*Renowned percussionist MINGO LEWIS will return to Newtown for another performance at The One-Eyed Pig on Friday, December 9. Lewis will again be joined by his band, Room of Voices. The music starts at 9:30 pm, and there is no cover charge. Local bassist Steve Clarke will also be sitting in with the band.

According to One-Eyed Pig Music Coordinator Jay Daly, the restaurant and bar at 71 South Main Street will also launch Acoustic Fridays, on December 9. Acoustic entertainment will be running from 5 to 8 pm Friday, and performer Casey Gorman (Hubinger Street, The Wagon Wheel Band) will open the series.

Find The One-Eyed Pig on Facebook, or call 203-270-0391 for more information.

LINK FOR FIRST MENTION OF BAND’S NAME:

http://www.reverbnation.com/thehadronbigbangers

*THE HADRON BIG BANGERS are capable, says member Robert “Robert Are” Rabinowitz, “of vast walls of noise as well as delicate, ambient musings. Layers of electro, freejazz, prog, reggae, rock, punk (pre & post), blues, dub, and more, inhabit [our] spontaneously creative explorations.”

Curious?

The trio — Robert Are (windsynth, flute, sax, bass, synths, barks, processing), Martin Ear (guitars, synths, loops, percussives, howls, and processing) and db Rae (kit, percussives, baying, beagle keeping, and teen appeal) — will be part of a three-band show this weekend at Freight Street Gallery in Waterbury.

“The 2nd Rapture” (that’s the name of the collective show) will feature performances by The Hadron Big Bangers as well as Lion’s Memorial Pool and 9:55. Showtime is 8 pm and admission is $7. The gallery is at 170 Freight Street.

“The Hadron Big Bangers have heard it all before… played it all before… enjoyed it all before... Does that mean we should rehash older musics, or take what we’ve lived through, and apply it to the creation of new sounds? Or the destruction of old sounds? We have chosen both! Not an easy task, but one we are comfortable pursuing,” Robert said this week. “Music is the most flexible and forgiving art form, and when treated with respect and love, is capable of great transformation.

“The Hadron Big Bangers are searching for the Tetraquarks and Pentaquarks in music. We know they exist, and we will continue our research and testing until we are satisfied with our results.”

In a nutshell, Robert says the band plays experimental progressive rock.

Friday’s big event will also include dancers, a light show, and a multi-media show featuring animation by Robert Lyons. A smidgen of additional information about the venue is available here.  ß LINK FOR THAT  http://freightstreetgallery.com/

*Country music’s outlaw “Honky Tonk” legend MERLE HAGGARD announced this week a tour stop in Torrington at The Warner Theatre, scheduled for Thursday, April 19.

Tickets for that show are $43 and $50, or $73 for Gold Circle seating, and will be on sale Friday, December 2, at 10 am; visit  www.warnertheatre.org or charge by phone at 860-489-7180.

*Driven by core members Gary Rossington (guitar), Johnny Van Zant (vocals) and Rickey Medlocke (guitar), along with longtime drummer Michael Cartellone, LYNYRD SKYNYRD is continuing its 35-year career with a tour that will bring them back to Connecticut early next year.

The band will be at The MGM Grand Theater at Foxwoods on Saturday, February 18, at 8 pm. Tickets are $35, $45 and $55, and will be going on sale Friday, December 9, at 10 am. Go online to www.foxwoods.com, call the MGM Grand Box Office at 866-646-0609 or Ticketmaster at 800-745-3000, or visit the casino’s box office in Mashantucket to buy yours.

*Speaking of legendary performers, GLEN CAMPBELL and RONNIE MILSAP will headline an evening featuring their greatest hits on Friday, February 24, over at Mohegan Sun Arena.

Tickets are $30 and go on sale Monday, December 12, at 10 am through TicketMaster. (TicketMaster.com, 800-745-3000, or visit any TicketMaster outlet). The box office at the casino will begin selling them Tuesday, December 13, subject to availability.

*THE MOODY BLUES (also pretty legendary, yes) will also be heading to Uncasville next year. The band will bring its 32-city 2012 Spring US Tour, The Moody Blues: The Voyage Continues — Highway 45, to Mohegan Sun Arena on Friday, April 13.

All tickets for this show are $40, and they also go on sale Monday, December 12, at 10 am; same contacts as above for purchasing these tickets on Monday, and the casino’s box office will begin selling them on Tuesday.

*Mohegan Sun is also planning to host a Wolf Den Hall of Fame concert in February. On February 20, some of the returning favorites of the casino’s Wolf Den will share time on the stage of Mohegan Sun Arena. Tickets are $30 for that show, which will feature 85 hits including performances by LITTLE ANTHONY & THE IMPERIALS, JOHN CAFFERTY AND THE BEAVER BROWN BAND, JAY BLACK (“The Voice”), EDDIE MONEY and AMERICA.

Go through the same vendors as outlined above for these tickets.

*The Palace Theater’s presentation of THE CHARLIE DANIELS BAND, which was postponed in October due to the untimely death of band keyboardist Joel “Taz” DiGregorio, has been rescheduled for Saturday, April 21, at 8 pm.

DiGregorio unexpectedly died in a car crash three days before the band’s original Waterbury tour stop on October 15, prompting the band to cancel several performances. Ticket holders who did not a request refund when the original Palace concert was cancelled will be able to use their same tickets for the new date. Meanwhile, tickets are still available for the new date for anyone who wants to get in on that show. Call 203-346-2000, go online to www.palacetheaterct.org, visit the theater’s box office, 100 East Main Street in Waterbury.

*Closer to home, Newtown based OFF THE HOOK (Joe Proc, Steve Clarke and Abu) will return to My Place Restaurant, 8 Queen Street in Newtown, for its next show on Thursday, December 15.

LINK FOR BOPLICITY:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Boplicity/177137258996211#!/events/273783079323865/

Jazz band BOPLICITY is on the calendar for a show at the same venue next weekend. Robert Rabinowitz (the same musician mentioned in this week’s opening notes, yes) and crew will be there on Saturday, December 10. 

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 clubs are for ages 21 and over unless specified.

UPCOMING SHOWS

DECEMBER 2 — Lucy Kaplansky at Infinity Music Hall; James Blunt at The MGM Grand, Mashantucket; Tim Reynolds & TR3 at The Ridgefield Playhouse; Five Finger Death Punch at the Oakdale Theatre, Wallingford, All That Remains, Hatebreed and Rev Theory opening;

December 3 — Patty Larkin at Edmond Town Hall, Newtown (headliner for this month’s Flagpole Radio Café; see John Voket’s story on this week’s Enjoy banner page); Alice Cooper at The Klein, Bridgeport; 311 at Mohegan Sun Arena, DJ Sowman opening;

December 4 — Aaron Neville & The Greater Bridgeport Symphony at The Klein, Bridgeport (Christmas show);

December 7 — The Robert Cray Band at The Ridgefield Playhouse;

December 9 — Mingo Lewis and Room of Voices at The One-Eyed Pig, Newtown, with guest bassist Steve Clarke;

December 10 — Boplicity at My Place Restaurant, Newtown;

December 11 — Emerson Hart at Infinity Music Hall;

December 15 — Off The Hook at My Place Restaurant; Jim Messina at Infinity Music Hall;

December 16 — Pat Travers at Infinity Music Hall;

December 23 — Brass City Boss Sounds Christmas Party at The Webster, Hartford, Forced Reality opening.

JANUARY 13 — Johnny Winter at Infinity Music Hall, Norfolk;

January 14 — Reba at Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville;

January 27 — Megadeth at Mohegan Sun Arena, with Motorhead, Volbeat and Lacuna Coil;

January 29 — Blood, Sweat & Tears at Infinity Music Hall (two shows, 3 and 7 pm).