Category: Special Shows

Check out the local artists, themed shows, and more that have been featured on The Rocker!

September 5, 2026 Playlist – WestFest 19 PreviewSeptember 5, 2026 Playlist – WestFest 19 Preview

September 5, 2026September 5, 2026|

Julia Aponte, co-director of this year’s Westerleigh Folk Festival, joined us for a preview of this year’s event. We also remembered Dolly Parton, Shelly Faberes and Tim Curry, and gave away a pair of tickets to Pig Fest NYC to lucky winner Nanci Richards! Check out all the music and goings on by clicking right here!

  • RODRIGO Y GABRIELA Orion
  • STYX Blue Collar Man
  • DROPKICK MURPHYS Worker’s Song
  • THE ROMANTICS What I Like About You
  • REM Toys in the Attic
  • THE GOODS Summer’s Almost Gone
  • DULCET TONES As I Am
  • KABUKI LOVE The Wolf Dance
  • BROTHER DYNAMITE Shine
  • DREW ANGUS Lost
  • KYLE LACY One Trick Pony
  • CARRIE ANN Parent’s Room
  • GYM CLASS HEROES featuring RYAN TEDDER The Fighter
  • THE MORNING LINE Staten Island
  • WINE LIPS Stimulation
  • FLOWERS FOR JAYNE Pocket Superman
  • CANCION FRANKLIN Just Made Rent
  • THE NEW STUDENTS Black Earth Country
  • MOONMILL Ruin It
  • DOLLY PARTON 9 to 5
  • SHELLY FABARES Johnny Angel
  • TIM CURRY Sweet Transvestite
  • RORY D’LASNOW I Won’t Do Anything
  • RONIT & THE INVISIBLE STRINGS Can’t Wait To
  • GOATROPER The Kind of Woman You Can Hold
  • DIAMOND SPUR RODEO Virginia Slims
  • OUR OWN YOKOS Snack Dad
  • JOAN CADDELL & THE MIDNIGHT CHOIR When
  • SHERYL CROW featuring JESSE WELLES Freedom Bus
  • DAN CORIO BAND Hold On
  • BREWSTER MOONFACE Broken Pieces of New York City
  • LUNA’S WERELD Bunnies in the Clover
  • HUEY LEWIS AND THE NEWS Workin’ for a Livin’
  • CHRIS VANDALAY PROJECT How Will You Know
  • SPUTNIK THE BAND Villa Capri
  • THE JAZZTRONAUTS Shoot Your Shot

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August 22, 2026 Playlist – Brother DynamiteAugust 22, 2026 Playlist – Brother Dynamite

August 22, 2026August 22, 2026|

Take a heaping helping of harmony, add a sumptuous serving of melody, mix thoroughly and yield a distinctive dose of polished power pop. That’s the music of Brother Dynamite. Alan Miller and Sean Moynihan joined me for a trip down their personal memory lane, with stops along the way at their time as Next Big Thing and Save Pluto. They also performed five songs live. We also shared a memory and the music of our late friend, Doug Principato, of Grand Pepper of Reality. Listen by clicking here.

  • ZZ TOP Sleeping in the Desert
  • ZZ TOP La Grange
  • ZZ TOP Sharp Dressed Man
  • COLLECTIVE SOUL Eye On You
  • REGINA SPEKTOR Becoming All Alone
  • LUCID DREAMER Music is Medicine
  • BROTHER DYNAMITE Radio Silence
  • BROTHER DYNAMITE Better
  • NEXT BIG THING Radiate
  • SAVE PLUTO What If
  • BROTHER DYNAMITE The Girl’s in Love (Live in MPR Studio)
  • BROTHER DYNAMITE You Could Do So Much Better
  • BROTHER DYNAMITE Violet
  • SAVE PLUTO Red Letter Day
  • BROTHER DYNAMITE Things You’ve Left Behind (Live in MPR Studio)
  • GRAND PEPPER OF REALITY Let’s Be Easy
  • GRAND PEPPER OF REALITY Elephants Fly
  • GRAND PEPPER OF REALITY Your Eyes Just Shine
  • BROTHER DYNAMITE Shine (Live in MPR Studio)
  • SAVE PLUTO When I Got There
  • SAVE PLUTO All Fall Down
  • BROTHER DYNAMITE Get Up
  • BROTHER DYNAMITE What Are You Waiting For?
  • BROTHER DYNAMITE This Time
  • BROTHER DYNAMITE Beautiful Lie
  • BROTHER DYNAMITE You Cannot Bring Me Down (Live in MPR Studio)
  • NEXT BIG THING Said and Done
  • SAVE PLUTO Life is Good
  • BROTHER DYNAMITE Until the Stars Fall (Live in MPR Studio)
  • BROTHER DYNAMITE Your Time Will Come

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July 25, 2026 PlaylistJuly 25, 2026 Playlist

July 25, 2026July 25, 2026|

A rare departure from our diverse hodgepodge of generation-spanning rock music takes you down my personal musical memory lane. Turning 65 made me wax nostalgic about the songs that helped shape my musical tastes in my formative years. Here’s a sampling of songs that resonated with me from toddler to tween to teenager in the years from 1961 through 1979. Click here to access the stream.

  • HOT BUTTER Popcorn
  • REUNION Life is a Rock (But the Radio Rolled Me)
  • THE BEATLES She Loves You
  • BOBBY LEWIS Tossin’ and Turnin’
  • THE BEACH BOYS Barbara Ann
  • LOU CHRISTIE Lightning Strikes
  • THE ARCHIES Sugar Sugar
  • THE BOX TOPS The Letter
  • THE DRIFTERS On Broadway
  • BEN E. KING Spanish Harlem
  • THE O’JAYS Back Stabbers
  • OTIS REDDING (Sittin’ on) The Dock of the Bay
  • THE BYRDS Turn! Turn! Turn!
  • THE ROLLING STONES Mother’s Little Helper
  • SIMON & GARFUNKEL Mrs. Robinson
  • JEFFERSON AIRPLANE White Rabbit
  • BOB DYLAN Lay Lady Lady
  • CREAM White Room
  • JIMI HENDRIX Purple Haze
  • THUNDERCLAP NEWMAN Something in the Air
  • EDWIN STARR War
  • RAIDERS Indian Reservation
  • ELVIS PRESLEY Burning Love
  • ELTON JOHN Crocodile Rock
  • THREE DOG NIGHT Joy to the World
  • CHUCK BERRY My Ding-A-Ling
  • NEW YORK DOLLS Personality Crisis
  • THE WHO The Real Me
  • LED ZEPPELIN Heartbreaker / Living Loving Maid
  • BLACK SABBATH Paranoid
  • ALICE COOPER No More Mr. Nice Guy
  • CHEAP TRICK Surrender (Live)
  • KISS Rock and Roll All Nite (Live)
  • VAN HALEN You Really Got Me
  • BLONDIE One Way or Another
  • JOE JACKSON Is She Really Going Out With Him?
  • RAMONES I Wanna Be Sedated
  • MOTT THE HOOPLE All the Young Dudes
  • THE ROLLING STONES In the Stars
  • JETHRO TULL Too Old to Rock ‘n’ Roll, Too Young to Die (coda)

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July 3, 2026 Playlist – America’s 250th BirthdayJuly 3, 2026 Playlist – America’s 250th Birthday

July 5, 2026July 5, 2026|

Celebrating the 250th anniversary of the founding of the U.S.A. with perhaps her greatest export – rock and roll music! Click here to access the restream.

  • VIOLENT FEMMES American Music
  • THE BLASTERS American Music
  • DAVID LEE ROTH Yankee Rose
  • GREEN DAY Last of the American girls
  • PAUL McCARTNEY Freedom
  • THE GASLIGHT ANTHEM American Slang
  • THE BEACH BOYS Surfin’ USA
  • MARTHA REEVES & THE VANDELLAS Heat Wave
  • JOHN MELLENCAMP Pink Houses
  • IAN HUNTER Cleveland Rocks
  • GRAND FUNK RAILROAD We’re an American Band
  • KISS Kissin’ Time USA
  • DEBBIE HARRY French Kissing in the USA
  • KIM WILDE Kids in America
  • SHARON JONES & THE DAP-KINGS This Land is Your Land
  • JAMES BROWN Living in America
  • LENNY KRAVITZ American Woman
  • DAVE ALVIN 4th of July
  • BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN American Land
  • BOB SEGER & THE SILVER BULLET BAND American Storm
  • TOM PETTY & THE HEARTBREAKERS American Girl
  • DEF LEPPARD Hello America
  • NIGHTRANGER You Can Still Rock in America
  • CHUCK BERRY Back in the USA
  • BROOKS & DUNN Only in America
  • ME FIRST & THE GIMME GIMMES Country Roads
  • Y&T All American Boy
  • COUNTING CROWS American Girls
  • NEIL DIAMOND America
  • JOHN MELLENCAMP R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A.
  • CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL Fortunate Son
  • NEIL YOUNG Hawks and Doves
  • DON McLEAN American Pie
  • BROTHER DYNAMITE What are You Waiting For?
  • VAN HALEN Dreams
  • JACKSON BROWNE I Am a Patriot
  • JEFFERSON AIRPLANE Volunteers
  • STEVE MILLER BAND Living in the USA
  • THE TEMPTATIONS Ain’t Too Proud To Beg
  • MARTHA REEVES & THE VANDELLAS Dancing in the Street
  • RAY CHARLES America the Beautiful

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June 27, 2026 Playlist with Melo DiBartolo of Beat BrigadeJune 27, 2026 Playlist with Melo DiBartolo of Beat Brigade

June 28, 2026June 28, 2026|

A very ska-centric episode! All you rude boys and girls can check it out by clicking right here!

  • MELBOURNE SKA ORCHESTRA Get Smart
  • THE MIGHTY MIGHTY BOSSTONES The Impression That I Get
  • THE HOLOPHONICS Havana
  • URBAN BLIGHT Three More Roses
  • BLOOD, SWEAT & TEARS Spinning Wheel
  • UB40 Can’t Help Falling In Love
  • REEL BIG FISH Take On Me
  • DONKEY SHOW Mr. Brown
  • DODGY Summer Forever
  • BEAT BRIGADE Armageddon Beat
  • BEAT BRIGADE Just Got Lucky
  • GOLDFINGER More Today Than Yesterday
  • FISHBONE Unyielding Conditioning
  • BEAT BRIGADE You Charming Thing
  • MELO DiBARTOLO 401Kill (Live in the MPR Studio)
  • MADNESS One Step Beyond
  • MADNESS Our House
  • BEAT BRIGADE Lori
  • MELO DiBARTOLO Walk Away (Live in the MPR Studio)
  • BEAT BRIGADE Racists and Fools
  • RANCID Time Bomb
  • THE INTERRUPTERS featuring TIM ARMSTRONG Family
  • SAVE FERRIS Come On Eileen
  • THE ENGLISH BEAT Save it for Later
  • BEAT BRIGADE Has the Fire Died
  • MELO DiBARTOLO Ferguson Bullets (Live in the MPR Studio)
  • THE CLASH Rudie Can’t Fail
  • THE SPECIALS A Message to You, Rudy
  • THE SELECTER Too Much Pressure
  • THE TOASTERS East Side Beat
  • BEAT BRIGADE All the Lights Have Gone Out
  • BEAT BRIGADE Keep Still Dark
  • BEAT BRIGADE Another Cause
  • BEAT BRIGADE Bittersweet

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May 16, 2026 Playlist – Guest Host: Gwen GibsonMay 16, 2026 Playlist – Guest Host: Gwen Gibson

May 17, 2026May 17, 2026|

Familial obligations took me elsewhere on this day, but thankfully, my Sister of Sound Gwen Gibson was able to take the ride up from Philly to cover the show. Check out her playlist below and click here to listen to the terrific job she did in my absence.

  • LOS STRAIGHTJACKETS Galaxy Drive
  • THE VELVET UNDERGROUND Rock and Roll
  • GODDAMN WRECKS Here’s To You
  • CAGE THE ELEPHANT No Rest for the Wicked
  • GREEN DAY Boulevard of Broken Dreams
  • THE DEAR BOYS Procrastination
  • THE BEATLES Think for Yourself
  • THE SECOND SUMMER I Should
  • HOLE Malibu
  • THE STANDELLS Dirty Water
  • CHUCK BERRY Come On
  • CANCION FRANKLIN Pass Me By
  • VAN HALEN I’ll Wait
  • BEE GEES In My Own Time
  • BLACK PUMAS Fire
  • COURAGE MY LOVE Bridges
  • INXS Red Red Sun
  • BIG JOE TURNER Shake Rattle and Roll
  • TENACIOUS D Tribute
  • THE ZOMBIES Time of the Season
  • THE TRANSFERENCE Ramon Says I’m The Devil
  • MIDDLE AGES Silver Lining (Don’t Count Me Out)
  • MERESHA Night Sky
  • THE CHURCH Reptile
  • BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN Tenth Avenue Freeze Out
  • FRANK CARTER & THE RATTLESNAKES Wild Flowers
  • THE EINES 48 Beers
  • MOMMA Speeding 72
  • THE RALLIES Not So Much Anymore
  • THE LEN PRICE 3 I’m A Fake
  • NIRVANA You Know You’re Right
  • OUR OWN YOKOS Follow You Down
  • 6KITTY June
  • JACK WHITE Archbishop Harold Holmes
  • SUZZALLO River
  • TRACY BONHAM Mother Mother
  • CROWDED HOUSE That What I Call Love
  • DEMOLITION 23 Hammersmith Palais
  • JOAN JETT & THE BLACKHEARTS Do You Wanna Touch Me (Oh Yeah)
  • THE EASYBEATS Friday on My Mind
  • OLD 97s Every Night is Friday Night (Without You)
  • DAVE EDMUNDS Almost Saturday Night
  • THE HIVES Tick Tick Boom
  • THE KNICKERBOCKERS Lies
  • THE POWER STATION Some Like It Hot
  • LOS PAJAROS Gato Negro
  • CHAGALL GUEVARA Tale O’ The Twister

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March 7, 2026 Playlist – International Women’s DayMarch 7, 2026 Playlist – International Women’s Day

March 7, 2026March 7, 2026|

We observed International Women’s Day 2026 by compiling a playlist that celebrated and hopefully elevated the voices of our sonic sisters, past and present. The entire program is available to restream by clicking on this link.

  • THE SURFRAJETTES Toxic
  • LIZ PHAIR Extraordinary
  • THE RUNAWAYS Cherry Bomb
  • HEART Barracuda
  • PAT BENATAR Heartbreaker
  • SISTER ROSETTA THARPE Jericho
  • BIG MAMA THORNTON Hound Dog
  • KOKO TAYLOR I’m a Woman
  • BREWSTER MOONFACE Tin Woman
  • CAROLE KING Breaking Up is Hard to Do
  • BETTY-ANNE Laughter in the Rain
  • TINA TURNER The Bitch is Back
  • ARETHA FRANKLIN Respect
  • INGRID MICHAELSON Maybe
  • JULIA GARGANO & JOAN CADDELL A Man Like That
  • KING LIKE MOM Fragrance
  • LISA SCHERMA Love Me Just a Little
  • JOAN JETT Bad Reputation
  • HOLE Celebrity Skin
  • SPUTNIK THE BAND They Don’t Know
  • SARAH BORGES Mercy of the Moon
  • LUCINDA WILLIAMS Six Blocks Away
  • SUZI QUATRO Little Miss Lovely
  • THE DARTS Zombies on the Metro
  • THE DRACU-LAS I’m Blue
  • MONA FREAKA Last Song
  • LISA LeBLANC 5,748 KM
  • BLONDIE I’m Always Touched By Your Presence, Dear
  • THE BEACHES I Ran
  • THE LIVERBIRDS Why Do You Hang Around Me
  • MANIC HONEY Problems
  • THERINA BELLA Starcrossed
  • TORI AMOS Stronger Together
  • CHAPPELL ROAN The Subway
  • GARBAGE When I Grow Up
  • GIFTSHOP We Want You
  • KILLDEER Never Enough
  • SISTER ROSETTA THARPE This Train

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February 7, 2026 Playlist – Gary WeissFebruary 7, 2026 Playlist – Gary Weiss

February 7, 2026February 7, 2026|

Gary Weiss began his love affair with the drums at age 10, and his devotion to the kit led him to a successful career backing some of the biggest names in the business. He had tales to tell and tunes to share and we could have used a few more hours to get to them all. Listen to what we managed to squeeze in by clicking here.

  • LOS STRAITJACKETS Aerostar
  • MICHELLE SHOCKED Anchorage
  • CHEAP TRICK Reach Out
  • LED ZEPPELIN Misty Mountain Hop
  • LIVING COLOUR Crosstown Traffic
  • SANTIAGO-WEISS Stop and Go
  • DION Ride With You
  • GARY U.S. BONDS Every Time I Roll the Dice
  • SOUTHSIDE JOHNNY Walk Away Renee
  • DAN CORIO Stay Gone
  • SONNY THURNALL Taste of Your Own Medicine
  • BROTHER DYNAMITE Violet
  • SAINTS IN EXILE Our Love is Dead
  • DARLENE LOVE Among the Believers
  • GRAND FUNK RAILROAD Bad Time
  • BADFINGER No Matter What
  • TITO PUENTE Oye Como Va
  • FOO FIGHTERS Times Like These
  • URIAH HEEP Stealin’
  • THE DUPREES You Belong to Me
  • THE SHANGRI-LAS Remember (Walking in the Sand)
  • THREE DOG NIGHT Shambala
  • THE GRATEFUL DEAD Sugar Magnolia
  • THE SCORPIONS I Can’t Explain
  • FREDA PAYNE Band of Gold
  • TWELVE DAYS IN JUNE with STRESS DOLLS Every Rose Has its Thorn

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January 24, 2026 Playlist – Nancy GlennonJanuary 24, 2026 Playlist – Nancy Glennon

January 24, 2026January 24, 2026|

Sometimes, the best laid plans get wrecked by life’s nasty little gremlins. Such was the case with this edition of the program. Unfortunately, our “Breakfast On The Rocker” contest winner, Nancy Glennon, also had to endure their mischievous misdeeds. We’ll make it up to her by having her on again in the not-too-distant future. If you’re interested in hearing the mayhem unfold, click here to listen to it in all its ragged glory. (Songs with an * were selected by Nancy.)

  • HOUNDS OF JUSTICE Wisdom Teeth
  • DROPKICK MURPHYS Who’ll Stand With Us?
  • WEEZER Pork and Beans
  • THE CLASH Should I Stay or Should I Go
  • THE BEATLES I Want to Hold Your Hand *
  • BLINK-182 All The Small Things
  • THE MONKEES I’m A Believer *
  • SPUTNIK THE BAND They Don’t Know
  • THE PARTRIDGE FAMILY I Think I Love You *
  • JOURNEY Separate Ways *
  • IAN HUNTER Just Another Night
  • THE CARS My Best Friend’s Girl *
  • REAL-LIFE SUPERHERO Heart Has Had Enough
  • BROTHER DYNAMITE Violet
  • LINKIN PARK Waiting For The End
  • RATT You’re In Love *
  • CARMEN TOTH Time Bomb Heart
  • INXS What You Need *
  • BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN Brilliant Disguise *
  • TOM PETTY & THE HEARTBREAKERS Breakdown
  • THE KILLERS Runaways *
  • GREEN DAY Tired Of Waiting For You
  • TRACY CHAPMAN Fast Car *
  • BILLY JOEL The Stranger *
  • WAR Low Rider
  • DONNA SUMMER & BARBRA STREISAND No More Tears *
  • MELISSA ETHERIDGE Like The Way I Do *
  • DAN CORIO BAND Hold On
  • COUNTING CROWS Round Here *
  • THE 1975 Love Me *
  • SOMBR Canal Street
  • MATCHBOX TWENTY If You’re Gone *
  • THE CRETONES Mad Love
  • SABRINA CARPENTER Espresso *

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December 13, 2025 Playlist – Rockin’ ChristmasDecember 13, 2025 Playlist – Rockin’ Christmas

December 13, 2025December 13, 2025|

Nothing like being able to combine my love of rock ‘n’ roll with the sounds of my favorite season. This edition of the program featured a somewhat unconventional playlist of holiday tunes that I think are every bit as cool and rich as a glass of spiced egg nog. (I really like egg nog.) Check it out by clicking here.

  • GEORGE THOROGOOD & THE DESTROYERS Rock and Roll Christmas
  • LEMMY, BILLY GIBBONS & DAVE GROHL Run Run Rudolph
  • THE GREEDIES A Merry Jingle
  • GREEN DAY Xmas Time of Year
  • MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE Every Snowflake’s Different
  • SPIRALING Do You Hear What I Hear?
  • AC / LEE C Dirty Deeds ‘Round the Christmas Tree
  • MAVIS STAPLES Christmas Vacation
  • CHEAP TRICK I Want You for Christmas
  • BROTHER DYNAMITE It’s Christmas Time, Alright!
  • LOUVERS Retro Christmas
  • TOM PETTY & THE HEARTBREAKERS It’s Christmas All Over Again
  • THE MAVERICKS Hey! Merry Christmas!
  • SHARON JONES & THE DAP-KINGS 8 Days of Chanukah
  • ADAM SANDLER The Chanukah Song
  • REEL BIG FISH Whatever You Celebrate
  • JOSE VAN HALIANO Ain’t Talkin ‘Bout Feliz Navidad
  • DROPKICK MURPHYS The Season’s Upon Us
  • WHEATUS Christmas Dirtbag
  • THE SONICS Santa Claus
  • ANNIE LENNOX & AL GREEN Put a Little Love in Your Heart
  • MOSSY LEDGE Christmas Lights
  • SPUTNIK THE BAND Baby, Please Come Home
  • THE OFFSPRING Please Come Home for Christmas
  • THE PRETTY RECKLESS Where Are You, Christmas?
  • REEL BIG FISH Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer
  • BAD MANNERS It’s Christmas Time Again
  • JULIAN CASABLANCAS I Wish it Was Christmas Today
  • MxPx Punk Rock Christmas
  • SIMPLE PLAN My Christmas List
  • ELI “PAPERBOY” REED Last Christmas
  • JACKSON 5 Santa Claus is Coming to Town
  • KING FALCON Dear Mrs. Claus
  • THE KINKS Father Christmas
  • BOWLING FOR SOUP Santa Looked a Lot Like Daddy
  • THE REGRETTES Marshmallow World
  • THE PULLTOPS I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day
  • THE LINDA LINDAS Groovy Christmas
  • BLONDIE We Three Kings
  • BAD RELIGION O Come All Ye Faithful
  • BILLY IDOL Yellin’ at the Christmas Tree
  • HALL AND OATES Jingle Bell Rock
  • THE OLD 97s Here it is Christmas Time
  • LOS LOBOS Christmas and You
  • STEVE AUGERI Home This Christmas Time

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