NJ Music Festivals

Ed Sheeran and the Goo Goo Dolls were among those who appeared at Audacy’s We Can Survive event at Prudential Center on Friday night.

The event brings together artists and live music with Audacy’s ‘I’m Listening’ initiative, spreading awareness and engaging in mental health conversations.

A portion of all tickets for Friday’s concert is donated to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention to help their advocacy efforts in all 50 states plus Puerto Rico. Throughout the years, Audacy has raised over $2 million for mental health organizations.

Shaboozey

Due to Lola Young’s last-minute cancellation, breakout country superstar Shaboozey took the stage next, whose career took off after the release of “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” in 2024.

This type of set aligned perfectly for Shaboozey. He’s released three records with two huge hits, so 20 minutes is enough for the crowd to hear the radio songs they know and discover one or two more.

Despite the short set, he looked like he was having a blast on stage, and that energy carried over to the crowd which was still pouring in. His energy wasn’t too over the top, but enough to convey his down-to-earth attitude to the audience.

Alex Warren

If you thought Shaboozey was the breakout star of the night, you’d be wrong — that title goes to Alex Warren.

Warren, coming off of a successful night of winning at the VMAs a few weeks ago, hit the stage with loads of energy for his first arena show. Even though it seemed as if nobody knew too many of his songs, he performed a tight set with strong visuals.

The thing that probably impressed the crowd the most was Warren’s stage presence, which was one of the best of the night, despite being one of the newest artists on the bill — he released his debut album this summer.

Goo Goo Dolls

The Goo Goo Dolls are a band that is always around the Garden State for benefits and their own shows. 

With lead singer John Rzeznik living in Westfield, N.J. — just 25 minutes from the arena — it’s easy for the band to get around the state.

The band’s advantage of experience was clear as day over all other bands on the bill. You can tell they’ve performed thousands of shows over their nearly 40-year career.

Goo didn’t utilize lights and visuals and confetti like the other acts, but they still commanded the show via their countless hits like “Slide” and “Iris.”

Ed Sheeran

The night came to a close with Ed Sheeran at The Rock — a venue that seems intimate for an artist of his caliber.

Sheeran is headlining two nights at MetLife Stadium next year, a venue where he holds the attendance record with 89,000 patrons in one night, so this one is a little smaller. But for the cause, it’s worth it.

Sheeran’s show is really more of an experience. From building the songs from scratch to the stories told in between, his show never really ages.

Setlist:

1. Castle on the Hill
2. Shivers
3. The A Team
4. Don’t
5. Camera
6. Sapphire
7. Perfect
8. Azizam
9. Shape of You
10. Bad Habits

Crowd, Red Carpet, & Other Moments

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To find out more or donate to Audacy’s initiatives, click here.