Category: Music This Week

• Big aughts: Though best known for their early 2000s hits, The Fray, currently on tour with Dashboard Confessional, are still making music, with a new album that arrived earlier this year. A Light That Waits, according to a tour press release, “ushers in a renewed creative chapter defined by emotional clarity, cinematic songwriting” and the band’s “timeless sound.” Thursday, Aug. 20, 7 p.m., BankNH Pavilion, 30 Meadowbrook Lane, Gilford, $40 and up, ticketmaster.com.

• Booty shake: A groove-packed triple bill is topped by Sophistafunk, who served as Guy Fieri’s house band on one of his Food Network shows. The upstate New York group is known for high-energy, genre-blending live shows that mix funk, hip-hop and jam-band elements. Joining the raw, soulful affair are one-man band Lee Ross and Broken Harmony Syndicate. Friday, Aug. 21, 8:30 p.m., Jewel Music Venue, 61 Canal St., Manchester, $18 and up, theticketing.co.

• Vintage sound: Formed in 2004, Boston-based instrumental trio Otis Grove is known for a genre they coined, called Runk, a fusion of rock and organ funk played on old-school Hammond and Wurlitzer keyboards. They’ve logged more than 500 shows through the years, appearing with acts like John Medeski and Trombone Shorty. They perform at a Concord craft brewery. Saturday, Aug. 22, 6 p.m., Feathered Friend Brewing, 231 S. Main St., Concord, $5, featheredfriendbrewing.com.

• Cult faves: In the early ’90s, a rocked up cover of “Cat’s in the Cradle” catapulted Ugly Kid Joe into the charts, along with the snarling “Everything About You.” In their heyday, the SoCal band toured with Ozzy Osbourne, Def Leppard and Van Halen. Their latest album is Rad Wings of Destiny. They’re joined by Wheatus, a one-hit-wonder with a wonderful hit, “Teenage Dirtbag.” Saturday, Aug. 22, 7 p.m., Tupelo Music Hall, 10 A St., Derry, $53 and up, tupelohall.com.

• Community: Music, art and activism merge at the Rebel River Music Festival, a free event in a bucolic setting that includes performances by Woody & the Rebel Alliance, Sara Leketa & The Nasty Women, Megan From Work, Maizy Rae of Fox & the Flamingos, and Pat Lynch, along with speeches from Congressional candidates Karishma Manzur and Paige Beauchemin. Sunday, Aug. 23, noon, Suncook River Campground, 2 Fanny Drive, Allenstown, sucookrivercamp.com.

• Free green: Enjoy traditional Celtic music in a bucolic setting as On The Lash performs a show courtesy of the Capitol Center for the Arts. The Michigan-based band has been praised by critics for blending “classical dexterity with the nuance and excitement of traditional music” while staying rooted in the Irish heritage sound. The quartet released Fireside, a debut EP, in April 2025. Thursday, Aug. 13, 6:30 p.m., Riverfront Park, 11 Canal St., Penacook, ontheleashband.com.

• Phattened up: Expanding his hip-hop catalog into full band, Cody Pope & The Keyholders perform a downtown show. The recently formed group includes DJ Myth on turntables, Axile Beighley and Ian Smith on bass and drums, along with Fredo Benevides playing guitar and keys, interpolating Pope’s songs. The night opens and closes with ceremonial “drum machine vibes.” Friday, Aug. 14, 8 p.m., Shaskeen Pub, 909 Elm St., Manchester, $5 at the door, 21+, keyholdersband.com.

• Sister act: After playing music together in their childhood home, Natalie & Brittany Haas made names for themselves in the trad music world — Natalie as a go-to cellist and collaborator with Alasdair Fraser, and Brittany an acclaimed fiddle player working with Darol Anger, Steve Martin and with breakout bluegrass stalwarts Crooked Still. The two join forces as HAAS. Saturday, Aug. 15, 7 p.m., Word Barn Meadow, 66 Newfields Road, Exeter, $63 and up, thewordbarnnh.com.

• Parrot power: Carrying on Jimmy Buffett’s brand of trop rock, Changes In Latitudes is a tribute act led by Steve Kareta, who found the role accidentally in 2000 at a wedding afterparty in Hawaii. Friends urged him to do it full-time, and 25 years later Kareta still bops on stage barefoot and smiling to sing “Margaritaville,” “Fins” and “Cheeseburger in Paradise” for Buffett fans. Saturday, Aug. 15, 8 p.m., Palace Theatre, 80 Hanover St., Manchester, $30, palacetheatre.org.

• Join together: Named after the host band, the Folksoul Music Festival is an all-day event with a New Orleans flavor, hosted by musicians Fred Simmons and Leslie Vogel on their own grounds. This year’s lineup includes gospel flavored Long Journey, Back O’ Town, a Cajun trio led by Pete and Linda Simoneaux, Low Lily, and Ivychum Trio — Pati and Ken Cloutier and Richard Doherty. Sunday, Aug. 16, 10:30 a.m., Mountain and Driscoll roads, Greenfield, $20, folksoul.com.

• Tribute era: The backstory of tribute act Kanin Wren’s Taylor Swift Experience sounds a lot like that of the recently hitched über-star, albeit sans sold-out stadium shows. Wren first picked up a guitar at age 5 and has performed since her teens. The award-nominated concert stops at Swift’s every era, from country hits to pop songs that have been quoted in Congress — costumes and all. Thursday, Aug. 6, at 7 p.m., LaBelle Winery, 14 Route 111, Derry, $45, labellewinery.com.

• And company: The Allman Brothers Band’s longest-serving bassist and Dead & Company member, Oteil Burbridge is jam band royalty as a sideman, but an upcoming show has his center stage. Earlier this year Burbridge released an album with singer Lamar Williams Jr., who joins him along with Melvin Seals, Steve Kimock, Jason Crosby, Johnny Kimock and Tom Guarna. Friday, Aug. 7, at 7:30 p.m., Nashua Center for the Arts, 201 Main St., Nashua, $57 and up, etix.com.

• Local hero: Saturday Night Live veteran and Late Night host Seth Meyers returns to his hometown for an evening of standup comedy to benefit a pair of New Hampshire charities. He also did fundraisers for CASA of NH and Granite State Children’s Alliance in 2018 and 2023, and told WMUR recently that a return every few years also prods him into writing a bunch of new jokes to tell. Friday, Aug. 7, at 8 p.m., SNHU Arena, 555 Elm St., Manchester, $63 and up, ticketmaster.com.

• Nineties night: A pair of hard-edged tribute acts perform in Concord. Opiate brings Tool’s dense, prog-metal alchemy to the stage, from early Undertow cuts to sprawling later epics. Frontman Rick Kinsella channels Maynard James Keenan’s brooding low register, while the band eschews note-perfect mimicry for hypnotic time signatures and heavy atmospherics. Alice, a tribute to Alice In Chains, opens. Saturday, Aug. 8, at 8 p.m., BNH Stage, 16 S. Main St., Concord, $31, ccanh.com.

• Roots outdoors: From the early ’90s through an amicable split in 2003, Say ZuZu toured hard and constantly, crossing the country in a converted school bus. In 2019 the Seacoast band reunited to play a few shows and got a label deal that led to 2023’s No Time To Lose, their first studio LP in 21 years. They hit the stage only in bursts, like an al fresco show at one of their favorite old venues. Sunday, Aug. 9, at 7 p.m., Stone Church, 5 Granite St., Newmarket, stonechurchrocks.com.

• Threefer: A monthly gathering of original performances preceded by food and wine, the next Songwriter’s Roundup has Nashville-based Mary Moore, who released her latest EP, An Honest Thing, last year, along with singer-songwriter Caitlin Piper, whose diary-like debut LP In Cursive is getting good notices. As always, the event is hosted by Katie Dobbins. Thursday, July 30, 7 p.m., Hermit Woods Winery, 72 Main St., Meredith, $12 and up, hermitwoods.com.

• Loafing: Drawing from throwback acts like Love and Buffalo Springfield, The Whole Loaf delivers a cocktail of rock, psychedelia and jazz-infused blues, not to mention a bit of Link Wray-channeling twang. Perhaps that’s why they paired a cover of “Folsom Prison Blues” with their rumbling, raucous 2025 jam-out “Garage Floors.” The band plays a downtown show with Vale’s End and Headfirst. Friday, July 31, 7:30 p.m., BAD BRGR, 1015 Elm St., Manchester, thewholeloaf.net.

• Tenth: A Derry couple decided to harness a tragedy, their son’s suicide, into a positive force and created Pizzastock to help families and individuals with mental health problems. Ten years later, the organization is making a difference, and an annual concert is its biggest public event. This year it features a dozen bands on two stages — fitting, as Jason Flood was an avid musician. Saturday, Aug. 1, noon, Pinkerton Academy (next to football field), 5 Pinkerton St., Derry, Pizzastock.org.

• Youthful: Fresh off winning this year’s Granite State Blues Challenge, The Blues Express will travel to Memphis for the International event in January. Anchored by Nick Spencer, who’s 18 but called Old Soul by bassist Mickey Maguire, the father figure of the young band, they’re a powerhouse. An album produced by Tom Hambridge called Choose Love is due for release soon. Sunday, Aug. 2, 8 p.m., Andres Institute of Art, 106 Rte. 13, Brookline, $25, andresintitute.org.

• Tracklist: When playing live for fans less focused on music than screaming got old, The Beatles retreated to the studio, first making Revolver. To celebrate its 60th anniversary, Deconstructing The Beatles host Scott Frieman will lead a song-by-song journey through the album, with audio and video clips, along with a look at the innovative studio tricks they used. Tuesday, Aug. 4, 6:30 p.m., The Sawyer Center, 37 Academy Quad, New London, $25 and up, centerforthearts.org.

• Sunset trip: An original music-centric summer concert series continues with Cold Engines, who recently dropped two new albums, Madman and Flower Covered Hills the Return. The latter is the fourth installment of a set that commenced in 2021, and it moves through many moods. The lead track, “Have It All,” has the mark of a great Prince ballad, with earnest falsetto vox and come-hither lyrics. Thursday, July 23, 6 p.m., Swasey Parkway, 316 Water St., Exeter, coldengines.com.

• Totally rad: For those who still want their MTV, Neon Wave has it covered, doing ’80s bands like Depeche Mode, The Fixx, Duran Duran and others. Their take of Corey Hart’s “Sunglasses at Night” is a highlight, and they also do a banging version of David Bowie’s “Let’s Dance.” Led by Brien Sweet, who also fronts a Bowie-only tribute act, they look and sound the part. Friday, July 24, 8 p.m., Derryfield Country Club, 625 Mammoth Road, Manchester, neonwaveband.com.

• Mountain air: Enjoy a day of jam-leaning performers at the inaugural Kinfolk Music & Arts Festival. Ex-Twiddle member Mihali headlines, with reggae acts Joe Samba and Roots of Creation featuring. Rounding out the bill are Gordon Martin, King Kyote, Strange Machines, Mike Jetti Trio, Nate Ramos and Steve Rondo, with food trucks, artisans and a beer garden. Saturday, July 25, 11 a.m., Ragged Mountain, 620 Ragged Mountain Road, Danbury, $75, ticketleap.com.

• Rocking hard: Past a 2024 lineup shuffle that moved Edgar Troncoso from bass to lead vocals, Prospect Hill is back on track, releasing two versions of “Victim” last year, one featuring Taproot’s Stephen Richards. Both appear on Blood in the Water, an EP that arrived in April. They play an 18+ local show with Saved By Skarlet, Valoria, Johnnie G & The Royalty and Hush $$$. Saturday, July 25, 8 p.m., Jewel Music Venue, 61 Canal St., Manchester, $25, prospecthillmusic.com.

• Local lights: A regular song circle named after a Chris Stapleton song, the latest White Horse Songwriter Round has singer, guitarist and lyricist Ian Galipeau, who just released “Numbered Days,” a lovely tune about holding on to the good times. Expect other original performers for the late afternoon get-together, which was created and is hosted by another area talent, Charlie Chronopolous. Sunday, July 26, 5 p.m., Riley’s Place, 29 Mont Vernon St., Milford, rileysplacellc.com.

• Get together: North and South join musical forces as April Cushman & Shelly Fairchild perform an intimate show in downtown Concord. Hometown girl Cushman regularly sings the national anthem at Patriots games. The Mississippi-born Fairchild has had success getting her songs on hit shows like Grey’s Anatomy and Riverdale and recorded by artists like Little Big Town. Thursday, July 16, 7 p.m., Cantin Room (BNH Stage), 16 S. Main St., Concord, $36, ccanh.com.

• Rock hard: Known for their high-energy, visually driven shows, melodic hard rock outfit Sygnal to Noise tops an intense, four-band metal bill. The Biddeford, Maine, band, whose résumé includes tours alongside Cold and Smile Empty Soul, are joined by guitar-driven Manchester band Day to Attend, Throttle Hyde and Jesse Rutstein. Expect a night of raw, riff-heavy rock at the 18+ event. Friday, July 17, 7 p.m., Jewel Music Venue, 61 Canal St., Manchester, $12, eventbrite.com.

• Blues power: Seacoast stalwarts YellowHouse Blues Band are enjoying a moment, having sold out a few local venues of late, while energizing crowds at Concord’s recent Market Days. The nine-piece band features multiple vocalists and a roof-raising horn section. The band covers classics like Stevie Winwood’s chugging ’60s hit “Gimme Some Lovin’” as well as Howlin’ Wolf and Aretha Franklin. Saturday, July 18, 8 p.m., Tupelo Music Hall, 10 A St., Derry, $35, tupelohall.com.

• Hibbing bard: Now in its fifth year, Bob Dylan’s Rough & Rowdy Tour has support from Jimmy Vaughan & the Tilt-
A-Whirl Band and gospel-infused singer Brittney Spencer, who broke out singing “Blackbird” with Beyoncé on Cowboy Carter. At recent shows, Dylan reworked “All Along the Watchtower” into a slow blues number and leaned into a lot of newer material. Saturday, July 18, 7 p.m., BankNH Pavilion, 108 Kimball Road, Gilford, $35 and up, ticketmaster.com.

• Roots couple: Nashville husband-and-wife duo and three-time Kerrville finalists Twangtown Paramours perform an afternoon set in an atmosphere befitting their rootsy sound. Guitarist Mike T. Lewis’s credits include a Korean pop hit of all things, while MaryBeth Zamer is a veteran of the Washington, D.C., folk scene who once sang backup in “Songbird” Eva Cassidy’s band. Sunday, July 19, 4 p.m., Old Meeting House, 1 New Boston Road, Francestown, bandsintown.com.