Category: Music This Week

Local music news & events

• Macca: The natural right-handed front man of The McCartney Experience taught himself to play bass left-handed, one of the tribute act’s many realistic elements. Their show includes music from the early Beatles era through McCartney’s solo and Wings periods. Thursday, Oct. 5, 7:30 p.m., Palace Theatre, 80 Hanover St., Manchester, $39 at palacetheatre.org.
• Zeppelinesque: Among the accolades received by Kashmir is performing at a private party for Coldplay’s Chris Martin a few years back. Lead singer and Robert Plant doppelgänger Jean Violet asked Martin how he’d found them, and he replied that friends told him that they were the best at what they do. The group began in 2001 and uses authentic gear, including Jimmy Page’s famed double-neck guitar. Friday, Oct. 6, 8 p.m., Tupelo Music Hall, 10 A St., Derry, $35 at tupelohall.com.
• Moving: Area 23 will become The Forum Pub at a new location, so Andrew North & the Rangers is shifting its Ranger Zone open mic to Bank of NH Stage every first Wednesday for now. Keeping their hometown spirit, the energetic, intelligent jam band performs at a favorite basement bar. Their latest release is the live LP Thanks for the Warning. Saturday, Oct. 7, 9 pm., Penuche’s Ale House, 16 Bicentennial Square, Concord, $5 at the door, 21+, more at andrewnorthandtherangers.com.
• Moody: One of the great stories told by Justin Hayward is how The Moody Blues came to make Days of Future Past. The landmark album, which included “Tuesday Afternoon” and “Nights in White Satin,” was intended to be a stereo test album. It became so popular that NASA astronauts listened to it on the Space Shuttle, and the band is now in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Sunday, Oct. 8, 7 p.m., Nashua Center for the Arts, 201 Main St., Nashua, $49.
• Mammoth: Formed almost 40 years ago, heavy metal sci-fi stalwarts Gwar don’t have any original members, but their spirit lives on, with outsized costumes and an invented mythology centered on an interplanetary war. The group recently launched a line of action figures at the New York Toy Fair, with the first batch including Oderus, Balsac, JizMak, Blothar, Pusty and Beefcake. Wednesday, Oct. 11, 7 p.m., Wally’s Pub, 144 Ashworth Avenue, Hampto, $45 and at ticketmaster.com (21+).

Local music news & events

• Survivor: On his most recent album, Ride, Walter Trout got reflective while keeping the blues rock chugging. Much of the new disc deals with the difficulties Trout faced growing up in an abusive home; “Hey Mama” and “Ghosts” are two harrowing examples. The 70-year-old guitarist first gained notice playing in John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers, before going solo in 1989. Thursday, Sept. 28, 8 p.m., Nashua Center for the Arts, 201 Main St., Nashua, $39 and up at etix.com.
• Suffering fools: In his one-man show The Book of Moron, Robert Dubac takes the idea of aliens landing and attempting to understand human nature more down to earth, playing an amnesiac desperately in need of people to explain a world where the loudest voices are often the dumbest. It’s “Idiocracy is a documentary” with even more alternative facts and ignorant bluster. Friday, Sept. 29, 7:30 p.m., Rex Theatre, 25 Amherst St., Manchester, $39 at palacetheatre.org.
• Double fun: The final show of the Lakes Region shed season has the headlining Goo Goo Dolls with support from fun and funky Fitz & the Tantrums. Best-known for a string of late ’90s hits like “Iris” and “Slide,” the alt-rock band released its 13th album, Chaos in Bloom, last year, with the single “Yeah, I Like You,” a humorous jab at influencer culture and social media fame. Saturday, Sept. 30, 8 p.m., BankNH Pavilion, 72 Meadowbrook Lane, Gilford, $29 and up at livenation.com.\
• Blues legend: Few blues artists are as lauded or influential as Buddy Guy. The guitarist was a guiding light for everyone from Jimi Hendrix to Stevie Ray Vaughan, and at age 86 he’s received multiple Grammys, including a lifetime achievement award in 2015 and a Best Traditional Blues Album trophy in 2019. Also, he’s earned more Blues Music Awards than any artist ever. Sunday, Oct. 1, 7 p.m., Capitol Center for the Arts, 44 S. Main St., Concord, $85.75 and up at ccanh.com.
• Rude dude: If the Parents Music Resource Center were still around, Wheeler Walker Jr. would constantly be in its crosshairs. The country rocking alter ego of comedian Ben Hoffman recruited legendary producer Dave Cobb for his debut album in 2013, and he’s been offending sensibilities ever since with records like Sex, Drugs & Country Music. His area show is 21+, because of course. Tuesday, Oct. 3, 8 p.m., The Goat, 50 Old Granite St., Manchester, $49.50 at ticketmaster.com.

Local music news & events

Song weaver: A tribute to touring life, “The Road” is the latest from Rebecca Turmel, and an apt reflection of the creative impulse that drives many performers. “I had no choice, the music chose me / and once it did, no going back,” she sings. Recorded in Nashville and released in late July, the song includes a contribution from longtime Jackson Browne band guitarist Val McCallum. Thursday, Sept. 21, 5 p.m., Currier Museum of Art, 150 Ash St., Manchester, currier.org.

Mixed in: Blending elements of roots rock, funk and bluegrass, Cold Chocolate achieves a singular sound. The band began when singer/guitarist Ethan Robbins, then studying music at Oberlin College, met upright bassist Kirsten Lamb and the two started looking for ways to stretch the boundaries of bluegrass; Ariel Bernstein joined the group later, playing percussion. Friday, Sept. 22, 4 p.m., Vernon Family Farm, 301 Piscassic Road, Newfields – $25 and up at vernonfamilyfarm.com.

Funny talk: No comic excels at crowd work quite like Paula Poundstone. For her 1990 special Cats, Cops and Stuff, HBO made technology where none existed, hanging ceiling microphones and having a guy with a boom mic roam the floor to pick up audience banter. She’s no fan of the term, though, recently asking, “If I’m walking down the street and I say ‘Hi’ to somebody, is that street work?” Saturday, Sept. 23, 8 pm., Tupelo Music Hall, 10 A St., Derry, $45 and up at tupelohall.com.

Autumn brew: Northwoods Fall Fest is a midday celebration with music from looping singer-guitarist Tim Daley, Dover acoustic quartet Groove Atlas and singer-songwriter Tom Boisse. It’s also a fundraiser for Blue Ocean Society, an environmental group focused on marine life protection. Sunday, Sept. 24, 11 a.m., Northwoods Brewing Co., 1334 First NH Turnpike, Northwood, northwoodsbrewingcompany.com.

Plugging in: Around 1958, in a Washington, D.C., basement, Hot Tuna played its first gig; Jack Casady was 14, his pal Jorma Kaukonen 17. Sixty-five years later, they’re doing a final tour as an electric band, and slowing down a bit. “We’re not done counting,” Kaukonen wrote in May. “That said, it’s time to stop thinking of living as it was … indeed, into the future we must cross.” Monday, Sept. 25, 7 p.m., The Music Hall, 28 Chestnut St., Portsmouth, $67.50 and up at ticketmaster.com.

Local music news & events

• Vegas visitors: Growing up in Burbank, California, The Edwards Twins — identical brothers Eddie and Anthony — would sneak in to watch stars like Sonny & Cher and Carol Burnett tape their weekly variety shows. They became so good at impersonating the stars that they’re now regulars on the Las Vegas Strip and national favorites, doing everyone from Barbra Streisand to Elton John. Thursday, Sept. 14, 7:30 p.m., Palace Theatre, 80 Hanover St., Manchester, $29 and up at palacetheatre.org.
  
• Barn party: Celebrate summer’s fade with Liz Frame & the Kickers playing a live broadcast in a rural setting. The North Shore band’s brand of rootsy, hook-filled music often causes their originals to be mistaken for covers, something Frame calls “the highest compliment.” The venue, opened in local music maven Rob Azevedo’s barn a couple years back, regularly welcomes the region’s best talent. Friday, Sept. 15, 6 p.m., Pembroke City Limits, 250 Pembroke St., Pembroke. See facebook.com/rob.azevedo.3.
  
• Nineties redux: An evening of high-energy rock ’n’ roll dubbed the Feel Good Fest has the Spin Doctors of “Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong” and “Two Princes” fame, along with area favorites Beechwood. The show is a benefit for Lend Me a Hand Fund, a charity helping cancer patients with out-of-pocket expenses. It’s also a celebration of life for Ashlie Hooper, who died of breast cancer in 2020. Saturday, Sept. 16, 8 pm., Bank of NH Stage, 16 S. Main St., Concord, $37.50 at ccanh.com.
  
• Dulcet tones: Before Joni Mitchell found success as a performer, Judy Collins helped her by launching “Both Sides Now” into the charts, though Mitchell was reportedly less than pleased with her cover. “I couldn’t care less,” Collins told Vulture magazine recently. “I’m sorry she didn’t have the hit, but I’m sure glad I did!” Sunday, Sept. 17, 7 p.m., Nashua Center for the Arts, 201 Main St., Nashua, $39 and up at etix.com.
  
• Goth Gathering: Following their concept album, The Phantom Tomorrow, Black Veil Brides released an EP in late 2022. Lyricist and singer Andy Biersack described The Mourning as “pissed off, hopeful, introspective, honest.” They perform with Ville Valo and Dark Divine. Wednesday, Sept. 20, 7 p.m., Casino Ballroom, 169 Ocean Blvd., Hampton Beach, $49 and up at ticketmaster.com.

Local music news & events

• Faux fighters: The Currier’s weekly Art After Work series continues with Foo! A Foo Fighters tribute band, their greatest trick will be fitting arena-sized songs like “Best of You,” “Times Like These” and “Learning to Fly” onto the museum’s front lawn (weather permitting), when they perform in front of the iconic di Suvero statue. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own picnic blankets and chairs for the event. Thursday, Sept. 7, 5 p.m., Currier Museum of Art, 150 Ash St., Manchester, currier.org.
  
• Setting sail: Paying tribute to a music genre that doesn’t officially exist, the Yacht Lobsters latch onto ’70s soft rock with a vengeance, with songs from Hall & Oates, Steely Dan, Toto, the Doobie Brothers and a boatload more. Of course, Christopher Cross’s “Sailing” makes an appearance at every set. The NYC-based band was formed by the team behind Brother Joscephus and the Love Revolution. Friday, Sept. 8, 8 p.m., Angel City Music Hall, 179 Elm St., Unit B, Manchester, $15 to $48 at ticketweb.com.
  
• Irish farewell: After more than 50 years together, Clannad is doing a final tour playing the traditional Irish music that inspired worldwide acclaim. Siblings Moya, Ciarán and Pól Brennan formed the band with their now-late uncles Pádraig and Noel Duggan and became a six-piece with Enya Brennan, who went on to a stellar solo career. They have collaborated with Bono, Steve Perry and others. Saturday, Sept. 9, 8 pm., Nashua Center for the Arts, 201 Main St., Nashua, $49 and up at etix.com.
  
• Rock show: Best-known as the leader of prog-metal band Queensrÿche, Geoff Tate brings his latest project, Big Rock Show Hits, to town. He promises a big, loud show, bringing three guitarists on stage: Scotsman Kieran Robertson, James Brown of Ireland and Boston’s Alex Hart. The setlist includes “Silent Lucidity,” “I Don’t Believe in Love,” “Eyes of a Stranger,” “Empire” and other hits. Sunday, Sept. 10, 7 p.m., Tupelo Music Hall, 10 A St., Derr, $45 and up at tupelohall.com.

Local music news & events

• Al fresco blues: A summer concert series ends with the Eric Lindberg Band, led by a singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He’s joined by Aaron Jones (kids’ music’s “Mister Aaron”) on bass and 13-year-old drumming phenom William Lindberg. The twilight show will be rich with down-home blues and Americana rock. Thursday, Aug. 31, 7 p.m., Butler Park, 17 W. Main St., Hillsborough. See facebook.com/ericlindbergofficial.

• Down-home sound: Sip a glass of craft cider and enjoy Eyes of Age playing harmony-rich folk songs. Hancock duo David Young and Susan Lang are joined by bass player Rob Clemens for an after-work set that’s sure to have a few Grateful Dead tunes as well. Friday, Sept. 1, 5 p.m., Contoocook Cider Co., 656 Gould Hill Road, Contoocook. See facebook.com/eyesofage.

• All day music: Dozens of regional acts play on multiple stages at the Keene Music Festival. It’s all about discovery, and a visit to the fest’s Facebook page is a good place to start. It includes quick profiles of many performers, like blues rockers Dragon Bone Jam, traditional Irish band O’Hanleigh, “eclectic funk addicts” Whalom Park and the boisterous, female-fronted metal group Vale End. Saturday, Sept. 2, 10:30 a.m., Downtown Keene. See facebook.com/KeeneMusicFestival.

• Four-band show: Four area alternative rock bands gather for DankFest, as Area 23 prepares for a move from its current home in Concord’s Smokestack Center to an as-yet undisclosed location. The last day for live music is Sept. 30, with an afternoon Acoustic Circle and an evening performance by Professor Harp scheduled. DankFest is named for host band Dank Sinatra; also appearing are Wired for Sound, Buster and Kuusi Palaa. Saturday, Sept. 2, 8 p.m., Area 23, 254 N. State St., Unit H, Concord, thearea23.com.

• Heavy times two: Nine bands, two stages and the admonition to “leave nothing left standing” mark Distressfest, a metallic knockout of a show. Appearing are No Bragging Rights, Mouth for War, Downswing, Your Spirit Dies, Ratblood, Cannabis Crypt, Fishface, Heavyweight and Iron Gate, the latter a Manchester act that formed when its singer asked online for anyone looking “to play heavy, ignorant music.” Sunday, Sept. 3, 6:30 p.m., Jewel Music Venue, 61 Canal St., Manchester, $20 and up at eventbrite.com.