*Newtown musician MorganEve Swain has another busy weekend lined up. She’ll be joining LIZ McNICHOLL AND FRIENDS for a show on Friday at Ray Kelly’s Irish Pub, 2720 Fairfield Avenue in Bridgeport. Call 203-333-6278 for directions and other details.

On Saturday MorganEve will be performing as part of ONCE REMOVED, along with lead singer Pat Speer, John Hurley on guitar, Chuck O’Donnell on guitar, and Fred McKay on bass. This show will be at The Playwright in Hamden (1232 Whitney Avenue; telephone 203-287-2401).

*Speaking of Newtown musicians, CHARISMA hits the road again this weekend, performing a pair of public shows after months of private parties. The band will be at The Red Door (formerly Fat Daddy’s) in Watertown on Friday, May 7, and then at Jim Barberies in Danbury on May 8.

*How exciting is this?

MELISSA ETHERIDGE will be opening the 2004 Summer Concert Series at Ives Concert Park!

Etheridge will be in Danbury on Friday, June 18, performing the first of eight concerts coming into the park this summer. Also on the calendar are shows by HOOTIE & THE BLOWFISH, June 27; the traditional POPS & FIREWORKS CONCERT, this year with Hartford Symphony Orchestra, on Sunday, July 4; AL GREEN on Friday, July 16; PATTY LOVELESS with special guest CAROLYN DAWN JOHNSON on Sunday, August 22; and then two more shows that have yet to be announced.

Tickets for Etheridge have been set at $75 for the reserved seating area and $30 for the lawn. All shows are going to be available through TicketMaster outlets, and there are discounts for students and seniors. Call the park’s box office at 837-9226 or visit www.IvesConcertPark.com for full details.

*Just a reminder that JOAN JETT & THE BLACKHEARTS will be at The Ridgefield Playhouse for Movies and The Performing Arts on Saturday night. Showtime is 8 pm and tickets are $75 and $85. The theater, at 80 East Ridge, can be reached at 203-438-5795 or www.RidgefieldPlayhouse.org.

*HAT CITY BLUES BAND is preparing for its 2nd Annual Newtown Youth Services Benefit Concert. This year’s show will be Saturday, May 22, and it’s moving to The Fireside Inn, which means more room for attendees and more room for dancing. Showtime is 8 pm, and admission I a suggested donation of $8.

All of the money collected through door admissions and ticket sales for raffles will be donated to Newtown Youth Services. Last year’s show raised $2,000, and Blues Band member David Lott said last week the band’s goal this year is to double that amount.

The band is still looking for a title sponsor for this year’s show. A $1,000 donation will give that honor to any business, family or group who would like to have such a role. That donation – again, 100% of which is promised to go to NYS – will get the donor a full table for ten guests and mentions in all related publicity and show materials.

Members of the NYS Youth Advisory Board will be participating in the event again this year, selling tickets, collecting money and serving refreshments. Hat City Blues Band recently finished producing its first CD and the band promised to give out at least ten copies of that recording as well as band T-shirts.

Interested in helping this fundraiser? Donations are still being accepted for the raffle – gift/theme baskets, single items, gift certificates… anything that could be raffled off would be super.

For additional show or volunteer information contact David Lott at 270-9357 , Newtown Youth Services at 270-4335, or visit the band’s website, www.HatCityBlues.com.

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

MAY 7 — An Evening with Aaron Lewis at Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville; Charisma at The Red Door (formerly Fat Daddy’s), Watertown; Tesla at the Oakdale Theatre, Wallingford; Sol Dog at The Georgetown Saloon; SideShow at Black Rock & Blue, Bridgeport; Foghat at Mohegan Sun’s Wolf Den, Uncasville; Off The Hook at Proud Mary’s (The Inn at Newtown), Newtown; Big Shot at Toad’s Place, New Haven, Wax Palace and Gamma Rays opening; AIDS fundraiser at Tuxedo Junction, Danbury, featuring Work Force, Close To Fate. EPA, Michael Mourning, et al (all ages);

May 8 — Joan Jett & The Blackhearts at The Ridgefield Playhouse for Movies & Performing Arts; Charisma at Jim Barberie’s, Danbury; The Toasters at The Empress Ballroom, Danbury, No Name Charlies, East Coast Skank, et al opening; The Benjamins at Tuxedo Junction;

May 12 — Yes at Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville; Josh Kelly at Toad’s Place, Toby Lightman opening (all ages);

May 13 — Hat City Blues Band at Black-Eyed Sally’s BBQ & Blues Café, Hartford;

May 14 — Sol Dog at The Avenue Café, Black Rock; Erik Burdon & The New Animals at Mohegan Sun’s Wolf Den; The Nerds at Toad’s Place, Green Inside and Paper Chaser opening; Jay Stollman & The Black Rock All-Stars at The Georgetown Saloon; Big Shot at Tuxedo Junction;

May 15 — Marc Cohn at The Ridgefield Playhouse for Movies & Performing Arts; Off The Hook at Bank Street Café, New Milford; Orgy at The Webster Theatre, Hartford (all ages); Ginuwine at the Oakdale Theatre, Wallingford, Avant, Joe and Jagged Edge opening; MOP at Toad’s Place, Pharoahe Monch and Scratch opening (all ages); Blood For Blood at The Empress Ballroom, Bury Your Dead and Bloodshot Hooligans opening; Retro Rockets at The Georgetown Saloon; Hipnotic at Tuxedo Junction;

May 16 — Jewel at Foxwoods Casino’s Fox Theatre; Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes at Mohegan Sun’s Wolf Den; Sworn Enemy at Toad’s Place, Freya and Billy Club Sandwich opening (all ages);

May 19 — Life of Agony at Toad’s Place, Candiria, Full Blown Chaos and Agents of Man opening (all ages);

May 20 — Fearless and Junction 18 at The Empress Ballroom;

May 21 — Lynyrd Skynyrd at Oakdale Theatre, .38 Special opening; Off The Hook at Proud Mary’s, Newtown; Sol Dog at The Black Duck, Westport; Darik & The Funbags at Toad’s Place, Another Day Wasted opening; Party Boss at The Georgetown Saloon; Reid Genauer & The Assembly of Dust at Tuxedo Junction;

May 21-22 — The Neville Brothers at Mohegan Sun’s Wolf Den;

May 22 — Hat City Blues Band’s 2nd Annual Newtown Youth Services Fundraiser at The Fireside Inn, Newtown; Jason Mraz at Oakdale Theatre; SideShow at The Brickyard, Hartford; Jim Weider Band at Black-Eyed Sally’s BBQ & Blues Café, Hartford; Sister Funk at The Georgetown Saloon; The Zoo at Tuxedo Junction;

May 23 — Andrew WK at Toad’s Place, The Locust, No Motiv and Slow Coming Day opening (all ages); Scratch & Sniff Duo at The Georgetown Saloon;

May 26 — The Beautiful Mistake and Spitalfield at Toad’s Place, The Reunion Show and Slow Coming Day opening (all ages);

May 27 — Vince Welnick at The Webster Theatre.

Socratic at The Empress Ballroom;

May 28 — SideShow at Murphy & Scarletti’s, Farmington; Off The Hook at The Redding Roadhouse; Michael Bolton at Foxwoods Casino’s Fox Theatre; Sheena Easton at Mohegan Sun’s Wolf Den; Twinkies at The Georgetown Saloon;

May 29 — Jeff Pichell & Texas Flood at Black-Eyed Sally’s; SideShow at Sports Rock USA, Bristol; Off The Hook at The George Washington Tavern, Washington; Cinnamon Sky Trio at The Georgetown Saloon; Them Bones at Tuxedo Junction;

May 30 — Night Ranger at Mohegan Sun’s Wolf Den.