Music, spoken word, and yoga highlight another lively weekend on the Seacoast. Here are some of the top happenings.
Songs and stories at The Word Barn
What a weekend at The Word Barn! The Exeter venue hosts Boston-based roots-rock band The Wolff Sisters with guest Caroline Cotter on Friday from 7-9 p.m. ($20). Vintage swing and bluegrass band Damn Tall Buildings follows on Saturday from 8-9:30 p.m. ($22). On Sunday from 4-6 p.m., local author Lara Bricker emcees Love Stories, a storytelling fundraiser for the Exeter LitFest featuring true stories told by local notables ($25). Learn more here.
Acoustic Nomads at The Dance Hall
The Acoustic Nomads blend American jazz and Appalachian music with styles from Venezuela, Peru, Argentina, and Brazil to create a uniquely pan-American musical experience. The young New England-based string quartet will perform at The Dance Hall in Kittery on Friday from 7:30-9 p.m. Tickets are $17. Learn more here.
Party time at The Stone Church
The Stone Church will be the site of back-to-back parties in Newmarket this weekend. Local power-pop band Fling hosts an EP release party with special guest lowfalutin’ on Friday from 7:30-11 p.m. ($15). Local legends Truffle host the annual PartyGras concert with some guest horn players on Saturday at 8 p.m. ($20). Learn more here.
Vapors of Morphine at 3S Artspace
Surviving members of iconic ’90s band Morphine have kept the group’s unique sound alive with Vapors of Morphine. The Cambridge-based trio will headline a show at 3S Artspace in Portsmouth with support from Portland-based rock duo Muddy Ruckus (a regional favorite) on Friday from 8-11 p.m. Tickets are $15-$18. Learn more here.
Jim McCue at McCue’s Comedy Club
Popular local comedian Jim McCue is gearing up for a two-night run of standup performances at McCue’s Comedy Club, located within the Roundabout Diner and Lounge in Portsmouth, on Friday and Saturday from 8-9:30 p.m. Saturday’s show is already sold out, but a few spots remain for Friday. Tickets are $20. Learn more here.
Music and comedy at The Music Hall Lounge
Head to The Music Hall Lounge in Portsmouth on Friday at 8 p.m. to hear a live performance from Nashville-based indie-pop singer-songwriter Marielle Kraft ($17-$27). Return on Saturday at 6 or 8:30 p.m. to catch a set of standup comedy from New York-based comic and “lovable loose cannon” Caitlin Peluffo (above, $18-$22).
Psychedelic rock at The Press Room
Discover the choicest psychedelic rock from each coast at The Press Room in Portsmouth on Friday at 9 p.m. GIFT, a Brooklyn-based outfit that released its debut album late last year, will split the bill with Hooveriii, a Los Angeles-based band that released its third studio album in the summer of 2022. Tickets are $12-$15. Learn more here.
Jazz and poetry on the Button Factory Stage
Fresh off the release of their new album, “From Coma to Catharsis,” The Royal Arctic Institute will headline a night of jazz and poetry on the Button Factory Stage at Portsmouth Community Radio on Saturday from 8-11 p.m. Also on the bill are Miles Burr & The Last Straws and the Maddoc Johnson Quartet. Tickets are $10. Learn more here.
15th annual Yoga Mala in Dover
Yoga in Action’s joyful fundraising event returns to the Rivermill at Dover Landing on Sunday from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. The 15th annual Yoga Mala features a three-hour yoga session with 108 sun salutations, meditation, and restoration, plus food and conversation. All levels of yoga students are welcome. Tickets are $50-$150. Learn more here.
Michael McCarthur at Book & Bar
Cap off the weekend with a special one-night performance at Portsmouth Book & Bar on Sunday at 7:30 p.m. Singer-songwriter and guitarist Michael McArthur, a Florida native who released his second full-length album last September, will headline a show with support from local indie artist Kimayo. Tickets are $15. Learn more here.
See the full calendar for more local events.