You don’t have to be afraid of going to NJ for a concert. Really!

Congratulations! You’re going to the MUSE Drones World Tour in New Jersey? Well, at least that’s an easy trek for a New Yorker, especially when there are a bevy of transportation options within a short distance from my office in Times Square. 

So when I snagged a ticket to see my favorite band from my high school days at the Prudential Center in Newark (FYI: I have many embarrassing iMovie files circa 2006, where I attempt to cover “Starlight” on my rinky-dink guitar), I hopped the state line without breaking sweat. (Okay, maybe there was a little perspiration involved. I get heated when I’m excited).

So how the hell did I get there? Car? NJ Transit? Nope. I folded my arms, blinked and I was at the arena, I Dream of Jeannie-style. Okay, I used the cheapest and probably the easiest option—the good ‘ol PATH. Every New Yorker (unless you’re a baller with a private car) has a MetroCard, so I used it as my gateway to MUSE. 

You might scoff at the 55-minute duration of my trip, but it wasn’t much longer than my commute from Williamsburg, Brooklyn to Hell’s Kitchen. I left the office around 5:30pm, caught the PATH train from 33rd St, Herald Square, transferred from Journal Square to Newark and the Prudential Center was literally across the street from the station.

And you know what’s great about commuting via PATH? I had 55-minutes to listen to all of my favorite MUSE songs in preparation for the show. Like, what if the camera was on my face and I forgot the lyrics to “Super Massive Black Hole?” How embarrassing!

If you ever want to see a concert, comedian or anything at the Prudential Center, don’t hesitate. It was one of the most enjoyable arena shows I’ve ever seen—and not just because there were flying drones and an insane graphic display during MUSE’s amazing performance. The venue is super spacious, the concert food is delicious (buffalo chicken sliders and crinkle-cut fries? Yes, please!) and once the concert let out, I didn’t have to worry about zigzagging my way through Manhattan crowds. Hell, it was refreshing.