Thanksgiving week is when many musicians who kicked off their careers in Connecticut return home to celebrate the holiday with their families then head out to the clubs and concert halls they grew up around. Some of them even arrange to do shows while they’re in town, drawing their old high school or college classmates back for a nostalgia trip.
Some of this year’s examples of musical heroes returning in glory (or just reliving the past) are sold out and therefore not reflected in this list, but you can find the decade-old jam band Eggy, which began when its members were still in high school and is now touring nationally, at Toad’s Place on Nov. 26.
The rapper Chris Webby, who grew up in Norwalk, does a Black Friday show at Toad’s Place in New Haven every year, which often features other local acts.
One of the longest-running and most dynamic Thanksgiving week musical gatherings is the Vomitorium at Cafe Nine. It started humbly in the late 1980s when guitarist Dean Falcone was bummed about having to honor a regular weekly house band gig he had since he had friends staying over. So those pals — singer/songwriter Aimee Mann and multi-instrumentalist/producer Jon Brion — came along to the gig and jammed on covers all night. His feelings about holiday gigs changed forever, Falcone started organizing Thanksgiving parties based around the visiting habits of old bandmates and other musicians in the area that week. The Vomitorium started at the old Rudy’s on Elm Street in New Haven but soon after shifted to Cafe Nine. There’s always a theme. This year it’s pop/rock from the 1980s.
When saying grace at the Thanksgiving dinner table, a lot of folks give thanks for long lives and great memories of the past. This week’s arts picks reflect that with such long-serving musical acts as The Coasters, The Drifters, The Platters and Preservation Hall Jazz Band, all of whom have experienced changing lineups dating back 60 or 70 years. Two local acts whose leaders have been around since the ’70s, Max Creek and Christine Ohlman and Rebel Montez, have Thanksgiving week concerts. Randy Travis, who hasn’t toured since 2013 when he had a stroke, is in Connecticut this week. And if sounds that have been around since the ’60s, ’70s or ’80s don’t suit you, Chiodos and other post-hardcore or emo acts are feeling nostalgic about the 2000s.
If all this giving of thanks and looking back isn’t your bag, wait one day after the holiday because Christmas shows start up on Nov. 28.
Randy Travis
Warner Theatre, 68 Main St., Waterbury
Randy Travis, a major country star of the “new traditionalist” sort in the 1980s and ‘90s, has embarked on the first tour he has done since suffering a stroke a dozen years ago. He’s joined by James Dupré. Nov. 23 at 6 p.m. $46.50-$247.50. warnertheatre.org.
Chiodos
Oakdale Theatre, 95 South Turnpike Road, Wallingford
The Michigan-based post-hardcore band Chiodos — or rather vocalist Craig Owens and musicians he’s worked with on other projects — perform the band’s 20-year-old debut album “All’s Well That Ends Well” in its entirety as well as favorites from the band’s other three albums. There are three other bands along for the ride: Big Ass Truck, Hawthorne Heights and Emmure. Nov. 26 at 7 p.m. $48.65. livenation.com.
The Michigan-rooted post-hardcore band Chiodos plays the Oakdale Theatre in Wallingford on Nov. 26. (Courtesy of Oakdale Theatre)
Eggy
Toad’s Place, 300 York St., New Haven
Eggy, the jam band that began at Amity High School in Woodbridge in 2016, has become nationally touring local jam band heroes. It is holding a big shindig at Toad’s Place on Nov. 26 at 7:30 p.m. $41-$49.50. toadsplace.com.
The Last Waltzrus
Park City Music Hall, 2926 Fairfield Ave., Bridgeport
It’s the annual Bridgeport-based celebration of The Band’s “The Last Waltz” concert, which took place on Thanksgiving Day in 1976. This local version involves a range of musicians as well as food and community. Nov. 26 at 8 p.m. $25, $20 in advance. parkcitymusichall.com.
Vomitorium
Cafe Nine, 250 State St., New Haven
A host of musicians from the New Haven scene and beyond — among them siblings Shellye and Ed Valauskas, married couple Bruce and Loralee Crowder, classical/grunge artist Brian Ember, drummer Scott MacDonald, keyboardist Rick Mealey, radio DJ Fran Fried, singer/songwriters such as Lys Guillorn and Ponybird, guitarist Kyle Summer, stylish vocalist Rebecca Scotka and many others — congregate with ringleader/guitarist Dean Falcone for the 29th Thanksgiving week bash. Nov. 26 at 9 p.m. $12. cafenine.com.
Elvis Martinez
The Webster, 31 Webster St., Hartford
Dominican bachata singer/songwriter/guitarist Elvis Martinez is playing The Webster on Nov. 26 at 8 p.m. $67.04-$141.30. thewebsterct.com.
Sova Dance & Puppet Theater
Judy Black Memorial Park and Gardens, 1 Green Hill Road, Washington
The lyrical, movement-oriented puppetry and music troupe Sova Dance & Puppet Theater performs its “Marvelous Metamorphoses” about life transformations such as cocoons becoming butterflies on Nov. 28 at 3 p.m. in Washington’s Judy Black Memorial Park and Gardens, preceded by a hands-on mask-making workshop at 2 p.m. Free, but registration is required. More information is at judyblackpark.org.
Cirque Dreams Holidaze
Oakdale Theatre, 95 South Turnpike Road, Wallingford
Palace Theatre, 61 Atlantic St., Stamford
Cirque Dreams, a circus company that’s been around for decades and is particularly known for its holiday shows, was acquired in 2018 by Cirque du Soleil. Cirque Dreams Holidaze shows have been coming to Connecticut for decades at a number of different venues. This week there are two: Nov. 28 at 4 p.m. and Nov. 29 at 1 and 5 p.m. at the Oakdale ($41.25-$221.85; livenation.com), then Dec. 4 at 8 p.m. at the Stamford Palace ($47.95-$169.15; palacestamford.org).
Max Creek
Infinity Music Hall, 20 Greenwoods Road West, Norfolk
Infinity Music Hall, 32 Front St., Hartford
The half-century old jam band Max Creek, one of the most familiar local bands in the state, plays a Thanksgiving week show on Nov. 28 at 8 p.m. at the Norwalk Infinity Hall and Nov. 29 at 8 p.m. at the Hartford one. $41.24-$57.01. infinityhall.com.
The long-lived local jam band Max Creek plays two Thanksgiving week shows: Nov. 28 at the Infinity Music Hall Norwalk and Nov. 29 at the Infinity Music Hall Hartford. (Courtesy of Max Creek)
Chris Webby
Toad’s Place, 300 York St., New Haven
Norwalk-rooted rapper Chris Webby holds his annual Black Friday show at Toad’s Place, this year with Ekoh, Spose and Suave Ski. Nov. 28 at 8 p.m. toadsplace.com.
The English Beat
Infinity Music Hall, 32 Front St., Hartford
Dave Wakeling, who sang and played guitar in the original lineup of the UK ska band The Beat — known in the U.S. as The English Beat — has been based in the U.S. for decades and tours with an eight-piece band playing the old hits such as “Mirror in the Bathroom” and “Hands Off… She’s Mine” as well as a few songs by Wakeling’s other old band General Public. Nov. 28 at 8 p.m. $57.01-$81.75. infinityhall.com.
Ian Lara
Funny Bone Comedy Club, 194 Buckland Hills Dr. Suite 1054, Manchester
New York comic Ian Lara, who has had comedy specials on Comedy Central and HBO, does three shows at the Funny Bone on Nov. 28 at 7 p.m., Nov. 29 at 6:30 and 9 p.m. $22. hartford.funnybone.com.
Songwriters at The Recording Den
The Recording Den, 127 Amity Ave, Bethany
The Recording Den, a studio and listening room in Bethany, offers the latest intimate concert in its Songwriters at the Recording Den series with Frank Critelli, Eric Nassau, and Bruce T. Carroll. Nov. 29 at noon. $10 suggested donation. facebook.com.
Singer/songwriter and local bands booster Frank Critelli plays a Nov. 29 matinee at the Recording Den in Bethany with Eric Nassau and Bruce T. Carroll. (Courtesy of the Recording Den)
Sesame Street Live
Foxwoods Resort Casino, 350 Trolley Line Blvd., Mashantucket
The latest “live” Sesame Street tour is coming to the Premier Theater at Foxwoods Resort Casino. Nov. 29 at 2 p.m. $66.75-$111.05. foxwoods.com.
The Platters, The Classic Drifters and The Coasters
Foxwoods Resort Casino, 350 Trolley Line Blvd., Mashantucket
These three acts, coming to Foxwoods’ Great Cedar Showroom, have been around since the early 1950s. Unsurprisingly, none of these groups has anything close to an original member in it. It’s all about the songs, dozens of hits that have withstood the test of time, from The Platters’ “Only You” and “The Great Pretender” to The Drifters’ “Under the Board” and “Up on the Roof” to The Coasters’ “Yakety Yak” and “Charlie Brown.” Nov. 29 at 5 p.m. $39.05. foxwoods.com.
Sarah Brightman
Mohegan Sun Arena, 1 Mohegan Sun Blvd., Uncasville
Musical theater diva Sarah Brightman, who was the original star of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “The Phantom of the Opera,” “Song and Dance” and “Requiem,” is known for her concert tours. Nov. 29 at 7:30 p.m. $41.50-$1,130.45. mohegansun.com.
Northeast Blues Harmonica Showcase
Black-Eyed Sally’s, 350 Asylum St., Hartford
The latest assemblage of blues harp heroes hits Black-Eyed Sally’s. Blowing up a storm are Ryan Hartt, Johnny Marino, Dave Robbins and Wally “Sweet Daddy” Greaney. Nov. 29 at 8 p.m. $20. blackeyedsallys.com.
‘Miracle on 34th Street: The Musical’
Shubert Theatre, 247 College St., New Haven
Meredith Willson of “The Music Man” fame crafted a musical version of the 1947 Christmas film “Miracle on 34th Street” in 1963. It gets done quite a bit by community theaters, but this is the first time a professional production has gotten a national tour. Nov. 29 at 1 and 7 p.m., Nov. 30 at 2 p.m. $42.20-$101.70. shubert.com.
‘Sister’s Christmas Catechism: The Mystery of the Magi’s Gold’
Garde Arts Center, 325 State St., New London
This holiday installment of the long-running “Sister’s Late Nite Catechism” series is part holiday pageantry, part mystery sleuthing. Sister is played by Denise Fennell. Nov. 29 at 3 p.m. $35-$69. gardearts.org.
Christine Ohlman & Rebel Montez
Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, 300 Main St., Old Saybrook
Christine Ohlman, a member of the legendary regional rock powerhouse The Scratch Band in the 1970s, was the vocalist for the “Saturday Night Live” from the early ‘90s until just a few years ago and is renowned locally for her stirring, rocking R&B trio Rebel Montez. Ohlman, aka The Beehive Queen, likes to play around holiday. It’s Thanksgiving time, so she’s at The Kate on Nov. 29 at 8 p.m. thekate.org.
Elephant and Piggie’s ‘We Are in a Play’
Playhouse on Park, 244 Park Road, West Hartford
This year’s wintertime children’s theater show at Playhouse on Park is the stage version of Mo Willem’s charming and silly Elephant and Piggie books. Nov. 29, Dec. 6, 13 & 20 at 10 a.m., 1 and 4 p.m. The 10 a.m. performance is sensory friendly. $26-$28.50. playhouseonpark.org.
Preservation Hall Jazz Band
Infinity Music Hall, 32 Front St., Hartford
The Preservation Hall Jazz Band was founded in the Preservation Hall art gallery in New Orlean’s French Quarter in 1961. The band tours internationally and is bringing its seasonal “Creole Christmas” show to Hartford on Nov. 30 at 8 p.m. $70.61-$107.73. infinityhall.com.