The Smithereens featuring Robin Wilson: (from left, Jim Babjak, Wilson, Dennis Diken and Mike Mesaros).
The Smithereens — three of whose members grew up together in Carteret — will perform at a “Homecoming Concert” at the new Carteret Performing Arts & Events Center, Dec. 4. There is currently a pre-sale for Carteret PAC members, and tickets will go on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. Aug. 6.
Carteret natives Jim Babjak, Dennis Diken and Mike Mesaros formed the band with Scotch Plains’ Pat DiNizio in 1980. Since DiNizio’s death in 2017, Babjak, Diken and Mesaros have been performing with Robin Wilson (of The Gin Blossoms) or Marshall Crenshaw singing lead and playing guitar. Wilson will join them for the Carteret show.
Band members wrote on The Smithereens’ Facebook page: “Come join us on this very special evening as The Smithereens return to their hometown, celebrate this beautiful, new, state of the art concert venue, kick off the holidays, AND celebrate their 41st anniversary as a band! (Due to Covid, their 40th anniversary celebrations in 2020 were postponed until now.)
“We look forward to seeing you on December 4th. Live rock ‘n’ roll, Smithereens‘ style, is back!”
The Smithereens were inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame in 2019.
The Carteret PAC had a “soft opening” in April and has a number of other shows already scheduled for the fall, including classic-rockers Blue Öyster Cult, Nov. 13; comedian Mike Marino, Nov. 27; and retro crooner Sal “The Voice” Valentinetti, Dec. 3.
Visit carteretpac.com.
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