*If you pick this paper up in time (we’re going to press early this week thanks to the holiday…) and don’t have anything to do to celebrate Thanksgiving Eve, MOPPIN’ SAUCE has the answer for you.. The 70s cover band returns to The Fireside Inn for a Thanksgiving eve/Wednesday, November 22 show.

*If you need some help working off Thursday’s turkey dinner, NRBQ will be at Toad’s Place in New Haven for its 10th Annual Thanksgiving Show on Friday, November 24. Paradise Vendors, Lambbone and The Providers all have opening sets.

Closer to home, THE ZOO headlines at Tuxedo Junction in Danbury that night and Newtown musician JOE PROC has a solo show at Carl Anthony’s in Monroe.

*NUNO BETTENCOURT has a new project. The former guitarist for EXTREME is now working with MOURNING WIDOWS, who makes its debut at The Webster Theatre in Hartford next month. The band was formed in mid-1998, although it went for a few months without a name and went through two drummers before settling on the current line-up. Nuno B. handles the guitar and vocals for Widows, Donovan Bettencourt is the trio’s bass player, and Jeff Consi joined the band in January 1999 as its drummer, replacing Billy Vegan (the band originally had Nuno’s former Extreme bandmade Mike Mangini on drums). The band’s name is said to have been inspired by a painting Nuno saw while at home in Portugal. The painting depicting widows dressed in black against a beautiful white church. Nuno liked the painting, its name sounded very poetic, he reasoned, and the others liked it as well.

Mourning Widows is touring now to support its second release, Furnished Souls for Rent, which was released this past June on Polydor Japan. The self-titled debut release, also on the Polydor Japan label, came out in December 1998. The band will be at The Webster Theatre on Thursday, December 14.

*The following night, ANGRY SALAD and AZTEK TRIP co-headline at The Webster, the same night the club is reportedly going to the be site for the shooting of an Abercrombie & Fitch television commercial. The FUEL show that had been originally set for that night has been bumped to December 9; call the club if you already have tickets for the original date and won’t be able to make it. You should be able to get a refund, no problem.

*And finally this week, this weekend’s music special on CPTV (Charter Communications channel 12) will be The Moody Blues at The Royal Albert Hall, which will be aired on Saturday, November 25, at 9 pm. The performance was taped in May on the last date of the band’s UK concert tour to support Strange Times, its first studio album since 1991. As with the STING concert presentation mentioned last week, however, the bad news is this show will be aired during the station’s membership campaign so you will have to put up with long commercial breaks and requests for pledges sandwiched around the music.

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 24 —NRBQ at Toad’s Place, New Haven, Paradise Vendors, The Providers and Lambbone opening; Max Creek at The Webster Theatre, Hartford (all ages); Off The Hook at Carl Anthony’s (Joe Proc only, solo acoustic show), Monroe; The Zoo at Tuxedo Junction, Danbury;

November 25 — Electric Mayhem at Laszlo’s Arts Café, Monroe; Rafter Bats at Tune Inn, New Haven;

November 29 — Ratos de Porao at Tune Inn;

November 30 — Crazy Town at The Webster Theatre, Slaves on Dope opening.

DECEMBER 1 — The Nerds at Toad’s Place, New Haven; FUBAR at Tuxedo Junction, Danbury;

December 2 — Joe Rock Star at Tuxedo Junction;

December 3 — Roomful of Blues at Towne Crier Café, Pawling, NY;

December 5 — M.O.P. at Toad’s Place;

December 7 — Dio and Yngwie Malmsteen at The Webster Theatre, Hartford, Doro opening (all ages); Sweeter Than Wine at Toad’s Place;

December 8 — After Dark at The Webster Theatre, Hartford (all ages), Grey Cell Green, Madhat, Throne and Gaiah opening;

December 9 — Limp Bizkit and Godsmack at Hartford Civic Center, DMX and Sinnistar opening; The Pilfers at Tune Inn, New Haven; Fuel at The Webster Theatre;

December 10 — Dark Star Orchestra at Toad’s Place (all ages).