*SOL DOG is a band that I’ve mentioned more than a few times in the past. The Fairfield County foursome puts on good shows of original and their own takes on southern rock and blues. The guys – Rev, Ron, Mark and Curtis – have also done some good things in the past including benefit concerts for admirable causes.

Now it’s time to help these guys out because some soulless lowlife robbed the band recently. Gone are both of Ron’s keyboards and his gig bag, Rev’s entire guitar setup (minus the actual guitars, but still…), and Mark’s snake and quite a bit of the group’s PA equipment. In all the band has lost between $6,000 and $8,000 worth of equipment. The robbery occurred in May and by now most of this equipment has been replaced, but the band took the majority of its money for the equipment replacement from an account that was earmarked for a Nashville trip. Sol Dog will be heading south to make its second studio CD, working with former Allman Brothers keyboardist Johnny Neel and needs to replace its Nashville/recording trip funds as well as finish replacing its stolen equipment.

On Sunday Sol Dog headlines a daylong event at The Corner Pocket in Orange (501 Boston Post Road; call 203-891-0777). In addition to Sol Dog’s performances there will be raffles, food and performances by at least six additional bands. As of this week the line-up includes Free Will, a Rush tribute band; Mary Kelly, a heavy metal cover and original band; Big Sparkle, a classic rock cover band; Y.R.B., which does classic rock and blues; The Greg Sharod Band, with blues rock and originals; and the 80s pop-rock band The Crystal Pyramid.

The evening will also feature a jam between Sol Dog members and any combo of the members from the aforementioned bands.

Start time is officially 3 pm, and $10 will get you in on the fun and allows access to a free buffet. There will also be half-price games of pool. A big thumbs-up to devoted friend, one of the band’s biggest fans and Sandy Hook gal DD Beckwith, by the way. I’m told she played a huge role in getting this benefit thing organized.

*Tickets for two shows at the Oakdale will be going on sale Saturday morning at 10. BOB DYLAN’s Sunday, August 17 show will have tickets priced at $45, $55 and $67.50, while the MARIAH CAREY show I gave you a heads-up on last week will have tickets set at $45, $55, $65 and $75.

Sales for both shows will be handled by the Oakdale’s box office (wristband policies for this show will have distribution at 8 am, and the drawing for line placement at 9:30). To charge tickets call 203-265-1501 or visit www.tickets.com online or any of its in-store outlets.

*PETER OBRE AND ALLAN JOHNSON will be at 707 On Main in Monroe tonight, for the first of three shows in the near future. The duo will also be at the restaurant-bar on Saturday, July 19, and Friday, July 25.

CHARISMA, the rock/dance band that Mr Obre is also a member of, then returns to J.C. Hooks Bar & grill in Waterbury on Friday, August 8.

*Sandy Hook resident CAITLIN KALBACHER will be making her next trip to The Ballpark at Harbor Yard in Bridgeport this weekend. Saturday night the 11-year-old singer will be there to perform the national anthem to open a Bridgeport Bluefish game. The Bluefish will be hosting the Pennsylvania Road Warriors that night, and Caitlin will be singing “The Star-Spangled Banner” at 6:30.

Caitlin made her public singing debut last summer at the same location. On August 17, 2002, she was welcomed onto the field at Harbor Yard to sing the national anthem a cappella. Since then she has handled national anthem duties for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers and also for a handful of NHS girls’ basketball games during the team’s 2002-03 season.

*The following night, LL COOL J will be making his make-up date in Bridgeport. Illness sidelined the rapper when he was to perform at The Arena at Harbor Yard back in May; the rescheduled show will be taking place Sunday night. Tickets from May 9 will be honored.

Tickets are still available for this show, priced at $40 and $55 and available through any TicketMaster outlet. They’ll also be available Sunday night at the box office. Call the arena at 203-382-9600 for last-minute details.

*Tickets are going on sale Tuesday morning for a headlining show by STEVE WINWOOD, also at Mohegan Sun Arena. Winwood will be performing at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville on Friday, August 8; tickets will be going on sale at 8 am Tuesday, priced at $44 and $55. The arena’s box office can be contacted at 800-200-2882.

*I had an email come in late last week mentioning Saturday’s SIDESHOW gig at Tuxedo Junction in Danbury, but didn’t have a chance to get over to check out the show. Apparently a number of other folks did, though, and it sounds like I’ll have to get to a future show.

SideShow has two members of the former Newtown band MIND TYDES – singer and guitarist GRADY McAULIFFE and lead guitarist FRED DOTSON – along with three other musicians – lead guitarist CHRIS MESSNER, drummer and background vocalist JAY BREMEN and bassist JOHN DOTSON – and a great direction. The band’s website describes the group as a “party rock cover/original band ... [that] plays a very wide variety of songs.” SideShow’s current set list, in fact, includes songs by everyone from Faith No More, Beastie Boys, Tommy Tutone and Def Leppard to Puddle of Mudd, Michael Jackson, The Doors, Neil Diamond, and anyone even remotely related.

SideShow will be in New Haven tonight, at Toad’s Place sharing a bill with DARIK & THE FUNBAGS, and has a number of shows already scheduled into October. Next weekend’s big show for the guys will be a July 4 show at Harbor Park in Middletown.

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 27 — Off The Hook at Proud Mary’s, Newtown; Lucinda and Promize at CityCenter Green, Danbury (7:30 show, no rain location); Peter Obre and Allan Johnson at 707 On Main, Monroe; Halfbrass at The Colorado Brewery, Danbury.

; Kicked In The Head at The Empress Ballroom, Danbury, Slim Pickins, The Pelicans, et al opening; Darik & The Funbags at Toad’s Place, New Haven, Side Show opening; Sol Dog at The Red Door Café, Watertown; The Stephen Gaspar Band at The Acoustic Café; Walter Trout & The Radicals at Black-Eyed Sally’s BBQ & Blues Café; Base 2 CD release party at The Webster Theatre, with Noledge, Side Effect, Lesson, Rise and Subtle Mischief;

June 28 — Neil Young & Crazy Horse at Mohegan Sun Arena, Lucinda Williams opening; Off The Hook at The Blue Heron; The Benjamins at Tuxedo Junction; Staring Back and Halifax at The Empress Ballroom, Shut Zero, Mercy High, et al opening; The Pietasters at Toad’s Place, 1,000 Hours opening (all ages); Greg Piccolo & Heavy Juice at Black-Eyed Sally’s BBQ & Blues Café; O-Town at The Webster Theatre, The Deuce Project and Zero Chance opening;

June 29 — Sol Dog at The Corner Pocket, Orange; LL Cool J at Arena at Harbor Yard, Bridgeport (rescheduled from May 9, original tickets will be honored); In Flames at Toad’s Place, Soilwork, Chimaira and Unearth opening (all ages); Lucy Kaplansky at The Acoustic Café; Death On Wednesday and Army of Me at The Empress Ballroom; CT Blues Society Blues Challenge at Black-Eyed Sally’s BBQ & Blues Café featuring The Brotherhood Blues Band, Ryan Heart & The Blue Hearts, Cobalt Rhythm Kings, and Bluzberry Pi.

JULY 1 — Finger Eleven and Echo 7 at The Webster Theatre, Hartford, Billy Talent opening;

July 2 — Jackson Browne at ctnow.com Oakdale Theatre, Wallingford, Steve Earle & The Dukes and Keb’ Mo’ opening; Blue Oyster Cult at Tuxedo Junction, Danbury (no tickets yet);

July 3 — Blondie at Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville; John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band at Mohegan Sun’s Wolf Den; Earth at Toad’s Place, New Haven (all ages);

July 4 — New Rock Radio 104 Fest at the Meadows, Hartford, with Stained, Evanescence, Hoobastank, Trapt, Third Eye Blind, tHrOnE, Eve 6, Authority Zero, Autopilot Off, Revis, The Exies, Switchfoot, Gob, Hot Hot Heat, Diffuser, Smily Empty Soul, 2 Skinnee Js, Zug Izland, Fiction Plane, Lo-Po, Throne, and Fear Nuttin’ Band; Ben Folds at Toad’s Place (all ages); Love Dogs at Black-Eyed Sally’s BBQ & Blues Café, Hartford;Gunnar & Matthew Nelson at Mohegan Sun’s Wolf Den.