Very very very nice place but way to expensive for the average Joe. Old movies on the big screen are wonderful. Miss the Civic Theatre :)
I've been to movies, music and comedy shows here and it's always a great time. The parking can be tough, but the parking garage is usually the best bet. I really enjoy the music shows, pretty good seating for the size of the venue, not huge, but good sized. The theater is remodeled and it is awesome looking, balcony seats are a great view too. I also really enjoy the NH film festival held every October for 4 days, Thursday through Sunday, it's a lot of fun, includes 3 other venues to see movies and a great atmosphere. Really enjoy this venue in the seacoast to see a show or movie!
We're "regulars" at the Music Hall - both the big theater and The Loft. Each is a great choice for music: good sight lines, excellent acoustics, etc. Movies in the big theater are a bit archaic (sound especially) but it's fun to see art films with other interested viewers. Oh, and the bathrooms at the Music Hall are worth a visit on their own!
I love the Music Hall. I am actually somewhere in the picture on the front page with Chris Botti. We just saw George Benson there and I am taking my wife to see Diana Krall in the spring (shhhhh - don't tell - it is a surprise. There are some seats that have a partially blocked view but otherwise one of my favorite small venues in New England. And I do not have to drive to Boston. The Music Hall is located right downtown within walking distance of lots of parking and lots of great restaurants.
We've visited the Music Hall several times, both for shows and for NH Film Festival events. Every visit was great. The exterior and lobby harken back to a more elegant era, though we felt perfectly comfortable in casual clothes. Seating is consistently good (and comfortable) throughout the hall, and the snack bar provides both old favorites and surprising cafe-type snacks... almost meals, for some events. The staff are friendly, cheerful, and eager to help guests make the most of their Music Hall experience.The Music Hall books many big-name shows and performers -- the kind you'd pay far more to see in Boston -- in a comfy, more personal setting. It's the best of both worlds, and another reason Portsmouth (NH) is one of our favorite cities in the world.
I vowed I would not return to the Portsmouth Music Hall, but I just could not resist the opportunity to see Comics for K9's back in October of 2014. The show was amazing. Our experience was a better one this time. However I will say that I would only choose to go here based on how badly I want to see a particular show and it's availability elsewhere. I know they are in keeping with the historic value of the building, however the comfort level of the seating is maybe a 5 or 6. And I did see people being ushered to wrong seats, and some upstairs concession workers could have been a little more pleasant....not my observation, observation of people we went with.
Quaint old charm engulfs you, upon your entrance into the hall. It's visually appealing with a small footprint so you feel like you're with friends witnessing a performance. We saw "The Mavericks" for the second time in a year (in Concord, NH earlier in the year) who originally started music now defined as Americana in the early 90's.The staff is very pleasant and informative, the sound is good, but not excellent. Several voices singing vibrate the sound speakers slightly distorting the sound. The seats have a difficult time accommodating someone six feet or over, you can last the show, but you'll need to stand. With this band that was easy to do, dancing simply happens when they play.People come & go during the performance, bars that stay open during performances, do that, it can be annoying.if you sit back mid orchestra seats ... you'll enjoy whoever is performing there.
Thank you so much for your kind words about the Loft and the Mirah performance. I'm glad you had a pleasant experience. Hope to see you again soon. Cheers!
A gorgeous old Music Hall with fabulous acoustics. They have a great variety of shows, concerts and movies.
I know this was an exception to have a 85 degree nite in September, but this Hall was quite warm. We saw Lewis Black and I think he wasn't feeling too good with the heat and all.The Hall is very nice, although the seating is old, even the obstructive view seats are nice, the columns are quite small (unlike Fenway...)