As of May 1, the Barley Pub will be “100 percent” nonsmoking. Owner Scott Mason, who says he’s been a bartender and second-hand smoker for 12 years, was a proponent of recently failed legislation to ban smoking in N.H. bars and restaurants.

“I got as involved as I had time to get involved in that, telling everyone to write to legislators that I could tell. I was on Channel 9, interviewed in papers, I testified at a finance committee hearing on the bill,” he says. When the state failed to pass the legislation, he says, “I knew it was better for my health, for my employees and for my customers. .. I knew I should put my money where my mouth is.”
Mason estimates that four out of the five restaurants that have opened in Dover in the last four years have been nonsmoking. The Barley Pub previously had successfully experimented with a no-smoking policy until 7 p.m.

We recently asked Muddy River manager Chris Soucy about the rumors that new owners Tony and Gerri Schena are less receptive to hosting live music in the Newberry Room than the previous owners had been. Soucy said live music has been a big part of the Portsmouth establishment, and he doesn’t want that to change.

“I’ve been asked about this as well,” Soucy said. “As for now, the room will remain open, and I’m currently booked through the summer and plan to begin booking the fall next month.”
To contact Soucy about booking your band, write to him at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

The Spark is moving again. The local cutting-edge music series, born in Dover and in the mind of Mike Phillips, took root on Tuesday nights at the Muddy River, then recently moved to Wednesdays. Now it’s returning to home base.

“I was thinking that it might be a good time to see if there were other venues interested, and before I even had a chance to do some of the legwork, The Brick House contacted me as soon as the last show was done at the Muddy,” Phillips says. “I’m very excited to bring it back there and hoping the Portsmouth folk will make that short drive over the bridge again,” Phillips says.

Dos Amigos is getting back into the act with the return of its all-ages “Dos After Dark” music series, which began last Friday with the Dover-based band “Grrrls Out Of Hell” and continues on Friday, April 28, with The Texas Governor. Plans are in the works for a special Cinco de Mayo “Dos After Dark” on Friday, May 5. There’s no cover charge and beer is served until 11 p.m. If you’re interested in booking your band for the series, call 603-834-6494 and ask for Michelle.

What do you get when you close down Pleasant Street in Market Square and invite bands, improv acts and songwriters to entertain the masses? Lots of dancing, dogs and a dragon. Last year’s premiere Summer in the Street festival was such a success that Pro Portsmouth decided to offer it again. This year, however,  the booking is a little different—rather than being organized by a committee, Pro Portsmouth is asking artists to apply online at www.proportsmouth.org.

Summer in the Street 2006 takes place on Saturday evenings throughout the summer on June 24; July 8, 15, 29; and Aug. 5 and 12, from 5 to 9:30 p.m. The “main stage” is the pedestrian-friendly street closure on Pleasant Street (between Porter Street and Market Square).

Tell us what your band’s up to at news[at]wirenh[dot]com. Right now. Go do it.