Ioka will woo the Seacoast indie-film crowd

“It is a great way to bring in a new demographic,” said Roger Detzler, owner of Exeter’s Ioka Theatre. He’s excited about a new arrangement between the Ioka and Emerging Pictures, an independent film distribution company.

Over the past couple of years, Detzler had noticed increasing public demand for a venue dedicated to independent films. He saw the trend as a steady source of revenue, but couldn’t conjure up an appropriate business solution.

When Emerging Pictures contacted him two years ago, he was at first reluctant to adopt such a “quirky business model.” The two sides conversed sporadically, but Detzler remained uninterested until he was certain that Emerging Pictures would steadily progress into “a more marketable product.”

It’s time for a roundup of recent CDs that have crossed my desk over the past few months, starting with a couple of discs from Boston-area artists who play locally with some frequency.

The Molenes pack bluegrass and twang into new disc

The album begins with an instrumental bluegrass jam titled “Redemption.” The introductory track weaves strains of banjo and mandolin into a driving, rockabilly drumbeat, knitting together a timeless sound that follows the roots of American music. As the tune begins to fade, amplified feedback drowns out the jam, making way for the country-rock guitar riff of “There’s a Sufferin’.”

It’s a striking transition, and one that might surprise fans of The Molenes’ first album, “This Car Is Big.” Emerging more than 18 months after the debut disc, “Songs of Sin and Redemption” wraps together all the rootsy elements that define The Molenes’ style, from blues to bluegrass, rock to rockabilly. The band will unveil its new effort with a CD release show at The Press Room on Saturday, May 3.

UNH’s Jeffrey Bolster rethinks our shamed maritime history

From the days when Native Americans paddled along the Piscataqua River and out to the Isles of Shoals on birch bark canoes, up through World War II, when the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard was churning out submarines faster than any other shipyard in the world, the Seacoast has enjoyed a rich culture around the construction of sea vessels. To this day, Portsmouth’s working seaport remains a vital part of the regional economy and identity.

But American maritime history, which has its roots in northern New England, has long been rife with inaccuracies. That’s according to Portsmouth resident Jeffrey Bolster, who co-authored the recent book, “The Way of the Ship: America’s Maritime History Reenvisioned, 1600-2000.” According to Bolster, an associate professor of history at the University of New Hampshire, the canonical view of the nation’s maritime history has focused almost exclusively on oceanic ships, and not enough on the domestic ships that have crisscrossed the country’s lakes, rivers and coastlines for centuries. The historical focus on deep water ships and the U.S. Merchant Marine belies the fact that America’s shipping trade has thrived for centuries in the country’s interior.

issue of airport ownership sparks turbulence in Rochester

A couple of months ago, it appeared that Skyhaven Airport was about to land in the hands of the Pease Development Authority. The Rochester City Council had deadlocked on a vote in February to take over ownership of the small airport on Route 108, failing to reach a consensus by its March 1 deadline. With the idea of city ownership apparently sunk, the state was poised to hand over Skyhaven operations to the PDA on July 1. But then the Council changed its mind.

On April 15, the Council voted to undo its February vote and reconsider ownership of the airport. State Sen. Jackie Cilley (D-Barrington) quickly amended a bill before the N.H. House to extend the deadline for a city decision on Skyhaven. If approved, House Bill 1168 would give the Council until May 30 to commit to owning the airport. If the Council fails to make that commitment, the N.H. Department of Transportation will negotiate a lease for the PDA to take over airport operations on July 1.

Pontine performs ‘The Story of a Bad Boy’

In its day, “The Story of a Bad Boy” sparked a great deal of controversy, yet it has also been hailed as the work of a pioneering genius. Portsmouth’s Thomas Bailey Aldrich deviated from tradition when he published a semi-fictional account of his childhood in 1870. The content was unusual and risky, perking the curiosity of thousands of shocked readers.

Beginning on Friday, April 25, Pontine Theatre in Portsmouth will host an original adaptation of the revolutionary story. The events narrated in the book will be recreated by Greg Gathers and Margeurite Mathews, who have revised the content to fit the confines of a stage.

Gathers said adapting Aldrich’s book to the stage was easier than you might expect. The book is divided into stories about Aldrich’s childhood, narrated by the author as an adult. In the two-person performance, Gathers tackles the role of Aldrich, while Mathews portrays several other characters. At various points in the play, the pair uses 30-inch puppets, cutout illustrations, shadow puppets and projector video to recreate other characters and settings.

Used and unwanted books, CDs, DVDs, videos and audio books can now be donated to the Got Books program. The Portsmouth Recycling Center and Got Books program have united by putting a donation container behind the Recycling Center on 680 Peverly Hill Road. The intent is to collect and redistribute items no longer needed by local residents. 

by Peter Zheutlin, Citadel Press, 2007, 224 pages

It has all the elements of a tall tale: Two wealthy, Boston sugar merchants make a high-stakes, $10,000 bet, challenging an inexperienced young woman to ride a bicycle around the globe, starting with nothing but the clothes on her back. The cyclist is also tasked with earning $5,000, without accepting any charity, before returning to Boston in 15 months or less.

exploring the appeal of summer beers

Summer on the Seacoast is a fine mix of sultry heat, ocean breezes and tasty barbeques. It’s enough to make you thirsty—thirsty for beer. Beginning each spring, a number of local and regional breweries produce seasonal brews that offer relief from the heat while complementing the feel and flavors of summer.

On Thursday, April 24, Redhook Brewery in Portsmouth will host a summer release party for its seasonal beer, Sunrye. As if the dawning of summer isn’t reason enough to celebrate, the kickoff party commemorates the impending season with kegs of Sunrye, live reggae and free giveaways.

jazz singer Sheila Jordan reflects on a life in jazz

Billy Collins to headline Jazzmouth 2008

Film School joins Tiny Whales and Mosfet at Bourbon’s

When The Wire first caught up with Film School guitarist Dave Dupuis last week, he was in Baton Rouge, where he had been snacking on alligator meat prior to a show at a club called Spanish Moon. The next day, he and his four band mates were packed into their E350 Ford Super Duty van, on their way to New Orleans for another gig at a place called One Eyed Jacks. It was business as usual for Dupuis, who has been gigging and touring with various bands since the late 1990s. But this tour has a special twist: it will allow Dupuis to play a live show in his native New Hampshire for the first time in about 12 years. Film School will be at Bourbon’s in Portsmouth on Tuesday, April 29, along with local bands Mosfet and Tiny Whales.  

Filmways Pictures, 1981
starring: Brian Matthews, Leah Ayres, Brian Backer and
Lou David
directed by: Tony Maylam

rated R

To get a good idea of what to expect from the new break-up comedy “Forgetting Sarah Marshall,” look no further than it’s star and writer, Jason Segel. A veteran of Judd Apatow’s televised “Freaks and Geeks” school, with a brief stint on “CSI,” you may have last noticed him as Seth Rogan’s towering slacker friend in “Knocked Up.” Like many of the men on Apatow’s crew, he comes across as a doughy, needy, ne’er do well, with a sly comic outlook and an undeniable attraction to smokin’-hot ladies. This movie is a lot like that.

union employees at Dover schools fight for their jobs

A small group of local union employees took to the streets of Dover on April 13, marching and waving signs in front of City Hall on Central Avenue. The group, consisting of members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 2932, was protesting the Dover School District’s decision to privatize custodial services at city schools. The decision means that 30 to 35 union employees who currently staff the schools will be out of a job when their three-year contract expires on June 30.

The demonstration was quickly broken up by police, who said the group needed a permit for such a public congregation. Union members tried to reschedule for the following Monday, but they were told that the permit would have to be approved by the City Council, which would not convene again until Wednesday, April 23.

Portsmouth considers streetscape improvements on Market Street Extension

The Islington Street Action Plan has received a lot of headlines lately. But another corridor leading into Portsmouth is also slated for big changes. A public input session was recently held to discuss the Market Street Extension Streetscape Improvement Plan.

Market Street Extension runs from Kearsage Way, under Interstate 95, to Deer Street. Dubbed a “gateway” into Portsmouth, it is the main access route to the central business district and home to the city’s working waterfront. Nearly 16,000 vehicles enter Portsmouth via the road each day, passing by such attractions as the Greater Portsmouth Chamber of Commerce Visitor Center and the Albacore Submarine Museum. On April 14, roughly 35 people gathered at Portsmouth Public Library for the unveiling of conceptual designs created by the Cecil Group.

ham and beans, music and humor at Garrison Players

Many New Englanders take pride in their roots, and the Garrison Players Arts Center will attempt to manifest that pride with an evening of traditional pleasures. The Rollinsford venue hosts a “Down Home Yankee Ham and Bean Supper” on Saturday, April 12, beginning at 6:30 p.m. Not only will the evening feature home-cooked food, but it will also include the comedic stylings of author and humorist Rebecca Rule and bluegrass music from Mark Wiley and his band of friends.

“The dinner is a country feel. It is home cooking. It is simple, plain, good food,” said Mary Ruth Lynn, director of programming for the Garrison Players. She said Rule’s humor and Wiley’s music have a similar feel.

Plans for the evening were partially modeled after the old fashioned design of the Garrison Players’ building at 650 Portland Ave., which was originally constructed as a Grange hall. “It seems like a good fit,” said Lynn.

‘Last Night’ at The Players’ Ring

Orson Welles was famous for saying a lot of things, but my personal favorite quote is, “No one likes to leave a theater feeling empty."

In newcomer Carolyn Gallo’s play, “Last Night,” audience members feel so many things that, when they leave, they feel as though they just stepped off a rollercoaster—lightheaded and slightly nauseated. And just because they may have seen one or two of those dips coming doesn’t mean their stomachs don’t get thrown right into their throats. The feeling is jolting, horrifying, hopeful, agonizing and delicious. This rookie knocked it out of the park on her first try.

stakeholders discuss male-only dogfish fishery

A series of regulations were established in the 1990s to help restore the over-fished spiny dogfish population. The small schooling sharks made a successful comeback, but, in the process, the ratio of male to female dogfish shifted dramatically. Males continue to outnumber females and are competing for food with other important fish species.

“Typically with dogfish, if you talk about a population in equilibrium, you want to see a two-to-one ratio—two males to every one female,” said Ken La Valley, commercial fishing specialist with New Hampshire Sea Grant. “What you’re seeing now is a five or six to one ratio. Because of that, it’s out of balance.”

‘New Hampshire Originals’ unveiled at the Lamont Gallery

The current exhibition at the Lamont Gallery at Philips Exeter Academy shows off New Hampshire’s diverse artistic population. The show is a refreshing medley of sculptures, paintings and furniture designs by artists who have been deemed “Lifetime Fellows” by the New Hampshire State Council on the Arts. In order to earn that title, an artist must have received at least three grants from the New Hampshire State Council on the Arts since 1981, the year the award took shape. Five of the 10 Lifetime Fellows are exhibited in “New Hampshire Originals,” including James Aponovich, Carol Aronson-Shore, Jon Brooks, James Coates and Gary Haven Smith. The exhibition is a wonderful reflection of dedicated, talented artists living and working in our very own Granite State.