• Recycled Percussion will bring their big loud high-energy show to the Nashua Center for the Arts (201 Main St. in Nashua; nashuacenterforthearts.com) on Saturday, Feb. 3, at 3 and 7 p.m. and Sunday, Feb. 4, at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Tickets cost $39.50 to $49.50. Find out more about the band in the Nov. 9 issue of the Hippo (find e-editions at hippopress.com), where Michael Witthaus interviewed band founder Justin Spencer.
On the ice
• Watch the Saint Anselm College Hawks Women’s Ice Hockey team face the Franklin Pierce University Ravens on Friday, Feb. 2, at 6 p.m. at Sullivan Arena on the Saint Anselm college campus (100 Saint Anselm Drive in Manchester). Tickets cost $10 and are available at the ticket booth one hour ahead of game time. See saintanselmhawks.com.
For the teens
• The Palace Teen Apprentice Company, featuring performers ages 13 to 18, will present Cabareton Tuesday, Feb. 6, at 7 p.m. at The Rex Theatre (23 Amherst St. in Manchester; palacetheatre.org). Tickets cost $15 for adults, $12 for ages 6 to 12.
The latest from NH’s theater, arts and literary communities
• Youth ensemble: Manchester Community Music School (2291 Elm St. in Manchester; mcmusicschool.org) will hold New Hampshire Youth Ensembles concerts on Saturday, Feb. 3, at 1 p.m. (featuring the Suzuki Violin Group, String Pep, Concert Orchestra, Boom wackers, Percussion Ensemble, Rock & Blues Orchestra and the NH Youth Jazz ensemble) and at 6 p.m. (featuring Queen City Voices, Queen City Concert Choir, Flute Choir, Concert Band and Symphony Orchestra), according to a press release. The event is free and open to the public.
• Exhibit closing: “Heart of a Museum: Saya Woolfalk” at the Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St. in Manchester; currier.org, 669-6144) ends its run Sunday, Feb. 4. Described as “a new experiential installation by artist Saya Woolfalk, the exhibition is a commission for the museum that investigates the history of the institution and revisits its iconography and original design,” according to the website, which says the exhibition uses the mosaics designed by Salvatore Lascari that were the entrance of the Currier as the starting point. The Currier is open Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and admission costs $20 for adults, $15 for 65+, $15 for students, $5 for ages 13 to 17, and children 12 and under get in free.
• Sounds of Dune:The music of frequent movie composer Hans Zimmer (Dune, The Dark Knight, Gladiator) will be the focus at the Candlelight Concert on Wednesday, Feb. 7, at 6 and 8:30 p.m. at the Rex Theatre (23 Amherst St. in Manchester; palacetheatre.org). Tickets cost $43 to $60.
• At Balin: Next weekend at Balin Books (375 Amherst St., Somerset Plaza, Nashua; balinbooks.com) author Deborah Roof will sign her book Words, Wonder and the Divine in You on Saturday, Feb. 10, from noon to 1 p.m.
• More playwrights, more stories: The next “Expanding the Canon” play reading circle from Theatre Kapow will take place Sunday, Feb. 11, at 2 p.m. featuring the work Blanche and Stella by A.A. Brenner. See tkapow.com and contact info@tkapow.com for information on joining this Zoom event.
• The kids take ABBA to Greece: The Londonderry High School Drama Club will present Mamma Mia! Thursday, Feb. 15, through Saturday, Feb. 17, at 7 p.m. daily plus 1 p.m. on Saturday at the Derry Opera House (26 W. Broadway in Derry). Tickets to this show, which they rate as PG-13, cost $15 for adults, $10 for seniors and students. See lancerdramaclub.org.
• Coming up from Community Players of Concord: The next main stage production from the Community Players of Concord is coming Friday, Feb. 16, through Sunday, Feb. 18. Witness for the Prosecution, a play by Agatha Christie, is described as “suspenseful thriller” about a man accused of murdering a rich widow, according to communityplayersofconcord.org. The show is at the Concord City Auditorium (2 Prince St. in Concord) at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday; tickets cost $20 for adults, $18 for 17 and under and 65+.
• “Banjos, Bones and Ballads”: Folklorist and traditional music performer Jeff Warner will perform Thursday, Feb. 22, at 11 a.m. in studio A at the YMCA of Downtown Manchester (30 Mechanic St. in Manchester), for a show open to both members and non-members (non-members will need an ID), according to a Y Facebook post. He will present 19th-century music including music that would have been familiar to people of Adirondack Mountain lumber camps, Outer Banks fishing villages and New England whaling ports, according to the post. See jeffwarner.com for more on Warner and his music.
• Improv night: Queen City Improv will perform at Chunky’s Cinema Pub (707 Huse Road in Manchester; chunkys.com) on Friday, Feb. 23, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $20 and are on sale now.
The Players will also hold auditions for their early May main stage production, Pride and Prejudice, on Sunday, Feb. 25, from 4 to 6 p.m. and Monday, Feb. 26, from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Players’ studio (435 Josiah Bartlett Road in Concord). See communityplayersofconcord.org/auditions for the requirements.
• Save the date for Dana: The March schedule has three events coming up at the Dana Center for the Humanities (Saint Anselm College, 100 Saint Anselm Drive in Manchester; tickets.anselm.edu, 641-7700). On Friday, March 1, Ernest Thompson — the playwright and screenwriter who won an Oscar for On Golden Pond — will discuss his latest book, The Book of Maps, and tell stories from his 50-year career, according to the website. The event begins at 7:30 p.m; tickets cost $45. On Thursday, March 14, Delfeayo Marsalis, a jazz and blues trombonist and composer, will perform at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $35. On Saturday, March 16, celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day with Irish folk band The Jeremiahs and the trio Kalos at 7:30 p.m.; tickets cost $45.
Wartime music The Thursday, Feb. 1, “Bach’s Lunch” program at the Concord Community Music School (23 Wall St. in Concord; ccmusicschool.org) has had a program change; the Feb. 1 program will be “Echoes of Struggle and Triumph” featuring works by composers from World War I and World War II, according to a press release. Flutist Erin Dubois, clarinetist Stephanie Ratté and bassoonist Maria Isaak will present music from “Rosy Wertheim, a Dutch Jewish composer who lived and hid in Amsterdam during World War II; Walter Piston, an American composer born in Maine who became a Navy musician during World War I; Jacques Ibert, a French composer whose musical studies were interrupted during World War I and his music later banned during World War II; and Joachim Kötschau, a German composer and organist who was 26 when World War II began,” the release said. The event is free and open to the public.
A look at a new roller risk and advice on picking your perfect skates
A New spin
Remix Roller Rink offer all-ages fun
By: Michael Witthaus
Remix Roller Rink. Courtesy photo.
With the opening of Remix Skate and Event Center in December, New Hampshire now has a commercial roller rink, its first since 2019, when Great View Rollerskating in Enfield closed. The new business, however, isn’t a throwback, even if their logo’s stripey lettering evokes the ’70s roller disco craze. Rather, it’s a modern take on the concept, aimed at multiple demographics.
Along with a capacious hardwood rink, Remix offers several swankier touches, like upscale pub food, craft beer and a machine that makes design-etched cotton candy. Children’s birthday parties are a staple, but Remix also hosts things geared to an older crowd, like an 18+ R&B Night held Jan. 6, and similar ’90s and Latin events.
Matt and Kelly Pearson were rollerbladers in high school but haven’t skated much since. They’re also entrepreneurs, who tend to start businesses that align with their lives at a given moment. Before they met, Matt was a wedding DJ. After marriage and kids, they opened Cowabunga’s Indoor Kids Play & Party Center on Huse Road in Manchester.
Their oldest child, a son, is now 16 and has outgrown jungle gyms. Rather than buy him a minibike or snowmobile, the Pearsons began eyeing the now-vacant space next to Cowabunga’s and thinking about a solution for other teenagers like theirs. They considered opening a bowling alley, which didn’t particularly excite them, then thought about expanding the indoor playground, but soon the two began conceiving Remix.
“That kind of vibe is ingrained in me. There’s no better place for a hang than a roller-skating rink,” Matt Pearson said. “There’s not really any places for teens to hang out … so we were like, alright, if we make a roller rink, what would that look like in 2023? Would it be neon floors and birthday parties … a roller-skating rink of the ’80s and ’90s? No, it would be what those kids would want in modern times.”
Finding a way to make it work was the first and biggest challenge, beginning with the size. Matt called the Huse Road location “a little bit of a boutique venue.” Poles and an odd floor layout meant the skating area would only be around two-thirds the size of a regulation rink. The Pearsons turned this liability to their advantage.
“We learned through Covid that we can capacity control,” Matt said. “With back-end ticketing, we have limits. The rink was smaller than others we were accustomed to, but at the same time, we don’t have to pack it with that many people. That’s how you find a sweet spot of capacity, seating space and other amenities to make the whole thing jive.”
On the other hand, the idea of hosting roller derby matches had to be scrapped. “We worked with the New Hampshire Roller Derby Girls, had them in early to take a look at the space, to see if an opportunity was there,” Matt said. “They said, ‘it’s great and we love it … for dinner and drinks, but we can only use this maybe for practice.”
A few of the Derby Girls, however, work at Remix as servers and rink hosts. “It’s a relationship that’s worked out pretty well,” he said, adding, “one thing we learned is we weren’t necessarily bringing roller skating back to New Hampshire, because there is an underground scene with a lot of skaters.”
Remix has enough space for live music, when the time comes.
“Roller rinks of old just needed a DJ booth, but we’re trying to remix this idea, so we made the stage a little bit bigger,” Matt said. “Maybe an ’80s cover band that we love will come over and do a night with us, with pro skaters…. It’s an amazing opportunity for really fun nights.”
For now, skaters can reserve two-hour slots Tuesday through Sunday, with either classic quad skates or rollerblades included in the $20 cost. Skaters can switch from one to the other midway as well. Initially, more patrons are opting for old-style wheels.
“Blades are the minority,” Matt said, “but for my generation, I think we’re a rollerblade crew.”
The Pearsons are pleased to offer wholesome fun for all ages.
“It’s still a family entertainment venue,” Matt said. “All the little characteristics that we brought to Cowabunga’s, we’re bringing here. There’s no better place to do a birthday party than a roller rink, and we can execute that on the weekends. But the after-work scene, 18-plus and 21-plus nights out, is the unspoken opportunity.”
Deciding what to call this new place turned out to be the easiest piece of the endeavor.
“It’s really a remixed version of roller skating in modern times,” Matt Pearson said. “What better name to call it than Remix?”
Find your skates
Expert help for picking your new set of wheels
By: Angie Sykeny
Bruised Boutique Skate Shop. Courtesy photo.
Eric Jones, manager at Bruised Boutique Skate Shop in Nashua, discussed the essential considerations and tips for new and experienced roller skaters, emphasizing the importance of proper fit, safety gear and skating etiquette.
What should beginners consider when choosing roller skates?
Beginners should prioritize finding skates that best fit their foot shape. Budget is an important consideration, but the trickier aspect is ensuring a good fit. Since people’s feet come in various shapes, it’s recommended to visit a store, like us — we’re the only one in New England, though — to try on different skates. This approach helps in finding a pair that is best suited to the individual’s foot shape, whether they are kids or adults.
How do you determine the right size?
In a store, it’s a matter of guess and check to find the right fit. Online it’s more challenging, and exchanges might be necessary if the fit isn’t right. However, most introductory-level skates are designed to accommodate a wide variety of foot shapes, making it less likely to get the wrong fit. … For adults, most roller skate brands size their skates close to men’s shoe sizes as a standard. Generally, using your men’s shoe size should give you a relatively safe fit. For women, that’s typically about one-and-a-half sizes down from their shoe size. Children’s roller skates are made in kid sizes, which should match their shoe size. Sizes range from Junior 10 through 13 and then size 1 and 2. It’s advisable to consider room for growth, so kids often leave with a size larger than their measured size.
What safety gear is necessary for skating at a roller rink?
At roller rinks in our area, safety gear is optional, so you don’t necessarily need anything. However, for kids it’s common to use knee pads, elbow pads, wrist guards and sometimes helmets, especially if they’re going to be skating outdoors. Combo packs that include knees, elbows and wrists are available and affordably priced for kids. For adults, they usually opt for knee pads and wrist guards, skipping elbow pads. Wrist guards are particularly smart to have since falls can impact the wrists. While safety gear is not strictly necessary for rinks, it is recommended for activities like roller derby, skating in skate parks, and outdoor skating, where helmets are advised.
What types of helmets are available for skating?
The helmets available for skating are mostly derived from skateboarding styles. There are basic helmets designed to be cushy and cost-effective for general use. For those engaged in more practical purposes like skating outdoors or activities like roller derby, certified helmets are available. These certified helmets have the same safety certifications as bike helmets and are made of a hard foam that can crack under a significant impact to provide better protection.
What additional protective gear would you recommend for people who are prone to accidents?
Besides the standard ensemble of knee pads, elbow pads, wrist guards and helmets, we also recommend padded shorts, often referred to as butt pads. These padded shorts are especially useful for those engaged in roller derby, skatepark activities and outdoor skating. They provide extra protection for falls and are a good option for anyone who feels they might be prone to falling a lot at the rink, especially for adults who are just learning to skate.
What tips would you give to first-time skaters for a safe and enjoyable experience?
Go slow and wear safety gear while learning. It’s also important to be aware of the unwritten rule at roller rinks: fast skaters should stay on the outside, while slower skaters should stay closer to the middle. This helps maintain safety and order in the rink.
Do you remember Ned Ryerson? Test your knowledge of 1993’s Groundhog Day tonight at 7:30 p.m. at the 21+ trivia night at Chunky’s Cinema Pub (707 Huse Road in Manchester; chunkys.com). Reserve seats for $6 (which includes a $5 off food voucher).
Meanwhile actual Groundhog Day is Friday, Feb. 2, when we find out how Punxsutawney Phil is feeling — early spring or a bunch more winter?
Friday, Feb. 2
The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center (2 Institute Drive in Concord; starhop.com, 271-7827) will focus on eclipses at tonight’s Super Stellar Friday programming, happening from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. For “Elevating Eclipses” Jacob Garside, a student at Plymouth State University and who has participated in the Nationwide Eclipse Ballooning Project, will discuss the project and the April 8 eclipse, according to the website. Admission costs $12 for adults, $9 for ages 3 to 12, $11 for 62+ and 13-college, the website said. You can also register to attend a webinar version of the discussion.
Friday, Feb. 2
This week’s Friday Night Comedy at the Rex features comedian Dave Russo and friends at 7:30 p.m. at the Rex (23 Amherst St. in Manchester; palacetheatre.org). Tickets cost $35. Find more laughs this weekend and beyond in the Comedy This Week listings on page 33.
Friday, Feb. 2
Constantine Maroulis, a sixth-place finisher on 2005’s American Idol and Tony nominated for his role in Rock of Ages, will perform tonight at the Bank of NH Stage (16 S. Main St. in Concord; ccanh.com) at 8 p.m. (doors open at 7 p.m.). Tickets cost $44.75 ($5 more at the door). Find more concerts this weekend and beyond in our Concerts listings on page 34.
Saturday, Feb. 3
It’s Pink Day at Southern New Hampshire University Women’s Basketball, when the Penmen take on the New Haven Chargers at 1:30 p.m. at Stan Spiro Field House (at the Southern New Hampshire University campus, 2500 River Road in Manchester). Head to the lobby at 12:30 p.m. for raffles, T-shirt sales and more. The men’s game is at 3:30 p.m. Regular season games are free to attend; see snhupenmen.com.
Sunday, Feb. 4
The Peabody, Mass., band Fortune will play the Tupelo Music Hall (10 A St. in Derry; tupelomusichall.com) tonight at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $30.
Save the Date! Thursday, Feb. 8 Comedian Bob Marley brings the laughs to the Flying Monkey (39 S. Main St. in Plymouth; flyingmonkeynh.com) on Thursday, Feb. 8, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $39.50. Find out more about Marley, whose “about” button on his website is New England-ily labeled “Who is this dink?,” at bmarley.com.
Voters in last week’s presidential primaries were able to score some pretty great “I voted” stickers. Three different options were available: an Old Man in the Mountain profile in front of an American flag, a happy-face-having state of New Hampshire fishing and a moose in front of an autumnal landscape. The artists behind these stickers are New Hampshire fourth graders Grace of Milton, Jacob of Auburn and Rilynn of Mont Vernon, respectively. New Hampshire Secretary of State David M. Scanlan and Deputy Secretary of State Erin T. Hennessey announced the winners of a statewide sticker-making contest for fourth graders back in October 2023. The stickers will appear at all state elections in 2024.
Score: +1
Comments: QOL did — after asking permission — take one of each.
Students helping out
The University of New Hampshire has introduced the “Semester for Impact” program, a unique experiential learning initiative designed to benefit students and New Hampshire organizations, according to a press release. This program enables UNH undergraduates to work 30 hours a week for 15 weeks with local businesses, nonprofits and municipalities, focusing on projects with positive environmental and social impacts. Students earn academic credit and engage in complementary workshops and courses. The program, which embeds immersive learning into the academic curriculum, is a collaboration with the nonprofit College for Social Innovation. It builds on the success of the Semester in the City program in Boston and aims to develop key competencies, professional skills and career networks for students. Host organizations are invited to apply to participate in the program.
QOL score: +1
Comment:Previously, 190 UNH students have participated in the Semester in the City program in Boston through this collaboration, focusing on community-based learning experiences.
Tax help
Granite United Way has launched its free tax prep program for New Hampshire residents with annual household incomes of up to $64,000. According to a press release, the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, supported by a $50,000 contribution from Citizens, connects qualifying low-to-moderate-income individuals and families in the state with IRS-certified volunteers who can help them access the greatest amount of tax refunds. This initiative helped participants collectively receive more than $5.5 million in federal tax refunds last year, including significant amounts through the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). To schedule an appointment near you visit nhtaxhelp.org, or go to MyFreeTaxes.com for self-preparation with guidance.
QOL score:+1
Comment:IRS data revealed that about one in five eligible New Hampshire residents don’t file for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), leaving an estimated $31 million unclaimed, according to the release.
QOL score: 52
Net change: +3
QOL this week: 55
What’s affecting your Quality of Life here in New Hampshire? Let us know at adiaz@hippopress.com.
The Big Story – Super Bowl-Bound: After a Sunday filled with great performances and bizarre plays we’ve got our Super Bowl teams.
Despite completing a pass to himself for a 13-yard gain, LamarJackson and favored Baltimore were undone at home by KC 17-10, thanks to a terrific defensive effort that got two turnovers at the Ravens’ end zone and a great game from TravisKelce in catching all 11 balls thrown his way for 116 yards and the opening TD that gave KC the lead for good.
Game 2 was the opposite as the 49ers roared back from down 17 at halftime to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat in a 34-31 win. The key play was a 51-yard gain after BrandonAiyuk caught a ball that ricocheted off the face mask of the guy covering him. And the Lions were undone by the thing most responsible for getting them to the NFC Championship game, the grit to always go for it on fourth down.
See you in Vegas on Feb. 8.
Sports 101: Four people have won a Super Bowl as a player and a head coach. Name them.
News Item – Crazy NBA Scoring Week:JoelEmbiid broke WiltChamberlain’s single game Syracuse Nationals/Philadelphia 76ers franchise scoring record by going for 70 in a win over the Spurs, and wasn’t even the week’s highest scorer. It was LukaDoncic with a fourth best in history 73 in a 148-143 win over Atlanta.
But big scoring didn’t guarantee a win, as the Suns’ DevinBooker and Minnesota’s Karl Anthony Towns each had 62 in losses to Indiana and Charlotte respectively when Towns had an astonishing 44 in his first half.
News Item – NBA Trade DeadlineArrives Next Thursday: With the Celtics going well and restricted by ridiculous NBA salary cap rules don’t expect much from them. Lots of rumors, though, where Portland could continue reshaping the Eastern Conference, as after shipping Jrue Holiday here and DamianLillard to Milwaukee they could give the Knicks, who are 9-2 since getting OG Anunoby, a further jolt by sending MalcolmBrogdon there as rumored. And surprisingly they supposedly have RobertWilliams on the block too.
The Numbers
152 – most ever career playoff receptions recorded by aforementioned KC tight end Travis Kelce to move past JerryRice as the all-time NFL leader.
… Of the Week Awards
Got It Wrong Again Media Report – NY Post: Early in the search it reported the Atlanta Falcons were “desperate” to hire BillBelichick. It turned out they interviewed 11 different guys before hiring Rams D Coordinator Raheem Morris instead.
NFL Draft Oddity – Jared Goff and Brock Purdy: Sunday’s game between Detroit and SF was the first time in history that a QB taken first overall in the draft (Goff) and a QB who had been taken dead last (Purdy) faced each other as starters in a playoff game.
Separated at Birth – Goff and Ryan Gosling: Speaking of Goff, is it just me who thinks he’s a dead ringer for the Ken doll Hollywood star?
Put It in Perspective Coach B Quote of the Week – Jayson Tatum: who said on Belichick’s departure as Patriots coach. “… It’s a little weird, he’s been coaching the whole time I’ve been alive. All I’ve known is Bill Belichick and the Patriots.”
Random Thoughts:
I’ll remind folks saying Coach B should take a year off to decompress that that is exactly what people said AndyReid should do when he was bounced out in Philadelphia. Instead he went to KC, whom he immediately turned around. And in his 10 seasons there he has won less than 10 games just once, while winning two SB’s, and is now on his way to the big game for the fourth time in five years.
Sports 101 Answer: The four guys who won a Super Bowl as a player and head coach are Tom Flores, MikeDitka, TonyDungy and DougPeterson.
Final Thought: God love his gung-ho style. But it was ironic seeing the very thing, DanCampbell used to instill the fight and toughness that got the long moribund Lions to the NFC title game undo them in the end.
It’s not a second guess to say he should have taken the field goal both times he went for it on fourth down in the fourth quarter vs. SF. It’s a lesson to those who blindly follow the analytics crowd, because making it 59 percent of the time on fourth and three or less means that also it doesn’t work four times out of 10. Thus more factors need to be considered, like field position, distance, the score, time left, what an opponent’s strengths are and momentum.
Campbell didn’t do that in a game his team lost by 3 (34-31) when not taking the two chip shot field goals he passed on likely cost his team a chance to go to the Super Bowl. The good news is it’s a live-and-learn world and it doesn’t overshadow the great job he did. Email Dave Long at dlong@hippopress.com.