N.J. bar cancels Springsteen cover band over Bruce's anti-Trump comments: 'Won't stand for his bulls---'

A Jersey Shore bar and restaurant canceled a Bruce Springsteen cover
band’s upcoming performance following Springsteen’s recent comments
criticizing President Donald Trump.

No Surrender, a nine-piece rock band from New Jersey that has played
Springsteen and classic rock covers for more than 20 years, was set to
perform at Riv’s Toms River Hub in Toms River on May 30.

Shortly after Springsteen kicked off his European tour with harsh words
about the Trump administration on May 14, bandleader Brad Hobicorn 
started receiving concerned text messages from bar owner Tony Rivoli, 
Hobicorn told NJ Advance Media Thursday morning.

On Sunday, Rivoli texted Hobicorn to say the gig was canceled, saying it
was “too risky at the moment,” citing his restaurant’s conservative
customer base.

Hobicorn offered to have his band play only non-Springsteen, 
classic-rock covers. But Rivoli balked at paying $2,500 for a 
classic-rock cover band as opposed to a Springsteen-specific group.

“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 a text message to Hobicorn obtained by 
NJ Advance Media.

In a message sent to 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----.”

https://www.nj.com/resizer/v2/C5MDB5BY6RB3NG4AVDBFU4AGFQ.png?auth=45e83eb5
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Screenshots of conversations between band leader Brad Hobicorn and Riv's
Toms River Hub owner Tony Rivoli. Rivoli's messages, in gray, show his
apprehension toward allowing the band to play based on Bruce 
Springsteen's behavior.Images provided by Brad Hobicorn

The gig was scheduled months in advance, and the last-minute 
cancellation meant the nine working musicians in the group were losing 
out on a paycheck.

“This is not political for us at all,” Hobicorn said Thursday. “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.”

The cancellation led Fleming to post a message about the situation on
Facebook on Wednesday.

This Facebook post is no longer available. It may have been removed or 
the privacy settings of the post may have changed.

Hobicorn said after Fleming’s Facebook post, Rivoli contacted Hobicorn 
and denied ever canceling the gig. But the band decided they didn’t want 
to play the event after everything that had transpired.

“At that point, there were negative vibes about the whole thing,” 
Hobicorn said. “There was definitely a safety concern.”

With the gig in Toms River canceled, No Surrender will instead play
Headliner Oasis in Neptune Township on May 30.

Rivoli told NJ Advance Media Thursday afternoon that he had eventually
agreed to let the band play, and it was ultimately their decision not to
play.

“As of (Wednesday), they could have played as No Surrender,” Rivoli 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.”

Rivoli has been in hot water before. In 2020, images surfaced of 
Rivoli’s previous business — Rivoli’s Restaurant, also in Toms River; 
closed since 2016 — posting the message “I can breathe, I obey law‚“ on 
the restaurant’s exterior marquee, at the time referencing the death of 
Eric Garner, who reportedly told a New York City police officer ”I can’t
breathe" while he was in a chokehold, shortly before he died. Rivoli
publicly apologized in 2020.

This is also not the first bar in the historically right-leaning Ocean
County town to come under fire for mixing conservative politics with 
their business. Earlier this year, Aqua Blu Kitchen and Cocktails 
received backlash after adding a “Proud Boys Burger” to their menu, 
referencing the far-right extremist group. They’d previously advertised 
dishes called “the Border Czar” and “Make Fries Great Again.”

Additionally, No Surrender is not the first Boss tribute band to be
affected by Trump and Springsteen’s mutual ire. In 2017, the B Street 
Band — the preeminent local act covering Bruce’s tunes — was widely 
vilified after it was booked to play a Trump inaugural ball in 
Washington (Trump himself was not expected to attend). They eventually 
withdrew from the gig.

https://www.nj.com/entertainment/2025/05/nj-bar-cancels-springsteen-cover-band-over-bruces-anti-trump-comments-wont-stand-for-his-bulls-.html