Music and Hoboken - the two just go together. Austin may tag itself as the “Live Music Capital of the World,” but from Maxwell’s to the many street festivals, Pier Sessions, and our lively bar scene, there’s a lot going on right here!

For many locals, this season means a trip down the shore, but you don’t have to go hang out in a tiki bar to hear your favorite tunes played live. In this issue, we take you behind the scenes of the vibrant (and year ‘round) local cover band scene – and get the inside scoop on what it’s like to have a day job late at night.

Ever seen six limos all lined up on Madison Street or wondered what exactly was going on behind that green fence across from Shop Rite?  Although Water Music Recorders attracts top talent from around the world, from Shakira to Beyonce and Esperanza Spalding, they’ve generally avoided drawing much attention to themselves locally. We had the honor of sitting down with owner Rob Grenoble to find out what it takes to strike gold and win Grammy awards. And it’s not what you’d expect.

Here at hMAG HQ, the team is gearing up for the Second Annual hMAG Music Fest on Saturday, August 27 from 1-10 pm at Pier A. The event will feature both local bands and two headliners, with something for everyone in the family.

Speaking of families, the Hoboken Family Alliance has been working hard for nearly twenty years to make this community more family-friendly. From clothing swaps to Easter Egg Hunts to playground renovation efforts, this all-volunteer organization is truly a labor of love.

And many of you may not realize that hMAG is a labor of love, too. Of course, we want to send out a huge thank you to all of the writers and photographers who’ve contributed to hMAG and hmag.com. And while most of the hMAG team spend their days designing websites or new packaging, branding or re-branding, and producing photo shoots  for Tisha Creative, for me, it’s teaching Pilates that supports my writing habit. These last few issues have been an amazing experience, getting to meet new friends and reconnect with old ones, but for now I have step down as editor to focus on my day job. But if you’ll keep reading, I’ll keep writing. And, as always, thank you for all you do to make Hoboken, well… Hoboken.

Peace, Love & Rock n’ Roll,

Sharon Henry - Editor

& all of the hMAG Team