*The band YES has another show set up in the state this month. Tickets are still available for the band’s The Ladder Tour 1999 when it visits Foxwoods’ Fox Theatre on Saturday, November 27. Seats are $38.50 and $55 apiece, which is so much more reasonable sounding than diva TAYLOR DAYNE’s starting price of $75 for her New Year’s Eve concert at the same venue (her higher-price tickets are $110). Yes’ second in-state show is November 28, at the Oakdale in Wallingford.

*Newtown Coffee House is back this weekend, thanks to the efforts of Newtown residents Andy and Darlene Spencer and the anticipated performance by Portland (CT) resident KENT ALDRICH.

Mr Aldrich will be at the coffee house on Saturday, November 20, in the Memorial Room of Newtown Congregational Church House, at 41-A Main Street. Doors open at 7:30 pm for an hour of open mic, and then the featured performer will be on at 8:30. Admission is $5 for adults, which includes the show and all the coffee, soft drinks and home-baked goodies you can eat. Children under 5 are admitted free.

Mr Aldrich has been playing throughout New England and the tri-state area for a number of years both as a solo performer and with various bands. His blues-based roots are apparent in his writing and guitar work, where he is as much at home with a flat pick as he is finger-picking. He performs on a vintage Gibson and an assortment of harmonicas, peppering his shows with observations on life and music. His performances are suitable for all ages.

*Plenty of tickets are still available for the annual RADIO 104 JINGLE BELL JAM, set this year for December 2 at the Oakdale in Wallingford. If you have missed any of the station’s radio ads, then I’ll tell you here the headliners next month are TORI AMOS, MARCY PLAYGROUND and VERTICAL HORIZON. I believe the tickets are $35 for the show. Call the Oakdale’s box office, 203/265-1501, or Advantic, 888/332-5600, for details and reservations.

Speaking of the Oakdale, just announced is a February 10 show by THE MOODY BLUES, which will be going on sale Monday, November 29. Ticket prices and show time are yet to be announced, but the show and its on-sale date are firm.

*Have you ever noticed how sitting through a set by a really bad band makes you appreciate a really good band that much more? I had one of those experiences just last weekend. Took a drive to Port Chester to see the band SOL DOG, but had to sit through a set by BELLYDANCER first. It was painful. The lead singer was annoying, the songs were just so-so, and the on-stage professionalism was completely non-existent.

But then along comes Sol Dog, who played another of its great shows of southern rock — a combination of familiar favorites and strong originals. Within the first few songs, the band made the hour-plus drive worth the effort.

And the good news is, for the next two weekends you don’t have to drive as far as I did last weekend to see the band play. This weekend Sol Dog has a show at Café 127 in Shelton (Friday, November 19), and then at Avenue Café in the Black Rock section of Bridgeport on Saturday night. Even better news came in to the office this week, when I heard from the band’s singer and guitarist Rev DiCerto, who tells me Sol Dog is finally playing within our immediate area. The guys will be at Classic Rock Brew Pub in Danbury on Saturday, November 27.

Until next week, I’ll be seeing you... on the road.

Questions and comments should be sent to Shannon Hicks, c/o Bee Publishing Co., 5 Church Hill Road, Newtown 06470, or shannon@thebee.com. Include a phone number for confirmation, please. If you don’t have a stamp or a piece of paper or a writing utensil that works, give me a call! The phone number at the office is 426-3141. Shows listed on the calendar at club locations are for ages 21 and over unless specified.

 

UPCOMING CONCERTS

NOVEMBER 19  —The Nerds at Tuxedo Junction, Danbury Sol Dog at Café 127, Shelton; Bim Skala Bim at The Webster Theatre, Hartford, Subcity, Paisanos, Maybe Later and One Less Chicken opening (all ages);

November 20 —Kent Aldrich at Newtown Coffee House (Congregational Church House), Newtown; Sol Dog at Avenue Café, Black Rock; Simple Jim at Tuxedo Junction; Dee Snider at City Limits (all ages);

November 21 —The Derek Trucks Band at Mohegan Sun Casino’s Wolf Den; Steve Vai at Toad’s Place (all ages); Widespread Panic at The Palace, New Haven;

November 23 —Megadeth at The Oakdale, Wallingford, Static X and DDT opening; Anvil at City Limits (all ages);

November 24 —Sting at The Oakdale; Harvey & The Wallbangers at Tuxedo Junction; Deep Banana Blackout at The Webster Theatre (all ages, second show Nov 26);

November 25 —Buckcherry at The Webster Theatre;

November 26 —The Zoo at Tuxedo Junction; NRBQ at Toad’s Place; Deep Banana Blackout at The Webster Theatre (all ages);

November 27 —Sol Dog at Classic Rock Brew Pub, Danbury; The Benjamins at Tuxedo Junction; Max Creek at The Webster Theatre (annual Thanksgiving show); Yes at Foxwoods Casino, Ledyard;

November 28 —Yes at The Oakdale; Lucy Kaplansky at Towne Crier Café, The Wiggins Sisters opening;

November 30 —Godsmack at The Webster Theatre, Hartford, Jim Rose Circus and Revelle opening;

 

DECEMBER 4 —Queensryche at the Oakdale Theatre, Wallingford; Steve Whiteman (formerly of Kixx) at City Limits, Waterbury, Funny Money opening (all ages);

December 5 —Rage Against The Machine at New Haven Coliseum, Gang Starr opening; Sgt Scagnetti at Tuxedo Junction, Danbury, Mephiskapheles and Sifters opening (all ages);

December 7 —Jars Of Clay at Toad’s Place, New Haven (all ages); Sebastian Bach at The Webster Theatre, Grey Cell Green and Groove Fiction Sex Ceremony opening;

December 8 —Sebastian Bach at Tuxedo Junction, Livesay opening;

December 9 —Rick Springfield at the Oakdale Theatre;

December 10 —Peat Moss & The Fertilizers at Tuxedo Junction;

December 11 —Future Tense at Tuxedo Junction;

December 12 —Phish at Hartford Civic Center;

December 15 —Gregg Allman & Friends at The Palace, New Haven (no tickets yet); John Valby at Tuxedo Junction; Clutch at The Webster Theatre, Bakerton Group and Pleasure Crush opening;

December 17 —Gregg Allman & Friends at Foxwoods Casino, Ledyard; Harvey & The Wallbangers at Tuxedo Junction;

December 18 —The Nerds at Tuxedo Junction; Leon Redbone at The Towne Crier Café, Pawling, N.Y.

JANUARY 1 —Post Y2K Party at Tuxedo Junction, Danbury.

FEBRUARY 10 —The Moody Blues at the Oakdale, Wallingford.

APRIL 12 —Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young at Hartford Civic Center.

JULY 24 —The Slackers at The Webster Theatre, Hartford.