the music hall

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.

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!

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.

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.

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!

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 :)

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.

Great show in a great little, classic theater. Lounge before the show was very comfortable, staff was great, seats were comfortable, sound awesome. Great theater.

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...)

So disappointed that the performance we wanted to see was ruined by inaudible sound and non-functional air conditioning.In brief, it became obvious in the pre-performance announcements that the sound system was not working in our section of the audience. I immediately let the usher and house manager know, and a bit later told the ticket office even more emphatically. A technician did manage to get one speaker functioning after 50 minutes, but it did not make the remainder of the performance any more intelligible. The performance was entirely spoken-word, but we estimate we heard only 60 to 75%. Three people around me complained of the same thing. No followup happened to ask if sound had improved or to offer alternatives.There was also no air conditioning, and the artists and audience were suffering. I don't know if this is by design to preserve the historical building, but to offer full-price tickets at a performance venue without clear warnings of the lack of AC is not acceptable in 2014.We were so excited to go here. It's a lovely historical building -- especially the lobby -- and the performer was someone we very much enjoy. It's so sad that careless management and/or inadequate systems ruined their one chance to make us frequent visitors.

This is indeed a wonderfully restored performance space. However, our recent visit was very disappointing. It was hot and humid outside AND inside -- to the extent that the evening was uncomfortable to sit through (very stuffy) and people were fanning themselves with programs throughout the room. We assumed the place was air conditioned. Also, our seats were under the balcony on the left side. The view was fine but the sound was poor. Folks worked on one particular speaker but did not solve the issue. Other patrons around us had the same experience with the quality of sound. Even after speaking with a couple of theatre folks about the issue, there was no follow-up with us about our concerns, attempt to re-seat us, etc.

A gorgeous old Music Hall with fabulous acoustics. They have a great variety of shows, concerts and movies.

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!

To see interesting movies, singers, writers and of course you can't miss the TELLURIDE BY THE SEA" a choice of fascinating old and very new movies

We will live in Connecticut and we actually plan our frequent trips to Portsmouth around this theater's schedule. I explained this to a staff member who thought I was joking. This is one of our nation's oldest theater with pillars, scrollwork, and murals. Downstairs there's a high tech neon bar that clashes with the old decor upstairs so be prepared for the jolt. The Men's Room next door has steampunk look rivaling Captain Nemo's Nautilus. Actually all these different styles seem to work together.The schedule consists of foreign & independent films and documentaries you won't find in the large chains so that's the reason we come again and again. We've seen Phillip Glass and Joan Armitrading on stage, and the seating and acoustics are very good. You can check the seating chart online and also buy your tickets. The balcony is good for concerts but I wish it was open for movies, my only quibble. The staff is friendly as one would expect in a small venue. Prices are reasonable. We're looking forward to our next trip to see a documentary about Roger Ebert.