New Hampshire is one of those states that is typically looked over for bigger heavy metal acts. The last time any major band played live in New Hampshire was many moons ago in Bedford, NH where Enslaved, Immortal and Rotting Christ actually played live. There are many local metal shows to be found but what about the big acts? Why do they not include New Hampshire as a destination for planning tours? I argue that New Hampshire would be a great spot to stop in if you are in a death, black, doom, or any other kind of underground metal band. Here are my top five reasons why bigger metal bands should consider New Hampshire over Massachusetts (typical destination spot).

The population is growing…

New Hampshire used to be small New England state, many years ago not many people moved here. The typical population at the time were families and older people. As of late there is a younger population congregating towards the Granite State. There are many colleges/universities to be found throughout the state and as of late the population seems to be getting younger. Manchester, New Hampshire is now considered one of the fastest growing cities in New England. I think if more metal bands knew this the more apt they would be to tour here.

There are staunch metalheads who live here…

From the local shows I have been to in New Hampshire there is always a fervent fan base that appreciates heavy metal in all ways, shapes and forms. There are many well regarded local acts who live in and around New Hampshire two of the bigger names is Malacath and Cold Northern Vengeance. These acts have incredible talent and have a real good grasp of the black metal genre. When I am driving far away to go to shows the bulk of the people who I run into or drive down with are from New Hampshire. The unfortunate thing is metalheads in New Hampshire don’t really go out much (I don’t see a lot of shirts), but when the good metal shows happen they come out in droves.

There are a lot of great venues to experience shows at…

New Hampshire is filled with great music venues but the issue is these venues typically play incredibly horrible music that you would more likely find in a Hot Topic store.There is so much untapped potential that true metal bands could find a home in New Hampshire. Though there are a few venues that appreciate metal and of those is The Wreck Room in Peterborough, NH.The owner of this venue has a great sense of good music and is a breath of fresh air to the other venues that are filled with bad jam bands, and emo music. Also there are some venues up north in the White Mountains as well as by the Seacoast that would give some great natural imagery to live bands who want to play in those locales.

The history of New Hampshire is old and haunting…

New Hampshire is one of the original 13 colonies and by and large it has an incredible haunted history to be experienced and even written about. There are scores of old, Victorian homes built in the 1700s and there are many old and worn graveyards with some of the most ancient of stones to be looked at. There are numerous back, dirt roads that lead to thick and dark woods where ghosts would live. The spirit of Halloween is very much alive in New Hampshire and the numerous cobblestone walkways throughout the old towns harken back to a time of old. The history alone could draw any metal band to New Hampshire it just has that type of effect..

The Nature alone is a draw…

New Hampshire is one of those states with amazing natural beauty all around. There are hundreds of mountains, hills, forests, lakes through the entirety of the state. The Autumns are astoundingly beautiful, the Winters are long but have a haunting, introspective feeling, Spring and Summer are filled with colors and are incredibly green and verdant. The one thing about New Hampshire that makes me not want to leave is that the Nature surrounds me all the time, and I can find a way to escape the craziness of life to find peace in myself again. With the stunning natural beauty all around I am surprised that metal bands haven’t thought about New Hampshire as a stop to play a show on tour. To me the nature here is like its own entity and it breathes, grows and sings all the time.

Conclusion…

I think I was able to argue that New Hampshire should be a destination spot for big metal bands, I know the state would enjoy it and I know the bands would love their stay in return. As you booking agents plan your band’s tours, consider New Hampshire as a place to visit. I know they would have a warm welcome and there is no sales tax to worry about. Live Free or Die!