There are all kinds of wonderful ways to celebrate the arts this weekend. Here are some of the highlights.
603 Line Dance at The Rockingham Ballroom
Instructor Kim Carpentino of 603 Line Dance will keep you on The Rockingham Ballroom’s sprawling dance floor all night long in Newmarket. She’s offering free line-dance lessons followed by DJ music with song requests and open dancing on Friday starting at 7 p.m. Tickets to the BYOB event are $15. Learn more here.
Tribute shows at The Press Room
Enjoy familiar tunes by some of your favorite classic acts at The Press Room in Portsmouth this weekend. Boston-based tribute band Heart Attack Ack Ack Ack Ack Ack plays the music of Billy Joel on Friday at 7 p.m. ($20-$25). And local group The Stray Horses perform Neil Young’s “Harvest Moon” on Saturday at 6 p.m. $18-$24.
Music, comedy, and art at The Word Barn
There’s all kinds of art going on at The Word Barn in Exeter this weekend. The Hazel Project performs music by bluegrass pioneers Hazel Dickens and Alice Gerrard with guest The Mountain on Friday from 7-9 p.m. ($25). On Saturday, enjoy an evening of hilarious, high-energy pop tunes during Matt Shore Does Songs at You: A Musical Comedy Show from 7-9 p.m. ($22). And on Sunday, create your own folding fabric book during the Fabric Memoir Book Workshop from 11 a..m.-3 p.m. ($200). Learn more here.
Diverse concerts at The Dance Hall
Swedish folk duo Väsen will entertain you with a variety of stringed instruments at The Dance Hall in Kittery on Friday at 7:30 p.m. ($20-$38). On Saturday, American art-rock band Billy Wylder (pictured) takes the stage for a night of highly inventive folk-rock with guest Skye Darling at 7:30 p.m. ($12-$22). Finally, Seacoast jazz duo Sound Suggestions (Tim Webb and Thom Keith) performs on Sunday from 5-6:30 p.m. ($10-$18). Learn more here.
Live shows at The Stone Church
It’s going to be a jammin’ weekend at The Stone Church in Newmarket. Maine-based Phish tribute Primal Soup returns on Friday at 8 p.m. ($10-$15). New group Snakes and Stars, featuring members of The String Cheese Incident and David Byrne’s American Utopia, follows with guest P(x3) on Saturday at 8 p.m. ($15-$20). Learn more here.
An Immersive Dance Performance at Green Acre
Green Acre is hosting an immersive dance performance that explores the relationship between Earth (in its many forms) and human interaction. Created and directed by Jeff Jean-Philippe, “Our Earthship” is on stage in Eliot on Saturday at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m. Tickets are $5-$30. Learn more here.
Community Chorus at South Berwick Celebrates 50 Years
The 65 voices of the Community Chorus at South Berwick are celebrating 50 years of music with two concerts. Alumni members will join the chorus for several songs during performances at Portsmouth High School on Saturday at 3 p.m. and at Noble High School in North Berwick on Sunday at 3 p.m. Tickets are $17-$20. Learn more here.
A Night of Music with Voices from the Heart
The theme of local chorus Voices from the Heart’s spring concert is “cross-cultural, meaningful change.” Performers for A Night of Music include vocalist and Voices director Joanne Connolly, Latin dance and jazz group Combo Sabroso, jazz vocalist Taylor O’Donnell, and multi-instrumentalist and composer Randy Armstrong. The show takes place at South Church in Portsmouth on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $35 (or $75 for VIP tix). Learn more here.
Anabasis takes the Button Factory Stage
Based on the South Shore of Massachusetts, Anabasis plays a unique blend of swing, blues, country, rock, R&B, and folk music. They’ll take the headlining slot on the Button Factory Stage at WSCA Portsmouth Community Radio during a live gig on Saturday at 8 p.m. Tickets are $10-$15. Learn more here.
Time + Mercy at South Church
The good folks at South Church are launching a new concert series in Portsmouth, and it starts with a doozy. Local duo Time + Mercy, featuring trumpeter Chris Klaxton and pianist Mike Effenberger, will explore hymns and spirituals through gospel, jazz, and the avant garde on Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets are $20. Learn more here.
See the full calendar for more local events.