Author: Michael Witthaus

Creative place

3S Artspace concludes its 10th year

When it opened to the public in 2015, 3S Artspace got its name in reference to three spaces: art, music and food. That later evolved into three senses, Executive Director Beth Falconer recalled recently, “but then everyone was like, ‘It’s more than three senses’ — and we don’t want to be limited to three spaces.”

Later, the rule of three would reflect the years before, during and after the pandemic. To mark the Portsmouth gallery’s 10th anniversary, they’re harkening back to an exhibit that happened near the end of its first phase. “Third Space” is three curated environments with multifaceted artwork, music and a dose of the spirit that drives 3S Artspace.

Works by regional artists including Jess Dickey, Terry Golson, Aurora Robson and Adrienne Elise Tarver fill “The Garden,” a tropical answer to wintry outside temperatures. It’s curated by 3S board member Emily Leach, who was inspired by trips with her then-small children to Wentworth Greenhouses in Rollinsford.

“We’d breathe the warm air, explore the lush plants, and wonder at the living art sculptures they create,” Leach recalled on 3S’s website. “I designed this room to bring me back to that time and give families a way to experience that same feeling through beautiful and innovative works of art.”

Curated by documentarian, photographer, ski designer and board member Harrison Buck, the “Après Ski Lounge” has works by Buck in collaboration with tattoo artist Heather Quinn, Parlor Skis and Dana Schultz. Tracing Buck’s creative path, it’s called “a love letter to the natural world and a conduit for human connection, design experimentation, and storytelling.”

Art and the Seacoast’s buoyant music community join together in “The Listening Room.” It features posters that papercutting artist Dylan Metrano created for the Diaspora Radio concert series at Portsmouth’s Press Room, and vinyl records playing songs from the iconic albums that inspired them.

Metrano is also a musician and a chocolatier; he runs La Nef Chocolate in Mohegan, Maine, with his wife, a fellow artist. He approached Diaspora Radio creator Stu Dias after their first show, a performance of Music From Big Pink by The Band in September 2021, and offered to do a woodcutting poster for the next concert.

“It was Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On,” Metrano said in mid-December. “They’d used the actual album cover for their poster, and I thought I could do something a little more creative … I didn’t know that it would go on for years and years. I just wanted to do it.”

His distinctive interpretations became synonymous with the event and have been the subject of a few exhibitions, like one at Ceres Bakery that ran last October and November. It included two of his favorites, The Whites Stripes’ Elephant and his first one of Marvin Gaye. Both are among those on display at the 3S exhibit, which runs through Jan. 25.

“Third Space”
When: Thursday to Saturday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m., through Jan. 25
Where: 3S Artspace, 319 Vaughan St., Portsmouth
More: 3sarts.org
Also Friday, Jan. 2, 5-8 p.m. during Portsmouth Art ’Round Town

Featured photo: Diaspora Radio Poster by Dylan Metrano.

It’s been a year

A look back at 2025 and what’s ahead in 2026

Local music kicked off with a twang in January when Modern Fools celebrated the release of Clearly Country, a record inspired by both Gram Parsons and a sign the Monadnock region band’s main songwriter found at a yard sale. Another band member, Ian Galipeau, made a great LP of his own, About A Horse, later in the year.

It was one of many original local music shows at BNH Stage, whose “Locally Sourced” music series regularly showcases regional talent. Another great one was the JamAntics reunion show in April, with fellow jamsters Superfrog providing a stellar opening set. The next Locally Sourced show is Fox & the Flamingos and Phoenix Syndicate on Jan. 23.

The Concord venue, along with the similarly sized Music Hall Lounge in Portsmouth and Manchester’s Rex Theatre, gave many area performers access to a big stage, pro lighting and sound. The January 603 Songwriters in the Round show at the Rex offered three of New Hampshire’s best: Miketon Graton, Ryan Jackson and Tristan Omand.

Tribute acts were prevalent. There were a few impressive ones, like Lotus Land playing the catalog of Rush, not an easy feat, and Shawn Barker’s Man In Black, a Johnny Cash revue that had audiences almost believing they were watching the real thing. Barker will be back in April to play Nashua’s Center for the Arts.

A few do more than one act, like Foreigner’s Journey, and Pink Talking Fish, a three-way fusion of Pink Floyd, Talking Heads and a beloved Vermont jam band. Currently doing a New Year’s run from the Midwest to Buffalo with another blender band called Steely Dead, they’re also in Nashua, on Jan. 24.

Speaking of Phish, the group took over Manchester in late June for a three-night run at SNHU Arena, the first time they played that many dates in the city. To celebrate, a slew of activities popped up around the shows, including a Phan Art show at the Doubletree and more than a few pre- and post-show concerts at bars and restaurants.

Other favorite shows in 2025 included Ward Hayden & the Outliers doing an intimate show at Pembroke City Limits, a venue that continued to shine after opening in mid-2024, and Alison Krauss & Union Station at Meadowbrook, er, BankNH Pavilion, with Krauss singing and playing like an angel and Jerry Douglas’s dobro utterly sublime.

The regional comedy scene grew, with more places offering standup and a growing group of promoters. For the first time, Hampton Beach’s annual comedy festival happened without a set from its founder, Jimmy Dunn, who was focused on his lifelong dream — headlining Casino Ballroom, his hometown venue, for the first time — he killed.

Many big names came through town this season. Tom Papa, Brad Williams, David Cross and Kathleen Madigan all had summer shows. Newer comics included Joe Fenti (at the Rex in January), Zane Lamprey’s drink and joke schtick (he’s at two more breweries this spring) and Boston ex-pat Stacy Kendro, who returned post-pandemic and is rising fast.

It was a vibrant year and the scene shows no signs of slowing down in 2026. Many great shows have been announced; some have sold out, like Alison Krauss and her band’s New Hampshire return to a relatively smaller venue, Portsmouth’s Music Hall. Peter Wolf’s return to live shows is booked there as well, and ducats are almost gone at press time.

Featured photo: Rob Steen. Courtesy photo.

First Night laughs

New Year’s Eve is all about comedy

The best way to look back at a year like 2025 is with laughter.

Looking at New Year’s Eve in New Hampshire, that’s the prevailing wisdom. There are no fewer than 14 comedy events, 16 if you count Dueling Pianos. From the big rooms — Manchester has Jimmy Dunn, Bob Marley is in Rochester and Juston McKinney’s Year In Review is back in Nashua — to Underground Comedy on the Seacoast, it’s all about the funny.

Comedian Rob Steen recognized this idea a long time ago and has produced New Year’s Eve parties throughout the state for years. To ring in 2026, Steen’s Headliners Comedy is holding two bashes each in Manchester and Nashua and another in Concord, along with supplying a comic for a Dover show that he isn’t promoting.

The event in Manchester is a variety show with DJ dancing and Beatles tribute act Studio Two. New York comic magician Kevin Lee tops a bill including regional favorite Harrison Stebbins and newcomer Jolanda Logan, who hails from Derry and came up through a process that resembles minor-league baseball.

“I started booking her about a year and a half ago, and I’ve been giving her tons of work to kind of get her into … call it a farm system,” Steen said in a recent phone interview. It’s a process many newbies have endured, performing at the many places his production company books throughout New England.

From campsites to greenhouses, Steen will do a show pretty much anywhere.

“There’s no venue that’s not appropriate for comedy,” he said, which means new comics can experience a wide range of audiences. “I’ll give them, like, three Elks Clubs, four summer camps, a private, a corporate and a club gig, and see how they do. Because they’re all different.”

One of Steen’s newer venues is Concord’s Arts Alley. This year he’s doing a Dueling Pianos show on New Year’s Eve, and next year Frank Santorelli of Sopranos fame will launch standup there with a Valentine’s Day show, with others to come. He also launched comedy recently at nearby Pembroke City Limits in Suncook; it will return Feb. 18.

2026 will also mark four decades as a comic for Steen. He began as a teenager, telling jokes along with street performing as a juggler. Getting booked there was tough due to his age, so he headed north.

“I took a bus to Manchester and started doing shows at the Center of New Hampshire, when it was a Holiday Inn,” he said. “Been at that location ever since.”

Through a variety of name and ownership changes, Headliners Comedy Club has been a fixture at what’s now Doubletree Hotel on Elm Street in Manchester. For years, shows were held wherever space was available until the hotel restaurant was remodeled, becoming New Hampshire’s first venue dedicated to comedy.

Forty years is many lifetimes in entertainment promotion, and Rob Steen has seen many aspirants come and go along the way. Believing that while one effort was admirable, many meant a trend good for all, he’s wished each of them well.

“It’s refreshing to see the guys doing it,” he said, adding that he tries to offer guidance when he can. “I talk to them about the do’s and the don’ts [and urge them to] be ethical, I guess. To have a moral compass. Don’t go and put on crappy shows, and try to be nice to everybody.”

Featured photo: Rob Steen. Courtesy photo.

So long, 2025

New Year’s events abound

There are many ways to mark year’s end and ring in 2026, a couple for the morning after, and more than a few for folks who just don’t like staying up past midnight but enjoy a party nonetheless.

100 Club (100 Market St., Portsmouth, 766-4100) Reservations required, DJ James Fairchild provides the music with late-night snacks, dessert buffet, fireworks, party favors and dancing.

815 Cocktails & Provisions (815 Elm St., Manchester, eventbrite.com) Once Upon A Midnight party begins with a handcrafted, fairytale-inspired drink created exclusively for the event, burlesque by Siren of the Circle & Jazzy Belle, magic by Ben Hughes, dancing, themed photo booth and a curated menu of party-friendly bites designed to keep the energy high and the night flowing. $65.87

Alan’s (133 N. Main St., Boscawen, 753-6631) Whiskey Rain Band plays a mix of blues, classic and Southern rock.

American Legion Post 10 (24 Maple St., Wilton, 654-9996) The Boogie Men perform at a disco-themed party.

American Legion Post 4 (797 Court St., Keene, 352-9703) $30, MV19 rocks in the new year. Includes hors d’oeuvres, sandwich station, midnight toast and party favors.

American Legion Post 47 (551 Foundry St., Rollinsford, 742-5833) $10, Bad Breath Microphone Band performs, appetizers and pizza served throughout the night.

American Legion Post 8 (640 Central Ave., Dover, 742-9710) An annual tradition, Dancing Madly Backwards plays live music, with full bar, food and snacks, dance floor.

Arts Alley (20 S Main St, Concord, 406-5666, artsalleyconcordnh.com) The New Year’s Eve Gala runs from 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, Dec.31 to 1 a.m., Thursday, Jan.1. Celebrate with an evening of dining, music, and dancing. There will be a festive cocktail hour with appetizers, followed by a dinner buffet. Dueling Pianos and a live DJ will provide music. Tickets are $151.23. 21+.

Ash Cigar Lounge (92A Route 125, Kingston, 347-5499) Diamonds and Gold party has Lu NH Music channeling the smooth charm of Frank Sinatra, with cigar discounts and appetizer buffet, Champagne at midnight.

Auspicious Brew (1 Washington St., Dover, 953-7240) Drag show with Raya Sunshine & Friends, live music by Cozy Throne and The Jerritones, dance beats from DJ XO and a collective tarot reading by Jezmina. $20 advance, $25 day of event.

Averill House Vineyard (21 Averill Road, Brookline, 244-3165) $79 in the winery, and $399 igloo and gazebo experiences are available. Evening includes a complimentary wine pairing and five-course Brazilian dinner. Ring in 2026 in Rio time.

Belknap Mill (25 Beacon St., Laconia, 524-8813) $100 and up. Mix and mingle in your finest cocktail attire while enjoying heavy hors d’oeuvres, an open bar, music, and dancing as we count down to midnight.

BNH Stage (16 S. Main St., Concord, ccanh.com) Dress in James Bond attire at Ritz & Royale, a Casino Royale-style escape where elegance meets danger, cocktails meet espionage, and the crowd is dressed to kill — Bond-style tuxedos, silk gowns, pearls, feathers, gloves, velvet suits, and vintage glam encouraged. $50 and up.

Boards & Brews (941 Elm St., Manchester, eventbrite.com) Unlimited games for the night, an appetizer buffet, and an open bar with plenty of non-alcoholic options available. $81.88

Bogie’s (32 Depot Square, Hampton, 926-2202) Everlovin’ Rosie performs at a masquerade ball with prizes for best costumes. $25.

Bonfire (950 Elm St., Manchester, 663-7678) This downtown hub for country music would be having a big party, but they are closed due to flooding caused by a burst pipe above the bar. A GoFundMe to help with recovery costs was launched and has seen lots of support.

BrickHouse Restaurant & Brewery (241 Union Sq., Milford, 672-2270) Joppa Flats play rock covers.

Bridgewater Inn (367 Mayhew Turnpike, Bridgewater, 744-3518) Classic rock band No Shame performs downstairs, with DJ Di upstairs spinning all night long. $60 per person includes buffet (5:30-7:30 p.m.) and party; $20 for party only. Hats & tiaras, noisemakers, beads and Champagne toast.

Buckey’s (240 Governor Wentworth Highway, Moultonborough, 476-5485) The tradition continues with Red Hat Band performing.

Casey Magee’s Irish Pub (8 Temple St., Nashua, 484-7400) Annual New Year’s Eve Dance Party with music by DJ Bobby Lane starting at 9 p.m. leading into the countdown. No cover, 21+

Chop Shop (920 Lafayette Road, Seabrook, 760-7706) Inner Child plays classic rock covers, with a little black dress and best dressed contest to choose a queen and king

Copper Door (15 Leavy Drive, Bedford, 488-2677) Clint Lapointe plays from 7 to 10 p.m. and the restaurant stays open until 11 p.m.

Copper Door (41 S. Broadway, Salem, 458-2033) Dave Clark plays from 7 to 10 p.m. and the restaurant stays open until 11 p.m.

Derryfield (625 Mammoth Road, Manchester, 623-2880) $36. Once again the Chad LaMarsh Band, a high-energy dance combo with male and female lead vocals, entertains with tunes from the ’60s to now, with Champagne toast at midnight and party favors.

Epoch Restaurant & Bar (2 Pine St., Exeter, 778-EPOCH) Prix fixe dinner and a sparkling wine toast before midnight.

Fody’s (9 Clinton St., Nashua, 577-9015) $10. Massachusetts party rock band Sugarbush plays covers.

Fody’s Derry (187 1/2 Rockingham Road, Derry, 404-6946) $10. Rockingham Boys provide the music.

Forum Pub (15 Village St., Concord, 552-0137) Shaun McGyver & Friends provide the party music.

Foster’s Tavern (403 Main St., Alton Bay, 875-1234) Dan Fallon rings in the new year.

Fratello’s (155 Dow St., Manchester, 624-2022) Jamie Hughes plays early.

Fury’s Publick House (1 Washington St., Dover, 617-3633) Local favorite Tim Theriault plays a no-cover party.

Gate City Casino (55 Northeastern Blvd., Nashua, 943-5630) Disco Countdown is the theme this year, with free play prizes, giveaways, DJ, photo booth, hotel shuttle and more.

Giuseppe’s (312 DW Highway, Meredith, 279-3313) Jeffrey D. Mitchell sings and plays guitar early.

Goosefeathers Pub (Mt. Sunapee Resort, Newbury, 763-3500) New Year’s Bash has food and fun featuring the annual bonfire, S’moresmobile and live music in their Unplugged Den.

Governors Inn (78 Wakefield St., Rochester, 332-0107) Curmudjun plays rock covers following a grand buffet, with a midnight toast. $95.

Homestead (641 DW Highway, Merrimack, 429-2022) Lou Antonucci performing original material as well as the best of classic acoustic artists like Harry Chapin, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, James Taylor, Bob Dylan and many more.

Howlin’ Wolf Taqueria (40 Pleasant St., Portsmouth, 956-4566) $10 Chica-Chida Espresso Martinis and grab some Chica-Chida swag.

Jimmy’s Jazz & Blues Club (135 Congress St., Portsmouth, 603-5299) $54. NYE 2025 with BT ALC Big Band featuring special guest Nephrok. Since the group’s formation in 2011, BT ALC Big Band, led by trombonist Brian Thomas and trumpeter Alex Lee-Clark, has reshaped the depiction of the big band ensemble.

LaBelle Winery (345 Route 101, Amherst, 672-9898) Roaring ’20s Gatsby Party has four-course dinner with wine pairings, spectacle entertainment from Cirque de Light, 1920s themed-decor, and live Jazz Age music with an open dance floor.

Lake Estate (725 Laconia Road, Tilton, 202-3600) The party begins with a formal welcome reception from 7:15 to 8:15 p.m. featuring hot and cold canapés and cash bar, followed by a festive dinner and dance from 8:15 p.m. to 12:15 a.m., complete with a refined three-course meal, live music from Soul City Band, and midnight Champagne toast.

Lakeport Opera House (781 Union Ave., Laconia, 519-7506) Eric Grant Band and DJ music, only general admission seats remain.

Local Street Eats (112 W. Pearl St., Nashua, 402-4435, local-streeteats.com) will host a Disco & Diamonds New Year’s Eve celebration Wednesday, Dec. 31, from 10 p.m. until midnight. Reservations are highly encouraged at local-streeteats.com/visit.

Loon Mountain (60 Loon Mountain Road, Lincoln, 745-8111) End-of-year celebration in the resort’s Paul Bunyan Room includes live music, a midnight toast, and hot and cold hors-d’oeuvres.

Looney Bin (564 Endicott St., Laconia, 366-2300) There’s no NYE bash, but on New Year’s Day there will be a hangover party.

Lynn’s 102 Tavern (76 Derry Road, Hudson, 943-7832) ’70s tribute band Time Bomb rings in the new year, coincidentally on its singer’s birthday.

McIntyre Ski Area (50 Chalet St., Manchester, 622-6159) Ring in the new year with a live DJ, take a shot at ski boot pong or spin our wheel for a chance to win some epic prizes. Included with the full price One Great Rate ticket is a tubing ticket to be redeemed during the 2025/26 winter season. All purchases include hot chocolate, coffee and appetizer buffet. Atlas Fireworks kick off at 9 p.m.

Music Hall Lounge (131 Congress St.., Portsmouth, 436-2400) Rockspring is a high-energy string band that has quickly gained a strong following in the New England region. This show will ring in the new year at midnight.

Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester, 668-5588) Recycled Percussion.

Pat’s Peak Ski Area (686 Flanders Road, Henniker, 728-7732) New Year’s fireworks at 9:20 p.m., ski, ride and tube (lifts open until 8:45 p.m.) and dancing to Dave & Wally in the Sled Pub from 6 to 9 p.m. No traditional NYE party this year.

Peddler’s Daughter (48 Main St., Nashua, 821-7535) Dinner, party favors and Champagne toast.

Penuche’s Ale House (6 Pleasant St., Concord, 228-9833) Concord rockers Rosewood Park play the party in this beloved basement bar.

Portsmouth Gas Light (64 Market St., Portsmouth, 430-9122) Roaring Gatsby Prohibition Party, dress to impress (1920s attire encouraged). $65 and up.

Press Room (77 Daniel St., Portsmouth, 431-5186) Electric Abduction: New Year’s Eve at The Press Room Presented by the Portsmouth Rave Project in collaboration with Trigger(House feat. DJ Chad Banks, Jay Sync, Jam!n, & Rh3tt) $65 and up

Revo Casino (887B Central Ave., Dover, 742-9632) Stray Dog plays rock covers at this no-cover party.

Revo Casino (369 Miracle Mile, Lebanon, 678-5906) Project 416 plays rock covers at this no-cover party.

Riley’s Place (29 Mont Vernon St., Milford, 325-2177) Aces & Eights NYE party, $10 admission includes Champagne toast.

Rockingham Ballroom (22 Ash Swamp Road, Newmarket, eventbrite.com) DJs Johnny Groovy and Soul Sister Pamela with jazz piano opener, appetizers, finger foods, Champagne toast and prizes $50 and $75 BYOB.

Rooftop at the Envio (299 Vaughn St., Portsmouth, eventbrite.com) Masquerade-themed party includes a selection of passed hors d’oeuvres, an iced seafood raw bar, and a variety of appetizers to savor throughout the evening. Plus, enjoy two sparkling toasts — one to kick off the celebration as you arrive, and another at midnight to ring in the new year with friends. $130.

Rumor Tapas & Lounge (1055 Elm St., Manchester, 786-9277) EP’s All-White Takeover NYE hosted by Millyz “Blanco.” All-white affair, VIP bottle service, midnight vibes, extended liquor — last call 2 a.m. $45 at eventbrite.com.

Rumors Sports Bar (22 N. Main St., Newmarket, 659-2329) DJ Kelly Elliott rings in 2026. $23 at eventbrite.com.

Saddle Up Saloon (92 Route 125, Kingston, 369-6962) Early Ball Drop Bash is a family-friendly New Year’s Eve party.

Salt Hill Pub Lebanon (2 W. Park St., Lebanon, 448-4532) $10 DJ Tony Jagzx for a dance party & karaoke extravaganza.

Salt Hill Pub Newport (58 Main St., Newport, 863-7774) The AC/DC Experience has been bringing both Bon Scott- and Brian Johnson-era high voltage rock ’n’ roll to New England for years. Featuring Dean Celesia on vocals and Jonny Friday on lead guitar, they bring favorite hits for an intense, high-energy rock show with the swing, sound and passion of AC/DC.

Sawtooth Kitchen (Under Allen Street, Hanover, 643-5134) Canopy returns for their third consecutive NYE party — the last two years have sold out.

Shaskeen (909 Elm St., Manchester, 625-0246) $60. DJ Myth hosts an all-inclusive Epic New Year’s Bash with 200 tickets sold covering a dinner buffet, midnight Champagne toast, live DJ and open bar (no shots). The club will be closed to anyone without tickets (21+ only).

Sled Pub (24 Flanders Road, Henniker, 888-728-7732) New Year’s fireworks at 9:20 p.m. (lifts close at 8:45 p.m.) with Dave & Wally playing in the Sled Pub. No NYE party; night lift tickets start at 4 p.m., last call 10:30 p.m.

Soho Bistro (20 Old Granite St., Manchester, 222-1677) Welcome 2026 with fun, friends and food all night long, $12.50 at eventbrite.com.

Stone Church (5 Granite St., Newmarket, 659-7700) Cold Engines w/ Soul Rebel Project.

Strange Brew (88 Market St., Manchester, 666-4292) Glad Valley Record Release Party.

Stumble Inn (20 Rockingham Road, Londonderry, 432-3210) Slakas.

Sweeney Post (251 Maple St., Manchester, 623-9145) $10pp, Music is by The Hey Moe Band, 6:30 p.m. cocktails, 7 p.m. potluck.

Taverne on the Square (2 Pleasant St., Claremont, 287-4416) Jake McLaughlin and Friends perform. Music will start at 7:30 p.m. and run as long as you are willing to dance.

The Brook (319 New Zealand Road, Seabrook, livefreeandplay.com) Rat Pack Tribute $35/

The Goat MHT (50 Old Granite St., Manchester, 603-4628) Run For Covers plays rock covers to ring in 2026.

Thirsty Moose (21 Congress St, Portsmouth, 427-8645) Down By Ten.

Throwback Brewery (7 Hobbs Road, North Hampton, 379-2317) $55 From 5 to 8 p.m. it’s Bougie Beers & Bites, a ticketed culinary experience featuring a welcome spritzer, elevated small plates, paired Throwback brews and a sparkling 7 p.m. GMT toast.

Tupelo Music Hall (10 A St., Derry, 437-5100) Adam Ezra Group w/ Jeff Kazee. Dinner at 5:30 p.m., show at 8:30 p.m. $50 and up.

Uno Pizzeria & Grill (15 Fort Eddy Road, Concord, 226-8667) Mikey G plays an early set.

Wally’s Pub (144 Ashworth Ave., Hampton, 926-6954) Fast Times plays music from the 1980s.

Ya Mas Greek Taverna & Bar (Mall at Rockingham Park, Salem, 635-4230) New Year’s Eve In Paris includes Moulin Rouge Burlesque performance and three-course dinner, $189 at eventbrite.com.

Featured photo: Superfrog. Courtesy photo.

The Music Roundup 25/12/25

• Vintage sound: A Lakes Region winery offers regular local music, including Garrett Smith, a singer, piano player and guitarist playing a range of pop and rock covers, including a convincing version of Hozier’s “Take Me to Church” and the Disturbed redo of Paul Simon’s “Sound of Silence.” Enjoy the tunes while sampling an interesting wine, like their maple-infused chardonnay. Friday, Dec. 26, at 4 p.m., Front Four Cellars, 13 Railroad Ave., Wolfeboro, frontfourcellars.com.

• Two stages: One encouraging story this year was Bungalow Bar & Grill’s return, where a Holiday Hardcore Festival is happening. Nine bands are announced for the all-day event, with 20 or more promised. They include Ratblood, with bullhorn vocals and storming intensity, and relatively new Claremont band Arms Like Teeth, with their mosh pit ready banger, “Counterparts.” Saturday, Dec. 27, noon, Bungalow Bar & Grill, 333 Valley St., Manchester, $18 at dice.fm.

• Hometown girl: New Hampshire native Natalie Coryea is now based in Nashville, completing a music business degree at Belmont University, but she’s back for the holidays and playing some area shows. Her latest song, “Meet Me At The Beach,” grooves like a good Van Morrison track, while “Male Manipulator,” released earlier this year, is a rowdy rocker that fans of Paramore will like. Saturday, Dec. 27, 7 p.m., Hare of the Dawg, 3 E. Broadway, Derry, nataliecoryea.com.

• Fear factor: Well known for his time with the hidden camera series Impractical Jokers, Sal Vulcano goes in a different direction with his standup. Terrified, his most recent special, focused on childhood and adult fears, including his irrational reaction to Gloria Estefan’s song “The Rhythm Is Gonna Get You.” Vulcano’s current Everything’s Fine tour stops in Concord. Saturday, Dec. 28, 5 p.m., Capitol Center for the Arts, 44 S. Main St., Concord, $49.75 and up at ccanh.com.

• Heavy preview: A sampling of bands from next year’s Backwoods Metal Fest appear at a music-friendly brewery. The afternoon show includes four acts from the two-day event, happening in the spring: Hobo Wizard, a brother duo that play what they call “New Hampshire Bum Doom,” the punk-leaning Street Trash, straight up rockers Crooked Cash and Dude Hell Yeah. Saturday, Dec. 28, 2 p.m., Henniker Brewing Co., 129 Centervale Road, Henniker, hennikerbrewing.com.

Soldiering on

A tough year is remembered for great art

The New Hampshire arts world wasn’t greeted by upheaval as 2025 dawned, but it came soon enough. After DOGE took a sledgehammer to the federal budget, canceling grants already budgeted, the New Hampshire House voted away the state’s Council on the Arts in the spring, though one employee managed to remain.

All this chaos didn’t keep New Hampshire’s arts community from producing moving works, from theater to visual art and classical music. On the latter front, however, the search for a successor to outgoing Symphony NH Music Director Roger Kalia was interrupted, as funding issues roiled the organization. Five finalists announced at the end of March and were due to perform for the public during the 2025-2026 season. However, two of the performances have been postponed to the 2026-2027 season. Along with that, Executive Director Deanna Hoying took a personal pay cut, and some staff were moved to reduced hours, according to a patron letter on Dec. 18.

“We are scaling back certain production elements [and] launching a bold plan to strengthen our internal capacity and build sustainable revenue for the future,” the letter continued.

“I hate the word pivot, but we have to pivot again,” Hoying said in a Dec. 23 phone chat. “It’s not like COVID, but we need to meet where our revenue is. Our Christmas Pops concert had lower ticket sales. Charitable gaming is down, giving is down, so we have to re-scale ourselves to see what our community needs. What gets our audience excited? The patrons that have stuck with us are extraordinarily important, I need to say that, but we don’t have the margins some larger organizations have.”

In Portsmouth, the multidisciplinary 3S Artspace marked its 10th year with a special installation, Christina Watka’s “Noticing Light.” Watka leveraged the big gallery space’s wall of windows and plentiful light. “I decided to place this large installation exactly where the band of light curves around the room and then shoots through the entire thing,” she said.

Theatre Kapow’s season-long “community conversation” continued with a production of Every Brilliant Thing in Concord and Meredith. Director Emma Cahoon said of the challenging, interactive play that “throughout, the audience is relied on quite heavily to make the story actually happen.”

Cahoon also directed Romeo & Juliet for Saint Anselm College’s Shakespeare on the Green series, a collaboration with Manchester dance troupe Ballet Misha, led by Amy Fortier, that’s become a summer highlight. The pairing, Cahoon said, provided “a third, middle ground” to unify Shakespeare’s dance and drama.

Other solid productions in 2025 included Clint Eastwood’s movie The Bridges of Madison County redone as a musical in April by Manchester Community Theatre Players, October’s immersive whodunit Southern Fried Murder, part of Majestic Theatre’s 35th season, and Bedford Off Broadway’s regional premiere of the delightful comedy Icehouse in November.

In early December the semifinalists for the New Hampshire Theatre Awards were announced; the awards ceremony takes place Jan. 31 at Concord’s Capitol Center for the Arts. Actorsingers, Powerhouse Theatre Collaborative, The Village Players, Nashua Theatre Guild and Milford Area Players all received multiple nominations.

The Currier Museum of Art exhibited five large figures from Ann Agee’s “Madonna of the Girl Child” series in March. The works were a feminist attempt to reclaim the Madonna figure, Agee said, as a symbol of not just motherhood but equality, showing that women and girls deserve the same hopes, dreams and opportunities as their male counterparts.

In the cinema world, the Jewish Film Festival in March offered a rich and varied slate of 15 movies at locations across the state. They included Debra Messing’s documentary October H8te, the Tribeca Audience Award winning comedy Bad Shabbos, and Janis Ian: Breaking Silence, about the singer/songwriter who penned “Society’s Child” and “At Seventeen.”

Granite Orpheus, a movie that took a decade to complete after most of it was shot in 2015, showcased Concord against the backdrop of the classic Greek myth amidst that year’s Market Days celebration. Inspired by the ’60s film Black Orpheus, it featured many local musicians, and offered a look back at a city then in transition. Granite Orpheus will be screened at BNH Stage in Concord on Saturday, Jan. 24 at 7 p.m.

The gallery scene remained lively throughout the year. Glimpse Gallery in Concord hosted regular events featuring local artists. In Nashua, ArtHub returned in a new downtown location, after the pandemic torpedoed its original plans to open. The city also hosted its annual sculpture symposium, with artists working for three weeks as the public watched.

Manchester’s Mosaic Art Collective hosted the Halloween-centric” Exquisite Corpse.” It explored the idea that “art happens at the point of juxtaposition” and included a wide range of fun activities to go with what Gallery owner Liz Pieroni termed the many works of “creepy, weird art.”

It all added up to an arts community that remained resilient in a challenging year.

Upcoming arts happenings in 2026

Theater
Actorsingers Company’s production of the Stephen Sondheim/Andrew Furth musical comedy Company runs Jan. 9-11 at Nashua’s Center for the Arts.
Theatre Kapow’s What The Constitution Means to Me, written by a teenager who won a national debate competition on the topic, runs for two weekends beginning Feb. 6 at Winnipesaukee Playhouse in Meredith and Concord’s BNH Stage.

Visual Art
“Third Space,” at 3S Artspace through Jan. 25, transforms their Main Gallery “into a sanctuary of creativity, connection, and comfort during the holiday and winter season,” and includes works by papercutting polymath Dylan Metrano.
“Embellish Me: Works from the Collection of Norma Canelas Roth & William Roth” is at the Currier through March 15.

Classical Music
Symphony NH Music Director finalists perform with Adam Kerry Boyles’ Bernstein’s Legacy March 7 and Tianhui Ng’s New Hampshire Passions April 18. The Symphony is also planning a chamber concert led by its musicians on March 28 at Keefe Auditorium.

Featured photo: Granite Orpheus. Courtesy photo.

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