Category: Music This Week

Local music news & events

• Broadway bash: Four actors who’ve all starred in Phantom of the Opera gather for The Four Phantoms In Concert. The show, soon to be a PBS special, has both solo and group numbers from Brent Barrett, John Cudia, Franc D’Ambrosio and Ciarán Sheehan. It includes an appearance by Kaley Ann Voorhees, who played Christine in Phantom’s Broadway production. Thursday, Feb. 29, 7 p.m., Capitol Center for the Arts, 44 S. Main St., Concord, $48.75 and up at ccanh.com.

• Hammer time: He’s popular enough to fill hockey rinks, but Tom Segura’s dark humor isn’t for everyone. He told mLive.com in October his current tour is “bigger and blacker than anything I’ve ever done, but that name has already been used; Come Together gets the point across. Let us all come together for a night. ” Friday, March 1, 8 p.m., SNHU Arena, 555 Elm St., Manchester, $35.50 and up at snhuarena.com.

• Mixed media: Standup comedy preceded by jazz music is on tap at a show topped by Kenny Rogerson, billed as “the funniest man you’ve never heard of,” along with Steve Scarfo and Jayson Martin. Rogerson is well-known to regional fans; he’s appeared in Las Vegas and Atlantic City, and has made appearances on Letterman, Conan O’Brien and Comics Come Home. Saturday, March 2, 7 pm., Rockingham Ballroom, 22 Ash Swamp Road, Newmarket, $25 at eventbrite.com.

• New Englander: No soundtrack of 1970s Boston is complete without Jonathan Richman, who yearned to “drive past the Stop n’ Shop with the radio on at night” on “Roadrunner” and wrote a love song to Government Center. These days, he’s a crooner who eschews his oldies for an ever-changing setlist of music that “works well in quiet places,” backed by Tommy Larkins. Sunday, March 3, 7 p.m., Nashua Center for the Arts, 201 Main St., Nashua, $39 and up at etix.com.

• Rap deconstructed: For anyone interested in the songwriting process of hip-hop, Cody Pope and Brian G will break it down during an Inside the Music presentation. Sure to come up in the discussion is the duo’s work in progress, a follow-up to 2021’s Meet Me In Gate City, and thoughts on their creative influences, which include Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth, Gang Starr and Kool G Rap. Monday, March 4, 7 p.m., Nashua Public Library, 2 Court St., Nashua, nashualibrary.org.

Local music news & events

• Record party: The fourth Thursday of the month is Bring Your Own Vinyl Night at a downtown craft brewery whose name illustrates the evening’s spirit. Check out To Share’s extensive collection, which includes everything from Tupac to Bob Seger’s Night Moves along with nuggets like Sanford Townsend Band’s Smoke From a Distant Fire. Thursday, Feb. 22, 4 p.m., To Share Brewing, 720 Union St., Manchester, tosharebrewing.com.

• Folked up: Singer, songwriter and superb raconteur Vance Gilbert performs an “evening with” show. His latest album, 2023’s The Mother of Trouble, includes a song called “Simple Things” that Gilbert described as “what happens when a Black kid from Philadelphia who grew up listening to Earth, Wind & Fire, and didn’t know the Average White Band was white, tries to write a song like John Prine.” Friday, Feb. 23, 7:30 p.m., Rex Theatre, 23 Amherst St., Manchester, $25 at palacetheatre.org.

• Country girl: Happy career news continues for April Cushman, who will play a Saturday night apres-ski gig with her trio. There are events like a recent showcase in Cincinnati and a Plymouth, Mass., headlining show coming in May, and in June, Cushman will be on the side stage for Lainey Wilson’s Meadowbrook concert and later entertaining NASCAR fans ahead of Race Weekend. Saturday, Feb. 24, 6 pm., Pats Peak Ski Area, 686 Flanders Road, Henniker. See facebook.com/aprilcushmanmusic.

• Picking power: A fundraiser for an inventive sculpture garden has the New England Bluegrass Band, led by Cecil Abels, a Mississippi-born singer, guitarist and proprietor of Mr. Sippy’s BBQ, who came to the region via a career in the U.S. Navy. Converted from a ski resort in 1996, the beneficiary venue now welcomes a wide array of sculptors to create and place their work in its growing collection. Sunday, Feb. 25, 6 p.m., Andres Institute of Art, 106 Route 13, Brookline, $25 at andresinstitute.org.

• Song circle: This month’s Songwriter RoundUp at a Lakes Region winery has Brooks Young and Tim Winchester with host Katie Dobbins. Young had quite the year in 2023, opening for George Thorogood & the Destroyers on an East Coast tour, buoyed by the success of his Supply Chain Blues album. Wednesday, Feb. 28, 7 p.m., Hermit Woods Winery, 72 Main St., Meredith, $10 and up at eventbrite.com.

Local music news & events

• Dad tribute: The first song A.J. Croce recorded from his father’s catalog after doing Croce by Croce concerts for many years was “I Got A Name.” When Jim Croce died in a 1973 plane crash, his son was 2 years old. Later, one way he got to know him was by studying reels of tape for clues to his artistic process; this led him to realize that they both loved the same American Songbook artists. Thursday, Feb. 15, 7 p.m., Capitol Center for the Arts, 44 S. Main St., Concord, $53.75 and up at ccanh.com.

• Rock’s voice: When Deep Purple made the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Glenn Hughes, their co-vocalist and bassist in the mid-’70s, was among those accepting the honor. Hughes plays Deep Purple classics at a local show, with Enuff Z’Nuff opening. Friday, Feb. 16, 8 p.m., Tupelo Music Hall, 10 A St., Derry, $50 and up tupelohall.com.

• Laugh time: Monthly comedy shows continue at a grand buffet Italian restaurant with Paul Nardizzi topping a lineup that also includes Dave Rattigan and Chris Cameron; arrive early for the food and stay for the hilarity. Former Boston Comedy Festival winner Nardizzi has appeared on Late Night with Conan O’Brien, Comedy Central, NESN and Fox Sports’ Best Damn Sports Show Period. Saturday, Feb. 17, 8 pm., Cello’s Farmhouse Italian, 143 Raymond Road, Candia, $30 at eventbrite.com.

• Duo show: A release show celebrates Call and Response, a new EP from Matt Pond PA & Alexa Rose, who decided to connect and make music together after Rose name-checked the band in her song “Wild Peppermint.” The disc includes a lovely take on the Verve’s “Bittersweet Symphony” and the original “Side Eye Rolls,” a Tom Petty-esque rocker that nods to The Big Lebowski’s rug. Sunday, Feb. 18, 7 p.m., The Word Barn, 66 Newfields Road, Exeter, $16 and up at portsmouthtickets.com.

• Celtic connection: With less than a month until St. Patrick’s Day, it’s a good time to enjoy the weekly Irish Sessions at a venerable Concord pub, recently revived after a long hiatus. Settle into a six-dollar pint of Guinness or Smithwick’s, or a Black & Tan combo of the two, paired with fish and chips, beef stew or a Dublin burger, alongside a lively and frequently surprising evening of traditional music. Tuesday, Feb. 20, 6 p.m., The Barley House, 132 N. Main St., Concord, thebarleyhouse.com.

Local music news & events

• Cowgirl jazz: Come for a light supper as the weekend approaches and enjoy Hot Skillet Club playing western-infused swing jazz. The acoustic trio of friends includes Val Blachly on upright bass and vocals, guitarist Liza Constable, who also plays with Blachly in Swing a Cat, and Ellen Carlson, a fiddler Blachly began working with in Sweet, Hot & Sassy, which had a 12-year run starting in the early 1990s. Thursday, Feb. 8, 6 p.m., Daniel’s Restaurant and Pub, 48 Main St., Henniker. See hotskilletclub.com.
• • Laugh along: An evening of standup comedy has Boston favorite Al Park along with a few special guests. Friday, Feb. 9, 7:30 p.m., Rex Theatre, 23 Amherst St., Manchester, $25 at palacetheatre.org.
• • Valentine swing: Start with a dance lesson, then get on the floor with the 18-piece New Legacy Swing Band for an event dubbed Tunnel of Love. It promises moody lighting, a light food menu that starts with a glass of complimentary bubbly, and lots of chocolate and flowers paired with music ranging from Blood, Sweat & Tears, Brian Setzer and Chicago to Sinatra and Ella. Saturday, Feb. 10, 7 pm., Rockingham Ballroom, 22 Ash Swamp Road, Newmarket, $30 at rockinballroom.club.
• • Sixties vibe: Conceived by New England native Brian Chartrand, Live from Laurel Canyon is a multimedia concert featuring the soundtrack of a generation, from the Byrds, Joni Mitchell, Buffalo Springfield and Mamas & the Papas to later standard-bearers like Jackson Browne, James Taylor, and The Eagles. Sunday, Feb. 11, 4 p.m., Bank of NH Stage, 16 S. Main St., Concord, $53.75 at ccanh.com.
• • Carrying on: Closing in on four decades as a band, Big Head Todd & the Monsters is still the core trio that formed in 1986: Todd Park Mohr on guitar, keyboard, sax and harmonica, drummer Brian Nevin and Rob Squires on bass; second guitarist Jeremy Lawton joined 20 years ago. They recently dropped “Her Way Out,” from Thunderbird, their 12th album. Tuesday, Feb. 13, 8 p.m., Tupelo Music Hall, 10 A St., Derry, $55 and up at tupelohall.com.

Local music news & events

• Get together: For anyone itching to play an original song for a sympathetic crowd, Acoustic Open Mic Night is a good place to land. Hosted by local singer-songwriter Mike Birch, the rules are pretty loose — no comedy or karaoke, and it’s a good idea to bring a personal microphone. Duos and trios are allowed, but not amplifiers or drums; for the latter, a little bit of thigh-slapping will suffice. Thursday, Feb. 1, 7:30 p.m., Casey Magee’s, 8 Temple St., Nashua. See facebook.com/mikebirchmusic.
• Beaching time: Taking its name from a classic Beach Boys song, All Summer Long is an annual long weekend tradition at a Londonderry craft brewery. With indoor sand and a bevy of local music, it’s a great way to forget about the cold. Nightshade kicks things off Friday, Supernothing and DJ Ache helm an all-day party Saturday and Slack Tide wraps it up Sunday afternoon. Starts Friday, Feb. 2, at 6 p.m., Pipe Dream Brewing, 49 Harvey Road, Londonderry, pipedreambrewingnh.com.
• Heavy hearts: A multi-band show with a metal focus and an alt edge, Valentine’s Day Massacre gets the holiday off to an early start. Late 9 is a Boston quintet whose latest single, “Obsessed,” nicely balances melodic with metal. The Doldrums have a Green Day/Fall Out Boy vibe, while Cytokine and Creation from Crisis keep things hard and heavy; punk rockabilly band Ragz to Stitchez rounds things out. Saturday, Feb. 3, 7 pm., Shaskeen Pub, 909 Elm St., Manchester, $10 at the door, 21+.
• Lounge around: Ahead of a pair of Mardi Gras concerts, one of which will be streamed, Heather Pierson plays a late afternoon set in a duo format. The piano player launched a new group, The Potboilers, in 2022.The show happens in the venue’s upstairs bar. Sunday, Feb. 4, 6 p.m., Cantin Room at Bank of NH Stage, 16 S. Main St., Concord, $18 at ccanh.com.
• Classic covers: From its start as a bunch of high school pals making original music, Fortune became a mainstay on the regional club scene, making a pair of albums in the mid-’90s and opening for bands like the Guess Who and Cheap Trick. Their staying power has more to do with channeling classic rock energy, however. One band superfan dubbed them “the greatest cover band in the world,” and it’s deserved praise. Sunday, Feb. 4, 7 p.m., Tupelo Music Hall, 10 A St., Derry, $30 at tupelohall.com.

Local music news & events

• Rising sounds: Celebrating its 30th anniversary last year, taiko drum group Drum Tao continues a world tour with an area stop. The show features traditional Japanese instruments, including the large o-daiko and other drums, shinobue flutes and koto harps, woven with elements of rock, pop and classical music, along with exciting sword fighting performances. Thursday, Jan. 25, 7 p.m., Capitol Center for the Arts, 44 S. Main St., Concord, $44 and up at ccah.com.
• Sibling tribute: A multimedia look at Matthew and Gunnar Nelson’s father is the focus of Ricky Nelson Remembered, including hits like “Hello Mary Lou” and “Garden Party.” Friday, Jan. 26, 7:30 pm., Rex Theatre, 21 Amherst St., Manchester, $45 and $55 at palacetheatre.org.
• Local showcase: Five regional bands gather under the moniker Jamuary for an evening of classic rock and original songs. The bill has Eljer P. Sloan playing a brand of music called Super Groovy Werewolf Rock, the new-ish band Burn Permit, SumWat Lucky, Corduroy and Diamond Edge. Saturday, Jan. 24, 6 pm., American Legion Post 51, Route 125, Epping. See eljerpsloan.com.
• Good laughs: A night of standup features comic triathlete Dave Rattigan, who tells jokes, runs the shows and once taught comedy as a college course. Hometown favorite Jay Chanoine offers his humorous brand of cranky consternation, and Kathy Gilmour, who claims she conquered her weight problem with the magic words “I now identify as skinny,” rounds out the evening. Saturday, Jan. 27, 8:30 p.m., Murphy’s Taproom, 494 Elm St., Manchester, $20 at eventbrite.com.\
• Rock show: Before their hit “Cult of Personality” broke on MTV in 1988, Living Colour got help from Mick Jagger to get a deal with CBS Records. “It literally took the intervention of the most famous rock star,” Vernon Reid, the band’s co-founder and guitarist, said a few years ago. Sunday, Jan. 28, 7 p.m., Angel City Music Hall, 179 Elm St., Manchester, $30 ($40 day of show) at ticketweb.com.