages.

(Damn) This Desert Air

Mesmerizing and melodic creeper-core – think Quicksand, Failure and A Perfect Circle – won this Wayne outfit a record contact with Germany’s Bastardized Recordings. The rockers - playing the Mill Hill Basement (300 S. Broad St., Trenton) on Saturday - feature ex-members of Nora and The Fire Still Burns and a rhythmic flow that falls somewhere between post-core hair-pulling and nu-metal melodica. Also for fans of Hum, Snapcase’s “Bright Flashes” and the Deftones. Their “Distance Waits” EP drops in April. Show starts at 10 p.m. The Great Explainer and Communication Redlights play, too. Tickets cost $5. 21-plus.

Radical Supernatural

The dance-funk hip-hop cover boys hit up McGuinn’s Place (1781 Brunswick Pike, Lawrence) Saturday night. Show starts at 9. Tickets cost $5. 21-plus.

Grant Hart

It’s good to see the former Husker Du drummer still focuses his aging punk angst on peppy power-pop heard on “You’re The Reflection of the Moon,” the lead single off the St. Paul’s legend’s October release, “Hot Wax.” Not one to hide from his past issues with Bob Mould – they reunited in 2005 but have trashed each other in the media a couple times since - Hart is a nice enough guy to make friends out of the Foo Fighters, who usually invite the local legend on stage when Dave Grohl and the boys roll through Minnesota. He’ll hit The Record Collector (358 Farnsworth Ave., Bordentown) for a free show and meet-and-greet on Saturday afternoon. Show starts at 3. All-ages.

Hsu-Nami

The North Jersey prog-instrumentalists are the first-ever rock band to utilize the Erhu – a two-stringed bow instrument used by China’s Northern Song Dynasty in the 10th century – in its metallic-psychedelic fusion. The music houses a dreamy landscape in the rhythms with a bit of an edge you might catch in high-brow tech-torrent bands like Dream Theater. In 2008, their song “Rising of the Sun” was picked as the theme music for the Chinese basketball team at the Summer Olympics in Beijing. On Saturday, the crew co-headlines The Stone Pony (913 Ocean Ave., Asbury Park) with Verity In Stereo. Super Volcano and Defog open. Show starts at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $10. All-ages.

Ed Kowalczyk

Lightning crashes once again for this former Live singer – the highlight of Asbury Park’s Light of Day 10th Anniversary celebration this weekend, who’s done little since playing a waiter in the ’99 flick “Fight Club.” The post-grunge radio-rockers are said to be looking for a new singer after it was alleged Kowalczyk demanded a “$100,000 lead singer bonus” to appear at last year’s Netherlands’s Pinkpop Festival. He also reportedly sold the entire rights to Live’s songs to Black Coffee Publishing Inc. “I Alone” - seems so Mr. Kowalczyk, who’ll be going stag to Saturday’s headlining gig at the Paramount Theatre (1300 Ocean Ave., Asbury Park). Show starts at 7. Joe Grushecky & the House Rockers, Willie Nile, Jesse Malin, Joe D'Urso & Stone Caravan, Andrea Parodi, Bello, Outside the Box, Anthony D'Amato, Rob Dye, Danny White, Jon Caspi, Lisa Bouchelle, Bobby Strange and Bruce Tunkel round out the bill. Tickets range in price from $25 to $150. All-ages.

The Swingin Neckbreakers

The buzz-loving, Scandinavian-worshiped trash-rock icons spent the last two decades packing houses in Norway and rocking fictional “Soprano” bars without ever getting the warm embrace they deserve from its Trenton hometown. At least Tom Jorgenson’s city mail route – and frigid Swedish winters – traps him in town these days so when there’s new tunes to try an audience out on he can call on famed City Garden’s Randy Now to give a stage to rock. The Neckbreakers’ new recording, “Pop of the Tops” – a play off the British music chart show and trio’s first disc in about a decade - features the band’s typical high-energy rock ’n’ snot. It’ll also shake, rattle and roll the vintage vinyl - it can’t help to emulate - off the walls of The Record Collector (358 Farnsworth Ave., Bordentown) at Sunday’s record-release celebration. Show starts at 7:30 p.m. Telstar Records. Plainfield Slim & The Groundhawgs open. Tickets cost $10 in advance, $12 at the door. All-ages. Scott Frost’s On The Beat concert listing appears in The Trentonian every Thursday. If your band is playing around town, email the On the Beat webline at djscott111@aol.com.

On the Beat: Jan. 7-Jan. 13

Photo by Laura Reinhard

Rapper Roebus One plays McGuinn's Place Saturday night.

Sue Giles

The jazz-scatting city songbird’s vintage vocal ventures will melt your soul at a free Trenton2Night concert inside the Trenton Marriott (1 W. Lafayette St., Trenton) tomorrow night. Think classic Ella Fitzgerald. In fact, according to Giles’ web site, our director for the Trenton Community Music School is currently writing a musical about Fitzgerald’s relationships with bandleader Chick Webb, and their early days at the iconic Savoy Ballroom in Harlem, NY. Show starts at 5. All-ages.

Crazy Ivan

The popular acoustic covers trio (Phrogger, PipeDreams) stay tranquil in their rendition of Counting Crows, Matchbox20 and Modern English songs at McGuinn’s Place (1781 Brunswick Pike, Lawrence) tomorrow night. Show starts at 9. Tickets cost $5. 21-plus.

Thursday Night Jazz

The trio - Joel N. on keys, Tom Z. on sax and Tommy H. on drums - garner a passion for experimental fusion, pop, blues and smooth jazz through the inspirational recordings of Spyro Gyra, Dave Koz and Duke Ellington. In fact, just last June, the jazz heads – headlining a free Trenton2Nite performance at Gallery 125 (125 S. Warren St., Trenton) tomorrow night – invited Kool & The Gang’s Clifford Adams and Michael Ray to sit in on trombone and trumpet for some Lady Bird and Black Nile renditions in front of a packed house at Havana in New Hope, Pa. Show starts at 5. All-ages.

Eric Bazilian

The Hooter – whose musical career includes three Top 30 hits in the ’80s, more than 2 million records sold and monumental opening slots at the 1985 Live Aid concert in Philly and Roger Waters’ 1990 Wall Concert in Berlin – headlines The Record Collector (358 Farnsworth Ave., Bordentown) tomorrow night. Bazilian’s released a few solo albums, too, while The Hooters were on hiatus in the mid ’90s. Show starts at 7:30 p.m. Erin Hill and Lisa Bouchelle open. Tickets cost $15 in advance, $18 at the door. All-ages.

Love Automatic

The trance-pop electronica and Fall Out Boy-type hooks in this Middlesex foursome’s “Dance Floor Disaster” CD drips neo green. Think pop punk with glow sticks when trying on their hyper crush at The Court Tavern (124 Church St., New Brunswick) tomorrow night. For fans of Tommy Sunshine rock remixes, 3OH!3 beats and Cobra Starship. Show starts at 9. Delta Falling, Bears & Bright Lights and Rose Riot round out the bill. Tickets cost $10. 21-plus.

Johnny Winter

The longtime bluesman refuses to play “Rock ’N’ Roll Hoochie Koo” – his most recognizable song – these days. Instead, expect only deep Southern blues in the style of Muddy Waters when checking the legend out at The Stone Pony (913 Ocean Ave., Asbury Park) tomorrow night. Show starts at 7:30 p.m. The Christine Martucci Band and Jon Klein Combine open. Tickets cost $27.50 in advance, $30 at the door. All-ages.

Roebus One

The just-ready-to-pop Trenton emcee - who calls himself the hip-hop Elliot Smith - wins the metaphor war around these parts with a slippery rhyme scheme that’s cold, dark and disturbed, but emotionally powerful with its spiritually lyrical imaging. The only performer to appear at Bamboozle ’09 with no label backing or by some lame ticket-buy contest, Roebus One’s freezy-flow falls under the emo-rap label – a tag that seems to fit the rapper fine here through his sampling of Anthony Green (Circa Survive) on the single “Frail” and vocal slow motions that’ll remind underground rap fans of Cage, Murs and Aesop Rock. He’s rocked the stage with indie hip-hop luminaries Copywrite and Yak Ballz and on Saturday puts McGuinn’s Place (1781 Brunswick Pike, Lawrence) on lockdown with To Live & Die in NJ. The rappers’ “Reflections of Goodbye” was released in early ’09 and is now being shopped to indie labels. Could Def Jux be in his future? Those who keep it real would think so. Show starts at 9. Rocky and D. Montana round out the bill. Tickets cost $5. 21-plus.

The Christmas Lights!

Spacey electro sequencing and near-robotic harmonizing has this Maryland fuzz-rocking, beat-blipping, spazz-spitting indie bunch speaking its own alien language inside the Mill Hill Basement (300 S. Broad St., Trenton) Saturday night. For fans getting high to Beck’s modern works, Danger Mouse production and noisier Modest Mouse. Show starts at 10. Trenton’s Honah Lee and Attic Dancers, and Philly’s Phantasm play, too. Tickets cost $5. 21-plus.

Dead Superstar

Life of Agony’s Joey Z produced the New Yorkers’ 2009 debut CD “Red Line,” which weaves a metal hybrid that’s alt-funky and melodic like Ozzy tending to his wicked garden. Also recommended if you dig Alice In Chains and Audioslave. The foursome, who boast about their “controversial lyrics about the human condition” on their MySpace page, play Championships Sports Bar and Grill (931 Chambers St., Trenton) Saturday night. Show starts at 9. Smack City, VEnT, Await Rescue and Addison Groove open. Tickets cost $8. 21-plus.

Robert Gordon

An original punk rocker in New York City with the Tuff Darts, the actor and singer fled the CBGB’s scene in 1976 to record with surf-rock royalty Link Wray and went on to make a name for himself in the rock-a-billy scene. Wray saw an Elvis Presley circa Sun Records aura in his voice – recording two albums with the now 62-year-old Maryland native, the latter featuring a tune written by Bruce Springsteen. Gordon, who Jerry Lee Lewis called “the real deal,” headlines The Record Collector (358 Farnsworth Ave., Bordentown) Saturday night. Show starts at 7:30. Bobby Steele (Misfits, Undead) opens. Tickets cost $25 in advance, $30 at the door. All-ages.

Sarah Chang

The 1999 Avery Fisher winner’s sultry violin finger-shimmies warms up Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons” at the opening of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra’s Italian Festival Saturday at the State Theatre (15 Livingston Ave., New Brunswick). The Philly-born child prodigy is quite the looker – especially if you have an Asian fetish. She also scored a best seller at the age of 10 with her “Debut” CD on EMI Classics. Show starts at 8. Tickets cost $20, $38, $54 and $68. All-ages.

Esquilax

The Trenton metallic doom dealers – who scored an opening gig for the Black Dahlia Murder next month - rip up the cannibal corpses that tend to flock to Championships Sports Bar and Grill (931 Chambers St., Trenton) on the weekends for their all-ages hardcore meltdowns. This time the head bangers share the stage Sunday with audio bullies Isyou and a crazy cast of the most death-defying homicidal, suicidal, genocidal hardcore demons this area’s ever known. Show starts at noon. Decaying Crypts, Writhing Afterbirths, Her Virgin Wounds, After the Genocide, Dead Walk The Earth, I Am The Trireme, Tears of the Departed and The Visions Of play, too. Tickets cost $10. All-ages.

Agent Orange

The Orange County punk rockers were the first to insert surf-rock elements in-between their guitar shreds, and many consider their 1981 album “Living In Darkness” the quintessential skate-punk record. That record went on to influences other bands from Southern California – like the Offspring – to incorporate some of that vintage pipelining guitars into its power chords. In fact, their song “Bloodstains” – which hopes to be a highlight on Monday’s show at The Record Collector (358 Farnsworth Ave., Bordentown) – is one of the most covered punk songs from that era. Other highlights of the show should include sing-alongs to “Punk Rock Girl,” “Bitchin’ Camaro” and “Dot” by openers Joe Jack Talcum (Dead Milkmen) and Scott Reynolds (All), respectively. Show starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $20 in advance, $24 at the door. All-ages.

Scott Frost’s On The Beat concert listing appears in The Trentonian every Thursday. If your band is playing around town, email the On the Beat web line at djscott111@aol.com.