*If you’ve been influenced by Paolo Nutini, The Good Life, Glen Hansard, Say Anything, Dashboard Confessional, Dallas Green, The Beatles, Brand New, Jason Mraz, Jewel, KT Tunstall, Spill Canvas, Taking Back Sunday, Daphney Loves Derby, and Amy Winehouse, among many others… how can you come up with anything other than a unique sound?

Check out what those influences sound like on Saturday night when MOLLY BRYCE offers an acoustic set at Mocha Coffee House. Molly will have the stage at 3 Glen Road beginning at 7:30 pm.

*Jazz returns to McLaughlin Vineyard this weekend, with a special Mother’s Day performance on Sunday, May 11, featuring THE PETE WALRATH TRIO. Tickets are $15 in advance or $18 at the door, which includes wine tasting (and a free glass of wine for Mom) and a reserved seat under the tent in addition to the live music from 1 to 4 pm.

Please leave pets at home and don’t bring in outside alcohol, the vineyard owners request. Picnic lunches are absolutely welcome, however, and there is plenty of space to walk around and explore.

Jazz and bluegrass events will begin running almost every Sunday, and will be posted online at McLaughlinVineyards.com (and here, when I hear about them). The vineyard is on Albert’s Hill Road in Sandy Hook, which is off Walnut Tree Hill Road. For information visit the website or call 426-1533 or 866-599-WINE (9463).

*A drummer’s dream will not only bring a theatrical experience to the Hard Rock Café at Foxwoods Casino but will also raise funds for Connecticut Children’s Medical Center in Hartford.

SLAMM USA, a Carmine Appice-led theatrical percussion ensemble, will perform its over-the-edge (their description) music on Friday, May 23, in a show called “Metal Health,” to raise funds for HCMC. Showtime is 8:30, tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door, and also on the bill will be Gary Hoey and Firehouse guitarist Bill Leverty.

Slamm USA has been described as “Stomp on steroids.” It is led by the legendary rock drummer ((Ozzy Osborne, Rod Stewart, Vanilla Fudge, Jeff Beck, et al) and also includes Carmine, Z Man, Mad Matty, Veronica and Marcus VooDoo, all playing drums and props. The guitarist is Artie D.

The dynamic, explosive show presents Appice and the four young drummers making rock music playing buckets, sticks, oil cans, drain pipes, even Dixie cups, as well as drums. The cast played seven packed shows to delighted audiences in New York City as special preview performances before they expanded the show nationally, to include such venues at the Dunkin Donuts Arena and Providence Performing Arts Center. The is the group being featured in the promotional video for ESPN, in which the SLAMM cast “plays” the NASCAR garage to a custom SLAMM-composed NASCAR theme song.

*JOHN FOGERTY will be performing at the Chevrolet Theatre in Wallingford on Friday, August 8, and tickets will be going on sale this morning (Friday) at 10, priced at $45, $55 and $65 each.

Also going on sale this weekend – on Saturday morning at 10 – will be tickets for THREE DOORS DOWN, who will be in Hartford at the Dodge Music Center on Friday, July 18. Those tickets are $75 for general admission pit, $35 and $49.50 for reserved seats, or $25 for the lawn area.

Staind and Hinder will have opening sets.

*Multi-Grammy Award winner SHERYL CROW will bring old hits and new music to Mohegan Sun Arena on Saturday, July 26, for an 8 pm show. She’ll also have special guest James Blunt as well.

Tickets are $45 and $60 and will be available after 10 am Friday through TicketMaster vendors. Tickets will also be available at the casino’s box office beginning 10 am tomorrow morning.

*STEVIE WONDER will be back in Uncasville on Thursday, June 19, for another show at Mohegan Sun Arena. Tickets run from $80 to $115 and will be on sale tomorrow (Saturday) starting at 10 through TicketMaster vendors, and then on Sunday also through the casino’s box office.

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

MAY 9 — Sheena Easton at Mohegan Sun’s Wolf Den, Uncasville (also May 10);

May 10 — Molly Bryce at Mocha Coffee House, Sandy Hook; Panic at The Disco at The Chevrolet Theatre, Wallingford, Motion City Soundtrack, The Hush Sound and Phantom Planet opening; Sheena Easton at Mohegan Sun’s Wolf Den;

May 11 — The Peter Walrath Trio at McLaughlin Vineyards, Sandy Hook (1-4 pm); Marshall Tucker Band at Mohegan Sun’s Wolf Den;

May 16 — Kanye West at Dodge Music Center, Hartford, Rihanna, N.E.R.D. and Lupe Fiasco opening;

May 20 — Van Halen at Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, Ky-Mani Marley opening;

May 22 — The English Beat at Fairfield Theatre Company;

May 23 — Billy Joel at Mohegan Sun Arena (SOLD OUT); Ed Roland at Mohegan Sun’s Cabaret Theater; Slamm USA at Foxwoods Casino’s Hard Rock Café, Ledyard(Carmine Appice’s percussion ensemble, playing benefit for Hartford Children’s Medical Center), with special guests Gary Hoey and Bill Leverty;

May 25 — Billy Joel at Mohegan Sun Arena (SOLD OUT); Stone Temple Pilots at The Chevrolet Theatre;

May 26 — Stone Temple Pilots at Mohegan Sun Arena;

May 29 — Billy Joel at Mohegan Sun Arena (SOLD OUT); “Stop in the Name of Love: Band Together Benefit” at Fairfield Theatre Company, featuring Jen Durkin, Jay Stollman, Christopher Brown, Chris Coogan and Band Together founders Rob Fried and Jerry Vigorito;

May 30 — Tab Benoit at Fairfield Theatre Company; The B. Willie Smith Band at Toad’s Place;

May 31 — Foghat at Mohegan Sun’s Wolf Den (two shows, 8 and 10 pm); Air Supply at The Palace Theater, Waterbury; Stayin’ Alive at Mohegan Sun’s Cabaret Theatre (tribute show, also June 1).

JUNE 1 — Stayin’ Alive at Mohegan Sun Cabaret Theatre (also May 31);     

June 2 — Eric Clapton at Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, Robert Randolph and The Family Band opening;

June 4 — Allison Kraus and Robert Plant at Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville;

June 7 — Lil Wayne featuring Birdman, Rickross, Brisco and other guests at Arena at Harbor Yard, Bridgeport;

June 8 — Tim McGraw with Jason Aldean and Halfway To Hazard at Dodge Music Center, Hartford;June 11 — Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers at Dodge Music Center, Hartford, with special guest Steve Winwood;

June 13 — Billy Joel at Mohegan Sun Arena (SOLD OUT); Dave Matthews Band at Dodge Music Center, Hartford, with special guest Paolo Nutini (also June 14);

June 14 — Dave Matthews Band at Dodge Music Center, with special guest Paolo Nutini;

June 15 — Billy Joel at Mohegan Sun Arena;

June 17 — Tom Tom Club at Fairfield Theatre Company, Fairfield;

June 19 — Stevie Wonder at Mohegan Sun Arena; Dan Hicks & The Hot Licks at Fairfield Theatre Company (also June 20);

June 20 — ZZ Top at The Chevrolet Theatre; Dan Hicks & The Hot Licks at Fairfield Theatre Company;

June 21 — Brooks and Dunn with Rodney Atkins at Dodge Music Center;June 22 — Ringo Starr & His All-Star Band at Mohegan Sun Arena;

June 24 — Fish at Toad’s Place, New Haven;

June 25 — Steely Dan at the Chevrolet Theare;

June 27 — Pearl Jam at Dodge Music Center, Ted Leo & The Pharmacists opening;

June 28 — Billy Joel at Mohegan Sun Arena.