Meadowbrook

[Old Hubbard Rd]

What a wonderful job they have done with this venue. This place is such a pleasure to visit. Whomever is running this place is doing a GREAT job!! Your employees are all so nice. Very clean place!

We came to see Bob Dylan and was hoping to hear some old stuff that I would recognize but that did not happen. Dylan did not play one song that my wife and I could recognize! The band sounded terrible. The band sounded like they all wanted to be heard over allowing Dylan to be heard. Dylan did not even say hello to the audience. He did not try and engage with the audience at all. I guess that is his style and who am I to tell a rock icon how to entertain. It was great to see so many young people there as well as watching the old folks go back in time. This is not a bash on Meadowbrook. We just did not enjoy Dylan! Curious what other folks thought.

[VitaBene]

You captured and summed it up well!

[8gv]

We did not go to the Dylan concert but we did see Ringo and his All Star Band.

He and his band put on a great show.

Meadowbrook was as you described as well.

Several of our out of state friends chose to attend the concerts of their favorite performers at Meadowbrook because they enjoy the venue.

[pjard]

A friend of mine went to see Dylan last night and said it was absolutely terrible. Too bad....

[joey2665]

I had seen Dylan many years ago at Jones Beach on Long Island, NY a very similar venue to Meadowbrook. He was so bad I actually walked out. Joe Cocker opened for him and he was awesome.

[thebix]

Yes, Bob Dylan was a very bad show, not what I had hoped for.
I was also surprised by the bad lighting. The stage was lit by back lights only, nothing on the face of the performers, no follow spots. I could never see Bob Dylan's face. And that caused the pictures on the TV screens to be almost black. What were they thinking?

[jetskier]

I did not want to say anything before the show...but:

We went to see Bob Dylan a few years back at Meadowbrook and the show was completely awful. Bob could not sing worth a damn and he would not allow any stage lighting on him.

I was completely surprised that they booked him again, but I thought that perhaps he would be better this time....sounds like the same.

Some acts at Meadowbrook are fantastic such as Keith Urban and some are completely awful. My wife and I walked out of the Willie Nelson concert last year...the warm up band was amazing. Willie had his family playing for his concert and no one could play....there was no staging...horrible.

Jetskier

[radiocontester]

Originally Posted by jetskier

I did not want to say anything before the show...but:

Bob could not sing worth a damn....

Jetskier

Could he ever?

[Gatto Nero]

I saw Dylan at the Boston Garden back in the 80's or 90's and he was terrible then. His opening act was Van Morrison and he was amazing. They continue to book because he is a rock legend and he sells tickets.

[ishoot308]

I heard Dylan's opening act was very good...anyone confirm?

Dan

[FlyingScot]

Starting with the less controversial:

Meadowbrook was super. My first time there, it will not be my last. I only wish I had arrived early enough for dinner.

To answer ishoot308--Mavis Staples, who led the iconic Staple Singers from the Civil Rights Era and on, was the opening act. She's amazing--last night was my 5th time seeing her, and I figured she'd be worth the price of admission if I didn't like Dylan. She was! Her voice and her heart both just roar. Fun fact--Dylan proposed to her in the 60s. If you enjoyed The Weight last night, check out You Tube for the version her family did on The Last Waltz for a before and after kick.

I also thought Dylan was great last night. OK--as a number of you have noted--he didn't play his hits, he's often unintelligible, and few of us are really pumped over the songbook standards which comprised half his show. But he's not Dylan because he gives us what we want (presumably an easy to digest oldies show). He and his band delivered unique versions of standards and his own music. His band played beautifully, his voice was actually better than I expected, and it was a much more real, thoughtful, creative, and special statement than the easy trip down memory lane that so many of his contemporaries offer to great applause. I agree the show could have been better if he spent just a bit of time on showmanship. But he's Dylan, and no more interested in taking the audience's pulse today than he was when he went electric in Newport 1965.

Maybe we could agree that we were incredibly lucky to hear one of the all time greats play Tangled Up in Blue and and Blowin' in the Wind?

[Gatto Nero]

Originally Posted by PeterG

To answer ishoot308--Mavis Staples, who led the iconic Staple Singers from the Civil Rights Era and on, was the opening act.

I saw her at the NO Jazz Fest this year. She really was amazing.

[beaner]

I don't care who is performing, I will never attend another show at Meadowbrook. The management couldn't care less about music. It's all about squeezing every last dime out of patrons. If I wanted a carnival atmosphere - vendors hawking beer, t-shirts, tractors, etc. - I'd go to Fryeburg Fair. On our last visit, we were embarrassed to have brought family to Meadowbrook for what we'd hoped would be a memorable experience. Which it was, but not in a good way. The fact is, they were given 3 chances over a period of several years (epic failure x 3). We described our miserable experiences to the general manager in writing, and it is abundantly clear that they do not care. So, we will never go back. When we want to see a show, we love going to Stone Mountain in Brownfield, where Carol Noonan has built a spectacular venue and a reputation for treating performers and audiences with respect. Or, anyplace but Meadowbrook, really.

[Major]

My wife and I go to two or so shows a year, and have enjoyed every single one of them. Maybe our expectations are lower, but where can you go for less than $200, tailgate, have a few beverages and listen to bands that bring back great memories of your youth? Sorry it doesn't work for you beaner, but for the rest of us (at least the people we know), we think it's an awesome venue, and we are lucky to have it so close to where we live.

[fatlazyless]

Apparently, they changed their name to protect the innocent, or something, because there's been a name change from Meadowbrook Farm to www.banknhpavilion.com, but something tells me their old name, Meadowbrook Farm, will stick around in use, and be a long time keeper.

So, what's a better name ....... Meadowbrook Farm ...... or Bank of NH Pavilion ....... ??? And, the Bank of NH used to be the Bank of Laconia, or something?

Bob Dylan is age-75, and he supposedly was hooked on heroin many years ago, or something, so's he's doing real good just showing up and performing on stage ...... a big round of applause for Bob here ...... hope he's still 'Blow'n in the Wind' when he hits age-95 and playing guitar/harmonica on stage supported by an ambulatory care walker.

[Farfrumbehavin]

The first time I attended a concert at Meadowbrook, it was a grass banking in a farm field and the stage was stick built, small, with no roof. We have attended several shows since they opened and took it all for granted until we brought my wife's sister and her husband to a show last year and one this past weekend. They could not get over how lucky we are to have Meadowbrook in our backyard and couldn't believe we hadn't taken them there sooner. Sat night we saw the Tedeshi Trucks Band. You would be very hard pressed to find a better show and see it in a better venue. We love Meadowbrook ! If i had a complaint, it is that we are either side of 60 now and the alcohol induced rowdiness I can do without. Although it does matter who the band is, what kind of crowd they draw. The Doobie Brothers brought all the wood boogers down off the mountain. Oh yeah, and when the person sitting in front of me holds up a huge I-phone over their head but in my face and records the whole show! It's a real big distraction and very rude.
Well I'm just a little too old school for that nonsense.

[Hillcountry]

Originally Posted by Farfrumbehavin

The first time I attended a concert at Meadowbrook, it was a grass banking in a farm field and the stage was stick built, small, with no roof. We have attended several shows since they opened and took it all for granted until we brought my wife's sister and her husband to a show last year and one this past weekend. They could not get over how lucky we are to have Meadowbrook in our backyard and couldn't believe we hadn't taken them there sooner. Sat night we saw the Tedeshi Trucks Band. You would be very hard pressed to find a better show and see it in a better venue. We love Meadowbrook ! If i had a complaint, it is that we are either side of 60 now and the alcohol induced rowdiness I can do without. Although it does matter who the band is, what kind of crowd they draw. The Doobie Brothers brought all the wood boogers down off the mountain. Oh yeah, and when the person sitting in front of me holds up a huge I-phone over their head but in my face and records the whole show! It's a real big distraction and very rude.
Well I'm just a little too old school for that nonsense.

HEY! Watch who yer callin' a wood booger! JK
I hear ya on the ignorant a$$wipes who think the show is "just for them"
I'm not a frequent concert goer but each time I have gone, there is always someone like this there...I'll stay in the woods , thank you!

[ITD]

Wood booger, never heard that one before, wood booger, it's got a certain ring to it....... wood booger.


Anyway, I saw Journey and Dave Mason last night and it was great. I love seeing bands there, I pay the premium for the VIP parking and I'm back home usually 20 to 30 minutes after the show ends, can't beat it in my opinion.

[noreast]

Isn't "wood booger" a name for Sasquatch? On that note, there's another group in NH this summer out to find him. Good luck.

[Jersey Bob]

There is a forum member on this forum will remain nameless. He also belongs to another forum that I'm on with a different member name. He explained to me that a wood booger is someone that scrounges for firewood and can be identified by fact that the bed of their pickup truck has either scrounged firewood or scraps of bark from the same. He also said that the term was local to Maine and New Hampshire.

[Barney Bear]

There was a very interesting piece about Meadowbrook on the WMUR Channel 9 Chronicle program this evening. I was unaware of the extensive scope of this venue.

[Rockslider]

Saw James Taylor at Meadowbrook last night -- an absolutely wonderful show in every way.

Meadowbrook is a great venue. The only disappointment is the food -- they could make some improvements in seating, quality, and price. But overall, a great place to see a show.

[ITD]

I saw James Taylor too, great show.

[pjard]

I too was at James Taylor last night, what a GREAT entertainer. He was very engaged with the audience.

[Donzi18]

A recent news article told about a request to increase the volume and extend the show hours...which were denied, now the volume is increased anyway, I'll bet there will be complaints. I live on Smith Cove next to the Glendale Yacht Club and the bass noise is obviously louder.