North of Boston

Rum Runners String Band
2025-02-01 19:30 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | Shalin Liu Performance Center, 37 Main Street, Rockport, MA, 01966, United States
Get up close and personal with incredible local talent during our Upstairs on Main concert series! Grab a beer (or wine) at the bar, sit with friends and enjoy the intimate, lounge-like atmosphere on the third floor of the hall! Dancing is encouraged!
Enjoy the North Shore-based rising star string band as they play a mix of gypsy jazz, folk, Americana, old time country, and fiddle tunes along with some original songs.
Tickets: $18 seated | $8 standard
NOTE: Come ready to mingle, dance & laugh with friends and enjoy the show! Our Upstairs on Main series is meant for folks to kick up their heels and enjoy the casual, pub-like energy of the third floor lounge.

Renee and the Renegades
2025-02-01 19:00 - 21:00 | Firehouse Center for the Arts, 1 Market Square, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
“Renee Leavitt is the real deal,” said legendary rock n’ roller, Gary U.S. Bonds. Renee started singing at the age of three and entered her first contest at the age of eight, finishing in 2nd place overall. Leavitt is building upon her fan base through her songwriting abilities, catchy tunes, pure voice, poised stage presence and her “girl next door,” blue eyed, strawberry blonde, country look.

Renee and the Renegades
2025-02-01 19:00 - 21:00 | Firehouse Center for the Arts, 1 Market Square, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
“Renee Leavitt is the real deal,” said legendary rock n’ roller, Gary U.S. Bonds. Renee started singing at the age of three and entered her first contest at the age of eight, finishing in 2nd place overall. Leavitt is building upon her fan base through her songwriting abilities, catchy tunes, pure voice, poised stage presence and her “girl next door,” blue eyed, strawberry blonde, country look.
To date, this country sensation has 31 original songs. Her band, Renee and the Renegades, has what fans and their manager call a ‘unique’ sound. There is no one in country music that can scratch an itch for one of their original scores. Her Karen Carpenter like voice mixes Zydeco, Irish Folk, Pop, Rock, and Vintage Country. Some have characterized it as: Americana.
Renee has been played on several radio stations in New England and Ireland, including WKLB Country 102.5, The Bull 101.7, WOKQ 97.5, the River 92.5, North Shore 104.9, WRKO 680, WMEX 1510 and Ireland’s own KFM Radio. Leavitt will soon be heard on PBS, singing the theme song “Friends For Life” for a Children’s Animated Series, called Charlie Horse.
Renee has even performed on stage with the likes of Gary U.S. Bonds on the Gary Leavitt and Friends show and Southside Johnny at Boarding House Park in Lowell MA.

Music & Comedy at Lo Kai with Christine Hurley, Dave Rattigan, Joey Canzano
2025-02-01 18:00 - 22:00 | Lo Kai Restaurant, 1655 Lakeview Avenue, Dracut, M, 01826, United States
Entertainment returns to the Lo Kai in Dracut, MA, on Saturday, February 1, as Boston’s Comedy Queen Christine Hurley headlines an evening of Music & Comedy with host Joey Canzano, “The Man of Many Voices,” and Dave Rattigan.
Tickets are $50 for a buffet dinner-and-show, at ScampsComedy.com/shows. Doors open at 6, with a fabulous nine-tray buffet at 6:20, and showtime at 8. (Groups wishing to sit together are advised to purchase tickets in groups of four, eight or 10.)
Drinks may be purchased with cash only (there is an ATM on the premises).
Host Joey Canzano has performed solo and on nightclub shows around the northeast for more than two decades. He showcases a rare ability to recreate the sound of great crooners such as Frank Sinatra, Tom Jones, and many more.
Christine Hurley loves what she does…making people laugh! Married to Jimmy Hurley and having five kids, Christine is never at a loss for comedic material. For years, she entertained family, friends and neighbors in their kitchens, at barbeques and the grocery store aisles. The only difference now is she uses a microphone and a stage and has become one of the hottest comedians in the United States. Christine’s maiden voyage into the world of stand-up comedy was an open audition in New York City. The television network Nick at Nite was looking for “AMERICA’S FUNNIEST MOM.” Out of thousands of entries, Christine was selected to be a finalist on the nationally televised show. The producers of the show included Carol Leifer (Seinfeld show producer), Jeff Singer (talent scout, Montreal Comedy Festival), Jeffrey Ross (Comedy Central roast master) and actress Sandra Bernhardt. Her stories and views on motherhood and marriage are exactly what everyone is living through…people get it and love it! Christine Hurley has quickly become a favorite in the Boston comedy world.
Lo Kai favorite Dave Rattigan has performed in Japan, Ireland, at Fenway Park, The Cape Cod Melody Tent, South Shore Music Circus, a lumberyard, the lobby of an ad agency, a library, and several parking lots. “There’s nothing funny about the way he looks, until he gives that deadpan look of his,” popular blogger Ralph Fatello (RalphsPic.com) wrote earlier this year. “His outward appearance is something out of a mature GQ magazine. He looks like a cross between a semi hip banker, and your mild-mannered father-in-law …. Dave is the master of completely dismantling himself in front of a crowd of strangers. I’m always torn as to whether I should console him, or just laugh my ass off like everyone else …. You know they (comics) are hitting home when the audience starts to point at each other….” His CD was played on SiriusXM and radio stations all over the U.S. and Ireland, and he has appeared in regional television commercials on NESN.

Newburyport Art presents our two February Exhibitions: Elements, and Featured Artist: Jennifer Day
2025-02-01 11:00 - 17:00 | Newburyport Art Association, 65 Water St, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
Newburyport Art (NAA) is thrilled to announce two new exhibitions opening on February 1st! On view in the Sargent and Hartson Galleries is Elements, an exhibition that responds to elements of nature or “elemental” feelings/experiences in an artist’s life. Running alongside Elements is Featured Artist Jennifer Day, on view in the Hills Gallery. Additionally, the Winter Gift Shop will open on Feb 1. A joint reception for Elements and Jennifer Day will be held on Saturday, February 8th, from 4:00-6:00 PM.
Elements features 130 artworks by 99 artists from the Newburyport area and beyond. Artists responded with depictions of the natural landscape, mixed media abstractions of fire, water and ice, sculptures reminiscent of rock and clay, and powerful commentary on the current state of our environment.
In the next door Hills Gallery, Featured Artist Jennifer Day utilizes black oil paint on a gessoed panel to reveal the drama of water without the infinite options of local color. Gray scale sensitivity and range is her goal. To achieve this, she works reductively by rubbing the surface and scraping her finger methodically through the paint to reveal the light beneath. Jennifer works between two opposites: the geometry of the picture plane versus the challenge of the nebulous, the fleeting, and the impulse of nature to escape the plane altogether.
Running concurrently alongside Elements and Featured Artist Jennifer Day is the Winter Gift Shop, on view until March 29th.
The galleries are free and open to the public Tuesday through Saturday from 11:00am–5:00pm and Sunday from 1:00pm–5:00pm. Newburyport Art is closed on Mondays. The ground-floor Hills Gallery has an accessible entrance. More information, as well as an online gallery is available at newburyportart.org.
Founded in 1948, Newburyport Art is dedicated to promoting and exhibiting members’ work and to providing art education and access to the visual arts for the entire community.

Portrait of a Sculptor: Walker Hancock & Michael Lafferty
2025-02-01 10:00 - 17:00, 2025-01-31 10:00 - 17:00, 2025-01-30 10:00 - 17:00, 2025-01-29 10:00 - 17:00, 2025-01-26 10:00 - 17:00 | Cape Ann Museum Green, 13 Poplar Street, Gloucester, MA, 01930, United States
Walker Hancock was one of the premier American sculptors of the 20th century and a highly engaged and respected member of the Cape Ann community. Michael Lafferty is a skilled photographer who spent hours photographing Hancock in his Lanesville studio, creating a series of intimate portraits of the sculptor at work. This exhibit will combine the work of Lafferty and Hancock.
The CAM Green offers free general admission, vehicle reservations are recommended .
Image: Michael Lafferty, Walker Hancock recasting Arion, 1995, digital print from 35mm film. Gift of the artist, 2022 [2022.074].

Family Program: Take A Pose
2025-02-01 10:00 - 12:00 | Cape Ann Museum Green, 13 Poplar Street, Gloucester, MA, 01930, United States
The Carlson Education Center, CAM Green
Recommended ages 3 and up. Adult supervision required.
Inspired by the exhibition on view, Portrait of a Sculptor: Walker Hancock & Michael Lafferty. Make a figure sculpture using a pre-made wire armature (or make your own) and air-dry-clay. Invent a pose to show your favorite activity, convey a sense of motion or express a feeling.

Children's Broom Decorating at The Hawthorne Hotel
2025-02-01 09:00 - 12:00, 2025-01-26 09:00 - 12:00 | Hawthorne Hotel, 18 Washington Sq. West, Salem, 01970, United States
Children’s Broom Decorating at The Hawthorne Hotel 10/6
Workshop Time: 9am-12pm Sunday October 6, 2024
Activity Length: 20 minutes
Location: The Hawthorne Hotel 18 Washington Square West, Salem MA 01970
Hosted By: This is a self-guided activity overseen by Good Witch Apprentices
Decorate a magical broom with craft tape, stickers, ribbon, tulle and a charm.
Under age 4 may participate with the help of a supervising adult.
Ticket purchase only admits one (1) participating child.
Please note: Event ticket purchases are non-refundable at this time.

Gina Brillon
2025-01-31 20:00 - 21:30 | Off Cabot Comedy & Events, 9 Wallis Street, Beverly, MA, 01915, United States
Gina Brillon is a Puerto Rican comedian, actor, writer and author born and raised in the Bronx, New York. Gina has been a standup comic since she was 17 years old. Her latest special “Gina Brillon: The Floor is Lava” premiered on Amazon Prime in 2020 and won a 2021 Gracie Award and was nominated for an Imagen Award. Her special “Easily Offended” as part of the entre nos series was released on HBO in 2019. Brillon has appeared on The View, Late Night with Seth Meyers and Jimmy Kimmel Live and has guest starred on Kevin Can Wait on CBS and The Conners on ABC. In 2012, she becae the first Latina winner of NBC’s stand up for diversity showcase. The following year, she selected as a “New Face” at the Montreal Just for Laughs festival. Additionally, she is a singer, published author, motivational speaker and poet with pieces featured in the New York Post and Daily News, among others. Gina was the first ever Latina comedian to be a finalist in Season 16 of America’s Got Talent. As the co-host and executive producer of “The State of: Women” a podcast from Clamor Audio she and her co-host explired which U.S. states are getting gender equity right and which are failing – and what you can do about it! Most recently she was featured on the Disney+ holiday movie, Dashing Through the Snow alongside Lil Rel Howery and Ludacris.

Comedy Night Featuring Steve Sweeney
2025-01-31 19:30 - 21:00 | Firehouse Center for the Arts, 1 Market Square, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
Comedy is back at the Firehouse with a fun filled night featuring comedian Steve Sweeney. Born in Charlestown, Steve Sweeney is a legendary Boston comedian known as a master of dialects and character voices. With his famous Boston accent and great insight into human nature, Steve is so thoroughly Bostonian that he merits his own stop on the MBTA Green Line.He has been featured on major television shows including David Letterman, Evening at the Improv, Comics Come Home, and Comedy Central, and starred in his own Boston-based sitcom, Park Street Under.

Headlands - John Rockwell, vocals, guitar | Amy Rich, vocals | Eric Wilson, mandolin, vocals
2025-01-31 19:30 - 21:00 | Shalin Liu Performance Center, 37 Main Street, Rockport, MA, 01966, United States
Get up close and personal with incredible local talent during our Upstairs on Main concert series. Grab a beer (or wine) at the bar, sit with friends and enjoy the intimate, lounge-like atmosphere on the third floor of the hall. Dancing is encouraged!
Rockport’s own beloved Americana band! With their exciting three-part vocals that put their stamp on whichever musical genre they choose, HEADLANDS has been playing at clubs, restaurants, outdoor festivals and private events since 2017. Whether an acoustic trio or a full-blown rock band with percussion, fiddle and horns, you can be sure HEADLANDS treat their audiences to thrilling harmonies, tight arrangements and humor!​
Tickets: $18 seated | $8 standing
NOTE: Come ready to mingle, dance & laugh with friends and enjoy the show! Our Upstairs on Main series is meant for folks to kick up their heels and enjoy the casual, pub-like energy of the third floor lounge.

Free Winter Walking Tour at Cider Hill Farm
2025-01-31 11:00 - 15:00 | Cider Hill Farm, 45 Fern Avenue, Amesbury, M, 01913, United States
Have questions about what happens on a New England farm during the winter? Explore sections of this 145-acre farm for a deeper understanding of the growing process and for a winter adventure during the farm’s offseason.
Meeting Location & Departure
Meeting spot: Look for the “Farm Tour Here” sign outside the Farm Store.
Departure: Please arrive 5-8 minutes early to be ready for an on time departure.
Attire: Dress warmly and proper shoes for wet, icy and muddy terrain. Ages: All ages welcome and encouraged. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Pets: Strictly prohibited per the Board of Health.
Bathrooms: Bathrooms are not available. Please plan accordingly.
Questions: events@ciderhill.com

Hard Cider Store Pop-Up + Free Tasting at Cider Hill Farm
2025-01-31 10:00 - 15:00 | Cider Hill Farm, 45 Fern Avenue, Amesbury, M, 01913, United States
By popular demand, Cider Hill Farm is opening for 1 day only during its offseason to sell bottles and cases of hard cider along with free sampling! No RSVP needed. Bottle price ranges from $16-$42. Look for signage upon arrival for The Battis Room, the farm’s indoor heated private event space. The farm store is closed.

Amplifying Voices Film Festival
2025-01-31 - 2025-02-01 | The Cabot, 286 Cabot Street, Beverly, CA, 01915, United States
Amplifying Voices brings impactful stories and voices to the North Shore, and beyond, by presenting films made by and about people of color. These two days of films are curated by ​​Sabrina Avilés, Executive Director of CineFest Latino Boston and Lisa Simmons, Executive Director of The Roxbury International Film Festival.
We hope to make all voices and people feel welcome in our community by uplifting those who are too often marginalized. With the help of the filmmakers as well as civic, arts, and educational organizations across the North Shore, we hope to deepen empathy, expand understanding, and advance important conversations.
Amplifying Voices is free to Students, Seniors, Veterans, and EBT Cardholders.

1606 Restaurant & Oyster Bar: Toasts & Tastes Bubbly Pairing Dinner
2025-01-30 18:00 - 21:00 | 1606 Restaurant and Bar, 55 Commercial St, Gloucester, MA, 01930, United States
Raise your glass to an unforgettable evening at 1606 Restaurant and Oyster Bar’s Toast & Tastes: Bubbly Pairing Dinner!
Beginning at 6:00PM on Thursday, January 30th, indulge in five exquisite courses, each perfectly paired with sparkling wines:
First Course: Atlantic Lobster paired with Sella & Mosca, Alghero Torbato Brut
Second Course: Oyster Stew paired with Gusbourne, Blanc de Blancs
Third Course: Dover Sole paired with Perrier-Jouët, Grand Brut
Fourth Course: Duck en Croûte paired with Medici Ermete, Reggiano Lambrusco Secco
Fifth Course: Strawberries & Cream paired with Graham Beck, Bliss Nectar
We hope you embark with us on this one-of-kind culinary adventure.
Tickets can be purchased through the following link: https://bit.ly/4a5Uu7Q
Tickets are also available to purchase by phone at 978-491-5090.

Wintertide Piano Bar at Beauport Hotel Lobby
2025-01-30 18:00 - 21:00 | Beauport Hotel Gloucester, 55 Commercial Street, Gloucester, MA, 01930, United States
Drift away with every note.
Join us at our Wintertide Piano Bar in the lively Beauport Hotel Lobby every Thursday evening this winter from 6:00PM-9:00PM beginning Thursday, January 9th.
Let the evening unfold with style and charm at our exclusive piano bar, where the ambiance transforms as the sun sets. Join us for an unforgettable night of live music by talented pianists, featuring Ricky Lauria, setting the perfect mood in our cozy, nautical-inspired lobby.
Enjoy expertly crafted cocktails and delicious bites from 1606 Restaurant and Oyster Bar, available for purchase throughout the evening.
Whether you’re enjoying a signature cocktail or savoring a seasonal bite while soaking in the music, the vibrant melodies and warm atmosphere make this weekly event a true highlight of the winter season.
Reservations are encouraged with arrival between 6:00PM-6:30PM. Reserve your spot now at the following link, or by calling 978-491-5090. Please notify restaurant should you be arriving past 6:30PM.
Learn More & Book Now: https://bit.ly/3ZYL61a

Kicked Off The Bus
2025-01-30 17:30 - 22:00 | The Cut, 177 Main Street , Gloucester, MA, 01930, United States
Come check out Kicked Off The Bus at The Cut on Thursday, January 30th!
Doors at 5:30pm // Show at 6pm // $5 cover at door
All ages – anyone under 18 must be accompanied by a parent, Positive I.D. Required.
https://www.kickedoffthebus.com/

Story-Time & Craft Wednesday
2025-01-29 10:00 - 12:00 | Firehouse Center for the Arts, 1 Market Square, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
NEW PROGRAM ALERT!! Summer is the PERFECT time for outdoor story time and craft making! This BRAND NEW family event is an extension of our Newburyport Arts and Culture Shanties Program and will take place each Wednesday in the Pop Up Park on Merrimac Street – where the Shanties are currently located. Come join the fun this Wednesday and see what it’s all about!
Running each Wednesday until August 21st from 10 AM-12 PM
Free of charge, but donations are welcome

The Voice Club
2025-01-28 18:30 - 21:30 | Larcom Theatre, 13 Wallis Street, Beverly, MA, 01915, United States
Take your shower voice to the stage! Join music lovers on Tuesday nights at the Larcom Theatre for a fun-filled singers’ workshop. Bethany Vahn, a professional singer and voice coach shares vocal techniques, warm-up exercises, and more to find and pull out the magical voice of each student.
ONLY 12 SPOTS AVAILABLE PER CLASS
“Bethany Vahn you are an amazing teacher! Your skill, patience and the knack for choosing the perfect songs, is a gift!! We are so fortunate to work with you! ”
– Krista B., Beverly, MA
Thelarcom.org/thevoiceclub
Runs from Jan 21, 2025 to Mar 25, 2025 and happens every:
Tuesdays: 6:30pm – 9:30pm

Lunchtime History Films – Massachusetts Militias, Colonials, and British of 1775
2025-01-27 12:00 - 13:00 | Tapley Memorial Hall, 13 Page Street, Danvers, M, 01923, United States
How militias were formed and implemented
A casual discussion and 20-30 minute film. Presented by Heritage Films, Dan Tremblay, volunteer and member of DHS. Share your knowledge in casual conversation. Bring your lunch, tables are available.
Bring your lunch!
NEW for 2025: Partnering with the Danvers Senior Center to offer more films
Tapley Memorial Hall, 13 Page Street, Danvers MA.
Free Admission. Donations appreciated.

Boston City Singers
2025-01-26 15:00 - 16:30 | Shalin Liu Performance Center, 37 Main Street, Rockport, MA, 01966, United States
The accomplished Boston City Singers returns, bringing their evocative Martin Luther King, Jr. Day program back to Rockport. Enjoy an afternoon of free music from some of New England’s most talented youth singers.
Free, Reservations Encouraged.
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Boston City Singers serves 500 extraordinary singers aged 4 – 18 in 15 different programs, most of whom live in the Boston’s urban neighborhoods. Our music and creative youth development programs are located in Dorchester, Jamaica Plain and North Cambridge. Admission is need-blind. Tuition is based on a sliding scale and no child is denied access to our programs for lack of family resources.
With robust social justice initiatives and strong leadership programs, Boston City Singers members are supported on an upward trajectory. One hundred percent of our graduates are accepted at 4-year colleges. Alumni, many of whom come from at-risk neighborhoods, have gone on to attend leading universities including Harvard (6), Julliard, University of Massachusetts, Boston University, Oberlin, Stanford, Columbia and New York University, most with substantial scholarship. Graduates are educators, government policy experts and social workers, musicians and arts administrators, engineers, college recruiters, medical professionals and financiers.
Boston City Singers’ TOUR CHOIR is our most programmatic and time-intensive program. Members, aged 11–18 prepare music in many languages in 2–9 parts, and take regular movement and improvisation classes. Many also participate in the World Rhythm Ensemble, which performs separately and in most major Boston City Singers’ concerts. The Tour Choir travels internationally in alternating years to expand their cultural, historical and geographic knowledge and perform in concerts and festivals. They have travelled to South Africa, New Zealand and Australia, Costa Rica, Argentina, Canada, the Czech Republic, Croatia and Bosnia + Herzegovina.

Deric Cahill
2025-01-25 20:30 - 22:00 | Off Cabot Comedy & Events, 9 Wallis Street, Beverly, MA, 01915, United States
Fresh off the release of his debut comedy special, Toxic Papa, Deric Cahill is back and bolder than ever with his new tour. This time, like Ebenezer himself, he’s diving deep into the chaos of his past, the unhinged present, and whatever the hell the future might have for him. With his signature sharp wit, no topic is off-limits as he talks shit about everything that’s shaped him—from childhood drama to everyday struggles. Get ready for a raw and hilarious ride.

Big Head Todd and the Monsters - 40th Anniversary Tour
2025-01-25 20:00 - 2025-01-26 19:00 | The Cabot, 286 Cabot Street, Beverly, CA, 01915, United States
TWO NIGHTS!
Sat, 1/25 at 8PM
Sun, 1/26 at 7PM
In this life, very few friendships withstand the test of time. Naturally, people go their separate ways and chase their own dreams. As rare as it may be for friendships to last a lifetime, it might be even rarer for a band to stick together for the long haul. For close to four decades, the members of Big Head Todd and The Monsters—Todd Park Mohr [vocals, guitar, keys, sax, harmonica], Brian Nevin [drums], Rob Squires [bass, vocals], and Jeremy Lawton [keyboards, lap pedal/steel guitar, vocals]—have continued to both throw down in the studio and light up stages worldwide. Rallying around a core vision, the platinum-selling Colorado quartet kick out the kind of blues-drenched rock ‘n’ roll bangers that make you want to rev the engine a little louder, sing along like no one’s looking, and live a little freer.

The Void Union featuring Dave Hillyard
2025-01-25 19:30 - 22:30 | The Cut, 177 Main Street , Gloucester, MA, 01930, United States
1/25/25
Reserved Rails $30
Standing $15
7:30p doors / 8:00p show
18+ anyone under must be accompanied by a parent/guardian
A night of ska featuring Void Union with Dave Hillyard.
Void Union has a simple mission statement: preserve the Jamaican music of the 1960’s, collaborate with Ska’s originators, and actively recruit guest players from the ensembles that have proven equal to the task of reinventing the genre.

Steve Forbert
2025-01-25 19:00 - 21:00 | Firehouse Center for the Arts, 1 Market Square, Newburyport, MA, 01950, United States
Steve Forbert is a true American treasure, a fact underscored by his 21st album, Daylight Savings Time. Like all his albums of original songs, it’s suffused with what venerated rock journalist Robert Christgau discerned as his “omnivorously observant” songwriting, marked by Steve’s gift for finding the deeper meaning and magic within the spectrum of everyday moments, as well as his abundant melodic and poetic enchantment.
