Wild Bill and the Bruisers

Wild Bill and the Bruisers are playing AJ's Goodtime Bar on Wednesday, October 14, starting at 2:30 PM. It's a mid-afternoon slot on Broadway, and they're one of the city's busiest acts, so this is a good chance to catch them when the bar isn't at its peak evening rush.

They describe themselves as the rowdiest band you'll ever see, and the sound fits the name: honkytonk rockabilly, traditional country, and bluegrass, all played with a flair for showmanship and a broad repertoire. It's the kind of set that pulls from a few different traditions at once, so you'll hear the rockabilly side and the bluegrass side in the same afternoon.

The band formed in February 2020, just as the pandemic hit North America. Bassist and vocalist Wild Bill (Will) Allison and drummer and vocalist Roger Ross started it, and guitarist and vocalist Jordan Fleming joined in late 2025. During the pandemic, they played mostly streaming events, and by the time audiences returned, they'd honed a rapid-fire, deeply engaging four-hour set. That's the version they've been bringing to Broadway since.

They've since become one of the most sought-after acts on the strip, and they appeared in the Nashville episode of Netflix's Somebody Feed Phil, where Phil Rosenthal called them "phenomenal."

The show runs about three hours and 15 minutes, and tickets are $1. You'll find them at AJ's Goodtime Bar, 421 Broadway.