Category: Music This Week

Local music news & events

• Native sons: With their doom-y anthem “Life Underground,” brother duo Hobo Wizard ushered in summer last July. Built on a thick rhythm spread under guitar riffs that equally evoke Sabbath and surf bands, it’s a smash, paying tribute to the local basement music scene. Get your taste at a show that also includes Trading Tombstones and Connecticut band VRSA. Thursday, Sept. 26, Feathered Friend Brewing, 231 S. Main St, Concord. See facebook.com/VRSAband.

• Healing music: A few years ago, Mary Gauthier published her first book, Saved by a Song. It served as both a guide for the aspiring songwriter and a personal chronicle of how the craft kept her alive after she got sober. Gauthier walks the walk as an artist; 2017’s Rifles & Rosary Beads was drawn from Songwriting With Soldiers, a project she launched to help veterans cope as civilians. Friday, Sept. 27, 7:30 p.m., Rex Theatre, 23 Amherst St., Manchester, $29 at palacetheatre.org.

• Big soul: Called “the greatest blues singer of her generation” by the Washington Post, Shemekia Copeland performs in support of her latest album, Blame It On Eve. The new release features a who’s who of the roots music scene, including backing vocals from Alejandro Escovedo, dobro master Jerry Douglas and DaShawn Hickman on sacred steel guitar. Friday, Sept. 27, 8 p.m., Rochester Opera House, 31 Wakefield St., Rochester, $38 and $42 at rochesteroperahouse.com.

• Drifting back: Since winning American Idol and charting with the song “Home” a dozen years ago, Phillip Phillips has risen steadily in the pop music world. He considers his most recent release, Drift Back, “a love album,” while adding the qualifier, “it’s not all happy.” Saturday, Sept. 28, 8 p.m., Tupelo Music Hall, 10 A St., Derry, $45 and up at tupelomusichall.com.

• Afternoon songs: One writer enthused that Andrea Paquin’s voice “goes down like red wine over good conversation.” She once had an epiphany listening to Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young’s “Helpless” and spent days learning it note for note. Her folky music has been compared to Joni Mitchell and Indigo Girls. The singer-songwriter performs an outdoor show at a bucolic winery. Sunday, Sept. 29, 1:30 p.m., Averill House Vineyard, 21 Averill Road, Brookline, $5 at eventbrite.com.

Local music news & events

S• Helping hands: A local woman’s battle against breast cancer is the impetus for a benefit that has Frank Viele playing solo acoustic atop the bill, with Lisa Guyer kicking things off. Viele, a past NEMA Performer of the Year, has an album in progress that he’s been slowly releasing over the year. Its latest single, “Necessary Evil,” is a solid hybrid of classic rock and modern country. Thursday, Sept. 19, 5 p.m., Auburn Pitts, 167 Rockingham Road, Auburn, $25 at eventbrite.com.

• Willie big: The upcoming Outlaw Music Festival is a solid slice of Americana, with John Mellencamp and breakout twang hero Charley Crockett each playing 90-minute sets as a prelude to national treasure Willie Nelson & Family taking the stage. Recent reviews of the tour note that Mellencamp is playing a lot of his big hits like “Jack & Diane” and “Hurts So Good.” Friday, Sept. 20, 5 p.m., BankNH Pavilion, 61 Meadowbrook Lane, Gilford, $89 and up at livenation.com.

• Rock revival: For those too young to remember The Who at Woodstock, there’s The Sixties Show, a multimedia tribute to music’s (arguably) greatest decade. The setlist ranges from The Monkees’ “Pleasant Valley Sunday” to selections from the rock opera Tommy, with a couple of songs from left field like “Wichita Lineman,” a classic written by Jimmy Webb for Glen Campbell. Saturday, Sept. 21, 8 p.m., Nashua Center for the Arts, 22 Main St., Nashua, $39 and up at etix.com.

• L.A. farewell: The remarkable, nearly five-decade career of X ends next year with a Little Steven’s Underground Garage cruise, but not before they barnstorm the country one final time. They also made a final album, Smoke & Fiction, with the single “Big Black X” providing a look back at how the Los Angeles band’s lives have changed since they — and punk rock — broke out in 1977. Sunday, Sept. 22, 7 p.m., Tupelo Music Hall, 10 A St., Derry, $45 and up at tupelomusichall.com.

• Horror show: The outsized sideburns sported by Cancerslug front man Alex Story are one reason he’s called Werewolf by fans, while another is the band’s Misfits-inspired horror punk, though Story cites influences going back to HP Lovecraft and Edgar Allen Poe. It’s provocative music — “If I’ve done my job right,” he says, at least one thing he offers “will anger, annoy or offend.” Tuesday, Sept. 24, 7 p.m., Jewel Music Venue, 61 Canal St., Manchester, $15.75 at eventbrite.com.

Local music news & events

• Storyteller: A singer-songwriter who rose to prominence during the ’90s folk boom, David Wilcox is a consummate performer, spinning tales and playing heartfelt songs. His latest album, last year’s My Good Friends, is full of mini movies like “Dead Man’s Phone,” “This Is How It Ends” and “Lost Man.” It showcases the tenor of his live shows, as it’s mostly stripped down. Thursday, Sept. 12, 7 p.m., Word Barn, 66 Newfields Road Exeter, $12.50 and up at thewordbarn.com.

• Debauched: Raucous and irreverent, The Gobshites are frequently called “the only Folk ’n’ Irish band that matters” and on their current U.S. tour, the merch table includes Make America Drunk Again stickers. The Boston-based acoustic punk rockers are the perfect fit for a show at a venerable downtown pub as the halfway to St. Patrick’s day mark approaches — which is Sept. 17, by the way. Friday, Sept. 13, 9 p.m., Shaskeen Pub, 909 Elm St., Manchester, $10 at the door, 21+.

• Believable: Well-regarded Fleetwood Mac tribute band Silver Springs performs in Manchester. Named after the song that Stevie Nicks memorably sang while staring holes into Lindsay Buckingham on VH1 — which they replicate in their shows — the group sticks to the late ’70s and later version of Mac, though they do unearth a scorching “Oh Well” from the Peter Green era. Saturday, Sept. 14, 7:30 p.m., Rex Theatre, 23 Amherst St., Manchester, $39 at palacetheare.org.

• Familial: After years of sticking to his own solo music, A.J. Croce began doing Croce by Croce concerts, paying tribute to his songwriter father. Fittingly, the first song of his dad’s he recorded was “I Got A Name.” Jim Croce died in a plane crash when his son was 2 years old. Later, he found a musical connection by studying reels of tape for clues about his artistic process. Sunday, Sept. 15, 7 p.m., Tupelo Music Hall, 10 A St., Derry, $67 and up at tupelomusichall.com.

• Legitimate: When the Byrds recorded Bob Dylan’s “Mr. Tambourine Man” in 1965, Roger McGuinn was the only band member in the studio; the rest of the musicians were the famous Wrecking Crew. McGuinn’s scripted one-man show is both acoustic and electric, a look back from his folkie days to his time in the Brill Building, and his role helping shape folk rock. Wednesday, Sept. 18, 7:30 p.m., Capitol Center for the Arts, 44 S. Main St., Concord, $45.75 at ccanh.com.

Local music news & events

• Memorial: Reflecting on the loss of his best friend and drummer to cancer in 2021, Jeffrey Foucault recorded his latest, The Universal Fire, live in his living room. “The album is kind of a working wake … as well as a meditation on the nature of beauty, artifact and loss,” according to a press release. Foucault and Billy Conway toured together for the better part of a decade. Thursday, Sept. 5, 7 p.m., Word Barn Meadow, 66 Newfields Road Exeter, $30 at thewordbarn.com.

• Recreator: From an early age, Shaun Hague was a guitarist to watch; his Journeyman: A Tribute to Eric Clapton is proof that the excitement was warranted. Hague approximates Clapton’s skill and style, and even looks a bit like him. It’s the licks that linger, however, as the guitar slinger tears through hits like “Layla,” “Cocaine,” “Forever Man” and “White Room” with authority. Friday, Sept. 6, 7:30 p.m., BNH Stage, 16 S. Main St., Concord, $35 and up at ccanh.com.

• Believable: Back in 2015, U2 tribute act Unforgettable Fire received the ultimate tribute, when guitarist The Edge and bass player Adam Clayton joined them onstage at a club in New York City. The group has been at it for almost 30 years, with a show that digs deep into U2’s catalog, even playing songs made before the band’s first album, Boy, was released in 1981. Saturday, Sept. 7, 8 p.m., Tupelo Music Hall, 10 A St., Derry, $40 at tupelomusichall.com.

• Friendly: Hip-hop pals and collaborators A-F-R-O & 60 East perform at a regular Rap Night, with a set drawing from last year’s EP At the Sideshow. A-F-R-O, or All Flows Reach Out, has a solo effort, Afrodeezeak, dropping next week. The event also includes New England rapper Ben Shorr, and is hosted by eyenine and Shawn Caliber, with DJ Myth on the turntables and a freestyle open mic. Sunday, Sept. 8, 9 p.m., Shaskeen Pub, 909 Elm St., Manchester, $10 at the door, 21+.

• Traveler: A rising singer-songwriter is the guest at the latest Loft Living Room Session. The intimate evening of music spotlights Eli Lev. His expansive Four Directions project, completed in 2021, was inspired by his time as a teacher on the Navajo Nation and the indigenous traditions he encountered.” Wednesday, Sept. 11, 7 p.m., Hermit Woods Winery, 72 Main St., Meredith, $12 at hermitwoods.com.

Local music news & events

• Familial: Rock ’n’ roll into the Labor Day weekend with The Ferns, a father/daughter/son combo that’s becoming a regular part of the summer outdoor music scene, particularly with lakeside shows. According to their bio, Mara began singing before she could talk and Quinlan took up keys before he could walk, while Dad’s along for the ride. Thursday, Aug. 29, 6:30 p.m., Harbor Bandstand, Newbury Town Dock, 976 Route 103, Newbury. Visit fernsfamilyband.com.

• Metallic: Legal wrangling aside, including a period when two groups used the name, Queensrÿche continues to make explosive music, including their most recent release, Digital Noise Alliance. The band currently includes original guitarist Michael Wilton and bass player Eddie Jackson, with lead singer Todd LaTorre taking the role once held by Geoff Tate, who now leads Mindcrime. Friday, Aug. 30, 8 p.m., Tupelo Music Hall, 10 A St., Derry, $65 and up at tupelohall.com.

• Reflective: The creator of movies like Clerks, Mallrats and Chasing Amy, Kevin Smith has in the recent past made time for a one-man show that ends with audience questions. The latter process lasts as long as it needs to, quite a feat for a guy whose most famous character is Silent Bob.Friday, Aug. 30, 8 p.m., The Music Hall, 28 Chestnut St., Portsmouth, $58.50 and up at themusichall.org.

• Revival: Fans of the Big ’80s can fill their plate at Parti-Gras 2.0. Poison singer Bret Michaels leads an evening of music recalling Ringo Starr’s All-Starr Band, with guest appearances from ex-Foreigner singer Lou Gramm, who does the correct version of “Cold as Ice,” and Dee Snider rocking Twisted Sister and on occasion nailing AC/DC’s “Highway to Hell.” Saturday, Aug. 31, 8 p.m., BankNH Pavilion, 61 Meadowbrook Lane, Gilford, $41 and up at livenation.com.

• Taylolivia: A DJ-led tag team event, 22 & good 4 u has the music of Taylor Swift and Olivia Rodrigo on full blast all night long. Those feeling beset by a vampire can shake it off and have a teenage dream of an evening courtesy of an event company that hosts many Taylor-themed parties, including an all girly-pop show, and a snowy joint with boy band One Direction called Winter 1derland. Saturday, Aug. 31, 7 p.m., BNH Stage, 16 S. Main St., Concord, $18 at ccanh.com.

Local music news & events

• Green scene: Enjoy two days of traditional music in two venues at the New Hampshire Irish Festival, with free shows in the Spotlight Room (book online) including local faves Marty Quirk and Black Pudding Rovers and then main stage sets from Derek Warfield & the Young Wolfe Tones, Ronan Tynan, the Spain Brothers, Screaming Orphans and Seamus Kennedy. Friday, Aug. 23, 5 p.m. and Saturday, Aug. 24, 3 p.m., Palace Theatre, 80 Hanover St., Manchester, $49 and up at palacetheatre.org.

• Bee cool: Art and activism combine at the second annual Wildflower Festival. Cat Wolf plays solo during an arts market that runs from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and includes food and local creators, followed at 6 p.m. by sets from Winkler, Sneaky Miles and Rigometrics. The event is an environmental awareness fundraiser with the goal to build pollinator gardens and bee hotels around Milford. Saturday, Aug. 24, 11 a.m., Keyes Field, 45 Elm S., Milford, $20 at eventbrite.com.

• Close harmony: Maybe the only bluegrass band to play the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, Mipso recalls Americana trailblazers Gram Parsons and Harvest-era Neil Young while keeping company with contemporaries like Nickel Creek and Milk Carton Kids. Their interplay is superb, but it’s their harmonies that grab — smooth as honey-sweetened butter stirred with a cinnamon stick. Thursday Aug. 22, 8 p.m., 3S Artspace, 319 Vaughan St., Portsmouth, $20 and up at 3sarts.org.

• Bloodlines: The progeny of proto-classic rock supergroup drive Sons of Cream. Kofi Baker and Malcolm Bruce, along with a grandnephew of Ginger Baker, aren’t a tribute act, though they faithfully recall the band. Sunday, Aug. 25, 7 p.m., Nashua Center for the Arts, 201 Main St., Nashua, $29 and up at etix.com.

• Highway stars: It’s been more than 50 years since Deep Purple released its career-defining Machine Head, and the opening riff of “Smoke on the Water” still rings in space. Ian Gillan, who sang on the album, is still in the band, as are drummer Ian Paice and bass player Roger Glover. Fellow Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Yes open the show; guitarist Steve Howe is their only original member. Wednesday, Aug. 28, 6:30 p.m., BankNH Pavilion, 61 Meadowbrook Lane, Gilford, $41 and up at livenation.com.