Here are 10 rockin’ good time holiday concerts in NJ, from Darlene Love to Bret Michaels

Are you in the mood for a good-time rockin’ holiday show?

You can thank Richie “LaBamba” Rosenberg for that. LaBamba’s “Holiday Hurrah” concert in 1983, at the former Monmouth Arts Center in Red Bank, was among the first, if not the first, rock ‘n’ roll big band holiday concerts.

LaBamba’s Holiday Hurrahs recommenced in 2019, and this year’s edition is going to be a biggie — kind of like a giant candy cane. Glen Burtnik, Willie Nile, Bobby Bandiera and Joe Vadala are the special guests, LaBamba and Mark “Loveman” Pender are the hosts.

Tom “Bones” Malone, Mike Mancini, Jerry Vivino, Joe Vadala, Clarence Banks, Sam Bortka, Tony Gorruso, Frank Elmo, Joe Belia, Tony Tino, James “The Worm” Wormworth, Tommy Labella, Ian “The Young Lion” Gray, Steve Lucas, Tony Cinkutis, Jonathan Shubert, Ben Williams, Mike Iapicca and Jade and Reed Rosenberg will be on stage.

The cat in the hat: Richie “LaBamba” Rosenberg.

LaBamba is the former fixture on the Asbury Park music scene who rode shotgun for funnyman Conan O’Brien for decades on “The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien,” “Late Night with Conan O’Brien” and TBS’ “Conan.”

If you’re going, bring a new unwrapped toy as part of the Asbury Park Toy Drive — as well as canned and dry food items for Fulfill FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean counties.

Go: LaBamba’s Holiday Hurrah, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 9, Stone Pony, 913 Ocean Ave., Asbury Park. $40; stoneponyonline.com.

A Herman’s Hermits Christmas

Herman’s Hermits, shown in 1966 with singer Peter Noone (center) enjoying a glass of champagne and a cigar.

He’s into something good these holidays.

The great Peter Noone is visiting the state this December with his An Olde English Christmas with Herman’s Hermits at 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 16, at the Carteret Performing Arts Center.

The band’s classic hits include “I’m Into Something Good,” “There’s Kind of Hush,” “Wonderful World,” “Mrs. Brown You’ve Got a Lovely Daughter” and more. They’ll be performing those and seasonal chestnuts, too.

Go: An Olde English Christmas with Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone, 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 16, Carteret Performing Arts Center, 46 Washington Ave., Carteret, $35 to $65; carteretpac.com.

More: Here’s the complete Light of Day 2024 schedule in Asbury Park, Red Bank, New York

A Motown Christmas

The Temptations’ 1970 “Christmas Card” album, recently reissued by Motown on vinyl.

They’ll be singing and swaying at the Motor City Revue Holiday Show on Friday, Dec. 22, at Tim McLoone’s Supper Club on the boardwalk in Asbury Park.

Layonne Holmes and Motor City Revue will play the classic holiday favorites as interpreted by the great Motown and Stax legends, plus the dance floor favorites that bring all the folks out.

“It isn’t all Motown Christmas songs,” said Holmes previously to the Asbury Park Press. “We found out over the years that people don’t actually like to hear all Christmas songs for three hours, so we try to do a good mix of the Motown hits people know well and mix that with the Christmas stuff people like.”

Go: The Motor City Revue Holiday Show, 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 22, Tim McLoone’s Supper Club, 1200 Ocean Ave., Asbury Park. $30, plus $25 food and beverage minimum; timmcloonessupperclub.com.

More: Bruce Springsteen gives a ‘Christmas Gift’ to Darlene Love on stage in New York

Darlene Love at the Basie

Darlene Love performs with Steven Van Zandt and Paul Shaffer in 2015 at the Paramount Theater in Asbury Park.

All hail the Christmas Queen.

Bruce Springsteen did, at Darlene Love’s recent holiday show at Town Hall in New York City. The Boss presented Love with an RIAA platinum album plaque for “A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector,” the 1963 album that includes Love’s classic, “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home).”

The song is “the absolutely the greatest Christmas rock ‘n’ roll song of all time,” Springsteen said. “That song and Darlene have been a part of our holidays for 60 years. Overdue but well deserved!”

Love, called the Christmas Queen by David Letterman, brings the good cheer to the Count Basie Center for the Arts in Red Bank on Friday, Dec. 15, and to the Newton Theatre in Newton on Friday, Dec. 22.

Go: Love for the Holidays with Darlene Love, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 15, Count Basie Center for the Arts, 99 Monmouth St., Red Bank. $35 to $129; thebasie.org. Also, 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 22, Newton Theatre, 234 Spring St., Newton. $59 to $89; skypac.org.

Marky Ramone at the Stone Pony

Hey ho, let’s go to Marky Ramone’s Holiday Blitzkrieg.

Marky Ramone, the last surviving member of the classic Ramones lineup, is ready to rock the Stone Pony in Asbury Park on Friday, Dec. 8. Marky played drums for the Ramones for 15 years, and he also kept the beat for other notable outfits, including Richard Hell & the Voidoids.

Marky and his band will play classic Ramones and garage rock classics, too. He recently teased a Ramones style “Surfin’ Bird” on his social media.

Go: Marky Ramone’s Holiday Blitzkrieg with special guest Tug of War Machine, 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 8, Stone Pony, 913 Ocean Ave., Asbury Park; stoneponyonline.com.

Bret Michaels knows if you’ve been naughty or nice.

Michaels, the former frontman for Poison who had a second career as a reality TV star in “Rock of Love with Bret Michaels,” is ready to rock the tinsel off the tree in the WDHA’s Naughty or Nice Ball with Bret Michaels, 8 p.m. Thursday. Dec. 14, at the BergenPAC in Englewood.

Poison’s hits include “Talk Dirty to Me,” “Every Rose Has Its Thorn,” “Something to Believe In,” “A Letter From Deathrow” “Lie to Me” and “All I Ever Needed.” Adam and the Metal Hawks will open the show.

Go: WDHA’s Naughty or Nice Ball with Bret Michaels, 8 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 14, BergenPAC, 30 North Van Brunt Street, Englewood, $65 to $165; bergenpac.org.

Waiting On Mongo on the boardwalk

Waiting on Mongo perform Sept. 17 at SeaHearNow Festival in Asbury Park.

Waiting On Mongo are coming home for the holidays.

The Asbury Park funk jam combo are setting up shop at The Break on the boardwalk for two shows, Friday, Dec. 8, and Saturday, Dec. 9. It’s the group’s first shows in the city since their big Sea Hear Now performance in September — and it’s a welcome home for the band’s Anders Carlson, who’s been around the world teching the horns for the big Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band tour.

He’ll enjoy his weekend in the Funk Portal we’re sure, but how about a funky “Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town”?

Go: Waiting On Mongo, 9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 8, and Saturday, Dec. 9, The Break, 1000 Ocean Ave., Asbury Par, free; thebreakap.com.

A metal Christmas in Teaneck

Yup, it’s time deck the buzz balls.

Enox, the rising metalcore band from Jersey City who have set up shop in Athens, Georgia, are coming back to Jersey for the holidays. They’ll headline two “Deck the Buzz Balls” shows, Friday, Dec. 15, and Saturday, Dec. 16, at the Debonair Music Hall in Teaneck.

The guys will play their album “Euphoria” in its entity on Dec. 15, and play songs they became known for in the metal underground when they were called Enochian on Dec. 16.

Dreamwake, Dead Eyes, Sink With Me, Elucidate and Crystal Plains are also on the bill for Dec. 15, and The Machinist, Float Omen, Diamonds To Dust, Fracture and a surprise guest round it out on Dec. 16.

Go: Enox Christmas Shows, 6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 15, and Saturday, Dec. 16, Debonair Music Hall, 1409 Queen Anne Road, Teaneck, $20 to $30; debonairmusichall.com.

A Goth holiday in Atlantic City

Nothing screams the holidays a Goth dance party.

It’s going down Friday, Dec. 15, at the Anchor Rock Club in Atlantic City, where the Ghost Mart Krampus Edition is taking place.

First there’s a Night Market, where attendees can shop for “odd, obscure, eclectic gifts from local vendors and artists.” At midnight it’s a Goth dance party, where you can dance with South Jersey Krampus — and take a photo with him, too.

Go: Ghost Mart Krampus Edition, 9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 15, Anchor Rock Club, 247 S. New York Ave., Atlantic City, $10; anchorrockclub.com.

Swinging on the Asbury Park boardwalk

PJ Rasmussen and the Boardwalk Jazz Band perform in 2019 at Langosta Lounge on the Asbury Park boardwalk.

PJ Rasmussen doesn’t rock, but he sure does swing.

His Christmas Jazz with the PJ Rasmussen Quarter show will be chock full of seasonal favorites performed with fresh arrangements at 7 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 20, at The Break on the Asbury Park boardwalk.

Rassmussen of Ocean Grove might look familiar if you’re paying attention. He debuted his Boardwalk Jazz Band at the Langosta Lounge, now The Break, in 2014 — and his Christmas jazz shows have been a hit there ever since.

They’ve also been a hit on TV. Their “An America Christmas” debuted on the airwaves in 2016, and it’s been seen on hundreds of stations across the country.

Go: Christmas Jazz with the PJ Rasmussen Quarter, 7 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 20, The Break, 1000 Ocean Ave., Asbury Par, free; thebreakap.com.

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Chris Jordan, a Jersey Shore native, covers entertainment and features for the USA Today Network New Jersey. Contact him at @chrisfhjordan; cjordan@app.com.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: New Jersey holiday concerts include Darlene Love, Bret Michaels