*I have to start with a bit of a clarification this week: JACKSON BROWNE will apparently be bringing his Time The Conqueror World Tour to North America for a two-month summer 2009 leg, but I misread the other half of the announcement that crossed my desk last week.

A July 13 date has been for Ives Concert Park in Danbury, making that – if the schedule doesn’t change between then and now – the first US show for the tour. There are, however, two shows planned before the Danbury event in Canada, which means the first shows in North America will be in Canada, not over in Danbury. It’s still exciting news.

*Tickets for the Connecticut return of DAVE MATTHEWS BAND, which will be June 5-6 at Meadows Music Theater in Hartford, will be on sale this morning (Friday, March 13). Tickets are $40.50 for lawn seating and $75 for anything in the reserved area.

Femi Kuti and the Positive Force will be opening both shows.

Tickets are available through LiveNation.com’s website or by calling 877-598-8696.

*Speaking of DMB, the band will play a pair of shows at Fenway Park during its spring-summer-fall tour. The Boston shows will be May 29 and 30, with Willie Nelson & Family opening. That’s an interesting thing; two, actually: The juxtaposition of Dave Matthews and Willie Nelson, and Willie being in the support position. Tickets for those shows were available until Wednesday to members of the band’s fan club, so I imagine the public onsale will be this weekend or next.

*Also going on sale this weekend will be tickets for a show by NICKELBACK, who announced plans last week for a North American summer tour to support their latest album, Dark Horse. The band, with Hinder, Saving Abel and Papa Roach handling opening sets, will be at the Meadows Music Theater on Saturday, July 25.

Tickets will be on sale tomorrow morning at 11 am through LiveNation.com or 877-598-8689.

*As part of her first headlining tour, multi platinum selling singer-songwriter TAYLOR SWIFT will take the stage at Mohegan Sun Arena on Friday, August 28, with Kellie Pickler and Gloriana handing the opening spots. Tickets will be going on sale next Friday morning, March 20, at 10 am, and have been priced at $49.50 and $59.50 apiece. Friday sales will be through TicketMaster vendors, and then the casino’s box office will also offer ticket sales beginning Saturday if the show doesn’t sell out before then.

*Speaking of tickets and onsales, fans who purchase tickets for the June 24 NO DOUBT concert at Mohegan Sun will receive a free download of the band’s entire digital audio catalog for each ticket purchased. If you’ve already purchased your tickets and were not made aware of this offer, contact the vendor who sold you the tickets for the bonus material.

The downloads include all five studio albums, plus Everything In Time, the B-sides, rarities and remixes collection issued in 2003, and The Singles, 1992-2003, also released in 2003. There collection also includes No Doubt’s first new recording, the single “Stand and Deliver,” which is apparently only available through this offer for now. The band will be performing the song, reportedly for the first time ever, on the May 11 episode of “Gossip Girl.”

*JIM ALLYN and RICK BRODSKEY will be playing a set or two of music over at Blue Z Coffee House this weekend. This is the coffee house that opened in Newtown recently, over at 127 Main Street South (next to McGeorgi’s Antiques). Jim says he and Rick, both of whom have been providing music for the monthly Flagpole Radio Café series at Edmond Town Hall, will be starting around 8 on Saturday, March 14, and may even be joined by a few musical friends before the evening is over.

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

MARCH 13 — Lucinda & Michael Connolly at Proud Mary’s, Newtown; Nicholas James Conforti at Mocha Coffeehouse, Sandy Hook; Orb Mellon at Blue Z Coffee House, Newtown; Black 47 at Toad’s Place, New Haven (all ages); The Nields at Infinity Music Hall, Nolfolk, with Chris O’Brien; George Thorogood at Foxwoods Casino’s Fox Theatre, Ledyard; Mötley Crüe at Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, with Hinder, Theory of a Deadman and The Last Vegas; Los Lobos at Ridgefield Playhouse; Marshall Tucker Band at Mohegan Sun’s Wolf Den (also March 14); Johnny Feds & Da Bluez Boyz at Georgetown Saloon, Redding;

March 14 — 150 RPM at Proud Mary’s; Jim Allyn and Rick Brodskey at Blue Z Coffee House; Fawn Segerson at Mocha Coffeehouse; Fleetwood Mac at Mohegan Sun Arena; Busta Rhymes at Toad’s Place (all ages); Marshall Tucker Band at Mohegan Sun’s Wolf Den; Hat City Blues Band at One-Eyed Pig, Newtown; Roxy Perry’s invitational jam at Georgetown Saloon.