*I open with three words for you this week: Adults, acoustic, Friday.

THE ADULTS (Jim Sheridan & Co.) will be playing an acoustic show at Proud Mary’s, 19 Main Street in Newtown (below The Inn at Newtown) on Friday, April 2, from 8 until 11:30. Just two acoustic guitars, voices, and a saxophone. No cover charge, just food, fun, and cocktails.

Investigate www.myspace.com/TheAdultsRock to see photos and hear what these guys sound like.

*The following night Proud Mary’s will host another show by WIPED OUT, Joe Proc’s group of young musicians who have been performing at the lounge for a few months now. In addition to an evolving cast of musicians including 18-year old bassist Mary Oda, 12-year old jazz guitarist and vocalist Max Sanderson, and contemporaries including guitarist, vocalist and harmonica player Trever Legeret and DJ Isaac Pickerstein, among others, this weekend’s performance will include the debut performances by Mairin Hayes (stage name Maze) on guitar and vocals and Jackie (Jaxx) Winkler on bass and vocals.

The band — students and former students of Joe’s who generally rehearse on their own, but then pull together as a group only when they have these public performances — will be at Proud Mary’s Saturday night, with a show starting at 7 and running until about 10 am.

After that, Joe Proc will continue music for the remainder of the evening, performing on bongo drums and serving as a DJ until 1 am.

*The Blue Z Coffee House will host a return by my friend and co-editor JOHN VOKET this weekend.

J-Vo returns to 127 South Main Street this Friday night, performing from 7 to 9 pm. Music at the Z will continue on Saturday with DJ Zack spinning records from 7:30 to 10, there will be an open mic event on Thursday, April 8, and then JIM ALLYN returns to The Z next weekend on Saturday, April 10.

*Heard from guitarist Roger Maude this week, a Newtown resident who is a member of three local bands, all of whom have upcoming shows.

First up is MIDNIGHT RODEO, which Roger says is “hands down the best ‘new country’ music band around.” Members are Bruce Domizio on both rhythm and lead guitar; drummer Mark Rudzinski; lead male vocalist Paul Tomassetti; David Verelley (electric bass, double bass, vocals) fills out Midnight Rodeo’s rhythm section; lead female vocalist Erika Vaughn; and Roger, who also handles lead and rhythm guitar.

These folks play frequently in the area, “have been packing every place we play, and the fan base is growing,” said Roger. The band is working on some joint ventures with KICKS 105.5 FM, the recently launched country station, and the band’s next show is at Redding Roadhouse on April 10.

CRYSTAL PYRAMID, whose performs just a few times each year in local clubs, offers rock from the 70s and 80s (“but you never know what we will throw in,” said Roger). Brian Kuchmas handles bass guitar, Mark Rudzinski also plays drums in this collective, Roger is the guitarist, and all three contribute vocals. That band’s next show is at The One Eyed Pig, 71 South Main Street in Newtown, on  Saturday, April 17.

Finally there’s RHYTHM AUTHORITY, a Motown/classic R&B/party rock band that plays “nothing but dance music and have great vocals, harmonies, and musicians,” said Roger. Their next public job is May 8 at Rivalry in Monroe, and then they’ll be at Hot Tamale in Seymour on May 15.

*CHICAGO and THE DOOBIE BROTHERS are teaming up for a co-headlining tour this spring which will stop at Mohegan Sun Arena on Wednesday, July 7.

Tickets are $46 and $56 and go on sale Friday, April 2, at 10 am, through TicketMaster vendors. Tickets will also be available at the Mohegan Sun box office starting Saturday morning at 10, subject to availability.

*PAUL SIMON AND ART GARFUNKEL will bring their North American Spring tour to Mohegan Sun Arena on Thursday, May 20.

Tickets are $130 and $180 and go on sale Monday, April 5, at 10 am, also through TicketMaster. Tickets will also be available at the Mohegan Sun box office starting 24 hours later, subject to availability.

*Also going on sale Friday morning at 10, for a show over at The Comcast Theatre in Hartford, will be tickets for an August 12 show by GREEN DAY with special guests AFI.

General admission pit tickets are $85, reserved seats range from $49.50 to $69.50 apiece, and lawn seating is $35 per person, and all will be sold through LiveNation.com.

*At 1 o’clock Friday afternoon the tickets for PHISH’s two shows in Hartford — June 17 and 18 at The Comcast Theatre — will be available through LiveNation.com. These tickets are $50 whether you’re looking for a seat in the pavilion or up on the lawn.

Until next week, I’ll be seeing you… on the road, where I will no doubt continue to find myself behind people who throw their cigarette butts out their car windows. Why is that? Do smokers throw other trash out their windows, or do they feel like cigarettes somehow don’t count as trash?

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

APRIL 2 — John Voket at The Blue Z Coffee House, Newtown; Roomful of Blues at Infinity Music Hall, Norfolk;

April 3 — Graham Parker at Infinity Music Hall; Overkill at The Webster, Hartford, Vader, God Dethroned, Warbringer, Evile, et al opening; Keith Emerson & Greg Lake at The Ridgefield Playhouse, Ridgefield;

April 4 — Ben Folds at Klein Memorial Auditorium, Bridgeport, Kate Miller-Heidke opening;

April 9 — Kevin Briody at Redding Community Center (Lyrics Coffeehouse series), Redding; Wilco at The Bushnell, Hartford.

April 10 — Jim Allyn at The Blue Z; Average White Band at Infinity Music Hall; Midnight Rodeo at Redding Roadhouse;

April 11 — Christopher Cross at Infinity Music Hall; Todd Rundgren at The Ridgefield Playhouse;

April 17 — Crystal Pyramid at The One-Eyed Pig, Newtown;

April 18 — Patty Larkin at Infinity Music Hall, with special guest The Nields;

April 23 — Montgomery Gentry at Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, Darryl Worley opening; Graham Parker at Fairfield Theatre Company; WCCC Homegrown Showcase at The Webster Underground, Hartford, featuring Domeringer, Tempest Edge, Limited Sight, Big Moon and Agrippa 93;

April 25 — The Fray at The MGM Grand at Foxwoods; Disco Biscuits at The Webster;

April 28 — “One Night of Queen” performed by Gary Mullen & The Works at The Ridgefield Playhouse.