Category: Music This Week

Local music news & events

• Kiss face: Two years ago the band that made Ace Frehley famous played its final show at Madison Square Garden, but the guitarist wasn’t there, along with drummer Peter Criss. Kiss is at this point a vanity project for Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley — the two are readying a Vegas residency — but Frehley is still out on the road, playing “Rock and Roll All Night” and other hits. Thursday, Sept. 4, at 8 p.m., Tupelo Music Hall, 10 A St., Derry, $75 and up at tupelohall.com.

• Doom town: After two months away from the stage, Churchburn is back playing dark songs. They’re joined by three other New England bands for a night of heavy music dubbed Summer of Doom 2025. Rounding out the bill are Vigil, who released And the Void Stared Back last year, Vacant Eyes — their last LP was 2020’s A Somber Preclusion of Being — and the doomy band Conclave. Friday, Sept. 5, 8:30 p.m., Jewel Music Venue, 61 Canal St., Manchester, $20 at the door, 21+.

• Ginger laughs: Raised in New York City, Steve Hofstetter had a father who watched Dick Gregory perform in Village comedy clubs in the early 1960s, so he grew up to be a smart comic. Don’t interrupt his set; Hofstetter’s retorts draw blood before an offender even knows there’s a knife in the scene. Want proof? He has a YouTube page dedicated to heckler management. Saturday, Sept. 6, 7:30 p.m., Rex Theatre, 23 Amherst St., Manchester, $44 and up at palacetheatre.org.

Local music news & events

• Summer ’99: Post-grunge rockers Creed are in town with support from Daughtry, a band that initially was booked for a handful of shows on the tour until Three Doors Down had to cancel. Powered by Scott Stapp’s lead vocals, the Tallahassee four-piece broke through with its 1999 album Human Clay, which contained two No. 1 hits, “Higher” and “With Arms Wide Open.” Thursday, Aug. 28, 7 p.m., SNHU Arena, 555 Elm St., Manchester, $48 and up at ticketmaster.com.

• Rock indoors: End the month with a regional rock showcase as VicesFest ’25 happens from noon to midnight for three days, beginning Friday. Performers include headliners Sygnal to Noise, Trawl, and Vices Inc., along with Scarecrow Hill, Sepsiss, Night Fury, Jonee Earthquake Band and over two dozen more, plus food, merch vendors, and standup comedy from Jenn Rose. Friday, Aug. 29, through Sunday, Aug. 31, noon, The Strand, 20 Third St., Dover, $23 and up at eventbrite.com.

• Blues mama: Grammy winner Bonnie Raitt performs a Lakes Region show with Jimmy Vaughan & the Tilt-A-Whirl Band. Saturday, Aug. 30, 7:30 p.m., BNH Pavilion, 72 Meadowbrook Lane, Gilford, $49 and up at ticketmaster.com.

• Cat’s last: Now 80 years old, Al Stewart is in the midst of a farewell tour, with Derry one of its final American stops. Best-known for mid-’70s hits like “Time Passages” and “Year of the Cat,” Stewart came up in the British folk revival with his character-driven songs, played the first Glastonbury Festival, and once shared a flat with Paul Simon. Wednesday, Sept. 3, 8 p.m., Tupelo Music Hall, 10 A St., Derry, $50 and up at tupelohall.com.

Local music news & events

• Country girl: With a new single and an album on the way, April Cushman brings her heartfelt mix of country, rock and pop to a new night spot in downtown Concord for two days. On Friday she’ll perform with her full band, playing favorites like the rollicking “Long Haul,” and on Saturday it’s a solo turn, both at the recently opened space by the BankNH Stage and the Friendly Toast restaurant. Friday, Aug. 22, 5:30 p.m., Arts Alley, 20 S. Main St., Concord, aprilcushman.com.

• Teen rockers: A benefit for Nashua Community Music School has Boston ska punk faves Big D & the Kids Table atop the bill, while giving NCMS’s Teen Rock Band a chance to play for a crowd. Bring a lawn chair or picnic blanket to the family-friendly event, which offers food (each ticket includes two tacos) and supports community music. Saturday, Aug. 23, 2 p.m., Anheuser-Busch Biergarten, 221 DW Highway, Merrimack, $40 and up at nashuacms.org.

• Blues power: A guitar-driven band from Western Pennsylvania, Billy The Kid & The Regulators are in the midst of a New England swing that stops in Milford. Led by Billy Evanochko, the group made multiple trips to the International Blues Challenge in Memphis in its early days, and has shared the stage with greats like Shemekia Copeland, Koko Taylor and Joe Louis Walker. Sunday, Aug. 24, 7 p.m., Riley’s Place, 29 Mont Vernon St., billythekidandtheregulators.com.

• Monster bash: Rough and tumble rockers Falling In Reverse bring their God is a Weapon tour to the Lakes Region. Monday, Aug. 25, 6 p.m., BNH Pavilion, 72 Meadowbrook Lane, Gilford, $54 and up at ticketmaster.com.

Local music news & events

• Twofer: As the field crowds, tribute acts are getting more creative. Bostyx performs the music of two late-’70s rockers, a trick that Foreigners Journey has also successfully accomplished. Standing in for Styx’s Dennis DeYoung and Brad Delp of Boston, lead singer Karthik “Raj” Seshan is a fan favorite — one called him “the true ‘Babe’” and another gushed, “the notes he hits, flawless.” Thursday, Aug. 14, 7:30 p.m., Rex Theatre, 23 Amherst St., Manchester, $40 at palacetheatre.org.

• Bluesy: Classic cars and vintage music meld as the Michael Vincent Band performs a rootsy outdoor show at an event called Rev, White & Brew, now in its fourth year. Legend has it that ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons once stopped by when his band was playing the BankNH Stage. Main Street will be shut down for pedestrian-only traffic and a steady parade of sweet rides. Friday, Aug. 15, 4 p.m., NH Vintage Vinyl / Defiant Records, Main & Canal streets, Laconia, defiantnh.com.

• Streetwise: Named for the Aztec god of dance, Latino rockers Ozomatli celebrate 30 years as the soundtrack of their L.A. hometown. “A virtual melting pot of musical style,” wrote critic Brian Baker recently, “an unconventional hybrid of every conceivable subset of Latino music … as well as ska, funk, reggae, jazz, hip-hop and punk, all presented with the panache of a savvy rock band.” Saturday, Aug. 16, 8 p.m., Tupelo Music Hall, 10 A St., Derry, $56 at tupelohall.com.

Local music news & events

• Roots night: An Americana double bill includes folk duo Kirstie Lynn and Galen Clark, who shine on the twangy love song “I Want a Cowboy” and trace their beginnings to Virginia’s prestigious Shenandoah Conservatory, where she was studying opera before pivoting to singer-songwriter and teaming up with multi-instrumentalist Clark. New Hampshire native Colin Nevins opens. Thursday, Aug. 7, 7 p.m., Pembroke City Limits, 134 Main St., Suncook, kirstielynn.com.

• Rough hewn: Burly protest band Tigerman Woah performs atop a three-act show that includes Highwater Haulers and Time & Place. The band formed over a decade ago around a shared love of acoustic folk music circa Woody Guthrie and Alan Lomax, evolving into a rowdier plugged-in sound that, according to the band’s website, “moves people into mosh pits and onto picket lines.” Friday, Aug. 8, 9 p.m., Shaskeen Pub, 909 Elm St., Manchester, tigermanwoah.com, 21+, $15.

• Block party: A free all-day event with donations encouraged, the Manchester Jazz & Music Festival supports the city’s school district music programs. Appearing are the New Orleans-flavored Krimson Krewe with Chris Noyes, Rich Di Mare and The Ron Poster Trio, a showcase from student and high school musicians, the Yellowhouse Blues Band, Soggy Po’ Boys and The Love Dogs. Saturday, Aug. 9, noon, Palace Theatre, 80 Hanover St., Manchester, palacetheatre.org.

Local music news & events

• Tricky tribute: With no chance of a reunion, Panorama: A Tribute to the Cars is the next worthy choice for fans of the band. They impressively tackle everything from their eponymous debut to 1984’s Heartbeat City (the last-gasp Door to Door doesn’t really count). The variety and complexity of songs like “My Best Friend’s Girl” and “Hello Again” are quite challenging for any musician. Thursday, July 31, 8 p.m., LaBelle Winery, 14 Route 111, Derry, $35 at labellewinery.com.

• Summer songs: Possessing “the heart of a poet and the voice of a storyteller,” Katie Dobbins performs a First Friday set at a Lakes Region museum. Take in the singer-songwriter’s set while saving some time to check out the oldest fully preserved textile mill in the country, the Threads of Innovation and works from rug hook artist Pam Bartlett, who uses landscapes and animals in her pieces. Friday, Aug. 1, 5 p.m., Belknap Mill, 25 Beacon St. East, Laconia, belknapmill.org.

• Blues bash: There’s a solid lineup for this year’s Granite State Blues Festival. The Chris O’Leary Band tops the bill, led by the “devastatingly soulful vocalist, dynamic harmonica master and superlative songwriter.” Boston stomp box and slide guitarist Danielle Miraglia, Misty Blues Band, All Night Boogie Band, Craig Thomas & Bluetopia and TJ Wheeler round things out. Saturday, Aug. 2, 11:30 a.m., Veterans Park, 723 Elm St., Manchester, $35 at bit.ly/gsbluesfest.

• Dynamic duo: Two distinctive Americana voices team up as Mary Chapin Carpenter & Brandy Clark share the stage. Clark is coming off a Grammy win for her song featuring Brandi Carlile, “Dear Insecurity,” and Carpenter just released a new LP, Personal History. Sunday, Aug. 3, 7 p.m., Nashua Center for the Arts, 201 Main St., Nashua, $66 and up at etix.com.

• Country couple: Balancing elements of old-school and new country, Martin & Kelly made such a strong impression at last year’s al fresco concert series that they’ve been invited back. Jilly Martin and guitar slinger Ryan Brooks Kelly have chemistry on stage, with sweet harmonies and deft instrumental interplay; they’ve opened for stars like Willie Nelson and Alison Krauss. Wednesday, Aug. 6, 7 p.m., Town Common, 265 Mammoth Road, Londonderry, martinkellymusic.com.