1 teaspoon dehydrated grapefruit juice powder – I use citrus powders to intensify fruit flavors in a recipe without throwing off the liquid ratios. This works really well in frostings and glazes. These powders can be found easily online. In this recipe, it’s optional, but really does dial up the level of grapefruitiness.
2 ounces alcohol-free gin – I used Free Spirits this time, and it provided a mellow backnote of juniper to the proceedings. Because it is alcohol-free, it too can be easily ordered online, or even found in some supermarkets.
¾ ounce honey syrup (see below)
1/8 teaspoon rose water
Pour the grapefruit juice into a cocktail shaker, then stir in the grapefruit powder with a bar spoon or a pair of chopsticks. Mix vigorously for 15 or 20 seconds to make certain that the powder has dissolved completely. Avoid ice for the moment; this won’t work as well in a cold solution.
Add the other ingredients, then dry shake them (this means to shake them without ice). Again, you are forcing an introduction here, and it will probably go better if the ingredients aren’t keeping to themselves in separate corners, wearing coats and huddling around radiators.
Once everything is well mixed, add ice, and shake it again. Strain into a coupé glass, and sip to some morning-themed music — Aaron Copland’s “Fanfare for the Common Man” or Nina Simone’s cover of “Here Comes the Sun,” perhaps.
Because there is no actual alcohol involved, this is a really good breakfast cocktail.
I know, that term hurts a little to think about, but because the “gin” here is just a flavoring agent, this drink can be a very nice start to your day. It’s pink, it’s fruity but also little bracing, and there is a hint of perfume at the very end. Grapefruit, like most citrus, pairs well with almost any other ingredient, and the tiny hit of juniper from the alcohol-free gin puts a thoughtful spin on the combination. This scales up beautifully to a pitcher drink.
If the idea of a breakfast cocktail is still a bit uncomfortable, imagine this:
A team of clients is in your conference room for an early morning presentation. Your team and their team have worked together before, and they’ve been happy with your work, but you’re still getting a sense of caution from them. You know that your presentation is solid, but you need them to approach it with an open mind.
After your assistant sets up the coffee and bagels on the table at the back of the room, she walks around the conference table, and places a coupe glass in each place, then fills each one halfway with this delicate pink cocktail from a martini pitcher. After your assurance that there is no alcohol involved, the senior member of the other team takes a tentative sip, pauses thoughtfully, then with one raised eyebrow takes a deeper sip and sighs, just a little, with pleasant surprise. The rest of the client team will take their cues from her, and a few minutes later that attitude of open-minded receptiveness will pay off when your slide presentation takes a turn to the unexpected, mixing sales charts with photos of armadillos and bagpipe music.
Honey Syrup
This is probably the easiest of syrups to make. Combine equal amounts of honey and boiling water, and stir to combine. Let it cool, then use for any number of beverages. The diluted honey will mix more readily with your tea or cocktail than it would at full strength. Mixed with plain club soda it makes an unexpected and delightful soda.
You might not expect the New Hampshire Liquor Commission to be a supporter of “Dry January” — the trend of abstaining from alcohol for the month. But 2025 marks the Commission’s fifth year of partnering with area bars, restaurants and liquor brands to promote New Hampshire Mocktail Month.
“Mocktail” refers to a sophisticated adult beverage that is also alcohol-free. According to Mark Roy, the Liquor Commission’s Director of Marketing, alcohol-optional drinking has been growing in popularity.
“It’s been a growing movement, the idea of entertaining or celebrating responsibly,” Roy said. “[Mocktail Month] gives patrons and consumers the ability to go into [participating bars and restaurants] and enjoy alcohol-free or non-alcohol options along with their wives or spouses or friends who choose to responsibly imbibe that evening, but they can enjoy it along with the same great flavors and the same look without that alcohol involved.”
Roy said Mocktail Month has grown, “from a handful of restaurants the first year to 70 restaurants this year. A lot of restaurants are getting on board, and it’s from every corner of the state … They all feature mocktails on their menus. We highly recommend that you look for these on the menus and enjoy some of these great concoctions.”
Kristen Hancock is the Beverage Director for Copper Door restaurants (in Bedford and Salem). She said Mocktail Month provides an opportunity for her restaurants to highlight something they do regularly.
“We always have mocktails available,” Hancock said. “We have them on the menu all year long, but we [like] letting people know that we have these available. We try to stay seasonal with our flavors and be innovative with flavors but also be approachable.”
So who comes up with these new drinks? “Well it’s mostly me,” Hancock said. “I generally come up with the mocktails and cocktails and then I take input from other bartenders or servers who come up with ideas. We try them out, and if the staff likes them we go for it.”
She said seasonal ingredients are a source of inspiration. “We actually had a cocktail on our menu that I created that used some blueberry simple syrup and I just thought that it would be lovely with our homemade lemonade. It would be a really nice seasonal combination of fun flavors. And it’s been a huge hit. It was nice to carry over something that we use in a cocktail to then also use it in a non-alcoholic drink.”
Hancock said her staff is extremely receptive to suggestions from customers.
“In addition to the mocktails that we feature on the menu, we’re always open to do anything the guests want,” she said. “We make our homemade bloody mary mix, so we can always do a virgin bloody mary. We always have mint in-house, so I have a lot of times that people want to have a virgin raspberry mojito type of thing, and obviously our answer’s ‘Yes, so happily!’ Sometimes a customer will ask, ‘Oh, do you have any raspberries to add? Can I do that with lemonade and some soda water?’ So if we have ingredients that the guests want to play around with, we’re happy to do it.”
New Hampshire Mocktail Month The Liquor Commission has recipes for zero-proof drinks posted on its website at explore.liquorandwineoutlets.com/live-free-and-host-responsibly.
Amethyst Night A mocktail recipe from the New Hampshire Liquor Commission, invented by the 7-20-4 Lounge in Londonderry
2 ounces hibiscus tea
1 ounce pineapple juice
1 ounce grapefruit juice
0.75 ounce hibiscus simple syrup
0.75 ounce orgeat
0.5 ounce ginger syrup
Splash of lime juice
Combine all ingredients over ice in a cocktail shaker, shake, and serve in a rocks glass, with a dried tangerine wheel for garnish.
Amy LaBelle, co-owner of LaBelle Winery Amherst (345 Route 101, Amherst, 672-9898), LaBelle Winery Derry (14 Route 111, Derry, labellewinery.com), The Bistro at LaBelle Winery, and Americus Restaurant
“I got a start as a winemaker later in life than many people; it is a second career for me,” LaBelle said. “I started out as a lawyer, and I had what I thought was my dream job at a major financial institution, but I took a trip to Canada and visited a winery in Nova Scotia and had a life-changing experience. Everything about it was so perfect — the wine, the food, the people, the whole wine-centered environment — I suddenly realized that it was what I really wanted to do with my life. It was a slow process, over 4,000 days, but every day of those 12 years I worked to move a little closer to my dream. Now the dream has expanded to include two wineries, each with their own restaurants. For me, food and wine are entirely interlinked. They are my twin passions.”
What is your must-have kitchen item?
That is such a hard question! If I had to pick, though, I’d say salt. It is integral to everything I cook. It brings out the nuances of every flavor and helps me really be present in everything I eat. I like to use two types of sea salt, a fine salt for the actual cooking, and a coarse or flaky salt for finishing a dish. …
What would you have for your last meal?
For me, it would be as much about where I ate it as what I ate. I’d eat a beef bourguignon in a cafe in Paris. …
What is your favorite local place to eat?
It’s a little self-promotional, but our own restaurant. … A few weeks ago, my husband and I had a night to ourselves with no kids, and we were wondering where we should go to eat, and half an hour later, we found ourselves right here.
Who is a celebrity you would like to see eating in your restaurant?
Martha Stewart is a hero of mine. … She pays such scrupulous attention to everything she does — her magazine, her recipes, everything her staff produces. I admire that level of commitment and spirit of perfectionism.
What is your favorite thing on your menu?
Our menu is constantly changing as seasonal ingredients become available, but there are a few dishes that we keep on all the time. My favorite is Steak Frites. …
What is the biggest food trend you see in New Hampshire right now?
It’s probably because of the time of the year, but right now, we’ve had a big surge in demand for ‘clean,’ healthy foods. We’ve been working on several zero-alcohol mocktails …
What is your favorite thing to cook at home?
… Because my husband is South American, one of our favorites is empanadas. The beef on the inside and the fried exterior are fantastic. … It’s really labor-intensive, but we set up a production line. …
Colombian Empanadas Recipe from Amy LaBelle
Filling 2 pounds grilled steak tips or rib-eye, ground 2 cups leftover boiled potatoes, smashed 1 Tablespoon olive oil ½ cup sliced onion 2 teaspoons sea salt 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper 1 Tablespoon cumin 1 teaspoon black pepper ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro ½ cup LaBelle Jalapeno Culinary Wine
Caramelize the onion in olive oil. Remove from heat, and mix all ingredients together.
Dough 4 cups masa flour – blanca, not yellow! 2 teaspoons sugar 3¾ cups hot water 2 teaspoons sea salt
Mix the dry ingredients, then make a well in the center. Gradually add the hot water, turning and mixing constantly, until it is the right consistency for rolling.
Making the empanadas: Divide the dough into medium-sized balls, then roll out to 5- to 6-inch circles. Place filling on the dough, then fold to make half-circles, then seal the edges. Fry the empanadas in 350-degree oil, not crowding the pan, until golden brown. Repeat until all have been fried.
Next week’s Winter Wine Spectacular is one of four major fundraising events for the New Hampshire Food Bank. Three of the four events — the Distiller’s Showcase in November, the Wine Spectacular in January, and the Steel Chef competition in March — are food- or drink-related. Together with a September golf tournament, these events allow the Food Bank to feed more people.
Nancy Mellitt is New Hampshire Food Bank’s Director of Development. She is one of the principal organizers of these fundraising events.
“The funds that we see from the Wine Spectacular,” she said, “will help us to … purchase food — we’re purchasing about 30 percent more food this year over last year — for distribution. About one in 10 individuals in New Hampshire — one in seven children 18 and under — are food-insecure. Those [numbers come] from Feeding America’s Map the Meal Gap, and those numbers are from 2022. We all know that grocery prices are very high, fuel is high, rents are high; so it’s just difficult for people to make ends meet. And sometimes they have to make a choice between shelter and food.”
According to statistics on New Hampshire Food Bank’s website, in 2023 the organization distributed 16.3 million pounds of food and, working with more than 400 partner agencies, served 13.6 million meals across New Hampshire.
Mellitt said that events like the Winter Wine Spectacular, which is put on by the New Hampshire Liquor Commission, are an important part of meeting that mission.
“We have a very great partnership with the Liquor Commission,” she said, adding that it was the Commission that suggested this partnership. “The Liquor Commission asked the Food Bank if we would consider taking this event on. We recruit restaurants for individuals to have tastings, both in the expo and in the VIP room. We’re trying to help to solicit some auction items available for folks to bid on. And we help to recruit volunteers so that everything’s running smoothly and the guests have a fabulous experience.”
The Liquor Commission, for its part, donates 100 percent of the event’s proceeds to the Food Bank.
“The main driver of this program is that it’s a huge benefit,” said Mark Roy, Director of Marketing for the Liquor Commission. “Our beneficiary is our partner, the New Hampshire Food Bank. [The Distillers’ Showcase and the Wine Spectacular] are not only about educating our consumers about our products and our outlets and our business but it’s partnering with crucial people like the New Hampshire Food Bank. It’s a 360-degree encompassing feel-good event. You can come and have a good time and know that it’s going toward a good cause and something that New Hampshire and the Liquor Commission really supports.”
The next event on Nancy Mellitt’s radar is the Steel Chef competition in March (nhfoodbank.org/steelchef), where 680 attendees will watch a live, timed cooking competition featuring prominent New Hampshire chefs. As the chefs compete against each other to prepare their best dishes featuring a mystery ingredient, guests will eat a special dinner curated by Celebrity Chef Marcus Samuelsson. Mellitt is a big fan.
“He was fabulous last year,” she said. “Of all of the chefs that we’ve had to date, he’s been the best. The first year a chef [hosts] this event is tough for them because they’ve never done it before; they still don’t really know what to anticipate. But Chef Sameulsson just blended in. It was amazing. It was really great to meet him and work with him and we’re looking forward to it again.”
Mellitt said tickets for Steel Chef will sell out early: “I would say they will sell out probably sometime in January.”
Food Bank events 19th Annual New England Winter Wine Spectacular When: Friday, Jan. 23, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Where: Doubletree Expo Center, 700 Elm St., Manchester Tickets: available through eventbrite.com.
9th Annual Steel Chef event When: Monday, March 17 Tickets: available at nhfoodbank.org/steelchef
To learn more about food insecurity in New Hampshire and the New Hampshire Food Bank’s role in alleviating it, visit nhfoodbank.org/hunger-in-nh.
• Correction: In the Jan. 9 issue of the Hippo, the hours for Eden’s Table Farm (240 Stark Highway N, Dunbarton, 774-1811, edenstablefarm.square.site) were incorrect on page 20. When it reopens on Feb. 5, Eden’s Table Farm will be open Wednesday through Friday from 1 to 7 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Closed: Live Free Refillery in Bedford has closed. “We have given this store everything we could,” a post on the business’ Facebook page read. The goal of the business was to allow customers to buy food staples and household products in bulk, using their own reusable containers.
• Soon to close: On its Facebook page Pipe Dream Brewing in Londonderry announced that it will close its doors effective Feb. 3, with the final day of operation on Feb. 2. “Huge thank you to our incredible employees who have made the past nine years unforgettable,” the post read, “pouring their hearts into every pint. To our loyal customers and members, thank you for your unwavering support and for being part of the Pipe Dream family.”
• Vive la France: Tickets are still available for New Hampshire Wine Week’s “Vive la France” French wine tasting and panel session Wednesday, Jan. 22, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Manchester Country Club (180 S. River Road, Bedford, 624-4096, manchestercountryclub.com). The evening will begin with a cocktail hour where guests can sample from more than 60 French wines, followed by a panel discussion and Q&A session with several influential French wine importers and distributors. Tickets are $65 and available through eventbrite.com.
• Spring planning: The Northeast Organic Farming Association of New Hampshire will hold its annual winter conference, this year themed “Sowing Hope, Cultivating Joy,” on Saturday, Feb. 8, at Southern New Hampshire University. Chef David Vargas, owner of Vida Cantina in Portsmouth and Ore Nell’s Barbecue in Kittery, Maine, and a James Beard Foundation “Outstanding Chef America, 2023, semi-finalist,” will be the keynote speaker. A standard ticket is $75; see nofanh.org for registration information and a schedule of events.
With snow flying as the winds whip and temperatures drop, now is a great time to head indoors and enjoy some live music.
In addition to the nationally and wider-regionally touring shows at the larger capacity venues, several smaller spots offer winter music series that showcase a musical experience that features more indie, niche and regional original music. As the venues are smaller (some as small as under a hundred, some accommodating a few hundred music-lovers especially if the crowd is standing), the shows often provide a chance to catch an act before they blow up like Noah Kahan. Sometimes, the milieu and the music are equally compelling. Sipping wine before sitting down for a concert at Hermit Woods wineries, for example, or looking at art before the music at the Andres Institute.
Many of the performers can be seen in area bars and restaurants, but at these shows they have the opportunity to play their own material. When Andrea Paquin and April Cushman are at Milk St. Studios, for example, they’ll be able to draw from their own extensive catalogs instead of doing covers, something that’s also true for all of the shows at The Livery. The Songwriter Roundup at Hermit Woods Winery pretty much exists to expose original voices who spend a lot of their time doing someone else’s songs. If you like what you hear, buy a CD, it’s the best way to support independent musicians. Whether it’s a craving for rock, blues, folk, big band or traditional sounds from Ireland or Ecuador, there’s an option available.
The following is a look at upcoming concerts, from now to spring, and a few beyond.
Andres Institute of Art (16 Route 13, Brookline, andresinstitute.org)
This outdoor sculpture garden was once a ski resort. Fundraising concerts are held to keep admission free year-round. The upcoming schedule is an eclectic one, with Manchester alt rockers the Faith Ann Band, acoustic roots band Low Lily and pan-Latin Boston group Sol y Canto all playing. Institute President Kristi St. Laurent, who also books the shows, noted recently that the former ski lodge where the concerts happen is historic. “J. Geils played here, I have photographic proof of that,” she said, adding it’s perfect for concerts. “Musicians all want to come back, because they love the way the room sounds.”
Saturday, Jan. 25, 6 p.m. – Faith Ann Band and Rabbit Foot
Sunday, Feb. 9, 6 p.m. – The Sofferman Perspective
Sunday, March 2, 6 p.m. – Low Lily
Sunday, March 16, 6 p.m. – The Honey Bees
Sunday, April 6, 6 p.m. – Evan Goodrow
Saturday, April 19, 6 p.m. – Mighty Colors and Jamdemic (Earth Day Benefit)
This intimate performing space located in the studios of Portsmouth Community Radio is as eclectic as the Seacoast music community it supports, with multiple genres appearing, and nationally touring artists often stopping by. Local shows include Mango Catch Collective on Jan. 25 and a raging punk rock show featuring Condition, Black Vinegar and The Saturn Cycle on Feb. 21, with unique Beatles tribute trio While My Guitar Gently Weeps the following night. Boston acid jazzers Bees Deluxe are there March 8.
Friday, Jan. 17, 8 p.m. – Alchemy with Hell Beach and Qvickdraw
Friday, Jan. 24, 8 p.m. – DJ Chad Banks and Friends
Contoocook Cider Co. (656 Gould Hill Road, Contoocook, contoocookcider.com)
A bucolic room booked by NH Music Collective and run by a revered cidery. Music happens Saturdays and Sundays, with a long list of regional favorites stopping by.
NHMC, which helps independent musicians find gigs by working with pubs, restaurants and listening rooms, recently underwent a leadership change. Brad Myrick sold his stake to fellow co-founders John McArthur and his wife, Reva Tankle, to focus on his own music.
“It’s a very amicable change of direction for the company,” McArthur said in early January. “I’ve been trying to help him as much as I can with his performance career…. Brad is one of the best guitarists, certainly in the Northeast, and he’s a fabulous composer.”
Brad Myrick, who’s now devoting his time to performing, makes an appearance in mid-March. NHMC is also booking a series of shows at the BNH Stage in Concord this winter.
Also on tap is Ian Archibold, recently seen at a BNH Stage showcase concert. Sully Erna sideman and Joe Walsh doppelgänger Chris Lester is another highlight; he’s there next month.
Sunday, Jan. 19, 1 p.m. – Jack Ancora
Saturday, Feb. 1, 1 p.m. – Justin Cohn
Saturday, Feb. 15, 1 p.m. – Chris Lester
Saturday, March 1, 1 p.m. – Ian Archibold
Saturday, March 15, 1 p.m. – Dan Fallon
Sunday, March 16, 1 p.m. – Brad Myrick
Saturday, March 22, 1 p.m. – Alex Cohen
Sunday, March 23, 1 p.m. – Justin Cohn
Saturday, April 5, 1 p.m. – Tyler Levs
Saturday, April 12, 1 p.m. – Ryan Williamson
Saturday, April 19, 1 p.m. – Garrett Smith
Flying Goose (40 Andover Road, New London, flyinggoose.com)
The longest-running concert series in the state mixes old-school folkies like Ellis Paul, Garnet Rogers and Tom Pirozzoli, who conceived the whole thing back in the early ’90s, with new faces like Sam Robbins and Brittany Moore. This small room sells out fast, so best to make reservations well in advance, especially for shows like bluesman Guy Davis on Feb. 13.
Thursday, Jan. 16, 7:30 p.m. – New England Bluegrass Band
Thursday, Jan. 30, 7:30 p.m. – Dinty Child and Mark Erelli
Thursday, Feb. 13, 7:30 p.m. – Guy Davis
Thursday, Feb. 27, 7:30 p.m. – Ellis Paul
Thursday, March 6, 7:30 p.m. – Aztec Two Step 2.0
Thursday, March 20, 7:30 p.m. – Brittany Moore
Thursday, March 27, 7:30 p.m. – Willy Porter and Tom Pirozzoli
Thursday, April 3, 7:30 p.m. – Lonesome Ace String Band
Kick back with the apres-ski crowd and enjoy a bountiful list of musicians curated by NHMC. Willy Chase, another singer-songwriter recently showcased at BNH Stage, has an early February set. In March, it’s Mikey G, who also headlined the downtown Concord room. Other good bets are Rebecca Turmel Duo on Jan. 19, and The 603s on Feb. 22.
Saturday, Jan. 18, 3 p.m. – Ryan Williamson
Sunday, Jan. 19, 2 p.m. – Rebecca Turmel Duo
Saturday, Jan. 25, 3 p.m. – Frontwoods
Saturday, Feb. 1, 3 p.m. – Tom Boisse
Sunday, Feb. 2, 2 p.m. – Willy Chase
Saturday, Feb. 8, 3 p.m. – Dave Clark
Sunday, Feb. 9, 2 p.m. – Andrea Paquin
Saturday, Feb. 15, 3 p.m. – Karen Grenier
Sunday, Feb. 16, 2 p.m. – Jack Ancora
Saturday, Feb. 22, 3 p.m. – The 603s
Sunday, Feb. 23, 2 p.m. – Brad Myrick Duo
Saturday, March 1, 3 p.m. – Joel Begin
Saturday, March 8, 3 p.m. – Mikey G
Hermit Woods Winery (72 Main St., Meredith, hermitwoods.com)
Curated and hosted by singer-songwriter Katie Dobbins, the winery’s Wednesday Songwriter Roundup event will celebrate a two-year anniversary on Feb. 26, with Pete Downing and another artist sharing the spotlight with Dobbins. Shows are offered in tandem with a dinner that begins an hour before the music. Additional dates are anticipated. “I am coming down from the busy fall/winter show season,” Dobbins texted recently. “I’m going to be working on more bookings.”
Thursday, Jan. 16, 7 p.m. – Grace Wallace Band
Wednesday, Jan. 29, 7 p.m. – Songwriter Roundup with Katie Dobbins, Dan Sirois and Patrick Synan
Wednesday, Feb. 26, 7 p.m. – Songwriter Roundup with Katie Dobbins, Pete Downing and TBA
Wednesday, March 26, 7 p.m. – Songwriter Roundup with Katie Dobbins and TBA
Livery at Sunapee Harbor (58 Main St., Sunapee, nhmusiccollective.com)
Another NHMC-curated venue, this winter’s concert season will see the return of Slim Volume, a young Beatlesque quartet that sold out the rustic Main Street space last year, as well as Charlie Chronopoulos playing an intimate set of original music. For those looking forward to summer on the lake, NHMC’s John McArthur is planning a series there when it’s warmer.
Saturday, Jan. 18, 7 p.m. – Jack & Tim
Friday, Feb. 14, 7 p.m. – JD & the Stonemasons
Saturday, April 19, 7 p.m. – Slim Volume
Saturday, May 17, 7 p.m. – Charlie Chronopoulos
Milk St. Studios (6 Milk St., Dover, milkststudios.com)
An extension of a Seacoast recording studio modeled after The Record Co. in Boston, this listening room has local musicians stretching out to play originals, though the Joni & Cat Tribute Show — Mitchell and Stevens, if anyone’s wondering — on March 29 is an exception. An in-the-round concert featuring acoustic music from singer/songwriters Andrea Paquin and April Cushman on March 15 should be stellar.
Saturday, Feb. 22, 6:30 p.m. – Lee & Dr. G. + Catwolf
Saturday, March 1, 6:30 p.m. – STL Gold
Saturday, March 8, 6:30 p.m. – Jarred Garneau Group
Saturday, March 15, 6:30 p.m. – Andrea Paquin + April Cushman
Saturday, March 22, 6:30 p.m. – Amulus
Saturday, March 29, 6:30 p.m. – Joni & Cat Tribute Show (Nicole Gauthier & John Fuzek)
Saturday, April 5, 6:30 p.m. – Studia & Jed Allen + The Regals
Music Hall Lounge (131 Congress St., Portsmouth, themusichall.org)
An extension of the larger venue with cabaret seating for dozens instead of hundreds in the audience, this downtown venue welcomes rising stars like indie rockers Certainly So and Americana singer/songwriter Liv Greene along with regional talent like folksinger Reed Foehl and jazz saxophonist Seba Molnar. Valentine’s Day brings the romantic PMAC Jazz Night, with a bevy of Seacoast musicians including sax player Eric Klaxon, singer Taylor O’Donnell and keyboard treasure Mike Effenberger.
Friday, Jan. 17, 8 p.m. – Seba Molnar
Saturday, Jan. 25, 8 p.m. – Reed Foehl
Sunday, Jan. 26, 8 p.m. – Lee DeWyze
Friday, Feb. 7, 8 p.m. – Certainly So
Saturday, Feb. 8, 8 p.m. – Juanito Pascual
Friday, Feb. 14, 8 p.m. – 18th Annual PMAC Jazz Night: Dream a Little Dream
Friday, Feb. 21, 8 p.m. – Vance Gilbert
Wednesday, Feb. 26, 8 p.m. – Johnny Cash’s Birthday Bash with Scott Moreau
Thursday, Feb. 27, 8 p.m. – Both Sides Now (Joni Mitchell & Leonard Cohen tribute)
Friday, Feb. 28, 8 p.m. – Sam Robbins
Saturday, March 1, 8 p.m. – Ellis Paul
Friday, March 14, 8 p.m. – Liv Greene & Elise Leavy
Tuesday, March 18, 8 p.m. – Jordan Tice
Friday, March 21, 8 p.m. – Heather Maloney
Sunday, March 23, 8 p.m. – Tyler Hilton
Friday, March 28, 8 p.m. – Alice Howe & Freebo
Saturday, April 5, 8 p.m. – Scott Kirby
Nippo Lake Restaurant (88 Stagecoach Road, Barrington, nippobluegrass.com)
Acoustic music fans delight in the long-running series housed in a Barrington country club, which lasts from October through April. Some of the region’s finest players show up for this Sunday evening tradition. Ahead are revered bluegrass band Lunch at the Dump, the always entertaining Rockspring and a couple of projects that include Scott & Betsy Heron, Little Wishbone and the Heron Bluegrass Co.
Sunday, Jan. 19, 6 p.m. – Chicken Shack
Sunday, Jan. 26, 6 p.m. – Unsung Heroes
Sunday, Feb. 2, 6 p.m. – New England Bluegrass Band
Sunday, Feb. 16, 6 p.m. – HydroGeo Trio
Sunday, Feb. 23, 6 p.m. – Lunch at the Dump
Sunday, March 2, 6 p.m. – Cordwood
Sunday, March 9, 6 p.m. – High Range
Sunday, March 16, 6 p.m. – Little Wishbone
Sunday, March 23, 6 p.m. – Hot Skillet
Sunday, March 30, 6 p.m. – Heron Bluegrass Co.
Sunday, April 6, 6 p.m. – Cedar Mountain
Sunday, April 13, 6 p.m. – Unsung Heroes
Sunday, April 27, 6 p.m. – Rockspring
Pats Peak (686 Flanders Road, Henniker, patspeak.com)
Another apres-ski series curated by NHMC. Shows to look forward to include Andrew North and the Rangers, who host the monthly open mic at BNH Stage, and River Sang Wild, who perform for two days straight in early March. A word to the wise: Resort management cautions that things can change when the sap’s running.
Saturday, Jan. 18, 6 p.m. – Scott & Wally
Saturday, Jan. 25, 6 p.m. – Young Guns
Saturday, Feb. 1, 6 p.m. – Geoff & Wally
Saturday, Feb. 8, 6 p.m. – Dan Fallon Band
Saturday, Feb. 15, 6 p.m. – Scott & Wally
Saturday, Feb. 22, 6 p.m. – Andrew North & the Rangers
Saturday, March 1, 6 p.m. – Karen Grenier
Saturday, March 8, 6 p.m. – River Sang Wild (also 3/9)
Saturday, March 15, 6 p.m. – Rebecca Turmel Duo
Saturday, March 22, 6 p.m. – Geoff & Wally
Pembroke City Limits (134 Main St., Pembroke, pembrokecitylimits.com)
Opened last summer by music maven Rob Azevedo, this is the newest addition to the region’s live music scene, with a focus on local talent like the Irish band Black Pudding Rovers, singer-songwriter Paul Nelson and Vampire Bird, the latest project from Will Kindler, which went over so well in December that it will return March 9. “This spring, PCL will continue to introduce and reintroduce such incredible musicians,” Azevedo said recently, while touting the venue’s Sunday Jazz Sessions with Gary Smith.
Thursday, Jan. 16, 7 p.m. – Chris Salemme
Friday, Jan. 17, 7 p.m. – Todd Hearon Trio
Saturday, Jan. 18, 7 p.m. – Funk Night w/ Gary Smith & Friends
Sunday, Jan. 19, 2 p.m. – Black Pudding Rovers
Wednesday, Jan. 22, 7 p.m. – Paul Nelson
Thursday, Jan. 23, 7 p.m. – Colin Nevens
Friday, Jan. 24, 7 p.m. – Piano Man Jody Robichaud
Saturday, Feb. 1, 2 p.m. – Let’s Get Sticky Rolling Stones Tribute
Thursday, Feb. 6, 7 p.m. – Timothy K Blues
Friday, Feb. 7, 7 p.m. – Lee & Dr. G.
Thursday, Feb. 13, 7 p.m. – Mikey G
Saturday, Feb. 15, 4 p.m. – Angela Stewart
Wednesday, Feb. 19, 7 p.m. – Dan Fallon & Company
Saturday, Feb. 22, 7 p.m. – Georgie-Jam Night
Friday, Feb. 28, at 7 p.m. – Faith Ann Acoustic
Wednesday, March 12, 7 p.m. – Vampire Bird (Will Kindler)
Friday, March 14, 7 p.m. – Cinnamon Jazz Trio
Sunapee Community Coffee House (9 Lower Main St., Sunapee, sunapeecoffeehouse.org)
This is another series that’s been around a very long time, located in the basement of a Methodist church. It’s a pass-the-hat affair; bring a Hamilton to help out the artists. The effort encourages new and emerging talent, which means New Hampshire’s Noah Kahan might appear on their way to greater fame.
Friday, Jan. 24, 7 p.m. – Hubby Jenkins
Friday, Feb. 14, 7 p.m. – Click Horning
Friday, Feb. 28, 7 p.m. – Tommy Crawford
Friday, March 14, 7 p.m. – Nate Goyette
Friday, March 28, 7 p.m. – White Mountain Ceilí Band
Craft beer and live music pair well at this NHMC-curated venue. Upcoming are singer-songwriter Temple Mountain and Lakes Region duo The Sweetbloods, as well as rising stars Taylor Hughes and Dakota Smart.
Friday, Jan. 17, 5 p.m. – Tom Boisse
Saturday, Jan. 18, 5 p.m. – Temple Mountain
Friday, Jan. 24, 5 p.m. – Kat Ivy
Saturday, Jan. 25, 5 p.m. – Garrett Smith
Friday, Jan. 31, 5 p.m. – Freddie Catalfo
Saturday, Feb. 1, 5 p.m. – Karen Grenier
Friday, Feb. 7, 5 p.m. – Taylor Hughes
Saturday, Feb. 8, 5 p.m. – Rebecca Turmel
Friday, Feb. 14, 5 p.m. – The Sweetbloods
Friday, Feb. 14, 5 p.m. – Paul Driscoll
Saturday, Feb. 15, 5 p.m. – Dakota Smart
Friday, Feb. 21, 5 p.m. – Ciera MacKenzie
Saturday, Feb. 22, 5 p.m. – Jack Ancora
Friday, Feb. 28, 5 p.m. – Jackie Lee
Saturday, March 1, 5 p.m. – Dave Clark
Friday, March 7, 5 p.m. – Rock Dove
Saturday, March 8, 5 p.m. – Andrea Paquin
Saturday, March 15, 5 p.m. – Chris Torrey
Friday, March 21, 5 p.m. – Willy Chase
Saturday, March 22, 5 p.m. – Kyle McGuinness
Friday, March 28, 5 p.m. – Tyler Levs
Saturday, March 29, 5 p.m. – Garrett Smith
Friday, April 4, 5 p.m. – Tom Boisse
Saturday, April 5, 5 p.m. – Justin Federico
Friday, April 11, 5 p.m. – Rebecca Turmel
Saturday, April 12, 5 p.m. – Temple Mountain
Word Barn (66 Newfields Road, Exeter, thewordbarn.com)
Tucked at the end of a twisty road in Exeter, this venue is the perfect place to catch an under-the-radar star in the making, along with local treasures like Jordan Tirrell-Wysocki’s Trio, Will Evans and The Wolff Sisters. The shows here frequently sell out, so it’s best to act early for artists like Liz Longley and Joe Crookson.
Saturday, Jan. 18, 7 p.m. – Winter Warmer with Erica Brown & The Bluegrass Connection
Thursday, Jan. 23, 7 p.m. – Rakish and Nate Sabat
Friday, Jan. 24, 7 p.m. – Dave Gunning and J.P. Cormier Duo
Saturday, Jan. 25, 8 p.m. – Soggy Po’ Boys
Sunday, Jan. 26, 7 p.m. – Will Evans
Thursday, Jan. 30, 7 p.m. – Genticorum
Friday, Feb. 7, 7 p.m. – The Wolff Sisters
Sunday, Feb. 9, 7 p.m. – Eli West & The Clements Brothers
Friday, Feb. 14, 7 p.m. – Jordan TW Trio
Saturday, March 1, 7 p.m. – David Howley (We Banjo 3)
Friday, March 7, 7 p.m. – Joe Crookson
Saturday, March 8, 7 p.m. – Chatham Rabbits
Sunday, March 23, 7 p.m. – Liz Longley
Wednesday, April 23, 7 p.m. – Matthew & the Atlas.
