Photos/Review: Croce Plays Croce 11.22.25 Atlantic City, NJ

Words & Photos by Rod Snyder

AJ Croce was at Circus Maximus at Caesars Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, NJ on Saturday night to close out his Croce Plays Croce tour. The son of famous singer/songwriter and storyteller Jim Croce, AJ is no stranger to music and has just released his 12th and latest album “Heart of the Eternal”. But this tour and tonight’s was special: the majority of the songs played were from his father’s songbook.

The touring band consisted of James Pennebaker on guitar, Gary Mallaber on drums, David Barard on bass and Jackie Wilson and Katrice Donaldson on backing vocals.

AJ is an extremely accomplished pianist and showcased it on several songs throughout the night. He spoke of some of his friends who he’s collaborated with over the years -including Ray Charles, Allen Toussaint, Leon Russell and others – but you could definitely hear the influence of these musicians in AJ’s versions of his father’s songs. One thing that AJ did to do his father’s songs justice was to some stories before the songs were played. If you’ve heard Jim Croce live before or on a recording, you’d know that he was a great storyteller; he had a very colorful life, and expressed it superbly in his lyrics. AJ told stories of his father and of the songs he played during the show. And about halfway into the show, he actually took some requests for songs to play. It was a great and intimate show, and a wonderful way to spend a Saturday night.

Setlist:
Don’t mess around with Jim
Car wash blues
Nothing from nothing
Box #10
Complications of love
Better day
I got a feeling
Speedball Tucker
Operator
Rollin’ on
Heart that makes me whole
Roller derby queen
So much fun
New York’s not my home/Have to say
Photographs & memories
One less set of footsteps
Hey margarita
Rapid Roy
Judgement day
The finest line
The time is up
Sam Cooke
Hung up on you
Bad, Bad Leroy Brown
I got a name