*JOHN VOKET will be kicking off his second annual series of fund- and awareness-raising shows for Newtown’s Relay For Life this weekend. This year’s Relay will be the overnight of June 9-10 at Newtown High School, and John’s goal is to “help folks get their hands on luminaries that will line the Relay track to honor those fighting the good fight, and to remember those who are no longer with us,” he said in a recent email.

Monthly performances in John’s “Shine On for the CURE” series will begin on Saturday night, when John is joined by his friend Brendan Walsh for another great show at Mocha Coffee House in Sandy Hook. The guys will be starting around 7:30 and there is no admission charge, but each month’s show will include requests for donations. Each $5 donation will cover the cost of one luminary, which will join hundreds of others to line the track at the high school on June 9 and will be inscribed with the name of a loved one of acquaintance of your choice.

Additional shows in the 2007 Shine On the for CURE Tour will be February 16 at Proud Mary’s (below The Inn at Newtown), on Main Street, from 8:30 until 11:30; and April 20 and a date in June still to be set, also at Proud Mary’s. Future shows are Mocha are also being worked on for March and May. Details will be shared once I receive them.

John also has a pair of unrelated (meaning non-Relay fundraisers) shows at Proud Mary’s scheduled. He will be headlining on Saturday, February 3, and Saturday, March 3, also running 8:30 to 11:30.

*SONIC YOUTH will be back at Toad’s Place on Thursday, February 15, for the first time in 16 years.  These guys usually play in larger theaters, too, so catching them in a club setting will be great.

Tickets are $25 and still available. Call the club for reservations, 203-562-5589.

*Tickets for JOHN GORKA’s concert at Roaring Brook Nature Center in Canton are also very reasonably priced and still available. Gorka will be headling on Thursday, February 1, at 7 pm. Tickets are $22 if purchased or reserved in advance, and will increase to $25 at the door.

Call the nature center, 860-693-0263, for details and reservations.

*Recording artist LUCINDA is a featured performer at the Music Sales Corporation performance area at NAMM 2007 this weekend. The Newtown native will be featured daily this weekend, performing from 4 to 5 pm, January 18-21, at the Convention Center in Anaheim, Calif.

“The NAMM Show is like the Holy Grail for musicians,” enthuses Lucinda. “I am honored to perform for the third year in a row and be part of the talent presented at NAMM ‘07. I am privileged to be representing Music Sales Corporation with daily performances at their performance space on the convention floor. I am very grateful for their support of my music.”

Lucinda will be joined by guitarist Michael Connolly and bassist David Jayne for her NAMM performances. Then on January 27, she will appear as part of the OS Art House original sessions series in New York City.

Lucinda recently celebrated the release of her new CD Aquamarine. A portion of the sales of the new CD will benefit LIFEbeat, “The Music Industry Fights AIDS.” Lucinda is a proud volunteer in LIFEbeat’s Hearts and Voices program, which, according to its website, “brings the gift of live music to thousands of people living with AIDS at facilities throughout New York City including hospitals, hospices, residential facilities, and treatment centers.” In October 2006, Lucinda received an Outstanding Service Award for her work with the organization.

To learn more about Lucinda including upcoming local performances, visit LucindaWorld.com.

*DROPKICK MURPHYS, the Boston-based Celtic punk band with a sound and style all their own, will be the headliner for UConn’s Winter Weekend Concert on Saturday, February 10, at 8 pm, at Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts in Storrs. The opening act will be the young rocker band Big D and The Kids Table, also from Boston.

Tickets for the public are $20. UConn student tickets are less expensive (as is the norm) and will be going on sale January 26. Remaining tickets will be going on sale to the public Monday, January 29.

For tickets call the Jorgensen box office, 860-486-4226. It’s open Monday through Friday from 11 am to 5 pm.

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 club locations are for ages 21 and over unless specified.

 

UPCOMING SHOWS

JANUARY 19 — Jamie Foxx and Fantasia at Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville; Unforgettable Fire at Toad’s Place, New Haven, Ink and The Jaws opening;

January 20 — John Voket and Brendan Walsh at Mocha Coffee House, Sandy Hook; Bob Seger and The Silver Bullet Band at Mohegan Sun Arena; Johnny Winter at Toad’s Place, Remember September and The Bonesmen opening;

January 25 — Overkill at The Webster Theater, Metal Church opening (all ages);

January 26 — Big Bad Voodoo Daddy at Mohegan Sun’s Wolf Den (also January 27);

January 27 — Brooks & Dunn at Mohegan Sun Arena; Rock Star Supernova with The Panic Channel at The Chevrolet Theatre, Wallingford; Roomful of Blues at The Webster Theater (all ages); Hat City Blues Band at Redding Roadhouse; Big Bad Voodoo Daddy at Mohegan Sun’s Wolf Den.