Local music news & events
• Chicken fried: Zac Brown Band guitarist Clay Cook performs solo after a 6:30 p.m. cocktail hour. Prior to joining the Grammy-winning country rock band, he formed the Lo-Fi Masters with John Mayer. The two met at Berklee, and Cook co-wrote Mayer’s breakout hit “No Such Thing” and a few other songs on his debut album. Cook was also a member of his uncle Doug Gray’s group, Marshall Tucker Band. Thursday, July 8, 7:30 p.m., LaBelle Winery Derry, 14 Route 111, Derry, $29 at labellewinery.com.
• Rock woman: Kick off the weekend with an al fresco performance from singer/guitarist Lisa Guyer. Fronting Mama Kicks in Manchester nightclubs for decades, making records with Boston (the band, not the city) guitarist Barry Goudreau, traveling the world backing Godsmack’s Sully Erna, and founding her own youth music empowerment program, Guyer is one of the region’s most accomplished musicians. Friday, July 9, 7 p.m., Auburn Pitts, 167 Rockingham Road, Auburn, facebook.com/LisaGuyerMusic.
• Celebration day: Christian pop rock band Right Hand Shade debuts its second album, Rise, in a devotional setting. The evening will feature the new disc in its entirety, along with a discussion of the inspiration for the songs — everything from Switchfoot to The Beach Boys — and the making of the album with Old Bear Records producer and co-writer Chris Hoisington. Saturday, July 10, 7 p.m., Centerpoint Community Church, 101 School St., Salem, tickets $5 to $35 at righthandshade.square.site.
• Last laughs: After eight years, a changing of the alt comedy guard as Joyelle Nicole Johnson headlines the first of eight weekly shows before Nick Lavallee and Dave Carter hand the night off to Ruby Room Comedy. Upcoming for the final run are Mark Recine (July 21), Louis Katz (July 28), Caitlin Reese (Aug. 4), Jordan Jensen (Aug. 11), Ray Harrington (Aug. 18), Dan Lamorte (Aug. 25) and SNL staff writer Sam Jay (Sept. 1). Wednesday, July 14, 8 p.m., Shaskeen Pub, 909 Elm St., Manchester, $10 at the door, facebook.com/shaskeencomedy.