The Music Roundup 20/11/19

Local music news & events

Flighting: Southern California-based tribute band The Eagles Experience presents a convincing recreation of their sound, from the four-part harmonies of “Heartache Tonight” to Don Henley’s melancholy on “Heart of the Matter.” An originally scheduled full hall appearance was split into two shows to accommodate social distancing requirements. Saturday, Nov. 21, 5 and 8 p.m., Dana Center for the Humanities, 100 Saint Anselm Dr., Manchester. Tickets are $40 at anselm.edu.

Modness: Singer Rick Larrimore’s Rod Stewart Tribute Show convinces on two fronts. He looks the part of the shaggy-haired pop star, and his delivery — sandy-throated vocals, fluid mannerisms and impish charm — is a perfect doppelganger. Larrimore is a big draw in Las Vegas, when a pandemic isn’t running the tables. The event is limited to four-seat table reservations. Saturday, Nov. 21, 8 p.m. at Pasta Loft Restaurant & Pub, 241 Milford Oval, No. 4, Milford, tickets $80 per table at eventbrite.com.

Worldly: Serious music ensues at a Symphony NH event called Universal Perspectives, as Maestro Roger Kalia leads a 10-piece string ensemble performing selections ranging from Gershwin’s “Lullaby” to a pair of Brazilian pieces — Danza’s “De Panama” and “Mother & Child” — concluding with a musical journey to Estonia and the enduring hymn “Amazing Grace.” Sunday, Nov. 22, 2 p.m., Rex Theatre, 23 Amherst St., Manchester. Tickets $10 to $25 at palacetheatre.org.

Percussive: Though Drinksgiving is Covid-diminished this year, Senie Hunt will perform an evening of his unique, guitar-as-a-drum music to lead into the holiday. Born in Sierra Leone, Hunt moved from New Hampshire to Memphis a while back but has been in town for the past several weeks. He’ll debut a new Christmas album, Winter Meadow, at the show. Wednesday, Nov. 25, 8 p.m., Penuche’s Ale House, 16 Bicentennial Square, Concord. $2 at the door, see seniehunt.com.

High country show

Fogelberg tribute is a gem

A careful return to concerts at the Franklin Opera House includes a hybrid live and livestream show on Nov. 14, with Maine singer-songwriter Don Campbell playing the music of Dan Fogelberg. Employing a voice that closely resembles the soothing tenor that propelled hits such as “Leader of the Band,” “Same Old Lang Syne” and “Go Down Easy,” Campbell will perform both solo on piano and guitar, and with an expanded band.
For Campbell, hearing Fogelberg’s Souvenirs album as a teenager in the early 1970s was a transformative experience.
“It made me want to become a songwriter,” he said in a recent phone interview. “It felt like he was singing directly to me. A common thread with fans that I meet is it’s almost like you knew him through his music.”
Campbell has had a lot of success with his chosen craft. He’s a six-time winner of the Maine’s Best Singer-Songwriter poll and took top honors at a Grand Ole Opry competition of original artists that earned him $50,000 and a Gibson Les Paul custom guitar. He’s made 14 CDs of original music, including a pair of Christmas albums. His most recent release is 2014’s The Dust Never Settles.
It’s Campbell’s tribute act that’s getting the most notice in recent years, however.
When prostate cancer claimed Fogelberg in 2007, Campbell began recording his favorites to memorialize him, ultimately releasing a double album in 2012, Kites To Fly – The Music of Dan Fogelberg. Its title is a metaphor, not a lyric reference.
“His songs are like beautiful kites that you take down from the wall and outside to fly a little bit,” Campbell said. “That’s the only way I can describe them for someone who doesn’t know Dan’s music.”
The tribute was noticed by the Fogelberg Association of Peoria, Illinois (the singer’s hometown). The family trust invited Campbell to perform at their annual Celebration Weekend in 2013 and endorsed his act on its website.
“I got to speak to his mother through the foundation president, who put me on the phone with her,” Campbell said. “It was really quite an honor.”
The upcoming Franklin show will be Campbell’s first livestream, and he said he’s relieved to be performing for an in-person crowd at the same time.
“We like to play for people, not at people, where you can talk to the audience,” he said. “So I love opera houses. They always sound great, and they were built for carrying sound. We’re not a loud band; we’re more about playing the parts.”
He’ll bring a seven-piece band that includes fiddle and mandolin players for the evening. It will span Fogelberg’s career, from his gentle, semi-confessional early work to mid- ‘70s jazz rock and the 1985 bluegrass classic High Country Snows, a record Campbell names as one of his most beloved in the catalog.
“It was a special project,” he said.
Over the summer, Campbell and his band did a few outdoor, socially distanced shows. One memorably happened in the parking lot of The Clambake, a favorite seafood restaurant in his hometown of Scarborough, Maine; he and his band played atop a flatbed truck.
“People got lobster rolls and sat in lawn chairs between each car or in the back of a pickup truck,” he said. “We put on a three-hour concert and it was really great. I’ve always said, ‘Evolve or dissolve.’ Everybody’s had to evolve in 2020 to keep things going.”
Asked what he’ll remember most about this challenging year, Campbell answered quickly.
“Playing in close proximity to people,” he said. “Being able to play in venues where there are dancers right in front of you, it’s hard to replace that.”

The Music of Dan Fogelberg – Don Campbell Band
When: Saturday, Nov. 14, 7:30 p.m.
Where: Franklin Opera House, 316 Central St., Franklin
Tickets: $18 & $20 ($17/livestream) at franklinoperahouse.org

Featured photo: Don Campbell. Courtesy photo.

The Music Roundup 20/11/12

Local music news & events

Laugh night: After working as a district attorney and criminal defense lawyer, Paul D’Angelo became a standup comic, and a successful one at that. He’s opened for everyone from Aretha Franklin to Huey Lewis, at places such as Caesar’s Palace and New York City’s Friar’s Club. D’Angelo also appeared on Showtime’s Godfathers of Comedy a while back as well. Friday, Nov. 13, 7:30 p.m., Rex Theatre, 23 Amherst St., Manchester. Tickets are $25 at palacetheatre.org.

Local lights: A silver lining of Covid-19 is area bands like Mica’s Groove Train who’ve stepped up to fill the gap left by national tour cancellations and received well-deserved big-stage spotlight moments. Yamica Peterson keeps busy in a number of configurations, but her NEMA-nominated group is the one that gave her a name for soulful, danceable funk. Saturday, Nov. 14, 8 p.m., Bank of NH Stage, 16 S. Main St., Concord. Tickets are $25 at banknhstage.com.

Brew tunes: Live music returns to a neighborhood microbrewery as Nick Ferrero strums and sings at an afternoon gathering. Ferrero is described as a “folk punk singer songwriter and heartfelt rock ’n’ roller,” who “aims to be the voice of his generation, whether anyone hears it or not.” The event will be set up for social distancing, the way of the world for the foreseeable future. Sunday, Nov. 15, 2 p.m., To Share Brewing Co., 720 Union St., Manchester, see facebook.com/nickferreroofficial.

Blues dude: A regular around the region for decades, Arthur James debuts his friendly blues music at a venerable venue. Last year, James released the solo acoustic Hey… I’m Still Here, his first LP sans band, and a prescient move considering the current live performance climate. Highlights include the easygoing “Got Me A Woman” and “292 Nashua Street,” a countrified gem. Thursday, Nov. 12, 6 p.m., The Stone Church, 5 Granite St., Newmarket; more at arthurjames.org.

Sound of experience

Country rockers play Hudson, host song circle

The initials in EXP Band stand for “experienced players” — front man Rob Randlett, bassist Erik Thomas, lead guitarist John Andrews and drummer Curtis Marzerka are all veteran musicians. Their modern country sound, however, arrived a bit late in their careers.

Randlett spent his early years rocking hard, but in 2014 he got some advice from Hillsboro producer Ted Hutchinson that sent him in a southern direction.

“He told me, ‘I know you like doing the rock thing,’” Randlett said recently by phone, “‘but country’s where you need to be, and that’s where your voice suits you. If you do that, you’ll see things will change.’”

Hutchinson had good ears; Randlett guested with Jodi Cunningham’s band a few times, and soon her fans were asking when his band would be coming to town. So piece by piece he put one together and started playing out.

“Everything was modern country,” he said. “Fresh, because it was right on the radio.”

Since then, the group has gigged all over New England, playing NASCAR and Bike Week, while Randlett himself won New Hampshire Country Music Association and national honors — best male vocalist in 2018 and best modern country male and band the following year.

With Covid-19, their schedule has constricted, but EXP is still doing shows. The next one is Friday, Nov. 6, at The Bar in Hudson, a favorite spot for them, Randlett said.

“It’s just a very homey, feel-good type of a place … a small venue, and it’s very relaxing,” he said.

A Nov. 7 date at Concord’s Area 23 has been moved to December, but they will be at the Manchester VFW the following week, on Friday the 13th.

Along with playing Jason Aldean, Kenny Chesney and Chase Rice covers, Randlett is an original artist. The Army vet’s latest endeavor is a Bluebird Café styled song circle, fittingly happening Nov. 11 at Tower Hill Tavern in Laconia. He hopes this Songwriters Night event will be the first of many.

“We’re just starting out,” he said. “The music industry is tough right now, along with everything else. Because of Covid, they’re not really allowing full bands inside, but there are solo artists some places, depending on the ownership.”

Tower Hill regularly books Randlett and jumped at the chance to host the event.

“As soon as I posted asking, if I did a songwriters night, would anybody want to do that, he was like, ‘I wanna do it here; we have to do it here,’” Randlett said.

All musicians are welcome.

“It’s kind of like a Nashville thing, but it doesn’t have to be all country,” Randlett said. “It could be blues, rock, whatever you want it to be. If there’s some 16-year-old kid that’s a great songwriter, you know, and his mom and dad want to bring him down to show off his talent, that’s cool. It’s all about bringing musicians together again.”

He looks forward to hosting Songwriters Night on Veterans Day, noting that he hopes to draw attention to a holiday that’s often misunderstood by the general public.

“I thought it was a cool day because military is a big part of my heart and my music. To be able to share this on Veterans Day means a lot to me,” he said.

EXP will appear as a full band on Nov. 6, at The Bar. Randlett is optimistic that it’s a harbinger.

“I think things are moving in a positive direction,” he said. “People are now becoming accustomed to what the outlook is when they go out in public [and] I feel as long as you follow the rules and work with the bar owners, music can continue. When things get out of control and people don’t abide by the rules and do the wrong thing, that’s when problems happen.”

EXP Band
When
: Friday, Nov. 6, 8 p.m.
Where: The Bar, 2B Burnham Road, Hudson

Songwriters Night
When
: Wednesday, Nov. 11, 6 p.m.
Where: Tower Hill Tavern, 264 Lakeside Ave., Laconia
More: Facebook.com/EXPBandNH

Featured photo: EXP Band. Courtesy photo.

The Music Roundup 20/11/05

Local music news & events

Road show: A favorite in their home city of Manchester, Queen City Improv takes its on-the-spot comedy act to the capital for a monthly residency that runs through August 2021. Each QCI show is new, often drawn from current events. At the next one, a BYOB affair, the troupe plans to crown one of its own as President of Concord, because we do need another election. Thursday, Nov. 5, 7:30 p.m., Hatbox Theatre, 270 Loudon Road, Concord. Tickets are $22 at hatboxnh.org.

Bottom drop: After moving across town recently, the popular Bass Weekly DJ night continues with Josh Teed performing a two-hour set; Teed recently released a new EP. The evening begins with lead-in half-hour sets from Jacek and Versible, followed by Location and Chmura with an hour each. Temperatures will be taken at the door for this safe and sane floor-shaking event. Friday, Nov. 6, 8 p.m., Jewel Music Venue, 61 Canal St., Manchester, $5 cover, more at facebook.com/electricimpulseevents.

Lively time: Born and raised in Florida, Pete Peterson grew up on Southern rhythm and blues music. He later moved north, married into the region and has become a fixture on the scene with his bands Rhythm Method and Family Affair, both featuring his daughter Yamica. He’s also ubiquitous playing and singing as a solo performer. Saturday, Nov. 7, 9 p.m. Derryfield Country Club, 625 Mammoth Road, Manchester. See facebook.com/Pete-Peterson-Music-NH-690452174323834.

Sing and sup: Despite the pandemic, hardworking singer and guitarist Brad Bosse is performing nearly nonstop this month, sometimes twice in the same day. Engaging and crowd-friendly, Bosse’s setlist is wide and varied. He can move from a smoothly Sinatra song to covering Notorious B.I.G., then jump over to Sublime’s West Coast reggae and end on a Kenny Chesney country note. Sunday, Nov. 8, 4 p.m., Copper Door, 15 Leavy Dr., Bedford. See facebook.com/BradBosseMusic.

Ghouling pianos

Music and comedy with a Halloween twist

With all the horrors already unleashed by 2020, what’s the point of Halloween? Everyone already has a mask, and fright is a constant condition. What could be added to that?

In a word, laughs. Of all the entertainments that carefully made their way back into public spaces, comedy has provided special relief to the shell-shocked citizenry. On Friday, Oct. 30, in Nashua and on Halloween night in Manchester, Chunky’s Cinema Pub continues a tradition begun last year with a Dueling Pianos costume party. Area favorite Jim Tyrrell appears at both events, with Jeff Gaynor joining him one night and Julian Chisolm the next.

The format is right out of a Billy Joel song, with tips and requests stuffed in a jar — and with this special event, there will be plenty asking for “Monster Mash,” “Thriller” and “Purple People Eater.” Add to that a crowd that’s encouraged to dress up for the occasion.

But there’s an additional twist, said Rob Steen, whose Headliners Comedy Club is presenting the shows, in a recent phone interview. Audience participation drives the evening.

“Say you want to hear ‘Brown Eyed Girl’ — you put a dollar in and they play it,” he said. “But your wife might not want to hear that song, so she could put two or three dollars in to stop them. For the players, money is more of a device to dictate where the show goes.”

This makes the crowd a third instrument for the two keyboard warriors.

“So every show is different, you know?” Steen said. “In some venues I booked I’ve heard, ‘The pianos weren’t really funny last time, but they’re really good this time.’ I say, ‘Well, your crowd kind of sucked.’ I mean, I shouldn’t say it like that, but it’s all dictated by what the crowd does.”

Steen has booked the three New Hampshire Chunky’s (the other is in Pelham) for several years, but when the curtain lifted to permit live entertainment in late spring, his shows were especially vital for the venue.

With the pandemic, film studios froze release dates, Steen said.

“Chunky’s called me and said, ‘We can’t play any movies because there’s nothing coming out … we need live entertainment.’ So we did the comedy, the pianos, we got the tribute acts, and we also had kids’ shows, which have been selling out crazy.”

Having the cinema/restaurant available provided a critical lifeline to Steen in return, as his showcase comedy club in downtown Manchester shuttered on March 13 and has been dark since — though it will open again on Nov. 7, with headliner Will Noonan joined by local comic Paul Landwehr and Steen.

Staffing problems and uncertainty about regulations nearly delayed Headliners’ reopening to December, but as of Oct. 22 all systems were go.

“Capacity limits is the biggest concern, as we need a certain amount of seats to be viable,” Steen said. “They have increased a bit, which is good. However, distancing and safety regulations make it nearly impossible to have more capacity, and the cost to have plexiglass around every table would be very expensive. We still would lose lots of seating.”

Chunky’s doesn’t present the same problems, Steen said.

“It’s a very large room, so spacing isn’t an issue. Ceilings are very high. We are 25 feet from the crowd. So guidelines are easier to follow. … Smaller venues have a bigger challenge, mainly due to space restrictions.”

Steen, New England’s busiest comedy promoter, presses on, meeting each challenge with the same pluck that makes his crowd work as a comic look easy. Weekly shows are planned for his showcase club, along with weekend events at both the Manchester and Nashua Chunky’s. One-off shows happen often at Murphy’s Taproom in Bedford, Nashua’s Flight Center, the Pasta Loft in Milford and other places, as well as larger events at the Capitol Center and Palace Theatre.

New Year’s Eve is Steen’s biggest night of the year, and though it won’t be the same as in the past, Steen is determined to ring in 2021 at several venues throughout the state, whatever Covid-19 brings.

“My friends say I’m like a cockroach, [that] I don’t get killed, that I’m lucky,” he said. “When preparation and opportunity meet — that’s what luck is.”

Dueling Pianos Halloween Party – Two Shows
When:
Friday, Oct. 30, 8 p.m. at Chunky’s Cinema, 151 Coliseum Ave., Nashua, and Saturday, Oct. 31, 8 p.m. at Chunky’s Cinema, 707 Huse Road, Manchester
Tickets: $20 at headlinerscomedyclub.com
Also: Headliners Comedy Club at Hilton Doubletree Manchester is expected to reopen Nov. 7 with Will Noonan headlining.

Featured photo: Courtesy photo.

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