The Bank of NH Stage opens with an electrifying performance by Ed Balloon
Part 1 of 2: What happens when a community repeats a question enough times? In Concord, it seems, the question has been “When are we going to nightlife geared towards young people?” With the opening of The Bank of New Hampshire Stage, it seems like that question finally has an answer.
For those of you die hard music lovers in Concord, you’ll remember Ed Balloons’ performance at Rock On Fest. I say you’ll remember it because two things happened on the day of Rock on Fest; 1. The skies opened up and unleashed some of the worst weather a music festival could ever hope to have and 2. Ed Balloon performed the most magnetic, electrifying set a music festival could ever hope to have.
Despite the rain, the band, fronted by Edmund Oribhabor, did something that I haven’t quite seen before - a mix of electronic, R&B, soul, and a whole host of other genres blended into something that is hard to describe but easy to be swept up by - all anchored by the powerful dance movements of Oribhabor, at once challenging, and welcoming.
I thought to myself then if he could do that for the rain-soaked masses at Rock on Fest, what could he do with a warm, relaxed, eager crowd? I got a first hand look on Saturday night.
Anyone who follows the Bank of NH Stage on social media can see how much time, energy, and thought process they have invested in creating a world class performance venue where audiences can come to see talented alternative, or up and coming acts. I joined the 4pm tour of the venue before the 10pm show, my first time seeing the space to get my bearings and see how we would handle video coverage that night and I looked at every detail that was pre-considered and I was honestly blown away.
They have reserved seating for a crowd that wants to sit back and enjoy the show, they have standing room for people who want to be in the action, they have an actual bar/lounge area, as well as a bar kiosk on the show floor so you don’t have to miss a song to grab a drink. They have the ability to tailor the amount of seating that covers the floor, for instance if a play were to be performed, they can slide additional seating out of the back wall to cover the floor - conversely if a rock show is playing they have all the space they need. They have a lighting setup in a uniquely designed truss overhead that would make Kiss feel at home, and they’re waiting on an LED display wall that will back each performance. They didn’t just consider the audience here, they considered what the space would need to be, and what it could be for performers as well.
What happens when a community repeats a question enough times? In Concord, it seems, the question has been “When are we going to nightlife geared towards young people?” With the opening of The Bank of New Hampshire stage, it seems like that question finally has an answer.
