NH Weekend Planner - Top 10 Things to do in New Hampshire
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Still Rocking After All These Years - The Hampton Beach Casino: Then and Now
by Lisa Martineau for NHtoDo Magazine, May 2006
If the walls at the Hampton Beach Casino could speak, the stories they could tell would weave through the history of music in America. Over the decades, the building has provided entertainment to throngs of immigrant workers, teenage music lovers and generations of families who visit the seaside town during summer months.
The doors opened to the public on July 4, 1899. Built as an entertainment complex, it housed a large dance hall, tennis courts, a 57-room hotel, dining rooms, bowling alleys, and even a baseball park. It also contained an opera house, where Vaudeville acts performed, a penny arcade, and a shooting range. The owner, Massachusetts businessman Wallace D. Lovell, who also owned the Amesbury Street Railway Company, hoped to attract people to Hampton Beach by turning it into a destination spot. It was called the Casino, after an Italian word meaning "summer house" that came to describe a large room used for entertaining, or "a social gathering place."
It was the ideal escape for immigrants who worked in mill towns like Manchester, Haverhill, Lowell and Lawrence. Trolleys volleyed people to and fro, depositing them at a depot in front of the entertainment complex, until Henry Ford's Model T became the preferred method of transportation.
The last trolley trip was made on May 29, 1926. The following winter, under new ownership, construction began on the Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom. Mirrored after the English Ballrooms of the past, the Casino Ballroom featured one of the largest wooden dance floors in the area.
During the mid-1930's, the "Big Bands" would perform at the ballroom regularly; legendary artists like Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Bing Crosby and Glenn Miller, all performed at the Casino to capacity crowds. Liquor was not served during this time and patrons were required to adhere to a strict dress code. However, men would line up to buy tickets known as "checks," that would admit them onto the crowded dance floor.
Some thirty years later, the Casino kept them coming with acts like the Supremes, the Four Tops and Peter, Paul and Mary. As the music got louder, the bands continued to sell out shows and generate revenue for the Casino Ballroom and the town of Hampton Beach. The Beach Boys, The Who, the Doors and Chicago brought rock and roll to town. Janis Joplin made a stop at the Casino on July 11, 1969. Led Zeppelin followed in late August. Even Jimi Hendrix graced Hampton Beach with his extraordinary talent. During those years, the Casino played host to the Who's Who (and The Who) of Rock and Roll. And it paid off. That is, until one summer night in July 1971.
Jethro Tull was scheduled to perform that night. They were fresh on the heels of their "Aqualung" release and were at the peak of their stardom. Over 3,000 fans showed up without tickets to the sold-out show, and a riot began. They scaled walls and climbed through roof skylights to get in the building as chaos erupted in the streets. The National Guard was called in and an immediate ban on rock and roll was put in place. That was the day the music (almost) died.
For several years, the Ballroom returned to its Big Band roots. Then, in 1976 the owner sold the six-acre Casino Complex to a group of businessmen who began a complete renovation and revitalization. The Ballroom was renamed "Club Casino" and the battle was on to bring the music back to the beach.
At first, the "new" Casino was only able to grab acts on their way up or down. Town officials were still wary but perseverance would bring rising stars U2, Huey Lewis and the News, Roy Orbison and Tina Turner to the venue. Over many years, a new focus on bringing a variety of acts to attract all interests developed. This is a tradition that continues today and has paid off in a big way. In 1982, the Rolling Stones wanted to perform a free concert at the Casino. With the prospect of another riot and a renewed bad reputation, the owners decided it was not in the best interest of the club or the town so they turned them down. Not many venues can say that!
In the years since, country fans have watched artists like Lyle Lovett, Willie Nelson, Martina McBride and Clint Black swagger through the doors. Folkies have enjoyed a mellow night with Earth, Wind and Fire, Simon and Garfunkel and Peter, Paul and Mary. The Blues men, Buddy Guy, B.B. King, Robert Cray and others have haunted its hall. Black Sabbath, Billy Idol, Sammy Hagar, Creed and New Hampshire's own Godsmack have all rocked out at the beach. Comedians from Joan Rivers to Sam Kinison to Jerry Seinfeld and George Carlin have grabbed some laughs. And the Casino has even offered wrestling and boxing matches for those inclined to sports.
In the mid-nineties another renovation brought back some of the past; away went the Club Casino and the Casino Ballroom was back, 1,800 seats strong (or 2,200 for a general admission show). They have gone from a summer season venue to an extended season and now offer shows from April through November. They recently placed in the "Top 30" for worldwide ticket sales for venues under 3,000 seats. That's no small achievement.
Last year, the Casino had the rock band Disturbed and pop-star Ashlee Simpson; both acts were number one on the charts when they played the Casino. For a small venue, this is a triumph. But, they are able to do it by getting the details right, by offering the best hospitality – to both artists and patrons. Artists want to come to the Casino because it feels comfortable, and when life is lived on the road, a sense of comfort is priceless. The rock band The Black Crowes have called the Casino their "home away from home." For many vacationers who return to Hampton Beach every year, the Casino feels like a home away from home to them as well. Thanks to a superior sound system, an up close-and-personal feel, and the amazing acoustics that only a wooden structure can provide, the Casino is truly unique.
Some of the greatest rock and roll acts in history stepped onto the stage at the Hampton Beach Casino at some point during their careers. The crowds swelled and the guitars buzzed throughout the summer months every year for decades. And this year, a whole new look awaits patrons. A dynamic new information-driven website launched on February 10. A lighted modern sign is now perched outside and they are striving, once again, to reinvent themselves.
According to marketing director Andrew Herrick, they are developing a "cross-generational" look, one that crosses generations and musical genres. "We have redesigned the back riser of the room with a room length drink shelf and high top stools. And, we've replaced the old velvet curtains with soundboards and mirrors along the back wall." In the last two years they have also added more bathrooms and a new box office "to better serve customers from the front of the building during the off peak season," says Andrew. "All of the changes have been customer driven."
The 2006 season began on March 31, with the Grateful Dead's Bob Weir, and his band Ratdog, who performed at the Casino on the eve of Jerry Garcia's death. There are so many historical ties. Sevendust took the stage on April 1. Also on the lineup this year are Trisha Yearwood and LeeAnn Rimes. Though the schedule is constantly changing, with new shows added all the time, this promises to be another landmark year.
So, the Casino Ballroom remains the heartbeat of Hampton Beach.
And the beat goes on.
Town Spotlight: Hanover, an Ivy League Town
by Lisa Martineau - published in June 2002 by NHtoDo Magazine
For Dartmouth College Alumni, the Town of Hanover is a nostalgic and beloved place. One Alumnus I spoke to described standing on the green and being able to point out where each of his classes had been over thirty years earlier. Students today use the same buildings used by former students, making for a shared connection to the past that binds them to this charming New England town.
There is an alluring and understandable sense of seclusion in Hanover. Take the scenic drive up Interstate 89 and you’ll understand why. But the ride is worth the gem that you discover at the end of the journey. Surrounded by the Green Mountains of Vermont to the West and Moose Mountain to the East, Hanover is a world away from city life. Yet, there on Main Street I saw the Gap. Were it not for the Ivy League College that dominates the town, this would be a sleepy place whose biggest moment might be the spectacular season that yields fall foliage.
Hanover was founded in 1761. Dartmouth College, the ninth oldest college in the nation, was established eight years later. The 200-acre campus truly defines Hanover’s landscape in so many ways. It’s a white picket fence community that makes strolling across the green or shopping on Main Street such a delight. Boutique shops and top-notch restaurants line the street just steps from the school. The League of New Hampshire Craftsmen even has a shop around the corner, offering the gifts of New Hampshire Artisans. In fact, if you love art, a key stop is the Hood Museum of Art. Belonging to the school, the museum offers nearly 60,000 objects on display, one of the largest College or University collections in the country. The art and artifacts exhibited cover an extensive range of cultural representation and periods through history. Admission to the museum is free and the hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 10am-5pm and Sunday from 12-5pm. The museum is open late on Wednesday night until 9pm.
For the athletically inclined, the Hanover Country Club is the place to swing a club. Fisherman can head West to the edge of town, where the Connecticut River borders Vermont to try their hand at fly-fishing. If you need a guide, the Lyme Angler on Etna Street offers guided fishing trips, fly tying classes and all the fishing supplies you’ll need to catch fish they claim are measured in “feet, not inches.” The river is also popular for swimming, whitewater kayaking and canoeing. You can rent a canoe or kayak for a reasonable fee ($15 per day, during the week) at the Ledyard Canoe Club located near the Ledyard Bridge, which crosses the Connecticut River from Norwich, VT.
Hikers will find an array of trails meandering their way through town. The most notable is probably the 2160-mile Appalachian Trail that stretches from Maine to Georgia and enters New Hampshire across the Ledyard Bridge and travels directly through town. Pick up a map of hiking trails at Town Hall or the Hanover Inn to find other marked trails. There are also free maps of town available at certain restaurants (I found mine at Molly’s).
And if all that outdoor activity makes you hungry, there are a variety of restaurants right on Main Street. Lou’s Restaurant seemed to be the most popular with local students, noted by the line that extended all the way down the counter. We later found out Lou’s serves breakfast all day and this being a Sunday, we understood the appeal entirely. Zin’s Restaurant and Winery, located inside the Hanover Inn, is a charming, upscale sort of place that appeared warm and inviting. We settled for Molly’s Restaurant and Bar and we were not disappointed. What impressed us most? The punctual service and the scrumptious, unexpected selection of food at reasonable prices. The fascinating and entertaining college memorabilia that graced the walls is worth noting. We skipped dessert, but did not fail to notice the Ben & Jerry’s shop located just off Main Street on Lebanon Street.
Hanover is also home to the nationally recognized Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. Even the hospital grounds here are a scenic wonder, with winding roads, bridges, landscaping, wildflowers and walking paths found on the property. There are a number of covered bridges just a short drive from Hanover. The closest one can be found in the neighboring town of Lebanon. Take exit 17 off Interstate 89 and look for the signs for the Packard Hill Bridge.
Although Hanover is a day-trippers dream, visitors who wish to stay might find themselves at the Hanover Inn, a quaint luxury inn that serves as the local information center. Just a few miles away is the Trumbull House Bed & Breakfast, located on 16 acres and yes, they have hiking as well as cross country skiing trails on premises. The Moose Mountain Lodge offers hiking, bicycling and of course skiing and snow shoeing in the winter months. It’s a rustic style Inn located on the 2300-foot Moose Mountain. To the west, the Inn has spectacular views of the Connecticut River Valley. On the way into town, I caught a glimpse of a brand new Residence Inn by Marriott as well. It’s the area’s only all suite hotel.
Hanover is classic New England charm. Bring your camera. Marvel at the ages of some of the buildings and gasp at the beauty of the landscape around you. It’s why we endure the gray, cold days of winter – to get out there and touch the green.
One Nation Under Godsmack
by Lisa Martineau for New Hampshire.com - published September 2001
For all the controversy that preceded their performance at Singer Family Park in Manchester, the New England rock band Godsmack stood tall as they rallied 10,000 fans in a gesture of support for American patriotism. The lead-singer, Sully Erna, instructed concertgoers to reach over to the person next to them and take their hands. “I don’t care if you don’t know them, these are your brothers,” he said. The fans responded without hesitation, and as the singer asked them to raise their hands, the audience stood connected chain-like, in a genuine display of American unity and Rock and Roll pride. We are in this together, he seemed to say, may we stand strong and united. Flags flew through the crowd; people wore red, white and blue and chanted U.S.A. between songs and a sign that read “God Bless America” was waved from side to side. The National Anthem boomed out the speakers.
There was also a moment of silence as ten thousand candles were lit through the park. Candles were handed out before the show, with the instruction that they were not to be lit until Sully gave the word. When the time came, audience members responded and suddenly Singer Family Park was a sea of candles glowing, the quiet powerful as the band stood huddled on stage, heads bowed in prayer. No need to worry about noise escaping into surrounding neighborhoods, as everyone remained quiet for a minute, lost in their own thoughts.
“As far as we were concerned,” said the singer, “this tour was over when this tragedy happened on Tuesday,” referring to the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and the hijacking that took a plane down in Pennsylvania, “but we realized we have an opportunity to do something good here,” said Sully. The band donated $53,000 in merchandise sales to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund. Firefighters passed around boots and collected over $7,000 in cash that will be donated to a Fireman’s Fund to help the families of the lost firefighters. Rock 101 raised an additional $5,000 at the show.
And, as important as the donations were, he band also brought together over ten thousand individuals who united under Godsmack in a show of patriotism and solidarity for our country. That is the power of music. Music that “means a lot more to me now,” as Sully put it during the show. Anyone who witnessed those moments is sure to have come away a little more red, white and perhaps, a little less blue.
Godsmack is a New England based band and one that is proud of its New Hampshire roots. Determined to bring them to Manchester, fans of the band rallied after Manchester’s Chief of Police refused to sign off on a license granting permission to play at the outdoor venue. The support behind the band persuaded Manchester’s Aldermen to overrule the recommendation, signing the license but only with strict regulations. A 10PM curfew was put in place (Saturday’s show finished well before the curfew), speakers were expected to be pointed down toward the audience and decibel levels were not to reach 100 for more than five seconds. Decibel levels were measured at the front gate during the performance and remained within the imposed limits. Obscenities were kept to a minimum.
This show was equally a vigil and a statement that we pay a price for our freedom of expression. In the end, Godsmack did the honorable thing, proving that a little freedom can go a long way.