I’m not a big fan of unrealistic New Year’s resolutions such as “keep my papers organized and desk tidy,” for example. But I do like to spend some time each January reflecting on the gardens of the past year and making decisions about what I will do in the coming months.
Let’s start in the vegetable garden. In 2024 I planted about 24 kale plants of all colors. In 2025, I shall be more moderate. Yes, kale is healthy for us and freezes well, but I was lax in picking and freezing it in the fall, and wasted some. Shame on me. I use it mainly in stews and soups, or frozen in smoothies.
A new salad green I loved and which, unlike lettuce, never bolted or bloomed, is sold as dandelion. No, it’s not the dandelion we have in the lawn. It’s an Italian “dandelion” that is actually a different species. It is sold fresh in our Coop, I tried it and liked it, so I started some from seed indoors last March, a variety I think is called ‘Clio’ from Johnny‘s Selected Seeds. The leaves get to be 12 to 16 inches long, and they will regrow if cut, so I harvested it all summer and well into the fall and it never blossomed. I shall plant six plants again this year. FYI: It tolerates some shade.
Also on the vegetable front, I grew cardoon this year and will do it again. It is a very large leafy plant in the artichoke family. It does not bloom like artichokes, but you eat the midribs of the 3-foot-long leaves in fall. I chopped the midribs, boiled till tender, and baked in a cheese sauce. They tasted just like artichokes but created a lot more food.
This past summer was sunny and, for the most part, dry. We had a great tomato crop, and our flowers performed well too. I did have to water new plantings, as we got little rain.
We are out of sunny spots to add shrubs, so in 2024 we dug out a patch of goutweed — my nemesis — and planted nine shrubs and a Japanese red maple in an area of part shade, part sun. I was careful to water daily for two weeks, and then twice a week for the rest of the summer. The shrubs included two native viburnums and two mountain laurels, and three native hydrangeas, including a great variety for shade called ‘Haas Halo’ (H. arborescens). All did well.
The viburnums are Zone 5 and I have mostly considered our location a Zone 4 (with temperatures most winters colder than minus 20). But in recent years we have not seen lows of even minus 20 degrees, so I am willing to try some Zone 5 plants. Elsewhere I planted a kousa dogwood, a Zone 5 plant that I have tried and lost to winterkill more than once. The Stewartia tree I planted three or four years ago is also Zone 5 but is doing nicely. I’ll be 79 in April, and by gum, I’m ready to take some chances.
What else worked this past year? Opening our gardens to visitors. We worked hard in the spring to rid ourselves of weeds, sharpen edges of beds, and fill in empty spots. We opened our gardens on select days to various groups and invited friends for a glass of wine and a walk around with us in the early evening. No, our gardens were not perfect — none ever is — but these events were a great time. Try it!
I’ve had three honeyberry plants for three or four years now but have not gotten any berries as yet. The bushes (Lonicera caerulea) are in the honeysuckle family and the blue berries are very tasty, I’ve been given some. But so far I have not been able to pick my own. They have not earned their place. I shall tell them this spring to produce berries or they will be gone. I’ve been told that birds love them and will pick them before they are fully sweet and ready for me to eat. The berries turn blue, but are not ripe for a while after that.
The Catalpa tree I planted six years ago as an 8-foot-tall tree is now 35 feet tall and provides shade for us to sit and relax. It is a great tree, blossoming in July. I prune the top each year now to keep it from reaching its 60-foot-tall potential. It is a bit weak wooded, so I want to keep it from getting too big. The shade it provides encourages me to sit and relax in the garden, something I want to do more often in 2025.
I am saying a sad farewell to my Merrill magnolia that I planted in 2004. It bloomed reliably each year on my birthday in late April with huge double white blossoms. The shiny green leaves were gorgeous all summer, and the buds in winter look like pussywillows on steroids. It has five stems and stands about 60 feet tall and nearly 40 feet across at the crown. But it seems to have died last summer and unless it miraculously recovers in the spring I shall have it cut down. Sigh.
OK, time for one last resolution: I will keep better records in 2025. I just haven’t found the right way to keep them. I start a yearly notebook, and record some plants. But not all. I’m often too busy working in the garden and plan to do it later. My camera is a good way to record things and I take photos of everything that blooms. But I have literally tens of thousands of photos, and most are largely just organized by date. This year I will do better. Happy gardening, and best wishes for 2025.
Henry’s column appears monthly. Reach him at [email protected] or PO Box 364, Cornish Flat, NH 03746.
Featured photo:Cardoon has silver leaves and is easy to grow. Start from seed indoors early. Photo by Henry Homeyer.
The latest from NH’s theater, arts and literary communities
• Look within: The Women’s Caucus for Art/New Hampshire and Kimball Jenkins present “The Invincible Within” Saturday, Jan. 18, through Thursday, Feb. 27, at Kimball Jenkins Carriage House and Mansion (266 N. Main St. in Concord; kimballjenkins.com). The exhibition will feature nearly 75 pieces including paintings, printmaking, photography, fiber art, sculpture and other media, according to a press release. The exhibition is on view on Wednesdays (Jan. 22, through Feb. 26, except for Feb. 5) from 2 to 6 p.m.; Thursdays (Jan. 30 through Feb. 27, except for Feb. 6) from 4 to 6 p.m.; Friday, Feb., 7, from 4 to 8 p.m.; Saturdays, Jan. 18, Feb. 1 and Feb. 22, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.; and as part of the reception on Thursday, Jan. 23, from 5 to 7 p.m., the release said. The exhibition will also be on display during the Concord Garden Club’s “Art and Bloom” show on Thursday, Jan. 23, from 2 to 7 p.m.; Friday, Jan. 24, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday, Jan. 25, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• MLK Celebration: The Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St. in Manchester; currier.org) will hold its “Celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day” on Monday, Jan. 20. The museum will be open, free admission, from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The day will “celebrate the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr., the vision of Black American artists, and the power of self-expression,” and is hosted in partnership with volunteers from the Racial Unity Team with the support of Citizens, according to the museum’s website. The day will feature an educator-designed art activity; tours of Black American artists in the museum’s collection; a presentation from Dr. Kenneth Nivison, history professor at Southern New Hampshire University, on “The Promissory Note: Selma, Voting Rights, and the Work of Equality,” and spoken-word poetry performed by Manchester West High School students, the website said.
• Winter exhibit: Four new artists have their works on display at the Sandy Cleary Community Art Gallery in the lobby of the Nashua Center for the Arts (201 Main St. in Nashua; nashuacenterforthearts.com). The winter artists are Kathy Bouchard, Rebecca Fredrickson, Carolyn Maul and Denise Thompson-Coutu, according to a Facebook post from the Center.
• Author visit: Rebecca Dinerstein Knight, author of 2015’s The Sunlit Night (which was made into a movie starring Jenny Slate) as well as 2020’s Hex and a 2012 collection of poems called Lofoten, will speak at the Monadnock Writers’ Group’s monthly speaker series on Saturday, Jan. 18, at 9:45 a.m. at Peterborough Town Library, 2 Concord St. in Peterborough, according to a press release. See more about the author at rebeccadinersteinknight.com. The event is free and open to the public; see monadnockwriters.org.
• Movement: Truepenny Arts will hold a workshop on “Power and Presence Through Bone Awareness” on Saturday, Feb. 1, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The workshop will be facilitated by Truepenny’s Michael Cobb, according to an email notice that describes it this way: “Our bones provide a physical foundation to draw upon for acting, performance, presentation and life. Come explore and revitalize your relationship with your skeletal structure!” The workshop is designed for ages 16 and up and will be held at Diamond Rolfing & Movement Studio (210 N. State St. in Concord); the cost is a suggested $30. Email [email protected] to reserve a spot.
• Camera photography: “More Exploring Photography,” a six-week series led by local photographer Alan MacRae, will take place at The Belknap Mill (25 Beacon St. East in Laconia; 524-8813, belknapmill.org). The series starts Thursday, Jan. 30, and runs Thursdays from 6 to 7:30 p.m. The class “will be an adventure looking at different areas of photography, structured around the interests of the group members,” according to a press release. Bring a camera (not a cell phone camera) that allows you to adjust the aperture, shutter speed and ISO settings, the release said. Register at belknapmill.org/classes. The cost is $200, according to the website.
With snow flying as the winds whip and temperatures drop, now is a great time to head indoors and enjoy some live music.
In addition to the nationally and wider-regionally touring shows at the larger capacity venues, several smaller spots offer winter music series that showcase a musical experience that features more indie, niche and regional original music. As the venues are smaller (some as small as under a hundred, some accommodating a few hundred music-lovers especially if the crowd is standing), the shows often provide a chance to catch an act before they blow up like Noah Kahan. Sometimes, the milieu and the music are equally compelling. Sipping wine before sitting down for a concert at Hermit Woods wineries, for example, or looking at art before the music at the Andres Institute.
Many of the performers can be seen in area bars and restaurants, but at these shows they have the opportunity to play their own material. When Andrea Paquin and April Cushman are at Milk St. Studios, for example, they’ll be able to draw from their own extensive catalogs instead of doing covers, something that’s also true for all of the shows at The Livery. The Songwriter Roundup at Hermit Woods Winery pretty much exists to expose original voices who spend a lot of their time doing someone else’s songs. If you like what you hear, buy a CD, it’s the best way to support independent musicians. Whether it’s a craving for rock, blues, folk, big band or traditional sounds from Ireland or Ecuador, there’s an option available.
The following is a look at upcoming concerts, from now to spring, and a few beyond.
Andres Institute of Art (16 Route 13, Brookline, andresinstitute.org)
This outdoor sculpture garden was once a ski resort. Fundraising concerts are held to keep admission free year-round. The upcoming schedule is an eclectic one, with Manchester alt rockers the Faith Ann Band, acoustic roots band Low Lily and pan-Latin Boston group Sol y Canto all playing. Institute President Kristi St. Laurent, who also books the shows, noted recently that the former ski lodge where the concerts happen is historic. “J. Geils played here, I have photographic proof of that,” she said, adding it’s perfect for concerts. “Musicians all want to come back, because they love the way the room sounds.”
Saturday, Jan. 25, 6 p.m. – Faith Ann Band and Rabbit Foot
Sunday, Feb. 9, 6 p.m. – The Sofferman Perspective
Sunday, March 2, 6 p.m. – Low Lily
Sunday, March 16, 6 p.m. – The Honey Bees
Sunday, April 6, 6 p.m. – Evan Goodrow
Saturday, April 19, 6 p.m. – Mighty Colors and Jamdemic (Earth Day Benefit)
This intimate performing space located in the studios of Portsmouth Community Radio is as eclectic as the Seacoast music community it supports, with multiple genres appearing, and nationally touring artists often stopping by. Local shows include Mango Catch Collective on Jan. 25 and a raging punk rock show featuring Condition, Black Vinegar and The Saturn Cycle on Feb. 21, with unique Beatles tribute trio While My Guitar Gently Weeps the following night. Boston acid jazzers Bees Deluxe are there March 8.
Friday, Jan. 17, 8 p.m. – Alchemy with Hell Beach and Qvickdraw
Friday, Jan. 24, 8 p.m. – DJ Chad Banks and Friends
Contoocook Cider Co. (656 Gould Hill Road, Contoocook, contoocookcider.com)
A bucolic room booked by NH Music Collective and run by a revered cidery. Music happens Saturdays and Sundays, with a long list of regional favorites stopping by.
NHMC, which helps independent musicians find gigs by working with pubs, restaurants and listening rooms, recently underwent a leadership change. Brad Myrick sold his stake to fellow co-founders John McArthur and his wife, Reva Tankle, to focus on his own music.
“It’s a very amicable change of direction for the company,” McArthur said in early January. “I’ve been trying to help him as much as I can with his performance career…. Brad is one of the best guitarists, certainly in the Northeast, and he’s a fabulous composer.”
Brad Myrick, who’s now devoting his time to performing, makes an appearance in mid-March. NHMC is also booking a series of shows at the BNH Stage in Concord this winter.
Also on tap is Ian Archibold, recently seen at a BNH Stage showcase concert. Sully Erna sideman and Joe Walsh doppelgänger Chris Lester is another highlight; he’s there next month.
Sunday, Jan. 19, 1 p.m. – Jack Ancora
Saturday, Feb. 1, 1 p.m. – Justin Cohn
Saturday, Feb. 15, 1 p.m. – Chris Lester
Saturday, March 1, 1 p.m. – Ian Archibold
Saturday, March 15, 1 p.m. – Dan Fallon
Sunday, March 16, 1 p.m. – Brad Myrick
Saturday, March 22, 1 p.m. – Alex Cohen
Sunday, March 23, 1 p.m. – Justin Cohn
Saturday, April 5, 1 p.m. – Tyler Levs
Saturday, April 12, 1 p.m. – Ryan Williamson
Saturday, April 19, 1 p.m. – Garrett Smith
Flying Goose (40 Andover Road, New London, flyinggoose.com)
The longest-running concert series in the state mixes old-school folkies like Ellis Paul, Garnet Rogers and Tom Pirozzoli, who conceived the whole thing back in the early ’90s, with new faces like Sam Robbins and Brittany Moore. This small room sells out fast, so best to make reservations well in advance, especially for shows like bluesman Guy Davis on Feb. 13.
Thursday, Jan. 16, 7:30 p.m. – New England Bluegrass Band
Thursday, Jan. 30, 7:30 p.m. – Dinty Child and Mark Erelli
Thursday, Feb. 13, 7:30 p.m. – Guy Davis
Thursday, Feb. 27, 7:30 p.m. – Ellis Paul
Thursday, March 6, 7:30 p.m. – Aztec Two Step 2.0
Thursday, March 20, 7:30 p.m. – Brittany Moore
Thursday, March 27, 7:30 p.m. – Willy Porter and Tom Pirozzoli
Thursday, April 3, 7:30 p.m. – Lonesome Ace String Band
Kick back with the apres-ski crowd and enjoy a bountiful list of musicians curated by NHMC. Willy Chase, another singer-songwriter recently showcased at BNH Stage, has an early February set. In March, it’s Mikey G, who also headlined the downtown Concord room. Other good bets are Rebecca Turmel Duo on Jan. 19, and The 603s on Feb. 22.
Saturday, Jan. 18, 3 p.m. – Ryan Williamson
Sunday, Jan. 19, 2 p.m. – Rebecca Turmel Duo
Saturday, Jan. 25, 3 p.m. – Frontwoods
Saturday, Feb. 1, 3 p.m. – Tom Boisse
Sunday, Feb. 2, 2 p.m. – Willy Chase
Saturday, Feb. 8, 3 p.m. – Dave Clark
Sunday, Feb. 9, 2 p.m. – Andrea Paquin
Saturday, Feb. 15, 3 p.m. – Karen Grenier
Sunday, Feb. 16, 2 p.m. – Jack Ancora
Saturday, Feb. 22, 3 p.m. – The 603s
Sunday, Feb. 23, 2 p.m. – Brad Myrick Duo
Saturday, March 1, 3 p.m. – Joel Begin
Saturday, March 8, 3 p.m. – Mikey G
Hermit Woods Winery (72 Main St., Meredith, hermitwoods.com)
Curated and hosted by singer-songwriter Katie Dobbins, the winery’s Wednesday Songwriter Roundup event will celebrate a two-year anniversary on Feb. 26, with Pete Downing and another artist sharing the spotlight with Dobbins. Shows are offered in tandem with a dinner that begins an hour before the music. Additional dates are anticipated. “I am coming down from the busy fall/winter show season,” Dobbins texted recently. “I’m going to be working on more bookings.”
Thursday, Jan. 16, 7 p.m. – Grace Wallace Band
Wednesday, Jan. 29, 7 p.m. – Songwriter Roundup with Katie Dobbins, Dan Sirois and Patrick Synan
Wednesday, Feb. 26, 7 p.m. – Songwriter Roundup with Katie Dobbins, Pete Downing and TBA
Wednesday, March 26, 7 p.m. – Songwriter Roundup with Katie Dobbins and TBA
Livery at Sunapee Harbor (58 Main St., Sunapee, nhmusiccollective.com)
Another NHMC-curated venue, this winter’s concert season will see the return of Slim Volume, a young Beatlesque quartet that sold out the rustic Main Street space last year, as well as Charlie Chronopoulos playing an intimate set of original music. For those looking forward to summer on the lake, NHMC’s John McArthur is planning a series there when it’s warmer.
Saturday, Jan. 18, 7 p.m. – Jack & Tim
Friday, Feb. 14, 7 p.m. – JD & the Stonemasons
Saturday, April 19, 7 p.m. – Slim Volume
Saturday, May 17, 7 p.m. – Charlie Chronopoulos
Milk St. Studios (6 Milk St., Dover, milkststudios.com)
An extension of a Seacoast recording studio modeled after The Record Co. in Boston, this listening room has local musicians stretching out to play originals, though the Joni & Cat Tribute Show — Mitchell and Stevens, if anyone’s wondering — on March 29 is an exception. An in-the-round concert featuring acoustic music from singer/songwriters Andrea Paquin and April Cushman on March 15 should be stellar.
Saturday, Feb. 22, 6:30 p.m. – Lee & Dr. G. + Catwolf
Saturday, March 1, 6:30 p.m. – STL Gold
Saturday, March 8, 6:30 p.m. – Jarred Garneau Group
Saturday, March 15, 6:30 p.m. – Andrea Paquin + April Cushman
Saturday, March 22, 6:30 p.m. – Amulus
Saturday, March 29, 6:30 p.m. – Joni & Cat Tribute Show (Nicole Gauthier & John Fuzek)
Saturday, April 5, 6:30 p.m. – Studia & Jed Allen + The Regals
Music Hall Lounge (131 Congress St., Portsmouth, themusichall.org)
An extension of the larger venue with cabaret seating for dozens instead of hundreds in the audience, this downtown venue welcomes rising stars like indie rockers Certainly So and Americana singer/songwriter Liv Greene along with regional talent like folksinger Reed Foehl and jazz saxophonist Seba Molnar. Valentine’s Day brings the romantic PMAC Jazz Night, with a bevy of Seacoast musicians including sax player Eric Klaxon, singer Taylor O’Donnell and keyboard treasure Mike Effenberger.
Friday, Jan. 17, 8 p.m. – Seba Molnar
Saturday, Jan. 25, 8 p.m. – Reed Foehl
Sunday, Jan. 26, 8 p.m. – Lee DeWyze
Friday, Feb. 7, 8 p.m. – Certainly So
Saturday, Feb. 8, 8 p.m. – Juanito Pascual
Friday, Feb. 14, 8 p.m. – 18th Annual PMAC Jazz Night: Dream a Little Dream
Friday, Feb. 21, 8 p.m. – Vance Gilbert
Wednesday, Feb. 26, 8 p.m. – Johnny Cash’s Birthday Bash with Scott Moreau
Thursday, Feb. 27, 8 p.m. – Both Sides Now (Joni Mitchell & Leonard Cohen tribute)
Friday, Feb. 28, 8 p.m. – Sam Robbins
Saturday, March 1, 8 p.m. – Ellis Paul
Friday, March 14, 8 p.m. – Liv Greene & Elise Leavy
Tuesday, March 18, 8 p.m. – Jordan Tice
Friday, March 21, 8 p.m. – Heather Maloney
Sunday, March 23, 8 p.m. – Tyler Hilton
Friday, March 28, 8 p.m. – Alice Howe & Freebo
Saturday, April 5, 8 p.m. – Scott Kirby
Nippo Lake Restaurant (88 Stagecoach Road, Barrington, nippobluegrass.com)
Acoustic music fans delight in the long-running series housed in a Barrington country club, which lasts from October through April. Some of the region’s finest players show up for this Sunday evening tradition. Ahead are revered bluegrass band Lunch at the Dump, the always entertaining Rockspring and a couple of projects that include Scott & Betsy Heron, Little Wishbone and the Heron Bluegrass Co.
Sunday, Jan. 19, 6 p.m. – Chicken Shack
Sunday, Jan. 26, 6 p.m. – Unsung Heroes
Sunday, Feb. 2, 6 p.m. – New England Bluegrass Band
Sunday, Feb. 16, 6 p.m. – HydroGeo Trio
Sunday, Feb. 23, 6 p.m. – Lunch at the Dump
Sunday, March 2, 6 p.m. – Cordwood
Sunday, March 9, 6 p.m. – High Range
Sunday, March 16, 6 p.m. – Little Wishbone
Sunday, March 23, 6 p.m. – Hot Skillet
Sunday, March 30, 6 p.m. – Heron Bluegrass Co.
Sunday, April 6, 6 p.m. – Cedar Mountain
Sunday, April 13, 6 p.m. – Unsung Heroes
Sunday, April 27, 6 p.m. – Rockspring
Pats Peak (686 Flanders Road, Henniker, patspeak.com)
Another apres-ski series curated by NHMC. Shows to look forward to include Andrew North and the Rangers, who host the monthly open mic at BNH Stage, and River Sang Wild, who perform for two days straight in early March. A word to the wise: Resort management cautions that things can change when the sap’s running.
Saturday, Jan. 18, 6 p.m. – Scott & Wally
Saturday, Jan. 25, 6 p.m. – Young Guns
Saturday, Feb. 1, 6 p.m. – Geoff & Wally
Saturday, Feb. 8, 6 p.m. – Dan Fallon Band
Saturday, Feb. 15, 6 p.m. – Scott & Wally
Saturday, Feb. 22, 6 p.m. – Andrew North & the Rangers
Saturday, March 1, 6 p.m. – Karen Grenier
Saturday, March 8, 6 p.m. – River Sang Wild (also 3/9)
Saturday, March 15, 6 p.m. – Rebecca Turmel Duo
Saturday, March 22, 6 p.m. – Geoff & Wally
Pembroke City Limits (134 Main St., Pembroke, pembrokecitylimits.com)
Opened last summer by music maven Rob Azevedo, this is the newest addition to the region’s live music scene, with a focus on local talent like the Irish band Black Pudding Rovers, singer-songwriter Paul Nelson and Vampire Bird, the latest project from Will Kindler, which went over so well in December that it will return March 9. “This spring, PCL will continue to introduce and reintroduce such incredible musicians,” Azevedo said recently, while touting the venue’s Sunday Jazz Sessions with Gary Smith.
Thursday, Jan. 16, 7 p.m. – Chris Salemme
Friday, Jan. 17, 7 p.m. – Todd Hearon Trio
Saturday, Jan. 18, 7 p.m. – Funk Night w/ Gary Smith & Friends
Sunday, Jan. 19, 2 p.m. – Black Pudding Rovers
Wednesday, Jan. 22, 7 p.m. – Paul Nelson
Thursday, Jan. 23, 7 p.m. – Colin Nevens
Friday, Jan. 24, 7 p.m. – Piano Man Jody Robichaud
Saturday, Feb. 1, 2 p.m. – Let’s Get Sticky Rolling Stones Tribute
Thursday, Feb. 6, 7 p.m. – Timothy K Blues
Friday, Feb. 7, 7 p.m. – Lee & Dr. G.
Thursday, Feb. 13, 7 p.m. – Mikey G
Saturday, Feb. 15, 4 p.m. – Angela Stewart
Wednesday, Feb. 19, 7 p.m. – Dan Fallon & Company
Saturday, Feb. 22, 7 p.m. – Georgie-Jam Night
Friday, Feb. 28, at 7 p.m. – Faith Ann Acoustic
Wednesday, March 12, 7 p.m. – Vampire Bird (Will Kindler)
Friday, March 14, 7 p.m. – Cinnamon Jazz Trio
Sunapee Community Coffee House (9 Lower Main St., Sunapee, sunapeecoffeehouse.org)
This is another series that’s been around a very long time, located in the basement of a Methodist church. It’s a pass-the-hat affair; bring a Hamilton to help out the artists. The effort encourages new and emerging talent, which means New Hampshire’s Noah Kahan might appear on their way to greater fame.
Friday, Jan. 24, 7 p.m. – Hubby Jenkins
Friday, Feb. 14, 7 p.m. – Click Horning
Friday, Feb. 28, 7 p.m. – Tommy Crawford
Friday, March 14, 7 p.m. – Nate Goyette
Friday, March 28, 7 p.m. – White Mountain Ceilí Band
Craft beer and live music pair well at this NHMC-curated venue. Upcoming are singer-songwriter Temple Mountain and Lakes Region duo The Sweetbloods, as well as rising stars Taylor Hughes and Dakota Smart.
Friday, Jan. 17, 5 p.m. – Tom Boisse
Saturday, Jan. 18, 5 p.m. – Temple Mountain
Friday, Jan. 24, 5 p.m. – Kat Ivy
Saturday, Jan. 25, 5 p.m. – Garrett Smith
Friday, Jan. 31, 5 p.m. – Freddie Catalfo
Saturday, Feb. 1, 5 p.m. – Karen Grenier
Friday, Feb. 7, 5 p.m. – Taylor Hughes
Saturday, Feb. 8, 5 p.m. – Rebecca Turmel
Friday, Feb. 14, 5 p.m. – The Sweetbloods
Friday, Feb. 14, 5 p.m. – Paul Driscoll
Saturday, Feb. 15, 5 p.m. – Dakota Smart
Friday, Feb. 21, 5 p.m. – Ciera MacKenzie
Saturday, Feb. 22, 5 p.m. – Jack Ancora
Friday, Feb. 28, 5 p.m. – Jackie Lee
Saturday, March 1, 5 p.m. – Dave Clark
Friday, March 7, 5 p.m. – Rock Dove
Saturday, March 8, 5 p.m. – Andrea Paquin
Saturday, March 15, 5 p.m. – Chris Torrey
Friday, March 21, 5 p.m. – Willy Chase
Saturday, March 22, 5 p.m. – Kyle McGuinness
Friday, March 28, 5 p.m. – Tyler Levs
Saturday, March 29, 5 p.m. – Garrett Smith
Friday, April 4, 5 p.m. – Tom Boisse
Saturday, April 5, 5 p.m. – Justin Federico
Friday, April 11, 5 p.m. – Rebecca Turmel
Saturday, April 12, 5 p.m. – Temple Mountain
Word Barn (66 Newfields Road, Exeter, thewordbarn.com)
Tucked at the end of a twisty road in Exeter, this venue is the perfect place to catch an under-the-radar star in the making, along with local treasures like Jordan Tirrell-Wysocki’s Trio, Will Evans and The Wolff Sisters. The shows here frequently sell out, so it’s best to act early for artists like Liz Longley and Joe Crookson.
Saturday, Jan. 18, 7 p.m. – Winter Warmer with Erica Brown & The Bluegrass Connection
Thursday, Jan. 23, 7 p.m. – Rakish and Nate Sabat
Friday, Jan. 24, 7 p.m. – Dave Gunning and J.P. Cormier Duo
Saturday, Jan. 25, 8 p.m. – Soggy Po’ Boys
Sunday, Jan. 26, 7 p.m. – Will Evans
Thursday, Jan. 30, 7 p.m. – Genticorum
Friday, Feb. 7, 7 p.m. – The Wolff Sisters
Sunday, Feb. 9, 7 p.m. – Eli West & The Clements Brothers
Friday, Feb. 14, 7 p.m. – Jordan TW Trio
Saturday, March 1, 7 p.m. – David Howley (We Banjo 3)
Friday, March 7, 7 p.m. – Joe Crookson
Saturday, March 8, 7 p.m. – Chatham Rabbits
Sunday, March 23, 7 p.m. – Liz Longley
Wednesday, April 23, 7 p.m. – Matthew & the Atlas.
An upcoming Palace Theatre production is more a musical canvas than a show, and it’s one that Director Carl Rajotte has painted before. Piano Men was first presented as The Four Piano Men in 2011. Conceived, written and choreographed by Rajotte, it featured songs from Elton John, Billy Joel, Stevie Wonder and Queen, via frontman Freddie Mercury. Since then it’s changed and evolved, with Ray Charles and Phil Collins among the ivory tinklers tributed in the show, last done in 2023. Act 1 in this year’s production spotlights old-time rock ’n’ rollers Jerry Lee Lewis and Little Richard, then pivots to Barry Manilow. Subsequent acts focus on the original four and two women, Carole King and Lady Gaga. The female roles will be played by the director’s sister, Michelle Rajotte, a Palace regular. “It’s funny too, because I did a Gaga section a long time ago, maybe 2012, in a show called Royalty of Rock and Pop,” Carl Rajotte said by phone during a break from rehearsals. “She did Gaga and just fell in love with her back then.” The actor and musician playing the Billy Joel role has a lot of experience. John Abrams performed as Joel in the national tour of the jukebox musical Movin’ Out. Abrams will also cover the Elton John material. Another Palace veteran, GE Enrique, is playing both the Stevie Wonder and Freddie Mercury roles, along with serving as the show’s Music Director. This will be the sixth time that the Palace has done Piano Men in some form; Enrique has worked on three. What keeps Rajotte returning to the show? “I’ve fallen in love with all these artists that we have on stage because they’re good at telling a story,” he said, “which lends itself to theater. There are lots of times in the show when it’s just the piano and the band, but we have seven talented dancers, and they tell a story through dance throughout the whole night.” The dance ensemble includes three men and four women. Andy Kastrati was in the Palace’s recent production of Dancing Queens, as was Savannah Enoch. Julia Grubbs, who danced in Piano Men in 2020, is a CPA by day — “she can shimmy and do your taxes,” quipped Rajotte — and Rachel Muhleisen is featured on Stevie Wonder’s “Isn’t She Lovely.” Peter Murphy and Annie Wogisch round out the hoofers. With women having a moment in the musical world — Taylor Swift, Chappell Roan, Beyonce and others are dominating — Rajotte is pleased that the show is now piano men and women. “I’m really excited to bring the new stuff to the audience, the Carole King and the Gaga,” he said. “We were just finishing up Carole King’s section today. It’s just so fun to just go back to the ’60s, find that retro feel and put it on our video wall.” He’s also happy with the current season, which will continue with Jimmy Buffett’s Escape to Margaritaville on Feb. 28 followed by Jesus Christ Superstar in late April. 2024/25’s final production, A Chorus Line, runs from May 30 to June 22. “It’s about halfway done, and I feel like I just started,” Rajotte exclaimed in disbelief. Perennial favorite A Christmas Carol was extended to the end of the month, a successful experiment that will probably be repeated next year. Rajotte ran the lighting board for that final weekend so his stage manager could be home for the holiday. At the end of the show Palace CEO Peter Ramsey reminded him that the season was at a midpoint. “That hit me like a brick wall,” he said, “But, yeah, I feel like it’s been a really good season so far. Oliver was a wonderful artistic piece that we were able to bring to the stage, and Jersey Boys was a crowd-pleaser, with great music. A Christmas Carol is our tradition that everyone loves, and it was attended really great the whole run.”
Piano Men When: Fridays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 2 & 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. through Feb. 9, and Thursday, Feb. 6, at 7:30 p.m. Where: Palace Theatre, 80 Hanover St., Manchester Tickets: $35 and up at palacetheatre.org
Coffee & Kindness (105 W. Pearl St., Nashua, 833-221-1822, coffeeandkindness.co) will host an open mic tonight from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Come to watch or come to perform. The mic is open for music, poetry and comedy. Full drink and food service is available; please arrive early to order before the show starts.
Friday, Jan. 17
Positive Street Art (48 Bridge St., Nashua, 589-9003, positivestreetart.org) will host a Vicus Vox (Latin for “Voice of the City”) open mic session this evening at 6 p.m., where participants can showcase their vocal talents with the community. Signups are on a first-come-first-served basis. All content must be friendly for all ages. The cost for spectators and participants is $5. Participants must fill out an application at tinyurl.com/4ckh3pzp.
Saturday, Jan. 18
Iconic jazz combo the Branford Marsalis Quartet will take the stage at the Nashua Center for the Arts (201 Main St., Nashua, 800-657-8774, nashuacenterforthearts.com) tonight at 8 p.m. Tickets start at $49 and are available through the Nashua Center website.
Saturday, Jan. 18
The New Hampshire Wolves Hurling Club will hold its winter gala this evening from 7 to 11 p.m. at American Legion Hall 43 on Baboosic Lake Road in Merrimack. This first annual celebration brings together players, families and supporters to honor the achievements of the past hurling season and to kick off the new year with enthusiasm. Tickets begin at $30 and are available through the club’s website.
Sunday, Jan. 19
The Bank of NH Stage (16 S. Main St., Concord, 225-1111, ccanh.com) will present an afternoon of swing dancing, beginning with swing dancing lessons at 3:30 p.m., followed by dancing at 4 p.m. The 19-piece New Hampshire Jazz Orchestra, led by Clayton “Skip” Poole, a 45-year veteran of the idiom, and acclaimed vocalist Laura Poole will provide the backdrop for the event. Tickets are $30.75 and are available through the Capitol Center website.
Tuesday, Jan. 21
The Goffstown Public Library (2 High St., Goffstown, 497-2102, goffstownlibrary.com) will host a New Hampshire Humanities lecture on “A Taste of the Old Country in the New: Franco-Americans of Manchester” this evening at 6:30 p.m. Historian Robert Perreault will share stories about life in one of America’s major Franco-American centers. This lecture is free and open to the public.
Wednesday, Jan. 22
Comedian and New Hampshire native Sarah Silverman will take the stage at the Chubb Theatre (44 S. Main St., Concord, 225-1111, ccanh.com) tonight at 8 p.m.
Save the Date! Friday, Jan. 24
The Hotel Concord and Intown Concord will host the seventh annual Concord NH Winter Fest, Friday, Jan. 24, and Saturday, Jan. 25. There will be ice-carving demonstrations, an ice-carving competition, a Food Truck Festival and more. This is an outdoor event, so come dressed for the winter weather. This year there will only be food-related vendors and event sponsors. Visit members.intownconcord.org/events.
As reported in a Jan. 7 online article by WMUR, deaths from opioid overdoses fell dramatically in New Hampshire’s two largest cities in 2024. “According to American Medical Response, there were 46 suspected opioid deaths in Manchester in 2024, 21% fewer than in 2023,” the story reported. “In Nashua, there were 20 suspected opioid deaths, marking a 49% drop. These are the lowest numbers since AMR (American Medical Response) began tracking them in 2015.” In a related Dec. 13 story, WMUR reported that one factor in the drop in overdose deaths might be the increasing availability of emergency medication. “Narcan, also known as naloxone, can reverse a deadly opioid overdose. Today, it can be found in public buildings and first aid kits,” that story read.
QOL score: +2
Comment:To see data from the New Hampshire Drug Monitoring Initiative, a project of the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Resources, regarding New Hampshire’s drug use, visit dhhs.nh.gov.
Reading is up in Nashua
Nashua residents checked out significantly more books from the Nashua Public Library in 2024 than the previous year. In a Jan. 9 article, Nashua Ink Link reported a 12 percent increase in the Library’s circulation. “We read nearly 44,000 more books than last year,” Ink Link quoted Library Director Jennifer McCormic. According to the Library staff, the book that was checked out the most — The Ride of Her Life: A True Story of a Woman, Her Horse, and Their Last-Chance Journey Across America by Elizabeth Letts — was read more than three times as often as the next most popular — 554 times, compared to 163 checkouts for The Women by Kristin Hannah.
QOL score: +1
Comment:For lists of the Library’s most popular books by category, visit a Dec. 29 post on the Library’s Facebook account at facebook.com/nashuapubliclibrary.
The long reach of long Covid
In a Jan. 9 blog post, the New Hampshire Fiscal Policy Institute reported that according to a recent study, “long Covid” has had a substantial impact on New Hampshire’s work force. “Longstanding symptoms resulting from initial Covid-19 infections and Post-Acute Covid-19, more commonly known as ‘long-Covid,’ may have kept several thousand Granite Staters from returning to work,” the post read. “About 9,300 Granite Staters with current long-Covid symptoms may still experience impacts to their work, with approximately 5,300 workers reducing their hours and an estimated 4,000 leaving the workforce entirely.” The state’s relatively small population has exacerbated the effect of long-term Covid infection, Jessica Williams, a Policy Analyst with the Institute wrote. “With an average of only 20,000 residents unemployed and actively seeking work in 2024, long-Covid’s impact on labor force participation may pose a significant challenge to New Hampshire’s economic growth and prosperity.”
QOL score: -2
Comment:To read the report, visit nhfpi.org/blog.
QOL score: 51
Net change: +1
QOL this week: 52
What’s affecting your Quality of Life here in New Hampshire?
