It’s a big weekend for music all across the Seacoast region. Artists local and national, past and present, will perform at area venues during various concerts, festivals, and gatherings. Here are some of the highlights.
Two Musical Reunions
The past and present collide at two separate events this weekend. Pontine Theatre revives the 1970s with “A Musical Reunion: A celebration of the theatre renaissance in Portsmouth in story & song” at The Plains School from Aug. 10-12. Shows are Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. ($25). On Saturday, Aug. 11, at 2 p.m., The Stone Church in Newmarket invites past employees and musicians to an Alumni Reunion featuring live music ($15).
Notches LP Release Show
Excellent indie rock band Notches has become a local favorite, and with good reason. They’ll celebrate the release of their new EP, “Almost Ruined Everything,” with a performance at Sue’s in Rollinsford on Friday, Aug. 10, at 8 p.m. The show kicks off a national tour with Boston-based band Me in Capris. Also sharing the bill in Rollinsford are area bands Black Norse and Tossed Aside. There is a $5-$10 suggested donation. For more information, click here.
Gather to End Hunger Fest
The Seacoast music community continues to serve as an advocate for charitable causes. On Saturday, Aug. 11, from 12-6 p.m., Applecrest Farm Orchards in Hampton Falls hosts the second annual Gather to End Hunger Festival, featuring performances by Soggy Po’ Boys, Haley Jane and the Primates, and the Ryan Montbleau Band. There will also be food, drinks, and kids’ activities. Tickets are $25-$30 ($5 for kids ages 4-12). Proceeds benefit Gather, a local food pantry. Learn more here.
Band of Horses
The Prescott Park Arts Festival suffered a disappointment last Friday night when Lord Huron’s performance was canceled due to thunderstorms. Let’s hope for better weather this weekend, which features one of the most highly anticipated shows of the summer. South Carolina-based act Band of Horses, one of the nation’s preeminent indie rock bands, performs at the seaside park in Portsmouth on Saturday, Aug. 11, at 7 p.m. There is a suggested donation of $8-$10. For more information, click here.
NE Country Music Festival
The newly-christened Cisco Brewers in Portsmouth — the recently-renovated former site of the Redhook Brewery — is continuing a Seacoast tradition with the fourth annual New England Country Music Festival on Sunday, Aug. 12, from 1-10 p.m. Presented by The Harbor Agency, the all-ages, family-friendly event features live performances by country acts Chase Rice, Drake White, Mitchell Tenpenny, Michael Tyler, Timmy Brown, Annie Brobst, April Cushman, and DJ MikeyFletch. Tickets are $40; for more information, click here.
For a full calendar of local events, click here.