Connecticut Live Music Forecast: Indie-Punk, Regular Punk and 90′s Hits

Come beat those freezing temps at your favorite, local music venue by purchasing hoodies at the merch table. Then stay for the show, because there are some solid bands that are on their way to the Nutmeg State.

The Menzingers will be at the Webster Underground on February 2nd, with opener Funzzle. Their new LP On The Impossible Past is staggeringly good. Songs like ‘Nice Things’ and ‘The Obituaries’ are going to  soar in a live setting. The chorus of ‘The Obituaries’ alone is a religious experience.

The other contender for best punk record of the year comes from The Sidekicks. They’ll be opening for Cheap Girls at Toad’s Lily Pad on March 8^th. Both bands delve in something between classic Weezer and surrogate cow punk.

Wild Flag are at Toads Place on March 30^th. You might recognize them from almost every single best of 2011 list. They’re like an all female incarnation of The Ramones, with more brains and even more brawn.

If Celtic tinged punk n’roll is more your style, then don’t miss The Ducky Boys at the Webster Underground on February 3^rd or tour juggernauts Dropkick Murphy’s at Mohegan Sun on Saturday, March 10^th. Hudson Falcons, Pinkerton Thugs and Pickpocket are opening for The Ducky Boys, which means Hartford will be in the hands of some serious street punk veterans.

Frank Turner & The Sleeping Souls will share the stage with The Dropkick Murphy’s. I saw Frank headline in Danbury last year, and he brought the house down like it was his job. This is a stop on DKM’s annual St. Patrick’s Day Tour, which culminates in Boston. The closer they get to the pinnacle the wilder it gets, so make sure to purchase tickets for the general floor area. This is a show where you’ll want to get lost in that great exhale at the end of the work week, to one 21-guitar rallying battle cry after another.

If the stage doesn’t get destroyed, Lit will be playing Mohegan Sun, on March 11^th. They were among the best in the late 90s alt. rock scene. It’s good to know they survived, and will be releasing a new album in the first quarter of 2012.