Emily Reily

In the U.S., Las Vegas is known as the ultimate quickie wedding destination. But across the pond, the verdant village of Gretna Green in Scotland has been a hotbed of runaway “I do’s” for more than 260 years—longer than Sin City has even been around. And it was all thanks to one stuffy British lawyer who, in an attempt to reform English marriage laws, inadvertently made elopements to the tiny Scottish hamlet de rigueur for couples looking to tie the knot as soon as possible.
Before the 1750s,...

The annual Comedy Xxtravaganza is again stacked with talent, in two locations in New Hampshire.

Comedian John Poveromo says exactly what’s on his mind.
While the New Jersey native’s stand-up leans toward the conversational and observational — he describes himself as that guy at the party telling all the fun stories — he’s not afraid to address what he says is a PC culture when it comes to comedy and recent industry controversies.
As a kid, Poveromo, a self-taught cartoonist, became inspired by the zaniness of Johnny Carson’s late-night show. He’s been featured in comedy festivals in New...

Spoiler alert: We’re all gonna die. We know that; what we don't know is what comes after. So much of what can be considered “haunted” comes down to mysterious things, events that can’t be explained, or simply unknown phenomena. That's why Halloween is so fascinating and why visitors flock to Salem every October, but the infamous 1692 witch trials weren't the area's only examples of otherworldly creepiness. Here are the most haunted places in Massachusetts.
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Roger Joseph Manning Jr. has worn many different hats across his decorated career in music. The eclectic songwriter/arranger/studio musician/keyboardist/etc. has not only been a founding member of several bands – including Jellyfish, Imperial Drag, and TV Eyes – but he continues to be sought after as a session coordinator, orchestrator, arranger, and mixer, working alongside producer Steve Aho in the studio. As a session musician, Manning has sprinkled his magic dust over the works of such Ri...

Home | History
Step back in time
Special to the Union Leader
(Courtesy/ Sue and Bob Hofstetter)
WHAT: Hillsborough Living History Event and Franklin Pierce Heritage DaysX
WHEN: Aug. 18-19 (Living History), Aug. 17-19 (Heritage Days)X
WHERE: Various locations, Hillsborough
TICKETS: Living History: $15 for adults, $12 for seniors, $5 for ages 6-17 and free for children younger than 5; Franklin Pierce Homestead events are free
INFO: livinghistoryeventnh.com
Hillsborough will again transport visi...

You won’t catch the people of the Witch City, aka Salem, Massachusetts, resting on their laurels. It’s a wildly popular city steeped in rich Puritan and American history, and for obvious reasons, October is its biggest month. There are more than 500 individual events this month to celebrate Halloween -- everything from children's parades and costume parties to séances and haunted trolley tours. The city aims to educate visitors about its mysterious past, especially when it comes to its infamo...

For the longest time, I thought one of my most treasured Stevie Wonder tracks, “Superstition,” was off 1982’s Original Musiquarium, and not 1972’s Talking Book.
That’s my fault.
When I picked up Musiquarium in college, I considered myself a “serious” Stevie Wonder fan. I’ve put that in air quotes because clearly, I was neither astute nor serious enough to realize Musiquarium was a greatest hits/unreleased-tracks compilation album. Being able to say I listened to the Beatles since I was nine, ...

3 Doors Down
WHO: 3 Doors Down with Collective Soul and Soul Asylum
WHERE: Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion, Gilford
WHEN: 7 p.m. Friday
TICKETS: banknhpavilion.com or 293-4700
With a string of charting songs, 3 Doors Down has seen huge success over the past 20 years, but the journey hasn’t been without a generous helping of pain and struggle.
The hard-rock grunge band garnered early popularity in 2000 for massive hits “Kryptonite” and “Loser,” while the power ballads “Here Without You” and “Wh...

Rock Revolution
The British grunge-rock band Bush has seen its share of haters.
Rolling Stone once called them “Nirvanawannabes” for their similarly tortured and heavy sound and stream-of-consciousness lyrics. And while the argument may divide some fans of the alternative genre, songs like the swooning, drowsy “Glycerine” and the slippery guitar work of “Everything Zen” prove Bush was never a flash in the pan.
The band’s singer/songwriter, Gavin Rossdale, had the last laugh on detractors who ...

Who said that?
(Courtesy/Jerry Hymer Photography)
WHO: Darci Lynne
WHEN: 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. shows Saturday
WHERE: Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom, 169 Ocean Blvd., Hampton
TICKETS: $37 to $98
INFO: casinoballroom.com; 929-4100
At just 13, Darci Lynne Farmer already has success down pat.
In September 2017, the bright-eyed teen from Oklahoma City won Season 12 of TV’s “America’s Got Talent” with her jaw-dropping ventriloquism and singing act. The title earned her $1 million dollars and an entertai...

Seacoast Rep makes itself heard with comic-book version of ‘The Who’s Tommy’
If you go...
WHAT: 'The Who's Tommy'
WHEN: Opens Friday and runs through July 29 with shows at 7:30 p.m. Thursdays; 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays
WHERE: Seacoast Repertory Theatre, 125 Bow St., Portsmouth
TICKETS: $20 to $38; a preview show Thursday at 7:30 p.m. is $16-$22
INFO: seacoastrep.org; 433-4472
ETC.: Not appropriate for children
Seacoast Repertory Theatre’s version of “The Who’s Tommy” del...

Creature Comforts
WHAT: Princess, Fairy and Gnome Festival
WHEN: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, with designated time for tea parties
WHERE: Kimball Jenkins Estate and School of Art, 266 No. Main St., Concord
TICKETS: $12 in advance and $13 at the door
INFO: kimballjenkins.com
Perhaps no one really knows what fairies look like, but at the upcoming Princess, Fairy and Gnome Festival, children can learn how to keep them comfortable should they drop by for a visit.
At the fourth annual event Sunday at...