*Just a reminder that CHARISMA, featuring Newtown residents Peter Obre, Kathy Buda and Bob Bonvini, will be at 59 Bank Street in New Milford on Friday, September 3. Showtime is 10 pm. Tomorrow night the band will be returning to The Red Door in Watertown (675 Main Street; telephone 860-945-6688) for a show starting at 9:30.

*KID ROCK tickets, for his first show at Mohegan Sun Arena on September 16, are available at just $36 apiece – quite a deal in today’s concert climate. Tickets for R.E.M.’s return to the state are also on sale. The band will be in Uncasville on November 5.

Visit any tickets.com outlet or call 800-477-6849 for details or purchases.

*Among the big concerts at this year’s Big E, which returns to West Springfield, Mass., the weeks of September 17 to October 3, will be HEART on September 18 at 8 pm; CLAY AIKEN, September 19, at 7 pm; JOE NICHOLS, September 25, at 8 pm; and JESSICA SIMPSON, October 3, 8 pm. (Heart also headlines next weekend at Foxwoods Theatre’s Fox Theater in Ledyard; call 800-200-2882 for details).

One interesting performance will be by a group called AMICI FOREVER – the world’s first opera band. This group’s five members each arrived from different areas of the world, creating “a unique blend of opera and pop music with a flair.” Their first album, The Opera Band, has gone platinum, so someone out there is listening to this mix. I have to take favor with tenor David Habbin, whose favorite movie is reportedly Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid – one of the top ten on my own list as well.

Habbin hails from England (Bournemouth), as is bass baritone Nick Garrett (London) and soprano Jo Appleby (born in Blackpool); soprano Tsakane Valentine was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, and grew up in Giyani; and tenor Geoff Sewell hails from Hawkes Bay, New Zealand – now that’s truly an international collection!

Amici Forever will be the featured band on September 26. Showtime is 7 pm.

All of these shows will be presented on The Comcast Stage, and are included with gate admission. The Big E’s gates open daily at 8 am, and most exhibits and buildings are open from 10 am to 10 pm.  The Magic Midway will be open weekdays from 11 am to 10 pm, Saturdays and Sundays from 10 am to 11 pm, and October 3 (closing day) from 10 am to 9 pm.

Storrowtown Village Museum Gift Shops and The Yankee Candle Shop in The Grange Building will be open 10 am to 9 pm. The Village Craft Area will be open until 10 pm. The Avenue of States will be open 10 am to 9 pm.

For full fair details visit www.TheBigE.com or call 413-205-5115.

*RICH ROBINSON, best known for his work as a songwriter and guitarist in THE BLACK CROWES – just released his debut solo album, Paper, on August 24. The self-produced album finds Robinson singing lead and playing most of the instruments on 14 original compositions. It will certainly be the basis of Robinson’s show when he performs on September 19 at The Webster Theatre in Hartford.

The show, of course, is open to all ages and tickets are available through tickets.com outlets. Cosmos and Brendan D’Amico have opening sets.

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

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 club locations are for ages 21 and over unless specified.

UPCOMING CONCERTS

SEPTEMBER 3 — The Nerds at Toad’s Place, New Haven; Charisma at 59 Bank Street, New Milford; .38 Special at Mohegan Sun’s Wolf Den, Uncasville;

September 4 — Charisma at The Red Door, Watertown; Oak Ridge Boys at Mohegan Sun’s Wolf Den; Hipnotic at Tuxedo Junction, Danbury;

September 5 — Disco Biscuits at The Webster Theatre (all ages);

September 8 — Melissa Ferrick at Toad’s Place (all ages);

September 9 — Buddy Guy at Toad’s Place, The Manchurians opening (all ages);

September 10 — Heart at Foxwoods Casino’s Fox Theatre, Ledyard; Johnny Winter featuring James Montgomery at Toad’s Place (all ages); Warrant at The Webster Theatre, Hartford; Cheap Trick at Milford Oyster Festival, Norwalk, 40 Foot Ringo opening;

September 11 — Greg Brown at The Beardsley Zoo, Bridgeport; Gloria Estefan at Mohegan Sun Arena; Wilson Pickett at Milford Oyster Festival, The Average White Band opening; The Benjamins at Tuxedo Junction; 40 Below Summer at The Webster Theatre, Slitheryn opening (all ages).

September 12 — Toby Keith at The Meadows; Cowboy Junkies at Toad’s Place (all ages); The Brubeck Brothers Quartet at Weir Farm National Historic Site, Wilton; An Evening with Cowboy Junkies at Toad’s Place (all ages); Robert Cray Band at Milford Oyster Festival, Johnny A. opening;

September 13 — Dizzy Reed at The Webster Theatre.