The first Portsmouth Singer Songwriter Festival took place in the spring of 2012. The multi-day event featured legends like Merle Haggard and Rosanne Cash alongside...
Music
Dover man wins big at Grammys
Sound engineer Joe Visciano has worked with several major musical acts over the last two years — Coldplay, U2, Mary J. Blige, Arcade Fire, Buddy...
Good to go
Skip Brunette remembers his days as a grade-school teacher, when the only songs he wrote were about the Spanish words for colors and foods. Today,...
Positive vibrations
The Raunchy Randos mark their first anniversary by heading into the studio Words and photos by Charlie Weinmann The Raunchy Randos are officially a year...
Challenges and changes
After nine years and almost 20 albums, The Poo Poo Platters look ahead to their next adventure — finishing high school by Chris Hislop Talk...
Inside out
Editor’s note: Dave Karlotski and Karen Marzloff are former co-owners of The Wire newspaper and co-organizers of the RPM Challenge. While gearing up for the...
Party on
Somerville Symphony Orkestar brings folk-punk and dancing elephants to The Stone Church by Charlie Weinmann (photos by Rachel Leah Blumenthal) Five years ago, Joel Edinberg arose...
Audio Artifacts
An interview with The Connection’s Geoff Palmer about Portsmouth’s punk past, touring Japan, and hanging out with Little Steven Van Zandt By Andrew Wallace (photo...
Watts that sound?
Local musician Tim McCoy has lent his talents to numerous bands over the years, serving as a worthy figurehead for the Seacoast’s rock scene. His...
RPM turns 10
Above, Walter Sickert and the Army of Broken Toys deliver their completed RPM offering at the finish line of a past RPM Challenge. Since its launch in...
Songwriters in the Round
Four singer-songwriters will share stories and songs in a round-robin format in Portsmouth this weekend. Songwriters in the Round takes place at The Music Hall...
Rocking for Brentwood
Numerous area bands will rock to honor a fallen officer at Wally’s Pub in Hampton on Sunday, Jan. 25. Brentwood Police Officer Stephen Arkell was...
Local spirit
A sold-out show is packed with flannel shirts, beanies, and sweaty, joyous bodies while feedback and anthems ring out from the speakers. Tapes, LPs, and...
Bringing back Afrobeat
Throughout the 1970s and ’80s, Fela Kuti pioneered the Afrobeat movement, a fusion of jazz, funk, hi-life, rock, and traditional West African music. Thanks to...
RPM 2015 draws nigh
The 10th annual RPM Challenge is nearly upon us. The event, conceived in Portsmouth by The Wire newspaper, challenges musicians around the globe to write...
Irons in the fire
For a certain demographic of local listeners, the heyday of the Seacoast music scene came in the late 1980s. The Queers were building an international...
Now hear this
“Through the Static and Distance: The Songs of Jason Molina” by various artists Burst and Bloom Records/Haint Records File under: Folk, Blues, Americana, Alt-Country Sounds...
Future sounds
Few New Year’s resolutions are easier to uphold than listening to more good music, especially in the Seacoast. The Sound asked local musicians to share...
Monday night lights
George Woods and Heather Smist have incredible vocal chemistry. As they sang from the stage of The Red Door in Portsmouth on Monday, Dec. 29,...
Return to the roots
Everything old is new again, at least when it comes to trends in music. Bands like the Lumineers, the Avett Brothers, Mumford and Sons, and...
Repeat the sounding joy
Not just a great holiday song, but a perfect pop song, “Christmas” is the gold-standard by which all other seasonal music should be judged. Phil...
Shooting the Pistols
Ever wonder what it would have been like to hang out with Johnny Rotten, Sid Vicious, and the rest of the Sex Pistols in the...
Now Hear This
“Scatter the Remains,” Guy Capecelatro III Burst and Bloom Records File under: Bedroom Folk, Pop, Americana Sounds like: Damien Jurado, Unbunny, and Magnolia Electric Co....
Cold comforts
Winter hasn’t officially begun yet, but the earth that so politely conceded under our feet only weeks ago is already icebound and resistant. The colder,...
Angel trumpets and devil trombones
When the horn section of a band fires up, something magical happens. If you’ve been out to see any live music in the Seacoast within...