Mighty Sam McClain to perform in Exeter: Seacoast soul legend Mighty Sam McClain, the Grammy-nominated blues singer who has called New Hampshire home since the 1990s, will perform at the Exeter Unitarian Universalist Church as part of the Arts on Elm Street series on Saturday, Oct. 20. Originally from Louisiana, McClain has been singing rhythm and blues since the mid 1960s and scored his first hit, a cover of Patsy Cline’s “Sweet Dreams,’ in 1966. But hardship followed through much of the next two decades, as McClain worked menial jobs and battled homelessness until his career got a boost in the 1980s. He toured and recorded in Japan in the late ’80s and became involved in several New England blues projects in the ’90s.

McClain formed his own label in 2003 and has continued releasing albums, earning Grammy and W.C. Handy Awards nominations in the process. He also joined the “Give Us Your Poor” project to benefit the homeless, recording the song “Show Me the Way” with Bon Jovi. His latest album, “One Drop Is Plenty,” recorded with Knut Reiersrud, came out last year.

The Peacemongers will open for McClain in Exeter, with the show beginning at 7:30 p.m. at 12 Elm St. Tickets are $25 for adults or $20 for students and children, available at Exeter Music or Water Street Bookstore.

The concert series is in its third season at the church. For more information about the show or the series, call 603-642-4648.

UNH alumni concert: The University of New Hampshire Department of Music will present its annual Alumni Composers and Performers Concert on Friday, Oct. 12 at 8 p.m.

This year’s show will feature composers Andrew Cote, Craig Levesque, Tim Miles, Jon Peiffer, and Rob Gerry, and performers Sivan Etedgee, Kimberly Oppelt, Nick Mainella, Andrew Cote, Jon Peiffer, and Rob Gerry.

The concert takes place in the Bratton Recital Hall at the Paul Creative Arts Center on UNH’s Durham campus. It is free and open to the public. For more information, call 603-862-2404 or visit www.unh.edu/music.

The J. Geils Band plays two nights in Hampton:  Original Bean Town rockers The J. Geils Band will play two nights at the Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom this month. The legendary group’s 2012 House Party Tour hits the beach on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 21 and 22.

The blues-based rock band started performing in the Boston area in the late 1960s and rose to prominence in the ’70s alongside fellow stars like Aerosmith, The Cars and Boston. The J. Geils Band reached new heights of fame in the ’80s with their hit album “Freeze Frame,” featuring more of a mainstream pop sound highlighted by the single “Centerfold,” which had a popular MTV video.

The band has broken up and reunited several times over the last few decades, opening for Aerosmith at Fenway Park in 2010. Their current tour includes long-time front man Peter Wolf and other founding members, but does not include original guitarist John Geils, who has been feuding with his old band mates over rights to the name.

The Saturday show in Hampton is sold out, but tickets are still available to the Friday show, which begins with opening act Jesse Dee at 8 p.m. Tickets to the 18-plus show are $60 in advance or $65 day of show. The Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom is at 169 Ocean Blvd., Hampton, 603-929-4100, www.casinoballroom.com.