Concord News : Event Reviews

Contoocook Carry triathlon heats up

Bow Editor — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 21:06:00 GMT

Residents running, paddling and pedaling in September’s Contoocook Carry will use as much energy as they can to get to the finish line.

This year, their physical energy will turn to heating energy, as 75 percent of the proceeds from this year’s race will be given to Hopkinton Human Services to help those in need of fuel assistance due to the skyrocketing cost of oil.

“For the last few years, we’ve tried to give most of the proceeds to human services for all needs,” said Mary Congoran, one of the race’s organizers. “Last winter, I was looking out my window seeing us getting hit so hard with snow and cold weather, and it was just getting to me. I knew there were people needing fuel assistance.”

The sixth annual triathlon takes place Sunday, Sept. 21, featuring a 2-mile run, 5-mile paddle and 14-mile bicycle ride. Racers can sign up as individuals or teams, with a prize table at the end of the race set up to give each racer a reward for completing the course.

While 75 percent of the proceeds will go to fuel assistance, the remaining 25 percent will be donated to Hopkinton High School’s Interact Club, a group of students dedicated to community service.

“I usually try wherever possible to have the youth be able in some way to give back,” said Congoran. “(The Interact Club) helps with the race and offers prizes like babysitting, car washing, lawn mowing and things like that to give to participants.”

Congoran said each year she sees the triathlon bring out the best in residents, and not just financially.

In response to the sponsorship letter Congoran sent out, one resident agreed to donate dry, split wood for the prize table.

“That letter isn’t meant to always draw money out of the pockets of everyone,” said Congoran. “It lets your neighbors know that you care and you’re trying to help in a crisis situation. It isn’t always money.”

The race isn’t designed to be highly competitive, as it is meant to be a fun way to raise money for a cause in town.

“It’s great because we have some super athletes that come also. I like to believe everyone is coming this year for fuel assistance, to help their community,” Congoran said. “We have had people from Vermont, Maine and Massachusetts. They understand, too. It’s never going to be a big-time fancy race, but it’s meant to be down home and to do a lot for the community.”

Last year, the race raised about $2,000, and while Congoran said she hasn’t set monetary goals in the past, she hopes to raise a large amount this year to help residents in need.

“We definitely are really trying to raise a good bit more this year,” she said. “So many good things happen that I haven’t always focused on the funds. This year, whether people can put together a team or not, if they can find a way to help their neighbors, that’s what we’re after.”

Contoocook trombonist swings to the sound of jazz

Bow Editor — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:47:00 GMT

BY MATT SCHOOLEY

Dave Dustin has never been a big fan of reading – not music, anyway.

The Hopkinton Town Band member also plays the trombone in the Tall Granite Jazz Band, a group he founded that is dedicated to Chicago-style jazz and swing.

“I’ve always liked jazz because of the energy and the expression that’s possible in it. Part of it also is that it also seems more suited to my talent,” said Dustin. “I’m not the greatest reader of music in the world. I can always close my eyes and imagine the music, so improvisation has always come fairly easy to me.”

By day, Dustin works in Concord at Nobis Engineering, where he negotiates and administers contracts to the federal government, but upon leaving the office he turns to his trombone.

“I think that they’re probably not all that similar. Maybe they are in that they are fairly detailoriented,” he said. “I’ve always looked at music as a therapy and a refuge from the burdens, toil and strive of the day job and making a living. Music is my therapy, and it’s a very helpful one to have.”

Dustin said he enjoys the ability to rely on his other band members in order to put on a successful show.

“(The night of a concert) is a lot of excitement and anticipation, and you’re always glad when you look to either side of you and see a great group of musicians, sometimes with skills that exceed your own,” said Dustin. “You know you can rely on them.”

The jazz influence for Dustin came from his parents, who lived during the age of jazz and swing in the 1930s and 1940s. Dustin’s parents continued to listen to the music after he was born, and he was constantly exposed to it.

“When I was growing up, there was a lot of big band music in my house,” he said. “It just became something that was a real habit for me, and something I loved to listen to. I would fantasize about being a musician in those bands.”

Although Dustin said it can be harder to find venues to play at in New Hampshire, he said when you find the right spot there is no feeling like it.

“I really love it when we’re bringing some great music and great musicians together to make a joyful noise. I like it when the band is just cooking along and you can see that people are really enjoying the music,” he said. “It’s a bond between musicians, and a bond between the band members and the audience.”

You can listen to Dustin and The Tall Granite Jazz Band play at the Bow gazebo as part of the Bow Rotary Club’s summer concert series on Sunday, July 27, beginning at 6 p.m.

The Tall Granite Band is also scheduled to play Thursday, July 31, at Nonni’s Open House at the Concord Holiday Inn. The ballroom doors open at 4:30 p.m. and the band kicks off at 6:30 p.m.; and at the Beech Hill Farm and Ice Cream Barn in Hopkinton for the Hopkinton Congregational Church Rally Sunday picnic on Sept. 14, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The band will also play at the Eastern States Exposition, “The Big E,” in West Springfield, Mass., on New Hampshire Day, Friday, Sept. 19, at 5:30 p.m.

Snowflake Ball - YMCA raises $30,000 for Kids Campaign

Bow Editor — Thu, 21 Dec 2006 18:14:00 GMT

On Saturday, Dec. 9, the Concord Family YMCA hosted its 18th annual Snowflake Ball. About 250 people attended this year’s ball, which raised close to $30,000 for the Kids Campaign. Posters of some of the families that are assisted by the annual Kids Campaign were displayed along the walls leading to the Concord YMCA Grand Ballroom.

“The YMCA has been my coparent for the last several years,” said a single mother of three. “I feel blessed that I found the Y. Not just for the financial help they offer, but because they truly care about people. Thank you.”

The Snowflake Ball is created and run by a team of volunteers from the community. Committee members include Ann LaForce, Jennifer Devanny, Kate Russo and Eileen Moore. Planning for this event began in August. The Ball was underwritten by Citizens Bank, and more than 35 other companies financially supported the event.

The annual Snowflake Ball has greater significance than just another fundraiser; it is a genuine commitment by the dedicated staff and volunteers of the Concord Family YMCA and its board of directors to the children, teens, adults and older adults of the greater Concord community.

Mike Norklun, executive director of the Concord YMCA, said, “I’m excited about the success of this event. Everything we do benefits families in our community. This event is the first fundraiser of the campaign, and I’m looking forward to the support and volunteerism that we have to make this year’s campaign successful.”

The mission of the Concord Family YMCA is to serve the entire community. The goal is to provide services for individuals and families who wish to participate in the activities and programs of the YCMA, regardless of their ability to pay. Last year, the YMCA helped more than 250 families, giving more than $160,000 in financial assistance for child care, youth sports, fitness programs, day camps and general memberships.

S.N.O.B. returns: Concord hosts five-day film festival

Bow Editor — Thu, 02 Nov 2006 15:20:00 GMT

By Ryan O’Connor
Staff Writer

This year, the S.N.O.B. (Somewhat North of Boston) Film Festival will celebrate its fifth anniversary with five days of international, national, regional and local films all in downtown Concord.

With more than 65 films including features, documentaries, animated, short and student works, the festival promises something for everyone.

From Tuesday, Nov. 7, to Saturday, Nov. 11, many filmmakers, cast and crew will be in Concord for their film screenings and will host discussions and question-and-answer sessions after. Events will be held at the Annicchiarico Theater, Holiday Inn, Concord City Auditorium, The Barley House and the New Hampshire State Library.

One of this year’s premier events takes place Friday, Nov. 10, with the screening of “Who Killed the Electric Car.”

A documentary narrated by Martin Sheen, it uncovers the story behind General Motors’ decision to destroy its promising line of electric-powered cars in the mid-’90s. The country’s largest auto manufacturer took back these cars from willing buyers and shredded its entire line of EV-1’s in the Arizona desert. The Seattle Times calls the film “the most troubling Big Biz documentary since ‘Enron the Smartest Guys in the Room.’”

On Wednesday, Nov. 8, S.N.O.B. presents two films that will strike a chord with anyone who has ever hiked up a mountain in the Granite State. “Winter Walk” chronicles seven otherwise conventional people who spend 59 days snowshoeing along the wilderness of a frozen river in northern Quebec. “Southbounders” adds a touch of misfit romance to a fictional story of a woman who meets two men while hiking the Appalachian Trail from Maine to Georgia.

On Wednesday, Nov. 8, at 10:30 p.m., The Barley House will be a trip of a different sort … “American Beer” takes viewers to 38 micro-breweries across the country in a film that is more about beer lovers than beer.

Many films will engage younger audiences, such as “Binta and the Great Idea,” a film from Senegal about a 7-year-old girl, her fisherman father and a friend who isn’t allowed to go to school; and “Laundry Day,” written and directed by local filmmaker Travis Laughlin. This Chaplin-esque silent film offers up an amusing fairytale romance, captured, as if in a bygone era, in the alleyways of Concord.

And for the many who grew up watching Rex Trailer on television, S.N.O.B. is will present “Boomtown Gold,” the story of Trailer’s life, followed by a discussion with Rex Trailer himself on Saturday, Nov. 11, at 1:15 p.m. at the Concord City Auditorium.

The full menu of films, information on tickets, up-to-date schedule of show times and locations, and the details on the 5x5 Filmmaker Challenge can be found at www.snobfilm festival.org. You may also call 225-0881.

Tickets are available at Cinema 93 and other Concord outlets at the following prices:

• Block Pass: $5 for individual film block events (1-1/2 to 2 hours of film)

• Day Pass: $20 for Friday or Saturday, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m., including the Barley House screenings. (Saves you $5 off the day if you paid for each block separately.)

• Festival Pass: $50 gets you a full pass to everything, including the three Annicchiarico Theater nights, all Barley House films, and a raffle ticket for each raffle you attend.

• Barley House Films: $3

For more ticket information, call 225-5650.

Zombie Attack: The undead take over the Capitol Center for the Arts

Bow Editor — Fri, 29 Sep 2006 19:34:00 GMT

By Kristin Crawford-Ellis
Staff Writer

With makeup done by Ballard’s Novelty and Party Shop, Beau Watscheke, Shaun Skeldon, Kendra Hartman and Scott Hopkins came dressed for flesh.
(Mirror/Kristin Crawford-Ellis)

To legions of the undead, he is no stranger. George A. Romero is the master of the zombie movie. Since his debut in 1968, “Night of The Living Dead,” his name has been synonymous with horror.

The Red River Theatres, a group working diligently to bring an independent film theater to Concord, and Ballard's Novelty and Party Shop presented “An Evening with George Romero” at The Capital Center for the Arts last Saturday night.

Romero, 66, spent time with fans signing autographs, answering questions and presenting two of his films, “The Dark Half” (1993), based on a novel by Stephen King, and “Creepshow” (1982), based on short stories written by King and Romero.

Loving movies from childhood, Romero always thought you had to be royalty to make films. In college, he studied painting and design for three years and hated it. He moved into the theater department but hated that, too.

“The speech instructor didn't like the way I spoke my T’s,” he said with emphasis on the T.

So Romero and some friends decided they wanted to make movies. They started a small company creating beer commercials and industrial films. Within a few years, they were successful enough to get some equipment and felt able to say, “Let’s make a movie.”

The most influential film that helped him believe he could make movies was “The Tales of Hoffmann” (1951), an opera mixed with ballet and fantasy, by director Michael Powell.

“It is the most beautiful film you'll ever see. Anyone interested in this media should see it. I saw it when it first came out around the age of 12. It's a complete fantasy about a guy who falls in love with a mechanical doll and then with a vampire,” Romero said.

“Back then there was no CG (computer graphics). He had no money, so he used transparent techniques, reversing the film or double exposing and I thought, ‘Hey, I can do that.’ “

When Romero started his film career, he found it difficult and expensive to create movies because they had to record on 16mm or 35mm film. Then it was difficult getting a movie theater to play it. However, he did have the luck to be able to show “Night of the Living Dead” in neighborhood theaters; whereas now, unless you have a big-budget movie such as the “Superman” franchise, you cannot get a screen.

“All the independent theaters and distributors have been swallowed up by big business corporations,” Romero said. “Technology has made it easier and less expensive to make films but in the old days it was easier to get your films shown. Now, what's left of the neighborhood theaters are reserved for B-movies.”

His goal on the set as a director is to encourage collaboration between everyone from the actors to the set dressers. He also makes an effort to not be a “tyrant.”

“No group of people in any endeavour do their best under any sort of tyranny,” he said. “Any human effort that requires more than one person requires a collaborative effort, and that's really been my objective. You have to try to be Madeleine Albright should a feud come up.”

His inspiration for new movies, he said jokingly, comes to him in the shower.

“Actually it’s mostly politics, newspapers. I don’t try to dream up guys with hockey masks or knives. Mostly real life stuff, ya know, what’s going on in the world today. That is scary because it's coming from the world. Maybe if I had known that shark was going to be that scary it would be a different story.”

With strong political opinions that can be seen in movies of his own conception, “Night of the Living Dead” created controversy that he never recognized.

“The fact that Duane Jones,” the lead character, Ben, “was a black man was this big notable thing. Actually, he was the best actor in our group of friends. He was the only guy in the whole entire crew that felt that there was going to be controversy,” Romero said.

“He came to me one day and said, ‘I’m gonna have to slug this white woman. Ya know what’s going to happen to me on the streets?”

Looking back now, Romero feels there were some opportunities that were missed. He said he felt it could have been more powerful if they had referred to race in the movie.

“It’s the idea of a minority person seeing things more clearly than the majority but certain things less clearly and with more anger, therefore more problems, to make more mistakes. That character (Ben) makes mistakes and it should have been the result of that anger, and we completely missed that. It would have been strong if we had done that,” he said.

Romero believes that his last release, “Land of the Dead,” was more of a political statement than “Night of the Living Dead,” as he made his strong views more obvious.

During a question-and-answer session, Romero did not want the audience to think the film industry was all glitz and glamour. He gave a peek into the real, and most times unglamourous, side of the industry.

Reflecting on the difficulty of getting money out of the big studios, he said you have to have a big name that can’t be ignored.

"Unless you are Bruce Willis, because they know they'll need you for another film, you won't see a nickel,” he said.

To date, Romero's 2005 film, “Land of the Dead,” has made more than $80 million and he has not seen any profits from that.

Not wanting to leave aspiring filmmakers discouraged, he gave his best advice and wisdom for breaking into the industry.

“Get on the set, volunteer, go to work. If you are sincere and have something tooffer, contribute, you are dedicated and there when needed… The next time, I’m gonna say, ‘Hey, what about this person. Let’s give them a call,’ “ he said. “With so many phonies who say they want to get into the ‘biz,’ it’s the people who care and contribute that get the call.”

Romero is currently in pre-production for “Diary of the Dead,” set to be released in 2007. Because of copyright issues with “Night of the Living Dead,” he learned his lesson from the early mistake of not protecting his property and is starting the “Dead” franchise over.

“We are trying to re-establish a new franchise because we never had one. We don't own it,” he said. “It’s like everyone in the world is making zombie movies except me.”

Romero was excited to give the audience some insight into what “Diary” will be.

“Basically, we’re going back to the beginning, the first night when the dead start coming back to life, with a new cast of characters,” Romero said. “It's about some college students who are shooting their own little horror film on the night the dead begin to rise.”

An audience member asked if he has any plans for retirement. He chuckled and said no.

“I am doing a film right now and maybe doing one or two more.”