Granite State Curiosities — 05/14/2026

on the cover

Whether you’re trying to decide what to do during the upcoming Memorial Day weekend or planning some summer staycation fun, this week’s cover story is for you. Michael Witthaus compiled a list of some area museums — from familiar locales like the Currier Museum of the Art in Manchester to spots with a more specific interest, such as the New Hampshire Telephone Museum in Warner. The image on the cover and above is “Conscious” a piece by Batu Siharulidze at the Andres Institute of Art, the sculpture park in Brookline. Photo courtesy the Institute.

Also on the cover Michael also takes a look at the Amoskeag Quilters Guild Show slated for this weekend in Manchester (page 13). John Fladd talks to the organizers of the Concord Kiwanis Club’s Spring Fair, also running this weekend (page 15). And, it’s the tastiest season of the year — Greek food festival season! First up is St. Philip Greek Orthodox Church in Nashua and their annual Greek Food Festival, which will be serving up gyros, pastitsio, dolmades and more on Friday and Saturday (see page 16).

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A graphic the shape of the state of New Hampshire, filled in with the New Hampshire flag made up of the crest of New Hampshire on a blue field.
New mural in Manchester Manchester is slated to get a new mural on Saturday, May 16, at “the embankment along ...
A graphic the shape of the state of New Hampshire, filled in with the New Hampshire flag made up of the crest of New Hampshire on a blue field.
Let’s buy one and dress it in a hat and tie As reported by Manchester InkLink in a May 7 ...
Top Story – Celtics Playoff Loss Got Worse: Just when you thought the embarrassment of blowing a 3-1 series lead ...
actors from movie Mamma Mia posing in a line in front of beach background
Friday, May 15 The Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests will “celebrate the Merrimack Floodplain All Persons Trail ...
rows of white and tan macarons with burned sugar on top
From semiquincentennial to superheroes, a guide to regional museums One of the great advantages of living in New Hampshire is ...
colorful quilt made of small colored blocks laid out in strips on white background
Amoskeag Quilters Guild gathers for biennial bash Every other year the Amoskeag Quilters Guild holds a two-day event to showcase ...
stack of old cardboard bingo cards
Dear Donna, I bought these old bingo cards at the end of the flea market season. I’m hoping you can ...
spinning carnival ride
Where to find your garden additions Get new flowers and greenery for the growing season at area garden clubs and ...
Family fun for whenever Fest fun • The 31st annual Children & Arts Festival in downtown Peterborough will take place ...
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• Doughnuts! The NH Doughnut Co. has opened a new store in Concord at 89 Fort Eddy Road (715-5097, nhdoughnutco.com) ...
disposable plates filled with lasagna, beans, meatball, salad, and baklava sitting on blue and white checked tablecloth
Nashua church gets the baklava rolling According to Jamie Pappas, a co-chair of this weekend’s Greek Food Festival put on ...
close up of small bowl of poutine
Tickets sell out fast for this big food event “I call it the Poutine Super Bowl,” Tim Beaulieu said, “especially ...
close up of hands pouring frothy milk into coffee cup to make white design on top
Northeast Coffee Festival spans the coffee spectrum Karen Bassett is the owner of Wayfarer Coffee Roasters in Laconia. She is ...
short rectangular glass with powder rim, filled with cocktail that turns from red to blue
This drink is all about appearances. It is over-the-top to the point where it feels like it’s missing its sparklers, ...
album covers for Slim Volume, Off The Grid and Toadies, The Charmer
Toadies, The Charmer (Spaceflight Records) I mentioned this album the other week in mindless passing, which is of course how ...
• Dolly smart: Since emerging from a hiatus in 2017, indie-rock stalwarts The Mammals are still going strong. Last year’s ...
two men standing with DJ equipment in dark room
Post-millennium All Your Friends party hits Nashua While Napster and LimeWire were treating the record business like termites attacking a ...

Your Favorite Flavor is Vanilla — 05/07/2026

on the cover

Vanilla is a flavor superstar. When it’s not the spotlight of ice cream or macarons (like the treats from Savvy Sweets and Treats above and on the cover, photo courtesy Ashley Savoy), it’s making other flavors even better, as in the way it adds layers to the Robust Vanilla Porter at Great North Aleworks. John Fladd takes a look at this flavor that is anything but ordinary.

Also on the cover Hark, a faire! This week and next enjoy the living history of New Hampshire’s Renaissance Faire. Michael Witthaus gets the details in the story on page 14. It’s plant sale season! Find some of the upcoming garden club plant sales this weekend and beyond on page 19. Find live music at area restaurants, breweries, pubs and other locales in our Music This Week, which starts on page 32. For an example of the shows you’ll find, check out Michael’s story about Traveller, a band offering a Chris Stapleton experience (page 30).

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A graphic the shape of the state of New Hampshire, filled in with the New Hampshire flag made up of the crest of New Hampshire on a blue field.
Energy week NH Energy Week continues through Friday, May 8, according to a press release from Clean Energy NH. Throughout ...
A graphic the shape of the state of New Hampshire, filled in with the New Hampshire flag made up of the crest of New Hampshire on a blue field.
Full tank, empty wallet According to a May 4 press release from online fuel price tracker GasBuddy.com, New Hampshire gasoline ...
The Big Story – Loserville Weekend: Well, the Bruins had their season ended with a 4-1 loss to Buffalo on ...
cute little lamb sleeping in grass
Friday, May 8 Catch Bluz Chile performing their New England blues tonight at 8 p.m. at Riley’s Place, 29B Mont ...
rows of white and tan macarons with burned sugar on top
A look at a complex, elegant, comforting and not at all ordinary culinary star We take vanilla for granted. According ...
woman dancing, doing a backbend, dressed in long red skirt and lace top, in front of colorful tent at renaissance faire
NH Renaissance Faire returns Long before Danny Scialdone became general manager of the New Hampshire Renaissance Faire, he was better ...
hand showing leaves of plant that's growing in the ground
Clean your tools and seize the weeds Spring arrives in New England in fits and starts: hot and sunny one ...
Painting of white tulips
Spring Craft Market offers pre-Mother’s Day shopping One of the less obvious signs of spring is when craft shows come ...
Market for sale plants and flowers. Many plants in pots
Where to find your garden additions Get new flowers and greenery for the growing season at area garden clubs and ...
stained glass hanging lamp
Dear Donna, I have a hanging lamp shown in my basement. It was with the house we bought in 1998 ...
Family fun for whenever Storytime • Wonderland Books and Toys, 245 Maple St., No. 12, in Manchester, will hold its ...
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• French wine, French dining: There will be a wine dinner, “La Belle Saison: A French Wine & Culinary Experience,” ...
woman with short hair and glasses, wearing black shirt with words "Bakers gonna bake" holding up two wrapped vanilla whoopie pies
Bonne The Baker wants to give you better options Bonne Richards has had some memorably bad gluten-free baked goods. “I ...
plate of different types of fudge cut into square pieces
Fudge following grows from grandma’s recipe Dorothy O’Rourke runs a small candy company called Granite Bay Fudge. “I had a ...
muffins in muffin tin
From the 1930 Calumet Baking Book 2 cups (240 g) all purpose flour 1½ teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon salt ...
Ted Lucas, Images of album covers for Life [Disc 1: Strange Mysterious Sounds (1965-1970)] and Holy Wars, Shadow Work / Light Work
Ted Lucas, Images of Life [Disc 1: Strange Mysterious Sounds (1965-1970)] (Third Man Records) Forgive me for being overly complicated ...
book cover for Python's Kiss
(Harper, 222 pages) The titular short story in Python’s Kiss is ostensibly about a dog named Nero whose job is ...
Cover for Black Bear: A Story of Siblinghood and Survival, by Trina Moyles
(Pegasus Books, 297 pages) When she was 5, Trina Moyles’ father brought home a black bear. A wildlife biologist in ...
screenshot from the Super Mario Galaxy Movie with Mario, Luigi, Yoshi, and Princess Peach flying through space
Get twice the princesses, twice the Bowsers, more sidekick-y characters, more video game beep-boops and big loud everything in The ...
• Civil roar: With a 2025 concept album inspired by George Washington’s Rules of Civility, Paul Gilbert continues his WROC ...
8 band members standing outside, looking up
Chris Stapleton tribute act Traveller hits Riley’s Place Traveller is not Alec Antobenedetto’s first tribute act. There’s the Allman Brothers-based ...

Meet the Locals — 04/30/2026

on the cover

With this year’s garden plans, go local! Gardening Guy Henry Homeyer offers his recommendations for native plants that will add beauty to your garden and also offer benefits to local and visiting birds, pollinators and other wildlife, such as the butterfly in Henry’s photo above and on the cover.

Also on the coveR Saturday is Free Comic Book Day! Michael Witthaus gets the details on how area comic book stores are celebrating (page 12). We have team coverage of Concord’s new season of First Friday events, which offer food, entertainment and shopping in the downtown on the first Fridays of most months through November. Michael looks at the music on page 22 and John Fladd takes a look at the food truck plan on page 16. And if this week’s cover story has you inspired to tackle your outdoors, John also gets the details on this weekend’s New Hampshire Farm, Forest & Garden Expo (page 15).

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A graphic the shape of the state of New Hampshire, filled in with the New Hampshire flag made up of the crest of New Hampshire on a blue field.
Text scam New Hampshire Attorney General John M. Formella sent out an April 22 press release “warning residents about an ...
A graphic the shape of the state of New Hampshire, filled in with the New Hampshire flag made up of the crest of New Hampshire on a blue field.
Spectacularly beautiful murals for kids From April 16 to April 26, the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Nashua hosted ...
The Big Story – Cora Gets the Axe: It takes something big to knock the NFL draft and crucial playoff ...
group of people on stage, man wearing suit in foreground
Friday, May 1 The curtain rises tonight on To Kill a Mockingbird, an adaptation of the Harper Lee novel by ...
monarch butterfly resting on pink milkweed flowers in garden
Native plants support wildlife and offer beauty in your garden In recent years there has been a real upsurge in ...
woman dressed as comic character Jubilee in pink shirt and yellow coat, man dressed as comic character Wolverine in yellow jumpsuit and mask. Both standing in front of shelves of graphic novels reading open comic books
For Free Comic Book Day, industry change means more for fans It’s counterintuitive that bankruptcy would make a company’s big ...
Family fun for whenever Fest fun • Register now for the Woolly Wonder Fest at the Joppa Hill Educational Farm, ...
old wooden balls in box, some croquet ball painted colors with white stripes
Dear Donna, I have an assortment of wooden balls — croquet balls and others that are larger with no painting ...
two brown cows
Lots to see and do at the NH Farm, Forest & Garden Expo Kelly Bryer is the manager of the ...
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• Fashionably wine-y: Wine on Main (9 N. Main St., Concord, 897-5828, wineonmainnh.com) will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the ...
courtyard between building and short diner style restaurant with astroturf in center surrounded by outdoor patio tables and chairs
Arts Alley hosts a celebration of agave The tequila-themed event, called Agave in the Alley, will take place from 6 ...
man and woman standing in restaurant holding up award shaped like spatula and giving the thumbs up gesture, smiling
The Vegan Chef Challenge returns to Manchester During the month of May a number of Manchester restaurants will compete in ...
cardboard takeout dishes with wiener in a bun topped with vegetables and a veggie salad
Concord’s First Fridays kick off another season Beginning Friday, May 1, Main Street in Concord will host a celebration on ...
tall collins glass filled with clear liquid and ice cubes, on counter beside lemon, bottle of gin, and jigger
2 ounces botanical gin – This time, I went with Collective Arts Plum and Blackthorn Gin, and I do not ...
album covers for Khun Narin Electric Phin Band, “Sut Sanaen”/“Poet Wong Pt. 1” and April + Vista, Traditional Noise
Khun Narin Electric Phin Band, “Sut Sanaen”/“Poet Wong Pt. 1” (Innovative Leisure Records) This multi-generational psychedelic ensemble from rural Thailand ...
• Laugh learning: Many comics began in education. Share It with the Class – A Teachers Comedy Show showcases four ...
woman singing into microphone under green and purple lighting
Concord First Friday 2026 unveils six months of music The rich music scene in Concord will be on display through ...

Tastiness To Go — 04/23/2026

on the cover

John Fladd serves up a helping of food trucks, looking at these niche businesses that offer everything from coffee and doughnuts to arepas. John also has a longer conversation with the operator of one of the trucks, Cup of Ambition (see page 22), a truck that serves coffee and hot mini doughnuts. Photo above and on the cover is of Riley O’Loughlin, owner of the food truck Teenie Wienies, courtesy O’Loughlin.

Also on the cover, Saturday, April 25, is Independent Bookstore Day. John also takes a look at how local bookstores are celebrating (page 18). And this week’s Kiddie Pool, which starts on page 17, is super-sized to help you find happenings during spring vacation week, which is next week for New Hampshire schools. Find spring happenings, extra museum hours and more.

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A graphic the shape of the state of New Hampshire, filled in with the New Hampshire flag made up of the crest of New Hampshire on a blue field.
Drought and wildfires Drought conditions in New Hampshire persist despite this winter’s snow and the most recent rain, according to ...
A graphic the shape of the state of New Hampshire, filled in with the New Hampshire flag made up of the crest of New Hampshire on a blue field.
Turtles on the move In an April 6 press release the Turtle Brigade (nhanimalrights.org/turtle-brigade) reminded the public that with warmer ...
The Big Story – Celtics Begin Playoffs: The playoffs were not expected to begin with this amount of enthusiasm around ...
three guitar players standing on stage in front of microphones
Thursday, April 23 Catch Soul Asylum in an acoustic concert tonight at the Tupelo Music Hall, 10 A St. in ...
man leaning out of a window holding out a loaded hot dog in a bun
A look at area food trucks There have probably been mobile kitchens since before the invention of the wheel. But ...
rehearsal of play showing group of people standing in circle, one young woman in the center while a man hunches forward dramatically
Sweet, funny The Littlefield Gazette Does Not End Today opens in Nashua One by one, local newspapers are disappearing. Wedding ...
promo image of tote bag with illustration of man rowing from house across lake to bookstore - with Indie bookstore day logo and words Exclusive Tote Bag across the top
Local shops celebrate indie bookstore day According to Michael Joachim, the general manager of Balin Books in Nashua, what sets ...
Family fun for whenever Signs of spring • The Goffstown Citizens Committee will hold its annual SpringFest on Saturday, April ...
long table with three panels of inlaid marble, with chairs around it
Hello, Donna. I read your column each week in the Hippo, and I wonder if you could help with a ...
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• Make Dubai chocolate bars: Van Otis Chocolates (341 Elm St., Manchester, 627-1611, vanotis.com) will hold a Dubai Bar Making ...
man standing in kitchen at large counter, prepping vegetables
The Ash Street Inn’s Chef’s Table Nick Provencher has been a professional chef for more than 15 years. That sounds ...
Counter with long doughnut making machine, doughnuts on conveyer belt
Cup of Ambition serves coffee too The Cup of Ambition Mobile Coffee Bar (1170 Hooksett Road, Hooksett, 843-591-6146) is named ...
rectangular baked bar with crumbly top sitting on plate, pan of more bars in background
These bars involve no fancy ingredients. You don’t have to know how to temper eggs or anything. They are straightforward ...
album covers for Hollan Holmes, Inside the Sound of Decay and Reba McEntire, “One Night In Tulsa”
Hollan Holmes, Inside the Sound of Decay (self-released) Nice surprise here. Usually when an album waddles in here claiming to ...
book cover for Strangers by Belle Burden showing two abstract birds flying past each other
(The Dial Press, 241 pages) After Belle Burden and her husband bought a house on Martha’s Vineyard, they became interested ...
book cover for In Trees by Robert Moor with dark background and illustrated tree branches weaving through the words
(Simon & Schuster, 372 pages) “A tree is not just a thing made up of bark and leaves and sap ...
• She showcase: A theatrical tribute to more than two dozen female solo icons and groups, Crowned28 ranges from Aretha ...
Long haired elder man wearing headband and black coat, standing on stage while playing guitar
Orchestral rock and Scorpions music from Uli Jon Roth On his current Pictures of Destiny tour, Uli Jon Roth balances ...

Best of 2026 — 04/16/2026

on the cover

This week’s issue is all about celebration! You voted for your favorite pizza place and theater company. We counted the votes and now present you with the reader favorites in the Best of 2026! And now we all have a new list of places to shop, hang, hike, go for art of all kinds and find eats ranging from a snack to a fine dining dinner. Looking for a bar for live music or a place to get some ice cream? Let Hippo readers tell you their favorites.

Also on the cover Michael Witthaus gets the details on Saturday’s Luna Moth Zine Fest in Manchester (page 28). Also on Saturday is the Derry Public Library’s annual Author Fest; John Fladd gives you the information about that event on page 31. John also talks to the Nashua Center’s organizers for its upcoming food-filled fundraiser, the Taste of the Towns (page 32).

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A graphic the shape of the state of New Hampshire, filled in with the New Hampshire flag made up of the crest of New Hampshire on a blue field.
Egg update The peregrine falcon nest at the Brady Sullivan Tower in Manchester now has a clutch of four eggs ...
A graphic the shape of the state of New Hampshire, filled in with the New Hampshire flag made up of the crest of New Hampshire on a blue field.
Rowing for a cause A New Hampshire woman has raised money for trauma recovery programs by solo-rowing more than 3,000 ...
The Big Story (a three-way tie): The most immediate was Rory McIlroy winning his second straight Masters despite blowing a ...
Man choosing vinyl records in store, closeup
Thursday, April 16 The Manchester Garden Club will discuss “Dahlias” with presenter Valerie O’Reily at its monthly meeting today at ...
black and white zines printed on bright different colored papers, fanned out
Luna Moth Zine Fest champions DIY spirit Three years on, Luna Moth Zine Fest is back and bigger than ever ...
people standing beside tables full of books, looking at one open book during event
Derry Author Fest takes on a practical theme Elizabeth Ives was a long-time supporter and trustee of the Derry Public ...
Family fun for whenever Wild! • Discover WILD New Hampshire Day is Saturday, April 18, from 10 a.m. to 3 ...
short flowering plant with clustered purple flowers
Take notes now for a nice garden later This was supposed to be my very last gardening column, but (spoiler ...
messy pile of assorted jewelry pieces all tangled together
Dear Donna, I have a tin full of assorted mostly damaged pieces of old jewelry. I don’t want to throw ...
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• Permanent pizza: On April 2 popular mobile pizza oven DeadProof Pizza (deadproofpizza.com) announced on social media that it has ...
two men behind a table full of liquor samples, pouring out small samples for people at an indoor event
The Made in NH Expo offers a taste of local products Christine Carignan is the co-publisher and chief operating officer ...
Good eats for a cause
Taste of the Towns raises money for the Nashua Center The Nashua Center spends the vast majority of its time ...
stemmed cocktail glass with cloudy cocktail on counter surrounded by ingredients
Let’s do a deep dive to the back of your kitchen cabinets. Behind five or six half-full boxes of pasta, ...
album covers for Anyma and Lisa, “Bad Angel” and The Alarm, Transformation
The Alarm, Transformation (Twenty First Century/Virgin Records) This may or may not be the final album from this Welsh new-wave ...
book cover for The Heart-Shaped Tin: Love, Loss, and Kitchen Objects, by Bee Wilson
(W.W. Norton, 291 pages) Not long after Bee Wilson’s marriage of 23 years dissolved, a heart-shaped cake tin clattered to ...
• Mom rock: Adopted as their own by New England music fans in her Berklee days, Liz Longley has remained ...
musician on drums and a trumpet player playing music, audience members standing in background clapping
Sunny Jain’s Love Force hits New Hampshire For his debut theatrical project, Love Force, Sunny Jain is performing his hypnotic, ...

Plenty of Laughs — 04/09/2026

on the cover

Get ready to laugh! Michael Witthaus talks with comedians and comedy show organizers about the local comedy scene including its newest locale, the Queen City Center. And he talks with some big name touring comics. Photo above and on the cover is of Jenny Zigrino, who will be performing Friday, April 17, at the Queen City Center. Courtesy photo is by Kim Newmoney.

Also on the cover John Fladd talks to the folks at 815 Cocktails & Provisions in Manchester ahead of their third annual Manchester Daiq-Off, where bartenders will compete to make the best daiquiri (page 16). Michael Witthaus talks to Hayley Jane ahead of the Hayley Jane Band’s show on Saturday (page 23). And as we do most weeks, we offer ideas for family fun in our Kiddie Pool column, this week on page 15. One of this weekend’s fun family events is the Kids Con New England, a celebration of comics, pop culture, reading and more, geared toward kids.

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A graphic the shape of the state of New Hampshire, filled in with the New Hampshire flag made up of the crest of New Hampshire on a blue field.
Bird news The pair of peregrine falcons nesting at the Brady Sullivan Tower in Manchester welcomed an egg on March ...
A graphic the shape of the state of New Hampshire, filled in with the New Hampshire flag made up of the crest of New Hampshire on a blue field.
Grants for kids The Queen City Rotary Club Foundation in Manchester is accepting application for its grants — an “Impact ...
A graphic the shape of the state of New Hampshire, filled in with the New Hampshire flag made up of the crest of New Hampshire on a blue field.
Drop that … drop it! Trupanion.com, an online pet insurance company, released a report March 24 indicating that the number ...
The Big Story – The Masters: Get ready for feeling like spring is here, as the cathedral of golf is ...
young looking androgynous white person smiling and looking to the side, sitting in talk show studio
Thursday, April 9 Comedian Mae Martin, champion of Season 15 of Taskmaster UK, performs at the Chubb Theatre (44 S ...
white woman wearing mustard yellow blazer, hands on hips, grinning and looking to the side
An update on the local comedy sceneplus interviews with Craig Ferguson and Jenny Zigrino From Adam Sandler to Sarah Silverman ...
painting of landscape of green field with body of water in the background, cloudy sky above
Landscapes and architecture among works at gallery opening Glimpse Gallery in Concord will have creations for sale from six artists ...
tall photo showing set of depression era glass plates
Dear Donna, Does anybody buy and use Depression glass anymore? When cleaning out my mom’s home I accumulated quite a ...
Family fun for whenever A con for kids! Kids Con New England, the annual comic book and pop culture convention ...
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• Diner social: The Rose and Rye Diner at Arts Alley (20 S. Main St., Concord, 406-5666, artsalleyconcordnh.com) will host ...
metal container of coffee beans sitting on counter near machinery
Kawa roasts custom coffee blends It was late at night on a Wednesday and everyone was asleep except Jeff Wilkins, ...
a stemmed, bowl shaped cocktail glass filled with a light cocktail, sitting on a bar top
Daiquiri contest continues for a third year One of Manchester’s most recent traditions is built on a foundation of rum ...
stemmed cocktail glass holding squares of frozen peanut butter with suspended peppers, sitting on top of book called Cooking with Cold
From the 1933 recipe booklet Cooking with Cold by the Kelvinator Refrigerator Co.: 1 8-ounce package cream cheese 1/3 cup ...
album covers for Lee & Dr. G, Girl For Me and Neurosis, An Undying Love For A Burning World
Lee & Dr. G, Girl For Me (self-released) Although they both cut their teeth in different parts of the country, ...
book cover for Frog and Other Essays
(Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 171 pages) Anyone with a passing knowledge of poetry knows of Samuel Taylor Coleridge, the English ...
screenshot from The Testament of Ann Lee movie showing actors dressed in period clothing dancing at Quaker meeting
I’d have given Amanda Seyfried an Oscar nomination for playing Shakers church founder Ann Lee in this sorta-musical biopic, which ...
• Helping: To benefit TBI charity A Better Way to Help, Resurrection Blues Review features blues, rock and soul from ...
woman in front of microphone swaying to the music, head thrown to the side and hair blowing
Hayley Jane Band grooves into town As the Hayley Jane Band’s third show of a tour-opening weekend began in Delaware ...

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