Community of music — The Hippo — 10/05/23

News and culture weekly serving Metro southern New Hampshire

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on the cover

10 NH Music Collec

tive is all over our Music This Week listings, with its artists playing at restaurants and breweries as well as on stages dedicat ed to music, like the Bank of NH Stage. Michael Witthaus tells the sto ry of the creation of this booking, production and artist development operation. Photo above and on the cover comes courtesy the NH Music Collective and is of April Cushman and Brad Myrick.

Also on the cover We’re still in the thick of festival season. Find a weekend of fun at the Warner Fall Foliage Festival (page 19) and the Milford Pumpkin Festival (page 18). And we check in with the Currier Museum of Art to get the details of this season’s exhibitions (page 14).

InsIde thIs week

news & notes

4 news In brIef

6 Q&A

7 sports

8 QuAlIty of lIfe Index

9 thIs week the Arts

14 At the currIer

15 Arts roundup

InsIde/outsIde

20 GArdenInG Guy

Henry Homeyer offers advice on your outdoors.

21 treAsure hunt

There’s gold in your attic.

21 kIddIe pool

Family fun events this weekend.

22 cAr tAlk

Automotive advice.

cAreers

24 on the job

What it’s like to be a...

food

26 weekly specIAls Relax with a drink — and a mani; In the Kitchen; Weekly Dish; John Fladd Cooks.

pop culture

28 revIews CDs, books and more. Amy Diaz reviews movies for the kids (Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie and Spy Kids: Armageddon), movies for grown-ups (Flora and Son, Dumb Money) and movies for Wes Anderson fans.

nIte

33 bAnds, clubs, nIGhtlIfe

Nite Roundup, concert & comedy listings and more.

34 MusIc thIs week

Live music at your favorite bars and restaurants.

37 coMedy thIs week

Where to find laughs

38 concerts

Big ticket shows.

38 trIvIA nIGhts

Find

41

41

Primary polling

According to a recent poll conducted by the Saint Anselm College Survey Center, former President Donald Trump maintains a significant lead among likely voters in the New Hampshire Republican presidential primary, with 45 percent expressing their preference for Trump on the ballot test. This represents a 30-point lead over his closest challenger, former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, who has surged into second place with 15 percent support following the first Republican presidential candidate debate, according to the Sept 25. press release. Haley is now the leading alternative to Trump and outpaces former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie among respondents with an unfavorable impression of Trump, the release said. Meanwhile, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has seen his support decline by 18 points since March and now trails Haley with 11 percent. The poll also highlights the polarization within the primary electorate between supporters and detractors of Trump, with implications for the eventual nominee’s ability to challenge President Joe Biden in a general election matchup.

Rising star

Michael Newell, RN, a home care nurse at Granite VNA, has been named “Young Person of the Year” by Stay Work Play in its 14th Annual Rising Stars

Awards. According to a press release, Newell joined Granite VNA in 2020 and participated in their Home Health Nurse Residency Program, where he learned the intricacies of home care nursing and later became a mentor for the program, guiding and supporting new nurses. In addition to his role as a mentor, Newell provides in-home care to a diverse patient population, demonstrating a commitment to compassionate care and support for every patient. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from the University of New Hampshire and aspires to become a nurse educator in the future.

Maternal health

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has officially launched the Task Force on Maternal Mental Health, an initiative co-led by the Office on Women’s Health and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and established following the bipartisan TRIUMPH for New Moms Act, a law co-sponsored by New Hampshire’s Sen. Maggie Hassan and Sen. Tom Tillis of North Carolina. The goal is to address and support new mothers grappling with postpartum depression and other mental health challenges, ensuring they receive the necessary assistance, according to a press release from Hassan’s office. “New moms struggling with postpartum depression or other mental health challeng-

es need to know that help is out there — and how to get it,” Sen. Hassan said in the release. “I am glad that following our bipartisan law, the administration today launched the Task Force on Maternal Mental Health, and I look forward to seeing how it works to get more new moms the support that they critically need.”

Commission member

Suzanne Brunelle, a shareholder at Devine Millimet, has been appointed as the attorney-appointed member of the State of New Hampshire Real Estate Commission by Gov. Sununu, according to a press release. In her new role, Brunelle will contribute to the commission’s efforts to establish safeguards and regulations within the licensing process for real estate salespersons and brokers in New Hampshire. With over 30 years of experience in the legal profession, Brunelle has provided legal counsel on various aspects of real estate matters, including land development, commercial and residential property financing, acquisition, sale, leasing, permitting and more.

Rural maternity

Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon has been awarded a federal grant totaling $991,467 as part of the Health Resources & Services Administration’s Rural Maternity and Obstetrics Management Strategies (RMOMS) Program. The

The dover Public Library will host a presentation titled “Hope for Shantytown: A History of Dover Housing Authority” on Wednesday, Oct. 11, at 6:30 p.m. Local historian Mark Leno will use historical photos to showcase the Dover Housing Authority’s impact on the city’s development over the past 70 years. The presentation will cover the organization’s evolution, its role in downtown Dover’s urban renewal efforts and milestones in providing housing for Dover residents. The event will be available for in-person and virtual attendance, with sign-up required for online access. It is free and open to the public. Visit library.dover.nh.gov.

The Upper Room, a family resource center in derry (36 Tsienneto Road, is hosting the Crossroads Co-Parenting course on Oct. 14, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., for parents and caregivers raising children together. This course offers insights into maintaining children’s love for parents, avoiding involving children in conflicts, navigating personal challenges and fostering effective communication. Interested participants can register for classes online at urteachers.org.

The nashua Transit System, along with other transit systems in New Hampshire, is observing Community Transportation Month throughout October to raise awareness about various transportation options, including Nashua’s city bus system, paratransit services and alternatives like biking and walking. This initiative includes a collaboration with Commute Smart NH, an organization offering ride-sharing services and challenges for riders in October. The celebration aligns with CommuteSmart NH’s Buses, Bikes and Brooms Commuter Challenge and the National Week Without Driving Challenge, aiming to spotlight essential but often overlooked services.

grant, spanning four years, will support the North Country Maternity Network, a collaborative effort involving hospitals, community-based services, and state agency partners aimed at bolstering maternal health infrastructure in New Hampshire’s North Country region. RMOMS addresses the challenges faced by women in rural communities when accessing adequate

obstetric care. The grant will be used to fund various initiatives, including standardizing prenatal screening, implementing evidence-based obstetrics pathways and improving site-based telehealth for comprehensive community care.

SPORTS DAVE LONG’S LONGSHOTS

Holiday for C’s and Sox

The Big Story – Sox Done for 2023: It was a busy week, where the end of the Patriots dynasty and Mac Jones hit a new low in an embarrassing 38-3 loss to Dallas and the Celtics did another blockbuster trade that probably made them worse while getting a really good player in Jrue Holiday. But the biggest story is the end of another dismal Red Sox season and where they go from here, which is our focus today.

Sports 101: Who holds the record for most relief appearances in one season with 106?

News Item – 2023 Red Sox Notables:

Triston Casas: He was the high point of 2023. Here’s how the power hitting rookie stands up to the great Carl Yastrzemski’s first season. Yaz stats followed by TC. Age: 21–23. G: 148–132. Avg: .266–.263. R: 70–66. 2B: 31–21. 3B: 6–2. HR: 11–24. RBI: 80–65.

Alex Verdugo: After ridiculously saying he was “snubbed” for the All-Star game, he hit a robust .225 since to show everyone how wrong they were.

Astonishingly just one pitcher, Brayan Bello, matched the 157 innings Dick Radatz pitched as closer in his dominant 1964 season — 157 IP, with 181 K’s, 16-9, 29 saves and 2.29.

All-Name MVP: Goes to Sox minor league pitcher of the year Wikelman Gonzalez, who went 9-4 with a 3.96 ERA in A-ball.

Alex Cora: Amazingly, with him returning, he joins the retiring Tito Francona as the only Sox managers in the last 60 years to last for five years according to Boston Globe baseball writer Alex Speier

News Item – 2023 Baseball Notables:

Ronald Acuna: His sensational season included batting .337, leading the majors in runs scored with 149 and becoming the fifth player to have 40 homers and 40 stolen bases in a season.

Freddie Freeman: The Dodgers slugger came up one double short of being the first with 60 since 1936, when famers Ducky Medwick (64) and Charlie Gehringer (60) did it.

Zach Greinke: If this is it for the 2009 Cy Young winner he didn’t go out in style. By going 2-15 with a 5.06 ERA for the Royals, he whittled down his career winning percentage in 2023 from 61.3 to 58.9. He’ll also retire 23 strikeouts short of 3,000.

Adam Wainwright: Despite his epic struggle to get his 200th career win, he got it

in the final week.

Numbers

1 – 20-game winner in 2023, Atlanta’s Spencer Strider at 20-5 with a 3.86 ERA.

9 – shockingly low number of .300 hitters across the majors.

93 – homers by Kyle Schwarber since Chaim Bloom let him walk after 2021. With 47 (and 104 RBI) this year to become the first to hit under .200 (.197) while clubbing 40 bombs.

… Of the Season Awards

Branch Rickey Award – Alex Anthopoulos: Not only did he build the power-laden Braves, who hit a record-tying 307 homers, he did the opposite of Rickey’s famous line that he’d rather trade a guy a year too early than a year too late by replacing a reigning MVP in Freeman a year ago with an even better first baseman in Matt Olson (from Oakland), who led the majors in homers and RBI with 54 and 139.

Maxwell Smart ‘Missed It By That Much’ Award – David J. Long: No, not the Dolphins linebacker, but your not so humble scribe, who said in this space on April 6 the Sox would finish last in the AL East at 77-85. Which is exactly how they’d have finished if Tanner Houck hadn’t stabbed me in the back by finally pitching decently in Game 162. Instead it’s 78-84.

News Item - Looking Ahead: Most interesting rumor mill name for Boston Red Sox president of baseball operations is Sam Fuld, both because he’s from Durham (N.H.) and because it would be the latest example of John Henry’s indecisive leadership. Nothing against Fuld, but he’s the top lieutenant of Dave Dombrowski in Philadelphia, whom Henry foolishly fired to Tampa Bay-ize things by hiring Bloom in 2019. Now with him gone, will the fickle owner zig-zag back to the free-spending, trade-the-prospects style of the Dombrowski era? One can hope.

Free Agent – Shohei Ohtani: After getting zero from the $150 million Chris Sale got before they knew if his arm was OK, how can the Sox hand Ohtani $500 million until they know if his is OK?

Sports 101 Answer: To Mike Marshall in 1974, Radatz of ’64 was a sissy. He pitched an astonishing 208.1 innings in 106 relief appearances while going 15-12 with 143 K’s, 21 saves and a 2.42 ERA.

Final Thought – Tim Wakefield: Raise a glass to the honorable Red Sox lifer who lost his battle with brain cancer on Sunday. He meets his maker after winning a third most in franchise history 186 games. RIP.

Email Dave Long at dlong@hippopress. com.

nutritious nibbles

quali T y O f lif E i N d E x

On-the-job training

During a routine shift on a Sunday morning, Sept. 17, NHTI Paramedic Emergency Medicine student Timothy St. Germain and his paramedic partner, NHTI PEM alumna Brittany Lamontagne, found themselves in an unexpected situation. According to a press release, they were responding to a call in Concord for a woman in labor needing transport to a local hospital and they soon realized that the baby couldn’t wait. St. Germain and Lamontagne’s training kicked in, and they delivered the baby without complications, the release said. What makes this timing remarkable is that the NHTI Paramedic Emergency Medicine program had been studying obstetrics with simulated childbirth scenarios for the past two weeks, making it almost feel like a planned “final exam,” the release said.

QOL score: +1

Comment: Both mom and baby girl are healthy, and St. Germain credits the program’s training for making the situation feel almost like second nature.

food for families

Protein Waffles

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

4 large eggs

2 cups Good Culture® 2% Cottage Cheese

2 Tbsp. ground flaxseed

1/4 cup Silk® Unsweet Plain Almondmilk

2 cups Hannaford Old Fashioned Oats

1/2 tsp. McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract

Topping suggestions (optional): Planters® Lightly Salted Nuts, blueberries, strawberries, apples, pure maple syrup, GOOD GOOD® Strawberry Jam

Directions:

1. Heat a waffle iron to medium-high heat.

2. In a blender or food processor, combine eggs, cottage cheese, flaxseed, almondmilk, oats and vanilla.

3. Pour 1/2 cup of the waffle mixture into the waffle iron, gently close and cook until golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Enjoy with desired toppings.

Nutritional Information

Amount per serving: Calories 500; Total Fat 15 g; Saturated Fat 4 g; Sodium 440 mg; Carbohydrate 59 g; Fiber 9 g; Sugar 5 g; Added Sugar 0 g; Protein 33 g

Thank you to our sponsors for partnering with Hannaford to offer free dietitian services. Our team of Registered Dietitians can help you achieve your healthy eating goals, right where you shop. Visit hannaford.com/dietitians to learn more.

Recipe adapted from goodculture.com

The New Hampshire Food Bank, a program of Catholic Charities New Hampshire, is partnering with the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to launch a joint initiative aimed at increasing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) enrollment across the state. According to a press release, this collaborative effort seeks to raise awareness of SNAP, a federal program designed to combat food insecurity by providing funds to lower-income families and households for food purchases. While nearly 40,000 New Hampshire households are already enrolled in SNAP, the New Hampshire Food Bank estimates that around seven percent of the state’s residents still experience food insecurity, highlighting the need for increased participation.

QOL score: +1

Comment: The partnership also aims to dispel common misconceptions about SNAP eligibility, such as the belief that it’s only available to families or individuals who are not employed.

Millions and billions

The New Hampshire Lottery billboard visible as you’re heading south on Interstate 293 through Manchester got an upgrade recently. The new billboard was updated with, among other things, LED lighting, which is brighter and more efficient, and the ability to note whether a current Powerball and Mega Millions jackpot is in millions or in billions (such as with the projected $1.2 billion Powerball jackpot for the Oct. 4 drawing), according to a New Hampshire Lottery spokesperson. The billion-plus jackpots were said to have “busted” the old billboard, with the amount stuck at $999 million even when the jackpot climbed over a billion, the spokesperson reported. Now, we can fantasize with numerical specificity.

QOL score: +1

Comments: Meanwhile, WMUR reported that someone who purchased a Powerball ticket at a Price Chopper in Keene for the Sept. 30 drawing won a $50,000 prize.

QOL score: 87

Net change: +3

QOL this week: 90

What’s affecting your Quality of Life here in New Hampshire?

Let us know at news@hippopress.com.

Energize your morning with a protein-packed breakfast. Cottage cheese and eggs come together in this tasty waffle, offering sustained energy and muscle support.

Courtesy photo.

This Week

Saturday, Oct. 7

Comedian Juston McKinney offers two opportunities to get some laughs today at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St. in Manchester;

friday, Oct. 6

Learn about eclipses tonight as part of the Super Stellar Friday program at the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center (2 Institute Drive in Concord; starhop.com, 271-7827). The doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the presentation by Dave McDonald, New Hampshire Astronomical Society Director and the center’s senior educator, begins at 7 p.m. He will discuss both the partial eclipse in October and the total eclipse on April 8, the website said.

Admission costs $12 for adults, $11 for 62+ and ages 13 through college, $9 for ages 3 to 12 and free for

palacetheatre.org, 668-5588). McKinney will perform at 5 and 8 p.m. Tickets to either show cost $32.50. Find more funny in the Comedy This Week listing on page 37.

children under 2, the website said.

Saturday, Oct. 7

The 39th Annual Apple Harvest Day will take place in downtown Dover today from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event will feature more than 300 vendors including a variety of food vendors as well as live music.

The 15th Annual Apple Harvest Day 5K Road Race will be held at 8:30 a.m. at 25 St. Thomas St. in Dover. Registration is $30 for adults age 21 and over, $20 for runners under the age of 21. After the race stick around for some North County Apple Cider. See dovernh.

Big EvEnts OctOBEr 5 and BEyOnd

org/apple-harvest-day-5k-roadrace. Looking for more races to get you out and running? Find our listing of Fall 5Ks in the Sept. 21 issue (the story starts on page 10); go to hippopress.com.

Saturday, Oct. 7

The New Hampshire Wool Arts Tour takes place today from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 8, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with happenings on five farms (Spinner Farm in Deering; Glory Be Farm in Bennington; Brimstone Hollow in Hancock; Ten Talents at La Bergerie Dumas in Greenfield, and Maple Lane Farm in Lyndeborough) including demonstrations of creating yarn, hay rides, music, live animals, food, an opportunity to meet fiber artists and fiber from a variety of animals for sale, according to woolartstournh.com.

Saturday, Oct. 7

Lucas Gallo opens for the Adam

Ezra Group tonight at 8 p.m. at the Bank of NH Stage (16 S. Main St. in Concord; ccanh.com). Doors open at 7 p.m.; tickets in advance cost $35.75 for general admission, $48.75 on the balcony ($5 more purchased at the door). Find more concerts this week and beyond on our concert listings on page 38.

Monday, Oct. 9

If today is a day off for you, take a rare Monday visit to the Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St. in Manchester; currier.org, 6696144), which is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. today.

Admission costs

$20 for adults, $15 for students and 65+, $5 for ages 13 to 17 and free for kids under 13. Exhibits currently on display include “Fabricating Modernism: Prints From the School of Paris,” “Celebrating the Art and Life of Tomie DePaola” and “Distant Conversations: Ella Walker and Betty Woodman.”

Save the date!

Thursday, Oct. 12, through Sunday, Oct. 15

The New Hampshire Film Festival takes place Thursday, Oct. 12, through Sunday, Oct. 15, at screening spaces throughout Portsmouth. The lineup will feature more than 100 feature films, documentaries and shorts — including the documentary Everything to Entertain You: The Story of Video Headquarters about a Keene video store. See nhfilmfestival.com,

Music coMMunity

By Michael Witthaus music@hippopress.com

It takes more than a few great songs to make it as a professional musician, though having a repertoire helps. Without knowledge of business ins and outs — where to play, how to get paid, who wants to hear originals and not Tom Petty covers — even the best players can get lost.

That’s where NH Music Collective comes in. Now in its 10th year, the organization, begun by a Granite State musician with an affinity for his home and a belief in its arts scene, acts as a central booking agency for a wide range of performers, along with providing guidance and professional services to help them grow.

How it started

When Brad Myrick came back to New Hampshire in early 2011, he’d spent close to a decade chasing his dream of being a professional musician, studying in Los Angeles at USC’s Thornton School of Music, then traveling between the West Coast and Europe, playing shows, making records and learning the ropes.

Myrick was happy to be back home. He fixated on finding a way to continue as a performer in his home state.

“I like the quality of life, and I think this is probably where I want to settle down,” Myrick recalled thinking. “How can I still get that full music business experience while living in a place that is so small and doesn’t have a huge music industry?”

As he dove into getting gigs and building his name, Myrick got caught off guard.

“I was thinking, boy, there’s a lot more going on in New Hampshire than I could have ever imagined; it’s actually a great place to be a musician,” he said. “There’s a lot of live music, there’s a ton of talent … wonderful people doing really great things.”

What was missing was something resembling a centralized scene.

“There’s a cool thing happening in Portsmouth, good stuff in Manchester, and the

North Country has got its thing, but people seem to be a little more regional and local ized,” he said. “There were a lot of gigs, but not what I was used to seeing in Los Angeles or in some of the cities in Europe.”

An idea began forming in Myrick’s mind: “A one-stop shop for local musicians who haven’t seen what happens in L.A. or dealt with record labels or talked about co-writes, promotion, all the stuff that happens around the industry.” Such a resource might “bring all these small local scenes together.”

There was a little bit of self-interest in Myrick’s musical field of dreams but, to mix a metaphor, reaching his goals was going to take a village.

“If this is going to be my home and I want to be a professional musician for the rest of my life, how do we invite people in?” he was thinking. “How do we get everyone connected as much as possible, and then have resources that may exist in bigger places?”

He aimed for the yet-to-be-created indie record label, the singer-songwriter stringing together bar gigs and wondering what to do next, but he was thinking bigger than that.

“What if we had access to local health care for musicians — doctors and chiropractors and naturopaths,” he mused. “Massage therapists that understand musicians because we have different problems than other folks do; what if we had any resource that a musician might need?”

With a brand designed and a Facebook page created, Myrick began obsessively filling notebooks. “I’d be on a plane going to Italy and I’d make bullet points of my ideal scenario if I had infinite money and resources to offer to myself and to musicians in New Hampshire,” he said.

NH Music Collective’s first foray into business turned out to be more down to earth than Myrick’s lofty dreams. He booked a midweek gig at the Stark House Tavern in Weare. It was his first time there, and the managers told him they were pleased with his performance. Moreover, they wondered if he knew anyone else who might play there?

Why, yes, he did.

“Booking is essentially creating jobs for performing musicians,” he said. “I did it for myself and I realized there was an opportunity to get more people involved in that. Suddenly it went from a show for me to like eight shows a month, twice a week or whatever, and other people are getting work from that. That basically told me this thing happened that you’re thinking about, this NH Music Collective idea.”

This was in 2013, and it stayed a one-man side hustle, albeit a growing one. “I’ll make a few bucks off it, it’ll create a bunch of gigs for people,” he said. “I started just doing that casually while I was working as a full-time performer, that was the catalyst of the whole thing.”

It took finding a partner — two of them — for Myrick’s NH Music Collective vision to fully flower.

John McArthur and his wife, Reva Tankle, moved from Massachusetts in 2018 to help their son run The Greenhouse, a Gilford recording studio he’d opened a year before. McArthur quickly met Concord musician Mike Gallant, and Mikey G — everyone calls him that — put McArthur and Myrick together.

The two hung out at Strings and Things, a musical instrument store in Concord, and Myrick ended up bringing a couple of proj-

ects to the studio, including the Eric Lindberg Trio, which he played in at the time, and his duo with fellow guitarist Nicola Cipriani. They also talked a lot about Myrick’s idea for NH Music Collective.

McArthur’s path to the music business has a familiar beginning and an atypical middle.

“I dropped out of a Ph.D. program in clinical psychology to play music full-time, which I did while my wife, Reva Tankle, finished her Ph.D. and did a postdoc,” he said by phone from Portland, Maine, where they now live. McArthur gave up music when they moved to Texas. “I didn’t play country at the time, so I stopped playing.”

After that, “I kind of fell into tech for 35 years, then I dropped out of tech to go back into music full-time, thanks in part to my son and thanks in part to Brad,” he said. “I play a few times a month but not at the level that Brad does — those years are behind me.”

Myrick and McArthur’s conversations got more serious in 2020, and during the depths of the pandemic they formed a threeway partnership.

“A downturn is a great time to start, because everything looks like growth from there,” said McArthur with a chuckle. “I’m just loving spending all my time in music now, trying to help emerging artists and help venues create better experiences.

Myrick books shows, McArthur does art-

April Cushman and Brad Myrick. Courtesy photo.

Mikey G. Courtesy photo.

ist development, and Rankle handles the nuts and bolts. “Contracts, finance, communication with the artists to make sure they know where they’re supposed to be, what they’re supposed to get, that they get there on time and everything’s ready for them when they get there,” McArthur said.

NH Music Collective is actually two companies.

“We kept the brand because I’d already built it for many years and had some success,” Myrick said. “Then we have a small record label and a publishing company underneath this parent company, using them for one-off projects. We haven’t really promoted it, but the infrastructure is there and we’re working on that as a future goal.”

Home is where it’s at

One thing they’re trying to dispel is the belief that the region’s musicians are bound to leave for a bigger market.

“I encourage people from here to get out and explore, have an experience, particularly if it’s in a place that’s got some industry where you can go and, frankly, get your ass kicked.” Myrick said. “It’s good to have that experience and get pushed and learn what it’s really like in a larger scale.”

While going to a city like Nashville to work with a big-name producer can be exciting, it’s not necessary.

“We have world-class musicians, recording studios, business folks, promoters, all the things that you need to be a successful professional musician,” he said “It’s helpful to get insight and see what the big world has to offer, and I encourage everyone to do that. But you don’t have to.”

That said, there are trade-offs. NHMC has a growing roster of talent performing seven days a week all over New England. While some shows are listening-room affairs (where original music is the primary focus for the audience), more are at venues where music is one item on a big menu. Myrick, however, believes doing original songs and covering the hits both build the same muscle.

“Going to play a restaurant gig teaches you so many of the skills that you’re going to need along the way to be able to do the thing that you want to do as an artist, and I’ve done thousands,” he said. He’s perfected fixing broken gear, so no one notices, chatting up the audience, and ensuring a callback happens. “You can really get value out of playing [those gigs], because you’re making a living in music. You’re still using your craftsmanship.”

A few NHMC acts talk about their experiences.

Justin Cohn is a singer, songwriter and guitarist who was recently featured on the Rocking Horse Music Club rock opera Circus of Wire Dolls.

“As for my own music, I always have

trouble describing it,” Cohn said. “I guess it’s a mix of indie folk, pop, Americana, and rock, with maybe a little bit of soul thrown in…. I like to see where the creative process leads me.”

Cohn contacted Myrick after seeing NHMC’s name at venues he played; the two met for coffee. “Brad described the philosophy and intention as much more than just another booking agency,” he recalled.

“Their goal was to empower musicians who also want to make original music … cover gigs are a means to an end. The pitch hooked me immediately, because that’s the direction I wanted to go, but I didn’t really know how to get there.”

He’s been pleased with the results.

“The shows I’ve been fortunate to book through them have been some of the best I’ve ever regularly played, especially in the restaurant and bar scene,” Cohn said. “Depending on the venue, this means I’m able to play some of my original music with more frequency. This seems like a small thing, but it’s dramatically expanded my self-confidence and it’s ultimately led to more creativity.”

Rebecca Turmel put out her first single a little over a year ago. Her latest is a poignant tribute to touring life called “The Road.” She’s among several NHMC artists nominated for the upcoming New England Music Awards.

“It’s hard to put my sound into a box right now since I still have a lot of growth ahead of me as a songwriter, but what I’ve released so far seems to fall into the country genre,” Turmel said. “I am still discovering who I am, and with that comes finding my sound as an original artist as well. It’s all a learning game.” Turmel has been working with NHMC for around a year.

“I feel honored to be a part of their roster as they work with some of the most dedicated and talented musicians that I know,” she said. “They have connected me with high-quality venues that I thought I could only dream of performing in. For example, I just had the privilege to perform at the Bank

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20 at Nashua Center for the Arts

Experience an authentic tribute to one of rocks greatest musical groups!

They faithfully recreate the experience of a live Doors concert, like no other.

Peace Frog hails from Venice Beach, CA and has been performing worldwide for 25+ years. They have jammed with Robby Krieger and Ray Manzarek from the original Doors band.

BUY

Rebecca Turmel. Courtesy photo.

SCENIC CHAIR LIFT

of NH Stage … my first true listening room experience as an original artist.”

Ryan Williamson is a past NEMA nominee who uses looping and multiple instruments in his shows.

“I’m a self-taught musician who writes music that covers pop, rock, and Americana,” Williamson said. “ I play a bunch of gigs around New Hampshire and love to play songs you wouldn’t expect to hear from a solo artist with a guitar.”

He knew Myrick before he established NHMC, and got involved early.

“I wanted to do anything I could to help with his efforts to create the local scene he envisioned; there is not a single musician on the planet that I respect more than Brad Myrick,” he said. “He is absurdly talented in his own right … and more committed to creating a thriving local music scene than any person I know.”

His involvement has led to many opportunities, Williamson continued.

“Aside from opening my musical reach to more accepting listening rooms, Brad has joined me on stage and made me a better musician … coordinated events with groups of local musicians, which helps engage the musical community with each other as well as showcasing the brilliant talent of these artists to the public in the spaces that crave entertainment.”

Some of the past and present listening room efforts include a monthly event at Sap House Meadery in Ossipee that mixes music, themed dining and mead tasting. “People really want unique experiences,” McArthur said. “One of the first bands we had was Brazilian, so we had Brazilian food. We had a performer from the Ukraine who sang songs in Russian … he’s a Soviet refusenik, just a beautiful concert. We had traditional Eastern European Jewish food to pair with that.”

The upstairs lounge at Bank of NH Stage hosts regular Sunday afternoon shows, while The Livery in Sunapee had a well-attended summer series with artists including April Cushman playing in a duo with Myrick, Cecil Abels and the New England Bluegrass Band, Eric Lindberg, Ari Hest, Jordan Tirrell-Wysocki Trio, Charlie Chronopoulos,

Jud Caswell, Hot Skillet Club, Squeezebox Stompers and Peter Mulvey. In November, Senie Hunt will perform there.

Backyard Brewing in Manchester is a long-time customer, and venue manager Marcus Doucet couldn’t be happier.

“Having live music instantly brings a buzz to any space, it engages our customers in their surroundings and makes the experience of dining out feel more personal and inviting,” Doucet said, adding that NHMC performers “are all extremely talented and kind, they are all individuals with a passion for what they do…. We love when musicians will play cover songs that everyone knows, but also love when they perform songs they have written.”

The future

The NH Music Collective website lists a range of services available to musicians, including an artist development component that offers coaching services. “Regardless of where you are today and your ultimate music goal,” they “will be by your side providing informed, direct, and specific guidance on steps to take to reach your goals.”

It’s key to McArthur’s role. “My vision is to continue to enhance the level of the musicianship that we provide,” he said. “I want to spend more time working more closely with a handful of artists to really move the needle for people who want to make this their life career. This is a tough business … we want to help those that are serious about it.”

To make it all work — for musicians, listeners and venue owners alike — requires alchemy as much as art.

“Maybe the most important thing as we move forward is we’re really trying to create experiences, if we’re going to have an impact on the music scene and on the community at large,” Myrick said. “We have a chance to really make an experience where people show and know they’re getting live, preferably original music. It can be more than just come and go — that really becomes special.”

fiNd THE MuSiC

See the musicians of New Hampshire Music Collective. Here are some upcoming

Eric Lindberg. Courtesy photo. Senie Hunt. Courtesy photo.

shows, according to nhmusiccollective.com.

Thursday, Oct. 5

• Ariel Strasser at Contoocook First Thursdays (in Hopkinton), 5 to 7 p.m.

• Paul Driscoll at The Foundry in Manchester, 5 to 8 p.m.

• Justin Cohn at Lithermans Limited Brewery in Concord, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

friday, Oct. 6

• Kimayo at The Foundry in Manchester, 6 to 9 p.m.

• Paul Gormley at Backyard Brewery in Manchester, 6 to 9 p.m.

• The Sweetbloods at Twin Barns Brewing Co. Meredith, 6 to 9 p.m.

• Chase Campbell at Tower Hill Tavern in Laconia, 8 p.m. to midnight

Saturday, Oct. 7

• Doug Farrell at the Contoocook Farmers Market, 9 a.m. to noon

• Colin Hart with The hArt of Sound at Contoocook Cider Company in Contoocook, 1 to 4 p.m.

• Freddie Catalfo at Beans and Greens in Gilford, 1 to 4 p.m.

• Ian Archibold at Twin Barns Brewing Co. in Meredith, 3 to 6 p.m.

• Dakota Smart at Backyard Brewery in Manchester, 6 to 9 p.m.

• Karen Grenier at The Foundry in Manchester, 6 to 9 p.m.

• Scott King at San Francisco Kitchen in Nashua, 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.

• Ken Budka at Chen Yang Li in Bow, 7 to 10 p.m.

• Chris Lester at Foster’s Tavern in Alton Bay, 7 to 10 p.m.

Sunday, Oct. 8

• Ariel Strasser at Contoocook Cider Company in Contoocook, 1 to 4 p.m.

Monday, Oct. 9

• Open Mic with John McArthur at Patrick’s Pub in Gilford, 6 to 8 p.m.

Wednesday, Oct. 11

• Brad Myrick at the Courtyard Marriott in Concord, 5 to 7 p.m.

• Chris Lester at Uno Pizzeria & Grill in

Concord, 6 to 9 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 12

• April Cushman at The Foundry in Manchester, 5 to 8 p.m.

• Dwayne Haggins Duo at Lithermans Limited Brewery in Concord, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

friday, Oct. 13

• Willy Chase at Beans and Greens in Gilford, 5 to 8 p.m.

• Brad Myrick at Backyard Brewery in Manchester, 6 to 9 p.m.

• Garrett Smith at Lochmere in Tilton, 6 to 8 p.m.

• Justin Cohen at The Foundry in Manchester, 6 to 9 p.m.

• Kimayo at Twin Barns Brewing in Meredith, 6 to 9 p.m.

• Dakota Smart at Foster’s Tavern in Alton Bay, 7 to 10 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 14

• Brad Myrick at Contoocook Cider Company in Contoocook, 1 to 4 p.m.

• Garrett Smith at Beans and Greens in Gilford, 1 to 4 p.m.

• Dave Clark at Twin Barns Brewing Co. in Meredith, 3 to 6 p.m.

• Brad Myrick at Colby Hill Inn in Henniker, 6 to 9 p.m.

• Ryan Williamson at Backyard Brewery in Manchester, 6 to 9 p.m.

• Tyler Levs at The Foundry in Manchester, 6 to 9 p.m.

• Dusty Gray at Foster’s Tavern in Alton Bay, 7 to 10 p.m.

• Mikey G at Chen Yang Li in Bow, 7 to 10 p.m.

Sunday, Oct. 15

• Ken Budka at Contoocook Cider Company in Contoocook, 1 to 4 p.m.

Wednesday, Oct. 18

• Clint Lapointe at Uno Pizzeria & Grill in Concord, 6 to 9 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 19

• Eyes of Age at The Foundry in Manchester, 5 to 8 p.m.

• Charlie Chronopoulos at Lithermans Limited Brewery in Concord, 5:30 to 7:30

CeQur Simplicity

Kimayo. Courtesy photo.

Jud Caswell. Courtesy photo.

art at the Currier

Current and upcoming exhibitions at the Currier Museum of Art

By Mya Blanchard mblanchard@hippopress.com

This fall the Currier Museum of Art in Manchester will present works by classic and current artists in a multitude of media and styles. “Fabricating Modernism: Prints from the School of Paris,” which debuted on Sept. 7, will be joined by “Heart of a Museum” on Thursday, Oct. 19, and “Abstraction in the Currier Collection” on Wednesday, Nov. 15.

“I think one of the great things about [‘Fabricating Modernism’] is not only is the art really wonderful, but it comes from a private collection from a person who put most of it together by himself,” said Kurt Sundstrom, a curator at the museum. “He promised the whole collection years ago as a gift to the Currier upon his passing. It was a great honor to work with him, to watch his collec-

Currier Museum of art

Where: 150 Ash St., Manchester; currier. org, 669-6144

Hours: Wednesdays through Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. plus 5 to 8 p.m. on Thursdays for Art After Work (when admission is free)

Admission: $20 for adults, $15 for 65+ and student, $5 for ages 13 to 17, 12 and under get in for free

Exhibits

tion grow and now for him to share it with us.”

The School of Paris refers to 20th-century artists who were from, or worked in, Paris.

According to Sundstrom, these artists, such as Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque, were key in innovating modernism. He says the exhibition explores the themes of modernism instead of focusing on a narrative.

“First of all there’s color theory,” Sundstrom said. “You don’t [have to] paint tree leaves green; you can paint them blue. If you want to … elicit an emotion you can use color that way also.”

He also notes how Picasso’s frustration with the two-dimensional canvas led him to develop cubism to portray three dimensions on a two-dimensional surface.

“Fabricating Modernism: Prints from the School of Paris”

“He was really breaking many of the traditions that were accepted in the canon of our history for the past 2,000 years,” he said.

“I think part of the strength of this exhibition … is that it provides context for the development of these different styles in conversation with each other,” adds Rachael Kane, curator of education and interpretation. “Prints are hard to display — they age really quickly in light, so we often can’t keep as much of our print collection out as we’d like to, so something like this is a really special moment to be able to see some of those artistic linkages between work that is already regularly on display around the museum.”

for her [and] a lot of it is a reflection on how she sees herself and people like her reflected in these spaces and wanting to get at the heart of that in her own way.”

“Abstraction in the Currier Collection” will also feature work from underrepresented groups with a high proportion of art by female artists like Joan Mitchell. According to Kane, this show is a great opportunity to see the abstract work that the Currier has to offer that people don’t often get to see.

• “NEW HAMPSHIRE UP CLOSE” Two Villages Art Society presents Colin Callahan’s “New Hampshire Up Close” at the Bates Building (846 Main

On view through Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024

“Heart of a Museum” features work by artist Saya Woolfalk, whose career has shown interest in science fiction, empathy and imaginative human connection and often involves images of the human body, according to Kane. Her display will feature projections, hanging glass and ceramic objects and custom wallpaper to create an atmospheric quality that Kane says her work is known for.

“Heart of a Museum”

On view from Thursday, Oct. 19.

“Abstraction in the Currier Collection”

On view from Wednesday, Nov. 15

St., Contoocook) through Oct. 7. The exhibit showcases the hidden magic in everyday New Hampshire nature scenes.

• “ALTERNATIVE PROCESS PHOTOGRAPHY” Maundy

Mitchell Photography presents

MEET THE arTisTs

“A lot of it relates back to this idea of wanting to establish this historically grounded and personal connection to the history of the institution,” she said. “I think a lot of her work is really personal

“This is an important time of year for the museum,” Kane said. “I think we’ll see a lot of really celebratory and special events connected to these shows and I think it’s such a range of material it really offers something for everybody.” art

an exhibition at the Galletly Gallery (34 Dr. Childs Road, New Hampton) through Oct. 14. This exhibit represents members of the New Hampshire Society of Photographic Artists. Visit newhampton.org/arts/galletly-gallery.

• “DISTANT CONVERSATIONS: ELLA WALKER & BETTY WOODMAN” is open now at the Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St. in Manchester; currier.org, 669-6144) and is slated to be the first in a series of “Distant Conversations” exhibits. The exhibits will explore “intergenerational dialogues and artistic conversations between practitioners who have not necessarily met in real life but whose work similarly resonates despite their differences,” according to the Currier’s website. The exhibit will be on display through Sunday, Oct. 22.

Meet the four new local artists exhibiting their work at the Sandy Cleary Community Art Gallery on the ground floor of the Nashua Center for the Arts (201 Main St. in Nashua; nashuacenterforthearts.com) at a reception on Tuesday, Oct. 10, from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. The artists are Bonnie Guercio, a mixed-media collage artist; Emily Pierce Edwards, who creates mixed-media paintings; Christian “ll Cents” Ramirez, an abstract artist, and Hsiu Norcott, whose works include hand-painted kimonos, according to a press release. The pieces will be on display through the end of December and will also be available for sale, the release said. Left to right: Hsiu Norcott. Bonnie Guercio, Emily Wart, and Christian Ramirez. Courtesy photos.

The Currier is open Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (as well as from 5 to 8 p.m. on Thursdays as part of Art After Work, when admission is free) 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.

• “CUT IT OUT” Twiggs Gallery (254 King St., Boscawen) presents “Cut It Out” through Saturday, Oct. 28. The exhibit

delves into the artistic potential of cutting, revealing how it creates space, new narratives and compositions.

• “SEEN AND HEARD” The Art Center (1 Washington St., Dover) will feature “Seen and Heard,” an exhibition presented by Women’s Caucus for Art that includes work from Maundy Mitchell’s “Knitted Together” project, and Nancy Bariluk-Smith’s “Hand Picked: New Floral Works,” which showcases paintings intertwining a love for gardening with abstract art and highlighting the importance of pollinators, from through to Oct. 31. An artist reception will be held on Saturday, Oct. 7, from 5 to 9 p.m. Visit theartcenterdover.com.

• “KEEPING IT LOCAL”

The Seacoast Artist Association (130 Water St., Exeter) presents a monthly themed group show. October’s show is “Keeping it Local. The Seacoast Art Association is open Wednesday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. Visit seacoastartist.org.

• “MAGICAL REALISM” The New Hampshire Art Association presents William Turner’s “Magical Realism” at The Concord Chamber of Commerce (49 S. Main St., Concord) through Friday, Nov. 10. The exhibit displays toy-inspired art, blending pop culture with classic references. Visit nhartassociation.org or call 431-4230.

• NANCY JOSEPHSON has an exhibit featuring mixed media sculptures on display at the Mariposa Museum (26 Main St. in Peterborough; mariposamuseum. org) through October.

• “WHERE PAINTERLY ART AND PHOTOGRAPHY CONVERGE” at Bar Harbor Bank and Trust (321 Main St. in New London) features 15 paintings and one sculpture displayed with photographs used as reference images, according to a press release. The exhibit will hang at Bar Harbor Bank for three months and will feature the works of 12 painters and four

Pablo Picasso, Portrait de Jacqueline de Face II, 1962. Courtesy of the Currier Museum of Art

• Just keep swimming: The Community Players of Concord will present their Children’s Theatre Project’s Finding Nemo Jr., with a cast of actors ages 7 to 16, on Friday, Oct. 20, at 7 p.m. and Saturday, Oct. 21, at 2 p.m. at the Concord City Auditorium (2 Prince St. in Concord). Tickets cost $15 to the show that runs about an hour, according to communityplayersofconcord.org, where tickets are on sale now.

• Book shopping: The Hudson Friends of the Library hold a book sale on the second Sunday of each month at the Hills Memorial Library building (18 Library St. in Hudson; 886-6030, rodgerslibrary.org). Do a little browsing Sunday, Oct. 8, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

• Book raffling: The Friends of the Bedford Library will hold their annual Books, Baskets and Beyond raffle. Buy 10 tickets for $10 or 25 for $20 and then select the baskets — featuring books, book-lover items and sweet treats — you hope to win. The raffle runs online through Friday, Oct. 6, at 5 p.m. Find the link to the online form on the Friends’ Facebook page. There is also a raffle of a signed Tom Brady Patriots jersey, with tickets for that raffle selling for $10 per ticket.

• Open studios, part 1: Get a peek inside artist studios in Peterborough, Dublin, Jaffrey and other Monadnock-region towns in the Monadnock Art Open Studios Art Tour this Saturday, Oct. 7, through Monday, Oct. 9, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. A map to the 65 participating locations is available at monadnockart.org.

• Season preview: The New London Barn Playhouse (84 Main St. in New London; nlbarn.org) will host a preview of the 2023-2024 Northern Stage Season’s productions with scenes from Selling Kabul, Constellations, The Play that Goes Wrong and a new adaptation of A Christmas Carol, on Friday, Oct. 6, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. The Northern Stage is located in White River Junction, Vermont; see northernstage.org for more. The event is free and open to the public, seecenterfortheartsnh.org.

• Theater insider: Kurt Steelman, founder of Steelman Productions in Keene, will be the “Stories to Share” speaker at the Jaffrey Civic Center (40 Main St. in Jaffrey; jaffreyciviccenter. com) on Friday, Oct. 6, at 5 p.m. Steelman worked as a stagehand at his father

Lake Sunapee Region Open Studio. Standing: Bill Balsam, Cindy Benson, Tom McHugh, Tim Sievers, Lyndsay Holmes, Cathy Vincevic, Carol Belliveau, Elizabeth D’Amico and Mimi

Barry Steelman’s theater Cinema 93 in Concord; today his Steelman Productions provides management and labor for live events of every scale, according to a press release. The event is free; register to attend at bit.ly/3E35bsA. Or attend virtually via www.youtube.com/channel/ UCvvRObxjqvVsgZ8iOP1UOEw/live.

• Open studios, part 2: The Center for the Arts will hold a Lake Sunapee Region Open Studios Saturday, Oct. 7, and Sunday, Oct. 8, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days, according to a press release. The studios of 17 local artists will be open throughout New London, South Sutton, Warner, Andover, Bradford, Springfield, North Sutton and Sunapee, featuring paintings, jewelry, photography, mixed media, printmaking and sculpture. There will be a kickoff event at Prospect Hill in Lake Sunapee Harbor on Friday, Oct. 6, from 4 to 8 p.m. featuring new art by current artists. “Open Studios brochures including the list of participating artists, locations, and contact information, as well as a map of the studios, are available to pick up at The New London Inn, Morgan Hill Bookstore, Tatewell Gallery, in New London, and at all artists studios. Visit the Center for the Arts website to view the interactive map to use during Open Studios weekend. centerfortheartsnh.org/open-studios,” the release said.

• Artist reception: The exhibit “Seen and Heard” featuring works from the Women’s Caucus for Art Northeast Regional Juried Exhibition (nationalwca. org; see wcanh.org for more on the New Hampshire chapter) is currently on display at the Art Center (1 Washington St., Suite 1177, in Dover; 978-6702, theartcenterdover.com). An artist reception for the exhibit will be held Saturday, Oct. 7, from 6 to 9 p.m. The gallery is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and you can see the online gallery at theartcenteronlinegallery.com.

The latest from NH’s theater, arts and literary communities

Wiggin. Kneeling John McMahon, Peter Anderson, Hugo Anderson, Loren Howard. Photo courtesy of The Center for the Arts.

photographers, the release said.

• ART ON MAIN The City of Concord and the Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce present a year-round outdoor public art exhibition in Concord’s downtown featuring works by professional sculptors. All sculptures will be for sale. Visit concordnhchamber.com/creativeconcord, call 224-2508 or email tsink@ concordnhchamber.com.

Theater Shows

• THIRST FOR FREEDOM

The New Hampshire Theatre Project (959 Islington St. in Portsmouth; nhtheatreproject. org) will present Thirst for Freedom through Sunday, Oct. 8, with showtimes at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, 4 p.m. on Saturday and 2:30 p.m. on Sunday.

• HAND TO GOD Hatbox Theatre (Steeplegate Mall, 270 Loudon Road in Concord; hatboxnh. com, 715-2315) will present Hand to God through Sunday, Oct. 15. In the darkly comedic play set in Cypress, Texas, a young man named Jason grapples with his father’s death and the upheaval of his relationships when his puppet, Tyrone, takes on a rebellious and irreverent persona, challenging themes of faith, morality and familial ties. Shows are on Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $25 for adults and $22 for seniors and students.

• OUTSIDE MULLINGAR The Players’ Ring Theatre (105 Marcy St., Portsmouth, playersring. org) presents Outside Mullingar through Sunday, Oct. 15. Shows are from Friday to Sunday — 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 2:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sundays — and tickets are $28.

• PASSING STRANGE The Seacoast Repertory Theatre (125 Bow St. in Portsmouth; 4334472, seacoastrep.org) will present Passing Strange Thursdays through Saturdays Oct. 5 through

Oct. 7 and Oct. 19 through Oct. 21 with showtimes at 7:30 p.m. on Thursdays, 8 p.m. on Fridays and 2 and 8 p.m. on Saturdays.

• BAT BOY The Seacoast Repertory Theatre (125 Bow St. in Portsmouth; 433-4472, seacoastrep.org) will present Bat Boy through Sunday, Oct. 29, with shows at 7:30 p.m. on Thursdays, 8 p.m. on Fridays, 2 and 8 p.m. on Saturdays and 2 and 7:30 p.m. on Sundays (not all weeks, see calendar online for specific days).

• VERSA STYLE DANCE, a fusion of hip-hop, Afro-Latin, krump, salsa, merengue and cumiba performed to remixes of hip-hop, classical and electronic music, will perform at Stockbridge Theatre (Pinkerton Academy, 5 Pinkerton St. in Derry; stockbridgetheatre.com) on Thursday, Oct. 12, at 7 p.m.

• THE SPONGEBOB MUSICAL Epping Community Theater (38 Ladds Lane in Epping; 608-9487, eppingtheater.org) will present The SpongeBob Musical Friday, Oct. 13, through Sunday, Oct. 22, with shows on Fridays and Saturdays at 7 p.m., Sundays at 2 p.m. and Saturday, Oct. 21, at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $20 for adults, $17 for seniors and $15 for children 12 and under.

• BRIGADOON The Manchester Community Theatre Players present Brigadoon at the Manchester Community Theatre Players Theatre, at the North End Montessori School (698 Beech St., Manchester). Showtimes are Fridays, Oct. 13 and Oct. 20, and Saturdays, Oct. 14 and Oct. 21, at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, Oct. 22, at 2 p.m. Tickets are $20 and available at manchestercommunitytheatre.com.

• THE LARAMIE PROJECT

The Nashua Theatre Guild will present The Laramie Project on Friday, Oct. 13, and Saturday, Oct. 14, at 8 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 15, at 2 p.m. at the 14 Court Street theater in Nashua. Tickets cost $20, $18 for seniors and students. See nashuatheatreguild.org.

• KINKY BOOTS comes to the

Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St. in Manchester; palacetheatre. org, 668-5588) Friday, Oct. 13, through Sunday, Nov. 5. Showtimes are on Friday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m., plus Thursday, Nov. 2, 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $28 to $49.

Classical

• HALLOWEEN MAGIC

FAMILY CONCERT Symphony NH hosts a Halloween Magic Family Concert on Saturday, Oct. 7, from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., at the Keefe Center for the Arts (117 Elm St., Nashua). The program will feature Halloween tunes such as “Hedwig’s Theme” from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Danse Macabre and Night on Bald Mountain. Costumes are encouraged. Tickets cost $8 to $20. A longer Halloween Pops show will take place later in the evening, from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Tickets for that cost $10 to $63. Visit symphonynh.org.

• HALLOWEEN POPS Symphony NH hosts“Halloween Pops!” on Saturday, Oct. 7, at 7:30 p.m. at the Keefe Center for the Arts (117 Elm St., Nashua) with an expanded show from the family concert. Tickets to the evening show cost $10 to $63. Visit symphonynh.org.

• PIANIST MIKI SAWADA

3S Artspace (319 Vaughan St, Portsmouth) presents pianist Miki Sawada on Wednesday, Oct. 11, at 7 p.m. Tickets are $18 for members and $20 for general admission. Visit 3sarts.org.

• NH PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA The New Hampshire Philharmonic Orchestra will perform “Bohemian Rhapsodies” at Seifert Performing Arts Center (44 Geremonty Drive, Salem) on Saturday, Oct. 14, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 15, at 2 p.m. The program explores Czech and English music, featuring works by Smetana, Kaprálová, Suk, and Elgar, and culminating in Dvořák’s Symphony No. 7. Tickets cost $5 to $30. Visit nhphil.org.

Book arTisT

Erin Sweeney, New Hampshire book artist and printmaker, will offer a free artist demonstration at Twiggs Gallery (254 King St. in Boscawen; 975-0015, twiggsgallery.org) on Saturday, Oct. 7. Drop in between 1 and 3 p.m. to view her installation “The Things We Carry” in the gallery’s exhibit “CUT IT OUT,” and watch her explain how to use paper to create a number of one-sheet book art folds, from zines to letterfolds to accordion variations, according to a press release. The gallery is open Thursday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturday from noon to 4 p.m.Photo by Erin Sweeney.

Pumpkin season

34th annual Milford pumpkin festival

By Mya Blanchard mblanchard@hippopress.com

For more than three decades the Milford Pumpkin Festival has brought residents of Milford and surrounding towns, as well as our Massachusetts neighbors, together for three days of fall fun with food, music and, of course, pumpkins. This year’s festival is from Friday, Oct. 6, to Sunday, Oct. 8.

“It has been a staple in Milford for … many years,” said Wade Campbell, president of the Granite Town Festivities Committee, which has hosted the festival since 2018.

The event originally started on The Oval as a way to raise funds for Town Hall renovations. Now, the money goes to fund the following year’s festival as well as to sponsor local leagues, art students and other scholastic areas.

“We take that money and try to donate it back into the community,” Campbell said.

The festival has expanded to the downtown area with many businesses and restaurants becoming involved over the years.

“A lot of them participate by selling their wares out front, or they put on their own events, which is kind of cool because they’ll have special musicians or comedians come into their venues, so everybody gets a little bit of action so to speak,” Campbell said. “They also sponsor … the window painting around The Oval [by] having a pizza party after they’re done decorating.”

Dozens of vendors will be present, including nonprofits supporting local schools, and craft vendors selling hand-

34th annual Milford Pumpkin festival

When: Friday, Oct. 6, 5 to 9 p.m. (opening ceremony at 6 p.m. on the Oval stage); Saturday, Oct. 7, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sunday, Oct. 8, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Where: Downtown Milford

Haunted trail

When: Friday, Oct. 6, 6 to 9 p.m.; Saturday, Oct. 7, 5:30 to 9 p.m.

Where: Emerson Park, 6 Mont Vernon St.

Cost: $5 for adults, $1 for kids 10 and under (children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult)

Beer, wine and spirits tasting

When: Friday, Oct. 6, and Saturday, Oct. 7, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.

made products like jewelry and knitted items. Food and drink vendors at the tasting tent include LaBelle Winery, Pasta Loft Restaurant and Spyglass Brewing; there will be a wide range of food like Thai, American, fried dough and fair food. There will also be a beer, wine and spirits tent on the community house lawn Friday and Saturday night, and kid-friendly activities during the day like pumpkin painting, face painting and scarecrow making on Saturday and Sunday.

Other happenings include a pumpkin

Where: Community House Lawn Cost: $20 per person for 10 tasting tickets

Milford historical walking tour

When: Saturday, Oct. 7, and Sunday, Oct. 8, 8 to 9:30 a.m.

Where: Begins at the Carey House, 6 Union St.

Pumpkin painting, scarecrow making and face painting

When: Saturday, Oct. 7, 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.; Sunday, Oct. 8, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Where: Community House Lawn Cost: $15 per pumpkin; $15 per scarecrow; face painting is $1 for one cheek and $5 for full face.

carving and lighting display, bounce houses and games and pumpkin catapulting. Throughout the three days there will be live music on the Oval Stage and Community House lawn stage by performers such as Fox & The Flamingos, The Slakas and The New Englanders.

Visitors can watch Eric Escobar create a pumpkin festival mural over the course of the festival, and, weather permitting, do some stargazing with amateur astronomers who will have telescopes set up at Keyes Memorial Park on Friday and Saturday evening.

One of the biggest draws, according to Campbell, is the haunted trail on Friday and Saturday night.

“There’s a little bit of something for everybody,” Campbell said. “I hope that everybody has a great time … [and] for the festival to continue to grow for many years to come. … We try to put a smile on everybody’s face.”

Pumpkin carving and lighting display

When: Saturday, Oct. 7, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Bring carved pumpkins to Band Stand by 6 p.m. You can also bring your own from home.)

Where: On The Oval

Cost: $12 a pumpkin

Pumpkin catapult

When: Saturday, Oct. 7, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sunday, Oct. 8, 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Where: TD Bank lower lot

Cost: One pumpkin is $3, two pumpkins is $5

Scarecrow making at the Milford Pumpkin Festival. Courtesy photo.

Milford Pumpkin Festival. Courtesy photo.

fun

Warner Fall Foliage Festival celebrates community

By Angie Sykeny asykeny@hippopress.com

The Warner Fall Foliage Festival returns Friday, Oct. 6, through Sunday, Oct. 8, after a two-year hiatus, welcoming attendees to celebrate community and culture in its 76th year.

Originating in 1947, the festival started as a community fundraising event.

“It has since evolved to feature amusement rides, craftspeople, music and food,” organizer Ray Martin said.

The theme for this year’s grand parade is “Favorite Songs, Past and Present,” with festivities including the 5K road race on Saturday, Kids’ Fun Run on Sunday morning and an ice cream eating contest at the Velvet Moose on Sunday afternoon. Live performances are schedule from various artists such as New Nile Orchestra, The DoBros and East Bay Jazz Ensemble.

Another highlight, Martin said, is the extensive array of crafts, with more than 90 crafters showcasing their wares. “The quality of the vendors is one of the biggest reasons people come each year,” he said.

Discover wooden home decor, pen and ink creations, artisan jewelry, landscape art, wildlife photography, pottery and more by local and regional crafters. There will also be homemade and homegrown goods, including fudge, organic vegetables and dried flowers.

The festival also hosts other events including an all-you-can-ride midway, the oxen and woodmen’s competitions, the library book and bake sale and a lobster dinner and chicken barbecue.

It wouldn’t be the Foliage Festival without the foliage, and Martin said the signs are promising for an abundant display that weekend. “There’s some good foliage starting to come in, so we are optimistic,” he said. The foliage “complements the festival and gives people more to experience at the event,” Martin said, but isn’t “the main draw.” Rather, the festival’s focus is community engagement and supporting local organizations and initiatives.

“All funds collected during the festival go

Warner fall foliage festival

When: Friday, Oct. 6, through Sunday, Oct. 8

Where: Warner, on Main Street and various locations throughout town

Cost: Free admission

More info: Visit wfff.org.

directly into the community,” Martin said, supporting entities such as Mainstreet Stage, Pillsbury Free Library and Riverside Park; community enhancements and the procurement of new school equipment; and local culture, music, art, sports, town and school projects.

Schedule:

Friday, Oct. 6

6 to 9 p.m. – Midway rides (all-you-can ride bracelet is $20)

Saturday, Oct. 7

9:30 a.m. – 5K road race (registration starts at 8 p.m. at Legion Hall)

9 a.m. to 5 p.m. – Crafts and farmers market in town center

9 a.m. to 4 p.m. – Library book and bake sale at Pillsbury Library

9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. – Oxen competition at upper school parking lot

10 a.m. – Midway and rides open

10 a.m. to 5 p.m. – The MainStreet Warner Lodge, just behind the town mon ument, will be open to the public. See the inside as restoration begins, and learn about the plans for this future community space and performance hall.

11:45 a.m. – Lobster dinner and chicken barbecue opens at school playground

1 p.m. – Children’s parade (assemble at post office at 12:45 p.m.)

2 to 3 p.m. – KCPA, Kearsarge Moun tain Road Intersection

4 to 8 p.m. – Midway rides (all-youcan-ride bracelets are $25)

Sunday, Oct. 8

9 a.m. to 5 p.m. – Crafts and farmers market at town center

9 a.m. to 4 p.m. – Library book and bake sale at Pillsbury Library

9 a.m. – Kids’ 1-mile fun run (register online)

10 a.m. – Midway and rides open

10 a.m. to 5 p.m. – The MainStreet War ner Lodge will be open to the public

11 a.m. to 5 p.m. – Woodmen’s compe tition at upper school parking lot

11:45 a.m. – Lobster dinner and chicken barbecue opens at school playground

Noon – Ice cream eating contest at The Velvet Moose

1 p.m. – Grand parade on Main Street

2 to 6 p.m. – Midway rides (all-you-can ride bracelet is $25)

4 p.m. – Raffle drawing at information booth

Courtesy photo.

important for pollinators

Migrating monarchs need their carbs

By Henry Homeyer listings@hippopress.com

Despite my best efforts to support monarch butterflies, this year was discouraging: I only saw two monarchs visit my gardens. I have a small bed just for milkweeds, both the common one and swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata). But no monarchs laid eggs there this summer, no larvae ate the leaves, and I saw no butterflies sampling the nectar.

I know the importance of food for migrating monarchs at this time of year. They need to fill up on carbohydrates, fats and protein before flying long distances. That holds true for birds, too. Right now I have plenty of flowers blooming for monarchs and other pollinators, and seed heads waiting for the birds. I’m a bit discouraged, too, by the lower numbers of birds I am seeing. Let’s take a look at some of my fall favorites that migrating creatures could be feasting on.

According to Dave Tallamy, the guru of native plants for pollinators, the No. 1 plant we should all have is goldenrod — and we probably all do. There are dozens of species of native goldenrod, all popular with bees, moths and butterflies. Many gardeners pull them out when they show up uninvited. A few species spread by root and can take over a flower bed — but others are clump-forming. Even if you don’t want them in your beds, think about leaving them at the edges of your fields or woods.

Of those species easily found for sale in garden centers, the best is Solidago rugosa ‘Fireworks.’ This plant is 3 to 5 feet tall and stays in an ever-expanding clump in full sun or part shade, but does not take over. Its blossoms last a long time, the stems curving gently outward, like fireworks. And no, goldenrod does not cause hay fever — that is ragweed, which blooms at the same time.

Less common is blue-stemmed or wreath goldenrod (Solidago caesia). I bought a plant 20 years ago and it is blooming now in dry shade. It really has not expanded its reach very much. It grows just 1 to 3 feet tall but usually is about 18 inches for me. It has delicate flowers that help light up a dark spot.

New York ironweed (Vernonia noveboracensis) is a tall native plant in the aster family with purple blossoms. It is still blooming for me, a month after starting to bloom. It does this by producing lots of buds which open sequentially — so it is not always a dramatic flower in a vase. But the bees love it. It is happiest in full

sun in moist soil, but there it got too big for me, so I moved mine to dry soil with only morning sun. Now it is more manageable, but still a big plant. I’ve read that if you cut it back to the ground when it is 2 feet tall, it will stay smaller — but I never remember to do so. Sigh.

Speaking of asters, there are many native species, all good for pollinators and loved especially by monarch butterflies. This year the woodland asters are quite dramatic. They are a pale lavender and grow in shady places. Elsewhere a taller wild cousin stands 4 to 6 feet tall with deep purple or pink flowers. These grow in full sun and are often seen by the roadside at this time of year. Asters of all sorts are readily available at garden centers. Ask for native ones, not fancy hybrids.

Joe Pye weed (Eutrochium purpurea) is another tall plant in the aster family. It can get huge — over 6 feet tall if grown in rich, moist soil. A named cultivar called ‘Gateway’ has longer-lasting flowers and richer colors than the wild ones, though those are nice, too. Smaller varieties such as Little Joe, Baby Joe and Phantom are nice, and better suited for smaller gardens. I haven’t grown them but see they are sold as being 3 to 4 feet tall. Monarchs and other pollinators love them. All appreciate soil that does not dry out.

One tall annual that monarchs love is Brazilian verbena (Verbena bonariensis). It grows tall stalks that are remarkably tough — they grow 4 or 5 feet tall but rarely need staking. Its flowers are in small clusters. It often drops seeds which send up new plants the following year.

Lastly for pollinators, I have to recommend fall crocus, which is not a crocus at all but a Colchicum. This is a bulb plant that flowers on a 6-inch stem (actually the throat of the blossom) in pink, white or lavender. It sends up foliage in the spring that dies back, then each bulb sends up a cluster of blossoms in September or even earlier. They do best in full sun and rich soil, but do fine with some shade. They like to be fertilized each year. I often see small bees and wasps buzzing around in the blossoms.

Colchicum or fall crocus. Photo by Henry Homeyer.

Family fun for whenever

family shows

• Symphony NH hosts a Halloween Magic Family Concert on Saturday, Oct. 7, from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., at the Keefe Center for the Arts (117 Elm St., Nashua). The program will feature Halloween tunes such as “Hedwig’s Theme” from Harry Pot ter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Danse Macabre and Night on Bald Mountain. Costumes are encouraged. Tickets cost $8 to $20. Visit symphonynh.org.

• The Rock and Roll Playhouse will present the live concert “Music of the Beatles for Kids” at the Bank of NH Stage (16 S. Main St., Concord) on Sunday, Oct. 8, at noon, doors open at 11:30 a.m. Tickets cost $18.75 in advance, an extra $5 at the door. Find out more about Rock and Roll Playhouse at therockandrollplayhouse.com.

fall fest

• Charmingfare Farm (774 High St. in

iNSidE/OuTSidE TREASURE HUNT

Hi, Donna. Saw you in the Hippo. Do you have any knowledge of these old toys’ value or the market for them? Appreciate your input.

Tracy

Dear Tracy,

Who hasn’t played with a Fisher-Price toy! Your collection of Fisher-Price toys does have a value in the collectibles market.

Fisher-Price is a well-known manufacturer of quality toys. The company has made toys from the 1930s to the present.

My suggestion would be to bring them to an antique shop to get a value on them. With Fisher-Price toys, condition is everything. Consider their age, the paint on the wood, the paper designs, etc., as well as whether the set

gardening from pg 20

I know that many gardeners are already cutting back their flowers in preparation for winter. But hold on! Flowers with lots of seeds can be left as winter snacks for our feathered friends. Among the best are black-eyed susans, purple coneflower, sunflowers, zinnias, Joe Pye weed, coreopsis, sedums and ornamental grasses. Wait until spring to cut those back so that finches, chickadees, cardinals and oth-

wagon ride, enjoy live music and more.

• Applecrest Farm Orchards (133 Exeter Road, Hampton Falls; applecrest. com) is open daily 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and on weekends through the end of October the orchard holds harvest festivals, which run Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. This weekend the focus is the Great Pumpkin Carve, with a master carver tackling an 800-pound pumpkin to create a giant jack-o’-lantern, according to the website, which says the carve is scheduled for Sunday. Look for live music throughout the weekend: The Green Heron Bluegrass band on Saturday, Unsung Heroes on Sunday and RockSpring on Monday.

is complete and in working condition.

Some prices for hardto-find toys in excellent shape can run into the hundreds. Common and easily found ones start at $10+.

I hope this helps you find a new home for your toys, Tracy. Good luck!

Donna Welch has spent more than 35 years in the antiques and collectibles field, appraising and instructing. Her new location is an Antique Art Studio located in Dunbarton, NH where she is still buying and selling. She is a member of The New Hampshire Antiques Dealer Association. If you have questions about an antique or collectible send a clear photo and information to Donna at footwdw@aol.com, or call her at 391-6550.

er seed-eaters can enjoy them, especially on those cold, snowy mornings when you don’t want to go fill up your feeder.

And of course, leaving some work for spring means less work now! So leave some seeds for the birds, and enjoy watching them in the winter.

Henry is the author of four gardening books. His website is www.Gardening-Guy. com. Reach him at henry.homeyer@comcast. net.

Dear Car Talk:

deal for you is if the thief had been successful.

The problem is that parts for a car like this are nearly impossible to find. That’s why it took them weeks. And when they finally found one that they were told could work, they did their best to fix the car for you.

all your money back. That seems pretty fair to me.

By Ray Magliozzi

My 1992 Volvo 240 sedan was broken into and attempted stolen in Washington state. To make a long story short, the shop took several weeks to procure and install a replacement for the steering lock and ignition cylinder.

When I picked up the car, I found trim pieces bulging out in the area of the steering column and the center console askew and was told they got the “wrong part” and had to modify it to fit.

All of this information was given to me AFTER the “repairs” were done and I never gave them permission to do any such modification. I’m afraid their modifications are irreversible as I found metal shavings and pieces of metal around the driver footwell.

I ended up getting my money back but is this grounds for more compensation? — Liam

Yes, more compensation is appropriate, Liam. You should bring them a dozen brownies, too.

Honestly, you ended up with a pretty good deal. You got your 30-year-old car fixed for free. The only way it could have been a better

There’s a metal collar that goes around the steering column that holds the steering wheel and ignition locks. They probably couldn’t find one for your exact year, and you were probably calling saying “I need my car,” so they got as close as they could.

To make it fit, they probably had to grind the metal collar, so the wheel and ignition locks would work. That’s what the shavings are from. And I’m guessing it took more “customizing” than they expected. But once they were into it, they wanted to make it work.

I agree, they absolutely should have communicated all this to you before the work was done. That’s their mistake (along with not vacuuming the footwell!). They should have said “this is option A. Option B is we keep looking, but we have no idea if or when we’ll find the part. Option C is come get your car.”

But my guess is that they put a considerable amount of time, and some money, into this job. And when you objected to the way it looked, they did the right thing and gave you

I don’t know if any of their work is irreversible. But you now have a working car and your money back. So, if you want to go find a Volvo specialty restorer or search for the exact part yourself, you can do that.

Or you can just live with that bulge around the steering column. That happens with age. I’ve got one, too, Liam.

Dear Car Talk:

I have a 1998 Chevy S10 2.2L that barely idles. When you press the gas pedal, it pops through the throttle body and then bogs out and dies.

I replaced the throttle position switch (TPS), and I cleaned the exhaust gas recirculation valve (EGR), and the idle air control. I also put a new fuel pressure sensor on it.

Please — I need some advice. I’ve been working on it, trying to figure it out for over a month, and I’m stumped. Thanks. — Art

Well, the good news is that you’re running out of things to try, Art, so you ought to hit on the right answer in another month or two, tops.

When a car backfires out of the throttle body, that’s often a sign of either a weak spark or an overly lean fuel/air mixture. Think about

it this way: Fuel goes into the cylinder. But if only some of it gets burned, when the intake valve opens again, instead of stuff coming in, the still-burning fuel goes out the wrong way. And you get a “pow!” out of the throttle body, especially when you’re trying to accelerate. So, what could cause that? Well, you’ve been focusing on fuel problems, Art, but it could very easily be electrical. For instance, it could be a bad coil. The coil sends electricity to the spark plugs, and if the coil is weak, the spark won’t be able to ignite all the fuel at once.

It could be as simple as one or more bad spark plugs or spark plug wires. Or it could be a timing problem, where the spark is coming at the wrong time. That can be caused by a jumped timing chain.

If it’s not a spark issue, then it could be that your mixture is way too lean (too much air, not enough fuel). That can be caused by a weak fuel pump or a clogged fuel filter. So, change the fuel filter because that’s cheap and easy. And then use a gauge to test the fuel pressure. If the fuel pressure is good, that’ll rule out the fuel pump. And then you can focus on the spark issues. Good luck, Art.

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keating Tufts

Board game cafe owner

Keating Tufts owns Boards & Brews, a board game cafe in Manchester.

Explain your job and what it entails.

My job is to oversee the operations of Boards & Brews, which is New Hampshire’s first and only board game cafe.

How long have you had this job?

I started Boards & Brews five and a half years ago.

What led you to this career field and your current job?

Working in hospitality and in mental health … [as] a home care provider and a Special Olympics coach … I found board games as a great resource for people to use to build communities [and] relation-

ships, and spend time face to face with their friends.

What kind of education or training did you need?

I went to Southern New Hampshire University, and I studied organizational leadership. Working in mental health … transitioned well to running a restaurant, where there’s a lot of different things and everyone has to have the same goals.

What is your typical at-work uniform or attire?

Boards & Brews shirts.

What is the most challenging thing

about your work, and how do you deal with it?

We’re definitely in a challenging time for the small-business owners to be able to attract and pay staff the best liveable wage … So I think the hardest thing is definitely the employment and its staffing culture. … It falls on the business owner too to be able to provide an attractive and professional job atmosphere that people can thrive in.

Keating Tufts. Courtesy photo.

What do you wish you’d known at the beginning of your career?

I wish I had some bar experience. … In the beginning, one of our owners was running the bar … and I was in charge of the board games, and we had somebody in charge of the kitchen, but all three of us lacked experience in those fields, so … we were just going by the seat of our pants. … We were so busy at the beginning … and not everybody was ready for that. Having some more experience around would have been nice.

What do you wish other people knew about your job?

It surprised me how many people don’t know exactly what we are. We’re a full

restaurant, we have a full liquor license, we’ve got a full food menu with entrees, and we have great cocktails.

What was the first job you ever had?

Snowboard instructor at McIntyre Ski Area in Manchester.

What’s the best piece of work-related advice you’ve ever received? You’re not going to be able to rely on people [from your hometown]. Don’t put that in your business plan as a strength necessarily, like, ‘This is my hometown, this is going to do well, everyone’s going to support it.’ It’s not really the case. You need to have a good product that is appealing to people who don’t know you personally. — Renee Merchant

five favorites

Favorite book: Good to Great by Jim Collins

Favorite movie: The Rock with Nicolas Cage and Sean Connery

Favorite music: Alternative rock

Favorite food: Brisket

Favorite thing about NH: Four seasons

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Dear Readers,

Now more than ever, Hippo depends on your financial support to fund our coverage. Please consider supporting our local food, music, arts and news coverage by becoming a sustaining member. Members can access our website for additional content, current stories and our archives.

To become a sustaining member go to hippopress.com/become-a-member-today or by mail to 195 McGregor St., Suite 325, Manchester, NH 03102. If sending by mail please include an email address so we can send you membership information.

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Sincerely,

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Hippo Publisher

News from the local food scene

By Mya Blanchard mblanchard@hippopress.com

• Powder Keg Beer & Chili Festival: The 11th annual Powder Keg Beer & Chili Festival happens at Swasey Parkway (316 Water St.) in downtown Exeter on Saturday, Oct. 7. VIP admission is at noon and costs $60, and general admission is at 1 p.m. for $45, when purchased in advance. Visit powderkegfest. com.

• Craft beer and food trucks on the coast: The first annual Smuttynose Food Truck and Craft Beer festival will be on Saturday, Oct. 7, at Smuttynose Brewing Co. (105 Towle Farm Road, Hampton) from noon to 5 p.m. Enjoy food from 25 food trucks, craft beer from Smuttynose Brewing Co., lawn games and music. Tickets are $5 for general admission or $20 for VIP. Visit foodtruckfestivalsofamerica.com.

• Apple pie baking contest: Don’t miss the second annual apple pie baking contest at Stone Mountain Farm (522 Laconia Road, Belmont) on Saturday, Oct. 7, at 11 a.m. Rules and details can be found on the Facebook event page.

• All things chocolate: Save the date for the 2023 New Hampshire Chocolate Expo on Sunday, Oct. 15, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Doubletree by Hilton Expo Center (700 Elm St., Manchester). Chocolate, baked goods, cheeses, specialty food and craft beverages will be available to taste and purchase, with vendors like To The Queen’s Taste, Adirondack Winery, Chocolate Moonshine Fudge, Debbie’s Doggie Delights and Empanada Lady Food Truck. Tickets range from $10 to $40 and children under 5 years old are free. Visit thechocolatexpo.com.

6

Nail and espresso bar opening in Manchester

By Mya Blanchard mblanchard@hippopress.com

Once Kate MacKenzie left Manchester in 2004, she didn’t think she would ever come back. When she ultimately returned to the Granite State in 2015, she returned with inspiration that would manifest eight years later into South of the 6, a nontoxic nail bar and espresso bar opening on Saturday, Oct. 7, on Dow Street in Manchester, offering espresso, teas, kombucha and other beverages as well as pastries provided by the Bearded Baking Co. There will be a ribbon-cutting on Friday, Oct. 6, at 10:15 a.m.

Having grown up in Manchester after moving from Canada at just six weeks old, MacKenzie left for Nova Scotia to study psychology at Dalhousie University, where she met her future husband.

“In 2009 we said, ‘OK, we’re done with school, what’s next?’ and so we moved to Toronto and those were some wonderful, electric years in the big city,” MacKenzie said. “It’s a really unique, awesome place to be and it was a great time in my life because I was in my mid to late twenties, early thirties. Those were really kind of the golden years.”

While living there, MacKenzie and a friend would get manicures every other week, so when a new place opened they decided to check it out. What they discovered was a part cafe, part nail bar, where

people could stop in, order a drink and enjoy it at the bar, or turn the corner to get a manicure while sipping on a cafe beverage.

“The concept was just mind-blowing to me because it really was the definition of self-indulgence,” MacKenzie said. “You’re sitting there, you’re getting a manicure for yourself and then you have a drink to sip on to really bring yourself into that moment and be there and take that for what it is.”

MacKenzie and her husband moved back to New Hampshire in late 2013 to be closer to her family. The concept had stayed in the back of her mind and was reawakened one spring morning in 2021.

“I wanted to make something inspiring [and] bring that sense of community, that sense of innovation to little old New Hampshire,” she said. “In that moment, that was not when my journey really started, but that was when I realized that it was going to turn into something real.”

A few months later she started working to bring it to life. She met the owner of Humble Warrior Power Yoga, who had offered for her to look at the space she had available for lease, informing her that, oddly enough, the yogis at her studio had been asking for coffee and for nontoxic nails. After taking a look, MacKenzie decided it was the perfect location.

“The space is divided so when you enter you can clearly see this is a coffee bar, this is where I order coffee, this is cafe seating,” MacKenzie said. “The nail bar is divided by a hedge wall so there is no confusion about where you’re sitting or where you’re supposed to be. … They’re more or less two separate entities, but they’re operating together so the only true overlap is that if you’re a client at the nail bar … you have access to that full cafe menu.”

The self-serve, full-service coffee shop will offer a variety of beverages including cortados, lattes, teas, kombucha and affogato, an Italian-inspired drink consisting of spiked ice cream from PopScoops with espresso poured over top. While food will not be made in-house, treats from the Bearded Baking Co., like muffins and croissants, will be available.

“This for me is really full circle because I never imagined coming back to Manchester because I didn’t really have the greatest memories of Manchetser,” MacKenzie said. “It was not a place that I felt connected to, so me coming back here and starting this business is more than just starting a business. This is me claiming my childhood and putting a different mark on it.”

South of the 6. Courtesy photos.

kitchen

WiTH ColliN BECkEmEyEr

For Collin Beckemeyer, every long day in the kitchen is worth it to see the look on someone’s face when they taste something incredible. With 10 years of cooking experience, Beckemeyer has been the sous chef at The Birch on Elm for the last three. From preparation to line work, helping with menus and organizing, he plays a key part in making sure things run smoothly and consistently. He credits his mother for his love of food, recalling how she would always have baked goods waiting for him and his siblings when they got home from school. No matter what kind of day he was having, they were always enough to reprieve him. He says, “A great meal cures everything, at least for that moment.”

What is your must-have kitchen item?

My must-have item in the kitchen has to be a perfect flexible fish spatula. It’s multi-purpose [and] has great flexibility. I’d be lost if I didn’t have one on a busy Saturday night. Also having a fresh stack of neatly folded kitchen towels makes every night better.

What would you have for your last meal?

I think a perfect cheese pizza with great sauce and a perfect crust hits the spot every time. Pizza is done so many different ways, but when you find the perfect slice it’s heaven. For the dessert I would have my mom’s homemade pumpkin pie, which has to to be one of my favorite foods of all time. I have about two of these pies a year and I look forward to it every time.

What is your favorite local eatery?

My favorite local eatery in Manchester is the Bagel Cafe. They have fantastic fresh bagels and it’s my favorite breakfast meal before a long day at work. My favorite place to go for lunch and dinner has to be Street in Portsmouth. They have street food inspired from around the world and everything on the menu is fantastic. .

Name a celebrity you would like to see eating in your restaurant?

If I could have one celebrity come into The Birch on Elm it would have to be the Sandman

Gochujang BBQ sauce

Yield 1½ quarts

From the kitchen of Collin Beckemeyer

8 roasted Roma tomatoes

2 white onions, julienned

8 cloves garlic

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup white sugar

1/4 to 1/2 cup gochujang

2 Tablespoons fresh ginger, diced

1/4 cup tamari or soy sauce

1/4 cup Sriracha

1/4 cup ketchup

water or chicken stock to cover

himself, Adam Sandler. I’ve been a huge fan since I was a kid and the fact that he is a local guy makes it pretty awesome.

What is your favorite thing on your menu?

My favorite thing on the menu is anything we put in our house bao buns. They are made fresh every day and have such a perfect fluffiness to them, the texture is incredible. We have a banh mi bao with crispy pork belly, duck fat aioli, pickled daikon and carrot with cilantro that is a perfect classic combination. It is done with such care and careful preparation you really appreciate each bite.

What is the biggest food trend in New Hampshire right now?

I think the biggest food trend in New Hampshire right now is simplicity at its best. It’s taking classics or food that people are knowledgeable about and bringing fresh ingredients and your own twist on them.

What is your favorite thing to cook at home?

My favorite thing to cook at home has to be huge “Scooby Doo and Shaggy”-type sandwiches or subs. Tons of fresh vegetables, an array of sliced meats piled high with whatever sauce I can think of. When I’m home I just like to treat myself and build crazy combination sandwiches that I know is too much food but I’m going to love it.

Mya Blanchard

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Roast tomatoes in the oven.

Sweat down onion, garlic and ginger to a medium caramelized color

Add the tomatoes and the rest of the ingredients.

Add water or chicken stock to your pot, just enough to cover the ingredients in it. Cook down on medium to low heat, cooking down about 1/4 of the liquid that was in the pot.

Blend in a Vitamix or blender to get the right consistency

Put through a china cap to get the right texture. Enjoy this with wings, ribs, pretty much anything!

Collin Beckemeyer. Courtesy photo.

Close the fridge,

John Fladd cooks

Carrot Pie

In the 1920s there seems to have been a vibrant analog online community of housewives in the Boston Globe’s cooking section. At first glance, it seems as if it was a simple exchange of recipes, but there was clearly a lot more than that going on under the surface. In this column, Winding Trails starts by thanking her virtual friend for a recipe, then offers one of her own. It seems straightforward enough. The last line is somewhat arresting, though; she doesn’t so much close out her small letter politely as plead for some form of human contact.

This was the 1920s. It had not been so many years since politicians and ministers had blasted an evil new invention, the bicycle. Without a (male) chaperone, they ranted, who knew what sorts of deviant mischief women could get up to, traveling all over the countryside? It’s easy to imagine Mrs. Trails almost trapped in an apartment in Southie or a triple-decker in Nashua, surrounded by crying children and dirty dishes, desperate for some form of adult companionship.

Some more research reveals that Skin Hincks (and wow, do I want to know the story behind her name) was a frequent, almost obsessive correspondent to the Globe’s cooking pages. It’s very easy to see her modern counterpart having a very active social media presence. There might be a very credible master’s or Ph.D. thesis comparing the two communities.

But for now, let’s look at Mrs. Trail’s Carrot Pie:

Carrot Pie

The purée of two large carrots – about 1½ cups, or 300 grams

½ teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon kosher salt

½ cup (99 grams) sugar

2 whole eggs

½ cups (1 can) evaporated milk

zest of 1 large orange

1 pie crust

Preheat the oven to 450º F.

Whisk all ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl.

Pour into the pie crust. Much as with a pumpkin pie, the crust does not need to be blind-baked.

Bake at 450º for 15 minutes, then lower the temperature to 325º and bake for a fur-

ther 50 to 55 minutes, or until the blade of a knife comes out more or less clean.

At first glance, this seems like a bright orange pumpkin pie, and the taste is not completely dissimilar, but the sweetness of the carrot and the brightness of the orange zest lift the flavor to something different. The spices are more subdued than in a pumpkin pie, and the custard is not so much sweeter as fruitier. Carrots and ginger are a classic pairing, and the orange zest adds a zing that makes this more of a “Yes, please, another slice would be delightful” experience.

This is a good pie to eat with a cup of tea, while hand-writing a letter to an old friend.

John Fladd is a veteran Hippo writer, a father, writer and cocktail enthusiast, living in New Hampshire.

Carrot Pie. Photo by John Fladd.

POP C ulT u RE

Wolves in the Throne Room, Crypt of Ancestral Knowledge (Relapse Records)

I remember this Olympia, WA trio from way back; the name impressed me but the music — a mixture of various disparate Bathory/Boris/Neurosis thingamajigs microwaved to extreme-metal-ish perfection for the benefit of beginner indie-metal stans — didn’t. 20 years on, this is more of the same, music that’d be perfect for gore-horror-movie man-to-ghoul transformation sequences, you know, waves of raucous, tortured monster-yelling buoyed by (place name of earl-Aughts-era Epitaph Records band here) guitar spazzing and such and so, nothing you haven’t heard before but (more or less) epic toward a bargain-bin fashion, intended to impress the easily impressed. I’ve never liked this kind of stuff, but if demon-caterwauling, pre-Sunn(((O))) noise-thrash and etc is your bag, don’t let me stop you, not that I ever have, to my eternal chagrin. By the way, “Initiates of the White Hart” starts off with a mandolin, not that that explains anything, and “Crown of Stone” is like Enya on downers. A —Eric

W. Saeger

Elm Street, The Great Tribulation (Massacre Records)

Yes, another metal album, but this one’s a bit unique in that it’s from an Australian band. What’s that? Yes, that’s it, that’s the only thing unique about it. We all know that the Scandinavians own the extreme-metal space, and the western Europeans own the baby Iron Maiden/Judas Priest genre, but for a power metal album — you know, Savatage, Megadeth et al. — that isn’t really presented as power metal (they do mention Helloween, but they’re more trying to ape Manowar, Priest and whatnot) this is pretty listenable. There’s an extreme metal edge to it, which is de rigueur these days; overall the feel is Mercyful Fate-ish with a side of Venom. It’s pretty fierce, is what I’m saying; the guitarist is definitely filthy, mostly playing his leads at Yngwie Malmsteen/Steve Vai speed (“The Price Of War” is a particularly notable tour de force). Some obvious filler here, but if you’re into a more straightforward interpretation of the genre (as opposed to symphonic metal, let’s say), you’ll actually find a lot of melodic allure here. A —Eric

W. Saeger

PlAyliST

A seriously abridged compendium of recent and future CD releases

• Like every Friday, Oct. 6 will be a day on which new albums are released in a giant gust, there’s no place left to hide, let’s go look at the — wait, folks, wait, I can’t believe it, guess who’s got an album coming out, you’ll simply die: It’s none other than 1980s boyman-toddler Rick Astley, I’m not kidding you! Astley is from the U.K., because no one else would have him, and his claim to fame is being the subject of the “RickRoll” internet meme that was first discovered in a newly unearthed Babylonian tomb from 12,000 BC, but it never gets old, am I right, folks? It’s the prank where you post something to everyone on your social media space and tell them to click a link in order to find out more information, but what happens instead is you’re sent to a YouTube of Astley, looking like a preteen, singing his one hit, in a super-serious man-voice, the famous awful song “Never Gonna Give You Up!” Ha ha, OK, Billboard announcement page, fun time’s over, if you think I’m actually going to search YouTube for a link to a “new” Rick Astley song, nudge-wink, from a totally fake album called Are We There Yet and then suddenly find myself watching Doogie Howser singing “Never Gonna Give You Up,” um, no, I’ll have you know I’m not that dumb! OK fine, I’m going, let’s see what this is, this quote-unquote, air-quotes, “new Rick Astley song,” which is called (I’m serious, folks) “Never Gonna Stop.” Huh, hold the phone, guys, it’s not anywhere near as stupid as you’re imagining, it’s bonk-bonk piano-soul, and Astley is singing sort of like Bill Withers, I would actually listen to this song if I didn’t have exactly 2,593 other CDs in my car.

• The Rural Alberta Advantage is a Canadian indie trio, but other than that, they’re OK! Their new album, The Rise & The Fall, includes a single titled “Conductors” that is really quite muscular, a loping strummer that evokes Kings Of Leon and even a little bit of old-school emo.

• My wife is from Texas, so it’s always hilarious when I troll her yankee-style. For example, she worked super-hard for years to lose her southern drawl, so every couple of weeks I start talking in an Alabama trucker accent, like the “Git ’Er Done” guy, Larry The Cable Guy, and after an hour or so, she starts to slip and talk about eating grits and whatnot in a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader accent, it’s so funny, you’d have to be there, but another prank I like pulling is when we’re watching TV and I go off to write my book or this column or check in on my social media friends, I change the channel to CMT, because Reba McEntire’s sitcom is always on it, I don’t think they have any other shows, and before you know it there she is, drawling like Reba. Endless laughs that never get old, fam, but in this case it’s relevant, because a new Reba album is coming at us fast, titled Not That Fancy! Now just let me go and — wait, the entire world has been rickrolled by Reba, because from what I’m seeing this isn’t an album, it’s some dumb audiobook, written by a bored ghostwriter, I’m sure, so forget it, false alarm, at least I didn’t have to go listen to some new Reba song.

• We’ll put this week in the books with Dogstar, because their new album, Somewhere Between The Power Lines And Palm Trees, has such a long, space-filling name that I’ll finally have time to catch up on Amy Diaz’s film reviews and see if one single movie that has come out in the last three years is worth watching, I seriously doubt it! Anyway, Dogstar’s new single, “Breach,” is a grindy ’90s-rock shepherd’s pie of Marilyn Manson, Weezer and — wait, the bass player is actual Keanu Reeves, you people need to tell me these things before I start riffing! This is actually cool! —

Eric W. Saeger

FOOTBALL

In April of this year, social media had a field day when, soon after launch, a SpaceX rocket exploded 24 miles in the air and Elon Musk’s team called it a “rapid unscheduled disassembly.”

What most people didn’t know is that this phrase wasn’t a euphemism devised by a beleaguered PR team, but a term that SpaceX had long used to describe a strategy: Move fast, take risks, blow stuff up, learn from it. It explains why, right after the explosion, Musk said to his team: “Nicely done, guys. Success.”

That strategy is not just a business slogan but a way of life for Musk, who is not only the world’s richest man but possibly its most interesting. The tech world used to have a galaxy of superstars, to include Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos and Jack Dorsey. After his purchase of Twitter, Musk started taking up all the oxygen in the room, making all these movers-and-shakers in the tech world sideshows or opening acts for him.

Whether you admire or loathe him, Musk is one of the most consequential people on the planet, and Walter Isaacson, formerly head of Time and CNN, does a masterful job at explaining why in his exhaustive new biography. Spanning 615 pages before the footnotes, bibliography and acknowledgments, it’s a compilation of interviews with Musk and his family and business associates, and two years of following Musk around. Essentially, the only way you could know more about Elon Musk is to have witnessed the 52 years of his life yourself.

And while most of what we know about Musk started when he became an internet multimillionaire at age 27, it’s the formative stuff — the things that happened in childhood and adolescence — that best explains him. Unlike, say, Zuckerberg, who seems to have had a relatively stable childhood in suburban New York, Musk grew up in challenging circumstances in South Africa, the child of unconventional parents who were themselves the children of unconventional parents.

Take his maternal grandfather, who worked as a rodeo performer, construction hand and chiropractor. One day he drove past a single-engine airplane sitting in a field. He had no cash and didn’t know how to fly, but convinced the owner to trade the

Books

Author events

• NATHAN HILL will discuss his new novel Wellness at Gibson’s Bookstore (45 S. Main St., Concord, 224-0562, gibsonsbookstore.com) on Friday, Oct. 6, at 6:30 p.m.

• TRACY EMERICK will talk

airplane for his car. “The family came to be known as the Flying Haldemans, and [Musk’s grandfather] was described by a chiropractic trade journal as ‘perhaps the most remarkable figure in the history of flying chiropractors,’ a rather narrow, albeit accurate, accolade.”

Musk’s mother, Maye, was part of the “Flying Haldemans” and was for a time a model, but it was perhaps his father, Errol Musk, described as “an engineer, rogue, and charismatic fantasist,” who had the biggest impact, because of his abusive behavior. Elon’s brother, Kimbal, who, like Elon, has no contact with his father today, said Errol had “zero compassion,” and Elon Musk still chokes up when talking about how his father treated him as a child, at times making him stand for an hour while his father yelled him calling him an idiot and worthless, Isaacson writes. School was no better — young Elon was constantly getting beaten up, and he was sent to wilderness-type camp during the summer where the boys were literally told to fight each other to survive, and some campers had actually died. Musk described the camp as “a paramilitary Lord of the Flies.”

Isaacson said these early experiences help explain why, even today, Musk’s moods “cycle through light and dark, intense and goofy, detached and emotional, with occasional plunges into what those around him dreaded as ‘demon mode.’” Elon’s first wife, Justine, told Isaacson that in South Africa, Elon “learned to shut down fear,” adding, “If you turn off fear, then maybe you have to turn off other things, like joy or empathy.”

The sins of the father haunted the son even as he left South Africa for Canada just before he turned 17. He went by himself and later was joined by his mother and siblings. Soon after he got to Canada, he lost all his money when he failed to return to a bus before it took off; that experience was what got him thinking about ways the financial industry needed disrupting, which eventually led him to a troubled partnership with PayPal founder Peter Thiel.

But Musk’s first millions came from a venture called Zip2, an internet startup that created city guides for newspapers. Then in 1999 he founded a venture he called X.com, which he saw as a “one-stop everything-store for all financial needs: banking,

about his book Consummate Coaches: Bill Belichick and Jesus Christ on Saturday, Oct. 7, at 7 p.m. at the Bookery (844 Elm St. in Manchester; bookerymht.com). The event is free; register online.

• REBEKAH WEATHERSPOON will participate in a Q&A and book

digital purchases, checking, credit cards, investments and loans. He described the venture to Isaacson as “the place where all the money is at,” which makes X, as in the company formerly known as Twitter, seem like child’s play.

From there Isaacson goes on with astonishing detail into the creation of Tesla and SpaceX and sundry other ventures, as well as the relationships that came after Justine. Musk has 11 children with three women, the youngest (with singer Grimes) named X, Y, and Techno Mechanicus, who is called Tau.

The X obsession is more than a little strange, and the richer Musk gets, the more the world gives him a pass for his strangeness and the cruelty that he seems to have inherited from his dad.

“Do the audaciousness and hubris that drive him to attempt epic feats excuse his bad behavior, his callousness, his recklessness?” Isaacson writes. “The answer is no, of course not. One can admire a person’s good traits and decry the bad ones. But it’s also important to understand how the strands are woven together, sometimes tightly. It can be hard to remove the dark ones without unraveling the whole cloth.” Isaacson, who has also written biographies of Jennifer Doudna, Leonardo da Vinci and Steve Jobs, among others, was granted astounding access to Musk and his associates; he says Musk even encouraged his adversaries to speak with him. There will yet be other biographies written; Musk is still in the early stages of his goal to transfer human consciousness to Mars, and he seems to think time is running out to save the species. Then again, a risk-taker like Musk may run out of time himself. His grandfather, the leader of “The Flying Haldemans,” had a motto: “Live dangerously — carefully.” He wasn’t careful enough. He died when Elon was 3, in a plane crash.

Isaacson’s prose is sparse; he lets his subject and interviewees do the talking, and they all had plenty to say. This is the rare book that I recommend reading on a tablet or phone. The heft of the book makes it difficult to hold comfortably. It’s hard to pick up, but it’s also hard to put down. A —Jennifer Graham

signing for her new romance novel Her Good Side on Wednesday, Oct. 11, at 7 p.m. at Water Street Bookstore (125 Water St., Exeter, 7789731, waterstreetbooks.com).

History, stories & lectures

• THE CAPITAL CRIME OF

WITCHCRAFT: WHAT THE PRIMARY SOURCES TELL US presented by Margo Burns at the Salem Historical Society (310 Main St., Salem, 890-2280) on Tuesday, Oct. 10, at 7 p.m.

Elon Musk, by Walter Isaacson (Simon & Schuster, 615 pages)

Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie (PG)

The pups of the Paw Patrol get superpowers and spiffy new outfits and vehicles — each sold separately— in the feature-length animated Paw Patrol: The mighty movie.

You (or really, your kids) don’t need to be knowledgeable in Paw Patrol lore to get the movie’s premise: Human child Ryder (voice of Finn Lee-Epp) is the leader of a team of puppies who can talk and ride around in vehicles serving as their community’s emergency response. It is, as the movie itself says, weird but go with it. The pups are police dog Chase (voice of Christian Convery); fire dog Marshall (voice of Christian Corrao); construction bulldog Rubble (voice of Luxton Handspiker); recycling dog Rocky (voice of Callum Shoniker); water rescue dog Zuma (Nylan Parthipan); airplane-flying dog Skye (voice of Mckenna Grace), who was the first core-team girl dog and the pup who gets the backstory in this movie, and Liberty (voice of Marsai Martin), another girl dog who first showed up in the first movie. In the TV show, the pups live in Adventure Bay — in the movies, the action is in Adventure City, which is similar but with tall buildings. The movie’s first big mission for the pups is putting out fire at a junkyard where someone has stolen a giant crane with a magnet on it. The pups save the day, of course, but the missing big magnet suggests further plots afoot. Victoria Vance (voice of Taraji P. Henson), a mad scientist, plans on using the magnet to help catch a meteor that she’s discovered has some sort of power source in it. Rather than pull the meteor to her, she ends up sending it right to the heart of Adventure City and right into the Paw Patrol’s Ultimate City Tower Playset, which retails for $109.99 at Target — I mean, the Paw Patrol’s headquarters, where it smashes through the tower and onto the city’s main street, sending out pulses of energy. The Patrol takes it to their Aircraft Carrier HQ, where Skye accidentally causes the meteor to crack open and reveal seven crystals. The crystals attach themselves to each pup’s pup tag and give each pup a different power, leading them to rename themselves the Mighty Pups.

Victoria Vance wanted those powers for herself. But before she can recover the crystals, she’s sent to jail for causing the meteor to crash into the city and finds herself sharing a cell with Mayor Humdinger (voice of Ron Pardo), the (former? who knows) mayor of Foggy Bottom and schemer whom the Paw Patrol are frequently having to foil.

An aside: so many questions from the scene at Adventure City’s prison, which is disturbingly large for this city where “giant magnet theft” is one of the top crimes. And

yet, despite its size, a lady mad scientist is sharing a cell with a man and his cats (Mayor Humdinger has a team of non-talking kitties who are neither as skilled nor as interested in human direction as the Paw Patrol)? Doesn’t matter — we don’t stay long in Baby’s First Arkham Asylum as Humdinger and Vance team up to break out and steal the Paw Patrol’s crystals for themselves.

Along the way, we get some backstory on Skye, who is frustrated at being the smallest of the pups. And Liberty is tasked with leading a team of Junior Patrollers — three fuzzy younger puppies who want to be on the Paw Patrol some day. Their small-dog can-do spirit helps underline the Skye storyline, gives Liberty something to do and adds yet more toy-able characters.

As with all Paw Patrol content, there is no reason to subject yourself to this movie if you aren’t watching with kids. So the main question is probably what kids is this movie for? The movie is bigger, louder and more explosion-y than the TV show and has a few pup-in-peril scenes. Maybe for ages 4 and up, depending on your kid’s temperament (Common Sense Media gives it a 5+ rating) and ability to stick it out for 90 minutes in one location. There was a point, probably somewhere around the 50-minuteto-an-hour mark, where the theater where I saw this movie seemed to fill with fidgeting, walking around and light chatter — the “bathroom o’clock” that happens when a movie loses some of the kids.

Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie is actually similar to a run of “the pups get superpowers” stories on the TV show itself. It isn’t breaking any new ground but it is a perfectly fine, familiar adventure with these familiar characters. B-

Rated PG mild action/peril, according to the MPA on filmratings.com. Directed by Cal Brunker with a screenplay by Cal Brunker and Bob Barlen, Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie is an hour and 32 minutes long and is distributed in theaters by Paramount Pictures, where it is preceded by

the colorful short Dora and the Fantastical Creatures.

Spy Kids: Armageddon (PG)

A new set of spy parents turn to their kids for help in defeating a bad guy in Spy kids: Armageddon, a clever reboot/rebirth of the movie series.

As with previous generations of spy kids, siblings Tony (Connor Esterson) and Patty (Everly Carganilla) Tango-Torrez don’t know that parents Terrance Tango (Zachary Levi) and Nora Torrez (Gina Rodriguez) are spies. Tony’s biggest life concern is finding ways to foil his parents’ tech restrictions and get more time playing video games. Younger sister Patty doesn’t like all of his sneaking and cheating to get what he wants, though she does participate by, for example, making a map of all the floor squeaks in the hallway between the kids’ rooms and the family’s media room. This comes in handy after Tony wins (by cheating) a new game called Hyskor, which he downloads to the family’s network so he and Patty can play.

What he doesn’t realize is that his early access to the game is part of a plan by developer Rey Kingston (Billy Magnussen) to hack into the Tango-Torrez system and steal the Armageddon Code, a program that Terrance and Nora use in their OSS spy work to break into any network in the world. Kingston’s plan is to use the Armageddon Code to plant a virus in every computerized system in the world. Once in control, Kingston will force everybody to play Hyskor to do things like access their ATM or drive their smart car. The difference between Kingston and every other tech mogul trying to force their product on everybody all the time is that Kingston plans to use Hyskor to gamify teaching people to make better choices so that they will help heal the world. It’s an interesting take on the “villain was right” school of Wants to Rule the World motivations. And it’s an interesting component to Patty’s belief, as she learns about spying,

that her parents’ kicky-punchy-explodey means of saving the day has long-term negative consequences and that truth and peace are a better approach to all situations than deception and butt-kicking.

Patty and Tony find out about their parents when Hyskor characters — an Aztec-giantmade-from-a-cardboard-box-looking robot called the Heck Knight and some minions with Aztec or conquistador stylings — come smashing into their home. Nora sends the kids off in a supercharged go-kart to a safe house, where they learn the rules of spying, get gadgets and a cool spy suit, and receive some spy training. Soon, the bad guys are also after Patty and Tony, who agree to help OSS, the organization their parents work for, to find their parents, who are being held at Kingston’s lair.

When I say the Heck Knight has a sort of cardboard-box-y look, I mean it in the best possible way. The movie, smartly, gives its bad guy an affinity for late 1990s video games, which allows for a certain amount of purposeful B-movie-ness in the way everything looks. It also sort of kid-ifies the scariness factor — like this is a monster-type thing we need to defeat but it’s not going to give anybody (anybody maybe 8 and up, at least) nightmares.

There is an overall good-heartedness to the action adventure here, which makes it solid family viewing. B

Rated PG for sequences of action, according to the MPA on filmratings.com. Directed by Robert Rodriguez and written by Robert Rodriguez and his son Racer Rodriguez, Spy Kids: Armageddon is an hour and 37 minutes long and available on Netflix.

The Roald dahl Collection

Wes Anderson has directed and adapted four roald Dahl stories as short films streaming now on Netflix: The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar (39 minutes) and three 17-minute films — TheSwan, Poison and The rat Catcher.

All of the films have a PG rating, but I probably wouldn’t show them to kids. They definitely lean in to the darker side of Dahl’s storytelling. The movies contain some combination of Benedict Cumberbatch, Dev Patel, Ben Kingsley, Richard Ayoade, Ralph Fiennes (playing, among other characters, Dahl himself) and Rupert Friend. As you might expect from the Dahl-Anderson combination, the movies are a delight (a dark delight, but still) of artful wordiness and artful physical design. Everything from the position of people and things in the frame to the tactile nature of all the items in the scene — a typewriter, a notebook, a cup of tea — is purposeful and grabs at least a little piece of your attention. In

Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie

The Rat Catcher, Fiennes’ character (the titular rat catcher) even “holds” items like a tin of poison or a ferret, neither of which are actually there but the combination of narration (sometimes by Fiennes’ Dahl and sometimes by characters in a scene) and the way the actors work pantomime the missing item makes even these things feel like some of Anderson’s self-conscious props. The sets and backgrounds are often presented as pieces wheeled in or music box-like mechanisms that fold and unfold. It all gives the films a bit of a live theater vibe, which adds to both the oddness and the charm of the stories.

Of the short films — which are all darker in tone than The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar — I think The Rat Catcher was my favorite, with its creepy performance by Fiennes and its elements of stop-motion animation. The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar likewise feels like Cumberbatch having fun with fourth-wall-breaking and his intensity. The movies all have the feel of someone saying, “Have at it, do your thing” to Anderson and him fully embracing that challenge. B

Rated PG for things like violent material, thematic elements, peril, language and smoking, according to the MPA on filmratings.com. Directed by Wes Anderson, who also wrote the screenplays, The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, The Rat Catcher, Poison and The Swan are streaming on Netflix.

Flora and Son (R)

A young woman and her teenage son find a way to talk to each other in Flora and Son, a movie from writer-director John Carney of once fame.

And Begin Again. And Sing Street. And like those movies, Flora and Son uses music as a way out, a way for characters to unstick

film

Venues

Chunky’s Cinema Pub

707 Huse Road, Manchester; 151 Coliseum Ave., Nashua; 150 Bridge St., Pelham, chunkys. com

Fathom Events Fathomevents.com

The Flying Monkey

39 Main St., Plymouth, 5362551, flyingmonkeynh.com

The Music Hall

28 Chestnut St., Portsmouth, 436-2400, themusichall.org

O’neil Cinemas at Brickyard Square

24 Calef Hwy., Epping, 6793529, oneilcinemas.com

Park Theatre

themselves from their turmoil and the parts of their lives that don’t work and find new ways to be. And, like those movies, Flora and Son is so much sweeter, funnier and more charming than expected.

Dublin-based Flora (Eve Hewson) is just a whisper over 30 but seems stuck in her young adulthood — perhaps because she had 14-year-old Max (Orén Kinlan) when she was a teenager. Max is perpetually in trouble and constantly angry at Flora. Flora is constantly angry at the world, easily has her temper triggered by Max and is still raw over the end of her relationship with Ian (Jack Reynor), Max’s dad, who is now living elsewhere with another woman. Flora tries to make up for forgetting Max’s birthday by getting him a gift — or rather by finding a guitar in the trash and paying to have it somewhat fixed. Max is not impressed — and over the course of the movie we learn that this may be in part because he already makes music, but largely dance music with a laptop. Flora decides on a lark to learn to play the guitar herself and finds online lessons from Jeff (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), a musician living in the Los Angeles area. Their first lesson goes all kinds of yikes with Flora flirting with Jeff and eventually asking him to play for her without his shirt on. She apologizes and convinces him to try again, and over time their lessons create a bond between them as he not only teaches her guitar but they find themselves working on one of his songs together.

One day Flora comes home to Max blaring music and is incensed — until she realizes it’s his original dance track. Together, they flesh it out, with her adding vocals to go along with his rap. While they both seem hazy on life trajectory, over music they can collaborate.

Even that description doesn’t quite capture the pleasant surprise of a movie that

19 Main St., Jaffrey, theparktheatre.org

Red River Theatres 11 S. Main St., Concord, 2244600, redrivertheatres.org

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

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

• Milford Drive-In (531 Elm St., Milford, milforddrivein. com) plans to continue its season through the end of October, weather permitting, according to an email. The drive-in is open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays with the first movie of the double features (the drive-in has two screens) starting at 6:15 p.m.

Flora and Son is, with characters starting out as potentially one-dimensional figures — the party-girl mom, the aimless dad, the juvenile delinquent. But, thanks not only to the way the story develops but also to solid performances all around, they quickly become more complex than that — and music doesn’t “save” them in some fairy tale way but just kind of pushes them outside their ruts in life and in their relationships with each other. A

Rated R for language throughout, sexual references and brief drug use, according to the MPA on filmratings.com. Written and directed by John Carney, Flora and Son is an hour and 37 minutes long and is distributed by Apple Films on Apple TV+ as well as in theaters. Want to check out other Carney works? 2007’s Once is available for rent and is currently streaming on the Roku channel.

2013’s Begin Again is on Netflix and available for rent. 2016’s Sing Street is on Tubi, Pluto TV and Vudu and is available for rent.

Dumb Money (R)

The internet’s hype of the GameStop stock results in huge

paper fortunes for everyday investors in Dumb money, a movie based on the book The Antisocial Network by Ben mezrich.

Which I kinda want to read now, because I feel like this story of “here is a weird thing that happened” is probably better-suited to nonfiction narrative where there isn’t some cinematic pressure to Say Something About The World We Live In.

After one of those “I’ll bet you wonder how I got here”-like flash forwards, the movie begins in the autumn of the Pandemic Era, with Keith Gill (Paul Dano) a financial analyst living in Brockton, Mass. When he isn’t working or taking care of his young daughter with wife Caroline (Shaliene Woodley), he, as a hobby, posts videos to a Reddit forum about investing. Calling himself Roaring Kitty (and also “Deep Value” with a word between Deep and Value but one day this movie will be edited for TV, so mostly the movie calls him Roaring Kitty), Keith shows his balance sheet and talks about why he likes specific stocks. Recently, he has been hot on GameStop, the video game store that he feels has been undervalued by Wall Street professionals. As he talks up GameStop, his viewers follow his lead, with their purchases pumping up the price. Eventually, GameStop becomes not just a tip several people are taking but a cause — because the stock is being short-sold by a hedge fund run by Gabe Plotkin (Seth Rogen) and because the increase in stock price is giving ordinary investors, many of them investing via the Robinhood app, crazy returns, there is a “stick it to the rich” attitude about the stock. Buy and hold — or “HODL” or “diamond hands” etc. as The Internet says — even though the first to sell would be hugely rewarded.

Because one middle-class guy in his

continued on pg 37

Tickets cost $20 per car of up to six people.

• A Haunting in Venice (PG-13, 2023) will screen at Red River Theatres in Concord on Thursday, Oct. 5, at 4:15 & 7 p.m.; Friday, Oct. 6 through Sunday, Oct. 8, at 1:30, 4:15 & 7 p.m.; Monday, Oct. 9, through Thursday, Oct. 12, at 4:15 & 7 p.m.

• Dumb Money (R, 2023) will screen at Red River Theatres in Concord on Thursday, Oct. 5, at 4:30 & 7:15 p.m.; Friday, Oct. 6, through Sunday, Oct. 8, at 1:45, 4:30 & 7:15 p.m.; Monday, Oct. 9, through Thursday, Oct. 12, at 4:30 & 7:15 p.m.

• Anxious Nation (NR), a documentary about anxiety and kids, will screen at the Flying Monkey in Plymouth on Thursday, Oct. 5; screening starts at 6:20 p.m. and a panel discussion with mental health experts follows.

• Monadnock: The Mountain that Stands Alone (2023) will screen at Park Theatre in Jaffrey on Friday, Oct. 6, at 5:30 and 7 p.m. and Saturday, Oct. 7, at 2 and 7 p.m.

• The Red Kimona (1925) a silent film presented with live musical accompaniment by Jeff Rapsis will screen at Wilton Town Hall Theatre on Sunday, Oct. 8, at 2 p.m.

• Ruth Stone’s Vast Library of the Female Mind will screen at Park Theatre in Jaffrey on Sunday, Oct. 8, at 4 p.m.

• House of 1,000 Corpses (R, 2003), a 20th anniversary screening of Rob Zombie’s film, will screen Sunday, Oct. 8, at 4 and 7 p.m. at AMC Londonderry and Regal Fox Run in Newington and 4 p.m. at Cinemark in Salem; and Wednesday, Oct. 11, at 7 p.m. at AMC Londonderry, O’neil Cine-

mas in Epping, Cinemark in Salem and Regal Fox Run in Newington. See fathomevents.com.

• Exhibition on Screen: David Hockney at the Royal Academy of Arts will screen at Park Theatre in Jaffrey on Wednesday, Oct. 11, at 1:30 p.m.

• The New Hampshire Film Festival takes place Thursday, Oct. 12, through Sunday, Oct. 15, at screening spaces throughout Portsmouth including The Music Hall Historic Theater, the Music Hall Lounge, 3S ArtSpace, Seacoast Repertory Theatre and The Press Room as well as other locations for parties and other events, according to nhfilmfestival.com, where you can purchase four-day passes ($143.50, $283.50 for a VIP pass) or day passes ($38.50 for Thursday or $58.50 for any of the other three days). The line-

up will feature more than 100 feature films, documentaries and shorts, according to a press release. The festival also serves as a qualifying festival for the Academy Awards short film awards, the release said.

• Pizzastock: It Takes a Village, a documentary about musician Jason Flood and the Pizzastock event created to spread awareness for mental health and suicide prevention, will screen Friday, Oct. 13, at 7 p.m. at the Stockbridge Theatre (Pinkerton Academy, 44 N. Main St. in Derry; stockbridgetheatre. showare.com). Doors for the event open at 6:30 p.m. and the evening will feature live music, speeches and stories from community leaders, according to pizzastock.org. Tickets cost $15, $10 for youth.

Flora and Son

By Michael Witthaus mwitthaus@hippopress.com

• Macca: The natural right-handed front man of The McCartney Experience taught himself to play bass left-handed, one of the tribute act’s many realistic elements. Their show includes music from the early Beatles era through McCartney’s solo and Wings periods. Thursday, Oct. 5, 7:30 p.m., Palace Theatre, 80 Hanover St., Manchester, $39 at palacetheatre.org.

• Zeppelinesque: Among the accolades received by Kashmir is performing at a private party for Coldplay’s Chris Martin a few years back. Lead singer and Robert Plant doppelgänger Jean Violet asked Martin how he’d found them, and he replied that friends told him that they were the best at what they do. The group began in 2001 and uses authentic gear, including Jimmy Page’s famed double-neck guitar. Friday, Oct. 6, 8 p.m., Tupelo Music Hall, 10 A St., Derry, $35 at tupelohall.com.

• Moving: Area 23 will become The Forum Pub at a new location, so Andrew North & the Rangers is shifting its Ranger Zone open mic to Bank of NH Stage every first Wednesday for now. Keeping their hometown spirit, the energetic, intelligent jam band performs at a favorite basement bar. Their latest release is the live LP Thanks for the Warning. Saturday, Oct. 7, 9 pm., Penuche’s Ale House, 16 Bicentennial Square, Concord, $5 at the door, 21+, more at andrewnorthandtherangers. com.

• Moody: One of the great stories told by Justin Hayward is how The Moody Blues came to make Days of Future Past. The landmark album, which included “Tuesday Afternoon” and “Nights in White Satin,” was intended to be a stereo test album. It became so popular that NASA astronauts listened to it on the Space Shuttle, and the band is now in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Sunday, Oct. 8, 7 p.m., Nashua Center for the Arts, 201 Main St., Nashua, $49.

• Mammoth: Formed almost 40 years ago, heavy metal sci-fi stalwarts Gwar don’t have any original members, but their spirit lives on, with outsized costumes and an invented mythology centered on an interplanetary war. The group recently launched a line of action figures at the New York Toy Fair, with the first batch including Oderus, Balsac, JizMak, Blothar, Pusty and Beefcake. Wednesday, Oct. 11, 7 p.m., Wally’s Pub, 144 Ashworth Avenue, Hampto, $45 and at ticketmaster.com (21+).

N i TE Stand-up guy

Well-rounded comic Steve Hofstetter

By Michael Witthaus mwitthaus@hippopress.com

Raised in New York City, with a father who watched Dick Gregory perform in Village comedy clubs in the early 1960s, Steve Hofstetter grew up to be a smart comic. Don’t interrupt his set; Hofstetter’s retorts draw blood before an offender even knows there’s a knife in the scene. He has a YouTube page dedicated to heckler management.

Professional comedy wasn’t his destiny — until love leapt up.

“I always enjoyed watching stand-up. I never thought I’d become one,” Hofstetter said by phone in July. “When I was 13 … the girl I had a crush on told me she thought I should join the improv club in school. I was so enamored with the idea that someone I was impressed by thought I was funny enough to do that.”

Over a 20-plu-year career, Hofstetter’s made eight albums and specials; the latest is The Recipe , which debuted on YouTube earlier this year. He has a knack for thought-provoking jokes, like one with a Rorschach test punchline, “I hope you get from life exactly what you deserve.” Broadly, he specializes in observational comedy, drawing inspiration from keeping his eyes open.

“Whenever people say, ‘Where do you get your material?’ I always think, ‘How come you don’t have yours?’ — we all live in the same world and see the same things,” he said. “It’s just about paying attention and processing what’s going on around you … if I see something that’s anachronistic, I can’t not notice it.”

Improv still plays a role in Hofstetter’s comedy, in the form of a Q&A session after every show. He began doing them 10 years ago, mainly to produce content without having to give away new material online.

“I was OK posting bits I wasn’t doing anymore, but I didn’t want to post any of the current stuff,” he said, and the segments resonated, “because, partially they were watching comedy happen on

Steve Hofstetter

When: Saturday, Oct. 7, 8 p.m.

Where: Nashua Center for the Arts, 201 Main St., Nashua

Tickets: $29 and up at etix.com

the fly, and isn’t it more interesting to see something getting painted than just see the finished product?”

The sessions became good-natured roasts when he began bringing in fellow comics, the first time after he learned that his dog was dying and would need to be put down at tour’s end. “I was in no shape to think on my feet,” so Hofstetter asked two friends to lend emotional support. “They said yes, and it was great. It was so much fun to be able to bounce back and forth off each other.”

Hofstetter’s work extends beyond comedy. He’s written books and, a tireless baseball nerd, has worked in sports radio as well as writing a column for Sports Illustrated. He runs the nonprofit Steel City AF, a live/work/play environment for comedians based in Pittsburgh, where he’s lived for the past few years.

“It was always a dream of mine to have some sort of comedy-based charity, and when my dad passed, I had this realization of, if you keep waiting for stuff, you might never get there, so I decided to start it,” he said. He moved to Pittsburgh from Los Angeles, finding it was an ideal home base city with a great civic spirit.

“The thing I like about it most is just how passionate about the city residents are; people are really, really proud of it, and want to make it better. There’s this amazing camaraderie that I just really like.” The foundation has given away some scholarships, and opened a per-

formance space in a renovated building, inspired by an experience Hofstetter had at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

Beyond that, Hofstetter received a Nobel Peace Prize nomination (really) for a digital comedy club launched during the pandemic. It led to over $1.5 million worth of work for comics that had no other options. “I was also still running my foundation where I was giving out grants to comedians that didn’t have any way to make any money,” he added.

What set the effort apart was that it extended beyond the constraints of livestreaming.

“We let the audience be unmuted, which was very different than most other places, because without an audience a comedian doesn’t have timing, and it feels awful,” he said. They also limited tickets and thus audience size to make the virtual events more manageable.

An upcoming show at Nashua’s Center for the Arts will be Hofstetter’s first ticketed event in the Granite State.

“I’ve done some college shows there early on in my career, and I did some bar shows here and there,” he said. “But that was when people had no idea who they were going to see; this is the first time since anyone has heard of me that I’ll be doing a show in New Hampshire.”

Steve Hofstetter. Courtesy photo.

Alton Bay

Dockside Restaurant

6 East Side Drive, 8552222

Foster’s Tavern 403 Main St., 875-1234

Auburn Auburn Pitts 167 Rockingham Road, 622-6564

Bedford Copper Door 15 Leavy Dr., 488-2677

Murphy’s Carriage House 393 Route 101, 4885875

Bow Chen Yang Li

Thursday, Oct. 5

Auburn

520 S. Bow St., 2288508

Brookline

The Alamo Texas Barbecue & Tequila Bar

99 Route 13, 721-5000

Concord Courtyard by Marriott Concord 70 Constitution Ave.

Hermanos Cocina Mexicana 11 Hills Ave., 224-5669

Lithermans 126 Hall St., Unit B

Tandy’s Pub & Grille

1 Eagle Square, 8567614

Auburn Pitts: open jam, 7 p.m.

Bedford

Copper Door: Jodee Frawlee, 6 p.m.

Brookline

Alamo: open mic with Travis Rollo, 6 p.m.

Concord

Hermanos: Zeb Cruikshank

6:30 p.m.

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

Derry

Fody’s: music bingo, 8 p.m.

Epsom

Hill Top: music bingo w/ Jennifer Mitchell, 7 p.m.

Exeter

Swasey Parkway: North River Music, 3 p.m.

Goffstown

Village Trestle: Paul Lussier, 6 p.m.

Hampton

CR’s: Greg DeCoteau, 6 p.m.

Smuttynose: 21st & 1st Street,

Uno Pizzeria 15 Fort Eddy Road, 226-8667

Deerfield

The Lazy Lion

4 North Road, 4637374

Derry Fody’s Tavern 187 Rockingham Road, 404-6946

Dover Cara Irish Pub & Restaurant 11 Fourth St., 343-4390

Epping Holy Grail 64 Main St., 679-9559

Telly’s Restaurant &

Pizzeria 235 Calef Hwy., 6798225

Epsom Hill Top Pizzeria

1724 Dover Road, 7360027

Exeter

Sea Dog Brewing Co. 5 Water St., 793-5116

Swasey Parkway 316 Water St.

Gilford Beans and Greens 245 Intervale Road, 293-2853

Patrick’s 18 Weirs Road, 2930841

Goffstown Village Trestle 25 Main St., 497-8230

Hampton Bogie’s 32 Depot Square, 6012319

CR’s The Restaurant 287 Exeter Road, 9297972

The Goat

20 L St., 601-6928

Sea Ketch 127 Ocean Blvd., 9260324

Shane’s Texas Pit 61 High St., 601-7091

Smuttynose Brewing 105 Towle Farm Road

Wally’s Pub 144 Ashworth Ave., 926-6954

Whym Craft Pub & Brewery 853 Lafayette Road, 601-2801

Hudson The Bar 2B Burnham Road

Luk’s Bar & Grill 142 Lowell Road, 8899900

Lynn’s 102 Tavern 76 Derry Road, 9437832

Jaffrey Park Theatre 19 Main St., 532-9300

kensington The Farm at Eastman’s Corner 224 Amesbury Road, 347-1909

kingston Saddle Up Saloon 92 Route 125, 3696962

laconia Anthony’s Pier 263 Lakeside Ave., 527-8345

Belknap Mill 25 Beacon St. E., No. 1, 524-8813

Defiant Records & Craft Beer 609 Main St., 527-8310

Fratello’s 799 Union Ave., 5282022

Tower Hill Tavern 264 Lakeside Ave., 366-9100

litchfield Day of the Dead Mexican Taqueria Mel’s Funway Park 454 Charles Bancroft Highway, 377-7664

londonderry Coach Stop Restau-

rant & Tavern 176 Mammoth Road, 437-2022

Stumble Inn 20 Rockingham Road, 432-3210

manchester

Angel City Music Hall 179 Elm St., 931-3654

Backyard Brewery 1211 S. Mammoth Road, 623-3545

Bonfire 950 Elm St., 663-7678

Derryfield Country Club 625 Mammoth Road, 623-2880

The Foundry 50 Commercial St., 836-1925

Fratello’s 155 Dow St., 624-2022

6 p.m.

Whym: music bingo, 6 p.m.

Hopkinton

Discover Contoocook: Ariel

Strasser, 5 p.m.

Hudson

Luk’s: Lee Ross, 7 p.m.

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

kingston

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

laconia

Tower Hill: karaoke w/ Luke Skyrocker, 8 p.m

londonderry

Stumble Inn: Outliers Trio, 7 p.m.

manchester

Foundry: Paul Driscoll, 5 p.m.

Fratello’s: Dave Zangri, 5:30 p.m.

Goat: Cox Karaoke, 8 p.m.

Shaskeen: Matt Woods, 9 p.m.

Strange Brew: Peter Higgins, 8 p.m.

meredith

Giuseppe’s: Paul Hubert, 5:30 p.m.

Music, live and in person

These listings for live music are compiled from press releases, restaurants’ websites and social media and artists’ websites and social media. Call the venue to check on special rules and reservation instructions. Get your gigs listed by sending information to adiaz@hippopress.com.

merrimack

Homestead: Clint Lapointe, 5:30 p.m.

milford

Riley’s Place: open mic, 7 p.m.

Nashua

Casey Magee’s: open mic, 8 p.m.

Fody’s: DJ Rich Karaoke, 9:30 p.m.

Shorty’s: Peter Pappas, 6 p.m.

Pittsfield

Over the Moon: open mic, 6 p.m.

Salem

Copper Door: Jon Paul Royer, 7 p.m.

T-Bones: David Corson, 5 p.m.

Seabrook

Backyard Burgers: Jennifer Mitchell, 6 p.m.

Red’s: Ditto, 4 p.m.

Somersworth

Earth Eagle: open mic w/ Dave Ogden, 6 p.m.

f riday, Oct. 6

Alton Bay

Dockside: music bingo, 7 p.m.

Foster’s Tavern: Pete Peterson, 7 p.m.

Brookline

Alamo: Ralph Allen, 6 p.m.

Concord

Hermanos: Mark Bartram, 6:30 p.m.

Derry

Fody’s: Jake Young Duo, 8 p.m.

Epping

Holy Grail: Dan Walker, 6:30 p.m.

Telly’s: Doug Mitchell, 8 p.m.

Gilford

Beans and Greens: Katie

Dobbins, 5 p.m.

Patrick’s Pub: live music, 6 p.m.

Goffstown

Village Trestle: Rose Kula, 6 p.m.

Hampton

CR’s: Steven Sibulkin, 6 p.m.

The Goat: Russ Six, 9 p.m.

Wally’s: Samantha Rae, 9 p.m.

Whym: Jonny Friday, 6:30 p.m.

Hudson

Luk’s: Mikey G, 7 p.m.

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

Jaffrey Park Theatre: John Brickley, 6 p.m.

laconia

Defiant: The Hart of Sound, 5:30 p.m.

Tower Hill: Chase Campbell Band, 8 p.m.

litchfield

Day of the Dead Taqueria: music bingo, 6:30 p.m.

londonderry

Coach Stop: Jeff Mrozek, 6 p.m.

Stumble Inn: Dancing Madly Backwards, 8 p.m.

manchester

Angel City: Chris Cornell & Alice, 7 p.m.

Backyard Brewery: Paul Gormley, 6 p.m.

Bonfire: Phil Maurice, 7 p.m.

Derryfield: Mug’d, 6 p.m.; NIV, 8 p.m.

Fratello’s: Jordan Quinn, 6 p.m.

The Foundry: Kimayo, 6 p.m.

The Goat: Joe Birch, 7 p.m.

The Hill: Casey Roop, 5:30 p.m.

Shaskeen: Donaher, 9 p.m.

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

Strange Brew: Fever Slip, 9 p.m.

To Share: Tyler Allgood, 6:30 p.m.

meredith

Twin Barns: The Sweetbloods, 6 p.m.

merrimack

Homestead: Doug Thompson, 6 p.m.

milford

Pasta Loft: Off the Record, 8 p.m.

arkNEss aND LiGHT

The summer of 2020 was a time of transition for Mark erelli, who was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa. The acclaimed singer-songwriter turned to music as a way to process this news, recording the exquisite Lay Your Darkness Down as a way of putting his experience into perspective. He stops by the Music Hall Lounge (131 Congress St., Portsmouth, 4362400, themusichall.org) on Thursday, Oct. 5, for a show in support of the album. Tickets range from $31 to $41, plus fees.

NiTE MUSIC THIS WEEK

The Goat

50 Old Granite St.

The Hill Bar & Grille

McIntyre Ski Area

50 Chalet Ct., 6226159

KC’s Rib Shack 837 Second St., 627RIBS

Murphy’s Taproom

494 Elm St., 644-3535

Shaskeen Pub 909 Elm St., 625-0246

South Side Tavern

1279 S. Willow St., 935-9947

Stark Brewing Co.

500 Commercial St., 625-4444

Strange Brew 88 Market St., 6664292

To Share Brewing 720 Union St., 8366947

Wild Rover 21 Kosciuszko St., 6697722

meredith Giuseppe’s 312 Daniel Webster Hwy., 279-3313

Lakeview Tavern 7 Main St., 677-7099

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

Nashua

Casey Magee’s: karaoke, 9:30 p.m.

Millyard Brewery: Nicole Knox Murphy, 6:30 p.m.

New Boston

Molly’s: Justin Cohn, 6:30 p.m.

Northfield

Boonedoxz Pub: karaoke night, 7 p.m.

Penacook

American Legion Post 31: Jennifer Mitchell, 7 p.m.

Pittsfield

Over the Moon: Benjamin Harris, 7 p.m.

Portsmouth

Gas Light: Jamsterdam, 7 p.m.; Sam Hammerman, 9:30 p.m.

Salem

Luna Bistro: Chad LaMarsh, 7 p.m.

Seabrook

Red’s: Max Sullivan Trio, 4

Twin Barns Brewing 194 Daniel Webster Hwy., 279-0876

merrimack Homestead

641 Daniel Webster Hwy., 429-2022

Tortilla Flat 595 Daniel Webster Hwy., 424-4479

milford The Pasta Loft 241 Union Square, 672-2270

Riley’s Place 29 Mont Vernon St., 380-3480

Stonecutters Pub

63 Union Square, 2135979

Nashua Casey Magee’s Irish Pub

8 Temple St., 484-7400

Fody’s Tavern 9 Clinton St., 577-9015

Millyard Brewery 125 E. Otterson St., 722-0104

San Francisco Kitchen 133 Main St., 886-8833

Shorty’s Mexican Roadhouse 48 Gusabel Ave., 8824070

New Boston Molly’s Tavern & Restaurant 35 Mont Vernon Road, 487-1362

Northfield Boonedoxz Pub 95 Park St., 717-8267

Penacook American Legion Post 31 11 Charles St., 7539372

Pittsfield Over the Moon

1253 Upper City Road, 216-2162

Portsmouth The Gas Light

64 Market St., 4309122

The Goat 142 Congress St., 5904628

Mojo’s West End Tavern 95 Brewery Lane, 4366656

Press Room 77 Daniel St., 431-5186

rochester Porter’s 19 Hanson St., 3301964

Salem Copper Door 41 S. Broadway, 458-

2033

Luna Bistro

254 N. Broadway, 4582162

T-Bones

311 South Broadway, 893-3444

Salisbury Black Bear Vineyard & Winery

289 New Road, 6482811

Seabrook Backyard Burgers & Wings

5 Provident Way, 7602581

Chop Shop Pub

920 Lafayette Road, 760-7706

Red’s Kitchen + Tavern 530 Lafayette Road, 760-0030

Somersworth Earth Eagle North 350 Route 108, 8415421

Warner Cafe One East 1 E. Main St., 7154818

p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 7

Alton Bay

Foster’s Tavern: Chris Lester, 7 p.m.

Brookline

Alamo: Brian Weeks, 6 p.m. Bow

Chen Yang Li: Ken Budka, 7 p.m.

Concord

Hermanos: Mark Bartram, 6:30 p.m.

Contoocook

Cider Co.: Hart of Sound, 1 p.m.

Contoocook Farmers Market: Doug Farrell, 9 a.m.

Epping

Holy Grail: Peter Pappas, 6:30 p.m.

Telly’s: Swipe Right Duo, 8 p.m.

Gilford Beans and Greens: Freddie Catalfo, 1 p.m.

Goffstown

Village Trestle: Chris Perkins, 6 p.m.

Hampton The Goat: Chris Toler, 9 p.m.

Sea Ketch: Ray Zerkle, 1 p.m.

Smuttynose: Tim Theriault, 1 p.m.; Jim Devlin Band, 6 p.m.

Wally’s: Wildside, 9 p.m.

Whym: Sam Hammerman, 6:30 p.m.

Hudson

Luk’s: Eddie Sands, 7 p.m.

Jaffrey

Park Theatre: Bernie & Louise Watson, 5:30 p.m.

kensington

Farm at Eastman’s Corner: Heavy Necker, 2 p.m.

laconia

Tower Hill: line dancing, 7 p.m.

londonderry

Coach Stop: Dave Zangri, 6 p.m.

Stumble Inn: Last Kid Picked, 8 p.m.

manchester

Angel City: Led Zeppelin cover band, 6 p.m.

Backyard Brewery: Dakota Smart, 6 p.m.

iNEMa sCoPE

Saxophone phenom Grace Kelly has played Barack Obama’s inauguration, joined the house band for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and collaborated with Oscar-winning director Damian Chazelle. Her appearance at the Chubb Theatre (44 S. Main St., Concord, 225-1111, ccanh.com) on Oct. 7 at 8 p.m. focuses on her upcoming project At the Movies, which showcases her love of film music. Tickets range from $63.75 to $75.75, plus fees.

Bonfire: Whiskey Horse, 8 p.m.

Derryfield: Off The Record, 8 p.m.

Fratello’s: Chris Cavanaugh, 6 p.m.

Foundry: Karen Grenier, 6 p.m.

The Goat: acoustic brunch with Rob Pagnano, 10 a.m. The Hill: Chris Gardner, 5:30 p.m.

Shaskeen: Melanie Maclaren, 9 p.m.

Strange Brew: Soup du Jour, 9 p.m.

To Share: Matt Litzinger, 5 p.m.

Wild Rover: live music, 5 p.m.

meredith

Lakeview Tavern: live music, 6 p.m.

Twin Barns: Ian Archibold, 3 p.m.

merrimack

Homestead: Lou Antonucci, 6 p.m.

milford

Pasta Loft: Fox and The Flamingo, 8:30 p.m.

Nashua

Millyard Brewery: Justin Jor-

dan, 4 p.m.

SFK: Scott King, 6:30 p.m.

New Boston

Molly’s: Robert & Rich, 7 p.m.

Pittsfield

Over the Moon: Jackie Crow, 7 p.m.

Portsmouth Gas Light: Jordan Quinn, 2 p.m.; Redemption Band, 7 p.m.; Jake Bartolin, 9:30 p.m.

Salem

Luna Bistro: acoustic, 7 p.m.

Salisbury

Black Bear: Austin McCarthy, 2 p.m.

Seabrook Chop Shop: Gunpowder and Lead, 8 p.m.

Red’s: Cataldo, Clark & Larkin, 4 p.m.

Sunday, Oct. 8

Bedford

Copper Door: Steve Aubert, 11 a.m.

Brookline

Alamo: Daniel Gay, 4 p.m.

UrF’s UP

Contoocook

Cider Co.: Ariel Strasser, 1 p.m.

Epping

Telly’s: Chris Powers, 8 p.m.

Goffstown

Village Trestle: Bob Pratte, 3:30 p.m.

Hampton

Sea Ketch: Ray Zerkle , 1 p.m.

Smuttynose: Rob & Jody, 2 p.m.

kensington

Farm at Eastman’s Corner: The Brethren, 2 p.m.

laconia

Anthony’s Pier: live music, 1 p.m.

Belknap Mill: open mic, 2 p.m.

londonderry

Stumble Inn: Lisa Guyer, 7 p.m.

manchester

Foundry: Brad Myrick, 10 a.m.

Strange Brew: One Big Soul Jam, 7 p.m.

Every day is Father’s Day for Yacht rock Schooner, who pay tribute to the smooth sound of bands like Hall & Oates, Steely Dan and the Doobie Brothers. They dock at Jimmy’s (135 Congress St., Portsmouth, 888-603-JAZZ, jimmysoncongress.com) on Sunday, Oct. 8, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets range from $10 to $45, plus fees.

Public Events

October

11TH - D ER RY

Halloween Candy & Wine Pairing Class

11TH - AMHERST Stretch and Sip Yoga Class

18TH - DERRY Cooking with Wine Class: Oktoberfest Beer Recipes

18TH - DERRY Sip & Strengthen Pilates Class

milford

Riley’s Place: open mic w/ Blues Jam, 1 p.m.

Northfield

Boonedoxz Pub: open mic, 4 p.m.

Portsmouth Gas Light: Sean Coleman, 2 p.m.; Rhythm Method, 6 p.m.

Salem

Copper Door: Phil Jacques, 11 a.m.

Seabrook Red’s: Zachary Newbould, 4 p.m.

Monday, Oct. 9

Dover

Cara Irish Pub: open mic, 8 p.m.

Gilford

Nashua

Fody’s: karaoke night, 9:30 p.m.

Portsmouth

The Goat: Musical Bingo Nation, 7 p.m.

Seabrook

Red’s: music bingo, 7 p.m.

Tuesday, Oct. 10

Concord

Hermanos: State Street

Combo, 6:30 p.m.

Tandy’s: open mic, 8 p.m.

Hampton

Bernie’s: Chris Toler, 7 p.m.

Shane’s: music bingo, 7 p.m

Wally’s: music bingo, 7 p.m.

manchester

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

Combo, 6:30 p.m.

Tandy’s: karaoke, 8 p.m.

Uno Pizzeria: Chris Lester, 6 p.m.

Derry

Fody’s: karaoke, 7 p.m.

Hampton

Bogie’s: open mic, 7 p.m.

Wally’s: GWAR, 7 p.m.

kingston

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

Jaffrey Park Theatre: open mic, 6:30 p.m.

manchester

Fratello’s: Liz Ridgely, 5:30 p.m.

Stark Brewing: Cox karaoke, 8 p.m.

Kids Halloween Bash with Mr. Aaron Band

25TH - AMHERST Pumpkin Ravioli Cooking Techniques Class

26TH - AMHERST Comedians Kelly MacFarland & Carolyn Plummer

26TH - DERRY Thriller Night with Who’s Bad: The Ultimate Michael Jackson Experience

29TH - AMHERST

29TH - AMHERST

Kids Hogwarts Halloween Party

Spellbound Soirée: A Potter-Inspired Wine Dinner

November

1ST - AMHERST Stretch and Sip Yoga Class

2ND - DERRY Wine in the Dark: Blindfolded Wine Tasting Class

8TH - DERRY Cooking with Wine Class: Thanksgiving Recipes

9TH - AMHERST Mel & Ayme’s Fall Wine Coolers Release Party

9TH - DERRY Absolute Queen Tribute Concert

10TH - DERRY Decades DJ Dance Party

22ND - DERRY Presented By:

Patrick’s Pub: open mic, 6 p.m.

Hampton

Sea Ketch: Ray Zerkle, 1 p.m.

Hudson

The Bar: karaoke with Phil, 8 p.m.

Jaffrey

Park Theatre: open mic, 6:30 p.m.

londonderry

Stumble Inn: Lisa Guyer, 7 p.m.

manchester

Fratello’s: Phil Jacques, 5:30 p.m.

The Goat: Musical Bingo Nation, 7 p.m.

Salona: music bingo with Jennifer Mitchell, 6 p.m.

merrimack

Homestead: Jodee Frawlee, 5:30 p.m.

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

Murphy’s: live music, 5:30 p.m.

Strange Brew: David Rousseau, 8 p.m.

merrimack

Homestead: Jeff Mrozek, 5:30 p.m.

Portsmouth

The Goat: Isaiah Bennett, 8 p.m.

Press Room: The Jazz Jam, 6 p.m.; Soggy Po’ Boys, 9 p.m.

Seabrook

Backyard Burgers: music bingo with Jennifer Mitchell, 7 p.m.

Red’s: country night, 7 p.m.

Warner

Cafe One East: open mic, 6:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Oct. 11

Concord

Courtyard Marriott: Brad Myrick, 5 p.m.

Hermanos: State Street

Strange Brew: open mic w/ Will Bemiss, 8 p.m.

meredith

Giuseppe’s: Paul Warnick, 5:45 p.m.

merrimack

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

milford

Stonecutters Pub: open mic, 8 p.m.

Seabrook

Chop Shop: DJ Manny awesome DJ event, 7:30 p.m.

TWo PaULs For THE PriCE oF oNE

Paul Gilligan has gone from class clown to frequent appearances on NESN’s Dirty Water TV and Mad Fisherman Paul landwehr has worked as a Christmas tree salesman, landscaper and retail employee before finding his niche as an observational standup comic. Together, the two Pauls headline Tupelo Music Hall (10 A St., Derry, 437-5100, tupelomusichall. com) on Saturday, Oct. 7, at 8 p.m. Tickets cost $22 plus fees.

cOMeDY tHIS WeeK anD

• Michael Carbonaro Music Hall Lounge (131 Congress St., Portsmouth, 436-2400, themusichall.org), Friday, Oct. 6, 7 p.m.

• Greg Fitzsimmons Chunky’s Manchester (707 Huse Road, Manchester; chunkys.com), Friday, Oct. 6, 8:30 p.m.

• Juston McKinney Palace, (80 Hanover St., Manchester, 668-5588, palacetheatre.org)

Saturday, Oct. 7, 5 p.m. and 8 p.m.

• Pete Andrews and Cottage Comedy Kathleen’s Irish Pub (90 Lake St., Bristol, 744-6336, kathleensirishpub.com), Saturday, Oct. 7, 7 p.m.

• Tupelo Night of Comedy with Paul Gilligan and Paul Landweher Tupelo (10 A St., Derry, 437-5100, tupelomusichall.com), Saturday, Oct. 7, 8 p.m.

• Steve Hofstetter Nashua Center for the Arts (201 Main St., Nashua, 800-657-8774, nashuacenterforthearts.com), Saturday, Oct. 7, 8 p.m.

• Tim McKeever Headliners (DoubleTree By Hilton, 700 Elm St., Manchester, headlinerscomedyclub.com), Saturday, Oct. 7, 8:30 p.m.

• Greg Fitzsimmons Chunky’s

Nashua (151 Coliseum Ave., Nashua; chunkys.com ), Satur day, Oct. 7, 8:30 p.m.

• Daniel Sloss (609 Main St., Laconia, 800657-8774, coloniallaconia.com),

Thursday, Oct. 12, 8 p.m.

• Steve Sweeney (19 Main St., Jaffrey, 5329300, theparktheatre.org), Sat urday, Oct. 14, 7:30 p.m.

• Amy Tee bleTree By Hilton, 700 Elm St., Manchester, headlinerscome dyclub.com), Saturday, Oct. 14, 8:30 p.m.

• The Foolers (44 S. Main St., Concord, 2251111, ccanh.com), Sunday, Oct. 15, 7 p.m.

• Chelcie Lynn ter for the Arts (201 Main St., Nashua, 800-657-8774, nashua centerforthearts.com), Wednes day, Oct. 18, 7 p.m.

• Howie Mandel Music Hall (28 Chestnut St., Portsmouth, 436-2400, themusichall.org),

Wednesday, Oct. 18, 7:30 p.m.

• R-Rated Hypnotist Frank Santos Rex (23 Amherst St., Manchester, 668-5588, palacetheatre.org), Friday, Oct. 20, 7:30 p.m.

• Spooktacular Halloween Comedy Show Averill House

basement and one rich guy in his Miami mansion are only so compelling, we also get a peek into the lives of several of those regular-folks investors: Marcus (Anthony Ramos), who works at a GameStop; Jenny (America Ferrera), a single mom nurse; college students Harmony (Talia Ryder) and Riri (Myha’la Herrold), who are six figures in debt because of their college loans. We also meet Keith’s brother Kevin (Pete Davidson), who is largely here for comic relief and to call Keith a nerd. On the rich bro side, we also meet even richer-thanGabe hedge fund manager Ken Griffin (Nick Offerman) and Robinhood founders Baiju Bhatt (Rushi Kota) and Vlad Tenev (Sebastian Stan), who particularly gives off a tech-guy snake oil salesman vibe.

Dumb Money has good details about this very odd point in history — all the pandemic things, the emptiness of roads and public transportation, the mask etiquette, the way a claim of “essentialness” could help a business stay open (GameStop can open its doors to the public because it sells computer mice). It’s interesting, even at this short remove, to remember just how weird this all was and how hot emotions were running about so many things. And the details about how this odd financial flash mob played out are also interesting in the “huh, interesting” sense. But the movie seems to feel a need to

Chipmunk Love Story Oatmeal Stout

Now Available in Cans!

erscomedyclub.com), Saturday, Oct. 21, 8:30 p.m.

• Kelly MacFarland/Carolyn Plummer LaBelle Amherst (345 Route 101, Amherst, 672-9898, labellewinery.com), Thursday, Oct. 26, 7 p.m.

• The Calamari Sisters Rex (23 Amherst St., Manchester, 668-5588, palacetheatre.org), Saturday, Oct. 28, 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

Say A Thing about all of this in a way that this story doesn’t really lend itself to. This story doesn’t feature a triumphant ending with all the struggling people coming out on top. Some do, some don’t. Nor are the guys the movie paints as the predatory rich particularly punished. The facts of the ending very much reminded me of the end of Burn After Reading, when the J.K. Simmons character asks “what did we learn” with no particular answer other than not to do whatever it was they did again. It’s a shrug of an ending, which is also what happens here — with a lot of “no charges filed after an investigation”-type end title cards.

Dumb Money has the feel of one of those HBO TV movies where the point is more in the accurate recounting of events than the story told. And, like those movies, it will be perfectly fine to view some lazy day from your couch. B-

Rated R for pervasive language, sexual material (which I think is just this one particularly dumb “Margot Robie in a bathtub to make you pay attention to this financial discussion” scene) and drug use, according to the MPA on filmratings.com. Directed by Craig Gillespie and written by Lauren Schuker Blum & Rebecca Angelo, based on the book, Dumb Money is an hour and 45 minutes long and is distributed by Sony Pictures Entertainment.

Brewed with English Maris Otter malt and roasted oats, fermented with a proprietary ale yeast blend that finished with a medium body and a clean bitterness and flavor. 7.3% ABV

FALL CONCERT SERIES: THE SEA THE SEA

October 26th, 7:30pm

Serving Lunch & Dinner

See our full menu at FlyingGoose.com 603.526.6899 • 40 Andover Road, New London, NH

NiTE MUSIC & EVENTS

Trivia

Events

• Schitt’s Creek 21+ trivia night Thursday, Oct. 5, 7:30 p.m. at Chunky’s in Manchester (707 Huse Road in Manchester; chunkys.com).

• Movie Theme Songs 21+ trivia night Thursday, Oct. 12, 7:30 p.m. at Chunky’s in Manchester (707 Huse Road in Manchester; chunkys.com).

Weekly

• Thursday trivia with Game Time Trivia at Mitchell BBQ (50 N. Main St., Rochester, 3322537, mitchellhillbbq.com) at 6 p.m.

• Thursday trivia at Station 101 (193 Union Sq., Milford, 2495416) at 6:30 p.m.

• Thursday trivia at Day of the Dead Taqueria (454 Charles Bancroft Hwy. in Litchfield,

Concerts

• The Red Pears Thursday, Oct. 5, at 6 p.m., Stripe Nine Brewing Co. (8 Somersworth Plaza, Somersworth, 841-7175, stripeninebrewing.com)

• Dalton Dover and Lexi James Thursday, Oct. 5, at 7 p.m., Bank of NH Stage (16 S. Main St., Concord, 225-1111, banknhstage.com)

• Mark Erelli Thursday, Oct. 5, 7:30 p.m., Music Hall Lounge (131 Congress St., Portsmouth, 436-2400, themusichall.org)

• The McCartney Experience (Paul McCartney tribute) Thursday, Oct. 5, 7:30 p.m., Palace (80 Hanover St., Manchester, 6685588, palacetheatre.org)

• Gretchen Parlato & Lionel Loueke Thursday, Oct. 5, 7:30 p.m., Jimmy’s (135 Congress St., Portsmouth, 888-603-JAZZ, jimmysoncongress.com)

• Green River (Creedence tribute) Thursday, Oct. 5, 8 p.m., LaBelle Derry (14 Route 111, Derry, 672-9898, labellewinery. com)

• Song Garden (Chris Cornell tribute) with Nutshell (Alice in Chains tribute) Friday, Oct. 6, 6

377-7664) at 6:30 p.m. with DJ

Brian.

• Thursday trivia at Great North Aleworks (1050 Holt Ave., Manchester, 858-5789, greatnorthaleworks.com) from 7 to 8 p.m.

• Thursday trivia with Game Time Trivia at Hart’s Turkey Farm (223 Daniel Webster Hwy., Meredith, 279-6212, hartsturkeyfarm.com) from 7 to 9:30 p.m.

• Thursday trivia at Yankee Lanes (216 Maple St., Manchester, 625-9656, yankeelanesentertainment.com) at 7 p.m.

• Thursday Opinionation by Sporcle trivia at Uno Pizzeria & Grill (15 Fort Eddy Road in Concord; 226-8667) at 7 p.m.

• Thursday Kings trivia at Game Changer Sports Bar (4 Orchard View Dr., Londonderry; 216-1396, gamechangersports-

p.m., Angel City (179 Elm St. in Manchester, 931-3654, angelcitymusichall.com)

• John Brickley Friday, Oct. 6, 6 p.m., Park Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester, 668-5588, palacetheatre.org)

• The Man on the Hill Friday, Oct. 6, 7 p.m., Stone Church (5 Granite St., Newmarket, 6597700, stonechurchrocks.com)

• One Night in Memphis (tribute to Sun Records artists) Friday, Oct. 6, 7:30 p.m., Chubb Theatre (44 S. Main St., Concord, 225-1111, ccanh.com)

• Ryan Montbleau Friday, Oct. 6, 7:30 p.m., Rex Theatre (23 Amherst St., Manchester, 6685588, palacetheatre.org)

• Harper and Midwest Kind

Friday, Oct. 6, 7:30 p.m., Jimmy’s (135 Congress St., Portsmouth, 888-603-JAZZ, jimmysoncongress.com)

• Tusk (Fleetwood Mac tribute) Friday, Oct. 6, 8 p.m., Nashua Center for the Arts (201 Main St., Nashua, 800-657-8774, nashuacenterforthearts.com)

• Kashmir (Led Zeppelin tribute) Friday, Oct. 6, 8 p.m., Tupelo (10 A St., Derry, 437-5100,

iTZDoG

enandtavern.com), signup at 8:30 p.m., from 9 to 11 p.m. Hosted by DJ Zati.

• Tuesday trivia at Reed’s North (2 E. Main St. in Warner, 4562143, reedsnorth.com) from 6 to 8 p.m.

• Tuesday trivia at Fody’s (187 Rockingham Road, Derry, 4046946, fodystavern.com) at 7 p.m.

bar.com) from 8 to 10 p.m.

• First Thursday of every month trivia at Fody’s (9 Clinton St., Nashua; fodystavern. com) at 8 p.m.

• Friday Team Trivia at Cheers (17 Depot St., Concord, 2280180, cheersnh.com) from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. in the lounge.

• Friday trivia at Gibb’s Garage Bar (3612 Lafayette Road, Portsmouth, gibbsgaragebar. com) from 8 to 10 p.m.

• Monday Trivia at the Tavern at Red’s (530 Lafayette Road, Seabrook, 760-0030, redskitch-

tupelomusichall.com)

• Twiddle/Yam Yam Friday, Oct. 6, 8 p.m., Casino Ballroom

• Caitlin Canty Friday, Oct. 6, 8 p.m., Music Hall Lounge (131 Congress St., Portsmouth, 4362400, themusichall.org)

• Kashmir: The Live Led Zeppelin Show Friday, Oct. 6, 8 p.m., Tupelo (10 A St., Derry, 437-5100, tupelomusichall.com)

• Dean Ford & the Beautiful Ones (Prince tribute) Friday, Oct. 6, 8 p.m., Bank of NH Stage (16 S. Main St., Concord, 2251111, banknhstage.com)

• Lez Zeppelin (Led Zeppelin tribute) Saturday, Oct. 7, 6 p.m., Angel City (179 Elm St. in Manchester, 931-3654, angelcitymusichall.com)

• Lilli Lewis Saturday, Oct. 7, 7 p.m., Music Hall Lounge (131 Congress St., Portsmouth, 4362400, themusichall.org)

• Little Wishbone Saturday, Oct. 7, 7 p.m., Word Barn (66 Newfields Road, Exeter, 2440202, thewordbarn.com)

• Don Campbell Band Saturday, Oct. 7, 7:30 p.m., Rex (23 Amherst St., Manchester, 6685588, palacetheatre.org)

Greg Fitzsimmons has appeared more than 50 times on The Howard Stern Show, he’s hosted his own podcast, and he’s written for the TV shows Crashing and Cedric the Entertainer Presents. He also hosts a comedy podcast, Fitzdog Radio. He stops by Chunky’s (707 Huse Road, Manchester; chunkys.com) on Friday, Oct. 6, at 8:30 p.m. Tickets cost $20, plus fees.

• Tuesday trivia at Lynn’s 102 Tavern (76 Derry Road, Hudson, 943-7832, lynns102.com), at 7 p.m.

• Tuesday Geeks Who Drink trivia at Peddler’s Daughter (48 Main St., Nashua, 821-7535, thepeddlersdaughter.com), from 8:30 to 10:30 p.m.

• Wednesday trivia at Community Oven (845 Lafayette Road, Hampton, 601-6311, thecommunityoven.com) at 6 p.m.

• Wednesday trivia at Smuttynose (105 Towle Farm Road,

• Justin Hayward Saturday, Oct. 7, 7:30 p.m., Flying Monkey (39 Main St., Plymouth, 536-2551, flyingmonkeynh.com)

• Tusk (Fleetwood Mac tribute) Saturday, Oct. 7, 8 p.m., Colonial Laconia (609 Main St., Laconia, 800-657-8774, coloniallaconia.com)

• Grace Kelly Saturday, Oct. 7, 8 p.m., Chubb Theatre (44 S. Main St., Concord, 225-1111, ccanh.com)

• Adam Ezra Group Saturday, Oct. 7, 8 p.m., Bank of NH Stag (16 S. Main St., Concord, 2251111, banknhstage.com) e

• Dancing Dream (ABBA tribute) Saturday, Oct. 7, 8 p.m., Rochester Opera House (31 Wakefield St., Rochester, 3351992, rochesteroperahouse.com)

• Mandy Patinkin Saturday, Oct. 7, 8 p.m., Music Hall (28 Chestnut St., Portsmouth, 4362400, themusichall.org)

• Rock and Roll Playhouse: Music of the Beatles for Kids Sunday, Oct. 8, at noon, Bank of NH Stage (16 S. Main St., Concord, 225-1111, banknhstage. com)

• Coco Montoya Sunday, Oct. 8, 7 p.m., Tupelo (10 A St., Derry, 437-5100, tupelomusichall.com)

• Justin Hayward Sunday, Oct. 8, 7 p.m., Nashua Center for the Arts (201 Main St., Nashua, 800-657-8774, nashuacenterforthearts.com)

• Larry Goldings Trio Sunday, Oct. 8, 7:30 p.m., Dana Center (Saint Anselm College, 100 Saint Anselm Drive, Manchester, anselm.edu)

• Yacht Rock Schooner Sunday, Oct. 8, 7:30 p.m., Jimmy’s (135 Congress St., Portsmouth, 888603-JAZZ, jimmysoncongress. com)

Hampton, 436-4026, smuttynose.com) at 6 p.m.

• Wednesday trivia at Spyglass Brewing Co. (306 Innovative Way, Nashua, 546-2965, spyglassbrewing.com) at 6 p.m.

• Wednesday trivia at Main Street Grill and Bar (32 Main St., Pittsfield; 435-0005, mainstreetgrillandbar.com) at 6:30 p.m.

• Wednesday trivia at Popovers (11 Brickyard Sq., Epping, 7344724, popoversonthesquare. com) from 6:30 to 8 p.m.

• Wednesday The Greatest Trivia in the World at Revolution Taproom and Grill (61 N. Main St., Rochester, 244-3042, revolutiontaproomandgrill.com/ upcoming-events) at 6:30 p.m.

• Wednesday Kings Trivia at KC’s Rib Shack (837 Second St., Manchester, 627-7427, ribshack. net), sponsored by Mi Campo, in

Manchester 7 to 9 p.m..

• Wednesday trivia at Millyard Brewery (125 E. Otterson St., Nashua; 722-0104, millyardbrewery.com) at 7 p.m.

• Wednesday trivia with Game Time Trivia at The Thirsty Moose (21 Congress St., Portsmouth, 427-8645, thirstymoosetaphouse.com) at 7 p.m.

• Wednesday trivia at The Bar (2b Burnham Road, Hudson, 943-5250) at 7 p.m.

• Wednesday trivia at City Hall Pub (8 Hanover St.; Manchester, 232-3751, snhhg.com) at 7 p.m.

• Wednesday World Tavern Trivia at Fody’s Tavern (9 Clinton St. in Nashua, fodystavern. com, 577-9015) at 8 p.m.

• Wednesday trivia at the Park Theatre (19 Main St., Jaffrey; 532-9300, theparktheatre.org) at 8 p.m.

• Joey Alexander Friday, Oct. 13, 7:30 p.m., Jimmy’s (135 Congress St., Portsmouth, 888603-JAZZ, jimmysoncongress. com)

• Stephen Marley Friday, Oct. 13, 7:30 p.m., Flying Monkey (39 Main St., Plymouth, 5362551, flyingmonkeynh.com)

• Bob Mould with Jason Narducy Friday, Oct. 13, 8 p.m., Tupelo (10 A St., Derry, 437-5100, tupelomusichall.com)

• The Lost Melody Monday, Oct. 9, 6 p.m., Press Room (77 Daniel St., Portsmouth, 4315186, pressroomnh.com)

• Shamarr Allen Tuesday, Oct. 10, 7 p.m., Music Hall Lounge (131 Congress St., Portsmouth, 436-2400, themusichall.org)

• Michael Lington Wednesday, Oct. 11, 7:30 p.m., Jimmy’s (135 Congress St., Portsmouth, 888603-JAZZ, jimmysoncongress. com)

• Candlelight: A Haunted Evening of Halloween Classics Thursday, Oct. 12, 6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., Rex (23 Amherst St., Manchester, 668-5588, palacetheatre.org)

• Griffin William Sherry & Tall Tall Trees Friday, Oct. 13, 6 p.m., Stone Church (5 Granite St., Newmarket, 659-7700, stonechurchrocks.com)

• The Duppy Conquerors (Bob Marley Tribute) Friday, Oct. 13, 6 p.m., Angel City (179 Elm St. in Manchester, 931-3654, angelcitymusichall.com)

• Loreena McKennitt Friday, Oct. 13, 7:30 p.m., Chubb Theatre (44 S. Main St., Concord, 225-1111, ccanh.com)

• Queens with Jordan Quinn Friday, Oct. 13, 7:30 p.m., Rex (23 Amherst St., Manchester, 668-5588, palacetheatre.org)

• Lori McKenna/Brandy Clark Friday, Oct. 13, 8 p.m., Colonial Laconia (609 Main St., Laconia, 800-657-8774, coloniallaconia.com)

• Muddy Ruckus Friday, Oct. 13, 8 p.m., Bank of NH Stage (16 S. Main St., Concord, 2251111, banknhstage.com)

• Monuments, For the Fallen Dreams, VRSTY Saturday, Oct. 14, 6 p.m., Angel City (179 Elm St. in Manchester, 931-3654, angelcitymusichall.com)

• Vance Gilbert Saturday, Oct. 14, 7 p.m., Word Barn(66 Newfields Road, Exeter, 244-0202, thewordbarn.com)

• Edwin McCain Saturday, Oct. 14, 8 p.m., Rex (23 Amherst St., Manchester, 668-5588, palacetheatre.org)

• The Machine (Pink Floyd tribute) Saturday, Oct. 14, 8 p.m., Tupelo (10 A St., Derry, 4375100, tupelomusichall.com)

• The Sixties Show Saturday, Oct. 14, 8 p.m., Colonial Theatre (609 Main St., Laconia, 800657-8774, coloniallaconia.com)

• Don McLean with Chris Trapper Saturday, Oct. 14, 8 p.m., Chubb Theatre (44 S. Main St., Concord, 225-1111, ccanh. com)

Ryan Montbleau

Schitt’s Creek

“an Easy Puzzle”— some similar similes.

announcer says “Gooooooooool”

3. Nintendo console avatar

4. Former international airline, for short

5. “24/7 ___ hip hop beats”

6. Veggie in Indian and Cajun cuisine

7. Fertile type of soil

8. Pre-paid cocktail source at parties

9. Over again

10. Seized vehicles

11. Figure skating event

12. Appease, as thirst

15. Daily Planet reporter Clark

18. Piercing look

21. The other poetic Muse (the one not in crosswords as much)

22. Outta here

23. No longer a minor

24. Aquaman portrayer Jason

29. Like electrical plugs and forks (don’t mix the two!)

30. “It’s Always Sunny” group, collectively

32. ___-Alt-Del

34. Transportation to the mini-mart, perhaps

Across

1. Madcap adventure

5. “Ha ha ha!” online (that’s one “ha” per letter)

8. Angelic instruments

13. Operatic feature

14. “All right, I get it”

16. Hack-a-Shaq target

17. Escaping

19. Old-timey photo filter color

20. [Mystery Clue 1]

22. Third Greek letter

25. Ticket remainder

26. London-to-Barcelona dir.

27. “Deep Space Nine” shapeshifter

28. Stardew Valley, e.g.

31. “Tic ___ Dough” (Wink Martindale game show)

33. With 43-Across, [Mystery Clue

2]

39. Peaceful creatures in “The Time Machine”

40. Radio station sign

41. Hershey caramel candy

43. See 33-Across

46. Liverpool loc.

47. Boggy lowland

48. “Respect for Acting” writer Hagen

49. Morning hrs.

52. “Nautical” beginner

55. Clock app function

57. [Mystery Clue 3]

61. “West Side Story” role

62. Frighten off

66. Actress Zazie of “Atlanta” and “Joker”

67. “And there you have it!”

68. Solitary

69. “Fish in ___? How can that be?”

(“Hop on Pop” line)

70. ___ judicata (case that’s been decided)

71. Grogu, aka Baby ___ Down

1. Cloth for a spill

2. Gold, in the place where that

35. ___ Schwarz (New York toy store)

36. Brief bit of bickering

37. Kinda dull

38. Make happy

42. Minnesota congresswoman Ilhan

44. Flabbergasted

45. ___ nous (just between us)

49. Addis ___, Ethiopia

50. Impressionist Edouard

51. Slalom expert

53. Take a breather

54. “CODA” prize

56. What Olive Garden is supposed to represent, vaguely

58. Suffix still used after “Bachelor” in reality shows

59. “Smooth Operator” singer

60. Taylor Swift’s 2023 tour

63. “Extraordinary Attorney ___” (Korean Netflix show)

64. Word often used in jokes that end “In this economy?”

65. Vote to approve

© 2023 Matt Jones

Last Week’s Answers:

● Each row and each column must contain the numbers 1 through 4 (easy) or 1 through 6 (challenging) without repeating.

● The numbers within the heavily

1-19-23

outlined boxes, called cages, must combine using the given operation (in any order) to produce the target numbers in the top-left corners.

ROCk

ROll CROSSWORdS By TODD SANTOS

Court is in order

Across

1. When Kenny Loggins stares at death he may sing ‘This __’

5. Jimmy Buffett has Fido’s leash on “You’re better off with __”

9. What Huey Lewis did to Ray Parker Jr over ‘Ghostbusters’

13. “You don’t have __ home but you can’t stay here”

14. ‘Every Little Thing Counts’ __ Stark

16. Folky Guthrie

17. ‘Cyberpunk’ Billy

18. Oasis “I tried to talk with God to no __”

19. XTC ‘__ Shuffle’

20. Meat Loaf ‘__ Eye In The House’

22. Repeated word in Raveonettes album title

24. Electronic Brits that are not in stereo?

25. Offspring tells part of the real story on ‘Half-__’

28. Female stars

32. ‘86 David Lee Roth album ‘__ And Smile’

34. Grech of Traffic

37. Cinderella ‘Don’t Know What You Got (__)’

40. Faces ‘A Nod __ Good As A Wink To A Blind Horse’

42. Pat of the 50s

43. Meat Loaf needs to think: “Let me sleep __”

44. Miley Cyrus ‘10 album for her staying wild

47. ‘Small Craft On A Milk Sea’ Brian __ w/ Jon Hopkins & Leo Abrahams

48. Hopefully a goodie also

49. Eagle Eye Cherry’s sister

51. ‘Broke An’ Hungry’ bluesman Brooks

54. Nine Inch Nails & Kiss songs w/ same title ‘Into The __’

57. State school Neil Young sang about

58. Stones “I’m the __ in the valley with a face full of mud”

61. ‘Devil Gate Drive’ Quatro

64. ‘Into Outer Space With __ Pamela’

66. Shania Twain “In my __ am the driver”

67. Doomsayer’s sign for ‘The Curse’ band

68. ‘02 Tommy Lee album ‘Never __ Moment’

69. Like kindred jammers

70. REM ‘__ And Blame’

71. Jazz’s Fitzgerald

72. ‘99 Red Balloons’ band

Down

1. Whitesnake ‘84 album ‘Slide __’

2. Accept ‘__ & Gomorra’

3. Whitney Houston ‘__ The Rock’

4. ‘03 Darkness album ‘Permission

5. Dropkick Murphys got ‘Caught In __’ like a firefly

6. Coconut Records album about Monkee Jones?

7. Lonely Island ‘I’m __ Boat’

8. You may have this if you get 9. Across

9. Joey of The Pixies

10. ‘The Gift’ Midge

11. Jeff Lynne ‘Strange Magic’ band

12. Producer Fleming

15. What drunk rocker may do with words

21. Assertive Nelly Furtado song?

23. Takes former member to court

26. ‘You Had Me’ Joss

27. Will Smith movie/#1 song ‘__ Black’

29. Concert atmosphere or this

30. It’s Beginning To Look __ Like Christmas

31. ‘Underwhelmed’ Canadians

33. Phish “Take __ another place, she said”

34. Part of Gerardo hit w/’Suave’

35. Pretenders ‘Loving You __ I Know’

36. Van Halen ‘Don’t Tell Me (What Love __)’

38. Shania Twain ‘The Woman __’

39. American Graffiti song ‘__ Angel’

41. Warrant ‘Dirty Rotten Filthy __ Rich’

45. Drifters/solo soul singer __ King 46. They whipped it, whipped it good

50. Patty Loveless ‘__ I Help You Say Goodbye’

52. Many 80s bands started on Sunset Strip __

53. Practice piece

55. Brother Cane ‘I Lie In The Bed __’

56. ‘Beyond The Sea’ Bobby

58. Pink ‘Just Like A __’

59. Cole Porter ‘Give Him The Ooh-__-__’

60. Wacky ‘Unbehagen’ singer Hagen

61. Nathaniel Rateliff breakthrough song

62. Actress Thurman Fall Out Boy likes

63. “Everything __, I don’t think so” Bush

65. Genesis ‘__ De Sac’

© 2023 Todd Santos

Todd’s new book Rock and Roll Crosswords Vol. 1 is available now on Amazon.

Puzzle B

Puzzle C

Puzzle a

NiTE SUDOKU

Fill in the grid so that every row, every column, and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 through 9. See last week's puzzle answers on pg 41.

SiGNS Of lifE

All quotes are from How Do I Un-Remember This?, by Danny Pellegrino, born Oct. 9, 1985.

Libra (Sept. 23 – Oct. 22) I spend most birthdays doing the same thing … dinner and a movie. … There is always at least one decent or fun-bad movie released during that first week of October or late September. At least.

Scorpio (Oct. 23 – Nov. 21) … if there’s one thing I’ve learned from reading Amelia Bedelia and watching Kathy Hilton on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, it’s that not everything is meant to be taken literally. Only some things.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22 – Dec. 21) I consider the [tweets] I anxiously delete within a few minutes of posting to be exclusives that are only available for a limited time. Delete with confidence.

Capricorn (Dec. 22 – Jan. 19) My loved ones can’t win. Pay attention to me, but don’t pay any attention to me at all. Pick a middle ground.

Aquarius (Jan. 20 – Feb. 18) While self-help books may say otherwise, I’m here to encourage you all to occasionally come from a place of no. Or maybe.

Pisces (Feb. 19 – March 20) … pop culture is the great unifier. We all have different reference points, but if you can find the common ground, relationships can soar! If not, they can sour.

Aries (March 21 –April 19) There are two types of vacationers — the tourists and the relaxers. Compromise.

Taurus (April 20 – May 20) Anyway, my crush on Jennifer Love Hewitt was real back then, and when I met a girl named Sarah, who looked like the spitting image of her, I was convinced she was going to be

the love of my life. She wasn’t.

Gemini (May 21 – June 20) The beautiful eight-bit sounds of Super Mario Bros. can take me to Christmas morning 1990, and when I hear the Mulan soundtrack, the sadness of my middle school years washes over me …. Hum a few bars.

Cancer (June 21 – July 22) Dorm living is the best. My favorite part was the communal aspect of watching television. Bring the popcorn.

Leo (July 23 – Aug. 22) Everything was happening so fast, I couldn’t tell if it was the Alexa machine in charge of the music or the Google one that it was originating from. Did Siri have my Spotify linked? I DIDN’T KNOW HOW TO STOP IT! Unplug.

Virgo (Aug. 23 – Sept. 22) Usually these [time-share] tours consist of free coffee and stale chocolate chip cookies, followed by a golf cart ride where my dad would tell his life story to anyone who would listen and my mom would stealthily kick him as a signal to him to shut … up. Hey, free coffee!

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low-Speed Chase

Los Angeles Police Department cruisers were dispatched in pursuit of a fleeing suspect wanted for assault with a deadly weapon on the evening of Sept. 24, but rather than the typical high-speed chase through bustling L.A. streets, officers found themselves following a shirtless and shoeless man in a stolen golf cart, with a dog on his lap. KCAL News reported that the low-speed chase began around 9:10 p.m. and went on for much longer than expected, due to the ineffectiveness of spike strips the police laid out in several failed attempts to slow the suspect down. The chase topped out around 19 mph before the suspect pulled into a parking lot around 9:45 p.m. and abandoned the cart, though he continued to carry the pooch. In short order, the barefoot suspect dropped the dog and was detained by police. The man was treated for unknown injuries; his unwitting canine accomplice was returned unharmed to the suspect’s family. KCAL News, Sept. 24

Choking Hazard

Everyone knows the dangers associated with texting while driving, but a man in Henderson, Kentucky, recently served as a reminder that eating while driving can be hazardous as well. WLKY News in Louis-

ville reported that the unnamed driver pulled out of a McDonald’s drive-thru after receiving his order and almost immediately began choking on a french fry. The passenger in the car attempted to offer assistance, but the driver lost consciousness and the car crashed into an Enterprise Rent-A-Car. The passenger and driver were taken to the hospital and treated for minor injuries. As for the risks of eating on the run, witness Patricia Grossman told WLKY, “I do it, and I’m sure a lot of people do. It’s not something I’ve ever thought about, but now will definitely think about it more.” WKLY News, Sept. 26

dude, Where’s My Cud?

NPR reported that a herd of sheep seeking refuge from recent storms in Magnesia, Greece, found shelter in a greenhouse and, naturally, began munching on the grass they encountered there. Unfortunately, the “grass” turned out to be almost 600 pounds’ worth of medical marijuana. Farm owner Yannis Bourounis told a local radio producer that the sheep were “jumping higher than goats,” which apparently “never happens.”

NPR, Sept. 26

Sign of the Times

An electronic construction sign in the Montrose neighborhood of Houston, Tex-

as, offered the opposite of helpful advice to passersby when it was hacked on Sept. 25, reported KTRK-TV. “Due to weather,” the first message, was harmless enough, but it was followed immediately by “Go ---- yourself.” A city inspector was able to turn the sign off; representatives for Houston Public Works said their department does not operate the sign, and city officials have been unable to find the sign’s owner. KTRK TV, Sept. 12

later, Gator

Take me out to the ballgame, but leave your alligator at home. The AP reported that Philadelphia Phillies fan Joie Henney of Jonestown, Pennsylvania, was turned away from Citizens Bank Park on Sept. 27 when he tried to enter with WallyGator, his emotional support alligator. Henney has owned WallyGator for several years — legally, it should be noted — and the reptile really is certified as a support animal. Henney has taken his leathery friend to schools and camps for educational presentations, according to a 2022 Washington Post story about the gator. He even visits a local nursing home in his red “support animal” vest. But the Phillies game seems to have been a bridge too far. The stadium’s policy on support animals states, “Guide dogs, service

animals, or service animals in training are welcome. All other animals are prohibited.” CBC, Sept. 12

unexpected diversion

Flamingos have landed in Wisconsin — the first recorded sighting in state history, according to WISN-ABC. Five of the tropical birds were recently spotted on Lake Michigan, understandably drawing the attention of hundreds of people in the decidedly untropical region. Jerry Lorenz, Ph.D., an expert with Audubon Florida, speculated that the flamingos were flying between Cuba and the Yucatan, but were diverted by Hurricane Idalia in late August. Lorenz encouraged the locals to “enjoy their presence” but give the flamingos plenty of space: “These birds are stressed right now. They just went through a terrible ordeal, no matter how you look at it.” Wisconsin’s Department of Natural Resources said there are currently no rescue plans in the works, and that the flamingos’ instincts would prompt them to head south again when temperatures drop. WISN-ABC, Sept. 22

Sources according to uexpress.com. From the editors at Andrews McMeel Syndication. See uexpress.com/contact