Category: Featured Content

Human touch

Luna Moth Zine Fest champions DIY spirit

Three years on, Luna Moth Zine Fest is back and bigger than ever. There are more vendors (“tablers” in the parlance), and workshops covering storytelling, crowdfunding, game drawing and community care. The festival also has its first group of paid sponsors, plus a new and larger location in Manchester, after two years in Salem.

It’s a big leap for an event that began when cartoonist April Landry grew frustrated with long drives to similar events, so she decided to do one in her home state. Landry named the festival after a species of moth that’s native to the region and found in the wild, seemingly in defiance of nature.

“It’s very strange that something that vibrant and almost tropical-looking lives in New England,” she said. “It’s a magical-looking thing, a little mythical, so it’s a way to say New England-based and New Hampshire-based while also giving it this ethereal vibe. It’s a little special.”

For anyone wondering, zines are small circulation booklets — comics, word art, ephemera, covering all manner of topics. They’re self published, rather than commercially, and exist “for self expression, art, storytelling, information sharing and pure creative joy … passion projects for humans, by humans,” according to a festival press release.

“The great thing about zines is that anybody can make a zine, and anybody can put whatever they want in a zine,” Landry said. “There’s no publisher telling you, ‘you can’t do that’ and no editor telling you can’t do anything. There’s literally no barrier between your idea and getting it out into the world with zines.”

Landry entered the zine world after she designed a Dungeons & Dragons world to play with friends. “Once the game night was over, I felt like the work was wasted, so I figured out a way to put it in a book … facts about different monsters, their hit points, where to find them, things like that.” She called her first-ever zine Things to Fight and Places to Fight Them.

Artists are often drawn to zines as an extension of their other forms of self-expression, or as a way to distribute their work.

“It’s very liberatory,” Landry said. “There are people who are making art all the time and don’t know what to do with it, or don’t have a way to get it out there. Finding zines and making zines is typically a way to do that.”

For others, they’re a tool. One person told Landry they fold a zine together on Sunday, then write in it like a diary for the week. “When they’re done, they don’t print it, they don’t make copies, they just put it on the shelf,” she said. “It’s just a way for them to get thoughts out of their heads … something that’s both outward and inward.”

There are more than 70 tablers showing their wares at this year’s event. Katherine Leung, based in Vermont, is doing Zine Fest for the first time. Leung’s Canto Cutie zine explores the experience of Cantonese people living in America. Like many other vendors, Leung’s table will offer other art products like prints and enamel pins.

“The unifying factor is that in some way, shape or form, they make zines,” Landry said. “One vendor’s zines are about learning how to knit, and there’s someone who makes coloring books … it’s a mix across the board, but in some shape or form these people are writing or publishing something themselves that they want other people to read and look at.”

Another new vendor is Silas Denver, who works using the name Sweater Muppets. “They are only now just getting into zine making, and all the stuff they’ve been putting out is cutting-edge and incredible stuff,” Landry said. “It feels really vital, and I’m so excited to have them.”

Landry said Zine Fest’s “four amazing sponsors” are Goosepoop, a Portland, Maine, game studio whose work includes the RPG Laundry Punks; Wrong Brain, a Seacoast collective celebrating “unconventional, under-represented & emerging arts”; the Boston Comics Foundation and Xomik Bük, a comic book collective.

Come with an open mind and eagerness to engage at the all-ages event, Landry urged. “What makes Luna … so popular with people is the culture there and the vibes. It’s one of these places where you can go and talk to interesting people who have like-minded interests, and they’re approachable.”

Luna Moth Zine Fest
When: Saturday, April 18, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: YWCA, 72 Concord St., Manchester
More: lunamothzinefest.bsky.social

Featured photo: Courtesy photo.

News & Notes 26/04/16

Egg update

The peregrine falcon nest at the Brady Sullivan Tower in Manchester now has a clutch of four eggs as of April 14, which you can see via nhaudubon.org/education/birds-and-birding/peregrine-cam. According to the daily log on the YouTube page for Feed 1 (there are three feeds, each offering a different angle on the nest), a second egg was laid on April 8 (about 14 days after the first egg on March 25), a third egg was laid on April 11 and the fourth on April 14. According to the log, a message from biologist Chris Martin posted on April 11 said, “Third egg — that’s great! A good chance to see 1-2 more eggs between 13-17th April. Not much chance first egg will survive.” According to the log, “Peregrines have a body temp of 103-106F; Eggs need steady incubation temps of 99-100.5F to develop properly and hatch; Both males and females develop brood patches to transfer their heat to the eggs.” The cam offers livestreaming video of the nest via NH Audubon and the support of Peregrine Networks and Brady Sullivan Properties, according to the website. Last year the nest produced five eggs, of which three hatched.

Trades

Bring Back the Trades will hold a Skills Expo Saturday, April 18, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Londonderry High School (295 Mammoth Road in Londonderry) featuring local trades organizations, according to bringbackthetrades.org, which describes the trades as “career paths requiring hands-on work and specialty knowledge.” Trade careers described on the website include plumbing, HVAC, electrical work, construction, culinary careers, EMT and other medical careers, hairstylist, child care, manufacturing, welding, transportation careers and more. The event is free to attend and will also feature information on scholarships and internships, the website said.

Spring cleaning

It’s outdoor cleanup season.

Beautify Hooksett Day will be held Saturday, April 18, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Find details and sign up via the Hooksett Chamber of Commerce’s Facebook page.

SEE Science Center in Manchester is part of Park2Park, which will hold a cleanup on Monday, April 20, from 3 to 5 p.m. at parks in Manchester, according to see-sciencecenter.org, where you can find information on signing up to volunteer.

New Hampshire State Parks will hold a Bear Brook State Park cleanup day on Sunday, April 26, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., according to the State Parks Facebook page. Volunteers are asked to meet at Hayes Field off Podunk Road in Allenstown — “Grab a drink, snack and some free swag then head out on the trails to help us clean up from winter storms. Bring gloves and hand saws. We will have some tools and gloves available for those who need some,” the post said.

Squam Lakes Association and the Lakes Region Conservation Corps will hold “Volunteer: Spring Work Day” on Saturday, May 2, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Holderness. “Help clear trails, rake campsites, and install swim lines to prepare for summer. Afterward, celebrate with a BBQ back on campus,” according to squamlakes.org, where you can register to volunteer.

The Hall Street Wastewater Facility, 125 Hall St. in Concord, will hold daily public tours from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. through Friday, April 17, to celebrate New Hampshire Clean Water Week, which runs April 12-18, according to the Concord General Services General Gazette newsletter. “See the science in action and find out how we protect the river from pollution and why wastewater treatment is essential for a healthy environment,” the newsletter said.

The Mosaic Art Collective, 66 Hanover St. in Manchester, will hold a movie in the gallery on Thursday, April 23, according to a post on its Facebook page. Doors open at 5:45 p.m., and an art movie starts at 6 p.m., the post said. Previous attendees vote on the next movie, the post said.

The 7th Evolution Expo, an event that “brings together a powerful collective of holistic practitioners, wellness businesses and conscious community members from across the region,” will take place Sunday, April 19, from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Grappone Conference Center in Concord featuring 50+ vendors and exhibitors as well as workshops, presentations and live demonstrations, according to a press release. Admission costs $10 at the door or get free admission with advance registration at holisticnh.org/evolution-expo, where you can also see a list of vendors.

The Woman’s Service Club of Windham will hold its Spring Craft Fair on Saturday, April 18, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Golden Brook School, 112B Lowell Road in Windham, according to womansserviceclubofwindham.org.

Hometown jam

Hayley Jane Band grooves into town

As the Hayley Jane Band’s third show of a tour-opening weekend began in Delaware in late March, the group played their leader to the microphone, and she began “Daydream,” a perfect choice. The singer danced dervish-like while belting out lyrics with celebratory verve, lost in a moment of ecstasy.

This happens every performance, dating back to when she fronted Hayley Jane & the Primates, a band born in her days at Berklee College of Music. She hypnotically sways, twists, throws her long hair to the sky, then grooves to the microphone, channeling rock and soul standard bearers like Janis Joplin and Lydia Pense.

“In these moments, I’m awash in pure unadulterated joy,” she wrote in February 2025. “Letting the music flow through me. Nothing can touch me when I’m in that enveloping womb of frequency. I couldn’t care less what it looks like to anyone. It’s the best feeling in the world.”

Hayley Jane and her current lineup of guitarist Jackson Bower, keyboard player Parker McQueeney and the combo of Sam Lyons and Tom Gladstone on drums and bass return to Shaskeen Pub on April 11 for a show with Espejismo Band opening. It’s a hometown gig for Hayley Jane, who moved to nearby Litchfield a couple of years ago.

Their most recent album is 2021’s Late Bloom, and the single “One More Day” arrived in late 2024, but there’s new music on the way. “The first song we put together is called ‘Origami Ghost,’” Hayley Jane said. I got to paint this beautiful picture over this awesome funk song … there’s a lot of funk.”

She described another new one called “Hope” as big and anthemic. “It’s got a late 2000s emo, Dashboard Confessional vibe,” she said. “I don’t know how to explain it because I’ve never been good at describing genre. I should take a music history class or something.”

Or probably not. The charm with her music, both in the Primates and in her new band, is it’s a moving target.

“I love rock ’n’ roll, I love exploratory jams, I love letting the boys cut loose,” she said. “I love storytelling, old blues, Taj Mahal and I love drama. So I don’t know how to talk about genre, because that’s not where I’m coming from.”

When Hayley Jane and the Primates reunited for the 2022 Northlands Festival, it was a one-off show.

“We’ve all got lives and babies, everybody’s in their 40s now,” she said. “They were kind of like, ‘Hey, we’re not really looking to tour,’ and I said, ‘That’s fine.’ So I found some guys that were really looking to get out there.”

The Hayley Jane Band will return to this year’s Northlands Festival at the Cheshire Fairgrounds in Swanzey June 19 to June 21. They’re also at another familiar gathering, Strange Creek Campout in rural Greenfield, Mass., May 22 to May 25. Fans will hear some older material originally meant for her old band, due to appear on an upcoming record by her new one.

“Justin Hancock of the Primates was my co-writer for years; I didn’t want these songs to disappear, so it makes me really happy that they’re going to be going on this album,” she said. “I’ve been touring with this band now for two years, and so we’re finally getting into that comfort zone.”

At one point while she was swaying, shouting and singing her way through “Daydream” that Sunday in Delaware, Hayley Jane quoted a line from the Monkees hit “Daydream Believer.” It was a fitting nod to a time in music for which she has a clear affinity. When compared to a dancer at a tie-dyed Grateful Dead concert, she took the compliment with glee.

“I carry that spirit and the energy of the ’60s and ’70s,” she said. “It’s in me, just embedded. My parents listened to the music, like my dad was really into CCR and Janis [and] that whole time always called to me. I always feel like maybe in a past life I was there.”

Hayley Jane Band
When: Saturday, April 11, at 9 p.m.
Where: Shaskeen Pub, 909 Elm St., Manchester
Tickets: $15 at ticketleap.com

Featured photo: Courtesy photo.

The Testament of Ann Lee (R)

I’d have given Amanda Seyfried an Oscar nomination for playing Shakers church founder Ann Lee in this sorta-musical biopic, which is now streaming on Hulu.

Seyfried presents a compelling performance as Lee, a woman who believes she is having visions guiding her religious convictions and pushing her beyond the mainstream Church of England of 18th-century Manchester, England. The musical aspect of the movie — singing and dancing often presented as a heightened form of worship — fits in nicely with the slightly-out-of-the-world nature of Ann Lee. She grows up in Manchester, working in a cotton mill and later as a cook in an asylum, but is also constantly active in her pursuit of a religious home. When she finds Jane and James Wardley, leaders of a Shaking Quakers church in the town, she seems to enjoy the ecstatic movements of their style of prayer, as well as the relatively egalitarian approach to gender. When visions lead her to become a preacher in her own right as Mother Ann Lee, she and the Wadleys decide she should set sail for America with a party that includes her brother William (Lewis Pullman), her longtime friend Mary (Thomasin McKenzie, who is also the movie’s narrator) and her somewhat reluctant husband Abraham (Christopher Abbott). Abraham is not thrilled that one of Ann’s revelations is that celibacy, even in marriage, is the only way to get closer to God — a fact that the movie puts in context of Ann’s four pregnancies that resulted in children who died before they were one year old. In the U.S., Ann and her followers slowly build a church community — one full of some truly lovely furniture — but also deal with the persecution of being a relatively fringe religion with a woman in charge.

In addition to the good work by Seyfried, the movie is lovely to look at — lit and framed like a live tableau of 18th-century paintings. The look of the movie conveys the emotion and helps put you in this world where religion plays this very un-21st-century role not only in society but also in the internal lives of the characters. B+ On Hulu and available for purchase.

Featured photo: The Testament of Ann Lee

Bespoke beans

Kawa roasts custom coffee blends

It was late at night on a Wednesday and everyone was asleep except Jeff Wilkins, who, ironically, was roasting coffee.

Wilkins is the owner and roaster of Kawa (pronounced “Kah-Vah”) Roasters, a small-batch coffee roasting company in Manchester. He was roasting batches of three pounds of coffee each.

“I ordered this machine brand new,” he said, laying his hand on a large, stainless steel appliance with a window showing roasting coffee beans being tossed and circulated. “This does a maximum of three pounds at a roast at a time,” he said. “I can buy a machine in this same design that will do up to 18 pounds, and that’s what I’m hoping to grow into, but at the moment this is where I’m at. I do multiple roasts a night, and then I blend them all together because it’s all manual. I don’t have any automation on this, so it’s all by sight, smell, time and temperature. Sometimes I’ll get there and that’s the whole point that I mix it. If one roast is a little too dark, I blend it with one that’s lighter.”

Wilkins said coffee roasting started out as a hobby for him.

“About three and a half, almost four years ago,” he said, “I decided that it was time to quit drinking alcohol and needed something to stay busy at night. My wife and I love coffee. So I said, hey, let’s learn how to make it. So I bought a roaster. It’s a little tabletop, you know, $500 job. I set it up in my garage and started playing around with it. I started watching videos, I read articles, and I did whatever I needed to do to try and figure out how to do this process. I made a lot of bad roasts and I burnt a lot of things. I found some things that worked, and eventually I kind of settled in on a, I’ll call it a recipe, that worked for the tastes that we like to come out of the beans.”

This led to gifts of home-roasted coffee to family and friends, who eventually convinced Wilkins to start roasting coffee professionally. Although he sells his coffee at a number of farmers markets and other events, most of his focus is on custom-roasting coffee beans for individuals and small businesses.

“I can do customized roasts for those that want to do their own unique blends,” he said. “I can do [bespoke] roasting where if you’re a cafe or a baker that’s doing, you know, 20, 30, 40 pounds a week and you want to private-label it, I’ll roast them and put them in your bags. Or I can do wholesale. So I can pretty much do whatever somebody wants.”

Wilkins said a lot of the variety in the flavor of coffee comes from how dark it has been roasted, but also from where it has been grown.

“There are so many different varieties of coffee,” he said, “ just like there’s so many different varieties of wine. But you can grow a chardonnay grape in California, and it’s going to taste completely different than a chardonnay grape coming from Europe. It’s because of the terroir, the conditions specific to where it was grown — it’s the nutrients, it’s the water, it’s the temperature, all plays a part in it. The same thing is true about coffee.”

This means coffee grown in different parts of the world, Wilkins said, often needs to be roasted differently.

“On my website I sell coffee beans from Costa Rica, Brazil, El Salvador, Vietnam, Thailand, and Sumatra. The Vietnamese coffee is unbelievable. I [roast] that one to a medium dark roast. It brings out a nice, almost like a Baker’s chocolate flavor to it at the end of the sip. I have tried the Sumatra as a light roast and it’s like drinking tree bark, it’s just terrible, but you take it to the darker levels and you get some really nice flavors coming out of it. Same thing with the Costa Rica. That bean lends itself to a lighter roast to pick up those nuances.”

Kawa Roasters
Fresh roasted and custom whole-bean Kawa coffee is available at kawaroasters.com, as is grinding and brewing equipment. Visit kawaroasters.com/our-retailers.

Featured photo: Coffee beans at Kawa. Photo by John Fladd.

House and gardens

Landscapes and architecture among works at gallery opening

Glimpse Gallery in Concord will have creations for sale from six artists at its upcoming month-long show, done in a range of media from acrylic and oil to volcanic pumice and flakes of titanium. And it will serve as a museum of sorts for a local architect to show the process and product of his profession.

Many artistic moods are shown on the collected canvases. Andrew Freshour’s ink and watercolor works are fanciful and fun, from the playful gourmand at the center of “A Menagerie of Petite Treats” to the movement and flow of “Celestial Pilgrimage,” an array of storybook characters ascending to the clouds.

A few more are classical, one resembles a playing card, and the rotund caricatures in “Tea’d Off” and “La Reine du Gateau” are also delightful.

“You truly never know what you’re going to get when you come into Glimpse,” gallery owner Meme Exum said with a laugh. “These are clearly conversation starters, or stoppers … all perfectly framed and matted.”

Schenectady, New York-based artist Jeni Follman’s evocative landscape oil paintings are a focal point of the show, Exum continued.

“She’s one of those artists that just has such a style that is intrinsic to her,” Exum said. “She’ll have a large piece in the foyer, and in the second room in the gallery, hung salon style.”

The gallery’s curator Christina Landry-Boullion will display some of her monochromatic charcoal works, a departure from mixed media works shown at past Glimpse shows like “Lavender Peony,” “Blueberries” and “Mac Apple.” “Not what you see on her portfolio,” Exum said, “but these three large charcoal white, varying grays and black pieces.”

Painter Abigail Wade grew up in rural New Hampshire, but her impressionistic landscapes move beyond country life. “Morning on the Mississippi” captures a spare copse of trees surrounded by a curve in the river, “Lying Awake” has a brilliant urban skyline, while a “No Entry” sign at the center of “Green Fields” offers an ironic counterpoint to an idyllic snapshot.

Lizzy Berube fully embraces nature and the outdoors in her oil and acrylic paintings. “A Piece of Sky” has the perspective of someone lying in tall grass, staring up at clouds over water that look like a majestic mountain. “Time to” Go evokes a hiker’s staircase, while “Deja Blues” is a lovely meditation on rocky coastal waters.

The shows happen six times a year and run for a month, while alternating months are spent preparing for the next. One of the most compelling artists in the April show is Adam Sloat, who grew up in a house filled with art and music transfixed by Monet, Jackson Pollock and comic books.

Sloat hints at Joseph Cornell’s assemblage and Van Gogh’s texture, as he employs a variety of exotic media in his pieces, with frame materials also vital along with the painted surface. “Space Babies: Iteration One” is a vibrant example that aligns with Sloat’s artist statement goal for his art to be “a gateway for the viewer to create their own stories for what they see.”

Finally there’s architect William Exum, Meme’s husband, who will show the process behind a house built on the shore of Lake Toxaway, North Carolina, last year. “It’s engaging with design,” Meme said, adding the display has four sketches of the design surrounding a high resolution of the finished product.

“It shows people how architects plan out every detail when they get a well-designed house, not when they get a cookie-cutter big mansion,” she said. “From an artistic standpoint, I love the collaboration of details throughout the design.”

April 9 – May 9 show opening
When: Saturday, April 11, 5-7 p.m.
Where: Glimpse Gallery, 4 Park St. (Patriot Building), Concord
RSVP: contact@theglimpsegallery.com

Featured photo: First Light Niskayuna, NY by Jeni Folmann.

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