May is officially kicking off the outdoor concert season in New Jersey with plenty of shows at The Stone Pony Summer Stage, PNC Bank Arts Center, Freedom Mortgage Pavilion, and MetLife Stadium. Plus, indoor shows at venues like the indoor Pony, Starland Ballroom, White Eagle Hall, and The Wellmont Theater will continue.
Here are the featured shows in the Garden State this month:
May 5: Evan Honer at The Stone Pony, Asbury Park
Honer is a singer-songwriter who creates folk and country music, but wouldn’t be the first to call it that. His spring tour with Winyah rolls through Asbury on Monday.
May 5 + 6: Gene Simmons Band at Count Basie Theater, Red Bank + Wellmont Theater, Montclair
Gene Simmons of the legendary rock band KISS is returning to the stage via his solo act with his band, the Gene Simmons Band. Simmons has two shows in New Jersey lined up at two premier theaters in the state. His set consists of mostly KISS songs, with a few solo songs and classic rock covers thrown in.
May 8 + 9: Kendrick Lamar & SZA at MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford
Bergen County is getting two huge shows with back-to-back nights of Kendrick Lamar and SZA. Lamar was already a rap headliner before releasing his biggest song “Not Like Us” and performing at the most recent Super Bowl Halftime Show, and is teaming up with NJ-native SZA for a hometown show. The two will play a combined set which will span well over two hours.
May 10: The Toasters at Debonair Music Hall, Teaneck
Another Bergen show comes your way with The Toasters performing at Debonair Music Hall alongside Matamoska.
May 10: The Dead Milkmen at White Eagle Hall, Jersey City
Jersey City is getting some great shows at White Eagle this month, including The Dead Milkmen on May 10! The band performed on the Summer Stage last year as part of The Bouncing Souls’ Stoked for Summer Festival.
May 10: MMRBQ Festival at Freedom Mortgage Pavilion, Camden
Freedom Mortgage Pavilion gets kicked off this year with MMRBQ Festival, which has been hosting the event in the Philly area for years. This year’s lineup features a headlining set from Alice in Chains plus support from Three Days Grace, Mammoth WVH, and many more.
May 14: Lake Street Dive at The Wellmont Theater, Montclair
Lake Street Dive is playing an intimate venue in NJ on this tour after headlining a show at the Summer Stage last year.
May 15: Shakira at MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford
Latin-music star Shakira is performing a huge stadium show at MetLife this month after it was kicked off this spring in South America.
May 17: Sessanta featuring Primus, A Perfect Circle, and Puscifer at PNC Bank Arts Center, Holmdel
PNC gets its season kicked off with another tour of Sessanta, a trio made up of Primus, A Perfect Circle, and Puscifer. All three bands will perform at the same time on one stage, rotating between each bands songs every few tracks.
May 17: Jersey Fest at White Eagle Hall, Jersey City
Looking to support local artists and local causes? Check out Jersey Fest in Jersey City, a festival made up of the best of Jersey’s local artists.
May 22, 24, 25, + 28: Beyonce at MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford
Beyonce is doing four nights at MetLife, something artists can rarely do, even in this market. She is supporting her newest record, “Cowboy Carter,” which won the Grammy for Country Album of the Year.
May 23: Joe Russo’s Almost Dead at The Stone Pony Summer Stage, Asbury Park
JRAD will return for another year on the Summer Stage performing multiple sets of your favorite Grateful Dead songs.
May 24 + 25: Ice Nine Kills at The Wellmont Theater, Montclair
Ice Nine Kills are performing two back-to-back sold out nights at the Wellmont. The metal band with hints of ska and punk are ready to rip it up in North Jersey!
May 25: Mayday Parade at The Stone Pony Summer Stage, Asbury Park
Mayday Parade has performed short headlining sets at the Summer Stage as part of Sad Summer Festival, but now, they’re headlining it themselves! They’ll be joined by Microwave, Grayscale, and Them Roses.
May 30: Pigeons Playing Ping Pong at The Stone Pony Summer Stage, Asbury Park
Everyone’s favorite band name is coming to the Summer Stage once again alongside The Infamous Stringdusters and Melt.
May 30: Lynyrd Skynyrd at Ocean Casino, Atlantic City
AC will continue to get shows at its various casinos throughout the city, including from rock legends Lynyrd Skynyrd, who are still around with a modified version of its original lineup.
May 30: Luke Bryan at PNC Bank Arts Center, Holmdel
Luke Bryan is coming to NJ on the “Country Song Came On Tour” with support from George Birge, Drake Mulligan, Avery Anna, and DJ Rock, many of whom will be at the Barefoot Country Music Festival next month.
NJ Music Festivals 