Ah, yes…the first of two back-to-back holiday weekends is upon us, and the free reign provided to me by our vacationing Shannon Hicks is a great way to kick off what for many will be a weeklong Independence Day celebration.

This week, and the subsequent eight weeks, will not only bring great music into the region, but with next Sunday’s US installment of Live Earth, the official beginning of concert festival season. And depending on how far you’re willing to travel will determine the scope of acts that you can take in during a single — sometimes weekend-long — concert experience.

I will be in attendance at Live Earth taking in the continuously expanding lineup at Giant’s Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., Sunday. July 7. At press time you could still pick up a ticket and “Global Warming Survival Handbook” package with surprisingly good seats right over the stage for a little more than $100 after the various add-on charges.

And other singles throughout the arena are priced at various amounts from about $90 (after add-ons), and strangely enough, one of those single “cheap seats” is, in my opinion, better than the almost $400 “golden” ticket seat…go figure! For any price, you can’t beat the lineup, which covers the entire scope of pop, rock, country, rap and more.

Live Earth Acts include: AFI , Akon, Alicia Keys, Bon Jovi, Dave Matthews Band, Fall Out Boy, John Mayer, KT Tunstall, Kanye West, Keith Urban, Kelly Clarkson, Ludacris, Melissa Etheridge (singing her Oscar-winning song from the Al Gore documentary, I’m sure), John Mayer, Roger Waters of Pink Floyd, the two hottest reunions of the summer, Smashing Pumpkins and The Police, as well as MTV2 darlings Taking Back Sunday.

Of course, according to LiveDaily.com, all the concerts taking place that day on every continent will stream live at Live Earth’s website and portions will air on NBC-TV in the US and on more than 120 television networks around the world, according to organizers, who expect an audience of more than 2 billion.

The aforementioned Police and Pumpkins will bookend the Virgin Festival coming to Baltimore’s Pimlico Race Track August 4 and 5. And if you are willing to travel, this appears to be the most fertile ground for seeing everybody who is anybody in the northeast region this year.

Seats are still available for this showcase extravaganza which also hosts the Beastie Boys, Cheap Trick, Fountains of Wayne, Incubus, Modern Mouse, and TV on the Radio showing up Saturday, and adds 311, Hasidic rapper Mitisyahu, Interpol, Girl Talk, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and a Wu-Tang Clan reunion on Sunday.

Much closer to home, and much easier on the pocketbook, is Bridgeport’s Black Rock Arts Center 10th Anniversary “Summer Sounds of the World” free concert series taking place at venues and parks throughout the Park City July 8 through August 26 featuring soul from Ashford & Simpson, July 20 at McLevy Green, The David Munnelly Irish Band at Puglio Park, July 22, Grammy-winners Living Colour (“Cult of Personality”) with Native Land on McLevy Green, August 3 and African rhythms with the Tenth World Ensemble, August 26 at Newfield Park.

For more info on these and numerous other free shows in this summerlong festival series, go to internationalperformingarts.com

And if you want a taste of the Summer of Love that happened 40 years ago this year, you might want to snap up one of the few remaining tickets for the Gathering of the Vibes, also right down the road at historic Seaside Park in Bridgeport, August 9–12. This festival and campout will be capped off by various Grateful Dead alumni, including co-founder Bob Weir appearing with acoustic guitarist extraordinaire Keller Williams August 11, and Donna Jean Godchaux appearing in a Jerry Garcia tribute August 9 with Dark Star Orchestra, as well as with the Trixters August 11.

Along with more than a dozen other jam bands, Dead drummer Mickey Hart is also on the bill along with Allman Brothers co-founder Dickey Betts, Los Lobos, George Clinton, Martin Sexton, Bob Marley’s Wailers, with counterculture icon Wavy Gravy hosting as master of ceremonies. More info on that festival at gatheringofthevibes.com.

The Summer of Love Reunion rolls into the Warner Theater in Torrington this Saturday, June 30, with Jefferson Starship, members of Big Brother and the Holding Company, Quicksilver Messenger Service, and another former Grateful Dead drummer, Tom Constanten. Tickets are still available — go to www.warnertheatre.org

In other concert news, Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony of Van Halen are currently scheduling a tour in which they will play solo sets and then a combined set of Hagar-era Van Halen material in the second act. While only a smattering of confirmed dates are set at press time, they look good for a Connecticut stop in the late summer or early fall. Stay tuned!

At 81 years old, the great BB King is plotting a 60th Anniversary tour which is skirting Connecticut so far, but if you want to take in this living legend, snap up tix for either a Madison Square Garden theate show August 7, a club set at his own BB Kings Blues Club on Broadway November 12, or see him headlining Sunday, August 12, with Al Green and Etta James at the Newport Jazz/Blues Festival.

Another Woodstock-era throwback, the incredibly funny and entertaining Arlo Guthrie comes to Fairfield University’s Quick Center for the Arts September 29. Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull is bringing a combination acoustic/electric tour to Wallingford’s Chevrolet Theater (formerly Oakdale) December 1.

Iconic goth-rockers The Cure are back with a new album and tour after too long an absence. Robert Smith and company will be showcasing new material in advance of the expected December release — the band’s 13th original offering at Madison Square Garden September 23 and at the Agganis Arena in Boston September 25.

Is a Connecticut visit in the offing in or around these dates? Mum’s the word, but the fans are hopeful!

A Connecticut stop is inked for the stellar heavy metal double bill of Heaven and Hell, featuring the Ronnie James Dio fronted lineup of Black Sabbath, and get this — Alice Cooper just added as the opener. Get your tix for this show at Mohegan Sun Arena September 7. Mohegan Sun is also hosting the “younger” double rock bill of Velvet Revolver and the reunited Alice in Chains, August 21.

And next week, you will be back with Shannon Hicks…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 clubs are for ages 21 and over unless specified.

Upcoming Shows

June 29 — Bob Dylan at Nikon Jones Beach Theater, Wantaugh, NY; Becky Chance at The Dockside Pub, Mahopac, NY; Wu Han & David Finckel at the Westport Arts Center, Westport; King for a Day feat. Members of Deep Banana Blackout at Acoustic Café, Bridgeport; Doug Whalberg Band at the Georgetown Saloon, Redding

June 30 — The Commander Cody Band at Towne Crier Café, Pawling, NY; Peter Tork (of the Monkees) and his Shoe Suede Blues band at Daniel Street, Milford; Rolla at RTC Stage One, Fairfield; Joan Osborne at the Ridgefield Playhouse, Ridgefield; John Voket (me!) at the Brass House Restaurant Lounge, Waterbury

July 1 — Dan Stevens (free), Redding Town Green, Redding; Stevie Nicks at Mohegan Sun Arena

July 2 — Rush at Nikon Jones Beach Theater, Wantaugh, NY

July 3 — Dancing with the Stars at Bridgeport’s Arena at Harbor Yard featuring Nick Lachey, Joey Fatone and Cheryl Burke; Bela Fleck and the Flecktones at the Ridgefield Playhouse, Ridgefield;

July 4 — INXS at the Fox Theater at Foxwoods Resort Casino

July 5 — Jesse McCartney and Jonas Brothers at Six Flags, Agawam, Mass.; Tim Reynolds at Sully’s Pub, Hartford; Delirium a Cirque du Soleil Live Music Event at Bridgeport’s Arena at Harbor Yard; Staind at Mohegan Sun Arena

July 6 — The Solid Gold Dance Party featuring Peaches & Herb, The Village People, Anita Ward and A Taste of Honey at The Fox Theater at Foxwoods Resort Casino; Edgar Winter with Rick Derringer at the Taste of Enfield, Enfield; Tesla at The Webster Underground, Hartford; Delirium a Cirque du Soleil Live Music Event at Bridgeport’s Arena at Harbor Yard; John Cain & The Bluesbusters at the Georgetown Saloon, Redding

July 7 — Branford Marsalis at Western Connecticut State University; Lou Gramm of Foreigner (free) at Enfield Town Green, Enfield

July 8 — The Outlaws (free) at The Terryville Fair, Terryville