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Phish’s orbit

Things to do before and after the shows

The first time Phish appeared in downtown Manchester, in October 2010, it was a big deal, but nothing like the Vermont band’s upcoming run through the city. To begin, it’s the first time that any act has performed for three consecutive nights at SNHU Arena, though holiday season regulars Trans-Siberian Orchestra have done four shows in two days before.

It’s a moment that spawned a slew of activities around the shows, including an event where Phish Phans can purchase a wide array of gear devoted to the band. PhanArt founder Pete Mason, a special education teacher from upstate New York, was inspired by Coventry, a run of shows in 2004 that, at the time, were promised to be Phish’s last.

Mason’s first effort was a book of concert posters done by fans during the band’s early years, which took several years to complete. It was fortuitously published just as Phish launched a reunion tour in 2010.

“I became interested in preserving the art aspect,” Mason said by phone recently. “Because it was more than a fan base; it was a community.”

He launched his first PhanArt show in 2015. Merchandise follows an understood set of rules, Mason explained. “Don’t use the logo or their name and, unless you’re doing some really artistic creation, don’t use band member names or likenesses,” he said. “The unspoken thing was, you’re clear on the rest.”

One example is a shirt based on “Glide,” a song from the album A Picture of Nectar. “It’s the Tide logo, but it says Glide,” he said. “It’s good, easy, fun art. If you’re out bowling or at the mall or at your kid’s recital and you see somebody wearing that shirt, you’re like, cool. It’s that little bit of connectedness, knowing there’s a Phish fan everywhere.”

Among the artists participating in the PhanArt show at Manchester’s DoubleTree hotel will be Ryan Kerrigan, a native of Manchester who now lives in Portland, Oregon and was featured in Mason’s book, PhanArt: The Art of the Fans of Phish. Kerrigan makes a Happy Fish poster for every Phish show on a given tour. His 603 print, a limited edition of 55, will be sold at the show.

The Phish pop-up industry has also produced a packed calendar of supporting music events. Jewel Music Venue, for example, has after party music all three nights, with jam supergroup Deep Banana Blackbelt on June 20. The all-star vibe continues the next two nights with J. Wail leading an electro-funk band that includes members of Cool Cool Cool, STS9, Giant Country Horns, The Motet and Hive Mind. DJ Airwolf also performs.

“When the main event ends, the real adventure begins,” promoter Jonah Lipsky, who also plays in J. Wail’s band, said of the afterparty. Tickets for the shows are available at manchesterafterparties.com, starting at $29.50 for a single night, with a three-day pass costing $75.

Up the street, The Goat hosts a free UnoPHISHal Post-Party with Strange Machines beginning at 10:30 p.m. The Boston-based quartet offers a “melting pot of musical fusion” according to their Bandcamp page, and recently performed at the Northlands Music Festival. Nearby, Republic Brewing has Pay the Piper performing post-Phish.

Many more venues have pre-concert plans. Andrew North & the Rangers are a great choice at Stark Brewing Co. (500 Commercial St., Manchester), as North cites Phish as a primary influence for many of his band’s songs. It’s a nice bonus that he’s a former Vermonter. The show happens Sunday, June 22, at 3 p.m.

Other pre-parties include Rabbit’s Foot on June 20 and psychedelic funk rockers Jabbawaukee with support from DJ SP1 June 21 at the Shaskeen (909 Elm St., Manchester), both at 4 p.m. Shopper’s World (18 Lake Ave., Manchester) has two nights of the Unofficial Official Phish Pre-Party on June 20 and June 21, 4 p.m., with KR3WL, Serious Black, and Rome.

To Share Brewing (720 Union St., Manchester) welcomes the Kevin Madden Band on June 20 at 4 p.m. Diz’s Food & Drinks (860 Elm St., Manchester) welcomes Phishheads from 11 a.m. to minutes before showtime all three days, though no entertainment, and Murphy’s Taproom (494 Elm St., Manchester) has Birch Swart Trio on June 21 at 4 p.m.

PhanArt Manchester
When: Saturday, June 21, 1-6 p.m.
Where: DoubleTree Hotel, 700 Elm St., Manchester
More: phanart.net

Featured photo: Limited Edition Art done by Ryan Kerrigan, available at Phan Art Show, June 21 at DoubleTree Hotel in Manchester. Courtesy photo.

A conversation with Dionne Warwick

Pop icon appearing in Concord

Last year, Dionne Warwick was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. It may seem an odd choice for a singer best-known for pop hits. However, her music guided more than a few rockers. The Beach Boys released a version of her “Walk on By” and Brian Wilson pointed to “Are You There (With Another Girl)” as one of the influences for Pet Sounds.

Beyond that, she was a trailblazer in other areas. Warwick was the first Black woman to win a Grammy for a pop song, and the first artist to garner Pop and R&B Grammys in the same year. In 1985, the recording she did with Elton John, Stevie Wonder and Gladys Knight of “That’s What Friends are For” raised awareness and millions of dollars for AIDS research.

Warwick spoke with the Hippo ahead of her Saturday, June 21, 7:30 p.m. show at the Chubb Theatre in Concord (edited for space). See ccanh.com for ticket information.

So many great American pop stories began at the Brill Building. Yours and Burt Bacharach’s did too. What are your memories of the two of you getting to know each other in those early days?

Well, I met Burt first on a recording session that my background group was doing with the Drifters…. He approached me after the session and asked if I’d be able to do more backgrounds and demonstration records with his new songwriting partner … Hal David. That was my good fortune meeting those two men. They became my producers, my songwriters, and became basically family.

You have gospel roots. I’ve heard that there was often a tension with gospel performers moving into pop music. Did you experience that?

Yes, I did, as a matter of fact. But fortunately, my biggest fan was my grandfather, who kind of set the record straight for me. He said, ‘My baby has a vocal ability that God gave her as a gift. She apparently is using it correctly, otherwise he would have taken it away from her. And I think most of you should not just let her be, let her know that she’s doing an honest living and it’s something that everybody can enjoy.’

One barrier I think you didn’t really expect to break happened when you first toured France. Apparently the album was issued in France using a cover with a picture of a white woman. How did you react?

The record company in France had not one idea of what I looked like. They had no photographs of me, all they heard was my voice. I don’t know why they thought I was a white girl, but they did. The president of Vogue Records was waiting for me to take me to lunch. I tapped him on his shoulder, and I said, ‘Aren’t you waiting for me?’ He said, ‘Oh no, no, no, I’m waiting for Dionne Warwick.’ I said, ‘Well that’s who I am.’ I thought he was going to choke on his own breath. That night when I opened at the Olympia, when I walked out on stage, there was an audible gasp from everybody…. Until I opened my mouth, they didn’t realize that that’s who I am. Then they said … ‘Yes, that’s definitely her.’ From that moment to this, I have become the sweetheart of Paris and of France, which I’m thrilled about.

You pivoted when you were no longer working with Bacharach and David in the 1970s. With Thom Bell, you made one of the best songs of the ’70s, ‘Then Came You.’ How did that working relationship begin?

I was on a summer tour with the Spinners, and I asked if they would like to come to Vegas for the first time and be a part of the show…. Thom happened to be not only a friend for many years prior to us recording, but [was] sitting in the audience on our closing night. He said, ‘I’ve got a gift for you guys.’ We said, ‘Oh, really? What is the gift?’ He said, ‘I’ve got a song for you.’ And that song was ‘Then Came You.’… That was my very first No. 1 recording nationally.

When did you begin collaborating with Stevie Wonder?

Gene Wilder called me [and] said, I’d love for you to be a part of this film that I’m doing [The Woman In Red] … I feel you have the ability to become the music coordinator for this [and] I want you to choose who you feel would be the person to do the writing of the music for it.’ The first choice I had was Lionel Richie. Unfortunately, Lionel let me know he was much too busy, [so] I called my baby, Stevie…. One thing led to another, and as we all know, not only did he write the songs and produce the recording, but he also won the Oscar that year for that song.

I saw in an interview that you discovered ‘That’s What Friends Are For’ while watching the movie Night Shift. Is that how you found that song?

It absolutely was. I was doing a collaboration with Burt Bacharach and Carole Bayer Sager Bacharach. I’d just left their home. They had been playing songs for me before. I was watching the film Night Shift, and I said, ‘Oh, I like that song by Rod Stewart, who’s singing it?’ The roll appeared where they give you credits from people, and I said, ‘Oh, Carole wrote this song. Why didn’t they just save that for me?’ The next day I told them, I heard this song and I want to record it. Carol, who was a complete hoot, said ‘Now four people know that song. I said, ‘four people?’ She said, ‘Yeah. Rod Stewart, me, Burt, and now you.’ I said, ‘Well, now we have to let everybody hear that song.’

Was using the song to raise money for AIDS research part of the motivation to do it in the first place?

No. Elizabeth Taylor, being a friend of Burt and Carol’s, was at the session. She pulled me aside [asking], ‘How would you feel about giving me this song to be the anthem for the AIDS issue?’ … Unfortunately, we all had lost people or felt the sting of this AIDS issue before we even knew what it was. … giving it to Elizabeth Taylor, we thought if our voices could make a difference, why not?

You really made a difference. President Ronald Reagan wouldn’t even utter the word AIDS until you prompted him. Did you know you were going to do that when it happened? That’s so incredible.

You know, I did. I remember at a press conference where he announced that he had made me the ambassador of health in the United States, and I’m still the only ambassador of health in the United States. And while he was giving me the honor, I was thanking people and letting them know how grateful I was for him to think I was someone that deserved something like that. I said, ‘Would you let them know, President Reagan, what it is I’m working on?’ He looked at me, and if his eyes could kill me, I would not be talking to you today. But he finally got up, and he was breathing very, very hard. He said, ‘OK; AIDS.’ I said, ‘See, you can say it — and if you say it, that means that we can follow this.’

We could use an ambassador of health right about now. AIDS research is really under threat. Care to comment?

Yeah. We’ve made major strides, I must say, within the scientific area as well as research and medications. We have a long way to go. We’re going to make this happen, I’m sure. Eventually, we’re going to get to that elusive word called cure … then I can get off [the] train ride that I promised people I would be on until we found the cure. It’s something that we all have to be very cognizant about. Health issues, such as AIDS, can be conquered.

Featured photo: Dionne Warwick. Courtesy photo.

Gyro Day

St. Nicholas Church has added an extra day to its Food Festival

Traditions can carry a lot of cultural inertia; food traditions especially so. So it is a big deal when a church changes the structure of a long-running event.

Nobody knows this more than Amy Valkanos, one of the organizers of St. Nicholas Orthodox Church’s Annual Lamb Barbecue, which is in its 77th year.

“We have homemade recipes,” she said, “that have been passed down from the generation that started [it] originally. That’s what we use to make our meals. The big draw is the lamb barbecue, of course, which, man, when that starts cooking, throughout the whole neighborhood the smell of it will just penetrate your nostrils and you’ve just got to go follow that smell and find out where it is coming from. It’s just so good.”

But this year, the festival has been expanded by a day. In addition to the 400 pounds of lamb that will be cooked on Saturday, Greek food enthusiasts will have an extra day devoted to gyros. A gyro is a mixture of grilled meats and tzatziki sauce served on fluffy pita bread.

“Adding a Gyro Day,” Valkanos said, “was a decision made because we know that our community and parishioners love gyros. But, given the fact that we are a small church and with a small volunteer staff, or smaller let’s say in comparison to other churches in the area, we knew that to actually include gyros on that same day would really be a huge undertaking for us. But to meet the demand and to also stick to a different palate, we decided, ‘Well, yeah, you know what? Let’s just do a Gyro Day.’ So on Sunday, that’s what we’re having. We’re cooking the gyro meat, and we’ll serve gyro sandwiches, with a bag of chips and a drink. It’s a different interest for people who want to try a different type of food and another opportunity for our community neighbors to come see us.”

The gyro meat — a combination of lamb and beef, Valkanos said — will not be cooked on traditional upright spits, but in the St. Nicholas parish hall, then sliced thin for the sandwiches served outside.

The goal, according to Valkanos, is to serve dedicated gyro fans gyros as close as possible to a perfect gyro. And that starts with the individual ingredients. The bread, for instance, is not like the flat pocket bread that you usually find in a supermarket.

“It is not the kind you would buy that opens up and you fill it up,” she said. “Rather, this is a soft and fluffy pita that acts as a plate and you wrap around the meat.”

For Valkanos, one of the things that make a gyro so special is the combination of complementary textures that goes into it.

“It’s just a combination of all the ingredients,” she said. “You’ve got great seasoned meat and then you add the tzatziki sauce to it, which is very cool on your palate. And then you add the tomatoes and a little bit of lettuce and a little onion in it, and then the soft bread to wrap it up and eat it. It’s a really good all-around, whole food sandwich.”

Regardless of whether people attend the Lamb Barbecue, Gyro Day, or both, Valkonos said, St. Nicholas’ weekend of food is an expression of an important Greek value: hospitality.

“Our festival is unique,” she said, “in that it really is reminiscent of Old World Greece, where there is this little church in the landscape in the countryside somewhere in Greece and people just come together and have a very homegrown organic experience. It feels very much like that.”

Annual Lamb Barbecue
When: Traditional Greek food and pastries Saturday, June 21, from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, June 22, will be Gyro Day — fresh gyro, a bag of chips and a drink will cost $13; gyros will be served from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where: St. Nicholas Orthodox Church’s, 1160 Bridge St., Manchester, 625-6115, stnicholasgreekchurch.com

Featured photo: A St. Nicholas Gyro. Courtesy photo.

Juneteenth art

Currier hosts new works, dance group

When Juneteenth became a national holiday four years ago, many Americans learned about what had been known as Black Independence Day for the first time. On June 19, 1865, slaves in Galveston, Texas, learned of their emancipation at the end of the Civil War. News traveled by horseback then; the Lone Star State was the last to know and make it official.

Kelly Touhey-Childress, COO of the New Hampshire justice organization Racial Unity Team, was surprised to learn that a family member of hers was among those new to Juneteenth.

“I called my grandmother, who was 90 and grew up in West Virginia during Jim Crow and all of that, and she didn’t know what it was either,” she said by phone recently. “ To me, it’s a light shined on all of those untold stories … and it’s the fight to not have people’s histories erased.”

Racial Unity Team will lead an Arts Off the Wall Juneteenth event at Currier Museum of Art that will include an unveiling of works by Black artists along with a focus on some pieces already in their collection, as well a program of interpretive dance from the Concord-based Vibes of Style.

The group’s dancers come from diverse backgrounds, and the company is run by a Black female RUT volunteer. For the Currier event, they will perform in a mixture of styles.

“They’re all in individual pieces and some together,” Touhey-Childress said. “It’ll be a medley of dancing, and dancing from the heart, around the topic of freedom.”

Earlier in the day, curators Bruce McColl and Anastasia Kinigopoulo will lead a tour of the Currier’s African American collection.

“The works we have settled on are historical and modern/contemporary,” McColl explained recently. Among them is “Slow Murder” by Sanford Biggers. It’s a painting of black crows on a canvas made from scraps of 19th century quilts believed to have been used as signposts on the Underground Railroad.

“It’s an abstracted murder of crows,” McColl said, “a powerful piece” that evokes the history of its materials, as well as “Strange Fruit,” Billie Holiday’s 1939 song about lynching. The work is on loan for one year from Crystal Bridges, an Arkansas based museum of American art that both collects and interprets American art. It also actively loans major works from its collections and supports the field of museum work. It’s been especially helpful to the Currier.

Another is “Our Father,” a contemporary rendition of Jesus’s crucifixion by self-taught artist Purvis Young that’s been part of the Currier’s collection for a few years; it was recently the centerpiece of a Whitney Museum show on the Alvin Ailey Dance Company.

“Young is known for his figurative paintings, made on roughly surfaced boards and found materials,” McColl said. “The paintings are assemblages of a sort — and beautifully painted in an expressive manner.”

Fittingly, the Vibes of Style performance connects nicely with Ailey’s celebration of African-American heritage through movement.

“They’ve been focused on certain objects in the collection to interpret with dance,” McColl said. “That’s kind of a wonderful juxtaposition between one of our prized paintings with an interpretive dance experience.”

A Robert S. Duncanson painting on display is a classic 19th-century landscape that’s important both because of the artist and the work itself.

“He descended from a freed Black family from the south, who moved to the north in the early 1800s,” McColl explained. “We’re gonna start the tour with that painting. It just shows, even in the middle 19th century, that there were Black American artists who were trained and who were doing really high quality work.”

When asked what Juneteenth means to him, McColl pointed to ongoing efforts by the Currier.

“We’ve got a really beautiful, deep and rich collection of paintings and sculptures that tell the story of the emancipation of Black people in our country,” he said. “These holidays are a wonderful moment for us to stop, reflect and celebrate the history of that emancipation, but also to be mindful of the work that needs to be done.”

A Chorus Line

When: Fridays at 7:30 p.m. Saturdays at 2 & 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. through June 22
Where: Palace Theatre, 80 Hanover St., Manchester
Tickets: $39 and up at palacetheatre.org

Featured photo: The cast of A Chorus Line. Photo courtesy of AnnMarie Lidman Photography.

Music Season

Your guide to summer concerts

It’s music-lover’s season! From concerts at big venues to relaxed music in the park, there are performances for fans of all genres and music-enjoying settings to enjoy over the next few months. Here’s a rundown of some of the shows on the schedule through Labor Day.

wide view of crowd of people sitting in folding chairs in loose groups around a bandstand. Evening in summer — Henniker Green. Courtesy photo.

Abbie Griffin Park
6 Baboosic Lake Road, Merrimack, merrimackparksandrec.org
Thursday, June 26 – Mr. Aaron’s Music
Thursday, July 3 – patriotic concert with the Merrimack Concert Association
Thursday, July 10 – Delta Generators
Thursday, July 17 – B Street Bombers
Thursday, July 24 – Renee & The Renegades
Thursday, July 31 – The Reminisants
Thursday, Aug. 7 – Captain Fantastic – The Music Of Elton John
Thursday, Aug. 14 – Blind Date Band
Thursday, Aug. 21 – Alli Beaudry

Angela Robinson Bandstand
57 Main St., Henniker, hennikerconcerts.com
Tuesday, June 24 – Scott Kirby w/ Gary Green
Tuesday, July 1 – Rebel Collective
Tuesday, July 8 – Independence Day celebration w/ Hopkinton Town Band
Tuesday, July 15 – Monkey Fingers
Tuesday, July 22 – Blues Express (Blues, Brews & BBQ Fest)
Tuesday, July 29 – Not Fade Away
Tuesday, Aug. 5 – Shana Stack Band
Tuesday, Aug. 12 – Princess Kikou
Tuesday, Aug. 19 – Dwayne Haggins Band
Tuesday, Aug. 26 – The Macrotones

BankNH Pavilion
72 Meadowbrook Lane, Gilford, banknhpavilion.com
Thursday, June 19 – Slightly Stoopid
Wednesday, June 25 – Counting Crows with The Gaslight Anthem
Friday, June 27 – Goose
Tuesday, July 1 – James Taylor
Thursday, July 3 – Kidz Bop Live!
Saturday, July 5 & Sunday, July 6 – Old Dominion
Friday, July 11 – Rod Stewart
Saturday, July 12 – Barenaked Ladies
Friday, July 18 – Styx, Kevin Cronin and Don Felder
Saturday, July 19 – Brad Paisley
Tuesday, July 22 – Dave Matthews Band
Wednesday, July 23 – Dave Matthews Band
Thursday, July 24 – Shania Twain
Saturday, July 26 – Riley Green
Sunday, July 27 – Big Time Rush
Monday, July 28 – Toto, Men At Work, Christopher Cross
Tuesday, July 29 – Pantera
Wednesday, July 30 – Black Crowes
Friday, Aug. 1 – Chicago
Sunday, Aug. 3 – Outlaw Music Festival w/ Willie Nelson and Family, Bob Dylan, Wilco
Wednesday, Aug. 6 – Goo Goo Dolls and Dashboard Confessional
Thursday, Aug. 7 – Little Big Town
Wednesday, Aug. 13 – Volbeat with Halestorm
Thursday, Aug. 14 – Bailey Zimmerman
Friday, Aug. 15 – The Black Keys
Saturday, Aug. 16 – Dropkick Murphys and Bad Religion
Sunday, Aug. 17 – Doobie Brothers
Tuesday, Aug. 19 – Steve Miller Band
Thursday, Aug. 21 – Neil Young and The Chrome Hearts
Monday, Aug. 25 – Falling In Reverse
Friday, Aug. 29 – Melissa Etheridge and Indigo Girls
Saturday, Aug. 30 – Bonnie Raitt
Monday, Sept. 1 – Tedeschi Trucks Band and Whiskey Myers

Bedford Village Common Park
15 Bell Hill Road, Bedford, bedfordnh.myrec.com
Wednesday, June 25 – Bel Airs ( ’50s doo-wop vocal quintet)
Wednesday, July 2 – The Rampage Trio (family-friendly classic rock)
Wednesday, July 9 – North River (Americana band)
Wednesday, July 16 – Knock On Wood (folk-rock duo)
Wednesday, July 23 – Endless Skies Band (good times rock)
Wednesday, July 30 – Manchester Community Music School

Bernie’s Beach Bar
73 Ocean Blvd., Hampton, berniesnh.com
Sunday, June 22 – Stephen Marley
Thursday, June 26 – Ripe (also June 27)
Sunday, June 29 – Collie Budz
Thursday, July 3 – Xzibit
Thursday, July 10 – Will Evans
Thursday, July 17 – Big Something
Sunday, July 20 – The Motet
Thursday, July 24 -Souls of Mischief
Sunday, July 27 – Wheeland Brothers
Sunday, Aug. 3 – 10 Ft. Ganja Plant
Thursday, Aug. 7 – Bumpin Uglies
Thursday, Aug. 14 – Dasha
Thursday, Aug. 21 – Aaron Lewis & The Stateliners
Tuesday, Aug. 26 – Barrington Levy

BNH Stage (CCANH)
16 S. Main St., Concord, ccanh.com
Saturday, June 21 – ICONS: Freddie Mercury
Sunday, June 22 – Hot Peas n Butter
Saturday, June 28 – Kevin Horan & Cosmic Blossom (Locally Sourced)
Sunday, June 29 – Wicked Sing Along
Wednesday, July 2 – Ranger Zone Open Mic
Friday, July 11 – Gavin Marengi Band
Friday, Aug. 1 – Zach Nugent’s Dead Set
Friday, Aug. 15 – Ryan Montbleau
Friday, Aug. 22 – Doug., the Worst & Grub Lord (Locally Sourced)

Brewster Academy
80 Academy Drive, Wolfeboro, greatwaters.org/brewster-academy
Thursday, July 24 – Abby Mueller Trio (Carole King, Joni Mitchell, James Taylor tribute)
Saturday, Aug. 16 – Peter Cincotti
Wednesday, Aug. 27 – Ted Vigil (John Denver tribute)

Casino Ballroom
169 Ocean Blvd., Hampton, casinoballroom.com
Thursday, June 26 – Steel Pulse
Friday, June 27 – The Movement & Tribal Seeds w/ Mike Love
Saturday, June 28 – Voyage (Journey Tribute)
Saturday, July 5 – Badfish: A Tribute to Sublime
Wednesday, July 9 – The Elovaters w/ Mihali
Thursday, July 10 – Ryan Adams
Friday, July 11 – Fab Four – Beatles tribute
Saturday, July 12 – Michael Franti & Spearhead
Sunday, July 13 – Buddy Guy
Friday, July 18 – Trevor Hall
Saturday, July 19 – Dark Desert Eagles
Wednesday, July 23 – Russell Dickerson
Friday, July 25 – 49 Winchester with Wesko
Saturday, July 26 – Little River Band
Saturday, Aug. 2 – Mat Kearney
Sunday, Aug. 3 – Happy Together Tour
Wednesday, Aug. 6 – Air Supply
Thursday, Aug. 7 – Yacht Rock Revue
Friday, Aug. 8 – Gimme Gimme Disco
Sunday, Aug. 10 – Cooper Alan
Wednesday, Aug. 13 – David Lee Roth
Friday, Aug. 15 – The Struts
Saturday, Aug. 16 – Tributes: Dirty Deeds (AC/DC) and Cathedral (Van Halen)
Wednesday, Aug. 20 – Joe Perry Project
Thursday, Aug. 21 – Dylan Scott
Friday, Aug. 22 – Brit Floyd
Saturday, Aug. 23 – Get the Led Out
Sunday, Aug. 24 – Tyler Hubbard
Wednesday, Aug. 27 – Andy Grammer
Thursday, Aug. 28 – Extreme
Friday, Aug. 29 – One Night of Queen
Saturday, Aug. 30 – Face 2 Face – A Tribute to Elton John and Billy Joel
Sunday, Aug. 31 – KC & The Sunshine Band

Chubb Theatre (CCANH)
44 S. Main St., Concord, ccanh.com
Saturday, June 21 – Dionne Warwick

Colonial Theatre
609 Main St., Laconia, coloniallaconia.com
Thursday, July 10 – The High Kings
Saturday, Aug. 2 – Mary Chapin Carpenter / Brandy Clark
Wednesday, Aug. 27 – One Night of Queen

Crows’ Feat Farm
178-180 Drinkwater Road, Kensington, crowsfeatfarm.org
Sunday, June 22 – Trifecta
Sunday, July 13 – Gnarly Darling
Sunday, July 27 – Reed Foehl
Sunday, Aug. 10 – Kate Prascher
Sunday, Aug. 24 – A Classical Collaboration

Emerson Park
6 Mont Vernon St., Milford, milfordnh.recdesk.com
Wednesday, July 16 – Mango Groove Steel Band
Wednesday, July 23 – The Temple Band
Wednesday, July 30 – 50 Shades of Blue
Wednesday, Aug. 6 – Rockin Daddies 50s 60s
Wednesday, Aug. 13 – Tru Diamond

Field of Dreams
48 Geremonty Drive, Salem, fieldofdreamsnh.org
Friday, June 20 – Foreigners Journey
Friday, June 27 – Souled Out Show Band
Friday, July 11 – Champagne Casanova
Friday, July 18 – R3d N3ck Castaway Band
Thursday, July 24 – Brandy Band
Thursday, July 31 – The Salem Boyz
Friday, Aug. 15 – B Street Bombers
Friday, Aug. 22 – Madhouse Party Band
Greeley Park Band Shell
100 Concord St., Nashua, nashuanh.gov/546/SummerFun
Tuesday, June 24 – B Street Bombers
Tuesday, July 1 – After Hours Big Band
Friday, July 4 – The Slakas
Tuesday, July 8 – Rico Barr Band
Tuesday, July 15 – Bedford Big Band
Monday, July 21 – Tru Diamond
Saturday, July 26 – Bel Airs (’50’s doo-wop vocal quintet)
Tuesday, July 29 – American Legion
Tuesday, Aug. 19 – Hangfire Band

Hampstead Public Library Stage
9 Mary E Clark Drive, Hampstead, hampsteadlibrary.org
Wednesday, July 2 – Steve Blunt and Friends
Wednesday, July 9 – High Range Bluegrass Band
Wednesday, July 16 – Monadnock Bluegrass Band
Wednesday, July 23 – Mr. Aaron
Wednesday, July 30 – Relative Soul
Wednesday, Aug. 6 – The Last Duo
Wednesday, Aug. 13 – Classic Rain

The Keyes Stage
45 Elm St., Milford, milfordnh.recdesk.com
Wednesday, July 2 – Cover Story
Wednesday, July 9 – Rampage Trio
Wednesday, Aug. 20 – Scenes – A Billy Joel Tribute
Wednesday, Aug. 27 – Compaq Big Band

Londonderry Town Common
265 Mammoth Road, Londonderry, londonderryartscouncil.org/cotc-schedule
Wednesday, June 25 – East Coast Soul
Wednesday, July 2 – Cool Cool Cool
Wednesday, July 9 – Bruce Marshall Group
Saturday, July 12 – Steve Blunt & Friends (children’s)
Sunday, July 13 – Studio Two (Beatles tribute)
Wednesday, July 16 – Brian Maes Band
Wednesday, July 23 – Chicago Total Access
Wednesday, July 30 – Delta Generators
Wednesday, Aug. 6 – Martin and Kelly

MainStreet Stage
16 E Main St., Warner, mainstreetwarnerinc.org
Sunday, June 22 – Colin Nevins
Tuesday, July 8 – Saline Fiddlers Philharmonic
Friday, July 18 – Now’s The Time
Friday, Aug. 1 – Trade
Saturday, Aug. 16 – Manning & McBrian

Meetinghouse Park
11 Main St., Hampstead, hampsteadcabletv.com/concert-series
Tuesday, July 1-Timberlane Community Band
Tuesday, July 8 – Time Bandits
Tuesday, July 15 – The Redneck Castaway Band
Tuesday, July 22 – Haggard and Cashed
Tuesday, July 29 – Tru Diamond
Tuesday, Aug. 5 – Mark 209
Tuesday, Aug. 12 – Rick Anthony as Elvis
Tuesday, Aug. 26 – Martin & Kelly

Music Hall
28 Chestnut St., Portsmouth, themusichall.org
Thursday, June 19 – Shawn Colvin & Rodney Crowell
Friday, June 20 – Arrival From Sweden (ABBA tribute)
Sunday, June 22 – Allman Betts Band
Thursday, July 3 – Rumors ATL (Fleetwood Mac tribute)
Saturday, July 12 – Straight No Chaser
Saturday, July 19 – Drew & Ellie Holcomb
Tuesday, Aug. 26 – The Temptations

Music Hall Lounge
131 Congress St., Portsmouth, themusichall.org
Saturday, June 21 – Chris Trapper
Friday, June 27 – Veronica Lewis
Saturday, June 28 – Mr. Sun
Sunday, July 13 – Once An Outlaw
Wednesday, July 16 – Tony Furtado
Saturday, July 19 – Night of Sinatra w/ Rich DiMare and Ron Poster
Sunday, July 20 – Bitter Pill
Friday, July 25 – Walter Parks & the Unlawful Assembly
Saturday, July 26 – Sarah Blacker & the Light
Friday, Aug. 22 – Mark Erelli
Saturday, Aug. 23 – Sharon Jones
Sunday, Aug. 31 – David Wax Museum

New Boston Common Gazebo
5 Meetinghouse Hill Road, New Boston, newbostonnh.gov
Tuesday, June 24 – Freese Brothers Big Band
Tuesday, July 8 – Hickory Horned Devils
Tuesday, July 22 – The Slakas
Tuesday, Aug. 5 – The Bel Airs
Tuesday, Aug. 19 – Endless Skies Band

North Hampton Bandstand
Route 111 & Route 151, North Hampton, northhamptonbandstand.com/calendar
Wednesday, June 25 – The Visitors
Wednesday, July 2 – Redemption Band
Wednesday, July 9 – Tru Diamond w/ Tony Funches (Platters)
Wednesday, July 16 – Counterfeit Cash tribute band
Wednesday, July 23 – New Legacy Swing Band
Wednesday, July 30 – J.C. Underhill Band with the Elvis Experience
Wednesday, Aug. 6 – Mark 209
Wednesday, Aug. 13 – Rico Barr & the JJR Horns
Wednesday, Aug. 20 – Studio Two (Beatles tribute)
Wednesday, Aug. 27 – Club Soda

Palace Theatre
80 Hanover St., Manchester, palacetheatre.org
Friday, June 27 – Somebody to Love – Queen tribute (also 6/28)
Saturday, Aug. 23 – NH Irish Festival

Rex Theatre
23 Amherst St., Manchester, palacetheatre.org
Friday, June 20 – Willie Nile
Saturday, June 28 – Scott Spradling Band: Music At The Movies
Friday, July 11 – BoStyx – Boston & Styx tribute
Saturday, July 12 – Roomful of Blues
Saturday, July 19 – Silver Springs – Fleetwood Mac tribute
Saturday, July 26 – Rob Ickes & Trey Hensley
Friday, Aug. 1 – Rush Experience (Rush tribute)
Friday, Aug. 22 – Traveling Wilburys tribute

Sea Shell Stage
180 Ocean Blvd., Hampton, hamptonbeach.org
Thursday, June 19 – Angela West & Showdown
Friday, June 20 – Brandy Band
Saturday, June 21 – Radio Roulette
Sunday, June 22 – Christian Music Festival
Monday, June 23 – Viva Las Elvis: A Tribute to Elvis Presley
Tuesday, June 24 – Billy D and the Rock-its
Wednesday, June 25 – The Reminisants
Thursday, June 26 – Line Dance Lessons with Nashville Line Dance
Thursday, June 26 – TBA
Friday, June 27 – Something Stupid
Saturday, June 28 – HIJACKED
Sunday, June 29 – Backtrack Band
Monday, June 30 – The Apathetics
Tuesday, July 1 – Scenes
Wednesday, July 2 – The Continentals
Thursday, July 3 – Line Dance Lessons with Nashville Line Dance
Thursday, July 3 – Timothy James
Friday, July 4 – Brandy Band
Saturday, July 5 – Mischief Mile
Sunday, July 6 – Club Soda
Monday, July 7 – Rob Bellamy
Tuesday, July 8 – Line Dance Lessons with Nashville Line Dance
Wednesday, July 9 – Stefanie Jasmine Band
Thursday, July 10 – Line Dance Lessons with Nashville Line Dance
Thursday, July 10 – Niko Moon w/ David J
Friday, July 11 – Small Town Stranded
Saturday, July 12 – The Bel Airs
Sunday, July 13 – B Street Bombers
Monday, July 14 – Being Petty: Tom Petty Tribute
Tuesday, July 15 – The Apathetics
Wednesday, July 16 – Beat Street
Thursday, July 17 – Lessons with Nashville Line Dance
Thursday, July 17 – Fiddle Fire
Friday, July 18 – Leaving Eden
Saturday, July 19 – Radio Roulette
Sunday, July 20 – World Premier Band
Monday, July 21 – Viva Las Elvis: A Tribute to Elvis Presley
Tuesday, July 22 – Takin’ It To The Streets
Wednesday, July 23 – Scott Brown and the Diplomats
Thursday, July 24 – Line Dance Lessons with Nashville Line Dance
Thursday, July 24 – Angela West and Showdown
Friday, July 25 – Neurotic Gumbo
Saturday, July 26 – The Reminsants
Sunday, July 27 – The Rico Barr Band featuring the JJR Horns
Monday, July 28 – 13 Black
Tuesday, July 29 – Dancing Madly Backwards
Wednesday, July 30 – Ayla Brown
Thursday, July 31 – Line Dance Lessons with Nashville Line Dance
Thursday, July 31 – April Cushman
Friday, Aug. 1 – Billy D and the Rock-its
Saturday, Aug. 2 – Redemption
Sunday, Aug. 3 – Salem Boyz
Monday, Aug. 4 – The Apathetics
Tuesday, Aug. 5 – The GemsTones
Wednesday, Aug. 6 – Boyz Gone Wild
Thursday, Aug. 7 – Line Dance Lessons with Nashville Line Dance
Thursday, Aug. 7 – Vinny B Band
Friday, Aug. 8 – Sophie Patenaude
Saturday, Aug. 9 – 39th Army Band
Sunday, Aug. 10 – Beat Street
Monday, Aug. 11 – Tru Diamond
Tuesday, Aug. 12 – The Little Mermen
Wednesday, Aug. 13 – Club Soda
Thursday, Aug. 14 – Line Dance Lessons with Kevin Richards
Thursday, Aug. 14 – Martin and Kelly
Friday, Aug. 15 – The Reminsants
Saturday, Aug. 16 – Radio Roulette
Sunday, Aug. 17 – Deep Blue C Orchestra
Monday, Aug. 18 – Mark 209
Tuesday, Aug. 19 – All Summer Long
Wednesday, Aug. 20 – Key West Days in Hampton Beach
Thursday, Aug. 21 – Line Dancing Lessons with Chris Lefebvre
Thursday, Aug. 21 – Kevin White
Friday, Aug. 22 – Talent Competition
Saturday, Aug. 23 – Talent Competition
Sunday, Aug. 24 – Talent Competition
Monday, Aug. 25 – Viva Las Elvis: A Tribute to Elvis Presley
Tuesday, Aug. 26 – Blues Brothers the Next Generation
Wednesday, Aug. 27 – Brandy Band
Thursday, Aug. 28 – Line Dance Lessons with Nashville Line Dance
Thursday, Aug. 28 – Angela West and Showdown- Country
Friday, Aug. 29 – The Continentals
Saturday, Aug. 30 – “Cirque du Hampton Beach”
Sunday, Aug. 31 – The Reminsants
Monday, Sept. 1 – Leaving Eden

Stark Park
650 River Road, Manchester, starkpark.com
Saturday, June 21 – Miss Alli Kids Concert
Sunday, June 29 – New Legacy Swing Band
Sunday, July 6 – Love Dogs
Sunday, July 13 – Wolverine Jazz Band
Sunday, July 20 – Another Tequila Sunrise (Eagles tribute)
Sunday, July 27 – Swing Times Five
Sunday, Aug. 3 – Something Wonderful Tonight (Eric Clapton tribute)
Sunday, Aug. 10 – Studio Two (Beatles tribute)
Sunday, Aug. 17 – Windham Concert Band
Monday, Aug. 18 – Manchester Community Summer Band
Sunday, Aug. 24 – Compaq Big Band

The Range
96 Old Turnpike Road, Mason, therangemason.com
Friday, June 20 – Chris Janson
Saturday, June 21 – Pepper w/ Cydeways
Friday, June 27 – Zach Deputy w/ Fox and the Flamingos
Saturday, June 28 – Town Meeting w/ Connor Watson
Saturday, July 5 – Pure Prairie League & The Weight Band w/ The Incidentals
Thursday, July 10 – Lovewhip
Saturday, July 12 – Once an Outlaw & The Peacheaters
Thursday, July 17 – Annie Brobst
Saturday, July 19 – Max Creek
Saturday, July 26 – The New Mastersounds w/ Funk You
Sunday, Aug. 3 – Johnny Burgin
Saturday, Aug. 16 – The SteelDrivers w/ Charlie Chronopoulos
Friday, Aug. 29 – Jennifer Hartswick Band / The Nth Power / Hayley Jane Band

Tupelo Music Hall
10 A St., Derry, tupelomusichall.com
Friday, June 20 – Mike Tramp’s White lion w/ All Sinners
Saturday, June 21 – Magical Mystery Doors – Beatles, Zeppelin, Doors tribute
Sunday, June 22 – Curtis Salgado
Tuesday, June 24 – Robin Trower (sold out)
Saturday, June 28 – Australian Bee Gees Show
Friday, July 11 – Dueling Pianos
Saturday, July 12 – Beginnings – Chicago tribute
Sunday, July 13 – Howie Day
Friday, July 18 – Slippery When Wet – Bon Jovi tribute
Saturday, July 19 – Jerrod Niemann
Wednesday, July 23 – Direct From Sweden – ABBA tribute (also 7/24)
Friday, July 25 – Postmodern Jukebox
Saturday, July 26 – Live at The Fillmore – Allman Brothers tribute
Sunday, July 27 – Sweet
Tuesday, July 29 – Rick Wakeman
Saturday, Aug. 2 – Atlanta Rhythm Section
Sunday, Aug. 10 – Cherry Cherry – Neil Diamond tribute
Tuesday, Aug. 12 – Stryper
Friday, Aug. 15 – Naturally 7
Saturday, Aug. 16 – Ozomatli
Friday, Aug. 22 – Queensryche w/ All Sinners
Thursday, Aug. 28 – Majesty – Queen tribute
Friday, Aug. 29 – Broken Hearts – Tom Petty tribute
Saturday, Aug. 30 – Slaughter
Sunday, Aug. 31 – Justin Hayward

Village Green
6 Village Green, Pelham
Wednesday, July 9- Standard Tuning
Wednesday, July 23 – The Casuals
Wedensdasy, Aug. 6- 4 Ever Fab Band and Cruise Night (Car Show)
Wednesday, Aug. 13 – Everlasting Characters (Royal Ball)

Word Barn
66 Newfields Road, Exeter, thewordbarn.com
Friday, June 20 – Soggy Po’ Boys
Sunday, June 22 – Antje Duvekot
Thursday, June 26 – Allegra Krieger
Friday, June 27 – Rock My Soul
Sunday, July 6 – The Lost River Fleet
Friday, July 11 – The Wolff Sisters
Saturday, July 19 – AJ Lee & Blue Summit
Sunday, July 20 – Dean Johnson & Erin Rae
Wednesday, July 23 – Jake Xerxes Fussell
Friday, Aug. 1 – Dead to the Core
Friday, Aug. 15 – Joe Pug
Saturday, Aug. 16 – Joe Pug
Sunday, Aug. 17 – Todd Hearon w/Big Sweetie
Thursday, Aug. 21 – Kissing Other PPL ft Rachel Baiman + Viv & Riley

A little venue that could

The Range the offers summer outdoor concerts

Nicole Ruggiero didn’t set out to become a concert promoter, but shows at her venue The Range in Mason are now a regular part of summer in New Hampshire. Moreover, Ruggiero no longer has to shout from the rooftops to book acts like country star Chris Janson, who opens the season on June 20.

view from behind two adirondak style chairs around a fire table, looking toward a distant outdoor stage on a green lawn on sunny summer day — The Range. Courtesy photo.

“Now, agents are approaching us and nationally touring bands are saying, ‘This is the best food that I’ve had on tour,’” Ruggerio said in a recent phone interview, adding that fans are loving it too. “I perch near the tent when people are leaving and overhear conversations of like, ‘Wow, this place is great’ … this is why I do it.”

It began in 2011 with a Roots of Creation concert intended as a one-off to promote a new tiki bar. Ruggerio had left college after her mom passed away to help out at the driving range, ice cream stand and restaurant that her parents began in 1992.

“It was an ‘or else I’ll sell it’ type of deal, and you really can’t say no to that,” she recalled. “I grew up in that business. My parents built it when I was in the second grade, and it was my first job. It got me started in the hospitality industry.”

She was able to continue her studies at New England Culinary Institute by pivoting to an internship. They agreed, “because I was going in blindly to a business I hadn’t even worked at in many years,” she said. “My mom … didn’t have management beneath her, so she ran the show. I didn’t get the opportunity to really learn from her, I just kind of got thrown into it.”

Ruggerio felt that throwing a concert was a smart way to get the word about her new spin on things; it worked, but the path forward hasn’t been an easy one.

“Live music is one of those things that I feel is a crucial social component and healing element, really, in this wild world,” she said. “I started doing weekend events under a tent, local bands, free of charge, no big deal. After one year, I’m like, ‘I want to build a stage, I want to attract bigger bands.’ And all hell broke loose.”

A three-year battle with the town council culminated in June 2016 with a special election to decide whether to allow outdoor entertainment at Marty’s Driving Range. It passed by a wide margin, driven by the largest voter turnout that anyone in Mason could recall.

“It blew my mind, the turnout and the people in our favor, and it chokes me up to this day, thinking about the support,” she said. “I stood outside of the town hall from start to finish answering questions as people were going in to vote. There were probably some last-minute people that were steered … just from talking to me.”

Along with weekend shows, The Range has a smaller Garage Door Series with a focus on local music. It came about when Ruggerio got frustrated waiting to get approval for larger-scale events. What she chose to do is emblematic of the passion and perseverance that drives her.

“I was like, all right, if we can’t use the stage then I’m going to book bands in the dining room,” she said, and had a contractor tear down a wall. “We had bands playing right on the inside of the dining room to the patio area. I was improvising before I could get full-blown approval and that actually turned into a totally separate component of our business.”

New additions to The Range include expanded VIP areas — “we got approval for two more,” Ruggerio said — a snack shack and a glamping area. Ruggerio hopes to have a dedicated bathroom building built by sometime next year. That said, she’s not looking to turn The Range into a larger, more corporate venue.

“It’s important to me to keep the connection, the intimacy between the fans [and] musicians, and growing much bigger will really take away from it,” she said. “Right now, there’s not a bad seat in the house. We’re consistently trying to improve our processes and streamline without compromising quality, being a greedy money-grabbing entity. Eventually my goal is to attract the larger artists to our smaller venue, even if they’re not used to playing to a thousand capacity … to give their fans a really special experience.”

Checking in with Casino Ballroom

Andrew Herrick has served as Director of Sales and Marketing at Casino Ballroom for more than two decades. In a recent interview, he talked about the venue’s coming season, which already has seen several shows sell out, including Tesla, David Lee Roth and KC & the Sunshine Band.

What’s your favorite booking this year?

I don’t know if I have a favorite but I’m very excited for the Joe Perry Project show. The lineup — Joe, Brad Whitford and Buck Johnson from Aerosmith, Chris Robinson from The Black Crowes and Robert DeLeo and Eric Kretz from Stone Temple Pilots — will be pretty incredible. I’m also excited for The Elovaters, 49 Winchester, Jimmy Cash and Jimmy Dunn together and of course Diamond David Lee Roth!

Which show so far has been the biggest surprise in terms of sales?

We have had a bunch of fast-selling shows. I guess the surprise might be how quickly Cooper Alan and Dylan Scott sold out. Country fans in this market are clearly ready to party! Some other quick sellers were Yacht Rock Revue and The Elovaters. Some weren’t a surprise — we were not surprised at how fast Joan Jett sold out, for example.

Are there any shows that you think shouldn’t be overlooked?

The one I have my eye on is The Struts package. Dirty Honey is opening that show and I think it is going to be awesome from start to finish. I also think the Movement and Tribal seeds with Mike Love opening will be a pretty incredible night on the beach. And don’t sleep on 49 Winchester.

Tesla added a show after the first sold out — will any others do the same?

Sometimes, it depends on the artist’s touring schedule. I don’t anticipate anyone doing that at this point in time.

What are the challenges this year?

Same as always, lots of big outdoor venues and acts that would normally play here teaming up to play the larger spots. The questions surrounding the economy are keeping people from making decisions about discretionary spending way in advance and the amount of awesome things to do in general is at an all-time high so we are competing with all of it. The secret to 2025 might end up being pricing the show correctly when all is said and done.

Has the decline in tourism from across the border impacted you?

No, we don’t really sell tickets to tourists here. We sell almost all of our tickets to people who live within about 50 miles of Hampton Beach. Some of them chose to take part in the tourism offerings — restaurants, hotels, the beach itself — but generally speaking we would have to align the style offering to whomever is here for vacation, which happens but not enough to notice a change during a cultural shift like the one we are currently experiencing.

News & Notes 25/06/19

Kids are alright

New Hampshire received top ranking for child well-being in the 2025 Annie E. Casey Foundation’s Kids Count Data Book, according to a release from the Department of Health and Human Services. The report looks at indicators in “four domains — economic well-being, education, health, and family and community factors” and the state ranked among the top five states in those areas, the fourth year in a row it has done so, the release said. See the whole book at aecf.org/interactive/databook.

Falcon update

The three peregrine falcons hatched earlier this spring at Brady Sullivan Tower in downtown Manchester (you can view them in three different livestreams via nhaudubon.org/education/birds-and-birding/peregrine-cam) are now working on flight. According to the daily log, which you can find a link to in the livestream, Una, the first hatched, fledged on June 10. Learn more about the falcons at a meet and greet and supply- and fund-raiser for Wings of the Dawn Rescue & Rehab on Saturday, June 21, at 10 a.m. at the Brady Sullivan Tower, according to the daily log. The rain date is Sunday, June 22. See the log for a wish list of supplies.

Nature week

The New Hampshire Audubon Nature Challenge kicks off Sunday, June 22, and will run through Saturday, June 28, when participants can help to “document the birds, mammals, insects, reptiles, amphibians, flowers, trees, mosses, mushrooms, and everything that either stops at our sanctuaries or calls [the NH Audubon’s wildlife sanctuaries] home!” according to nhaudubon.org. Sign up online.

City Lights

The 2025 recipients of the Gate City Light Awards were celebrated at the Nashua Board of Aldermen meeting on June 10, according to a press release from the Nashua Mayor’s Volunteer Recognition Committee. The awards “recognize local nonprofit organizations whose volunteer-powered efforts make a meaningful impact on the Greater Nashua community,” the release said. This year’s winner is the Humane Society for Greater Nashua, with the Runner-up award presented to the Nashua Senior Activity Center and the Unsung Hero Award going to The PLUS Company, the release said. See nashuanh.gov/541/Gate-City-Light-Award.

Help for vets

Mr. Mac’s Macaroni and Cheese restaurant of Manchester donated $3,000 to Harbor Care, a nonprofit providing services to homeless veterans, according to a Mr. Mac’s press release. The donation on June 11 was the result of a fundraiser in May where $1 of every Classic All-American Mac dish sold was collected for Harbor Car, the release said. See harborcarenh.org and mr-macs.com.

Catch NH Roller Derby at JFK Memorial Coliseum (303 Beech St. in Manchester) on Saturday, June 21, at 4 p.m. when the NH Roller Derby All-Stars take on Hartford Area Roller Derby followed by an open scrimmage for 18+ at 6 p.m. Doors open at 3:30 p.m.; tickets are sold at the door: $15 for adults, $5 for veterans and NHRD vets, kids 12 and under get in for free. See nhrollerderby.com.

The Barley House, 132 N. Main St. in Concord, thebarleyhouse.com, is holding its annual Burgerfest through Saturday, June 21, with a special menu of burgers like the Chimichurri Roja Butter Burger and the Elote Bison burger, according to a menu on the restaurant’s website. The Barley House will donate $1 per burger sold to Dartmouth Health Children’s, with sponsors for each burger also donating $1 per burger and New Hampshire Distributors donating $1 per beer, the email said.

Juneteenth New England, hosted by Black Womxn In New Hampshire Collective, is described by organizers as a free community celebration “honoring Black American culture, history and joy” and will take place Saturday, June 21, from 1 to 5 p.m. at Crossway Christian Church, 33 Pine St. in Nashua, according to givebutter.com/juneteenthne. The event is free and will feature food, music and more.

Tickets for the Oct. 25 NH PoutineFest at Anheuser-Busch Biergarten in Merrimack will go on sale Saturday, June 28, at 10 a.m. Tickets have quickly sold out in years past, according to an event email. See nhpoutinefest.com.