One of the more interesting venues in New England is the storied Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom.  Built in 1899 with construction money provided by Massachusetts businessman, Wallace D. Lovell, the Hampton Beach Casino was a welcome attraction for the beach-going middleclass looking to escape the heat of the city.  Although today, the term “casino” typically refers to a gambling hall, it can also refer to a dancing or entertainment hall as it does here.  The large wooden structure was built 2 1/2 stories high, running 190 feet along the boulevard.  At the time, it was considered the Coney Island of the North and even featured regular baseball games in the rear.

In 1927, the Hampton Beach Casino added the Casino Ballroom, one of the largest on the East Coast featuring the top acts of the day, and garnering more than 20,000 patrons weekly.  The Ballroom was an instant hit with the public where they could dance the night away to popular musical acts.  Through the years, The Ballroom continued to adapt itself to current musical tastes, hosting big bands through the 1950’s, like Louis Armstrong, The Dorsey Brothers, and The Kingston Trio; and rock-and-roll acts through the 1960’s, like The Doors, Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and The Who.  However, in 1971, a riot erupted during a Jethro Tull concert when over 3,000 fans without tickets stormed the gates.  The riot could only be squelched after the New Hampshire National Guard was summoned.  The town reacted harshly and passed a ban on rock performances, seemingly dooming The Ballroom for future generations.

The ban lasted until 1976 when Fred Schaake, Sr. purchased The Hampton Beach Casino with a small consortium of fellow businessmen.  Schaake had worked summers at The Casino since age 14 and had seen it in its prior glory.  He felt that The Casino still had value to the Northeast and could be restored and be profitable.  Although family vacations had shortened considerably since The Casino’s original inception, families no longer spent an entire summer at a cottage on the beach, Schaake had ideas on how to capitalize on the changing market.  He immediately began renovations, removing decaying buildings, and installing two mini-malls and the first seasonal McDonald’s, which is still closed in the winter months even today.  Next, Schaake and one of his partners, Jim Goodwin, rejuvenated the Casino Ballroom.  They worked to remove the town’s ban on rock acts and diversified the performances.  He also focused on making things as comfortable as possible for performers, encouraging them to stay for long periods and to come back often.  From 1978-1979, Roy Orbison considered The Ballroom a favorite venue and headlined four shows a year.

Today, Fred Schaake, Jr. owns and runs the Casino.  He has continued his father’s goal to diversify acts, as represented by the eclectic mix of bands, sporting events, and comedy acts the Casino Ballroom regularly showcases.  As his father did before him, Schaake has also continued to adapt The Casino to the times, installing corporate skyboxes about a decade ago and closing The Casino Opera House’s movie theater in 1982.  However, much of The Casino Ballroom itself stands as it did in 1927, giving patrons a glimpse into the past.  It features the same wooden spring floor that provides comfort and bounces along with dancers, as it did when The Ballroom was originally constructed.  A large mural is painted on one wall representing The Ballroom’s history and displaying accurate renderings of many of the artists who have played there over the years.

The Casino Ballroom is still a favorite venue for many acts today.  The Black Crowes had called it their home away from home.  It’s clear that the joy that acts feel backstage carry forward to their stage performances.  I remember one night in particular when Bush played The Ballroom.  At one point during the performance, the speakers on the right side of the stage failed.  It appeared the sound crew had corrected then problem when the speakers went out for a second time and didn’t come back.  After a couple minutes without sound from one half of the stage, lead singer, Gavin Rossdale disappeared from the stage only to reappear moments later at the back of the crowd.  He hopped up on a small platform only a few feet away from where I was standing.  Equipped with a wireless hookup, Rossdale continued to play and sing directly to the crowd until the speaker problem was rectified.  It was a classy move and I’ll remember it always.

"Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’”
Martin Luther King, Jr.