Superhero season — The Hippo — 05/04/23

News and culture weekly serving Metro southern New Hampshire

Published every Thursday (1st copy free; 2nd $1).

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Katelyn Sahagian ksahagian@hippopress.com, Ext. 130

contributors Michelle Belliveau, Mya Blanchard, John Fladd, Jennifer Graham, Henry Homeyer, Chelsea Kearin, Michele Pesula Kuegler, Dave Long, Fred Matuszewski, Eric W. Saeger, Meghan Siegler, Dan Szczesny, Michael Witthaus

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on the cover

10 Superhero SeaSon! Summer movie season begins Friday, May 5, with the release of another Marvel movie — can it and other summer releases help save the day for theaters looking to increase their ticket sales? On Saturday, May 6, you can find superheroes (and their stories) and more at Free Comic Book Day events. And on Saturday, May 13, younger fans can celebrate their own love of characters of all stripes (and books! and reading!) at the Kids Con New England. In this week’s cover story, we take a look at all these aspects of superhero season.

alSo on the cover The New Hampshire Gay Men’s Chorus celebrates their 25th anniversary with a concert series starting this weekend (page 16). The New Hampshire Farm, Forest & Garden Expo comes to the Deerfield Fairgrounds on Friday, May 5, and Saturday, May 6 (page 19). Get ready for Mother’s Day (Sunday, May 14) by checking out the list of meals and treats on page 24.

InSIde thIS week

newS & noteS

4 newS In brIef

6 Q&a

7 SportS

8 QualIty of lIfe Index

9 thIS week the artS

16 nh Gay Men’S choruS 25th annIverSary

17 artS roundup

InSIde/outSIde

18 GardenInG Guy

Henry Homeyer offers advice on your outdoors.

19 nh farM, foreSt & Garden expo

20 kIddIe pool

Family fun events this weekend.

20 treaSure hunt

There’s gold in your attic.

21 car talk

Automotive advice.

food

24 Mother’S day eatS Franco Foods Fleur Délices challenge; In the Kitchen; Weekly Dish.

pop culture

30 revIewS CDs, books and more.

nIte

34 bandS, clubS, nIGhtlIfe

Nite Roundup, concert & comedy listings and more.

34 coMedy thIS week

Where to find laughs.

36 MuSIc thIS week

Live music at your favorite bars and restaurants.

38 concertS

Big ticket shows.

38 trIvIa nIGhtS

Find some friendly competition.

oddS & endS

39 rock ‘n’ roll croSSword

39 ken ken, word roundup

40 croSSword, Sudoku

41 SIGnS of lIfe, 7 lIttle wordS

42 newS of the weIrd

Above, Lady Thor and Captain America, at Kids Con New England 2016. Photo above and on the cover (also from Kids Con New England 2016) by Neil Young Photography.

Tuition help for preschool teachers

The Community College System of New Hampshire (CCSNH) and Granite State College (GSC) have partnered with the state’s Preschool Development Grant program to provide tuition reimbursement for qualifying students enrolled in Early Childhood Education (ECE) courses through 2023. According to a press release, the initiative aims to address workforce demands in the ECE field by covering full tuition for up to two classes per term for students enrolled in ECE courses at the state’s seven community colleges. The $500,000 award builds on an existing program at GSC, and grants are available to individuals working in licensed child care or out-of-school child care facilities in New Hampshire. Interested students can apply for the funds via the Preschool Development Tuition Assistance website, ccsnh.edu/ paying-for-college/preschool-development-tuition-assistance, which includes eligibility requirements, application timelines, eligible course lists and award specifications.

Help for school nurses

The Manchester School District has announced a new partnership with the Manchester Fire Department to help address the shortage of school nurses. According to a press release, the agreement, which is in effect from now until June 30, will allow Manchester Fire Department paramedics, advanced-EMTs and EMTs to volunteer as substitute school nurses when needed. Filling nursing positions has been a persistent issue for the School District, resulting in the use of external staffing agencies to fill the gaps. “We are grateful for this continued partnership with the Manchester Fire

Department,” Superintendent of Schools Jennifer Gillis said in the release. “While this agreement does not solve our long-term staffing concerns, it gives us flexibility and puts less of a strain on our staff nurses.”

The agreement does not allow the substitutes to provide one-to-one nursing services to students with special needs.

Historic sites

The New Hampshire Division of Historical Resources has selected three state-owned historic sites to spotlight during May as Historic Preservation Month. According to a press release, the sites are Endicott Rock in Laconia, which features inscriptions dated 1652 and is possibly the oldest public monument in New England; Fort Dearborn at Odiorne Point State Park in Rye, part of a chain of coastal defenses that protected Portsmouth Harbor and the Naval Shipyard during World War II; and Nansen Ski Jump in Milan, the largest ski jump in the eastern U.S. for more than 50 years and the site of the first U.S. ski jump Olympic trials in 1938. Visitors are encouraged to explore the sites on a self-guided basis, with accompanying activity sheets for each site available for download on the DHR’s website, which each feature a short crossword puzzle, suggested activities and facts about the sites.

The Division of Historical Resources has also installed a New Hampshire Historical Highway Marker honoring Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, “a well-known labor, women’s rights and civil liberties activist,” according to a press release. The marker is at the corner of Court and Montgomery Streets in downtown Concord, which is near the site of her birthplace in 1890, and

identifies her as “The Rebel Girl.” Propose a highway marker for significant New Hampshire places, people or events by submitting a petition of support signed by at least 20 state residents, a draft text of the marker with footnotes and supporting documentation and a location suggestion, the release said. Visit nh.gov/nhdhr for an interative map of all the state’s historical highway markers, the release said.

5K for Meals on Wheels

Meals on Wheels of Hillsborough County is holding its 4th annual Step up 5K Run-Walk on Saturday, May 27, at 9:30 a.m. at Mine Falls Park in Nashua to support its programs and services. According to a press release, Meals on Wheels of Hillsborough County has served more than 14.8 million meals since opening its doors in 1977 and currently provides an average of 7,000 meals a week to older and homebound adults throughout Hillsborough County. “Chances are pretty good that older adults in your community — maybe even someone in your neighborhood — is food insecure,” Jon Eriquezzo, president of Meals on Wheels of Hillsborough Coun ty, said in the release. “Beyond the delivery of healthy meals, our driv

The Sacred Ally Quilt exhibition, a collection of quilts that display the last words of George Floyd, will be on view at First Parish Church in dover (218 Central Ave.) from Wednesday, May 10, through Saturday, May 13. The exhibition was created by a coalition of nine New Hampshire United Church of Christ ministries to serve as “a visible symbol and a graphic reminder of the need for racial justice,” according to a press release. Viewing hours are 2 to 4 p.m. on Wednesday and Friday; 6 to 7 p.m., on Thursday; and 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday. An accompanying documentary by New Hampshire filmmaker Chris Owen, Stitch, Breathe, Speak: The George Floyd Quilts, will be screened on Thursday, May 11, at 7 p.m. Call 742-5664 or visit firstparishdover.org.

The hooksett Chamber of Commerce announced in a newsletter that it will host an inaugural Cornhole Tournament on Saturday, June 10, to raise funds for its scholarship program. More information and registration will be announced soon, according to the newsletter. Visit hooksettchamber.org or watch the Chamber’s Facebook page for updates.

Riley’s Place in Milford (29 Mount Vernon St.) will host a fundraiser in honor of Bob Dylan’s 82nd birthday on Wednesday, May 24, at 7 p.m., to benefit the Hidden Battles Foundation, a nonprofit that provides mental health support to military, veterans and first responders. According to a press release, the event will feature a number of local musicians, with Jeff Lawrence of Boston’s WMEX 1510 serving as Master of Ceremonies. Funds will be raised through a suggested donation at the door and throughout the evening. Email rileyscreamery@gmail.com for more information.

ers provide vital wellness checks and social connection for our participants. For about 59 percent of those we serve, the driver is the only visitor they have in a given week.” Participants in the 5K will have the option to run or walk the course or do a shorter route. There is also an opportunity to do a virtual race. To register, visit runsignup.com/Race/ NH/Nashua/HCMOW5k.

Interstate 93 road work

Interstate 93 southbound between Exit 10 in Hooksett and Exit 6 in Manchester for pavement rehabilitation. According to a press release from the New Hampshire Depart-

Elizabeth Gurley Flynn Historical Highway Marker. photo courtesy of N.H. Division of Historical Resources.

Erasing the stigma

May is Mental Health Awareness Month

Dr. Will Torrey, Chair of the Department of Psychiatry at Dartmouth Health, discusses Mental Health Awareness Month, efforts to reduce stigma surrounding mental health and resources available to individuals dealing with mental health issues in New Hampshire.

pose of Mental Health

The idea is tostanding of mental healthal public can know more about these common illnesses and geting us to help people get timely access to high-quality care. About 20 percent of us in the United States will have a psychiatric illness in any given year, and half of us will at some point during our lifetime. The point of Mental Health Awareness Month is to help engage people so that they’re more knowledgeable about their illnesses, can seek help when needed, and to broaden the coalition of people who are seeking to turn toward psychiatric and addictive difficulties with the same seriousness of purpose as we treat other illnesses, like cancer.

What initiatives is Dartmouth Health doing for Mental Health Awareness Month?

We’re excited to be hosting an exhibit at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center called “Deconstructing Stigma.” It aims to help people understand more about mental illness and to help people start or continue to deepen conversations about mental illness and its treatment. We also have a series called “Heads Up” that started last May and is ending this May and has included monthly articles on different facets of mental health and webinars on those topics. Our last webinar is coming out in May for Mental Health Awareness Month. These efforts aim to educate and foster discussions so that people can start to suffer less and do more together to make treatment more available.

What are the current strengths and weaknesses of mental health care in New Hampshire?

Across the nation, the big challenge is timely access to high-quality care. Covid-19 was a perfect storm in terms of stressors that bring out psychiatric illness. People had health worries, economic challenges, loss to death, social isolation, trouble with child care — all kinds of things that lead people to be more likely to exhibit signs and symptoms of psychiatric illness. At the same time, the health care system has been stressed because of worker shortages, and some of the core supports that had typically been available are less available. New Hampshire has struggled to meet the growing demand for mental health and substance use disorder care despite efforts to address the issues. It has excellent structure in its community mental health systems, but those are somewhat overwhelmed by the need for those services at this time. This is true for inpatient hos-

pitalization needs for children and adults and for general outpatient care. At all levels of the continuum of care, the need for services outstrips capacity.

What can be done to help reduce stigma around mental health and encourage more people to get help when they need it?

When I was growing up, breast cancer was highly stigmatized, and people wouldn’t talk about it. … It wasn’t something that you looked to get support from others for. Nowadays, people get support from their friends and family, and I don’t see any reason why we shouldn’t be in the same position with mental health care. That’s what we’re working toward: if someone develops depression, psychosis or posttraumatic stress disorder, they should be able to talk to their friends and family and have straightforward, well-organized pathways into care and support. … A lot of it has to do with creating community, advocating together and encouraging these conversations and having these conversations.

What can friends and family members do to support someone struggling with mental health issues?

The core messages are the same as we would give to anyone with any kind of illness — just be clear that you care about them and will be with them through this. Give the message of caring, support and hope. Family members can also get more education through organizations such as the National Alliance for Mental Illness. They offer support groups and courses so that people can learn more about psychiatric illness and be more helpful to their loved ones or friends living with these illnesses.

What resources are available to people struggling with mental health issues in New Hampshire?

First and foremost, if you’re in crisis, you can call the national number 988, which can guide you to the appropriate care. Additionally, New Hampshire has mobile crisis units that can help resolve a crisis situation directly, often without [resulting in] hospitalization. Emergency rooms are always open for real crisis times. You can access mental health care through your community mental health system, or you can go to the Psychology Today website … and it will tell you which providers in your local area accept your type of insurance. Finally, if you’re employed, your employer may have an employee assistance program that can provide you with information about resources and support that are available to you. —

Angie Sykeny

Dr. Will Torrey. Courtesy photo.

Rappa-Mannion, APRN, FNP-BC Manchester

The week that was

The Big Story: There are actually three. (1) The shocking end to the Bruins’ magical season. (2) The Celtics moving on to Round 2 of the NBA playoffs after barely surviving a major scare from the 41-41 Atlanta Hawks in a series that wasn’t supposed to be that tough. (3) The Patriots’ choices in the NFL draft, showing more evidence Bill Belichick has slipped from his perch as the smartest guy in football.

Sports 101: Since the AFL-NFL merger in 1966 the Patriots have had the first overall pick in the NFL draft four times. Name the players they selected.

News Item – Celtics Up and Down vs. Atlanta: There were highs in the series to be sure. Most notably how dominant they were in the first halves of games 1 and 2, and most importantly the poise showed in the face of a raucous, hostile crowd over the final four minutes to close out a sensational series in Game 6 on the road in Atlanta. But their infuriating inability to stay focused with big leads also returned in games 1 and 2 and when they were overrun by Trae Young while blowing the lead with mistakes in the final minutes of their Game 5 loss. But two games into their Round 2 playoff series with the 76ers let’s hope they’ve cleaned up their appalling lack of boxing out and woeful weak side 3-point defense that Atlanta murdered them with in the last three games.

News Item – Panthers Shock Bruins: Short of a ball going through your first baseman’s legs at the moment of truth, it’s hard to imagine a worse way to be eliminated from the playoffs than how the Bruins were on Sunday night by Florida.

One minute away from looking like they had survived blowing a 3-1 series lead to an 8-seed they coughed up the game-tying goal by Brandon Montour to send it to OT tied 3-3. And with karma gone the magical season somehow ended 8:56 into OT when Carter Verhaeghe sent the SRO crowd into the night crushed and wondering what might have been.

News Item – Coach B On The Slide: They say the worst thing you can do is chase needs by reaching for players at position of need ahead of more talented players on your draft board. Normally I agree, especially for the dynasty Patriots, who rarely had immediate holes to fill.

But not this year. They went into this draft with one need above all else: to find out whether Mac Jones is or is not the QB of the future. And to do that they needed to give him help to improve 2022’s fourth-worst offense in football. Specifically that meant getting a solid left tackle to improve his protection and a game-changing wideout to open things up on offense.

Yet the ever stubborn, now-living-in-a-2004time-bubble Bill Belichick used his picks in the first three rounds, where impact players most

often come from, on defense. To, I guess, combat the AFC East now having three dynamic passing attacks. While not taking even one guy who was a full-time tackle in college among his 12 picks and no wide receiver until Round 6.

I get that reaching is bad and those two big needs are hard to come by. But if he hadn’t cheaped out on Orlando Brown in free agency, when the Bengals added him to protect the blind side of their young QB, they could have given up the top of their draft to get the game changer. Or he could have traded up to get ahead of the run on tackles they liked.

All of which shows that Coach B is living in the defense-dominates NFL past, which is what got all the great coaches I’ve seen (Shula, Landry, Noll) at their end.

Thumbs Up – Malcolm Brogdon: Being named NBA 6th Man of the Year after finally giving the Celtics a game-changer off their bench is a well earned honor.

Word of the Week – ‘Ironic’: Hard to come up with a better word for Joe Dumars, who played on the dirtiest team in NBA history, being the guy handing out the punishment for Draymond Green. Not that Joe played like that, but most of his teammates with the ’80s-’90s Pistons did and the league let them get away with it. And now he’s the warden.

Random Playoff Thoughts:

Love the old-school NBA every-other-day schedule for the first six games of the Philly series.

You’d think Charles Barkley would learn after being almost always wrong making predictions. But there he was again guaranteeing Sacramento would “whomp” defending champ Golden State in Game 5 of their playoff series. Then after they lost Game 5 he doubled down for Game 7. But sorry, Charles, wrong again. They lost by 20.

I’d call the Mavericks passing on reasonable money for their own guy Jalen Brunson last summer in lieu of having to now give Kyrie Irving a bigger amount this summer, along with their only two good defenders and a future first-round pick, a colossal mistake.

Brunson was a key to finally lifting the Knicks to a new level, while the Mavs went from the 5-seed out West when he arrived, to missing the playoffs entirely in just 23 games.

The Numbers:

50 – all-time NBA record for points scored in a deciding Game 7 playoff series by Steph Curry Sunday when the Warriors eliminated Sacramento with a decisive 120-100 win.

Sports 101 Answer: The Patriots’ four first overall picks were Jim Plunkett (1971), Kenneth Sims (82), Irving Fryar (84) and Drew Bledsoe (93).

Final Thought – Round 2 Picks: Denver over Phoenix in 7, Golden State over L.A. in 6, Celtics over Philly in 7, Miami over N.Y. in 6.

nutritious nibbles

qual IT y O f l I f E IN d E x

Girls work

Girls at Work, a Manchester-based nonprofit that empowers girls through teaching them to build and use tools, was slated to hold its second job fair for high school girls on Tuesday, May 2, and Wednesday, May 3. According to a press release, the first job fair, held last November, was organized by two local high school girls following their experience at a construction job fair where they felt they were not taken seriously. The second fair was expanded from one day to two days and featured twice as many businesses, with indoor and outdoor booths. Girls from Manchester, Goffstown and some area charter schools were invited to attend.

QOL score: +1

Comment: In January, following the inaugural job fair, U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan recognized the young organizers, Kaylee Richard of Manchester and Samantha Grenier of Goffstown, as Granite Staters of the Month. “I admire Kaylee and Samantha for taking the initiative to make a difference in their community and empower women to explore their career options,” Hassan said in a statement for the Congressional Record. “It’s important that young Granite State women were able to see themselves in the women professionals they talked to and envision their career paths accordingly. Their courage in tackling the issue and making New Hampshire a more inclusive place is emblematic of the Granite State spirit.”

New to the field and winning

Rainbow Veggie Wrap

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

1 Cedar’s® Whole Wheat Wrap

2-3 Tbsp. Cedar’s® Hommus (Flavor of choice – suggest Zesty Lemon or Roasted Red Pepper)

6 slices cold cooked beets or Hannaford No Salt Added Canned Sliced Beets

1/4 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

1/4 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced

1/2 cup Fresh Express® Baby Spinach

1/4 cup matchstick carrots

1/3 Avocado from Mexico®, sliced

Directions:

1. Lay wrap on a flat surface. Spread with hommus and layer beets, peppers, spinach, carrots, and avocado.

2. Fold in sides of wrap and roll tightly. Cut in half and secure each half with a toothpick

Dietitians’ Tips:

1. To increase protein, pair with Good Culture® Cottage Cheese or add legumes, like black beans when creating the wrap.

2. Don't forget to hydrate! Make your drink match your wrap by adding a rainbow of fruits to your favorite Smartwater® variety.

Nutritional Information (utilizing Cedar's Roasted Red Pepper Hommus)

Amount per serving: Calories 370 ; Total Fat 7 g; Saturated Fat 1 g; Cholesterol 5 mg; Sodium 820 mg; Total Carbohydrate 66 g; Dietary Fiber 6 g; Total Sugars 11 g; Added Sugar 0 g; Protein 13 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.

NHTI community college in Concord made history at the 2023 United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) Men’s and Women’s Track and Field Invitational, held on April 29 in Springfield, Mass. In the women’s events, Natalie Riley won second place in the discus, setting a new school record with a throw of 34.41 meters and placing fifth in the shot put with a 9.72-meter throw, making her the first Track and Field conference champion in school history. Hannah Edgerly also set a new school record in the 1,500-meter race with a time of 6:09.12 and a 14th-place finish. In the men’s events, Jahlen Buckmire set a new school record in triple jump, finishing eighth with 11.54 meters.

QOL score: +1

Comment: The Track and Field program at NHTI is in its second season. “Our athletes put in an incredible effort and showcased their talents against tough competition,” Ed Winters, NHTI’s athletics director, said in the release. “The records and medal won by our athletes are a testament to their dedication and hard work.”

Hold on to your e-wallets

A recent analysis conducted by Secure Data Recovery showed that New Hampshire is the state most affected by shopping scams. Using Google search trend data from all 50 states, the study revealed that the rate of internet searches about scams among New Hampshire residents was 43 percent higher than the national average. Facebook emerged as the brand most frequently associated with scams in the state.

QOL score: -1

Comment: The study also noted that the top three states affected by shopping scams — New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Vermont — all have higher median incomes than the national average and suggests that scammers may be targeting individuals with disposable income.

QOL score: 71

Net change: +1

QOL this week: 72

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

Let us know at news@hippopress.com.

Try incorporating a rainbow of colorful fruits and vegetables into your daily meal plan to enjoy the variety of benefits each have to offer.

NHTI athletes at the 2023 USCAA Men’s and Women’s Track and Field Invitational. Courtesy photo.

This Week

Thursday, May 4

Get ready for tacos! Taco Tour

Manchester returns to Elm Street downtown today from 4 to 8 p.m., featuring more than 90 participating restaurants, food trucks and other businesses selling all-you-can-eat creative takes on tacos for $3 apiece (cash only). Visit tacotourmanchester.com to download the recently released Taco Tour map, and be sure to vote on your favorite taco by the end of the event.

Thursday, May 4

The New Hampshire Fisher Cats continue their home stand tonight at Northeast Delta Dental Stadium (1 Line Drive, Manchester) against the Harrisburg Senators — first pitch is at 6:35 p.m., and a special Atlas Fireworks show will immediately follow the conclusion of the game. The team has other games scheduled from Friday, May 5, through Sunday, May 7, before they hit the road next week to take on the Reading Fightin Phils. See nhfishercats.com for the full schedule and to purchase tickets.

Big EvEnts May 4 and BEyond

Saturday, May 6

Registration is now open for the second annual Run the Rail Trail 5-Miler road race, taking off from the Aviation Museum of New Hampshire (27 Navigator Road, Londonderry) today at 9 a.m. The course includes a 1-mile forested path through undeveloped land and a scenic stretch of the newest portion of the Londonderry Rail Trail, according to a press release. Race day registration is $35, with proceeds benefiting the museum’s youth education programs. Visit nhahs.org/ events to register.

Saturday, May 6

Join the Nashua Historical Society in welcoming author Andrew Noone, who will present his book Bathsheba Spooner: A Revolutionary Murder, today at 3 p.m. at the Florence H. Speare Museum (5 Abbott St., Nashua). The talk will explore the saga of New England’s most notorious crime of the American Revolution, according to a press release. Admission is free and open to the public. See nashuahistoricalsociety.org for more details.

Sunday, May 7

The New Hampshire Fiddle Ensemble makes a stop at the Derryfield School (2108 River Road, Manchester) today at 2 p.m. — the community orchestra of fiddles, guitars, banjos, mandolins, basses, harps, cellos and even some horns is backed by professionals delivering “a heartwarming and energetic performance,” according to a press release. Advance tickets are $16 for adults, $14 for seniors and students and free for kids

ages 8 and under. Tickets are $2 extra on the day of the event. See nhfiddleensemble.org.

Wednesday, May 10

New Hampshire Humanities presents Storytelling on Film: A Screening of Lost Boundaries, tonight at Red River Theatres (11 S. Main St., Concord) from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Based on the true story of Dr. Albert Johnston, a Black man and his family who passed as white in early 20th-century Keene, Lost Boundaries “illustrates New Hampshire’s complicated history of racial passing,” according to a press release.

Professor Emeritus of Keene State College, is a featured presenter at the screening. Admission is free, but registration is required. Register online at redrivertheatres.org.

Save the date!

Saturday, May 20

Grease up those bike gears and get ready to pedal through the back roads of Francestown and nearby towns on Saturday, May 20. The Tour de Francestown is a recreational bike ride that offers 25-mile and 50-mile options of mostly gravel roads. The online registration deadline is 5 p.m. on Thursday, May 18, and there is a total registration limit of 200 riders. The registration fee — $45 for the 25-mile, $60 for the 50-mile — covers entry, beverage stops, and post-ride eats; extra family and friend meal tickets are available for $5 or $10. Proceeds will go toward preserving the Francestown Old Meeting House. Helmets are required. For more information and to register, visit www.bikereg.com/the-tour-de-francestown.

Lawrence Benaquist,

A lifetime of PREVENTION starts with one visit.

Jacquelyn Hyde, MD Primary Care - South Nashua

Jonathan Sixon, MD Family Medicine - Milford

Loretta Chou, MD Pediatrics - South Nashua

Sara Shipley, APRN Primary Care - Nashua

2022 Taco Tour. Photo courtesy of Ethos & Able Creative.

SuperheroSEASON

CElEbratE frEE ComiC book day!

kids gEt tHEir own ComiC Con!

popCorn moviEs Hit tHE sCrEEns!

More than just free comics

Comic shops are going all out for Free Comic Book Day

By Katelyn Sahagian ksahagian@hippopress.com

Those who love Marvel, DC, Star Wars, graphic novels and other pop culture powerhouses should be gearing up to celebrate one of the biggest days in comic book culture: Free Comic Book Day, which returns on Saturday, May 6, at participating venues across the Granite State.

In downtown Rochester, for example, fans can find all sorts of goodies, giveaways, freebies and more across 24 shops.

“At this point, the event has become something the city is known for, and [people] know it as Rochester’s Free Comic Book Day festival,” said Ralph DiBernardo, owner of Jetpack Comics and Games.

This is the 15th year that Jetpack has partnered with the city to put on the festival. The first year, the shop had 800 customers, and the event’s popularity grew each year.

After three years of success, DiBernardo wanted to include the rest of the city for a chance to really let Rochester shine.

“I wanted my customers [to] see what else Rochester had to offer,” he said. “The Main Street Program is super supportive of our store and we got started, wrapped them into [the day] and they help us promote and turn [Free Comic Book Day] into a citywide event.”

DiBernardo said the event is family-friend-

free Comic Book day

Saturday, May 6

Find more participating stores as well as a preview of some of the comics at freecomicbookday. com.

• Double Midnight Comics (252 Willow St., Manchester, 669-9636; 341 Loudon Road, Concord, 715-2683; dmcomics.com); 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Concord, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Manchester

• Jetpack Comics & Games (37 N. Main St., Rochester, 330-9363, jetpackcomics.com); 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., costume contest at 4 p.m., after party until 11 p.m.

• Merrymac Comics and Games (550 Daniel Webster Hwy., Merrimack, 420-8161, merrymacgc.com); 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

ly. He said it’s important to him to have the day be inclusive. Features range from special collectibles at different locations — including a special Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comic book cover, created especially for Jetpack Comics and Games — to a costume contest at 4 p.m.

In addition to the events, there will be a beer garden and food truck area set up. After the costume contest, DiBernardo said, visitors can close out the night with an afterparty until 11 p.m.

While Rochester has a citywide con lined up, Double Midnight Comics will have two smaller conventions at each of its locations in Manchester and Concord — both will feature local artists, vendors, writers and representatives from Kids Con New England providing activities for pintsized comic buffs.

Co-owner Scott Proulx said this year will be bigger than ever before for the Manchester shop, inside The Factory on Willow.

“This year we’re gearing up and we have more space to work with,” he said. “Next to us, at the Factory, we rented out an event space to have artists from all over the area, and a few guest creators that are published writers and artists.”

Double Midnight will also have food trucks and a costume contest with prizes for each of the age groups.

While Double Midnight Comics in Manchester is going all out, the Concord location is a smaller affair. It will still have activities provided by Kids Con New England, but there won’t be a miniature comic convention. The shop will have an open house, with deals and discounts on a lot of their stock, as well as all of the comics that are being released for free by major companies, Proulx said.

Proulx said it was important to him, as someone who grew up reading comics, to connect with kids and younger fans. Having organizers of Kids Con New England there to supply activities not only encourages kids to read, but also reminds them that they have a community in the comic world.

“I remember growing up, I loved comics as a kid, but [they weren’t] mainstream,” Proulx said. “But now … it’s cool to see that there’s something for everybody out there.”

Getting into character

A conversation with a local cosplayer

What is your favorite thing about cosplaying?

My favorite part about cosplaying is just the sheer energy of interacting with kids or the people who aren’t cosplaying or even other people who are cosplaying. There are few better feelings than having kids and adults alike smile and light up seeing one of their favorite characters right in front of them. In a lot of instances, those kids truly believe you are that character.

J. Jester, a professional cosplayer based in New Hampshire, will appear at Kids Con New England, at the Douglas N. Everett Arena (15 Loudon Road, Concord) on Saturday, May 13. He will be cosplaying as Nightwing, one of the heroes in the Batman universe. Jester, who chose to go by his stage name for this interview, has been a cosplayer for eight years.

What is cosplaying?

Essentially cosplay is a word of two words: “costume” and “play.” Dressing up as someone is one thing, but a lot of cosplayers will also emanate the character. So it’s almost like a costume party plus theater.

How did you get started with it?

I got into cosplaying to become part of something bigger than myself. I was doing some soul-searching at the time and found cosplay and doing charity work through it. Some people I’ve met have gone into it looking to become well-known. Other people I know have gotten into it because they have a passion for art.

What is your favorite cosplay?

In the beginning I had, for about six years, I had … cosplayed [as] the Joker from Batman: The Animated Series. Over time, though, I retired that character. I’d have to say it would be Joker, just because of the memories I have with that costume.

What advice would you give someone who’s never cosplayed before but wants to try it out?

Advice I would give is to just give it a shot. My first costume was literally just a denim jacket and an Ash Ketchum T-shirt with a giant Pikachu plush. Everybody starts somewhere and you can dress up however you want. Cosplay has no real limitations outside of one’s own imagination, so I would say just go for it. The only thing that can hold you back is yourself at that point. That’s the advice somebody gave me a while back.

What is some etiquette for people meeting cosplayers?

Rule of thumb is that cosplay is not consent. You’ll actually hear or see that a lot at conventions, or at least in the community. The reason being is just because somebody is dressed as a particular character, there’s still a person behind that character. At one point, someone wanted a photo of me [as the Joker] and Harley drinking from the same drink with two different straws. And sometimes those requests will pan out. But other times it is one of those etiquette things — you wouldn’t want somebody coming up and interrupting you while you’re trying to just sit down and eat as a normal person. So it’s always good to ask.

— Katelyn Sahagian

Photo above and on the cover from Kids Con New England 2016 by Neil Young Photography

J. Jester, as Nightwing. Courtesy photo.

Just for kids

Kids Con New England celebrates comic books & literacy

By Katelyn Sahagian ksahagian@hippopress.com

With the last decade came the rise of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the widespread acceptance of comic books, superheroes and other more niche genres of movies and reading materials.

What didn’t come with all that popularity was a lot of spaces for kids, said Emily Drouin, the creator of Kids Con New England.

“When I was tabling at events in 2013, I felt the need for there to be more kids’ activities and a family-friendly space,” Drouin said. “Lots of times at cons, not everything is for kids. You might [have] more mature and adult-themed comics. Being a kids’ creator, I wanted to gather more kids’ creators. I thought it would be fun to help and have a kids’ focus.”

Drouin, who works as an illustrator, writer and comic creator for the children’s genre, set out to build a convention that would put an emphasis on children first. She gathered together fellow children’s book writers and illustrators to build an event where kids would be at the center.

Kids Con New England

Where: Douglas N. Everett Arena, 15 Loudon Road, Concord

When: Saturday, May 13, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Cost: $12 for visitors ages 5 and older, $10 for seniors ages 65 and older and for veterans, and free for kids ages 5 and under Visit: kidsconne.com

In 2016 she hosted the first Kids Con, which was extremely well-received. This year’s convention will have more than 100 vendors and creators. Some of the creators will be nationally celebrated children’s creators like Will Murray, creator of Squirrel Girl; Jeff Kline, who produced G.I. Joe and Dragon Tales; and anime and video game voice actress Christina Costello.

“It’s pretty awesome getting to meet creators up close,” Drouin said. “Now you can meet them [and] get autographs. We encourage kids to bring sketchbooks for tips and advice and to share work with others. It’s a great way to make friends too, through workshops and kids playing.”

In addition to the usual convention activities, like meet-and-greets with creators and cosplayers, the event has workshops for kids to learn everything from how to fight like a Jedi to getting started making their own comics. A local Boy Scouts troop will have an area set up for visitors to play video games and learn other outdoor activities. There will also be a few food trucks.

To Drouin, Kids Con New England is a way to encourage kids to have pride in owning the things they like, whether it’s princesses, superheroes or video games.

“It’s exciting to live out my own childhood as an adult again,” she said. “You feel like you’re a kid again when you come to these things. It’s great too for parents passing down the geekdom to their kids, and the kids living out their fantasies in the superhero world and meeting them.”

Mother’s day special now thru May 13

Our gift to you- $5 gift certificate when you make a purchase over $10. choose from our Eclectic Assortment of wares, collectibles, Jewelry, Primitive, Farmhouse, Shabby, Cottage, Mid Century and More.

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70 High St. Hampton, NH (across from Shane’s BBQ) CC, VENMO. CONTACT 603-793-2620

Photo courtesy of Kids Con New England.

Roll the film

Local movie theaters looking forward to a strong summer

By Matt Ingersoll mingersoll@hippopress.com

A schedule filled with major film releases in the coming months has local movie theaters optimistic that it will be a strong summer, as the industry continues to recover post-pandemic.

Global box office numbers have already bounced back in a big way so far this year, driven in part by the success of The Super Mario Bros. Movie — that’s according to data from London-based film tech company Gower Street Analytics, which announced on April 23 it has increased its 2023 projections to $32 billion, up from a $29 billion estimate in December.

The announcement came on the eve of CinemaCon, an annual four-day movie theater industry convention in Las Vegas. Regional operations manager Jessica Robitaille of Apple Cinemas, which has two theaters, in Merrimack and Hooksett, attended this year’s convention.

“This summer is jam packed with a lot of really great movies that are coming out this year,” Robitaille said. “Pretty much every week this summer we’re going to have a fairly decent title … and a lot of these are strictly theatrical releases with lots of people wanting to see them. … I’ve noticed too that children’s movies do very well for us, and I think that’s because there’s not quite as many that get released in theaters as there may be once was. In the summer, of course, we do tend to see an uptick in families on a day-to-day basis instead of just on the weekends.”

Apple Cinemas took over two of the three former Cinemagic locations in the Granite State in the summer of 2021, just months after that chain announced it was shutting them down permanently.

“We took 2022 as an opportunity to really develop [our locations in] Hooksett and Merrimack, to give them a more modernized look,” said Robitaille, who had previously worked at Cinemagic. “They’ve got full recliners now in Merrimack, and a beautiful self-serve lobby with new floors, new paint and all of that, and there’s plans as well for a bar in the future. … It’s got to be an experience these days. It can’t just be the hour-and-a-half, two hours to see a movie. People really need to feel like they are having a nice time out and getting that experience.”

Chunky’s Cinema Pub, with locations in Manchester, Nashua and Pelham, has similarly transformed their theaters into hubs for all kinds of special events over the last few years, from comedy nights and drag shows to scratch ticket bingo nights and even farm-to-table dinners.

“If we just think of our rooms as a room with four walls, comfortable seating and big-screen capabilities, any idea is on the table,” Chunky’s marketing director Mike Mannetta said. Even though many of Chunky’s non-mov-

ie event ideas came out of the pandemic and will continue this summer, Mannetta said the upcoming schedule of film releases looks to be a solid one. He expects The Super Mario Bros. Movie, already out for a month, to stay on their lineup of featured films for much if not all of the summer, and also predicts the June 30 release of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny as among those to perform the best.

“The inventory is getting better and better, and the quality is getting better and better also,” Mannetta said. “I think that studios are learning that cinema is still the best format for movie releases, and I mean, for Mario, you have people coming back multiple times. They’re seeing it in 2D but then they are coming back to check out how it looks in 3D.”

Caitlin Piper is the director of public relations for Cinemark Theatres, which operates 320 locations nationwide, including one next to The Mall at Rockingham Park in Salem. She said the sheer number of slated theatrical-only films has been on a steady increase year over year since 2020, with this year’s scheduled films already surpassing the overall number seen in 2022.

“It’s still about 20 percent off, roughly, from a pre-pandemic year, but we’re still feeling incredibly strong about it,” Piper said. “It’s really those production cycles that just need to catch up again. … A typical movie production cycle is about two to four years, depending on the scale of the movie, and that’s the reason why the industry is still in a bit of a transition, is because of all of those pauses in the production cycles that had to happen during Covid.”

Beginning June 19, Cinemark is bringing back its Summer Movie Clubhouse program, featuring an eight-week schedule of previously released children’s and family-friendly films for $1.50 per ticket in addition to some discounts on snacks and drinks.

“It’s all of those more fun, recent animated family films, so we’ve got Minions: The Rise of Gru, Sonic the Hedgehog, Mummies [and] The Bad Guys,” Piper said. “[They are] films that aren’t still in theaters but maybe not everyone got to see them, or they did and loved them and mom and dad are thrilled to bring them back to the theaters for a few hours to watch them again.”

O’neil Cinemas in Epping is also bringing back its summer kids’ series, which will run every Monday and Wednesday throughout July and August. That lineup of films is expected to be finalized by the end of this month, according to marketing manager Loni Dirksen.

“They are all mostly animated, some that were just in theaters within the past 12 months and then some that we had a few years ago, but all

previous releases,” Dirksen said. “We get a lot of summer camps that bring a field trip group in to go see these movies, and it’s a great way to spend a rainy day in the summer to just get out of the house and still have some fun.”

The Milford Drive-In reopened for the season the weekend of April 15. It’s currently open on Fridays and Saturdays only but will expand to seven days a week by the start of the summer, said Barry Scharmett, whose family has run the venue since 1969.

“If all the movies that are coming out do the business that we think they’re going to do, then I think it’s going to be an excellent season for us,” Scharmett said. “The thing is, people are out, and they are coming out more and more, which is a great sign.”

In Concord, the independent nonprofit Red River Theatres has a full schedule of its own special screenings this summer, according to executive director Angie Lane. Their “Fan Favorites” series kicks off with a showing of Star Wars: A New Hope on Thursday, May 4, for Star Wars Day, and costumes are encouraged. It will be followed by a sing-along of Little Shop of Horrors on May 13, a quote-along of The Princess Bride on June 10 and a special “fan night” of The Big Lebowski on June 15. Beginning with a showing of 50 First Dates during Intown Concord’s Market Days Festival on June 22, Red River Theatres will also hold a series of free outdoor screenings — others on the schedule will take place at area parks, including The Explorers at Memorial Field on July 12, The Rescuers Down Under at Rollins Park on Aug. 9 and The Nightmare Before Christmas at Keach Park on Oct. 20.

Red River Theatres did receive crucial funding in 2021 from the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant, but continues to be open only Thursday through Sunday. Lane said the goal is to eventually get the theater back open and showing films seven days a week.

“I would say for the first time in the last three or four years we’ve actually been able to foresee a future where we’re going to be expanding operations once we are able to staff up, because that’s the other side of it, is the hiring,” Lane said. “I’m very optimistic about the future, but I’m definitely very realistic in that it’s going to take a lot of work, and a lot of investment on the part of our community to make sure that it happens.”

Visit the movie theater

Catch a movie this summer at one of these local theaters, several of which are also holding special events, exclusive kid-friendly or 21+ screenings and more.

AMC Theatres

16 Orchard View Drive, Londonderry, 434-

8715; 440 Middlesex Road, Tyngsborough, Mass., 978-6494158; amctheatres.com

One of the largest movie theater chains in the world, AMC Theatres has more than 600 locations across the country, including one in Londonderry and another just over the state line, in Tyngsborough, Mass.

Apple Cinemas

11 Executive Park Drive, Merrimack, 6963200; 38 Cinemagic Way, Hooksett, 868-6200; applecinemas.com

Just months after Cinemagic permanently closed all its theaters in February 2021, Apple Cinemas took over the shuttered chain’s Merrimack and Hooksett locations. Both underwent renovations in 2022, and films at the Hooksett theater are also available to view in IMAX.

Chunky’s Cinema Pub

707 Huse Road, Manchester, 206-3888; 151 Coliseum Ave., Nashua, 880-8055; 150 Bridge St., Pelham, 635-7499; chunkys.com

The local movie theater chain is unique for also featuring a full dinner menu and bar, as well as maintaining a regular schedule of events from comedy nights and drag shows to scratch ticket bingo nights, exclusive 21+ film screenings and more.

Cinemark Theatres

15 Mall Road, Salem, 890-7111, cinemark. com

Cinemark operates about 320 theaters nationwide, including one a stone’s throw away from The Mall at Rockingham Park in Salem that opened in late 2019. Beginning June 19, Cinemark will run its Summer Movie Clubhouse program, featuring an eight-week schedule of previously released children’s and family-friendly films for $1.50 per ticket. See the website for the full list of films, which includes Sonic the Hedgehog (2020, PG), The Bad Guys (2022, PG) and Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (2022, PG), among others.

Milford Drive-In

531 Elm St., Milford, 673-4090, milforddrivein.com

Owned and operated by the Scharmett family since 1969, the Milford Drive-In is the only remaining drive-in movie theater in southern New Hampshire. The drive-in reopened for the season on April 14 and is currently open on Fridays and Saturdays only, but will be open seven days a week by the start of the summer.

O’neil Cinemas

24 Calef Hwy., Epping, 679-3529, oneilcinemas.com

O’neil Cinemas owns two movie theaters, one of which is in Epping’s Brickyard Square. On

from Guardians to Equalizer

A look at the summer movie schedule

By Amy Diaz adiaz@hippopress.com

As it so often has, summer begins with Marvel. The latest Marvel Cinematic Universe movie, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, has the Friday, May 5, release slot, which has become the start of the movie’s summer season (which ends, more or less, with Labor Day weekend). The last few years, of course, have not had normal summers at the movies — almost no movies were released in the summer of 2020 and there were weeks in 2021 and even last year where in-theater-only new releases were slim pickings. This summer’s calendar has filled out with lots of franchise films and a few original-idea movies with potential. With all the usual notes about schedules (as gleaned from IMDb, along with cast details) being subject to change, here are some of the films hoping to entice you to the theater this summer:

• Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (May 5) There’s a real “last ride” vibe to the trailers, not that that means anything in this world of immortal IP but I hope that the movie puts story over franchise a bit and gives a nice sense of closure to this fun, knockabout corner of the MCU.

• Book Club: The Next Chapter (May 12) Jane Fonda, Diane Keaton, Mary Steenburgen and Candice Bergen return for this sequel, which you gotta respect for that foursome if nothing else.

• Fast X (May 19) Allegedly, this will be the second to last of what Wikipedia calls the series’ main installment (could we still get another Hobbs & Shaw someday? Please?). The most important facts: Jason Momoa is some kind of villain, and in the trailers his styling is delightfully bonkers. Helen Mirren returns and I love everything about her character. Rita Moreno plays Vin Diesel’s character’s grandmother and I love that Moreno is in this goofy franchise.

• The Little Mermaid (May 26) These live-action Disney situations are settling in to a real “meh” place, but the casting here — Halle Bailey, Melissa McCarthy, Javier Bardem, Daveed Diggs, Awkwafina — offers something. Plus, it’s Memorial Day weekend and it offers more than two hours of kid-friendly air-conditioned entertainment.

• You Hurt My Feelings (May 26) Nicole Holofcener wrote and directed this movie starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus — a chef’s kiss combination (see also Enough Said).

• Spider-Man: Across the Spider-verse (June 2) The Spider-verse we’re returning to here is the animated, Phil Lord & Christopher Miller (and Dave Callaham)-penned version featuring Miles Morales at its center.

• Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (June 9) According to IMDb, one of the humans of this live action deal is played by Anthony Ramos and the movie is set in 1994 .

• The Flash (June 16) Look, I’m not going to lie — reading the “DCEU morphs into the DCU” stuff on Wikipedia does not make me look forward to this bit of leftover Snyderverse-ness. However. Michael Keaton does show up as an alternate-universe Batman.

• Elemental (June 16) Pixar’s latest animated feature has fun visuals, based on its trailers, that make clever use of its fire, water and earth characters.

• Asteroid City (June 23) Wes Anderson directs and Anderson and Roman Coppola wrote this movie with a packed cast (Jason Schwartzman, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Hanks, Jeffrey Wright, Tilda Swinton, Edward Norton) and visuals, based on the trailer, that call to mind not just Anderson’s usual jewel-box symmetry but also a mid-century postcard.

• Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (June

Continued on pg 14

May 13 & 14

30) The trailer and general existence of this movie fill me with a cold dread. Starring Harrison Ford.

• Harold and the Purple Crayon (June 30) For the “air-conditioned thing do do” aspect if nothing else, I’m, always excited for a mid-summer kid movie.

• Joy Ride (July 7) Just go watch the trailer and then try to tell me that this comedy about 20-somethings on a road trip isn’t a welcome palate-cleanser from the franchise movie schedule.

• Insidious: The Red Door (July 7) According to Wikipedia this is the fifth movie in the Insidious franchise and a direct sequel to the second movie with the Lambert family (Patrick Wilson and Rose Byrne). Fun fact: the fourth movie was released two centuries ago in 2017.

• Mission Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One (July 14) The pandemic-filmed Tom Cruise movie (No. 7 in this series, apparently) finally sees the light of day. I can’t personally tell one Mission Impossible from another and have no emotional connection to any of the characters (except maybe Simon Pegg and Ving Rhames) and yet I always have fun.

• Barbie (July 21) Directed and co-written by Greta Gerwig! Greta! Gerwig! Like, tell me nothing else and I’m in! The trailers, with Margot Robbie as a Barbie Prime, are pretty great too.

• Oppenheimer (July 21) In a, like, matter/ anti-matter bit of movie scheduling, this Christopher Nolan movie about Robert Oppenheimer (he of the “I am become death etc.” atomic bomb development) opens the same weekend as the candy-colored Barbie

• Haunted Mansion (July 28) The Disney ride gets another movie adaptation, written by

Continued froM pg 12

Mondays and Wednesdays in July and August, O’neil Cinemas hosts its annual summer kids series, featuring a schedule of previously released children’s and family-friendly films for $3 per ticket. According to marketing manager Loni Dirksen, that lineup of films is expected to be finalized by the end of May.

Red River Theatres

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

A nonprofit independent cinema, Red River Theatres opened its doors in 2007 and operates three screens in the lower level of downtown Concord’s Capital Commons. Beginning with a screening of 50 First Dates (2004, PG-13) on Thursday, June 22, during Intown Concord’s Market Days Festival, Red River Theatres will present a schedule of free outdoor movies at area parks that start at dusk. They will also hold a “Fan Favorites” series in May and June, starting with a showing of Star Wars: A New Hope (1977, PG) on Thursday, May 4, at 7 p.m., for Star Wars Day. Costumes are encouraged and prizes will be awarded for the best.

Regal Cinemas

282 Loudon Road, Concord; 45 Gosling Road, Newington; 844-462-7342, regmovies.

Katie Dippold (writer of the totally fun 2016 Ghostbusters and the Sandra Bullock/Melissa McCarthy buddy cop comedy The Heat), and with a cast list that includes Rosario Dawson, LaKeith Stanfield, Owen Wilson, Winona Ryder, Tiffany Haddish, Jamie Lee Curtis, Hasan Minhaj and Danny DeVito.

• The Meg 2: The Trench (Aug. 4) Looking back at my review of the first giant-shark movie The Meg, which apparently came out in 2018 (though it feels so much longer ago than that), I was apparently disappointed that it wasn’t as dumb-fun as I’d hoped. But I feel that the ensuing everything has dramatically lowered my standards (see my review of this year’s Plane) and so I have some optimism for this movie, which once again stars Jason Statham.

• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (Aug. 4) The Dover-born turtles get an animated outing with a fun line-up of voices: Seth Rogen, Rose Byrne, Paul Rudd, John Cena, Maya Rudolph, Ice Cube, Hannibal Buress and Jackie Chan, among others.

• Blue Beetle (Aug. 18) Here’s a DC property I’m genuinely looking forward to. Xolo Maridueña, who does some solid goofball work on Cobra Kai, is the young adult kid person being surprise-superheroed here, with Susan Sarandon playing what the trailers suggest is the villain.

• The Equalizer 3 (Sept. 1) Director Antoine Fuqua and actor Denzel Washington reteam for Part 3 of the adventures of (movie) Robert McCall. I have enjoyed the past two outings and, should you be looking for low-impact stuff to watch at home this summer, I am also a fan of TV’s (Robin) McCall, as played by Queen Latifah in CBS’s current TV show The Equalizer

com

Regal Cinemas operates more than 500 theaters in 42 states nationwide, according to its website — two are in the Granite State, in Concord and Newington.

Smitty’s Cinema

630 W. Main St., Tilton, 286-3275, smittyscinema.com

The Maine-based Smitty’s Cinema operates one New Hampshire location in Tilton, where a full dinner menu and bar are also available.

Wilton Town Hall Theatre

40 Main St., Wilton, 654-3456, wiltontownhalltheatre.com

Originally a silent movie house that also showed dramatic presentations and vaudeville productions, the Wilton Town Hall Theatre has been in operation almost every year since 1912. Several upcoming construction projects for the Wilton Town Hall make the immediate future of the theater’s programming uncertain, according to longtime owner and town native Dennis Markaverich, although he does plan to continue holding its silent film series on Sunday afternoons featuring live music from silent film accompanist (and Hippo co-founder and associate publisher) Jeff Rapsis.

Singing through the years

NH Gay Men’s Chorus celebrates its 25th anniversary

By Katelyn Sahagian ksahagian@hippopress.com

The New Hampshire Gay Men’s Chorus. will celebrate its 25th anniversary by kicking off its spring concert series this weekend.

“I’m very excited about what we’re doing,” chorus executive director John McGeehan said. “I feel like it was yesterday that it was Jan. 10 and we were just first getting together for the year to start getting the

Silver Seasons of love: New Hampshire Gay Men’s Chorus 25th anniversary Concert

• Saturday, May 6, at 7:30 p.m., at Plymouth Congregational Church UCC, 4 Post Office Square in Plymouth.

• Sunday, May 7, 4 p.m., at First Baptist Church of Nashua, 121 Manchester St., Nashua.

• Saturday, May 20, at 7:30 p.m., at Holy Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, 22 Fox Run Road in Newington.

• Sunday, May 21, at 4 p.m., Derryfield School, 2108 River Road in Manchester.

Tickets: $20 for adults (ages 12 and under admitted free, email tickets@nhgmc.com for children’s tickets). See the website for links to purchase tickets at each location. Visit: nhgmc.com

art

Exhibits

• NATALIA YURESKO-BEL-

OUS The Gallery at West Pearl Street (100 W. Pearl St. in Nashua; HollisArtsSociety.org) features an exhibit from Ukrainian guest artist Natalia Yuresko-Belous, a new member of the Hollis Arts Society who works in landscapes, still life, portraits and mural paintings, according to a press release. The exhibit, her first major exhibition in America, will be on display until Tuesday, May 30.

• “SEEING IS NOT BELIEVING: AMBIGUITY IN PHOTOGRAPHY,” has opened at

concert together.”

Luc Andre Roberge has been the artistic director for 23 years at the chorus and a member since it was created. He said that he, along with other founding members, had seen the Boston Gay Men’s Chorus perform and thought that the representation and the message of the organization was one they could bring to the Granite State.

“We decided that we could do this in New Hampshire, and in the beginning of ’98, we put a call out, had about 50, 60 people at the first rehearsal, and only a dozen came back,” Roberge said. “Also, this was a time where you didn’t want to be open to the public, you didn’t want to be out of the closet in any way.”

Roberge said that it was hard for members to openly claim their identity as gay men at that time. When the organization was first formed, he said, Jim Bretz, a huge figure in New Hampshire’s LGBTQ community, told them there was a good chance the organization wouldn’t last longer than three years and that making it to five years would be incredible.

“None of us at the time thought it would make it to 25 years,” Roberge said. “Those that are not with us who started us up, I’m sure they’re smiling down and saying,

the Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St. in Manchester; currier. org, 669-6144). “This exhibition explores photographs that make us question what we are looking at. Still lifes, abstract images, and manipulated photographs heighten our sense of wonder,” according to the Currier’s website. The Currier is open Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. (with Art After Work, when admission is free, between 5 to 8 p.m.), and Friday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• “A GARDEN STORY PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBIT” The New Hampshire Audubon’s

Not A Word

McLane Center (84 Silk Farm Road in Concord; nhaudubon.org) features “A Garden Story Photography Exhibit” through July 5. The center is open Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• “HEAD’S UP: THE MANY HATS WOMEN WEAR” The Women’s Caucus for Arts’ NH Chapter will present the exhibit “Head’s Up: The Many Hats Women Wear” at Twiggs Gallery (254 King St. in Boscawen; 9750015, twiggsgallery.org) through Saturday, May 27. “The hat theme is expressed in a wide variety of works that include paintings, sculptures, one-of-a-kind artist

The Community Players of Concord will close out their 95th season with the original comedy Not A Word, written and directed by Wallace J. Pineault, according to a press release. The nine-character comedy is called “a valentine to his love of Hollywood history, set in 1920 at the peak of silent movies’ popularity,” the release said. The show runs Friday, May 5, and Saturday, May 6, at 7:30 p.m and Sunday, May 7, at 2 p.m. at the Concord City Auditorium (2 Prince St. in Concord). Tickets cost $20 for adults and $18 for 17 and under and 65+. See communityplayersofconcord.org.

happy.’ We persist and we have persevered.”

Roberge designed the music for the concert to celebrate the last quarter of a century of music. There will be songs from musicals, including Rent, as well as more traditional choral pieces and covers of popular music.

McGeehan, who has been a part of the chorus since he first moved to New Hampshire in 2017, said that it’s important for people to realize they aren’t a group of professional musicians, just people who spread love and positivity through music. He added that just because they aren’t professionals doesn’t mean they don’t strive to make wonderful music — it’s just not the chorus’s only goal.

“One of the missions is not just to put on the best concert that we can, and I think we succeed every season, but be a community and social organization,” McGeehan said.

books, small installations, photography and mixed media pieces,” according to a press release. The gallery is open Thursdays and Fridays, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday, noon to 4 p.m.

• “ALL MY FRIENDS ARE IN THIS SHOW” is the name of the exhibit, curated by Yasamin Safarzadeh, at the Carolyn Jenkins & Jill C. Wilson Galleries at Kimball Jenkins (266 N. Main St. in Concord; kimballjenkins.com, 2253932) through July 7. The show is described as an “inclusive, interactive, engaging and bold curation of innovative artists who actively shape their communities as educators, organizers, activists and facilitators,’ according to the website. Find gallery hours, which vary weekly, on the website.

Theater Shows

• RENT the rock musical will run at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St. in Manchester; palacetheatre. org, 668-5588) through Sunday, May 14. Showtimes are Fridays at 7:30 p.m.; Saturdays at 2 and 7:30 p.m., Sundays at 2 p.m. and Thursday, May 11, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $30 to $51.

• SHE KILLS MONSTERS produced by Dive In Productions will run through Sunday, May 14, with show times at 7:30 p.m. on Fridays

“We give concerts every year at various town pride events, but also free concerts at local assisted facilities, singing the national anthem at New Hampshire Special Olympics, as well as at the Boston Red Sox in June for Pride Night.”

While the chorus sings at pride events throughout New Hampshire, McGeehan said the ones that were most important to him were when the chorus sang at several towns’ first pride parades. He said it allowed for the chorus to show other people in the LGBTQ community that they aren’t alone, that they have a space for people like them.

“To see how well this has come together, it’s actually incredible,” McGeehan said. “Here’s to 25 years, it’s been a lot of fun. I think with the kind of support we are having, I see someone welcoming us to the 50th anniversary someday.”

and Saturdays and 2 p.m. on Sunday at Hatbox Theatre (270 Loudon Road in Concord; hatboxnh. com, 715-2315). Tickets cost $22, $19 for seniors and students.

• THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME will be presented by Actorsingers Friday, May 5, through Sunday, May 7, at the Keefe Auditorium (117 Elm St. in Nashua). See actorsingers.org.

• NOT A WORD, a comedy about silent film-era Hollywood, will be presented by the Community Players of Concord at Concord City Auditorium (2 Prince St. in Concord) on Friday, May 5, and Saturday, May 6, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, May 7 at 2 p.m.

• XANADU The Teen Mainstage of Peacock Players (peacockplayers.org) will present this musical Friday, May 12, through Sunday, May 21, at the 14 Court Street Theatre in downtown Nashua. The times are Fridays at 7 p.m.; Saturdays at 2 & 7 p.m.; Sundays at 2 p.m. and a school day performance on Thursday, May 18, at 9:30 a.m.

• WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF at the Hatbox Theatre (270 Loudon Road in Concord; hatboxnh.com, 715-2315) Friday, May 26, through Sunday, June 22, with showtimes at 7:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. on Sundays. Tickets cost $22, $19 for seniors & students.

• JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT at the Palace Theatre (80 Hanover St. in Manchester; palacetheatre.org, 668-5588) Friday, June 2, through Sunday, June 25. Showtimes are Fridays at 7:30 p.m.; Saturdays at 2 and 7:30 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $30 to $51.

Classical Includes classical, folk, heritage, pops, American songbook and other musical events.

• NH GAY MEN’S CHORUS spring concert series “Silver Seasons of Love” has shows including Sunday, May 7, 4 p.m., at First Baptist Church of Nashua, 121 Manchester St., Nashua, and Sunday, May 21, at 4 p.m., Derryfield School, 2108 River Road in Manchester. See nhgmc.com for tickets.

• SPRING POPS: HOLLYWOOD IN AFRICA at Seifert Performing Arts Center (44 Geremonty Drive, Salem; 893-7069) will run Saturday, May 20, at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, May 21, at 2 p.m. Featuring Grammy Award-nominated African musician Mamadou Diabate on the balafon, a xylophone-like instrument. Presented by New Hampshire Philharmonic Orchestra. Tickets range from $5 to $30 for in-person seating. Visit nhpo.booktix.com.

‘We’re so

Courtesy photo.

Courtesy photo by Nora McBurnett.

• The Hunchback of Notre Dame: Actorsingers (actorsingers.org) will present the musical The Hunchbakc of Notre Dame this weekend — Friday, May 5, and Saturday, May 6, at 8 p.m. and Sunday, May 7, at 2 p.m. — at Keefe Center for the Arts (117 Elm St. in Nashua). Tickets cost $20 for adults, $18 for seniors and students. “The production features a cast of 49 including a 27-person choir and a live orchestra,” according to the organizers.

• Spring ballet: Northeastern Ballet Theatre will present The Sleeping Beauty on Sunday, May 7, at 4 p.m. at the Capitol Center for the Arts (Chubb Theatre, 44 S. Main St. in Concord; ccanh.com). Doors open at 3 p.m. Tickets cost $35.75; $23.75 for seniors and under 12.

• Jazz jam: The Ted Herbert Music School will host an open mic jazz jam on Sunday, May 7, from 5 to 6:30 p.m. open to students and musicians of all ages and abilities, according to a press release. The cost to participate is a suggested donation of $5 (free for Ted Herbert students) and the event will take place at the Majestic Theatre Studios (880 Page St. in Manchester), the release said. No sign-up is needed; just show up with your instrument (drums, piano and guitar amp will be provided), the release said. See tedherbert.com or call 669-7469.

• Calling young performers: The Palace Theatre’s Youth Ensemble will hold auditions for Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat on Saturday, May 6, at 2, 3 and 4 p.m. for students in grades 2 to 12, according to a press release. Bring a headshot and resume, prepare a short section of a song to sing a cappella and expect to stay for the one-hour slot, the release said. There is a production fee of $75 for performers who are cast. Rehearsals will take place in May

for this Professional Production in June. Auditions will be held at Forever Emma Studios (516 Pine St. in Manchester). Email MeganAlves@palacetheatre.org with the performer’s name, age and preferred audition time, the release said.

• Finding a Nemo: The Children’s Theatre Project of the Community Players of Concord will hold auditions for Finding Nemo Jr. on Saturday June 3, and Sunday, June 4, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Players’ Studio (435 Josiah Bartlett Road in Concord) with rehearsals to start after Labor Day for performances in October, according to a press release. The auditions are open to actors ages 8 to 18, the release said. Secure an audition spot by contacting director Karen Braz at k.braz@ comcast.net. Auditioners should prepare one verse and one chorus of a song and bring a recent photo, the release said. There is a participation fee of $100 per cast member, with a family cap of $150, the release said. Kids age 12 and older can also register to work as stage managers, set builders or in other tech positions, the release said. See communityplayersofconcord.org/auditions.

• 35-year retrospective: New Hampshire Theatre Project’s (959 Islington St. in Portsmouth; nhtheatreproject.org, 431-6644) founder Genevieve Aichele is stepping down as executive director and the company will finish up its 2022-2023 season with a retrospective honoring the productions she has directed, acted in or written over the last 35 years, according to a press release. Gen-erations! will run Friday, May 5, through Sunday, May 21, with shows on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $30 general admission, $26 for students, seniors and veterans.

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

Actorsingers’ The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Photo taken by Isaac Mishkit at the Trinity Church Boston.

No Mow May

An idea for more pollination and less pollution

By Henry Homeyer listings@hippopress.com

In 2019 a British nonprofit called Plantlife coined the term “No Mow May.”

They proposed that gardeners leave their mowers in storage for the month of May in order to let wildflowers and weeds bloom and provide pollen and nectar for pollinators. And of course the caterpillars of many pollinators feed all our baby birds, so the ramifications are vast.

Early spring is a tough time for pollinators, especially here in New England as there are not many flowers to visit. I like the idea of a simple action that can have positive effects on so many species of wildlife.

The most obvious advantage to you is that you have a few extra hours to do other things in your garden. Next, you are not spending any money on gas or electricity. Most gas-powered mowers do not have the emission controls that are required for cars. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), one hour operating a new gasoline lawn mower emits the same amount of volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxide as driving a new car 45 miles.

According to the EPA, lawn mowers and other garden machines like leaf blowers, string trimmers, etc., contribute as much pollution as our cars and homes. The statistics on lawns are deceiving; two percent of the land mass in America is lawn. But that is more square miles of land than all the corn grown here. Roughly 80 percent of homes have at least some lawn.

If we mow our lawns from May to the end of October, that’s six months of mowing. Eliminating one month of mowing reduces those emissions by 17 percent. Good for the environment, good for the wallet.

For the last two years I have been installing trees in what was a 5-acre lawn in Hanover, N.H. So far we have planted about 150 of them — and we largely stopped the mowing, just leaving pathways throughout. The owners now have their field mowed everywhere just once every two years to control growth of unwanted woody plants like poplars, which spread by root.

We were delighted last spring to see the field come alive in spring. At least a dozen species of flowers bloomed, probably more. And the bees and other pollinators just loved it.

What happened when we just stopped mowing? Grass grew, and largely flopped over as it got taller. It was nothing like the unruly 2- or

3-foot-tall mess that the mowing guys predicted. We were always able to walk anywhere in the field even though it was not mowed. Of course, when the mowing crew shows up soon, they have big, industrial-scale mowers that will chew up anything.

For your home lawn you may want to pay attention to how tall the grass gets in May. Presumably your push mower or electric mower will not mow tall grasses as easily as the riding mowers used on the field described above. If you can only avoid mowing for two or three weeks, it’s still better than mowing it short every week in May.

Another advantage to No Mow May is that you will probably end up with a better, more resilient lawn in times of drought. The longer your grass, the more food it produces for the roots, allowing them to grow longer and deeper.

Your lawn might complain about being mowed short on June 1. So put the blades up as high as they go. The lower parts of blades of grass may be a little pale in color as they were shaded out by the taller parts. Leave your lawn a little longer this year — it doesn’t have to look like the infield of Fenway Park.

What about bare spots on the lawn? These are often filled in with crabgrass, an annual weed.

For large areas, you will need to plant new lawn seed — the sooner the better. Filling in empty spots can be done in May by scratching the soil with a short-tined rake to loosen the surface. Add half an inch of compost and mix it in with the soil. Then spread seed over it — just broadcast it with your hand in small areas. I use a lawn/leaf rake to mix the seed in with the soil: I flip over the rake and drag it lightly over the area, which mixes in the seed well. If you have a metal tamper, use it to press down the planted area. If not, use a small board and step on it.

I never fertilize my lawn, and it looks fine to me. If your lawn is a little feeble, check the soil pH. If it is too acidic, you can spread some limestone. Lawn grass prefers nearly neutral pH. So take a break from mowing this May.

Henry is an organic gardener who has lived in the same house since he bought it in 1970. He is the author of four gardening books. Reach him at henry.homeyer@comcast.net.

Electric mowers have improved greatly in the past few years. They are quiet and non-polluting. Photo by Henry Homeyer.

all things agriculture

Farm, Forest & Garden Expo celebrates its 40th year

By Mya Blanchard listings@hippopress.com

With spring in full swing, it’s officially the season for all things outdoors. Just in time is the New Hampshire Farm, Forest & Garden Expo, returning for its 40th year to the Deerfield Fairgrounds on Friday, May 5, and Saturday, May 6.

The event will include demonstrations, classes and workshops held by exhibitors on countless agriculture-related topics, such as tapping maple trees, growing flowers, starting a garden, pruning trees and how to safely operate a chainsaw.

“This [is a] place to learn about agriculture and forestry for all, [from] the avid farmer to the backyard enthusiast,” said Jayson McCarter, chairman of the expo’s board. “History being very important, you could always learn from the experts on how things ought to be done.”

Farm animals will be present and contests will be held, like the Future Farmers of America Floral Design Competition and a grilling contest sponsored by 4-H, an international youth development program.

While there has been a kids zone for many years, 4-H is now responsible for organizing what is now dubbed the “Ag Discovery Zone.”

“This year we kind of have a farm-to-table theme going,” said Michelle Bersaw-Robblee, the program coordinator for 4-H. “I think it’s a great opportunity to engage our future decision-makers and consumers around agriculture.”

Traditionally having been held in Manchester, and usually during the month of February, the expo is now taking place at the fairgrounds. “We just outgrew it, and it being in the winter was tough,” expo manager Kelly Bryer said.

NH farm, forest & Garden Expo

Where: Deerfield Fairgrounds, 34 Stage Road, Deerfield

When: Friday, May 5, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Saturday, May 6, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Cost: $10 per person; includes one-day admission to the expo and additional entry for its door prize drawings (free for kids ages 12 and under) More info: nhfarmandforestexpo.org

“The spring just seemed like a better fit and the Deerfield Fairgrounds is already an agricultural venue and it just gave us lots of room to grow, bring in more partners [and] expand those partnerships.”

The expansion allows the event to be used as a platform for organizations to showcase themselves. One such organization is Bedrock Gardens, a 37-acre public garden in Lee.

“[Formal gardens] … have formal beds where roses are planted and you walk from one bed to another bed of formal flowers. This is not that kind of garden,” said Nanci Taylor, the organization’s community outreach coordinator. “It’s more like meandering on a trail. Part of the time you will be in a forest and you will see plants and bushes that grow in shade, and then you’ll be in sunshine. … There’s a different feeling to each of these areas as you walk along.”

According to McCarter, the farming community is at risk due to economic hardships, regulatory issues and urban development.

“While our farmers are as committed as ever to keep our fields, forest and natural resources viable for future generations, the duty to preserve just doesn’t get any easier,” he said. “That’s where our expo comes in. Not only is it a great ‘old home day’ for all those who are currently protecting our precious commodities, it’s a chance to educate and inspire those who will take over these efforts some day.”

Courtesy photo.

Foster Parents Needed

Family fun for whenever

Cats & dogs

• The Dana Center for the Humanities at Saint Anselm College (100 St. Anselm Drive, Manchester) presents Johnny Peers and the Muttville Comix on Friday, May 5, at 7:30 p.m. A graduate of the Ringling Clown College and a professional clown, Johnny Peers with his gang of shelter dogs combines “the joyousness of physical comedy with man and his best friend,” according to the venue’s website. Tickets cost $45; see tickets.anselm.edu.

• The Seacoast Cat Club’s annual cat show will run Saturday, May 6 (10 a.m. to 5 p.m.), and Sunday, May 7 (9 a.m. to 3 pm.) at the Douglas N. Everett Arena (15 Loudon Road, Concord). Tickets cost $10 for teens and adults ages 12 and up, $7 for seniors, kids under 12 and active military service members, and free for kids ages 4 and under. A $25 discounted price also applies for families of four. See the event page on Facebook @seacoastcatclub for more details.

Taking the stage

• The Palace Youth Theatre (80 Hanover St., Manchester; palacetheatre.org, 6685588) will present Guys and Dolls Jr., with showtimes on Wednesday, May 3, and Thursday, May 4, at 7 p.m. The mainstage musical will feature student actors in grades 2 through 12, according to the theater’s website. Tickets start at $12.

• The UNH Symphony Orchestra and the UNH Youth Symphony Orchestra will present a public concert on Sunday, May 7, at 6 p.m. in the Johnson Theatre of the Paul Creative Arts Center (on the campus of

UNH, at 30 Academic Way, Durham). The performance is free and open to the public, and also available online at YouTube.com/ unhmusic, according to a press release.

fairies, gnomes & superheroes

• It’s Fairy & Gnome Day at the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire (6 Washington St., Dover; childresn-museum.org) on Saturday, May 6 — enjoy a live show from Lindsay and Her Puppet Pals (at 10:30 a.m. or 1:30 p.m.), a dance performance from the Musical Arts Ballet students at 2:30 p.m., and other ongoing activities, like crafts, scavenger hunts, fairy and gnome home building and more. Reserve admission for either the morning (9 a.m. to noon) or afternoon (1 to 4 p.m.) play sessions, which cost $12.50 for adults and children over 12 months old, $10.50 for 65+, according to the museum’s website.

• Join the Bookery (844 Elm St., Manchester) for a superhero-themed Saturday storytime on Saturday, May 6, at 1 p.m. featuring local cosplayer Jenna Deedy as Captain Marvel who will read the 2019 children’s book What Makes a Hero, by Pamela Bobowicz. Admission is free but registration is encouraged. See bookerymht.com.

Meet

the Kid Conservationist

• May’s Super Stellar Friday at the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center (2 Institute Drive, Concord; starhop.com) on Friday, May 5, at 7 p.m., will feature Jack Dalton, known as the “Kid Conservationist.” In 2021, at the age of 10, Dalton released his first book, Kawan the Orangutan, Lost in the Rainforest, hoping to inspire the next generation of conservationists, according to the Center’s website. Attendees will meet Jack and learn about his recent work on the island of Borneo. He will answer questions about orangutans. Admission costs $12 for adults, $9 for kids ages 3 to 12, $11 for 62+ and for students, and free kids under 2.

INSIdE/OuTSIdE TREASURE HUNT

Hi, Donna.

I have two of these tiny little plates. They are 3 inches long by 1 7/8 inches wide. As shown on the bottom they are by Nippon and are hand-painted. What are these and do they have any value? They were from my grandmother, who would be 120+ now. Thank you.

Janice

Dear Janice, Your Nippon dishes were most likely part of a larger set. They could have been used for bone dishes or for other things.

Interesting story of these dishes: Lots were hand-painted here in New England. The blanks were shipped in and local artists would paint the pattern. Then they were shipped back to complete a set.

Idea: soap dishes?

The value really depends on the detailing. Some can have full scenes on them in detail. Simpler patterns like the ones you have would run about $10 each today.

I hope this was helpful, Janice, and that you still find use for them today.

Donna Welch has spent more than 30 years in the antiques and collectibles field, appraising and instructing, and recently closed the physical location of From Out Of The Woods Antique Center (fromoutofthewoodsantiques.com) but is still doing some 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 or 624-8668.

Evolving safety tests mean safer cars

Dear Car Talk:

I was recently in a bad car accident when our rental car collided with a bison at the north rim of the Grand Canyon. We were very fortunate to walk away from a totaled car with all the air bags deployed.

in 2005, the side impact and rear impact tests had just recently been introduced. So, companies probably worked to improve their side and rear impact scores in the years after that.

vent some crashes and reduces the speed at which others happen.

By Ray Magliozzi

This got me thinking about my car, which is an old 2005 Toyota Camry SE. Are older cars less safe in an accident than newer cars? How do the crash tests from 2005 compare with the crash tests in 2023? Are the results comparable?

My Camry comes up with better crash tests than the Nissan Kicks we totaled, but I wonder if this means it is actually safer in an accident. Any insight you may have would be greatly appreciated. Thank you. — Beth

Did you run into a 2005 bison or a 2023 bison, Beth?

It’s a complicated question. We’ve found that most car makers build their cars specifically to pass the crash tests. So how safe a car is depends directly on how the car was being tested in that era.

In the years since 2005, the tests have evolved. The primary differences are that,

And in fact, you’ll see that the new Camry has a much better side impact score than your Camry.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration also added a roof-strength test in 2009, and in 2012 added a “front offset” test. That measures how a car does when the front corner of the car hits an object, like a telephone pole. Or a bison. Such crashes are actually pretty common you’re heading toward something and try to veer away, but you can’t, and you hit it with the front corner of your car. It presented a new challenge to automakers, because that type of crash jolts passengers both forward and to the side at the same time. So safer cars certainly resulted from that.

If you decide to buy a new car today, NHTSA (NHTSA.gov) and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (iihs.org) results will reflect how the car did on all of those newer tests.

A new car will also have more modern, electronic safety features, like automatic emergency bison braking, which helps pre-

So, I don’t think your Camry is “unsafe.” But I think it’s fair to say a newer car that achieves a “top safety pick plus” award, and has all the current electronic safety options (low and high-speed automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, blind spot monitoring, etc.) would be safer.

Now let’s end this answer with a moment of silence for both the Nissan Kicks and the bison. I’m glad you came through it well, Beth. Next time, try to hit something less dense.

Dear Car Talk:

I have a 2017 Lincoln MKZ with a 2.0 Hybrid Engine (72,000 miles). I love this car! I do NOT love the whining noise the car makes when the gas engine kicks in. It is LOUD. It is annoying. It seems to settle down when the engine reaches a higher rpm.

When I inquired about it at the dealership, I got the “yeah, we heard it, and there were two more in here today that were louder than yours” response.

This is supposed to be a luxury sedan. This whining noise is so loud, I literally must yell when I’m at a drive-thru window.

And when I remote start the car at home, I can hear the whining all the way in the back of the house. Please help! — Scott Have you considered becoming a fan of Van Halen, Scott? That would drown it out.

Without hearing it and being able to narrow down its location, I can’t tell you if it’s a belt noise or something worse.

You would think that if it was a squealing serpentine belt, they’d just replace it for you and get rid of you. Same goes for a bad power steering pump. So, it must be something far more difficult and expensive — for them to fix.

My fear is that it’s a bearing that’s wearing out deep inside the transmission or engine somewhere.

If you have a good, non-dealer mechanic, ask him or her to take a look at it for you. At the very least, they can use a length of tubing as a stethoscope and move it around until they find the precise origin of the noise. It shouldn’t be hard to narrow it down to one component.

If they tell you it’s coming from the transmission, for instance, then at least you know what to start lobbying the dealership for after you buy the extended warranty. Good luck, Scott.

Visit Cartalk.com.

Hippo is looking to bring on a weekly Hippo delivery person for the Manchester area. Drivers use their own vehicle to deliver the Hippo to various locations in Manchester on Wednesdays or Thursday during normal business hours. Route averages about 4 to 5 hours. This is a contract position and drivers must have a valid driver’s license and auto insurance.

DUTIES INCLUDE:

• Picking up and loading printed material

• Delivering to designated racks and drop locations in delivery window

• Removing any old copies and recycling them

• Record keeping as required

• Lifting 30 lb often

• Getting in and out of vehicle often

JOB TYPES: Part-time, Contract

News from the local food scene

By Matt Ingersoll food@hippopress.com

• Farmers market news: Opening day for the Concord Farmers Market is set for Saturday, May 6 — one of the longest-running outdoor markets in southern New Hampshire, it features more than 40 vendors during its peak time of the season. The market will continue every Saturday, from 8:30 a.m. to noon, through October, on Capitol Street in Concord, adjacent to the Statehouse lawn. See concordfarmersmarket.com for a full list of this year’s vendors.

• For the choco-holics: Learn how to make chocolate bark during a 21+ class at Van Otis Chocolates (341 Elm St., Manchester). Classes are scheduled for Thursdays, from 5:30 to 7 p.m., dates offered May 11, May 18 and May 25, and will include tours of Van Otis’s chocolate factory. Participants will get to make their own chocolate bark customized with different flavors and mix-ins and will also be able to bring home their favorite bottle of wine and about 8 ounces of bark per person. After the class, guests will also receive a special discount to be used in the store that same day only. The cost is $50 per person and tickets can be purchased online via Eventbrite. See vanotis.com or find them on Facebook @vanotischocolate for more details.

• Wine is love: Join Balin Books (375 Amherst St., Nashua) in welcoming LaBelle Winery owner and winemaker Amy LaBelle on Saturday, May 6, at 2 p.m. — she’ll be there to present and sign copies of her debut book, Wine Weddings: The Ultimate Guide to Creating the Wine-Themed Wedding of Your Dreams Released Dec. 16, the book offers advice on planning and hosting weddings of every size and type, covering everything from choosing invitation designs and wedding favors to creating your own menu of signature drinks and wine choices. It’s also filled with photographs taken at weddings hosted at both of the winery’s locations, in Amherst and Derry, and LaBelle even shares the details that went into planning her own wedding. Admission is free and the event will also include a wine and cheese pairing. See the event page on Facebook @balinbooks or call the shop at 673-1734.

• Food truck frenzy: It’s a weekend of food trucks! The Great Bay Food Truck Festival returns to Stratham Hill Park (270 Portsmouth Ave., Stratham) on Saturday, May 6, with limited VIP admission from noon to 1 p.m. and general admission from 1 to 4 p.m. Also happening on Saturday, May 6, is Northwood Parks & Recreation’s food truck festival, from 1 to 5 p.m. Both community events will feature unique options from a variety of area food trucks. See greatbayfoodtruckfestival.com or northwood.recdesk.com for details on each respective event.

fOOd dining with mom

Brunch buffets, dinners and more for Mother’s Day

By Matt Ingersoll mingersoll@hippopress.com

Mother’s Day (Sunday, May 14) is fast approaching, so make those reservations now to celebrate mom on her special day at one of these local restaurants serving buffets, brunches, special menus or dinners. Some, where specified, also have a takeout option. Know of any eateries offering Mother’s Day specials that aren’t on this list? Tell us about them at food@hippopress.com.

• 110 Grill (875 Elm St., Manchester, 8361150; 27 Trafalgar Square, Nashua, 943-7443; 110grill.com) will be serving several Mother’s Day brunch specials from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, May 14, in addition to its full menus. Options will include prosciutto and egg flatbreads, breakfast tacos, lemon beignets, steak and eggs Benedict, chicken and waffles, house bloody marys, adult iced coffees and more.

• Airport Diner (2280 Brown Ave., Manchester, 623-5040, thecman.com) will be open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Sunday, May 14, serving breakfast all day, in addition to its dinner menus with Mother’s Day specials.

• The Alamo Texas BBQ & Tequila Bar (99 Route 13, Brookline, 721-5500, alamobarbecue. com) is celebrating Mother’s Day on Sunday, May 14, with several special menu features, like harvest berry salad with grilled chicken, cherry tomatoes, sunflower seeds and pickled red onion, as well as spinach and artichoke dip with homemade pita chips and barbecue short ribs.

• Alan’s of Boscawen (133 N. Main St., Boscawen, 753-6631, alansofboscawen.com) will host a Mother’s Day Spectacular on Sunday, May 14, featuring a brunch buffet from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. that will include fresh fruit, cheese and assorted crackers, assorted pastries, scrambled eggs, bacon and sausage, as well as crabmeat-stuffed haddock, chicken Marsala, oven-roasted potatoes and fresh buttered green beans; and carving stations, featuring center cut roast pork loin, prime rib and roast leg of lamb. The cost is $34.99 per person, with half-price discounts for kids and $2 discounts for seniors. Traditional plated meals and dinner specials will also be available, beginning at noon and until close.

• All Real Meal (87 Elm St., Manchester, 782-3014, allrealmeal.com) is taking orders for Mother’s Day brunches to go, featuring eight-course meals for four adults. The packages include whole bacon Gruyere quiche, house-baked blueberry coffee cake, steel cut oats with nuts and berries, biscuits and raspberry jam, maple sausage with apples and sage, roasted potato medley, organic greens spring salad and rosemary-crusted baked ham. The cost is $99 per eight-course meal. Order online for delivery on Saturday, May 13.

• Alpine Grove Banquet Facility (19 S. Depot Road, Hollis, 882-9051, alpinegrove.com) will serve a special Mother’s Day brunch buf-

fet on Sunday, May 14, with seatings at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Featured options will include a breakfast station with scrambled eggs; Belgian waffles and syrup, and applewood bacon and sausage; an entree station with chicken piccata, slow roast prime rib of beef and pan-seared Atlantic salmon; a salad bar, a kids’ station and a dessert display table. The cost is $35 for adults, $30 for seniors ages 60 and up, $15 for kids ages 4 to 12 and free for kids ages 4 and under. Reserve online or via phone.

• Ansanm (20 South St., Milford, 554-1248, ansanmnh.com) will serve a special Mother’s Day brunch buffet experience on Sunday, May 14, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., featuring its signature fried chicken and waffles, in addition to French toast casserole, roasted potatoes, a variety of housemade pates, pineapple upside-down cake, Caribbean punch mimosas and more. Tickets are $25 per person and available via Eventbrite.

• Atkinson Resort & Country Club (85 Country Club Drive, Atkinson, 362-8700, atkinsonresort.com) will serve a special Mother’s Day brunch on Sunday, May 14, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. inside its Legacy Ballroom, featuring chef-attended omelet and waffle stations, bagels, Danishes and croissants, scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage and home fries; as well as carving stations with prime rib au jus with horseradish cream and cider-brined turkey breast with sage gravy. Other entrees will include grilled chicken saltimbocca with sage, prosciutto and fontina cheese, grilled Atlantic salmon with mango salsa, and falafel with lemon tahini and rice-stuffed grape leaves. For dessert, enjoy items like flourless chocolate torte, mini cannolis, blueberry coffee cake and assorted cakes and cookies. The cost is $80 for adults, $30 for kids ages 3 to 10 and free for kids ages 3 and under. Call to make a reservation.

• Averill House Vineyard (21 Averill Road, Brookline, 244-3165, averillhousevineyard.com) will serve a special Mother’s Day high tea brunch and wine pairing on Sunday, May 14, with seatings at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Guests will be treated to a four-course menu highlighting traditional high tea finger signature sandwiches, pastries and more, along with a cup of hot tea and a pre-selected flight of four wine samples. The cost is $59 per person. Reservations are being accepted online via Tock (exploretock.com).

• Bedford Village Inn (2 Olde Bedford Way, Bedford, 472-2001, bedfordvillageinn.com) will serve a special three-course prix fixe Mother’s Day dinner on Sunday, May 14, with reservations available between 1 and 6 p.m. The meal will include your choice of an appetizer (bacon, shrimp and corn chowder, Dunk’s mushroom bisque, mache and red watercress salad or Parmesan and pea salad); an entree (grilled tournedos of beef, New England seafood bouillabaisse, pinot grigio-braised veal osso buco, Duroc porchetta, pan-roasted king oyster mushroom or lobster carbonara); and a dessert (key lime tart, espresso pot

de creme, sorbet flight, chocolate lava cake or strawberry tall cake). The cost is $75 for adults and $39.98 for kids ages 10 and under.

• Belmont Hall & Restaurant (718 Grove St., Manchester, 625-8540, belmonthall.net) will serve a special Mother’s Day breakfast buffet on Sunday, May 14, with seatings at 8:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. for parties of five or more. Call to make a reservation. On the restaurant side, Belmont Hall will also be open to walk-ins on Mother’s Day — no reservation required.

• Buckley’s Great Steaks (438 Daniel Webster Hwy., Merrimack, 424-0995, buckleysgreatsteaks.com) will be open on Sunday, May 14, from noon to 5 p.m., serving several Mother’s Day specials in addition to its regular menu. Call or make a reservation online.

• Cafe la Reine — North End (53 Hooksett Road, Unit 6, Manchester, 782-5367, cafelareine. com) will be open its usual hours on Sunday, May 14, for Mother’s Day, from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Reservations are available online through Toast.

• Chez Vachon (136 Kelley St., Manchester, 625-9660, chezvachon.com) will be open regular hours from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday, May 14, for Mother’s Day. Calling ahead is recommended for larger sized parties.

• The Coach Stop Restaurant & Tavern (176 Mammoth Road, Londonderry, 437-2022, coachstopnh.com) will serve a special Mother’s Day a la carte menu on Sunday, May 14, with seatings at 11:30 a.m., 2:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. Options will include escargot, bacon-wrapped scallops, French onion soup, chicken Marsala, roast prime rib of beef, seafood linguine alfredo, veal oscar, fresh broiled salmon, roast beef tenderloin, baked haddock and lobster macaroni and cheese.

• Colby Hill Inn (33 The Oaks, Henniker, 428-3281, colbyhillinn.com) will serve a special three-course prix fixe menu for Mother’s Day on Sunday, May 14, with seatings at noon, 1 p.m., 2 p.m., 4 p.m., 4:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. The meal will include your choice of a first course (buttermilk mushroom soup, creamy scallop and tomato bisque, spring market greens, organic dandelion salad or ricotta gnocchi); an entree (coq au vin, seared petite tenderloin, wood-fired grilled lamb chop, peppered pan-roasted halibut or saffron risotto); and a dessert (coconut lime tart, maple bourbon panna cotta, chocolate cake with mocha buttercream, profiterole trio or seasonal housemade sorbet duo with almond cookie). The cost is $70 for adults and $35 for kids ages 12 and under.

• The Common Man (25 Water St., Concord, 228-3463; 88 Range Road, Windham, 898-0088; 304 Daniel Webster Hwy., Merrimack, 4293463; thecman.com) will be open from 11:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Sunday, May 14, at all of

Taking the cake

Fleur Délices amateur baking competition returns

By Matt Ingersoll mingersoll@hippopress.com

Amateur bakers will show off their cake decorating skills and compete for prizes during the second annual Franco Foods Fleur Délices challenge. Following a successful inaugural year in 2022, the friendly baking competition and fundraising event is due to return to Anheuser-Busch’s Biergarten in Merrimack on Saturday, May 13.

Challenge organizer and Québec native Nathalie Hirte is also the office manager of the Franco-American Centre, a Manchester-based nonprofit celebrating and promoting French culture and heritage in the Granite State. In early 2021 Hirte launched Franco Foods, a how-to YouTube series on French-inspired recipes that her son Oskar directs and produces.

Each of the entrants from last year’s competition chose from a list of nearly 90 International Francophonie-recognized countries and regions, or nations where French either is a primary or secondary language or has a historical connection to the culture. This year, Hirte said, the theme is French fairy tales. Contestants will be tasked with creating a cake that is decorated to represent the story of their chosen fairy tale in some way.

“Part of our mission is to introduce people to the French world and the many facets of it,” Hirte said, “and so I figured that this is a great way to have people learn different aspects of the French language through stories.”

Bakers have several well-known choices for their fairy tales — Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Little Red Riding Hood, Puss In Boots and Beauty and the Beast are all among those in the given list. Similar to last year, they will pre-bake their

Second annual fleur délices Challenge

When: Saturday, May 13, 6 to 9 p.m.

Where: The Biergarten at Anheuser-Busch Brewery, 221 Daniel Webster Hwy., Merrimack

Cost: $20 per person for Franco-American Centre members, $25 for non-members Visit: facnh.com/fleur-delices-challenge

cakes and decorate them during the competition.

“The decoration of the cake should represent the fairy tale,” Hirte said. “The idea is that … you’re supposed to look at the cake and know that that’s the story.”

Each cake, Hirte said, must be a minimum of two tiers, one of which should be a sponge cake. Other requirements include a buttercream element and a 3D element, made of any edible material of the baker’s choice.

When the competition begins, single decorators will get one hour to create their cakes, while teams of two will get 45 minutes. Attendees are free to watch them in action, and tables of light appetizers and snacks will be served.

The judging panel will include Marie-Josée Duquette, of the Québec Government Office in Boston; and Sandra Martel, who was declared the winner of last year’s competition for her crème brûlée cheesecake and berry chantilly cake representing France. They’ll judge each cake based on criteria such as taste, texture, overall appearance, creativity and representation of their chosen French fairy tale.

Attendees can also vote for their own favorite cake based on appearance, and will receive at least two samples at the conclusion of the competition. The winner will be awarded bragging rights, an engraved cake platter and the opportunity to be a featured guest on an upcoming Franco Foods episode with Hirte.

“We received nothing but positive feedback from attendees who thought it was a fun event, and they all enjoyed their cake after,” Hirte said.

“Last year we kind of had it at the early end of April … and so this year, being in May, I feel like there’s a pretty good chance people can mill around and enjoy the outdoors and whatnot.”

Last year’s baking challenge. Photo by Matt Ingersoll.

their locations, serving Mother’s Day specials in addition to their dinner menus. Reservations are recommended.

• Copper Door Restaurant (15 Leavy Drive, Bedford, 488-2677; 41 S. Broadway, Salem, 458-2033; copperdoor.com) will be open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Sunday, May 14, at both locations, serving their brunch and lunch menus from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Beginning at 2 p.m., a special Mother’s Day prix fixe menu will be served in lieu of the Copper Door’s regular menus, featuring the option to choose two courses for $59, three courses for $69 or four courses for $79. Items include shaved sirloin spring rolls, roasted tomato and basil bisque, pureed sweet pea soup, slow roasted prime rib, garlic Parme san half chicken, pasta primavera, blackened salmon, shrimp gnocchi, cookie dough cupcakes, frosted animal cracker cheesecake and wild berry shortcake.

• Cotton Restaurant (75 Arms St., Manchester, 622-5488, cottonfood.com) will be open for Mother’s Day on Sunday, May 14, from noon to 4 p.m. Reservations are accepted online via OpenTable.

• The Derryfield Restaurant (625 Mammoth Road, Manchester, 623-2880, thederryfield.com) will serve a special Mother’s Day brunch on Sunday, May 14, with seatings from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., featuring an omelet station, a carving station with slow-roasted prime rib and oven-baked ham, and a salad station with assorted dressings and toppings. On the main buffet line, items will include fresh seasonal fruit, bacon, sausage, scrambled eggs, French toast, pancakes, eggs Benedict, grilled beef, seafood Newburg, assorted chicken and seafood dishes, and a dessert station will feature assorted pastries. The cost is $34.95 for adults, $32.95 for seniors ages 65 and over, and $19.95 for kids under 12.

• Firefly American Bistro & Bar (22 Concord St., Manchester, 935-9740, fireflynh.com) will be open on Sunday, May 14, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for brunch and from 4 to 8 p.m. for dinner, serving its regular brunch and dinner menus in addition to several Mother’s Day specials. Reservations are available online via OpenTable.

• Flag Hill Distillery & Winery (297 N. River Road, Lee, 659-2949, flaghill.com) will host a special Mother’s Day edition of its “Brunch & Bubbles” event series on Sunday, May 14, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., featuring a full farm-to-table brunch buffet and a make-your-own mimosa bar. Items will include macaroni and cheese, fresh pastries and fruit, quiches, frittatas and more. The cost is $60 per person. Reservations are being accepted online via Eventbrite.

• The Flying Goose Brew Pub & Grille (40 Andover Road, New London, 526-6899, flyinggoose.com) will be open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday, May 14, for Mother’s Day, and reservations are being accepted via phone.

• Fratello’s Italian Grille (155 Dow St., Manchester, 641-6776, fratellos.com) will serve a special Mother’s Day brunch buffet on Sunday, May 14, with seatings at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. In addition to an omelet station and a salad station,

there will be a carving station featuring roast beef tenderloin with bordelaise, and apple raisin porchetti with a cider demi-glace. On the main buffet line, items will include scrambled eggs, house breakfast pizzas, bacon, sausage, homestyle potatoes, carved turkey with gravy, vegetable pesto tortellini, smoked butternut squash and roasted spring vegetables. There will also be assorted pastries and cakes for dessert. The cost is $39 for adults and $18.95 for kids ages 4 to 11. Call to make a reservation.

• Gauchos Churrascaria Brazilian Steak House (62 Lowell St., Manchester, 669-9460, gauchosbraziliansteakhouse.com) will serve a special all-you-can-eat Mother’s Day brunch on Sunday, May 14, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., featuring the restaurant’s signature grilled meats, fresh salads, fruit, pastries and more. The cost is $39.99 for adults, $14.99 for kids ages 6 to 10 and free for kids ages 5 and under. Reservations are available via phone or online via OpenTable.

• Giorgio’s Ristorante & Bar (707 Milford Road in Merrmack, 883-7333; 524 Nashua St. in Milford, 673-3939; 270 Granite St. in Manchester, 232-3323; giorgios.com) will be open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. with the regular menu and specials.

• The Granite Restaurant & Bar (The Centennial Hotel, 96 Pleasant St., Concord, 2279005, graniterestaurant.com) will be open from 3 to 8 p.m. on Sunday, May 14, for Mother’s Day, serving their regular menu with some specials. Reservations are available online via OpenTable.

• Granite State Candy Shoppe (13 Warren St., Concord, 225-2591; 832 Elm St., Manchester, 218-3885; granitestatecandyshoppe.com) is running a special Mother’s Day sale of 15 percent off select gift boxes of chocolate, both in-store at both locations and online. See the website for the full list of assortments, which include hard and chewy chocolates, soft center chocolates, chocolate cherry cordials, Swiss fudge and more.

• Greenleaf (54 Nashua St., Milford, 2135447, greenleafmilford.com) will be open for dinner service on Sunday, May 14, from 5 to 9 p.m., serving its regular menu. Reservations are available online via Tock (exploretock.com)

• Hanover Street Chophouse (149 Hanover St., Manchester, 644-2467, hanoverstreetchophouse.com) will be open on Sunday, May 14, from noon to 3 p.m., serving its regular menu in addition to some Mother’s Day specials. Reservations are being accepted online via OpenTable.

• The Hills Restaurant (Hampshire Hills Athletic Club, 50 Emerson Road, Milford, 673-7123, hampshirehills.com/the-hills-restaurant) will serve a special a la carte Mother’s Day brunch menu on Sunday, May 14, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., featuring items like chicken and waffles, Korean barbecue breakfast burgers, avocado toast, spicy Cajun blackened haddock tacos, lemon pepper chicken sandwiches and more. Meals are by reservation only, online via Resy.

• The Homestead Restaurant & Tavern (641 Daniel Webster Hwy., Merrimack, 429-2022, homesteadnh.com) is accepting reservations for Mother’s Day now. They’ll be serving a special a la carte menu featuring items like steak and

cheese spring rolls, French onion soup, seafood chowder, roast prime rib of beef, 12-ounce New York sirloin strip steak, grilled swordfish, baked stuffed haddock, chicken cordon bleu, rack of lamb, barbecue baby back ribs and seafood and scallop risotto. Call to make a reservation.

• LaBelle Winery (345 Route 101, Amherst; 14 Route 111, Derry; 672-9898, labellewinery. com) will serve a special Mother’s Day grand buffet at both of its locations on Sunday, May 14, with seatings at 10 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. The buffet will include a mimosa bar with assorted fresh fruits and juices, a fresh fruit display; assorted pastries, like muffins, scones, Danishes, croissants, breads and jams; waffle and omelet stations; carving stations, like herb-crusted sirloin of beef and apple wine-brined roasted turkey; lunch items, like bruschetta chicken, salmon piccata, and a smoked salmon display; salad stations; and assorted desserts, like chocolate cake, carrot cake, pot de creme, mini cannolis and chocolate-covered strawberries. Complimentary drinks will include orange juice, apple juice, cranberry juice, coffee and tea, and a full bar will also be featured, for additional pur chases of wine, cocktails, beer and non-alcoholic beverages. The cost is $85 for adults, $35 for kids ages 3 to 12 and free for kids ages 2 and under. A non-refundable deposit of $50 is required at booking, which will be applied toward your final bill on the day of the event.

• Mile Away Restaurant (52 Federal Hill Road, Milford, 673-3904, mileawayrestaurantnh. com) is taking dinner reservations for Mother’s Day on Sunday, May 14. All meals are $45 per person and will include your choice of an appetizer (ham minestrone, Swedish meatballs, fresh fruit plates with sorbet, shrimp cocktail, escargot or onion soup); a salad (Caesar or garden, with dressings that include ranch, blue cheese, balsamic or raspberry vinaigrette); an entree (sliced roast sirloin, pork Marsala, chicken Florentine, chicken piccata, maple salmon, baked eggplant Parmesan or broiled scrod); and a dessert (carrot cake, sorbet, bread pudding, cheesecake, chocolate ganache cake, lemon mascarpone cake or chocolate mousse cake).

• MT’s Local Kitchen & Wine Bar (212 Main St., Nashua, 595-9334, mtslocal.com) will be open on Sunday, May 14, from noon to 5 p.m., serving several Mother’s Day specials in addition to its regular menu. Call or make a reservation online. Mother’s Day will be the restaurant’s last official day as MT’s before it is closed for about two weeks for renovations. It’s expected to reopen under a new name, Mike’s Italian Kitchen — see mtslocal.com for the full announcement.

• New England’s Tap House Grille (1292 Hooksett Road, Hooksett, 782-5137, taphousenh. com) will serve a special Mother’s Day brunch on Sunday, May 14, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The cost is $32 for adults and $14.95 for kids. Call to make a reservation.

• Rambling House Food & Gathering (57 Factory St., Nashua, 318-3220, ramblingtale. com) will be open for its normal Sunday brunch service from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday, May 14, serving its regular menu with some Moth-

er’s Day specials. Indoor spaces are available by reservation online, and outdoor deck seating will be available on a first-come, first-served basis, weather permitting.

• The Red Blazer Restaurant & Pub (72 Manchester St., Concord, 224-4101, theredblazer.com) will be open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, May 14, for Mother’s Day. Reservations are recommended.

• Rig A Tony’s Italian Takeout & Catering (38 W. Broadway, Derry, 425-6116; 13 Rockingham Road, Windham, 685-8122; 254 Wallace Road, Bedford, 488-2877; rigatonysitalian.com) is taking orders for special Mother’s Day breakfast boxes, available at all three locations. Meals are $48 and include rigatoni with meatballs, a family-sized Caesar salad and a loaf of scali bread.

• Sky Meadow Country Club (6 Mountain Laurels Drive, Nashua, 888-9000, skymeadow. com) will serve a special Mother’s Day brunch on Sunday, May 14, with seatings at 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. The menu will include assorted quiches, fresh sliced fruit, a salad station, fresh baked breads and pastries, and various lunch items, like cheese and truffle sacchetti, pan-seared cod, slow-roasted turkey breast, herb-crusted prime rib, spring herb-stuffed chicken, wild rice and whipped potatoes. There will also be assorted pastries and gluten-free desserts. The cost is $60 for adults, $19.95 for kids ages 5 to 12 and $5 for kids under 5. Reservations are being accepted online.

• Surf Restaurant (207 Main St., Nashua, 595-9293, surfseafood.com) will be open on Sunday, May 14, from noon to 5 p.m., serving several Mother’s Day specials in addition to its regular menu. Call or make a reservation online. Reservations are being accepted for any size party.

• Tilt’n Diner (61 Laconia Road, Tilton, 2862204, thecman.com) will be open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sunday, May 14, serving breakfast all day, in addition to its dinner menus with Mother’s Day specials.

• Tucker’s (95 S. River Road, Bedford, 4136503; 80 South St., Concord, 413-5884; 238 Indian Brook Road, Dover, 413-5470; 1328 Hooksett Road, Hooksett, 206-5757; 360 Daniel Webster Hwy., Merrimack, 413-6477; 207 Main St., New London, 413-5528; tuckersnh.com) will be open during its normal Sunday business hours (7 a.m. to 2 p.m.) on Mother’s Day at all of its locations. Only walk-ins are accepted. All locations will serve breakfast all day, along with their lunch menu starting at 11 a.m.

• WECO Hospitality (wecohospitality.com)

is a Massachusetts-based community of local kitchens offering farm-fresh meal deliveries to more than three dozen Granite State cities and towns, including Manchester, Bedford, Nashua, Milford, Derry, Londonderry, Hooksett, Amherst and several others — see the website for the full list. They’re offering a special Mother’s Day brunch menu with items like fresh bagel spreads and add-on blood orange “mom-osa” mixers, bloody mary mixers and more. Order online for delivery on Saturday, May 13.

Kitchen

WiTH GErry FErrETTi-BErrioS

Gerry Ferretti-Berrios and her sister, Amberle Ferretti, are the owners of Chicken Lou’s Distribution (chickenlous.com, and on Facebook and Instagram @chickenlous), a purveyor of two cooking seasonings and three sauces — a signature honey mustard, a chipotle ranch dressing and a “Kickin’ Chicken” barbecue sauce — great for use as anything from dips and salad dressings to marinades, sandwich spreads and more. Chicken Lou’s was born in 1990 when Lou Ferretti — the sisters’ grandfather and the business’s namesake — opened a small restaurant on the campus of Northeastern University in Boston. For more than three decades the tiny 550-square-foot building was known for serving fresh sandwiches, wings, pizzas and other items to students and faculty. It closed in 2020 when the sisters’ father, Dave, announced his retirement. But Ferretti-Berrios, who grew up in Merrimack, wanted to continue the family’s legacy. Today, all of Chicken Lou’s products are packaged and delivered out of a warehouse in Amherst and are available at Locally Handmade, inside the Merrimack Premium Outlets, as well as online.

What is your must-have kitchen item?

I can’t live without a massive, heavy-duty cutting board. … A good cutting board is so critical, I think, for anything you’re doing in the kitchen.

What would you have for your last meal?

It’s definitely got to be a good veggie burger with really well-done crispy fries on the side. They’ve got to have salt on them and you’ve got to have a little honey mustard to dip, for that sweet and salty combo. … Then, my go-to indulgence is a warm chocolate chip cookie with vanilla ice cream on it.

What is your favorite local restaurant?

I’ve got to give it up to Pressed Cafe. … I just love the fact that they have something for everybody. I love their veggie ciabatta sandwich.

What celebrity would you like to see trying one of your products?

The Zumba instructor in me wants to say Daddy Yankee, but the New England girl in me is saying Bill Belichick. But with Bill trying it, there has to be a press conference review afterward, because I just think that would be

Southwest rice and bean casserole

What is your favorite product that you offer?

When we were a restaurant, I was Team Honey Mustard, and then we came out with the chipotle ranch, and now it’s a split between the two. … I love the honey mustard as a salad dressing, and then for the chipotle ranch, I love to dip cheese pizza in it. It’s life-changing.

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

Everybody is doing flights. … Flights of drinks and flights of desserts and flights of appetizers. I see all these posts from restaurants and food groups that I follow, and I just feel like everybody has jumped on the flight trend.

What is your favorite thing to make at home?

I’m a huge fan of just making snack plates for dinner. I’ll do some diced up cheeses, some hummus, olives, celery sticks [and] carrot sticks. Those are definitely my go-tos. — Matt

Ingersoll

From the kitchen of Gerry Ferretti-Berrios of Chicken Lou’s Distribution

4 cups cooked white rice (can be replaced with quinoa, brown rice or other grain of preference)

1 package shredded cheddar cheese

2 cans black beans, drained

1 package taco seasoning

1 bottle Chicken Lou’s signature Chipotle

Ranch dressing

Optional toppings:

Shredded cabbage

Shredded lettuce

Black olives

Sliced jalapenos

Diced tomatoes

Cotija cheese

Salsa

Diced red onions

Avocado slices

In a bowl, combine the rice, beans, taco seasoning, half the bag of shredded cheddar cheese and half the bottle of chipotle ranch dressing. Mix thoroughly until combined. Take the mixture and spread onto a 9-by-13inch greased baking pan. Top with the remaining cheese. Bake in the oven, uncovered, at 350 degrees until it’s heated through and the temperature reaches 165 (approximately 30 minutes). Top with your favorite taco toppings.

Gerry Ferretti-Berrios, co-owner of Chicken Lou’s Distribution. Courtesy photo.

CDs pg30

•

POP C ulT u RE

MUSIC, BOOKS, MOVIES AND MORE

Bobcat Goldthwait, Soldier for Christ (PGf Records)

PLAyLiST

A seriously abridged compendium of recent and future CD releases

• Here it comes, gang, it’s already May 5, and you know what that means! Well, nothing really, unless it’s your birthday month, because you won’t really have any reason to go to the beach until June, but we can work with what we’ve got I suppose.

Bobcat Goldthwait,

Soldier for Christ B

• Fights, Scampirock A+ BooKS pg31

• Built to Move B+

Includes listings for lectures, author events, book clubs, writers’ workshops and other literary events.

To let us know about your book or event, email asykeny@hippopress. com. To get author events, library events and more listed, send information to listings@hippopress.com.

So, an album featuring ’80s/’90s/whatever comedian Bobcat Goldthwait performing a standup set recorded last year at Lincoln Lodge in Chicago. Like Gallagher with his watermelon-smashing SledgeO-Matic (which has been outdone by approximately 367,000 YouTube prank videos last time I looked), Goldthwait has had a shtick going back decades, mildly funny jokes delivered in a hiccupping, “what kind of drugs is he on” voice. Reading this record’s informational one-sheet, I saw that Goldthwait has put away the cocaine and has a kid now, which gave me horrible flashbacks of Chris Rock’s most recent comedy special. Yet, I persisted. Jokes include making fun of a guy in a wheelchair for dissing Biden; the intrinsic sadness of Mylar Spongebob balloons; and trusting the government for the first time ever, upon hearing last year’s announcement that UFOs are real. It’s OK for what it is, this LP; there wasn’t much that tickled me any harder than those Jimmy JJ Walker commercials on MeTV where he’s trying to scam old people out of their Medicare. B — Eric W. Saeger

fights, Scampirock (lie laga Records)

OK, OK, I give up, the genre of “Scandirock” is happening, and, owing to its roots being, you know, rooted in the Hives’s approach to melodic hardcore, it’s protected from on high by the prince of melodical dumbness, in other words this is even harder to hate than Finnish folk-metal. We talked about the Oslo, Norway-based Scandirock band Dudes a couple of months ago, but this fivesome is a lot more raw, and definitely more unhinged. I mean, you have to put a listen to opening track “Good Morning Neil Armstrong” on your bucket list, as the riff is up there with the Yngwie Malmsteem hammer-on madness that shot Alcatrazz’ single “God Blessed Video” into the stratosphere in the ’80s. But wait, there’s more, the vocal is sung in a scratchy-throated math-metal style I wasn’t expecting; in fact it’s probably the coolest rock tune I’ve heard in years. Buy buy buy.

A+ — Eric W. Saeger

Ed Sheeran, - (which will eventually become known as Subtract, but for now, let’s just all pretend that this neckbearded indie-pop fraud will be super-famous forever and currently isn’t so drunk with cred that he thinks he can get away with a dumb, unpronounceable album title every year without some permanently annoyed rock critic pointing out how dumb it is)! I’ve never been able to tell that dude from that ginger prince in Britain, whatever his name, but there is no escape this time, because if I’m ever going to get this column off to my editing queens I’m going to have to stop stalling and go listen to something from this idiotically titled album. OK! The single, “Eyes Closed,” is the sort of Weeknd/Bruno Mars-style confection you’d hear if you hung around in the electronics section of Target for too long; it uses a chicken-plucking guitar-or-whatnot in order to attract listeners who don’t really like music, and then it’s millennial whoop-ish oatmeal burnishing the slightest possible variation on the same junk you’ve been hearing on bubblegum-radio for how many years now? 70? Oh, what am I even doing, let’s move it along, I don’t know how people can listen to this stuff without going completely daft. Talk about Groundhog Day, OMG. • Yes, yes, but hark, the really stupid album names continue this week, courtesy of the Jonas Brothers, whose new album is titled The Album, no, I’m serious. Hold it, one of those Jonases is married to a British princess if I’m not mistaken. No, Wikipedia says I got it wrong, he’s actually married to a Westeros princess, the girl who was on the HBO show about dragons where all the good guys met pointless, gratuitously disgusting comeuppances, the adult CGI cartoon that was based on those books by that dude with the really stupid bosun’s mate hat, or maybe it’s a cab driver’s hat, who knows or cares. You know, somewhere in these boxes I have a specially signed CD of the Jonases’ first album, back when their record company was trying to make sure every critic in the country was talking about them. I’ll have to remember to list it for sale on Amazon at some point as a super-collectible item or something, but anyway, let’s all just calm down and talk about this new stupidly titled album. Look how grown up those boys look, my stars, and how they look so haunted after all those years of being yelled at by record company lackeys when they just wanted to play Donkey Kong, tsk tsk. The opening song is called “Sucker” (I won’t say it) and OMG it’s like that Ed Sheeran song I just talked about except the beat is more bloopy, and whichever Jonas is singing like Bo Diddley meets Prince and it’s even more bubblegummy. Ha ha, all the YouTube comments are from bots, it’s so obvious.

• The Lemon Twigs are two singing brothers from Long Island and they have a rich mommy. Thus far they’ve sort of wavered between indie, emo and glam, which might be a good direction, depending on what the new single from their upcoming album, Everything Harmony, sounds like. Ack, gag me, it’s 1960s twee, like the Young Rascals, get this trash out of my face this instant.

• We’ll end this exercise with LA Priest, whom I’ve heard about before, but there’s no Wikipedia page for him, just one for his old band, Late of the Pier. Whatever, his new space-pop LP, Fase Luna, features the tune “It’s You,” Ack, gag me, it sounds like Beck trying to be Mungo Jerry, we’re done here.

— Eric W. Saeger

2023 CSA SHARES now available

Built to Move, by Kelly Starrett and Juliet Starrett (Knopf, 336 pages)

CrossFit devotees are no doubt familiar with Kelly and Juliet Starrett. Not being one, I was not, and there was nothing in their new book’s title that seems particularly inspiring. In fact, the only thing the book had going for it, I thought, was an endorsement by popular Stanford University podcaster Andrew Huberman.

I was wrong.

The Starretts, co-founders of CrossFit, have written an unusual fitness book in that they address both long-time, hard-core exercisers and the passionate sedentary, those who proudly display 0.0 stickers on the back of their cars in defiance of the 26.2s. They’re not interested in getting you to run a marathon or even 5K. They’re more interested in getting you to be able to get up off the floor for the next couple of decades — literally.

The “sit and rise” test was the subject of research published in 2014. That study showed that the ability to easily drop into a crosslegged position on the floor, and get up again (if possible not using your hands), is reflective of a person’s physical well- being and can be predictive of mortality.

Intuitively, that makes sense. The more limber a person is, the better their health, right?

But the Starretts don’t see sitting and rising as simply a measure of wellness and mobility, but a way to achieve it. The average toddler falls down (and gets back up) 17 times an hour, whereas aging adults do all they can to not visit the floor. In fact, we should be getting on the floor, and getting back up, as long as we’re able.

“Sitting on the floor, if you do it regularly, is one of the things that can help you become more proficient at getting down on the floor, and then getting back up again, without using any support,” they write, adding, “Our bodies are built to sit in ground-based positions.”

The Starretts recommend that we spend a total of 30 cumulative minutes a day sitting in

various positions on the floor; doing so helps to “rewild” our hip joints and correct the musculoskeletal problems people develop when they sit in chairs (or cars) most of the day.

It is this kind of advice that makes Built to Move a nice surprise and a departure from the typical wellness book that repackages the same old advice. While upending the conventional wisdom, the Starretts argue that anyone, at any age and in any condition, can incorporate a handful of easy practices and see improvements in their condition. But first, they want to destroy the notion that if we exercise aerobically four or five times a week then we’re in some optimal physical condition.

Think you’re OK because you exercise and stretch? The Starretts say that stretching doesn’t work, nor does even yoga, when it comes to improving and preserving range of motion. “In most circumstances, passively pulling on a muscle doesn’t really achieve much, and it certainly doesn’t improve range of motion.” Stretching just releases tension from our muscles. They recommend movements called “mobilizations” that also target ligaments and joints.

Think you’re OK because you run for 45 minutes four times a week? Nope. You need to be walking for a half hour, too, because walking “rewilds” the feet and works the muscles, tendons and ligaments in ways that running doesn’t.

While showing how the typical modern lifestyle works against the ways our bodies are meant to move, the authors point out the myriad conveniences that might make life easier now but might make it harder for us in old age — like a car’s backup camera. (“Give it a rest sometime and turn around to look behind you when you back up.”)

Then of course, there’s nutrition, not as it relates to our weight, but how it affects our ability to heal from injury. Poor nutrition contributes to inflammation and can slow recovery from injury or illness. They don’t care what

Continued on pg 32

sort of eating plan you follow as long as it’s high in protein and contains about 800 grams of fruits and vegetables per day.

Finally, as someone currently dealing with chronic pain from an arm injury, I especially appreciated the Starretts’ section titled “What to do when you hurt.” Apparently a lot of other people will appreciate this, too. When Kelly Starrett speaks to audiences, he often asks people to raise their hands if they’re currently in pain, and about 95 percent of the crowd raises a hand.

“Pain,” the Starretts write, “is a request for change.” But interestingly, they add, that pain “doesn’t always mean that you’re injured or that a tissue is damaged; in fact, most times it doesn’t.” While of course pain caused by obvious injuries (i.e., a twisted ankle or broken arm) requires medical treatment, “most of the musculoskeletal pain people experience these days — sore knees, achy lower backs, throbbing shoulders — is not injury, but rather a reflection of our modern lifestyle,” things that

Books

Author events

• CASSANDRA KHAW, horror author, will visit Gibson’s Bookstore (45 S. Main St. in Concord; gibsonsbookstore.com, 224-0562) on Thursday, May 4, at 6:30 p.m. to discuss her new novella The Salt Grows Heavy

• AMY LABELLE will be at Balin Books (375 Amherst St. in Nashua; 673-1734) on Saturday, May 6, at 2 p.m. to discuss her book Wine Weddings

• KEITH GENTILI will be at Bookery (844 Elm St. in Manchester; 673-1734, bookerymht.com) on Saturday, May 6, at 3 p.m. to discuss his book White Mountains State The event is free; register online.

• KEITH GENTILI will discuss his book White Mountains State at Gibson’s Bookstore (45 S. Main

film

Venues

Chunky’s Cinema Pub

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

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

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

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

• Chevalier (PG-13, 2023) will screen at Red River Theatres on Thursday, May 4, at 4 p.m.; Friday, May 5 through Sunday, May 7, at 4:15 p.m.

• How to Blow Up a Pipeline (R, 2023) will screen at Red River Theatres in the Simchik Cinema (a 22-seat screening room) on Thursday, May 4, at 4:15 & 7 p.m.

can be corrected with the practices shown in the book, the Starretts say.

Their message is hopeful. “One thing you should know about your body is that it’s not as fragile as you think. You are a pretty bombproof organism, easily designed to last a hundred years. That doesn’t mean your body should hurt.” It just means that you’ve got to address the pain in ways beyond taking fistfuls of ibuprofen; “Follow the breadcrumbs and try to figure it out.”

As for the sit-and-rise test, here’s how it’s done: “Cross one foot in front of the other and sit down on the floor into a cross-legged position without holding onto anything. … Now, from the same cross-legged position, rise up off the floor, if possible, without placing your hands or knees on the floor or using anything for support.”

How’d you do? If you still can’t even figure out how to get down on the floor, let alone get up without holding on for dear life, this book’s for you. And no, I’m not telling you how I did on that test. B+ — Jennifer

St., Concord, 224-0562, gibsonsbookstore.com) on Tuesday, May

9, at 6:30 p.m.

• JUSTIN CRONIN will discuss his novel The Ferryman at Gibson’s Bookstore (45 S. Main St., Concord, 224-0562, gibsonsbookstore.com) on Wednesday, May 10, at 6:30 p.m.

• WARREN ZANES will discuss his book Deliver Me From Nowhere: The Making of Bruce Springsteen’s Nebraska at Gibson’s Bookstore (45 S. Main St. in Concord; gibsonsbookstore.com) on Saturday, May 13, at 1 p.m.

• GAIL WALSH CHOP & MARGARET CORBETT WILEY will discuss their book Flashbulb Memories at Bookery (844 Elm St. in Manchester; bookerymht.com) on Saturday, May 13, at 4 p.m.

• THOMAS S. CURRAN will

• Polite Society (PG-13, 2023) will screen at Red River Theatres on Thursday, May 4, at 4:30 & 7:15 p.m.; Friday, May 5, through Sunday, May 7, at 1:45, 4:30 & 7:15 p.m.

• The Quiet Girl (PG-13, 2022) will screen at Music Hall in Portsmouth on Wednesday, May 3, and Thursday, May 4, at 7 p.m.

• Star Wars: Episode IV — A New Hope (PG, 1977) will screen at Red River Theatres on Thursday, May 4, at 7 p.m.

• Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (PG-13, 2023) All three area Chunky’s will hold a 21+ screening on Thursday, May 4, at 8 p.m.

• Showing Up (R, 2023) will screen at Red River Theatres Friday, May 5, through Sunday, May 7, at 1:30 & 7 p.m.; Thursday, May 11, at 4:30 p.m.

• Smoking Causes Coughing (NR, 2023) will screen at Red River Theatres in the Simchik Cinema on Friday, May 5, at 3 & 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, May 6, at 3:30 & 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, May 7, at 3 &

Graham

present his book All Join Hands: Dudley Laufman and the New England Country Dance Tradition at Gibson’s Bookstore (45 S. Main St., Concord, 224-0562, gibsonsbookstore.com) on Tuesday, May 16, at 6:30 p.m. Dudley Laufman will join Curran in conversation.

• MARGOT DOUAIHY will discuss her debut crime novel Scorched Grace at Gibson’s Bookstore (45 S. Main St., Concord, 224-0562, gibsonsbookstore. com) on Wednesday, May 17, at 6:30 p.m.

Poetry

• ALA KHAKI will present his poetry at Gibson’s Bookstore (45 S. Main St., Concord, 2240562, gibsonsbookstore.com) on Wednesday, May 17, at 4:30 p.m. An open mic follows his reading.

7:30 p.m.; Thursday, May 11, at 7:15 p.m.

• What’s Love Got to Do With It? (PG-13, 2023) will screen at Red River Theatres in the Simchik Cinema on Friday, May 5, at 12:30 & 5 p.m.; Saturday, May 6, at 5:15 p.m.; Sunday, May 7, at 12:30 & 5 p.m.; Thursday, May 11, at 4:45 p.m.

• Rare Objects (R, 2023) will screen at the Music Hall in Portsmouth on Sunday, May 7, at 1 p.m. and Tuesday, May 9, at 7 p.m.

• Lost Boundaries (1949) will screen at Red River Theatres on Wednesday, May 10, at 5:30 p.m. followed by a discussion of the film with film historian Lawrence Benaquist. The event is a free presentation of the New Hampshire Humanities; go online to register.

• Girl Shy (1924) a silent film starring Harold Lloyd and Jobyna Ralston, will screen on Wednesday, May 10, at 6:30 p.m. at the Flying Monkey featuring live musical accompaniment by Jeff Rapsis. Tickets cost $10.

local music news & events

By Michael Witthaus mwitthaus@hippopress.com

• Taco tunes: Manchester’s largest Taco Tour ever has live music, including sets from reggae rockers Supernothing and Donaher, the latter a power pop quartet whose front man is campaigning to recognize the Queen City as the birthplace of chicken tenders. Indie singer-songwriter Colleen Green opens the early evening free concert, which offers a great way to shake off all those tasty tacos. Thursday, May 4, 4:30 p.m., M&T Bank/ City Bandstage Stage, corner of Bridge and Elm streets, Manchester, see facebook.com/ grtrmanchester.

• Dancing scene: When a night hosted by Abba-inspired brand ambassadors Gimme Gimme Disco succeeds, it’s due to the crowd’s energy. Revelers are resplendent in bell bottom jeans, afro hairdos, oversized sunglasses, crazy colors and other finery that works under a mirror ball, along with a yearning to groove to songs like “September,” “It’s Raining Men” and “Waterloo,” all spun by a ’70s-savvy DJ. Friday, May 5, 7:30 p.m., Nashua Center for the Arts, 201 Main St., Nashua, $19 and up at eventbrite.com.

• Father’s son: Starting in 1996 with the multi-platinum Bringing Down the Horse, The Wallflowers became a band in name only, with a singular vision guided by its front man, Jakob Dylan, who last year said, “no one lineup … ever made two records [and] one person is actually putting the ideas together … that’s always been me.” Recently, Dylan has been covering old friend Tom Petty’s “American Girl” at concerts. Saturday, May 6, 7:30 p.m., The Flying Monkey, 39 Main St., Plymouth, $69 and up at flyingmonkeynh.com.

• Fresh hell: After the headliners dropped out of a run called The Hellbender Tour, Saving Vice took charge, rebranding it The End of Winter. The new name refers to the Vermont metalcore band’s debut EP, Colder Than Dark, which is now celebrating its fiveyear anniversary. Sink With Me, No Eye Has Seen, Frantic Endeavor, Devitalized and Soft Touch Mechanism round out the bill at a local show. Sunday, May 7, 7 p.m., Jewel Music Venue, 61 Canal St., Manchester, $15 and up at eventbrite.com.

• Country couple: The latest in an ongoing singer-songwriter series has Lance & Lea playing and chatting with fellow musician Katie Dobbins, who opens the show. Lance Kotara came up in the Texas club scene, while Coloradan LeAnna Kaufman rode horses and sang in church as a youngster; they met in Nashville and became a duo. Their first album was produced by Grammy winner Paul Worley. Wednesday, May 10, 6 pm., Loft at Hermit Woods, 72 Main St., Meredith, $10 to $15 at hermitwoods.com.

NITE Move to the music

Local band adds to yoga experience

By Michael Witthaus mwitthaus@hippopress.com

When Cassie O’Brien was in her twenties, she wrote for a Concord alt weekly and was constantly impressed by the city’s music and arts scene. When she and her husband began planning a move from Washington, D.C., back to New Hampshire six years ago, they wanted someplace with a similar vibe.

Ultimately they chose the real thing.

“Thinking about where we wanted to live, we just kept circling back to Concord,” O’Brien said recently. “A sense of community ... that’s what brought us here.”

The two fit in quickly. Rob O’Brien is prominent as a musician, playing the Roland Aerophone, an idiosyncratic saxophone-cum-synthesizer, with local band Andrew North & the Rangers. The disciplined jam act has a new live album, Thanks for the Warning, Vol. 1, due on May 12, with a release show at Concord’s Area 23 the following night.

Cassie is a yoga instructor and, since September, a small business owner. She runs Worthy Mind & Movement, offering a range of classes that are almost all music-centric. That element was part of the yoga studio when Cassie worked there, before she

Buti yoga Glow Night w/ Bosey Joe

When: Friday, May 5, 7 p.m.

Where: Worthy Mind & Movement, 8 N. Main St., Suite 1B, Concord

Tickets: $20, reserve at worthymindandmovement.com

bought it. When she took it over, she wanted to take the music up a notch or two, so she began offering Buti, a yoga practice that includes a lot of dance-like movement.

Initially EDM mixes were used for classes, but on May 5 local electronica duo Bosey Jose will play live while participants work up a sweat. It will be a Glow Yoga event, with body paint and clothing that pops under a blacklight. “I kind of equate it to like going to a rave, but without all the regrets and everything afterward,” Cassie said.

The experience is perfect for “moms who want to have that night out for themselves, have a good time and let loose,” she continued. “People can hoot, they can holler, they can swear at me … anything goes, as long as they’re being safe. It’s a good release, a fun way to move your body and still get in a workout.”

Non-glow Buti classes happen during the week, along with Zumba and the more intense HIIT yoga; there’s also the meditation in motion of Primal Flow. Buti is a bit in between, Cassie explained: “There’s some cardio involved, there’s some plyometric work — planks, your holding poses and stuff like that. It’s just dynamic movement, meant to be a fun way to move your body and have a good time.”

Buti is a good entry-level yoga. “You never have to be in any pose for too long, because we are pretty much constantly moving … our movement is driven by the beat of the music,” Cassie said. For her, trading cues with live musicians will offer a new challenge. “When I want to pick up the pace and

COMEDy THIS WEEK anD bEyOnD

Venues

Bank of NH Stage in Concord

16 S. Main St., Concord 225-1111, banknhstage.com

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

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

Colonial Theatre 609 Main St., Laconia, 800657-8774, coloniallaconia.com

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

The Flying Monkey 39 Main St., Plymouth, 5362551, flyingmonkeynh.com Hampton Beach Casino

Ballroom 169 Ocean Blvd., Hampton Beach, 929-4100, casinoballroom.com

Headliners Comedy Club DoubleTree By Hilton, 700 Elm St., Manchester headlinerscomedyclub.com

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

LaBelle Winery Derry 14 Route 111, Derry 672-9898, labellewinery.com

Murphy’s Taproom 494 Elm St., Manchester scampscomedy.com/shows

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

The Music Hall Lounge 131 Congress St., Portsmouth

436-2400, themusichall.org

Palace Theatre 80 Hanover St., Manchester 668-5588, palacetheatre.org

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

Rochester Opera House 31 Wakefield St., Rochester, 3351992, rochesteroperahouse.com

Ruby Room Comedy 909 Elm St., Manchester, 4910720, rubyroomcomedy.com

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

Tupelo Music Hall 10 A St., Derry, 437-5100, tupelomusichall.com

Events

• Nerdvana! Rochester Opera House, Thursday, May 4, 8

maybe do a cardio push, I’m going to have to somehow communicate to them, and I’ll also have to fall along.”

Bosey Joe once played in a barber shop, so they are a good fit for the small-business showcase. The space comes with a bonus, Rob O’Brien explained.

“I helped upgrade the studio and we have a fantastic sound system up there now with a big subwoofer,” O’Brien said. “Since these are at night and most of the offices and businesses below us are closed, we can really crank it up. I’ve been in there by myself, and it feels like a club — the energy can get really high in there.”

The volume and vibe “enhance the experience,” Cassie offered. “You get your endorphins running, it’s a rush. People after class are always saying, ‘Wow, that went by so fast! I can’t believe I’m sweating … it was so fun, I forgot I was working out.”

p.m.

• Alex Giampapa Murphy’s Taproom, Thursday, May 4, 8 p.m.

• Johnny Peers & the Muttville Comix Dana Center, Friday, May 5, 7:30 p.m.

• Drew Dunn Rex, Friday, May 5, 7:30 p.m.,

• Motherhood Is a Joke LaBelle Derry, Saturday, May 6, 6:30 p.m.

• Paul D’Angelo/Mitch Stinson Tupelo, Saturday, May 6, 8 p.m.

• Darren Rivera Headliners, Saturday, May 6, 8:30 p.m.

• Mike Donovan Chunky’s Manchester, Saturday, May 6, 8:30 p.m.

• Peter Wong Ruby Room, Wednesday, May 10, 9 p.m.

• Bob Marley Flying Monkey, Thursday, May 11, 7:30 p.m.

• Lewis Black Colonial, Thursday, May 11, 8 p.m.

• Funny Women of a Certain Age Rex, Friday, May 12, 7:30 p.m.

• Lenny Clarke Rochester Opera House, Saturday, May 13, 8 p.m.

• Johnny Pizzi Headliners, Saturday, May 13, 8:30 p.m.

• Jim McCue Chunky’s Nashua, Saturday, May 13, 8:30 p.m.

• Kyle Crawford Chunky’s Manchester, Saturday, May 13, 8:30 p.m.

• Steven Rogers Music Hall Lounge, Saturday, May 13, 8:30 p.m.

• Howie Mandel Music Hall, Sunday, May 14, 7 p.m.

Courtesy photo.

Drew Dunn

OWN YOUR OWN BUSINESS!

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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 or making a donation online at www.hippopress.com or by mail to 195 McGregor St., Suite 325, Manchester, NH 03102.

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Community Supported

Alton

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

Alton Bay

Dockside Restaurant 6 East Side Drive, 8552222

Auburn Auburn Pitts 167 Rockingham Road, 622-6564

Bedford

Copper Door 15 Leavy Dr., 488-2677

Murphy’s Carriage House

393 Route 101, 488-5875

T-Bones 169 S. River Road, 6237699

Bow Chen Yang Li 520 S. Bow St., 2288508

Brookline

The Alamo Texas Bar-

Thursday, May 4

becue & Tequila Bar 99 Route 13, 721-5000

Concord Area 23 State Street, 881-9060

Cheers 17 Depot St., 228-0180

Hermanos Cocina Mexicana 11 Hills Ave., 224-5669

Tandy’s Pub & Grille 1 Eagle Square, 856-7614

T-Bones 404 S. Main St., 7151999

Uno Pizzeria 15 Fort Eddy Road, 2268667

Contoocook Gould Hill Farm & Contoocook Cider Co. 656 Gould Hill Road, 746-3811

Deerfield

The Lazy Lion 4 North Road, 463-7374

Epping

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

Dover

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

Epping

Telly’s Restaurant & Pizzeria 235 Calef Hwy., 679-8225

Epsom Hill Top Pizzeria 1724 Dover Road, 7360027

Gilford Patrick’s 18 Weirs Road, 293-0841

Goffstown Village Trestle 25 Main St., 497-8230

Hampton Bernie’s Beach Bar 73 Ocean Blvd., 926-5050

Bogie’s

9900

Lynn’s 102 Tavern 76 Derry Road, 9437832

Stumble Inn 20 Rockingham Road, 432-3210

Manchester Backyard Brewery

The Goat 50 Old Granite St.

The Hill Bar & Grille McIntyre Ski Area 50 Chalet Ct., 622-6159

7722

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

Auburn Auburn Pitts: open jam, 7 p.m.

Bedford

Copper Door: Sam Hammerman, 7 p.m.

T-Bones: Chris Taylor, 5 p.m.

Brookline

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

Concord

Area 23: drum circle, 7 p.m.;

Becca Myari, 9 p.m.

Cheers: Doug Thompson, 6 p.m.

Hermanos: live music, 6:30 p.m.

T-Bones: Chris Perkins, 5 p.m.

Derry

Fody’s: music bingo, 8 p.m.

Telly’s: Doug Mitchell, 7 p.m.

Gilford

Patrick’s Pub: Don Severance with Dakota Smart, 6 p.m.

Goffstown

Village Trestle: Chris Voss, 6 p.m.

Hampton

CR’s: Ross McGinnes, 6 p.m.

Smuttynose: Lewis Goodwin

Duo, 6 p.m.

Wally’s: karaoke, 8 p.m.

Whym: music bingo, 6 p.m.

Hudson

Luk’s Bar: Mike Forgette of Over The Bridge, 7 p.m.

Lynn’s 102: karaoke w/ George

32 Depot Square, 6012319

CR’s The Restaurant 287 Exeter Road, 9297972

The Goat 20 L St., 601-6928

L Street Tavern 603 17 L St., 967-4777

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

Smuttynose Brewing 105 Towle Farm Road

Wally’s Pub 144 Ashworth Ave., 9266954

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

Hudson The Bar 2B Burnham Road

Luk’s Bar & Grill 142 Lowell Road, 889-

Bisson, 8 p.m.

T-Bones: Johnny Angel, 5 p.m.

Kingston

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

Laconia

Fratello’s: Phil Jacques, 7 p.m.

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

Londonderry

Stumble Inn: Another Shot, 7 p.m.

Manchester

Bonfire: Phil Maurice

Cactus Jack’s: Caylin Costello, 5 p.m.

City Hall Pub: John Chouinard, 7 p.m.

CALLING ALL dANCING QUEENS

If you love ABBA or you can’t get enough disco, you’ll want to check out Gimme Gimme Disco, a DJ-based disco night that plays all your favorite divas and dance hits. Follow the call of the disco ball to the Nashua Center for the Arts (201 Main St., Nashua; 800-657-8774, nashuacenterforthearts. com) on Friday, May 5, at 8 p.m. Tickets range from $19 to $24, plus fees.

T-Bones 77 Lowell Road, 8826677

Jaffrey Park Theatre 19 Main St., 532-9300

Kingston Saddle Up Saloon 92 Route 125, 369-6962

Laconia Belknap Mill

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

Bernini Pizzeria and Wine Bar

1135 Union Ave., 5278028

Fratello’s 799 Union Ave., 5282022

Tower Hill Tavern 264 Lakeside Ave., 3669100

Londonderry Coach Stop Restaurant & Tavern

176 Mammoth Road, 437-2022

1211 S. Mammoth Road, 623-3545

CJ’s 782 S. Willow St., 6278600

City Hall Pub 8 Hanover St., 232-3751

Crown Tavern 99 Hanover St., 2183132

Currier Museum of Art 150 Ash St., 669-6144

Derryfield Country Club 625 Mammoth Road, 623-2880

Elm House of Pizza 102 Elm St., 232-5522

Firefly 21 Concord St., 935-9740

The Foundry 50 Commercial St., 8361925

Fratello’s 155 Dow St., 624-2022

Currier: Banda Alegres, 5 p.m.

Foundry: Mikey G, 5 p.m.

Fratello’s: Chris Lester, 5:30 p.m.

The Goat: Sugah Rush, 9 p.m.

Strange Brew: Peter Higgins, 8 p.m.

To Share: Paul Driscoll, 6:30 p.m.

Merrimack

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

Tortilla Flat: George Barber, 6 p.m.

Meredith

Giuseppe’s: Paul Hubert, 5:45 p.m.

Milford

Riley’s Place: open mic, 7 p.m.

Nashua

Fody’s: DJ Rich karaoke, 9:30 p.m.

San Francisco Kitchen: live music, 6:30 p.m.

Shorty’s: Jordan Quinn, 6 p.m.

Portsmouth

The Goat: Isaiah Bennett, 9 p.m.

Salem

Copper Door: Lou Antonucci, 7 p.m.

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

Murphy’s Taproom 494 Elm St., 644-3535

Salona Bar & Grill 128 Maple St., 624-4020

Shaskeen Pub 909 Elm St., 625-0246

Shorty’s Mexican Roadhouse 1050 Bicentennial Drive, 625-1730

South Side Tavern 1279 S. Willow St., 9359947

Stark Brewing Co. 500 Commercial St., 625-4444

Strange Brew 88 Market St., 666-4292

To Share Brewing 720 Union St., 836-6947

Wild Rover 21 Kosciuszko St., 669-

T-Bones: Jeff Mrozek, 5 p.m.

Seabrook

Backyard Burgers: Jennifer Mitchell, 6 p.m.

Strafford

Independence Inn: Senie Hunt, 6 p.m.

friday, May 5

Alton

Foster’s Tavern: Family Affair, 6 p.m.

Auburn Auburn Pitts: Tapedeck Heroez, 7 p.m.

Bedford

Murphy’s: Liz Apostolides, 6 p.m.

Brookline

Alamo: Ralph Allen, 6 p.m.

Concord Area 23: Jam Tomorrow, 8 p.m.

Epping

Telly’s: Rob & Jody, 8 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.

Mills Falls Marketplace 312 Daniel Webster Hwy.

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, 6722270

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

Stonecutters Pub 63 Union Square, 2135979

Nashua Fody’s Tavern 9 Clinton St., 577-9015

Goffstown

Village Trestle: Rose Kula, 5 p.m.

Hampton

CR’s: Bob Tirelli, 6 p.m.

The Goat: Alex Anthony, 8 p.m.

Smuttynose: Small Town Stranded, 6 p.m.

Wally’s: Eric Grant Band, 8 p.m.

Whym: live music, 6:30 p.m.

Hudson

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

Kingston

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

Laconia

Fratello’s: Henry Laliberte, 6 p.m.

Londonderry

Coach Stop: Dave Zangri, 6 p.m.

Stumble Inn: D-Comp, 8 p.m.

Manchester

Backyard Brewery: Josh Foster, 6 p.m.

Bonfire: Chase Clark

Derryfield: Erika Van Pelt Duo, 8 p.m.; Last Kid Picked, 8 p.m.

Fratello’s: Sean Coleman, 6 p.m.

The Foundry: Andrea Paquin, 6 p.m.

The Goat: Pop Daddy, 9 p.m.

Murphy’s: Johnny Angel, 5:30 p.m.; Alex Roy Band, 9:30 p.m.

Shaskeen: Rockspring, 9 p.m.

Shorty’s: Doug Mitchell, 3:30 p.m.; Krystian Beal, 7 p.m.

NITE

THIS WEEK

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

Strange Brew: River Sang Wild, 9 p.m.

Meredith

Giuseppe’s: Michael Bourgeois, 5:45 p.m.

Twin Barns: Dakota Smart, 5 p.m.

Merrimack

Homestead: Jess Olson, 6 p.m.

Tortilla Flat: Dave Clark, 4 p.m.; Sam Hammerman, 8 p.m.

Milford

Pasta Loft: Bush League, 8 p.m.

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

Nashua

Millyard: Connor Coburn, 6:30 p.m.

Shorty’s: Paul Lussier, 3:30 p.m.; Jake Bartolin, 7 p.m.

New Boston

Molly’s: live music, 7 p.m.

Northfield

Boonedoxz Pub: karaoke night, 7 p.m.

Penacook

American Legion Post 31: JMitch Karaoke, 7 p.m.

Portsmouth

Gas Light: Dave Ayotte Band, 9:30 p.m.; Justin Cohn, 9:30 p.m.

The Goat: Chris Toler, 9 p.m.

Salem

Luna Bistro: Clint Lapointe, 6 p.m.

Smuttynose: music bingo, 6 p.m.

Tilton

Pour Decisions: Tyler Levs, 7 p.m.

Northfield Boonedoxz Pub 95 Park St., 717-8267

Penacook American Legion Post 31

11 Charles St., 753-9372

Portsmouth The Gas Light

64 Market St., 430-9122

The Goat

142 Congress St., 5904628

Mojo’s West End Tavern 95 Brewery Lane, 4366656

2162

rochester Porter’s Pub 19 Hanson St., 330-1964

Salem Copper Door 41 S. Broadway, 4582033

5 Provident Way, 7602581

Strafford Independence Inn

418-7121

Press Room 77 Daniel St., 431-5186

Luna Bistro 254 N. Broadway, 458-

Smuttynose 11 Via Toscana

T-Bones 311 South Broadway, 893-3444

Seabrook Backyard Burgers & Wings

Chop Shop Pub 920 Lafayette Road, 760-7706

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

6 Drake Hill Road, 7183334

Tilton

Pour Decisions 500 Laconia Road, 5278066

May 6 Alton Bay

Saturday,

Dockside: Sweetbloods, 8 p.m.

Alton

Foster’s Tavern: Mikey G, 6 p.m.

Bedford

Murphy’s: Ralph Allen, 6 p.m.

Brookline

Alamo: Austin McCarthy, 6 p.m.

Bow

Chen Yang Li: The Lone Wolf Project, 7 p.m.

Concord Area 23: Acoustic circle with John Farese, 2 p.m.; ’90s night, 8 p.m.

Hermanos: live music, 6:30 p.m.

Epping

Telly’s: Jonny Friday Duo, 8 p.m.

Goffstown Village Trestle: Acoustic Moxie, 6 p.m.

Hampton

L Street: Up-Beat w/ J-Dubz, 9 p.m.

Smuttynose: Harrison Goodell, 1 p.m.; Whatsername, 6 p.m.

Whym: Sam Hammerman, 6 p.m.

Jaffrey

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

Laconia Tower Hill: line dancing, 7 p.m.

Londonderry

Coach Stop: Clint Lapointe, 6 p.m.

Stumble Inn: Chad LaMarsh, 8 p.m.

Manchester Backyard Brewery: Senie

Hunt, 6 p.m.

Bonfire: Shana Stack Band

Derryfield: Another Shot Duo, 6 p.m.; Souled Out Show Band, 8 p.m.

Fratello’s: Liz Ridgely, 6 p.m.

Foundry: Tyler Levs, 6 p.m.

The Goat: musical brunch with Brooks Hubbard, 10 a.m.

Murphy’s: Matt Bergeron, 5:30 p.m.; Mostly 90’s Band, 9:30 p.m.

Shaskeen: karaoke night, 9 p.m.

Strange Brew: Racky Thomas, 9 p.m.

Wild Rover: Chris Cavanaugh, 5 p.m.

Meredith

Twin Barns: Ian Archibold, 5 p.m.

Merrimack

Homestead: Marc Apostolides, 6 p.m.

Milford

Pasta Loft: Neon Wave, 8:30 p.m.

Nashua

Millyard: Dyer Holiday & the Resolutionaries, 4 p.m.

New Boston

Molly’s: live music, 7 p.m.

Portsmouth

Gas Light Pub: Paul Warnick, 2 p.m.; D-Comp Trio, 7 p.m.; Rebecca Turmel, 9:30 p.m.

The Goat: Mike Forgette, 9 p.m.

Salem

Luna Bistro: Chad LaMarsh, 7 p.m.

Seabrook

Chop Shop: Fair Warning (Van Halen tribute), 6:30 p.m.

Sunday, May 7

Alton Bay

Dockside: Chris O’Neil, 4 p.m.

tHrEE FUNNY MotHErS

Motherhood is one of the most important, and most hilarious, jobs you can do. Three of New England’s funniest moms, Christine Hurley, Kathe Farris and Kristi Kielbasinski, celebrate Mother’s Day with a comedy dinner at LaBelle Winery (14 Route 111, Derry; 672-9898, labellewinery.com) on Saturday, May 6, at 6:30 p.m. Tickets cost $79 plus fees.

Bedford

Copper Door: Nate Comp, 11 a.m.

Murphy’s: Dave Clark, 4 p.m.

Brookline

Alamo: Jared Rocco, 4 p.m.

Concord Cheers: Rebecca Turmul, 5 p.m.

Contoocook

Cider Co.: live music, 2 p.m.

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

Hampton

L Street: Up-Beat w/ J-Dubz, 9 p.m.

Hudson Lynn’s 102: Carter On Guitar, 4 p.m.

Laconia

Belknap Mill: open mic, 2 p.m.

Bernini’s: Don Severance, 5 p.m.

Tower Hill: karaoke w/ DJ Tim, 8 p.m.

Londonderry

Stumble Inn: Chad LaMarsh, 3 p.m.

Manchester

Derryfield: J-Lo Duo, 5 p.m.

Foundry: Joe Gattuso, 10 a.m.

The Goat: Mike Forgette, 10 a.m.

Murphy’s: Tim Kiestead, 3 p.m.

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

To Share: Benjamin Harris, 4 p.m.

Meredith

Giuseppe’s: open mic w/ Lou Porrazzo, 5:45 p.m.

Milford

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

Northfield

Boonedoxz Pub: open mic, 4 p.m.

Portsmouth Gas Light: Ralph Allen, 2 p.m.; Dapper Gents, 6 p.m.

The Goat: Rob Pagnano, 9 p.m.

Salem

Copper Door: Steve Aubert, 11 a.m.

Luna Bistro: Redemption Band Trio, 4 p.m.

Monday, May 8

Bedford

Murphy’s: Chris Powers, 5:30 p.m.

Dover

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

Gilford

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

Hudson

The Bar: karaoke with Phil

Londonderry

Stumble Inn: Lisa Guyer, 7 p.m.

Manchester

Fratello’s: Phil Jacques, 5:30 p.m.

The Goat: David Campbell, 8 p.m.

Murphy’s: Jonny Friday, 5:30 p.m.

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

Meredith

Giuseppe’s: Lou Porrazzo, 5:45 p.m.

Merrimack

Homestead: Ralph Allen, 5:30 p.m.

Nashua

Fody’s: karaoke night, 9:30 p.m.

Portsmouth

The Goat: Alex Anthony, 9 p.m.

Seabrook

Red’s: music bingo, 7 p.m.

Tuesday, May 9

Bedford

Murphy’s: Sam Hammerman, 5:30 p.m.

Concord

Hermanos: live music, 6:30 p.m.

Tandy’s: open mic, 8 p.m.

Hampton

Shane’s: music bingo, 7 p.m.

Londonderry

Stumble Inn: music bingo, 7 p.m.

Manchester

Fratello’s: Clint Lapointe, 5:30 p.m.

The Goat: Rob Pagnano, 8 p.m.

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

Murphy’s: Krystian Beal: 5:30 p.m.

Strange Brew: David Rousseau, 8 p.m.

Meredith

Giuseppe’s: Michael Bourgeois,

6 p.m.

Merrimack Homestead: Lou Antonucci, 5:30 p.m.

Nashua

Raga: karaoke, 7:30 p.m.

Portsmouth

The Goat: Isaiah Bennett, 9 p.m.

Seabrook

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

Red’s: country night, 7 p.m.

Wednesday, May 10

Bedford

Murphy’s: Pete Peterson, 5:30 p.m.

Concord

Hermanos: live music, 6:30 p.m.

Tandy’s: karaoke, 8 p.m.

Uno Pizzeria: Justin Cohn, 6 p.m.

Derry

Fody’s: karaoke, 7 p.m.

Hampton

Bogie’s: open mic, 7 p.m.

L Street: DJ Jeff karaoke, 9 p.m.

Wally’s: Chris Toler, 7 p.m.

Kingston

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

Manchester

Derryfield: Jonny Friday 6 p.m.

Fratello’s: Henry LaLiberte, 5:30 p.m.

The Goat: Mike Forgette, 7 p.m.

Murphy’s: Ralph Allen, 5;30 p.m.

Stark Brewing: Cox karaoke, 8 p.m.

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

Meredith

Giuseppe’s: Don Bergeron, 5:45 p.m.

Merrimack

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

Milford

Stonecutters Pub: open mic, 8

Portsmouth

The Goat: Alex Anthony, 9 p.m. Press Room: open

5:30 p.m.

Trivia

Weekly

• Thursday trivia at Station 101 (193 Union Sq., Milford, 249-5416) at 6:30

p.m.

• 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 Kings trivia at Game

Concerts

Venues

Averill House Vineyard 21 Averill Road, Brookline 371-2296, averillhousevineyard.com

Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion 72 Meadowbrook Lane, Gilford 293-4700, banknhpavilion.com

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

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

Colonial Theatre 609 Main St., Laconia 800-657-8774, coloniallaconia.com

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

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

Franklin Opera House 316 Central St., Franklin 934-1901, franklinoperahouse.org

Fulchino Vineyard 187 Pine Hill Road, Hollis 438-5984, fulchinovineyard.com

Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom 169 Ocean Blvd., Hampton Beach 929-4100, casinoballroom.com

Jewel Music Venue 61 Canal St., Manchester 819-9336, jewelmusicvenue.com

Jimmy’s Jazz and Blues Club 135 Congress St., Portsmouth 888-603-JAZZ, jimmysoncongress.com

LaBelle Winery

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

LaBelle Winery Derry 14 Route 111, Derry, 672-9898, labellewinery.com

Lakeport Opera House 781 Union Ave., Laconia, 519-7506, lakeportopera.com

Changer Sports Bar (4 Orchard View Dr., Londonderry; 216-1396, gamechangersportsbar.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, 228-0180, cheersnh.com) from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. in the lounge.

• Monday trivia at Crow’s Nest (181 Plaistow Road, Plaistow, 817-6670, crowsnestnh.com) at 8 p.m.

• Tuesday trivia at Reed’s North (2 E. Main St. in Warner, 456-2143, reedsnorth.com) from 6 to 8 p.m.

• Tuesday trivia at Fody’s (187 Rockingham Road, Derry, 404-6946, fodystavern.com) at 7 p.m.

The Music Hall

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

The Music Hall Lounge

131 Congress St., Portsmouth 436-2400, themusichall.org

Nashua Center for the Arts 201 Main St., Nashua, 800-657-8774, nashuacenterforthearts.com

Palace Theatre

80 Hanover St., Manchester, 668-5588, palacetheatre.org

Park Theatre

19 Main St., Jaffrey, 532-9300, theparktheatre.org

Press Room 77 Daniel St., Portsmouth 431-5186, pressroomnh.com

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

Rochester Opera House 31 Wakefield St., Rochester 335-1992, rochesteroperahouse.com

The Spotlight Room 96 Hanover St., Manchester 668-5588, palacetheatre.org

SNHU Arena 555 Elm St., Manchester, 644-5000, www.snhuarena.com

Stone Church 5 Granite St., Newmarket 659-7700, stonechurchrocks.com

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

Tupelo Music Hall 10 A St., Derry, 437-5100, tupelomusichall. com

The Word Barn 66 Newfields Road, Exeter, 244-0202, thewordbarn.com

Shows

• Tia Fuller Thursday, May 4, 7:30 p.m., Jimmy’s

• Tenille Arts/Justin Cohn Thursday, May 4, 7:30 p.m., Bank of NH Stage

• Tuesday trivia at Area 23 (254 N. State St., Concord, 881-9060, thearea23.com) at 7 p.m.

• 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 Main Street Grill and Bar (32 Main St., Pittsfield; 4350005, mainstreetgrillandbar.com) at 6:30 p.m.

• Wednesday trivia at Popovers (11 Brickyard Sq., Epping, 734-4724, popoversonthesquare.com) from 6:30 to 8 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 at The Bar (2b Burnham Road, Hudson, 943-5250) at 7 p.m.

• Wednesday trivia at City Hall Pub (8 Hanover St.; 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.

Music Hall Lounge

• Outline in Color with VRSTY, Discrepancies, Trading Tombstones, Echos Fade, Dead Fiction & McNilly

Tuesday, May 9, 6:30 p.m., Jewel

• Frank Catalano Wednesday, May 10, 7:30 p.m., Jimmy’s

• Sarah Potenza Wednesday, May 10, 8 p.m., Music Hall Lounge

• Granite Danes Thursday, May 4, 7:30 p.m., Press Room

• Martyn Joseph Thursday, May 4, 8 p.m., Music Hall Lounge

• Marjorie Sennet & the Broken Home Boys Friday, May 5, 7 p.m.,

Word Barn

• The Jimmy Carpenter Band Friday, May 5, 7:30 p.m., Jimmy’s

• Spafford Friday, May 5, 7:30 p.m.,

Flying Monkey

• David Benoit Friday, May 5, 8 p.m.,

Tupelo

• Gimme Gimme Disco Friday, May

5, 8 p.m., Nashua Center for the Arts

• Cinco de Mayo Fiesta Friday, May 5, 8 p.m., Rochester Opera House

• Not Fade Away Band (Led Zeppelin tribute) Friday, May 5, 9 p.m., Press Room

• Raffi Saturday, May 6, 1 p.m. Bank of NH Stage

• Karaoke Rock Star Saturday, May 6, 7 p.m., Bank of NH Stage

• Larry Campbell & Teresa Williams

Saturday, May 6, 7 p.m., Word Barn

• Counterfeit Cash: A Tribute to the Man in Black Saturday, May 6, 7:30 p.m., Rex

• Frank Turner/The Interrupters

Saturday, May 6, 7:30 p.m., Casino Ballroom

• Kenny Barron Trio Saturday, May 6, 7:30 p.m., Jimmy’s

• The Wallflowers Saturday, May 6, 7:30 p.m., Flying Monkey

• Peter Cincotti Saturday, May 6, 8 p.m., Music Hall Lounge

• Broadway Rave Saturday, May 6, 8:30 p.m., Nashua Center for the Arts

• Slim Volume Sunday, May 7, 6 p.m., Cantin Room at the Bank of NH Stage in Concord

• Spring Starlight Ball & Big Band

Extravaganza Sunday, May 7, 6 p.m., Jimmy’s

• Saving Vice with Sink With Me, No Eye Has Seen, Frantic Endeavor, Devitalized & Soft Touch Mechanism Sunday, May 7, 6:30 p.m., Jewel

• Pete Francis Sunday, May 7, 8 p.m.,

• Slaid Cleaves Thursday, May 11, 7 p.m., Word Barn

• Eric Mintel Quartet Thursday, May 11, 7 p.m., Rex

• Molly Parden Thursday, May 11, 8 p.m., Music Hall Lounge

• Lucia Miccarelli & Leo Amuedo

Thursday, May 11, 7:30 p.m., Jimmy’s

• The Bumbling Woohas Thursday, May 11, 7:30 p.m., Park Theatre

• Boz Scaggs Thursday, May 11, 8 p.m., Nashua Center for the Arts

• Kool & the Gang/Spinners Thursday, May 11, 8 p.m., Casino Ballroom

• Ballroom Thieves Friday, May 12, 6 p.m. and 9 p.m., Word Barn

• Beartooth/Trivium Friday, May 12, 6:30 p.m., Casino Ballroom

• Senie Hunt Friday, May 12, 8 p.m., Bank of NH Stage

• The Corvettes Doo Wop Review Friday, May 12, 8 p.m., Rochester Opera House

• Senie Hunt Friday, May 12, 8 p.m., Chubb Theatre

• Ana Popovic Friday, May 12, 8 p.m., Tupelo

• BoDeans Friday, May 12, 8 p.m., Nashua Center for the Arts

• Marble Eyes Friday, May 12, 9 p.m., Press Room

• Jackie Therrien Saturday, May 13, 1:30 p.m., Averill House Winery

• Recycled Percussion Saturday, May 13, 3 & 7 p.m., Nashua Center for the Arts

• Truffle Saturday, May 13, 6 p.m., Press Room

• Soggy Po’ Boys Saturday, May 13, 7 p.m., Word Barn

• Davy Knowles Band Saturday, May 13, 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., Jimmy’s

• Ellis Paul Saturday, May 13, 7:30 p.m., Rex

• Marc Cohn Saturday, May 13, 7:30 p.m., Jimmy’s

• Dylan Scott Saturday, May 13, 8 p.m., Casino Ballroom

• Foreigners Journey/Constantine Maroulis Saturday, May 13, 8 p.m., Chubb Theatre

• Graham Nash Saturday, May 13, 8 p.m., Music Hall

David Benoit

Brick by brick by puzzle

67. ‘Stranger Things’ Brickell

68. ‘93 Arc Angels song ‘Shape __’

69. Charlie Parker’s sax type

70. ‘Mona Lisa’ __ King Cole

71. The Who drummer Jones (abbr)

Down

1. Liz Phair “Cause the next __ a million girl is a million girls away”

2. Avril Lavigne “__ a skater boy”

3. Sisters With Voices R&B band (abbr)

4. Pester, as label to sign you

5. ‘Forbidden Fruit’ Dutch metalers

6. John Prine ‘__ Guess They Oughta Name A Drink After You’

7. Fall behind, as waking late for show

8. Iggy Pop ‘Billy __ Runaway’

9. Cyndi Lauper ‘Girls Just Want __’

10. Levine of Maroon 5

11. LMFAO ‘Sexy __ Know It’

12. Look-alike tribute band members

14. ‘Not So Soft’ DiFranco

16. ‘96 ‘Arena’ band

20. ‘Take Your Time (Do It Right)’ __ Band

25. Prince’s one-time band (abbr)

26. ‘01 Nickelback hit for denying a brat his way

27. ‘Look-Ka Py Py’ New Orleans funksters

Across

1. They go with ahs

4. Oingo Boingo song for “Hold it!”

7. Ozzy’s ‘Close My Eyes Forever’ girl

Ford

11. BJ Thomas ‘The Eyes Of __ York Woman’

12. ‘Where Have All The Cowboys

Gone’ Paula

13. Sober Kim Mitchell sang “Might as well go for __”

15. ‘79 Iggy Pop album for latest beliefs

17. Electronic icon Dave

18. ‘What Is It? A Fender Bender’ Meg & __

19. Carly Simon “I betcha think this __ about you”

21. ‘What Kind Of Fool __’ Frank Sinatra

22. Instrument store friends owing you favors

23. UK venue awards not for a major label?

24. Where your video is played

27. Legendary 30s actress/singer West

28. ‘Runaway’ powerpopers Artist __

30. Mark Lanegan song for a coffee shop

33. Ramones 70s label

36. Hall & Oates ‘I Can’t __ That (No Can Do)’

38. Kool And The Gang ‘Get Down __’

39. Asheton of The Stooges

40. Carlos of Cheap Trick

41. Fest-goer that moniters beer intake

43. Kenny Loggins hit ‘This __’

45. 60s teen idol Paul

46. Lightly plays chords on acoustic

48. 80s ‘The Pacific Age’ synth-band (abbr)

50. Parton/Harris/Ronstadt ‘To Know

Him __ Love Him’

51. Tori Amos album ‘Boys For’ this soccer icon

53. Thin sheet that colors a light

56. Rolling Stones say ‘__ Wild’ on Friday night

58. Country music’s ‘I Hate Everything’ icon George

60. Dedicated lines

61. fun. ‘We Are Young’ singer Janelle

64. ‘89 10,000 Maniacs single for a dining duet

66. Ronan Keating ‘When You Say Nothing __’

28. Madonna/Nas ‘__ Vidi Vici’

29. Type of starter gig: honky __

30. Parking lot bluecoat

31. Blueswoman Popovic and Matronic of Scissor Sisters

32. Like “not real” Steel Dragon

34. “I just want you to know who I am”

Goo Goo Dolls song

35. Sigur __

37. English ‘Auberge’ sing/songer Chris

42. ‘Aunt Betty’ Middle Class __

44. Evanescence hit ‘Bring Me __’

47. Rapper/actor Def

49. Tower Of Power ‘I Won’t Leave

Unless You Want __’

51. The Devil Wears __

52. Hungry ‘73 Humble Pie album?

53. Kinks ‘You Really __’

54. ‘Solitude’ sing/songer McCain

55. ‘Youth & Young Manhood’ Kings Of __

56. Iggy Pop ‘__ Conservative’

57. Four Tops ‘I __ Feeling’

59. Youth ‘Angel’ Donovan sang of

62. Genre of Smashing Pumpkins or 90s rock (abbr)

63. Jeff Lynne ‘A New World Record’ band (abbr)

65. Triumph’s Emmett

© 2023 Todd Santos

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

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

11-19-22

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

JONESIN’ CROSSWORd BY MATT JONES

“On a larger Scale”— using up the full ruler.

Across

1. Dutch flower

6. “Oh, ___ ...”

10. ALL ___ (THIS STYLE)

14. Adjective on taqueria

menus

15. Without manners

16. One part of a whole

17. Video game designer Sid who created the “Civiliza-

tion” series

18. Michael’s “Family Ties” role

19. Present time, for short?

20. Person who picks up after an annual NFL or NBA event?

23. Hide out

24. Old parent company of NBC

25. “Call of Duty: Black ___”

28. Ride for hire

31. 1990s puzzle game on an island

33. Totally lit

35. Tire swing support

37. Votes overseas

39. Hard drink

40. Classic musical comedy involving a lifeboat?

43. Officially part of a fictional universe

44. Nats or Nets, e.g.

45. Film rating gp.

46. Singers Baker and Pointer

48. Wild guess

50. Longtime network for “Arthur”

51. A Bobbsey twin

52. Sox, on scoreboards

54. “ER” actor La Salle

56. Botanical transplant, but completely on the level?

61. Numbers to be crunched

63. Roman Senate garb

64. Biff the performance

66. Physicist’s bit

67. “His Dark Material” comedian Jimmy

68. Apennines locale

69. Clothing department

70. Flower holder?

71. Peerage group

Down

1. Scottish cap

2. Pre-owned

3. Animal abode

4. Optimal

5. French fragrance

6. Exercise wear

7. Barnacles’ place

8. “Doe, ___ ...”

9. Company with a star logo

10. Die shape

11. Galaxy download, maybe

12. “Hairspray” actress Zadora

13. Pig’s enclosure

21. Check the fit of

22. “Twin Peaks” actor Jack

26. Assembly-ready

27. Some mattresses

28. Diagnostic image, for short

29. Grande not on the menu at Starbucks?

30. Late Linkin Park singer Chester

32. Utensil points

34. Not negotiable

36. Four-award feat, for short

38. Jake’s company

41. Carrie Ann of “Dancing With the Stars”

42. “Crying in ___” (2021 Michelle Zauner memoir)

47. Cells’ features?

49. One under, in golf

53. Brown ermine

55. Assigned amount

57. 2000 Super Bowl winners

58. Villain in some fairy tales

59. Alpine transport

60. Corridor

61. Beaver construction

62. Took a meal

65. Functional lead-in

© 2023 Matt Jones

Puzzle a

SIGNS Of lIfE

All quotes are from Say Hey: The Autobiography of Willie Mays, by Willie Mays, born May 6, 1931.

Taurus (April 20 – May 20) I never became a cleaner or a presser in a laundry. That was the job they trained me for at the Fairfield Industrial High School in Fairfield, Alabama. Don’t laugh. Some skills may go unused.

Gemini (May 21 – June 20) Sanford was going crazy on the mound. ‘Throw it!’ he yelled. ‘To who? Pelekoudas?’ screamed back Davenport. Give specific instructions.

Cancer (June 21 – July 22) Here’s the thing about the Polo Grounds: It was 475 feet to straightaway center from home plate. Now you can either let that mess with your mind, or you can capitalize on it. Pick one.

Leo (July 23 – Aug. 22) Durocher told me not to bother packing, just to get to New York immediately. I brought along one Adirondack bat, my glove, my spikes, some underwear, and one golf cap, which I wore. Pack smart.

Virgo (Aug. 23 – Sept. 22) ‘Hey, kid, what are you going to show me today?’ Those were the first words Leo Durocher ever said to me. It’s a good question.

Libra (Sept. 23 – Oct. 22) Yet when I was at the plate my nervousness left me. … Same thing when I was in the field. I never stopped to think if something was catchable. I just tried to figure out how to catch it. Eye on the ball.

Scorpio (Oct. 23 – Nov. 21) I couldn’t figure out what Durocher was going to do with me. I worried on the trip: Was he going to make me a leftfielder, a rightfielder? Did he have me pigeonholed as a pinch hitter? Wait and see.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22 –Dec. 21) In all the places I had been up to that time, my team had been the center of attention. New York was dif-

ferent. They had three baseball teams. Get in line.

Capricorn (Dec. 22 – Jan. 19) While I learned about stickball on the streets of Harlem, I learned infinitely more about baseball at the Polo Grounds, and not only from Leo. There were many good teachers on the Giants. Many.

Aquarius (Jan. 20 – Feb. 18) What did the Giants need me for? They were so far behind the Brooklyn Dodgers that I figured they wouldn’t catch them until next year. But they wanted to get started.

Pisces (Feb. 19 – March 20) I tried to explain to writers and broadcasters that when you talk about Leo and Rigney, you’re talking about two different personalities, two ways of trying to win. But no matter who the manager was, I still had to go out and try to play baseball. Who’s the boss?

Aries (March 21 – April 19) Yes, it took me some time to learn how to play Candlestick. … I remember one ball that I thought was going out of the park — only to land at my feet as it dropped for a single. Looks can be deceiving.

Last Week’s Answers:

Sudoku answers from pg36 of 4/27

Puzzle a

Puzzle B

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Baby news

For the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic began, a ritual event took place at the Sensoji Temple in Tokyo on April 22, The Guardian reported. The traditional “crying sumo” event features pairs of infants, held up by the parents facing each other, who are frightened into crying by staff wearing “oni” demon masks. The first baby to cry wins the match. “We can tell a baby’s health condition by listening to the way they cry,” said Hisae Watanabe, mother of an 8-monthold. “I want to hear her healthy crying.” Crying sumo events are held throughout the country. “In Japan, we believe babies who cry powerfully also grow up healthily,” explained Shigemi Fuji, chairman of the Asakusa Tourism Federation, which organized the event. Guardian, April 22

It’s a dirty job

The Blackpool Zoo in England is hiring! Wanted: “A team of people to join our Visitor Services team as ‘Seagull Deterrents.’” You, too, can dress up in a large bird costume and scare away pesky seagulls, which steal food from both visitors and animal enclosures. The Daily Mail reported that candidates must be “outgoing, as you need to be comfortable wearing a bird costume,” and hours will be variable. Daily Mail, April 23

u pdate

Two weeks ago, News of the Weird reported that former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger had taken street maintenance matters into his own hands and filled a pothole in his neighborhood. His good deed turned out to be an “oops” moment, though, according to the Associated Press. The “pothole” was actually a utility trench that had been temporarily filled by Southern California Gas Co. and was set to be fixed permanently later. SoCal Gas said rain had delayed the permanent paving. The Terminator tweeted, “Teamwork. Happy to help speed this up.” A.P., April 14

The continuing crisis

In Carmarthenshire, Wales, residents have responded to the condition of a rural road that they describe as the “worst in the county” with a clever road sign, Wales Online reported on April 27. “Caution: Remove dentures. Adjust bra straps. Secure your nuts,” the sign reads. Abergorlech Road is full of potholes, and while some have been filled, residents believe “the road is so worn and damaged that it requires complete resurfacing in many places,” a spokesman said. “Whilst the sign is intended to be funny, the constant wear and tear on our vehicles is a real issue.” The Carm-

arthenshire Council contends that there is no money budgeted for resurfacing, but residents say it’s “ironic that the police can check our vehicles to ensure that they’re safe for the road, but no one is ensuring that the road is safe for our vehicles.” Maybe it’s time to call the Terminator. Wales Online, April 27

awesome!

• Seventh-grader Dillon Reeves of Warren, Michigan, is being hailed as a hero after he came to the rescue of a wayward school bus on April 26, ABC News reported. Reeves noticed as he was riding the bus home from school that the driver was “in distress.” Superintendent Robert D. Livernois said the student “stepped to the front of the bus and helped bring it to a stop without incident. I could not be prouder of his efforts.” The bus driver had lost consciousness; emergency personnel tended to the driver, and students were delivered home on another bus. ABC News, April 27

• King Charles III’s coronation is only days away, and while the royal family will be shuttled to and fro in gold-clad carriages drawn by fine white horses, the average Londoner will be on foot. Or ... you can hire a horse-and-carriage Uber! Metro News reported on April 27 that the Coronation Carriage will operate May 3

through 5 in Dulwich Park in London; the fancy carriage is fashioned after the royal vehicle and features a plush interior with embroidered cushions and throws. Even more posh, Uber will donate money from the rides to Spana, a U.K. charity that supports the welfare of working animals. Metro News, April 27

Inexplicable

The Coniston Tavern in Nuneaton, England, is allegedly haunted by the ghost of a former drinker there, according to the landlord, Andy Gadsby. Fox News reported that on April 24, CCTV video captured an incident where a beer glass suddenly exploded, showering three pals with shards of glass. Earlier, at the same table, a different customer’s glass suddenly slid to the floor. Gadsby said the ghost is Dave, who used to live in an apartment above the pub. “One night he drank a bottle of brandy and had a heart attack and died,” Gadsby said. “Maybe his spirit is around the pub and he’s desperately trying to pinch people’s drinks. The two incidents have spooked people out.” Fox News, April 27

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

FUN & GAMES FOR EVERYONE!