Snoop Dogg at the Ballroom

The inimitable Snoop Dogg will perform at the Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom this summer, offering his first appearance on the Seacoast since he played the University of New Hampshire’s Whittemore Center in 2008.

Snoop is among the highlights of a spate of concerts recently announced by the Ballroom, with tickets on sale now. Other shows include Daughtry, The Offspring, Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Huey Lewis & The News, and Chris Isaak.

Snoop Dogg, the notorious hip-hop artist who helped pioneer the gangsta rap movement in the 1990s and has become a major pop culture icon, will hit the beach on Wednesday, Aug. 1. Tickets for the general public are $47.

American Idol star Daughtry performs on Monday July 23 ($45); pop-punk veterans The Offspring play on Wednesday, July 25 ($36); and Boston ska-core legends Mighty Mighty Bosstones hit the stage on Friday, Aug. 3 ($29).

In the fall, pop-rock mainstays Huey Lewis & The News return to the Ballroom on Saturday, Oct. 27 ($37-$70); and vintage rock singer Chris Isaak offers a late-season performance on Saturday, Nov. 10 ($30-$66).

All concerts begin at 8 p.m. at the Casino Ballroom, 169 Ocean Blvd., Hampton, 603-929-4100, www.casinoballroom.com.

Outdoor shows at Governor’s Inn

The Governor’s Inn in Rochester has launched its ninth annual Summer Music Series, and outdoor shows will continue through the season. The series includes acoustic acts on the front lawn on Thursdays and Fridays, with larger bands performing on the back garden soundstage on Saturdays and Sundays.

The series kicked off with performances by John Ayer on June 21, Poor Howard and Mike “Bullfrog” Rogers on June 22, Figure 8 on June 23, and Girls Guns & Glory on June 24. Upcoming shows include Hopeless Folk on Thursday, June 28; Jonee Earthquake on Friday, June 29; All We Are on Saturday, June 30; and Dan Walker with his full band on Sunday, July 1.

Thursday shows take place from 6 to 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday shows run from 7 to 10 p.m., and Sunday afternoon shows are 4 to 7 p.m. Admission is free, although donations are encouraged. For a full summer schedule, visit www.governorsinn.com. The restaurant is at 78 Wakefield St., Rochester, 603-332-0107.

Summer in the Street

Pro Portsmouth is celebrating its 10th year of summer concerts in Market Square. The 2012 Summer in the Street series began on June 23 with performances by Salt River and Wooden Eye on a blocked-off section of Pleasant Street.

The free performances continue every Saturday night through July. The series will feature Jeff Warner & Friends on June 30; MaineSqueeze and Cormac McCarthy on July 7; UNH’s “The Little Red Wagon” on July 14 (with a second act to be announced); the Seacoast Civic Dance Company and TJ Wheeler & Friends on July 21; and “Songwriters on the Street: Women who Rock” on July 28.

Guests are invited to bring their own chairs to the shows, which take place in a busy pedestrian area from 5:30 to 9 or 9:30 p.m., weather permitting. For more information, visit www.proportsmouth.org.

Punch Brothers and Sollee headed to Portsmouth

Progressive bluegrass band the Punch Brothers, described by critics as “an acoustic Radiohead,” is headed to Portsmouth this fall. The five-piece string band will perform at The Music Hall on Tuesday, Oct. 2.

In addition, percussive cellist and singer-songwriter Ben Sollee will perform at The Music Hall Loft on Saturday, Aug. 4.

The Punch Brothers, whose latest album “Who’s Feeling Young Now?” came out earlier this year, will perform in the main theater’s Intimately Yours concert series beginning at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $28. Ben Sollee’s show is part of the Live @ the Loft series, beginning at 8 p.m. Tickets are $22.

Tickets to both shows go on sale to the general public on Friday, July 6, available by calling 603-436-2400 or visiting www.themusichall.org. The Music Hall is at 28 Chestnut St., while The Loft is at 131 Congress St.

Dance party for the Ioka

An upcoming dance party will celebrate the work of the Exeter Theater Company, which has spent months plotting the revival of the Ioka Theater in Exeter. Local party band the Jumbo Circus Peanuts will perform at the event at the Rockingham Ballroom in Newmarket on Friday, June 29.

The Exeter Theater Company, a non-profit group formed in 2009, is dedicated to preserving the Ioka as a “vital center for arts and culture.” With more than 1,400 volunteer members, they have completed business plans, cost estimates, and preliminary design work for renovations to the historic downtown theater, which has been closed since late in 2008. The company is still awaiting word from owner Alan Lewis on whether he will move forward with the plans.

In the meantime, though, they will celebrate their work with live music, appetizers and door prizes. The party begins at 7 p.m. at the Rockingham Ballroom, 22 Ash Swamp Road, Newmarket. The cost is $10. For more information, visit www.exetertheater.org or contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .