Rising Nation

Rising Nation has been invited back for a second year in a row to perform at Canobie Lake Park in Salem, NH. The band will be performing on Thursday evening, August 18, at 8:00 p.m. on the Midway Stage, a covered open-air pavilion near the center of the park. Rising Nation was one of 20 bands that were selected out of hundreds to participate in Canobie Lake Park’s Battle of the Bands. Rising Nation will be performing a 30-minute set featuring original songs and covers of classic and alternative rock songs. 

Rising Nation is a local rock band made up of students from the Dover-Sherborn Regional School District ranging in grades from 8th through 12th. Band members are Annabel Hodson-Walker, Benjamin Hodson-Walker, Eliza Martin, Charlie Mandel, Amelia Hodson-Walker, and Caroline Buehler. They have played at Canobie Lake Park, TCAN (The Center for Arts in Natick), the Middlesex Bank Grand Opening, the Sherborn Yacht Club, school events such as Chocolate Café and Jammin’ in the Red, farm events, the Sherborn Senior Center, and dance recitals. 

Rising Nation plays a mixture of original songs written by several band members and a wide range of cover songs from classic and alternative rock to current popular music. The band is completely student-run and many of the members sing vocals and play several different instruments to make it more interesting for the audience. The band members found each other through a common interest in drama and rock music. 

The Battle of the Bands is a judged competition. Each Thursday and Friday evening throughout the summer, a different band will perform. Area residents are encouraged to come cheer on and support Dover-Sherborn’s local rock band, Rising Nation, at Canobie Lake Park on August 18 at 8:00 p.m. 

Further details on the event can be found at www.canobie.com/battle.

 http://www.hometownweekly.net/dover-sherborn/d-s-band-plays-canobie-lake-park/

Student Recognition Rising Nation Band Five students from the middle and high schools are founding members of their own “rock band” called Rising Nation. The band has been together for about two years and practices weekly. The band has played at TCAN (The Center for Arts in Natick), farm events, the Sherborn Senior Center, school events such as Chocolate Café and Jammin’ in the Red, and at dance recitals. What makes the band unique is that they consist of both male and female students from several different grades spanning two schools, they play a mixture of original songs written by several band members and a wide range of cover songs from classic rock to current popular music. Moreover, the band is entirely student-run and many of the band members sing vocals and play several different instruments. Rising Nation was one of twenty bands selected out of hundreds of high school/college bands who applied to play at Canobie Lake this summer for the Battle of the Bands. Rising Nation is scheduled to play on Thursday, August 6 at Canobie Lake Park. Band members include: Annabel Hodson-Walker, 10th grade - Lead vocals, guitar, songwriter, founder of band Eliza Martin, 10th grade - Keyboard, keytar, bass, vocals, songwriter Benjamin Hodson-Walker, 8th grade - Lead guitarist, vocals, bass, drums Siobhan Morse, 11th grade - Percussion Charlie Mandel, 10th grade - Bass, guitar Please visit the following websites to learn more about the band and its Canobie Lake exhibition. http://risingnationband.com (scroll down on the video page to see clips from their TCAN Rock Off Main Street concert); http://www.canobie.com/battle.

By Katrina Margolis 
Hometown Weekly Reporter 

Walking across the field to the Springdale Field Festival tents, the foliage and natural beauty of the land shone through despite the overcast weather and light rain. Kids of all ages ran around outside of the three tents, throwing footballs, kicking soccer balls, and tossing frisbies back and forth. Neither the kids, nor the families, of Dover seemed to mind the weather. 

“This makes last year look amazing! It was like 35 degrees last year,” said Jane Johnstone, a Dover resident who is involved with the Dover Land Conservation Trust. This was the second year of the annual Springdale Field Festival, the brainchild of the Trust. “With the Land Trust becoming more active in what they do, not only preserving the properties, but this is an example of active use of the properties as well,” Johnstone added. 

The three tents each served a different purpose. One housed local Dover artisans and craftpeople, including those making organic beef jerky, local seasoning salts, and a woman who grew up in Italy and raises all of her herbs herself. A second tent was deemed the Kids Tent, where face-painting, a temporary tattoo artist, and a Charlie Brown themed cut out could be found for pictures. The middle, and largest, tent was for the live music. Nation Rising, a local band consisting of Dover High School students, played their first song with surprising confidence and ability, covering The Rolling Stones’ “Gimme Shelter” with impressive accuracy. 

The tents are located on the first piece of land the Dover Land Conversation Trust acquired in 1965. “The Dover trust has been in existence since 1965, so last year kind of kicked off celebration of its 50th year. We’re trying to create awareness in town,” John Shue, a member of the Dover Trust Board said. According to Johnstone, the Springdale Fest is really his baby. 

This event comes in addition to Dover Day. “We didn’t want to duplicate what we already had. This is for the kids, but also for the parents, too. We really focus on the music, and craft beer - we’re trying to have the local focus,” Johnstone said. 

Last year, despite the cold, 300 people came out to celebrate. This year, they were expecting many more. “This is just a way to raise awareness of what The Trust does, because I don’t think a lot of people are totally aware what they do,” Johnstone concluded.