MAGAZINE
EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS
Monte Bohanan
Wesley Lovell
James Paone
Tina Sawtelle
Sara Turner
Gail VanHoy Carolan
Brittany Wason
DESIGN
Kaitlyn Huwe
THANK YOU TO OUR CORPORATE PARTNERS
CURATOR’S CORNER
WELCOME TO THE PROGRAMMING TEAM, JAMES PAONE!
Hello! I'm thrilled to join the curatorial team as Programming Manager. After working in Front of House for four years, I’ll now put my musical background to use, bringing diversity in all senses of the word to the stage, while maintaining a locked-in focus on top-quality music.
I had the opportunity to curate this year's Live Under the Arch (LUTA) series, selecting the artists for our upgraded Chestnut St. stage. The programming in the month of May was purposefully local and stripped down to allow our Operations team time to experiment a bit with the look and vibe of this year's set design. June saw an expansion into national acts gracing our open-air stage. Artists like Midnight North came in from San Francisco, while Heather Mae and Crys Matthews traveled up from Washington DC for an incredible show.
Lydia Luce will be in town on Tuesday, July 6. The Nashville-based singer-songwriter released her sophomore album Dark River in February and has drawn significant praise from critics and fans alike. A highly sought-after session strings performer, Luce branched out with two fantastic solo albums as a multi-instrumentalist with exceptional songwriting chops. Do not miss this show—Luce won’t be playing stages this size for long!
On August 17, jazz heavyweight Miguel Zenón will bring his quartet composed of some of jazz's contemporary greats, with Zenón at the helm playing alto saxophone. He is an eight-time Grammy nominee, as well as Guggenheim and MacArthur Foundation fellowship recipient— we will be in the presence of true musical genius.
These are just some of the 30+ musical acts coming this summer to Chestnut St. Check out the Spotify playlist I've compiled at bit.ly/lutaplaylist to hear for yourself the diverse palette of music included in this year's Live Under the Arch series.
GROUP SALES
Groups of 15 or more get 15% off. Call the B2W Box Office at 603.436.2400 for more information.
ON SALE NOW
INTIMATELY YOURS MELISSA ETHERIDGE
Wednesday, September 1 • 7:30pm • Historic Theater
Known for her confessional lyrics and raspy, smoky vocals, Grammy Award winner Melissa Etheridge returns to The Music Hall.
GRATITUDE MUSIC FESTIVAL
Saturday, September 25 Downtown Portsmouth
Join us for a multi-stage outdoor music festival to thank our community’s first responders and frontline essential workers.
Be the first to know about Just Announced shows! Sign up for enews at TheMusicHall.org
INTIMATELY YOURS LINDSEY BUCKINGHAM
Sunday, September 12 • 7:30pm • Historic Theater
Fleetwood Mac’s former guitarist and singer, Lindsey Buckingham is one of the most inventive and electrifying musicians of his generation.
INTIMATELY YOURS LETTUCE
Sunday, November 7 • 8pm • Historic Theater
Hailed as one of the greatest modern funk bands, Grammy Awardnominated Lettuce combines funk with hip-hop, rock, psychedelia, jazz, soul, and go-go.
COVID-19 UPDATES
We are incredibly grateful for all the support we've received from you, our community. For up-to-date information about what we're doing to keep you safe and what we're asking you to do when you visit, go to TheMusicHall.org/CovidProtocols
HERE & NOW
Gratitude Music Festival
In September, we’re throwing a multi-stage outdoor music festival to benefit our community’s first responders and frontline essential workers. These folks kept us going through the pandemic and their resilience and dedication inspired and awed us.
The festival will kickoff right in front of the theater on our Live Under the Arch stage, before moving along to the Vaughan Mall stage, and further on to the Portwalk Place block. The festival will come to a close inside the Historic Theater with an epic performance!
Join us along Vaughan Mall at one (or all) of our stages for great music and share in our gratitude for the frontline workers who kept the Seacoast going.
Vaccine-Nation!
Visit TheMusicHall.org/Blog for more behind-the-scenes info!
At the time of writing, the full-time staff of The Music Hall is fully vaccinated! Several staff members received their vaccinations through a special clinic for Portsmouth hospitality workers. We thank the City of Portsmouth Health Department for making this opportunity available to The Music Hall and others, the staff at the Portsmouth Senior Activity Center for being so courteous, and the Portsmouth Fire Department for their exceptional service.
We are happy to be back at work, interacting with you, our members and patrons, while doing our part to slow the spread. We hope to see you in the Hall soon! For details about what we’re doing to keep you safe, and what we expect of you when you visit, please check out our COVID Protocols page TheMusicHall.org/CovidProtocols
ON STAGE & ONLINE JULY/MID-AUGUST
WRITERS ON A NEW ENGLAND STAGE IS A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN:
MEDIA PARTNER: PRESENTING SPONSOR: SERIES SPONSORS:
LIVE UNDER THE ARCH HOWARD
Fri., July 2 • 6pm & 8pm • Chestnut Street
Howard brings electronic pop and warm chamber-pop to the Portsmouth scene.
EVENING SPONSORS: Wells Fargo Advisors; Whole Life Health Care
LIVE UNDER THE ARCH LYDIA LUCE
Tue., July 6 • 6pm & 8pm • Chestnut Street
Luce’s music spans from her orchestral background and contemporary classical to roots, indie rock, and jazz.
EVENING
LIVE UNDER THE ARCH SERIES SPONSORS:
LIVE UNDER THE ARCH PAUL DOIRON
Thu., July 1 • 6pm • Chestnut Street*
Maine game warden Mike Bowditch finds himself in a life-or-death chase in the new thriller by the bestselling mystery author.
EVENING SPONSORS: Petersen Engineering; Donahue, Tucker & Ciandella, PLLC
LIVE UNDER THE ARCH SOUL REBEL PROJECT
Sat., July 3 • 6pm & 8pm • Chestnut Street
The rock reggae group has toured with legends like The Wailers and Sean Paul.
EVENING SPONSORS: BANKW Staffing, LLC; Leone, McDonnell and Roberts, PA
LIVE UNDER THE ARCH OSHIMA BROTHERS
Thu., July 8 6pm & 8pm Chestnut Street
The Oshima Brother’s infectious, roots-based sound can’t be beat.
SPONSORS: Avery Insurance
EVENING SPONSORS: AARP New Hampshire; Market Square Architects
*Check website for ticket package details
ON STAGE & ONLINE
LIVE UNDER THE ARCH SERIES SPONSORS:
WRITERS ON A NEW ENGLAND STAGE IS A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN:
LIVE UNDER THE ARCH GUMBO, GRITS & GRAVY
Fri., July 9 • 6pm & 8pm • Chestnut Street
Blend together Americana, Celtic, Zydeco, soul, and acoustic Blues, and you’ve created the unique sound of Gumbo, Grits & Gravy.
EVENING SPONSORS: Carpe Diem Coffee Roasting Co.; Popzup Popcorn
JULY/MID-AUGUST
MEDIA PARTNER: PRESENTING SPONSOR:
SERIES SPONSORS:
LIVE UNDER THE ARCH PSO BRASS QUINTET
Sun., July 11 • 5pm & 7pm • Chestnut Street
The Ports. Brass Quintet will present a program of Americana perfectly suited for a summer evening. Alongside marches, quicksteps, rags, and polkas, the quintet will perform several selections from Broadway.
LIVE UNDER THE ARCH MATT NAKOA
Fri., July 16
6pm & 8pm Chestnut Street
An award-winning songwriter, singer, and multi-instrumentalist, Matt Nakoa is a modern troubadour and appears regularly with folk music icon Tom Rush.
EVENING SPONSORS: Donahue, Tucker & Ciandella, PLLC; Northern Benefits
WRITERS IN THE LOFT CHRISTINA BAKER KLINE
Tue., July 13 • 7pm • Livestream
The author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Orphan Train returns with an instant bestseller, The Exiles, an emotionally resonant novel about three women whose lives are bound together in nineteenth-century Australia.
LIVE UNDER THE ARCH PETER MULVEY
Sun., July 18 • 5pm & 7pm • Chestnut Street
This veteran folk singer-songwriter has 18 albums, 1 book, 1 TEDtalk, and over 5,000 shows to his name.
AKE S TRE ET AD VISORS
EVENING SPONSORS: Carpe Diem Coffee Roasting Co
ON STAGE & ONLINE JULY/MID-AUGUST
WRITERS ON A NEW ENGLAND STAGE IS A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN:
PRESENTING SPONSOR: SERIES SPONSORS:
MEDIA PARTNER:
LIVE UNDER THE ARCH DAVID WILCOX
Tue., July 20 • 6pm & 8pm • Chestnut Street
Wilcox, by so many measures, is a quintessential folk singer, telling stories full of heart, humor, and hope, substance, searching, and style.
EVENING SPONSORS: Harbour Women's Health; Wells Fargo Advisors
LIVE UNDER THE ARCH KENNY BROTHERS BAND
Wed., July 28 6pm & 8pm Chestnut Street
Rooted in blues, folk, and unapologetic groove, the three brothers of Stratham, New Hampshire have found complete tranquility playing their funky folk-rock to audiences all over the country.
EVENING SPONSORS: Carpe Diem Coffee Roasting Co; Prime Buchholz & Associates, Inc.
LIVE UNDER THE ARCH SERIES SPONSORS:
WRITERS IN THE LOFT MEGAN MIRANDA
Tue., July 20 • 7pm • Livestream
From the New York Times bestselling author of The Last House Guest comes a new riveting suspense novel about a mysterious murder in an idyllic, close-knit neighborhood.
LIVE UNDER THE ARCH THE RAD TRADS
Thu., July 22 • 6pm & 8pm • Chestnut Street
Brooklyn-based five-piece The Rad Trads are known for their eclectic take on rock n’ roll, which mixes punk rock energy, horn-drenched soul and precise musicianship with a lighthearted but sincere delivery.
EVENING SPONSORS: Leone, McDonnell and Roberts, PA; Popzup Popcorn
LIVE UNDER THE ARCH BRAD BYRD
Sat., July 31 • 6pm & 8pm • Chestnut Street
From ferocious pop rockers and dreamy psych rock mid tempo cuts to intimate alt country/folk numbers, L.A. based Brad Byrd skillfully weaves a variety of sonic influences into a soulful cinematic sound.
EVENING SPONSORS: Troiano Wealth Advisory Group; Popzup Popcorn
ON STAGE & ONLINE JULY/MID-AUGUST
INTIMATELY YOURS/LIVE UNDER THE ARCH SERIES SPONSORS:
LIVE UNDER THE ARCH DANIEL RODRIGUEZ
Sun., August 1 5pm & 7pm Chestnut Street
Singer-songwriter, Daniel Rodriguez turns to his acoustic guitar for memorable, melodic hooks to accompany his poetic and contemplative folk songs.
EVENING SPONSORS: Carpe Diem Coffee Roasting Co; Eastern Bank
INTIMATELY YOURS ISAIAH SHARKEY & LESLIE MENDELSON
Thu., August 5
• 7:30pm • Historic Theater
LIVE UNDER THE ARCH ALICE HOWE WITH FREEBO
Sat., August 7 • 6pm & 8pm • Chestnut Street
Howe found the ideal collaborator on her much-acclaimed Blues album in Freebo, Bonnie Raitt’s bass player and folk-rock legend.
EVENING SPONSORS: Northeast Delta Dental; oHive
Award-winning musicians Isaiah Sharkey and Leslie Mendelson co-headline on our stage for a stellar musical experience.
ON STAGE & ONLINE JULY/MID-AUGUST
LIVE UNDER THE ARCH SERIES SPONSORS:
WRITERS ON A NEW ENGLAND STAGE IS A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN:
LIVE UNDER THE ARCH TEOA
Wed., August 11 • 6pm & 8pm • Chestnut Street
TEOA, or The End of America, met while on tour as solo artists. Together they weave three distinct leads into captivating harmonies over a solid foundation of folk, rock, and Americana.
EVENING SPONSORS: Carpe Diem Coffee Roasting Co; Piscataqua Savings Bank
PRESENTING SPONSOR:
SERIES SPONSORS:
LIVE UNDER THE ARCH BILLY WYLDER
Sat., August 14 • 6pm & 8pm • Chestnut Street
This top-notch band weaves together American folk and rock with sensibilities from the Sahara Desert, featuring ancient African rhythms and art-rock textures.
EVENING SPONSORS: Wells Fargo Advisors
LIVE UNDER THE ARCH DEB TALAN
Sun., August 15 • 5pm & 7pm • Chestnut Street
Deb Talan was known as a singer and songwriter in her own right before forming Hummingfish and eventually the long-running duo the Weepies with Steven Tannen.
EVENING SPONSORS:
L AKE S TRE ET
LIVE UNDER THE ARCH KATE SHAFFER & DEREK BISSONNETTE
Thu., August 12 6pm Chestnut Street*
The Pine Tree State’s active food community springs to life in the hands of Kate Shaffer, Maine cookbook author and chocolatier, and Derek Bissonnette, one of the finest food photographers in the country.
EVENING SPONSORS:
Harbor Advisory Corporation
LIVE UNDER THE ARCH MIGUEL ZENÓN QUARTET
Tue., August 17 6pm & 8pm Chestnut Street
Widely considered as one of the most groundbreaking and influential saxophonists of his generation, Miguel Zenón is perfecting a fine mix between Latin American Folkloric music and jazz.
EVENING SPONSORS: TMS Architects; Whole Life Health Care MEDIA
*Check website for ticket package details
SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT
Cheers to Years of Spirited Support!
When you make a purchase at a NH Liquor & Wine Outlet, you’re helping neighbors. It’s true; since its founding in 1934, the New Hampshire Liquor Commission (NHLC) has generated over $4 billion for the Granite State’s General Fund through wine and spirits sales at its 72 NH Liquor & Wine Outlets. These funds support essentials like education and health and social services. Plus, over the past five years, the NHLC has worked with suppliers and brokers to raise more than $3 million for nonprofit organizations including The Music Hall. The NHLC has served as our official Wine and Liquor Beverage Sponsor since 2017. The benefits of this partnership extend to you: discount coupons come with your tickets and you can sign up for the NH Liquor & Wine Outlets newsletter on our concessions site.
We congratulate the NHLC on reaching the $4 billion milestone. In celebration, for a limited time, they are giving away $1,000 gift cards to four lucky winners. Visit WhereDoesTheMoneyGoNH.com for your chance to win—and offer them a toast next time you’re enjoying a libation at The Music Hall!
To locate an Outlet, check for curbside and in-store pickup options (now available in 14 stores, including the Hampton Outlets on I-95), search for product availability, learn about sales, review wine tasting schedules, and sign up to receive significant savings with monthly Email Extras, visit LiquorandWineOutlets.com.
The Ar T s A re T he A nswer to vibrant and prosperous communities where we treasure our heritage, celebrate our diversity and nurture our ingenuity.
UPCOMING MEMBER EVENTS
DIRECTOR'S CLUB: LIVE UNDER THE ARCH PSO BRASS QUINTET Sun., 7/11 • 5pm & 7pm Chestnut St., Portsmouth
DIRECTOR'S CLUB: LIVE UNDER THE ARCH MATT NAKOA Fri., 7/16 • 6pm & 8pm Chestnut St., Portsmouth
DIRECTOR'S CLUB: JIMMY'S ON CONGRESS Wed., 9/8 • 5:30pm 135 Congress St., Portsmouth
For more information, contact Wesley Lovell at 603.766.2182 or WLovell@themusichall.org
AT A GLANCE
JULY 2021
Live Under The Arch
Paul Doiron (Genre: Mystery/Thriller Novelist)
Thursday, July 1 • 6pm
Live Under The Arch Howard (Genre: Chamber Pop) Friday, July 2 • 6pm & 8pm
Live Under The Arch Soul Rebel Project (Genre: Rock/Reggae) Saturday, July 3 • 6pm & 8pm
Live Under The Arch
Lydia Luce (Genre: Folk) Tuesday, July 6 • 6pm & 8pm
Live Under The Arch
Oshima Brothers (Genre: Folk/Pop) Thursday, July 8 • 6pm & 8pm
Live Under The Arch Gumbo, Grits & Gravy (Genre: Blues/Americana)
Friday, July 9 • 6pm & 8pm
Live Under The Arch
PSO Brass Quintet (Genre: Chamber Music)
Sunday, July 11 • 5pm & 7pm
Writers in the Loft
Christina Baker Kline [Livestream] (Genre: Historical Fiction Author)
Tuesday, July 13 • 7pm
Rental Partner
NHTP presents “The Rest I Make Up”
Wednesday, July 14 • 7pm
Live Under The Arch
Matt Nakoa (Genre: Folk/Pop)
Friday, July 16 • 6pm & 8pm
Live Under The Arch
Peter Mulvey (Genre: Folk)
Sunday, July 18 • 5pm & 7pm
Live Under The Arch
David Wilcox (Genre: Folk)
Tuesday, July 20 • 6pm & 8pm
Writers in the Loft
Megan Miranda [Livestream]
(Genre: Mystery/Thriller Novelist)
Tuesday, July 20 • 7pm
Live Under The Arch
The Rad Trads (Genre: Rock ‘n Roll)
Thursday, July 22 • 6pm & 8pm
Rental Partner
Great Bay Academy of Dance: An 1836 Portsmouth Nutcracker
Saturday, July 24 • 6pm; Sunday, July 25 • 2pm
Live Under The Arch
Kenny Brothers Band (Genre: Americana)
Wednesday, July 28 • 6pm & 8pm
Live Under The Arch
Brad Byrd (Genre: Folk-Rock)
Saturday, July 31 • 6pm & 8pm
B2W BOX OFFICE AT THE HISTORIC THEATER: 28 Chestnut Street
LEGEND: At the Historic Theater | Offsite/Online
AUGUST 2021
Live Under The Arch
Daniel Rodriguez (Genre: Acoustic Singer-songwriter) Sunday, August 1 • 5pm & 7pm
Intimately Yours
Isaiah Sharkey (Genre: R&B) & Leslie Mendelson (Genre: Singer-songwriter) Thursday, August 5 • 7:30pm
Live Under The Arch
Alice Howe with Freebo (Genre: Folk) Saturday, August 7 • 6pm & 8pm
Live Under The Arch TEOA (Genre: Folk/Pop) Wednesday, August 11 • 6pm & 8pm
Live Under The Arch
Kate Shaffer & Derek Bissonnette (Genre: Maine Cookbook Authors) Thursday, August 12 • 6pm
Live Under The Arch
Billy Wylder (Genre: Rock/World) Saturday, August 14 • 6pm & 8pm
Live Under The Arch
Deb Talan (Genre: Indie Folk) Sunday, August 15 • 5pm & 7pm
Live Under The Arch
Miguel Zenón Quartet (Genre: Jazz) Tuesday, August 17 • 6pm & 8pm
Live Under The Arch
AJ Lee & Blue Summit (Genre: Bluegrass) Thursday, August 19 • 6pm & 8pm
Live Under The Arch River Sister (Genre: Folk/Americana) Friday, August 27 • 6pm & 8pm
Live Under The Arch Jocelyn & Chris (Genre: Blues-Rock) Saturday, August 28 • 6pm & 8pm
SEPTEMBER 2021
Intimately Yours
Melissa Etheridge (Genre: Folk/Rock) Wednesday, September 1 • 7:30pm
Live Under The Arch
A Night of Sinatra with Rich DiMare (Genre: Jazz/Pop) Friday, September 3 • 6pm & 8pm
Live Under The Arch
Kerri Arsenault (Genre: Investigative Journalist) Thursday, September 9 • 6pm
Intimately Yours
Lindsey Buckingham (Genre: Rock) Sunday, September 12 • 7:30pm
Rental Partner
Gordon Lightfoot: 80 Years Strong Tour Wednesday, September 15 • 8pm
Live Under The Arch
Tiger Saw & The Reasons Why (Genre: Alt-Country) Tuesday, September 21 • 6pm & 8pm
Gratitude Music Festival (Genre: Pop/Rock/R&B) Saturday, September 25
Thank You, Thank You
If you listen in on any of The Music Hall meetings or even in the hallway of our Admin offices at The Loft, one word that comes up daily is “gratitude.” Gratitude for those who show up for us, send kind notes, smile under masks or over Zoom; for those who donate their time as a volunteer or on our Board, or their funds via memberships, donations, or tickets. Thank you to everyone who kept us open.
If you can't tell by the list of shows to the left, we're open! Our theater and the outdoor Live Under the Arch (LUTA) series are back! We’ve got something for everyone’s interest and comfort level: Indoor, outdoor, and livestreaming music (with artists representing nearly every genre known to man); authors and writers stepping back on stage or Zooming in from afar; and more! Tune in or come on down— we can’t wait to see you!
We couldn’t offer any of this programming without the love and support of our sponsors, many of whom graciously continued their sponsorship, even when the shows or films weren’t playing. A huge thank you to Hampton Ford Hyundai who waited in the wings for our film program to return and whose fantastic reel will soon grace our screens once again. With friends like these, our future remains hopeful. This bunch of art professionals is thankful for every day we get to keep doing what we are passionate about. Thank you.
July 1
July
