*“WEIRD AL” YANKOVICH has posted a very touching note on his website concerning the death of his parents last weekend. His show this weekend at Foxwoods Casino’s Fox Theater, which represents his debut at the venue, will go on as planned. The performer says in his note that his fans have told him countless times over the years that his music and mania has touched them during hard times. Now he’s hoping to pick up some of that energy from them. For a while, he says, the one thing he is taking a hiatus from is autograph sessions and meet-and-greets. Understandable.

Tickets for Saturday’s show, which continues to support his 2003 Grammy Award winning album Poodle Hat, are $27.50 and $38.50 and can be reserved by calling 800-200-2882.

*Tickets for JOHN MAYER, who returns to Connecticut with Maroon 5 opening on Sunday, August 15, will be going on sale this afternoon (Friday) at 3 pm. Mayer’s latest performance in his home state will be at the Meadows Music Centre in Hartford. Tickets are $31 for the lawn and $41 for the pavilion.

THE DEAD WITH WARREN HAYNES, a show that will visit the Meadows Music Centre on Tuesday, August 3, will be going on sale Saturday at 10 am. Tickets have been set at $43 for open lawn seating and $53 for reserved pavilion seating.

*Wristbands will be given out starting at 7 am Saturday for PHIL COLLINS, who will bring The Phil Collins First Final Farewell Tour to Mohegan Sun Arena on Tuesday, September 21. Onsales begin that morning at 10 am.

Ticket prices start at $60 and run to $100, $140 and top out at $160. Tickets will also be available online at tickets.com or in person at any tickets.com vendor, as well as over the phone at 800-477-6849.

*SOPHIE B. HAWKINS will be following the release of Wilderness, due out on Tuesday, by hitting the road and she will be returning to Connecticut for the first time in a number of years. Tickets are just $20 for Hawkins’ performance on Saturday, May 1, at Charter Oak Cultural Center, 21 Charter Oak Avenue in Hartford.

Call 860-249-1207 for reservations. Details next week about what the singer’s been up to lately and what we can expect to see in her new performances.

*The Newtown native singer-songwriter LUCINDA will be joined by drummer Tom Nagy and bass player Chris McCarvill for a performance as one of the opening bands at The Webster Theatre in Hartford on April 27. That’s the night 80s pop princess TIFFANY will be headlining.

In addition to Lucinda, Nagy and McCarvill taking some time on stage the show will offers sets by JERRY REED, ERICA RICHARDSON and MAXXTONE.

Tickets are $15 for that show, which is open to all ages. Doors will open at 7 pm.

*Clear Channel Entertainment is offering a Stars, Strips & Studs Country SuperTicket that offers admission to three shows at the Meadows in Hartford this summer. Trouble is, you can’t purchase single tickets for these shows yet so if you aren’t a huge fan of all three headlines – TIM McGRAW, KENNY CHESNEY and TOBY KEITH – you’re left crossing your fingers that good tickets for each show will still be available when the single shows go on sale.

The SuperTicket is $100 for lawn seating for all three shows, or $290 for what’s still left in the pavilion. The concerts are McGraw on June 25, Chesney on July 11 and Keith on September 5. Visit the Meadows’ website, www.MeadowsMusic.com, to purchase tickets.

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

APRIL 16 — Sol Dog at Café 127, Shelton; Ruben Stoddard at Foxwoods Casino’s Fox Theatre, Ledyard; SideShow at The Brickyard, Hartford; The Mark Rigg Band at The Georgetown Saloon; Bad Medicine at Tuxedo Junction, Danbury; The Curtis Salgado Band at Black-Eyed Sally’s BBQ & Blues Café, Hartford;

April 17 — “Weird Al” Yankovic at Foxwoods Casino’s Fox Theatre; The Zoo at Tuxedo Junction; Due West at The Georgetown Saloon; Popa Chubby at Black-Eyed Sally’s;

April 18 — Breaking Benjamin at The Webster Theatre, Downward Limit and Look West opening (replaced previously-announced Brett Michaels show, all ages);

April 19 — Reel Big Fish at The Webster Theatre (all ages);

April 20 — Local H and Cobra Verde at The Webster Theatre, C4 and Rabid Abbey opening (all ages);

April 21 — Clutch at The Webster Theatre (all ages);

April 22 — Groove Blenders at Black-Eyed Sally’s;

April 23 — Soul Live & The Bomb Squad at Tuxedo Junction; John Valby at Toad’s Place; Story of the Year at The Webster Theatre, Adair, Motion City Soundtrack and Letter Kills opening (all ages); Hoodoo Band at The Georgetown Saloon; The Phil Guy Band at Black-Eyed Sally’s;

April 24 — Tower of Power at Toad’s Place (all ages); The Nerds at Tuxedo Junction; SideShow at Stash’s, New London; Smokehouse at The Georgetown Saloon; The Phil Guy Band and The Nutmeg Horns at Black-Eyed Sally’s;

April 25 — Less Than Jake at Toad’s Place, The Early November opening (all ages); Cinnamon Sky Trio at The Georgetown Saloon;

April 26 — Rasputina and Murder By Death at The Webster Theatre, Running with Karma opening;

April 27 — Elton John at The Arena at Harbor Yard, Bridgeport; Tiffany at The Webster Theatre, Lucinda & Friends, Maxxtone, Erica Richardson and Jerry Reed opening (all ages);

April 28 — Mary J. Blige at the Oakdale Theatre, Musiq and Glenn Lewis opening; Elton John at The Arena at Harbor Yard; Allister, Hidden in Plain View and Punchline at The Webster Theatre, Grover Dill and Drunken Beernuts opening;

April 29 — Johnny Vibrato & The Razorbacks at Black-Eyed Sally’s;

April 30 — Josh Groban at the Oakdale Theatre (SOLD OUT); Hat City Blues Band at The Georgetown Saloon; SideShow at Sports Bar, North Windham; Blue Oyster Cult at Toad’s Place, Megahertz and Done Mama Proud opening; Christine Ohlman & Rebel Montez at Black-Eyed Sally’s; Evolution and Unchained at Tuxedo Junction.