And I see from the wire that I’m not the only entertainment industry worker bee who is trying to make a lot of honey this spring and summer. Yes, folks, the concert season continues to heat up with several new announcements.

If you were shut out of an attempt to grab tix for the June 25 MADONNA show in Hartford, and you can manage to tear yourself away from Monday night little league practice or other domestic activities, run to your nearest Ticketmaster site or click onto the web because seats for a second show by the Material Girl herself are going on sale at 10 am Friday, April 21.

There’s already lots of buzz about this upcoming tour where the other divine Miss ‘M’ will be turning the Hartford Civic Center into a huge, pulsating nightspot as she showcases dance club style versions of a broad spectrum of her material, including selections from her latest offering, “Confessions on a Dance Floor.”

There are plenty of other talents keeping some other Hartford venues hopping in the upcoming months. A KELLY CLARKSON presale is already in effect for a July 15 show at the New England Dodge Music Center (formerly The Meadows). No other official public on-sale info was forthcoming at press time, but you fan club members better get hopping if you want to snap up the best seats.

If you’re a country fan, seats for MONTGOMERY GENTRY go on sale Friday, April 21, at 10 am for ‘The Dodge,’ and fans of good old-fashioned classic rock and roll, with a dose of horns, will certainly go for this news.

Tickets for an awesome double bill featuring CHICAGO and HUET LEWIS AND THE NEWS become available Saturday, April 22, at 10 am. This is the first time in forever that Huey will be heading outdoors — he has typically opted for the indoor comfort of the Oakdale/Chevrolet Theatre.

Hopefully, with CHICAGO on the bill, we’ll see some top-notch horn work in Huey’s set, courtesy of those guys from the Windy City covering the backup, and maybe we’ll get Huey singing a few CHICAGO tunes as well.

Speaking of The Chevrolet Theatre, seats for O.A.R. go on sale at 10 am Saturday, April 22. And there is a rumor of a BONNIE RAITT, KEB’ MO double bill scheduled for the “Chevy” on July 16 but no on-sale details have been forthcoming for that show yet.

If you’re already planning for the end of the year holidays — I know, Halloween isn’t even here yet — pencil yourself in for the gala return of either THE ANDY WILLIAMS CHRISTMAS SHOW, unofficially scheduled for December 20 at the Chevrolet Theatre, or THE BRIAN SETZER ORCHESTRA rumored to be swinging into the Fox Theater at Foxwoods December 2.

If you are a JASON MRAZ fan, unfortunately that May 17 show at The Fox is all sold out, but you can still get a seat for PAUL RODGERS lately fronting the reconstituted QUEEN. PAUL will be singing hits from FREE, BAD COMPANY, his solo work with JIMMY PAGE and maybe a QUEEN song or two when he comes to The Fox May 20.

Connecticut native MICHAEL BOLTON will be on The Fox Theater’s stage a few nights later on May 26, if you are more inclined to enjoy some easier listening.

Big news out of Mohegan Sun’s pressroom on a couple of HUGE shows coming in to the arena.

Former BEATLE and ALL-STARR, RINGO STARR is set for a show at Mohegan Sun July 16 at 7 pm. I guess the show is starting early so he can get all the music from his BEATLES and solo days in, along with a sampling of material from his ALL-STARR BAND which includes Rod Argent from The Zombies, Hamish Stewart, Richard Marx, Billy Squier, and Edgar Winter. Shelia E returns on drums and percussion, and bandleader Mark Rivera from BILLY JOEL’s band, rounds out the group. Tickets are $45 and $35, and go on sale Saturday, April 22, at 10 am through Ticketmaster only.

Rob Thomas and JEWEL bring their solo talents to Mohegan Sun Arena on Sunday, June 4, at 7 pm. Tickets are $60 and $45 and go on sale Saturday, April 29, at 10 am through Ticketmaster.

In case the name sounds familiar, but you’ve been living in a cave without a radio, Rob Thomas is best known as the driving force behind the band Matchbox Twenty.

During her career JEWEL has sold more than 25 million records worldwide and has received three Grammy nominations and an American Music Award. Her set at Mohegan will undoubtedly feature material from her soon-to-be-released sixth album “Goodbye Alice in Wonderland” which will be her first new recording in almost three years.

Aside from his street corner doo-wop and classic vocal group crooning that served as a soundtrack for a generation of fans, FRANKIE VALLI is finding himself experiencing another career renaissance. His story forms the basis for the current Broadway smash Jersey Boys, and he also can be found in a recurring role on HBO’s The Sopranos.

You can meet this music industry giant during Mohegan Sun’s Signings and Sightings Program, sponsored by Spin Street and The Shops At Mohegan Sun. The event will take place in the Spring Gateway on Saturday, May 13, following the 8 pm performance by Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons in Mohegan Sun Arena. Mr VALLI will be autographing copies of a boxed set of the music of his long and successful career that will be sold by Spin Street. Be advised and not disappointed — he will not be signing ticket stubs or any other memorabilia.

I’m thrilled to see one of my all-time favorite acts, THE INDIGO GIRLS, are tentatively scheduled for a two-night stand at the Mohegan Sun Cabaret July 24 and 25, preceding their Sunday headlining set at the Dunkin’ Donuts Newport Folk Festival in Newport, R.I., August 6. More details on that should be forthcoming from the folks at Mohegan soon.

This show is one of four monthly acoustic artists shows at the intimate Cabaret. Other shows in the series will include Suzanne Vega in May, Shawn Mullins in June, and Marc Cohn in August — additional specifics on this series will be available in next week’s column.

If you tend toward the eclectic — read: quirky — look to Mohegan Sun for a set by the nerds from THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS, coming into the Fox Den July 1.

And while we’re on the subject of nerds — on a mission, I will be playing this Saturday, April 22, at a special grand opening and Earth Day celebration from 10 am to 1 pm at Dan Holmes Fine Gardens Center on Mt Pleasant Road. Come out for some music and fun, and learn how to utilize organic methods in your garden and landscaping to play a part in helping us all save the planet!

I’ve also been invited to MC and perform at two great upcoming benefit events, the Fairfield County WalkAmerica to benefit The March of Dimes, Sunday, April 30, at Sherwood Island State Park in Westport, and at the May 6 Stroll with Harold & Friends dog walk-a-thon to benefit the Children’s Burn Camp and the Connecticut Burns Care Foundation.

If you’re a dog owner, why not come down to Captain’s Cove in Bridgeport for this event — more info can be found for each of these activities at the respective websites: www.walkamerica.org or www.ctburnsfoundation.org. I’ll be back at mocha for Paint the Town Purplefest III to benefit the Newtown Relay For Life on May 13. Or check me out while enjoying dinner this and next Saturday, April 22 and 29 at Sal e Pepe on South Main Street in Newtown – showtimes are 7 to 10:30 pm.

UPCOMING SHOWS

APRIL 21 — Bleed for Me and Recourse at The Empress Ballroom, Danbury; John Taglieri at The Acoustic Café, Bridgeport; Champions on Ice at the Hartford Civic Center; The Pink Floyd Tribute — The Machine at The Webster Theater, Hartford; Sarah Borges at Café 9, New Haven; Blue Oyster Cult at Toad’s Place, New Haven.

April 22 — Break Away, The Deficiency and Useless at The Empress Ballroom, Danbury; “Break – The Urban Funk Spectacular” at the Paul Mellon Arts Center, Wallingford; Maria Muldaur at The Towne Crier, Pawling, N.Y.; John Voket at Sal e Pepe Restaurant, Newtown; Billy Joel at the Hartford Civic Center.

April 23 — Amy Correia and The Weepies at The Acoustic Café, Bridgeport; Matchbook Romance headlining the “Take Action Tour” at the Webster Theater, Hartford; Blues Traveller at Toad’s Place, New Haven.

April 25 — “The World Famous Lipizzaner Stallions at the O’Neill Center at WestConn; Big Bad Voodoo Daddy at The Ridgefield Playhouse; Days Away, Rookie of the Year and Sound the Alarm at The Empress Ballroom, Danbury; POD headlining a multiband show at the Webster Theater, Hartford.

April 26 — Bedouin Soundclash with State Radio and Zox at Toad’s Place, New Haven.

April 27 — Demiricous, If Hope Dies, Nodes of Ranvier and Still Remians at The Empress Ballroom, Danbury.

April 28 — Seamus Kennedy at the Acoustic Café, Bridgeport; Barbie Live in Fairytopia at the Chevrolet Music Theatre, Wallingford; Livingston Taylor at the Garde Arts Center, New London; Tracy Grammer at The Space, Hamden.

April 29 — Barbie Live in Fairytopia at the Chevrolet Music Theatre, Wallingford; John Voket at Sal e Pepe Restaurant, Newtown; Dklimb and Park at The Empress Ballroom, Danbury; Maynard Ferguson & Big Bop Nouveau at The Ridgefield Playhouse; Chick Corea at the Ives Theater at WestConn; Badfish – Sublime Tribute at the Webster Theater, Hartford; Lifehouse at Central Connecticut State University, New Britain; The Turtles feat, Flo & Eddie at the Meriden Daffodil Festival, Hubbard Park, Meriden (free show).