z*So here are the details concerning the DAVE MATTHEWS BAND tickets for the August 30-31 Hartford shows, which are going on sale Saturday morning.

Tickets are $57 for reserved seating and $39.50 for the lawn, which includes a $4.50 parking fee. There will be a wristband lottery for the 10 am on-sale, which means it really doesn’t matter what time you get in line, 2 am or 7 am. As I’ve said before this new lottery system turns the ticket buying into a total crapshoot.

Wristbands will be handed out starting at 7 am and the lottery will take place at 9:15. Because the box office at the Meadows has not yet opened for the season, the onsale will be taking place at the Oakdale Theatre in Wallingford. If you don’t want to go fight for tickets in person, take a chance at calling 203-265-1501 or log on to tickets.com.

*Tickets for the June 11 POISON concert at the Meadows have gone on sale, priced at $30.50 for “potential view lower pavilion,” $20.50 for mid and upper pavilion, and $10.50 for lawn seats. SKID ROW and VINCE NEIL will both have opening sets for the 6 pm show. These tickets are also available through tickets.com or the Oakdale’s box office for now.

*THE MACVITTIES have a show in their hometown this weekend. Chris and Fred will be at Proud Mary’s on Friday, March 28, from 9 am to midnight. Proud Mary’s is the way cool lower lounge at The Inn at Newtown, 19 Main Street (270-1876).

*Seasoned rockers HUEY LEWIS AND THE NEWS haven’t tired of the stage, and Connecticut will be graced with an appearance by the band this summer.

I give Lewis a lot of credit for continuing to tour. Honestly. I heard him do an interview once where he said basically “Look, we may be the butt of some stupid jokes right now, but we’re still a good band and we stand behind our music. At one time we had the biggest-selling album for a number of months straight. Just because our music isn’t that popular today doesn’t mean we’re lousy musicians. It just means America got tired of ‘New Drug.’ Hey, I’m tired of that song too!”

I may or may not go to the August 2 show scheduled for Foxwoods Casino, but the guy still has my respect either way.

No details on tickets yet.

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

MARCH 28 — Sol Dog at The Brew House, SoNo; Off The Hook at Carl Anthony’s, Monroe; The Zoo at Tuxedo Junction, Danbury; Jez Lowe at Acoustic Café, Bridgeport; De La Sol at Toad’s Place, New haven (all ages); Taking Back Sunday at The Webster Theatre, Hartford, From Autumn To Ashes, Recover and Breaking Pangaea opening (all ages);

March 29 — Peter Obre and Alan Johnson at 707 On Main, Monroe; Dry Kill Logic, Downfall, Dioxide and Redefined at The Empress Ballroom, Danbury (all ages); Off The Hook at Murphy’s Law; Them Bones at Tuxedo Junction; Sum 41 at The Webster Theatre, The Starting Line, No Use For A Name and Authority Zero opening (all ages);

March 30 — The Tony Levin Band at Toad’s Place (all ages); Project/Object at The Webster Theatre, The Goods and Circus Fire opening (all ages); Susan Tedeschi at Mohegan Sun’s Wolf Den;

March 31 — Concrete Blonde at The Webster Theatre (all ages).

APRIL 1 — Particle at Toad’s Place, New Haven (all ages);

April 3 — Seeking Home at The Webster Theatre;

April 4 — Peter Obre and Alan Johnson at 707 On Main, Monroe; They Might Be Giants at Toad’s Place (all ages); Martin Sexton at The Webster Theatre (all ages);

April 5 — Percy Hill at The Webster Theatre, Stephanian opening (all ages); Vance Gilbert at Acoustic Café, Bridgeport, with special guest Paul Gabriel; Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes at Mohegan Sun Wolf Den, Uncasville;

April 6 — Stephen Pearcy of Ratt at The Webster Theatre, Buff Daddy and Nomad opening (all ages);

April 9 — Rusted Root at The Webster Theatre, Army of Me and Defcon 5 opening;

April 10 — The Mooney Suzuki at Toad’s Place (all ages); RA at The Webster Theatre;

April 11 — Peter Obre and Alan Johnson at Gail’s Station House, Ridgefield; John Valby at Toad’s Place; 2 Live Crew and Insane Clown Posse at The Webster Theatre, Anybody Killa opening; Eric Anderson at Acoustic Café;

April 12 — The Disco Biscuits at The Webster Theatre; Sloan Wainwright Band at Towne Crier Café, Pawling, N.Y.;

April 15 — 6 Second Crush, A Certain Something, Mae, Plain White Ts and This Blue Holiday at The Webster Theatre;

April 18 — Peter Mulvey at Acoustic Café;

April 18 & 19 — Todd Rundgren at Mohegan Sun’s Wolf Den;

April 19 — Third Annual WCC Rock Expo at CT Expo Center, Hartford, featuring Cold, Seether, From Zero, Double Drive, Splitshift and Gargantua Soul; Peter Obre and Alan Johnson at 707 On Main; Raisin Hill at Acoustic Café, Bridgeport; Everclear at The Webster Theatre, Authority Zero, Az-Iz, Fend, Mile Marker Zero, Offshoot and The Exies opening;

April 20 — Eventide at The Webster Theatre, 6Gig, In Itself and In Progress opening;

April 22 — Yo La Tengo at Toad’s Place (all ages);

April 25 — The Nields and Cadence Carroll at Acoustic Café;

April 25 & 26 — Toto at Mohegan Sun’s Wolf Den;

April 26 — Good Charlotte and New Found Glory at Hartford Civic Center, Less Than Jake and Hot Rod Circuit opening; Wayne Keenan at Acoustic Cafe; 7th Enemy, Gaiah, Hammerfist, Rucus and Tubesteak at The Webster Theatre;

April 27 — Tower of Power at The Webster Theatre (all ages);

April 28 — The Doors (Ray Manzarek, Robbie Krieger & Ian Astbury) at Oakdale Theater;

April 29 — Dixie Dregs at Toad’s Place; The Used and Thrice at The Webster Theatre (all ages);

April 30 — Matt Nathenson at Acoustic Café.

MAY 2 — Junction 18, Bayside and The Goodwill at The Empress Ballroom, Danbury (all ages);

May 3 — Peter Obre and Alan Johnson at 707 On Main, Monroe;

May 9 — Dope at The Webster Theatre, Hartford, Zug Island and Tapping The Vein opening (all ages); Bernard Allison at Black-Eyed Sally’s BBQ & Blues Café, Hartford;

May 10 — King’s X and Fishbone at The Webster Theatre, Cancer To The Stars, Fusion Under Control, Styrocultural Antidote, Subtle Mischief and Sugarfist opening (all ages); Sugar Ray & The Bluetones featuring Monster Mike Welch at Black-Eyed Sally’s;

May 16 — Larry Garner at Black-Eyed Sally’s;

May 17 —Peter Obre and Alan Johnson at 707 On Main; Larry Garner at Black-Eyed Sally’s;

May 20 — Matchbox Twenty at Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, Sugar Ray opening;

May 22 — Vince Wellnick at The Webster Theatre;

May 23 — Peter Obre and Alan Johnson at Gail’s Station House, Ridgefield;

May 25 — Cher at Mohegan Sun Arena;

May 30 — Dick Dale at Toad’s Place, New Haven; Eric Sardinas at Black-Eyed Sally’s; Richard Marx at Mohegan Sun.

JUNE 7 — Earth, Wind & Fire at Oakdale Theatre, Wallingford;

June 11 — Poison at The Meadows Music Centre, Hartford, Skid Row and Vince Neil opening;

June 20 — Charlie Daniels Band at Mohegan Sun; Debbie Davies Band at Black-Eyed Sally’s BBQ & Blues Café, Hartford;

June 29  — Norah Jones at careerbuilder.com Oakdale Theatre, Wallingford.

JULY 3 — John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band at Mohegan Sun, Uncasville;

July 5-6 — America at Mohegan Sun;

July 6 — Heart at Foxwoods Casino, Ledyard;

July 24 — Night Ranger at Mohegan Sun;

July 26 — Anthony Gomes at Black-Eyed Sally’s BBQ & Blues Café, Hartford;

July 29 — Joan Jett & The Blackhearts at Mohegan Sun;

July 16 — James Taylor at Meadows Music Centre, Hartford.

AUGUST 1 — Rick Springfield at Foxwoods Resort & Casino, Ledyard;

August 6 — The Outfield at Mohegan Sun, Uncasville;

August 8 — Eddie Money at Mohegan Sun;

August 10 — Jethro Tull at Mohegan Sun Arena.

SEPTEMBER 26 — Credence Clearwater Revisited at Mohegan Sun.