*I knew there was a reason I ordered a 20th Anniversary Margaritaville car magnet this week. Jimmy’s coming back to Connecticut!

   The king of all Parrot Heads will be at Mohegan Sun Arena on June 17, which will be his first appearance in the state since 1999.

   Tickets are $66, $96, $156 and $201, and will be going on sale Monday, April 18. TicketMaster is the vendor for all Mohegan Sun Arena shows.

   Already on sale (and I apologize for missing this show; I didn’t receive my usual advance notice from the arena) are the tickets for MEAT LOAF, who returns to his former home state on August 15. Tickets for that Arena show are $25 and $35.

   Going on sale Monday, April 11, will be tickets for DEEP PURPLE, with Mountain opening. That show will be Thursday, June 23. Tickets are $30 and $35.

   *SNOOP DOGG and THE GAME will headline the How The West Was One Tour when it rolls into Hartford Civic Center on April 29. Tickets for that show are available through all TicketMaster outlets for $28.50 or $48.50.

   Also on that bill are Don Omar and Cuban Link.

   *Ives Concert Park over in Danbury has been quietly announcing its 2005 summer season. A look at the venue’s website this week shows listings for STEVE WINWOOD on June 25, THE CHIEFTAINS on July 10, MICHAEL McDONALD on July 22, and a COLLECTIVE SOUL-GIN BLOSSOMS double bill on August 13.

   Tickets are already on sale for these four shows, which will happen rain or shine. Visit any TicketMaster vendor or go online for pricing details and purchases.

   *The Webster in Hartford announced a number of new shows this week. Among the most interesting additions include FOREIGNER on Friday, June 3; and THRONE on Friday, July 15.

   Other additions include FLICKERSTICK on Monday, April 26; PERCY HILL on Saturday, May 14; STREETLIGHT MANIFESTO, GYM CLASS HEROES and WHOLE WHEAT BREAD on Thursday, June 2; SOILENT GREEN, PERFECT MURDER, INTO THE MOAT and WATCH THEM DIE on Thursday, July 21; and THERION on Tuesday, October 4.

   *JOHN WILLIAMS, one of the most versatile and respected guitarists in the world, will be performing for the first time in Connecticut next week. Williams has a 7:30 engagement planned on Wednesday, April 13, at The Bushnell Theatre in Hartford.

   Tickets run from $25 to $70, with discounts for Connecticut Classical Guitar Society members, and advance reservations are required; call 860-249-7041 or visit www.CCGS.org for full details and/or reservations.

   *The “Four Hands, One Piano” show of CATHY WALDMAN & PAUL LEVI returns to The Acoustic Café in Bridgeport this weekend. The weekend will open with Jim Sharkey’s Stand-Up Comedy on Friday, April 8, at 9 pm (tickets $8); and then continue with COSMIC JIBAROS on Saturday ($5). The Four Hands On Piano gig will then start at 5 pm on Sunday afternoon (tickets $15).

   Mother-daughter vocalists Alice and Shirah Lipson will be the featured guests of The Four-Hand Band in the second dinner concert of the new “Classical And...” series at the café. Duo pianists (and husband and wife) Cathy Wildman and Paul Levi founded the series as an opportunity to showcase their Four-Hand Band and to make music with each other and their friends.

   This weekend’s concert will present treasures from the Four-Hand Band duet literature as well as songs by Leonard Bernstein, Kurt Weill, Duke Ellington, Steven Sondheim, classical selections, and “Three Wedding Songs” from The Song of Songs (I’m not sure what that means; just quoting the band’s literature at this point), composed by Ms Wildman and the Rabbi Mark Lipson.

   Next Friday’s special guest at The Café is JOHN HAMMOND, whose show will start at 9 pm. Tickets are $22. HOUSEWIVES ON PROZAC return the following night with an 8 pm set, followed by SMOKE THE PROPHET at 10. Admission is $15 for the first set, $5 for the second.

   *Tickets for SOCIAL DISTORTION’s just-announced May 17 show at Toad’s Place in New Haven are going on sale Friday morning (April 8). These tickets will initially be available only online, through eTix.com, and will be available at 9 am.

   Also just announced is an April 26 show by LIFEHOUSE, just in time to celebrate the band’s third release. The self-titled album debuted on Billboard’s album charts just inside the Top Ten, and the guys will be hitting the road on April 15. Tickets for the show at Toad’s Place are $17.50 in advance or $20 at the door, and the show is open to all ages. I don’t know if there will be an opener; as of this week no one is listed on the Toad’s Place website.

   If you want a preview of what the guys are looking like these days, check out the prom issue of Smallville on April 20.

   *Because the artist has a new movie commitment, this weekend’s MOS DEF show has been postponed for the time being. Toad’s expects a new date will happen late summer or early fall. Current ticket-holders have two choices: Hold on to your tickets, which will be honored when the show is rescheduled, or return them for a refund at the point of purchase.

   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 SHOWS

APRIL 8 — Mudvayne at The Webster Theatre, Hartford, Life of Agony and American Head Charge opening (all ages); Jack Wagner at Mohegan Sun’s Wolf Den, Uncasville (also performing one show on April 9); Jim Sharkey’s Stand-Up Comedy at The Acoustic Café, Bridgeport; Addison Groove Project at Toad’s Place, New Haven (all ages);

April 9 — Bob Weir & Ratdog at Foxwoods Casino’s Fox Theatre, Ledyard; Beatlejuice, Jim Florentine (of Crank Yankers) and Bob Levy at The Webster Theatre; Don McLean at The Ridgefield Playhouse, Kevin Briody opening; Jack Wagner at Mohegan Sun’s Wolf Den (also performing April 8); The Benjamins at Tuxedo Junction, Danbury; Cosmic Jibaros at The Acoustic Café;

April 10 — Tori Amos at The Bushnell, Hartford; John Voket at Mocha Coffee House, Sandy Hook (early show, starts at 3); The Zambonis at The Webster Underground, Hartford; Bowling For Soup at The Webster (all ages); Cathy Waldman and Paul Levi (Four Hand-Band with “Classical and....” series) with special guests Alice and Shirah Lipson at The Acoustic Café.

April 12 — Cher at Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, The Village People opening; Hat City Blues Band at The BoxCar, Southport;

April 13 — Alicia Keys at Foxwoods Casino’s Fox Theatre, John Legend opening (also playing April 14); John Williams at The Bushnell Theatre, Hartford; Astro Grass at The Acoustic Café; Max Creek at Toad’s Place (all ages);

April 14 — Alicia Keys at Foxwoods Casino’s Fox Theatre; Pencil Grass at The Acoustic Café;

April 15 — Everclear at Toad’s Place (all ages); Blue Oyster Cult at Mohegan Sun’s Wolf Den; Hat City Blues Band at The Lodge, Southbury; John Hammond at The Acoustic Café; The Pietasters and Mustard Plug at The Webster Theatre (all ages).