
New Jersey bar was totally wrong to cancel Springsteen cover band
As long as you haven’t been under a rock for the last week, you’ve likely heard that Bruce Springsteen had some words to say about our president at a concert overseas.
In my home, the America I love, the America I’ve written about, that has been a beacon of hope and liberty for 250 years, is currently in the hands of a corrupt, incompetent, and treasonous administration.
You would think Trump has much bigger things to worry about than one New Jersey artist exercising their freedom of speech.
Yet he took to Truth Social to lash out, calling Springsteen overrated, pushy, an obnoxious jerk (jerk in all caps, of course, he likes his caps), dried out prune, skin atrophied, etc..
“Obnoxious jerk,” huh? Takes one to know one, I guess.
Following The Boss’ words, a Jersey shore restaurant has cancelled a scheduled performance from a Bruce tribute band.
Toms River bar cancels Springsteen cover band
But here’s the thing: the band did nothing other than cover songs by Springsteen.
No Surrender, a NJ-based rock band, was all set to perform at Riv’s Toms River Hub at the end of May, but the bar owner canceled on them. The performance was “too risky at the moment,” according to a text from the restaurant owner.
Too risky?
Gee, and here I thought the MAGA crowd was so offended by cancel culture, completely disregarding that they pull the same bull-you-know-what.
Riv’s Toms River Hub
It’s not like the bookers didn't know Springsteen is a liberal at the time of scheduling. The concert had been planned for months, Bruce has been vocal about his political leaning for decades.
Frankly, it's insulting to the customers. As comedian John Poveromo put it:
Sure, maybe his clientele can’t tell the difference between real Italian food and his peddlers Ragu, but it doesn’t mean they can’t tell the difference between Bruce Springsteen and a cover band looking to have a good time and make some money on Memorial Day Weekend.
No Surrender
For the better part of two decades, No Surrender has been covering Bruce Springsteen songs, and suddenly that’s reason for a cancellation.
Appropriately, one of Springsteen’s criticisms was that the Trump administration is “taking sadistic pleasure in the pain they inflict on loyal American workers.”
Is that not what Riv’s is essentially doing by punishing the working man for comments that they didn’t even make?
This is not political for us at all,” said the bandleader, Brad Hobicorn. “We’re just a cover band that’s trying to make some money and people rely on it financially. We’re the ones really getting hurt.
(AP Photo/Riv's Toms River Hub via Facebook)
In summation, congratulations, Riv’s. You got your name in the news. People, myself included, are talking about you.
Sure, you’ll get business of the people in your “red” area of the state who are now considering you to be proud patriots for this decision.
But do you feel good about it?
All you did was screw over a local band who was looking forward to entertaining your patrons.
I wish I could say that you’re making Toms River Great Again, but you’re just making it petty and cowardly.
Here, I thought that 'down the shore everything’s alright.' Guess not.
You can check out No Surrender on their website.
Celebrities who vowed to leave the United States after the election
Gallery Credit: Jeff Deminski
Donald Trump goes to Wawa
Gallery Credit: Joe Votruba
How N.J. voted in the 2024 presidential election
Gallery Credit: New Jersey 101.5
9 Springsteen lyrics that won him the Woody Guthrie Prize
Gallery Credit: Jeff Deminski
The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5's Kylie Moore. Any opinions expressed are Kylie's own. You can follow Kylie on Instagram.
Click here to contact an editor about feedback or a correction for this story.
More From New Jersey 101.5 FM








