*PETER OBRE has a new regular gig. The resident guitarist and instructor can now be heard every Friday night at The Inn at Newtown in the tap room at 19 Main Street. Peter’s shows begin around 9:30 pm, and there is no charge to get in.

*Acoustic jazz will be featured Saturday night at Starbucks Newtown. TONAL ECLIPSE will be at the 34 Church Hill Road coffee house from 7 to 9 pm. Admission is free, but refreshments are on your own.

*The trio TREBLEHOOK has another show in Woodbury this month. The guys will be at St Paul’s Coffee House, at St Paul’s Episcopal Church on Main Street South, on Saturday, January 22. The performance starts at 8:30 pm, and admission is $5.

Treblehook member Andy Spencer mentioned this week that Newtown Coffee House, which he and his wife have taken over coordinating the music for, is beginning to build a following. Last weekend’s coffee house at Newtown Congregational Church House featured the Kent musician Coleman Brooks was, and I quote, “excellent.” The next three months are already set up for the Newtown event, with Andy’s own band Treblehook the featured performers on February 12; THE BROKE & HUNGRY BLUES BAND on March 11; and DAVE DeANGELIS AND FRIENDS on April 8. The Newtown shows start at 7:30 pm with an open mic, followed by the featured performers.

*Bad bad girl FIONA APPLE will be visiting the Oakdale theatre in Wallingford next month. This is the first show to be added to the theatre’s schedule in quite some time.

Tickets go on sale this Saturday morning for a February 24 concert by Apple. Showtime is 7:30 pm and all seats are $32.50. Oakdale tickets are available strictly through the theatre’s box office, by calling 203/265-1501, or Tickets.com.

*Remember the band JOYDROP, and its single “Beautiful”? The band is still on the road, touring to support its debut album Metasexual, and will be in the state later this month. Joydrop is on tour now with JIMMIE’S CHICKEN SHACK, which will be at The Webster Theatre in Hartford on Sunday, January 23.

*Former resident and continuing performer LUCINDA has a pair of shows planned already this month. The singer-songwriter will be participating in the open mic night at Towne Crier Café in Pawling, N.Y., on Wednesday, January 19. Showtime is 7 pm and all seats are $4 that night. Then on Saturday, January 22, Lucinda will be the featured performer at The Bank Street Coffee House, on Bank Street in New Milford. Showtime for that evening is 8 pm, and admission is free.

It should also be mentioned that the musician has been invited to participate in the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame and National Academy of Pop Music ceremonies. Lucinda will be performing in New York City on Tuesday, January 25.

*SUZANNE VEGA (“Luca”) is on the calendar for a performance next month at Town Crier Café. Vega will be at the Pawling, N.Y. restaurant/club Friday, February 25. Tickets are $27.50 and $30 apiece, showtime is 9 pm, and Willie Porter has an opening set.

*DR JOHN is scheduled to play at Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville on June 2, and EDDIE MONEY has a pair of shows set up at the same venue, on August 23 and 24. Mark your calendars, but hold off on purchasing the tickets; details on prices and when seats will be going on sale are not yet available.

*MELISSA ETHERIDGE and Julie Cypher created quite an uproar, or at least gave us a topic for discussion, this week when they released the name of the father of their daughter (DAVID CROSBY). I don’t see that it’s anyone’s business but Melissa’s, Julie’s and the baby’s, and I hate the idea that the women felt they had to share it with the public. Isn’t more important to enjoy Etheridge’s music than worry about her personal life? Unfortunately, the only US date the performer has set up right now is at RFK Stadium in Washington DC on April 29.

Until next week, I’ll be seeing you... on the road, hoping to hear some closer-to-home tour dates for Mother Melissa.

Questions and comments should be sent to Shannon Hicks, c/o Bee Publishing Co., 5 Church Hill Road, Newtown 06470, or shannon@thebee.com. Include a phone number for confirmation, please. If you don’t have a stamp or a piece of paper or a writing utensil that works, give me a call! The phone number at the office is 426-3141. Shows listed on the calendar at club locations are for ages 21 and over unless specified.

 

UPCOMING CONCERTS

JANUARY 14 — Penguin City at The Garage (Newtown teen center, Middle School Night), Newtown; Peter Obre at The Inn at Newtown; Gargantua Soul and Murphy’s Law at Toad’s Place (all ages), Greedy Edna and Zero Chance opening; MD6 at Laszlo’s Arts Café, Monroe; Darik & The Funbags at Tuxedo Junction;

January 15 — Tonal Eclipse at Starbucks Newtown; Aztek Trip and Missing Joe at The Webster Theatre, Hartford (all ages); Hour Zero and Adva at Laszlo’s Arts Café; Future Tense at Tuxedo Junction;

January 17 — Mike & Chris at Laszlo’s Arts Café;

January 18 — Pearly Sweets at Toad’s Place (all ages, local bands night), Peter & The Wolves and Normal opening;

January 20 —Anthrax at The Webster Theatre, Hartford, Fu Manchu opening;

January 21 — Peter Obre at The Inn at Newtown; Big Orange Cone at Tuxedo Junction; Shakedown at Toad’s Place (all ages), Smoke the Prophet and Pepper Jive opening;

January 22 — Peat Moss & The Fertilizers at Tuxedo Junction; Lucinda at Bank Street Coffee House, New Milford;

January 23 — Jimmie’s Chicken Shack at The Webster Theatre, Joydrop and Sumack opening (all ages);

January 27 — Cowboy Mouth at Toad’s Place (all ages), The Uninvited and Paul Sanchez opening;

January 28 — Peter Obre at The Inn at Newtown; The Nerds at Tuxedo Junction; Simple Jim at Toad’s Place, Paradise Vendors and Jive Bone opening;

January 29 — Sol Dog at Jimmie’s Seaside, Stratford; Sans Cherubs and Hash Clyde at Laszlo’s Arts Café; The Wallbangers at Tuxedo Junction; Merle Saunders at Towne Crier Café, Pawling, N.Y., Tom Pacheco opening;

January 31 —Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals at the New Haven Palace.

FEBRUARY 4 — Sol Dog at Café 127, Shelton; Guster at The Webster Theatre, Hartford; Black 47 at Toad’s Place, New Haven;

February 8 — Ladysmith Black Mambazo at Toad’s Place (all ages);

February 10 — Sol Dog at Jimmie’s Seaside, Stratford (showcase night for original music); The Derek Trucks Band at Toad’s Place (all ages), Soulive opening;

February 11 —The Moody Blues at the Oakdale, Wallingford; Max Creek at Toad’s Place (all ages);

February 12 — Treblehook at Newtown Coffee House, Newtown;

February 25 — Suzanne Vega at Towne Crier Café, Pawling, N.Y., Willie Porter opening;

February 28 — Cowboy Junkies at Toad’s Place (all ages).

MARCH 4 — LFO at The Webster Theatre, Hartford (all ages);

March 5 — Blue Floyd at The Webster Theatre;

March 11 — The Broke & Hungry Blues Band at Newtown Coffee House, Newtown;

March 19 — BR5-49 at Toad’s Place, New Haven;

March 20 — Buckwheat Zydeco at Towne Crier Café, Pawling, N.Y.;

APRIL 8 — Dave DeAngelis & Friends at Newtown Coffee House, Newtown;

April 12 —Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young at Hartford Civic Center.

JULY 24 —The Slackers at The Webster Theatre, Hartford.

AUGUST 23-24 — Eddie Money at Mohegan Sun Casino, Uncasville.