As always this week’s round-up of live entertainment in and around Manchester is brought to you by A. Robert Dionne of Ted Herbert Music School & Rentals. Email your entertainment events to rob@majestictheatre.net for consideration. Be sure to add your events to the InkLink community calendar for possible inclusion in the live radio report on WMNH 95.3 (The Morning Show with Peter White – “World of Entertainment” LIVE every Thursday at 8 a.m.)
Be sure to visit The Weekender for more featured events out and about town this weekend!
Featured LIVE MUSIC
Hometown rockgrrrl MB Padfield plays Telly’s in Epping on Dec. 14.
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14th
Chris Lester / The Foundry (Manchester) / 5pm
Eric Lindberg / Lithermans Brewing Company (Concord) / 5:30pm
Clint Lapointe / Homestead (Merrimack) / 5:30pm
Peter Pappas / Fratello’s (Manchester) / 5:30pm
D-Comp / Village Trestle (Goffstown) / 6pm
Dave Clark / Tortilla Flat (Merrimack) / 6pm
Lewis Goodwin / Shorty’s (Nashua) / 6pm
Chad Lamarsh / Stumble Inn (Londonderry) / 7pm
Jordan Quinn / Copper Door (Bedford) / 7pm
Justin Jordan / Copper Door (Salem) / 7pm
MB Padfield / Telly’s (Epping) / 7pm
Eric Grant Band turns it up at The Derryfield on Dec. 15.
Lilly Innella will be fiddling around at Copper Door in Salem on Dec. 17.
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 17th
Lilly Innella / Copper Door (Salem) / 11am
David Newsam / Colby Hill Inn (Henniker) / 1pm
Always be sure to check a venue’s website or social media for last-minute changes or to see if there are ticket or admission requirements. Thank you to Notso Costley Productions and the NH Music Collective for your support and listings of LOCAL LIVE MUSIC.
FEATURED ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Click on DIRECT/x link for the official link to purchase tickets for each event.
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14th
A CHARLIE JAZZ BROWN CHRISTMAS / Rex Theatre (Manchester) / 7:30pm – DIRECT/x
The Eric Mintel Quartet returns with their holiday favorite, A Charlie Brown Jazz Christmas. The music from A Charlie Brown Christmas made famous by The Vince Guaraldi is brought to life with a live Jazz Quartet and interactive Digital display sure to get you in the holiday spirit. The Eric Mintel Quartet has performed at the White House, the Kennedy Center and a special concert at the United Nations. The Eric Mintel Quartet has been thrilling audiences of all ages for the last 25 years with their electrifying style of jazz! Even getting accolades from Dave Brubeck himself, the godfather of American Jazz. www.rextheatre.org or (603)668-5588
OPEN MIC COMEDY / Strange Brew Tavern (Manchester) / every Thursday 8:30-11:30pm
Head on down to the Strange Brew Tavern and up to the Laugh Attic for weekly Open Mic comedy; all are welcome! www.strangebrewtavern.net
LABELLE LIGHTS / LaBelle Winery (Derry) / through January 7 – DIRECT/x
Escape the holiday chaos and experience a joyful winter wonderland at LaBelle Lights in Derry, where over a million twinkling lights illuminate festive outdoor displays along a walking path. Admission includes special theme weeks, carefully curated to enhance your experience by offering engaging and interactive themes to enhance your overall experience. www.labellewinery.com/lights or (602)672-9898
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 15th
AMAHL AND THE NIGHT VISITORS & HANDEL’S “MESSIAH” – St. Joseph Cathedral (Manchester) / 7:30pm DIRECT/x
Prepare for the Christmas season with “Amahl and the Night Visitors” and the oratorio masterwork, Handel’s “Messiah.” The performances will include a chamber orchestra, choristers, and soloists from the Diocesan Festival and Chamber Choirs under the direction of Eric Bermani, DMin, Diocesan and Cathedral Director of Music and professor at Saint Anselm College.
www.stjosephcathedralnh.org/cathedralconcert
FNC: NICK HOFF & GUEST / Rex Theatre (Manchester) / 7:30pm – DIRECT/x
Nick Hoff is a nationally touring stand-up comedian who has been on MTV, co-hosts a weekly show on SiriusXM, and was a featured act in Netflix’s Comedy Festival. His debut album “Baby Daddy” hit #1 on the iTunes comedy charts, and his new hour-long special “Front to Back” can be streamed on YouTube. When he’s not on stage, Nick can often be seen in commercials for Miller Lite, Pepsi and Amazon. www.rextheatre.org or (603)668-5588
THUNDERSTRUCK / Tupelo Music Hall (Derry) / 8pm – DIRECT/x
Thunderstruck gives fans so much more than the sound of AC/DC, they truly capture the high voltage energy and experience. For fans, it’s about a sense of familiarity, and it’s about a feeling that snatches up listeners and takes over. It’s about a contagious kind of power and electricity that few AC/DC tribute bands can provide. www.tupelomusichall.com or (603)437-5100
DICKEN’S A CHRISTMAS CAROL / Hatbox Theatre (Concord) / through December 17 – DIRECT/x
In this original adaption of the holiday classic, Hatbox Theatre focuses on how the dream-like qualities of the ghost story aspect of Dickens’ work can bring about redemption. Is it “an undigested bit of beef” – a line in the original story – that leads Scrooge to have bad dreams or is he really being visited by ghosts intent on helping him redeem himself. Audience members, too, will wonder if they are dreaming when they are immersed in sound, lights and projections that bring out these eerier aspects of Scrooge’s fateful night. www.hatboxnh.com or (603)715-2315
A CHRISTMAS CAROL / Palace Theatre (Manchester) / through December 23 – DIRECT/x
Come celebrate the holiday season as the Palace Theatre tradition continues with Charles Dickens’ classic story of Scrooge and Tiny Tim in A Christmas Carol. Known for his penny-pinching ways, Scrooge is visited by three ghosts on a snowy Christmas Eve. These ghostly visits reveal Scrooge’s past, present and future, filling him with newfound hope and joy in the Christmas season! Filled with lively song and dance, special effects, professional actors and a live orchestra, this heartwarming tale will create family memories you will cherish forever. www.palacetheatre.org or (603)668-5588
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 16th
HOLIDAY STUDENT RECITAL / Ted Herbert’s Music School & Rentals (Manchester) / 10am – FREE EVENT
All are welcome to attend our Student Recital at the Majestic Studio Theatre (880 Page Street, Manchester). Come support our young and young at heart musicians as they perform both holiday and non-holiday tunes for you! All Ted Herbert Recitals and Open Mics are free and open to the public. www.tedherbert.com or (603)669-7469
AARON’S HOLIDAY PARTY / Capitol Center (Concord) / 11am – DIRECT/x
Come celebrate, dance, and sing along to all the holiday songs your kiddos love! MR. AARON is a multi-instrumentalist performer and composer making music and videos for kids and their grown-ups, ages 0-10. He’s a proud father of three amazing girls, and a longtime professional musician with a career playing in bands, musical theatre, and more. He plays concerts, schools, museums, libraries, fields, beaches, stadiums–in person, or virtually. www.ccanh.com or (603)225-1111
JOHN DENVER CHRISTMAS / Rex Theatre (Manchester) / 2:00pm & 7:30pm – DIRECT/x
Chris Collins and Boulder Canyon have toured internationally together delighting audiences with their talent, warmth and humor from coast-to-coast to pay tribute to the music of John Denver. With similarities between Chris’s and John’s voices, award-winning singer, songwriter Chris Collins brings amazing energy and the unmistakable enthusiasm to the stage that was a hallmark of a John Denver performance. www.rextheatre.org or (603)668-5588
MIKE GIRARD’S BIG SWINGIN’ THING / Center for the Arts (Nashua) / 8pm – DIRECT/x
Mike Girard is the captivating and energetic lead singer and founder of Boston’s legendary band THE FOOLS, and he has a new project. Along with Fool’s guitarist Rich Barrett, Mike is joined by the lovely backup singers, The Jewels and some of New England’s best musicians If you’re looking to rock, get ready for the power of this 20 piece Rock and Roll Big Band doing the Rolling Stones, AC/DC, Billy Idol, the Animals and so much more! If you’re ready to party this band will have everyone in the room on the feet and dancing! www.nashuacenterforthearts.com or (800)657-8774
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 17th
NATURALLY 7 – THE HOLIDAY HITS TOUR / Tupelo Music Hall (Derry) / 1pm – DIRECT/x
Certain experiences burn themselves in your memory from the very first encounter. The jaw-dropping audio pyrotechnics that Naturally 7 put on display every night absolutely belong in that category. “A capella group” so vastly underplays what they create onstage that they had to coin a phrase – “Vocal Play” – to more accurately depict what they do. Naturally 7 is more than a tightly orchestrated collection of great singers. They transform their voices into actual human instruments, effortlessly producing music of any genre. Their vocal choreography is so perfectly interwoven that they compelled the musical maestro himself, Quincy Jones, to declare them “The best a cappella group in the world!” www.tupelomusichall.com or (603)437-5100
STARRY NIGHT / First Congregational Church (Manchester) / 3pm (also Saturday 12/16 at 7pm) – DIRECT/x
The Manchester Choral Society & Orchestra celebrate the holiday season with Stella Natalis, a multi-cultural work by British composer Karl Jenkins. Its 12 movements celebrate different aspects of Christmas -winter, the sleeping child, tidings of peace, and thanksgiving – with texts ranging from Psalms, Zulu, and Hindu, to new words by Carol Barrett. The second half of the program will feature holiday family pops favorites and an appearance by Santa Claus! www.mcsnh.ticketleap.com or (603) 472-6627
ELF / Center for the Arts (Nashua) / 3pm – FREE EVENT (tickets required) – DIRECT/x
A free showing of the holiday movie. After accidentally falling into Santa Claus’ gift sack, a human baby is raised at the North Pole, growing up to believe he is an elf. Due to his large size, the “elf” causes chaos in Santa’s workshop, forcing Kris Kringle to send him on a mission to find his human roots. www.nashuacenterforthearts.com or (800)657-8774
HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS / Capitol Center (Concord) / 4:30pm – DIRECT/x
Presented by Safe Haven Ballet. The story of a lonely creature who tries to cancel Christmas by stealing the gifts & decorations from the homes of the nearby town of Whoville on Christmas Eve. This ballet is full of laughter, romance, & an important lesson about the true meaning of the holiday season. The Grinch is a unique interactive experience for audience members of all ages & learning opportunity that transforms our ballet stage into a vibrant classroom! The performance is set to both classical music & contemporary holiday music & includes narration so each audience member has a clear understanding of the story & can fully appreciate the artistry of the professional dancers.www.ccanh.com or (603)225-1111
Be sure to visit The WEEKENDER for more featured events out and about town this weekend!
34 Sony and PlayStation are facing a challenging time this holiday season as Insomniac Games, a subsidiary of Sony, was the victim of a hack. The cyber thieves, known as Rhysida, have threatened to reveal confidential materials from the console as well as personal information about company employees. This includes information on the upcoming games “Marvel’s Wolverine” and the next “Marvel’s Spiderman” that are expected to launch in 2024. The hackers have given Sony and PlayStation a seven-day window to […]
A CHARLIE JAZZ BROWN CHRISTMAS / Rex Theatre (Manchester) / 7:30pm – DIRECT/x
