*SOL DOG is back next weekend at The Classic Rock Brew Pub in Danbury for not only a homecoming of sorts to this area, but a return for the bar’s big Fourth of July (early) show. That’s right, Friday, June 29, is Fireworks Night! and Sol Dog has been selected to help Danbury ring in all things red, white and blue with a bang again this year.

The band will be starting around 8, playing outside on the back lot, and then the fireworks start as soon as it’s dark. Then Sol Dog gets to play some more, and after that they move inside and play even more. Radio station i-95 will be there giving away a bunch of stuff, too. Rain date is Monday, July 2, and Rev — the lead singer, lead guitarist and lead man when it comes to making a kilt look damn good! — recommends getting there early because the place gets packed for its big Independence Day extravaganzas.

*Music returns to the Aldrich Museum of Contemporary Art this summer. The Stage A Performance Series begins on July 13, with 7:30 performances on the occasional Friday night. Tickets are $30, which includes, I believe, light refreshments. This year’s schedule includes shows by KRISTIN HERSH, a folk rocker and the former lead singer of THROWING MUSES, on July 13; DUNCAN SHEIK in August (his specific date is yet to be cemented); DJ SPOOKY KID WITH MATTHEW SHIPP, August 24; and BEN ALLISON & THE MEDICINE WHEEL, October 24. The museum, at 258 Main Street in Ridgefield, can be contacted by calling 203-438-4519 or visiting www.aldrichart.org for additional information.

*Tickets are still available for the July 13 show by STEVIE NICKS. There has been some confusion among those purchasing tickets for this particular show, so the Meadows released an announcement last week clearing everything up. JEFFREY GAINES is opening the show; The Meadows is one of just seven shows on Nicks’ tour to have SHERYL CROW also on the bill. Crow will not be performing a solo set, but will instead be performing a number of duets with Nicks.

*Tickets have gone on sale finally for the BELA FLECK & THE FLECKTONES WITH KEB’ MO’ show at the ctnow.com Oakdale Theatre on August 12. All seats for that one are $28.50. Also going on sale last week were the tickets for CROSBY, STILLS & NASH, also at the Oakdale, on August 20. Those tickets are available for $32, $42 and $52.

THE BB KING BLUES FESTIVAL, at the Oakdale on August 29 beginning at 6 pm, is on sale now too. Prices are $32, $42 and $58 for this year’s show, which features KING, BUDDY GUY, JOHN HIATT and TOMMY CASTRO.

 *Speaking of blues, master JAMES COTTON will be making his only Connecticut appearance this summer when he plays in Bridgeport on July 29. The “singer, stomper and harp-player extraordinaire” will be part of this year’s Summer Sounds of the World concert series, which is presenting music from around the world at three locations, all of which are free of charge. Cotton is going to be at Washington Park (on Barnum Avenue at Noble Avenue) for a 3 pm show. For details on the full series, call 203-367-7917.

Until next week, I’ll be seeing you... on the road, where I continue to cram for the upcoming GO-GO’S show in Danbury. We’ll talk more about that next week.

Questions and comments should be sent to Shannon Hicks, c/o Bee Publishing Co., 5 Church Hill Road, Newtown 06470, or shannon@thebee.com; or call The Bee office at 426-3141.

Shows listed on the calendar at club locations are for ages 21 and over unless specified.

UPCOMING CONCERTS

JUNE 22 — Bock and Blu at CityCenter Green, Danbury (free 7:30 show of band led by Steely Dan arranger Gary Blu); Rival Schools at Toad’s Place, New Haven; Joe Rock Star at Tuxedo Junction, Danbury; Unlucky Few, Victims of Society, Clockseed, Statement of Purpose and Altitude at Empress Ballroom, Danbury (all ages);

June 23 — Lynyrd Skynyrd at Meadows Music Centre, Hartford, Deep Purple and Ted Nugent opening; Leon Russell at CityCenter Green (free 7:30 show, rain location Tuxedo Junction); The Pilfers at Tune Inn, New Haven; Bill Perry at Acoustic Café, Bridgeport; Poppa Squat at Tuxedo Junction; Lorenji Shift, Slackhjaw, Prize Fighter and Just For Today at Empress Ballroom (all ages); Buzzhound, Smoke the Prophet and Electric Mayhem at Players Café, Danbury;

June 24 — Robert Cray at New Haven’s International Festival of Arts & Ideas, Third World opening;

June 28 — Backstreet Boys at Meadows Music Centre, Shaggy and Krystal opening (separate sets);

June 29 — Backstreet Boys at The Meadows, Shaggy and Krystal opening (separate sets); Darik & The Funbags at Tuxedo Junction; Three Finger Demon, Fourth Corpse, Justice League and Altitude at Empress Ballroom; Sol Dog at The Classic Rock Brew Pub, Danbury;

June 30 — Bill Perry at Black-Eyed Sally’s, Hartford; The Wallbangers at Tuxedo Junction; Another Dark Day and S.A.T.O. at Players Café; Joe Proc at Putnam House, Bethel.

JULY 1 — Dido at Meadows Music Centre, Hartford, Travis opening;

July 3 — Echo & The Bunnymen at Toad’s Place, New Haven;

July 5 — Deep Banana Blackout at Toad’s Place (all ages);

July 6 — The Go-Go’s at Foxwoods Casino, Ledyard;

July 7 — Journey at Meadows Music Centre with John Waite and Peter Frampton;

July 8 — The Go-Go’s at Ives Concert Park, Danbury;

July 13 — Mary Sippin & The Diamond Spurs at C.H. Booth Library, Newtown (Summer Concert Series, free, 7 pm); Stevie Nicks at ctnow.com Meadows Music Center (few duets with Sheryl Crow), Jeffrey Gaines opening; Larry Garner at Black-Eyed Sally’s BBQ & Blues Café, Hartford; Kristin Hersh at Aldrich Museum of Contemporary Art, Ridgefield.

July 14 — Paul Simon with Brian Wilson at ctnow.com Meadows Music Centre; “Walk Down Abbey Road” featuring Todd Rundgren, Ann Wilson, Alan Parsons and John Entwistle at Mohegan Sun; Jerry Cantrell at The Webster Theater (rescheduled from May);

July 17 — MTV’s TRL Tour featuring Destiny’s Child at ctnow.com Meadows Music Theatre; The Wallflowers at Foxwoods Casino’s Fox Theater, Uncasville;

July 18 — CSA Songwriters’ Showcase at Acoustic Café, Bridgeport; American Hi-Fi, Everclear, Flip and The Mayfield Four at The Webster Theater, Hartford; Dennis Quaid & The Sharks at Foxwoods’ Fox Theater;

July 19 — Kip Winger at Toad’s Place;

July 20 — The Barenaked Ladies and Vertical Horizon at Meadows Music Centre, Action Figure Party and Sarah Harmer opening; 68 Comeback Special at Mohegan Sun Casino (trio led by Brian Setzer); Lil’ Ed & The Blues Imperials at Black-Eyed Sally’s;

July 21 — Phil Lesh & Friends and Ratdog with Bob Weir (co-headlining) at Meadows Music Centre (tickets on sale May 5); The Doobie Brothers at Ives Concert Park, Danbury;

July 22 — “Walk Down Abbey Road” featuring Todd Rundgren, Ann Wilson, Alan Parsons and John Entwistle at Oakdale Theatre;

July 24 — The Smithereens at Mohegan Sun Casino;

July 25 — Mystikal, Ginuwine, Jahem, Jagged Edge and Public Announcement at New Haven Coliseum (no ticket info yet);

July 26 — Johnny Rawls at Black-Eyed Sally’s; Chicago at Foxwoods’ Fox Theater;

July 27 — Chicago at the Oakdale Theatre;

July 28 — Kenny Wayne Shepherd at Mohegan Sun Casino; John Sebastian & The J-Band at CityCenter Green, Danbury (free 7:30 show, rain location Danbury High School);

July 29 — James Cotton at Washington Park, Bridgeport (3 pm, free show).

AUGUST 1 —Pat Benatar at Mohegan Sun’s Wolf Den Lounge, Uncasville (free show);

August 2 —Survivor at Mohegan Sun’s Wolf Den Lounge (free show); Ringo Starr’s All-Starr Band at Mohegan Sun Casino;

August 3 —Dave Matthews Band at ctnow.com Meadows Music Centre, Hartford, Ben Kweller opening; Michael Burks at Black-Eyed Sally’s BBQ & Blues Café; Asia at Mohegan Sun’s Wolf Den Lounge (free show); Huey Lewis & The News at ctnow.com Oakdale Theatre;

August 4 —(SOLD OUT) Dave Matthews Band at ctnow.com Meadows Music Centre, Ben Kweller opening;

August 5 — OzzFest 2001 at Meadows Music Centre, featuring (Main Stage performers) Black Sabbath, Marilyn Manson, Slipknot, Papa Roach, Linkin Park, Crazytown, (Second Stage performers) Mudvayne, Cold, Taproot, Union Underground, Systematic, Nonpoint, American Head Charge, Drowning Pool, Pure Rubbish, Hatebreed, Beautiful Creatures, Black Label Society, Otep, Godhead, Boy Hits Car, et al;

August 6 — Bill Wyman & The Rhythm Kings at Mohegan Sun’s Wolf Den Lounge (free show);

August 9 — Eddie Money at Mohegan Sun’s Wolf Den Lounge (free show);

August 10 — Rod Stewart at Meadows Music Centre; The Chicago Rhythm & Blues Kings at Black-Eyed Sally’s;

August 11 — Janet Jackson at the Hartford Civic Center (date changed from August 14, tickets with original date will be honored);

August 12 — Bela Fleck & The Flecktones at ctnow.com Oakdale Theatre, Wallingford, Keb’ Mo’ opening (no tickets yet);

August 16 — Jethro Tull at ctnow.com Oakdale Theatre; Starship at Mohegan Sun’s Wolf Den Lounge (free show);

August 17 — River City Slim and The Zydeco Hogs at C.H. Booth Library, Newtown (Summer Concert Series, free, 7 pm); The Beach Boys at Ives Concert Park, Danbury;

August 18 — matchbox twenty at Meadows Music Centre, Train opening;

August 20 — Crosby, Stills & Nash at Meadows Music Centre (no ticket info yet);

August 21 — Southside Johnny at Mohegan Sun’s Wolf Den Lounge (free show);

August 22 — CSA Songwriters’ Showcase at Acoustic Café, Bridgeport; David Fosters & The Mehegan Sun All-Stars at Mohegan Sun’s Wolf Den Lounge (free show);

August 23 — Godsmack and The Deftones (co-headlining) at Meadows Music Centre, Puddle of Mudd opening; Aaron Carter at ctnow.com Oakdale Theatre, The A*Teens and Leslie Carter opening; Joan Jett at Mohegan Sun’s Wolf Den Lounge (free show);

August 24 — Nils Lofgren at Mohegan Sun’s Wolf Den Lounge (free show); DJ Spooky That Subliminal Kid with Matthew Shipp at Aldrich Museum of Contemporary Art, Ridgefield;

August 26 — The Allman Brothers Band at Meadows Music Centre, Susan Tedeschi opening;

August 29 — The B.B. King Blues Festival at ctnow.com Oakdale Theatre, with King, Buddy Guy, John Hiatt and Tommy Castro; Kansas at Mohegan Sun’s Wolf Den Lounge (free show);

August 30 — The B.B. King Blues Festival at Mohegan Sun Casino;

August 31 — Johnny Rawls at Black-Eyed Sally’s; Styx at Foxwoods Casino’s Fox Theater, Uncasville.

SEPTEMBER 1 —The Yes Symphonic Tour at ctnow.com Oakdale Theatre, Wallingford;

September 3 — The Yes Symphonic Tour at Ives Concert Park, Danbury;

September 7 — REO Speedwagon at Foxwoods Casino’s Fox Theater, Uncasville;

September 9 — Alabama at ctnow.com Oakdale Theatre;

September 12 — John Mellencamp at Meadows Music Centre, Hartford, The Wallflowers opening;

September 13 — Anthony Gomes at Black-Eyed Sally’s BBQ & Blues Café, Hartford;

September 14 — Anthony Gomes at Black-Eyed Sally’s;

September 19 — CSA Songwriters’ Showcase at Acoustic Café, Bridgeport.

OCTOBER 12 — Ben Allison & The Medicine Wheel at Aldrich Museum of Contemporary Art, Ridgefield;

October 13 —America at Mohegan Sun, Uncasville;

October 24 — CSA Songwriters’ Showcase at Acoustic Café, Bridgeport.

NOVEMBER 3 —Tower of Power at Mohegan Sun, Uncasville;

November 16 — The Gonzalo Rubalcaba Trio at Aldrich Museum of Contemporary Art, Ridgefeield (two shows, 7 and 9:30 pm);

November 21 — CSA Songwriters’ Showcase at Acoustic Café, Bridgeport.

DECEMBER 19 — CSA Songwriters’ Showcase at Acoustic Café, Bridgeport.