Author: Michael Witthaus

Net sensation

Mia x Ally take viral act on tour

The curious lockdown revival of a 600-year-old folk tradition was the catalyst for an inventive pairing that has, among other things, produced a recasting of “Free Bird” for violin and bagpipes. In late 2020 a Scottish singer posted a pair of sea shanties — collective songs from the maritime trades — to TikTok. Another vocalist added a bass harmony layer, and soon more began stitching in parts.

It caught the attention of electric violinist Mia Asano, who dueted on a subsequent batch of videos. Bagpiper Ally Crowley-Duncan was also taken by “musicians adding their parts and creating this massive session-style experience with all this instrumentation.” She collaborated on a few with a mutual musician friend.

Out of this digital milieu the two became mutual fans and eventually collaborators. The world of rock music has never seen anything like Mia x Ally, but the duo’s unique approach to their instruments has won kudos from some of the genre’s best, including Metallica. It’s also amassed that most coveted of modern currencies, internet virality.

Before joining up, both were building big audiences on TikTok, Ally on her traditional bagpipes with a custom key-extending chanter (the note-producing tube at the bottom of the bag) that she helped design, and Mia with her seven-string Flying V electric violin. In a recent Zoom interview, the two discussed how they came to see their instruments in a different light.

Mia was classically trained from age 5.

“I had a deep love for classical music, but a deeper love for alternative styles,” she said. “In middle school I discovered electric violins; after that I knew what I was going to do for the rest of my life.”

The violin, she added, “is a really gate-kept instrument, and the classical community is really intense. Both Ally and I have a lot of similarities in those ways with our upbringing and our experience with our instruments, so we both have a deep love for showcasing everything they are capable of.”

Also the product of a musical household, Ally played multiple instruments growing up, taking up bagpipes at age 12 as a way to bond with her Scottish stepfather after he legally adopted her. “I’ve been able to see the saxophone, piano and flute transcend their more traditional and classical roots,” she said, “but there aren’t a lot of avenues where the bagpipes have been able to do that.”

In high school she transcribed Ozzy Osborne’s “Crazy Train” to bagpipes and played it with a rock band she’d formed.

“The reaction kind of flipped my brain around into wanting to see the bagpipes in that light more often,” she said. “I love that style of music, always have, and it was really cool to be able to offer it to people on an instrument that I love, but in a way that they weren’t expecting.”

After an extended TikTok friendship, the two performed together for the first time in Boston, on St. Patrick’s Day. Mia was attending Berklee, and Ally had a show sponsored by Barstool Sports. “She messaged me and said, ‘Would you like to meet up and record some collaborations together?’ and of course I said yes,” Mia recalled.

Their version of “Shipping Up to Boston” was a viral smash, and they soon hit the road for a run named after the Dropkick Murphys song, their first release as a duo.

“We like to say it sold out our first tour — that’s how a lot of people found out about us, and the first time we realized how many people love us,” Mia said. An accompanying video, shot across the city at Fenway Park, City Hall and other landmarks, was “essentially a love letter to Boston.”

The current tour, which stops in Derry on Jan. 6 and includes shows in Boston and Vermont, comes in the wake of their debut, Mia x Ally: The Viral Hits. The EP includes their distinctive reimagining of the Lynyrd Skynyrd hit that’s arguably the most requested song in rock history. Both released it solo before recording it together.

“We realized there was actually an appreciation for hearing ‘Free Bird’ in that way,” Ally said. “We knew that we wanted to make it something bigger.”

Playing live, the duo is about more than classic rock covers, even playing some original songs. “Our shows have every kind of music from pop, rock and Celtic,” Mia said. “We have jazzy moments; I play a classical piece at one poin t… we throw everything in there. It’s to showcase our diversity. Music is the most important thing to us; it’s not just about the showmanship, but that’s also important. We have a lot of musical integrity.”

Featured photo: Mia x Ally. Courtesy photo.

The Music Roundup 24/01/04

Local music news & events

• Spindizzy: A biweekly EDM version of open mic night has Vermont DJ Montel Tucker as a featured guest. Working under his stage name, Mighty Thicc Ladd, Tucker is known for his dubstep and hard bass house sets and has appeared at the Equinox Festival and the Hyperglow series in his home state. First come, first served signups for Open Decks start at 8:45. Thursday, Jan. 4, 9 p.m., 603 Bar and Grill, 1087 Elm St., Manchester. See facebook.com/TheHachiEffect.

• Throwback: Rap into 2024 at the New Year, Old School Hip-Hop Dance Party as DJ Skooch and her guest DJ Mam hold forth for an evening of golden era selections from Grandmaster Flash to the Beastie Boys, Public Enemy and NWA. Expect “classic beats [and] iconic rap anthems, the dance floor will be alive with the energy of hip-hop’s roots and the timeless beats that shaped the genre.” Friday, Jan. 5, 8 pm., 3S Artspace, 319 Vaughan St., Portsmouth, $15 at eventbrite.com.

• Laughter: Boston standup favorite Will Noonan appears at a Nashua movie house. Noonan was named the city’s Best Comedian by The Improper Bostonian in 2018 and released his latest special 50 TikToks at Once on YouTube earlier this year. Saturday, Jan. 6, 8:30 p.m., Chunky’s Cinema Pub, 151 Coliseum Ave., Nashua, $20 at chunkys.com.

• Originals: NH Music Collective’s first First Sunday event of the year is a Run Like Thieves release show; the rootsy power trio’s Live from Revelry Studios EP dropped in late November. Songs like “Tell Her Goodbye” and “Mama Come Get Me” have a crunchy blues rock feel that fits nicely with fans of modern acts like Chris Stapleton along with classic rockers — think Cream and ZZ Top. Sunday, Jan. 7, 6 p.m., Bank of NH Stage, 16 S. Main St., Concord, $15 at ccanh.com.

• Rhythmic: Formed out of a Brooklyn residency in the early 2010s, SunDub is a female-fronted reggae band that mixes a classic sound with bluesier elements. The septet “aims to honor the roots of Jamaican music while offering [a] unique ability to combine soul and funk sophistication into their art,” according to their website. Also appearing are Mighty Mystic and Green Lion Crew. Sunday, Jan. 7, 8 p.m., The Goat, 50 Old Granite St., Manchester, $20 (21+) at ticketmaster.com.

One for the books

Looking back on 2023

By Michael Witthaus
[email protected]

2023 was an eventful year for the state’s music and comedy scene. Here’s a look back, and a taste of what’s coming in the new year for live entertainment.

For one moment in May, the Granite State was at the center of the music world, as Foo Fighters performed at Bank of NH Pavilion in Gilford, their first full band appearance since Taylor Hawkins died in Colombia in 2022. Dave Grohl did “Cold Day in the Sun” on acoustic guitar in tribute to the late drummer. “Taylor wrote this song; we used to sing it together,” Grohl said. “I’m going to do it for him tonight.”

April Cushman had a banner year, winning her second consecutive Country Act of the Year plaque at the New England Music Awards. The same night, Manchester’s Sepsiss took home its fourth Hard Rock/Metal Act of the Year award of the last five years. New Hampshire was shut out the rest of the evening; even its Rising Star winner was a band from Hudson that’s played only two shows in the state since forming in 2019.

Nashua’s Center for the Arts bowed, welcoming a steady stream of national talent, beginning with American Idol alums Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken on April 13 and Suzanne Vega performing solo on April 15. The venue’s grand opening “Celebration of the Arts” showcased local artists like rapper Fee the Evolutionist, singer-songwriter Wyn Doran and Ian Ethan Case, along with theatrical performances.

In January, Doran brilliantly debuted her new trio Wyn & the White Light to a small crowd at Bank of NH Stage in Concord, opening for Billy Wylder. The group began trickling out songs from a new album due for release next spring in late October. Moody tracks like “Heal Me” and “Places Unknown” show incredible promise from the chamber rockers.

Other standout releases from area musicians this year include No More Blue Tomorrows’ eponymous first album, which ranged from lush pop rock a la “Iris”-era Goo Goo Dolls to punkier songs like “It’s Kind of a Funny Story” and “Lonely.” Low Lily’s rootsy Angels in the Wreckage was another standout.

Dust Prophet, Otto Kinzel’s latest project, released its debut album in January. Eyeball Planet from Mother Iguana — Mac Holmes and a long list of collaborators — was another highlight. Brad Myrick and Nicola Cipriani completed their Covid-interrupted Silver Lining instrumental guitar album and took it on a world tour

The summer concert season suffered from bad weather, as a big chunk of gazebo shows were moved indoors from May through July. Bands like Beatles tribute act Studio Two pared down their schedules to guard against last-minute no-pay cancellations, while more than a few “rain or shine” events had to throw in a wet towel.

It was another good year for comedy, with the last vestiges of pandemic Zoom shows in the rearview.

“I don’t know if we’re exactly back where we were,” Jim Roach, who books the Palace and Rex theaters and others, said in August, “but we’re very close and I think it’s going to continue to grow over the next couple of years.”

The handoff of comedy at Manchester’s Shaskeen Pub was smooth, with Wednesday shows continuing apace. The event’s new manager, Geneva Gonzales, helped extend indie comedy’s regional reach through an ongoing series of pop-up shows dubbed Don’t Tell Comedy.

Perhaps the local comedy scene’s biggest success this year came when Drew Dunn sold out the Nashua Center for the Arts. A Nashua native, Dunn began at the Shaskeen and has grown into a nationally touring rising star. “The show … was really special,” he wrote on Facebook and Instagram. “To have almost 600 people come to see me in my hometown was truly an unforgettable night.”

Featured photo: Wyn and the White Light. Photo by Mike Doran.

SoCal stalwarts

Dawes returns to New Hampshire

By Michael Witthaus
[email protected]

When Dawes steps on the Music Hall stage Dec.30, it will be only their fourth appearance in the Granite State, and their first in almost five years. Taylor Goldsmith, Dawes guitarist, lead singer and main songwriter, hopes the night-before-New Year’s Eve scheduling will add to the impetus for locals to check them out.

“I’m very excited for that; I mean, obviously, it’s good to get back to anywhere we haven’t been for a while,” Goldsmith said by phone from his home in Altadena, California. “I feel like everything is kind of shut down that week, and no one ever has anything to do. So I’m kind of eager to see how that feels.”

Goldsmith is a creature of the road.

“When I’m standing still, I seem to disappear,” he wrote over a decade ago in “Time Spent in Los Angeles,” but these days that notion is tempered by new fatherhood. With his wife, This Is Us actress Mandy Moore, he has two sons; Gus, born February 2021, and Ozzie, who arrived in October of last year.

“Back in the day it was, ‘How do we stay on tour, how do we not keep a house at home?,’ and now it’s, ‘How do I make these tours as fast as possible?’” he said. “I definitely feel like an essential part of myself … only comes to life on stages [and] I’ve never had the inclination of, ‘maybe I’d like to step away from this’ — I just need to be a little more strategic. Because when I’m away from the guys, even the first hour hurts really bad.”

The change has impacted his songwriting — up to a point.

“My world is so much smaller, and that is cool; I think it’s something to be embraced rather than rejected,” he said, while noting that he’s not keen on writing an entire album about being a dad. “Even though that’s very much what I think about and deal with on a minute-to-minute basis, I definitely have to make sure that I’m thinking outside of that.”

That said, his worldview has shifted.

“When I was young … those Jackson Browne songs about heartache were all I wanted to hear,” he said. “That’s not my experience now, and it’s a little harder for me to jump into that place. Now I want to hear observations on culture, politics … the existential crisis that goes beyond romance.”

With fewer and longer songs, Dawes’ most recent album, Misadventures of Doomscroller, was a departure. Musically adventurous, it was recorded following a tour backing Grateful Dead bass player Phil Lesh. More than a few likened it to so-called jam bands, but for Goldsmith it really wasn’t that at all.

“We went in with an objective and more or less accomplished it,” he said, adding that it was different from past albums where plans for a certain mood — more ballads, a softer sound for instance — were waylaid. “I like that the record tells us what it is rather than the other way around, more or less. But with Misadventures, it was like, let’s go for one of those five or six songs, yet 45-minute, albums, like so many rock ’n’ roll bands that we love.”

Goldsmith shrugged off the label given to them by some critics. “There are bands that deserve the moniker but don’t have it,” like Pink Floyd and Dire Straits, he said. “I don’t see us as a jam band in the same way that I see the Grateful Dead…. I almost feel like that’s more of a cultural observation [that] has more to do with who shows up than what we’re doing on stage.”

Missing from the upcoming show will be founding member Wylie Gelber, who left the band last year to focus on his handmade guitar company, and keyboard player Lee Pardini, who announced his departure earlier this month.

“Things change, and I’m excited in a way about embracing this newer identity,” Goldsmith said.

It’s an interesting response from someone who wrote, “I hope all your favorite bands stay together” a while back.

“Well, people have said that to me before … so much for that,” he replied. “That song is more about the REMs and the Replacements, bands that truly are not playing shows … there’s heartbreak there. Dawes is on tour … I’m singing these songs, Griffin’s playing the drums. We were there on Day 1, and we’re still here. I think that is still the thing worth celebrating that that song tries to speak to.”

Featured photo: Courtesy photo.

The Music Roundup 23/12/28

Local music news & events

• Alchemistic: Randy Roos leads the free jazz Hall of Mirrors for an early evening show at a Lakes Region winery’s restaurant. The group — Roos playing guitar, pianist Steve Hunt, multi-instrumentalist/percussionist Dave Kobrenski, Tim Gilmore on drums and bassist Mike Rossi — begins with a minimal musical structure and build. The result is what’s been termed “spontaneous composition.” Thursday, Dec. 28, 6 p.m., Hermit Woods Winery, 72 Main St., Meredith, $15 to $25 at eventrbrite.com.

• Elevating music: After Sublime With Rome ends next year, Badfish will remain the last act carrying on the SoCal ska punk band that existed only briefly in the mid-’90s. Thursday, Dec. 28, 8 pm., Wally’s Pub, 144 Ashworth Ave., Hampton Beach, $22.50 at ticketmaster.com.

• Doppeljämmers: Paying tribute to J. Geils Band is a tall order, but Whammer Jammer rises to the occasion. Back in the 1970s the Boston rock powerhouse became headliners by becoming impossible to follow. Later they ruled MTV with hits like “Love Stinks” and “Centerfold.” The band’s namesake passed in 2017, ending chances for a reunion and leaving it to acts like this one to carry the memory. Friday, Dec. 29, 7:30 p.m., Rex Theatre, 23 Amherst St., Manchester, $35 at rextheatre.org.

• Minutiae man: Citing standups like Demetri Martin as inspiration, Andrew Mayer proves why introverts often make the best comedians. Mayer brilliantly breaks down his anxiety in social situations; he also has a hilarious preoccupation with pets. One of his best bits deals with the idea that if every animal were taught about how doors work, dogs would be the only creatures who wouldn’t use them. Saturday, Dec. 30, 8 p.m., Murphy’s Taproom, 494 Elm St., Manchester. See mayercomedy.com.

• Bangin’ band: A totally throwback Eve of New Year’s Eve bash has All That 90s playing hits from the Tamagotchi decade. It’s the perfect event for anyone who understands the joke, “I dropped my cell phone, now I’m going to have to get a new floor.” The quartet cycles through everything from “Ice Ice Baby” to “Tubthumping” while also hitting the era’s several boy bands and pop rockers. Saturday, Dec. 30, 8 p.m., Stumble Inn, 20 Rockingham Road, Londonderry. See facebook.com/allthat90s.

Party the year away

Music, comedy and more for New Year’s Eve

Here are a few of the parties planned for Sunday, Dec. 31. Know of more? Let us know at [email protected].

• 3S Artspace (319 Vaughan St., Portsmouth, 766-3330) $24 and up. Harsh Promadillo is a semi-annual prom-themed dance party; dress loud and have fun with it. A prom king/queen will be crowned. Music from Harsh Armadillo with Adra. 8 p.m.

• 815 Cocktails & Provisions (815 Elm St., Manchester, eventbrite.com) $120. Music from DJ Shamblez, Siren of the Circle Burlesque, magic by Benjamin, photo booth, best-dressed contest, door prizes, Champagne toast with open bar menu and small bites. 8 p.m.

• Alan’s (133 N. Main St., Boscawen, 753-6631) Hell on Heels plays a variety of music from old to new, rock, country, blues and a few surprises. 8 p.m.

• American Legion Post 8 (640 Central Ave., Dover, 742-9710) Live music by Dancing Madly Backwards, full bar, food and snacks, dance floor. 8 p.m.

• Artisan Hotel at Tuscan Village (17 Via Toscana, Salem, tuscanbrands.com) $175. Sky High Soirée with all-you-can-eat bites, a sparkling welcome and farewell prosecco toast, cash bar, and exclusive rooftop access all night. A few floors down there’s a separate bash with Dueling Pianos starting at 6 p.m. with passed appetizers, fresh raw bar, a grand Tuscan-style Salumi board followed by a three-course sitdown dinner, dessert bar and late-night snacks that will keep the party going until 2024. 6 p.m.

• Bowl-O-Rama Family Fun Center (599 Lafayette Road, Portsmouth, bowlorama.com) $99 per lane package includes shoe rental for up to five people, two hours of unlimited bowling, large one-topping pizza, fountain beverage pitcher, five $5 arcade game cards and party favors. Noon.

• Bridgewater Inn (367 Mayhew Turnpike, Bridgewater, 744-3518) Classic rock band Horsepower performs downstairs, with DJ upstairs spinning all night long. $50 per person includes buffet (5:30 to 7:30 p.m.) and party; $20 for party only. Hats & tiaras, noisemakers, beads and Champagne toast. 8 p.m.

• The Brook Casino (319 New Zealand Road, Seabrook, eventbrite.com) $30. Diamonds & Dice New Year’s Eve with special guest DJ Ryan Cabrera. 10:30 p.m.

• Buckey’s (240 Governor Wentworth Hwy., Moultonborough, 476-5485) Red Hat Band is back, a tradition at this Lakes Region spot. 9 p.m.

• Cercle National Club (550 Rockland Ave., Manchester, 623-8243) Potluck dinner and appetizers with Mugshot Monday playing rock covers at this members club, with Champagne at midnight. 7:30 p.m.

• Chop Shop (920 Lafayette Road, Seabrook, 760-7706) AC/DC tribute act Who Made Who performs with country rockers Bulletproof, at a party including hors d’oeuvres, party favors, outdoor fun, and awards for best dressed along with Champagne toast at midnight. 6:30 p.m.

• Chunky’s Cinema Pub (707 Huse Road, Manchester, 232-4794) $30. Comedy show starring James Dorsey, Matt Barry and Greg Boggis. 7 p.m.

• Chunky’s Cinema Pub (151 Coliseum Ave., Nashua, 880-8055) $30. Comedy show starring Phillip Anthony, Joey Carrol & Pat Napoli. 7 p.m.

• Chunky’s Cinema Pub (150 Bridge St., Pelham, 635-7499) $30. Comedy show starring Jody Sloane, Mark Scalia & Dave Decker. 7 p.m.

• Colonial Theatre (613 Main St., Laconia, powerhouse.org) $30. A Very Broadway New Year’s Bash with trivia, social bingo, karaoke, costume contest, dancing and games. Ticket includes light appetizers, Champagne/sparkling cider toast. 7:30 p.m.

• Copper Door (15 Leavy Dr., Bedford, 488-2677) Clint Lapointe plays from 4 to 7 p.m., and the restaurant stays open until 11 p.m. Starts at 3 p.m.

• Copper Door (42 S. Broadway, Salem, 458-2033) Bella Perrotta plays from 4 to 7 p.m., and the restaurant stays open until 11 p.m. Starts at 3 p.m.

• Derryfield (625 Mammoth Road, Manchester, 623-2880) $25. 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. 9 p.m.

• DoubleTree by Hilton Manchester Downtown (700 Elm St., Manchester, headlinersnh.com) $35 and up. Comedy show starring Ken Rogerson, Tim McKeever, Rob Steen and Alex Giampapa, also separate Dueling Pianos show, dinner/hotel packages available at headlinersnh.com. 6 p.m.

• Doubletree by Hilton Nashua (2 Somerset Parkway, Nashua, eventbrite.com) $149. Food, laughs and dancing, as a multi-course dinner is followed by Boston comics Pete Costello and Dave Russo followed by local favorites Joppa Flats; Champagne toast. 6 p.m.

• Eagles Club Concord (36 S. Main St., Concord, 228-8922) Dave Graham performs, non-members signed in. 8 p.m.

• Eagles Club Salem (8 Eagles Nest, Salem, 337-8053) $30 and up. Ring in 2024 with the Manhattan Band. 8 p.m.

• East Side Club (786 Massabesic St, Manchester, 669-1802) NYE party with DJ Keith. 9 p.m.

• Flying Monkey (39 Main St., Plymouth, 536-2551) $49 and up. Standup comedy from Season 12 America’s Got Talent finalist Preacher Lawson. 8 p.m.

• Fody’s (9 Clinton St., Nashua, 577-9015) Perfect Entertainment and Captain Morgan Promo Girls bring a 2024 celebration party with live DJ and giveaways. 9 p.m.

• Fody’s Derry (187 1/2 Rockingham Road, Derry, 404-6946) DJ Jay and Captain Morgan Promo Girls bring a NYE 2024 celebration with prizes and giveaways. 9 p.m.

• The Goat (50 Old Granite St., Manchester, 603-4628) NYE party with Seven Day Weekend is reprised. 8 p.m.

• The Goat (142 Congress St., Portsmouth, 658-4628) Rob Pagnano performs at 9 p.m.

• Governors Inn Hotel & Restaurant (76 Wakefield Road, Rochester, 332-0107) $85 includes dinner with appetizers and dessert, along with dancing to classic rock and pop cover band Bad Penny. 7:30 p.m.

• Grappone Conference Center (70 Constitution Ave., Concord, eventbrite.com) Disco dinner party with DJ spinning hot tracks all night long. Groove to your favorite tunes and show off your best moves on the dance floor. 7 p.m.

• Hermit Woods Winery & Eatery (72 Main St., Meredith, eventbrite.com) $35 to $45. Begin with a 5:30 p.m. wine tasting, then enjoy jazz singer Ashley Warwick accompanied by Craig Jaster on piano and Brian Warwick on drums. Intermission Champagne toast of Cirque De Strawberry and a special dessert included with ticket. Show ends early, leaving time for another party to ring in 2024. 7 p.m.

• Jewel Music Venue (61 Canal St., Manchester, eventbrite.com) $45. A Big Gay Events production, Studio 24 harkens back to the height of the disco era when Studio 54 was the epicenter of glitz, glam and parties. The soiree is hosted by Pancake and Sasha Stone and Boston DJ Andrea Stamas, with drag from Chi Chi Marvel and CiCi Crystal. 9 p.m.

• LaBelle Winery (345 Route 101, Amherst, 672-9898) $145. Three-course plated dinner and music from Freese Brothers Big Band followed by a stroll through the LaBelle Lights. 9 p.m.

• Luna Bistro (254 N. Broadway, Salem, luna-bistro.com) $100. Get a head start with an afternoon Dueling Pianos cocktail party that begins with dinner and Rat Pack music from Joey Canzano. Later, it’s passed hors d’oeuvres and a “ball drop” at 4 p.m., followed by more dancing and a raffle drawing. 6 p.m.

• Lynn’s 102 Tavern (76 Derry Road, Hudson, 943-7832) Crave rocks out at this annual bash. 8:30 p.m.

• Murphy’s Carriage House (393 Route 101, Bedford, 488-5875) $40. Comedy show with Bob Niles, Amy Tee, E.J. Murphy and Eric Hurst. 8 p.m.

• Murphy’s Taproom (494 Elm St., Manchester, scampscomedy.com) $30. Comedy show with Chris D., Joe Espinola and host Jack Lombardo. 8 p.m.

• Music Hall Loft (131 Congress St., Portsmouth, 433-3100) $35. After outdoor First Night festivities, high-energy string band Rockspring performs, with a midnight Champagne toast. 10 p.m.

• Nan King Restaurant (222 Central St., Hudson, 882-1911) Patty’s Energizer Karaoke rings in the new year. Have dinner and sing your favorite song. 7:30 p.m.

• Nashua Center for the Arts (201 Main St., Nashua, etix.com) $39. Juston McKinney’s Year in Review debuts at the region’s newest venue. 8 p.m.

• New London Barn Playhouse (88 Main St., New London, 526-6710) $175. Curated dinner menu, Champagne and an assortment of drinks, and entertainment including Alec Michael Ryan, Hannah Hunt and Cara Rose DiPietro from the 2019 Acting Intern Company. 6 p.m.

• Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester, 668-5588) Recycled Percussion is again home for the holidays. Ring in 2024 with junk rock, two shows, 3 and 4:30 p.m.

• Pats Peak Ski Area (686 Flanders Road, Henniker, 728-7732) New Year’s fireworks (slopes close at 8:45 p.m.) and dancing to The McMurphy’s in the Sled Pub. No NYE party. Night lift tickets start at 4 p.m., last call 10:30 p.m.

• Pembroke Pines Country Club (42 Whittemore Road, No. 3128, Pembroke, eventbrite.com) $160. Comedy from Mike Koutrobis with dancing and food. Buffet starts at 6:30 p.m., comedy at 8 p.m., followed by dancing until midnight with a Champagne toast.

• Portsmouth Gas Light (64 Market St., Portsmouth, 430-9122) Winter Wonderland party on the third floor, passed hors d’oeuvres, Champagne toast, late-night buffet, giveaways, with VIP packages available. 8 p.m.

• Red’s Kitchen & Tavern (530 Lafayette Road, Seabrook, 760-0030) Live music by Redemption Band, cocktails, food and more. 8 p.m.

• Rex Theatre (23 Amherst St., Manchester, 668-5588) $30. Two shows from comedian Jimmy Dunn, at 7:30 and 9 p.m.

• Riley’s Place (22 Mt. Vernon St., Milford, 325-2177) $10. Soultown Band plays the best of Motown, with soup-to-nuts dinner sold separately (make reservations). 9 p.m.

• Rockingham Ballroom (22 Ash Swamp Road, Newmarket, eventbrite.com) $40. With a theme of Retro Fantasy, it’s dancing all night on the area’s largest dance floor. DJ host Johnny B Groovy and his Soul Sister. Party favors, healthy late-night food and dessert table, midnight glass of Champagne. 8 p.m.

• Saddle Up Saloon (92 Route 125, Kingston, 369-6962) $25. Ring in the new year with live music from Bite the Bullet; tickets include a midnight pizza buffet. 8 p.m.

• Shaskeen (909 Elm St., Manchester, 625-0246) 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). 8 p.m.

• Skymeadow Country Club (6 Mountain Laurels Dr., Nashua, headlinersnh.com) $110. Dinner and comedy with Mark Scalia and Joey Carroll, along with DJ dancing ($50 without dinner). 6:30 p.m.

• Soho Bistro (20 Old Granite St., Manchester, 222-1677) $21. Masquerade gala promises the hottest crowd, dazzling beauties and epic music with entertainment from Medio Pollo. 9 p.m.

• Stone Church (5 Granite St., Newmarket, 659-7700) $20. A Very Max Chase New Year’s Eve featuring Superfrog, Amulus, and The Chops. 6 p.m.

• Strand Ballroom (20 Third St., Dover, 343-1899) $50 and up. Comedy with Dave Sheehan, followed by ’80s tribute act Neon Wave, with finger foods and midnight toast. 7 p.m.

• Sweeney Post No. 2 (251 Maple St., Manchester) Live music from Stray Dogs, with a potluck dinner, so bring an app, favorite dish or dessert to share. 8 p.m.

• Tower Hill Tavern (264 Lakeside Ave., Laconia, 366-9100) DJ Kadence hosts NYE party. 8 p.m.

• Tupelo Music Hall (10 A St., Derry, 437-5100) Adam Ezra Group and opening duo dynamo Sirsy play with a four-course dinner at 5:30 p.m. for $95; 9 p.m. show only is $45, and all tickets include a Champagne toast.

• Wally’s Pub (144 Ashworth Ave., Hampton, 926-6954) Scott Brown & the Diplomats with Highway 20 Fried provide the live music at this epic bash. 9 p.m.

Featured photo: Behind the Seams: My Life in Rinestones by Dolly Parton

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