Date: Fri 26-Jun-1998

Publication: Bee

Author: SHANNON

Quick Words:

Acoustics-Maiden-Aerosmith

Full Text:

ON THE ROAD/SHANNON HICKS

This weekend, HOT ACOUSTICS will be performing in Southbury. The band, which

released XPressway to Your Skull two years ago, has a performance scheduled in

conjunction with the Tribury Relay For Life event at Pomperaug High School's

track/football field. The June 27 event is a community-wide fundraising and

cancer awareness event being sponsored by the American Cancer Society.

Hot Acoustics will be playing Saturday from 8-10 pm. Admission is free. The

band is made up of R.T. Eckenrode, a Newtown resident, on drums and

percussion; Alyce Cognetta Bertz, concertmaster for Waterbury Symphony

Orchestra, on violin; Gary Bertz on acoustic guitar; and Roger Cannavaro on

electric bass. In addition to its original material, the band also performs a

lot of Bowie, Hendrix, Joplin, Clapton, Rolling Stones, and the like. Should

make for a good show if you can get over to Southbury. The high school is just

off Exit 16 (from Newtown, turn right off the ramp, go straight through the

two immediate traffic lights, then left onto Judd Road and you're there).

A lot of information last week about the IRON MAIDEN summer tour, which begins

today in Chicago. The band visits Connecticut in about five weeks (Webster

Theatre, Hartford, August 1).

In addition to the Virtual XI album and tour, Iron Maiden has been busy with

the development of "Ed Hunter," a new computer/video game starring the band's

trademark character, Eddie.

"`Ed Hunter' is looking great," says Maiden bassist Steve Harris (according to

a press release). "I have a Playstation and a few games on the bus that the

band play, but this is far better than anything I've seen so far. Chasing

Eddie through every Maiden album and shooting mutants while `Phantom of the

Opera' kicks in is something I'm sure every Maiden fan is going to really get

into."

"Ed Hunter" is due for a release in time for Christmas.

Two shows in August at the Meadows in Hartford have tickets going on sale

during the next few weekends. The first is for something called Southern Rock

Jam '98, which features CHARLIE DANIELS BAND, MARSHALL TUCKER BAND and MOLLY

HATCHET. That one will be Wednesday, August 19. Ticket will be available as of

Saturday morning (6/27) at 10 am.

This show looks like one of the best concert bargains of the year. Tickets for

inside the pavilion are $12.50 (that's not a typo, no), and lawn seats are

$10.50.

AEROSMITH, on the other hand, has tickets that run just past the $50 mark,

like most other concerts this summer. The band will be in Hartford Saturday,

August 22. Tickets are $40.50 and $52.75 for pavilion seats, $25.50 for space

on the lawn, and will be on sale in two weekends (July 11).

Until next week, I'll be seeing you... on the road