UNH and Portsmouth Music Hall strike deal to bring bigger headliners to Seacoast

The Music Hall in Portsmouth and the University of New Hampshire are partnering to bring larger touring acts to the region.

Under the new agreement, the Music Hall will curate shows at UNH's Whittemore Center, which can fit up to 7,500 fans. While the Music Hall already books major musical acts at its theater in Portsmouth, some performers skip the venue because of its limited capacity of around 900 seats.

"That is going to give us the ability to bring in much larger national headlining acts," said Tina Sawtelle, the Music Hall's president and CEO.

The first announced concert at UNH will be the Avett Brothers on May 1, 2025.

Under the arrangement, the Music Hall will pay UNH a rental fee for the venue. The school can generate additional revenues through concessions and parking fees. Tickets will be purchased through the Music Hall's box office.

Sawtelle said the hope is to stage up to six shows annually at the Whittemore Center, with a focus on major acts that otherwise may have skipped playing New Hampshire.

"So that people don't have to travel down to Boston or further distances, and that it's right here in the Seacoast community," she said.

The venue is home to UNH's hockey teams, where it seats 6,500. But with the ice covered, Sawtelle said as many as 7,500 fans could fill the venue.

The "Whitt" has hosted musical acts in the past, including Bob Dylan and Dave Matthews Band.