*Jazz pianist BRAD MEHLDAU will be at the Aldrich Museum in Ridgefield next month. Mehldau, whose 1999 release Elegiac Cycle was named Best Album of the Year by Time magazine, will be performing a rare solo show on Friday, April 13, as part of the museum’s ongoing “Stage A Performances” series. Tickets are $30, the performance will run 7 to 9 pm, and reservations and additional details are available from the museum (203-438-4519).

Tonight it’s AVISHAI COHEN QUINTET at the 258 Main Street, Ridgefield, museum. Details are available at that same phone number.

*On April 13, The Webster Theatre in Hartford will be hosting a special event with Mike Gordon of PHISH. The club will first screen Outside Out, Gordon’s debut feature film, followed by a performance by COL BRUCE HAMPTON & THE CODE TALKERS, and a question-and-answer session with Gordon. It’s an all-ages event.

*For the teen crowd, this weekend’s big news is the crush for tickets that is expected to take place beginning at 10 am on Saturday for BACKSTREET BOYS, who will be at The Meadows on Friday, June 29. Tickets for that show are $58.50 and $68.50 for reserved seats, $38.50 for up on the lawn (plus a $4 parking fee per ticket). Ironically, the tour’s opener is SHAGGY, a rapper the Boys themselves opened for a few years ago.

*JOURNEY is taking its show back on the road this summer, with a concert tour featuring JOHN WAITE and PETER FRAMPTON. The band will be at The Meadows Music Centre in Hartford on Saturday, July 7. Tickets will be going on sale Saturday, April 7.

Prices are as follows: reserved seats, in advance, $22.50, $32.50 and $48.50; lawn seats, in advance, $13.50. All seats increase in price by $2 if purchased the day of the show. The Meadows also tacks on a $4 parking fee per ticket.

*Also returning to the road and to the Meadows will be VOLUNTEER JAM. The 2001 outing features CHARLIE DANIELS BAND, .38 SPECIAL and DICKEY BETTS. The festival will be at the Hartford venue Sunday, June 10, beginning at 6 pm. An on-sale ticket date has not yet been announced, but tour promoter SFX has released ticket prices at least. Reserved seats purchased in advance will be $14.50 and $23.50, while lawn seating is $11 per person. Add $2 for any of these seats if you buy your tickets the day of the show, plus the $4 parking fee charged by the venue on all tickets (regardless of when purchased).

*Eighties music icon BILLY “Rebel Yell” IDOL will visit Atlantic City, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia and… Ledyard (of all places!) during a short tour to support next week’s release of his new greatest hits album. The first three shows will be with a full band; during the Ledyard gig at Foxwoods Casino, Idol will also perform an acoustic set.

Idol’s show at Foxwoods will be on Friday, April 20. Showtime is 9 pm, Allseats are $38.50 and are available through any TicketMaster vendor.

The new album, due in stores on Tuesday, will feature a live version of “Rebel Yell” and a cover of SIMPLE MINDS’ “Don’t You (Forget About Me),” which is the first single. The singer is said to be working on an album of new material, but no release date has been set up yet. In addition, Idol will tape an episode of VH-1’s Storytellers on April 19 and follow that with an appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman on April 23, according to his Web site.

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; or call The Bee office at 426-3141.

Shows listed on the calendar at club locations are for ages 21 and over unless specified.

 

UPCOMING CONCERTS

MARCH 23 — Shakedown at Toad’s Place, New Haven, Electric Mayhem, Smoke the Prophet and Buzzhound opening (all ages); The Benjamins at Tuxedo Junction, Danbury; Avishai Cohen Quintet at Aldrich Museum, Ridgefield; Joe Proc (Off The Hook) at Putnam House, Bethel; Junkie Hunx and New Aladonia at Laszlo’s Arts Café, Monroe; Sol Dog at Café 127, Shelton; Badd Jack at Next Stop Café, Bethel;

March 24 — Screaming Broccoli at Tuxedo Junction; Electric Mayhem at Laszlo’s Arts Café; David Maxwell at Next Stop Café;

March 25 — Murray the Wheel at Next Stop Café; The Toasters at The Webster Theatre, Hartford, Monty’s Fan Club and Switchstance opening (all ages);

March 27 — Luciano at Toad’s Place, Jr Kelly opening (all ages); Off The Hook at Green Room Café, Black Rock;

March 29 — Electric Mayhem at Laszlo’s Arts Café; The Beer Scouts of America and Grover Dill at Toad’s Place (all ages);

March 30 — Bryan Adams at The Warner Theatre, Torrington; Culture at Toad’s Place (all ages), The Lightning and Above Suspicion opening; The Nerds at Tuxedo Junction; Joe Proc at Carl Anthony’s; No Frills at Laszlo’s Arts Café; Big Blue at Next Stop Café; Aztek Trip at The Webster Theater (all ages);

March 31 — FUBAR at Tuxedo Junction; Local Talent Showcase featuring Dorie Colangelo, Darian Cunning, Chelsea Genzano & Christina Abbot at Acoustic Café; Edipus at Laszlo’s Arts Café; Luxx at The Webster Theater, 30 Stones, Facing Sideways and Hard Luxury opening (all ages).

APRIL 1 — Bennett Harris at Next Stop Café, Bethel; Yngwie Malmsteen at The Webster Theatre, Hartford, Lizzy Borden, Core and Buff Daddy opening (all ages).