Live Acoustic Music Near Portsmouth, New Hampshire

If you've never experienced hearing talented musicians perform in a small, intimate environment, you are in for a treat.

House concerts are a growing trend across the country, where people invite friends and neighbors into their homes for an up-close concert experience. And there are several house concerts being held in and around the Portsmouth area that you can check out - you just need to contact the host and ask to be invited.

Churches and non-profit community groups around Portsmouth host occasional coffeehouses that feature traditional folk musicians and other acoustic artists as a way of bringing the community together.

In addition, live acoustic music can be heard in several listening rooms and small theaters in Portsmouth. Local restaurants and cafes in the area sometimes host nationally touring musicians as well.

Below you can find a listing of upcoming shows in these smaller venues by nationally and internationally touring artists.

Upcoming Acoustic Shows

March 28
Firehouse Center for the Arts (Small Theater)
Newburyport, MA
March 29
Press Room Restaurant (Cafe, Restaurant or Coffee Shop)
Portsmouth, NH
March 30
The Cabot (Small Theater)
Beverly, MA
April 2
The Music Hall Lounge (Small Theater)
Portsmouth, NH
April 3
The Word Barn (Listening Room)
Exeter, NH
April 4
The wit and honesty of this renowned Minnesota-via-New Jersey guitarist and songwriter have made him one of the most beloved artists currently carrying on the folk tradition.
The Word Barn (Listening Room)
Exeter, NH
April 5
Husband-and-wife folk/rock Americana duo The Kennedys have been writing, recording & touring for over twenty five years. Their energetic pop-influenced sound recalls Buddy Holly & The Everly Brothers.
Me & Thee Music (Folk Music Coffeehouse)
Marblehead, MA
April 6
Crossroads Music Series (Folk Music Coffeehouse)
North Andover, MA
April 6
The Music Hall Lounge (Small Theater)
Portsmouth, NH
April 6
Press Room Restaurant (Cafe, Restaurant or Coffee Shop)
Portsmouth, NH
April 6
Willie T & Doctor X are a dynamic acoustic rock/folk/blues duo, performing an interesting and exciting mix of original songs and off the beaten track covers. Their music evokes an overall 1970s roots
The Gulu-Gulu Cafe (Cafe, Restaurant or Coffee Shop)
Salem, MA
April 7
Sawbelly Brewing (Cafe, Restaurant or Coffee Shop)
Exeter, NH
April 11
The Music Hall Lounge (Small Theater)
Portsmouth, NH
April 12
Chrissy Strong is an emerging, indie singer/songwriter from Akron, Ohio who will move you with her spirited live performances and brave and honest storytelling.
One Broadway Collaborative (Listening Room)
Lawrence, MA
April 13
The Word Barn (Listening Room)
Exeter, NH
April 13
3S Artspace (Listening Room)
Portsmouth, NH
April 13
International Folk Music Awards 2017 Artist of the Year Ordinary Elephant captivates audiences with their emotionally powerful and vulnerable songs, letting the listener know that they are not alone i
The Music Hall Lounge (Small Theater)
Portsmouth, NH
April 13
Woodland Spark's music is an authentic musical experience, drawing from folk, jazz, & classical influences. We play a wide selection of folk music, including Celtic, French, Québécois, & Scandinavian, from slow waltzes to fast reels.
One World Coffee House (Folk Music Coffeehouse)
Essex, MA
April 13
The Music Hall (Small Theater)
Portsmouth, NH
April 14
The Word Barn (Listening Room)
Exeter, NH
April 18
The Word Barn (Listening Room)
Exeter, NH
April 18
Capitol Center for the Arts (Concert Hall)
Concord, NH
April 19
The Dance Hall (Listening Room)
Kittery, ME
April 20
Old Sloop Presents (Folk Music Coffeehouse)
Rockport, MA
April 20
New Moon Coffeehouse (Folk Music Coffeehouse)
Haverhill, MA
April 20
Shalin Liu Performance Center (Small Theater)
Rockport, MA
April 21
Press Room Restaurant (Cafe, Restaurant or Coffee Shop)
Portsmouth, NH
April 26
North Reading Community Coffeehouse (Folk Music Coffeehouse)
North Reading, MA
April 26
Vinegar Hill Music Theatre (Listening Room)
Arundel, ME
April 27
The Music Hall Lounge (Small Theater)
Portsmouth, NH
April 28
Press Room Restaurant (Cafe, Restaurant or Coffee Shop)
Portsmouth, NH
May 2
The Word Barn (Listening Room)
Exeter, NH
May 3
Press Room Restaurant (Cafe, Restaurant or Coffee Shop)
Portsmouth, NH
May 3
Capitol Center for the Arts (Concert Hall)
Concord, NH
May 3
Shalin Liu Performance Center (Small Theater)
Rockport, MA
May 3
Me & Thee Music (Folk Music Coffeehouse)
Marblehead, MA
May 3
The Word Barn (Listening Room)
Exeter, NH
May 4
The Music Hall Lounge (Small Theater)
Portsmouth, NH
May 4
Vinegar Hill Music Theatre (Listening Room)
Arundel, ME
May 10
The Music Hall (Small Theater)
Portsmouth, NH
May 10
Old Sloop Presents (Folk Music Coffeehouse)
Rockport, MA
May 11
Shalin Liu Performance Center (Small Theater)
Rockport, MA
May 17
Willi Carlisle is an award-winning folksinger, writer, and theater-artist from Northwest Arkansas
3S Artspace (Listening Room)
Portsmouth, NH
May 18
Saco River Theatre (Small Theater)
Buxton, ME
May 18
New Moon Coffeehouse (Folk Music Coffeehouse)
Haverhill, MA
May 18
Rod Abernethy is a unique blend of an authentic southern folk troubadour and master acoustic guitarist and the 2021 Grand Prize winner of the International Acoustic Music Awards.
Whale Cove House Concerts (House Concert)
Rockport, MA
May 19
3S Artspace (Listening Room)
Portsmouth, NH
May 19
Whether they’re ripping through a set of original jigs and reels, adding lush harmonies into traditional folk ballads, or cracking up an audience with stories from the road, House of Hamill puts on a show that captivates audiences.
Shalin Liu Performance Center (Small Theater)
Rockport, MA
May 24
Firehouse Center for the Arts (Small Theater)
Newburyport, MA
May 24
Her voice is both sultry and dynamic, delicate yet powerful; gritty but highly emotive and nuanced, has been described as “a young Bonnie Raitt meets Amy Winehouse”.
The Word Barn (Listening Room)
Exeter, NH
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Places to see live acoustic music in and around Portsmouth, New Hampshire

House Concerts

Borrowed House Concerts (Plaistow)
Homegrown House Concerts (Marblehead)
Whale Cove House Concerts (Rockport)

Listening Rooms

3S Artspace (Portsmouth)
One Broadway Collaborative (Lawrence)
The Dance Hall (Kittery)
The Stone Church (Newmarket)
The Word Barn (Exeter)
Vinegar Hill Music Theatre (Arundel)

Folk Music Coffeehouses

Crossroads Music Series (North Andover)
Me & Thee Music (Marblehead)
New Moon Coffeehouse (Haverhill)
North Reading Community Coffeehouse (North Reading)
Old Sloop Presents (Rockport)
One World Coffee House (Essex)

Cafes, Restaurants & Coffee Shops

Press Room Restaurant (Portsmouth)
Sawbelly Brewing (Exeter)
The Gulu-Gulu Cafe (Salem)
Whale's Jaw Cafe (Rockport)

Small Theaters

Firehouse Center for the Arts (Newburyport)
Orchard Chapel (Hampton Falls)
Saco River Theatre (Buxton)
Shalin Liu Performance Center (Rockport)
The Cabot (Beverly)
The Music Hall (Portsmouth)
The Music Hall Lounge (Portsmouth)
Tupelo Music Hall (Londonderry)

Outdoor Music Series

Maudslay Arts Center (Newburyport)

Bars & Nightclubs

Blue Ocean Music Hall (Salisbury)