Author: Michael Witthaus

Piano Man’s many sides

Billy Joel tribute act returns to Tupelo

In a crowded milieu, there are some tribute acts that stand out — for their authenticity, an innovative approach, or a clear love of the music they’re recreating. Gloucester-based Captain Jack & the Strangers, who cover Billy Joel’s songbook, manage to tick all three boxes. Since forming in 2022 they’ve become a favorite on the New England circuit.

The group began after Jack Favazza and a group of musician friends traveled to see Joel perform. A piano player in his early twenties, Favazza was already a fan, as was his bass-playing friend Mike Parsons. The rest, all members of well-known North Shore bands, were curious but not as committed.

By the show’s end all were in agreement. Favazza and Parsons, along with percussionist, sax and keyboard player Mike Lindberg, drummer Steve Russo and guitarists Mark Pelosi and Jim Frontiero, were ready to start a Joel-centric band. They started crafting a setlist that included both well-known hits and tasty deep cuts.

They began with a swagger Joel might appreciate. Though veterans of the nightclub circuit, all wanted the act to work in big venues.

“Not that we don’t like the music in the bar scene, but we wanted to get on a stage, we wanted to sell tickets,” Favazza recalled in a recent phone interview. “We wanted to take it a little more seriously.”

A good instinct, it turned out. An early show at North Shore Music Theatre in Beverly, Mass., happened because Favazza knew someone at the venue who was willing to take a chance on a new band. They sold the place out in seven weeks. “So after that, she said, ‘We’ll be having you back next year.’”

Another high point came this year when they played Toad’s Place, a legendary New Haven, Connecticut, club where stars like Bob Dylan and Steve Earle have performed.

“It was kind of a short-notice thing and that’s OK,” Favazza said. “They gave us a chance [and] they loved the show.”

They’re building a fan base in New Hampshire, having appeared at Nashua’s Center for the Arts, and multiple times at Tupelo Music Hall.

“A lot of the other venues say, ‘Yeah, we’d like you to come back next year or in six months.’ That’s when you pick up the momentum and your confidence goes up,” Favazza said.

Though the song selection ranges across Joel’s career, the band maintains the exuberant energy of his mid-’70s to late ’80s prime. During the show, Favazza bounds across the stage for the in-your-face hit “It’s Still Rock and Roll To Me” and lays a tablecloth on his piano to perform his favorite, “Scenes From An Italian Restaurant.”

Even seasoned fans can be surprised by the mix of material, Favazza continued.

“After every show, someone comes up to us and goes, ‘I didn’t know that Billy Joel wrote all those songs. When we dive into the B-sides, they’re like, ‘I remember that song, it was in this movie.’ These songs are tied everywhere in our culture.”

Favazza plays solo gigs in Boston and around the North Shore. His sets include Elton John and Barry Manilow along with Joel’s material. He’s been doing it since a college friend helped him secure a gig in a Gloucester restaurant. After playing a couple of songs, he was invited to appear weekly.

“Billy Joel is the only tribute act I do,” he said. “I figured, who’s the No. 1 piano man? OK, I found him.”

He’s drawn to Joel’s music because he discerns a thread in it that dates back to rock’s beginnings. Many musicians were inspired in 1964 when The Beatles appeared on national television for three consecutive Sunday nights, like Joel. “You can hear The Beatles in his songs — that’s what I think makes it timeless, whether it’s lyrics or feelings or the music itself.”

Though Favazza enjoys honoring the music of one artist in his act, he has original songs, and their time may come.

“I haven’t published anything for the public, but maybe someday,” he said. For the time being, he continued, “I play these songs because I want to.”

Captain Jack & the Strangers
When: Saturday, Jan. 3, at 8 p.m.
Where: Tupelo Music Hall, 10 A St., Derry
Tickets: $40 at tupelohall.com

Featured photo: Captain Jack & the Strangers. Courtesy photo.

The Music Roundup 26/01/01

• Banging in: After ringing in 2026, Recycled Percussion continues its traditional New Year’s run with 11 shows over the next two weekends. The junk rockers rose to fame on America’s Got Talent, finishing second but winning enough hearts to land a Las Vegas Strip residency that ran for years. Shows start Thursday, Jan. 1, at 1 and 6 p.m., Palace Theatre, 80 Hanover St., Manchester, $44 and up at palacetheatre.org.

• Grunge memories: Billed as the ultimate Alice In Chains experience, Jar of Flies is a tribute to the Seattle ’90s standard-bearers and their troubled lead singer Layne Staley. The band appeared last fall at Flannel Fest in Eastern Washington with Sublime, Nirvana, Stone Temple Pilots and other tributes, going over well there. They’re a music-friendly bar-restaurant’s first ticketed show. Friday, Jan. 2, at 8 p.m., Riley’s Place, 29 Mont Vernon St., Milford, $10 at the door, rileysplacellc.com.

• Raving up: A craft cocktail bar and restaurant that opened last summer hosts Robin Gaming, a scrappy pop punk band with a rough-hewn sound that gives off a solid Replacements and Lemonheads vibe. Since 2019 the quartet has churned out several energetic EPs and albums; the latest is Caught On Tape, its title possibly a reference to the many full-length shows they’ve posted on YouTube (worth a look). Friday, Jan. 2, at 7 p.m., 90 Low, 90 Low Ave., Concord., idiotcan.com.

• Double down: With a sound much bigger than its two band members, Muddy Ruckus offers everything from zoot suit swing to conjured New Orleans second line with traces of Delta blues, rustic folk and punk-infused gypsy jazz. Saturday, Jan. 3, at 7 p.m., Auspicious Brew, 1 Washington St., Dover, $8 ($10 at the door), auspiciousbrew.com.

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.

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