Category: Music This Week

• Old friends: Legend is that fiddler Michael Doucet ditched rock and began BeauSoleil after hearing “Cajun Woman” by Fairport Convention in the early 1970s, and began immersing himself in the immigrant music of his native Louisiana. He later met Richard Thompson, who wrote the song. Thompson is currently a special guest on a tour celebrating the band’s 50th anniversary. Thursday, Nov. 20, 7 p.m., Tupelo Music Hall, 10 A St., Derry, $65 and up at tupelohall.com.

• Band stand: The Zajac Brothers, Vanna Pacella and other regional artists revisit The Last Waltz, The Band’s farewell concert held at San Francisco’s Winterland on Thanksgiving Day in 1976, immortalized by director Martin Scorsese. Pacella’s turn as Joni Mitchell performing “Coyote” and backing up Neil Young on “Helpless” is a highlight, along with Dylan and Van the Man. Friday, Nov. 21, 8 p.m., Stone Church, 5 Granite St., Newmarket, $30 at stonechurchrocks.com

• Retro pop: Looking to give Journey, Rick Springfield and other ’80s Top 40 hitmakers their due, Waltham formed in 1999 when such a notion was very uncool. A raucous party changed all that; guests stopped drinking to gawk and the buzz began — “they’re from Waltham, they’re called Waltham, the guy points to girls and sings to them and rips off his shirt.” Donaher and Colleen Green open. Saturday, Nov. 22, 8:30 p.m., Shaskeen Pub, 909 Elm St., Manchester, $15 at the door, 21+.

• Not eggmen: Maine-based Beatles tribute act Spencer & The Walrus are now called We Are The Walrus according to an announcement from the Concord venue they’re returning to. Far from a Fab Four recreation, there are many musicians on stage playing strings and keys for an evening of late-period Beatles songs never performed in concert, like “Fool on the Hill” and “Come Together.” Saturday, Nov. 22, 8 p.m., BNH Stage, 16 S. Main St., Concord, $36 and up at ccanh.com.

• Christmas croon: Feel-good New Romantic singer Anthony Nunziata brings his annual holiday show to town to give a boost of spirit. Nunziata’s new album, Christmas & You, consists of all original songs. “My Every Wish” is a soulful tune, while “The Miracle” and “Heavenly Father” are “faith-affirming” anthems and “El Regalo Eres Tú” is a Spanish language classical crossover. Sunday, Nov. 23, 2 p.m., Rex Theatre, 23 Amherst St., Manchester, $40 and up at palacetheatre.org.

• Shredder clinic: Guitar fans have the chance to enjoy a free performance by Gary Hoey as he demos the Fender Tone Master Pro effects pedal and dazzles with frenetic fretwork, part of an event celebrating the brand. It’s followed by a meet and greet with the Ho Ho Hoey guitar hero, who will be back in town next month for his annual Christmas concert at Tupelo Music Hall in Derry. Thursday, Nov. 13, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Manchester Music Mill, 329 Elm St., Manchester, manchestermusicmill.com.

• Parrothead pair: Carrying on Jimmy Buffett’s legacy, Mac MacAnally performs with fellow Coral Reefer Band mate Eric Darken. The last time the 10-time CMA winner and writer of “Old Flame” and “It’s My Job” came to town, the show sold out quickly, but there are some tickets still left for this show. Lately he’s been doing his old bandleader’s poignant song “Bubbles Up.” Friday, Nov. 14, 7:30 p.m., Dana Center, 100 Saint Anselm Drive, Manchester, $65 at anselm.edu.

• Floydian dream: Mary Fahl returns to Concord for an evening of music focused on one of her favorite albums, Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon, along with other selections from her ethereal catalog. She’s so enamored of the ’70s classic that she released a surround sound version of it, which is quite the listening trip with the right equipment. Saturday, Nov. 15, 7 p.m., BNH Stage, 16 S. Main St., Concord, $44 and up at ccanh.com.

• Fitful music: When the Vermont-based Conniption Fits squeeze in an original from one of their many albums, expect a power-pop blend of swagger and finesse belying bandleader and guitarist Stevens Blanchard’s metal kid past. For bar shows, the band plays mostly well-chosen “re-makes” — don’t call them covers — from Foo Fighters, Green Day, Weezer and others. Saturday, Nov. 15, at 8 p.m., Stumble Inn Bar & Grill, 20 Rockingham Road, Londonderry, conniptionfits.com.

• Soothing songs: Jim Brickman’s upcoming concert promises a collection of hits like “Love of My Life,” “Valentine” and “Angel Eyes,” favorites like “The Gift” and “Merry Christmas Beautiful.” Sunday, Nov. 16, at 7 p.m., Nashua Center for the Arts, 201 Main St., Nashua, $54 and up at etix.com.

• Nineties night: Front men from four ’90s bands gather for Story of a Song, a blend of VH1 Storytellers and Unplugged. Each performer — Chris Barron from Spin Doctors, Brian Vander Ark of The Verve Pipe, Vinnie Dombroski from Sponge, and John Hampson from Nine Days — will go behind the scenes of their big hit (or in some cases hits) in this unique night of song swapping and stories. Thursday, Nov. 6, 8 p.m., Tupelo Music Hall, 10 A St., Derry, $55 and up, tupelohall.com.

• Ethereal music: Check out Wyn & the White Light, an all-female “pomegranate-infused haunted-soul-rock band” led by NEMA-nominated singer-songwriter Wyn Doran. Standouts on their debut album, 2024’s Luck, include the hard-hitting “How the West Was Won.” Also performing are indie rockers Pointless Culture and Five Feet. Friday, Nov. 7, 8:30 p.m., Kettlehead Brewing, 97 Main St., Nashua, $10 at the door, 21+.

• Early Christmas: Putting a vintage touch on contemporary hits, Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox comes to town on its Magic, Moonlight & Mistletoe tour. The show will include retro-reworked songs by artists from Spice Girls to Guns N’ Roses and Chappell Roan along with holiday favorites. Saturday, Nov. 8, 8 p.m., Colonial Theatre, 609 Main St., Laconia, $54 and up, etix.com.

• Brass emo: Fusing ska, pop-punk and emo with a bodacious horn section, Millington headlines a multi-band show at a recently reopened indie music venue. On songs like “Summer Disease” and “FML,” both from their recent EP Better Safe Than Sorry, the Albany, N.Y., sextet fuses a Fall Out Boy vibe to the revved-up party sound of bands like Mighty Mighty Bosstones and Reel Big Fish. Sunday, Nov. 9, 6 p.m., Bungalow Bar & Brill, 333 Valley St., Manchester, $18 at dice.fm.

• Settling in: A once-a-month-most-months residency continues for Slim Volume at the pub where its songwriting team found their sound at open mic after meeting at SNHU and bonding over a love of ’60s bands. The quartet’s most recent EP, Big Plans, has echoes of Jellyfish, another act inspired by that decade, on the title cut’s lush harmonies and the Byrds-like track “Running Thin.” Tuesday, Nov. 11, 8 p.m., Strange Brew Tavern, 88 Market St., Manchester, slimvolume.band.

• Late showman: When he finished following David Letterman on CBS late night, Craig Ferguson returned to doing standup comedy and making specials. He’s still on television, though, hosting the game show Scrabble on the CW. He got an Emmy nomination for his 2015 special Just Being Honest and did a six-part standup/docuseries, Hobo Fabulous, for Amazon. Thursday, Oct. 30, at 8 p.m., Nashua Center for the Performing Arts, 201 Main St., Nashua, $75 and up, etix.com.

• Southern men: With a pair of guitarists sharing a long history in Southern rock, Once An Outlaw plays a Lakes Region show. Macon, Georgia, native Chris Hicks played with the Marshall Tucker Band for many years. Chris Anderson, born in Florida and raised in Spartanburg, South Carolina, spent time in the Outlaws. Traveler – The Chris Stapleton Experience also appears. Friday, Oct. 31, at 7 p.m., The Barn at The Inn on Main, 200 N. Main St., Wolfeboro, onceanoutlawband.com.

• Alt popping: Support the area underground scene at Alt Pop-Punk Night, a triple bill offering a Halloween vibe the day after. Included are GRIM the Acronym, a punk and hardcore trio, along with two female-fronted acts, Vices, Inc., from Portland, Maine, and Boston-based Island of Alaska, who just released the buoyant, energetic single “Holy Ghost.” Saturday, Nov. 1, at 7 p.m., Terminus Underground, 134 Haines St., Nashua, $15 and $20 at newhampshireunderground.org.

• Local hero: The New Hampshire music scene got some validation when Charlie Chronopoulos sold out BNH Stage late last year. A producer whose credits include Jelly Roll and Joyner Lucas, and writer of gritty songs about hardscrabble living in his home state, Chronopoulos returns to the venue on the heels of “Shot,” a tough new single from an album he’s working on in a historic mill studio. Saturday, Nov. 1, 7:30 p.m., BNH Stage, 16 S. Main St., Concord, $36 at ccanh.com.

• Story teller: Singer, songwriter and raconteur Vance Gilbert performs. His most recent album, 2023’s The Mother of Trouble, includes “Simple Things,” a song 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.” Sunday, Nov. 2, at 7 p.m., The Word Barn, 66 Newfields Road, Exeter, $25 and up at thewordbarn.com.

By Michael Witthaus
mwitthaus@hippopress.com

• Folk room: A female-forward evening has sets from Maia Sharp and Catie Curtis in a venerable Sunapee region venue. Sharp is a singer-songwriter whose tunes have been recorded by everyone from Bonnie Raitt to Trisha Yearwood and The Chicks. Curtis is a veteran artist and songwriter who was at the forefront of the mid-’90s new folk movement. Thursday, Oct. 23, 7:30 p.m., Flying Goose Brew Pub & Grille, 40 Andover Road, New London, $30 at flyinggoose.com.

• Real deal: With a catalog of active rock hits stretching back to their 2008 eponymous debut, Saving Abel hits town for a downtown show. The group’s best songs up the ante, looking for a formula lead singer Jared Weeks calls “a little deeper, a little tougher and a little more rock.” Their new single “Stars” reflects that, a metal-edged rocker with bone-crushing riffs and a memorable chorus. Friday, Oct. 24, 9 p.m., Rock n Roll Meatballs/ Angel City Music Hall, 179 Elm St., Manchester, $38 at ticketweb.com.

• Laugh lines: A twin bill of comedy has Tim McKeever and Pat Napoli adding hilarity to a Nashua craft brewer’s menu. McKeever’s set includes bits like one about a cocktail called an Irish Car Bomb, which is “a shot of Jameson and some Bailey’s; you drink it and then drive into someone’s living room.” Napoli’s “sharp observational humor” has made him a New England favorite. Friday, Oct. 24, 8:30 p.m., Liquid Therapy, 14 Court St., Nashua, $23 at headlinersnh.com, 21+.

• Roller ghouls: Costumes, party music and roller skating blend as Pop Punk-O-Ween offers a head start to Halloween fun. DJ Shamblez spins classics like Talking Heads’ “Psycho Killer” and the Ramones’ “Pet Sematary,” with perhaps an appearance of Simple Plan’s version of the Scooby Doo theme, a costume contest, giveaways and lots of four-wheeled fun. Saturday, Oct. 25, 9 p.m., Remix Skate and Event Center, 725 Huse Road, Manchester, $20 at skateremix.com. 18+.

• Dead twist: The Bus Came By And I Got On by Kristina Marinova is one the year’s more interesting albums, a solo piano collection of songs from the Grateful Dead’s mid-’60s, early ’70s repertoire. She offers mesmerizing transformations of songs like “Uncle John’s Band” and “China Cat Sunflower/I Know You Rider,” played with delicate dexterity. Sunday, Oct. 26, 7:30 p.m., Jimmy’s Jazz & Blues Club, 135 Congress St., Portsmouth, $20 and up at ticketmaster.com.

• Guitar man: Led by a Grammy-winning Country Music Hall of Famer, Marty Stuart & His Fabulous Superlatives return for an area show. The singer/guitarist joined Lester Flatts’ bluegrass band at age 13 and is an in-demand session player. His latest, Space Junk, is a double album of instrumentals released this year on Record Store Day, inspired by the Ventures and Tijuana Brass. Thursday, Oct. 16, 8 p.m., Tupelo Music Hall, 10 A St., Derry, $58 and up at tupelohall.com.

• Fusion band: Named after a friend’s boating mishap, Annie In The Water offers a contagious hybrid of rock, funk and rhythm infused with a feel-good reggae groove. It’s the kind of sound that kept Michael Franti bouncing around the globe for decades, done with capability and verve. Last summer’s EP Migration has the soulful tune “Tangled Up” and a trio of lovely, jazzy songs about birds. Friday, Oct. 17, 8 p.m., Shaskeen Pub, 909 Elm St., Manchester, annieinthewater.com.

• Game time: A little bit comic con and a whole lot of bass heaviness, Video Game Rave is an evening of dance music with backdrops befitting the theme. DJs Synova and Groove Cube team up to blend pop hits and theme music from games like Mario Kart and Sonic the Hedgehog, with everything accompanied by projection video of classic games. Yes, cosplay is encouraged, so come as Luigi. Saturday, Oct. 18, 8 p.m., BNH Stage, 16 S. Main St., Concord, $24 and up at ccanh.com.

• Junk festival: A day of music, food trucks, vendors and other activities, Kindfest 2025 is capped by a closing set from Recycled Percussion. The outdoor show includes four bands leading into the America’s Got Talent stars: Sunapee singer-songwriter Chris Powers, rockers Five Button Fly, Runnin’ Down a Dream doing Tom Petty’s music, and the Eric Grant Band playing country. Saturday, Oct. 18, noon, Field of Dreams Park, 48 Geremonty Drive, Salem, $30 at eventbrite.com.

• Drum power: With a kinetic mix of jazz, rock and fusion, Cindy Blackman Santana brings her band to Portsmouth. Santana’s drumming is heard on the version of “In The Air Tonight” that opens Monday Night Football every week. Her set includes solo songs, Miles Davis and Wayne Shorter covers, and some from Coherence, a new LP due next year. Sunday, Oct. 19, 7:30 p.m., Jimmy’s Jazz & Blues Club, 135 Congress St., Portsmouth, $20 and up at ticketmaster.com.