*After suffering another knee injury (she had to have surgery in 1999 after hurting herself during a concert performance, and had to cancel two shows just a few months ago due to another knee-related problem), BRITNEY SPEARS will not be appearing at the ctnow.com Meadows Music Theater next week. The performer was to have opened a 36-city summer jaunt of her Onyx Hotel Tour in Hartford, but announced on June 16 that she needs to instead cancel those summer touring plans.

The singer is reportedly wearing a hard brace on her left knee and has been told to stay off her feet for the next six weeks. She will then have to deal with eight to 12 weeks of rehabilitation.

Anyone who purchased tickets at the Oakdale box office in Wallingford and through tickets.com outlets can get a refund at the point of purchase. Online and charge-by-phone customers will receive an automatic refund to your credit cards.

While a statement from Jive Records has the pop star saying she “hopes to revisit those cities in the future,” there is no definite word on when the Hartford show will be made up.

*MELISSA ETHERIDGE is opening Ives Concert Park’s 2004 season this weekend. Etheridge, who is at or near the top of her game right now and touring to support Lucky, her eighth studio album, will be headlining in Danbury on Friday, June 18.

Showtime is 7:30, and the gates will be opening at 5:30. Tickets are $75 for reserved seats, $29 for adults on the lawn and $12 for children on the lawn. If you don’t have tickets yet you’ll have to purchase them at the gate Friday night, so tack another $3 onto those prices.

Opening Friday’s show will be the comedienne Kate Clinton.

If you’re planning to attend the show, make one more mental note: Park early or really plan to use the shuttle bus service that will be running between the concert park and Ethan Allen Inn. Bethel High School’s graduation ceremony is also on Friday, at the O’Neill Center, which is also on the westside campus – and shares its parking lot with Ives Concert Park.

In addition to Etheridge’s show on Friday, this year’s Ives calendar includes HOOTIE & THE BLOWFISH on June 27, POPS & FIREWORKS featuring Hartford Symphony Orchestra on July 4, PAT BENATAR AND NEIL GIRALDO on July 24 and PETER FRAMPTON on August 13. Tickets for all but the Pops & Fireworks show are $41 and $56 reserved, $26 adult lawn, and $12 children lawn; for Pops & Fireworks the prices are $36 for reserved seats and $21 for adults on the lawn.

The season will also include a July 16 concert by AL GREEN ($46 and $61 reserved, $26 adult lawn) and an August 22 show by PATTY LOVELESS with Carolyn Dawn Johnson ($36 and $51 reserved, $21 adult lawn).

Tickets for any Ives Concert Park show are available through all TicketMaster outlets. There’s also an Ives Concert Park box office in Room 200 of the Western CT State University Ancell School of Business, on the university’s westside campus – off Mill Plain Road, up the same hill you have to drive up to get to the concert park. The box office is open Monday through Friday from 9 am to 4 pm, on the days of performances between 9 am and noon, and also when gates open for any show.

*Three shows coming into Connecticut via Clear Channel Entertainment will be going on sale this weekend. One is actually a change, which may be a hassle for current ticket holders, but in the long run it will allow more people to take advantage of seeing Grammy Award winner NORAH JONES.

Jones was originally scheduled to perform on Wednesday, September 1, at The Meadows in Hartford. That show will now take place at the Oakdale Theatre in Wallingford. Anyone who has tickets for the Hartford show needs to call the Oakdale’s box office, 203-265-1501, as soon as possible to make arrangements to an exchange of tickets or refund.

For those who don’t yet have tickets for this show, new tickets will be going on sale Saturday, June 19, at 10 am. Seats are priced at $48 and $58. Call the Oakdale’s box office or visit any tickets.com venue for purchases.

Also on Friday, tickets for an Oakdale stop of this year’s B.B.KING BLUES FESTIVAL will be going on sale, priced at $32.50, $42.50 and $58.50. This show is scheduled for Saturday, August 14, beginning at 7:30. I’m actually surprised it isn’t starting earlier considering it will feature performances not only by King but also DR JOHN, SHEMEKIA COPELAND, ELVIN BISHOP, and MAGIC DICK & J. GEILS.

Then on Saturday tickets for LASER SPECTACULAR featuring the music of PINK FLOYD, which will take place Friday, July 23, at The Meadows, will be going on sale. Tickets are just $15 for this show and seating will be in the pavilion only.

*Black-Eyed Sally’s has big blues this weekend, beginning with LIL’ DAVE THOMPSON & BIG LOVE tonight. That roster returns on Saturday along with special guest MARY TAYLOR. Then on Sunday it’ll be the latest round of THE 2004 CT BLUES SOCIETY BLUES CHALLENGE, and this weekend’s competitors include local guys HAT CITY BLUES BAND. Sunday’s menu will also include THE PETE SCHEIPS BAND, THE CHRIS D’AMATO BAND and HOODOO BLUES BAND. Contact Black-Eyed Sally’s, 860-278-7427, for showtimes and other details.

On June 25, CAST IRON FILTER will bring its “irongrass” into Hartford. That’s what the North Carolina-based band calls its blend of bluegrass, rock and pop. Think Hootie & The Blowfish meet Bill Monroe. Ruf recording artist LARRY GARNER, who has been a mainstay at Sally’s since its opening, returns to bring in the weekend with his band THE ROAD LIZARDS on June 25, and then COMMANDER CODY & HIS LOST PLANET AIRMEN also make a return appearance on June 26.

*DOKKEN and L.A. GUNS are slated for a July 11 show at The Webster Theatre in Hartford, with opening sets by Secret Smile and Promize. MAX CREEK returns a week earlier, on July 3. Tickets are available for both shows, which are open to all ages.

*Two recently-announced shows for the Oakdale Theater in Wallingford are now on sale. STAIND will be headlining on Sunday, July 25, at 7:30. Tickets for that show are all $35.

ALICE COOPER will then be returning to the state on Saturday, July 31, also for a 7:30 show. Tickets for that evening are $25, $35 and $45.

Contact the Oakdale’s box office at 203-265-1501 or visit any tickets.com venue.

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

JUNE 18 — Melissa Etheridge at Ives Concert Park, Danbury, Kate Clinton opening; John Valby at Tuxedo Junction, Danbury; Lil’ Dave Thompson & Big Love at Black-Eyed Sally’s BBQ & Blues Café, Hartford; Cubistic Jack at Georgetown Saloon;

June 19 — Badfish at Toad’s Place, New Haven, BigEd, SMFK and Social Hero opening (all ages); Motograder and 40 Below Summer at The Webster Theatre, Hartford; Darik & The Funbags at Tuxedo Junction; Lil’ Dave Thompson & Big Love with special guest Mary Taylor at Black-Eyed Sally’s; Old School Revue at Georgetown Saloon;

June 20 — CT Blues Society Blues Challenge at Black-Eyed’s Sally’s featuring The Pete Scheips Band, The Chris D’amato Band, Hoodoo Blues Band and Hat City Blues Band;

June 22 — Burning Spear at Toad’s Place (all ages), Anthem opening;

June 23 — Moody Blues at Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville;

June 24 — Liz McNicholl & Friends at The Acoustic Café, Bridgeport; Courtney Love at Toad’s Place (all ages, rescheduled from June 18); Cast Iron Filter at Black-Eyed Sally’s;

June 25 — Little Feat at Toad’s Place, Rizzz opening; Tim McGraw at Meadows Music Theatre; Dickey Betts & Great Southern at The Webster Theatre, Cosmos and Jonny Law opening (all ages); Three Dog Night at Mohegan Sun’s Wolf Den (also June 26); Larry Garner & The Road Lizards at Black-Eyed Sally’s; Roxy Perry at Georgetown Saloon; Jeremiah Long Band at The Brewhouse, South Norwalk (CD release party);

June 26 — Chicago and Earth, Wind & Fire at The Meadows; Three Dog Night at Mohegan Sun’s Wolf Den; School’s Out For Summer Extravaganza featuring Gargantua Soul at Toad’s Place, Base 2, Sick Ticket, Beeners Revenge and Cade opening (all ages).

June 27 — Little River Band at Mohegan Sun’s Wolf Den; Aimee Mann at Toad’s Place, Paul Bryan opening (all ages); Believer-Fest at The Webster Theatre featuring Believer, Killing Jar and Vicious Disorder (all ages, door open 3 pm); CT Blues Society Blues Challenge at Black-Eyed Sally’s featuring Gina Gunn & The Bullets, Patriot Act, Troy T. Blues Band and Shoe Fly Blues;

June 28 — Van Halen at Hartford Civic Center.