*A quick reminder that Newtown Coffee House returns this weekend, with Kent guitarist COLEMAN BROOKS the evening’s featured artist on Saturday, January 8, at Newtown Congregational Church House, 41-A Main Street in Newtown. Admission is $5, doors open for one hour of open mic at 7:30, and Brooks’ show starts at 8:30.

If it’s traditional Irish music you’re looking for Saturday night, take a ride to Starbucks (34 Church Hill Road, Newtown), where Moira Kelly (harp, guitar and vocals), Margie Manion fiddle) and Tom Doyle (boghran and bones) will be providing the entertainment from 7 to 9. Admission is free, but unlike Newtown Coffee House, where the refreshments are plentiful and included with the admission charge, any coffee, tea or baked goods at Starbucks will be on your own

*Live music will be the feature of the evening next Friday night at The Garage, Newtown’s teen center on Church Hill Road. January 14 will be Middle School Night, and performing from 7:30 to 10:30 pm will be PENGUIN CITY. The jazz quartet consists of Jessica Duch on vocals, guitarist Erik Bagger, keyboard player Stephen Lamb and drummer Pat Todd. Doors open at 7 pm.

*Japanese music has arrived in Fairfield County and northern Long Island airwaves. WMNR Fine Arts Radio (88.1 FM) has given the OK to New Milford resident Mark Weiss to present a program he calls “Adventures in Animé Music.” The program debuted this week, but will continue for at least seven more weeks, beginning at midnight on running for one hour each week every Thursday at midnight (running into Friday morning).

According to Mr Weiss, “Adventures in Animé Music” will feature soundtrack music from selected animé films, solo performances by associated Japanese artists and composers, and additional music and commentary. The program will additionally be broadcast live via the Internet. For information concerning that, visit the Web site or for details visit the radio station’s Web site at

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

JANUARY 7 — Sol Dog at Toquet Hall, Westport; Darik & The Funbags at Toad’s Place, New Haven, DOA 2000, Epic and Ink opening; The Benjamins at Tuxedo Junction, Danbury;

January 8 — Coleman Brooks at Newtown Coffee House (Newtown Congregational Church House); Moira Kelly, Margie Mannion & Tom Doyle at Starbucks Newtown (traditional Irish music); The Zoo at Tuxedo Junction;

January 11 — Hash Clyde at Toad’s Place (all ages, local bands night), Tranzgression & Logan 3 opening;

January 14 — Penguin City at The Garage (Newtown teen center, Middle School Night), 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 — 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 — 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;

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 — 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;

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

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

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