*Mocha will host more than music this weekend, with special events tonight and tomorrow.

According to Rob Kaiser, one of the owners of the coffeehouse at 3 Glen Road in Sandy Hook, visiting artist Matt Roe has been inspired by the surrealistic images of Dalí, the vibrant colors of Van Gogh and the comic style of Dr Seuss while creating art for the last ten-plus years. Matt will be the featured artist during December, and Mocha will host a gallery opening for his exhibition on Friday night.

Then on Saturday there will be holiday specials all day while Sandy Hook Center gears up for its annual tree lighting ceremony. Grab some hot chocolate or your favorite warm drink (unless we get weather like last week’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and need to grab drinks to stay cool with!) and head over to The Glen for any of the events that will lead into the tree lighting as early as 4 pm. The tree lighting itself is at 6, and then MIKE TOWNSEND will be at the mic at Mocha for the rest of the evening.

*GARY HOEY will be playing a free show at The Webster Theater on December 14. The guitarist will be headlining WCCC’s Rock Luau that evening, and doors will be opening at 4 pm.

The previous night THE BACKSTREET BOYS will be doing their “Hey! Yo! Christmas Show,” an event being presented by KISS 95.7 FM. Tickets for that show are $45 apiece.

*BON JOVI will bring its Lost Highway Tour back to Connecticut for two shows next year. Tickets will be going on sale this morning (Friday, November 30) for performances on Friday and Saturday, March 7-8, at Mohegan Sun Arena. Daughtry has joined the Bon Jovi for this leg of the tour, which celebrates the band’s tenth studio release, Lost Highway.

Tickets aren’t exactly inexpensive, at $125, $165 or $195 before service charges, but they’ll sell. TicketMaster will have tickets available in person, online and charge-by-phone beginning Friday, and the Mohegan Sun box office will also have them beginning Saturday if the show doesn’t sell out within its first 24 hours of being on sale.

*Also coming to Mohegan Sun after the first of the year will be KEITH URBAN, with rising star CARRIE UNDERWOOD playing the opening sets, to kick off Urban’s Love, Pain and the whole crazy Carnival Ride Tour on January 31 and February 1.

Tickets for those shows, priced at $75 and $95, will be going on sale Saturday morning at 10 through TicketMaster vendors; and also through the venue’s box office beginning Sunday.

*VAN HALEN will be back in Connecticut on Wednesday, March 28, performing at Mohegan Sun Arena.

No ticket info yet, but that date comes from a solid source.

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 clubs are for ages 21 and over unless specified.

UPCOMING SHOWS

NOVEMBER 30 — Brian Setzer Orchestra Christmas Show at Foxwoods Casino’s Fox Theatre, Ledyard (also December 1); The Nerds at Toad’s Place, New Haven; Jay Stollman & The Black Rock All Stars at Georgetown Saloon, Redding.

DECEMBER 1 — Mike Townsend at Mocha Coffee House, Sandy Hook; Ian Anderson at The Chevrolet Theatre, Wallingford; Brian Setzer’s Christmas Show at Foxwoods Casino’s Fox Theatre (also November 30);

December 6 — Dark Star Orchestra at Toad’s Place, New Haven (all ages);

December 7 — Neil Young at the Chevrolet Theatre; John Mellencamp at Mohegan Sun Arena, Los Lobos opening; Marion Meadows at Toad’s Place;

December 8 — Sol Dog at The Black Duck Café, Westport;

December 13 — The Backstreet Boys at The Webster Theater, Hartford;

December 14 — Gary Hoey at The Webster Theater;

December 16 — Chimaira at Toad’s Place, Kataklsym, Terror and The End opening (all ages).