Category: Music This Week

Local music news & events

• Christmas nuts: Like most suburban American kids, piano player Eric Mintel got his first taste of jazz from A Charlie Brown Christmas and its Vince Guaraldi soundtrack. Though Mintel didn’t know it was jazz, he knew he liked it, and the special helped spawn a lifetime love of the genre that’s seen him play at the White House twice. Mintel is back to perform the timeless holiday favorite with his quartet. Thursday, Dec. 15, 4 p.m., Rex Theatre, 23 Amherst St., Manchester, $29 and up at palacetheatre.org.

• Sonic beauty: Guitar virtuoso Tim Reynolds formed his electric power trio TR3 in the late 1980s and got a big boost in the following decade through his collaboration with Dave Matthews. He stuck mostly to acoustic music in the following years before meeting bass player Mick Vaughn and drummer Dan Martier and re-forming TR3 in 2007. In early 2022 the group released Wild In The Sky, a live album. Friday, Dec. 16, 8 p.m., Bank of New Hampshire Stage, 16 S Main St., Concord, $36 at ccanh.com.

• Coffee music: Boston-based music educator Sarah Fard performs as Savoir Faire, blending topical songwriting with jazz-infused retro pop. Her most recent EP, Think Twice, “packs a surprising punch,” PopMatters wrote in September, “as both the music and lyrics are deeply felt and rise high above the surface-level pleasures of contemporary pop.” The artist channels Nico on the noir-ish “Alias,” a look at implicit media bias. Saturday, Dec. 17, 5 p.m., Union Coffee Co., 42 South St., Milford, $35 at pinkertonacademy.org.

• Holiday songbird: Though in her 80s, singer Judy Collins hasn’t slowed down, releasing a new album earlier this year; Spellbound is noteworthy for being Collins’s first collection of all original songs. She’ll draw from it as she performs Christmas favorites at her upcoming concert. Holiday & Hits has become a tradition this time of year, as Collins brings the spirit and charms audiences through the Great Christmas Songbook. Sunday, Dec. 18, 4 p.m., Tupelo Music Hall, 10 A St., Derry, $55 and $60 at tupelohall.com.

• Blues rock: Taking a turn away from his percussive guitar style, the Senie Hunt Project is a plugged-in affair that evokes the Allman Brothers more than Leo Kottke. Now based in Nashville after making his mark in the Concord area, Hunt returns often to play for his hometown fans, including a rare set with his rocking band at a downtown basement haunt. Wednesday, Dec. 21, 9 p.m., Penuche’s Ale House, 16 Bicentennial Square, Concord, linktr.ee/seniehuntmusic.

Local music news & events

• Songbird: Along with writing achingly beautiful songs, Antje Duvekot is a talented animator who’s made music videos for several of her contemporaries. Lately, she’s collaborating on a long-form project about Holocaust survivor Abe Piasek. Musically, she’s putting the finishing touches on a new, fan-funded album, and she did a stunning duet with John Gorka of Nanci Griffith’s “Working In Corners” that’s up on YouTube. Thursday, Dec. 8, 7:30 p.m., Music Hall Lounge, 131 Congress St., Portsmouth, tickets $37 and $47 at themusichall.org.

• Perennial: Boston likes to think of Martin Sexton as its own; though the songwriter’s songwriter is a Syracuse native, he came up busking at T stops and on the streets of the city in the early 1990s. He’s gone on to headline storied venues like Carnegie Hall and The Fillmore. His latest album, 2020 Vision, was made virtually during lockdown. It’s described on the official Martin Sexton website as “a poetically emotive and elegantly evocative pandemic scrapbook.” Friday, Dec. 9, 8 p.m., Tupelo Music Hall, 10 A St., Derry, tickets $40 and $45 at tupelohall.com.

• Vocalizers: Before Straight No Chaser, Pentatonix and the Pitch Perfect movies, Rockapella brought contemporary a cappella into many music fans’ lives. The New York vocal group had forebears, but when it was the house “band” on the PBS series Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? its brand of human beatbox-driven harmonizing entered the mainstream. The group’s annual holiday show returns to Pinkerton Academy. Saturday, Dec. 10, 7 p.m., Stockbridge Theatre, 44 N. Main St., Derry, $35 at pinkertonacademy.org.

• Fiddlacious: Born to play her instrument, Eileen Ivers remembers air fiddling a pink toy guitar at age 3. Since then, she’s earned a reputation as the Jimi Hendrix of the violin from her admirers. Although she’s won multiple all-Ireland fiddle championships and has toured with Riverdance, Ivers is an American, born in New York City. Her upcoming show is Christmas-themed; a highlight of past performances is the devotional song “Holly Tree.” Sunday, Dec. 11, 4 p.m., Rex Theatre, 23 Amherst St., Manchester, $39 at palacetheatre.org.

• Hometown: A solo set from one of the area’s leading luminaries, Justin Cohn, may include a song from Rocking Horse Music Club’s rock opera, Circus of Wire Dolls. The singer-songwriter is one of the group’s standouts since he delivered a memorable lead vocal on 2018’s “Everywhere Is Home,” their debut single. Cohn has a great catalog of his own songs; he released the reflective, bucolic “Settlement Trees” at the end of last year. Tuesday, Dec. 13, 9 p.m., Stark Brewing Co., 500 Commercial St., Manchester. See justincohn.com.

Local music news & events

• Song Circle: A series focused on singer-songwriters, Come On Up To The House has a trio of luminaries: Mark Erelli, Jesse Dee and Ali McGuirk. Erelli’s latest is the poignant “You’re Gonna Wanna Remember This,” a co-write with Lori McKenna. Dee is inspired by vintage soul — his Sam Cooke-flavored “Slippery Slope” is a good example — and McGuirk is a rising star, with a Signature Sounds debut recently released. Thursday, Dec. 1, 7 p.m., The Word Barn, 66 Newfields Road, Exeter, $15 to $25 at thewordbarn.com.

• Genre-blender: A solid draw in their Midwest home and on the festival circuit, Tropidelic began hitting the Northeast a few years ago. The six-piece band fuses a lot of genres, including reggae and hip-hop, exuding positivity with a spirited call to activism. To illustrate their variety, 2018’s Heavy is the Head included eerie a capella, rage rapping and an uplifting ballad — and that was only the first three songs. Friday, Dec. 2, 8 p.m., Wally’s Pub, 144 Ashworth Ave., Hampton Beach, $20 at ticketmaster.com.

• Woofa goofa: A rousing tribute to the J. Geils Band, Whammer Jammer recalls the Boston sextet that had a habit of blowing headliners off the stage during its very brief period as an opening act; more than a few fans think it’s a crime that the stellar group isn’t in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. With singer Rich Ashman standing in for Peter Wolf (who still performs solo), the group does a credible job of reviving their timeless sound. Saturday, Dec. 3, 8 p.m., Stumble Inn, 20 Rockingham Road, Londonderry, stumbleinnnh.com.

• Xmas shred: Transforming Santa season into a shredding surf safari, Gary Hoey provides a great way to get into the holiday spirit with his annual “Ho! Ho! Hoey!” show. The Dick Dale acolyte first donned his Kringle hat more than 25 years ago; the guitarist’s franchise now includes Hallmark greeting cards playing rocked-up holiday favorites. Hoey was also featured in the 2006 Danny DeVito film Deck The Halls. Sunday, Dec. 4, 8 p.m., Tupelo Music Hall, 10 A St., Derry, $35 at tupelohall.com.

• Only one: With its bracing, metal-limned hardcore punk sound, Cro-Mags broke through with The Age of Quarrel in the mid-’80s, followed by Best Wishes, before internal strife split them in two. Last October, bassist-vocalist Harley Flanagan secured rights to the band’s name from its former singer, ending a protracted legal battle. With Flanagan the only founding member, the group kicks off a short tour in Manchester. Monday, Dec. 5, 9 p.m., Shaskeen Pub, 909 Elm St., Manchester, $20 at brownpapertickets.com.

Local music news & events

• Hail queen: Basking in the glow of a New England Music Award for Country Act of the Year, April Cushman plays a local microbrewery. Cushman was nominated in six NEMA categories, and she performed at the ceremony with guitarist Brad Myrick, who also picked up a nod that night. Cushman’s most recent album The Long Haul represents some of the region’s best music, so her shiny disc is much deserved. Friday, Nov. 25, 6 p.m., Backyard Brewery, 1211 S. Mammoth Road, Manchester. See facebook.com/aprilcushmanmusic.

• Rap represent: A celebration of the area hip-hop scene, Hellhound for the Holidays offers a long list of artists. The show is curated by Hellhound Crew, which includes Cody Pope, Byron G, 8-BZA, Fee The Evolutionist, Deja Solo, Even Tho, Trip Seat, Neek100 and more. Friday, Nov. 25, 8 p.m., Nashua Garden, 121 Main St., Nashua, $10, see facebook.com/donebooking.

• Clam clowns: Due to a health issue, an evening with Mike Girard’s Big Swinging Thing is now switched to The Fools, Girard’s longtime group and sometimes musical comedy troupe. Born in “Home of the Fried Clam” Ipswich, Mass., the group broke through the 1970s Boston scene with its irreverent Talking Heads parody “Psycho Chicken,” later scoring a national hit with “It’s a Night for Beautiful Girls” and touring extensively. Saturday, Nov. 26, 8 p.m., Tupelo Music Hall, 10 A St., Derry, $35 at tupelohall.com.

• Nineties redux: A fantastic double bill for music mavens is led by Sophie B. Hawkins. The singer is touring to mark the 30th anniversary of her smash debut, Tongues and Tails, with its ethereal breakout single, “Damn, I Wish I Was Your Lover.” Since that start, she’s acted and released five more albums, scoring a big Adult Contemporary hit with “As I Lay Me Down.” Talented singer-songwriter Seth Glier opens the afternoon show. Sunday, Nov. 27, 4 p.m., Bank of NH Stage, 16 S. Main St., Concord, tickets $55 and $65 at ccanh.com.

Local music news & events

• Listen & learn: Given the recent focus on her career and a summer return to performing, The History of Joni Mitchell is a timely celebration hosted by the guitar/vocal duo of Chris Albertson and Cait Murphy. They’ll discuss her growth as an artist, and the performers Mitchell influenced, while playing selections from her debut Song to a Seagull through Shine, her final record, released in 2007. Thursday, Nov. 17, 7 p.m., Leach Library, 276 Mammoth Road, Londonderry. See facebook.com/TheChrisandCait.

• Funny Friday: A triple bill of jokesters hold forth at Tupelo Night of Comedy, led by veteran comic Kenny Rogerson, who began in Chicago before moving to Boston during the burgeoning early 1980s comedy scene. He later appeared in Fever Pitch and Something About Mary. He’s joined by Ryan Gartley, who was goaded by friends on a Portsmouth booze cruise into doing standup over two decades ago, and local favorite Dave Decker. Friday, Nov. 18, 8 p.m., Tupelo Music Hall, 10 A St., Derry, $22 at tupelohall.com.

• Power pop: Making the case for an oft-neglected musical decade, Donaher delivers songs clearly inspired by ’90s bands like Weezer, Nirvana and Jellyfish. Their newest record, Gravity And The Stars Above, released earlier this year, is packed with gems like “Lights Out,” a hook-tastic breakup song brimming with pain, and the equally happy/sad “Sleepless in New England.” Lovewell and Cool Parents round out a rocking trifecta. Saturday, Nov. 19, 9 p.m., Shaskeen Pub, 909 Elm St., Manchester, shaskeenirishpub.com..

• Local lights: Though officially disbanded, JamAntics continues to perform, and the JamAnnual GetDown is becoming a regular thing. This year’s celebration welcomes another area fixture, Supernothing. Being in the band, which formed in the mid-2000s and helped jump-start the Concord music scene, is like riding a bicycle; however long its five members are apart, at the moment they plug in and play, their reliable groove reappears.. Saturday, Nov. 19, 8 p.m., Bank of NH Stage, 16 S. Main St., Concord, tickets $15 to $25 at ccanh.com.

• Get chronic: Mississippi by way of the West Coast rapper Afroman rose to fame on his early millennium hits “Because I Got High” and “Crazy Rap,” earning a Grammy nomination in 2002. He’s appearing at a downtown bar/restaurant just in time to roll out a few selections from his unconventional mid-2000s holiday disc A Colt 45 Christmas, which has bangers such as “O Chronic Tree” and “Afroman Is Coming To Town.” Sunday, Nov. 20, 8 p.m., The Goat, 50 Old Granite St., Manchester, $29.50 at ticketmaster.com.

Local music news & events

• Billy double: Piano player Ben Eramo, who fronts tribute act Cold Spring Harbor, began playing at age 4 and became enamored of Billy Joel at 11 when his teacher gave him a copy of “My Life” to learn. He did so quickly, then soaked up the rest of his songbook. He and a friend formed a duo dedicated to Joel’s music in middle school. Since then, the now four-piece band has become one of the region’s favorites. Thursday, Nov. 10, 6:30 p.m., LaBelle Winery, 345 Route 101, Amherst, $35 at labellewinery.com.

• Key difference: A band that regularly leads an open mic in a music-friendly restaurant, Andrew North & The Rangers kicks off the weekend there with a free show. They’re in fine form of late, evidenced by a pre-Halloween set at Feathered Friend Brewing that included covers of “Werewolves of London” and “Ghostbusters” along with sneaky nods to “Thriller” and Edgar Winter’s “Frankenstein.” Check it out on archive.org. Friday, Nov. 11, 7:30 p.m., Area 23, 254 N. State St., Concord. See andrewnorthandtherangers.com.

• Comic relief: Now that autumn leaves and campaign signs are gone, it’s a good time to laugh, and Comedy Night with three well-known standups provides such an opportunity. Paul Nardizzi is a regional favorite who appeared on the Conan O’Brien Show and Comedy Central. Jody Sloane got her start entertaining tourists while driving a Duck Boat tour bus in Boston. Dave Decker opens the bring-your-own-food affair. Saturday, Nov. 12, 8 p.m., VFW Post 1670, 143 Court St., Laconia, $20 at venue or call 524-9725.

• Sunday swing: Two local treasures join up as The Freese Brothers Big Band and Alli Beaudry perform an afternoon show. Formed in 1982 to “support and encourage the development of the musical talents of the public” and foster music appreciation, the family troupe dates back to the 1930s; their shows highlight the Golden Era of Big Band. Manchester-born Beaudry is an effervescent singer, songwriter, and booster of her home city. Sunday, Nov. 13, 2 p.m., Rex Theatre, 23 Amherst St., Manchester, $29 at palacetheatre.org.

• Dynamic duo: This week’s alt comedy night is a special one, with Eddie Pepitone and JT Habersaat sharing the stage. Whoever first said, “you can take the boy out of NYC, but you can’t take NYC out of the boy” most likely had Pepitone in mind. The Staten Island native moved to L.A. over two decades ago for a part in Old School and became a mainstay in clubs there. Habersaat just wrapped his annual Altercation Fest in Austin. Wednesday, Nov. 16, 8 p.m., Shaskeen Pub, 909 Elm St., Manchester, shaskeenirishpub.com.