The guitars come out for Thanksgiving, with the holiday traditions of a “Last Waltz” tribute and Dean Falcone’s Vomitorium of local band all-stars plus concerts from Duke Robillard and Gerry Beaudoin, Jeff Pitchell & Texas Flood, Max Creek, The Wizards of Winter and more.
There are plenty of vocalists, too, like the Beehive Queen Christine Ohlman, plus one of the best of the New Age pianists, Jim Brickman.
Jim Brickman
The Bushnell, 166 Capitol Ave., Hartford.
The new age pianist brings his latest holiday show to Connecticut with Anne Cochran (Brickman’s touring vocalist for years) and special guest Ruben Studdard (the Season 2 winner of “American Idol.”) on Nov. 24 at 3 p.m. $39-$79. bushnell.org.
‘The Last Waltz’ Celebration
Garde Arts Center, 325 State St., New London
The The Band Band, a tribute act honoring Robbie Robertson, Levon Helm and the rest of the hallowed The Band, leads a concert recreating the farewell “Last Waltz” concert, famously filmed by Martin Scorsese on Thanksgiving week in 1976. Nov. 24 at 7 p.m. at the Garde Arts Center. $35-$75. gardearts.org.
Tim Dillon
Ridgefield Playhouse, 80 East Ridge Road, East Ridge
Comedian and podcaster Tim Dillon, whom you might have caught as an Arkham guard in “Joker: Folie à Deux,” does his stand-up routine on Nov. 24 at 7:30 p.m. at Ridgefield Playhouse. $50-$70. ridgefieldplayhouse.org.
Courtesy of Jim Brickman
New age pianist Jim Brickman brings his latest holiday show to Connecticut with Anne Cochran and special guest Ruben Studdard at The Bushnell on Nov. 24.
Carter Vail
Space Ballroom, 295 Treadwell St., Hamden
The dashing pop/rock singer/songwriter and producer brings his hip energy to the Space Ballroom on Nov. 24 at 8 p.m. $26.69. spaceballroom.com.
Jeff Pitchell & Texas Flood and James Montgomery
Infinity Hall, 32 Front St., Hartford
Two Northeastern blues/rock icons, Jeff Pitchell and James Montgomery, make for a powerhouse double bill on Nov. 27 at 8 p.m. at Infinity Hall Hartford. $47.42-$57.73. infinityhall.com.
Dean Falcone’s 28th Annual Vomitorium
Cafe Nine, 250 State St., New Haven
The Vomitorium, led by Hamden-based guitarist Dean Falcone, has been a fun-loving cover song Thanksgiving tradition for decades, a place for local musicians to convene over the holiday. The theme this year is British bands, and the core ensemble is Falcone, keyboardist Richard Mealey and drummer Scott McDonald with such special guest vocalists as Shellye Valauskas, Brian Stevens (of the Cavedogs), Frank Critelli, Fran Fried, Hank Hoffman (of Happy Ending), Kyle Summer, Tom Hughes and many others. Nov. 27 at 9 p.m. at Cafe Nine, which has hosted The Vomitorium since the 1990s. $12. cafenine.com.
Jane Zhang
Mohegan Sun Arena, 1 Mohegan Sun Blvd., Uncasville
The Chinese pop star with the high vocal register visits Mohegan Sun Arena on what is only her third U.S. tour. Nov. 27 at 11:30 p.m. mohegansun.com.
Duke Robillard and the Gerry Beaudoin Trio
Palace Theater, 100 East Main St., Waterbury
Rock/blues guitarist Duke Robillard, formerly of Roomful of Blues and The Fabulous Thunderbirds, brings his roots/swing/boogie swagger to the Waterbury Palace on Nov. 29 at 7 and 9 p.m. Jazz guitarist Gerry Beaudoin, who was in the New Guitar Summit with Robillard, opens. $42. palacetheaterct.org.
The Wizards of Winter
Garde Arts Center, 325 State St., New London
The prog rock ensemble The Wizards of Winter gets an early start on the season that’s in its name, bringing its intense Christmas cheer to the Garde in New London. Nov. 29 at 8 p.m. $29-$65. gardearts.org.
Chris Webby Annual Black Friday Show
Toad’s Place, 300 York St., New Haven
Norwalk rapper Chris Webby continues his tradition of doing shows at Toad’s Place on the Friday after Thanksgiving. Go see him after you do your shopping. Nov. 29 at 9 p.m. $38-$106. toadsplace.com.
Max Creek
Infinity Music Hall, 20 Greenwoods Road West, Norfolk
Infinity Music Hall, 32 Front St., Hartford
One of the supreme New England jam bands, Max Creek, does a two-night stand on the Friday and Saturday after Thanksgiving. Nov. 29 at Infinity Music Hall Norfolk and Nov. 30 at Infinity Music Hall Hartford. Both at 8 p.m. $41.24-$56.70. infinityhall.com.
Capone
Funny Bone Comedy Club, 194 Buckland Hills Dr Suite #1054, Manchester
The Bronx-raised comedian Capone, who did jail time in his youth and is now a successful businessman and entertainer, does four sets at the Funny Bone in Manchester Nov. 29-30. Friday at 7 and 9:30 p.m. and Saturday at 6:30 and 9 p.m. $25. hartford.funnybone.com.
Soul Blind
Space Ballroom, 295 Treadwell St., Hamden
The Hudson Valley, New York quartet that sounds like purposely sounds like a ‘90s indie band is at Space Ballroom with Montclair, In 2 Again, Private Mind, High Reach and Lamplighter on Nov. 30 at 7 p.m. $26.69. spaceballroom.com.
Nick Fradiani
Mohegan Sun Wolf Den, 1 Mohegan Sun Blvd., Uncasville
While on a break from the national tour of the Broadway musical “A Beautiful Noise,” in which he stars as Neil Diamond, Connecticut’s own “American Idol” winner Nick Fradiani is doing a free concert on Nov. 30 at 8 p.m. at the Mohegan Sun Wolf Den. mohegansun.com.
Julieta Cervantes
Nick Fradiani is taking a break from playing Neil Diamond in “A Beautiful Noise” to perform a free concert at the Mohegan Sun Wolf Den on Nov. 30 at 8 p.m.. (Julieta Cervantes)
Christine Ohlman and Rebel Montez
Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, 300 Main St., Old Saybrook
The Beehive Queen herself, Christine Ohlman, the Connecticut roots rock legend who served for decades as the “Saturday Night Live” house band vocalist, is known for her holiday shows. This one is “Love is in the Air: A Thanksgiving Celebration of Roots-Rockin’ Romance” and it’s at The Kate in Old Saybrook on Nov. 30 at 8 p.m. $44. thekate.org.
The Thanksgiving Hip-Hop Explosion
The Webster, 31 Webster St., Hartford
The Webster helps you cut loose after Thanksgiving festivities with a five-part hip-hop bill of Grand Puba, Special Ed, Chubb Rock, Nice & Smooth and Rah Digga. Nov. 30 at 8 p.m. $58.65. $609.15 VIP booth, $1,209.15 VIP suite. thewebsterct.com.
Girl in Red
College Street Music Hall, 238 College St., New Haven
Girl in Red, aka Norwegian singer/songwriter producer Marie Ulven Ringheim, is on her “I Have to See You Again” tour, with TikTok sensation Gigi Perez (“Sailor Song”) as the opening act. Nov. 30 at 8 p.m. $61-68-$75.07. collegestreetmusichall.com.
‘She Loves Me’
The Lab at ConnCorps, 245 Morse St., Hamden
Long Wharf Theatre continues to find new venues in the New Haven area in which unique environmental theatrical experiences can be created. This time, the place is the Connecticut Community Outreach Revitalization Program building in Hamden and the show is “She Loves Me,” the music theater version of the same Hungarian play (“Parfumerie”) that inspired the movies “The Shop Around the Corner” and “In the Good Old Summertime” and “You’ve Got Mail.” Performances are Nov. 30 through Dec. 15 on Tuesdays through Fridays at 7 p.m., Saturdays and 2 and 7 p.m. and Sundays at 7 p.m., $49-$55. longwharf.org/events/she-loves-me.
‘Santa Story 2’
Downtown Cabaret Theatre, 263 Golden Hill St., Bridgeport
Downtown Cabaret Theatre’s latest matinee show for all ages (especially children aged 3 to 10) finds Santa battling an evil gingerbread man. Nov. 30-Dec. 29. Performances are Saturdays at noon and 12:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2:30 p.m. $33-$39. dtcab.com.
