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At A Glance: Starting April 2024

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Sponsor Spotlight: River House Restaurant Sponsor Spotlight

Sponsor Spotlight: River House Restaurant

Voted “Best Chowder in New England” by NECN viewers, and Winner of First Place Awards at Portsmouth’s Prescott Park’s Chowder Festival 3 years running, The Music Hall is honored to have River House Restaurant as a Season Sponsor for the third year in a row. Michael Labrie, owner and member of The Music Hall Board of Trustees, said they support The Music Hall because at River House Restaurant they believe arts, culture and food are the soul of a living, breathing community. Owned by Michael and Peter Labrie, River House Restaurant features classic seafood favorites complemented by contemporary dishes served on decks and dining rooms overlooking the Piscataqua River.  With the fine spring weather almost upon us, we hope you’ll stop by River House Restaurant for incredible food, first-rate service, and an unparalleled view of the Piscataqua River from their heated deck, and when you do— please be sure to join us in saying THANK YOU to River House Restaurant.  Read More Read More
Coming Home: Musings on Moth Mainstage In Brief

Coming Home: Musings on Moth Mainstage

One of my first excited thoughts, when I made the decision to move to Kittery, Maine was, “I will be so close to the Music Hall.” In fact, I am within walking distance, just over the Memorial Bridge. However, I did opt for the car when I headed out last Saturday night, in the March cold, to attend the Moth Radio show, and the following member appreciation party. Read More Read More
A Mesmerizing, Cross-Cultural Mashup: Meklit Performs at The Loft Interviews

A Mesmerizing, Cross-Cultural Mashup: Meklit Performs at The Loft

We are so excited to be bringing the amazing, Ethiopian-born singer Meklit to The Music Hall Loft on Friday, January 17. Her unique sound has been likened to that of Nina Simone, Joan Armatrading and Tracy Chapman. This January she will be touring the East Coast en route from NYC, where she has been invited by the Association of Performing Arts Presenters (one of the country’s biggest performing arts conferences) to perform several shows around the city including Joe’s Pub and Winterjazzfest. Read More Read More
Sweet Harmonies and Flying Fingers: Don’t Miss Arc Iris at The Loft Interviews

Sweet Harmonies and Flying Fingers: Don’t Miss Arc Iris at The Loft

I’ve been a fan of Jocie Adams ever since I first heard her sing nearly four years ago, late one night in Austin, Texas. My brother-in-law had been raving about her former band, The Low Anthem—this was just before their sold out performance as part of Lincoln Center’s The American Songbook Series and their appearance on “Late Night with Letterman”— so I gave it a shot. The music I heard that evening was mesmerizing- layered harmonies, guitar, clarinet, keyboards, acoustic bass, and drums. Jocie’s voice has a beautiful, strange, and playful child-like quality that instantly draws you in to her orbit. After following her career since that night in Austin, I can’t wait to hear Jocie again when she performs a special concert at The Music Hall Loft in Portsmouth, NH on Friday, December 6 as part of the Martingale Wharf Singer Songwriter Series. She’ll be in town showcasing her latest creative endeavor- Arc Iris. With Arc Iris, Jocie’s musical landscape is layered with mariachi horns, acoustic bass, guitars, keyboard, and clarinet— a much more adventurous terrain from that of her Low Anthem fame. I caught up with her recently to talk about her music, her memories, and her new band. Read More Read More
Opera Connection: Tosca In Brief

Opera Connection: Tosca

The perfect way to start your day at the opera! Composer/cultural historian Dennis Neil Kleinman leads a lively, no-PHD-required discussion of Puccini’s masterful mixture of emotion and mayhem, Tosca, including its connections to Reality TV, My Fair Lady and James Bond.  To mark the 3rd anniversary of the Connection, Dennis will be giving away free movie tickets to all, plus a chance to win a backstage pass to meet author Doris Kearns Goodwin (“Team of Rivals”) when she appears as part of the Music Hall’s “Writers on a New England Stage” series on December 4.  A light - but tasty! - brunch is included with admission. When: Saturday, November 9 @ 11:30 am (just prior to the Met Broadcast) Where: Music Hall Loft Admission: $14 (includes light brunch) Tickets & Information: Opera Connection: Tosca Read More Read More
Paramount Pictures’ Labor Day to Open New Hampshire Film Festival Community

Paramount Pictures’ Labor Day to Open New Hampshire Film Festival

October 8, 2013, Portsmouth, NH— Labor Day, starring Kate Winslet, Josh Brolin and Gattlin Griffith, is making its New England premiere as the opening night film at the New Hampshire Film Festival later this month. One of the most anticipated films to screen at the festival, Labor Day is based on the book by New Hampshire native Joyce Maynard, who will be in attendance at the festival. The film is directed by Jason Reitman, who also wrote the screenplay for the film, based on Maynard’s novel. Starring alongside Winslet and Brolin are Clark Gregg, J.K. Simmons, Brooke Smith, James Van Der Beek and Tobey Maguire. Labor Day opens in theaters on December 25. Read More Read More
Sponsor Spotlight: BayRing Communications Sponsor Spotlight

Sponsor Spotlight: BayRing Communications

With over 15 years of generous support, BayRing Communications celebrates both their company’s and the community’s successes through their support of organizations that help those in need and enrich lives. BayRing has been the trusted source of savvy business customers who want advanced technology and cutting edge phone, data and cloud-based services for over 15 years. Staying up to date with technology, keeping costs low and providing superior customer service are reasons why BayRing is a leading choice for business telecom solutions. And we are proud to partner with BayRing Communications to bring the leading choices in performing arts to the Seacoast! As a long-time sponsor for our Telluride by the Sea Film Festival, BayRing plays a key role in bringing these diverse, original films with international casts of both seasoned actors and fresh new faces, directed by some of the world’s most acclaimed filmmakers, to The Music Hall- transforming our charming Seacoast town into a mecca for cinephiles for three exciting days. Thank you, BayRing Communications, for your loyal support and partnership! Read More Read More
Sponsor Spotlight: Martingale Wharf Uncategorized

Sponsor Spotlight: Martingale Wharf

Have you been to Martingale Wharf? This fabulous restaurant, and community business leader, is the lead sponsor of our 2012- 2013 Portsmouth Singer Songwriter Festival, and the exclusive sponsor of our new Martingale Wharf Singer Songwriter Series. We would not be able to bring the world-class acts we do to the Seacoast without the tremendous support and generosity of Martingale Wharf. A waterfront dining deck, restaurant, and wine bar on Bow Street in Portsmouth, the Martingale Wharf American Bistro resides in a property which has been a downtown landmark for more than a century, just like The Music Hall! Martingale Wharf offers a menu to suit every taste, with three distinctly different dining rooms. And now, in partnership with The Music Hall, The Martingale Wharf is helping to offer a musical menu to suit every taste through its sponsorship. The Martingale Wharf Singer Songwriter Series is a new original series born out of the success of The Music Hall’s Singer Songwriter Festival held in April of this year which featured 23 singers and songwriters including notable greats John Prine, Aimee Mann, Sharon Van Etten, and Dirty Projectors. This series is dedicated to bringing regional and national singer songwriters to The Loft to celebrate the creativity that marks the genre. Boasting the largest deck for al fresco dining in Portsmouth, the Martingale Wharf seized the opportunity to sponsor the series. “The Music Hall is an important piece of a very cool place we live called Portsmouth,” said Joe Baroni, owner of Martingale Wharf, “Between the Intimately Yours concerts, Writers on a New England Stage, Hilarity comedy shows, Innovation & Leadership Forums, Extraordinary Cinema, or the programs for children like the School Days Series - there is something for everyone at The Music Hall.” Thank you, Martingale Wharf, for helping bring this new signature music series to the Seacoast! Read More Read More

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