SOPAC to Welcome Smithereens, 6/18

New Jersey's premier rock band, The Smithereens, come to the South Orange Performing Arts Center June 18 at 8 p.m. Known for hits "A Girl Like You," "Behind the Wall of Sleep" and the iconic "Blood and Roses," the band has had a lasting impact on the Alternative Rock scene, influencing many rockers, among them Kurt Cobain.

Jim Babjak, and Dennis Diken hail from Carteret, New Jersey, while Pat DiNizio is from Scotch Plains. The high school friends, along with Mike Mesaros, formed The Smithereens in 1980. Severo "The Thrilla" Jornacion replaced Mesaros in 2006.

The Smithereens are known for writing and playing catchy 1960s-influenced power pop. The group gained publicity when a single from its first album, "Blood and Roses", was the theme song of the 1986 Albert Pyun film, Dangerously Close, and the video was seen frequently on MTV. The song, "Blood and Roses" was also featured on the 1980s TV show Miami Vice during the episode "The Savage."

The Smithereens concert will be one of the SouthNext mainstage events. SouthNext, scheduled for June 17-19, is South Orange's rapidly rising festival of Arts, Ideas and Music, and a one-of-a-kind annual event held at the epicenter of new urbanism, the South Orange/Maplewood creative corridor. *SouthNext ticketholders (purchasers of weekend wristbands) are eligible to receive a $10 discount per Smithereens ticket purchased. SouthNext purchases must be completed prior to and separate from SOPAC/Smithereens purchases.

The Smithereens will rock on the SOPAC stage June 18 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $38-$60 and can be purchased online at SOPACnow.org, or by calling the box office at (973) 313-2787.

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