Author: Michael Witthaus

Southern men

Musical veterans band together as Once An Outlaw

The five members of Once An Outlaw have a long history in Southern rock. Macon, Georgia, native Chris Hicks played guitar with the Marshall Tucker Band for many years. Chris Anderson, born in Florida and raised in Spartanburg, South Carolina, spent time in the Outlaws, as did bass player Jeff Howell — who also toured with English blues rockers Foghat.

A.J. Vallee was mentored by Blackfoot drummer Jakson Spires and played in the Southern Rock All-Stars before joining guitarist Chuck Farrell in the Allman Brothers centric band The Peacheaters, called “the greatest tribute act in America” by Outlaws founding member Henry Paul.

“They capture the spirit and passion of the Allmans, and that ain’t easy,” he said.

With all that shared experience, however, it took time and fate to make them a band.

“We’ve all enjoyed being a small part of their legacies, and being able to go out and play these songs for people,” Hicks said of his membership in the Southern rock brethren, during a recent interview that included Anderson and Farrell. “Even though we’ve all been in these bands at different times, we’ve never really played together that much.”

Hicks was set to hit the road with Marshall Tucker this summer in support of Charlie Daniels’ Fire On The Mountain anniversary tour, but those plans were dealt a one-two blow — Daniels’ death and Covid-19. So when Farrell rang up Anderson with an offer for him and Hicks to head north and play a few shows, both were ready.

They left Nashville, where both currently live, in mid-August, arriving for an abbreviated Bike Week in Laconia. Five sold-out socially distanced shows “went really great,” Anderson said. “We had a ball. … People really seemed to enjoy it.”

Their sets featured a mixture of hits from the many groups they’ve played in, songs like “Green Grass and High Tides,” “Hurry Sundown,” “Can’t You See,” “Heard It In a Love Song,” “Take the Highway,” ”Slow Ride,” “Fool for the City,” “Tell Mama” and others.

Hicks was happy to leave hot and humid Tennessee to play for a live audience after months of down time.

“People are just ready to get out and see some music,” he said. “They’ve been quarantined for so long, you know there’s a lot of energy on both sides.”

He also relished an opportunity to jam with Anderson, whose resume includes Grinderswitch, Bad Company and Lynyrd Skynyrd.

“I’m not saying this to promote the show,” he said. “Chris Anderson has always been one of my favorite guitar players. You have to see him play to know what I’m talking about — it’s just a natural, very heartfelt thing.”

Unlike Hicks and Anderson, Farrell and Vallee are native New Englanders, and Howell hails from upstate New York. But geography doesn’t matter, Farrell said.

“It’s in you,” he said, adding he loves that “there’s no brain hemorrhaging with this music; you just go out and do it,” he said. “It’s a language — in the front it’s three guys playing guitar, with a great rhythm section and everyone having a good time.”

A native of the Allmans’ home base, Hicks discovered the harmony guitar and jam ethics of the genre at a very young age and was captivated. He was also taken with the freewheeling spirit evoked by the music and its players.

“In 1968, my great uncle told me, ‘The hippies have moved in down the street; let’s go look and see what they’re doing.’”

The Allman Brothers Band lived at nearby Idlewild South Farm, a commune that gave their first album its title.

“It’s right outside of Macon, which grows the best mushrooms in the world. That’s why they made their logo like that, they like them so much,” Hicks recalled. “The first thing I saw was a beautiful blonde girl naked riding a horse on the side of the road. I said, ‘You know what. this is gonna be pretty cool.’ It only got better from there.”

Featured Photo: Once An Outlaw. Courtesy photo.

Once An Outlaw
When: Saturday, Sept. 12, 1:30 p.m. (Gates at Noon)
Where: Alpine Grove, 19 S. Depot St., Hollis
Tickets: $25 and up at alivenkickingprod.simpletix.com
The Bob Wolfman Band opens

The Music Roundup 20/09/03

• Get festive: Warm up for the unofficial end-of-summer weekend with Slack Tide members Chris Cyrus and Mike Seavy. The jam band blends a wide range of elements into their sets, and Cyrus cites influences like Jack Johnson, Sublime and Reel Big Fish. He’s also a big fan of ’60s psychedelic rockers like Cream, Jefferson Airplane, The Doors and, of course, the Grateful Dead. Thursday, Sept. 3, 7 p.m., Penuche’s Music Hall, 1087 Elm St., Manchester, facebook.com/slacktideofficial.

• New crew: Offering old-school country & western music, Route 603 debuts with a few familiar faces from the Concord music scene, featuring Mary Fagan singing lead on Hank, Merle and Cash covers, along with her own originals, backed by Tom Wright on Fender Telecaster and BJ Steinberg on pedal steel. Upright bass player Jock Irvine and drummer Ed Raczka provide rhythm. Saturday, Sept. 5, 7 p.m., Purple Pit Coffee Lounge, 28 Central Square, Bristol, facebook.com/jockirvinemusic.

• Crossing over: When he’s not with his band Double Crossers, Paul Driscoll keeps busy as a solo performer, playing a lot around his home base of Milford, including an early show at the spot where he returned to live gigs in May, post-quarantine. Along with a tasty catalog of originals, Driscoll covers everyone from Tom Waits to Tyler Childers, Black Keys, Bruce Springsteen and Sawmill Joe. Sunday, Sept. 6, 9 p.m., Trombly Gardens, 150 N. River Road, Milford, facebook.com/doctordriscool.

• Hand-picked: With a name taken from a line in the John Prine song “Paradise,” Peabody’s Coal Train is a local supergroup packed with rustic charm, with a set list ranging from old murder ballads to Townes Van Zandt covers. The band’s chemistry is obvious: six voices in harmony, exhibiting deft instrumental interplay and, above all, the joy of making music. Thursday, Sept. 10, 6 p.m., Jane Lewellen Bandstand, Riverway Park, Contoocook, also webcast on Facebook Live.

In the spirit

Unique Beatles tribute act The Weeklings play Manchester

The Socially Distanced Concert Series closing out the summer at Delta Dental Stadium includes several tribute acts, most of which promise note-for-note recreations of hit songs. On Aug. 28 and Aug. 29, Dancing Queens does ABBA, followed the next weekend by local heroes Recycled Percussion playing their trademark junk rock. Ending the series, Almost Queen appears Sept. 12. They’re exactly as billed, right down to the lead singer’s Freddy Mercury motorcycle jacket.

Beatles Night on Sept. 11 features a very different kind of doppelgänger, however. The Weeklings do cover “Baby, You’re a Rich Man” and “Paperback Writer” in their set, along with several more Fab Four favorites. But the band’s sweet spot band lies in creating originals that sound like lost Lennon & McCartney gems.

Imagine that Revolver had been followed not by Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, but by another Rubber Soul. That describes The Weeklings’ sound on songs like “In the Moment” and “Little Elvis.” It’s a wonderful glimpse into what might have been, in a show that also includes never-released Beatles tracks.

The John and Paul of the band are Zeek and Lefty Weekling, the stage names of Bob Burger and Glen Burtnik. The two have worked together since the 1980s and share a love of Beatles music. Burtnik’s resume includes stints with Styx and the Broadway hit Beatlemania; he also co-wrote “Sometimes Love Just Ain’t Enough” for Patty Smyth and Don Henley.

Rounding out the group are guitarist John Merjave and drummer Joe Bellia as Rocky and Smokestack Weekling.

Burger co-wrote a few Styx songs with Burtnik and has three solo albums out, but for shows like the upcoming one he asks to be quoted as Zeek — that’s how completely he inhabits his character. Like many children of the ’60s, he picked up a guitar after seeing The Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show, and never looked back.

With The Weeklings, the two feel free to follow a muse with an English accent.

“We wrote together for years, very often having to intentionally avoid sounding too much like The Beatles,” Zeek said in a recent phone interview. “So when we got this band together it was like, ‘OK, the gloves are off.’ We could do whatever we wanted to do.”

The band grew out of Birth of the Beatles, a tribute show focused on the Fab Four’s first two albums.

“We found out at that point in their career they were playing live in the studio,” Zeek said. “We said, ‘Well, this is fun, a little self-contained four-piece. … Let’s go take some Beatles songs they didn’t record.’”

Their eponymous debut album, released in 2016, contained “Because I Know You Love Me So,” a McCartney song dating back to their Quarrymen days — the version quotes “She’s a Woman” and “Drive My Car” — along with the Help! outtake “That Means a Lot.” Quickly they diverged from being a pure covers band.

“We had original songs that also fit into the same mode, so we started moving away from the tribute band concept almost immediately, by playing our own arrangements of obscure Beatles songs, and originals that sound like them,” Zeek said.

The formula worked; they’re staples on satellite radio stations The Loft and Little Steven’s Underground Garage, and in demand as live performers. They’ve released a trio of albums; the latest, 3, arrived in mid-January.

A harbinger of Burger’s future success happened in 2003, when he played a Hamptons party for fellow New Jersey native Jon Bon Jovi. Prior to his set, he learned some big names might be at the bash.

“Jon goes, ‘There’s a 25 percent chance that Paul McCartney will come,’” Zeek said.

Sure enough, a jam session broke out with Bon Jovi, Jimmy Buffett, Billy Joel and Roger Waters. But all that star power paled next to Sir Paul, who’d also arrived.

“The rest of them might as well have been bar band players,” he said. “Because Paul McCartney was there. Bruce Springsteen came, but he didn’t play — and I didn’t care.”

Later, he spotted Macca mouthing the words to “Back in the U.S.S.R.” in the raucous crowd.

“Raising his arm, fist in the air, I’m thinking, ‘This is not real….’ It was like a gambling machine, where all the cherries line up in a row,” he said.

Featured Photo: The Weeklings. Courtesy photo.

Socially Distanced Concert Series
Dancing Queens ABBA Tribute – Friday, Aug. 28, and Saturday, Aug. 29, $23
Recycled Percussion – Saturday, Sept. 5, and Sunday, Sept. 6, $35
Beatles Night featuring The Weeklings – Friday, Sept. 11, $23
Almost Queen – Saturday, Sept. 12, $23

Shows at Northeast Delta Dental Stadium, 1 Line Drive, Manchester; shows start at 7 p.m. Tickets at ticketreturn.com.

The Music Roundup 20/08/27

• Artful: A free courtyard concert by River Sister offers a wonderful blend of folk traditions and jazz rhythms, pure harmony married to musical complexity. It’s part of the Currier’s Art After Work event, which includes happy hour drink specials and a full menu for purchase outdoors. Timed tickets are available in advance, and highly encouraged. Thursday, Aug. 27, 5 p.m., Currier Museum of Art, 150 Ash St., Manchester, currier.org/event/art-after-work.

• Tribute: With big tours on hold for now, tribute acts like Pink Houses are getting a lot of action. The band recreates John Mellencamp’s extensive catalog, led by singer-guitarist Doug Hoyt as the Hoosier’s doppelganger, with drummer Jeffrey Brayne, bass player Ken Lloyd and guitarist Justin Carver. The Arts In The Park concert is held adjacent to Belknap Mill, which is sponsoring the event. Friday, Aug 28, 6 p.m., Rotary Riverside Park, Beacon St. East, Laconia, facebook.com/belknapmill.

• Forceful: While you can’t catch Metallica in person, a filmed concert by the iconic band screens at a local drive-in, with opening act Three Days Grace. Each carload ticket includes four digital downloads of S&M2, a new live album chronicling their reunion with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra last year, which opened that city’s new (and currently dormant) Oracle Arena. Saturday, Aug. 29, 8 p.m., Milford Drive-In Theater, 531 Elm St., Milford. Tickets $115 at ticketmaster.com.

• Authentic: After postponing an appearance last month, Nick Drouin performs at a downtown country themed bar/restaurant. The drummer turned front man has a well-tuned instinct for crafting good songs, as exemplified by “Small Town,” an autobiographical paean to growing up in Candia recorded in Nashville with Jason Aldean’s III Kings rhythm section. Saturday, Aug. 29, 9 p.m., Bonfire Restaurant & Country Bar, 950 Elm St., Manchester, facebook.com/nickdrouinmusic.

Solo turn

New music from Mindset X leader

As a performer, Steven Scott has some distinct personas. He’s the leader of Mindset X, a band with which he’s created ambitious progressive rock, most recently the 2015 concept album Oceans. More than a few fans know him for playing cover songs as The Deviant at area restaurants and bars.

There’s another side to the singer, songwriter and guitarist that’s not as familiar to his followers, but it will be soon as he prepares to release a spare, acoustic solo EP called Albino Road. A preview single, “Anywhere But Here,” came out late last month.

In a recent phone interview, he said he was tapping his inner Cat Stevens or Roy Harper for the new disc, which he hopes to release in full later this fall.

“The solo stuff came out of the need to express myself on the softer side of things,” he said. “Mindset X leans toward a rocking, electric sound, while this is kind of indie folkish.”

There’s a lot of reflection on the record, and a few painful truths about human nature. The title cut recalls a historical event in Andover, Massachusetts, toward the end of the 19th century. According to folklore, a pair of albino children living there were killed by fearful neighbors, who also burned down the family’s home.

The song reflects the racism of today, Scott said.

“They killed the kids just for being different,” he said. “We’ve been through this crap before, why are we still doing it? We’re still in the same position, just with better technology. It’s a weird road we’ve taken as a species. It confused me, made me a little angry and I tried to put that in the song.”

The EP’s other two tracks provide brighter bookends. “Anywhere But Here” is a carpe diem for the downtrodden, with lines like “cheers to the ones who ignore their fears … don’t be silent, ever scared, ’cause this is your life,” while “Sunshine On Me” is a call to action that echoes the Youngbloods’ ’60s chestnut, “Get Together.”

He hopes to finish and release Albino Road by the end of August, and is currently contemplating how to unveil it live.

“I’m figuring out if I want to present it in a solo fashion, or try some looping, or have some people on stage,” he said. “I may drop a song into my covers set, as my plan is to peel away from that at some point and do all originals.”

The project has changed shape on the way to completion. “Originally … it was just going to be me and my acoustic guitar,” Scott said, “but any time I try to do that I end up thinking, ‘I wonder what a piano would sound like, or a flute.’”

He recruited local producer and musician Jay Frigoletto to add some layers to “Anywhere But Here,” which revved up the once-austere track.

“Instead of a down to earth folk song,” Scott said, “it turned out to be more folk rock.”

Mindset X was working on a new album with plans to hit the studio in April, “but Covid threw a wrench in all of that,” Scott said. “We didn’t jam for a couple of months because we weren’t supposed to.”

With his solo record basically done, MSX is targeting the next month or two to record tracks for release early next year.

“There’s a lot of questions still to be answered, but we’re ready to go and I’m proud of the stuff we’ve written,” Scott said. “It’s definitely us all the way.”

For now, Scott performs covers to audiences, who seem to appreciate him more.

“You look back six months ago and people are posting about three friends who showed up to see them play, but now people are really hungry for it,” he said. “They seem more enthusiastic, and more willing to accept an original song thrown in now and then. I try to move to the light and away from the darkness; Covid exists — we know that — but you gotta look for some good in all of this.”

Featured Photo: Steven Scott. Courtesy photo.

Steven Scott – The Deviant
When: Friday, Aug. 21, 6 p.m.
Where: Jocelyn’s Mediterranean Restaurant, 355 South Broadway, Salem
More: stevenscottmusic.com

The Music Roundup 20/08/20

• Singer: A recent guest on NH Chronicle Summer Songfest, Justin Cohn performs covers with some tasty originals — some from his upcoming album. Cohn is ubiquitous in the regional scene, memorably providing lead vocals for Rocking Horse Music Club’s debut single “Everywhere Is Home” and appearing on the group’s tribute album to Genesis guitarist Anthony Phillips. Thursday, Aug. 20, 5:30 p.m., Murphy’s Taproom Carriage House, 393 Route 101, Bedford, facebook.com/justincohnmusic.

• Rocker: With co-lead vocalist Neeley Luna now in the band, The FAR host a mask-mandatory show to honor first responders and frontline workers battling the Covid-19 crisis, who will be admitted free. The Dracut, Mass., group covers rock and pop across the decades, from Fleetwood Mac to Snoop Dogg, with a soft spot for ’70s acts like Boston, Journey and Eddie Money. Friday, Aug 21, 8 p.m., Jewel Music Venue, 61 Canal St., Manchester, jewelmusicvenue.com

• Fiddler: For the finale in a series of open air concerts, Jordan Tirrell-Wysocki performs with his trio. The versatile fiddle player offers plenty of Irish and Celtic music but will take a vocal now and again and venture into a jazzier place. The show is presented by Bank of NH Stage, which hopes to host live music soon, though Root Shock, originally set for Aug. 28, is now canceled. Saturday, Aug. 22, 6 p.m., Fletcher-Murphy Park, 28 Fayette St., Concord. Tickets $10 at banknhstage.com.

• Rouser: An outdoor show rescheduled from early July, Whiskey Horse offers a high-energy sound that mirrors today’s Nashville. Waylon Jennings coined its name, “outlaw country,” a genre owing more to Lynyrd Skynyrd than Hank Williams Jr. Billed as “rocked up and rowdy,” the band plays covers, featuring twin electric guitars and layered harmonies. Wednesday, Aug. 26, 6 p.m., Abbie Griffin Park, 6 Baboosic Lake Road, Merrimack, merrimackparksandrec.org.

Just laugh

Will Noonan on doing comedy post-quarantine

Perspective is one big thing that comic Will Noonan took from his time in lockdown. In the new normal, he realized, an edgy bit won’t bring groans like it once might have, and it shouldn’t. “We’ve all stared death in the face just to go to Stop & Shop,” Noonan said recently. “Why not laugh at a joke that makes us feel slightly uncomfortable in our bellies?”

Noonan was back on stage the moment live comedy returned to New Hampshire. Like more than a few standups, though, he took a few tries to find his old form.

“Everyone started getting it back at different levels and paces,” he said, “so that was one weird handicap.”

To his surprise, audiences had to adjust as well.

“A comedian would say something like, ‘Me and my wife have been married for 25 years,’ and normally the crowd would just clap automatically,” Noonan said. “But there would be these weird pauses. It was like, ‘Oh yeah, they’re rusty too; they don’t even remember how to clap when the guy said he’s been married a long time.’”

For Noonan, this was better than a recent corporate Zoom gig. His half-hour set lasted 17 minutes, when a miffed manager pulled the plug.

“It was like an episode of Black Mirror. … I’ve done shows like that where you can kind of hear them laughing, or even see their faces. But this one was just me and the cameraman, doing jokes to an empty space,” he said.

It ended in the middle of a long bit, when the guy who hired him walked into the room and said Noonan was done and could bring in the next comic. But there were no hard feelings.

“You’re like a birthday clown — they paid you, so they can send you home after five minutes if they want, or they can get the whole hour. It’s really up to them,” he said.

Another realization for Noonan as he returned to performing live was that audiences craved regular comedy.

“We all came in thinking everyone’s gonna want to hear these crazy thoughts I have about the coronavirus,” he said. “You can talk about it, but it’s not necessarily the only thing. … They want jokes to be about things they’ve always wanted them to be about — relationships, families and the stuff that drives you crazy. That material is hitting the hardest because it’s just kind of nice, like watching baseball or the NBA. It’s nice to just forget about it for a time.”

In early August, Noonan went to New Hampshire Motor Speedway for his first NASCAR race.

“It truly was awesome,” he said. “All the things that NASCAR fans say are true. … On TV it’s kinda cool, but it doesn’t feel much like a sport, but when you’re there you kind of understand it has a rhythm to it, a pace. There are times you can tell they’re just going around in circles biding time, and other times they’re fighting to win. … it’s long but it kind of just flies by. The sound is incredible; I could still hear it in my head when I was coming home. It made me want to drive faster.”

Seeing the race with a socially distanced crowd was a bit surreal, but it was still “extra special,” Noonan said.

“It kinda had a Children of the Corn, Rob Zombie vibe to it,” he said. “That was something I never experienced before. … like Woodstock and a Trump rally mixed together.”

Featured Photo: Will Noonan. Courtesy photo.

Will Noonan
When: Friday, Aug. 21, 8 p.m.
Where: Riverside Pavilion, Amherst Country Club, 72 Ponemah Road, Amherst
Tickets: $20 at playamherst.com

The Music Roundup 20/08/13

• Park it: Traverse across music of the early 20th century as Tall Granite Big Band performs a free show on the village common, ranging from Chicago speakeasy hot jazz to the swing made famous by Duke Ellington, George Gershwin and Hoagy Carmichael. There are even a few modern touches, like Miles Davis, Van Morrison and Hank Williams. Free face coverings provided. Thursday, Aug. 13, 6 p.m., Jane Lewellen Bandstand, Riverway Park, Contoocook, facebook.com/tallgranite.

• Blues power: Boston-based trio GA-20 plays traditional blues inspired by Muddy Waters, Little Walter, Paul Butterfield, John Lee Hooker and more. With the twin guitar front of Matthew Stubbs, who played with Charlie Musselwhite as well as leading his own band The Antiguas, and Pat Faherty, who also sings, backed by drummer Tim Carman, they’re authentic and engaging. Friday, Aug 14, 7:30 p.m., Zinger’s, 29 Mont Vernon St., Milford, facebook.com/GA20Blues.

• Joke in a box: A BYOB comedy showcase marks the return of Jay Chanoine after biding his pandemic time with Facebook snark like teasing an album of ’90s alt rock lyrics interpreted by Jerry Seinfeld: “If you’re the one who wants to destroy the sweater, why am I the one walkin’ away? You wanna destroy it? You do the walkin!” Chad Blodgett hosts, with feature Duke Mulberry. Saturday, Aug. 15, 7:30 p.m., Hatbox Theatre, 270 Loudon Road, Concord, tickets $12 to $18 at hatboxnh.com.

• Welcome back: After being idled for a long, long stretch, live music returns to a venerable downtown venue, with Marty Quirk performing on a newly expanded outdoor deck. “Marty Party” is preceded by a brunch that includes traditional Irish fare like black sausage and white pudding. It’s a happy return for a place that’s provided much memorable music and comedy over the years. Sunday, Aug. 16, 3 p.m., Shaskeen Pub, 909 Elm St., Manchester, facebook.com/theshaskeen.

• Truckin’ on: A triple can release, eats from Big Lebowski-inspired The Food Abides and Andrew North & the Rangers playing originals are all good reasons to make a Concord brewery a midweek stop. Piano ace and songwriter North recently released Allamagoosalum, a concept album inspired by Phish’s Rift as well as Tommy and Dark Side of the Moon. Wednesday, Aug. 19, 4 p.m., Lithermans Limited Brewery, 1268 Hall St., Concord, facebook.com/andrewnorthandtherangers.

The Music Roundup 20/08/06

• Celtic cousins: A free downtown show stars Rebel Collective, who blend traditional Irish songs with modern rock. The band has a central core of three cousins, Michael Green, Brian Waldron and Ross Ketchum, along with bass player Connor Veazy and drummer Pete Provencher. They’ve opened for Flogging Molly and Dropkick Murphys, and appeared at the Highlands Games Festival. Thursday, Aug. 6, 7 p.m., 1 Eagle Square, Concord, facebook.com/rebelcollectivemusic.

• Gather together: An Arts in the Park concert, Songwriter in the Round offers Greenhouse Recording Studio performers playing originals. Dakota Smart is an Alton-based keyboard player and singer; he took top solo artist honors at February’s Young Performers Club contest at Boston’s Hard Rock. Senie Hunt is a percussive guitarist and Kimayo is a gifted singer-songwriter. Friday, Aug 7, 6 p.m., Belknap Mill, 25 Beacon St. East, Laconia, facebook.com/events/283664642742368.

• Roots rockers: Enjoy a reggae festival with Jah Spirit; led by singer Michael Wolfe, the band’s been playing music with a message of peace, freedom and universality since the early 1980s. Their motto is “Together we aspire, together we achieve.” They can also deliver joyful remakes, like the Motown gem “My Girl,” which appeared on their Ceasefire CD. Saturday, Aug. 8, and Sunday, Aug. 9, 11 a.m., NASWA Resort, 1086 Weirs Blvd., Laconia, naswa.com.

• Park ’n’ laugh: Roll up, park the car and revel in the comedy of Bob Marley, as the latest entry in drive-in entertainment bows. Marley was performing outdoors long before social distancing made it mandatory, building a following at New England summer campgrounds, even telling jokes from a few boat docks. Sunday, Aug. 9, at 6 and 8:30 p.m., Northfield Drive-In, 981 Northfield Road, Hinsdale, tickets $34.50 per person (two per car minimum) at eventbrite.com.

• Gazebo groove: Led by Moultonborough Postmaster Rick Clogston, Red Hat Band performs classic hits and other favorites to close out a summer concert series. Bring a blanket, lawn chairs and a picnic dinner for the free show, sponsored by the local Lions Club. The band covers Van Morrison, John Denver, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Dire Straits, among others. Wednesday, Aug. 12, 6:30 p.m., Function Hall Gazebo, 139 Old Route 109, Moultonborough, moultonboroughnh.gov.

Soundtrack to your summer

7 performers talk about playing in a time when local music is center stage

In the midst of live music’s strangest season — with most national acts having canceled their tours — local talent is getting a lot of love.

“From farmer’s markets to on stage gigs, everyone has been so attentive and so appreciative,” Paul Driscoll said. “I’ve gotten some of the best and most generous feedback this year.”

MB Padfield, a Granite State native who heads home from L.A. every summer, agrees.

“People are bored of being bored and I think they’re far more receptive now that they’ve had this time to really reflect on priorities in their life,” she said. “Quarantine was a really big pause button.”

Here’s a look at seven performers currently playing around the state.

Gabby Martin

Performing since 2017, Gabby Martin is from Rochester and currently lives in Thornton.

What should people know about your music?

First of all, I see myself as a local kid — I really do love the state of New Hampshire. I love the venues and just being able to meet members of the community that I normally would not interact with. … Musically, I love performing covers. I do write music as well but there’s something really special about recreating music that people know and love in my own way.

What did you do during quarantine?

One thing that makes me unique from some of the other artists is that I’m also in grad school so that keeps me busy. During quarantine I did a live concert every Sunday and also learned some new equipment, played with some software. I am not one of those that wrote an entire album or anything like that.

When did you start playing out again?

May 22 at Schilling Beer Co. in Littleton.

How’s your summer going so far?

It’s going well. The biggest challenge would be the weather. I’ve been playing at Schilling Brewery in Littleton about once a weekend and that’s been a good addition, something that I didn’t have on the books before the beginning of the summer. It’s going well and it’s very nice to be back out with people.

What are some of your favorite venues?

Schilling Beer … the Copper Doors, Kettlehead Brewing, and I love Hart’s Turkey Farm — it’s a classic New Hampshire venue.

What’s the rest of your summer look like?

I’m finding it’s going very quickly compared to last summer.

How can people keep up with your shows and projects?

I’m pretty active on Facebook and Instagram and I also have a YouTube page.

Typical set list

“Bennie and the Jets” – Elton John

“Bobbie McGee” – Janis Joplin

“Big Yellow Taxi” – Joni Mitchell

“Valerie” – Amy Winehouse

“Angel from Montgomery” – John Prine

“Wish I Knew You” – The Revivalists

“Love Song” – Sara Bareilles

“Put Your Records On” – Corrine Bailey Rae

“Sunrise – Norah Jones

“Ironic” – Alanis Morissette

Upcoming appearances

Aug. 7 – Lone Wolf Brewing, Wolfeboro

Aug. 8 – Tumbledown Café, Sanbornville

Aug. 9 – Ore Mill, Warren

Aug. 11 – Common Man, Ashland

Aug. 13 – Sea Dog Brewing, Exeter

Aug. 27 – Revolution Taproom, Rochester

MB Padfield

Performing since she was 16, MB Padfield is originally from Manchester and is now based in North Hollywood, California. She comes back to New England to perform from the end of June to Labor Day since she moved to L.A. in 2017.

What should people know about your music?

The elevator pitch is I’m a pretty versatile live performer but my original music is grounded in pop and songwriting, so I’d like people to know that I’m a songwriter and that I write original music as well as play it in addition to live performances.

What did you do during quarantine?

I was just writing. I was songwriting and working on recording. I’m prepping, I want to do a record and I’m in the place I think mentally now where I’m really ready to do that, and I have the songs. So I spent the entire quarantine time just writing and making good music and then learning new stuff — spending time on, you know, things that I think were on the to-do list but I haven’t gotten to yet. … I wanted to learn a new computer program, I wanted to learn more about bass, and I think I was able to have that time so I could really dive in.

When did you start playing out again?

June 24 at Murphy’s Taproom in Manchester [a weekly residency for the summer].

How’s your summer going so far?

Everything has honestly been really great other than the fact that I lost more than half of my work — shows that I booked at the beginning of 2020 and canceled and then rebooked and then with the shutdown they canceled again. … But crowds want to be entertained and they are a bit more receptive. … In a world of background noise, I feel like now has been the time where we’re able to really step out from that.

What are some of your favorite venues?

I love playing at Bernie’s Beach Bar, it has a big stage, and at Wally’s; Hampton Beach feels like the Las Vegas strip.

What’s the rest of your summer look like?

I’m still taking requests for private parties and events and I’m still looking to book new venues and more venues. For the most part things have been status quo, or they have been in the past couple of weeks. Hopefully the Covid numbers will continue to decline and we’ll be able to start really moving past this.

How can people keep up with your shows and projects?

All my shows are on my website, mbpadfield.com

Typical set list

“Give Me One Reason” – Tracy Chapman

“Pretty for a Living” – MB Padfield

“Whole Lotta Love” – Led Zeppelin

“Havana” – Camila Cabello

“Into You” – MB Padfield

“The Real Slim Shady” – Eminem

“War Pigs” – Black Sabbath

“Full Throttle” – MB Padfield

“Can’t Take My Eyes off of You” – Lauryn Hill

“The Cat Song” – MB Padfield

Upcoming appearances

Aug. 8 – Bernie’s Beach Bar, Hampton Beach

Aug. 9 – Wally’s, Hampton Beach

Aug. 10 – Bernie’s Beach Bar, Hampton Beach

Aug. 12 – Murphy’s Taproom, Manchester (Wednesday residency)

Aug. 13 – Stumble Inn, Londonderry

Brad Bosse

Brad Bosse, originally from Milford, has been performing full time for eight years. He currently lives in Hooksett and has a summer place in Wells, Maine.

What should people know about your music?

I’m upbeat. I bring a good time. I do everything from Sinatra to Notorious B.I.G. to Sublime to Kenny Chesney. I kind of do it all, but I kind of make it into my own style.

What did you do during quarantine?

I was super bummed just because I’m a driven guy [and am] used to working all the time. The first couple of days, it was nice to have some time off, but I forecast my schedule six to eight months out and I’m like, ‘Oh my god, I have no income.’ … I went on unemployment [so] I was making some money. I did a couple of livestreams … I called them Pajama Jams … but sitting in front of your phone in your bedroom playing guitar just doesn’t have the same effect as playing live. Then I said, when have I had this much time to just relax and write music, to not have to perform? Just picking up my guitar … it was nice to just do it for the pure joy of music again.

When did you start playing out again?

The first Monday that New Hampshire opened up outdoor dining May 20 at Penuche’s, then I played Wednesday at Stumble Inn in Londonderry, then Thursday at Tuscan Kitchen in Salem.

How’s your summer going so far?

It’s been really good. I was worried about the weather, because you just never know, and I personally super lucked out … every [time] it’s rained it was either before or after my gig. I’ve only gotten rained out twice. In regards to people coming out it’s a sense of normalcy that’s nice. … I love my job. It’s work, but at the same time I like that with music I get to forget anything else in life for three hours and just get lost in the music. I missed that, and it’s nice to have that again.

What are some of your favorite venues?

Instabar — that’s a new and really fun place. Stumble Inn is great … and Tuscan [Market & Kitchen in Salem].

What’s the rest of your summer look like?

More of the same. … I was doing Friday, Saturday and Sunday doubles every single week last summer, and I decided to stop, but when somebody offers me a gig, I have such a hard time saying no even though I know the day is going to kick my ass. This summer … I picked up a couple, because I had gigs set up before Covid hit, then I booked all these new dates.

How can people keep up with your shows and projects?

My Brad Bosse Music Facebook page is the best place.

Typical set list

“Steal My Kisses” – Ben Harper

“You Can’t Always Get What You Want” – “Rolling Stones

“No Diggity” – Blackstreet

“Franklin’s Tower” – Grateful Dead

“Fly Me to the Moon” – Frank Sinatra

“Humble” – Kendrick Lamar

“Danny’s Song” – Kenny Loggins

“Give Me One Reason” – Tracy Chapman

“Closer to the Sun” – Slightly Stoopid

“Small Worlds” – Mac Miller

Upcoming appearances

Aug. 7 – The Oven, Epping

Aug. 8 – Community Oven, Hampton

Aug. 9 – Instabar, Hampton & Cheers, Concord

Aug. 11 – McGuirks, Hampton Beach

Aug. 14 – Stumble Inn, Londonderry & The Oven, Epping

Aug. 15 – Community Oven, Hampton

Aug. 16 – Instabar, Hampton

Aug. 18 – McGuirks, Hampton Beach

Paul Driscoll

Paul Driscoll, who was born in Stoneham, Mass., grew up in Everett, Mass., and spent most of his life in Colorado, is now based in Milford and has been performing for three and a half years.

What should people know about your music?

I always want to give people something new, whether it’s my original music or something that I know that they probably haven’t heard yet. … If it’s one of my own songs and it goes over that’s something I’ll always come back to, because it’s just the best to be able to, like, make someone bob their head or get up and dance to your own song.

What did you do during quarantine?

That first month or so I think like a lot of people I was just wishing that it was just kind of going to blow over really quick. I was stuck in a place of not really being motivated besides doing online shows. I wasn’t writing a lot and my head was a little foggy. Over the past few months I’ve really come out of that and I’ve started writing more from different points of view. I feel like I’ve become a lot more thoughtful as a songwriter and as an entertainer.

When did you start playing out again?

May, at Trombly Gardens in Milford.

How’s your summer going so far?

I’ve been playing a lot. … There are some places that I’ve never played before that reached out to me just because they need local music in some capacity.

What are some of your favorite venues?

Fresh Chicks Market in Peterborough is really awesome and the farmers always tip well with baked goods and all that stuff. So that’s really cool. And definitely Trombly Gardens in Milford.

What’s the rest of your summer look like?

The shows have picked up exponentially so now it’s pretty much back to a normal schedule, just playing outside pretty much instead of all the indoor shows. I’m also three songs into my second album as far as writing and I’ve got a little bit of a concept going. So a lot of writing and a lot of playing. Just trying to stay creative.

How can people keep up with your shows and projects?

My Facebook page, Paul Driscoll Music.

Typical set list

“Hold On” – Tom Waits

“Thirteen Silver Dollars” – Colter Wall

“Lenny’s Song” (original)

“Old Paint” (traditional)

“Dancing in the Dark” – Bruce Springsteen

“Whitehouse Road” – Tyler Childers

“Million Pound Man” (original)

“These Days” – Black Keys

“Poor Man’s Son” – Noah Gunderson

“Ain’t Nobody’s Problem” – Sawmill Joe

Upcoming appearances

Aug. 8 – Moonlight Meadery, Londonderry

Aug. 10 – Fresh Chicks Local Outdoor Market, Peterborough

Aug. 22 – Concord Arts Market

Sept. 6 – Trombly Gardens, Milford

April Cushman

Originally from Brookline and now living in Swanzey, April Cushman has been playing guitar since she was 5. As an adult, she’s been performing for five or six years and is now a full-time musician.

What should people know about your music?

As a songwriter I feel like I’m really trying to stay on my own path and … to know that my music is telling stories that are true to me, telling stories that other people can relate to…. I grew up with a lot of country, folk and rock, and I’m trying to stay on the Southern rock side of things versus the country pop scene that’s really popular right now.

What did you do during quarantine?

I lost almost four months’ worth of shows, so I tried to try to keep as much contact with my fans as I possibly could. Thank goodness for social media. I was able to do a bunch of online shows, going live across the country. … My husband, my daughter and I do a lot of fishing and four-wheeling, so we tried to stay outside and enjoy life as much as we could and just kind of hang tight until things started to open again. It was a difficult time.

When did you start playing out again?

My first was an acoustic show at a venue I never played before in Hampton called WHYM Brewery. It was nice to sit there and play for three hours and be like, ‘Oh my gosh, people are real!’

How’s your summer going so far?

Great. I had recorded and released my first single about a month ago … got that all out of the way and came back home. I started gigging again, and it has been rolling.

What are some of your favorite venues?

I’ve been hitting up the craft brewery scene really hard, because all these places have really great patios and little stages away from everyone [like] Backyard Brewery in Manchester [and] Smuttynose in Hampton.

What’s the rest of your summer look like?

I’m really looking forward to playing Fletcher Murphy Park in Concord on Aug. 8 with my band. It will be the first time we’ve been on stage together since the beginning of February.

How can people keep up with your shows and projects?

The best way is through my website — aprilcushman.com. A lot of people follow me on Instagram and Facebook.

Typical set list

“Walking In Memphis” – Mark Cohn

“In A Small Town” – Original

“Soundtrack to My City” – Original

“Dust On The Bottle” – David Lee Murphy

“Fire And Rain” – James Taylor

“Once Upon A Time” – Original

“Come To My Window” – Melissa Etheridge

“Ain’t No Stopping You” – Original

“Skin And Bones” – Liz Longley

“Humble and Kind” – Lori McKenna

Upcoming appearances

Aug. 6 – Village Trestle, Goffstown

Aug. 7 – Murphy’s Taproom, Bedford

Aug. 8 – Fletcher-Murphy Park, Concord

Sept. 4 – Murphy’s Taproom

Ryan Williamson

Ryan Williamson, who grew up in Concord and still lives there, has been performing for almost three years.

What should people know about your music?

I tell everyone from the beginning that all the sounds I’m going to play are going to be played live. I use a lot of looping stuff but I don’t use any pre-recorded sounds; I make all of it myself. I play all kinds of genres … anything from Lee Brice country to Taylor Swift and Usher. Stuff that you wouldn’t expect to hear out of a solo guitarist.

What did you do during quarantine?

For the first couple weeks I just enjoyed not playing gigs all the time and kind of decompressed — I actually really liked that for a while. I started messing around with GarageBand, recording my original stuff, working on a range of different things trying to stay creative. I did a couple of online shows, which was really weird, because I’ve played at places where there are no people in the crowd, but this time there were definitely no people … but I got some good feedback on it. It was fun to try new stuff. That went on until the gigs came back.

When did you start playing out again?

End of May, at Backyard Brewery in Manchester.

How’s your summer going so far?

The last couple of weeks I have been really busy, and the next couple of months are really busy too, so I don’t feel like I’ve lost a whole lot. A lot of places have done a really good job creating outdoor seating areas for their patrons, and on the off chance that it’s raining, some places are still doing inside seating if people are comfortable with that.

What are some of your favorite venues?

I love Backyard Brewery and little places like Firefly in Manchester. Fratello’s in Nashua — the city has done a really good job opening up the Main Street area to have outdoor seating. You’re like hybrid busking out there. I’m on the street corner playing to patrons of a restaurant and to anyone who’s walking down the streets. That’s a new experience for me.

What’s the rest of your summer look like?

I’m going to be just playing gigs; I can’t go anywhere. Normally my family and I would go to our house in Canada, but we’re not allowed to go there, so I’m just going to be here playing gigs at various places around New Hampshire.

How can people keep up with your shows and projects?

I’m pretty bad at Facebook, but I try to keep my website up to date — ryanwilliamson.com.

Typical set list

“Moondance” – Van Morrison

“Hard to Love” – Lee Brice mashup with “Learning to Fly” – Tom Petty

“I Don’t Care” – Ed Sheeran

“Rhiannon” – Fleetwood Mac

“Slow Burn” – Kacey Musgraves

“Dancing in the Dark” – Bruce Springsteen

“Delicate” – Taylor Swift

“Faithfully” – Journey

“Die a Happy Man” – Thomas Rhett mashup with “Slow Dancing in a Burning Room” by John Mayer

“Watermelon Sugar” – Harry Styles

Upcoming appearances

Aug. 7 – Cactus Jack’s, Manchester

Aug. 8 – Backyard Brewery, Manchester

Aug. 11 – Murphy’s Taproom, Bedford

Aug. 14 – WHYM Brewery, Hampton

Aug. 15 – Cactus Jack’s, Manchester

Aug. 16 – KC’s Rib Shack, Manchester

Aug. 17 – Homestead, Merrimack

Aug. 18 – Fratello’s, Nashua

Aug. 20 – Firefly, Manchester

Maddi Ryan

Maddi Ryan of Methuen, Mass., who has been performing since she was 16, just finished her senior year of college at Boston University and moved back to her home town.

What should people know about your music?

I always want to be genuine and honest with listeners and I want to do something people resonate with, like, yeah, I’ve gone through that. I want to connect with people and be that friend through my music. I usually lean toward more of the pop country realm, because I love the attitude behind it. Singers like Maren Morris, Miranda Lambert, Carrie Underwood — I feel the emotions.

What did you do during quarantine?

I was finishing up my senior year of college, which was interesting, but I was also writing, writing, writing all the time. I annoyed my parents with the loud sounds coming out of my room. Me and the drummer I play with, Charles Greenwood, we were playing some livestreams and writing, reflecting and thinking of the next steps of where I want to be when this is all over.

When did you start playing out again?

June 27 was my first gig, at Liberty & Union Ale House in Taunton.

How’s your summer going so far?

It’s going pretty well. Most of these gigs are outside so it’s very dependent on the weather, which luckily has been holding up.

What are some of your favorite places to play?

Bonfire in Manchester is always such a fun time. All the places I play are awesome; it’s hard to pick a favorite.

What’s the rest of your summer look like?

Playing shows of course, and it looks like a lot of recording — I’ve put all my energy into [working in] my basement, trying to get some writing done and make demos. Looking forward to putting out some music in the near future.

How can people keep up with your shows and projects?

My Maddi Ryan Music Facebook page and my website too.

Typical set list

“Free Fallin’” – Tom Petty

“Stuck Like Glue” – Sugarland

“Folsom Prison Blues” – Johnny Cash

“Lonely” – Maddi Ryan

“Come Together” – The Beatles

“Hotel California” – Eagles

“Chicken Fried” – Zac Brown Band

“Tennessee Whiskey” – Chris Stapleton

“Zombie” – The Cranberries

“My Church” – Maren Morris

Upcoming appearances

Aug. 7 – Bonfire, Manchester

Aug. 28 – Old School Bar & Grill, Windham

Featured Image: MB Padfield. Courtesy photo.

Stay in the loop!

Get FREE weekly briefs on local food, music,

arts, and more across southern New Hampshire!