Shannon is on the road again, so it provides an opportunity to invite all you music lovers to not only come out and support local talent, but also to help send worthy and qualified Newtown children who couldn’t otherwise afford it to camp next summer. Next Thursday, August 26, the Newtown Allstars featuring Newtown’s own singer/songwriter recording artists Darryl Gregory and Daria Musk will be performing solo and together with percussionist Andrew J. Mangold and myself in the closing show of Dickinson Park’s Summer Concert series.

All proceeds, including what can be collected from donations from attendees that evening, will go toward replenishing the now tapped Park & Rec camp scholarship fund. We hope to match the artists combined donation and then some — with a goal of raising at least $1,200, enough to send four children to a week’s summer camp next year. The show runs from 6:30 to 8:30 pm, and will be held rain or shine.

Admission, as always, is free. So bring a picnic, your family and friends, and enjoy some of the best talent Newtown has to offer — and please consider making a donation on behalf of a Newtown child who is hoping for a summer camp experience next summer!

On a related note, if you are the kind of music lover who likes to buy local, check out the latest round of shows being presented — and in several cases ticketed — by independent Waterbury-based Premier Concerts. Besides bringing a raft of artists into regional theaters in the coming weeks including Crosby, Stills & Nash, Loretta Lynn, Joan Baez, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Joe Bonamassa, Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull, and comedians Lewis Black and Ron White, Premier is also fighting the corporate power by handling ticketing for some of these shows through its newest venture, www.premierboxoffice.com.

Company principal Keith Mahler says that in most cases, his ticketing enterprise is an economic alternative for both venues and fans who might otherwise have to go through more costly national ticketing companies to handle the business. According to Mr Mahler, offering a one-stop ticketing service also provides more cohesive process for certain venues hosting Premier shows.

For instance, Danbury’s Ives Concert Park does not have its own ticketing system, so it is using premierboxoffice.com this season instead of Ticketmaster, which is known for sometimes tagging on astronomically high fees and service charges over the face cost of concert tickets.

And speaking of live music...

*THE ADULTS continue to do their regular open mic nights at The One-Eyed Pig here in Newtown, but the guys also have a full show scheduled for next weekend. The band will be at The Lumberyard Pub in Georgetown (just around the corner from The Georgetown Saloon) at Main Street and Route 57 on Friday, August 27. Showtime will be around 9 and the music will continue until at least midnight.

Fans of eclectic glam rock of the 1970s and 80s can strap on a dark pair of shades and head to the Palace Theater in Danbury for a very special benefit concert September 17 featuring Ian Hunter, who has a respectable catalog of material between his prolific solo career and his tenure fronting Mott the Hoople. I’m certain attendees will be treated to staple Hunter hits like “All the Young Dudes” and “Cleveland Rocks,” along with a bunch of other great British-flavored rock and roll.

According to a release from Hunter’s organization, the show is a benefit to “celebrate the life of Stevie Buccini. Stevie bravely battled cancer for two years until July 7, 2010, when he finally succumbed to the disease at the far-too-young age of 40.” This special night features Hunter with the Newtown-based The Doug Wahlberg band opening.

Also just added to the stellar lineup this fall at The Ridgefield Playhouse, Grace Potter & The Nocturnals returning on Sunday, September 12, at 8 pm. Grace and her crew have been making soulful blues-influenced rock for the past eight years, with their most self-titled release. They were also just names the Best New Band of 2010 by Rolling Stone Magazine, and had their cover of the Jefferson Airplane’s “White Rabbit” included in the soundtrack to Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland.

In related news, guitar lovers won’t want to miss a rare evening of acoustic guitar coming to the RPH October 17 featuring Grammy award winner Eric Johnson, named one of the “100 Greatest Guitarists of the 20th Century” by Musician magazine. He will be joined by Andy McKee an acoustic guitar phenomenon whose music has attracted 75 million views to watch him on YouTube, and Peppino D’Agostino, a virtuoso acoustic guitarist, composer, singer, teacher and all-around entertainer who was voted “Best Acoustic Guitarist” by readers of Guitar Player magazine.

And anyone holding tickets for, or planning to attend a September show at the RPH with Robert Randolph and the Family Band, can make plans for his rescheduled performance, which will now be held on December 2.

While it’s a little out of the area, Allman Brothers fans don’t have any trouble ramblin’ to see this seminal jam band — especially since they are returning to the concert stage following co-founder Greg Allman’s liver transplant. The Allmans will hopefully be heading to Connecticut soon, but in the meantime snap up seats for their run at Boston’s Orpheum Theatre November 18–20.

Shannon plans to be back next week, so until next time — enjoy the show!

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

AUGUST 20 — Reba McEntire at Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, with special guest Steve Azar; Juliette Lewis at Fairfield Theatre Company; A Night of Comedy and Metal featuring Eddie Trunk / Jim Florentine / Don Jamieson, The Webster, Hartford;

August 21 — Ozzfest 2010 at the Comcast Theatre, Hartford; Slip-Not, The Webster, Hartford;

August 24 — Rob Thomas at Mohegan Sun Arena;

August 25 — The Holmes Brothers, Infinity Hall, Norfolk;

August 26 — Newtown Allstars benefit for Newtown Park & Rec Camp Scholarship Fund featuring Daria Musk and Darryl Gregory, Dickinson Park, Newtown; String Fingers at My Place Restaurant, Newtown;

August 27 — Jackson Browne with David Lindley at the Oakdale Theatre, Wallingford; The Adults at The Lumberyard Pub, Georgetown;

August 28 — Stevie Nicks at The MGM Grand at Foxwoods; John Sebastian, Infinity Hall, Norfolk;

August 29 — Jon Anderson at The Ridgefield Playhouse; Little River Band, Infinity Hall, Norfolk

SEPTEMBER 2 — Lost Dog at My Place Restaurant, Newtown;

September 4 — Aerosmith at Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville;

September 5 — Keith Urban at the Oakdale Theatre, Wallingford, Kris Allen opening;

September 9 — String Fingers at My Place Restaurant;

September 10 — Rascal Flatts at the Comcast Theatre, Hartford, Kellie Pickler opening;

September 16 — Lost Dog at My Place Restaurant;

September 20 — Alice in Chains at Mohegan Sun Arena, with Deftones and Mastodon opening;

September 23 — String Fingers at My Place Restaurant;

September 24 — Toby Keith at the Comcast Theatre;

September 28 — Nickelback at Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, Three Days Grace and Buckcherry opening; Opuspalooza on two stages featuring Dead By Wednesday / Thy Will Be Done / Nassau Chainsaw / Menace II Sobriety / Armor Column / Tyrant Trooper / Eyes Of The Dead / The Curse Of Her Flesh / Kali Ma / Duece Bug / Blastoma / Lightsbane / Forget Tomorrow, The Webster, Hartford;

September 30 — Lost Dog at My Place Restaurant.