In the winter, it can sometimes be a little bit harder to find something fun to do in your spare time. It’s not exactly the ideal time of year to go throw the ball around at White Park or break in that new bike you got for Christmas. And nobody feels like doing work around the house, either – after all, what is there to do besides shovel?
Well, for one, there’s always tons of live music to be heard all over Concord and Bow.
The capital city, in particular, has thrust itself into the upper echelon of the live music scene in recent years. No longer is the Seacoast the hot spot for tunes in the Granite State – Concord has become a fixture in its own right.
Whether it’s True Brew, Penuche’s, the Capitol Center for the Arts or the Concord Community Music School, there’s almost always live music playing somewhere in the city.
As far as Bow is concerned, well, the offerings are a bit slimmer: You can rock out at Chen Yang Li.
But that’s okay, Bow residents, because Concord is just a stone’s throw away, and there’s plenty of room for all of you here.
We dug deep to find out as much about the live music scene around here as possible. And, as usual, we’ve decided to pass our findings along to you.
Here’s a little rundown on (almost) all the live music you can hear in Concord and Bow, and when. If we missed one, let us know about it.
True Brew Barista
The little coffee and tea nook in Bicentennial Square turns into a hoppin’ tunes factory on weekend nights.
Voted the best bar for live music by a free weekly publication (we choose not to name) three years in a row, True Brew has quickly become one of the destinations for music in Concord.
Every Friday and Saturday night, music fills the bar side of the coffee shop. And not just any music – original music. So don’t show up expecting to hear “Don’t Stop Believin’ ” or “Piano Man” or any other wedding favorites like that.
Most bands start around 9 p.m., and there’s a cover charge that runs between $3 and $15, depending on the band. And all of that money goes directly to the band.
This weekend, you can catch The Dobros, a folkgrass/rock act, on Friday. Saturday night features the rockabilly tunes of Whiskey Kill.
For more information, go to truebrewbarista.com.
Penuche’s
Across the patio from True Brew is Penuche’s, everybody’s favorite windowless, hidden basement.
Now before Penuche’s was Penuche’s – or the Nooch, as only the coolest locals call it – it was THUMS, Thursday’s Underground Music Stage. A THUMS sign still graces the dimly lit walls down there as a tribute.
But although THUMS is a thing of the past, the music is not.
You can catch a live show at Penuche’s most Thursday and Saturday nights. The music runs late into the night here, and there is usually a cover of about $3. It can be a tight squeeze sometimes, but think of it as an intimate setting – with plenty of dancing.
This weekend, you can check out Mind’s Eye on Thursday or The Van Burens on Saturday. They’ll be sure to bring the house down.
For more information, go to Facebook.com/Penuches.Concord.
Makris Lobster and Steak House
Makris has the distinction of being the only live music venue in Concord with “Lobster” in its name, so that’s got to count for something.
The restaurant on Route 106 hosts live music every Friday night, and there’s never a cover (which means it’s the kind of place we like).
It’s not right in the heart of downtown and it’s not an every-night thing, but don’t sleep on Makris when it comes to live music.
This Friday, Fuzz Boxx looks to fuzzify the place from 8:30 p.m. to midnight. They play everything from hard-core country to borderline metal, so there’s something for everyone.
For more information, check out the website with one of the cooler domain names around, eatalobster.com.
Hermanos Cocina Mexicana
Hermanos may be the most brotherly place to eat in Concord. At least, it certainly has the most brotherly name.
What else it has is live music, and an absolute ton of it. In fact, bands play there Sunday through Thursday from 6:30 to 9 p.m., and Saturdays starting at 7:30. And on top of it all, there is never a cover, so you can save that cash for tacos and margaritas.
This is likely the only joint in town where you can sit down, eat a full meal and hear live music six nights a week, and that’s pretty cool if you ask us.
This week, Rob Wolfe plays Thursday, Judy, Ken & Danny take the stage Saturday and John Franzosa does his thing Sunday.
For a full calendar of musical acts, check out hermanoscocinamexicana.com.
The Red Blazer
The Red Blazer is more than just an outergarment made famous by Sarah Palin – it’s also a restaurant/bar that offers up plenty of live music.
The Manchester Street eatery hosts musical acts on the weekends – Friday is the usual night for music, but sometimes a show can be caught on a Thursday, Saturday or Sunday, if it’s a special occasion.
And wouldn’t you know it, but there just so happens to be a special occasion in the very near future.
The Dusty Gray Band, long a staple in the Concord music scene but who recently relocated to Nashville, will be making a triumphant return to the capital city Jan. 30 at 8 p.m. If you’re a fan of this band, you just can’t miss this show – and it’s only $5.
Check out the Red Blazer’s Facebook page (facebook.com/TheRedBlazer) for even more info.
Pit Road Lounge
Pit Road Lounge, on Loudon Road, might be considered somewhat of a hidden gem around here. Most people tend to think about downtown when they’re figuring out where to go to grab a drink and hear some music. Loudon Road is just a bunch of chain stores, right?
Wrong. Well, there are a lot of chain stores, but there’s also the Pit Road Lounge, which has live music every Friday and Saturday night.
This weekend, Wiseguy is playing Friday and Shameless takes the stage Saturday.
For a full calendar and more information, go to facebook.com/Pit-Road-Lounge.
Concord City Auditorium
The Concord City Auditorium is a piece of Concord history. The city-funded arts venue right in the heart of downtown has been around since 1904, when it was built on the western side of city hall.
The Audi plays host to all kinds of performances – plays, dance recitals, musicals, magic shows – and there’s often some great music to be heard there, too.
In fact, on Friday you’ll get the chance to catch a Symphony N.H. concert. Maestro Jonathan McPhee will conduct a program of Tchaikovsky, Stravinsky, Ravel and Prokofiev. Extra credit to anyone who can spell all those names without looking!
The show will begin at 8 p.m., but you’ll want to make sure you reserve tickets ($18 to $49) first at SymphonyNH.org. You can also call 595-9156 or buy tickets at the door.
Capitol Center for the Arts
The Capitol Center for the Arts is quite a bit different from most of the other venues listed here. For one, it’s way bigger, and therefore is able to host much grander shows than places like Penuche’s. And also, it’s not a restaurant or bar – it’s a venue made specifically for big performances.
There actually isn’t a ton in the way of music coming up in the immediate future (though there are plenty of shows that aren’t concerts), but if you can wait a little bit, you can see the legendary Joan Baez on March 1. Sure, that seems so far away, but how often do you get to see a living legend like that?
Tickets for the Baez show will run you $48.50 to $78.50, so you can start saving up now.
For more information, check out ccanh.com.
Concord Community Music School
You may not know it, but the Concord Community Music School on Wall Street (but not the Wall Street) is not just a learning center. It’s also a performance center, and shows are playing there all the time.
These shows are a bit different – it’s not a bunch of local garage bands coming in with trippy lights and weird costumes. It’s scholars of music showing attendees what they can do, what they’ve learned.
If you’re into jazz, you might want to check out Jazz in January, which is on Friday at 7 and 9 p.m. The cabaret-style evening will feature the Musicians of Wall Street Jazz Ensemble and guest artist Andrea Capozzoli, a Boston-area singer and trumpet player.
Tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for students and seniors. Go to ccmusicschool.org to book tickets or learn more.
Chen Yang Li, Bow
Are you the kind of guy or gal who likes to hear a good band while sucking down a scorpion bowl and munching on some egg rolls? Do you like doing all of the above in Bow?
Well then, Chen Yang Li is your place. Billed as “Central New Hampshire’s premiere Oriental restaurant,” Chen Yang Li hosts live music every Friday night.
Well, almost every Friday night. There won’t be a show this weekend on account of inclement weather. Kind of a bummer, but better safe than sorry, right?
For more information, go to chenyangli-bow.com or call 228-8508.
