Category: Music This Week

Local music news & events

• Frenetic: Along with playing and writing with Godsmack singer Sully Erna, Chris Lester is a fixture on the regional music scene, from the beloved Mama Kicks and Monkeys With Hammers to his ubiquity as a solo performer at places like this upscale Salem restaurant and bar. He’s also an entertaining guitar geek; his Instagram offers an ongoing display of alluring and unique axes, from Les Pauls to Stratocasters to a geometric bass. Go Thursday, Sept. 16, 7 p.m., Copper Door, 41 South Broadway, Salem. See chrislester.me.

• Electric: Anyone claiming that electronic music is only knob-twirling hasn’t witnessed a performance by Evanoff. The Colorado band is a music machine. Yes, there are a pair of Ableton-equipped laptops onstage, synched together like twin minds and packed with loops, effects and other studio-created sounds, but when the group’s namesake, JJ Evanoff, plays guitar, he evokes Hendrix and Zappa, not Skrillex. Friday, Sept. 17, 8 p.m., Shaskeen Pub, 909 Elm St., Manchester, $15 in advance at theticketing.co/events/Evanoff.

• Celtic: Incredibly, the calendar is already halfway to St. Patrick’s Day, a mark that Steven DeLuca will celebrate with a set of Irish music at a recently opened pub with Guinness on tap and bottles of Magner, and items on the menu like boxty (two potato pancakes covered in cheese and bacon with a side of sour cream) and Irish coffee made with Slaine whiskey. Saturday, Sept. 18, 6 p.m., Casey McGee’s Irish Pub & Music Hall, 8 Temple St., Nashua, caseymcgees.com.

• Eclectic: Everything is wonderful about the union of John Hiatt & Jerry Douglas. Storied songwriter Hiatt met Dobro master Douglas in 1988 while working on the Dirt Band’s star-packed Will The Circle Be Unbroken, Vol. 2, but it took more than three decades for their first album Leftover Feelings to happen, in the same Nashville studio where the Everly Brothers recorded and Chet Atkins produced so many hits. Sunday, Sept. 19, 7 p.m., Capitol Center for the Arts, 44 S. Main St., Concord, tickets $49 to $69 at ccanh.com.

• Ecclesiastic: A fitting follow-up to Sunday brunch, Signed, Sealed, Delivered – The Spirituality of Soul offers vocals from Pastor Emilia Halstead and Mary Fagan, with music from the Jazz Sanctuary House Band focusing on the soul and Motown era. Fagan has been jazzing it up of late, recently performing in New York City with the JT Wildman and Hot Papa jazz bands. The worship service happens monthly. Sunday, Sept. 19, 1 p.m., First Congregational Church, 177 N. Main St., Concord, concordsfirstchurch.org.

Local music news & events

• Twofer: With their unique blend of country and Latin music, Kat & Alex impressed American Idol audiences last year and are currently on tour opening for Scotty McCreery, a singer who took top Idol honors in 2011. Last fall the pair put out the single “How Many Times” in both English and Spanish, and earlier this year they released their first all-Spanish song, “Gira De Desamor,” continuing their genre-bending rise. Thursday, Sept. 9, 8 p.m., Casino Ballroom, 169 Ocean Blvd., Hampton, tickets $15 to $55 at tickemaster.com.

• Departure: A one-man band with loops and foot percussion, ODB Project is Michael Dion, former guitarist and lead singer of progressive bluegrass stalwarts Hot Day At The Zoo and lately the leader of roots rock band Daemon Chili. Dion builds a big sound around favorites like Grateful Dead’s “New Speedway Boogie” and turns the ’60s protest song “For What It’s Worth” into a loping blues romp, complete with lap slide. Friday, Sept. 10, 9 p.m., Penuche’s Ale House, 16 Bicentennial Square, Concord, $5 at the door, 21+.

• Funkified: Closing in on 20 years together, Lettuce is an eminently danceable band dedicated to the notion that “funk lives, grows, breathes, and blossoms; like any living thing, it needs to be fed in order to flourish.” The Grammy-nominated group currently includes Adam Smirnoff on guitar, a rhythm section of drummer Adam Deitch and bassist Erick Coomes, horn players Ryan Zoidis and Eric Bloom and Nigel Hall on keys. Saturday, Sept. 11, 6 p.m., Marty’s Driving Range, 96 Old Turnpike Road, Mason, $40 at etix.com.

• Fusion: Enjoy an outdoor show from Cold Chocolate, a Boston trio blending elements of roots rock, funk and bluegrass into 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 later on percussion, and sometimes a banjo or fiddle makes it a quartet. Sunday, Sept. 12, 2 p.m., Fletcher-Murphy Park, 28 Fayette St., Concord, $12 at ccanh.com.

• Transition: Manchester’s top spot for indie comedy is in new hands, as Ruby Room Comedy presents Andy Haynes on Sept. 8, followed a week later by Tookey Kavanaugh, Kathleen DeMarle and Mike Gray. Nick Lavallee and Dave Carter grew the effort from its beginnings in 2013 as a launching pad for up and coming local talent, to a showcase for standups from across the country, and the midweek tradition promises to continue. Wednesday, Sept. 15, 8 p.m., Shaskeen Pub, 909 Elm St, Manchester, facebook.com/RubyRoomComedy.

Local music news & events

• Songbird: With a set list of covers ranging from Lulu to Sara Bareiles, Marlena Phillips also offers original music and engaging energy. She’s spent close to three decades entertaining audiences of all types, from resorts to restaurants. Last June, she appeared at the Rex Theatre in Manchester, opening for Cars tribute act Panorama. Recently, Phillips released the sunny love song, “Meant to Love You” and the country-flavored “Running Under Water.” Thursday, Sept. 2, 6 p.m., LaBelle Winery, 345 Route 101, Amherst. See marlenaphillips.com.

• Jokemeister: A big finish in Season 2 of Last Comic Standing led Kerri Louise to star in a Women’s Entertainment Network reality show with her husband, comic Tom Cotter; Two Funny focused on raising their twin sons. In 2016 she published the tongue-in-cheek how-to guide Mean Mommy, offering “inspiration, encouragement and non-stop laughter that will last way longer than the warm feeling on your baby’s butt.” Friday, Sept. 3, and Saturday, Sept. 4, at 8:30 p.m., Chunky’s Cinema, 707 Huse Road, Manchester, $20 at chunkys.com.

• Supergroup: A regional showcase includes Marble Eyes, which came together during the pandemic when Pink Talking Fish bassist Eric Gould and Mike Carter, guitarist for The Indobox, made good on a years-long promise to jam together. The two recruited Seacoast mainstay Max Chase to play keyboards, and Kung Fu drummer Adrian Tramontano, and their driveway sessions at Gould’s house were elating. Saturday, Sept. 4, 6 p.m., Prescott Park, 105 Mercy St., Portsmouth, $8 donation suggested, prescottpark.org.

• Rocksteady: Enjoy an extra weekend night at I Love Dancehall, Part Two, an event that dives into the dance music born at the intersection of Jamaican reggae and dub, a genre much discussed recently with the death of legendary producer Lee “Scratch” Perry. Hosted by local luminaries DJ K-Low and DJ Ace, the show includes live performances from C-Scharp, Mic Vee, Illijah, Young Chrigga, Dynamic , Xiomy and Fate-One. Sunday, Sept. 5, 8 p.m., 603 Bar & Grill, 1087 Elm St, Manchester , $10 cover; 21+.

• Crossover: With a lead vocalist, harpist, cellist and piano player, Sons of Serendip isn’t the sort of band one expects to cover Kansas, Keane or Stevie Wonder, but they do, injecting classical elements into pop songs. Formed by a group of graduate student friends at Boston University, they made it to the finals of America’s Got Talent, and later the Billboard charts, with their ethereal reimagining of current hits. Wednesday, Sept. 8, at 8 p.m., Capitol Center for the Arts, 44 S. Main St., Concord, $35 and up at ccanh.com.

Local music news & events

• High energy: An outdoor summer concert series continues with Cold Engines performing an early evening set for the beach chair and blanket crowd. A gathering of solid regional players, the band was founded by Dave Drouin (The Brew) and Aaron Zaroulis in 2015. They’ve made five well-received albums — the latest is Couyon, released in June —and won multiple awards, including a NEMA for Rock Band of the Year. Thursday, Aug. 26, 6 p.m., Swasey Park, Swasey Parkway, Exeter. See coldengines.com.

• Cool cat: Veteran singer-guitarist Pete Massa draws from a decades-spanning selection of covers, including classic rock, blue-eyed soul, reggae, rhythm and blues. When he’s not doing the solo acoustic thing, Massa fronts a raucous band with rockabilly inclinations that features him on a big Gretsch Electromatic guitar, with drums, an upright bass, and a pair of horn players, offering a festive throwback party vibe. Friday, Aug. 27, 5 p.m., Big Kahuna’s Smokehouse, 1158 Hooksett Road. Hooksett. See petemassa.com.

• First finale: Eight hard rock bands appear at the Last Call Till Fall Festival, an all-ages event that includes food, games and prizes, with guests 12 and younger gaining free admission. Kings Petition, a Manchester band that released a three-song EP a year ago, tops the bill, which includes Thirteen 13All, Adherence, Paul Jarvis, Drunk Off Diesel, SkunkHunt, Black Headress and Witch Trot, for a metallic afternoon. Saturday, Aug. 28, 12:30 p.m., Auburn Pitts, 167 Rockingham Road, Auburn, $20 with barbecue included.

• Laugh it up: Quintessential New England comic Juston McKinney holds forth for four shows in downtown Concord. The standup’s secret sauce is an ever-changing set of always funny material, a keen observer’s eye for regional foibles and a knack for humorous self-deprecation, along with a skill for illuminating life’s absurdities with smiling kindness. Friday, Aug. 27, 8 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 28, 5:30 and 8 p.m., and Sunday, Aug. 29, 7 p.m., Capitol Center for the Arts, 44 S. Main St., Concord, tickets $29.50 at ccanh.com.

• Dead in the water: Billed as a long, strange trip on the water, Grateful Dead tribute act Not Fade Away Band set sail on the vintage Winnipesaukee Belle paddleboat for a cruise that also offers craft beer from Fore River Brewing Co., including a Strata Magnolia IPA. Named after a Buddy Holly song famously covered by the Dead, the group is considered one of the area’s best at recreating their sound. Tuesday, Aug. 31, 6:30 p.m., Wolfeboro Town Dock, 84 S. Main St., Wolfeboro, $18, pay at boarding, 21+.

Local music news & events

• Active rock: Keeping the Bike Week spirit alive into fall, Puddle of Mudd is one of several shows coming to the largest-capacity nightclub in the Lakes Region. Led by singer Wes Scantlin, the band was a staple in the early 2000s with “She Hates Me,” “Control,” “Drift and Die” and other hits. Upcoming at the venue are P.O.D. (Sept. 11), Cold (Sept. 16), Trapt (Sept. 25), Buckcherry (Oct. 29) and Dokken (Nov. 13). Thursday, Aug. 19, 6 p.m., Granite State Music Hall, 546 Main St., Laconia, $20 to $75 at ticketweb.com.

• Roots blast: Perfectly paired with a craft brewed West Coast IPA, Supernothing is possibly the most SoCal band native to New Hampshire. Named after a late ’90s song by ska punkers Catch 22, the Concord group’s percolating rock reggae is perfect for board shorts and sandals. The group’s origins trace back to its lead singer receiving the first Sublime album from his sister while attending a Christian high school. Friday, Aug. 20, 8 p.m., Pipe Dream Brewing, 49 Harvey Road, Londonderry, facebook.com/pipedreambrewing.

• Big feels: Get all up on the insides just as everyone puts their masks back on — Emo Night returns to ManchVegas, aptly sponsored by Unfortunate Clothing Co., whose T-shirts feature slogans like “Disassociating” and “Existential dread in a dystopian nightmare.” Equally spirited music is provided by two bands, The Early 2000s and Heely and the Moon Shoes — anyone understanding the latter references should definitely go. Friday, Aug. 20, 9 p.m., Shaskeen Pub, 909 Elm St., Manchester, $5 at the door, 21+.

• Good cause: An all-day benefit in memory of a young skateboard enthusiast, Memo Arts & Music Festival has music from Up Chuck Creek, One Fine Mess, Kings of Noise, Macy Rae, Stone Hill Station, Dezent and Phileep Gerekos, family activities and a late afternoon skate jam. Money raised will be used to improve Milford’s local skate park, a favorite place for Brandon “Memo” Kluz. Saturday, Aug. 21, 11 a.m., Keyes Memorial Field, 127 Elm St., Milford, $10 each, $40/family; memofoundation.org.

• Face blowing: Carrying on the music of J. Geils Band, Danny Klein & Full House isn’t a tribute act, as its leader is an original member who played bass with the mighty Boston crew that wrecked more than a few headliners’ nights back in the early ’70s before becoming a bill topper in their own right beginning with “Give It to Me” and continuing through the MTV years with hits like “Love Stinks” and “Centerfold.” Sunday, Aug. 22, 1:30 p.m., Alpine Grove, 19 S. Depot Road, Hollis, $30 at alpinegrove.com.

Local music news & events

• Gallery get down: Although he’s performing with his band, Dan Blakeslee has a portfolio of original drawings that are also museum-worthy; the Newport Folk Festival commissioned him for its 50th anniversary poster in 2019. Part of the Art After Work series, Blakeslee and the Calabash Club have an authentic, rootsy sound carried along with the busker energy that launched him in the Boston subways. Thursday, Aug. 12, 5 p.m., Currier Museum Of Art, 150 Ash St., Manchester, free, but reservations recommended at currier.org.

• Al fresco farewell: The final weekend of Tupelo’s outdoor experiment starts with Greg Hawkes performing songs from his old band The Cars with Eddie Japan, fittingly on the same fateful day that live music was rocked in March 2020. When indoor concerts resume with Three Dog Night on Aug. 20, proof of vaccination or a negative Covid-19 PCR test done within 72 hours or less will be required for entry. Friday, Aug. 13, 6 p.m., Tupelo Drive-In, 10 A St., Derry. Tickets are $22 per individual and $75 per car at tupelohall.com.

• Let loose laughter: Around the time she got sober a few years back, Amy Tee was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. The comedian chose to mine the experience for some great and enlightening material. “By diminishing the stigma of what mental health looks like, I had an opportunity to show people that it looks very different from what people think,” she said, adding that the catharsis of sharing “felt almost like amends.” Saturday, Aug. 14, 8:30 p.m., Chunky’s Cinema Pub, 151 Coliseum Ave, Nashua, tickets $20 at chunkys.com.

• Hear his heartbeat: After spending a few years as a child actor, Peter Noone switched to singing with Herman’s Hermits. “Musicians are so much more fun than actors and actresses,” he said in a 2018 interview. When he hooked up with uber producer Mickie Most, the hits happened, starting with Gerry Goffin and Carole King’s “I’m Into Something Good” and “Can’t You Hear My Heartbeat.” Sunday, Aug. 15, 7:30 p.m., Flying Monkey, 39 Main St., Plymouth, tickets $69 and up at flyingmonkeynh.com.

• Local luminescence: An outdoor summer concert series continues with married duo Brad Myrick & Tanya Dutt, the latter known by her stage name Tanya the Empress and her work in synth-pop band TRLOGY. Myrick is a gifted guitarist with an international reputation, as well as one of the biggest boosters of the regional scene as admin of the New Hampshire Music Collective Facebook page, a great resource for fans. Wednesday, Aug. 18, 6 p.m., Courtyard by Marriott, 70 Constitution Ave., Concord, facebook.com/NHMusicCollective.