Jersey band No Surrender finds bigger stage after political fallout over Springsteen

NOTE: Listen to the band perform live on New Jersey 101.5 — 9 p.m., Wednesday, May 28, with Steve Trevelise

The Bruce Springsteen cover band No Surrender will not surrender their chance to play on May 30 at the Jersey Shore.

The only difference is that instead of playing Rivs's in Toms River, where the owner was worried about comments Bruce Springsteen made about President Trump from the stage in Manchester, England, they will instead be playing at The Headliner in Neptune.

Due to the possible rain, the show will be held inside the bar on Friday, June 6.

"We were initially booked to play Riv's in the latter part of March, around March 24. Tony (owner Tony Rivoli) had approached us because he wanted to do a Springsteen tribute night," band leader Brad Hobicorn said. "He had heard about us, he was all in, and we worked out the date for May 30."

That was before Springsteen's comments made a splash with Trump from across the pond.

Hobicorn, a guest of Steve Trevelise on New Jersey 101.5, thanked promoter Jesse Warren for getting him the gig at The Headliner.

Warren is not the only one who contacted the band.

"I have to tell you we've been getting tons of phone calls, opportunities, booking agents reaching out to me," Hobivorn said.

Riv's may actually have done the band a favor.

"It's kind of like No Surrender went from zero to 180," says Hobicorn, who finds it ironic.

"We just did three years of working and sweating out there doing three years of gigs and that's what happens in 24 hours."

Hobicorn and Tony Rivoli of Rivs have no hard feelings. Rivoli texted me that they had discussed the matter.

Rivoli also told Newsmax:

"We made a decision not to have this band, we gave them enough time. I dealt with one guy in that band (Hobicorn) and he was fine with the decision we made, but evidentally the bass player put out a post and it went viral, but he said I agree, I understamd where you're coming from and I wish they wouldn't talk about politics," Rivoli said. 

"I didn't think there was an issue until everybody grabbed onto that post."

As for the cancellation, Hobicorn said:

"I wasn't expecting anything like this, nor did I want anything like this. I'm not a malicious person; I don't want to hurt any small business, that is not the intention here," Hobicorn said.

"And I think everything that's been posted and put out there, you can see that there's nothing political in any of our statements. It's all been from the perspective of the root of the issue, which is you hired us, we committed, we bypassed opportunities, and you cancelled us with very short notice to rebook, and you put us in a horrible situation all because of what Bruce Springsteen said."

"We're a cover band, and you're penalizing us. We shouldn't be penalized. So we're the ones who essentially felt the pain on this, and that's the core issue. It had nothing to do with us or politics."

So when all is said and done, does No Surrender receive any blowback from any comments Bruce has ever made?

"Over the years, it's never impacted us to the degree of a cancellation," Hobicorn said. "I'll get comments from people who say I love Bruce, I hate his politics, you guys are great."

"I'll be the first to say I love Bruce Springsteen. I love his music, I love his lyrics, I love the band, that's why I've been following them forever, that's why I have a Springsteen cover band."

But when it comes to politics ...

"We don't do anything political, we don't act political, we don't do anything other than play the music," he said.

"I'll be the first to say: Athletes, celebrities, musicians — I don't really want to hear your politics. That's how I feel personally."

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of Steve Trevelise. Any opinions expressed are his own.

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