Idina Menzel and Ani DiFranco at The Music Hall

Tickets will soon go on sale for two more Intimately Yours performances at The Music Hall in Portsmouth. The Intimately Yours concert series will bring actress and musician Idina Menzel to town on Wednesday, March 18, as well as iconic singer-songwriter and guitarist Ani DiFranco on Tuesday, April 14. Tickets for both shows go on sale to Music Hall members at noon on Saturday, Jan. 10, and to the general public one week later on Saturday, Jan. 17.

Menzel is a Tony Award winning performer who rose to stardom after playing lead roles in the Broadway hits “Rent” and “Wicked.” She was nominated for a Tony for her portrayal of Maureen in “Rent” and won the award for her part at the green witch in “Wicked.” Known for her powerful voice, she will be touring in support of her debut album, “I Stand.” Tickets to Menzel’s show on March 18 are $36 to $48.

DiFranco already has hundreds of recorded songs under her belt but will perform tunes mainly from her latest album, “Red Letter Year.” The Grammy Award winning musician is known for her rapid finger picking on guitar, her sophisticated lyrics and her status as an outspoken feminist. Tickets to DiFranco’s show on April 14 are $32.75 to $40.75.

Both concerts begin at 7:30 p.m. The Music Hall is located at 28 Chestnut St., Portsmouth.

Other upcoming Intimately Yours shows include Emmylou Harris, Shawn Colvin and Patty Griffin on Sunday, Feb. 8; The Manhattan Transfer on Wednesday, Feb. 11; k.d. lang on Sunday, April 26; and The Doobie Brothers on Wednesday, April 29. For more information, call 603-436-2400 or visit www.themusichall.org. —MK

Viking Moses raids The Red Door

After a two-week holiday hiatus in the Hush Hush Sweet Harlot music series, The Red Door in Portsmouth will present indie band Viking Moses on Monday, Jan. 12.

Founded by Missourian Brendon Massie in 2003, Viking Moses consists of a rotating cast of international musicians, with lineups often changing from show to show. The group’s understated folk-rock sound is soft, meditative and soulful, with sonic twists often embellishing minimalist songs full of melancholy lyrics.

The band’s show in Portsmouth comes amid a January swing across the East Coast, with other gigs in Pennsylvania, Maryland, New York, Massachusetts, Maine and Connecticut. The group’s sophomore album, “The Parts that Showed,” came out in November on Epiphysis Records. The album tells the story of “a teenage part-time prostitute who spends her earnings buying ice cream for neighborhood children, and of the man who obsesses over her from afar,” according to the band’s MySpace page, www.myspace.com/vikingmoses.

The show begins at 8 p.m. Donations will be collected at the door. The Red Door is located at 107 State St., Portsmouth, 603-373-6827. 

Ronny Cox jams in Kennebunk

Although he is primarily known as a major motion picture actor, Ronny Cox began his career as a musician, and he’s still at it today. Cox will play an acoustic show at the Kennebunk Coffeehouse at the First Parish Unitarian Church in Kennebunk, Maine, on Saturday, Jan. 10.

Cox entered the national spotlight with his breakthrough acting performance in the classic film “Deliverance,” participating in the memorable “dueling banjo” scene. He later appeared in movies such as “Beverly Hills Cop,” “Bound for Glory,” “RoboCop” and “Total Recall,” as well as television series.

As a folk singer-songwriter and guitarist, Cox has performed on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” and on National Public Radio’s “Mountain Stage.” His songs mix touching and nostalgic ballads with mischievous humor. In addition to sharing his songs, he is known to tell plenty of stories during his live shows.

The show begins at 8 p.m. with an opening set from Maine-based singer and pianist Rachel Griffin. Tickets are $15. The Kennebunk Coffeehouse is located at the corner of Route 1 (Main Street) and Route 35 (Fletcher Street) in downtown Kennebunk. For more information, call 207-229-0212 or visit www.kennebunkcoffeehouse.com.