Live music in Portsmouth, NH

With over 100 million albums sold and more than 50 singles on the UK charts, UB40 brings its reggae pop legacy to life with a set that blends beloved hits like Red Red Wine and I Can’t Help Falling in Love With You with U.S. favorites Here I Am and The Way You Do The Things You Do. The performance also features new material and refreshed classics from UB45, their 45th anniversary album that peaked at number 5 in the UK. The nine piece lineup includes co-founders Robin Campbell, Jimmy Brown, Earl Falconer and Norman Hassan with lead vocalist Matt Doyle, joined by Martin Meredith, Laurence Parry, Ian Thompson, Jahred Gordon, backing vocalist Matt Campbell and permanent guest emcee Gilly G. Tickets are priced at $69, $79, $99, $109 and $129, with VIP options at $323.50 and $519.

UB40 kicks off the fall run in Portsmouth with a classic theater show at The Music Hall, where the intimate, focused acoustics complement the band’s melodic sensibilities. Signature songs come through with crisp clarity as the crowd echoes each familiar chorus. The set flows at a measured, smooth pace, making Portsmouth a polished opening chapter for this leg of the tour.

Bill Charlap Trio appears at Jimmy’s Jazz & Blues Club, led by Grammy Award winning pianist Bill Charlap. He has collaborated with Dee Dee Bridgewater, Wynton Marsalis, Ron Carter, Tony Bennett, Gerry Mulligan, Houston Person, Barbra Streisand, and Phil Woods, and is known for insightful solo and trio interpretations of the American Songbook, with recordings honoring Leonard Bernstein, George Gershwin, Irving Berlin, Richard Rodgers, Cole Porter, Hoagy Carmichael, and Duke Ellington. His discography includes multiple Grammy-nominated projects such as Uptown Downtown, Somewhere: The Songs of Leonard Bernstein, and Live at the Village Vanguard, and Notes from New York earned a five star review in DownBeat magazine. Recent releases include Street of Dreams and And Then Again on Blue Note, along with the Grammy-nominated Elemental with Dee Dee Bridgewater, and his collaboration with Tony Bennett on The Silver Lining received the Grammy for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album. Charlap tours internationally and performs regularly at New York institutions including Jazz at Lincoln Center, Birdland, and the Village Vanguard. He directed the Jazz in July Festival at the 92nd Street Y from 2005 to 2023 and serves as Director of Jazz Studies at William Paterson University. A New York City native who began piano at age three, he is the son of Broadway composer Moose Charlap and singer Sandy Stewart, and he frequently appears in piano duo concerts with Renee Rosnes, including their Blue Note recording Double Portrait.

TopHouse brings a night of genre-blurring acoustic energy to 3S Artspace, joined by Katie Lynne Sharbaugh. Expect driving, foot-stomping songs alongside heartfelt ballads, blending the punch of rock with the spirit of old-time bluegrass. This is an all-ages, standing show. Tickets are $22 for members, $25 for general admission in advance, and $30 on the day of the show. 3S Artspace receives partial support from the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, with lead sponsors including AC Hotel Portsmouth, The Brook, The Fabulous Find, The Kane Company/Tidemark, Katzman Contemporary Projects, Raka, Sheraton Portsmouth Harborside Hotel, and Stirling Brandworks.

Five for Fighting brings a string quartet to The Music Hall for an evening highlighting the songwriting of John Ondrasik, with Lace & Lee opening. A Grammy nominee with multi-platinum success, Ondrasik is known for Superman (It’s Not Easy), 100 Years, The Riddle, Chances, World, and Easy Tonight, drawing from six studio albums including America Town, The Battle for Everything, and the top 10 release Two Lights. His songs have surpassed a billion streams and appeared in more than 350 film, TV, and commercial placements such as The Blind Side, Hawaii Five-0, The Sopranos, and Code Black. He also performed Superman at the 2001 Concert for New York alongside an all-star roster. A pianist since childhood, taught by his mother, he tours in formats that range from solo to rock band to this string quartet setting. Lace & Lee are a folk rock duo shaped by the storytelling spirit of the 60s and 70s, mixing humor with Celtic-tinged harmonies. Caroline Lace and Olivia Lee began making music together at NYU Tisch and have toured with Five for Fighting. Ticket options range from $35 to $70. Supported by Music Series sponsors McFarland Hyundai, Raka Creative, and 92.5 The River.

At Jimmy's Jazz & Blues Club, harmonica legend Charlie Musselwhite teams with acclaimed trio GA-20 for a blues collaboration that honors the roots while pushing ahead. Musselwhite, a Grammy winner with more than six decades on stage, is a seminal figure in Chicago blues. GA-20, founded in 2018, has climbed quickly with several Billboard Blues number ones and a raw, high-energy take on classic electric blues. Their joint album, Blues Now on New West Records, captures their live-in-the-room spark as they mix original songs with fresh interpretations of time-honored tunes. United by a deep commitment to the style and a spirit of exploration, they lean into grit, groove, and improvisation, creating an intergenerational conversation that keeps the blues vivid and current.

Infinity Song brings its world tour to 3S Artspace for an all-ages, standing performance. The New York City soft rock quartet of siblings Abraham, Angel, Israel, and Momo Boyd weaves tight harmonies, airy lyrics, and elegant guitar lines to create a transportive sound onstage and in the studio. Raised in a large musical family, the group was homeschooled in academics and music by parents who founded the Boys & Girls Choirs of Detroit, and they have been performing since early childhood. Their roots in classical, gospel, and jazz, along with influences that include Pat Methany, Marvin Gaye, and The Winans Family, inform their style. The story traces back to 2006, when their father, John Boyd, moved the family from Detroit to New York. They played throughout the city, from the Metropolitan Museum of Art to Times Square, with Bethesda Fountain in Central Park serving as a regular stage for more than a decade, building a dedicated following that eventually led to an introduction to JAY-Z. In 2016, Roc Nation signed the band, and in 2020 their debut album Mad Love, paired with a wave of viral videos, drew millions of views and attention from major figures in Hollywood. Their recent phase, which they call Metamorphosis, expands the palette with soft rock, pop, and soulful colors. The viral rise of Hater’s Anthem brought a nod from Doja Cat and widespread sharing, inspiring comparisons to celebrated 70s groups like Fifth Dimension, The Mamas and The Papas, and ABBA. Follow-up singles Slow Burn and Sinking Boat also caught fire online. A successful 2024 world run followed, including sold-out dates in Los Angeles, Toronto, London, Manchester, Brussels, Berlin, and Paris, as well as appearances at festivals such as Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, and Pitchfork Paris. A recent live album captures the vitality of their shows and builds momentum for the next chapter. Admission is $26 for members, $28 for general admission in advance, or $32 for general admission on the day of the show. 3S Artspace receives support in part from the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, with additional backing from AC Hotel Portsmouth, The Brook, The Fabulous Find, The Kane Company and Tidemark, Katzman Contemporary Projects, Raka, Sheraton Portsmouth Harborside Hotel, and Stirling Brandworks.

Bad at Math performs live at Thirsty Moose Taphouse - Portsmouth.

The 26th annual Portsmouth Maritime Folk Festival brings sea songs, community singing, and maritime traditions to Portsmouth, New Hampshire. It opens in Market Square with a roaming chorus of chantey singers moving through downtown, then unfolds across the city with concerts and workshops at cozy venues. A big concert anchors Saturday night, followed by more music and learning sessions on Sunday. Featured performers include JD & The Stonemasons, Tom Kastle, Sara Grey with Kieron Means and Dave MacLurg, Castlebay, Sea Dogs, London Julie, Dirty Blue Shirts, David Coller with Diane Chodkowski, and Cate Clifford. Some workshops are participatory, inviting voices to join in on choruses, while others share stories and insights about life at sea through song. The festival is family friendly and free to attend, with donations welcomed to support the music. Portions of the program will also be available to watch online, and additional details will be announced.

The event features Ronnie Earl & The Broadcasters.

Enjoy a live performance from Alterego at Thirsty Moose Taphouse - Portsmouth.

Classical guitarist William Ghezzi presents a free concert at Portsmouth Public Library as part of Guitar Sundays. His career spans solo recitals and collaborations with orchestras, chamber groups, choruses, dance companies, and theater productions, with past appearances that include the Montpelier Chamber Orchestra, the Harry Partch Ensemble, and the Philadelphia Guitar Ensemble. He has commissioned many new works for solo guitar and chamber combinations and frequently performs in duo and ensemble formats. A graduate of Temple University, he studied with Peter Segal and Anna Kotsarenko, and later with Phillip de Fremery, Eliot Fisk, and Vladimir Mikulka. He teaches privately in West Lebanon, New Hampshire. His recordings and performance videos can be found on major audio and video platforms, and his latest release, Portfolio, is available for streaming. Guitar Sundays is a monthly, family friendly series that highlights classical guitarists from the Seacoast, the Greater Boston area, and from around the country. Concerts are free and open to the public. The program is co-presented by Portsmouth Music and Arts Center and Portsmouth Public Library, in association with the Boston Classical Guitar Society, and is curated by Mitch Shuldman.

Lighthouses and Legends offers an evening with views of the ocean, tasty food and beverages, engaging conversation, and acoustic music, all centered on celebrating York Public Library and its community. The gathering recognizes 25 years in the library’s current building and the many accomplishments achieved there. Special guest Micah Johnson, a former Major League Baseball player who became an artist and best-selling children’s book author, will be featured. Tickets are $75 per person and include two drink tickets. Complimentary admission is available to York Public Library Association Supporting Members at the $500 level or higher (Literature Lover, Library Advocate, or Lifelong Learner). Members at those levels can RSVP to Jane at 207-363-2818 ext. 1016 or jshoffman@yorkpubliclibrary.org, and anyone unsure of membership status can reach out for assistance.

Monsterwatch brings a surge of distortion and adrenaline to The Press Room with a raw, high-energy performance. The Seattle psych-punk trio fuses garage rock, post-punk, grunge, and fuzz-laced psychedelia into songs driven by blistering riffs, anthemic hooks, and a fierce DIY spirit. Their live shows are known for feeling chaotic yet tightly executed, a combination that has earned them a strong reputation in the Pacific Northwest underground. This all ages event is priced at $15 in advance and $18 on the day of the show.

Clipper Tavern hosts a karaoke night with KJ-Dave-O. Attendees can take the mic and enjoy food from the kitchen along with a selection of drinks. A happy hour is also part of the evening.