If your restaurant is already considered a hidden gem, how do you go about adding something new without messing with a winning formula?
For more than 30 years Janie’s Uncommon Cafe has had a quiet reputation as a dependably excellent mom-and-pop breakfast and lunch joint in a shopping center in Londonderry.
“This is a place where families have been coming for two or three generations,” longtime employee Nathanial Finn said. There has been a conscious effort, he said, not to change anything very much. Which, he said, has put a lot of pressure on him as he has taken on adding an upscale coffee program to such a traditional café.
“Customers have been coming here for 20 or 30 years,” Finn said. “For [owners Johnny and Carly] to put me in charge of launching something new here, they really had to put a lot of thought into whether or not it was going to be beneficial for everybody, including those longtime customers. And so really, personally, I’m feeling some pressure just to make sure that they feel like the investment into launching this was worth it.”
Finn has taken the approach of viewing high-end coffee drinks as an added value to the Janie’s vibe, rather than a change of direction. Part of that approach, he said, has been using local resources.
“We get our beans from a company out of Manchester called Hometown Coffee Roasters that roasts all the beans and has provided the espresso for us,” he said. “We’re making a point of building good relationships in the local scene. Hopefully, by doing that, we can really lift the coffee scene of Londonderry and the surrounding areas. All the recipes are being made by me and the other employees here and we’ve been trying to get feedback from the community to make products that they’ll love. We’re planning on building a menu around the feedback that we get from customers.”
In addition to espresso-based coffee drinks, like lattes and cappuccino, Finn’s goal is to offer coffee- and tea-based beverages that stand out from other coffee places.
“We want to do things differently,” he said. “If everybody else is making a peppermint mocha around the holidays, we’re going to do something else. We’re really going to use different flavors that you might not hear about. So, instead of doing a raspberry mocha, I can do a strawberry mocha and then make the drink special with other things, like grinding up dehydrated strawberries and using those on top of the drink. The syrups that we use come from France. We’re the only ones in the area that I know that are using 1883 products. With spring around the corner, we want to be looking into matcha and other [drinks] that other people enjoy. Right now we’re serving chai lattes, but because our clientele is older generally, we’ve also added things like tea lattes. So we have a London Fog drink and things like that, so that hopefully we can draw in people that might not want strong espresso, and to take care of those people. It’s a menu that’s evolving and revolving.”
Changing the drinks menu regularly will provide an opportunity to highlight foods that Janie’s is already known for, Finn said.
“Every time our menu changes,” he said, “there’s going to be a special treat with each of them. So right now we have a gingerbread latte, and we have a couple of the women here that run the front, they’re baking all the time, and so right now if you get a gingerbread latte you’ll also get a home-baked gingerbread cookie with it.”
“We love that people come here and they know exactly what they want to get every time they come here,” Finn said, “because they’ve been coming here for so long. If you want a regular hot coffee, that’s not going to change. But if you want something special, this is going to also be the place to do it.”
Janie’s Uncommon Cafe Where: Crossroads Mall, 123 Nashua Road, Londonderry Hours: open daily from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. More: 432-3100, janiescafe.com; order online from the Café’s website
Popular game and movie merge with drag at BNH Stage event
By Michael Witthaus mwitthaus@hippopress.com
Get a Clue, an upcoming event at BNH Stage based on the popular board game and movie, is equal parts cabaret, costume party and murder mystery. It’s the latest from Free Range Revue, a monthly series that began during Concord Pride Month in 2023 and features drag, burlesque and other performances.
The interactive experience is the work of Journee and Etienne LaFond, one of many the two life and creative partners have collaborated on since coming to New Hampshire eight years ago. Among their other endeavors are the horror anthology podcast “Witchever Path,” acting, and live-action role playing.
“People have the opportunity to come in character and costume, solve a mystery, and most importantly, interact with each other in this little world that we’re all creating together,” Journee said of Get a Clue during a joint interview with Etienne. “What we love to do is try and immerse people as much as possible.”
Etienne agreed. “We’re very steeped in creativity,” they said. “One of the things that we do really well as partners is one of us will say, ‘What if this existed?’ and the other respond, ‘Well, this is how we can make that exist.’ That’s exactly what happened with Get a Clue.”
An ensemble of eight “Draglesque” entertainers will be both on stage and on the main floor, made up as the “Clue Manse” murder scene. They’ll mingle with audience members, providing pieces of the puzzle to help solve the mystery before the final curtain. Raffles and other activities will also take place.
Journee will perform, using their stage name Sybil Disobedience. The moniker was recently chosen, though Journee has done drag performing for more than a decade. “I wanted a name that was inclusive of the values that I hold dear in terms of challenging the status quo,” they said, “but also one fostering my sense of what is right, and what is justice.”
The event is 18+. “Drag and burlesque can be sensitive; people are putting their art out there,” Journee explained. “We really want to make sure we have an audience that can be prepped for that.”
That said, the aim is for upbeat and uplifting. That’s a big reason why Journee became Chief Officer of Concord Pride and began planning events to serve the effort. “It’s so important for the queer community to have a moment that is not only recognizing our presence but is celebratory of our presence,” they explained.
Journee and Etienne are grateful for the Capitol Center’s willingness to host their events.
“I think that we’ve been really lucky to be welcomed into such a beautiful venue with a great team behind it,” Journee said. “It feels like they take really seriously their mission of including as many different aspects of the overall New Hampshire community as possible, so we’re really excited to be a part of it.”
When they began staging events, Journee told a Concord journalist that the aim was “to find and foster a community for queer people and people of color,” with extra motivation coming because “I knew I could spend my energy trying to get Concord a little bit further along those lines.”
Three years later, they continued, “I definitely feel like there’s still work to be done, which is why we’re still doing this in a lot of ways, but I definitely think that we’ve moved the needle in that at the very least people know that in Concord there is a home for queer people.”
The steadily building support is also heartening. “I’m really proud to say that one of the things that we constantly hear at the Free Range Revue is, ‘I look forward to this because I know there’s community. It feels safe and welcoming. I feel like I belong.’ … I really can’t ask for more than that.”
Free Range Revue – Get a Clue When: Friday, Jan. 9, at 7:30 p.m. Where: BNH Stage, 16 S. Main St., Concord Tickets: $31 at ccanh.com / 18+
Featured photo: Photo courtesy of Free Range Revue.
Mocktails and non-alcoholic spirits and wine offer grown-up flavors without the booze
By John Fladd jfladd@hippopress.com
Until relatively recently, your non-alcoholic options when out on the town were fairly limited. You could order iced tea or soda, or maybe some fruit juice. According to bar owner Dan Haggerty, that situation has evolved over the past few years; there has been an upswing in customers looking for alcohol-free options.
“More and more people have started saying, ‘You know, I’m not really drinking tonight,’” he said. Haggerty is the co-owner of two bars in downtown Manchester, Industry East (28 Hanover St.) and its sister establishment Stashbox (866 Elm St.), as well as a soon-to-open dry bar called Without.
“We’ve definitely seen an uptick in people who are cutting down [their drinking] to once a week or whatever it might be, but more and more people have been asking for drinks without alcohol. Maybe they’re trying to be more healthy. I think there’s been a bit of a shape shift in just the societal view.”
Andrew Solis has a theory that, like so many things, attitudes toward drinking changed noticeably in the wake of the Covid epidemic. He said being isolated during lockdown gave many people an opportunity to change habits. Solis is the co-owner of Cut Above Zero-Proof Spirits, a line of alcohol-free spirits. He noticed a cultural shift during the pandemic.
“I’d say most people didn’t keep their habits pre-Covid during Covid,” Solis said. “They either went one way or the other. We saw a lot of consumers drink more alcohol.” At least at first. “But all of us were looking at ourselves in Zoom screens and our mirrors more often than we would before that. I think perception of our appearance and our health was shifted slightly because of that. And so I think we see that carrying over after Covid, [not drinking] has become a socially acceptable habit. It lost that stigma, I think, that existed always, which is if someone’s not drinking and they used to, there would be whispers: ‘Do they have a problem?’ ‘What’s going on?’ ‘Are they sick?’ Now it’s seen as a positive and a proactive choice.”
Brittany Gagnon is the owner of Blossom and Vine Creative in Goffstown and leads monthly workshops teaching home entertainers to make alcohol-free drinks.
Spro-less, the espresso martini mocktail. Photo courtesy 815 Cocktails & Provisions in Manchester.
“What I try to get across to people,” Gagnon said, “is that if you’re choosing not to drink, whether it be long-term or whether it be just for that one event, there are other options if you’re interested in something more than simply sparkling water and juice mixed together. There are nice options that you can put together and feel like you’re having something special because you are having something special and something that’s high-quality without feeling like your only choice is alcohol, if that’s not something that you want. I try to introduce people to some of the options so that they can try some and get an idea of what they might like, what they might want to look into more.”
Familiar cocktails with alcohol-free spirits
It wasn’t too long ago that finding non-alcoholic spirits was a challenge.
“I don’t want to say they weren’t even around,” said Joseph Mollica, Chairman of the New Hampshire Liquor Commission, “but they weren’t on anyone’s radar 10 years ago.” He said the state liquor stores have been working with the hospitality industry in New Hampshire to serve non-drinking consumers better. “We’re kind of a tourist state,” he said. “People want to go out and celebrate with their friends whether they’re having an alcohol cocktail or a nonalcoholic cocktail. It’s keeping people in the restaurants. [Non-alcoholic beverages] have really come a long way and we’re pretty excited about it.”
New Hampshire’s liquor stores now carry a range of non-alcoholic products, Mollica said.
“Our top 20 stores have the full selection — Ritual is the name of one of the companies. They have a whiskey alternative. Cut Above is another company; they have a gin, a whiskey, and they have a blanco [tequila]. We probably have 100+ [items] out in the stores that are available to purchase the whole year round.”
Andrew Solis from Cut Above said his company makes zero-proof spirits with flexibility in mind.
“We know that the majority of people who consume adult non -alcoholic beverages may also consume alcoholic beverages,” he said. ”So Cut Above was designed to be a one-for-one replacement in their favorite cocktails. But it’s also designed to be used with traditional spirits. The example I like to give is I like to make a gin and tonic when I’m preparing dinner. Now I just use half of the gin that I always used, then sub in our gin for the other half, and now it’s 50 percent less ABV [Alcohol By Volume], 50 percent less alcohol content in that cocktail, and I don’t really, like I say, miss that other ounce. It’s a way to put the consumer in the driver’s seat when it comes to the amount of alcohol they’re consuming.”
Brittany Gagnon depends on zero-proof versions of familiar liquors that the people in her workshops are familiar with.
“So there are two non-alcoholic drinks that are my go-to when I’m entertaining,” Gagnon said. “One is the non-alcoholic margarita; that tends to be a crowd-pleaser. Most people enjoy margaritas. And so that one with a tequila alternative is always a good choice. Another one that some people like the strong taste and some don’t, but for those that like gin, I do a non-alcoholic gin and tonic and I use, there’s an organic brand called Olive Nation. They make a juniper extract. If you put one eighth of a teaspoon of juniper extract, lime, and a nice tonic water, it tastes exactly like a real gin and tonic. You don’t miss the real thing at all.”
Alcohol-free beer or wine
Emily Holbrook Jennings is a sales representative for Vinilandia New Hampshire (vinilandianh.com), a wine importer and distributor. Her theory is that the demand for non-alcoholic drinks isn’t as new as it seems.
“I think that the demand has probably been there,” she said, “but the products haven’t been there to support it.”
Jennings said alcohol-free wines have become more complex in recent years.
“[Consumers] want something that tastes, I say nice,” she said, “as in having like maybe some more bitter flavors — more like an Amaro base. People like vermouth and they like that kind of style, but they don’t want anything sticky sweet and they don’t want soda. I think sweetness isn’t generally in the adult palate. We work with a lot of producers that grow organic grapes and they take like the highest level of control of quality that they can so they’re producing a better-quality product. I think they’ve come a long way. [The producers of a] lot of the wines that we carry use reverse osmosis so the alcohol actually spins out, versus pasteurization, which before that sort of cooked the alcohol out so you can imagine that didn’t taste very good. Now these are all coming from true winemakers who have figured out how to do the de-alcoholization part.”
Another advantage of zero-proof wines, Jennings said, is that they allow drinkers to stretch out the time they spend drinking with friends.
“They allow people to enjoy session drinking [this is a term wine enthusiasts use to describe staggering their consumption of different types of wine]. They can have a fun sparkling wine or something like that and still feel festive but not be actually drinking, you know, prosecco or Champagne. The non-alcoholic wines allow them to celebrate all day without getting drunk, kind of like taking a break in between, so say you do have a Champagne or prosecco to start with, and then the next drink that you had would be a non-alcoholic sparkling drink. So you’re kind of balancing it out, taking a session of this and a session of that, kind of just slowing down your alcohol intake.”
Mocktails
“Mocktail” is a term that has become popular in recent years to describe a mixed drink specifically designed without alcohol. These have become especially available at high-end cocktail bars. Sarah Maillet, co-owner of 815 Cocktails & Provisions in Manchester, said her staff takes a lot of time and effort to design mocktails for guests with sophisticated tastes.
Handsome Squidward. Photo courtesy 815 Cocktails & Provisions in Manchester.
“The biggest priority,” she said, “is that it doesn’t feel like a downgrade. Adult alcohol-free drinks need complexity, balance, appeal and intention. You have to think about bitterness, acidity, texture, aromatics — not just sweetness. We think about mouthfeel, presentation, glassware, garnish and how the drink fits into our overall menu. It ends up feeling just as deliberate and elevated as any other cocktail. Our job is to bring the same level of creativity and respect we give any other drink on the menu.”
Dan Haggerty from Industry East and Stashbox said he and his staff always have several mocktails on the menu and rotate them frequently.
“We like to switch them up,” he said. “Like we do with any menu item, if there’s one that’s a really big hit, we’ll keep it on [the menu]. But we do like to rotate them. That’s kind of the fun part [of designing] mocktails is you don’t have to come up with deciding whether or not this should be a vodka drink or a tequila drink. Whatever the flavor of the drink is that you came up with, that’s what it is. The pressure is off essentially, right? So it lends itself to being extremely seasonal and also you can kind of switch them up whenever you want really, right? People are looking, you know, specifically speaking to Stashbox and Industry, we are a bar that serves alcohol. So we don’t want to put a million choices on the menu. Again, having a smaller number available does also lend itself to switching them up more often, you know? And we keep a lot of those ingredients on hand anyway, so if there’s one that might not be on the menu at that time, we can probably still make it.”
Mocktail recipes
Tamarind Fizz
Inspired by a recipe from A Cut Above, drinkcutabove.com. Andrew Solis and Blanca Silva-Solis, the owners of Cut Above, describe this as “a perfect blend of sweet, tart, and botanical.”
Tamarind Fizz. Courtesy of Cut Above Spirits.
1 ounce Cut Above Gin, Cut Above Mezcal, or a 50/50 blend 4 ounces tamarind soda 1 ounce fresh squeezed lime juice Lightly cracked ice Fresh mint for garnish
In a mixing glass, combine the zero-proof spirits, lime juice, tamarind soda, and cracked ice. Stir gently for 30 seconds to chill completely.
Strain over fresh cracked ice in a tall glass.
Bruise the fresh mint — you can roll it between your palms, slap it against your wrist, or crush it against your countertop with the heel of your hand. Garnish the drink with it. The aroma of fresh mint will boost and improve the flavor of your tamarind fizz.
Raspberry Dreams
From the New Hampshire Liquor and Wine Outlet’s New Hampshire Mocktail Month Guide, available online at liquorandwineoutlets.com/responsibility.
2 ounces homemade raspberry puree (see below) 1 ounce simple syrup ½ ounce fresh squeezed lime juice 4 ounces carbonated water
To make raspberry puree, thaw a bag of frozen raspberries. (Frozen berries will work as well as or possibly better than fresh ones. Because you are pureeing them, the sometimes sad texture of prefrozen berries will not be an issue.) Run the berries through a blender for a full minute, then strain the puree through a fine-mesh strainer; raspberries have a truly shocking amount of seeds.
In a mixing glass, add ice, raspberry puree, simple syrup, and lime juice, and stir to combine. Add the carbonated water, and stir very gently, so that everything is well mixed but the seltzer hasn’t lost its fizz.
Strain over fresh ice in a tall glass, and enjoy with a straw.
In a large container with at least a gallon capacity, whisk the lime juice and syrup together. Gently stir in the tonic water and seltzer. If you are serving this in a punch bowl, float a large decorative block of ice. I have a small Bundt pan that I like to fill and freeze for a ring of fancy ice.
Cucumber Syrup with maddeningly vague measurements
Wash a couple of cucumbers, and chop them into half-inch dice. Don’t worry about peeling them. Freeze the cucumber pieces until they are solid — a couple of hours or overnight.
Transfer the frozen cucumber pieces to a medium saucepan and add an equal amount (by weight) of white sugar. Cook over medium heat. This mixture will seem too dry until the cucumbers start to give up their juice. The freezing process will have pierced all the cell walls, and there will be a surprising amount of juice. Stir occasionally. At some point you might want to encourage the process along with a potato masher. Bring to a boil briefly, to make sure that all the sugar is completely dissolved.
Remove from the heat and let the mixture cool for half an hour. Strain with a fine-meshed strainer and bottle. This will keep for a month or so in your refrigerator. Aside from its use in drinks, this syrup is really good mixed into your morning yogurt.
Featured image: A Breakfast Nook. Photos on this page and page 9 are of drinks crafted by Sian Quinn, the creator of mocktails at 815 Cocktails & Provisions in Manchester. The cocktails and mocktails can often be formulated to add or take out alcohol, depending on the drinker’s preference.
The all-woman 1980s hard rock band Vixen performs tonight at 8 p.m. at the Tupelo Music Hall (10 A St., Derry, 437-5100, tupelomusichall.com). Tickets are $50 through the Music Hall’s website.
Thursday, Jan. 8
Mania! The ABBA Tribute happens tonight at 7:30 p.m. at the Chubb Theatre (44 S. Main St., Concord, 225-1111, ccanh.com). Tickets start at $35.50 through the Capitol Center’s website.
Thursday, Jan. 8
The Rex Theatre (823 Amherst St., Manchester, 668-5588, palacetheatre.org) hosts a Candlelight Concert: Coldplay and Imagine Dragons tonight at 8:30 p.m. This is a multi-sensory musical experience by candlelight. Tickets start at $55 through the Palace Theatre website.
Friday, Jan. 9
Actorsingers Second Stage performsStephen Sondheim’s Company tonight and tomorrow, Jan. 10, at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, Jan. 11, at 2 p.m. Companyis a 1970 concept musical known for its compelling plot and exploration of marriage and relationships. Tickets start at $32 through the Center’s website. Image above from Actorsingers’ Facebook page.
Saturday, Jan. 10
The Aaron Tolson Dance Institute’s Winter Intensive takes place today at the Dana Center for the Humanities (Saint Anselm College, 100 Saint Anselm Drive, Manchester, anselm.edu). Expand your dance technique and push your limits in this winter intensive. Classes are of intermediate and advanced level. There will be one-hour classes of contemporary, ballet and tap. Visit tickets.anselm.edu.
Saturday, Jan. 10
Watch the opera I Puritaniat the BNH Stage (16 S. Main St., Concord, 225-1111, ccanh.com) today at 1 p.m. simulcast live in HD from the Metropolitan Opera in New York. General admission tickets are $32 through the Capitol Center’s website.
Saturday, Jan. 10
Second Saturday at the Jewel is New Hampshire’s longest-running goth industrial night. Tonight’s show includes performances by DJs Sawtooth, Sapphire, and DIC3-KO from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. at Jewel Music Venue (61 Canal St., Manchester, 819-9336, jewelmusicvenue.com). Tickets are $10.
Tuesday, Jan. 13
The topic of SEE Science Center’s Science on Tap for January is “Progress in Paleontology.” Learn how new technologies including drones, AI, 3D printing and molecular analysis are accelerating advances in the field. Science on Tap takes place at Stark Brewing Co. (500 N. Commercial St., Manchester, 625-4444, starkbrewingcompany.com). Doors open at 5 p.m.; the discussion begins at 6 p.m. This event is free, but registration is recommended at see-sciencecenter.org/science-on-tap-paleontology.
Save the Date! Tuesday, Jan. 20 Hosted by comedians Nick Sands and Alex LaChance, The Wrong Hill to Die On is a live comedy show where comedians go head-to-head defending the worst opinions imaginable. From “traffic lights are government mind control” to “cats should be allowed to vote,” each performer must argue their absurd stance with conviction while hosts and the audience roast, challenge and cheer them on, according to the event description. The Wrong Hill to Die On will take place at Shaskeen Pub (909 Elm St., Manchester, 625-0246, shaskeenirishpub.com), Tuesday, Jan. 20, at 7 p.m. Tickets are $7.18 through eventbrite.com.
As of December, Aviation Museum of New Hampshire, 27 Navigator Road in Londonderry, has joined SEE Science Center and the Millyard Museum, both at 200 Bedford St. in Manchester, in offering reduced admission to “individuals and families presenting a SNAP Electronic Benefits Transfer card during all normal operating hours,” according to a press release from the Aviation Museum. The three museums are now part of the “national ‘Museums for All’ program, which offers discounted admission to visitors who receive federal food assistance,” the release said. “Under ‘Museums for All,’ the SEE Science Center and the Millyard Museum offer a discounted admission of $3 per person to those who qualify. The Aviation Museum of N.H. offers a $5 admission under the program,” the release said. “This program is so important because it allows us to create a culture of museum-going and ensure access to cultural resources as a basic right within our community,” said Shana Hawrylchak, executive director of the SEE Science Center, in the release. See see-sciencenter.org, manchesterhistoric.org and aviationmuseumofnh.org for details on the local museums and Museums4All.org for more on the national program.
Rural health
The U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has awarded New Hampshire more than $204 million for 2026 “as part of the federal Rural Health Transformation Program, the largest award among New England states,” according to a Dec. 29 press release from the state Department of Health and Human services. “New Hampshire’s application requested $200 million annually throughout the duration of the five-year program to strengthen rural health care access, quality, and long-term sustainability,” the release said. See dhhs.nh.gov.
Radon
January is National Radon Action Month, according to a Dec. 29 press release from the American Lung Association, which is “raising awareness of the potential health risks of radon and the importance of home testing. Exposure to radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer, and the number one cause of lung cancer in people who have never smoked. Radon is responsible for an estimated 21,000 deaths annually in the U.S,” the release said. According to the association’s “State of Lung Cancer” report, more than 35 percent of homes tested for radon in New Hampshire “had results that were at or above the action level recommended by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which is 4 pCi/L,” the release said. For more information about radon, described in the release as “naturally occurring radioactive gas emitted from the soil,” and to order test kits, see lung.org/clean-air/indoor-air/indoor-air-pollutants/radon.
Queerlective, queerlective.com, will hold Cupid Lied: A Queer Anti-Valentine Market at “our new space at 72 Concord St. inside the YWCA” in Manchester on Saturday, Feb. 14, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., according to an email about the event. “This market will feature queer artists, community activities, and room to connect with chosen family,” the email said. RSVP at the website for updates and reminders; artists interested in participating can apply via go.queerlective.com/cupidvend.
Auburn Pitts, 167 Rockingham Road in Auburn, will hold their annual Christmas Tree Burning Party on Saturday, Jan. 10, according to their Facebook page. The 21+ event, featuring music from DJ Chris, starts at 6 p.m. and the burning starts at 7 p.m., the post said. Drop off your tree before Saturday, according to the page.
Joppa Hill Educational Farm, 174 Joppa Hill Road in Bedford, will hold “Out and About on a Winter’s Night and Star Gazing with 4-H” on Friday, Jan. 16, with activities for families and youth ages 6+ from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. followed by stargazing until 8 p.m., according jhef.org. The cost is $15 per family (up to four people) plus fees. The night will feature story-telling, an illuminated story path, constellation identification, naked-eye and binocular observing and more, the website said.
The eighth Common Man Roadside Market & Deli opened Dec. 31 at 56 Crystal Ave. in Derry, according to a press release. The eatery features “an open kitchen for preparing made-to-order meals, a café, fresh pastries, NH-made goods, a ‘grab and go’ display with sandwiches, salads, and drinks, a coffee bar, a ‘Beer Cave,’ seating for dining, a fireplace, and a wide array of convenience store items” and more, the release said.
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.
