When it comes to live music in New Hampshire, there are plenty of choices. It all comes down to what suits the mood. Maybe a country singer with a story to tell, or a musical conversation between the members of a jam band, in the form of nods and hand signs. Or a troubadour folkie with a song that joins old traditions to modern sensibilities might be just right. Maybe it’s a bluegrass combo keeping the mood acoustic, or perhaps the interplay of jazz, the emotive rock of pop-punk, the soaring sound of progressive rock. It’s all here.
Eight of the state’s musical mavens were asked to define their genres and talk about what people might not know about them. Each also weighed in on the leading purveyors and the best venues where they perform.
Hopefully, it’s a handy guide for a night of appreciating the state’s music.
Folk
Tom Pirozzoli is a singer, songwriter, painter and promoter. In 1994 he had a new album and wanted to do a release show, so he asked Tom Mills, owner of Flying Goose Bar & Grille in New London, if he’d be interested in hosting it. Thirty-one years later, weekly folk nights are a staple at the restaurant, bar and brewery. Pirozzoli also books other shows at coffee houses in the area. Find his schedule at pirozzoli.com.
How would you define folk?
Every folk musician gets the same answer. Bill Broonzy once said, ‘I ain’t never heard no horses singing.’ To me, it’s somebody like Harvey Reid, who’s a true troubadour. Harvey knows so many songs. I mean, he knows some pop songs, too, like ‘Ode to Billie Joe,’ which was a hit record, but it’s really a country song. He knows all the Carter Family music, he’s got a huge catalog of folk music. And he’s a great songwriter as well.
What got you interested in it?
I was born in 1950, so I was listening to a little transistor radio when I was 13 years old in 1963. Everybody got one at that age. Then The Beatles came out, and I still remember all the words to their songs. But when I first heard Bob Dylan singing … ‘Just Like A Woman’ was the first song I heard by him and it just blew my mind. It was right around then I started playing guitar, and I guess I got into folk music because it was what I could do.
Who are some of New Hampshire’s representative folk acts?
Well, Tom Rush, obviously, would be at the top, even though I think he jumped in between Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Click Horning is with a band called Night Kitchen with Gerry Putnam … his son plays bass, and then Alex Keenan, who plays in a variety of bands down on the Seacoast. Cormac McCarthy was born in New Hampshire, but he lives in Maine now — you can count him.
Where are some of the best places to see folk performed?
Well, the Flying Goose and there’s also the Peterborough Folk Music Society. There’s also Bass Hall, and Deb McWethy’s house concerts — those are what is going to save us…. There are also coffee houses — in Sunapee and Andover, there’s the Deering Coffee House and then the Anonymous Coffee House in Lebanon. Also, the Word Barn in Exeter is great, and the Stone Church [in Newmarket] is too.
Pop Punk
Aaron Shelton plays in a band and runs Kinetic City Events. Most of his shows happen at the Shaskeen in Manchester (such as Emo Karaoke Night with a live backing band, the next of which takes place Friday, Nov. 14, at 8 p.m.), but he occasionally books other venues. The emo band tribute night Live Free or Cry has grown into an institution, as well as the muti-band shows that regularly happen in the back room of the Elm Street Irish bar and restaurant. Find Kinetic City Events’ upcoming schedule on their Facebook page.
How would you define pop punk?
I think it’s largely just anything that is more poppy, accessible punk. Typically lighthearted, upbeat punk music.
What got you interested in it?
I listened to nu metal in the late ’90s and around 2001 I came across Thursday, New Found Glory, Boy Sets Fire, bands like that (only one is pop punk), and that led me to dive deeper and found bands like Rufio, The Stryder and Saves The Day.
Who are some of New Hampshire’s representative pop punk acts?
The bands that come to mind at the moment are Donaher, Hell Beach and Breaking Up. I’m sure I’m missing some, though.
Where are some of the best places to see pop punk performed?
I’m a little biased but right now I think The Shaskeen and BAD BRGR are doing a lot of excellent pop punk and emo/post hardcore stuff. [Editor’s note: Other venues include Terminus Underground in Nashua, with a Pop Punk Pop happening on Nov. 29, as well as Newmarket’s Stone Church and the Press Room in Portsmouth.]
What’s the most misunderstood thing about pop punk?
I’m not sure I’d say anything is misunderstood exactly. I think there are some big jumps between what I would call true (or good) pop punk and radio pop punk bands like Sum 41 and Good Charlotte, which are of course the biggest of the broad term of the genre.
Jam band
A founding member of JamAntics, Eric Reingold has played in a multitude of bands over the years. Lately he fronts Concord supergroup UP and plays bass with JamAntics spinoff Lucas Gallo & the Guise. Past groups include People Skills, Cold Engines and Blacklight Ruckus. Reingold’s take on jam band music isn’t one of rules-free improvisation. He prefers compact songs and believes discipline, skills and communication are the genre’s hallmarks. Find “UP – the band” on Facebook. Lucas Gallo & The Guide will play Penuche’s Ale House in Concord on Wednesday, Nov. 26, at 9 p.m.; follow them via lucasgallomusic.com.
How would you define jam band music?
My impression of jam bands is picking things up on the fly … a little bit loosey-goosey but coming back into a very tight togetherness, whether it’s the verse or the chorus, or taking a stroll down in order to segue into a different song. Now, that being said … if a song is 20 or 30 or 40 minutes long, even if a song is seven or eight minutes long, I’m ADD enough to be like, ‘OK, that’s enough for me,’ and it’s very much shaped my way of being in a jam band. I’ve very much modified my own style to be jam band but tight and short.
Who are some of New Hampshire’s representative jam band acts?
Concord especially, where I live, is so welcoming of not only jam bands but just music, original music. … On any given night it’s tougher to find a cover band in Concord than it is to find an original band.I love that about Concord. But the jam band scene, … Any of the Laliotis brothers, all three of them are great musicians. Scott Solsky is another great artist. My bands, Lucas Gallo & the Guise, and UP. Other bands that I’ve become friendly with, in and outside of Concord, and recommend seeing are Kenny Brothers, J3ST, Holy Fool and Trade, which is one of the best examples of super-talented jam originals. Other bands I could recommend I actually became part of after being a fan, like People Skills, Cold Engines and Blacklight Ruckus.
Where are some of the best places to see jam band music performed?
The love of my life will always be Penuche’s. I love that place. … Feathered Friend has really done a lot. They have a great big stage out back, so they’re really up and coming. Then there’s the Bank of New Hampshire Stage, which is amazing … anybody can play on all scale levels. That’s where Andrew Grosvenor puts on an open mic. He’s done a great job of getting solo artists and individual groups that don’t have any following up onto a stage that might never get that opportunity to play on such high-end equipment or such a nice stage. The Tap House is a new place in the Lakes Region, and I want to make a point to bring up Henniker Brewing Co.
What’s the most misunderstood thing about jam band music?
I just want to reiterate … it’s not that people are noodling around and really loose on stage. I think jam bands actually take a lot more skill than having parts and exact songs playing in exactly that way. Just because you need to know…. There needs to be communication up on stage. It’s a tougher thing for a band to have.
Jazz
Brad Myrick leads an eponymous trio and performs solo throughout the region when he’s not traveling in Europe, where he’s made guitar albums with musical partner Nicola Cipriani, and has a new one coming early next year. A characteristic of good jazz, he said during a break from a series of workshops with fellow musician Vinx in southern France, is that it contains echoes of other sounds — pop, rock, the Great American Songbook — to draw listeners in. Catch the Brad Myrick Band Sunday, Dec. 7, at 10 a.m. at Jimmy’s Jazz & Blues Club in Portsmouth. Find more shows at bradmyrick.com.
How would you define jazz?
… I think jazz is really about the spirit of listening, interplay, improvisation and not setting rules. It’s really a wide open space and that’s why it’s been so amazing….
What got you interested in it?
When I was a teenager in the ’90s, I was playing a lot of pop and rock … I was into prog and metal and some of the heavier stuff, and I was into popular music. … But my guitar teacher, Joe Gattuso, kept introducing me to new little things like, Hey, check this out, check this out…. I realized that as a guitar player there were all these other things I could do beyond just the pop and rock stuff, and I just fell in love with jazz and world music …
Who are some of New Hampshire’s representative jazz acts?
I’m not as tapped into that as I probably should be, but I love David Newsam. He was the head of the UNH guitar program for a long time, and he still teaches at Berklee. David’s got a whole bunch of different projects going on. … Choro Loco is a great little band where they play Brazilian music — choro and samba and that kind of stuff is really interesting. But I would say if you can tap into Dave he’s got a few projects. He works with some saxophone players that are just fantastic.
Where are some of the best places to see jazz performed?
I’ve actually been trying to reach out and find different places that aren’t necessarily music venues. So I’ve been going to art galleries and presenting ideas. Obviously Jimmy’s Jazz & Blues in Portsmouth is a beautiful venue. Another place I’ve played some music with was a place called Glimpse Gallery in Concord…. My trio plays at Jimmy’s, we do the brunches, and that’s great. They treat us pretty well there, but there’s not a lot of venues that are paying real money for jazz musicians.
What’s the most misunderstood thing about jazz?
I don’t want to speak for anybody else, but my experience is that you, as an artist, should give people a little bit of permission to come be part of what you’re doing, instead of just being the guy on stage with your head down playing a lot of notes. If you include them a little bit, people are really open to it … they say, I don’t know what’s going on here but I’m interested and it’s cool. So just saying hello, talking about the song, raising your head up and smiling at the crowd. … I try to interact with people and let them know, here’s what’s going on.
Prog rock
Though Jerry LoFaro isn’t a musician, he knows plenty about progressive rock, and he even built a venue in back of his Henniker home for concerts. Everyone from Springsteen keyboard player turned jazz fusionist David Sancious to New Hampshire’s own Rocking Horse Music Club has performed at the LoFaro Center, with more shows on the way. LoFaro is also an artist who’s done album covers, including one for a CD/DVD tribute to prog hero Keith Emerson, and he’s the house photographer at Tupelo Music Hall in Derry. Find the LoFaro Center’s schedule on Facebook.
How would you define prog rock?
The simple explanation is to point to the bands that everyone thinks of…. Yes, ELP, Genesis and of course Pink Floyd. That was the benchmark, and of course a lot of people consider the Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds to be one of the first prog albums, and The Beatles’ Magical Mystery Tour … coming from the ’60s, and then all the experimentation happened. So the early definition was pushing the boundaries of composition and skill level … a lot of these jam bands are clearly influenced by prog rock due to the stretching of instrumentals. You hear it in bands like Umphrey’s McGee.
What got you interested in it?
I had all Elton John’s records, and then his Greatest Hits came out with him with the white tux and the hat on the cover. I bought it to have for my collection. I grew up on Long Island and the popular radio station played this commercial with Keith Emerson [and] it was so intriguing. Here’s a guy with a keyboard, and I’m listening to Elton John … I think I’d heard ‘Lucky Man.’ After that commercial, and this is in the days when you could do that, I went back to Sam Goody, where I bought the Elton John record, and traded it in for Brain Salad Surgery, even steven. That album, it just changed my life. I mean, the journey officially began.
Who are some of New Hampshire’s representative prog rock acts?
That’s a tough question. The only one I can think of right now is the Rocking Horse Music Club, who just performed here. Rocking Horse creates popular music and they work with a lot of different artists, but when Brian [Coombes, the studio’s owner and producer[ wants to do his own thing, it’s, it’s very prog oriented, very adventuresome, eclectic. His latest album, Last Pink Glow, is really beautiful and very progressive. Then there’s Mindset X from Manchester, and Delusive Relics, which was called Mavara.
Where are some of the best places to see prog rock performed?
I have a loyal following here, but of course the Tupelo Music Hall has had prog rock, it had the Musical Box, a Genesis tribute act, a number of times, and some others that touch upon the genre for sure. Flying Monkey in Plymouth, too. John Lodge played both places, and he certainly would be considered part of that.
What’s the most misunderstood thing about prog rock?
I think the fact that people consider it intellectual music is a barrier for a lot of people. They think, I like rock ’n’ roll, but I don’t want to have to think too much or pay attention to the music. I just want to hear it as background. That has always been a bad rap. Of course, for those of us that lean intellectually, we love that. Another misconception is that it’s pompous, full of itself or show-off or it doesn’t reflect the essence of rock ’n’ roll. Meanwhile, you’ve got Madonna in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Country
Born and raised in New Hampshire, April Cushman is arguably the state’s most successful country artist. The past four years, she’s been nominated at the New England Music Awards for Best Country Artist and won two times. While fans can catch her in clubs, lately Cushman has been headlining places like the Colonial Theatre in Keene. In the recent past she’s become the go-to country performer for the New England Patriots, singing the national anthem multiple times and, last Nov. 2, starring in a Salute to Service-themed halftime show. See aprilcushman.com for upcoming shows.
How would you define country?
What makes it country music is the stories behind the songs. Typically country music is real life experiences, the life that you’re living, the life that you’ve seen other people live. … It’s the lyrics, not necessarily the melody or which branch of country music it kind of pulls off from. There’s always that storyteller element.
What got you interested in it?
I grew up on Tom Petty, The Eagles, Sheryl Crow, Fleetwood Mac, all the stuff that my dad essentially grew up on … but I believe it was Keith Urban that really drew me into more of the early 2000s country, Rascal Flatts and stuff, [and] I’m a huge ’90s country fan. Honestly, I think the thing that made me fall in love with it was the relatability of the stories, even though I was a young teenage kid. I think essentially the older you get too, the more you can look back and be like, ‘Oh, yeah, I can relate to Reba McEntire, I totally get it.’
Who are some of New Hampshire’s representative country acts?
I feel like a lot of the country music acts in New England kind of fall from the Massachusetts side of things. … Martin and Kelly … are both out of New Hampshire. There is the North County Band. They’re out of Connecticut and they play up in New Hampshire a lot. They’re really, really great people. Nate Ramos is another one.
Where are some of the best places to see country performed?
One of the places that I play a lot, and I’ve actually got a residency that I’m going to be pulling next summer, is up in Center Harbor, New Hampshire. It’s called the Tap House. It’s right out, you can see Winnipesaukee, it’s right there. And I believe they have a lot of classic rock stuff in there too, but it’s a very country-forward place if you have country artists in there, and they’re wonderful. Then there’s Saddle Up Saloon in Kingston, Bonfire and The Goat in Manchester. Arts Alley is great. BNH Stage is right there too, and the rooftop is super cool. …
What’s the most misunderstood thing about country?
A lot of the people that listen to today’s more modernized country and the pop country thing, I think they think … that’s what it is just as a whole, that’s all that it is, but they don’t realize that there’s very different branches and elements to country music that come off from the genre as a whole. So I think the most misunderstood part about country is that there are many, many branches that come off of it, and I think a lot of people don’t realize that not every country song is about missing a girl in the neon lights sitting at the bar.
Bluegrass
Scott Heron is an acoustic multi-instrumentalist who performs with a number of bluegrass groups, including The Treetellers, who recently covered Bill Monroe and Flatt & Scruggs at a Ryman Auditorium Remembered show in Concord. He also leads Any Which Way and the Heron Bluegrass Company and is a member of Big Sweetie, a Seacoast supergroup that includes Jake Davis, Zac Arnault and Jake Smith, which draws from a variety of influences, from country to r&b and rock ’n’ roll. Upcoming shows include with the Heron Bluegrass Company at the Barrington-based Nippo Lake Golf Club’s Bluegrass Series on Sunday, Nov. 30, at 6 p.m.; see scottheron.com.
How would you define bluegrass?
That’s a very good question, because I play a lot of not bluegrass. I play all sorts of genres. I love bluegrass, and I think people see you with a banjo and their perceptions are that, oh, you’re playing bluegrass. You have a banjo or you have a fiddle, so you’re playing bluegrass. So it’s a funny thing to try to define, but there’s … that typical Bill Monroe five-piece outfit: fiddle, banjo, guitar, mandolin and upright bass. So it can be looked at as the instrumentation is making it bluegrass, but obviously the sound, there’s a particular sound that’s bluegrass. You know it when you hear it.
What got you interested in it?
Probably like everybody else, I came across the movie O Brother, Where Art Thou? I was familiar with some of it … the Stanley Brothers, and I knew who Bill Monroe was. But I think that really put it in the forefront, and so it kind of got me going down a rabbit hole. Conversely, I came at it from another angle, ultimately from classic rock, and I just kept kind of diving further and further. You get to classic rock, then get to Bob Dylan and The Band, and then you get to Bob Dylan’s influences, Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger, and then you start getting into the whole folk revival.
Who are some of New Hampshire’s representative bluegrass acts?
I’m fortunate to come across a lot of these folks, particularly where I’m on the Seacoast, we have quite a few bluegrass and Americana bands. One of the long-term ones, my buddy Cecil Abels plays in the New England Bluegrass Band. He’s from Mississippi originally, but he’s been up here in New Hampshire for quite a few years, and they play all over. My buddy Rick Watson used to play in the Bolt Hill Band, but I don’t think they’re around any longer. One of my favorite people, his name’s Old Time Dave Talmadge. The big one that comes to mind, who’ve been playing together for over 50 years, is Lunch at the Dump.
Where are some of the best places to see bluegrass performed?
Obviously, the Nippo Lake Bluegrass Series jumps out, and the Word Barn. Stone Church used to do a bit more bluegrass, and they may be bringing it back. There’s a summer series at the Applecrest Farms. There is Pembroke City Limits. I love seeing something like what Rob Azevedo’s done. He’s just made this wonderful space. It can be a honky-tonk, a listening room or just a rowdy bar. He’s been so welcoming.
Hip-hop
Few music genres in New Hampshire have a cheerleader with the energy of Bill Fee, who performs hip-hop as Fee the Evolutionist. He’s nominated for a 2025 New England Music Award, which follows a Rising Star New Hampshire win a couple of years ago. “It only took me 20 years,” he said with a laugh at the time. With his life partner Ruby Shabazz, another NEMA winner, Fee is also a big booster of his hometown of Nashua and often does shows there, along with performing throughout the state and across the Massachusetts border. Fee the Evolutionist is on the bill for Hellbound for the Holidays Toy Drive and Concert on Saturday, Dec. 13, at The Spot in Nashua at 6 p.m., according to his Facebook page, where you can find more upcoming performances. Follow Ruby Shabazz on her Facebook and Instragram pages.
How would you define hip-hop?
Hip-hop, for me, is more than just music; it’s a culture, a movement, a force for truth and connection. It’s about the four pillars — MCing, DJing, breakdancing and graffiti—but it’s also about knowledge, consciousness and giving back. When I define it in my music, I’m talking about that raw, organic feeling from the golden era, where soul samples and real instrumentation drive the beat. It’s a living art form that allows for storytelling, social commentary and genuine expression.
What got you interested in it?
Growing up, hip-hop always resonated with me; it speaks to my soul. I harked back to the fun, melodic harmonies and soul samples of the golden era. I was fascinated by the whole culture and wanted to learn everything I could. I remember sitting in Ski Beatz’s living room and watching him flip deep soul samples into bangers — it was magic to me. That raw, authentic sound, and the ability to use my voice for something meaningful, that’s what got me hooked and kept me evolving.
Who are some of New Hampshire’s representative hip-hop acts?
The New Hampshire and general New England scene has some serious talent. I’ve been proud to collaborate with great artists from the area like Ruby Shabazz, DJ Myth, Dez tha Baker, Cody Pope & Byron G. I also work with legends from the broader New England scene like Edo G, Termanology, Brady Watt and REKS, who are all putting in work and repping the culture strong. Flow Free or Die is a production company from Nashua that is continuously putting out podcasts and promoting shows. Mr. Goodbarz at ToyBox studios has been producing a lot of local acts. Recently a brand new multimedia company called 603 Beat Collaborative just launched and they specialize in live sound, recording production and content creation so that is exciting. We’re all part of this movement that’s bringing respect to the art form.
Where are some of the best places to see hip-hop performed?
The scene is growing and spots are popping up. Locally, I’ve been to some great shows at places like The Spot here in Gate City. I have also performed outside on Main Street during the summer for a series of shows that the Great American Downtown organization put together, which has been great for exposure and community. Believe it or not we played a fantastic show at Jimmy’s Jazz club in Portsmouth! We have played a bunch of times at Warp & Weft in Lowell and have a gig coming up on Nov. 22 at the Lass Stop with the live band. The key is finding venues and events that respect the culture and provide a platform for local artists to shine. “Rap Night” in Manchester is New Hampshire’s longest-running hip-hop residency and recently celebrated its 12th anniversary in June. It is held at The Shaskeen Pub and Restaurant every Sunday night and is hosted by DJ Myth, Eyenine and Shawn Caliber.
How healthy is the scene for hip-hop?
The scene is flourishing — I’d call it a renaissance period for hip-hop up here in New England. It’s becoming more diverse and inclusive. Sure, it can be tough for homegrown talent to get exposure, but if you love your craft and stay persistent, progress is inevitable. I was just nominated for Hip Hop Act of the Year by the New England Music Awards, so the industry is definitely acknowledging the art form here in New Hampshire. There’s a real hunger for that organic, jazz-style hip-hop with vision and purpose. People are appreciating the authenticity, which makes the scene very healthy in my eyes.
What’s the most misunderstood thing about hip-hop?
I think the most misunderstood thing is that when some people think of hip-hop they think of the extreme. They either associate it with gangster music or materialism. But at its core real hip-hop is about the culture, social commentary and knowledge. My music is all about shining a light on real life, cutting through the noise to deliver a message that has meaning and gives back to the community. It’s not just noise; it’s art with a vision.
Find your sound
Here are some of the upcoming shows where you can enjoy your genre of choice.
Folk – David Wilcox, Thursday, Nov. 13, Flying Goose Brew Pub & Grille, 40 Andover Road, New London, flyinggoose.com
Prog Rock – Levin Brothers, Friday, Nov. 14, LoFaro Center, 722 Gulf Road, Henniker, jerrylofaro@mcttelecom.com
Hip-Hop – Sound Off Saturday, Saturday, Nov. 15, Shaskeen Pub, 909 Elm St., Manchester, facebook.com/billyfee/events
Jazz – David Newsam Trio (brunch), Sunday, Nov. 16, Jimmy’s Jazz & Blues Club, 135 Congress St., Portsmouth, jimmysoncongress.com
Pop Punk – Waltham, Donaher & Colleen Green, Saturday, Nov. 22, Shaskeen Pub, 909 Elm St., Manchester, facebook.com/KineticCityEvents
Jam Band – Lucas Gallo & the Guise, Wednesday, Nov. 26, Penuche’s Ale House, Bicentennial Square, Concord, facebook.com/lucasgallomusic
Country – Nate Ramos Band, Friday, Nov. 28, Derryfield Restaurant & Lounge, 625 Mammoth Road, Manchester, nateramosmusic.com
Bluegrass – Heron Bluegrass Company, Sunday, Nov. 30, Nippo Golf Club, 88 Stagecoach Road, Barrington, nippobluegrass.com
Featured photo: Fee the Evolutionist and Ruby Shabazz, photographed at Castro’s Back Room in Nashua by Colleen Jamieson, courtesy Fee the Evolutionist.
