*For almost twenty years, Shelton resident Matt Miklus has been enriching his community through music. On Saturday, December 6, community members will use music to give a little back.

Friends and family are accepting donations and sponsors for Helping Hands, a benefit concert for 36-year-old Matt Miklus, who severed four fingers in an accident while working on his house in September. Having 3½ of the four fingers reattached after two surgeries, Matt hopes to regain the use of those fingers after intensive physical therapy.

Miklus is a Shelton resident who has been teaching guitar in the Valley for ten years.  He has, along with his original rock band Hubinger Street, organized and performed at fund raisers for Shelton Congregational Church, Hamden Mount Carmel Congregational Church, WPKN Radio, and Connecticut Land Trust. He also annually organizes food and toy drives for Spooner House, Connecticut Food Bank and Toys for Tots.

Helping Hands, A Benefit for Matt Miklus will take place from 4 pm to midnight on Saturday, December 6, at The AM Club in Derby and will feature live bands, raffles, food and drinks. Tickets are $30 each and will help raise funds for Miklus’s medical expenses.

To donate, or for more information — especially the musicians who will be performing, which I can’t seem to locate anywhere — call fellow musician and Hubinger Street member Casey Gorman at 203-954-7619 or email him at CaseyGorman@sbcglobal.net.

*BRITNEY SPEARS will bring her highly-anticipated The Circus Starring Britney Spears 2009 Tour — her first arena tour in fiveyears — to Mohegan Sun on Thursday, March 26, at 7:30 pm.

Tickets are $98 to $250, and go on sale Saturday at 10 am through TicketMaster.  If the show doesn’t sell out within 24 hours, tickets will also be available for purchase from Mohegan Sun’s box office starting Sunday morning.

The 27-city North American trek comes, of course, hot on the heels of Spears’ long-awaited sixth studio album, Circus. Emmy Award-winning choreographer and director, Wade Robson, is helming the tour production, which also features special guests the Pussycat Dolls.

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

DECEMBER 4 — Tim McGraw at Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville (also December 5);

December 5 — Tim McGraw at Mohegan Sun Arena; Gavin DeGraw at The Webster Theater, Hartford, Matt Wertz opening;

December 6 — Tina Turner at the XL Center; Eric Hutchinson at The Webster Underground, Hartford, with Charlotte Sometimes and Delta Goodrem opening; Ill Nino at The Webster Theater, Otep opening;

December 7 — Squirrel Nut Zippers at The Webster Theater;

December 12 — Big Bad Voodoo Daddy Christmas Show at Mohegan Sun Wolf Den (also December 13-14);

December 13 — Marion Meadows at Toad’s Place, New Haven (annual Christmas show); Big Bad Voodoo Daddy Christmas Show at Mohegan Sun Wolf Den;

December 14 — Big Bad Voodoo Daddy Christmas Show at Mohegan Sun Wolf Den;

December 15 — Soulfly at The Webster Theater;

December 16 — Senses Fail at The Webster Theater, with Dance Gavin Dance, Sky Eats Airplane and Foxy Shazam opening;

December 19 — John Valby at Toad’s Place; Ronnie Spector Christmas Show at Mohegan Sun Wolf Den;

December 26 — Darik & The Funbags at Toad’s Place;

December 27 — Badfish at Toad’s Place (all ages); Starship with Mickey Thomas at Mohegan Sun’s Wolf Den;

December 28 — Starship with Mickey Thomas at Mohegan Sun’s Wolf Den.