*HAT CITY BLUES BAND, who returns to The Georgetown Saloon tonight (April 22), has added a pair of shows to its itinerary. The band will be at Black Rock Castle in Bridgeport on Saturday, May 28, and Redding Roadhouse on Saturday, October 29.

  *Two more shows coming to the area this summer are going on sale this weekend

  Tickets for ZZ TOP, who will be at the Oakdale in Wallingford on Friday, July 8, will be on sale Friday morning at 10. All seats are $38. Visit the Oakdale’s box office in person or any TicketMaster vendor (in person, charge or online) for purchases.

  Then on Saturday tickets for TOM PETTY and THE BLACK CROWES, who will be at The Meadows in Hartford on Friday, June 24, are going on sale.

  These tickets have been set at $29.50 for the lawn and $39.50 or $59.50 for the reserved seats in the pavilion. The Meadows box office hasn’t yet opened for the season, so use the Oakdale box office or TicketMaster for this show as well.

  *SOL DOG continues to celebrate the release of its second album, Whatever Gets You There, with shows throughout the area. Two upcoming events include a performance on opening night at Beltaine Festival 2005, a weekend event taking place in Oxford the weekend of April 29 to May 1. The festival will open at 9 am Friday and run until 7 pm Sunday. The Old Farmer’s Almanac, notes the festival’s website, is predicting a warm and sunny weekend for Beltaine 2005.

  The 7th Annual Beltaine Festival & Camping Event returns to Schrieber’s Farm in Oxford (on Route 188/Quaker Farm Road).

  The event is a major fundraiser for the land fund of Panthean Temple, currently based in New Haven (telephone 203-734-7222), and looking to build a permanent home. Admission is $100 for a full weekend pass (all three days of the festival, including camping), or $50 per day (and no camping). Admission for children is $50 or $25, respectively.

  Classes and workshops for children and adults will be running all weekend; check the festival’s website for details on that – we’re going to focus on the music here.

  An unplugged set by Rick Bison (of Stone The Hostess) will open the stage at 6 pm Friday, followed by SOL DOG’s concert at 7 pm.

  Music on Saturday also begins at 6 and will include “beautiful ballads and inspiring pagan folk” by the local band DREAMSPIRIT; Celtic and pagan music by SHAMAN; and then WENDY RULE, a platinum-selling Australian pagan recording artist who will be making a rare American appearance to headline Saturday’s music line-up.

  *I’m kind of surprised that the SOL DOG guys won’t be spending their weekend at Beltraine, or perhaps they’ll be heading back later in the event, but right now their plans are to return to Sandy Hook on Saturday, April 30, for a show at 100 Church Hill.

  *Bee reporter and multi-tasker JOHN VOKET returns to Mocha Coffee House in Sandy Hook next weekend. John’s show will run from 7 to 10 pm on Friday, April 29.

  His next show at the Glen Road locale will be Saturday, May 21.

*“With a Little Help From My Friends,” a benefit concert for the Kim and Tim Donnelly Music Scholarship, will be held Saturday, May 7, at Fairfield University. Performers for the event include The Fairfield University Orchestra and Jazz Ensemble, the local band Prophets of Funk, and The Alternate Routes, a band featuring the Donnellys’ son Eric.

I talked about this concert already a few weeks ago, but there has been one important change since then: Allman Brothers drummer JAIMOE was originally scheduled to perform with the ensemble and other performers, but is no longer able to attend.

Anyway, the groups will put on two separate but identical performances at 7 and 9:30 pm in the Kelley Theatre of the Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts. Proceeds from the concert will go toward the creation of a scholarship in the Donnellys’ name to assist a Fairfield University music student. The Donnellys, you may remember, were killed in their Fairfield center jewelry store in early February.

The concert will kick off with Prophets of Funk, a local band formed by students at the Fairfield high schools and Fairfield College Preparatory School. The band, which includes a saxophone, two electric guitars, electric bass and drums, will play two short selections.

University Music Program Director Brian Torff, a noted composer and bassist, will accompany the Fairfield Orchestra and direct the Jazz Ensemble in playing two songs, “Jaimoe’s Shuffle” and “Mike’s Tune.” The University jazz faculty, including Mr Torff, Eric Donnelly and George Naha, and student Aaron Milazzo will then join the ensemble to play “There is No Greater Love.”

The Fairfield University Orchestra, under the direction of Laura Nash, PhD, will be joined by Mr Torff and Fairfield’s Academic Vice President and accomplished pianist Orin Grossman, PhD, for “My Romance.” Timothy Law Snyder, PhD, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, will play guitar and sing “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” by The Beatles, which was a favorite of the Donnellys.

The Alternate Routes, a rock band Eric Donnelly formed with fellow Fairfield graduate Tim Warren, will follow. The band, which includes two guitars, bass drums and vocals, will be playing three songs in tribute.       

The end of the concert will feature a compilation of the groups playing “Sweet Home Chicago” and another Beatles tune, “Let it Be.”

The Donnelly family has strong ties to the university. Kim Donnelly worked in the University’s finance office for many years before joining her husband at Donnelly Jewelry. Eric Donnelly and his sister Tara graduated from Fairfield in 2001 and 2003, respectively. Tara went on to earn her MBA in 2004. Eric has taught guitar as an applied music teacher at Fairfield University since his senior year.

Tickets to either performance are $100 or $50. For tickets, call the Quick Center box office at 203-254-4010. Those who cannot attend are also invited to donate to the scholarship fund. Donations, which are fully tax-deductible, may be mailed to Development Office, Fairfield University, 1073 North Benson Road, Fairfield CT 06824.

  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 22 — Bob Dylan, Merle Haggard and Amos Lee at Foxwoods Casino’s Fox Theatre, Ledyard; “The Doctor Is In... celebrating the life of Doc Cavalier” at Toad’s Place, New Haven (all ages); Hat City Blues Band at The Georgetown Saloon; Fall Out Boy at The Webster Theatre, Hartford, Silverstein, Academy Is and Gym Class Heroes opening (all ages); Night Ranger at Mohegan Sun’s Wolf Den, Uncasville; This Blue Holiday at The Acoustic Café, Black Rock (Bridgeport);

April 23 — Lenny Kravitz at the Oakdale Theatre, Wallingford; Sol Dog at The Top Side Café, Milford; X-It and Plum Crazy at The Acoustic Café; The Zoo at Tuxedo Junction, Danbury; The Receiving End of Sirens at The Webster Theatre (all ages);

April 24 — Overkill at The Webster Theatre, Wallingford (all ages); Reel Big Fish at Toad’s Place (all ages), Pietasters opening; Jordan Knight at Mohegan Sun’s Wolf Den;

April 25 — Bob Weir & Ratdog at The Ridgefield Playhouse for Movies & The Performing Arts; Strapping Young Lad and Agony Scene at The Webster Theatre (all ages);

April 26 — Lifehouse at Toad’s Place (all ages); Flickerstick at The Webster Theatre.

April 27 — Less Than Jake at Toad’s Place (all ages); Hot Buttered Rum String Band at The Acoustic Café;

April 28 — Hoe at The Acoustic Café; Piebald at Toad’s Place;

April 29 — John Voket at Mocha Coffee House, Sandy Hook; Ashanti at Foxwoods Casino’s Fox Theatre; Snoop Dogg and The Game at Hartford Civic Center, also Don Omar and Cuban Link; John Valby at Toad’s Place; Sevendust at The Webster Theatre (all ages); Connor Steward & Friends at The Acoustic Café; Hat City Blues Band at 95 North, Norwalk; Viva Mexe at Tuxedo Junction;

April 30 — Todd Rundgren and Joe Jackson at Foxwoods’ Fox Theatre; Sol Dog at 100 Church Hill, Sandy Hook; Quiet Riot at Mohegan Sun’s Wolf Den (two shows); Johnny A at The Acoustic Café; Luvbug at Tuxedo Junction.

MAY 2 — Velvet Revolver at The Arena at Harbor Yard, Bridgeport, Hoobastank opening;

May 5 — Reba McIntire at The Meadows, Brad Paisley and Terri Clark opening; Rockapella at The Ridgefield Playhouse, The Retrotones opening; Papa Roach at Toad’s Place, New Haven, Trust Company and No Warning opening (all ages);

May 6 — Sting at Mohegan Sun Arena; The Nerds at Toad’s Place, The Gamma Rays and Red Handed opening;

May 7 — Sammy and The Wabos at Foxwoods Casino’s Fox Theatre, Ledyard, opening set by Michael Anthony, and Los Tres Gusanos.