Category: Music This Week

Local music news & events

• Mixed media: The Currier’s monthly Art Off the Walls event has Black Pudding Rovers providing music, with their guitarist and keyboard player Mike Becker contributing solo songs, along with visiting artists from the current Nashua Sculpture Symposium in conversation and poetry performances from Slam Free or Die. Ongoing is the exhibition Nicolas Party & Surrealism. Thursday, May 15, 5-8 p.m., Currier Museum of Art, 150 Ash St., Manchester — more at currier.org.

• Rock revival: A performance by Zach Nugent’s Dead Set is much more than a tribute. The group grew out of a weekly residency in Burlington, Vermont. Before that, Nugent played with ex-JGB member Melvin Seals, who’s leading a three-night 60th Dead Anniversary show in San Francisco in August. It goes with saying that the guitarist is a lifetime fan of the jam band standard-setters. Friday, May 16, 8 p.m., Nashua Center for the Arts, 201 Main St., Nashua, $40 at etix.com.

• Party weekend: Another harbinger of spring for real is the annual Wake The Lake gathering, three days of live music and revelry at the edge of Lake Winnipesaukee. Among the bands playing on three stages near the pier are Deja Voodoo, a raucous band led by Eric Gagne that mixes ’90s favorites with classic rock, and Leaving Eden, an original metal five-piece fronted by singer Eve. Starts Saturday, May 17, 4 p.m., The Big House, 322 Lakeside Ave., Laconia.

• Funny lady: Here’s proof that telling someone they’re funny can lead to a comedy career. Annie Powell got her start back in 2014 when a guy sitting next to her at a Los Angeles bar asked her, “Can you tell that story on a stage the same way you’re telling it right now?” She did, and 11 years later she’s headlining both coasts, telling jokes about her “bizarre and chaotic life.” Saturday, May 17, 8 p.m., Headliners Comedy Club, 78 Elm St., Manchester, $20 at headlinersnh.com.

• Studious play: Check out the state of youth music in the region as the Perimeter Jazz Ensemble performs an early set. The 18-piece group is composed of the state’s top high school jazz musicians. They’re directed by Peter Hazzard; a former Berklee College of Music staffer who came out of retirement in 2021 to teach in Hollis, he’s currently at the Founders Academy in Manchester. Sunday, May 18, noon, Rex Theatre, 23 Amherst St., Manchester, $14 at palacetheatre.org.

Local music news & events

• Two covers: Paying tribute to two classic rock bands in one show, Foreigners Journey appears in Nashua. The double doppelgänger group is led by American Idol finalist Rudy Cardenas, who switches between Lou Gramm doing “Urgent” and “Hot Blooded” and Steve Perry singing “Lights” and “Don’t Stop Believing.” Idol alum Constantine Maroulis sings lead occasionally. Thursday, May 8, 7:30 p.m., Nashua Center for the Arts, 211 Main St., Nashua, $39 and up at etix.com.

• Barn back: New England roots supergroup Barnstar! is touring behind new LP Furious Kindness. Founded in 2011 by Zachariah Hickman, who plays bass, it includes guitarist Mark Erelli, Charlie Rose on banjo, Taylor Armerding on mandolin, and fiddle player Jake Armerding, with everyone singing. Friday, May 9, 7 p.m., The Word Barn, 66 Newfields Road, Exeter, $38 at thewordbarn.com.

• Side man: Enjoy a special afternoon concert from Eliot Lewis, a multi-instrumentalist who’s worked with a wide range of stars, including Daryl Hall & John Oates — he’s the only musician to appear on every episode of Live at Daryl’s House. “Eliot is a musician who can do it all,” Hall said of Lewis, who’s a whiz on guitar, piano, bass and drums. His latest LP is Sonic Soldier. Saturday, May 10, 1 p.m., Axel’s Throw House, 4 Bud Way, Unit 2, Nashua, $30 at axelsthrowhouse.com.

• Mama jazz: Promising a slate of songs beloved by her own mom, Sharon Jones performs a Mother’s Day brunch with support from piano player Tim Ray, John Schultz on bass and drummer Les Harris Jr. Portsmouth native Jones started singing professionally out of high school, and then moved west. She was popular in the clubs there before returning to be a local fixture. Sunday, May 11, 12 p.m., Rex Theatre, 23 Amherst St., Manchester, $33 and up at palacetheatre.org.

• Horn time: A gathering of virtuosos from around the world, Rodney Marsalis Philadelphia Big Brass brings brass to the next generation of music lovers. Recently the band, led by a New Orleans music royalty, went to the Cayman Islands for a retreat that included many other talented brass musicians. Ensembles from Pinkerton Academy will also perform at this show. Wednesday, May 13, 8 p.m., Stockbridge Theatre, 44 N. Main St., Derry, $30 at stockbridgetheatre.com.

Local music news & events

• Sibling sound: Sixteen years since their bracing major-label debut album, The Avett Brothers are still strong. A recent California show mixed “jittery punk bluegrass, Americana, roots rock and acoustic ballads … and a few jiggers of ragtime that could have come right out of Disneyland’s old Country Bear Jamboree,” wrote Leslie Dinaberg of the Santa Barbara Independent. Thursday, May 1, 8 p.m., Whittemore Center, 128 Main St., Durham, $72 and up at themusichall.org.

• Welcome back: One harbinger of spring’s arrival is the return of First Friday at Belknap Mill. Martin & Kelly perform the kickoff outdoor show in Rotary Park. Jilly Martin and Ryan Brooks Kelly combine for a first-rate country sound. The event also features works from artist Ignacio Cisneros, who blends abstract and realist painting and sculpture. Attendees should bring chairs and blankets. Friday, May 2, 5 p.m., Belknap Mill, 25 Beacon St. East, Laconia, belknapmill.org.

• Natural man: Few singer-songwriters espouse the need to commune with the Earth like Brett Dennen. On the title cut from his 2021 record See The World, he sings, “You don’t have to be rich to get around / There are mansions growing out of the ground.” It’s a reflection of the years he spent camping in the Sierra Mountains with his dad, who he remembers on his latest LP, If It Takes Forever. Saturday, May 3, 8 p.m., Tupelo Music Hall, 10 A St., Derry, $35 at tupelohall.com.

• Here’s Johnny: The last time Rodney Brunelle brought his Counterfeit Cash tribute to town, the show sold out, so he’s playing a double this time. He’s also upping the ante music-wise. Along with recreating hits from The Man In Black’s early days, up to the Rick Rubin years and his cover of “Hurt,” there will be guest tributes to Hank Williams, Patsy Cline and others. Saturday, May 3, at 2 and 7:30 p.m., Rex Theatre, 23 Amherst St., Manchester, $33 and up at palacetheatre.org.

• Coffee songs: Along with offering a deep dive into the bean scene, the New England Coffee Festival has an impressive slate of performers curated by New Hampshire Music Collective. Day 1 has blues band Walk That Walk, and Dwayne Haggins. Next up is country singer Whitney Doucet, Piped Music and Whatsername. DJ Ron See spins on both days. Friday, May 2, and Saturday, May 3, at 11 a.m., Eastern Propane Stage (Hotel Concord), 11 S. Main St., Concord, northeastcoffeefestival.com.

• Abba dabba: Time travel back to the ’70s with Abba tribute act Mamma Mania! The New York City based-band goes for the look and feel of Sweden’s beloved export and encourages audience members to do the same and arrive in their favorite dancing finery. With over a decade of experience, they bring plenty of energy to “Dancing Queen,” “Take A Chance On Me” and others. Thursday, April 24, 7 p.m., LaBelle Winery, 14 Route 111, Derry, $40 at labellewinery.com.

• Fur out: Though they cover the hallowed hippies nightly, Bearly Dead is an atypical tribute act. Formed in the wake of the Dead’s 50th anniversary reunion shows, the Boston band tends to rock a lot harder than its namesake. “We don’t try to recreate,” guitarist and singer Nick Swift said last year. “We’d rather play like ourselves; we are a rock band which just happens to play Grateful Dead tunes.” Friday, April 25, 8 p.m., BNH Stage, 16 S. Main St., Concord, $24 at ccanh.com.

• Mass laughs: Enjoy standup comedy in a cinema setting with Chris Tabb, who’s been on BET, NESN and The Food Network, along with hosting a late-night talk show a while back and volunteering for the American Stroke Association. Tabb was once House MC at Foxboro’s Comedy Scene and cites Bernie Mac as a key influence; he’s a favorite in New England clubs. Saturday, April 26, 8 p.m., Chunky’s Cinema Pub, 707 Huse Road, Manchester, $20 at chunkys.com.

• Other half: A bitter legal spat has dashed the prospect of John Oates performing again with Daryl Hall, but Oates has made some solid solo albums without his old mate. At an upcoming show, he’ll give area fans a chance to hear him play “beautiful and introspective country-folk songs,” according to one critic, “situated geographically and emotionally closer to Nashville than to Philadelphia.” Sunday, April 27, 8 p.m., Tupelo Music Hall, 10 A St., Derry, $35 at tupelohall.com.

• Multi man: Funkmeister and Moon Boot Lover leader Peter Prince plays solo at music-friendly eatery. Over the years, the ever-changing singer/guitarist’s band has included members of Soulive, John Brown’s Body, Assembly of Dust and Percy Hill. The first host of the Jammy Awards, Prince and his band are favorites throughout New England. Wednesday, April 30, 6 p.m., Riverworks Restaurant and Tavern, 164 Main St., Newmarket. Visit peterprincemusic.com.

By Michael Witthaus

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• Folk duo: Celebrating 10 years since releasing their debut album, A Wolf in the Doorway, The Ballroom Thieves are in the region for a few shows, including one at a music-friendly Lakes Region winery. The duo of Caitlin Peters and Martin Early offers lovely harmonies accompanied by guitar and cello. 2024’s “self-portrait” LP Sundust was a meditation on the nature of tenderness. Thursday, April 17, 7 p.m., Hermit Woods Winery, 72 Main St., Meredith, $45 at eventbrite.com.

• Five strings: Though she began her musical career in bluegrass — Alison Brown was for a brief moment in the late ’80s a member of Alison Krauss & Union Station — she’s taken the banjo to another place in recent years. Her eponymous quintet performs a local show. Brown weaves jazz, Celtic and other influences into “a sonic tapestry.” Friday, April 18, 7 p.m., Rex Theatre, 23 Amherst St., Manchester, $33 at palacetheatre.org.

• Funny guy: Still going strong in his fifth decade telling jokes, Lenny Clarke began as the open mic host at Cambridge’s Ding Ho Restaurant in the early ’80s, when the scene was booming. Clarke went on to acting success, appearing in films like There’s Something About Mary and starring in his own sitcom, Lenny. Friday, April 18, 8 p.m., Tupelo Music Hall, 10 A St., Derry, $35 at tupelohall.com.

• Indie night: An eclectic evening of music downtown, with The Doldrums atop the bill, a raucous band with Green Day and Killers punk ’n’ polish energy belying its name. For something completely different, Regals is a country rock quintet owing a debt to Townes Van Zandt and Gram Parsons. Still Sleeping makes its debut, and Birds, In Theory is a sonically furious powerhouse with smart lyrics. Saturday, April 19, 8 p.m., Shaskeen Pub, 909 Elm St., Manchester, $10 at the door, 21+.

• Two tone: Defying the odds, Canadian ska punk band The Planet Smashers are still alive and well after 32 years — at one point, the group disbanded because they couldn’t find their drummer. In 2016, lead singer Matt Collyer fractured his neck and wrote a love song about it. It’s on their ninth album, 2024’s Too Much Information. Collyer is the only founding member still in the band. Wednesday, April 23, 7 p.m., Jewel Music Venue, 61 Canal St., Manchester, $21 at dice.fm.

• Join the band: On a tour that includes stops at five New England high schools, Dallas Brass performs music ranging from classical to Broadway, swing and American standards. The ensemble has appeared at Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center and other vaunted venues. For a show in Derry, they’ll welcome Pinkerton Academy students to play, along with local middle schoolers. Thursday, April 10, 7 p.m., Stockbridge Theatre, 5 Pinkerton St., Derry, $15 and up, 437-5210.

• Crowd work pro: Few comedians incorporate an audience into their act quite like Paula Poundstone. She has a knack for finding something to talk about with just about anyone, anywhere; her act has a handful of jokes and a lot of back and forth. She moves easily from topic to topic like a Beetle at a car rally, keeping her sets as fresh as the fans that regularly return to see her perform. Friday, April 11, 7:30 p.m., Chubb Theatre, 44 S. Main St., Concord, $25 and up at ccanh.com.

• Mixed up music: One of the more unique tribute acts on the scene, Pink Talking Fish imagines what a mashup of three bands — Pink Floyd, Talking Heads and Phish — might sound like. For an upcoming show they’re playing it a bit straight. For the 50th anniversary of Floyd’s Wish You Were Here, they’ll recreate the album in the first set, and do their thing to it the next set. Friday, April 11, 8 p.m., Rochester Opera House, 31 Wakefield St., Rochester, $20 at rochesteroperahouse.com.

• Return to base: A Concord favorite and current ex-pat working in Nashville, Senie Hunt returns for a brief regional tour that includes a show with his electric blues rock Project in a downtown showcase. Known for his percussive guitar sound, Hunt’s heavier effort is a blend of originals and covers, drawing inspiration from The Allman Brothers Band, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Jimi Hendrix. Saturday, April 12, 7:30 p.m., BNH Stage, 60 S. Main St., Concord, $24 at ccanh.com.

• Back and forth: Lean and limber blues rock trio The Record Company would have been right at home in a ’70s milieu that produced Cactus, ZZ Top and Three Man Army. Foundational blues influences like Muddy Waters and Willie Dixon are filtered through the lens of no-nonsense rock for a muscular sound. Their latest effort, 2023’s The Fourth Album, is a fierce rendering of this approach. Sunday, April 13, 7 p.m., Tupelo Music Hall, 10 A St., Derry, $45 at tupelohall.com.