Summer of Adventure – 02/22/29

Summer is here! OK, not the actual season but if you have kids the planning for summer is happening, with many camps about to register or already registering kids for offerings June through August. Know of a camp not listed in our guide? Let us know at [email protected].

Also on the cover Last! Chance! To! Vote! When February is over, voting is over in the Best of 2024 readers’ poll. Vote now at hippopress.com.

It’s a big weekend for theater: The Prom opens at the Palace Theatre (see the item on page 7). Cue Zero Theatre Co. takes on the Lizzie Borden story in Blood Relations (see Michael Witthaus’ story on page 28). And the Milford Area Players present The Last Days of Judas Iscariot (see the item on page 29).

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.
Mistaken identity Dartmouth Health said in a statement on Feb. 24 that a local doctor has received threats of violence ...
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The Big Story – Patriots Rebuild Strategy: Withthe NFL’s new calendar year two weeks away from beginning (March 13), the ...
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Not the Disney direct! According to a Feb. 22 report from WMUR, Spirit Airlines is suspending service at Manchester-Boston Regional ...
People standing in a line behind a long orange ribbon that's about to be cut. This signals the opening of a business.
Friday, March 1 The Prom begins its four-week run at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St. in Manchester; palacetheatre.org, 668-5588) ...
Kids laying in the grass looking happy
Your guide to summer day camps The calendar says winter but when it comes to signing kids up for day ...
Black and white picture of woman holding an ax while one half is in a modern setting and the other is in a vintage setting.
Cue Zero production explores Lizzie Borden case One century before O.J. Simpson’s televised court proceeding captivated a nation, a murder ...
The latest from NH’s theater, arts and literary communities • Also coming to the Currier: In addition to the new ...
A line of little porcelain figurines
Dear Donna, What do you do with old paperback books? Is there value or are they to be put in ...
Family fun for whenever Lacrosse season • Catch some Saint Anselm Hawks lacrosse at Grappone Stadium (Saint Anselm College in ...
Man surrounded by large beavers in a black and white film setting
Red River Theatres’ Simchik Cinema is open again After several months of repairs and refurbishment, the Simchik Cinema at Red ...
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Use your barstool-sitting superpowers for good on Saturday, March 9, at the Tap House Grill in Hooksett during On Tap ...
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News from the local food scene • Chef’s table dinners: Tickets are available for March Chef’s Table Dinners at Flag ...
American cheese burger on a plate with fries
The Bedford Village Inn livens up March with two events: Fondi Restaurant Week and Burgerama. According to the Bedford Village ...
Brass Plated Shuffle Cocktail in a glass
We’ve all been there. You might be sitting and having coffee or cocktails with a friend. You start talking about ...
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Fire Sale, Albatross () Some call it “melodic punk;” I call it neo-emo (or usually just “emo” for short, most ...
A girl in a red coat walking down a wintery path
The Frozen River, by Ariel Lawhon (Doubleday, 432 pages) Ariel Lawhon was in an obstetrician’s waiting room when she came ...
Two girls looking down at what looks like the trunk of a car
A pair of friends, one recently dumped by her girlfriend and one getting burned out at work, decide to take ...
Local music news & events • Broadway bash: Four actors who’ve all starred in Phantom of the Opera gather for ...
Two men singing and playing guitars
Slim Volume on the rise Blending elements of alt country and harmony-rich classic rock, Slim Volume is a breath of ...

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Fresh from the snowy farm – 02/22/24

Farmers markets aren’t just for summer. A few area towns take their markets indoors for the winter, offering an opportunity to keep in touch with farmers, cheesemakers, bakers and other local food purveyors even in the snowy season.

Also on the cover Vote! Vote today, right now even, in Hippo’s Best of 2024! Find the survey, which asks about all flavors of local amusement, on hippopress.com.

Also, it’s the season of Thin Mints and Samoas. Find out where to get those boxes of Girl Scout cookies and what flavors are available on page 24.

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Two food recalls The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health Services, is advising consumers ...
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Nashua holds its annual Tiny Film Festival The Nashua Public Library’s 2nd Annual Tiny Film Festival is now accepting 60-second ...
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The Big Story: Even with the Celtics and Bruins taking center stage with football done, the big story is the ...
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Helping wheels As mentioned at the bottom of this page, we welcome your QOLs. Michael McDonough of Catholic Charities of ...
6 band members dressed in colorful coats and shirts, 80s fashion, standing in line in front of concrete wall
Thursday, Feb. 22 The Robert Cray Band comes to the Nashua Center for the Arts (201 Main St.; nashuacenterforthearts.com, 800-657-8774) ...
red and black checkered tablecloth on table set up with crates filled with bread, baked goods and jam at market
Winter farmers markets offer a taste of sunnier seasons Farmers markets aren’t just for the warmer months; some continue to ...
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NH Philharmonic performs Mahler’s Resurrection Symphony Among the most well-regarded of Gustav Mahler’s nine symphonies is his second. Commonly called ...
The latest from NH’s theater, arts and literary communities • “Voice of the city”: Positive Street Art (48 Bridge St., ...
stack of worn paperback books with names and authors printed on the side, books western themed
Dear Donna, What do you do with old paperback books? Is there value or are they to be put in ...
Family fun for whenever Vacation at the museum School vacation runs Monday, Feb. 26, through Friday, March 1, for many ...
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Executive Director of Symphony New Hampshire Deanna R. Hoying leads Symphony New Hampshire, the state’s oldest professional orchestra, known for ...
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News from the local food scene • Bourbon dinner: The Homestead’s Bristol location (1567 Summer St.; 744-2022, homesteadnh.com) will hold ...
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Girls learn sales and leadership skills while selling Samoas and Thin Mints Girl Scout cookie season is underway, combining tasty ...
small bowl of granola with milk, spoon sticking out, bowl sitting on plate beside sheet pan containing a flat layer of baked granola
2½ cups (222 grams) old-fashioned rolled oats ¼ to ½ cup chopped nuts ¼ cup sesame/poppy seeds 3 Tablespoons brown ...
album covers
The Writeful Heirs, The Writeful Heirs (self-released) Big fan of the New Boston, N.H., area, which is where this boy/girl ...
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Fear Factories, by Matthew Scully (First Arezzo Books, 273 pages) Justice for Animals, by Martha C. Nussbaum (Simon and Schuster, ...
screenshot from Madame Webb
A paramedic briefly dies, which somehow kickstarts her ability to see into the future, in Madame Web, one of those ...
Local music news & events • Record party: The fourth Thursday of the month is Bring Your Own Vinyl Night ...
woman wearing black pants and leopard print shirt with red high heels, standing with one hand on hip on stage
MILF Life Crisis explores life after divorce Life keeps handing Anne Marie Scheffler one-woman shows. In her early 30s she ...

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63 for FREE – 02/15/24

This week we bring you 63 for free — that is, 63 things to do or go see or watch that are totally, mostly, somewhat free or at least free-ish.

Also on the cover You know what else is free? Voting in Hippo’s Best of 2024! Vote! Vote now! Vote at Hippopress.com. Tell your friends to vote! Tell your friends to tell their other friends to vote! It’s free, it’s fun, it will make you hungry for ice cream (maybe, I mean, it asks about ice cream and for some of us, just the words “ice cream” have us craving some Green Monster or Death by Chocolate). In summation, vote! See page 21 for details.

And watch the kids put a new spin on the familiar Marvel characters of Loki and Thor in the play Hammered this weekend from the Peacock Players (see page 14).

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Civil Rights focus U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young has announced the appointment of Matthew Vicinanzo as the first dedicated Assistant ...
Older man sitting down smiling at camera
A talk with the Chamber’s Citizen of the Year Howard Brodsky, co-founder of CCA Global Partners, has been named Citizen ...
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The Big Story – Super Bowl 58: With a first three quarters that were nothing to write home about SB ...
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Smarties, part 1 New Hampshire has been ranked as the 8th most educated state in America for 2024, according to ...
Man smiling and looking very energetic at the camera.
Thursday, Feb. 15 Catch the 14th Annual New England Winter Blues Festival tonight starting at 7:30 p.m. at the Rex ...
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Completely, totally, mostly free and free-ish fun things to do, see and enjoy Library, more like “free-brary” Libraries are the ...
two actors dressed as Thor and Loki in the play Hammered
Thor & Loki tale turns theatrical The Marvel Comic Universe meets High School Musical, sans big song and dance numbers, ...
The latest from NH’s theater, arts and literary communities • An Agatha Christie mystery: The Community Players of Concord will ...
Family fun for whenever See a show • The Londonderry High School Drama Club will present Mamma Mia! Thursday, Feb ...
2 heart shaped cardboard boxes covered in textured gray paper, one box open
Dear Donna, No time better than now to ask about these. They are paper heart boxes marked ‘Japan’ on the ...
woman standing behind table in sewing workroom, wearing black jacket with Smittens Mittens logo on left chest, smiling
Owner of Smittens LeeAnn Fay-Ellis is the owner of Smittens, a family-run business in Gilford that specializes in crafting mittens ...
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News from the local food scene • Unwined open: The wine bar Unwined (1 Nashua St. in Milford; unwinednh.com) was ...
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Learn from Mola Foods founder at Nashua North this spring By Eleanor [email protected] LaFortune Djabea, founder of local African food ...
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About a week ago I found a truly excellent photo online of Walter the Muppet and the Great Gonzo posing ...
album covers
Becky Hill, Believe Me Now? (Astralwerks Records) As you know, I complain about a lot of things, but to be ...
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Whether it’s because the holidays were unbearable or Valentine’s Day is even worse, we’re in the time of year that ...
screenshot from movie Lisa Frankenstein with female and male leads sitting on bed in pink bedroom, facing each other for conversation
A 1980s teen, like, totally grieving for her deceased mother while everybody, even her father, has moved on, finds a ...
Local music news & events • Dad tribute: The first song A.J. Croce recorded from his father’s catalog after doing ...
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Kathy Griffin’s ‘My Life on the PTSD List’ hits Portsmouth Every comic has their story about a joke that didn’t ...

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Cook for your Valentine— 02/08/24

10Maybe you want to woo your sweetheart with a big romantic gesture. Maybe you want to cover for the fact that you forgot about Valentine’s Day (Wednesday, Feb. 14). Whatever your reasons for wanting to construct a delicious meal for two, John Fladd walks you through it. And, if that sounds too much, go straight to his recipe for a decadent, chocolatey but surprisingly easy dessert. Or how about a romantic cocktail?

Also on the cover Vote now in Hippo’s Best of 2024 readers poll! Go to hippopress.com to vote for best ice cream, best margaritas and best doughnuts! See page 31 for details.

And in the food section: On Friday, Feb. 9, the Amherst Lions Club holds its annual chili competition and ice cream social (page 27). And next Tuesday, Feb. 13, is Mardi Gras, the annual celebration that calls for a King Cake (page 28).

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Poetry competition Due to its growing popularity, the New Hampshire Poetry Out Loud competition will hold four semi-finals this month, ...
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A talk with the new director of the NH State Council on the Arts Adele Bauman, who recently transitioned from ...
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The Big Story – The Tom Brady Super Bowl: Even though the great man is retired, Sunday’s Big Game between ...
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Child care aid The New Hampshire Department of Health of Human Services (DHHS) has launched “Child Care Accelerate,” an 8-week ...
Man smiling and looking very energetic at the camera.
Thursday, Feb. 8 Dancing Queens, the Ultimate ABBA Disco Tribute, begins its final weekend run tonight, with a show at ...
Man cooking, dusting flour off his hands.
How to impress with fancy eats, cozy eats and a decadent dessert Generally speaking, as a grownup on Valentine’s Day, ...
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Mosaic Art Collective takes on Valentine’s Day In its latest month-long themed exhibition, Mosaic Art Collective in Manchester turns to ...
The latest from NH’s theater, arts and literary communities • Own an original Tomie dePaola: The Currier Museum of Art ...
Big leafy green pan with shovel at the base of it.
It’s like an artichoke, but with more food per plant Most years I start some onion seeds and perhaps a ...
Family fun for whenever Family shows • Local family entertainer Mr. Aaron throws a Valentine’s Day Party Saturday, Feb. 10, ...
Large multicolored and patterned quilt
Hello, Donna. This quilt was given to my husband and me when we were married. It was a family piece ...
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Beekeeper Alexiev Gavriluk is a beekeeper and owner of Mad Russian Apothecary in Derry. Explain your job and what it ...
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News from the local food scene Valentine’s Day is Wednesday, Feb. 14, and if you haven’t made those dinner reservations ...
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NOFA winter conference fosters community The Northeast Organic Farming Association of New Hampshire (NOFA-NH) will host its 22nd annual Winter ...
Teenage girl and her grandmother both dressed in a red apron and chefs hat serving chili
Try Amherst’s best at the Lions Club cookoff Warm up on a chilly Friday night at Fire & Ice, the ...
Big circular cake with yellow, purple, and green sprinkles for Mardi Gras
Special dessert sweetens pre-Lent festivities They don’t call it Fat Tuesday for nothing. Celebrated around the globe with exuberant parades, ...
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Ekkstacy, Ekkstacy (United Masters Records) This Vancouver, British Columbia-based singer is a mildly odd bird, extracting inspiration from a wide ...
Book cover depicting front of a blue house with a red front door with the words "First Lie Wins" covering the whole thing.
How far will you read into a book if you don’t like the protagonist? With her first novel directed toward ...
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A successful writer of spy novels finds herself hunted by real-life spies in Argylle, an action romantic comedy thing that ...
Orion and the Dark (TV-Y7) Voices of Paul Walter Hauser, Jacob Tremblay. Based on the book of the same name ...
Local music news & events Cowgirl jazz: Come for a light supper as the weekend approaches and enjoy Hot Skillet ...
Band of men all wearing black jackets
Guitar-forward Winter Blues Fest To celebrate an area band’s new recording contract, the 14th New England Winter Blues Festival has ...

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Roller Revival — 02/01/24

Remember the roller rink? In this week’s cover story we talk to the folks at Remix Roller Skating and Event Center in Manchester about their new approach to this beloved classic activity. And we get tips from an expert on how to pick skates of your own.

Also on the cover Voting begins Thursday, Feb. 1, in our readers poll, Hippo’s Best of 2024. Best pizza! Best ice cream! Best burgers! Other things that don’t have to do with food! Fun questions! Go to hippopress.com to vote now! See page 23 for details.

In this week’s food section we look at a few wine events: LaBelle Winery has some wine and chocolate classes in February (page 20) and Wine on Main in Concord has classes for those who might want to make vino their vocation (page 21).

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New drug to reverse opioid overdoses The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has announced the availability ...
Photo of assorted sports equipment for football, soccer, tennis, golf, baseball, and basketball
The Big Story – Super Bowl-Bound: After a Sunday filled with great performances and bizarre plays we’ve got our Super ...
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Democracy and stickers! Voters in last week’s presidential primaries were able to score some pretty great “I voted” stickers. Three ...
Bill Murray as a news reporter in the movie Groundhog Day
Thursday, Feb. 1 Do you remember Ned Ryerson? Test your knowledge of 1993’s Groundhog Day tonight at 7:30 p.m. at ...
Colorful indoor skating rink with the work "remix" painted on the wall in bright colors.
A look at a new roller risk and advice on picking your perfect skates A New spin Remix Roller Rink ...
The latest from NH’s theater, arts and literary communities • Youth ensemble: Manchester Community Music School (2291 Elm St. in ...
Family fun for whenever Fun for the whole family • Recycled Percussion will bring their big loud high-energy show to ...
Picture of blonde woman looking up at the camera smiling
Event Planner Melissa DeRusha is an event planner and owner of Star Events, based in Hudson. Explain your job and ...
Older dusty card mentioning the McDonald's restaurant
Hello, Donna. Found this at a thrift store in Manchester. I actually thought how fun would it be to use ...
Table with four wine glasses filled with various wines paired with chocolates in front of each glass
Classes create pairings for dinner and dessert Other than red roses, nothing says “valentine” more than chocolate and wine, and ...
Shot of the inside of an office lined with wine bottles
Learn about wine for fun or profit Wine on Main is not only a cozy storefront where shoppers can acquire ...
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News from the local food scene • Cookies and candy: Chunky’s Cinema Pubs (707 Huse Road, Manchester; 151 Coliseum Ave., ...
Big bowl of hot corn chowder with bread on the side
Corn Chowder It’s been a week. You don’t even have the brain cells to describe what kind of week it’s ...
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Diane Coll, Old Ghosts (self-released) This Chicago-based singer-songwriter puts a decent-enough foot forward with this album, but the cascading verisimilitude ...
Book Cover depicting a knickknack shelf with multiple random items in each compartment.
The first short story in Jill McCorkle’s new collection, Old Crimes, is set in New Hampshire, but it’s not a ...
A man looking into the distance who is half man, half machine
A look at some of the films on the nomination list First and foremost, Oscar nominations are a list of ...
Family carrying boxes while moving into a house.
A writer creates a drunken joke that wins wide acclaim in American Fiction. Fun note: that’s also kind of the ...
Local music news & events Get together: For anyone itching to play an original song for a sympathetic crowd, Acoustic ...
Collab photo of multiple folk artist from New Hampshire
Rex triple bill spotlights New Hampshire talent A showcase of singer-songwriters coming up at Manchester’s Rex Theatre will depart from ...

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Warm up with cool tunes — 01/25/24

Surprise, winter is a hot season for music! Michael Witthaus, Hippo’s music writer and local music expert, takes a look at the many music series filling schedules this season.

Also on the cover We are, issue-date-wise, a mere week away from the beginning of voting in the Best of 2024. Head to hippopress.com at 12:01 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 1, to support your favorite places to eat, beautify, hang out and more. See page 5 for details.

And head to page 14 for another annual tradition, Hippo’s Wedding Section. Are you headed down the aisle (or headed toward heading down the aisle)? Here are some things to think about.

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Pandemic Response House Speaker Sherman Packard (R-Londonderry) has announced the formation of the Special Committee on Covid Response Efficacy, a ...
Photo of assorted sports equipment for football, soccer, tennis, golf, baseball, and basketball
The Big Story – NFL Championship Weekend: The Sunday when the NFC and AFC championships are played is the best ...
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We’re #1! In a comprehensive report by Retirement Living, New Hampshire has been ranked the best state for retirement in ...
Young man smiling dressed in a blue suit.
‘The key is to get involved,’ says Central High student Can you describe your roles and activities at Central High ...
close-up with the puck during the game
Big Events January 25 and Beyond Thursday, Jan. 25 Drum Tao, a show with costumes and staging highlighting Japanese Taiko ...
Woman in black romper and silver cowboy boots leaning back and striking a cool pose.
A look at the Winter Music Series heating up the local scene With sunny gazebo concerts hovering between distant memory ...
Newlyweds kissing under a flowing veil.
Hiring a Professional There's a lot more to nuptials than saying "I do." In fact, there are so many moving ...
Three women cover band of ABBA dressed in disco fashion.
Dancing Queens salutes ABBA-and more There are a few things to know before heading out to see the Palace Theatre’s ...
The latest from NH’s theater, arts and literary communities • Classical by candlelight: Candlelight Concerts, thea presentation of classical and ...
Man making an ice sculpture using a chainsaw
Puppies prepared, pond hockey postponed Not all the festival fun has to be reserved for summer. Ice sculptures, curling, telescope ...
Family fun for whenever Kids watching kids on stage • So fetch! The Palace Youth Theatre, featuring performers in grades ...
Vintage metal truck toy colored bright red
Dear Donna, I have three of these toys, all metal and marked Tootsietoy on the bottom. This one is in ...
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Party Rental Operator Michael J. White owns Studios2go, a unique mobile party rental company based in Rochester. Explain your job ...
It was always special for Ryan Lewis, general manager at Napoletana Pizzeria & Bar, when his family would go out ...
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News from the local food scene • Wine season: If you’re used to pairing January with a wine tasting, Wentworth ...
Glass of Irish coffee with cream on top and a liquor bottle in the background.
If you listen to Irish Coffee Enthusiasts, you will be taken aback by how complicated the process for making one ...
group of people in an event hall eating at multiple tables
High school nonprofit hosts event with eateries If you like to eat, then Taste of Bedford is where you and ...
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When Gotham Chopra was growing up near Boston, it was expected that he would follow the path of his famous ...
album covers
Oneohtrix Point Never, Again (Warp Records) Recently I had a sudden burst of people messaging me on Facebook, writing hundreds ...
Napoleon depicted looking majestic on a horse.
Joaquin Phoenix has some fun with the hat in the Ridley Scott-directed biopic Napoleon. It’s not a practical hat, that ...
Local music news & events Rising sounds: Celebrating its 30th anniversary last year, taiko drum group Drum Tao continues a ...
Lead singer, singing back to back with her female lead guitarist.
Lez Zeppelin plays Manchester With eyes closed, it’s hard to distinguish Lez Zeppelin from the act they’re honoring. Throbbing rhythm, ...

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