By Julie Huss
The Tupelo Music Hall has hit the beach in a big way.
The popular music venue, under the ownership and musical guidance of Derry businessman Scott Hayward, celebrated the opening of a new Tupelo last week with a grand opening celebration in Salisbury Beach, Mass.
The new beachfront complex now houses the second Tupelo Music Hall, ready to now give that area of New England some great music sounds featuring top notch performers, class names from the past, and up and coming artists making their mark in a big way.
The new Tupelo space at Salisbury Beach is located at 4 Oceanfront North and offers patrons a similar intimate musical experience as the Londonderry venue offers, but with more seating availability and other amenities including corporate suites overlooking the water.
The Londonderry Tupelo Music Hall on Young Road will remain open.
"The building is literally on the beach," Hayward told the Derry News last summer. The 1,200-square-foot music hall will be part of a complex that includes a restaurant and other function space and could seat up to 650 people, in either table seating, or theatre-style seating arrangements.
Right now, the Tupelo in Londonderry offers both theatre and table seating to its patrons, while offering a wide variety of music genre styles in the artists that perform there. The Salisbury space will also offer similar artists, but hopefully, some bigger names as well, Hayward said.
"It will be the same type of programming as the Tupelo in Londonderry, but we hope to bring in bigger names, too," he said.
At last week's celebration, opening night visitors were entertained by guitarist Charlie Farron and The Evan Goodrow Band as part of the opening night preview party event. Guest emcee was arts and entertainment critic Joyce Kulhawik.
Hayward purchased the Tupelo five years ago and has made the intimate music hall a mecca for some of the music world's most notable names and entertainers, including Arlo Guthrie, Lisa Loeb, Bo Diddley, Squeeze, The Fixx, and original Beatles drummer Pete Best. Concertgoers enjoy an up-close and personal relationship with performers on stage, too, as seats are within only a few feet of the stage.
The Salisbury venue will offer the same intimate gathering environment, Hayward said, an arrangement his customers have come to appreciate and love. The beachside hall will be a year-round business, he added.
One thing the Salisbury hall might offer is a dance floor space, Hayward said, something the Londonderry space doesn't offer now. And the new hall could accommodate larger bands in its more expansive area.
Hayward hopes to offer 100-125 shows at the new Salisbury Tupelo the first year. As is the Londonderry space, the Tupelo Salisbury will be available for special events, private parties, and even possible weddings with special musical themes, Hayward added.
Both Tupelo halls will continue to offer special programming including comedy shows, children's events, and open mic nights, Hayward said.
He said having a Tupelo in Salisbury is a perfect addition to what is already offered in Londonderry, creating another venue for people to enjoy in that region, close to the beach, and still close to New Hampshire, too.
"It will be a good thing for New Hampshire and Massachusetts," he said, adding the Salisbury venue could eventually offer up to 400 shows a year.
I'm so happy for Scott Hayward and his Tupelo team. Anyone that has witnessed shows at the Tupelo can certainly understand just how much this venue means to those behind the scenes and those performing on the stage. Many entertainers keep coming back. And when I am fortunate enough to interview those performers who make the Tupelo a stop on their concert tours, the same feelings seems to come through in what they say — that the Tupelo and its team are special and its a place they would like to keep visiting. I'm sure the Salisbury Beach spot will also fit that bill.
To learn more about the Tupelo Music Hall in both Londonderry and Salisbury Beach, or for a schedule of performers, visit the hall online at www.tupelohall.com.
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Julie Huss is a staff writer for the Derry News. Her entertainmnent/arts column appears weekly. To contact her, call 421-3847 or e-mail to jhuss@derrynews.com
