*The local original rock band AMERICAN MORTAR will be playing at the Blue Z Coffeehouse, 127 South Main Street (Route 25), on Friday, July 16, from 7 to 9 pm. This benefit for the Town of Newtown Park and Bark will help raise funds to build a special place where dogs and their human partners can roam free to meet other human and canine counterparts. 

Dogs are welcome (on leashes outside the patio area). 

Suggested donation is $5 but any amount to benefit the dogs and their sense of freedom and need for friends would be welcomed.  More would be appreciated greatly. The band features Susan Washburn on lead vocals, Mark Janos on lead guitar, Brad Greene on drums, and Chris Zwart on bass.

*Woodbury Ski Area’s next musical event will be its 38th Annual Rock Festival, and it’s set to take place the weekend of August 14-15. Gates open at 11 each morning, and live music will begin at noon.

The festival will offer performances by rock and southern rock tribute bands including the Pink Floyd tribute CHILDHOOD’S END, Allman Brothers tribute THE PEACH PROJECT, Led Zep tribute band KASHMIR, Connecticut based southern rockers WHISKEY RIVER BAND, blues band CROSS-EYED CAT, southern rockers GHOST RIDERS, and SOUTHERN COMFORT, who prides itself on authentic reproductions of classical southern rock by Skynyrd, Allman Brothers, Marshall Tucker Band, the Outlaws, Molly Hatchet, and others. Additional bands, according to a press release received Monday morning, are still to be announced.

Tickets are $25 in advance for one day, $45 in advance for two days, or $35 and $60 at the gate, respectively. Food vendors, art and crafts vendors, a skate park, creekside swimming and camping will also be available. Definitely call in advance (203-263-2203) if you plan to camp.

*THE WAY-BACK MACHINE, who swears they started with a mission to perform as an opening for some of the legendary bands of the 60s and 70s that are currently touring the country, will get one of their wishes granted on July 21. WBM will be opening that evening for CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVISED (don’t send me evil notes about how this isn’t the legendary Creedence band, folks; I’m all over that story and just serving as the messenger here) at The Ridgefield Playhouse.

Tickets are still available, priced at $90 and $95.

*NICKELBACK has extended its Dark Horse World Tour and will be playing Mohegan Sun Arena on Tuesday, September 28, with special guests Three Days Grace and Buckcherry.  The show begins at 6:15, and tickets ($90 and $110) go on sale Saturday, July 17, at 10 am, through TicketMaster. 

Tickets will also be available at the Mohegan Sun box office starting Sunday at 10, if any remain available at that point.

*Just a reminder for fans (or superfans willing to travel a little) of THE FABULOUS THUNDERBIRDS that the band has two shows within Connecticut’s borders this month.

Kim Wilson and crew will be at Infinity Hall in Norfolk on Tuesday, July 27 (tickets are $35 and $50; call 866-666-6306 or visit www.InfinityHall.com for details), and then at Fairfield Theatre Company’s Stage One the following night ($42, $32 for FTC members; 203-259-1036 or www.FairfieldTheatre.org).

Until next week, I’ll be seeing you… on the road. Speaking of which, thanks to the couple who slowed down next to me for a few moments on I-84 last weekend. I finally figured out what those funny gestures were that you were sending my way and fixed my gas cap.

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

JULY 16 — American Mortar at The Blue Z Coffee House, Newtown (benefit for Newtown Park & Bark); Tim McGraw at the Comcast Theatre, Hartford, Lady Antebellum and Love and Theft opening; Stewart at Heirloom Arts Theatre, Danbury;

July 19 — Rush at Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville;

July 21 — Credence Clearwater Revisited at The Ridgefield Playhouse, The Way-Back Machine opening; Carlos Santana at Mohegan Sun Arena, Steve Winwood opening;

July 22 — The Adults at Redding Roadhouse;

July 23 — Hot Tuna with special guest Steve Earle at The Shubert Theater, New Haven; O.A.R. at the Comcast Theatre, with special guest Citizen Cope; Widespread Panic at Ives Concert Park, Danbury;

July 24 — Rockstar Mayhem Festival at The Comcast Theatre, Hartford, with Korn, Rob Zombie, Five Finger Death Punch, Lamb Of God, et al; Modest Mouse at The Dome at Oakdale, Wallingford; Slightly Stoopid at Ives Concert Park, Cyprus Hill and Collie Buddz opening; The Fabulous Thunderbirds at Infinity Music Hall, Norfolk;

July 28 — Cyndi Lauper at The Ridgefield Playhouse; Goo Goo Dolls at Mohegan Sun Arena, Switchfoot and The Spill Canvas opening; The Fabulous Thunderbirds at Fairfield Theatre Company’s StageOne;

July 29 — The Adults at The One-Eyed Pig, Newtown (hosting an open mic night); Candlebox at The Webster, Hartford;

July 30 — Willie Nelson & Family at The MGM Grand Theater at Foxwoods; Limp Bizkit and Avenged Sevenfold at the Oakdale Theatre, All That Remains and Hail The Villain opening;

July 31 — The Adults at The One-Eyed Pig; Heart at The MGM Grand Theater at Foxwoods; Willie Nelson at Ives Concert Park; Rascal Flatts at the Comcast Theatre, Kellie Pickler and Chris Young opening; Social Distortion at The Webster, Dan Sartain and Action Design opening.