*TED & DEAN’S EXCELLENT ADVENTURE will be playing at Mocha in Sandy Hook again this weekend.

 The duo – Ted Hartlett and Dean Snellback – play acoustic roots rock, vintage pop and folk, with singalongs encouraged. The guys will be at the Glen Road bean house on Friday, July 15, from 7:30 until 10:30 pm.

 I had lunch this week at The Red Brick Tavern, and I can assure you that the food, service and prices are all terrific. If you can fit it into your schedule, try to plan for dinner at the tavern before visiting Mocha for coffee and entertainment. It’s a perfect fit to have those promising businesses sharing a parking lot (and don’t fret if the small lot in front of Mocha is full – there is plenty of room available for parking in the new lot at 5 Glen Road, where the Sandy Hook Village Farmer’s Market is being presented now on Sundays).

 Ted & Dean’s Excellent Adventure, by the way, is also booked for another show at Mocha on Saturday, August 20.

 *Summer Sounds of the World is joining forces this year with Sweetport Music & Arts Festival to bring an unprecedented mix of multicultural free concerts to downtown Bridgeport.  All events will be taking place on McLevy Green in the heart of Bridgeport during July and August.

 Two concerts in particular caught my attention last week, and then one became even better when a friend landed himself an opening set for one of those shows.

 THE STEVE CLARK BAND will perform at noon on Thursday, July 28. Clark’s five-piece funky/jazz band inspires audiences with its natural blend of funky grooves, smooth melodies, odd meters and jazz improvisations. It is the perfect combination to show the bass can be melodic, harmonic and rhythmic. (Among his multitudes of credits, Clark performs regularly with Newtown resident JOE PROC in the band Off The Hook). It may also be a difficult concert to get to, considering its timeslot, unless you work closer to Bridgeport than I do. The show will feature vocalist Teresa Wright.

 The second show that caught my eye (my ear?) is acoustic giant RICHIE HAVENS on Friday, August 5. Showtime for Havens is 8:30 pm, but notes on the press release I received indicate programs will start at 5:30 that afternoon.

 Not only will Havens be headlining that Friday evening, but Bee reporter JOHN VOKET will have opening duties that night. Details about that to follow, but trust me: John’s a good guy, with great music talent and a fun sense of humor. Anyone who has seen any of his recent shows at Mocha will agree.

 For full details about these and all of the shows in the SSW/SMAF Summer Concert Series call 203-367-7917, send email to kpai@aol.com or visit www.InternationalPerformingArts.com.

 (BTW, Havens will also be performing on August 7 at Towne Crier Café in Pawling, N.Y. Tickets are $40 and additional information is available at 845-855-1300 or TowneCrier.com.)

 *Due to artist scheduling conflicts, the ROBERT PLANT show that was to have taken place on June 24, which needed to be cancelled then due to illness, has now been cancelled.

 Tickets will be refunded at the original point of purchase.

 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 SHOWS

JULY 15 — Ted & Dean’s Excellent Adventure at Mocha, Sandy Hook; Fantasia at Foxwoods Casino’s Fox Theatre, Ledyard, Kindred opening; Kottonmouth Kings at The Webster Theatre, Hartford; Richard Marx at Mohegan Sun’s Wolf Den, Uncasville (also July 16); Ra at Toad’s Place, New Haven, Our Finest Hour, Kai Blackwood and The Tokyo Death Squad opening (all ages); Hope Machine: A Tribute to Woody Guthrie at Towne Crier Café, Pawling, N.Y.;

July 16 — Three Doors Down at The Dodge Music Center (formerly The Meadows), Hartford, Staind and Breaking Benjamin opening; The (Original) Cast of Beatlemania at Ives Concert Park, Danbury; Richard Marx at Mohegan Sun’s Wolf Den; 34th Annual Reggae Fest at Woodbury Ski Area, Woodbury (continues July 17); The Neville Brothers at New Haven Green; The Machine at Toad’s Place (all request show, all ages), Odds & Sods and Robbing Opie opening; The Zoo at Tuxedo Junction, Danbury; Debbie Davies Blues Band at Towne Crier Café;

July 17 — OzzFest at The Dodge Music Centre (formerly The Meadows); Queen Latifah at Mohegan Sun Arena, Erykah Badu and Jill Scott opening; 34th Annual Reggae Fest (continues) at Woodbury Ski Area; Glengarry Bhoys at Towne Crier Café;

July 20 — Bruce Springsteen at The Arena at Harbor Yard, Bridgeport (ßSOLD OUT); Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes at Mohegan Sun’s Wolf Den (also July 21);

July 21 — Kenny Chesney at The Dodge Music Center (formerly The Meadows), Gretchen Wilson and Pat Green opening; Rock Never Stops 2005 featuring Cinderella, Ratt, Quiet Riot at FireHouse at Mohegan Sun Arena; The Doobie Brothers at The Palace Theater, Waterbury; Babyface at Foxwoods Casino’s Fox Theatre, Vivian Green opening; Soilent Green, Perfect Murder, Into The Moat and Watch Them Die at The Webster Theatre; Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes at Mohegan Sun’s Wolf Den;

July 22 — Elvis Costello & The Imposters at The Chevrolet Theatre (formerly the Oakdale), Emmylou Harris opening; Michael McDonald at Ives Concert Park; The Doobie Brothers at Foxwoods Casino’s Fox Theatre; Darik & The Funbags at Toad’s Place, Red Handed opening; Vixen at The Webster Theatre; Paul Rishell & Annie Raines, featuring Dave Maxwell, at Towne Crier Café;

July 23 — Buddy Guy at The Webster Theatre; Big Bad Voodoo Daddy at Mohegan Sun’s Wolf Den (also July 24); Michael McDonald at Foxwoods Casino’s Fox Theatre; Blues Traveler at New Haven Green; Shakedown at Toad’s Place, The Melissa Mulligan Band and Rusty Horse opening; Luv Bug at Tuxedo Junction; Dervish at Towne Crier Café;

July 24 — Blues Traveler at The Ridgefield Playhouse; Big Bad Voodoo Daddy at Mohegan Sun’s Wolf Den (also July 23); BIG Summer Classic 2005 at Yale Field, West Haven, featuring The String Cheese Incident, Keller Williams, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Yonder Mountain String Band, Umphrey’s McGee and New Monsoon; The Wailers at Toad’s Place (all ages); Jesse Colin Young Band at Towne Crier Café;

July 25 — Hilary Duff at Hartford Civic Center;

July 27 — John Cafferty at Mohegan Sun’s Wolf Den;

July 28 — Steve Clark at McLevy Green, Bridgeport (show starts at noon, part of Summer Sounds of the World/Sweetport Music & Arts Festival Summer Concerts Series), featuring Teresa Wright; Lou Gramm at Mohegan Sun’s Wolf Den (also July 29).