*While Frampton’s is the first concert event of SCA’s 2006-07 season, a few nights before his show Joan Lunden will return for her 14th year as mistress of ceremonies for the MICHAEL BOLTON CHARITIES BENEFIT CONCERT on Sunday, September 17. Tickets for this event – which will include a live auction, award presentations and musical performances by Bolton and other performers to be announced – are priced at $52 and $102, and are available now.

Proceeds will benefit The Michael Bolton Charities, Inc, which was established in 1983 to assist children and women at risk by supporting such programs as Prevent Child Abuse America, Kids in Crisis, Yale Child Study Center, The Domestic Violence Crisis Center and UNCF.

*Tickets will be going on sale tomorrow morning (Aug 12) for an October 9 JAMES BLUNT concert at The Chevrolet Theatre. The tickets have been set at $25, $35 and $50, and will be available through the theater’s box office, online at LiveNation.com, and from all TicketMaster outlets.

*IRON MAIDEN will reportedly open its fall tour in Connecticut, with a show at Dodge Music Center on October 4. Tickets are expected to go on sale August 19, but prices have not been announced.

*Tickets have gone on sale for TOOL’s concert the following night, on October 5 at Hartford Civic Center. Isis will open, and tickets are available for $30, $42.50 and $55.

*Pop-punkers NEW FOUND GLORY will back up the September 19 studio release of Coming Home with a tour of small theaters and mid-size clubs beginning in early October and stretching into late November. Included in those dates is an October 7 stop at Toad’s Place in New Haven.

Tickets are $17.50 in advance, and $22 at the door. Early November, Cartel and Limbeck will open the all-ages show.

*Jam band WIDESPREAD PANIC announced new dates last week for a fall tour supporting its recently released Earth To America, along with the departure of lead guitarist George McConnell. Neither the band nor McConnell offered a reason for the departure.

The good news is, one of those fall tour dates brings the band to Wallingford for a September 23 show at the Chevrolet Theatre.

*VANILLA FUDGE – featuring original members Mark Stein, Carmine Appice, Tim Bogert and Vince Martell – have hit the road again, and will be at Toad’s Place in a few months.

One week before they are part of the first class of inductees at the Long Island Music Hall of Fame, Vanilla Fudge will perform in New Haven on October 8. Tickets are $20 in advance or $25 at the door; the show is open to ages 21 and up (not that anyone under that age is likely to recognize these guys anyway).

*Now that he’s divorce and dating again his career has also taken off.

NICK LACHEY’s September 22 show at Foxwoods Casino is sold out.

There are still plenty of tickets for DAVID LEE ROTH on September 16, however.

*Tickets for the touring edition of SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE will be doing on sale Saturday morning at 10 for an October 1 stop at Foxwoods Casino.

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 SHOWS

AUGUST 11 — Bela Fleck and The Flecktones at Ives Concert Park, Danbury, The Del McCoury Band & Natalie MacMaster opening; Odetta and The Deon Kipping New Covenant Gospel Ensemble at McLevy Green, Bridgeport (6 pm); Tracy Lawrence at Foxwoods Casino’s Fox Theatre, Ledyard; John Hammond Jr at Fairfield Theatre Company, Mark Naftalin opening;

August 12 — Bo Diddley at The Ridgefield Playhouse, Ridgefield, The Ryan O’Neil Project opening; Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers and The Allman Brothers Band at Dodge Music Center, Hartford; 34th Annual Reggae Festival at Woodbury Ski Area (continues August 13, both days 12-8 pm); Busta Rhymes at Foxwoods Casino’s Fox Theatre, Uncasville; Ari Hest at Fairfield Theatre Company; Roxy Perry at Georgetown Saloon;

August 13 — O.A.R. at The Chevrolet Theatre, Wallingford; 34th Annual Reggae Festival at Woodbury Ski Area; Jamie O’Neal at Mohegan Sun’s Wolf Den;

August 14 — Davy Jones at Mohegan Sun’s Wolf Den (also August 15);

August 15 — Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young at Mohegan Sun Arena; Davy Jones at Mohegan Sun’s Wolf Den;

August 16 — Starship featuring Mickey Thomas at Foxwoods Casino’s Fox Theatre;

August 17 — Steve Miller Band at Ives Concert Park, Eric Johnson opening; The Fabulous Thunderbirds at The Ridgefield Playhouse; Eddie Money at Mohegan Sun’s Wolf Den (also August 18).

August 18 — Jesse McCartney at Ives Concert Park; Eddie Money at Mohegan Sun’s Wolf Den; Diamond Rio at Foxwoods Casino’s Fox Theatre; Vertigo at Georgetown Saloon;

August 19 — Sol Dog at 100 Church Hill, Sandy Hook; America at The Ridgefield Playhouse, with special guests Sherman and Greg; Billy Ray Cyrus at Foxwoods Casino’s Fox Theatre; Curtis T at Georgetown Saloon;

August 20 — Toby Keith at The Dodge Music Center, Hartford, Joe Nichols opening;

August 21 — Bob Weir & Ratdog at Ridgefield Playhouse (also August 22); Julie Roberts at Mohegan Sun’s Wolf Den (also August 22);

August 22 — Bob Weir & Ratdog at Ridgefield Playhouse (also Aug 21);  Julie Roberts at Mohegan Sun’s Wolf Den; Foghat at Foxwoods Casino’s Fox Theatre (two shows, both free); Chris Brown at The Chevrolet Theatre, with Ne-Yo, Lil’ Wayne, Dem Franchize Boyz and Juelz Santana;

August 23 — James Taylor at Mohegan Sun Arena; Cheyenne Kimball at Toad’s Place (all ages);

August 24 — Steely Dan with Michael McDonald at Dodge Music Center.