In many respects, Superfrog is like a live, retro jukebox filled with records hand selected by stoner hippies of the late 1960s. During the band’s two sets at The Blue Mermaid in Portsmouth last Friday, the six members covered songs by Jefferson Airplane, The Grateful Dead, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and Led Zeppelin, to name but a few. The only thing that keeps Frog outside the realm of a “cover band” is a smattering of original tunes, which the group will soon convert into its first full-length album.

In a demonstration of its musical training, Superfrog tuned its instruments and loosened up with “So What,” off of Miles Davis’ classic “Kind of Blue.” Once the band members were satisfied with the sound, they kicked off the show with “Badfish,” the first of two Sublime covers of the night. Midway through the song, guitarists Andy Mendola and Jeremy “Fuzzy” Grob dueled playfully on their six-strings, the former on electric and the latter on acoustic. Meanwhile, bassist Nate Proper and drummer Shane Comer maintained the beat, while trumpeter Tony DiBurto ornamented the tune with his horn. 

Even for music fans, leaving the house on an icebound January night to catch a live show takes a certain amount of grit and determination. That and simple faith—the hope that after making your way through streets so cold that the sidewalks ring under your heels, you’ll hear something hot enough to justify the trip. A band that can turn up the heat acts as a steam valve, releasing the explosive pressure of a month or so of built-up cabin fever. Saturday night at the Press Room, King Memphis provided abundant BTUs with three solid sets of rockabilly rhythm.

Members of jazz-funk sextet Mac Tough seem very much at home within the familiar confines of The Barley Pub in Dover. Most of the musicians have played here regularly, in various contexts, over the past several years. The band’s comfort level and casual approach translate into a perfect fit for the pub’s Wednesday night funk series. Pub patrons can catch Mac Tough on three more nights, Jan. 16, 23 and 30, during the band’s month-long residency in January.