Music this week – 22/01/06

Thursday, Jan. 6

Bedford

Copper Door: Chad LaMarsh, 7 p.m.

Brookline

Alamo: open mic, 4:30 p.m.

Hermanos: Dave Gerard, 6:30 p.m.

Derry

Fody’s: music bingo, 8 p.m.

Epping

Telly’s: Pete Peterson, 7 p.m.

Exeter

Sawbelly: Chad Verbeck, 5 p.m.

Goffstown

Village Trestle: Jeff Mrozek, 6 p.m.

Hampton

CR’s: Steve Sibulkin, 6 p.m.

Wally’s: Chris Toler, 6 p.m.

Whym: music bingo, 6 p.m.

Hudson

Lynn’s 102: karaoke w/ George Bisson, 8 p.m.

Kingston

Saddle Up Saloon: karaoke with DJ Jason, 7 p.m.

Laconia

Fratello’s: live piano, 5:30 p.m.

Londonderry

Stumble Inn: Charlie Chronopoulos, 7 p.m.

Manchester

Angel City: open mic, 8 p.m.

Currier: Alli Beaudry, 5 p.m.

Fratello’s: Ted Solovicos, 5:30 p.m.

KC’s: Jodee Frawlee, 6 p.m.

Strange Brew: Becca Myari, 8 p.m.

Meredith

Giuseppe’s: The Sweetbloods, 5:45 p.m.

Merrimack

Homestead: Chris Lester, 5:30 p.m.

Tomahawk: Joanie Cicatelli, 6:30 p.m.

Milford

Stonecutters Pub: Blues Therapy, 8 p.m.

Nashua

Fody’s: DJ Rich Karaoke, 9:30 p.m.

Fratello’s: Justin Jordan, 5:30 p.m.

Stones Social: Kevin Horan, 6 p.m.

Salem

Copper Door: Dave Zangri, 7 p.m.

Seabrook

Red’s: live music, 7 p.m.

Friday, Jan. 7

Brookline

Alamo: Joe Birch, 4:30 p.m.

Concord

Area 23: Lucas Gallo, 8 p.m.

Derry

Fody’s: Joe McDonald, 7 p.m.

Epping

Telly’s: Mica Peterson, 8 p.m.

Goffstown

Village Trestle: Rose Kula, 6 p.m.

Hampton

CR’s: Bob Tirelli, 6 p.m.

The Goat: Alex Anthony, 8 p.m.

Shane’s Texas Pit: Brian Walker, 8 p.m.

Wally’s: 7 Day Weekend, 9 p.m.

Whym: Sean Coleman, 6:30 p.m.

Henniker

Pats Peak: Justin Cohn, 6 p.m.

Kingston

Saddle Up Saloon: Bite the Bullet, 8 p.m.

Laconia

Fratello’s: live piano, 5:30 p.m.

Tower Hill Tavern: DJ Kadence with karaoke, 8 p.m.

Londonderry

Coach Shop: Chris Powers, 6 p.m.

Stumble Inn: Jordan and Clint, 8 p.m.

Manchester

Bonfire: Isaiah Bennett, 9 p.m.

Derryfield: Almost Famous, 9 p.m.

The Foundry: live music, 6 p.m.

Fratello’s: Dave Zangri, 6 p.m.

Murphy’s: Chris Fraga, 9:30 p.m.

South Side Tavern: Cox Karaoke, 9 p.m.

Strange Brew: Ken Clark Organ Trio, 9 p.m.

Meredith

Giuseppe’s: Michael Bourgeois, 6 p.m.

Merrimack

Homestead: Austin McCarthy, 6 p.m.

Milford

Pasta Loft: Horizon, 9 p.m.

Stonecutters Pub: DJ Dave O with karaoke, 9 p.m.

Nashua

Fratello’s: Doug Thompson, 6 p.m.

Newmarket

Stone Church: Jamie Saft Trio, 8 p.m.

Northfield

Boonedoxz Pub: karaoke night, 7 p.m.

Portsmouth

Gas Light: Pete Peterson, 9:30 p.m.

Goat: Chris Toler, 9 p.m.

Thirsty Moose: Dave Alves, 9 p.m.

Salem

Copper Door: Dave Zangri, 6 p.m.

Seabrook

Chop Shop: White Noiz, 8 p.m.

Red’s: live music, 7 p.m.

Stratham

Tailgate Tavern: The DUO, 7 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 8

Alton Bay

Dock Side: Jeff Lines, 8 p.m.

Brookline

Alamo: Travis Rollo, 5 p.m.

Concord

Concord Craft Brewing: Alex Cohen, 3 p.m.

Hermanos: Phil Sargent, 6:30 p.m.

Derry

Fody’s: Doug Flood, 8:30 p.m.

Epping

Telly’s: Almost Famous, 8 p.m.

Goffstown

Village Trestle: Brian James, 6 p.m.

Hampton

The Goat: Jonny Friday Duo, 9 p.m.

Wally’s: Maddi Ryan, 9 p.m.

Whym: Ryan Williamson, 6:30 p.m.

Hudson

Lynn’s 102 Tavern: M.F. Law, 8 p.m.

Kingston

Saddle Up Saloon: Eric Grant, 8 p.m.

Laconia

Fratello’s: live piano, 5:30 p.m.

Londonderry

Coach Shop: Jordan Quinn, 6 p.m.

Stumble Inn: Bar-Hoppers Band, 8 p.m.

Manchester

Angel City: Off the Record, 9 p.m.

Derryfield: Chad LaMarsh Band, 8 p.m.

Fratello’s: Jodee Frawlee, 6 p.m.

The Goat: 7 Day Weekend, 9 p.m.

Great North Aleworks: Paul Nelson, 4 p.m.

McIntyre Ski: Clint Lapointe, 5 p.m.

Murphy’s: Joanie Cicatelli Duo, 9:30 p.m.

Strange Brew: Amorphous Band, 9 p.m.

Merrimack

Homestead: Justin Jordan, 6 p.m.

Milford

Pasta Loft: Mt. Pleasant, 9 p.m.

Nashua

Fratello’s: Chris Powers, 6 p.m.

Liquid Therapy: Garrett Partridge Acoustic Triune, 6 p.m.

Millyard Brewery: Adam McCauley, 4 p.m.

Newmarket

Stone Church: Sal Johnson & the Crowded Table, 9 p.m.

Portsmouth

Gas Light: Liz Ridgely, 9:30 p.m.

The Goat: Mike Forgette, 9 p.m.

Thirsty Moose: Business Time, 9 p.m.

Seabrook

Chop Shop: Doubleshot, 8:30 p.m.

Sunday, Jan. 9

Alton Bay

Dockside: Mikey G, 4 p.m.

Bedford

Copper Door: Yvonne Aubert, 11 a.m.

Brookline

Alamo: Mike Freestone, 4:30 p.m.

Hudson

Lynn’s 102 Tavern: Better Left Acoustic, 5 p.m.

Laconia

Fratello’s: live piano, 5:30 p.m.

Manchester

Strange Brew: jam, 7 p.m.

Northfield

Boonedoxz Pub: open mic, 4 p.m.

Portsmouth

The Goat: Rob Pagnano, 9 p.m.

Salem

Copper Door: Steve Aubert, 11 a.m.

Seabrook

Red’s: live music, 8 p.m.

Monday, Jan. 10

Hudson

The Bar: karaoke with Phil

Gilford

Patrick’s Pub: open mic w/ Paul Luff, 6 p.m.

Laconia

Fratello’s: live piano, 5:30 p.m.

Londonderry

Stumble Inn: Lisa Guyer, 7 p.m.

Manchester

Fratello’s: Phil Jacques, 5:30 p.m.

The Goat: live band karaoke, 8 p.m.

Merrimack

Homestead: Chris Powers, 5:30 p.m.

Nashua

Fody’s: karaoke night, 9:30 p.m.

Fratello’s: Austin McCarthy, 5:30 p.m.

Portsmouth

The Goat: Alex Anthony, 9 p.m.

Press Room: open mic, 6 p.m.

Tuesday, Jan. 11

Concord

Hermanos: State Street Combo, 6:30 p.m.

Tandy’s: open mic night, 8 p.m.

Hampton

Shane’s: music bingo, 7 p.m.

Kingston

Saddle Up Saloon: line dancing, 7 p.m.

Laconia

Fratello’s: live piano, 5:30 p.m.

Manchester

Fratello’s: Ryan Williamson, 5:30 p.m.

KC’s Rib Shack: Paul & Nate open mic, 7 p.m.

Strange Brew: David Rousseau, 7 p.m.

Merrimack

Homestead: Dave Zangri, 5:30 p.m.

Nashua

Fratello’s: Phil Jakes, 5:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Jan. 12

Concord

Area 23: open mic, 6 p.m.

Hermanos: State Street Combo, 6:30 p.m.

Tandy’s: karaoke, 8 p.m.

Hampton

Bogie’s: open mic, 7 p.m.

Wally’s: Chris Toler, 7 p.m.

Hudson

Lynn’s 102: Old Gold, 7 p.m.

Kingston

Saddle Up Saloon: Musical Bingo Nation, 7 p.m.

Laconia

Fratello’s: live piano, 5:30 p.m.

Manchester

Fratello’s: Joanie Cicatelli, 5:30 p.m.

The Goat: country line dancing, 7 p.m.

Stark Brewing: Cox Karaoke, 8 p.m.

Strange Brew: Howard & Mike’s Acoustic Jam, 8 p.m.

Meredith

Giuseppe’s: Paul Warnick, 5:45 p.m.

Merrimack

Homestead: Justin Cohn, 5:30 p.m.

Milford

Stonecutters Pub: open mic, 8 p.m.

Nashua

Fratello’s: Dave Zangri, 5:30 p.m.

Newmarket

Stone Church: Phileep, 7 p.m.

Rochester

Porter’s: karaoke night, 6:30 p.m.

Somersworth

Speakeasy: open mic night, 7 p.m.

Thursday, Jan. 13

Bedford

Copper Door: Justin Jordan, 7 p.m.

Brookline

Alamo: open mic, 4:30 p.m.

Concord

Hermanos: Chris Peters, 6:30 p.m.

Derry

Fody’s: music bingo, 8 p.m.

Epping

Telly’s: Tim Theriault, 7 p.m.

Exeter

Sawbelly: Artty Francouer, 5 p.m.

Goffstown

Village Trestle: Paul Lussier, 6 p.m.

Shows

Christian Sands Quartet Thursday, Jan. 6, 7:30 p.m., Jimmy’s Jazz and Blues Club

Purging Sin/King’s Petition Thursday, Jan. 6, Bank of NH Stage in Concord

James Montgomery Band Friday, Jan. 7, 7:30 p.m. & 10 p.m., Jimmy’s Jazz and Blues Club

Jamie Saft Trio Friday, Jan. 7, 8 p.m., Stone Church

Fortune Friday, Jan. 7, 8 p.m., Tupelo

Recycled Percussion Saturday, Jan. 8, 4 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., Palace Theatre

Livin’ on a Bad Name (Bon Jovi tribute), Saturday, Jan. 8, 7:30 p.m., Rex Theatre

Ranky Tanky Saturday, Jan. 8, 7:30 p.m., Jimmy’s Jazz and Blues Club

Get the Led Out Saturday, Jan. 8, 8 p.m., Cap Center

1964: The Tribute (Beatles Tribute) Sunday, Jan. 9, 7 p.m., Palace Theatre

The Breathing Process/Worm Shepherd/Alukah/Begat the Nephilim Monday, Jan. 10, 7 p.m., Jewel Music Venue

Delfeayo Marsalis & the Uptown Jazz Orchestra Wednesday, Jan. 12, 7 p.m. & 9:30 p.m., Jimmy’s Jazz and Blues Club

Karrin Allyson Friday, Jan. 14, 7:30 p.m., Jimmy’s Jazz and Blues Club

Ronan Tynan (Irish Tenor) Friday, Jan. 14, 7:30 p.m., Palace Theatre

EJ Oulette and Crazy Maggie/Carol Coronis Friday, Jan. 14, 8 p.m., Stone Church

Blood, Sweat & Tears Saturday, Jan. 15, 2 & 7:30 p.m., Palace Theatre

Recycled Percussion Saturday, Jan. 15, 4:30 & 7:30 p.m., Music Hall

Enox/The War Within/Tactiles/Okami Saturday, Jan. 15, 7 p.m., Jewel Music Venue

Vanessa Collier Saturday, Jan. 15, 7:30 p.m., Jimmy’s Jazz & Blues Club

Dueling Pianos Saturday, Jan. 15, 7:30 p.m., Franklin Opera House

Morgan James Saturday, Jan. 15, 7:30 p.m., Rex Theatre

Beatlejuice Saturday, Jan. 15, 8 p.m., Tupelo

Beau Sasser Trio/Slack Tide Saturday, Jan. 15, 9 p.m., Stone Church

Tom Chapin Wednesday, Jan. 19, 7:30 p.m., Jimmy’s Jazz & Blues Club

Dave Gererd and Tim Theriault Thursday, Jan. 20, 7 p.m., Stone Church

Anthony Geraci & the Boston Blues All-Stars Thursday, Jan. 20, 7:30 p.m., Jimmy’s Jazz & Blues Venue

An Evening with Felix Cavaliere’s Rascals Friday, Jan. 21, 7:30 p.m, Palace Theatre

Red Hot Chili Pipers Friday, Jan. 21, 7:30 p.m., Flying Monkey

Ambrose Akinmusire Friday, Jan. 21, 7:30 p.m., Jimmy’s Jazz and Blues Club

The Dave Matthews Tribute Band Friday, Jan. 21, 8 p.m., Tupelo

Fred Hersch Trio Saturday, Jan. 22, 7 p.m. & 9:30 p.m., Jimmy’s Jazz & Blues Club

Funtcase & SweetTooth Saturday, Jan. 22, 8 p.m., Jewel Music Venue

Amulus/The Chops Saturday, Jan. 21, 9 p.m., Stone Church

Who’s Bad (tribute to Michael Jackson) Saturday, Jan. 22, 2 and 7:30 p.m., Palace Theatre

Beechwood & Boomsoss Saturday, Jan. 22, 8 p.m., Bank of NH Stage in Concord

The Gilmour Project Saturday, Jan. 22, 8 p.m., Tupelo

The Skunk Sessions Saturday, Jan. 22, 8 p.m., Stone Church

Portland Symphony Orchestra Chamber Music Series Sunday, Jan. 23, 5:30 p.m., Jimmy’s Jazz and Blues Club

Citizen Cope Tuesday, Jan. 25, 7:30 p.m., Music Hall

Eddie 9V Wednesday, Jan. 26, 7:30 p.m., Jimmy’s Jazz and Blues Club

Nicholas Payton Thursday, Jan. 27, 7 p.m., Jimmy’s Jazz and Blues Club

Juggalo Jump-Off (Insane Clown Posse tribute) Thursday, Jan. 27, 8 p.m., Jewel Music Venue

Bearly Dead Thursday, Jan. 27, 9 p.m., Stone Church

Marty Stuart & His Fabulous Superlatives Friday, Jan. 28, 7:30 p.m., Flying Monkey

Keb’Mo’ Friday, Jan. 28, 8 p.m., Music Hall

The Bulkheads/Adrienne Mack-Davis/Villains Row Saturday, Jan. 29, 8 p.m., Stone Church

Rachel & Vilray Saturday, Jan. 29, 8 p.m., The Historic Theatre/Music Hall

Blitzkid The Reunion Kickoff Tour Wednesday, Feb. 2, 7 p.m., Jewel

Joel Ross Quintet Wednesday, Feb. 2, 7:30 p.m., Jimmy’s Jazz and Blues Club

Shmeika Copeland Thursday, Feb. 3, 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., Jimmy’s Jazz and Blues Club

Foreigners Journey (tribute to Foreigner and Journey) Thursday, Feb. 3, 7:30 p.m., Palace Theatre

King Solomon Hicks Friday, Feb. 4, 7:30 p.m., Jimmy’s Jazz and Blues Club

Enter the Haggis Friday, Feb. 4, 8 p.m., Bank of NH Stage in Concord

Phil Vassar Friday, Feb. 4, 7:30 p.m., Flying Monkey

Cowboy Junkies Friday, Feb. 4, 8 p.m., The Historic Theatre/Music Hall

Tusk (Fleetwood Mac Tribute) Friday, Feb. 4, 8 p.m., Tupelo

Cash Unchained — The Ultimate Johnny Cash Tribute Saturday, Feb. 5, 7 p.m., Cap Center

Mike Giradis’ Big Swingin’ Thing Saturday, Feb. 5, Flying Monkey

No stopping her

Country singer brings debut disc to Concord

Following a Covid-caused delay of more than a year, April Cushman finally released her debut album, The Long Haul, in November. The country singer celebrated in front of a hometown crowd at Milford’s Pasta House — she grew up in nearby Brookline. The event sold out weeks in advance.

The new record is one of the best of the genre to come out of the Granite State in recent years. It’s filled with great songs, from the modern country rocker “Soundtrack To My City” to the could-have-been love ballad “Once Upon A Time” and the tender ode to her father (who makes a cameo introduction) closing things out, “Take My Hand.”

Cushman purposefully selected the album’s leadoff track. She wrote “Ain’t No Stopping You” after being laid off and resolving in that moment to go all in on the music career she’d dreamed about and chased since childhood.

“Losing a job is never an emotionally easy thing to go through. … I was trying to switch the mindset of having it be a bad thing,” she said in a recent phone interview. “You have dreams — get your friends and family together [and] paint the town red. Make sure there’s no stopping you from reaching the goals that you want to reach.”

It’s a daunting road described deftly in the title cut. Penned by New Hampshire singer-songwriter turned Nashville expat Amanda McCarthy and a few other locals who moved south, “The Long Haul” describes the shock of being “a big fish in a small town” set loose in an ocean of like-minded aspirants.

Cushman jumped on the song when it was pitched to her.

“The line that really hits me the hardest is, ‘entitlement pays a price,’” she said. “A lot of people think, ‘I’m hot stuff around here.’ Then they move and realize there is so much talent…. It’s a very ignorant mind-set as an artist. I have to admit, I’ve probably been there at some point.”

Making it is often a “10-year turnaround” — or even more for established stars like Chris Stapleton, who toiled for nearly two decades before getting his big break.

“You’re basically starting from the top of where you came from, going to the absolute bottom [and] starting over…. It takes a lot of elbow grease,” Cushman said. “In such an instant gratification world, if we don’t see complete success in five years or less, a lot of people will say, ‘This isn’t for me.’”

Though Cushman will head to Music City at some point to do some songwriter showcases, she has no plans to relocate permanently, as many New England country performers have done.

“I’m focusing on the album right now, and preparing for potentially touring,” she said. “Once we’re ready, we will certainly make our way down there.”

While she continues to play mostly covers at bars and restaurants, Cushman has resolved to do at least one original gig a month. Next is a full-band performance at Bank of NH Stage in Concord.

“This is our first straight music venue, our first theater headlining show,” she said. “We’ve never done something like this before, so it’s very exciting.”

Due to the pandemic, it’s a hybrid event; fans can purchase in-person tickets or pay to stream it online. Cushman considers the latter choice a silver lining, since her song with the most Spotify streams initially took off in the U.K.

“People have the option, depending on where they are in life, what’s going on in the world and where they’re located, to be part of the show,” she said.

Cushman and drummer Adam Soucy recently began a weekly residency at the old Club ManchVegas space now occupied by The Goat. It’s an opportunity to spread the word about her music between familiar hits, and occasionally slip in one of her own tunes. “I’ll say, ‘Hey, you guys have been requesting Morgan Wallen, Miranda Lambert, Ashley McBride and Carrie Underwood all night. … Now here’s my song.”

Though aware it’s a continuing journey, Cushman is grateful to be this far along.

“Going from a kid just doing something that made me feel good and was kind of my emotional outlet, to being an adult looking back at the last 25 years … holy cow,” she said. “It feels like a very full-circle moment to have this record out; I’m looking forward to the next one.”

April Cushman, Live and Livestreamed

When: Thursday, Jan. 13, 7:30 p.m.
Where: Bank of NH Stage, 16 S. Main St., Concord
Tickets: $34.99 in person, $17.99 livestream at liveonfestival.show

Featured photo: April Cushman. Courtesy photo.

The Music Roundup 22/01/06

Local music news & events

Prime cuts: While partaking in a namesake 3-pound steak, or lighter fare, listen to Joanie Cicatelli perform. A veteran musician who attended New England Conservatory, her tastes run towards classic acts like Fleetwood Mac and The Pretenders. She’s also a part of Boston guitarist Barry Goudreau’s Engine Room, providing lead and backup vocals, along with her own band Cool Change, formed in the early 2000s. Thursday, Jan. 6, 6:30 p.m., Tomahawk Tavern, 454 Daniel Webster Hwy., Merrimack, tomahawktavern.com.

Crafty jamming: Enjoy a bountiful microbrew selection and music from Slack Tide, a quintet stretching the jam band genre’s definition. It’s led by Berklee-trained guitarist Chris Cyrus, who grew up on Jack Johnson and Sublime, while also listening to psychedelic rockers like The Doors and the Dead. “My two big influences were hippie rock and white boy reggae,” he said, “and to make the best party I can.” Friday, Jan. 7, 4 p.m., Pipe Dream Brewing, 49 Harvey Road, Londonderry, pipedreambrewingnh.com.

Laugh launch: After a successful New Year’s Eve event, weekly comedy kicks off with Jason Merrill at a downtown eatery offering a large draft beer selection. Area standup fans will remember when this venue held a regular midweek open mic. Presented by Dave Rattigan’s Scamps Comedy Productions, the show also includes Chris Cameron, Colleen McCauley, Ryan Shea, Bill Douglass and Amber Born. Saturday, Jan. 8, 8 p.m., Murphy’s Taproom, 494 Elm St., Manchester, tickets $20 at eventbrite.com.

Barn burner: Finish off the weekend in a bucolic setting with a Blues Brunch led by guitarists Rick Campbell and Leadfoot Sam Markson. The two trade scorching licks on their original song, “Lockdown Quarantine Blues,” written back in 2020, as well as running through a range of other stellar selections. “International Blues Man” Leadfoot Sam has a good sampling on his personal SoundCloud page. Sunday, Jan. 9, 10 a.m., Twin Barns Brewing Co., 194 Daniel Webster Hwy., Meredith, twinbarnsbrewing.com.

Royal visit: The first family of New Orleans jazz stops by as Delfeayo Marsalis & The Uptown Jazz Orchestra perform at a Seacoast music showcase. A gifted trombone player with a long production resume as well, Marsalis’s credits include founding the Uptown Music Theatre in his home city and training hundreds of young musicians, while staging multiple productions. Wednesday, Jan. 12, 7 p.m., Jimmy’s Jazz & Blues Club, 135 Congress St., Portsmouth. Tickets $30 to $85 at ticketmaster.com.

Nightmare Alley (R)

Nightmare Alley (R)

Step right up and enjoy the thrills, chills and stylish miasma of dread concocted by director and co-writer Guillermo del Toro in Nightmare Alley.

It’s 1939 when we first see Stanton Carlisle (Bradley Cooper). He’s dragging a body into a hole in the floor of a dilapidated house and then lighting the house on fire. Walking away from the flames, he eventually boards a bus and rides until the end of the line, which happens to be very near to a low-budget carnival. He wanders around, ducking out of the geek show (man eats live chicken) before Clem (Willem Dafoe) can collect the 25-cent admission. Carnival boss Bruno (Ron Perlman) catches him but takes pity on him, offering the nearly wordless Stan a job helping to break down the sets and tents and haul the carnival to the next town. Stan does alright with the job, and they keep him around. At first he helps out Clem but later he worms his way into the act of Zeena (Toni Collette), who does mystical readings and psychic-type work. She and her partner Pete (David Strathain) used to have a more elaborate mind-reading act, but Pete is now too lost in his alcohol addiction to help Zeena that much. Stan, however, sees the potential in starting their act up again. He also woos quiet performer Molly (Rooney Mara). He even helps her improve her act by building an electric chair with a lot of accompanying set design that gives the whole thing an air of mad-science and danger.

Eventually, Molly and Stan do strike out on their own, taking their mind-reading act on the road and performing in hotels. But then Stan stumbles into doing a bit of medium work, helping a rich couple (Peter MacNeill, Mary Steenburgen) communicate with their son who died during World War I. It’s a trick he performs with help from Dr. Lilith Ritter (Cate Blanchett), a psychiatrist who has been treating the couple. Stan realizes that with inside knowledge from Ritter about patients’ deepest secrets, he can have a very profitable side gig of helping the wealthy obtain peace. But, as several of the carnival workers warn him, that kind of con has a lot of potential dangers.

I feel like this movie is built backward from Cate Blanchett’s femme fatale stylings (which are great because she’s always great styled that way), the mood of descending doom created by situating the movie during the early days of World War II and the blend of con-artistry and implied magic of a traveling carnival. Those are the ingredients, now build a meal from that — is what Nightmare Alley feels like. But it’s a bit like building a meal from gravy, whipped cream and nuts. Sure, there’s something there, but it doesn’t feel substantial enough to justify the giant serving dish.

Nightmare Alley is long — two and a half hours — and feels it. I feel like it could have made its points about the darkness of the human heart in at least 45 fewer minutes. The movie loads up on Chekov guns (including a literal gun that appears in the second act), and we have to wait a long time to watch each one go off in a way that is neither dramatically satisfying nor particularly necessary. I get why, with sets and costumes and a score this noirily gorgeous, the movie would want to include as much of the atmospherics as possible. But I think the performances here — Bradley Cooper feels particularly flat — are not helped by giving us more of them.

Nightmare Alley has plenty of that del Toro vibe — dark, creepy, beautiful, with interesting touches of humor — but it is otherwise fairly ho-hum. B-

Rated R for strong/bloody violence, some sexual content, nudity and language, according to the MPA on filmratings.com. Directed by Guillermo del Toro with a screenplay by Guillermo del Toro & Kim Morgan (based on the novel by William Lindsay Gresham), Nightmare Alley is two hours and 28 minutes long and distributed in theaters by Searchlight Pictures.

FILM

Venues

AMC Londonderry
16 Orchard View Dr., Londonderry
amctheatres.com

Bank of NH Stage in Concord
16 S. Main St., Concord
225-1111, banknhstage.com

Capitol Center for the Arts
44 S. Main St., Concord
225-1111, ccanh.com

Cinemark Rockingham Park 12
15 Mall Road, Salem

Chunky’s Cinema Pub
707 Huse Road, Manchester; 151 Coliseum Ave., Nashua; 150 Bridge St., Pelham, chunkys.com

Dana Center
Saint Anselm College
100 Saint Anselm Dr., Manchester, anselm.edu

Fathom Events
Fathomevents.com

The Flying Monkey
39 Main St., Plymouth
536-2551, flyingmonkeynh.com

LaBelle Winery
345 Route 101, Amherst
672-9898, labellewinery.com

The Music Hall
28 Chestnut St., Portsmouth
436-2400, themusichall.org

O’neil Cinemas
24 Calef Hwy., Epping
679-3529, oneilcinemas.com

Red River Theatres
11 S. Main St., Concord
224-4600, redrivertheatres.org

Regal Fox Run Stadium 15
45 Gosling Road, Newington
regmovies.com

Rex Theatre
23 Amherst St., Manchester
668-5588, palacetheatre.org

The Strand
20 Third St., Dover
343-1899, thestranddover.com

Wilton Town Hall Theatre
40 Main St., Wilton
wiltontownhalltheatre.com, 654-3456

Shows

Licorice Pizza (R, 2021) will screen at Red River Theatres in Concord Thursday, Jan. 6, at 4 & 7:30 p.m. and Friday, Jan. 7 through Sunday, Jan. 9, at noon, 3:30 & 7 p.m.; Thursday, Jan. 13, 3:30 & 7 p.m.

The Tragedy of MacBeth (R, 2021) will screen at Red River Theatres in Concord on Thursday, Jan. 6, at 4 & 7:30 p.m.; Friday, Jan. 7, through Sunday, Jan. 9, at 1, 4 & 7:30 p..m.; Thursday, Jan. 13, 4 & 7:30 p.m.

The Metropolitan Opera — Cinderella on Saturday, Jan. 1, at 12:55 p.m. at Bank of NH Stage in Concord. Tickets cost $26.

Nanook of the North (1922), a silent documentary, on Sunday, Jan. 23, at 2 p.m. at the Wilton Town Hall Theatre. Suggested donation of $10.

For Heaven’s Sake (1926), a silent film starring Harold Lloyd, on Wednesday, Jan. 26, at 6 p.m. at the Flying Monkey. Suggested donation of $10.

Dark Mountain (2021) on Wednesday, Feb. 2, at 7 p.m. at the Flying Monkey. Tickets cost $12.

Blood and Sand (1922), on Sunday, Feb. 13, at 2 p.m. at the Wilton Town Hall Theatre. Suggested donation of $10.

Featured photo: Nightmare Alley.

How To Live Like a Monk, Medieval Wisdom for Modern Life, by Daniele Cybulskie

How To Live Like a Monk, Medieval Wisdom for Modern Life, by Daniele Cybulskie (Abbeville Press, 175 pages)

When modernity fails, antiquity beckons. That is the conclusion to be drawn from renewed interest in lifestyles vastly different from the high-consumption, low-contemplation and tech-driven models so prevalent today.

This is seen in the popularity of Twitter’s “Lindy Man,” a lawyer turned lifestyle guru who exhorts people to consult ancestral wisdom in order to lead a more fulfilling life, and the trend toward tiny houses, minimalism and other scaled-back systems of living that previous generations of poor people sought to escape. Into this space comes Daniele Cybulskie, a medieval historian and self-described professional nerd who has built up a niche following with a podcast on medieval life. Her fourth book, How to Live Like Monk, seemed a promising escape from the excesses of the holiday season, and it has glimpses of potential, but ultimately devolves into boilerplate cheerleading for gratitude and simplicity, a la Sarah Ban Breathnach of the Simple Abundance brand. That said, it’s a book well worth skimming, especially if you’re a trivia buff.

“Abundance” is not a word typically associated with monks, whose lifestyle, as we all know, is distinguished by austerity. But here’s the thing. What do you really know about monks, or nuns or other people of disparate religious beliefs who lead cloistered lives? You have Trappist beer or jelly in the house but know nothing about why monks make beer anyway. Cybulskie does not examine the lives of modern monks (which seems an oxymoron), but looks at their predecessors, and when she is focusing on history, and not giving advice, this handbook is fascinating.

Who knew, for example, that early monks were allotted a gallon of beer a day, or that despite their rigid schedule of prayer and chores, their lives were pretty much an intellectual’s dream, filled as they were with mealtime lectures and quiet reading hours? Monastery life was often foisted on young children, whose parents would turn them over to an order if they could not afford to raise or educate them (or if they wanted bonus points in the afterlife). And sometimes criminals took refuge in a monastery to avoid punishment (think Jean Valean). But many people chose the lifestyle freely, as there is something to be said for living in a peaceful commune where you don’t have to worry about how to pay the rent or what to wear. (Monks were typically given two outfits — one to wear while the other was being washed — and one pair of shoes, which were replaced every year.)

For all their simplicity, the grounds of a monastery were typically glorious, not only because they were to be a reflection of God’s glory, but because a key ministry of monks was providing comfortable lodging for travelers, a tradition that continues today, or at least that did before Covid. As for food, monks are not known for feasting, but they were Whole Foods before Whole Foods existed, with their own orchards, herb and vegetable gardens, and fish ponds. They generally shunned the flesh of four-legged animals, but ate poultry and fish, and there is record of one medieval monastery accepting eels as payment for rent. Monks were also way ahead of us on the whole green burial thing, accepting “dust to dust” as a lifestyle and even burying their dead in their orchards. Like the early Christians, monks of the Middle Ages were somewhat obsessed with death, ordering their lives around their hopes for the afterlife and sincerely believing that they lived in end times. Of course, like everyone else who lived before antibiotics, death was always a breath or two away, which gave rise to skull art and jewelry known as “memento mori” — Latin for “remember you must die.”

Cybulski concedes this to be a sort of “grotesque emphasis” on death and struggles to recommend it to her readers, but finds other monkish practices to suggest. Some are banal: Embrace minimalism! Don’t overspend! Supercharge habits! But there are nuggets of seriousness here, thought truffles worth digging for, and one of the monks’ most famous traditions, an emphasis on silence, is something sorely needed in the noisy lives that many of us live. Saint Benedict, originator of arguably the most famous guide for living like a monk, the Rule of St. Benedict, decreed that monks should not speak out loud except by permission or in services. He believed that “mindless chatter was at best distracting and at worst destructive.” By cutting out the small talk, he effectively kept monks from grumbling, and instead filled their minds with edifying words read during their communal meals.

On the website for Saint Anselm College in Manchester, home to a community of Benedictine monks, you can read Brother Isaac’s blog, which shows that despite a societal yearning for the past, the past’s institutions are keeping up with modern times. The concept of a blog might have been distressing for St. Benedict, but at least you can write one in silence. This saintly little handbook fails to ascend to intellectual heights, and its compact size reduces the usefulness and beauty of its otherwise compelling photographs and art, but it will nonetheless stimulate interest about cloistered life, past and present. C


Book Notes, New Year Edition

According to social scientists, you will likely abandon your new year resolutions between Jan. 19 and Feb. 1, but until then, keep the faith. In order to help with your plans to be thinner, smarter, kinder, richer, more organized and better dressed, here’s a lineup of books, both from past years and upcoming, that promise to help with your goals, fleeting as they may be.

Atomic Habits (Avery, 320 pages) by James Clear was published in 2018 but is still atop Amazon’s bestseller list. The author promises “tiny changes, remarkable results” that can apply to anything you’re resolved to do this year.

Brene Brown was a research professor before she broke into the Oprah-esque popular culture space. Her new book, Atlas of the Heart, is about “mapping meaningful connection and the language of human experience,” whatever that means (Random House, 336 pages). Its genre is emotional self-help. That said, Amazon has said it’s one of the best books of the year, so worth checking out.

The Blue Zones Challenge is the latest from Dan Buettner, who studies people who live in the blue zones, the areas of the world where people live the longest. This workbook encompasses four weeks of changes with the goal of having a “longer, better life,” which fits nicely with the four weeks with which most of us stick with our resolutions. It’s from National Geographic, 240 pages.

Organizing for the Rest of Us (Thomas Nelson, 224 pages) comes out Jan. 22. Dana K. White offers 100 “realistic” strategies to keep our homes under control. She says that cleaning is the last step of a three-step process; the first is decluttering and the second is managing day-to-day stuff. Doesn’t look like there’s much new here, but could be an inspirational pep talk.

Baby Steps Millionaires (Ramsey Press, 224 pages) is by financial guru Dave Ramsey, who has taken some PR hits this year in accusations of a cult-like atmosphere at his Tennessee headquarters. Millions of people follow his plans, however, and his new book, releasing Jan. 11, promises to teach ordinary people how to build extraordinary wealth. Don’t read unless you’re willing to cut up your credit cards.

Finally, in what’s possibly the most unappealing title of a diet book ever, there is Dr. Kellyann’s Bone Broth Diet (Rodale, 416 pages), which is only slightly more appetizing than my proposed counter-title, Lose Weight and Gain Energy Eating the Slimy Contrails of Backyard Slugs. But OK. Kellyann Petrucci is a “concierge physician” for celebrities, and she says we can lose 15 pounds, 4 inches and an unspecified number of wrinkles by following her plan. At $17.99, it’s cheaper than Botox. Let me know if it works.


Book Events

Author events

JAMES ROLLINS Author presents The Starless Crown, in conversation with Terry Brooks. Virtual event hosted by Gibson’s Bookstore in Concord. Mon., Jan. 10, 7 p.m. Via Zoom. Registration required. Visit gibsonsbookstore.com or call 224-0562.

TIMOTHY BOUDREAU Author presents on the craft of writing short stories. Sat., Jan. 15, 9:45 to 11:45 a.m. Peterborough Town Library, 2 Concord St., Peterborough. Visit monadnockwriters.org.

TOM RAFFIO Author presents Prepare for Crisis, Plan to Thrive. The Bookery, 844 Elm St., Manchester. Thurs., Jan. 27, 5:30 p.m. Visit bookerymht.com.

CHAD ORZEL Author presents A Brief History of Timekeeping. Virtual event hosted by Gibson’s Bookstore in Concord. Thurs., Jan. 27, 7 p.m. Via Zoom. Registration required. Visit gibsonsbookstore.com or call 224-0562.

ISABEL ALLENDE Author presents Violeta. Virtual event hosted by Gibson’s Bookstore in Concord. Sat., Jan. 29, 7 p.m. Via Zoom. Registration and tickets required, to include the purchase of the book. Visit gibsonsbookstore.com or call 224-0562.

Book Sales

USED BOOK SALE Used books for $1, $3 and $5. GoodLife Programs & Activities, 254 N. State St., Unit L, Concord. Jan. 10 through Jan. 21 (closed Jan. 17). Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visit goodlifenh.org.

Poetry

CAROL WESTBURG AND SUE BURTON Virtual poetry reading hosted by Gibson’s Bookstore in Concord. Thurs., Jan. 20, 7 p.m. Via Zoom. Registration required. Visit gibsonsbookstore.com or call 224-0562.

Album Reviews 22/01/06

Mild Orange, Colourise (self-released)

By now you’ve probably noticed a growing preference in this column for dream-pop and chamber-pop. Those genres go easy on my constitution these days, and that’s just kind of stuck, apparently permanently. Dimly related to shoegaze and no-wave, such bands are usually melodic but wonderfully noisy, raucous but unobtrusive in the great scheme. Now, these guys, professed to be dream-poppers, are New Zealanders, the two principal members having grown up together since the age of 3, which is even more promising, given that they didn’t meet at college, which usually leads to monstrosities like [any band from the Aughts]. They’re a 5-million-views-and-counting YouTube success and thus have remained indie, and this LP is captivating from the opening title track, its sub-spaghetti guitars and Coldplay-ish vocals capturing the essence of the genre perfectly. Elsewhere we have “This Kinda Day,” which sounds like what Pavement would be if they weren’t absolutely terrible, and “Aurora,” an exploration of pool-side Chris Isaak vibe that features some nifty Vampire Weekend guitar work. No problems here, folks. A

Project Youngin, Letter From The Projects (self-released)

Whether or not it’s a bit of a snobby take, fact is that the rap game is powered much less by musicianship than it is by PR stunts and spurious drama. It parallels online troll culture in that regard, so it’s culturally relevant as well as being the most defining vibe of our era. To us critics it’s more than a little stale; the backstory of this St. Petersburg, Florida, rapper can’t be told without including mention of a fake “shooting” that took place during the filming of the video for his 2018 mixtape Thug Souljas, a stunt that made headlines in XXL and other big-hitter webzines. Mine isn’t to judge, of course, simply to report, and all that really happened is that he’s still around and currently pushing this 11-song EP, which jumps off with “Prophet,” Youngin’s disaffected, heavily accented (and kind of ragged-sounding) flow sitting in a broth of swirly, immersive trap beats. And so it goes; “Money Callin’” fits into this collection of pain memoirs with a beat that, if you’ll pardon, evokes the theme from the TV show Cheaters more than anything else. Pretty contrived, but what isn’t these days? B

PLAYLIST

• Boy, thank heaven the holidays are over and we’re back to normal Fridays, with tons of new records coming out on Jan. 7, so I can tell you all about them here, on this page! I’ll tell ya, I’ve been doing this column for one million years now, but this past holiday season was the worst ever, like I thought I was going to have to talk about restaurants just to fill the space, but I wouldn’t have even been able to do that, because I’m one of those people who’ve been wearing an N95 mask and a space helmet just to go to the mailbox, so I’ve only been to a few local restaurants for takeout! But look, let’s start 2022, The Year That Everything Ends, with some levity, because look guys, it’s an album from everyone’s favorite actor, model, singer, television personality, and author in the world! No, no, I don’t mean Betty White, we’re talkin’ RuPaul, who’s most known for his drag queen act! Believe it or not, this album, titled Mamaru, is his count-em 14th, so I guess he really is some sort of musician/singer person, which is actually news to me. OK, where were we, who knows, right, his new single, called “Blame It On The Edit,” a catchphrase that denotes something to do with his TV show, I don’t know or care what. The lyrics “could be taken a few ways,” supposedly, like whatever they’re babbling about on his show, or something to do with how social media life is different from real life. World’s loudest-ever “duh,” am I right guys? OK, whatnot, let’s have a listen to this thing, I can hardly wait. Hmm, it’s kinda like a Skee-Lo rap joint, but snap-dance, and there’s goofy Auto-Tune effects and other junk going on. Someone will probably like this, I don’t know, let’s proceed.

• Bob’s your uncle, folks, look, it’s British indie-rockers The Wombats, with a new album, called Fix Yourself, Not the World! Boy, if people would only take that advice, know what I mean? These guys are Liverpudlians, like the Beatles, if you’ve ever heard of them, and this album has already seen four singles released ahead of time, one of which is “Method to the Madness,” a slow, plodding wimp-rock thingamajig with chilly, low-impact vocals that kind of sound like Paul McCartney a little, but sloppy and a little off-key. It’s boring and not really catchy, but that’s what you hipsters get for your entertainment dollar these days, because bands like this can get away with anything, because they’re Lilliputians or whatever, from Gulliver’s Travels or wherever. Get this trashy nonsense away from me or I’ll barf, I mean it.

• Oh look, it’s Eric Nam, with a new LP called There and Back Again, his second! We rock ’n’ roll journalists always have to assume our audience already knows everything, so I’m about to use the phrase “of course” in a way that’s completely unwarranted, because 99.99 percent of you have never heard of this artist, are you ready? Here goes: Nam is, of course, hugely popular in Korea, and the single is “I Don’t Know You Anymore,” Ha ha, it’s a little like Michael Jackson, but mostly like Bruno Mars doing a sexytime hip-hop-tinged trifle. You’ll probably like it if you’re 11 years old, and if you are, you shouldn’t be reading this, you should be getting tucked in so you’ll be ready for school in the morning.

• We’ll end this artistic train wreck with Scottish alt-rock band Twin Atlantic’s new full-length, Transparency! “Bang On The Gong,” the single, is droopy grime-tinged bubblegum-pop. It’s the only thing I’ve liked hearing this week, just saying.

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. Message me on Twitter (@esaeger) or Facebook (eric.saeger.9).

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