The Capitol Center up the street brings the huge names, the Bank of NH Stage is where you go to see huge names be made
Part 2 of 2: When I saw the crowds’ reaction to Ed Balloon on Saturday, so many things were validated very quickly. This space provides artists a platform, complete with the equipment, to engage with an interested crowd as well as they possibly can. The audience was dancing, some were sitting in the balcony enjoying the show from afar, a crowd member was passed the microphone during a call and response song. The Bank of NH Stage is a place to connect with the art, to be a part of it. Ed Balloon played a masterful set, drawing the crowd in by blasting unparallelled energy in some songs, then dropping low, almost inviting the crowd to have a conversation in others.
Local act Bosey Joe, fronted by Aaron Jones set the tone for the night, starting by saying “I’m just going to get warmed up here” then evolving into a synth, experimental track that spanned for the set. Aaron let his sparse vocals, and loud mood carry his set, providing the perfect energy rise to open the stage.
There was a moment at the end of the show where Oribhabor was thanking the crowd for coming out, and in his sign off he expressed; “This place is amazing, this is clearly going to be the hotspot of Concord, this is so legit.” He’s not wrong. For everyone who’s ever said “We need another music venue in Concord” here’s your chance to be a part of it.
And for those of you who are on the fence because you’ve never heard the name on the playbill, I urge you to come to a show. After all, who would have passed up an opportunity to see The Quarrymen?
