I t won’t be exactly like when she used to play clubs around here in the ’80s, alone with her guitar, but when Mary Chapin Carpenter performs at the University of Connecticut’s Jorgensen Auditorium tonight in Storrs, it will be acoustic.
This time, she’ll have assorted sidemen with her — and a decade’s worth of songs.
Sure, she might not have had an album out since 1996’s “A Place in the World” but she says, over the phone from Glenside, Pa., “it’s retarded to be tied to a production schedule.”
Besides, she adds, “I’ve never been somebody who puts out a new record each year.”
She does have something new in the stores, though, a version of Don Gibson’s “Oh Lonesome Me” that appears on a new collection called ‘Tribute to Tradition.”
Carpenter gets asked to record a lot of cover songs for various tribute projects. Her best known may be a version of John Lennon’s “Grow Old With Me” that appeared on the 1995 album, “Working Class Hero: A Tribute to John Lennon.”
“You wouldn’t believe some of the requests I get,” says the Brown University graduate. “There are a plethora of tribute of thematic records and tribute records. Some of them are a real stretch. If I feel a kinship to something I’ll do it. It has to mean something to you, other than just doling out another retread.”
For “Tribute to Tradition,” she says, “I got a call from Chet Atkins, who was producing. It was a no-brainer. ‘I think I could do that.’ It was a real thrill to work with him. It was the first song he had a hit with Don Gibson and it would be the last official production duty before he retired.”
Carpenter also has another release this fall — in the bookstores. “Haley Came to Jackson,” her song based on Eudora Welty’s recollection of a comet in Mississippi, has been turned into a children’s book, handsomely illustrated by Dan Andreasen, from Harper Collins.
“I got a call from Harper Collins a couple of years ago,” she says. “They said, we think a couple of your songs lend themselves to books for children. I said, ‘Oh, really?’ It never occurred to me.’ “
Halley follows with “Dreamland” as a children’s book.
“It’s a very lovely project to be associated with,” Carpenter says. “My work is already done. I get to see it turn into a beautiful book.
“I always thought I wrote for grownups. But people have always told me how children liked that song, ‘Halley Came to Jackson.’ So it makes sense. It’s lovely to think there’s another audience for my songs out there.
“I don’t think they’re going to make a book out of “He Thinks He’ll Keep Her,” she says with a laugh. “But I do remember getting letters from kids saying ‘Passionate Fishes’ is their favorite song.”
Carpenter will likely play the song, actually called “Passionate Kisses,” in her show tonight at UConn, which will be opened by Catie Curtis at 8 p.m.
STONES RECAP
They’re the only band that makes front page news when they come to town.
So it’s likely you’ve heard that tickets go on sale Saturday at 10 a.m. for a March 28 Rolling Stones show at the Hartford Civic Center, their first show here since 1981.
Tickets are $40.50, $51, $91 and $126. Another group of $251 tickets will be made available to corporate clients, Delsener/Slater ticket club members and skybox holders.
The Goo Goo Dolls open.
It wasn’t easy to get the Rolling Stones to Hartford — even though guitarist Keith Richards is a state resident, with a home in Westport, promoter Jim Koplik said.
“We’re about the smallest city the Stones will play,” Koplik says. “We almost lost [the date] to Albany.”
Gary Bongiovanni, editor of the concert industry magazine Pollstar, said he didn’t think the high prices would set a standard for rock concerts. The Stones are a unique case, he said. “The Stones are the No. 1 touring band in the world, and they have been for some time,” he said. “You can’t say because the Stones do it, everyone else falls suit.
“They’re treating the indoor arena tour as something unique. Though they did play some arena dates on the last tour, the general perception on their fans’ part is when they see them, they’ll see them in stadiums. So it’s worth playing a premium to see them in a smaller venue.”
“Obviously, if nobody shows up, people can object,” says Paul Stanley of Kiss, whose band is charging $47.50 and $37.50 to play the Hartford Civic Center Wednesday. “If they show up and sell it out, that’s the end of the story. I think that for some people, charging $18 is robbery. For others, charging $100 is a bargain.”
The only other Northeast stops for the Stones will be Boston March 22, which also goes on sale Saturday, Pittsburgh March 11 and Philadelphia March 15. Connecticut ticket buyers will be competing against buyers in New York and New Jersey. The 24-city swing begins Jan. 25 in Oakland, Calif.
Wristbands will be distributed at the Civic Center in a lottery to determine random place in line Saturday from 6:30 a.m. to 7 a.m. Wristbands will be handed out at Ticketmaster outlets other than the Civic Center today at 5 p.m., to randomly determine places in lines when tickets go on sale Saturday.
There is a two-ticket limit for the first 10 rows; a six-ticket limit overall.
WHAT’S NEW
Kirk Franklin’s Nu Nation is planning a stop at the New Haven Coliseum Jan. 29. The gospel show will feature Kirk Franklin & The Family, CeCe Winans and Trin-I-Tee 5:7. Tickets will likely go on sale the weekend after next.
A sixth act has been named to the Radio 104 Jingle Bell Jam at the Oakdale Theatre in Wallingford Dec. 2 — Cake.
When Bela Fleck & the Flecktones play the dome at the Oakdale Dec. 4, it will be on an open date between their regular gig — opening arena dates for the Dave Matthews Band.
Econoline Crush opens the Kiss show at the Hartford Civic Center Wednesday.
A food drive concert near the Colt Building in Hartford Sunday features Evil Beetles/Level 5, Rane, Dr. Seuss, Great Performer and 1-Adam-12. Bring a can of food.
IN THE CLUBS
The Atomic Club, the Main Street theater in East Hartford, which was also previously known as the Starlite Theatre and Buster’s Pub and Cinema, returns to life in yet a new incarnation next week as the Stage East Cafe.
Hoping to attract an older audience with established acts and a line of food, the Stage East opens Wednesday with a show by Soul Sound Revue,the old Motown Revue. Upcoming shows include The Savage Brothers Nov. 27 and the Doug Jones Band Nov. 28. Upcoming shows are also scheduled by Roomful of Blues and the Shaboo All Stars. Texas Flood plays for New Year’s Eve.
A Dec. 16 package at the Webster Theatre in Hartford features Sevendust with Second Coming, Kid Rock and Godsmack. The Bogmen now open theTragically Hip show at the Webster Dec. 4.
Other upcoming shows at the Webster include Tree and Turmoil Dec. 18, the Allstonians Dec. 20, Earth Crisis Jan. 8 and 25 Ta Life Jan. 15.
Ana Egge plays the Bank Street Roadhouse in New London Sunday.
Duke Robillard brings his new band to the Hungry Tiger in Manchester Dec. 5. The Good Rats, a local favorite in these parts decades ago, returns pretty much intact with a Hungry Tiger appearance Friday.
Bugzy plays a happy hour show at the Brickyard Caf in Hartford on Friday, free with a nonperishable food item for donation.
A special show at Toad’s Place in New Haven tonight benefits longtime keyboardist Eddie Buster, who played with The Five Sharps and with the late Jesse Austin. In his 50-year career, which saw him in Chicago for 15 years, Buster also played with such luminaries Rashaan Roland Kirk, Ben Webster, Sonny Stitt and Gene Ammons. Buster has been suffering from cancer since spring and tonight’s benefit is organized by his son Brian Buster, a bassist. It will feature such parciapants as Rohn Lawrence, George Baker, Dave Dana ,Kenny Aldritch, Morris Trent, Wayne Boyd and others.
Skeeter Brandon & Highway 61 return to Black-Eyed Sally’s BBQ & Blues Friday. The Radio Kings are there Saturday.
Guest stars pop up at the Wilcox Street Grill in Simsbury this weekend. Mark Mercier of Max Creek joins The Maycocks Friday; Rex Fowler of Aztec Two Step joins Devonsquare. Louise Taylor plays the Vanilla Bean Cafe in Pomfret on Saturday.
CAVE STOMPIN’
Garage rock fans will want to venture to New York City’s Coney Island High nightclub this weekend for the second Cavestomp fest.
This year’s edition features some pretty rare performances including the long missing in action Sky Saxon of the Seeds, as backed by The Mysterians, on Friday, topping a bill that also includes ex-Raider Mark Lindsey performing with the Chesterfield Kings, the comeback of the Fuzztones and more.
Saturday, those Boston garage rock heroes with Connecticut roots, Barry & the Remains, who opened the final Beatles tour in 1966, reunite to top a bill that also includes The Litter, The Fleshtones and The Raunchands. Sunday’s show features The Pretty Things and Optic Nerve among others. A weekend pass is available.
It seems to be a major flashback weekend in New York, with Moby Grape headlining a pair of shows at the Wetlands tonight and Friday with Rick Danko opening.
