The upcoming weekend is extremely busy for live music, especially on Friday night, but with some of the shows starting early, you should have time to catch more than one that night. Check out the full listing in the calendar section below, but here are some highlights. Former New London band Quiet Life is back in the area for a few shows, and they will be playing at the Hygienic Art Park on Friday night, along with GraveRobbers and Elison Jackson. Quiet Life has been based on the west coast for several years, and have only been back for a couple of local shows since then. These guys pack whatever venue they play in New London, so it will be great to have them at the Art Park where there will be room for a large crowd. They tour using a veggie-oil powered van, so if you can hook them up with some grease, I’m sure they will be grateful. GraveRobbers (http://graverobbers.bandcamp.com/) is an alt-country/folk band from New England who have been getting a lot of attention lately, and they appeared at the Newport Folk Festival this past summer. Elison Jackson (http://www.reverbnation.com/elisonjackson), from New Haven, has played in New London a few times, and they will be releasing their new CD, “I Do Believe She Flew Out the Drain Pipe”, on Saturday night at Cafe Nine in New Haven. The album is coming out on New London’s Telegraph Records label, and here’s a review from CT.com: http://www.ct.com/news/advocates/wcct-blog-guitar-album-of-the-day-92512-elison-jackson-20120925,0,7172606.story. Gates are at 7 pm, music starts at 8 pm, and admission is by suggested donation of $8. Beer and wine will be sold, and it’s all ages (the show, not the beer and wine…). Captain Scott’s will have food available as well.Also on Friday night, John Fries (www.johnfriesmusic.com) and his band will be at the Voodoo Grill in Mystic. John has Corina Malbaurn on bass and Mike Crivellone on drums and vocals. The show starts at 10 pm. John’s CD “U.S. 50″ has gotten rave reviews from many music publications. The band played its first local show at Sailfest in New London in July, and they have a full schedule of upcoming shows, both local and not-so-local, with shows nearly every weekend. John has worked hard and he’s one of our busiest local musicians. Catch him locally while you still can.

Over at the Bank Street Cafe, Pocket Vinyl (www.pocketvinyl.com) will be playing a show on Friday night.  They are a duo, with Eric Stevenson on piano and vocals. Elizabeth Jancewicz paints on stage, and at the end of the show the paintings are sold to the highest bidder. The show starts at 9 pm, and your $5 cover also gets you a free drink.

Another of the area’s hardest-working musicians, Sue Menhart (www.suemenhart.com), will be at Burke’s Tavern in Niantic with her band on Friday night. The show starts at 8 pm and there is no cover. You can also catch the band in Niantic on Saturday at noon (ouch!) at Pro-Tek Auto for Breast Cancer Awareness Day.

Coming up on Saturday night, Americana band Joe Fletcher & the Wrong Reasons (http://joefletchermusic.com/) will be appearing at 33 Golden Street in New London. This club has earned a reputation as a great place to see live music in town. Gene brought excellent bands to the Bank Street Cafe for many years, and his good musical taste has made his new place a destination for music lovers. Full Moon Jamboree will be opening the show. If you haven’t seen that band yet, you owe it to yourself to do so. They are a talented combination of local musicians who are playing classic country tunes, with a few originals mixed in. Joey Royale is on vocals and guitar, Paul Brockett also plays guitar and sings, Dave Anderson plays bass, and Tim O’Connor is on drums. If you are a country music fan, I dare you to not sing along. Joe Fletcher & the Wrong Reasons is another band who recently played the Newport Folk Festival. These guys are from Providence, and they have released two albums since 2007. They are a favorite of Slim Cessna’s Auto Club, and they always open for that band when the Auto Club is in the area. That endorsement is about as good as it gets. The show starts at 9 pm.

Here’s Quiet Life with their video for “Jim’s Wedding Band”:

CONCERT CALENDAR    
Thu 9/27/12    – Sandman and friends at Sneekers Cafe in Groton 7-10 pm NO COVER

- Vince Thompson and friends at Steak Loft in Mystic 7-10 pm

- David Wax Museum at the Kate in Old Saybrook 7:30 pm

- Xenosis, Gates of Ivory, Lyra, Open Denile at Cafe Nine in New Haven 9 pm

- The Foresters, the Planets at Two Boots in Bridgeport 9 pm NO COVER

 

Fri 9/28/12      - Quiet Life, GraveRobbers, Elison Jackson at the Hygienic Art Park in New London 7 pm

- Pocket Vinyl at the Bank Street Cafe in New London

- The Resident Alien Project, DIM, We Got Mouths, the Weird Beards at the El ‘n’ Gee in New London 9 pm (The Scope Magazine Anniversary Party and Fundraiser)

- Sue Menhart Band at Burke’s Tavern in Niantic 8 pm

- Dogbite at the Mystic Art Association 8-10 pm (Benefit for Haitian Relief)

- John Fries at Voodoo Grill in Mystic 10 pm

- Caravan of Thieves at the Kate in Old Saybrook 8 pm

- Pat Daddona and Mike Ball at New Deal Steakplace in Westbrook  7-9 pm (Acoustic Sunset Series)

- Sandman and Daphne Lee Martin at Chamard Vineyards in Clinton 6 pm

- Girls Guns and Glory at the Knickerbocker Cafe in Westerly 9 pm

- George Lesiw, M.O.B. at Cafe Nine in New Haven 9 pm

- Hot Chaos, Tigress, Hooks and Sinkers at Two Boots in Bridgeport 9:30 pm

 

Sat 9/29/12      – Joe Fletcher & the Wrong Reasons, Full Moon Jamboree at 33 Golden Street in New London 9 pm

- Sue Menhart Band at Pro-Tek Auto in Niantic 12 pm (Breast Cancer Awareness Day)

- Wry at Elm Bar in New Haven

- Elison Jackson at Cafe Nine in New Haven 10 pm

- Leslie Costa & the Usual Suspects at Two Boots in Bridgeport 9:30 pm

 

Sun 9/30/12    – The Enemies, the Wailing Ultimates, Fatal Film at 33 Golden Street in New London NO COVER

- Bob Log III, Cheap Time, Milksop:Unsung at Cafe Nine in New Haven 8 pm

 

Tues 10/2/12   – Joe Flood at Cafe Nine in New Haven 7 pm

 

Wed 10/3/12   – North Sea Gas at Cafe Nine in New Haven 8 pm

 

Thu 10/4/12    – Jim Carpenter and friends at Sneekers Cafe in Groton 7-10 pm NO COVER

- Holly Golightly and the Brokeoffs, Detroit Rebellion  at Cafe Nine in New Haven 9 pm

- Ceschi Ramos, Estrogen Highs at Elm Bar in New Haven NO COVER

- Rope, the Furors at Two Boots in Bridgeport 9 pm NO COVER

 

Fri 10/5/12      – Brownbird Rudy Relic, Orb Mellon, Tito Deler at 33 Golden Street in New London 9 pm

- Dogbite at Burke’s Tavern in Niantic

- Mates of State at Cafe Nine in New Haven 9 pm NO COVER

- NEW LONDON AMERICANA FEST at the Hygienic Art Park  (gates open at 6pm)
6:30 – Eric Lichter
7:30 – The Macleans
8:30 – Preston Frantz Hellbent & Heartbreakin’
9:45 – The Wiyos

- Holly Golightly & the Brokeoffs, Muck and the Mires at TT the Bear’s Place in Cambridge 10:30 pm

Sat 10/6/12      – NEW LONDON AMERICANA FEST at the Hygienic Art Park (gates at 1:30 pm)

2:00 – Dirt Road Radio
3:00 – The Rivergods
4:30 – Dogbite
5:30 – Jeffrey Foucault
6:30 – Jim & Jake Carpenter
7:30 – Vince Thompson & Friends
8:30 – Full Moon Jamboree
10pm -Ken Atkins & The Honky Tonk Kind

- The Grimm Generation, the Sawtelles, Farewood at Cafe Nine in New Haven (Independisc 14th Anniversary Bash) 9 pm

- Old Man Lady Luck, Jealousy Mountain Duo, Ham Radio Operator at Elm Bar in New Haven

- John Fries at Black Eyed Sally’s in Hartford 9 pm

 

Sun 10/7/12    – Sadplant at Galaxy Roller Rink in Groton (halftime at Shoreline Roller Derby bout) all ages, doors 6 pm, bout 7 pm, tix $10 advance, $12 door

- John Fries at Jonathan Edwards Winery in North Stonington 12 noon