Born and raised on the New Jersey shore, Sean Tobin was influenced by folk-singing troubadours and high-energy rockers alike. His vivacious performances and rock n’ roll-tinged releases are due mostly in part to his upbringing in the Jersey shore bar scene. Tobin honed his craft playing countless shows in dives, clubs and basements, as well as during his time busking on the streets of Galway, Ireland throughout 2015 and 2017.


Tobin and his backing band, the Boardwalk Fire, are a tireless, high-powered rock group that blow the roof off of every venue they play. From hard-hitting drum fills and ambient fiddle riffs, to crunchy guitars and booming bass-lines, the band invites any crowd in for a show that will make them forget about life for a while. With two full-length albums, two EPs and dozens of shows under their belts, Sean Tobin & the Boardwalk Fire will be releasing their third studio album, Ghost of the Arcade, in June of 2022.

“This one was a long time coming,” said Tobin of the upcoming LP. “I’ve been so focused on wanting to be a part of the punk scene that I’ve been fighting my folk roots. Folk songs pour out of me– alt-country and whatnot. And that’s exactly what his record is: a folk album. Some of these (songs) were written three years ago; some were written in autumn. All of them belong on this album. All of them make for an amazing live show.”

Ghost of the Arcade features ten songs and one interlude that tell tales like a written collection of short stories. Tobin’s proficiency in prose and poetry draws parallels to the likes of Steinbeck and Hemingway. His affinity for Americana is almost as obvious as the ever-present Springsteen shadow. “The best and worst advice I ever received was to stop ‘writing cool.’,” said Tobin. “I took that and ran with it, and I think I’ve found the perfect middle ground. Somewhere between romance and reality.”

Sean Tobin and the Boardwalk Fire will continue to tour the US through the summer, with hopes of traveling to Europe in late 2022. As they make their way down the road, they’ll bring a little bit of New Jersey grit to every stage they haunt. Their album, Ghost of the Arcade, is out June 10, 2022.