Goffstown’s annual Once Upon a Pie baking competition and social event is not just a tasty fundraiser for the Goffstown Public Library but also the setting for a showdown between town government departments. According to Evelyn Redmond, one of the event’s organizers, for the past several years there has been an ongoing rivalry between the Town’s Parks and Recreation Department, and the Police.
“We take pies submitted by anybody who wants to participate,” she said, “and categorize them as far as ingredients. We have, I think, 13 different categories, plus we have an inter-department contest. So anyone who works for the town at one of the town departments can submit pies in that category. But this past year we’ve had Public Works in the mix, so this is going to be an interesting competition.”
The Once Upon a Pie competition is held every year on the Saturday before Thanksgiving, Redmond said, and is a major fundraiser for the Goffstown Public Library Foundation, which helps fund library programs outside its official budget, such as supplying museum passes for patrons. “We have probably 200 people that attend the event,” she said, referring to Once Upon a Pie. “And it is our second major fundraiser of the year. The first one that we do is we participate in New Hampshire Gives in June. But we’re acquiring more supporters every year, just trying to keep the library capital needs taken care of. That’s our mission.”
The pie event raises money in three ways. Bakers pay to submit pies for a judged competition, pie-lovers from the community pay to eat pie, and prize-winning pies are auctioned off.
Every year, there are dark-horse competitors who surprise everyone, Redmond said.
“We have a kids’ category, which is [open to] anyone up to the age of 18. Actually, two years ago the top winning pies were made by the teenagers. It was a Key lime pie, and they actually had just gotten together because they wanted to bake, and they did a beautiful job. It was very nice-looking and the judges gave it fabulous marks for tasting wonderful.”
On the day of the competition, pies need to be submitted by 11:30 a.m., Redmond said, so the judges have time to taste all of them. Having to taste many, many pies sounds like a good problem to have, but she said that it can actually be pretty gruelling.
“Last year we received 88 separate pies to be judged, and it was a burden on our three teams of judges, so they each had to taste almost 30 different pies. So this year we’ve added an additional team of judges. So hopefully we can get that number down and go a little bit easier on their stomachs. But yeah, because even if it’s only a tablespoon, 30 tablespoons is a lot of pie.”
Between the pie judging and the public part of the event, Once Upon a Pie Day is a long one. “we start at nine o’ clock in the morning,” Redmond said, “and we usually don’t leave the building until nine o’ clock at night. Last year a lot of people came in at the very last minute with a lot of pies. So that pushed our whole schedule back and some of us never even got a break during that 12-hour period last year. So this year we’ve built in a break time.”
For Redmond, the biggest surprise of last year’s event was the winning pie.
“The biggest surprise was the top-winning pie was just a regular pumpkin pie,” she said. The event’s website (gplnhfoundation.org/once-upon-a-pie) has photos of last year’s winning pies and a description of the overall winner that says, “What a pumpkin pie should be.”
Redmond said Once Upon a Pie is a tradition that has become part of Goffstown’s culture. People from all walks of life, political persuasions and social circles all come together, bound by their love of pie.
“It’s almost like this is a metaphor,” she said. “The pie competition is all about the community, in the same way that the Library provides value to the community.”
Once Upon a Pie Where: Goffstown High School, 27 Wallace Road, Goffstown, 497-4841. When: Saturday, Nov. 22. Pie drop-off for entrants is from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Ticket sales for the public pie appreciation event that is open to the public begin at 6:15 p.m. Slices of pie are $3 each, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Pie registration forms are available on the event’s website at gplnhfoundation.org/once-upon-a-pie.
• Poker hand pub crawl: Following up on last year’s success, the United Way of Greater Nashua is hosting a Poker Hand Pub Crawl on Saturday, Nov. 15. Participants will visit five downtown venues, collecting playing cards with drink purchases at each stop. The player with the best poker hand wins a cash prize, and all proceeds support United Way’s programs. Registration is $25, which includes event entry, a free drink, a map of participating locations, and chances to win raffle prizes. Visit tinyurl.com/uwpubcrawl25.
• Murphy’s Taproom closes: In an Oct. 25 announcement on its Facebook page, Murphy’s Taproom’s announced the closing of its Manchester location at 494 Elm St. at the end of October. “As hard as it is to walk away from Elm Street, I have reluctantly concluded that it is in the best interests of the business, its employees, and most importantly my family to concentrate our efforts at the beautiful Bedford facility … We were glad for many years. Thanks for the memories, Manchester,” the announcement read. Murphy’s Taproom and Carriage House at 393 Route 101 in Bedford remains open; see murphystaproom.com.
• The beers of New England: The Bedford Village Inn (2 Olde Bedford Way, Bedford, 472-2001, bedfordvillageinn.com) will host a four-course dinner featuring beer pairings from New England breweries in the Inn’s Great Hall on Friday, Nov. 14, at 6 p.m. The evening will begin with a casual cocktail hour featuring two craft beers and passed canapés before moving on to a four-course seated dinner, each course paired with a beer from one of New England’s local breweries. Tickets for this 21+ event must be purchased in advance, which you can do via the website.
• Corks and Queens: Corks and Queens, a drag brunch hosted by Sasha Stone, will take place on Sunday, Nov. 16, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Unwined Wine Bar (1 Nashua St. in Milford). A cast of iconic queens and kings will dance and sing the day away, with hits from Broadway throughout the years, according to the event description on eventbrite.com, where you can purchase tickets for $28.52 plus fees.
I have a quilt that I believe my mom’s mother made. This would make it from the 1940s I think. It’s smaller than a full-size bed. I think it’s in great shape for the age. Can you give me any information on caring for it and possible value?
Thank you, Donna.
Elaine
Dear Elaine,
Nice piece to have from your family.
Your quilt appears to be made from old clothing scraps. It wasn’t uncommon to create a quilt from fabric within the home.
Quilt values are in their patterns, age, condition, and whether or not they are hand stitched, among other factors. Some quilts were made from old feed sack material, using everything to create warmth. We might use quilts today for decorative reasons but back in the day they were needed.
There were quilts that were made and signed by the many people participating. Each piece would have its own folky design — animals, figures, embroidered then signed. All put together to complete a quilt.
Your quilt, Elaine, is a typical homestyle quilt, made sturdy to last. I think as for care it should be fine on delicate or possibly dry cleaned.
As far as value goes I think it would be in the $75 range. I hope it stays in your family. Nice piece! Thanks for sharing with us.
• LaBelle Lights, the LaBelle Winery’s lighted outdoor display at its location at 14 Route 111 in Derry, will open for the season on Friday, Nov. 14, and run through Sunday, Jan. 18, according to labellewinery.com. The walkable lights course is open most days through Jan. 4 (closed Mondays, Thanksgiving, Christmas and Christmas Eve) as well as Thursdays through Sundays for the first two full weeks of January. Among the special event dates and happenings at the lights, a LaBelle Lightsfest will take place on Friday, Nov. 21, featuring a tree lighting, fireworks, live performances and more, the website said. Time slots for entry this weekend start at 4:30 p.m., the website said.
On stage
• The Peacock Players’ production of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderellakicks off its two-week run this weekend. The show will run Friday, Nov. 14, at 7 p.m.; Saturday, Nov. 15, at 2 and 7 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 16, at 2 p.m. (as well as the following Friday and Saturday at 7 and Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m.) at the Janice B. Streeter Theatre, 14 Court St. in Nashua, according to peacockplayers.org. The show is the Fall Teen Mainstage production, with actors ages 14 through 18, the website said.
Game night
• It’s time for the KPop Demon Hunters fan in your family to shine. Chunky’s, 707 Huse Road in Manchester, is holding a family trivia night all about the Netflix film on Saturday, Nov. 15, at 6 p.m. , according to chunkys.com, where you can purchase tickets.
Save the date
• Spartans Basketball, “NH’s largest AAU Basketball program” according to an email from organizers, will hold winter tryouts starting on Wednesday, Nov. 19, at Grinnell Elementary School in Derry for boys and girls in grades 3 through 8. Times are 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. for third- to sixth-graders and 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. for seventh- and eighth-graders, the email said. See nhspartans.com for more on the program and contact Chris Coates with questions at CoatesNew@hotmail.com.
If Lake Wobegon had a Hallmark stage division it might come up with something like Icehouse, a Bedford Off Broadway production with three more performances through Nov. 16. Making its first New England run, the Peter Bloedel farce is a funny, heartfelt and warm look at friends helping a friend.
The end-of-the-20th-century comedy is about a Minnesota ex-pat, now living in Florida and lonesome for the cold air, and his buddies, as they try to build an epic ice chateau and keep it a secret from their wives.
There’s a great line toward the end of Act I that sums up the haplessness of five buddies trying to lure a sixth pal back for an ice fishing holiday, only to stumble due to kind-hearted incompetence.
“Every village needs an idiot,” one of them tells his suspicious spouse. “Ours just has more.”
What makes the play succeed is a solid cast that plays well off each other even while managing set changes throughout the production. The family-friendly farce centers on Oskar (Rich Hurley), trapped in Florida with Ingrid (Deb Lund) after she has coerced him to move there for her many climate-related maladies.
When Oskar and Ingrid return for the wedding of Erik (Tigran Kotsinyan) and Michelle (Abby Lefebvre), his friends Arn (Glen Grimard) and Conrad (Declan Lynch) share their plan to build a structure fit for an ice-fishing billionaire, with a full kitchen, sleeping quarters and sauna, an idea they got during a fishing conversation.
Oskar’s in and the six are soon working on their respective co-conspirator tasks.
The machinations employed to get Oskar home again are comedy gold in the hands of Wilhelm (John Decareau) and Lars (Matt Bader). Conrad, Arn and reluctant recruit Erik persuade them to concoct a story to fool Ingrid, delivered from a pay phone (back when they were common) in fake voices.
Of course, the effort only makes things worse — albeit funnier.
Let’s just say that Wilhelm takes his method acting task a bit too seriously, Lars starts to share his enthusiasm, and the two have the audience thoroughly entertained. The pair’s across-the-wire shenanigans, with hilarious support from fellow cast members, are aided by the impressive set design of director Judy Hayward and Daro Fuchs.
The hallmark of a great community theater is often its ability to do a lot with a little, and BoB achieves this with Icehouse. The play opens with a spare set; a couple of hardware store bucket stools for Arn and Conrad to sit on while they fish later becomes a series of different furniture. Then the wall behind the stage moves and it’s all transformed.
The wives, first fooled out of Middle Creak, Minnesota, by Oskar, who turns out to be talented at subterfuge, will find their fury when Lars and Wilhelm’s stunt backfires. Camilla (Lisa Colburn), Helen (Deb Curtis), Rita (Natasha DaCunha-Lund) and Sarah (Julie Shea) all have great moments confronting their respective husbands.
Claire Fry, as mother of the bride Lenora, deserves praise for helping to give the play its heartfelt quality. She’s the wild card. To know what that means, one needs to buy a ticket, but rest assured the experience leaves a sweet finish.
Ultimately it’s chemistry that carries Icehouse to the finish line. It’s Judy Hayward’s first time directing a BoB show and during rehearsals in September she praised the cast while rehearsals were underway.
“One thing that’s nice about it is that everybody pretty much has an equal part,” she said. “It’s quite an ensemble show.”
The opening night crowd agreed. The smiles began with an introductory explanation that the play was being performed in a foreign language (Minnesotan) and continued as the show bounced along merrily through laugh after laugh. With a cast working at a very high level, and a script that’s new to these parts, Icehouse is a must-see.
Icehouse – A Comedy by Peter Bloedel When: Friday, Nov. 14, and Saturday, Nov. 15, at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, Nov. 16, at 2 p.m. Where: Bedford Off Broadway at Bedford Town Hall, 70 Bedford Center Road, Bedford Tickets: $15 ($12 seniors and students) at brownpapertickets.com
When it comes to live music in New Hampshire, there are plenty of choices. It all comes down to what suits the mood. Maybe a country singer with a story to tell, or a musical conversation between the members of a jam band, in the form of nods and hand signs. Or a troubadour folkie with a song that joins old traditions to modern sensibilities might be just right. Maybe it’s a bluegrass combo keeping the mood acoustic, or perhaps the interplay of jazz, the emotive rock of pop-punk, the soaring sound of progressive rock. It’s all here.
Eight of the state’s musical mavens were asked to define their genres and talk about what people might not know about them. Each also weighed in on the leading purveyors and the best venues where they perform.
Hopefully, it’s a handy guide for a night of appreciating the state’s music.
Folk
Tom Pirozzoli is a singer, songwriter, painter and promoter. In 1994 he had a new album and wanted to do a release show, so he asked Tom Mills, owner of Flying Goose Bar & Grille in New London, if he’d be interested in hosting it. Thirty-one years later, weekly folk nights are a staple at the restaurant, bar and brewery. Pirozzoli also books other shows at coffee houses in the area. Find his schedule at pirozzoli.com.
How would you define folk?
Every folk musician gets the same answer. Bill Broonzy once said, ‘I ain’t never heard no horses singing.’ To me, it’s somebody like Harvey Reid, who’s a true troubadour. Harvey knows so many songs. I mean, he knows some pop songs, too, like ‘Ode to Billie Joe,’ which was a hit record, but it’s really a country song. He knows all the Carter Family music, he’s got a huge catalog of folk music. And he’s a great songwriter as well.
What got you interested in it?
I was born in 1950, so I was listening to a little transistor radio when I was 13 years old in 1963. Everybody got one at that age. Then The Beatles came out, and I still remember all the words to their songs. But when I first heard Bob Dylan singing … ‘Just Like A Woman’ was the first song I heard by him and it just blew my mind. It was right around then I started playing guitar, and I guess I got into folk music because it was what I could do.
Who are some of New Hampshire’s representative folk acts?
Well, Tom Rush, obviously, would be at the top, even though I think he jumped in between Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Click Horning is with a band called Night Kitchen with Gerry Putnam … his son plays bass, and then Alex Keenan, who plays in a variety of bands down on the Seacoast. Cormac McCarthy was born in New Hampshire, but he lives in Maine now — you can count him.
Where are some of the best places to see folk performed?
Well, the Flying Goose and there’s also the Peterborough Folk Music Society. There’s also Bass Hall, and Deb McWethy’s house concerts — those are what is going to save us…. There are also coffee houses — in Sunapee and Andover, there’s the Deering Coffee House and then the Anonymous Coffee House in Lebanon. Also, the Word Barn in Exeter is great, and the Stone Church [in Newmarket] is too.
Pop Punk
Aaron Shelton plays in a band and runs Kinetic City Events. Most of his shows happen at the Shaskeen in Manchester (such as Emo Karaoke Night with a live backing band, the next of which takes place Friday, Nov. 14, at 8 p.m.), but he occasionally books other venues. The emo band tribute night Live Free or Cry has grown into an institution, as well as the muti-band shows that regularly happen in the back room of the Elm Street Irish bar and restaurant. Find Kinetic City Events’ upcoming schedule on their Facebook page.
How would you define pop punk?
I think it’s largely just anything that is more poppy, accessible punk. Typically lighthearted, upbeat punk music.
What got you interested in it?
I listened to nu metal in the late ’90s and around 2001 I came across Thursday, New Found Glory, Boy Sets Fire, bands like that (only one is pop punk), and that led me to dive deeper and found bands like Rufio, The Stryder and Saves The Day.
Who are some of New Hampshire’s representative pop punk acts?
The bands that come to mind at the moment are Donaher, Hell Beach and Breaking Up. I’m sure I’m missing some, though.
Where are some of the best places to see pop punk performed?
I’m a little biased but right now I think The Shaskeen and BAD BRGR are doing a lot of excellent pop punk and emo/post hardcore stuff. [Editor’s note: Other venues include Terminus Underground in Nashua, with a Pop Punk Pop happening on Nov. 29, as well as Newmarket’s Stone Church and the Press Room in Portsmouth.]
What’s the most misunderstood thing about pop punk?
I’m not sure I’d say anything is misunderstood exactly. I think there are some big jumps between what I would call true (or good) pop punk and radio pop punk bands like Sum 41 and Good Charlotte, which are of course the biggest of the broad term of the genre.
Jam band
Eric Reingold. Courtesy photo.
A founding member of JamAntics, Eric Reingold has played in a multitude of bands over the years. Lately he fronts Concord supergroup UP and plays bass with JamAntics spinoff Lucas Gallo & the Guise. Past groups include People Skills, Cold Engines and Blacklight Ruckus. Reingold’s take on jam band music isn’t one of rules-free improvisation. He prefers compact songs and believes discipline, skills and communication are the genre’s hallmarks. Find “UP – the band” on Facebook. Lucas Gallo & The Guide will play Penuche’s Ale House in Concord on Wednesday, Nov. 26, at 9 p.m.; follow them via lucasgallomusic.com.
How would you define jam band music?
My impression of jam bands is picking things up on the fly … a little bit loosey-goosey but coming back into a very tight togetherness, whether it’s the verse or the chorus, or taking a stroll down in order to segue into a different song. Now, that being said … if a song is 20 or 30 or 40 minutes long, even if a song is seven or eight minutes long, I’m ADD enough to be like, ‘OK, that’s enough for me,’ and it’s very much shaped my way of being in a jam band. I’ve very much modified my own style to be jam band but tight and short.
Who are some of New Hampshire’s representative jam band acts?
Concord especially, where I live, is so welcoming of not only jam bands but just music, original music. … On any given night it’s tougher to find a cover band in Concord than it is to find an original band.I love that about Concord. But the jam band scene, … Any of the Laliotis brothers, all three of them are great musicians. Scott Solsky is another great artist. My bands, Lucas Gallo & the Guise, and UP. Other bands that I’ve become friendly with, in and outside of Concord, and recommend seeing are Kenny Brothers, J3ST, Holy Fool and Trade, which is one of the best examples of super-talented jam originals. Other bands I could recommend I actually became part of after being a fan, like People Skills, Cold Engines and Blacklight Ruckus.
Where are some of the best places to see jam band music performed?
The love of my life will always be Penuche’s. I love that place. … Feathered Friend has really done a lot. They have a great big stage out back, so they’re really up and coming. Then there’s the Bank of New Hampshire Stage, which is amazing … anybody can play on all scale levels. That’s where Andrew Grosvenor puts on an open mic. He’s done a great job of getting solo artists and individual groups that don’t have any following up onto a stage that might never get that opportunity to play on such high-end equipment or such a nice stage. The Tap House is a new place in the Lakes Region, and I want to make a point to bring up Henniker Brewing Co.
What’s the most misunderstood thing about jam band music?
I just want to reiterate … it’s not that people are noodling around and really loose on stage. I think jam bands actually take a lot more skill than having parts and exact songs playing in exactly that way. Just because you need to know…. There needs to be communication up on stage. It’s a tougher thing for a band to have.
Jazz
Brad Myrick Trio. Courtesy photo.
Brad Myrick leads an eponymous trio and performs solo throughout the region when he’s not traveling in Europe, where he’s made guitar albums with musical partner Nicola Cipriani, and has a new one coming early next year. A characteristic of good jazz, he said during a break from a series of workshops with fellow musician Vinx in southern France, is that it contains echoes of other sounds — pop, rock, the Great American Songbook — to draw listeners in. Catch the Brad Myrick Band Sunday, Dec. 7, at 10 a.m. at Jimmy’s Jazz & Blues Club in Portsmouth. Find more shows at bradmyrick.com.
How would you define jazz?
… I think jazz is really about the spirit of listening, interplay, improvisation and not setting rules. It’s really a wide open space and that’s why it’s been so amazing….
What got you interested in it?
When I was a teenager in the ’90s, I was playing a lot of pop and rock … I was into prog and metal and some of the heavier stuff, and I was into popular music. … But my guitar teacher, Joe Gattuso, kept introducing me to new little things like, Hey, check this out, check this out…. I realized that as a guitar player there were all these other things I could do beyond just the pop and rock stuff, and I just fell in love with jazz and world music …
Who are some of New Hampshire’s representative jazz acts?
I’m not as tapped into that as I probably should be, but I love David Newsam. He was the head of the UNH guitar program for a long time, and he still teaches at Berklee. David’s got a whole bunch of different projects going on. … Choro Loco is a great little band where they play Brazilian music — choro and samba and that kind of stuff is really interesting. But I would say if you can tap into Dave he’s got a few projects. He works with some saxophone players that are just fantastic.
Where are some of the best places to see jazz performed?
I’ve actually been trying to reach out and find different places that aren’t necessarily music venues. So I’ve been going to art galleries and presenting ideas. Obviously Jimmy’s Jazz & Blues in Portsmouth is a beautiful venue. Another place I’ve played some music with was a place called Glimpse Gallery in Concord…. My trio plays at Jimmy’s, we do the brunches, and that’s great. They treat us pretty well there, but there’s not a lot of venues that are paying real money for jazz musicians.
What’s the most misunderstood thing about jazz?
I don’t want to speak for anybody else, but my experience is that you, as an artist, should give people a little bit of permission to come be part of what you’re doing, instead of just being the guy on stage with your head down playing a lot of notes. If you include them a little bit, people are really open to it … they say, I don’t know what’s going on here but I’m interested and it’s cool. So just saying hello, talking about the song, raising your head up and smiling at the crowd. … I try to interact with people and let them know, here’s what’s going on.
Prog rock
Though Jerry LoFaro isn’t a musician, he knows plenty about progressive rock, and he even built a venue in back of his Henniker home for concerts. Everyone from Springsteen keyboard player turned jazz fusionist David Sancious to New Hampshire’s own Rocking Horse Music Club has performed at the LoFaro Center, with more shows on the way. LoFaro is also an artist who’s done album covers, including one for a CD/DVD tribute to prog hero Keith Emerson, and he’s the house photographer at Tupelo Music Hall in Derry. Find the LoFaro Center’s schedule on Facebook.
How would you define prog rock?
The simple explanation is to point to the bands that everyone thinks of…. Yes, ELP, Genesis and of course Pink Floyd. That was the benchmark, and of course a lot of people consider the Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds to be one of the first prog albums, and The Beatles’ Magical Mystery Tour … coming from the ’60s, and then all the experimentation happened. So the early definition was pushing the boundaries of composition and skill level … a lot of these jam bands are clearly influenced by prog rock due to the stretching of instrumentals. You hear it in bands like Umphrey’s McGee.
What got you interested in it?
I had all Elton John’s records, and then his Greatest Hits came out with him with the white tux and the hat on the cover. I bought it to have for my collection. I grew up on Long Island and the popular radio station played this commercial with Keith Emerson [and] it was so intriguing. Here’s a guy with a keyboard, and I’m listening to Elton John … I think I’d heard ‘Lucky Man.’ After that commercial, and this is in the days when you could do that, I went back to Sam Goody, where I bought the Elton John record, and traded it in for Brain Salad Surgery, even steven. That album, it just changed my life. I mean, the journey officially began.
Who are some of New Hampshire’s representative prog rock acts?
That’s a tough question. The only one I can think of right now is the Rocking Horse Music Club, who just performed here. Rocking Horse creates popular music and they work with a lot of different artists, but when Brian [Coombes, the studio’s owner and producer[ wants to do his own thing, it’s, it’s very prog oriented, very adventuresome, eclectic. His latest album, Last Pink Glow, is really beautiful and very progressive. Then there’s Mindset X from Manchester, and Delusive Relics, which was called Mavara.
Where are some of the best places to see prog rock performed?
I have a loyal following here, but of course the Tupelo Music Hall has had prog rock, it had the Musical Box, a Genesis tribute act, a number of times, and some others that touch upon the genre for sure. Flying Monkey in Plymouth, too. John Lodge played both places, and he certainly would be considered part of that.
What’s the most misunderstood thing about prog rock?
I think the fact that people consider it intellectual music is a barrier for a lot of people. They think, I like rock ’n’ roll, but I don’t want to have to think too much or pay attention to the music. I just want to hear it as background. That has always been a bad rap. Of course, for those of us that lean intellectually, we love that. Another misconception is that it’s pompous, full of itself or show-off or it doesn’t reflect the essence of rock ’n’ roll. Meanwhile, you’ve got Madonna in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Country
April Cushman performing at Gilette Stadium. Courtesy photo.
Born and raised in New Hampshire, April Cushman is arguably the state’s most successful country artist. The past four years, she’s been nominated at the New England Music Awards for Best Country Artist and won two times. While fans can catch her in clubs, lately Cushman has been headlining places like the Colonial Theatre in Keene. In the recent past she’s become the go-to country performer for the New England Patriots, singing the national anthem multiple times and, last Nov. 2, starring in a Salute to Service-themed halftime show. See aprilcushman.com for upcoming shows.
How would you define country?
What makes it country music is the stories behind the songs. Typically country music is real life experiences, the life that you’re living, the life that you’ve seen other people live. … It’s the lyrics, not necessarily the melody or which branch of country music it kind of pulls off from. There’s always that storyteller element.
What got you interested in it?
I grew up on Tom Petty, The Eagles, Sheryl Crow, Fleetwood Mac, all the stuff that my dad essentially grew up on … but I believe it was Keith Urban that really drew me into more of the early 2000s country, Rascal Flatts and stuff, [and] I’m a huge ’90s country fan. Honestly, I think the thing that made me fall in love with it was the relatability of the stories, even though I was a young teenage kid. I think essentially the older you get too, the more you can look back and be like, ‘Oh, yeah, I can relate to Reba McEntire, I totally get it.’
Who are some of New Hampshire’s representative country acts?
I feel like a lot of the country music acts in New England kind of fall from the Massachusetts side of things. … Martin and Kelly … are both out of New Hampshire. There is the North County Band. They’re out of Connecticut and they play up in New Hampshire a lot. They’re really, really great people. Nate Ramos is another one.
Where are some of the best places to see country performed?
One of the places that I play a lot, and I’ve actually got a residency that I’m going to be pulling next summer, is up in Center Harbor, New Hampshire. It’s called the Tap House. It’s right out, you can see Winnipesaukee, it’s right there. And I believe they have a lot of classic rock stuff in there too, but it’s a very country-forward place if you have country artists in there, and they’re wonderful. Then there’s Saddle Up Saloon in Kingston, Bonfire and The Goat in Manchester. Arts Alley is great. BNH Stage is right there too, and the rooftop is super cool. …
What’s the most misunderstood thing about country?
A lot of the people that listen to today’s more modernized country and the pop country thing, I think they think … that’s what it is just as a whole, that’s all that it is, but they don’t realize that there’s very different branches and elements to country music that come off from the genre as a whole. So I think the most misunderstood part about country is that there are many, many branches that come off of it, and I think a lot of people don’t realize that not every country song is about missing a girl in the neon lights sitting at the bar.
Bluegrass
Scott Heron is an acoustic multi-instrumentalist who performs with a number of bluegrass groups, including The Treetellers, who recently covered Bill Monroe and Flatt & Scruggs at a Ryman Auditorium Remembered show in Concord. He also leads Any Which Way and the Heron Bluegrass Company and is a member of Big Sweetie, a Seacoast supergroup that includes Jake Davis, Zac Arnault and Jake Smith, which draws from a variety of influences, from country to r&b and rock ’n’ roll. Upcoming shows include with the Heron Bluegrass Company at the Barrington-based Nippo Lake Golf Club’s Bluegrass Series on Sunday, Nov. 30, at 6 p.m.; see scottheron.com.
How would you define bluegrass?
That’s a very good question, because I play a lot of not bluegrass. I play all sorts of genres. I love bluegrass, and I think people see you with a banjo and their perceptions are that, oh, you’re playing bluegrass. You have a banjo or you have a fiddle, so you’re playing bluegrass. So it’s a funny thing to try to define, but there’s … that typical Bill Monroe five-piece outfit: fiddle, banjo, guitar, mandolin and upright bass. So it can be looked at as the instrumentation is making it bluegrass, but obviously the sound, there’s a particular sound that’s bluegrass. You know it when you hear it.
What got you interested in it?
Probably like everybody else, I came across the movie O Brother, Where Art Thou? I was familiar with some of it … the Stanley Brothers, and I knew who Bill Monroe was. But I think that really put it in the forefront, and so it kind of got me going down a rabbit hole. Conversely, I came at it from another angle, ultimately from classic rock, and I just kept kind of diving further and further. You get to classic rock, then get to Bob Dylan and The Band, and then you get to Bob Dylan’s influences, Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger, and then you start getting into the whole folk revival.
Who are some of New Hampshire’s representative bluegrass acts?
I’m fortunate to come across a lot of these folks, particularly where I’m on the Seacoast, we have quite a few bluegrass and Americana bands. One of the long-term ones, my buddy Cecil Abels plays in the New England Bluegrass Band. He’s from Mississippi originally, but he’s been up here in New Hampshire for quite a few years, and they play all over. My buddy Rick Watson used to play in the Bolt Hill Band, but I don’t think they’re around any longer. One of my favorite people, his name’s Old Time Dave Talmadge. The big one that comes to mind, who’ve been playing together for over 50 years, is Lunch at the Dump.
Where are some of the best places to see bluegrass performed?
Obviously, the Nippo Lake Bluegrass Series jumps out, and the Word Barn. Stone Church used to do a bit more bluegrass, and they may be bringing it back. There’s a summer series at the Applecrest Farms. There is Pembroke City Limits. I love seeing something like what Rob Azevedo’s done. He’s just made this wonderful space. It can be a honky-tonk, a listening room or just a rowdy bar. He’s been so welcoming.
Hip-hop
Few music genres in New Hampshire have a cheerleader with the energy of Bill Fee, who performs hip-hop as Fee the Evolutionist. He’s nominated for a 2025 New England Music Award, which follows a Rising Star New Hampshire win a couple of years ago. “It only took me 20 years,” he said with a laugh at the time. With his life partner Ruby Shabazz, another NEMA winner, Fee is also a big booster of his hometown of Nashua and often does shows there, along with performing throughout the state and across the Massachusetts border. Fee the Evolutionist is on the bill for Hellbound for the Holidays Toy Drive and Concert on Saturday, Dec. 13, at The Spot in Nashua at 6 p.m., according to his Facebook page, where you can find more upcoming performances. Follow Ruby Shabazz on her Facebook and Instragram pages.
How would you define hip-hop?
Hip-hop, for me, is more than just music; it’s a culture, a movement, a force for truth and connection. It’s about the four pillars — MCing, DJing, breakdancing and graffiti—but it’s also about knowledge, consciousness and giving back. When I define it in my music, I’m talking about that raw, organic feeling from the golden era, where soul samples and real instrumentation drive the beat. It’s a living art form that allows for storytelling, social commentary and genuine expression.
What got you interested in it?
Growing up, hip-hop always resonated with me; it speaks to my soul. I harked back to the fun, melodic harmonies and soul samples of the golden era. I was fascinated by the whole culture and wanted to learn everything I could. I remember sitting in Ski Beatz’s living room and watching him flip deep soul samples into bangers — it was magic to me. That raw, authentic sound, and the ability to use my voice for something meaningful, that’s what got me hooked and kept me evolving.
Who are some of New Hampshire’s representative hip-hop acts?
The New Hampshire and general New England scene has some serious talent. I’ve been proud to collaborate with great artists from the area like Ruby Shabazz, DJ Myth, Dez tha Baker, Cody Pope & Byron G. I also work with legends from the broader New England scene like Edo G, Termanology, Brady Watt and REKS, who are all putting in work and repping the culture strong. Flow Free or Die is a production company from Nashua that is continuously putting out podcasts and promoting shows. Mr. Goodbarz at ToyBox studios has been producing a lot of local acts. Recently a brand new multimedia company called 603 Beat Collaborative just launched and they specialize in live sound, recording production and content creation so that is exciting. We’re all part of this movement that’s bringing respect to the art form.
Where are some of the best places to see hip-hop performed?
The scene is growing and spots are popping up. Locally, I’ve been to some great shows at places like The Spot here in Gate City. I have also performed outside on Main Street during the summer for a series of shows that the Great American Downtown organization put together, which has been great for exposure and community. Believe it or not we played a fantastic show at Jimmy’s Jazz club in Portsmouth! We have played a bunch of times at Warp & Weft in Lowell and have a gig coming up on Nov. 22 at the Lass Stop with the live band. The key is finding venues and events that respect the culture and provide a platform for local artists to shine. “Rap Night” in Manchester is New Hampshire’s longest-running hip-hop residency and recently celebrated its 12th anniversary in June. It is held at The Shaskeen Pub and Restaurant every Sunday night and is hosted by DJ Myth, Eyenine and Shawn Caliber.
How healthy is the scene for hip-hop?
The scene is flourishing — I’d call it a renaissance period for hip-hop up here in New England. It’s becoming more diverse and inclusive. Sure, it can be tough for homegrown talent to get exposure, but if you love your craft and stay persistent, progress is inevitable. I was just nominated for Hip Hop Act of the Year by the New England Music Awards, so the industry is definitely acknowledging the art form here in New Hampshire. There’s a real hunger for that organic, jazz-style hip-hop with vision and purpose. People are appreciating the authenticity, which makes the scene very healthy in my eyes.
What’s the most misunderstood thing about hip-hop?
I think the most misunderstood thing is that when some people think of hip-hop they think of the extreme. They either associate it with gangster music or materialism. But at its core real hip-hop is about the culture, social commentary and knowledge. My music is all about shining a light on real life, cutting through the noise to deliver a message that has meaning and gives back to the community. It’s not just noise; it’s art with a vision.
Find your sound Here are some of the upcoming shows where you can enjoy your genre of choice.
Folk – David Wilcox, Thursday, Nov. 13, Flying Goose Brew Pub & Grille, 40 Andover Road, New London, flyinggoose.com Prog Rock – Levin Brothers, Friday, Nov. 14, LoFaro Center, 722 Gulf Road, Henniker, jerrylofaro@mcttelecom.com Hip-Hop – Sound Off Saturday, Saturday, Nov. 15, Shaskeen Pub, 909 Elm St., Manchester, facebook.com/billyfee/events Jazz – David Newsam Trio (brunch), Sunday, Nov. 16, Jimmy’s Jazz & Blues Club, 135 Congress St., Portsmouth, jimmysoncongress.com Pop Punk – Waltham, Donaher & Colleen Green, Saturday, Nov. 22, Shaskeen Pub, 909 Elm St., Manchester, facebook.com/KineticCityEvents Jam Band – Lucas Gallo & the Guise, Wednesday, Nov. 26, Penuche’s Ale House, Bicentennial Square, Concord, facebook.com/lucasgallomusic Country – Nate Ramos Band, Friday, Nov. 28, Derryfield Restaurant & Lounge, 625 Mammoth Road, Manchester, nateramosmusic.com Bluegrass – Heron Bluegrass Company, Sunday, Nov. 30, Nippo Golf Club, 88 Stagecoach Road, Barrington, nippobluegrass.com
Featured photo: Fee the Evolutionist and Ruby Shabazz, photographed at Castro’s Back Room in Nashua by Colleen Jamieson, courtesy Fee the Evolutionist.
