Tenet (PG-13)

Film Reviews by Amy Diaz

John David Washington is exactly the A-list blend of dramatic gravitas and action chops that he appeared to be in BlacKkKlansman and watching him is the best part of Tenet, Christopher Nolan’s two-and-a-half-hour movie that has been saddled with the job of Saving Movie Theaters.

Will it save movies? According to Variety on Sept. 6, Tenet made a little over $20 million during Labor Day weekend in the U.S. and was at a worldwide total of around $146 million (it opened internationally before it hit screens in the U.S.). When I saw the movie on Sept. 1, I was one of six people in the screening room (which is actually not terrible for a mid-week 6 p.m. movie, based on my experience). So … we’ll see?

About the movie itself: I’ll try not to spoil anything major, but I don’t promise anything, partly because I’m not entirely sure what would be a spoiler. The most basic description for this movie I’ve seen is something like “spy action with sci-fi elements.” To me, it falls in the “Christopher Nolan genre”: There’s a lot of deep bass “wahm wahm”-ing on the score, there’s a pervading sense of doom, there’s a fun Michael Caine scene.

Washington, whose character doesn’t have a name (I didn’t notice that while I was watching it but searching around afterward everything just calls him The Protagonist, which is how he refers to himself a few times), is a CIA-or-something agent whom we first meet while he’s on a mission in the Ukraine. The mission goes sideways but, after some torture and stuff, he is rescued and told he is now part of an even more secret mission, one he is given very little information about other than the word “tenet” and a little fingers-clasp-y gesture.

He partners with Neil (Robert Pattinson), a British intelligence operative, who helps him unravel the origins of some strange weapons he first saw in Ukraine. The movie becomes a series of heists: get into this impregnable place to meet this person, weasel into the orbit of this other person, steal this thing from this other impregnable place, etc, all leading up to a big battle.

The deeper we get into this movie the more I started to see its similarities to the Bill & Ted movies; there’s a fair amount of “because phone-booth time machine, just go with it” (though, strictly speaking, Tenet isn’t about time travel in the phone-booth sense). And I’m OK with that. I don’t need to see the math — one of the flaws of this movie is that it does a little too much trying to explain the math to us. Basically, the core idea of Tenet is based on a cool visual effect. It’s pretty cool the first time you see it and pretty cool throughout. If sliced down to its central elements, a pretty cool visual effect, a very compelling performance by its lead (Washington) and interesting chemistry in the core partnership (Washington and Pattinson, who does solid work here), Tenet has good bones.

But.

But the movie is at least 45 minutes longer than it needs to be. I get it — cool effect, look at all the ways we can use it. It gets exhausting after a while, especially in the final fight sequence, where I understood, in the macro sense, what was happening, but in the second-to-second sense it was frequently all a jumble of Stuff. I feel like we’re watching the same trick too many times and the more mechanics and repetition are piled on, the more the central performances and the urgency get lost.

Another “but”: I found myself annoyed by the handling of a character played by Elizabeth Debicki. I like Debicki (see also Widows) but there are a lot of irritating choices made with her. I don’t know that any of the Tenet characters act like recognizable humans but there are really only two female characters of any consequence and this one feels like she was written by an alien who has never met a woman.

The experience of watching Tenet was strange; I felt myself constantly alternating between thinking “ugh, enough, movie” and thinking “huh, cool.” The movie feels very self-aware, which I think is on purpose, but it is a little too impressed with its own cleverness. B-

Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, some suggestive references and brief strong language, according to the MPA on filmratings.com. Written and directed by Christopher Nolan, Tenet is two whole hours and then another 30 minutes on top of that and is distributed by Warner Bros. In theaters

Fathoms

Fathoms, The World in the Whale, by Rebecca Giggs (Simon & Schuster, 284 pages)

In July rescuers worked three days to free a humpback whale that had become entangled in 4,000 pounds of junk near the entrance to New York Harbor. This story had a happy ending; many do not, like the sperm whale found on the coast of Maine with a greenhouse in its stomach.

Yes, a greenhouse, full of tarps, ropes, flower pots and other necessities for growing tomatoes. Also found in the belly of the beast: a coat hanger, an ice cream tub and parts of a mattress. Suddenly the Book of Jonah doesn’t seem quite so fanciful.

“Like a chamber furnished for a prophet or castaway, these stomach contents recalled stories of people surviving inside whales,” writes Rebecca Giggs in her journey to “the world in the whale,” Fathoms.

This is the first book by Giggs, a nature writer in Perth, Australia, who has been compared to Rebecca Solnit (Drowned River) and Annie Dillard (The Abundance) but most reminds me of Diane Ackerman, the American poet and naturalist whose books include The Moon by Whale Light.

Like Ackerman, Giggs writes with a pen dipped in awe and approaches the natural world with reverence and curiosity. They also share an ability to say ordinary things in extraordinary ways, as when Giggs described a tired man with “fatigue pleated around his eyes” or says of a wet boat, “seawater griddles the windows.” In other words, they are not so much authors as poets.

Giggs begins with a riveting experience of attending the death of a whale on Australia’s coast, in her hometown. In nature, the death of a whale is called “whalefall,” a beautiful euphemism that describes how the whale’s body descends to the ocean floor, where it is food for a hidden ecosystem. “A whale in the wild goes on enriching our planet, ticktocking with animate energy, long after its demise,” she writes. “So the death of a whale proves meaningful to a vibrant host of dependent creatures, even as it may look senseless from the shore.”

The whale dying on the beach was not so beautiful, although Giggs manages to make it so, with her descriptions of a community that gathers around the whale in empathy.

As the whale wheezes and gasps over several days, surfers kneel, families take pictures, a woman tries to crown the whale with a wreath made of seagrass and flowers. (“It took three wildlife officers to pull her off the side of the whale, kicking.”) Giggs herself passes the time interviewing wildlife officers about why they can’t humanely euthanize the whale and why, when it dies, its body will be carted to a landfill. “The whale as landfill,” she writes. “It was a metaphor, and then it wasn’t.” She touches the whale and discerns its heartbeat, and then when it passes, launches an exploration of why whales, whose genetic ancestors go back 50 million years, elicit such emotion in humans and what is happening to them in a time of ecological change.

As made evident from her opening story about the greenhouse, Giggs is disturbed about how the detritus of capitalism is filling the ocean and its inhabitants. At least this cruelty to whales is unintentional, unlike in generations in past when we hunted the animals to near extinction. (As late as 1960 whales were the planet’s most economically valuable animal, commanding $30,000 per carcass, which amounts to about $260,000 today, Giggs says.)

She writes in unemotional detail of the boatside flaying of whales and how the whale, especially in the 19th century, was shockingly present in almost every aspect of life — from candles to oil to hair brushes to eyeglass frames to piano keys to the stuffing in sofas. Whales are not fish — they are mammals — but for a time, the Roman Catholic Church sanctioned their meat on Fridays during Lent. And during World War II, Americans were encouraged to eat whale meat in order to save beef for troops.

Fathoms is filled with interesting detail like this, and although she is not a journalist Giggs does a good job of separating myth from fact, while leaving open the prospect of mystery, as when a whale-watch captain explains the leaping of whales as nothing more than a grooming ritual, trying to get barnacles and lice off their skin. (Whales, it turns out, are lice-ridden, which you might want to remember if you ever come across one stranded on a beach.) Actually, some scientists believe that the leaping that so thrills whale watchers may enable communication with distant whales, and Giggs is not willing to discount the idea of play.

In all, Fathoms is a book of wonder, and although the American reader may occasionally tire of its focus on Australian events, Griggs is an accomplished tour guide to their complex world. B+

BOOK NOTES
If you haven’t already taken a side, it’s time to choose: Team Dan or Team Blythe?
Dan, of course, is Dan Brown, one of New Hampshire’s most famous writers, and his former wife was said to have been a great part of his success. The pair that The Guardian once called a “formidable literary team” divorced last year, however, and recent headlines show that a “finalized” divorce is not necessarily final.
Blythe Brown, according to The Boston Globe and other news sources, is suing the The Da Vinci Code author saying that he withheld information about new projects, among other unethical behavior she alleges.
Those new projects, it’s been reported, include a TV series based on Brown’s popular character Robert Langdon, and a children’s book released recently.
It’s a pity that the scandal has eclipsed the publication of the children’s book, which looks simply delightful. Wild Symphony (Rodale, 44 pages), illustrated by freelance artist Susan Batori of Hungary, is the story of an all-animal symphony conducted by Maestro Mouse. It’s not just a book but an interactive experience, with a website (wildsymphony.com), app and accompanying songs composed by Brown, who was an aspiring musician before he became an author.
Brown is not the first author of adult books to later publish a children’s book. Others include Carson McCullers (Sweet as a Pickle and Clean as a Pig), William Faulkner (The Wishing Tree), Aldous Huxley (The Crows of Pearblossom), Ian Fleming, creator of the James Bond books, who also wrote Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and of course C.S. Lewis, equally famous for his Christian apologetics like Mere Christianity and his children’s books set in Narnia (The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, among them).
There’s also E.B. White, who was a staff writer for The New Yorker and co-authored a classic book on writing, The Elements of Style, before going on to write children’s classics like Charlotte’s Web and Stuart Little.
Another already famous writer has a children’s picture book in the works: J.K. Rowling’s The Ickabog, set for publication in November. Rowling and Brown will have to sell a lot of books, however, to compete with the best-selling children’s book of this week, also by an unexpected author: I Promise by LeBron James, the NBA superstar, is an aspirational book for preschoolers up to grade 3, illustrated by Nina Mata.

Album Reviews 20/09/10

Brothertiger, Paradise Lost (Satanic Panic Records)

Honestly, I haven’t come this close to burning a promo CD for personal use in I don’t know how long (shut up, that’s how us old-time music critics roll, because we refuse to pay one red cent for streaming services, given that we literally own enough beloved CDs to cover a football field). This Brooklyn-by-way-of-Ohio chillwave guy (John Jagos) really opens his soul with this one, and it’s a very warm welcome. Right off, the record is like waking up in a Maldives hut and diving right into the crystal-clear water to hang with the crew of sea turtles who’ve gathered to mooch your breakfast scraps. I love everything about it (I suppose I should disclaim right here that I feel right at home with albums like Moby’s Play, and some of that vibe — the mellowest side of it — is inherent in the sort of electronic pop this fellow favors), a set of sinfully sweet tunes over which Jagos’ pliable voice simply glides. If you’d like to hear Above & Beyond release a singles-oriented album, it’d be a lot like this. Awesome stuff. A+

Shira, Birds of a Feather [EP] (self-released)

My blackened soul can only tolerate so much American Idol-sounding stuff, even when the singer isn’t someone I take a visceral disliking to right off the bat, but I was impressed enough that this New Yorker had gotten some press love from the New York Times that I immediately decided she was Going To Be Important In Some Way. No, that’s a lie; I got roped into this when I noted that she called herself a “fairy-folk” artist, you know, like Tinkerbell, and sure, she is something like that, I suppose. Her voice is undeniably huge in this EP’s title tune, switching deftly between a Sarah McLachlan-esque sound to big-top Celtic Woman mode, where she demonstrates that she could definitely blow away an arena-load of over-perfumed grandmothers. She’s a work in progress, certainly; in “Usually” she switches over to ’90s radio-folk and tables what comes off like (top-notch) Jewel karaoke. But sure, fairy folk. I don’t hate the idea. B

Retro Playlist

Eric W. Saeger recommends a couple of albums worth a second look.

It’s true that the Covid-19 pandemic has spelled doom for a lot of businesses. It’s destroyed a lot of individuals and families as well, of course, people who’ve looked on as their savings melt away to nothing. For now, though — and you may have noticed signs of this on social media — others are pretty chill about it. Financially secure retirees with savings, pensions and Social Security income are doing OK. I know some of them. They’re taking it in stride, living relatively happy lives, minding their due diligence with regard to social distancing, wearing a mask and all that (I’m pretty sure I’m the only one in my circle who’s still militant about wearing disposable gloves, and have no plans to stop, especially after plague expert Laurie Garrett said she uses them religiously). One such guy is a local author whose Facebook output often consists of first-world-problem-type griping, but as well a lot of “life is good” observations. Not much choice, really; he’s got good scotch, which always helps.

Anyhow, a crew of us old writer grumps had a little Facebook discussion the other day about “yacht rock,” a genre that’s actually very relaxing, even if it’s mocked and detested by a ton of people. “Yacht rock” is stuff you’d hear, well, on yachts: Toto, Christopher Cross, Kenny Loggins, and, the guy I nominated as the absolute worst yacht-rocker of all, Michael McDonald. McDonald’s dreadful doggy-voice ruined the Doobie Brothers when he took over as lead singer, and he didn’t do Mr. Cross any favors either with his unintentionally hilarious turn on “Ride Like The Wind.”

I don’t mind yacht-rock; in fact, I caught a little flack during that online exchange for saying that I actually like Cross’s “Sailing” (from his self-titled 1979 debut LP). I’m a sucker for Toto’s “Africa,” too (from 1981’s Toto IV).

Michael McDonald’s voice is another thing altogether, though. Trust me, one note from that horrible voice of his when I’m on hold or trapped at a Hannaford supermarket, and I just want to run into the street, screaming like a loon. Hatred.

If you’re in a local band, now’s a great time to let me know about your EP, your single, whatever’s on your mind. Let me know how you’re holding yourself together without being able to play shows or jam with your homies. Send a recipe for keema matar. Email [email protected] for fastest response.

Playlist

A seriously abridged compendium of recent and future CD releases

• Stop this crazy calendar thing, summer’s totally over, I give up. The next general CD-release Friday date is Sept. 11, and there will be CDs released that day, so as not to make me look stupid. English art-rock band Everything Everything will personally assist me in this endeavor by releasing their first LP in three years, Re-Animator, just in time! Like everyone else in America, you probably haven’t heard of this awesome band, because they haven’t done a booty-shake collaboration with Nicki Minaj or whoever, which is all it really takes in order to make it big in America! But that’s OK, because I will tell you about them, by covering their new single, “In Birdsong,” a tune that starts out basically like a Nintendo-cheese nonsense song from Postal Service but then becomes an epic experiment in soundscaping, incorporating the soaring vocal dramatics of Elbow and swooshing, rootsy ’80s synth-prog. It is cool, so I will use reverse psychology on your brain: do not listen to this song. There, maybe that’ll work for once.

• Wayne Coyne, the leader of the Flaming Lips, is from Pittsburgh, which pretty much explains everything. The band is now based in Oklahoma, which also explains everything. No, I kid; the Flaming Lips, they are a great band, if you’re in your 60s and grew up wishing that someday you’d have a band to listen to that sounded like a cross between Captain Beefheart and a synthesizer being assaulted by a drunken groundhog. As usual, I don’t expect to be into whatever nonsense I’m about to hear from the band’s new album, American Head, but some of you love the Flaming Lips (right?) and so I shall endeavor to listen to the new song “Will You Return/When You Come Down” with an open mind, prepared to hold down my rather large lunch. Right, they’re singing in annoying falsetto, as always, and the melody is basically, as always, a variation on a Beatles song, “Don’t Let Me Down” in this case. You really like this stuff? Well, then, by all means, enjoy.

• Oh, why not, more falsetto, this time on “Prisoners,” the new single from The Universal Want, the latest from U.K. post-Britrock dudes Doves. Oh wait, the falsetto stopped, and now it sounds like Coldplay. The song seems to be about the existential angst of everyday working people who choose the wrong girlfriends, but whatever they’re babbling about, it’s a bummer. That’s just what we need in these times, sadboy-indie songs that sound like Coldplay.

• To end this week’s roundup on a hilarious note, Marilyn Manson is here, with a new album, called We Are Chaos! Nowadays, Marilyn is the only one left whose name comes from that super-adorable combination of famous-model/actress-and-last-name-of-serial-killer, because Twiggy Ramirez is long gone, and so is Ginger Fish (get it?). Oh whatever, “We Are Chaos” indeed, let’s see what the title track sounds like. Huh, this song is pretty dumb, just like everything else they’ve done since “Beautiful People.” Why is Marilyn wearing the same grillz on his teeth as Jared Leto when he (unfortunately for all humanity) played the Joker? Why would anyone do that? — Eric W. Saeger

Local bands seeking album or EP reviews can message me on Twitter (@esaeger) or Facebook (eric.saeger.9).

Flowers fit for a dog

In celebration of Daffy

Daphne mezereum was the registered name of my corgi, Daffy, who passed away on Aug. 25. Born in 2006, Daffy was my constant companion who was always ready for an adventure — or especially a meal or snack. When her back legs gave out, she figured out ways to propel herself forward with glee — ignoring the inconvenience, and trying to overcome the pain. Finally, when the pain was nearly constant, we reluctantly called the vet.

We buried Daffy alongside her cat friend, Winnie, who passed naturally at age 23 in June, and Abby and Stanley and Emily, all good dogs who have passed on and been buried in a quiet shady place on our property. Each had their graves decorated with flowers from the garden. Let’s take a look at some of the plants I grow, and that I used to commemorate Daffy and celebrate her life.

Of course I cut branches of her namesake, Daphne mezereum or February Daphne. It is a fabulous shrub that blooms in May here in Cornish Flat, displaying pinky-purple fragrant flowers in abundance. It is slow-growing, so easy to maintain. No need to do much pruning, other than stems I cut to force in a vase each year in April.

And I put in her grave a couple of stems from a Harry Lauder’s walking stick shrub. A walking stick seems fitting for a dog that had trouble walking. It’s a curly hazelnut that would not really be good as a walking stick — there are no straight bits. Mine is a variety called ‘Red Majestic’ of the European filbert (Corylus avellana).

In the spring the leaves are a deep red-purple but develop a greenish tinge as the summer progresses. I have mine in a flower bed and have been able to keep it to a six-foot-wide and -tall tree by annual pruning.

And I sent Daffy off with diamonds: Pink Diamond, that is. It’s a lovely variety of hydrangea paniculata. I bought one that is a “standard,” meaning that it came with a straight trunk that had branches grafted on at the four-foot-high level. So it started out as a shrub with some height, and never suffered from the awkwardness common to many hydrangeas that start as multi-stemmed shrubs.

At the bottom of Daffy’s grave I placed boughs from a Canadian hemlock (Tsuga canadensis). This is a native evergreen tree that grows well in sun or shade. In 1972 I dug up several growing wild in a field nearby and planted them as a hedge. They are now 50 feet tall or so. My late sister, Ruth Anne, lived in Canada and loved Daffy fiercely, calling her “the dog of joy.” So these boughs commemorated them both. I no longer promote planting hemlocks because an insect pest, the wooly adelgid, is decimating them, though thankfully not in my area, as yet.

Of the woody plants, the last I placed in Daffy’s grave was a stem from my Bartlett pear. Daffy, always hungry, would gorge on the pears that fell on the ground beneath this tree, so it seemed fitting to put a branch in.

I cut fresh perennial flowers for Daphne’s grave, too. Phlox have been gorgeous this year, disease-free and fragrant. Daffy is the only dog I’ve had who noticed flowers. I have a picture of her checking out a vase of tulips. But phlox is in all its glory in sunny beds, so I cut some.

Daffy had a sunny disposition, even at the end when she was in pain, so I included a sunflower. Like Daphne, it was a short one, perhaps ‘Teddy Bear.’ There are so many great sunflowers out there, many short and with multiple flowers branching off the main stem. They are easily started from seed. Chipmunks love them when they are just starting, so I grow them in six-packs until they are tall enough to ignore the rodents. Deer love sunflowers, too, however, when they get bigger.

And roses went in the grave, too. My favorites are the Knockout roses. Perhaps because they are not fragrant, they don’t seem to be attractive to the Japanese beetles that can plague old-fashioned roses. They are fast-growing and can reach a height of four feet in a couple of months even if all above-ground stems died over the winter. The one I selected for Daffy has had 25 blossoms most of the time this summer.

Then we added some Shasta daisies, those wonderful, cheerful flowers with white petals around a central yellow button. My patch of those gets a bit bigger each year in full sun. And Mexican sunflowers (Tithonia rotundifolia), a six-foot-tall orange annual in the daisy or sunflower family. We start lots of these by seed each year, and I am always delighted by the results.

I suppose there were other flowers we picked for Daphne’s last day, though it’s all a bit of a blur. I do know that flowers always lift my spirits, and certainly they needed some lifting that day. But I’m doing better now, and being in the garden has helped. Later this fall I will plant bulbs on her grave – snowdrops. They are the first flowers to bloom in spring, and always bring me joy. And after all, she was the Dog of Joy.

The Art Roundup 20/09/10

• DIY art: Studio 550 Art Center (550 Elm St., Manchester) is now offering art-at-home kits, which include all the materials and tools needed for a do-it-yourself art project. Projects include mosaics, succulent plant arrangements, clay jars, fairy houses, mugs and open-ended clay projects. The kits come with step-by-step instructions, accompanying video tutorials or guided workshops by request. Completed clay creations can be dropped off at the studio for firing. Visit 550arts.com/classes/diy or call 232-5597.

• Duo display: “2020 Double Vision,” an exhibit featuring work by two New Hampshire Art Association artists, is on display now through Sept. 17 in the lobby at 2 Pillsbury St. in Concord. Both artists create paintings inspired by scenes in New England and beyond. Debbie Mueller’s style uses bold, simple designs with a focus on light and how light affects the shapes and colors within a scene. Marianne Stillwagon’s paintings depict picturesque villages and changing seasons in a contemporary primitive Americana style. “It’s extraordinary how two artists can look at the same scene and create vastly different paintings,” Mueller said in a press release. “We each have our unique vision and way of interpreting our world … [and] our unique viewpoint to our scenes.” All artwork is for sale. Viewing hours are Monday through Friday from 5 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; Saturday from 5 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Sunday from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. Visit nhartassociation.org or call 431-4230.

• Virtual author events: Gibson’s Bookstore of Concord has two virtual author events coming up. On Sunday, Sept. 13, at 2 p.m. there will be a “Roaring 20s Middle Grade/Young Adult Author Panel” with authors who debuted their middle grade or young adult novels in 2020. Featured authors will include Josh Roberts (The Witches of Willow Cove), Lorien Lawrence (The Stitchers), Cat Scully (Jennifer Strange), Kaela Noel (Coo) and Cathleen Barnhart (That’s What Friends Do). Participants are encouraged to come with questions about the authors’ stories and writing and publishing processes. Then, on Monday, Sept. 14, at 7:15 p.m., Meredith Hall will present her debut novel Beneficence in a pre-publication event. The novel is a story of love and the gifts, obligations, covenants and compromises that come with it. She will be joined in conversation by New Hampshire poet Wesley McNair. The events will be held on Zoom, and registration is required. Visit gibsonsbookstore.com or call 224-0562.

• Sculpture symposium concludes: The 13th annual Nashua International Sculpture Symposium will have its closing ceremony on Saturday, Sept. 12, at 1 p.m., when the public can see the completed sculptures revealed at the installation site, located at the west entrance of Mine Falls Park. It will also be livestreamed at accessnashua.org/stream.php. Sculptors Taylor Apostol from Massachusetts, Elijah Ober from Maine and Kelly Cave from Pennsylvania have spent the last three weeks in Nashua creating the sculptures. They will continue working up until the closing ceremony, daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the installation site. The public is invited to stop by during those times to watch the sculptors work and interact with them during their breaks. A map of the 36 existing sculpture sites along with suggested walking and biking tour routes is available at nashuasculpturesymposium.org.

• Last chance for free comics: Free Comic Book Summer, a reworking of Free Comic Book Day in which local comic book shops put out a handful of different free comics every Wednesday, will conclude with its last batch of free comics on Wednesday, Sept. 9. The comics will include The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess/Splatoon (adventure/fantasy, for teen readers) with Squid Kids Comedy Show; The Incal (sci-fi, for mature readers); and Sue & Tai-chan (a “kitty comedy” based on the Chi’s Sweet Home series, for readers of all ages). Visit freecomicbookday.com for the full list of this year’s free comics and to find participating comic book shops in your area.

• Plays by the Lakes: The Winnipesaukee Playhouse (33 Footlight Circle, Meredith) announced in a press release that it has reopened, with a small season of three productions to be performed at the Playhouse’s outdoor amphitheatre in September and October. Or, will run Wednesday, Sept. 2, through Sunday, Sept. 6, and Wednesday, Sept. 9, through Saturday, Sept. 12, at 4 p.m. The historical play by Liz Duffy Adams’ is a fictionalized account of the life of England’s first female playwright Aphra Behn. Tickets cost $29 to $39. Or, will be followed by The Mountaintop, opening on Wednesday, Sept. 16, and No Wake, opening on Wednesday, Sept. 30. Visit winnipesaukeeplayhouse.org or call 279-0333.

Featured Photo: Debbie Mueller art, featured in “2020 Double Vision” exhibit. Courtesy photo.

Fall Guide

A look at how this fall is shaping up for arts and entertainment

Fall events are happening.

Though this year’s guide to arts and entertainment is smaller, theaters are presenting shows, galleries have exhibits, bands are performing and local food is being celebrated. (At least, that’s the way the schedule stands at the moment. As with everything these days, plans may change. Check with the venues about their safety protocols and scheduling processes.) In addition to live in-person events from now through Thanksgiving, we also take a look at a few from-home options to stay connected to your favorite arts organizations.

Need a reason to get excited about autumn? We collected a pile of fall fun.

Theater, inside and out

Local theater companies are taking a number of different approaches to their fall shows.

The Hatbox Theatre in Concord will carry on with indoor, in-person shows, including a mainstage production with a two-week run, but with strict safety measures.

“Hatbox is exceeding state guidelines by requiring mask use by all patrons and staff,” owner Andrew Pinard said. “Performers, when appropriate, will wear masks, but will also observe social distancing … [and] are encouraged to follow the same rules in rehearsal.”

The theater has sought out shows with a small cast and has suspended all musical performances until the spring of 2021, but “plans may change depending on the course of the pandemic,” Pinard said.

The Peacock Players have suspended all in-person mainstage productions until further notice but will still offer some smaller shows by its improv and musical theater troupes in Nashua’s Library Park.

“[We] will continue to engage our students, families and patrons through the remainder of the year … [through] live outdoor performances,” artistic director Keith Weirich said.

Theatre Kapow of Manchester will present its fall series, consisting of three one-person plays, as virtual performances.

“We love the energy of the in-person audience, but for this series, we will be engaging you [virtually],” said Carey Cahoon, an actor and director with the company. “Bring these three stories into your homes and find companionship in isolation.”

— Angie Sykeny

Performances

• The Winnipesaukee Playhouse (33 Footlight Circle, Meredith; winnipesaukeeplayhouse.org, call 279-0333) will present a season of three productions this fall, all of which will be performed at the Playhouse’s outdoor amphitheatre. The play Or, is going on now through Saturday, Sept. 12, with performances every day at 4 p.m. The Mountaintop will run from Sept. 16 through Sept. 26, with showtimes Wednesday through Sunday at 4 p.m. No Wake will run from Sept. 30 through Oct. 11, with showtimes Wednesday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m., plus two additional shows on Saturday, Oct. 10, at 2 p.m., and Sunday, Oct. 11, at 5 p.m. Tickets for all plays cost $29 to $39.

• The Hatbox Theatre (270 Loudon Road, Concord; hatboxnh.com, 715-2315) will host a number of shows this fall, including a mainstage production of the A.R. Gurney play Love Letters from Sept. 11 through Sept. 27, with showtimes on Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. Performer Andrew Pinard will bring his show “Discovering Magic” to the stage on Wednesdays, Sept. 16, Oct. 14 and Nov. 18, at 7:30 p.m. Tiny Hands Productions presents its comedy show “Comedy Out of the ‘Box” on Thursdays, Sept. 24, Oct. 15 and Nov. 19, at 7:30 p.m. Queen City Improv will perform on Thursdays, Sept. 17, Oct. 8 and Nov. 5, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for all shows cost $22 for adults and $19 for students and seniors.

• The Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester; palacetheatre.org, 668-5588) will present a mainstage production of Nunsensefrom Sept. 11 through Oct. 4, with showtimes on Wednesdays, Sept. 16 and Sept. 30, Thursdays, Sept. 17 and Oct. 1, and Friday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at noon and 5 p.m. Tickets cost $39 to $46 for adults and $25 for children. Then, the Palace kids will perform Beauty and the Beast Jr.,from Oct. 6 through Oct. 17, with showtimes on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday at 7 p.m., and Saturday at noon. Tickets cost $15 for adults and $12 for children. The musical The British Rock Experience will run Oct. 23 through Nov. 14, with showtimes on Thursday and Friday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at noon and 5 p.m., with an additional show on Wednesday, Oct. 28, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $39 to $46 for adults, $30 for seniors age 60 and up and veterans and $25 for children. Finally, the Southern New Hampshire Dance Theater will bring its traditional performance of The Nutcracker to the Palace stage on Thursday, Nov. 19, and Friday, Nov. 20, at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 21, at 11 a.m. and 4 p.m., and Sunday, Nov. 22, at noon and 4:30 p.m. Tickets cost $39 to $46 for adults and $25 for children.

• The Majestic Theatre will present three shows at the Majestic Studio Theatre (880 Page St., Manchester; majestictheatre.net, 669-7469) this fall. Piano entertainers Keith Belanger and Robert Dionne perform in “Piano Men” on Sunday, Sept. 13, at 6 p.m. Robert Dionne performs in the “Mix Tape” Piano Cabaret on Saturday, Oct. 10, at 7 p.m. The Rockin Daddios vocal group will perform on Saturday, Nov. 21, with shows at 2 and 7 p.m. Tickets cost $15 and must be purchased in advance.

From home: All three performances will also be offered virtually, livestreamed and recorded. Tickets for virtual shows cost $10 and must be purchased in advance.

• Cue Zero Theatre Co. (cztheatre.com) presents Shakespeare in the (Ball) Park, a reimagined baseball-themed version of Romeo and Juliet, at Northeast Delta Dental Stadium (1 Line Drive, Manchester) on Sunday, Sept. 20, at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $10.

• The Peacock Players (peacockplayers.org, 886-7000) will have two free outdoor shows in Library Park in Nashua. Technical Difficulties, the Players’ improv comedy troupe, will perform on Saturday, Oct. 24, and the Players’ musical theater troupes Spotlight and Center Stage will perform on Sunday, Oct. 25.

More stay-at-home theater

• The Manchester Community Theatre Players present a livestreamed performance of Blood on His Hands?, an original play by local playwrights Alan D. Kaplan and Tom Anastasi, Sept. 25 through Oct. 3, with performances on Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. It’s free to watch. Visit manchestercommunitytheatre.com.

• Theatre Kapow will present a series of three livestreamed one-person plays this fall: Feast from Sept. 25 through Sept. 27, Natural Shocks from Oct. 23 through Oct. 25 and A Tempest Prayerfrom Nov. 20 through Nov. 22. Showtimes are on Friday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 4 p.m. Tickets cost $10. Visit tkapow.com.

Artistic endeavors

Many local art galleries are open and ready to welcome visitors this fall.

“We are thrilled to be back in person after a few successful socially distant events,” said Kimball Jenkins executive director Julianne Gadoury, adding that there are currently four exhibitions being planned (and one there now) for the Concord estate’s galleries. The galleries are open to no more than 10 visitors at one time, and masks are required. Kimball Jenkins can continue to host in-person artist receptions safely outside on its upper lawn, Gadoury said, with distance between guests and refreshments served in individual portions.

Art 3 Gallery in Manchester just opened a new exhibit but is proceeding with caution; viewers are encouraged to explore the exhibit via a virtual tour on the gallery’s website, and if they prefer to see the exhibit in person they should call ahead so the gallery can ensure a safe number of visitors at all times. The current exhibit will stay up for around six weeks, gallery owner Joni Taube said, but plans for the rest of the fall are still up in the air.

“We have not decided what will go up next because of the pandemic,” Taube said. “One day at a time here.”

The League of New Hampshire Craftsmen has reopened its galleries at limited capacities across the state (including galleries in Concord, Hooksett, Nashua and Meredith).

“[They] are open and have full inventories of beautiful crafts by local artists,” said Sarah Nyhan, League communications and administrative director.

The League will continue extending its customer service to accommodate customers who aren’t ready to return to the galleries in person, Nyhan said. They can “shop” by phone or email and either pick up their items curbside or have their items shipped to their home.

— Angie Sykeny

Exhibitions

• Work by two New Hampshire Art Association artists is featured in “2020 Double Vision,” on view now through Sept. 17 in the lobby at 2 Pillsbury St. in Concord. Both artists create paintings inspired by scenes in New England and beyond. All artwork is for sale. Viewing hours are Monday through Friday from 5 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., Saturday from 5 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Sunday from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. Visit nhartassociation.org or call 431-4230.

From home: NHAA will present its 34th annual Lassonde Exhibit online as a virtual exhibit from Sept. 18 through Oct. 16. It will feature juried works by a number of artists following the theme “Travels Near and Far.”

• The League of NH Craftsmen headquarters (49 S. Main St., Concord; nhcrafts.org, 224-3375) has an exhibition, “Art, Craft & Design,” on view now through Sept. 27. Gallery hours are Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

From home: A virtual tour of the exhibit is offered on the League website.

• Twiggs Gallery (254 King St., Boscawen; 975-0015, twiggsgallery.wordpress.com) has an exhibit, “Searching for Solace: Sacred Spaces/Sacred Places,” on view now through Sept. 27. It features paintings, sculpture, textiles and ceramics by 13 artists exploring the concept of personal sanctuary, with a focus on nature. Gallery hours are Thursday and Friday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday, noon to 4 p.m.

• The Kimball Jenkins Estate (266 N. Main St., Concord; 225-3932, kimballjenkins.com) presents an exhibition, “Life’s Work: Occupations & Identity,” in its Carriage House Gallery now through Sept. 28, with an opening reception to take place on Thursday, Sept. 10, from 5 to 7 p.m., outside on the upper lawn. The exhibit features portrait photography by Maundy Mitchell that explores the evolution of trades and societal views on identity and jobs. Gallery hours are Monday through Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., and Thursday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

• The New Hampshire Antique Co-op (323 Elm St., Milford; 673-8499, nhantiquecoop.com) presents “Abstract Paintings & Tribal Masks” in its Tower Gallery now through Sept. 30. The exhibit and sale features modernist 20th- and 21st-century paintings juxtaposed alongside a collection of Oceanic and African hand-carved masks and figural carvings. Co-op hours are Wednesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Tuesday by appointment.

From home: NHAC’s first-ever virtual art exhibition and sale, “Summer Palettes: Impressionist & Modernist Works from the 19th century to Present,” is viewable online now through Sept. 30. It features more than 50 paintings by 19th- and 20th-century artists, as well as contemporary and local artists, that evoke the essence of summer.

• “Manchester’s Urban Ponds: Past, Present, and Future: A Celebration of the Manchester Urban Ponds Restoration Program’s 20th Anniversary” is on display now through Nov. 28 at the Millyard Museum (200 Bedford St., Manchester; 622-7531, manchesterhistoric.org/millyard-museum) in the State Theater Gallery. The exhibit provides a look at the history of some of the ponds in Manchester. Museum hours are Tuesday through Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission costs $8 for adults, $6 for seniors age 62 and up and college students, $4 for youth ages 12 through 18, and is free for kids under age 12.

• The Currier Museum of Art(150 Ash St., Manchester; 669-6144, currier.org) is now open with three special exhibitions. “Richard Haynes: Whispering Quilts” features a series of drawings inspired by traditional quilting patterns that tells the story of an enslaved family’s dangerous journey along the Underground Railroad from a southern plantation to freedom in Canada; “Photographs from the Civil Rights Movement” features photography from the Civil Rights protests in the 1950s and 1960s; and “Open World: Video Games & Contemporary Art” explores how contemporary artists have been influenced by the culture of video games, through paintings, sculpture, textiles, prints, drawings, animation, video games, video game modifications and game-based performances and interventions. Museum hours are Thursday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and closed Monday through Wednesday. Tickets are $15 for adults, $13 for seniors age 65 and up, $10 for students, $5 for youth ages 13 through 17 and free for children under age 13 and must be purchased in advance online.

• Art 3 Gallery (44 W. Brook St., Manchester; art3gallery.com, 668-6650) has a new exhibition called “Simple Pleasures” on display now. Viewing hours are Monday through Friday from 1 to 4:30 p.m., and by appointment.

From home: A virtual tour of the exhibit is offered on the gallery’s website.

Markets

• The Concord Arts Market is held every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., now through Sept. 26, in Concord’s Bicentennial Square. The juried outdoor market features a variety of art and crafts by local artists and craftspeople. Additionally, the Concord Arts Market and Concord Handmade will host a Capital City Art Bazaar in Rollins Park on Saturday, Oct. 3, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Visit concordartsmarket.net.

• Canterbury Shaker Village (288 Shaker Road, Canterbury; 783-9511, shakers.org.) will have its Artisan Market on Saturday, Sept. 12, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The market celebrates handcrafted arts with music, family activities and demonstrations. Tickets cost $12 for adults age 25 and over and are free for youth and adults under age 25. Guided village tours will also be given for $10.

• The Capital Arts Fest, hosted by the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen, will take place on Saturday, Sept. 26, and Sunday, Sept. 27, outside on Main Street in Concord. The juried craft fair will feature League members and invited artisans from around New England, plus live music. Visit nhcrafts.org or call 224-3375.

Special events

• The 13th annual Nashua International Sculpture Symposium closing ceremony, at which the finished sculptures will be revealed, will take place on Saturday, Sept. 12, at 1 p.m. at the installation site, located at the west entrance of Mine Falls Park. Until then the public is also welcome to visit the sculptors while they work at the installation site daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visit nashuasculpturesymposium.org.

From home: The closing ceremony will also be livestreamed at accessnashua.org/stream.php.

• The sculptures created during the 20th annual Hampton Beach Sand Sculpting Classic are still on display and illuminated for night viewing now through Sept. 13. Visit hamptonbeach.org/events/sand-sculpture-event.

More stay-at-home art

• City Arts Nashua’s annual ArtWalk has been reworked as a virtual event called ArtWeek. From Oct. 17 through Oct. 25 there will be virtual arts events and activities for kids and adults, music, artist demonstrations and talks and a screening of the 2020 Meri Goyette Arts Awards presentation. Visit cityartsnashua.org.

• Creative Ventures Gallery in Milford will present its annual holiday exhibit and sale, “Small Works – Big Impact,” virtually on its website from Nov. 1 through Dec. 31. It features small works of art in various media, priced affordably for gift buying. Visit creativeventuresfineart.com or call 672-2500.

Food fun served safely

This fall, many of the larger festivals have been canceled altogether, while others have been reimagined as limited-capacity, virtual or drive-thru-only events to promote social distancing.

Some event organizers have experienced success despite the restrictions. After canceling their traditional Greek food festival in May, volunteers and members of St. Philip Greek Orthodox Church in Nashua hosted a drive-thru-only event for two days in late June. The menu was limited and advanced online ordering was encouraged — but people still came.

“It was fantastic,” event volunteer Joyce Powell said. “It exceeded our expectations, and people seemed really thrilled to still be able to get their food while staying safe.”

A similar two-day event is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 2, and Saturday, Oct. 3, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day. While these were the original rescheduled dates from the May festival, Powell said the decision was made to transition that one into a drive-thru event as well.

The menu has expanded from the June event to now also include spit-roasted lamb and pastichio (Greek lasagna), two options that weren’t available from the first event, Powell said. Dinners are available for purchase, which include Greek-style rice and green beans with your order. The dessert options have been expanded to include koulourakia (Greek butter cookies) and galaktoboureko, an egg custard baked in layers of phyllo dough.

Advance ordering online is encouraged, Powell said, although call-aheads will be accepted on the day of the event.

“You can tell us what time frame you’re going to come pick up your order, so we can prepare the food accordingly,” she said.

A smaller event coming up this weekend, the Hollis Grape Festival is carrying on with its previously scheduled date of Sept. 13, according to organizer Al Fulchino of Fulchino Vineyard. The festival features Italian desserts like gelato for sale, plus live entertainment and photo opportunities in a grape-stomping barrel.

There will be no physical Distiller’s Showcase in November, but Mark Roy, spirits marketing specialist for the New Hampshire Liquor Commission, said virtual tastings and events are in the planning stages for New Hampshire Distiller’s Week.

In Laconia, Lakes Region Community Services is working on presenting an online version of its popular Lakes Region Uncorked event, also this November. The organization has partnered with Osteria Poggio restaurant in Center Harbor and will be offering a special menu of food and beer or wine pairings for participants to take home and enjoy.

— Matt Ingersoll

Food

• Anheuser-Busch Brewery Tours (221 Daniel Webster Highway, Merrimack) will hold two “Craft-Oberfest” virtual tastings on Thursday, Sept. 10, and on Thursday, Sept. 24, at 6 p.m., featuring several breweries’ innovative takes on German Oktoberfest styles. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at budweisertours.com. Ticket holders will be provided with a Zoom link upon their purchase.

• Enjoy autumn afternoon tea with The Cozy Tea Cart on Sunday, Sept. 13, from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Gatherings at The Colonel Shepard House (29 Mont Vernon St., Milford). The cost is $39.95 per person and reservations are required. Visit thecozyteacart.com.

• Stomp some grapes and enjoy some Italian treats at the fourth annual Hollis Grape Festival, happening on Sunday, Sept. 13, from 5 to 7 p.m. on the Hollis Town Common (Monument Square, Hollis). Admission is free, but signups online in advance of the event are requested, by visiting Fulchino Vineyard’s website at fulchino-vineyard-inc.square.site.

• The next Winemaker’s Kitchen Cooking With Wine series event at LaBelle Winery (345 Route 101, Amherst) will take place on Wednesday, Sept. 23, at 6 p.m., and will cover healthy meal planning. The cost is $25 per person. Other Winemaker’s Kitchen events are scheduled for Oct. 7, covering autumn pumpkin recipes, and for Oct. 21, covering cooking with beer. Visit labellewineryevents.com.

• St. Philip Greek Orthodox Church (500 W. Hollis St., Nashua) will host its next Greek food pop-up drive-thru event on Friday, Oct. 2, and Saturday, Oct. 3, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day. A follow-up to a similar event held at the church in June, this one will include lamb, pastichio (Greek lasagna), Greek meatballs, stuffed grape leaves, spanakopita and more, including a variety of desserts. Call-in orders are also accepted on either day of the event. Visit nashuagreekfestival.org or call 889-4000.

• Enjoy socially distanced cars and coffee at 603 Brewery (42 Main St., Londonderry) on Sunday, Oct. 4, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The car show will take place in the main parking lot alongside the brewery’s outdoor beer tent, with local coffee available and breakfast sandwiches cooked to order from Chef Keith Girard. At noon, the lunch menu will be available. Visit 603brewery.com.

• The Cozy Tea Cart will hold a harvest afternoon tea tasting on Sunday, Oct. 11, from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Gatherings at The Colonel Shepard House (29 Mont Vernon St., Milford). The cost is $39.95 per person and reservations are required. Visit thecozyteacart.com.

• LaBelle Winery (345 Route 101, Amherst) will host an intro to wine workshop on Wednesday, Oct. 14, at 6 p.m., featuring senior wine associate and educator Marie King. Participants will learn several specific areas of wine knowledge, including how it’s made and how to taste it, then will taste five wine and food pairings. The cost is $45 per person. Visit labellewineryevents.com.

• Join LaBelle Winery (345 Route 101, Amherst) for a Frank Sinatra tribute dinner on Thursday, Oct. 15, at 6:30 p.m. The event will feature a four-course plated dinner, a full bar with beer, wine and cocktails available for purchase, and a performance from Boston jazz singer Rich DiMare. Tickets start at $70 per person. Visit labellewineryevents.com.

• Lakes Region Uncorked will be reimagined as a virtual event this year, on Friday, Nov. 6. Lakes Region Community Services have partnered with Osteria Poggio restaurant in Center Harbor to create a food menu paired with six New Hampshire beer and wine selections, which will be packaged for groups to enjoy at home. During the 90-minute online live event, each featured beer and wine purveyor will introduce and present their product. Visit lrcs.org.

• Enjoy Thanksgiving afternoon tea with The Cozy Tea Cart on Sunday, Nov. 15, from 1 to 3 p.m., at the Gatherings at The Colonel Shepard House (29 Mont Vernon St., Milford). The cost is $39.95 per person and reservations are required. Visit thecozyteacart.com.

Classical sounds

Most classical music organizations in the state have postponed their performances until next year or canceled their seasons altogether. But some, like Symphony New Hampshire, are attempting to still hold in-person events this fall, with the understanding that any events they plan are far from a sure thing.

After announcing an ambitious revised schedule for its 2020-2021 season in June, Symphony New Hampshire has to rework its entire season again; last week, Nashua public schools made the decision that no outside organizations can use school-owned facilities, including the Keefe Center for the Arts, where most of Symphony New Hampshire’s upcoming concerts were going to take place.

“We’re not surprised,” executive director Marc Thayer said. “We’re already planning to present a season of smaller ensembles … in smaller venues in Nashua, Manchester and Concord, all within the CDC’s and the New Hampshire governor’s guidelines.”

The revised season, now titled “A Season of Giving Back to the Community,” will be focused on collaborations with other local arts organizations and artists; programs that benefit area nonprofits; and educational and community programs at area senior centers, hospice homes and retirement communities.

“We are excited about plans to feature our musicians in a variety of other venues,” Thayer said.

— Angie Sykeny

Concerts

•​ Symphony New Hampshire will perform a series of three outdoor concerts at the Beaver Brook Association’s Maple Hill Gardens (117 Ridge Road, Hollis): Americana Brass Quintet on Saturday, Sept. 12, and String Quartets on Saturday, Sept. 26 and Oct. 10. The gardens will open at 4 p.m., and the music will begin at 5 p.m. Tickets for each concert cost $15 per person, $25 per couple and $5 for children age 12 and under. Tickets for the whole series cost $35/$65/$15. Seats are limited. Purchase tickets online in advance at beaverbrook.org. Symphony New Hampshire will also present “America the Beautiful,” a free outdoor concert, on Friday, Oct. 2, at 6:30 p.m., outside in the Bandshell at Greeley Park (Concord Street, Nashua). The symphony’s brass and percussion players will perform the patriotic and popular music of Grieg, Copland, Gershwin and Joan Tower, including Gershwin’s “Summertime,” Copland’s “Fanfare for the Common Man” and more. Nashua’s Mayor Jim Donchess will narrate Copland’s Lincoln Portrait. Visit symphonynh.org or call 595-9156.

•​ ​The First Music Concert Series presents “Pops for Pipes IX,” featuring organist Brink Bush, on Sunday, Nov. 8, at 3 p.m. at The First Church (1 Concord St., Nashua). Visit first-music.org.

• The Portsmouth Symphony Orchestra will perform Wild Symphony, the debut classical work by The Da Vinci Code author Dan Brown, at The Music Hall Historic Theater (28 Chestnut St., Portsmouth; themusichall.org, 436-2400) on Sunday, Nov. 15, at 2 p.m. Ticket costs and sale dates are TBA.

Stay-at-home classical

•​ Piccola Opera will livestream New Hampshire Opera Idol 2020 on Saturday, Sept. 26. Singers will compete for cash awards and performance contracts. More details are TBA. Visit piccolaopera.net.

•​ The Nashua Chamber Orchestra has made recordings of its past concerts free and accessible to all online at nco-music.org/concert-recordings, and the Souhegan Valley Chorus has made the virtual concert it performed in the spring free and available to watch at souheganvalleychorus.org/directorschoice.

Listen live

Social distancing restrictions continue to impact the Granite State’s live music scene, but there are still plenty of opportunities to catch a concert this fall.

On Sept. 18, the Capitol Center for the Arts in Concord will host Cash Unchained, a tribute to country legend Johnny Cash. It’s the only indoor concert currently on the center’s calendar and the first one to be held since early March, according to assistant executive director Joe Gleason, although an outdoor summer concert series has been held at Fletcher-Murphy Park in the interim. The venue will be filled at just 25 percent maximum capacity, or roughly 300 of its 1,300 seats.

Gleason said the decision was made to keep the show booked because it was relatively inexpensive and because the performer was still willing to come. But the reality, he added, is that the revenue brought in from a limited-capacity show just barely covers basic production costs. Finding enough talent willing to come play a show at a venue that’s nowhere near half full is another challenge altogether.

“Because of the restrictions, the numbers just don’t line up to make it worthwhile,” he said.

The Bank of New Hampshire Stage, meanwhile, has two upcoming comedy shows for its limited capacity of just 92 — Juston McKinney will perform on Sept. 12, while Robbie Printz, Rob Steen and Paul Landwehr will perform on Oct. 24. Boston jam band Neighbor had previously been scheduled for Sept. 26, but that show has since been moved outdoors.

“The plan is to start doing one show a week there, almost always on a Friday or Saturday, and then get back up to two shows a week soon after,” Gleason said.

In Derry, the Tupelo Music Hall’s Drive-In series has been wildly successful, hosting 81 consecutive outdoor concerts from May 16 through Aug. 28 before one had to be rescheduled due to rain. As colder weather begins to approach, Tupelo staff are continuing to assess how best to move forward.

“Assuming that we can find artists who want to tour this winter, we will then announce whether we will be having shows this winter or we will simply close for 4-6 months,” the venue’s Sept. 2 newsletter read. “We are trying to come up with a strategy that will result in something everyone is comfortable with.”

Two more outdoor concerts are scheduled at Northeast Delta Dental Stadium in Manchester, as part of the New Hampshire Fisher Cats’ Socially Distanced Concert Series. On Sept. 11, the Fisher Cats will host a Beatles Tribute Night featuring The Weeklings, while Almost Queen, a tribute to the legendary group fronted by Freddie Mercury, will perform on Sept. 12. Both shows are presented by the Palace Theatre in collaboration with Intown Manchester and the city’s Parks and Recreation department.

“We have the stage set up … so that the video board serves as a great aesthetic to showcase the band itself on the big screen,” Fisher Cats general manager Jim Flavin said, “and then we have 10-by-10-foot field plots that are set up six feet apart. … Face masks are required for when you’re coming in and out of the stadium.”

— Matt Ingersoll

Concerts

• At the Capitol Center for the Arts (44 S. Main St., Concord; 225-1111, ccanh.com) Cash Unchained, a tribute to country icon Johnny Cash, will perform on Friday, Sept. 18, at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $25. Neighbor will perform outside the center on Saturday, Sept. 26, at 7 p.m., as part of the Capital Arts Fest. Admission is free.

• Saint Anselm College’s Dana Center for the Humanities (100 St. Anselm Drive, Manchester; 641-7700, tickets.anselm.edu) will present Grammy-nominated fiddler Mairead Nesbitt on Saturday, Oct. 10, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $40. On Friday, Nov. 6, at 7:30 p.m., the Dana Center will present a virtual live streaming of Le Vent Du Lord. Tickets are $20. Then Saturday, Nov. 21, The Eagles Experience, a tribute to the Eagles, will perform two shows at 5 p.m. and at 8 p.m. Tickets are $40.

• Shows at Drive-In Live (Cheshire Fairground, 247 Monadnock Highway, Swanzey, drive-in-live.com) continue with alternative rockers Dinosaur Jr. on Saturday, Sept. 12, at 8 p.m. (rain date is Sept. 13). Don’t miss the Dark Desert Eagles on Friday, Sept. 18, at 8 p.m. (rain date is Sept. 20). Citizen Cope will perform on Saturday, Sept. 19, at 8 p.m. (rain date is Sept. 20). Chase Rice will perform on Friday, Oct. 2, at 7 p.m. Badfish, a tribute to ’90s ska punk group Sublime, will perform on Friday, Oct. 9, at 8 p.m. (rain date will be either Oct. 11 or Oct. 12). Tickets start at $75 per vehicle for Badfish and Dark Desert Eagles; $99 per car for Citizen Cope, Chase Rice and Dinosaur Jr.

• At the Flying Monkey Movie House & Performance Center (39 S. Main St., Plymouth, 536-2551, flyingmonkeynh.com), guitarist Al Di Meola will take the stage on Saturday, Sept. 26, at 7:30 p.m. (tickets start at $45). October has seven shows on the schedule including The Association on Friday, Oct. 2, at 7:30 p.m.; Pink Talking Fish, a combination Pink Floyd, Talking Heads and Phish tribute group, on Friday, Oct. 9, at 7:30 p.m.; Justin Hayward on Friday, Oct. 16, at 7:30 p.m.; the Crash Test Dummies on Saturday, Oct. 17, at 7:30 p.m.; Damn the Torpedoes, a tribute to rock icons Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, on Friday, Oct. 23, at 7:30 p.m.; Al Stewart on Saturday, Oct. 24, at 7:30 p.m., and Classic Stones Live, a tribute to rock icons The Rolling Stones, on Friday, Oct. 30, at 7:30 p.m. November’s line-up includes The Wailin’ Jennys on Thursday, Nov. 12, at 7:30 p.m., and Peter Noone, a.k.a. “Herman” from the English pop group Herman’s Hermits, on Thursday, Nov. 19, at 7:30 p.m. Glen Phillips of Toad the Wet Sprocket and Chris Barron of Spin Doctors will perform an intimate live set on Saturday, Nov. 21, at 7:30 p.m.

• Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom (169 Ocean Blvd., Hampton Beach, 929-4100, casinoballroom.com) has two shows on the schedule. ‘90s rockers Collective Soul will perform with contemporaries Better Than Ezra and Tonic on Friday, Oct. 23, at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $63. The Little River Band performs on Thursday, Nov. 12, at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $29.

• The Music Hall (28 Chestnut St., Portsmouth, 436-2400, themusichall.org) has five performances on the schedule for September. The Sarah Blacker Trio performs on Saturday, Sept. 12, either at 6 p.m. or at 8:30 p.m. (shows are outside; rain date is Sept. 13). Tickets start at $60 per table of three. See Kat Edmonson on Thursday, Sept. 17, either at 6 p.m. or at 8 p.m. (shows are outside; rain date is Sept. 18). Tickets start at $65 per table of three. The Don Blakeslee Trio will perform on Saturday, Sept. 19, at both 6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. (shows are outside; rain date is Sept. 20). Tickets start at $60 per table of three. See Massachusetts country duo Ayla Brown and Rob Bellamy on Thursday, Sept. 24, at 6 p.m. and at 8 p.m (shows are outside). Tickets start at $60 per table of three. Tom Rush performs on Sunday, Sept. 27, at 4 p.m. Tickets cost $55.

In October, shows include Chris Trapper on Friday, Oct. 2, at 8 p.m.; rockers Ward Hayden & The Outliers on Saturday, Oct. 3, at 8 p.m.; The Mammals on Friday, Oct. 9, at 8 p.m. and the Sons of Serendip on Saturday, Oct. 17, at 8 p.m. Folk singer and guitarist Patty Larkin is scheduled to performon Saturday, Nov. 14, at 8 p.m. Tickets are $30.

• There are two more shows left in the Social Distanced Concert Series at Northeast Delta Dental Stadium (1 Line Drive, Manchester, 641-2005, nhfishercats.com). Beatles Night is Friday, Sept. 11, at 7 p.m., featuring the band The Weeklings, as part of their Socially Distanced Concert Series. Tickets start at $23 per person. On Saturday, Sept. 12, at 7 p.m., the series wraps up with a performance by the Queen tribute band Almost Queen. Tickets start at $23 per person.

• The Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester, 668-5588, palacetheatre.org) will host Moondance: The Ultimate Van Morrison Tribute Concert Thursday, Sept. 24, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $29 to $39.

• More of the Palace’s concerts are scheduled for the Rex Theatre (23 Amherst St., Manchester, 668-5588, palacetheatre.org/rex-theatre). An All-Star Tribute to Tom Petty is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 2, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $19. Enjoy A Night with Elvis, a tribute to Elvis Presley featuring Mike Slater, on Saturday, Oct. 10, at 7:30 p.m. See David Clark’s Songs in the Attic, a tribute to Billy Joel, on Saturday, Oct. 17, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $29. See singer-songwriter Matt Nakoa on Thursday, Oct. 29, at 7:30 p.m. Celebrate Halloween with Acoustic Grateful Dead Night, featuring local performer John Zevos, on Saturday, Oct. 31, at 7:30 p.m. And the Pat McGee Band will perform on Saturday, Nov. 14, at 7:30 p.m.

• The Stone Church Music Club (5 Granite St., Newmarket, 659-7700, stonechurchrocks.com) frequently has shows scheduled for five nights a week but not all of them require tickets in advance. Some that do: The ChickenShack Bluegrass Band performs on Friday, Sept. 11, at 6 p.m. (tickets cost $30 per table of four and $35 per table of six). Truffle and Born Naked will perform on Saturday, Sept. 12, at 5 p.m. Tickets cost $60 per table of four and $75 per table of six (21+ attendees only). The Honey Bees Trio will take the stage on Friday, Sept. 18, at 6 p.m. Tickets start at $25. See Sans Souci, a tribute to Jerry Garcia, on Saturday, Sept. 19, at 6 p.m. Tickets are $50 per table of four or $60 per table of six. Roots rock group High Range performs on Saturday, Sept. 26, at 6 p.m. Tickets are $40 per table of four or $50 per table of six.

In October, Cormac McCarthy performs on Friday, Oct. 2, at 6 p.m. Tickets are $60 per table of four and $75 per table of six. Other shows this month include The Phosphorescent Rats on Saturday, Oct. 3, at 6 p.m.; Club d’Elf on Saturday, Oct. 17, at 7 p.m.; IdleWild: A Celebration of the Allman Brothers Band is on Friday, Oct. 23, at 6 p.m.; The Kenny Brothers Band on Saturday, Oct. 24, at 7 p.m., and Bearly Dead on Saturday, Oct. 31, at 6 p.m.

• Tupelo Drive-In (Tupelo Music Hall, 10 A St., Derry, 437-5100, tupelohall.com) will continue its offerings of parking-lot performances, at least into October. The Dueling Pianos of New Hampshire will perform on Friday, Sept. 11, at 5:30 p.m. The Adam Ezra Group has four upcoming shows: Saturday, Sept. 12, or Sunday, Sept. 13, at 1 p.m. or 5 p.m. each day. Acclaimed singer-songwriter Shawn Mullins will perform on Saturday, Sept. 19, at 2:30 p.m. and at 5:30 p.m. John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band will perform on Sunday, Sept. 20, at noon and at 3 p.m. The Machine will perform on Sunday, Sept. 27, at either 1 p.m. or 4 p.m. See instrumental guitarist Johnny A. on Saturday, Oct. 3, at 4 p.m. Neighbor performs two shows on Sunday, Oct. 4, at 1 p.m. and at 4 p.m. See Foreigners Journey on Saturday, Oct. 10, at 1 p.m. or at 4 p.m. Will Evans of Barefoot Truth performs on Sunday, Oct. 11, at 4 p.m.

There are two more tribute bands on the schedule: Sweet Baby James, a tribute to James Taylor, will perform on Friday, Sept. 25, at 5 p.m. KICK: The INXS Experience will perform on Saturday, Sept. 26, at noon and at 3 p.m. Tickets to all shows cost $75 per vehicle.

• Zinger’s (29 Mont Vernon St., Milford, zingers.biz) will feature Erin Harpe & The Delta Swingers on Friday, Sept. 11, at 8 p.m. Tickets cost $22. Also scheduled this month: JB Aaron on Saturday, Sept. 26, at 7:30 p.m.; tickets cost $22.

Featured Photo: Andrew Pinard presents “Discovering Magic” at the Hatbox Theatre in Concord. Courtesy photo.

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