*A reminder that AMERICAN MORTAR ROCK BAND plays its first of three shows in three months this weekend at Mario’s Café in Derby. Vocalist Susan, lead guitarist Danny, drummer Bob, rhythm guitarist Al and bass guitarist Lee, who “play rockin’ originals and contemporary to classic rock covers,” will be at the 165 Main Street café on Saturday night.

*With the recent demise of local blues venues – among them The Last Stop Cafe in Bethel, and Blues Alley and Classic Rock Airport Pub in Danbury – David Lott says HAT CITY BLUES BAND is taking things into their own hands. The band has rented the ballroom at Fireside Inn in Newtown and will be putting on a Hat City Blues Band Oktoberfest Celebration & Dance on Saturday, October 18. Showtime is 7:30, and ticket details will be coming within the next few weeks.

*Two new shows have gone on sale at the Oakdale Theatre in Wallingford.

The return engagement of THE BLUE MAN GROUP’s complex tour, which was a quick sellout last time the show played, will be Monday, November 3, and tickets are available for $25, $35 and $45.

The latest engagement by THE MOODY BLUES was also announced over the weekend. The band returns to Wallingford on Saturday, November 29, and tickets are $28, $38 and $48 apiece.

Cal the Oakdale box office, 203-265-1501 or visit any tickets.com vendor for tickets to either show.

*Newtown-based GIA is in New York City this weekend, participating in the annual M.E.A.N.Y. The festival opened last Saturday and will wrap this Sunday. Gia learned back in July that it had been invited to this year’s festival, and the band recently found out it will be playing Saturday night at Kenny’s Castaways. Kenny’s is at 157 Bleeker Street, in Greenwich Village.

M.E.A.N.Y. – Musicians and Emerging Artists of New York – is a juried showcase/competition for up-and-coming musicians. The event is being presented at The Downtown, Continental, CB’s Gallery, CBGB’s, Tribeca, Arlene Grocery and Lux, in addition to Kenny’s.

*OFF THE HOOK closes September with a show tonight at Proud Mary’s, the lower lounge of The Inn at Newtown. Showtime is 9 pm and there’s no cover to get into the show.

The band will then open October with a show next Friday at Carl Anthony’s in Monroe, then a show on Saturday at Topside Café in Milford. Additional local shows next month include October 11 at 707 on Main in Monroe, October 17 at Rathskeller in Southbury, October 24 at Proud Mary’s, and a Halloween Bash at Carl Anthony’s on October 31. In November the band returns to Carl Anthony’s on the 7th, and 707 On Main on the 8th.

*The Shubert Theatre in New Haven continues to announce new concerts, this week putting tickets on sale for a show by IAN ANDERSON. The Jethro Tull frontman returns to Connecticut on November 9. Tickets, priced at $30, $40 and $50, are on sale as of 10 this morning.

*JACKSON BROWNE, who had already announced a November 2 show at Foxwoods as part of his current acoustic tour, announced additional dates this week on the tour and that includes another Connecticut show. Browne will also be at The Palace Theatre of Stamford Center for the Arts on October 30 for a 7:30 show. Tickets are on sale; contact any tickets.com vendor or call the theaters box office at 203-325-4466.

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 CONCERTS

SEPTEMBER 26 — Off The Hook at Proud Mary’s, Newtown; Credence Clearwater Revisited at Mohegan Sun’s Wolf Den, Uncasville (also Sept 27); The Nerds at Toad’s Place, New Haven; Johnnie Marshall at Black-Eyed Sally’s, Hartford;

September 27 — Jonny Lang at The Shubert Theatre, New Haven; American Mortar Rock Band at Mario’s Café, Derby; Credence Clearwater Revisited at Mohegan Sun’s Wolf Den; The Zoo at Tuxedo Junction, Danbury; Ill Nino at The Webster Theater, Spineshank, 40 Below Summer and Scrape opening;

September 28 — The Bacon Brothers at Mohegan Sun’s Wolf Den; Journey at Foxwoods’ Fox Theatre, Ledyard; Joan Jett & The Blackhearts at Durham Fair, Durham;

September 29 — The Charlie Daniels Band at Durham Fair;

September 30 — The Starting Line at The Webster Theatre, Homegrown, The Early November, Senses Fail and Alister opening.

 

OCTOBER 3 — Off The Hook at Carl Anthony’s, Monroe; SideShow at Humphrey’s, New Haven; Michael Bolton at Foxwoods’ Fox Theatre, Mashantucket; Joanna Connor at Black-Eyed Sally’s BBQ & Blues Café, Hartford; Chulrua at UHartford’s Wilde Auditorium, West Hartford;

October 4 — Off The Hook at Topside Café, Milford;

October 5 — Dada at The Webster Theatre, Hartford;

October 6 — Lucinda Williams at Toad’s Place, New Haven (rescheduled date);

October 8 — Stryper at The Webster Theatre, Wreck and High Speed Steel opening;

October 9 — George Clinton & Parliament Funk at Toad’s Place (all ages); Colonel Hampton & The Code Talkers at Black-Eyed Sally’s;

October 10 — SideShow at The Corner Pocket, Orange; Patty Larkin with Greg Greenway at UHartford’s Wilde Auditorium;

October 14 — Matchbox Twenty at The Arena at Harbor Yard, Bridgeport, Fountains of Wayne opening;

October 17 — SideShow at Black Rock & Blue, Bridgeport; India.Arie at UConn’s Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts, Storrs; Off The Hook at Rathskeller, Southbury; Little Buster’s Rhythm & Blues Expo at The Webster Theater, Hartford; Dana Pomfret at UHartford’s Wilde Auditorium;

October 18 — Hat City Blues Band at Fireside Inn, Newtown; India.Arie at Foxwoods’ Fox Theatre;

October 19 — Brett Michaels (of Poison) at The Webster Theatre, Buff Daddy opening;

October 23 — 3 Doors Down at the Oakdale Theatre, Wallingford, Seether and Shinedown opening; Doobie Brothers at The Warner Theatre, Torrington; Cast Iron Filter at Black-Eyed Sally’s;

October 24 — Off The Hook at Proud Mary’s, Newtown; The Kennedys at Stamford Center for the Arts, Stamford; Big Shot at Toad’s Place; Rani Arbo & daisy mayhem at UHartford’s Wilde Auditorium, The Roadbirds opening.

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October 25 — The Debbie Davies Band at Black-Eyed Sally’s; Keller Williams at The Webster Theatre;

October 26 — Twisted Sister at The Webster Theatre, Sebastian Bach opening;

October 28 — Queensryche at The Webster Theater;

October 30 — Jackson Browne at Stamford Center for the Arts’ Palace Theatre, Stamford; ModeRenko at Black-Eyed Sally’s;

October 31 — Off The Hook at Carl Anthony’s; Annual Kooks & Spooks Convention at Toad’s Place, bands TBA; Psychedelic Breakfast at The Webster Theatre.