Local notes: Ted Leo postponed, Hey Mama goodbye, Jim Weider returns, Geoff Useless for (H)EAT

Hey Mama’s grand finale in Newmarket: Hey Mama’s story has been short-lived, but the bluesy roots-rockers will be fondly remembered. The Cambridge-based band will play a final farewell show at The Stone Church in Newmarket on Friday, Jan. 21.

Soulful singer Celia Woodsmith and fiery guitarist Avi Salloway started performing together in college several years ago, forming the duo Avi and Celia. They released two CDs and toured across the nation, opening for such legends as Taj Mahal, Leon Russell, and Big Brother and the Holding Company. It was early in 2009 that the pair added drummer Jared Seabrook and bassist Paul Chase to form Hey Mama. The quartet soon released its self-titled debut and has played hundreds of live shows. They unveiled a collection of live and studio recordings called “The Dubl Handi Suite” last fall.

On the heels of that release, the Hey Mama crew is parting ways to focus on individual projects. Salloway will soon travel to Israel and Palestine to work on a peace project and study music. Woodsmith will be spending time with her ill father and pursuing a career in health education services and women’s empowerment.

Hey Mama has been on a Grand Finale tour since November, with the final concert taking place at The Stone Church. They intend to go out rocking.  The show begins at 9 p.m. on Jan. 21 at The Stone Church, 5 Granite St., Newmarket, 603-292-3546. The door charge is $7.

Jim Weider returns to York: Classic telecaster and traditional blues slide guitarist Jim Weider and his band Project Percolator will bring their prodigious talents to York Harbor Inn on Friday, Jan. 21, for their annual post-New Year’s bash.

Although based in New York, Weider is a York Beach regular who travels to Maine for concerts a few times each year. His band includes fellow guitarist Mitch Stein, bassist Steve Lucas, and drummer Rodney Holmes, a former member of Santana.

Weider’s musical résumé is extensive. He served as lead guitarist of The Band for 15 years after replacing Robbie Robertson in the mid 1980s. He’s also performed with a lengthy list of other legends, including Bob Dylan, Keith Richards and Bob Weir. His latest CD with Project Percolator, “Pulse,” came out in 2009. The show begins at 8 p.m. on Jan. 21 at York Harbor Inn’s Yorkshire Ballroom, 480 York St., York, Maine, 207-363-5119. Tickets are $20. (Local musician Dave Gerard will perform at the inn’s Ship’s Cellar Pub at the same time.)  

(H)EAT benefit rock show in Portsmouth: The Geoff Useless Band will heat things up at The Press Room in Portsmouth on Friday, Jan. 21, to raise proceeds for the (H)EAT campaign, which provides heating and food assistance to local people in need.Useless, a local guitarist and singer who has been a member of punk bands The Queers and The Guts, released his debut solo album “Don’t Stop” late last year. His band mates include pedal steel player Zach Uncles, bassist Drew Brown, drummer Zack Sprague, and fiddle player Sarah Paltrineri. Together, they produce a sound that fuses pop-punk with alt-country and surf rock. The (H)EAT campaign (pronounced heat-eat) began around Thanksgiving and will continue through March 1. Although donations tend to drop off after the holidays, many Seacoast residents are still in need of food and heating fuel. For more information on the program, visit www.heat-eat.blogspot.com.The show begins at 9 p.m. on Jan. 21 at The Press Room, 77 Daniel St., Portsmouth, 603-431-5186. The door charge is $8.

Scene@Five goes electronic: The Founders Lobby of the Music Hall in Portsmouth will literally brim with electricity on Thursday, Jan. 20. This month’s Scene@Five event will feature an interwoven performance of electronic music, video, and light. Scene@Five a  monthly series offering a social mixer with live entertainment and cocktails available at the bar, from 5 to 7 p.m.

The upcoming installment, titled “8 bits, Mods and Bends,” will present three local musical acts equipped with an array of electronic gadgets. The Attic Bits are an Epping duo that creates ambient music based on classic video games. Towers of Silence is the experimental RPM Challenge project of multi-instrumentalist Nathan Groth. A.J. Dudick is the guitarist and songwriter behind recently departed instrumental metal band Picnic Casket, now doing some solo work.

The evening will also feature visual effects from Boom for Real. The Music Hall is at 28 Chestnut St., Portsmouth, 603-436-2400.

Ted Leo postponed: Ted Leo, the veteran indie rocker who currently fronts Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, has postponed his winter tour due to a family emergency. Leo was scheduled to appear at the Dover Brick House for a solo show on Thursday, Jan. 20, but it has been rescheduled to Thursday, April 28. All tickets will be honored on the new date and refunds will be available at the point of purchase.

 
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