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Jocks unite

When on earth will The Sports Page open. God, can't a girl just get a pint of beer and watch some sports in this town? I am dying to see what the owners did to the former pick up joint Bananas. I heard it's totally classed up. Much more stylish than the island theme Bananas rocked for a bazillion years. Apparently the menu is going to be really great too, with pub grub side by side with upscale dishes. That sounds like a great spot for a date. One eye on the game and the other on her cleave. What a smashing idea. Dude, these guys thought of everything.

You know what I'm totally looking forward to? Supposedly there's going to be an upscale, martini bar-style joint downstairs. FINALLY! A place to great a freakin' martini in this town. I can't tell you how many times I've been to the Red Door or the Third Floor in the Gas Light or even in the revamped Molly Malone's and thought, I wish they'd dress this place up a bit, get some real drinks on the menu and serve me something in a cone shaped glass. For crying out loud, must every bar be so pedestrian?

Rumors and speculation are flying as to when the Sports Page will hold their soft opening. I am praying for as soon as possible, but I suppose if I have to wait another week to watch ESPN News, Belgian soccer, motorscross, cycling and three basebal games simulatneously on giant plasma TVs, then I will have to accept it and find some other useful way of spending my time.

Posted by blamontagne at 09:25 PM | Comments (2)

What's all the fuss about?

In case you haven’t picked up a newspaper or watched the news in a while, there's been quite a hulla balloo about Myspace lately. Apparently, sexual predators are finding it easy to meet teens on the site and even more shocking, some teens are putting -- ready for this? -- personal information about themselves on the Internet for all to see. From the sounds of it, Myspace, the most popular site on the Web, is basically a pick up bar for pervs and no one is doing anything to stop it.

While I do recognize that Myspace has made it easier for sexual predators to learn about their potential prey, I feel like the media is making more out of this than is really there. What's more, they are completely missing the point, that perhaps by educating teens about sex -- the good, bad and ugly parts, not only the "just say no" parts -- teens would be less apt to fall for the tricks of those out there who wish to harm them.

But I digress...

Myspace is easily one of the most misunderstood aspects of modern culture. Most people over the age of 35 have only recently heard of it, and almost always from someone younger or from the negative news reports. I first learned about Myspace in 2004 when I set up my account to be closer to my friends who live far away. At the time, Friendster was still a popular way to stay connected but was quickly waning in popularity.

"Don't join Friendster. It's lame," one of my friends told me. "Join Myspace. That's where everyone is."

Apparently this person was right because as of my writing of this entry Myspace claims I have 65,959,89 people in my extended network, otherwise known as friend of friends.

I have used the site off and on to keep in touch with people across town and across the country. In Portsmouth, I can find out what's happening at the Coast of Arms, I can see if there's a weird show coming up at Chutney Flatts or see what the hipsters are up to. I can stay politically active, check out local musicians and authors or simply send a quick hello to a friend. It's fun, cheesy and can be a creative outlet.

It's pretty obvious to me why teens have come to obsess over the site. They can create their own alter-egos, be cooler on-line then they are roaming the halls of high school, show off their creativity and personal style and can snoop on the lives of crushes or the people they most despise. If I had Myspace as a teen, I'd be all over it.

On the flip side of things, the site can be a window into the secret world of teen-agers, a world that isn't always pretty. That they swear, drink, act recklessly, want to be sexually desired and can be horrendously cruel are all aspects of teen life that our society loves to simultaneously glorify and repress. Parents don't want to look up their 15-year-old daughter's Myspace page and find her in a bikini with a headline that says, "Nasty girl," but the reality is those Myspace profiles are out there and people can take advantage of it.

Blaming the entire site for this trend, though, seems a bit out of line. Talking with people my age, we all agreed that creepy guys going after teens is nothing new, it's just there's a digital trail now. I clearly remember girls 15 and 16 dating guys who were in their mid-20s. Hell, I dated a guy who was 25 when I was 16 once. I didn't call him back because I felt weird -- and I knew my parents weren't going to believe he was 19 forever. But in the end it was common sense that prevailed and for many teen girls, they have it too.

For those who lack guidance or are especially needy or naive, Myspace can be a problem, but the answer to this social dilemma seems easy to me. Constantly remind teens there are creepy people out there on the Internet who are not what they seem, that want to hurt them. Don't sugar coat it. Teens have been making Michael Jackson jokes for years, anyway. They understand.

Taking Myspace away or banning kids under a certain age won't make a lick of difference. It's already here and they will find a way.

So in the mean time, as the old squares kvetch about how to keep teens out of harm's way, I would like to call a moratorium on the Myspace story. Nothing I've seen on Myspace is any worse than most MTV shows. Anyone seen Next or Date My Mom? These shows would make even our bikini girl blush. It's not news to see teens blogging about blow jobs or getting sloshed behind the school. They've been saying those things for a while and now you want to take Myspace away? Don't shoot the messenger, dude.

Posted by blamontagne at 11:12 PM | Comments (1)

local movies and beer

Sunday, March 26
Smuttynose Un-filtered Film Series
4 p.m. at 225 Heritage Ave.
Portsmouth

With all the arsty people who live along the Seacoast, there are few opportunities for local film makers to showcase their work. Bands have all the clubs and bars. Visual artists have a myriad of small galleries and open studio shows. Dancers, singers and actors have the dozens of choruses, studios and theater groups in the area. But if you want to see a locally made film this weekend, you’re pretty much out of luck.

Just a week or so ago Michael Winters showed an art house-esque film -- with a hauntingly ambient score -- under the name The Great Invisible at Nahcotta. After the film, the general consensus of those in attendance was that there aren't nearly enough opportunities for aspiring film makers, or even film hobbyist, to show their work. It's not that there interest, it's just there are no venues willing to take the risk.

Smuttynose Brewery President Peter Egelston, Executive Brewer David Yarrington and local film booster Tim Deal have decided to change that.

On Sunday, March 26, the altruistic local beer company will launch its Un-filtered Film Series showcasing movies made by home-grown talent.

The first event of the series will commemorate the 130th anniversary of “the grisly Smuttynose murders,” by presenting two “chilling feature films.” The showing will be held at 4 p.m. at the Smuttynose Brewery on Heritage Ave. in Portsmouth. I know I didn’t know where this was so I’ve linked handy mapquest directions for you convenience.

“It’s pretty low budget,” said Yarrington of his fledgling film series. Right now, the group is trying to gauge interest in local film and they hope to make this event a regular thing where film makers can come and test audiences.

The showing will be in their “Hospitality Room” a described as a Spartan conference room, rather than a traditional theater.

“It more like walking into a warehouse scene in a city,” Yarrington said.

Most importantly, there will be beer. Smuttynose beer, but beer none the less. That Old Brown Dog Ale tastes just like Newcastle, I think.

The night will open with The Sacrifice, written and Directed by Dover resident James Fessenden. Here is the synopsis as provided by Smuttynose:

“Three years after the death of his father, 16-year-old Jonathan Kelly is still depressed and withdrawn. When he moves with his mother to the small New Hampshire town of Dunkirk, he is immediately drawn to David, a boy who shares his interest in the occult. But when the boys try to satisfy their curiosity about a local ghost story, they discover that somebody is digging up graves in the oldest part of the cemetery, collecting human remains for a dark ritual - a ritual that will end in human sacrifice.”

The second slated film is Lycan Colony, written and directed by Rob Roy (yes that’s his name) of Manchester. Here's the cryptic synopsis:

“Some small towns hold many secrets. Two siblings and a newly settled doctor’s family are about to find out this town’s darkest secret... the hard way. All things are not as they appear.”

For those of you who are like me and are interested in what it takes to put a film together -- especially when you have no money -- members of the cast and crew will be there to answer questions. Also, other independent film makers are welcome to stop in and try to peddle their wares for the next slot of the series. If that’s your gig, talk to Tim Deal. He’s doing all the booking.

For more information about the event call Smuttynose Brewing Co. (603) 436-4026, ex 14

Posted by blamontagne at 03:57 PM | Comments (0)

laurel and jon

On Wednesday night, Dover Soul is hosting mellow local music scene staple Jon Nolan and songstress Laurel Brauns. When I saw this show listed, I thought, if I was still single I could totally take a guy to this and he would think I knew what was up.

Show starts at 8:30 p.m. No cover is listed, but you may want to call ahead. (834-6965)

I could describe what their music sounds like, but it's late, I'm running on deadline and I really just want people to go so instead why don't you go to laurel and jon's myspace pages.

Posted by blamontagne at 08:43 PM | Comments (0)

How do you do St. Pattys?

I've found through my years of living and drinking in New England, there are two schools of thought when it comes to celebrating St. Patrick's Day:

Best Day of the Year: "Come on. Everybody's Irish on St. Patty's Day. There are all the breakfast roasts and beer and Guinness and corned beef and cabbage -- yummy -- and Guinness and whisky and don't forget all the great Irish music. Seriously, who doesn't want to go out and get completely blotto on the one day out of the year it's okay?"

Amateur’s Night: "No freakin' way am I going out on St. Patrick's Day. Are you kidding me? There is nothing worse than standing three deep at my neighborhood bar, surrounded by a bunch of drunk guys with names like Spicolli and LaPointe wearing 'Kiss me I'm Irish' shirts. I don't want to eat corned beef and cabbage, I don't want to do an Irish car bomb and I certainly do not want a green beer. Take your shamrocks and leprechauns elsewhere. I am staying as far away from downtown as possible."

I tend to fall in the latter camp, though I have been known to stray into an Irish Pub on March 17. This year, I am particularly annoyed that St. Patrick's Day is on a Friday, one of the few days I can go out and not worry about being in bed at a reasonable hour. Plus, I usually head to the Coat of Arms for an after work beer on Fridays, but because the bar has a British Isles theme, it's going to be packed. This despite the fact the bar is English. I guess Americans don't understand the centuries of animosity drilled into my head by my British grandmother.

That may be why I shy away from the holiday. My grandmother would school us even if we accidentally work green on St. Patrick's Day. "You are not Irish. You are English and must wear orange." I don't remember why orange exactly, but I think it had to do with some battle where the English crushed the Irish and the English happened to be wearing orange at the time. I never really went for this, mostly because I didn't think it was appropriate to symbolically give the finger to an entire culture on the one day they gather to party.

So whether you hole up in a bunker with Newcastle or dress like the Celtics mascot, Lucky, have a good time. St. Patrick's Day is about having fun and, yes, drinking, but it's also about pride. Whatever you do, try not to disgrace the Irish. They've been through enough already.

Posted by blamontagne at 01:06 PM | Comments (0)

Art Round Town

One of my favorite Portsmouth events, particularly during warmer weather, is the New Hampshire Art Association-affiliated "Art 'Round Town." The second Friday of the month, galleries open their doors, offering wine, hors d'oeuvres and a chance to meet the artists and discuss their work.

Galleries open from 5 to 8 p.m., maps available at each stop. For more information visit, www.artroundtown.org or call Three Graces Gallery at 603.436.1988.

The Unknown (End); Aaron Drew; woodcut

Aaron Drew, Stockpot bartender past and present, will be featured tonight at the Three Graces Gallery, showing off the work he did on his hiatus from Portsmouth. Graduate of the reknowned University of Indiana printmaking program, Drew says, "I am obsessed with cloud formations and see their metaphoric role as my contemplations." His show is called Apathy and Entropy and for those of you who know Drew, it's a wonderful title.

Sotto Voce at Nahcotta
8 p.m. on Congress Street

This open, airy gallery which features a wide range of works from designer lampshades and handbags to giant oil paintings will be offering live entertainment Saturday night. Their "evening of unique sight and sound" will feature The Great Invisibles and former Water Section member Justin Carloni.

Posted by blamontagne at 10:01 AM | Comments (0)

The Dirt

I just got a media alert about the Motley Crue show tonight in Lewiston. While I find it hard to believe any of you would travel that far to see the original -- yet heavier -- line-up play their old favs, I thought it was worth a mention. Here's the ticket info, just in case. Oh, and sorry, but I don't know how to put in umlauts:

Motley Crue
8 p.m., Monday, March 6, The Colisee, 190 Birch St., Lewiston
Call (877) Go-Tix-Go for tickets. Tickets are $47 and $77

Posted by blamontagne at 02:13 PM | Comments (2)

R.I.P. Portsmouth Habitat

I don't know how many of you noticed, but it looks like the rogue community Web site, Portsmouth Habitat, is shutting down. According to the site history, Portsmouth Habitat was founded by Michael A. Boulerice as a place for locals to "hear EVERY side of a story, not just something that has been edited and sterilized of anything controversial for the reader to take in gently." (emphasis his)

It's got wire news, forums, bulletin boards, etc. Basically it's a place to plug shows and rant about stuff. This is the site Kung Fu Mike went to after he was booted out of here and where the controversy over his dismissal played out in all it's vitriolic glory. But after that controversy, action on the site seemed to slow down and it now looks like Kung Fu Mike has moved on to greener pastures. I wondered if Portsmouth Habitat was ever going to rebound when I discovered the Feb. 8 post by "Giles" asking if anyone wanted to take over the site before the domain name runs out in 30 days. By my calculations, the site could be down as soon as next week.

So that's it. Another grassroots effort fallen by the ways side. Not that I’m saying that's a bad thing. I suppose everything has it's cycle and Portsmouth Habitat's is over. Of course, if anyone out there is going to be a hero and keep this thing going, let me know. I would certainly be interested in what that would look like.

Posted by blamontagne at 03:08 PM | Comments (6)