Chuck Ragan at Crossroads (NJ), July 2026
Friday night began with nice weather, but just before opener Jared Knapik went on at 8, everyone's phones went off with a serious weather warning. "DESTRUCTIVE" winds possibly reaching 80mph were on their way and all we could do was stay in our little favorite homey venue, Crossroads and hope for the best regarding our cars outside. I was glad Jared hit the stage, because I was getting pretty obsessive about it as you can imagine!
The storm raged while Jared gave us his best Pop-Punk anthems. Thankfully it calmed down once it was time for Jersey-native Jonathan Francis to sing to us. Then it was time for Chuck, the only thing in NJ more powerful than that storm.
Chuck's voice is so unique. It's a howling growl that easily interchanges with a sweet huskiness depending on the vibe. He also throws in some wonderful harmonica solos, proving his musical talent goes beyond the guitar and vocals. The biggest moments of the night were (maybe predictably) his solo performances of songs from his "day job" band, Hot Water Music. Not to dismiss them- they are legends in the Punk world and some of their fans were definitely in the house on Friday.
Jared Knapik at Crossroads (NJ), July 2026
Jonathan Francis at Crossroads (NJ), July 2026
Chuck Ragan at Crossroads (NJ), July 2026
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