'Toms River is red and won't stand...': NJ bar drops Bruce Springsteen cover band over anti-Trump rants

Time of India

23-05-2025

NJ bar cancels Springsteen cover band over rocker's anti-Trump comments
A Springsteen tribute band has been dropped from a Jersey Shore venue after the owner took issue with the singer's public comments criticising US President
Donald Trump
, reports the New York Post.
The nine-member cover band, No Surrender, was set to play at Riv's Toms River Hub on May 30, but the show was cancelled after
Bruce Springsteen
made fresh anti-Trump comments during his tour in Europe.
The cover band's leader, Brad Hobicorn, said he began receiving 'concerned texts' from bar owner Tony Rivoli soon after Springsteen's fiery political rants went viral. The singer had branded Trump's administration 'corrupt, incompetent and treasonous' while performing in Manchester, England — part of his 'Land of Hope and Dreams' tour.
By Sunday, Hobicorn was informed the gig was off. Rivoli texted him to say the show was 'too risky at the moment,' adding that his conservative customer base might not welcome a Springsteen-themed night.
'Unfortunately it's just too much money I wanted to do the Springsteen tribute for that money in my social media team would have promoted it we would have done well but now because
Bruce
can't keep his mouth shut we're screwed,' Rivoli wrote in one of the messages obtained by NJ Advance Media.
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Hobicorn even offered to switch the night's setlist to classic rock instead of Springsteen songs, but Rivoli turned him down, saying he couldn't justify paying $2,500 for a standard cover band.
In another message sent to the band's bassist, Guy Fleming, Rivoli wrote: 'Whenever the national anthem plays, my bar stands and is in total silence, that's our clientele. Toms River is red and won't stand for his bull—.'
Fleming later shared details of the situation on Facebook, prompting Rivoli to backtrack somewhat.
He claimed the band could still perform and denied outright cancelling the gig. 'As of (Wednesday), they could have played as No Surrender,' he said.
'I think a lot of people of my base would not have came, but I could have been wrong. You know, who knows? You can't predict what people are going to do.'
But Hobicorn said the damage was done, and the band opted to play elsewhere. 'At that point, there were negative vibes about the whole thing,' he explained.
'There was definitely a safety concern,' he said.
The show will now take place at Headliner Oasis in Neptune Township on the same date.
'This is not political for us at all,' Hobicorn insisted. 'We're just a cover band that's trying to make some money, and people rely on it financially. We're the ones really getting hurt.'
Riv's isn't new to controversy. Earlier this year, another Toms River venue, Aqua Blu Kitchen & Cocktails, apologised after naming a hamburger after the far-right Proud Boys group, drawing massive backlash.
Meanwhile, Trump took another swipe at Springsteen last week, writing on Truth Social: 'Never liked him, never liked his music, or his Radical Left Politics and, importantly, he's not a talented guy — Just a pushy, obnoxious JERK.'