*The Newtown Coffee House will host a performance by the Connecticut band (“members come from all over the place,” says event organizer Andy Spencer) THE BROKE & HUNGRY BLUES BAND next weekend. The coffee house is a monthly event presented on the second Saturday of the month at Newtown Congregational Church House, 41-A Main Street (park behind Edmond Town Hall or the recently-expanded Newtown Savings Bank).

Doors open Saturday night at 7:30 pm and the evening will get started with one hour of open mic. The music should begin around 8:30 pm. Admission is $5 per person (free for age 12 and under), which includes the live entertainment and your fill of coffee/soft drinks and home-baked goodies.

*Speaking of the live music scene in Newtown, Starbucks is continuing to host live music at the Church Hill Road coffee house every Saturday night. Performances are generally 7 to 9 pm, and there is no admission charge. The refreshments are up to you. This weekend will feature a jazz duet called MAHONEY-COYNE. On March 11, TOM DOYLE, MOIRA KELLY, MARGIE MANNION and BILL DEVLIN will return with the Irish music presentation that has really taken off down there. Last month, according to Tom, the joint was pretty much standing-room-only. Imagine what it’s going to look like next weekend, the last Saturday before St Patrick’s Day!

Then on Saturday, March 18, the guitarist VINCENT MALACARNE will be the featured performer.

*Here’s an interesting addition to the schedule at Toad’s Place in New Haven: On Monday, March 13, RUN-DMC is now on the calendar for a free show. My mantra usually sounds something like “If it’s for free, it’s for me…” but I may have to change my tune this time around. For anyone else who is interested, however, the show is for ages 21-and-over, and doors open at 7:30.

*Fans are ready, but will Hartford’s police force be happy to see them?

PHISH has announced plans to return to Connecticut this summer, and this time around it’s for a two-day concert visit. The band announced its plans earlier this week for a month-long amphitheatre tour focused on the eastern half of the country, which will also include a two-night stopover at Radio City Music Hall. The tour will begin June 22 near Nashville, which will be the first show for Phish since the band’s incredibly successful concert and campout for New Year’s Eve at Big Cypress Seminole Indian Reservation in Florida. I say successful, but that word may be an understatement; the event drew over 80,000 fans.

The upcoming tour will be to support Phish’s new album, called Farmhouse, which is due to be released May 16 or so.

Last year the band’s fans had a bit of a problem — similar to their idiotic counterparts at the second and third shows by DAVE MATTHEWS BAND — when arrests were made outside Hartford Civic Center for inciting to riot and interfering with police (DMB fans burned cars and fought with each other at the band’s early August shows last summer). Let’s hope ticket holders will be able to control themselves a bit better this year, especially in light of the fact that the police will not have any patience (and really, who can blame them — you’re just going to a concert, after all, not a wrestling match) for anyone starting trouble. OK, I’ve said my peace, I’ll step down off my soap box for now.

Phish is expected to be at the Meadows Music Theatre on Friday, June 30, and Saturday, July 1. Tickets will most likely be going on sale May 13.

The summer tour should not interfere with the solo project of band member JOHN FISHMAN, who tours with a band called PORK TORNADO. PT is scheduled to be in Connecticut, in fact, on April 2 at Toad’s Place.

*Speaking of concerts coming to Hartford, RICKY MARTIN will be at Hartford Civic Center on Saturday, June 17, for an 8 pm show. Tickets for this concert will be going on sale Friday, March 3. They can be purchased on Friday through any TicketMaster outlet (Filenes stores or phone orders), but will not be available at the civic center’s box office on Friday morning. Don’t ask me. I’m just the messenger…

While Martin may have gone home from last week’s Grammy ceremonies without either of the awards he was up for, fans certainly took notice of the Latin singer when he was on the road last year. Martin’s 1999 tour, which included just 27 shows in 23 cities (as opposed to those who toured throughout the year…), grossed $22.6 million, making it the 16th most successful tour of the year according to Pollstar.

*DEEP BANANA BLACKOUT, on the other hand, played over 200 shows nationwide last year. The funk band will be coming into Connecticut for a show at the New Haven Palace on Saturday, April 8. Tickets for this show will also be going on sale Friday morning, at 10 am, and are just $15 a pop. Contact tickets.com for these tickets, either by calling 800/477-6849 or going on-line to tickets.com. Tickets will also be available at the Palace’s box office, which can be reached by calling 203/789-2120. I don’t know if there will be an opener for this show.

*THE STRING CHEESE INCIDENT will be at University of Hartford’s Lincoln Theatre on Thursday, April 20. Tickets for this concert are $17.50 each and will also be going on sale — you guessed it! — Friday morning, 10 am. Tickets can be purchased by calling Lincoln Theatre’s box office directly at 860/768-4228 or from the band’s Web site, at stringcheeseincident.com. The band has just released its fourth album, called Carnival, which is a double-live collection of their favorite performances from 1999 released on their own SCI Fidelity Records label.

*A few tickets are still available for this weekend’s LFO concert at The Webster Theatre in Hartford.  The theatre is suggesting you contact its box office directly, at 860/246-8001, to reserve tickets at this point for the March 4 event. SK8, BOYS-N-GIRLZ and HOKO all have opening sets.

Also at the Webster, the previously announced show by BLUE FLOYD on Sunday, March 5, has been replaced by ORCHESTRA MORPHINE for Sunday night. Wooden Leg will open. And TRAFFIC founder DAVE MASON has been added to the calendar. Mason will be in Hartford on Sunday, March 12.

*Finally this week, some good news for you classic/progressive rock fans out there: KANSAS has announced its original line-up has reunited and will be heading into the studio to record a new album. The original line-up includes Kerry Livgren on guitar, Steve Walsh on vocals, Robby Steinhardt on violin, Dave Hope on bass, Rich Williams on guitar and Phil Ehart on dropps. Billy Greer, who has played bass with the band for the past 15 years, will also remain with the band.

Kansas has been playing in different incarnations for 26 years, and it has been 17 years since the original line-up played together. The band plans to head into Kerry Livgren’s Grandyzine studio in Topeka, Kansas, in March to be work on the new album. The collection will be released on the Magna Carta Records label, an indie label that specializes in the best of progressive music.

No word yet on when the as-yet-unnamed album will be released, or what we can expect from the band in terms of touring.

Until next week, I’ll be seeing you... on the road.

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

MARCH 3 — Treblehook at The Fireside Inn, Newtown; The Nerds at Tuxedo Junction, Danbury (band’s 5th Anniversary Party), The Nortons opening; Bunny Brains & Drop Jaw at Laszlo’s Arts Café, Monroe; The Melvin Sparks Band at Luigi’s Nitelife Café, Danbury;

March 4 — LFO at The Webster Theatre, Hartford (all ages), SK8, Boyz-N-Girlz and Hoko opening; Zero Chance and Malpractice at Laszlo’s Arts Café; The Zoo at Tuxedo Junction; Slam Allen at Luigi’s Nitelife Café; Lucinda at Bank Street Coffee House, New Milford; Mahoney-Coyne at Starbucks, Newtown;

March 5 — Orchestra Morphine at The Webster Theatre (all ages), Wooden Leg opening; Lit at Toad’s Place, New Haven (all ages), 22 Jacks opening;

March 6 — Dance Hall Crashers at Toad’s Place (all ages), One Man Army opening;

March 8 — The Wolfe Tones at Toad’s Place *(early show, call for details; 203/624-8623);

March 9 — W.A.S.P. at City Limits, Waterbury; Emil at Luigi’s Nitelife Café;

March 10 — The Wallbangers at Tuxedo Junction; Blues Night Out at Luigi’s Nitelife Café; Murphy’s Law at Toad’s Place (all ages).

March 11 — The Broke & Hungry Blues Band at Newtown Coffee House, Newtown; Tom Doyle, Moira Kelly, Margie Mannion & Bill Devlin at Starbucks (Newtown); Big Orange Cone at Tuxedo Junction; Crossroads at Luigi’s Nitelife Café; Type O Negative and Coal Chamber at The Webster Theatre (all ages), Full Devil Jacket and Deadlights opening;

March 12 — Tipperary Knights at Toad’s Place (***early/afternoon show, traditional post-New Haven St Patrick’s Day Parade Show); Dave Mason at The Webster Theatre;

March 13 — Run-DMC at Toad’s Place (21 & over, free admission);

March 14 — Kenny Wayne Shepherd at Toad’s Place (all ages); Suicide Machines at The Webster Theatre (all ages), The Pilfers and Snuff opening;

March 16 — Paula Cole at Toad’s Place (all ages); Positive Cause at Luigi’s Nitelife Café;

March 17 — The Zoo at Tuxedo Junction; Loose Groove and Adva at Laszlo’s Arts Café; Kittie at Toad’s Place (all ages); Omine at Luigi’s Nitelife Café; Incubus at The Webster Theatre (all ages), Ultraspank opening;

March 18 — Vincent Malacarne at Starbucks (Newtown); Darik & The Funbags at Tuxedo Junction; Blue in the Face at Luigi’s Nitelife Café;

March 19 — BR5-49 at Toad’s Place, The Souvenirs and The Honeydews opening;

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

March 23 — The Clancy Brothers at Toad’s Place, The Reilley Clan opening; Phil Forbes & Sparkle Band at Luigi’s Nitelife Café;

March 24 — Mighty Purple at Toad’s Place (all ages, CD release party); The Nerds at Tuxedo Junction; Mojomatics at Luigi’s Nitelife Café; Fat at The Webster Theatre (all ages);

March 25 — Moppin’ Sauce at Fat Daddy’s, Watertown; Amnesty Underground and Outspoken at Laszlo’s Arts Café; Peat Moss & The Fertilizers at Tuxedo Junction; Nasty Habit at Luigi’s Nitelife Café;

March 26 — The Jibe at Luigi’s Nitelife Café;

March 30 — Anthem at Luigi’s Nitelife Café;

March 31 — The Benjamins at Tuxedo Junction; Slackjaw at Laszlo’s Arts Café, with two openers TBA; Shakedown at Toad’s Place (all ages); Spontaneous Combustion at Luigi’s Nitelife Cafe.

APRIL 1 — Toybox at Tuxedo Junction, Danbury; Aztek Trip at The Webster Theatre, Hartford (all ages), Grey Cell Green opening;

April 2 — Pork Tornado at Toad’s Place, New Haven (featuring John Fishman of Phish; all ages show);

April 4 — Shannon Curfman at Toad’s Place (all ages);

April 6 — Tower of Power and Average White Band at Toad’s Place, New Haven; Phil Lesh & Friends at the Oakdale Theatre, Wallingford;

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

April 12 — Creed at New Haven Coliseum, Sevendust and UPO opening; Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young at Hartford Civic Center;

April 14 — The Radiators at Toad’s Place;

April 16 — moe at Toad’s Place (all ages);

April 27 — Dick Dale at Toad’s Place.

MAY 11 — “Weird Al” Yankovic at The Bushnell, Hartford.

JUNE 15 — Tina Turner at The Meadows Music Theatre, Hartford;

June 21 — Britney Spears at The Meadows.

June 30 — Phish at the Meadows Music Theatre (no tickets until May 13).

JULY 1 — Phish at The Meadows Music Theatre, Hartford (no tickets until May 13);

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

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