Category: Music This Week

• Dolly smart: Since emerging from a hiatus in 2017, indie-rock stalwarts The Mammals are still going strong. Last year’s expansive LP Touch Grass Vol. 1 & 2 was a call to community for the activism-minded group, called “a party band with a conscience” by the Boston Globe. An upcoming listening room show benefits the local chapter of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. Thursday, May 14, 7 p.m., Stone Church, 5 Granite St., Newmarket, $25, stonechurchrocks.com.

• Local lights: One of the better About web pages belongs to Happy Just to See You, where the moody rockers list artists they’ve been compared to “by people of various levels of intoxicated.” It includes Counting Crows, Pixies and “this band from the 90s, I’m blanking on the name.” A release show with openers Megan From Work and Slim Volume celebrates a new album, Last Week’s Horse. Friday, May 15, 8 p.m., BAD BRGR, 1015 Elm St., Manchester, $10, evenbrite.com.

• Heavy music: Fans with VIP tickets to an upcoming show by post-metal rockers A World Worth Burning will receive a bootleg CD from their debut performance last November. The instrumental band, formed by members of Vigil, has an album due in June. A dreamy preview track, “Speak No Evil,” came out last month. Koga NH and Z/28 open the show. Saturday, May 16, 8 p.m., Terminus Underground, 134 Haines St., Nashua, $15 and up, newhampshireunderground.org.

• Old-timey: With a mix of bluegrass, old-time string band and blues music, Any Which Way is led by folk scene veteran Scott Heron with, according to Heron’s website, “a rotating lineup of stellar musicians.” A guitar, fiddle and upright bass rendition of the old standard “Walk That Lonesome Valley” is a tasty treat. They’re at a live music hub that recently rolled out a new food menu. Saturday, May 16, 7 p.m., Pembroke City Limits, 134 Main St., Pembroke, theanywhichway.com.

• Soothing duo: Musicians and friends Brad Myrick & Tom Pirozzoli share an afternoon of songs at an art gallery that’s not far from jazz guitarist Myrick’s home. It’s also where Pirozzoli, a folk singer and painter, has shown several works of art, including his still life “Kitchen Window.” Their duo show promises “spontaneous interplay, a touch of the world, and a whole lot of fun.” Sunday, May 17, 5 p.m., Two Villages Art Society, 846 Main St., Contoocook, twovillagesart.org.

• Civil roar: With a 2025 concept album inspired by George Washington’s Rules of Civility, Paul Gilbert continues his WROC world tour with a stop in Derry. The shredding legend’s latest is high-energy rock blending humor, history, and precision guitar work from the man who co-founded both Mr. Big and Racer X. Blues and jazz guitar giant Greg Koch opens the energetic double bill. Thursday, May 7, at 8 p.m., Tupelo Music Hall, 10 A St., Derry, $45 and up, tupelohall.com.

• Roots unit: After he left Hot Day at the Zoo, Michael Dion formed Daemon Chili and electrified many of his old band’s bluegrass songs, comparable to Bob Dylan’s transformation at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival. Inspired by the Dead, the Allman Brothers and others, they fuse elements of rock, blues, reggae into an Americana sound. The most recent LP is 2017’s Mercy of the Sea. Friday, May 8, at 9 p.m., Penuche’s Ale House, 16 Bicentennial Square, Concord, $5 at the door, 21+.

• Totally fab: In a crowded field of Beatles tribute acts, Britain’s Finest stands out for youthful exuberance — according to their website they’re the youngest touring Fab Faux. The detail and scope of their act is also notable. They perform in period costumes, use vintage Rickenbacker, Ludwig and Gretsch instruments, and perform songs once done live alongside studio-only tracks. Saturday, May 9, at 2 and 7:30 p.m., Rex Theatre, 23 Amherst St., Manchester, $44, palacetheatre.org.

• Family way: Nobody knows John Prine’s songs like his brother Billy Prine. During concerts celebrating a life in song, he tells stories behind his beloved catalog, like the first time John played a reel-to-reel recording of “Paradise” for their father at the family kitchen table. The show includes classics like “Speed of the Sound of Loneliness” and “In Spite of Ourselves” (with singer Scarlett Egan). Sunday, May 10, at 4 p.m., BNH Stage, 16 S. Main St., Concord, $54, ccanh.com.

• Victory lap: Marking the 30th anniversary of their breakout album Bringing Down the Horse, The Wallflowers perform in the Lakes Region. On the strength of hits like “One Headlight,” “Sixth Avenue Heartache” and “The Difference,” the 1996 release earned multiple Grammy nominations and helped move Jakob Dylan out of his famous father’s shadow to establish him as a musical force. Tuesday, May 12, at 8 p.m., Colonial Theatre, 609 Main St., Laconia, $57 and up, etix.com.

• Laugh learning: Many comics began in education. Share It with the Class – A Teachers Comedy Show showcases four of them. Mark Riley is an ex-teacher and hockey referee who spent a week in the NHL before realizing he enjoyed the stage more. Dan Crohn and Mr. B (Jim Bowes) both still teach by day and tell jokes at night, as does middle school science teacher Bill Douglas. Friday, May 1, 7:30 p.m., Rex Theatre, 23 Amherst St., Manchester, $34, palacetheatre.org.

• Rock show: More than 25 years after the release of their eponymous first album, post-grunge stalwarts Tantric are still on the road. Led by front man and lone original member Hugo Ferreira, who founded the act with what was left of Days of the New, they hit the Billboard Mainstream Rock Top Five with “Breakdown” in 2001. Chunky Love, Thumz Down and Dead Time open a local show. Friday, May 1, 7 p.m., Bungalow Bar & Grill, 333 Valley St., Manchester, $26, dice.fm.

• Kiss goodbye: Discovered in the mid-’70s by KISS bassist Gene Simmons, Angel is in the midst of a farewell tour that stops in Derry. Blending hard rock, prog and a glamourous white satin image, the Washington, D.C., band rose with songs like “Tower” and their cover of “Ain’t Gonna Eat Out My Heart Anymore.” Founding members Frank DiMino and Punky Meadows lead the current lineup. Saturday, May 2, 8 p.m., Tupelo Music Hall, 10 A St., Derry, $45, tupelohall.com.

• Sun country: Based in Tempe, Arizona, emo pop punk band Sundressed are in town with fellow Take This To Heart Records labelmates Thanks! I Hate It and nu-punk band 40 Lashes opening the all-ages show. Lead singer, guitarist and lyricist Trevor Hedges started the group as therapy for his addiction and a path to sobriety, as detailed in the band’s first EP, 2015’s Dig Up A Miracle. Sunday, May 3, 8 p.m., BAD BRGR, 1015 Elm St., Manchester, $10 at the door, badbrgr.com.

• She showcase: A theatrical tribute to more than two dozen female solo icons and groups, Crowned28 ranges from Aretha to Lady Gaga. It’s the latest from Manchester singer Jordan Quinn, who did the diva-centric Queens a while back. The genre-fluid show offers hits from Heart, Linda Ronstadt and Pat Benatar, along with Celine Dion, Dolly Parton and Tina Turner, all backed by a full band. Thursday, April 23, at 7:30 p.m., Rex Theatre, 23 Amherst St., Manchester, $30, palacetheatre.org.

• Solidarity songs: To benefit NH Immigrant Mutual Aid Fund, Joyful Resistance: A Night of Protest Songs raises up music as a means to effect social change, from Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger to Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen. The event is hosted by Tess George and The Common Good Chorus, with performances from The Rise Up Singers, Fortune’s Favor, and No Planet B. Friday, April 24, 7 p.m., Unitarian Universalist Church, 58 Lowell St., Nashua, uunashua.org.

• Local lights: Celebrating the release of their new album Off The Grid, Slim Volume performs in downtown Concord. The LP offers lush harmonies, jangly riffs and modern lyrics — for the latter, check out “6:51” and the title cut. It’s another winner from one of New Hampshire’s standout acts. The show opens with fellow New Englanders Regals, and Hey, I’m Outside, the latter led by a pair of Southern expats. Friday, April 24, 8 p.m., BNH Stage, 16 S. Main St., $18, ccanh.com.

• Reliable rockers: Few Granite State bands can bring the party like Conniption Fits, a rollicking power trio that’s heated up regional nightclubs for multiple decades. From MTV staples like “Come On Eileen” to contemporary hits from Kings of Leon, Bruno Mars and Lorde, the band knows how to get crowds dancing. Their original project Echo the Divide is also very good. Saturday, April 25, 8 p.m., Stumble Inn Bar & Grill, 20 Rockingham Road, Londonderry, conniptionfits.com.

• Fleet fellow: A short New England run for Robin Pecknold wraps up in Nashua. It’s been close to two years since his band Fleet Foxes has performed, so a solo acoustic set is a welcome tonic for fans. Along with favorites like “Helplessness Blues” and “Mykonos,” Pecknold in the past has done Joni Mitchell’s “Amelia” and Glen Campbell’s “Wichita Lineman,” so expect surprises. Sunday, April 26, 7 p.m., Nashua Center for the Arts, 201 Main St., Nashua, $57 and up, etix.com.

• Mom rock: Adopted as their own by New England music fans in her Berklee days, Liz Longley has remained a favorite here. She returns to an intimate room for a solo show. On the title track of Longley’s latest album, New Life, she describes motherhood as “clarity in all this static” of uncertain times. “I brought new life to a dying planet,” she sings, “a shoreline to a sea of panic.” Thursday, April 16, 7:30 p.m., Flying Goose, 40 Andover Road, New London, $25, 526-6899.

• Last pass: With alumni including Jackson Browne and Steve Martin, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band was a driving force in the melting pot of folk, rock and roots music that came to be called Americana. After six decades together they’re in the midst of a farewell tour, offering a final chance to hear classics like “Long Hard Road (The Sharecropper’s Dream)” and “Mr. Bojangles.” Friday, April 17, 7:30 p.m., Nashua Center for the Arts, 201 Main St., Nashua, $68 and up, etix.com.

• Night moves: Return to the days of holding up a Bic lighter at a concert instead of an iPhone video with Live Bullet, a Bob Seger tribute band that sticks to his two live albums. Hopefully the extended versions, as the Nine Tonight version of “Brave Strangers,” originally a B-side, is among Seger’s best. Since 2010 the New England-based band has built a steady audience. Friday, April 17, 8:30 p.m., Murphy’s Taproom & Carriage House, 393 Route 101, Bedford, $42, eventbrite.com.

• Green night: At the third annual Earth Day concert, The Mighty Colors and Jamdemic return to raise environmental awareness and funds for Beaver Brook Association and show host Andres Institute of Art. Nashua-based Mighty Colors cover everyone from the Stones to Goose, while Jamdemic aims to “revive the public soul” with interpretations of Phish, Pink Floyd and more. Saturday, April 18, 7 p.m., Andres Institute of Art, 106 Route 13, Brookline, $25, andresinstitute.org.

• Song man: Inspired by Nashville music clubs like the Bluebird Café, Charlie Chronopoulos launched the White Horse Round series last month, inviting fellow singer-songwriters to come by and swap tunes. Check Chronopoulos’s Facebook page for this week’s guest, and head to Apple Music or YouTube to hear his music, including his most recent single, the dark, mournful “Shot.” Sunday, April 19, 5 p.m., Riley’s Place, 29 B Mont Vernon St., Milford, charliechronopoulos.com.

• Helping: To benefit TBI charity A Better Way to Help, Resurrection Blues Review features blues, rock and soul from Chambers-DesLauriers. The band is led by three-time Soul Blues Female Artist of the Year winner Annika Chambers and guitarist Paul DesLauriers, who was motivated to the cause after surviving a traumatic brain injury. Area favorites Nardia & The Blues Express open. Thursday, April 9, at 7 p.m., Tupelo Music Hall, 10 A St., Derry, $35 and up, tupelohall.com.

• Blending: Upper Valley-based acoustic duo The Lion Sisters grew up singing and playing together. With Josi and Lily on fiddle and guitar respectively, they offer lovely blood harmonies on charming originals like “Family Gold,” along with covers of folk songbook classics like Simon & Garfunkel’s “The Sound of Silence” and the sweet John Denver tune “Leaving On A Jet Plane.” Friday, April 10, at 7 p.m., Pembroke City Limits, 134 Main St., Suncook, thelionsistersmusic.com.

• Heritage: Sons of a jazz piano legend carry on his legacy as the Brubeck Brothers Quartet. Chris and Dan Brubeck have made music together for more than 50 years. Along with guitarist Mike DeMicco and pianist Chuck Lamb, they released the LP LifeTimes, a tribute to their father with reimagined songs like “Take Five” and “Blue Rondo à la Turk,” six months before Dave Brubeck’s death in 2012. Saturday, April 11, at 8 p.m., BNH Stage, 16 S. Main St., Concord, $23, ccanh.com.

• Jamming: Begun at Berklee and evolving into a New Hampshire band, the history of Slack Tide includes members who just walked on stage to join, but they’re a decidedly disciplined jam outfit. Led by guitarist Chris Cyrus, who grew up on Jack Johnson and Sublime along with psychedelic rockers like The Doors and the Dead, they stretch the genre’s definition with skill. Sunday, April 12, at 1 p.m., Harpoon at Queen City Center, 215 Canal St., Manchester, slacktideofficial.com.

• Southerly: A recurring roots music series at an Epsom microbrewery continues with Paper Wings, a Nashville folk duo, performing in the upstairs listening space. West Coast natives Emily Mann and Wila Frank became friends at music camps and festivals, ultimately heading to Music City. Their bluegrass-limned songs will appeal to fans of Lucinda Williams and the Be Good Tanyas. Tuesday, April 14, 7 p.m., Blasty Bough Brewing Co., 3 Griffin Road, Epsom, $25, cocatickets.com.