Live Acoustic Music Near South Orange, New Jersey

If you've never experienced hearing talented musicians perform in a small, intimate environment, you are in for a treat.

House concerts are a growing trend across the country, where people invite friends and neighbors into their homes for an up-close concert experience. And there are many house concerts being held in and around the South Orange area that you can check out - you just need to contact the host and ask to be invited.

Churches and non-profit community groups around South Orange host occasional coffeehouses that feature traditional folk musicians and other acoustic artists as a way of bringing the community together. Local libraries also host free concerts that are open to the general public.

In addition, live acoustic music can be heard in several listening rooms and small theaters in and around the South Orange area. Local vineyards and restaurants and cafes in the area sometimes host nationally touring musicians as well.

Below you can find a listing of upcoming shows in these smaller venues by nationally and internationally touring artists.

Upcoming Acoustic Shows

December 30
Dustin Lowman writes antisensical songs: lyric-driven tunes which illuminate and deconstruct the nonsense of living. He is a self-taught singer and guitarist whose style is reminiscent of Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Aimee Man, and Adrienne Lenker,
Cafe Wha? (Small Theater)
New York, NY
December 30
Turning Point Cafe (Cafe, Restaurant or Coffee Shop)
Piermont, NY
January 2
Lone Quail is an enigmatic singer-songwriter with raw and poignant stories about lost places, stray chases, and finding your covey.
Pete's Candy Store (Listening Room)
Brooklyn, NY
January 4
Singer/songwriter Chris Brown is also an artist/illustrator who can capture a subject's essence through caricature. He has shared the stage with Pete Seeger & Tom Chapin and has released 4 CDs that have received national airplay and reviews.
People's Voice Cafe (Folk Music Coffeehouse)
New York, NY
January 8
City Vineyard (Listening Room)
New York, NY
January 8
Ken Waldman combines original poetry, old-time fiddling, and smart storytelling for a performance uniquely his. 20 books, 12 CDs. House concerts, major festivals. Solo or band. “Like a Ken Burns movie . . . Always recommended.” --Austin Chronicle
Rockwood Music Hall (Small Theater)
New York, NY
January 9
Ken Waldman combines original poetry, old-time fiddling, and smart storytelling for a performance uniquely his. 20 books, 12 CDs. House concerts, major festivals. Solo or band. “Like a Ken Burns movie . . . Always recommended.” --Austin Chronicle
Don't Tell Mama NYC (Neighborhood Bar)
New York, NY
January 10
The Iridium (Listening Room)
New York, NY
January 10
City Vineyard (Listening Room)
New York, NY
January 11
Cliff Eberhardt is an American folk singer-songwriter. He is a founding member of the Fast Folk Music Cooperative in New York City.
Outpost in the Burbs (Folk Music Coffeehouse)
Montclair, NJ
January 11
Austin-born, NYC-based singer, guitarist, and writer of songs such as "I'm a Stone," "Night Shines On," and "American Dreaming."
Skinny Dennis (Neighborhood Bar)
Brooklyn, NY
January 11
Voices in the Heights in one of the best listening rooms in Brooklyn. They feature extraordinary singer-songwriters in an intimate setting featuring great sound and ambience. Don't miss the free home-baked desserts at intermission.
Voices in the Heights (Listening Room)
Brooklyn, NY
January 12
Cafe Wha? (Small Theater)
New York, NY
January 12
Adrian and Meredith, the dynamic duo behind The Adrian and Meredith Band, have journeyed from their humble Midwest roots, to the heart of East Nashville's music scene, to international touring.
Folkus-NYC (Listening Room)
Brooklyn, NY
January 13
Colombian-American Singer-Songwriter & Actor.
The Bitter End (Small Theater)
New York, NY
January 16
Hiroya Tsukomoto at Folkus-NYC
Folkus-NYC (Listening Room)
Brooklyn, NY
January 17
Brooklyn Made (Nightclub)
Brooklyn, NY
January 17
Multi-style violinist and champion world music fiddler who weaves together driving dance tunes with beloved stories that bring the music to life
Princeton Folk Music Society (Folk Music Society)
Princeton, NJ
January 18
Jackson Pines are known for playing traditional folk music along with their fingerpicking guitar and stand-up bass rhythms. They weave their songs with threads of stories from people and places they’ve been, and pains and joys they’ve experienced.
Walkabout Clearwater Coffeehouse (Folk Music Coffeehouse)
White Plains, NY
January 18
Kyle Hancharick captivates audiences with his soaring tenor voice and crisp acoustic guitar. His songwriting is sometimes personal, other times reflective of experiences he observes.
Torne Valley Vineyards (Vineyard)
Sloatsburg, NY
January 19
Raising Daughters is a NYC based country-folk duo featuring Hallie Riddick and Josette Axne. The Kentucky and Colorado natives craft stories of femmehood and coming of age. Their work weaves together the sounds of chick rock, country, and folk.
Cafe Wha? (Small Theater)
New York, NY
January 19
Turning Point Cafe (Cafe, Restaurant or Coffee Shop)
Piermont, NY
January 23
City Vineyard (Listening Room)
New York, NY
January 24
Le Poisson Rouge (Small Theater)
New York, NY
January 25
Hill Country Barbecue (NY) (Cafe, Restaurant or Coffee Shop)
New York, NY
January 25
The Mercury Lounge (Neighborhood Bar)
New York, NY
January 25
Earth Room Concerts (Listening Room)
Lincroft, NJ
January 30
Public Records (Listening Room)
Brooklyn, NY
February 1
Turning Point Cafe (Cafe, Restaurant or Coffee Shop)
Piermont, NY
February 2
The Bowery Ballroom (Nightclub)
New York, NY
February 2
The Iridium (Listening Room)
New York, NY
February 4
Brooklyn Made (Nightclub)
Brooklyn, NY
February 6
Public Records (Listening Room)
Brooklyn, NY
February 6
Count Basie Theatre (Concert Hall)
Red Bank, NJ
February 7
The Iridium (Listening Room)
New York, NY
February 7
Fox & Crow (Listening Room)
Jersey City, NJ
February 8
The Iridium (Listening Room)
New York, NY
February 8
Austin-born, NYC-based singer, guitarist, and writer of songs such as "I'm a Stone," "Night Shines On," and "American Dreaming."
Fox & Crow (Listening Room)
Jersey City, NJ
February 8
Le Poisson Rouge (Small Theater)
New York, NY
February 8
Jeanne Rimsky Theater at Landmark on Main Street (Small Theater)
Port Washington, NY
February 8
Voices in the Heights in one of the best listening rooms in Brooklyn. They feature extraordinary singer-songwriters in an intimate setting featuring great sound and ambience. Don't miss the free home-baked desserts at intermission.
Voices in the Heights (Listening Room)
Brooklyn, NY
February 11
Count Basie Theatre (Concert Hall)
Red Bank, NJ
February 12
The Iridium (Listening Room)
New York, NY
February 14
The Bowery Electric (Neighborhood Bar)
New York, NY
February 14
Cowboy Junkies are a Canadian alternative country/blues/folk rock band. The band was nominated for Group of the Year at the Juno Awards in 1990 and 1991.
Tarrytown Music Hall (Small Theater)
Tarrytown, NY
February 14
Jalopy Theater (Listening Room)
Brooklyn, NY
February 15
The Bitter End (Small Theater)
New York, NY
February 15
People's Voice Cafe (Folk Music Coffeehouse)
New York, NY
February 15
Known for fearless, truth-telling lyrics & melodies you can’t resist singing, Pat Humphries & Sandy O is the award-winning activist duo whose songs have been praised by Pete Seeger, covered by Holly Near and featured on NPR.
Walkabout Clearwater Coffeehouse (Folk Music Coffeehouse)
White Plains, NY
February 16
Turning Point Cafe (Cafe, Restaurant or Coffee Shop)
Piermont, NY
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Places to see live acoustic music in and around South Orange, New Jersey

House Concerts

Concerts in the Studio (Freehold)
Empty Nest Concerts (Maplewood)
Evergreen House Concerts (Plainfield)
Hamilton Park House Concerts (Staten Island)
Northern Light House Concerts (Washington)
Our Times Coffeehouse (Garden City)
Salon 33 (West Windsor Township)

Listening Rooms

Brooklyn Artery (Brooklyn)
City Vineyard (New York)
City Winery (New York)
Earth Room Concerts (Lincroft)
Ethical Brew at The Ethical Culture Society (Teaneck)
Folkus-NYC (Brooklyn)
Fox & Crow (Jersey City)
Jalopy Theater (Brooklyn)
Joe's Pub at the Public (New York)
Pete's Candy Store (Brooklyn)
Public Records (Brooklyn)
Stangl Stage (Flemington)
Tavern Concerts in Old Richmond Town (Staten Island)
The Cutting Room (New York)
The Frost House (Brooklyn)
The Iridium (New York)
The Owl Music Parlor (Brooklyn)
Voices in the Heights (Brooklyn)
Watchung Arts Center (Warren)

Folk Music Societies

Princeton Folk Music Society (Princeton)

Folk Music Coffeehouses

Glen Ridge Train Station (Glen Ridge)
Good News Christian Coffee House (Bronxville)
Outpost in the Burbs (Montclair)
People's Voice Cafe (New York)
The Folk Project - The Troubadour Acoustic Concert Series (Morristown)
Walkabout Clearwater Coffeehouse (White Plains)

Vineyards & Breweries

Beneduce Vineyards (Pittstown)
Old York Cellars (East Amwell Township)
Torne Valley Vineyards (Sloatsburg)

Cafes, Restaurants & Coffee Shops

An Beal Bocht Cafe (Bronx)
Cafe Carlyle (New York)
Caffeine Underground (Brooklyn)
Carroll Place (New York)
Crossroads (Garwood)
Hill Country Barbecue (NY) (New York)
McCarren Parkhouse (Brooklyn)
Sayra’s Wine Bar & Bier Garden (Far Rockawa)
Shanghai Jazz Restaurant and Bar (Readington Township)
Silvana (New York)
The Fine Grind (Little Falls)
The Scratcher Sessions (New York)
Turning Point Cafe (Piermont)

Libraries

Cranford Public Library (Cranford)
East Meadow Public Library (East Meadow)
Hillsdale Free Public Library (Hillsdale)
Levittown Library (Levittown)
New City Library (New City)
Ossining Public Library (Ossining)
Westbury Memorial Library (Westbury)

Small Theaters

Art House - Unplugged Jersey City (Jersey City)
Cafe Wha? (New York)
Carnegie Hall, Weill Recital Hall (New York)
Emelin Theatre (Mamaroneck)
Fanwood Performance Series (Fanwood)
Jeanne Rimsky Theater at Landmark on Main Street (Port Washington)
Knitting Factory (Brooklyn)
Le Poisson Rouge (New York)
Murmrr (Brooklyn)
Music Hall of Williamsburg (Brooklyn)
Rockland Center For The Arts (West Nyack)
Rockwood Music Hall (New York)
Tarrytown Music Hall (Tarrytown)
The Bitter End (New York)
The Triad Theater NYC (New York)
White Eagle Hall (Jersey City)

Bars & Nightclubs

Alphaville (Brooklyn)
Arlene's Grocery (New York)
Branded Saloon (Brooklyn)
Don't Tell Mama NYC (New York)
Freddy's Bar (New York)
Parkside Lounge (New York)
Skinny Dennis (Brooklyn)
Sleepwalk (Brooklyn)
Sunny's Bar (Brooklyn)
The Bowery Electric (New York)
The Mercury Lounge (New York)
The Parlor at Hailey’s and The Hangout at Hailey’s (Metuchen)
The Sultan Room (Brooklyn)