Category: Music This Week

Local music news & events

• Rant master: “It’s difficult to satirize what’s already satiric,” Lewis Black said a couple of years ago, but the acerbic comic keeps on trying. His latest tour, Off the Rails, pokes fun inclusively, as he likens America’s political parties to ideological mystery meat, saying, “they both taste like chicken,” and ends each show with The Rant is Due, a response to a fan’s complaint, submitted online. Thursday, May 11, 8 p.m., Colonial Theatre, 609 Main St., Laconia, $49 to $60 at etix.com. 

• Double play: Best known as a percussive acoustic guitarist, Senie Hunt has been plugging in lately, with a blues rock-based band influenced by Hendrix, Stevie Ray and others. For a homecoming show, he’ll perform two sets, the first with a fiddler, mandolin player and resonator guitarist, and the second with the electrified Senie Hunt Project. Local rocker Brooks Young will open. Friday, May 12, 8 p.m., Bank of NH Stage, 16 S. Main St., Concord, $21.75 at ccanh.com. 

• Doctor folk: Celebrating 30 years of performing, Ellis Paul isn’t slowing down, with a double LP inspired by the Beatles’ White Album out soon called 55. The title is a reference to the number of years since the Fab Four’s 1968 release. The singer-songwriter has won multiple Boston Music Awards, and received an honorary Doctor of Letters degree from the University of Maine in 2014. Saturday, May 13, 7:30 p.m., Rex Theatre, 23 Amherst St., Manchester, $29 and up at palacetheatre.org. 

• Mama mirth: A Mother’s Day brunch presented by Keg Stand Comedy includes four female comics who are also moms, with a full buffet included in the ticket cost. Laughs during the sumptuous meal will be provided by Alana Foden, the empress of her own long-running series of shows, Sara Poulin, who’s also a singer and actress, Jolanda Logan and Mona Forgione. Sunday, May 14, 11 a.m., Backyard Brewery & Kitchen, 1211 South Mammoth Road, Manchester, $75 at eventbrite.com. 

• Iconic pair: An ever-changing all-star cast drives Prince/Bowie, a fusion of legends that began as an informal extra at the Catskill Chill Music Festival a few years back, and continued by acclamation with theater and festival shows. Among the various players are members of Twiddle, Snarky Puppy, Trey Anastasio Band, Lotus, Pink Talking Fish and TAUK, with Matt Wayne providing horn arrangements. Wednesday, May 17, 8 pm., 3S Artspace, 319 Vaughan St., Portsmouth, $26 to $30 at 3sarts.org.

Local music news & events

• Taco tunes: Manchester’s largest Taco Tour ever has live music, including sets from reggae rockers Supernothing and Donaher, the latter a power pop quartet whose front man is campaigning to recognize the Queen City as the birthplace of chicken tenders. Indie singer-songwriter Colleen Green opens the early evening free concert, which offers a great way to shake off all those tasty tacos. Thursday, May 4, 4:30 p.m., M&T Bank/City Bandstage Stage, corner of Bridge and Elm streets, Manchester, see facebook.com/grtrmanchester.

• Dancing scene: When a night hosted by Abba-inspired brand ambassadors Gimme Gimme Disco succeeds, it’s due to the crowd’s energy. Revelers are resplendent in bell bottom jeans, afro hairdos, oversized sunglasses, crazy colors and other finery that works under a mirror ball, along with a yearning to groove to songs like “September,” “It’s Raining Men” and “Waterloo,” all spun by a ’70s-savvy DJ. Friday, May 5, 7:30 p.m., Nashua Center for the Arts, 201 Main St., Nashua, $19 and up at eventbrite.com.

• Father’s son: Starting in 1996 with the multi-platinum Bringing Down the Horse, The Wallflowers became a band in name only, with a singular vision guided by its front man, Jakob Dylan, who last year said, “no one lineup … ever made two records [and] one person is actually putting the ideas together … that’s always been me.” Recently, Dylan has been covering old friend Tom Petty’s “American Girl” at concerts. Saturday, May 6, 7:30 p.m., The Flying Monkey, 39 Main St., Plymouth, $69 and up at flyingmonkeynh.com.

• Fresh hell: After the headliners dropped out of a run called The Hellbender Tour, Saving Vice took charge, rebranding it The End of Winter. The new name refers to the Vermont metalcore band’s debut EP, Colder Than Dark, which is now celebrating its five-year anniversary. Sink With Me, No Eye Has Seen, Frantic Endeavor, Devitalized and Soft Touch Mechanism round out the bill at a local show. Sunday, May 7, 7 p.m., Jewel Music Venue, 61 Canal St., Manchester, $15 and up at eventbrite.com.

• Country couple: The latest in an ongoing singer-songwriter series has Lance & Lea playing and chatting with fellow musician Katie Dobbins, who opens the show. Lance Kotara came up in the Texas club scene, while Coloradan LeAnna Kaufman rode horses and sang in church as a youngster; they met in Nashville and became a duo. Their first album was produced by Grammy winner Paul Worley. Wednesday, May 10, 6 pm., Loft at Hermit Woods, 72 Main St., Meredith, $10 to $15 at hermitwoods.com.

Local music news & events

• Reimaginers: At a weekly residency in a Gate City speakeasy, Loce Jazz puts a unique spin on its namesake music. The trio — guitar, drums and keyboard — elevates Aerosmith’s “Walk This Way,” journeying from its signature opening riff to a place that McCoy Tyner might have taken the classic rock hit. They also do more traditional fare, like the John Coltrane rearrangement of “My Favorite Things” and a sweet, swinging take of Kermit’s “Rainbow Connection.” Thursday, April 27, 8 p.m., CodeX, 1 Elm St., Nashua, codexbar.com.

• Resinating: The latest in a series of concerts featuring local bands is topped by festival favorites The Trichomes, a psych-funk act noted (and named) for its sticky sound. They’re joined by Good Trees River Band, who’ve tightened up from their jammy origins, getting a bit heavier in the process. Bad Lab is a Dover hip-hop trio that formed late last year boasting “old-school beats and modern vibes,” and Peregrine Dream is an acoustic singer-songwriter effort. Friday, April 28, 7 p.m., The Strand, 20 Third St., Dover, $15 at eventbrite.com.

• Alternative: A five-comic show has Casey Crawford mining his “dumb life” for one-liners. This got him on Jimmy Kimmel Live a few years back. Born in South Dakota, he worked in the New York comedy scene before heading north to New England. He’s a rural Steven Wright, with quips like, “When I go for a walk in the woods, people stop me and ask if I work there.” Juan Cespedes, Bill Douglas, Bonnie Lee and Casey McNeal round out the bill. Saturday, April 29, 8 p.m., Murphy’s Taproom, 494 Elm St., Manchester, $20 at the door, see scampscomedy.com.

• Evocative: For those who still want their MTV, an evening with Neon Wave is just the tonic. The five-piece band pays tribute to an entire decade, doing the hits of Duran Duran, The Fixx, Scandal and others, while totally dressing the part. Their synth-y redo of Berlin’s “No More Words” is a set highlight, and they also do a banging version of David Bowie’s “Let’s Dance,” with co-lead singer Brien Sweet in eyeliner looking like The Cure’s Robert Smith. Saturday, April 29, 8:30 p.m., Pasta Loft, 241 Union Square, Milford. More at neonwaveband.com.

• Seasonal: An afternoon Swing into Spring concert from the Capitol Jazz Orchestra features singer-guitarist John Pizzarelli, who’s covered a lot of ground in a career that’s included working with Paul McCartney and Michael McDonald. The Globe praised him for “reinvigorating the Great American Songbook and re-popularizing jazz.” He recently marked Nat King Cole’s centennial with the third in a series of Cole-centric albums. Sunday, April 30, 4 pm., Capitol Center for the Arts, 44 S. Main St., Concord, $33.25 and up at ccanh.com.

Local music news & events

• String power: With each of its three members established solo artists, a new album from Nickel Creek is a happy surprise. The catalyst for the aptly titled Celebrants came during an interview with NPR that noted it had been 20 years since their debut release. Made in the process of “spending almost every minute of every waking hour together,” according to fiddler Sara Watkins, the new disc is a solid entry into the canon of a band that helped redefine roots music. Thursday, April 20, 7:30 pm., Capitol Center for the Arts, 44 S. Main St., Concord, $53.75 and up at ccanh.com.

• Blood harmony: The first band to ever win The Voice, in 2021, A Girl Named Tom is a family affair, siblings Bekah, Joshua and Caleb Liechty. Urged on by their mother, the three dropped plans to attend medical school to form a group. The project was planned to last a year, but the fates had other ideas. Victory on the singing competition show came via their gorgeous harmonies covering hits like Joni Mitchell’s “River” and Fleetwood Mac’s “The Chain.” Friday, April 21, 8 p.m., Nashua Center for the Arts, 201 Main St., Nashua, $29 and up at etix.com.

• Blues bonding: A summit gathering of blues power, Blood Brothers is the duo of Mike Zito and Albert Castiglia. The two have worked together over the years on a variety of projects — Zito produced Castiglia’s album Masterpiece and released it on his Gulf Coast Records label. Released on St. Patrick’s Day, their debut effort, wrote one critic, “spotlights everything cool about Zito and Castiglia without ever turning into a battle between two successful bandleaders.” Saturday, April 22, 8 p.m., Tupelo Music Hall, 10 A St., Derry, $30 at tupelohall.com.

• California thing: With a lead singer drawing comparisons to Alison Krauss, AJ Lee & Blue Summit are being called the new torchbearers for bluegrass by many. In her early years, Lee worked with fellow California-based roots superstar Molly Tuttle before striking out on her own. Her first gig was at the fabled Kate Wolf Festival. The group has released two albums. The San Francisco Chronicle praised their “deft, tasteful playing; and tight, intricate arrangements.” Sunday, April 23, 7 p.m., Press Room, 77 Daniel St., Portsmouth, $10 at Eventbrite.com.

• Fab Freddie: Last year Gary Mullen & The Works celebrated 20 years of One Night of Queen, a tribute show that does a very convincing job of recreating the classic rock act’s majestic stage show, with Mullen as front man Freddie Mercury. The effort began after Mullen won the British television talent contest Stars in Their Eyes in 2000 for his portrayal of the kinetic singer, easily doubling the runner-up, the largest number of votes in the show’s history. Wednesday, April 26, 8 p.m., Colonial Theatre, 609 Main St., Laconia, $30 and up at etix.com.

Local music news & events

• Throwback: Adding to her reputation for uncanny interpretive skill, Joan Osborne’s new LP, Radio Waves, is the result of cleaning her closets during the pandemic and finding recordings of her radio performances dating back to the days when she broke through with “One of Us.” Previously, Osborne released Trouble and Strife, her first collection of originals since 2014. She’ll perform a few selections from that, and others from her eclectic catalog, at an area show. Thursday, April 13, 8 p.m., Rex Theatre, 23 Amherst St., Manchester, $59 at palacetheatre.org.

• Doppelgänger: As rock fans mark the 50th anniversary of The Dark Side of the Moon, Brit Floyd carries on the legacy of its prog rock namesake. Band leader and guitarist Damien Darlington has played in Pink Floyd tribute bands for nearly three decades, starting the current one in 2012. Their 11-member group’s shows encompass Floyd’s entire career and features the kind of sound and visuals that weren’t available to the original lineup in its heyday. Friday, April 14, 8 p.m., Casino Ballroom, 169 Ocean Blvd, Hampton Beach, $39 and up at ticketmaster.com.

• Loquacious: When their only album, The Future Is Now dropped, in 2002, Non Phixion were venturing into topics often untouched in hip-hop, like nuclear war, paranoia, drugs and destruction. Vice writer Howie Abrams said they “took the hip-hop game to the type of fantastical creative zenith that Iron Maiden brought to heavy metal.” They’re on a tour marking the 20th anniversary of The Future Is Now, with help from locals Bugout, Cody Pope, Mr. Burns and DJ Myth. Saturday, April 15, 9 p.m., Shaskeen Pub, 909 Elm St., Manchester, facebook.com/nonphixionnyc.

• Songcrafter: Enjoy a meatball calzone and a cold one as singer-songwriter Joel Cage plays an afternoon set. A veteran performer and accomplished guitar player, Cage can adapt to whatever room he’s in. He once won the Kerrville New Folk Competition’s top prize and he played for a while in Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes. Solo, he brings the musical intensity of Pete Townshend along with Chris Smither’s lyrical sensibility. Sunday, April 16, 2 p.m., The Bar Food & Spirits, 2b Burnham Road, Hudson, facebook.com/Joel.Cage.AcousticRockSongStylist.

• Foundational: There’s not enough room in a Jim Messina concert for everything he’s been part of, so songs from his early ’60s surf band are usually left off. His show does include cuts from seminal folk rockers Buffalo Springfield, along with Poco, which doesn’t get near the credit it deserves for helping create what’s now known as Americana. Messina often dips into his eponymous 1981 solo album, another overlooked gem. Wednesday, April 19, 7:30 p.m., Jimmy’s Jazz & Blues, 135 Congress St., Portsmouth, $25 and up at jimmysoncongress.com.

Local music news & events

• Early coverage: Perhaps more than any other classic rockers, Led Zeppelin has left it to bands like Get The Led Out to carry the torch, having performed only three times since drummer John Bonham died in 1980. Lead singer Paul Sinclair is a convincing Robert Plant doppelgänger, as the tribute act moves through Zep’s catalog, spending a lot of time during the period when album titles, when there were any, were numbers. Thursday, April 6, 8 pm., Colonial Theatre, 609 Main St., Laconia, $29 and up at etix.com.

• Poetic music: Returning to a venue she began selling out soon after graduating from Berklee, Liz Longley is an uber-talented singer-songwriter. From watching her grandmother endure Alzheimer’s in the sensitive “Unraveling” to the metaphor-rich “Camaro,” Longley cuts to the heart of the matter. When she released Funeral For My Past, produced by Nashville whiz Paul Moak, it was the third most successful project in Kickstarter history. Friday, April 7, 8 p.m., Tupelo Music Hall, 10 A St., Derry, $25 at tupelohall.com.

• Celtic outreach: The outsized American celebration of St. Patrick’s Day is, Máiréad Nesbitt opined a few years ago, “a great compliment to such a little country.” The fiddler has done her part as an Irish ambassador; a founding member of the Grammy-nominated Celtic Woman, she toured the world, playing iconic venues like Red Rocks and Carnegie Hall. Local favorites Jordan Tirrell-Wysocki Trio open at her downtown show. Saturday, April 8, 7:30 p.m., Rex Theatre, 23 Amherst St., Manchester, $35 at palacetheatre.org.

• Heavy noise: A feast for fans of experimental music, the two-day Slabfest includes Pleasure Coffin’s “interdisciplinary performance art with handmade noise machines” and New York-based Swollen Organs, who promise “power electronics, death industrial, and harsh noise about unfulfilled lust, obsession and worship” — an unquiet glance at the current zeitgeist, with waveforms as weaponry. Saturday, April 8, and Sunday, April 9, 5 p.m., Jewel Music Venue, 61 Canal St., Manchester, $25 ($15 single day) at wyrdrecords.bigcartel.com.

• Deep tracks: A record store and a craft brewery join up for the Modern Records Pop-Up, an event that offers vintage vinyl for sale and listening. Cousin Richard, who owns the curated store, will preview any record pre-purchase. It’s quite the emporium — “Southside” Johnny Lyon stopped in recently to pick up a few 45 RPMs prior to playing a show with his band the Asbury Jukes at Jimmy’s Jazz & Blues Club. Wednesday, April 12, 6 p.m., Earth Eagle Brewings, 175 High St., Portsmouth. See cuzinrichard.com/modern-records.