High Street Coffee House

HIGH STREET COFFEE HOUSE - Join us the first Friday of every month at the High Street Coffee house located in the Boscawen Town Hall underneath the Church at the intersection of Routes 3 and 4 in scenic downtown Boscawen, New Hampshire.

Each month has a featured musical group that performs the first thirty minutes of the evening. This is followed by open mic where poets, musicians, and comedians entertain the crowd. The evening is finished up with the featured performer taking the stage once again.

Doors open at 6:30pm and the music starts at 7:00pm ending somewhere around 9:30pm. Admission is FREE though donations are accepted. A full array of refreshments are available for sale from 6:30 to the close of the evening.

QUESTIONS? Call Chris 603-520-9196 or Liz 603-848-2410.

LOCATION: 12 High Street, Boscawen, New Hampshire in the town hall underneath the Boscawen Congregational Church.

TILTON GROUP OF THE NH FIDDLE ENSEMBLE - MARCH 6

Mark your calendars now for Friday evening March 6th to see the Tilton Group of the NH Fiddle Ensemble. Doors open at 6:30pm and music starts at 7pm. There will be a wide array of snacks and there is always the option to have a light supper before the band takes the stage or during the break. This evening is also open mic open to musicians, poets and comedians. Admission is FREE though donations will be accepted.

HILTON PARK - JANUARY 2020

On January 3, 2020, "Hilton Park" from small town in southern Maine took the Boscawen High Street Coffee House stage. This trio of musicians featuring Bruce Hilton, Conor Hilton, and Gregg Pannier played a blend of Americana and folk and are father, son and neighbor who started playing music together for their own enjoyment, and within 8 months found themselves being recognized by the New England Music Awards as one of the best Roots acts in New England. To celebrate Stephen Stills birthday they rocked this version of Suite: Judy Blue Eyes

NEWFOUND GRASS - DECEMBER 2019

Boscawen's High Street Coffee House is grateful to Newfound Grass for driving through a unexpected snow squall to play. It was a wonderful, intimate evening of music followed by a jam session. In this video, Dave Shaw of NewFound Grass plays a beautiful rendition of "Sea of Heartbreak", supported by Ben West on bass, Craig Engel on guitar and Ron Swisher on banjo.

BRADFORD BOG PEOPLE - NOVEMBER 2019

In November, Bradford Bog People will take the stage featuring Beth Eldridge, Tii McLane, and
Woody Pringle. They bring historic music from the Appalachian Mountains, lively banjo and fiddle, unusual tunings, beautiful harmonies, and some clogging too! The High Street Coffee House is a “Open Mic” venue, welcoming musicians, poets and comedians to join to take the stage for two songs or ten minutes. Priority is giving to those performers that are new our “open mic”. Doors open at 6:30pm and music starts at 7pm. The evening is wrapped up by 10pm. There is a great array of refreshments for a light dinner or simply a sweet or salty snack. Admission is FREE, though a donation basket is passed. Contact Liz 848-2410 or Chris 520-9196.with any questions.

BOW JUNCTION - OCTOBER 4

In October, Bow Junction delivered a diverse blend of hard driving bluegrass and folk with a touch of Celtic and gospel. Together Randy Hencke, Linda Magoon, Russ Abertin, and Glen Leathers blended a respect for tradition with an ear for innovation. Their influences include Bill Monroe, Doc Watson, Johnny Cash, Earl Scruggs, Ricky Skaggs, Emmylou Harris and many more! The High Street Coffee House is a “Open Mic” venue, welcoming musicians, poets and comedians to join to take the stage for two songs or ten minutes. Priority is giving to those performers that are new our “open mic”. Doors open at 6:30pm and music starts at 7pm. The evening is wrapped up by 10pm. There is a great array of refreshments for a light dinner or simply a sweet or salty snack. Admission is FREE, though a donation basket is passed. Contact Liz 848-2410 or Chris 520-9196.with any questions.

RICHARD GEHRTS - SEPTEMBER 6

Richard Gehrts began his musical career in the mid-sixties as a student at the University of Iowa Writer’s Workshop singing in coffeehouses and performing with rock and roll and blues bands. He completed his undergraduate and graduate studies and took to the road as a journeyman musician. Through the ensuing decades he criss-crossed the country performing with a host of musical luminaries from folk legend Elizabeth Cotton to pop icons The Mamas and the Papas. He was a member of the inaugural touring roster for The New Hampshire Commission on the Arts as well as the New England Foundation for the Arts and served as an advisory panelist for the New Hampshire Commission. He has also performed in regional and equity theater productions. The music is eclectic. He has mined a rich vein of traditional material from diverse sources artfully arranged as well as a bevy of original compositions that are thought provoking, contentious, humorous and beautiful. He has performed as a solo artist as well as ensemble work most notably fronting the band Tin Pan Alley. He accompanies himself on guitars, banjo, autoharp, dulcimer and sundry ukuleles. His performances are seasoned with humorous observations on life and lively stories about his many travels, the places he has been, the things he has seen and the people he has met.

DOUG HAZARD AND THE SANDWICH RANGERS - AUGUST 2

In August, Doug Hazard and the Sandwich Rangers took the High Street stage. A 4-piece acoustic music group, now several years old, with unique instrumentation and great original material. Musicians included Doug Hazard, Lisa Ferguson, Jon Deveneau, and Dick Hodges. This band was the first to include a conga drum! They played a wide variety of songs, from Bob Marley to Leonard Cohen… but their Prime Focus was on the songs of their own two songwriters: Lisa Ferguson and Doug Hazard.

PAST PERFORMERS

CARL BEVERLY joined us in June with his wife Carolyn and fellow musicians JackCarlton, Doug Farrell and Irena McQuarrie. Originally from Rhode Island, Carl moved to the flatlands of New Hampshire in the 70's, then north to the hills of Warner three years ago. The trend says Carl will be in Canada someday! His music style reflects the clean clarity of the acoustic guitar, and his songs also reflect that same clarity. Carl has been writing songs since the ‘70s, writing both instrumentals and lyrical songs. A mechanical engineer by profession, he spends his free time writing and as a frequent performer at area coffee houses, open mics and assisted living homes. Carl has a love of music and the outdoors and does much of his writing while hiking in the Mink hills alone or with his greyhound, Beau. Listen to a sampling of Carl's music at https://carlbeverly.bandcamp.com/track/an-ordinary-life.

BONNIE WATERS AND HOWARD ROSCOE, otherwise known as "Meadowlark" joined the High Street Coffee house in May. Bonnie on guitar and vocals, and Howard on guitar and harmonica, play a combination of folk, pop, Celtic, and blues. From warm ballads to lively blues, these songs will inspire and lift you, as they mine the vast experience of being Spirit in human form. Bonnie has been writing songs for many years, and her lilting lullaby, "Hushabye", won a prize in the John Lennon Songwriting contest in 2000. Howard ran sound for a music venue in Cambridge, England for many years, and has a soft spot for Mississippi Delta Blues. Bonnie and Howard have been working together since 2015, and also do some wonderful covers from the 60's to the present. with New Consciousness themes. From reflective ballads and gritty blues to soaring inspirational tunes, her music includes them

DAN AND JENI KLARDIE - A New Hampshire based acoustic duo that strive to stir the soul with their music! Passionate singer/songwriter, Jeni, blends harmoniously with husband Dan vocals and edgy guitar interpretations. Their sound is a fusion of Blues, Folk-Rock and Gospel. Their repertoire engages listeners with tight harmonies and often dramatic renditions of popular music as well as originals. Dan and Jeni have been performing at local Open Stages, Festivals, Coffee Houses, Special Celebrations and Private Parties for several decades.

HEATHER PIERSON TRIO - Based in New Hampshire’s Mount Washington Valley, the Heather Pierson Acoustic Trio are three musicians from three distinct generations and backgrounds, bringing their skills and down-to-earth honesty to bear on original songs and choice covers that bring to life the sounds of the streets of New Orleans and the valleys of Appalachia. With their “traveling music store” of instruments, this trio delivers heartfelt music with brilliant musicianship, stellar three-part vocals harmonies, and earthy charm. Bandmembers are Heather Pierson (lead vocals, piano, acoustic guitar, tenor banjo, ukulele, melodica), Davy Sturtevant (cornet, dobro, acoustic guitar, fiddle, mandolin, harmony vocals), and Shawn Nadeau (bass, harmony vocals). Their recordings include 2015’s Still She Will Fly and 2017’s Singin’.

GREEN HERON - The music of Green Heron stretches across the entire American folk landscape. Old-time, folk, bluegrass, country, and blues are all represented as the band brings the back porch to the stage. Featuring Betsy Heron (formerly Green) on fiddle, banjo and vocals, and Scott Heron on guitar, banjo and vocals, the duo has been sharing New England stages together since 2016. The two songwriters weave the contemporary with the traditional and meld high energy performances with emotion and finesse.

DECATUR CREEK - Doug Farrell, Steve Dionne, Beth Eldridge, and Jack Henry are each accomplished musicians, singer/songwriters, and performers who together are - Decatur Creek. Their diverse styles complement one another and the group's evolving original acoustic sound will bring a smile to your face, rhythm to your feet, and leave you wanting for more. Doug and Steve handle most lead vocals and guitar with forays on harmonica, percussion, and mandolin (Doug). Jack handles the bass, most harmony vocals, some lead vocals, rhythm and lead guitar, dobro, electric lap steel, and high-string guitar. Beth shines on the fiddle and adds rhythm guitar along with her solid lead and harmony vocals. The band's influences run from traditional/roots to American, country, singer/songwriter, folk, blues, and rock - always with the focus on the songs, lyrics, and vocals.

ENTANGLED STRINGS - This band rocked the house in February with Sharon Pangaro on fiddle, Liz Kantz on guitar, David Greenwood on guitar and banjo, Steve MacDonald on dobro, Butch Brodeur on bass, and Nick Pangaro on mandolin, harmonica and tenor banjo. Together they emphasized tight harmonies and melodic wanderings on a variety of stringed instruments while playing folk, country and Americana songs. Each player is a veteran of the local acoustic music scene, having played in prior string bands and community events. Their songs reflected the times and trials of everyday people navigating the paths and choices of life on earth.

FORTUNES FAVOR - Mike Bradley and Chris O'Connor, the singer, songwriter folk duo Fortune's Favor, were the High Street Coffee House featured performers in December 2018. Previously known as The Bible Hill Boys, they are best know for their song (I Do All My) Christmas Shopping at the Dump!

Boscawen's High Street Coffee House
12 High Street
Boscawen, NH 03303

First Friday of every month
Doors open 6:30pm
Music starts 7:00pm
Refreshments Available

Contact Liz Kantz about booking a band - 848-2410
Contact Chris Paull with questions about the venue - 520-9196