Kathy Mattea performs at Kean University

The Borgata 

THIS WEEKEND: Saturday — Angst-pop stars Counting Crows deliver their hits and new songs, 8 p.m., Event Center

 NEXT WEEK: Russell Brand, the soon-to-be former-Mr.-Katy-Perry does, well... whatever it is that he does, Thursday and Friday, May 4,5, 9 p.m., The Music Box; Comedian-turned-sitcom-star-turned-talk-show-host-turned-comedian George Lopez, 9 p.m., Friday, May 5, Event Center

BOOK IT NOW: Florence & the Machine, 8 p.m., Friday, May 12, Event Center; Joan Rivers, 6 p.m., Friday, May 19, The Music Box; Hip-hoppin' stud du jour Pitbull brings the party tunes, 9 p.m., Thursday, May 25, Event Center

Check out theborgata.com for details about these and other shows.

Count Basie Theatre, Red Bank

THIS WEEKEND: Friday, Sunday — The Wizard of Oz bings her friends from Kansas, somwhere over the rainbow — and Toto, too — to Jersey, 8 p.m. Friday, 3 p.m. Sunday.

NEXT WEEK: Squeeze, one of the few '80s bands to survive the '80s music scene with their livers, noses and bank accounts intact, performs their impressive list of hits at 8 p.m., Wednesday

BOOK IT NOW: Music, cultural and biofuel icon Willie Nelson performs at 7:30 p.m., Friday, May 12; Steve Winwood, whose music and influence on music has spanned decades, performs at 8 p.m., Sunday, May 27.

Go to countbasietheatre for more details about all shows.

Kean University, Union

THIS WEEKEND Sunday — Country star Kathy Mattea, 3 p.m., Enlow Recital Hall

NEXT WEEK  No shows

BOOK IT NOW No shows

Check out keanstage.com for details about these and other shows.

Mayo Performing Arts Center, Morristown

This Weekend: Tonight — Grammy-nominated pianist Brad Mehldau and saxophonist Joshua Redman show off their jazz chops, 8 p.m.

NEXT WEEK: "Manhattan Comedy Night" is a review featuring emcee Melvin George, Andy Pitz, Tommy Drake and Joe Starr; 8 p.m., Friday, May 4; New Jersey Jazz Society presents Vince Giodano and His Nighthawks, 3 p.m., Sunday, May 6.

BOOK IT NOW: Guitar hero Joe Walsh brings his "Analog Tour" into Mo-town at 8 p.m., Tuesday, Aug. 7; Darius Rucker, the lead singer of Hootie and the Blowfish who's now topping the country charts as a solo performer, plays at 8 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 13.

Check out mayoarts.org for details about these and other shows.

New Jersey Performing Arts Center, Newark

THIS WEEKEND: Tonight — New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, led by Jacques Lacombe and guest violinist Gim Shaham perform a program of works by Mozart, Berg, Danielpour and Prokoflev, 8 p.m., Prudential Hall

NEXT WEEK: West Side Story, one of theater's most enduring musicals, celebrates its 50th anniversary with the revival of Leonard Bernstein's classic, Tuesday through Sunday, May 6, Prudential Hall 

BOOK IT NOW: Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, NJPAC's principal resident dance company, performs its yearly NJPAC show, 8 p.m., Prudential Hall; Will Downing, the reigning romanticst R&B crooner, makes women swoon at 8 p.m. in the Victoria Theater. 

Check out njpac.org to check out these and other events.

The Prudential Center, Newark

THIS WEEKEND: No shows

NEXT WEEK: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, 7:30 p.m. Wednesday; Devils . Philadelphia Flyers, 7:30 p.m., Thursday; Red Hot Chili Peppers, 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday, May 4, 5; 

BOOK IT NOW: McDonald's Gospelfest, 4 p.m., Saturday, May 12 

Check out prucenter.com for details about these and other shows.

South Orange Performing Arts Center, South Orange

THIS WEEKEND: Tonight, Saturday, Sunday — Seton Hall University's theater department stages Resurrection Blues, Arthur Miller's 2006 allegorical comedy about a captured mysterious miracle-maker who will be killed on a reality show.

NEXT WEEK: No shows

BOOK IT NOW:  Suzanne Vega performs her folky hits, Thursday, May 10; "An Evening with Tom Wopat" gives audiences the chance to see how the former Duke of Hazzard honed his musical chops over the years on the Broadway boards; Saturday, May 12

Go to sopacnow.org for more details about all shows.

Scotty’s Steakhouse, Springfield

THIS WEEK: Tonight and Saturday — Kyle Grooms, a regular on Comedy Central and P. Diddy's Bad Boys of Comedy in a show that features Terry McNeeley and Mary Radzinsky. 

NEXT WEEK: Doug Karpf, star of Sirius Satellite radio, Atlantic City clubs and USO shows, performs his act after his co-stars, Pat Barker and LaTice, warm up the Springfield crowd. Friday and Saturday, May 4,5

BOOK IT NOW: Robin Fox, star of the "Bud Lite Ladies of Laughter" shows, as well as XM and Sirius radio comedy channels, headlines a show that features Julia Scotti and Dr. Freddy Seltzer. Friday and Saturday, May 11, 12

For details and more information, log onto scottyssteakhouse.com.

Shanghai Jazz, Madison

THIS WEEKEND: Tonight – The Alex Kautz Trio, featuring Grammy-winning pianist Helio Alves, performs Brasilian jazz; Saturday — Star bassist Marcus McLauren leads his eponymous trio before the Madison jazz set; Sunday — Fundraider for the Drew University Center for the Holocause/Genocide Study; Contact Carole Brodsky for tickets at 973-408-3600

NEXT WEEK: The Dan Levinson Trio features the clarinetest/saxophonist who performed with Wynton Marsalis; Wednesday

BOOK IT NOW: Rob Paparozzi Quartet plays the music of Dr. John and Randy Newman, Friday, May 4; Jerry Vivino Quartet features the members of The Conan O'Brien Show band, Saturday, May 5; Star vocalist Gregory Generet returns for one show, Sunday, May 6

All shows 6:30 and 8:30. Check out shanghaijazz.com for more details.

Stress Factory Comedy Club, New Brunswick

THIS WEEK: Tonight and Saturday — Emmy Award winner and Comedy Central regular Judy Gold brings her stand-up act to New Brunswick. 

NEXT WEEK: Brian Posehn, a regular on the Sarah Silverman Show and HBO's Mr. Show. Don't recognize the name? You will recognize the face; Thursday, Friday, Saturday.

Book It Now: W. Kamou Bell, a regular on Comedy Central and Comics Unleashed, performs Thursday, Friday and Saturday, May 10, 11, 12; Amy Shumer, who was featured on Last Comic Standing and The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, May 17-19

Check out stressfactory.com for more details.

Union County Performing Arts Center, Rahway

THIS WEEKEND: Saturday — Wayne Newton bids everyone a sincere dankeschein for their decade of support for his acting, singing and Vegas stylings, 8 p.m.;

NEXT WEEK: "Ballet With a Latin Beat II" kicks off a Cinco de Mayo celebration, 8 p.m., Saturday, May 5

Go to unioncountypac for more details about all shows.

Wellmont Theatre, Montclair

THIS WEEKEND No shows

NEXT WEEK: Marilyn Manson and The Pretty Reckless, 8 p.m., Wednesday; Chicago, 8 p.m., Friday;

BOOK IT NOW:  Willie Nelson & Family, 8 p.m., Wednesday and Thursday, May 16, 17; Buddy Guy and Jonny Lang, 8 p.m., Saturday, June 9; Bonnie Raitt and Mavis Staples, 8 p.m., Tuesday, June 19.

Check out wellmonttheatre.com for more shows.