*HALFWAY HOME, a female acoustic duo, will be playing for a few hours tonight at Starbucks in Newtown. Musicians Maggie and Nancy take one acoustic guitar and their two voices to re-create the sounds of everyone from Jewel, Sarah McLachlan, The Sundays, KT Tunstall and Alicia Keys to Dixie Chicks, Joss Stone, The Cranberries and even Elton John.

This show will run from 7 to 9 pm, and there is no cover charge to get in.

Looks like the duo’s next show will be on September 29, at Cortina’s Restaurant, 24 Mill Plain Road in Danbury. Showtime that evening will be around 9.

*JOHN VOKET will be returning to Mocha Coffee House in Sandy Hook this weekend, back to the Glen Road beanery on Saturday night. Brendan Walsh will be joining him as well.

The guys will also be at Mocha on October 13. There is no cover charge for either show (or for any of the shows at Mocha, I believe).

Tonight’s headliner is singer-songwriter KEVIN KING. The show tonight and John and Brendan’s show tomorrow night will run from 7:30 until 10.

Also coming up this month at 3 Glen Road will be AMONG CRIMINALS on September 20, which calls itself “a politically-charged reggae, Latin-rock band … as much about the message as they are about the music”; MIKE GRIFFIN on September 21; guitarist, songwriter and singer TERRY RAND on September 28, doing a solo acoustic show; and WILL LINDSAY on the 29th.

*AMERICAN MORTAR ORIGINAL ROCK BAND will be playing at Hot Shots Sports Club & Café on Friday, September 28. There is a $3 suggested donation for this show, which will start around 9:30.

In addition to the music – “half covers, both classic and newer rock, and half originals, extremely new rock,” wrote Susan Washburn last week – the evening will also feature a presentation of some of Susan’s original art.

Want more info about the band and its music before the show? Visit a-mortar-rock.com to hear song samples and check the band’s schedule. Want to see some of Susan’s original art? Visit AAAbilityArt.com.

*Tour promoters The Next Adventure, A Live Nation Company announced on Monday (September 10) that NEIL YOUNG will begin a North American tour on October 18 in Boise, Idaho.

Beginning two days after the release of his new album Chrome Dreams II album on Reprise Records, concert dates will continue until December 13 in New York, including two nights at the historic Massey Hall in Toronto, Canada, the site of early legendary shows by the acclaimed singer-songwriter.

Chrome Dreams II is a collection of eight new and two classic Young songs. Recorded last summer in northern California, musicians include Ben Keith (pedal steel guitar, dobro and other instruments), Ralph Molina (drums) and Rick Rosas (bass), who will be performing with Young on the tour.

Here’s something pretty cool: anyone purchasing tickets to Neil Young concerts — which will include a December 5 stop at the Chevrolet Theatre in Wallingford — will receive a copy of Young’s new album Chrome Dreams II. CDs will be shipped before the show so fans will be able to hear Chrome Dreams II before listening to the material live.

Ticket purchases of three tickets or less per transaction will receive one copy of the CD. Persons purchasing four tickets per transaction will receive two copies of the CD. There is a four ticket per person limit.

Concert tickets must be purchased at least six business days prior to the concert date to ensure pre-show delivery. Offer applies to Internet and phone orders only. Visit www.neilyoung.com for specific show and ordering information.

Ticket information for the Wallingford concert will be announced within the next few weeks.

Young’s wife Peggy will be opening the Wallingford concert, by the way. Fellow editor John Voket was at last weekend’s Farm Aid concert, where both Youngs also performed and he said this week that their performance is worth catching.

*Following the cancellation of most (all?) of her summer concerts, KELLY CLARKSON will be trying to tour again this season, and plans to bring her My December Tour to Mohegan Sun Arena on Sunday, October 21. Tickets for that show, with special guest Jon McLaughlin, are going on sale this weekend, priced from $35 to $75.

Tickets will be going on sale through TicketMaster on Saturday, September 15, at 10 am. Remaining tickets will also be available through the casino’s box office beginning Sunday morning.

If you had purchased for the Clarkson concert scheduled for August 16 at Mohegan Sun, you should have heard from TicketMaster or Mohegan Sun by now. There was to be a special pre-sale for those patrons who purchased tickets to the August performance; those who had purchased tickets to that show were going to be contacted with more information and a password to allow access to the pre-sale tickets.

*A ton of good shows are coming up at Fairfield Theatre Company, including tonight’s show by TIM REYNOLDS. That’s right, this is the guy who is known for his live performances with Dave Matthews and his own band, TR3. Tickets for Reynolds’s show are $42 for the public, or $32 for FTC members.

If you like New Orleans style blues, TAB BENOIT has the answer. The superb rhythm guitarist and songwriter (did you see the IMAX film Hurricane on the Bayou? This is the guy who was featured through much of that amazing film) will be in Fairfield on Thursday, September 20. Tickets are $42 ($32 members).

PETER, BETHANY & RUFUS will headline on Sunday, September 23. This will be a show of traditional American music played by Bethany Yarrow (daughter of Peter Yarrow, of Peter Paul & Mary fame), along with her dad and the cellist Rufus Cappadocia. The trio performs “reinterpreted folk and roots songs,” so expect plenty of jazz, punk, scat and world music. Tickets are $27 ($17 for members), and this early show will begin at 7 pm.

FTC will host a benefit featuring BEYOND GLORY, fresh from a sold-out run presented by Roundabout Theatre Company in New York City, on Saturday, September 29. Tickets for this show are $90 for everyone and will include a post-show drinks and hors d’oeuvres reception.

This will be a one-man show depicting the heroics of Medal of Honor recipients, called by The Wall Street Journal “acting of the highest imaginable quality, and one of the richest and most complex pieces acting” ever. Proceeds benefit the theater company and while this is a step away from music, I’m including it because it because if this theater disappears, we’ll be losing another great music venue.

October events will include HOWARD JONES on October 4 (tickets $42, $37 members); JESSE COLIN YOUNG & CELTIC MAMBO on October 5 ($42, $32 members); CRACKED ICE on October 19 ($22, $17 members); NEW RIDERS OF THE PURPLE SAGE, October 20 ($42, $32 members); STEPHEN KELLOGG & THE SIXERS, October 25 ($22, $17 members); and AZTEC TWO-STEP, October 26 ($42, $32 members).

Even November is already shaping up well, with LOUDON WAINWRIGHT III on the 10th ($62, $52 members) and THE SUBDUDES on the 11th ($57, $47 members).

*A recent email from Toad’s Place in New Haven included a huge number of recently announced shows, including a few as soon as this weekend.

DARIK & THE FUNBAGS return to 300 York Street tonight (September 14), in fact, while MEN IN MOTION will be featured tonight in Lilly’s Pad. Both shows are for ages 21 and up.

PAT McGEE BAND and JOSH KELLEY will play an all ages show on September 17; MISSION OF BURMA will headline on September 20 (that’s an all-ages show, by the way); THE NERDS return on September 21; ATMOSPHERE will be in town on the 22nd; BLONDE REDHEAD will play an all-ages show on September 24;  FREEWAY will do the club’s next all-ages show, on September 27; B. WILLIE SMITH BAND will be in town on the 28th; and BOYS LIKE GIRLS will close the month with a show on September 30.

Additional shows playing The Toad in upcoming months will include THE MELVINS, October 4 (all ages); ASSEMBLY OF DUST and J.J. GREY & MOFRO, October 5 (all ages); TYPE O NEGATIVE, October 12 (all ages); THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS, October 18 (all ages); HORATIO SANZ & THE KINGS OF IMPROV, October 24 (all ages); THE TRAGICALLY HIP, October 29 (all ages); REVEREND HORTON HEAT, November 18 (all ages); KOTTONMOUTH KINGS, November 20 (all ages); DEEP BANANA BLACKOUT, November 21 (all ages); DARK STAR ORCHESTRA, December 6; BADFISH, December 21 (all ages); and JOHN VALBY, December 22.

*Finally this week, if you are one of the less than 700 people holding tickets to the September 30 concert by LUDACRIS at The Big E, it’s time to get back to where you purchased your ticket.

Eastern States Exposition promoters made the decision this week to cancel the performance due to miserable ticket sales for the $38 concert. EEE President Wayne McCary said that fewer than 700 of the 6,100 available tickets had been sold as of this week.

The final weekend of The Big E (which runs this year September 14-30) will continue to offer “a powerful line-up of talent” including MONTGOMERY GENTRY (a ticketed concert), TAYLOR HICKS (no, no relation!) and THE ROYAL CANADIAN MOUNTED POLICE MUSICAL RIDE.

Complete information is available at TheBigE.com.

My friend Ben gave me a hard time last week when I only wrote three paragraphs for “On The Road.” Hope this week’s column provides everyone with more entertainment for your 75 cents. Until next week I’ll be seeing you... on the road, writing away.

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

SEPTEMBER 14 — Halfway Home at Starbucks, Newtown; Kevin King at Mocha Coffee House, Sandy Hook; Tim Reynolds at Fairfield Theatre Company; Darik & The Funbags at Toad’s Place, New Haven;

September 15 — John Voket and Brendan Walsh at Mocha Coffee House, Sandy Hook;

September 17 — Pat McGee Band and Josh Kelly at Toad’s Place (all ages);

September 20 — Among Criminals at Mocha Coffee House; Aerosmith at Mohegan Sun Arena, Joan Jett & The Blackhearts opening; Tab Benoit at Fairfield Theatre Company;

September 21 — Mike Griffin at Mocha Coffee House; ZZ Top at Mohegan Sun Arena; The Nerds at Toad’s Place;

September 22 — Atmosphere at Toad’s Place (all ages);

September 23 — Toby Keith at the Dodge Music Center, Miranda Lambert and Flynnville Train opening; Peter, Bethany & Rufus at Fairfield Theatre Company (early 7 pm start);

September 24 — Blonde Redhead at Toad’s Place (all ages);

September 27 — Freeway at Toad’s Place;

September 28 — Terry Rand at Mocha Coffee House; The Scorpions at The Chevrolet Theatre, Wallingford; B. Willie Smith Band at Toad’s Place;

September 29 — Will Lindsay at Mocha Coffee House; Arlo Guthrie at Fairfield University’s Quick Center; Halfway Home at Cortina’s Restaurant, Danbury;

September 30 — Boys Like Girls at Toad’s Place (all ages).