Category: Music This Week

Local music news & events

• Feel like redo: After what he thought was his final tour in 2019, Peter Frampton came back from a diagnosis of inclusion-body myositis. Thus, his current run is dubbed the Never Say Never tour, as the guitar hero whose LP Frampton Comes Alive broke records in the mid-’70s returns to perform his biggest hits. Thursday, July 13, 8 p.m., Bank of NH Pavilion, 72 Meadowbrook Lane, Gilford, $35 and up at ticketmaster.com.

• True veteran: Early in his career, Tom Rush was the first to record songs by Joni Mitchell and Jackson Browne. Later, his own “No Regrets” became a standard, with covers from Emmylou Harris and Midge Ure, among others. He’s been touring for more than 50 years and remains one of the funniest and most engaging performers around. Friday, July 14, 8 p.m., 7 p.m., Nashua Center for the Arts, 201 Main St., Nashua, $29 and up at etix.com.

• Good cause: Memorializing a local sports hero, the Two to Lou Festival raises scholarship money to help students pursue athletics or music in college. Past years have featured premier tribute acts, and this time around it continues, with all-star act Beatlejuice covering the Fab Four, and Cars doppelgangers Panorama. Preciphist and River Sang Wild are among a dozen performers rounding out the bill. Saturday, July 15, noon, Sandlots Sports & Entertainment, 56 North Road, Sandown. Tickets $25. More at twotolou.com.

• Heavy metal kids: An unholy trinity of core (death, metal and hard), Devitalized is a young Massachusetts band inspired by acts like Alpha Wolf and Chelsea Grin. The latter is featured on their latest single, “Godslayer.” The band describes itself as having “a heart of gold and a taste for blood,” with music that “features rebellious themes inspired by … collective backgrounds in bullying, abuse, poverty, addiction, mental illness, and more.” Sunday, July 16, 7 p.m., Nashua Garden, 121 Main St., Nashua, $39 and up at etix.com.

• Long players: Over 25 years, Utah rockers Royal Bliss have released six albums; their latest, the aptly titled Survivor, dropped in the spring. Support for an area show is provided by Royal Thunder and New Monarch. Wednesday, July 19, 8 p.m., Bank of NH Stage, 16 S. Main St., Concord, $23.75 and up at ccanh.com.

Local music news & events

• Al fresco fiddling: The second in a series of free outdoor shows has the New Hampshire Fiddle Ensemble, a community orchestra that includes players of all abilities. Music in their shows range from Celtic to country to folk and bluegrass. Thursday, July 6, 7:30 p.m., Eagle Square, Main St., Concord. See nhfiddleensemble.org.

• Beat-dropper: A lengthy bill of dubstep purveyors is topped by Codd Dubz, a Long Island DJ well-known for his chopping skills, using a channel fader or crossfader to switch up sounds. For a good example, check out “Slice & Dice” on Soundcloud or stream his latest EP, Finesse the World.. Also appearing are Sqishi and Brainrack, along with local performers Draza, Steak and Txrran. Friday, July 7, 8 p.m., Jewel Music Venue, 61 Canal St., Manchester, $25 at eventbrite.com.

• Nineties redux: Quirky Canadian alt-rockers Barenaked Ladies resume their Last Summer on Earth tour, with fellow VHI favorites Del Amitri and Five for Fighting. BNL is still making new music; the band released the single “Lovin’ Life” recently from on their 2021 album Detour de Force. Saturday, July 8, 7 p.m., Bank of NH Pavilion, 72 Meadowbrook Lane, Gilford, $29 and up at ticketmaster.com.

• Heritage act: Powerful bloodlines are on display as the Allman Betts Band comes to town, with a lineup including guitarists Devon Allman and Duane Betts, sons of Allman Brothers Band members Gregg Allman and Dicky Betts, and Berry Oakley Jr., son of the Allmans’ original bass player. Their sets include songs from two original albums released by the band, and classics like “Whippin’ Post,” “Ramblin’ Man” and “One Way Out.” Sunday, July 9, 7 p.m., Nashua Center for the Arts, 201 Main St., Nashua, $39 and up at etix.com.

• Boozy bluegrass: Genre-bending roots trio Stillhouse Junkies have New England roots. Mandolin player Fred Kosak was a Boston high school teacher before following his muse to Durango, Colorado, and fiddler Alissa Wolf studied at Berklee. Along with upright bassist Cody Tinnin, they often hit the stage in custom-stitched Dickies overalls. The band name comes from a distillery near their Rocky Mountain home base. Wednesday, July 12, 7 p.m., The Word Barn, 66 Newfields Road, Exeter, $14 to $25 at portsmouthnhtickets.com.

Local music news & events

• True calling: Though an Oscar-nominated actor is its front man, Billy Bob Thornton & The Boxmasters isn’t a side project. Thornton played in bands as a kid, and even was a roadie for a bit with the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, among others. “I’m not that big on movies,” Thornton told a writer a few years back. “I always thought I’d play music or play baseball, but I made money at acting, so I thought, ‘I guess I better do that.’” Thursday, June 29, 7:30 p.m., Palace Theatre, 80 Hanover St., Manchester, $39 and up at palacetheatre.org.

• Mardi gras: After a blues band included an accordion on an album, it became Catfish Howl Zydeco Band, adding crawfish boils and New Orleans parties to its calendar, with a washboard player for fuller effect. The raucous six-piece plays a bucolic evening set on a waterfront stage. Fans can bring lawn chairs and refreshments for the show. Friday, June 30, 6 p.m., The Belknap Mill, 25 Beacon St. East, Laconia, belknapmill.org.

• Southern rock: A downtown restaurant and bar hosts Black Stone Cherry, a band that woodshedded its first album in the Kentucky Headhunters’ practice house; their drummer is the son of Headhunters guitarist Richard Young. The group just released a video for “Nervous,” the second single from Screamin’ at the Sky. The new album, due in September, is their first with new bass player Steve Jewell. Saturday, July 1, 9 p.m., The Goat, 50 Old Granite St., Manchester, $29.50 at ticketmaster.com, 21+.

• Reel time: A series of concerts on the green kicks off with the Jordan Tirrell-Wysocki Trio playing traditional Irish music and Celtic-themed compositions. The summer-long series starts a day early due to the holiday, then happens every Tuesday through mid-September. The Wholly Rollers, Liz & Dan Faiella, Hot Skillet Club and Peabody’s Coal Train are among the acts due to perform in the coming weeks. Monday, July 3, 4 p.m., Shaker Village Garden Barn Green, 288 Shaker Road, Canterbury, call 783-9511 for more.

• Bandstand roots: With what’s billed as “fun and funky arrangements of familiar music,” North River Music is an Americana band performing in a variety of configurations. The full five-piece will appear at a free show for listeners on lawn blankets and beach chairs, who hopefully will only require umbrellas to shield the twilight sun — yes, it’s been an unruly summer thus far. Wednesday, July 5, 6 p.m., Bedford Village Common, 15 Bell Hill Road, Bedford. More at northrivermusic.com.

Local music news & events

• Idol music: Since winning American Idol and hitting with his song “Home” 11 years ago, Phillip Phillips has risen steadily in the pop music world. He recently released Drift Back, his first new LP in five years. Thursday, June 22, 8 p.m., Tupelo Music Hall, 10 A St., Derry, $40 to $45 at tupelohall.com.

• Rusted dude: Closing out Market Days Concord on Friday is Michael Glabicki’s band Uprooted performing songs from his old group Rusted Root. The band rose to prominence with H.O.R.D.E, a 1994 caravan with a who’s who of the jam band scene. Set highlights include “Ecstasy” and “Send Me on My Way,” a mid-’90s hit that became ubiquitous in later years, from TV ads to kids’ movies. Friday, June 23, 8 p.m., Market Days Main Stage, near 24 S. Main St., Concord, marketdaysfestival.com.

• Rolling party: Best known for hosting the inebriated pub crawl Three Sheets, Zane Lamprey brings his standup act to town. When the network it was on folded, Mark Cuban re-launched the show as Drinking Made Easy. “Comedy is just showing your vulnerability,” Lamprey said recently of how he approaches his craft. “I don’t like to make fun of other people.” Saturday, June 24, 2:30 p.m., Backyard Brewery and Kitchen, 1211 S. Mammoth Road, Manchester, $25 to $40 and up at eventbrite.com.

• Local loudness: An all-day celebration of heaviness is back for another year with Seacoast Metal Fest 2. Appearing are Wired for Sound, Nova Koi, 25 Cent Habit, Gods Go First, Damaged Goods, Mystik Angel, Lethal Creed, Day to Attend, Wreckless and Daisy Cutter 6. The event also includes comedy from Eric Hurst, Mike Gray and Robbie Partridge. Sunday, June 25, noon, The Governor’s Inn, 78 Wakefield St., Rochester, $10 at the door; for more, see facebook.com/sabookingne.

• Country girl: The summer-long Henniker Concert Series continues with the Shana Stack Band, selected based on a recent poll of concertgoers’ preference for country music. The group won back-to-back New England Music Awards Best Country Act followed by Band of the Year in 2014 and 2015. They’ve opened for national acts at Bank of NH Pavilion, along with regularly playing the venue’s side stage. Tuesday, June 27, 6:30 p.m., Community Park, 57 Main St., Henniker, henniker.org

Local music news & events

• L.A. rocks: During its late-’80s heyday, glam metal-punk hybrid band Faster Pussycat was an MTV fixture, touring with Guns N’ Roses and appearing in the rockumentary The Decline of Western Civilization Part 2 – The Metal Years. Now sober front man Taime Downe keeps the name alive these days. A new single, “Like A Ghost” backed with the Johnny Thunders’ song “Pirate Love,” came out late last year. Thursday, June 15, 7 p.m., Tupelo Music Hall, 10 A St., Derry, $40 at tupelohall.com.

• Familial: Deeply rooted in New Hampshire, Bitter Pill brings its genre-bending acoustic sound over from its Seacoast home. The group is led by the father-daughter team of Billy and Emily Butler and formed originally for the soundtrack of a Players’ Ring production of Titus Andronicus. They’re on a double bill with Horsefly Gulch, the alter ego of prog rockers Mindset X, who’ve put out several new songs lately. Friday, June 16, 9 p.m., Shaskeen Pub, 909 Elm St., Manchester, more at bitterpillband.com.

• Special night: Singer, songwriter and saxophone player Grace Kelly will perform a pair of songs with Nashua High School’s 15-member North Treble Choir at her upcoming Gate City show. “She’s the First” and “We Will Rise” are called anthems about empowering women and education for girls. It’s a first for the musical prodigy, who’s played the Hollywood Bowl and appeared on The Late Show. Saturday, June 17, 8 p.m., Nashua Center for the Arts, 201 Main St., Nashua, $40 and up at etix.com.

• Funny brew: An area microbrewery presents a slate of standup comics including Nick Tocco, a favorite at several area showcases, along with Charlestown, Mass., native turned Granite Stater Bob Stuart, and a deep bill including Awais Hussain, Steve Blackwood, Dave Twohig and Jonah Simmons. The evening is presented by charity-minded promoter Alan Foden’s Comedy on Purpose. Wednesday, June 21, 7 pm., Long Blue Cat Brewing Co., 298 Rockingham Road, Londonderry, longbluecat.com.

Local music news & events

• Trailblazer: With now grown-up fans called Debheads, Debbie Gibson remains a model for modern performers. In the late ’80s she wrote, sang and produced hits like “Electric Youth” and “Lost in Your Eyes.” Later she moved to Broadway, starring in Grease, Les Misérables and other musicals. Following a health scare, in 2021 Gibson released her first new pop album in 20 years, The Body Remembers. Thursday, June 8, 7:30 p.m., Palace Theatre, 80 Hanover St., Manchester, tickets $39 to $49 at palacetheatre.org.

• Generational: With plans to tour with a changing cast of up-and-coming musicians, Pat Metheny released Side-Eye in 2021, citing the platform he received from older musicians in his early days as inspiration. An area stop has the renowned jazz guitarist performing with Chris Fishman, a keyboard prodigy who began playing in Southern California bands at age 7, and New Orleans drummer Joe Dyson, a Berklee graduate. Friday, June 9, 8 p.m., Nashua Center for the Arts, 201 Main St., Nashua, $59 to $99 at etix.com.

• Representative: Rescheduled and relocated due to weather, the all-day Exeter Arts & Music Fest has a wide range of regional talent appearing on two stages. Eclectic rockers Cold Engines headline the main stage, with support from Wood, Wind & Whisky, Marcus Robb Quartet and Tim Parent & the Grim Bros. A singer-songwriter tent has Elijah Clark, Liz Ridgely, Artty Francouer and three others. Saturday, June 10, 11 a.m., Town House Common, 6 Bow St., Exeter, $10 suggested donation, see teamexeter.com.

• Café society: Brunchtime music at a downtown coffee shop is offered by Charlie Chronopoulos. Sunday, June 11, 11 a.m., Café la Reine, 915 Elm St., Manchester, see facebook.com/charliechrono.

• Partnership: Mixing blues rock and outlaw country, Samantha Fish & Jesse Dayton collaborated on their new album, Death Wish Blues. No Depression called it “some of the rawest and most hard-hitting music of their careers.” The online journal Americana Highways raved over the pairing, likening it to “the charm of duets like Johnny & June Cash as well as Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazelwood.” Wednesday, June 14, 7:30 pm., The Flying Monkey, 39 S. Main St., Plymouth, $39 and up at flyingmonkeynh.com.

Local music news & events

• Music city: The final concert of the monthly Nashville Newcomers series has Hannah Ellis and Martin & Kelly. Ellis is a Kentucky native whose solo work garnered an “Artist to Watch” nod from Rolling Stone, and she’s also guested with Carly Pearce, For King + Country and other artists. Before crossing over to country with singer Jilly Martin, guitarist Ryan Brooks Kelly made a name for himself playing blues rock. Thursday, June 1, 7 p.m., Bank of NH Stage, 16 S. Main St., Concord, $10 at ccanh.com.

• Southern man: With lyrics drawn from his native Georgia fused with hip-hop, vocalist Demun Jones stands at his own musical crossroads. Growing up, Jones was drawn to acts like N.W.A. even if the grittiness depicted in their songs was worlds away. Friday, June 2, 6 p.m., The Big House, 322 Lakeside Ave., Laconia, $40 at eventbrite.com.

• Fresh grass: A listening room showcases two top purveyors of acoustic roots music. Never Come Down is a Portland, Oregon, quintet that sits easily in the loosely defined Americana genre. Joining them are Boston-based Grain Thief, whose latest album, Gasoline, is quickly gaining critical acclaim. Saturday, June 3, 7 p.m., The Word Barn, 66 Newfields Road, Exeter, $20 at portsmouthnhtickets.com.

• Soul-barer: There are songwriters who live their work, and there’s Tyler Allgood. His bracing 2021 album Through the Empty was born from his experience as an addict facing spinal surgery and its aftermath. Worrying whether essential pain medication would lead to a relapse kept him “staring at the ceiling … going crazy wondering if my life was ever going to change,” the singer/guitarist said at the time. Sunday, June 4, 4 p.m., To Share Brewing, 720 Union St., Manchester, more at tosharebrewing.com.

• New beginning: With the multi-billion-streaming success of the breakout single “See You Again” and his second album, Voicenotes, Charlie Puth seemed to have it made, but a chance encounter with Elton John in an L.A. restaurant that ended with a dis caused him to scrap a completed album in 2020 and start over. The results are stellar; released last year, Charlie is a gem, and a tour supporting it has fans excited. Wednesday, June 7, 7:30 pm., Bank of NH Pavilion, 72 Meadowbrook Lane, Gilford, $25 to $99 at livenation.com.

Local music news & events

• Poetry slam: The weekly spoken word gathering Slam Free or Die has two familiar names, Amber Tamblyn and Derrick Brown. Tamblyn is an actress, director and writer whole latest book is Listening in the Dark: Reclaiming the Power of Women’s Intuition. Brown is a comic who’s penned books, screenplays and librettos. Thursday, May 25, 7 p.m., Stark Brewing, 500 N. Commercial St., Manchester, $3 to $5 at the door (sliding scale).

• Well-rounded: An eclectic local bill has doom rockers Dead Harrison, whose 2020 premonitory anthem “End of the Bloodline” was one good thing to come out of the pandemic, and Horsefly Gulch, the twang-fueled alter ego of prog rock trio Mindset X. Dust Prophet, a metal band that’s the latest project of guitarist and Bluntface Records founder Otto Kinzel, and Witch Trot, a Maine-based stoner grunge trio, round out the show. Friday, May 26, 8 p.m., Strand Theater, 20 Third St., Dover, $10 at eventbrite.com

• Country goth: Leading purveyors of the Underground Gothic scene The Legendary Shack Shakers do a Manchester date. Playing a bluesy mix of swamp music and rockabilly, they’re led by singer/harmonica player J.D. Wilkes, who’s done studio work with Merle Haggard, Sturgill Simpson, John Carter Cash, Mike Patton and Hank Williams III. The Kentucky band’s most recent album is Cockadoodledeux, released in 2021. Saturday, May 27, 8 p.m., Jewel Music Venue, 61 Canal St., Manchester, $20 at eventbrite.com.

• Full throttle: With a long list of iconic songs, Collective Soul isn’t easing up. A new album, Vibrating, was released last year Sunday, May 28, 8 p.m., Casino Ballroom, 169 Ocean Blvd., Hampton Beach, $39 at ticketmaster.com.

• Stars turn: Named after now-sober Alice Cooper’s ’70s celebrity drinking club, Hollywood Vampires is the world’s most famous cover band. Joe Perry, Johnny Depp and Tommy Henricksen join Cooper singing songs by performers who didn’t survive that decade of excess. Their latest album is a live recording of the group’s second show in front of tens of thousands at the 2015 Rock in Rio festival. Tuesday, May 30, 8 pm., SNHU Arena, 555 Elm St., Manchester, $39 to $99.50 at ticketmaster.com.

Local music news & events

• Pop-tastic: A three-band pre-weekend show has Donaher, a Manchester power pop quartet that recently appeared at Boston’s annual Rock ’n’ Roll Rumble and will play the side stage when the Goo Goo Dolls close out the season at Bank of NH Pavilion in late September. Girlspit and Cool Parents complete the bill; the latter is a funny and punky combo with songs like “WebMD is Ruining My Life.” Thursday, May 18, 8 p.m., Penuche’s Ale House, 16 Bicentennial Square, Concord. See facebook.com/donahertheband.

• Southern man: With Gary Rossington’s death, Lynyrd Skynyrd lost its last original member, but Artimus Pyle carries the torch, touring with a tribute to lead singer Ronnie Van Zandt. Pyle joined Skynyrd on drums for Nuthin’ Fancy in 1974 and a few years later survived the plane crash that killed Van Zandt and five others. After a drawn-out legal battle, his film about the crash, Street Survivors, was released in 2020. Friday, May 19, 8 p.m., Tupelo Music Hall, 10 A St., Derry, $40 and up at tupelohall.com.

• Off topic: After a groundbreaking seven-season run with Full Frontal, Samantha Bee shifts from politics to personal with her new show Your Favorite Woman. “I really am expressing myself as a woman … really hoping to achieve some kind of catharsis,” she told the Washington Post. “It’s a departure for me.” Bee’s first foray into touring is described as a multimedia show that’s paced differently than standup. Saturday, May 20, 8 p.m., Capitol Center for the Arts, 44 S. Main St., Concord, $48.25 and up at ccanh.com.

• Blues man: Beginning with the formation of his group Morblus in 1991, guitarist Roberto Morbioli has made a name for himself in the blues world, garnering comparisons to, according to one critic, “Eric Clapton and a young Stevie Ray Vaughn.” Another said his mix of “funk, soul, shuffle, swamp, second line and everything else [is a] relentless feast for the ears.” Lately he’s been joining Willie J. Laws for the Italian Texas Guitar Battle. Sunday, May 21, 5 p.m., Village Trestle, 25 Main St., Goffstown. See facebook.com/rob.morb.

• Funky guest: Singer, keyboard player and Mica’s Groove Train leader Yamica Peterson joins a weekly open session dubbed Monday Muse. Lisa Guyer, who once put the Mama in Mama Kicks, launched the open session to highlight area talent and stimulate the regional musical community. The house band includes Guyer, John Mederios, Geoff Bates, Nate Comp and Steve Baker. Monday, May 22, 7 pm., Stumble Inn Bar & Grill, 20 Rockingham Road, Londonderry. See facebook.com/LisaGuyerMusic.

Local music news & events

• Rant master: “It’s difficult to satirize what’s already satiric,” Lewis Black said a couple of years ago, but the acerbic comic keeps on trying. His latest tour, Off the Rails, pokes fun inclusively, as he likens America’s political parties to ideological mystery meat, saying, “they both taste like chicken,” and ends each show with The Rant is Due, a response to a fan’s complaint, submitted online. Thursday, May 11, 8 p.m., Colonial Theatre, 609 Main St., Laconia, $49 to $60 at etix.com. 

• Double play: Best known as a percussive acoustic guitarist, Senie Hunt has been plugging in lately, with a blues rock-based band influenced by Hendrix, Stevie Ray and others. For a homecoming show, he’ll perform two sets, the first with a fiddler, mandolin player and resonator guitarist, and the second with the electrified Senie Hunt Project. Local rocker Brooks Young will open. Friday, May 12, 8 p.m., Bank of NH Stage, 16 S. Main St., Concord, $21.75 at ccanh.com. 

• Doctor folk: Celebrating 30 years of performing, Ellis Paul isn’t slowing down, with a double LP inspired by the Beatles’ White Album out soon called 55. The title is a reference to the number of years since the Fab Four’s 1968 release. The singer-songwriter has won multiple Boston Music Awards, and received an honorary Doctor of Letters degree from the University of Maine in 2014. Saturday, May 13, 7:30 p.m., Rex Theatre, 23 Amherst St., Manchester, $29 and up at palacetheatre.org. 

• Mama mirth: A Mother’s Day brunch presented by Keg Stand Comedy includes four female comics who are also moms, with a full buffet included in the ticket cost. Laughs during the sumptuous meal will be provided by Alana Foden, the empress of her own long-running series of shows, Sara Poulin, who’s also a singer and actress, Jolanda Logan and Mona Forgione. Sunday, May 14, 11 a.m., Backyard Brewery & Kitchen, 1211 South Mammoth Road, Manchester, $75 at eventbrite.com. 

• Iconic pair: An ever-changing all-star cast drives Prince/Bowie, a fusion of legends that began as an informal extra at the Catskill Chill Music Festival a few years back, and continued by acclamation with theater and festival shows. Among the various players are members of Twiddle, Snarky Puppy, Trey Anastasio Band, Lotus, Pink Talking Fish and TAUK, with Matt Wayne providing horn arrangements. Wednesday, May 17, 8 pm., 3S Artspace, 319 Vaughan St., Portsmouth, $26 to $30 at 3sarts.org.