Top 5 Local Live Music Shows

Jerry Usery, Administrative Information Systems Manager

I love music. I’m not sure I could survive without it.  Attending live music shows is integral to my happiness and well-being. If you love music and are interested in some live shows in the area, here are some suggestions:

**Disclaimer: I gravitate toward musicianship – not celebrities who dance around without musicians. Those are performers – not musicians. I encourage you to check the links provided for tour dates or peruse YouTube to learn more about these artists.
 
Ray LaMontagne, born in Nashua, NH, and currently living in western Massachusetts with his poet wife, started writing and performing music in Maine where he worked in a shoe factory. His music is heartfelt and generally folksy. He is performing his first acoustic only tour in 5 years. I’ll be at the Oct 21 show in Providence, RI. It should be a fantastic show.
 
Anyone familiar with The Black Crowes knows Chris Robinson. The former singer and front man for The Black Crowes put out a couple of albums with his next band, New Earth Mud, on the way to transitioning to The Chris Robinson Brotherhood. The CRB has a following similar to the Grateful Dead and some musical similarities. They tour constantly, ticket prices are very reasonable and they usually play smaller, intimate venues. I saw them for four New England dates in mid-August and had a blast. I’ll see them again in early November. The CRB loves you and will set you free.
 
Any Pink Floyd fan knows Roger Waters. He was an integral part of Pink Floyd since the beginning and has created music for decades now. His North American Us & Them tour is nearly complete, but there are some Canadian dates remaining. I saw him in Boston on September 27 and it was a show I’ll never forget. If you love Pink Floyd, you should see the spectacular show Mr. Waters has created. It is really something to experience.
 
A Perfect Circle is a rock band that began in the early 2000s. Fronted by Maynard James Keenan, also singer of Tool and Puscifer, APC creates melodic, sometimes dark, ethereal rock music with deep lyrical expression. Maynard is also a vintner, with two wineries under him in Arizona – Caduceus Cellars and Merkin Vineyards. I will listen to any music, drink any wine and experience anything Maynard creates. I’ll be seeing them November 10 in Portland, Maine.
 
Rodrigo Y Gabriela is a Mexican classical guitar duo that I have never seen live, but they are high on my list. They put on a great show with multiple influences to make up their original flamenco sound. If you don’t like them, you don’t like guitar.
 
Happy touring!
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