*Newtown-based GIA will be at MisFitz Café in Southbury tonight (Friday, October 17). Showtime is scheduled for 9:30 and there is no cover charge to get in. The bar and grille is on Oak Tree Road, next to Bullet Hill Supply and behind Hines Brothers Garage; call 264-4300 if you need better directions.

*Also playing tonight is SIDESHOW, another Newtown band. These guys will be at Black Rock & Blue in Bridgeport; 3488 Fairfield Avenue on the Fairfield-Bridgeport line. Call 203-362-1532 if you need directions.

*HAT CITY BLUES BAND will be playing The Fireside Inn this weekend, offering Hat City Blues’ OktoberFest, Presented by Stella Artois. The show’s presenting sponsor, Stella Artois, will be on hand with plenty of samples during a concert by the blues and rock band. The OktoberFest Celebration will be at The Fireside Inn, 123 Main Street South/Route 25 in Newtown, on Saturday, October 18.

From left, the band members are guitarist, keyboardist and vocalist Ron Caruso, harmonica player and vocalist David Lott, bassist and vocalist Gary LeVan, guitarist and vocalist Ed Pryzby, and drummer and vocalist Bill Morris.

Admission for the OktoberFest Celebration is just $7 per person. A light menu will be served. The event will run from 7:30 to 11 pm.

*AMERICAN MORTAR ORIGINAL ROCK BAND has a show at Mario’s Café in Derby next weekend. The five-member band offers originals and covers of contemporary to classic rock. Vocalist Susan, lead guitarist Danny, drummer Bob, rhythm guitarist Al and bass guitarist Lee will be at the 165 Main Street café on Saturday, October 25.

*Tickets for A PERFECT CIRCLE, who will be at the Oakdale in Wallingford on November 25, are going on sale this weekend. All seats are $30, and the on-sale will begin at 10 am Saturday. There will be a wristband lottery at the Oakdale’s box office for this show. Distribution will begin at 8:30 and the lottery will be held around 9:30.

Tickets can be purchased over the phone at 203-265-1501 or online at tickets.com.

*Speaking of tickets, they’re still available for THE DOOBIE BROTHERS at The Warner Theatre. The Torrington theater will be hosting a show by the multi Grammy Award-winning (among multitudes of other accolades) band on Thursday, October 23. Showtime is 8 pm, prices are $39.50 and $49.50, and tickets can be reserved by calling 860-489-7180.

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

OCTOBER 17 — Gia at MisFitz Café, Southbury; SideShow at Black Rock & Blue, Bridgeport; India.Arie at UConn’s Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts, Storrs; Off The Hook at Rathskeller, Southbury; Entrain at Tuxedo Junction, Danbury; Little Buster’s Rhythm & Blues Expo at The Webster Theater, Hartford (all ages); Dana Pomfret at UHartford’s Wilde Auditorium, West Hartford; Dave’s True Story and Richard Julian at The Acoustic Café, Bridgeport;

October 18 — Hat City Blues Band at Fireside Inn, Newtown; India.Arie at Foxwoods’ Fox Theatre, Uncasville; The Benjamins at Tuxedo Junction; Housewives On Prozac at The Acoustic Café;

October 19 — Brett Michaels at The Webster Theatre, Buff Daddy opening; Tower Of Power at Mohegan Sun’s Wolf Den, Uncasville; Andy Stochansky at The Acoustic Café;

October 22 — Bob Weir and Ratdog at The Webster Theatre (all ages);

October 23 — 3 Doors Down at the Oakdale Theatre, Wallingford, Seether and Shinedown opening; The Doobie Brothers at The Warner Theatre, Torrington; Cast Iron Filter at Black-Eyed Sally’s BBQ & Blues Café, Hartford; Chelsea Genzano, Jenn Lindsay and Natalia Zuckerman at The Acoustic Café;

October 24 — Off The Hook at Proud Mary’s, Newtown; Blue Oyster Cult at Tuxedo Junction; The Kennedys at Stamford Center for the Arts, Stamford; Big Shot at Toad’s Place; Rani Arbo & daisy mayhem at UHartford’s Wilde Auditorium, The Roadbirds opening; Liam Bailey and Friends and Mike Dougherty at The Acoustic Café (separate sets);

October 25 — American Mortar Original Rock Band at Mario’s Café, Derby; SideShow at The Thirsty Turtle, Stamford; The Nerds at Tuxedo Junction; The Debbie Davies Band at Black-Eyed Sally’s; Keller Williams at The Webster Theatre; Aztec Two-Step at The Acoustic Café;

October 26 — They Might Be Giants at The Ridgefield Playhouse, Ridgefield; Twisted Sister at The Webster Theatre, Sebastian Bach opening (all ages); Tom Rush at The Acoustic Café;

October 28 — Queensryche at The Webster Theater, Echo 7 opening; Alice Cooper at SCA’s Palace Theatre, Stamford, Silvertide opening;

October 30 — Jackson Browne at Stamford Center for the Arts’ Palace Theatre, Stamford; ModeRenko at Black-Eyed Sally’s;

October 31 — Off The Hook at Carl Anthony’s; Moppin’ Sauce at The Red Door Café, Watertown; Halloween Party at Tuxedo Junction featuring The Gyst; Annual Kooks & Spooks Convention at Toad’s Place, bands TBA; Psychedelic Breakfast at The Webster Theatre; Raisin Hill at The Acoustic Café.