Category: Music This Week

Local music news & events

• Jersey night: A Bon Jovi tribute act with a following in the rocker’s home state, 1 Wild Night features look- and sound- alike singer Alex Barbieri backed by a solid three-piece band. The group covers songs like “You Give Love a Bad Name,” “Livin’ On a Prayer” and “Wanted Dead or Alive” with energy and conviction, something they’ve done for over a dozen years in a tough market. Thursday, June 5, 7:15 p.m., LaBelle Winery, 14 Route 111, Derry, $40 at labellewinery.com.

• Local and: A packed bill has two Brooklyn bands. Debbie Dopamine is led by Katie Ortiz and is currently cresting on “Negative Space,” a song about gender dysphoria. Youth Large has whimsical songs that will appeal to boygenius fans. Joining are Manchester emo faves Happy Just to See You, who released the charming Ways To Cope in 2024, and Donaher performing an early set. Friday, June 6, 8 p.m., BAD BRGR, 1015 Elm St, Manchester, $12 at the door, bad-brgr.com.

• Odd milestone: Literate, ethereal singer-songwriter Aimee Mann has been busy of late. The reunion of her band ’Til Tuesday for its first show in 35 years was the highlight of last month’s Cruel World Festival in Southern California, and she’s currently on tour celebrating a quirky anniversary —it’s been 22 and a half years since her fourth solo album, Lost In Space, was released. Saturday, June 7, 7:30 p.m., Nashua Center for the Arts, 201 Main St., Nashua, $64 and up, etix.com.

• Surfie sounds: Last year, Jakob Nowell led his late father’s band Sublime at Coachella. Jakob’s Castle, which released a debut album Enter: The Castle recently, headlines with Spray Allen, led by Sublime bass player Eric Wilson, making the Lakes Region show something of a reunion. Also at the afternoon Punky Sunday party are surfer songwriter Jesse James Pariah and Strange Case. Sunday, June 8, 4 p.m., Surfside Burger Bar, 41 Route 25, Meredith; see jakobscastle.com.

• Many talents: The after-work crowd will enjoy a musical treat when Dan Blakeslee performs a midweek solo set at a Seacoast pub and restaurant. The erstwhile troubadour’s blues-infused urban folk music has been a mainstay in the region for decades. Be sure to hit the merch table for some of Blakeslee’s art, including his book, Draw Them In, published last year. Wednesday, June 11, 6 p.m., Riverworks Restaurant and Tavern, 164 Main St., Newmarket; see danblakeslee.com.

Local music news & events

By Michael Witthaus
mwitthaus@hippopress.com

• Shedheads: There must be something about the Lakes Region that Zac Brown Band loves. They’ve played the al fresco venue there since it was named after a phone company, and keep coming back, even if they have a show at Fenway Park. Their latest record is No Wake Zone, which includes “Pirates & Parrots,” a duet with Jimmy Buffett’s old bandmate Mac MacAnally. Thursday, May 29, 7 p.m., BankNH Pavilion, 72 Meadowbrook Lane, Gilford, $69 and up at livenation.com.

• Jamtastic: Named after a late ’90s song by ska punk band Catch 22, Supernothing has a percolating rock reggae sound that’s perfect for the board shorts and sandals of the coming season. Last week, the Concord band dropped a new single called “Summer Soul,” a smooth wave-y jam with an infectious chorus featuring Kurdistan-born singer-songwriter B. Positive. Friday, May 30, 6:30 p.m., Henniker Brewing Co., 129 Centervale Road, Henniker. More at supernothing603.com.

• Brotherly: Given that Liam and Noel Gallagher doing an American tour is unlikely, the Oasis tribute SuperSonic will have to suffice. After all, a lot of English pounds have already been wagered on the two fractious siblings brawling before their English reunion run gets to Wembley. So enjoy “Wonderwall,” “Champagne Supernova” and “Don’t Look Back In Anger” here instead. Saturday, May 31, 7:30 p.m., Rex Theatre, 23 Amherst St., Manchester, $35 at palacetheatre.org.

• Bobness: Her 2017 album Songs of Bob Dylan showed Joan Osborne to be a solid interpreter of his catalog. This year, she revisited it with Dylanology Live, supported by Amy Helm, Robert Randolph and Jackie Greene on “Masters of War,” “Buckets of Rain” and other songs. For an area show, Cindy Cashdollar, Nicki Bluhm and Gail Ann Dorsey will perform with her. Sunday, June 1, 7 p.m., Chubb Theatre at CCANH, 44 S. Main St., Concord, $53 and up at ccahn.com.

• Folkified: On songs like “Tom’s Diner,” “Frank and Eva” and the poignant ode to 9/11 “Anniversary,” Suzanne Vega is a vital chronicler and erudite ambassador to her New York City home. She’ll play those songs, along with her timeless hit “Luka,” and others that reveal what one critic called her “clinically poetic eye” during a show at a venue she helped open back in 2023. Wednesday, June 4, 7:30 p.m., Nashua Center for the Arts, 201 Main St., Nashua, $54 and up at etix.com.

Local music news & events

• Fab Faux: Unlike many Beatles tribute acts, Studio Two sticks to John, Paul, George and Ringo’s rise to fame and all-too-brief touring years. It will feel like a black and white evening in a more innocent time as the group rolls through early hits like “Please Please Me,” “I Wanna Hold Your Hand” and “Hard Day’s Night” wearing their trademark suits and boots — they’re among the best. Thursday, May 22, 8 p.m., Labelle Winery, 14 Route 111, Derry, $40 at labellewinery.com.

• Home town: The latest edition of the Locally Sourced showcase has Cozy Throne, a band that would have been right at home in the early ’70s NYC punk scene with front woman Amara Phelps evoking Patti Smith. They also have a fun grunge vibe going; fans of Garbage and Hole will love them. Baby Wah Wah, a student and adult music group led by area history teacher Eddie Phelps, will also perform. Friday, May 23, 8 p.m., BNH Stage, 16 S. Main St., Concord, $15 at ccanh.com.

• Big sound: The Seacoast-based YellowHouse Blues Band packs a punch, with two female vocalists, a horn section and a pair of guitarists, along with a strong rhythm section and a well-traveled keyboard player. Their material ranges from the classics like Howlin’ Wolf to contemporary artists such as Tedeschi-Trucks and Larkin Poe. They also do a killer version of Steely Dan’s “Pretzel Logic.” Saturday, May 24, 8 p.m., Tupelo Music Hall, 10 A St., Derry, $30 at tupelohall.com.

• Island music: When the weather gets warm, outdoor shows from area band Reggae Tones return. Check out the first of four this season at a favorite Nashua restaurant/bar, with the final one on the first day of autumn. The group draws from favorites like Bob Marley & the Wailers and Toots & the Maytals.Sunday, May 25, 4 p.m., Penuche’s Ale House, 4 Canal St., Nashua, reggaetonesband.com.

• Golden tone: There are classic country throwbacks, then there’s Melissa Carper. “One of the greatest classic golden era country singers and composers of this generation,” one critic wrote. On the title song from her latest release Borned In Ya, she name-checks everyone from Hank Williams to Lead Belly and Hazel Dickens on a track whose title was inspired by a Ralph Stanely quote. Monday, May 26, 7 p.m., The Word Barn, 66 Newfields Road, Exeter, $25 at thewordbarn.com.

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.