*Hot Shots II and Newtown Emergency Services are teaming up this weekend for a day-long fundraiser at the Newtown sports bar/restaurant. On October 13 starting at 1 pm, Hot Shots II (on the corner of Mt Pleasant Road/Route 6 and Route 25) will begin hosting live music, raffles, and drink and food specials, all part of a fundraiser for New York Firefighters Children’s Fund.

I mentioned this in my column last week but had misread the flier I had been handed. So instead of the two bands mentioned last week, there are actually going to be three bands performing on Saturday. JEN TAYLOR & CARRIE, with classic rock and country, begin the live performances; THE GUTTER BOOGIE BAND continues with its classic and current rock; and then MOPPIN’ SAUCE will handle the headlining duties with its popular disco/funk show. I-95 radio station will be broadcasting live from the restaurant, there will be $2 bottles and draft beers, a special menu (limited offerings, but special prices too), ongoing raffle drawings for hats, shirts, toys and chairs, and even a designated driver provided by Newtown Emergency Services. There is a $10 cover charge for Saturday, but remember — this is a fundraiser.

*NHS alumnus James Dunseith will be returning to his hometown next weekend with THE DISSIPATED EIGHT, Middlebury College’s all-male a cappella group. The 16-member group is well-known and respected among college groups and has been included in the recently-released CD called BOCA: Best of College Acappella. The group has produced several albums over the past five years, its most lated called No Sleep for Dreaming (The Sunday Brunch Album). Dissipated Eight was last in Newtown most recently in March, and is now planning a return on Saturday, October 20, at St Rose Hall. Showtime is 7:30, and admission is just $3.

*Now I’m ripped. After waiting weeks to find out what the rescheduled date for JOHN MELLENCAMP would be in Hartford (Mellencamp had been slated to performed at The Meadows on September 12, but decided to postpone his show in respect for the victims of September 11), word now comes that the show will now be rescheduled after all. The show is officially cancelled. Refunds are available at the point of purchase.

There haven’t been many concerts this year that I have truly looked forward to, but Mellencamp was one of them.

*AEROSMITH’s return to Connecticut is already a sold-out event. Steve Tyler and the boys continue their Just Push Play 2001 Tour and will be at Mohegan Sun’s brand-new Sun Arena on Monday, November 19, and tickets were gone about an hour after they went on sale Saturday morning.

However, tickets for BOB DYLAN’s first-ever show at a Connecticut casino are still available. Dylan will be at Sun Arena the following night, November 20, and tickets for this show are $29.50 and $39.50. Visit tickets.com or call 800-477-6849 for Mohegan Sun tickets.

AMERICA headlines this weekend’s show (October 13) at the casino’s Wolf Den. A few months after being in the state for two shows of “A Walk Down Abbey Road,” the summer’s big BEATLES tribute tour, JOHN ENTWHISTLE returns to the Den on October 19 (one night after bringing his band to Toad’s Place in New Haven). THE DEREK TRUCKS BAND will be at the Den on November 18.

A reminder: there is never a cover charge and never a minimum for shows in the Wolf Den, but patrons must be 21 or older to attend shows there. Lines form early for many of the shows so due to the room’s limited capacity, seating is never guaranteed.

The October 20 JIMMY CLIFF show at Wolf Den and the October 21 TANGERINE DREAM show, same location, have both been postponed.

*OZZY OSBOURNE tickets are going on sale this weekend. Osbourne is staying on the road through the end of the year, but without BLACK SABBATH, and will be returning to the state on December 13 (Osbourne and Black Sabbath enjoyed a sold-out performance at The Meadows this past summer with an OzzFest appearance). The concert is actually being billed as “The Night of Merry Mayhem,” it kicks off on Halloween, and additionally features ROB ZOMBIE, MUDVAYNE and ONE SIDE ZERO.

Proceeds from Ozz Bless America merchandise will be donated by Osbourne to families of the firefighters and police officers who dies during the September 11 terrorist attacks. Also, Osbourne and Zombie have announced they will donate all proceeds from the tour’s stop on December 23 at the Meadowlands to the families.

Tickets will be available for $40 and $50 apiece and will be sold through TicketMaster outlets, on the Web or over the phone at 860-525-4500. While the show will be presented at Hartford Civic Center, there will not be any first-day ticket sales up there this weekend.

*Tickets are still available for MELISSA ETHERIDGE’s three-night stop at New Haven palace, October 15-17. Talk about a big-ticket item: Seats for these shows are $63 or $78.50 a pop. Tickets.com is handling ticket sales for this show; visit the Web site or call the vendor at 800-477-6849. Not surprisingly, tickets are still available for all three shows.

*New at The Webster Theater in Hartford is a headlining show by THE CULT. Tickets for all Webster shows are available through tickets.com outlets. All seats for The Cult are $25 and the show is open to all ages.

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

OCTOBER 12 — Ben Allison & The Medicine Wheel at Aldrich Museum of Contemporary Art, Ridgefield; Black 47 at Toad’s Place, New Haven, The Reilly Clan, The Manchurians (CD release celebration), Hilton Valentine and Mad Haleen opening; Rick Ross at Next Stop Café, Bethel; Christina Abbott at Acoustic Café (CD release party), Bridgeport; Lucinda at Sweet Harmony’s Coffee House, Marbledale; Joe Proc at Carl Anthony’s, Monroe;

October 14 — Geoff Muldaur at Acoustic Café (note: 5 pm show); Leftover Salmon at The Webster Theater, Hartford (all ages), Fivewise opening;

October 15 — D12 at Toad’s Place, Bionic Jive and Sunny Ledford opening (all ages);

October 15-17 — Melissa Etheridge at New Haven Palace.