Live Acoustic Music Near Union, 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 Union 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 Union 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 Union 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

November 23
The Mercury Lounge (Neighborhood Bar)
New York, NY
November 23
Cafe Carlyle (Cafe, Restaurant or Coffee Shop)
New York, NY
November 23
Austin-born, NYC-based singer, guitarist, and writer of songs such as "I'm a Stone," "Night Shines On," and "American Dreaming."
Pete's Candy Store (Listening Room)
Brooklyn, NY
November 23
The Iridium (Listening Room)
New York, NY
November 24
City Winery (Listening Room)
New York, NY
November 24
Jalopy Theater (Listening Room)
Brooklyn, NY
November 29
Praised by the New York Times for his “genuine originality,” Rufus Wainwright has established himself as one of the great male vocalists and songwriters of his generation.
Carnegie Hall, Weill Recital Hall (Small Theater)
New York, NY
December 1
The Iridium (Listening Room)
New York, NY
December 1
The Newton Theatre (Concert Hall)
Newton, NJ
December 3
Music Hall of Williamsburg (Small Theater)
Brooklyn, NY
December 3
Catherine Miles & Jay Mafale are two scoops of modern folk with a generous sprinkling of pop-catchiness, topped off with the wit and flair that comes of their theater backgrounds.
Jeanne Rimsky Theater at Landmark on Main Street (Small Theater)
Port Washington, NY
December 3
Count Basie Theatre (Concert Hall)
Red Bank, NJ
December 5
Kathleen Alice "Kathy" Mattea is an American country music and bluegrass performer who often brings folk, Celtic, and traditional country sounds to her music.
The Newton Theatre (Concert Hall)
Newton, NJ
December 6
The Triad Theater NYC (Small Theater)
New York, NY
December 6
Jeanne Rimsky Theater at Landmark on Main Street (Small Theater)
Port Washington, NY
December 6
Save the date! Frost house gig coming up Dec 6. RSVP to get early bird invites and save your spot. I'm excited to announce the lineup soooon!!!
The Frost House (Listening Room)
Brooklyn, NY
December 6
Avenel Performing Arts Center (Small Theater)
Woodbridge Township, NJ
December 6
Emelin Theatre (Small Theater)
Mamaroneck, NY
December 7
Outpost in the Burbs (Folk Music Coffeehouse)
Montclair, NJ
December 7
Emelin Theatre (Small Theater)
Mamaroneck, NY
December 8
Union County Performing Arts Center (Concert Hall)
Rahway, NJ
December 8
The Newton Theatre (Concert Hall)
Newton, NJ
December 10
Le Poisson Rouge (Small Theater)
New York, NY
December 10
Rainshadow Recording welcomes The Faux Paws, featuring Port Hadlock’s own Chris Miller, Sunday January 15 at 7:30pm at The Palindrome at Eaglemount Cidery, 1893 S. Jacob Miller Rd.
The Bitter End (Small Theater)
New York, NY
December 12
The Bowery Ballroom (Nightclub)
New York, NY
December 12
Count Basie Theatre (Concert Hall)
Red Bank, NJ
December 13
The Princeton Folk Music Society welcomes back singer-songwriter David Roth.
Princeton Folk Music Society (Folk Music Society)
Princeton, NJ
December 13
Pete & Maura ring in the holiday season with an evening of good vibe tunes celebrating winter, the season of renewal and regeneration. cold weather classics, Ronnettes rockers and a Fab Four singalong. Way more fun than an office party!
Turning Point Cafe (Cafe, Restaurant or Coffee Shop)
Piermont, NY
December 14
Crossroads (Cafe, Restaurant or Coffee Shop)
Garwood, NJ
December 14
The Iridium (Listening Room)
New York, NY
December 14
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
December 14
Rockland Center For The Arts (Small Theater)
West Nyack, NY
December 14
Vance Gilbert is an American folk singer-songwriter. He has a wide range covering Joni Mitchell one moment and doing what sounds like a jazz classic the next. He is noted by his peers and fans as an ever consummate performer.
Walkabout Clearwater Coffeehouse (Folk Music Coffeehouse)
White Plains, NY
December 15
Deni Bonet and Chris Flynn are an Americana, folk-rock duo whose blend of voices, virtuoso violin, guitar, and humor have entertained and captivated audiences from Carnegie Hall to Mountain Stage to the White House.
New City Library (Library)
New City, NY
December 15
White Eagle Hall (Small Theater)
Jersey City, NJ
December 18
With a sound that was born in Arizona & raised in Kentucky, A Former Friend uses the grand tradition of American songwriting to speak truth to power. AFF's music is available for streaming on all platforms & available for purchase on his website.
Silvana (Cafe, Restaurant or Coffee Shop)
New York, NY
December 18
Public Records (Listening Room)
Brooklyn, NY
December 19
Jeanne Rimsky Theater at Landmark on Main Street (Small Theater)
Port Washington, NY
December 19
The Bowery Ballroom (Nightclub)
New York, NY
December 20
Colombian-American Singer-Songwriter & Actor.
Fox & Crow (Listening Room)
Jersey City, NJ
December 21
Tarrytown Music Hall (Small Theater)
Tarrytown, NY
December 21
Jalopy Theater (Listening Room)
Brooklyn, NY
December 21
Austin-born, NYC-based singer, guitarist, and writer of songs such as "I'm a Stone," "Night Shines On," and "American Dreaming."
Rockwood Music Hall (Small Theater)
New York, NY
December 28
Jalopy Theater (Listening Room)
Brooklyn, NY
December 29
Turning Point Cafe (Cafe, Restaurant or Coffee Shop)
Piermont, NY
December 30
Turning Point Cafe (Cafe, Restaurant or Coffee Shop)
Piermont, NY
January 3
Free Show!
Rockwood Music Hall (Small Theater)
New York, 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
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
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Places to see live acoustic music in and around Union, New Jersey

House Concerts

Camp Marshall House Concerts (Robbinsville Township)
Concerts in the Studio (Freehold)
Cozy Cabin Concerts (Green Brook Township)
Empty Nest Concerts (Maplewood)
Evergreen House Concerts (Plainfield)
Hamilton Park House Concerts (Staten Island)
House of Love Concerts (Brooklyn)
Live @ Drew's (Ringwood)
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)
Ethical Brew at The Ethical Culture Society (Teaneck)
Fox & Crow (Jersey City)
Jalopy Theater (Brooklyn)
Joe's Pub at the Public (New York)
Pete's Candy Store (Brooklyn)
Public Records (Brooklyn)
Stangl Factory 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)
Hopewell Valley Vineyards (Pennington)
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)
Hamilatte Coffeehouse (Trenton)
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

Avenel Performing Arts Center (Woodbridge Township)
Cafe Wha? (New York)
Carnegie Hall, Weill Recital Hall (New York)
Emelin Theatre (Mamaroneck)
Fanwood Performance Series (Fanwood)
Hurdy Gurdy Folk Club (Fair Lawn)
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)
South Orange Performing Arts Center SOPAC (South Orange)
Tarrytown Music Hall (Tarrytown)
The Bitter End (New York)
The Triad Theater NYC (New York)
White Eagle Hall (Jersey City)

Bars & Nightclubs

Alphaville (Brooklyn)
Bar Basic (Brooklyn)
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)