*It’s official: Tonight’s SOL DOG show at The Avenue Café in Black Rock will in fact be a gig celebrating the band’s second CD, Whatever Gets You There. These guys put on a good, fun show on most nights anyway, so plan for the energy to be kicked up a few notches tonight.

I’m guessing that in addition to the planned surprises for the audience and special guests, this will be another of Sol Dog’s infamous Buy The Band A Shot Nights. Want to get on their good side? Buy the boys a round of Jameson.

Upcoming shows also include February 8 at Toad’s Place, and then February 25 at The Georgetown Saloon. Neither of those shows are appearing on the respective venue’s websites as of early this week, however, so help the band by getting the word out. Tuesday’s show will start around 9:30.

The band has hooked up with CDbaby.com this time around, so copies of the new album can be purchased online if you don’t pick one up at a show. The direct link for the new album is www.CDbaby.com/cd/SolDog, and the online price is $12.97.

*Tickets will be going on sale next Saturday morning for STING, who will be playing Mohegan Sun Arena on Friday, May 6. Prices have been set at $65 and $85.

Tickets have gone on sale for the May 27 SARAH McLACHLAN show, which will feature an opening set by The Perishers. Tickets for that show are $35 and $55. Mohegan Sun tickets are available through TicketMaster outlets.

*AMERICAN MORTAR ORIGINAL ROCK BAND will be back on the road this month, playing at Cousin Larry’s Sports Bar & Café on Friday, February 18. The café is on Main Street, at the corner of Elm (telephone 730-0035).

Showtime is 9:30, and the cover charge is just $3.

The show, says lead singer and lyricist Susan Brachfeld Washburn, will be a Belated Valentine’s Day Bash. “Everyone who didn’t have a chance to give or get a valentine on the 14th – and even those who did – has to come that night! A free rose will be given to the first ten pairs of people,” she promises.

*Good news from the blues scene: The 2nd ANNUAL BLACK ROCK BLUES FESTIVAL will take place Friday and Saturday, March 25-26, at Black Rock Art Center, 2838 Fairfield Avenue in Bridgeport (the Black Rock section of the city) and a few other nearby venues.

This year’s event will open at 7:30 on Friday with the Grammy Award-winning CLARENCE “GATEMOUTH” BROWN and DAN STEVENS & THE FIERY BAND at the arts center, 2838 Fairfield Avenue (telephone 203-367-7917). Tickets for this show are $20 online in advance or $25 at the door.

Additional shows on Friday, all starting at 9:30, will include BLACK CAT BONE and MISSISSIPPI BLUES at Ray Kelly’s Tavern ($5), blues and Black Rock Castle (also a $5 cover charge, bands TBA), THE DUKE ROBILLARD BAND at Acoustic Café, and more blues at The Green Room.

Saturday’s events will open with Blues & Ribs, a lunch event with WPKN radio host Bob Shapiro and blues musicians. Performances will be ongoing at Taco Loco, Black Rock Castle and Home on The Range (it’s still early in the scheduling, I guess, which is why the details on who will be performing where are so sketchy; I’ll keep you posted on what I hear as notices come in).

From 2 to 4 pm, Martin Scorsese Presents the Blues will be screened for free (location TBA). There will also be a blues guitar workshop, a harmonica workshop and a “History of the Blues” workshop with Mr Shapiro. The first two workshop locations are TBA; Mr Shapiro’s will be at Black Rock Art Center.

The music will return in earnest Saturday night with JAMES COTTON, who has performances scheduled for 7:30 and 9:30 at Black Rock Art Center. Tickets for these shows are $20 in advance, $25 at the door.

Elsewhere, the music will continue with BLUES PATROL at Black Rock Castle, and additional bands performing at Ray Kelly’s Tavern and The Green Room.

Contact IPA by phone at 203-367-7917 or online at www.InternationalPerformingArts.com for full festival details.

*PRESERVATION HALL JAZZ BAND is among the latest additions to the scheduled at The Ridgefield Playhouse. Sponsored by Molly Darcy’s in Danbury, the jazz band will be headlining in Ridgefield on St Patrick’s Day. Showtime is 8 pm; call the playhouse, at 203-438-5795 for ticket prices and reservations.

*The Hamie A. Hulley Unplugged Series, a new series that will feature musicians discussing their work, will kick off Wednesday, February 23, with drummer CHRIS FRANZ and bassist TINA WEYMOUT – the husband-wife rhythm section for seminal funk/rock bands TALKING HEADS and THE TOM TOM CLUB. The informal event, which is free of charge and open to the public, will take place at 7 pm in The Levee, on the campus of Fairfield University.

Mr Franz and Ms Weymouth will discuss the inspiration for and creation of several Talking Heads and Tom Tom Club songs, as well as the changes they have seen in the music industry throughout their career. Brian Torff, the director of the university’s music program (which is organizing the series), chose the couple because of the pioneering spirit and artistry.

For additional information about the fund, visit www.JamieHulleyArtsFund.org; for details about the Unplugged event later this month, contact the university’s Office of Public Relations at 203-254-4190.

Until next week I’ll be seeing you… on the road.

Questions and comments should be sent to Shannon Hicks c/o The Newtown Bee, 5 Church Hill Road, Newtown, CT 06470, or shannon@thebee.com, or call the office at 426-3141.

Shows listed at club locations are for ages 21 and over unless specified.

UPCOMING CONCERTS

FEBRUARY 4 — Queensryche at The Webster Theatre, Hartford (all ages); The Marshall Tucker Band at Toad’s Place, New Haven, Bounty Hunter, American Trash and Bobby T & The Electric Circus opening; Sol Dog at The Avenue Café, Black Rock (CD Release Party); Lisa Loeb at The Acoustic Café, Bridgeport; Concord Jazz Festival at The Ridgefield Playhouse featuring Diane Schuur, Oleta Adams and Karrin Allyson; The Highland Rovers at Playhouse on The Green, Bridgeport;

February 5 — Joe Cocker at Foxwoods Casino’s Fox Theatre, Ledyard; Tony Trischka, then Brian Kingston at The Acoustic Café; Roamer and The Rafter Bats at Café Nine, New Haven;

February 7 — Dizzy Reed at The Webster Underground, Hartford (all ages);

February 9 — Alterbridge at The Webster Theatre; open jam at The Acoustic Cafe, hosted by Seth Horan (formerly of Vertical Horizon);

February 10 — Entombed, Crowbar and Pro-Pain at The Webster Theatre (all ages); Sage Francis at Toad’s Place, Soliloquists of Sounds and Jared Paul opening (all ages); U-Melt at The Acoustic Café;

February 11 — Joe Cocker at Stamford’s Palace Theatre, Eugen Grove opening; Steel Pulse at Toad’s Place, Mutti Lewis opening (all ages); Dylan Connor at The Acoustic Café, with Sam Bisbee and Todd Martin opening (rescheduled from January 22); Morris Day & The Time at Mohegan Sun’s Wolf Den, Uncasville;

February 12 — Liz McNicholl at The Acoustic Café, with special guests Hoe and Liam Bailey; The Machine at The Webster Theatre (rescheduled from January 22, original tickets will be honored); Ashford & Simpson at Mohegan Sun’s Wolf Den;

February 13 — local punk band showcase at Toad’s Place featuring A Fighting Chance, Saturday Matinee, A Lazy Way Out, Morning After and When Freedom Dies (all ages).