Randy Rainbow, Doobie Brothers
Several music acts that have been around for 50 years or more find their way back to Connecticut this month, from all over: Peruvian singer Eva Ayllón, the English rock band America and that versatile California pop/rock outfit The Doobie Brothers, all on their 50th anniversary tours, as well as two of the Monkees on their farewell tour. Other music to be heard live this week ranges from an autumnal chorale to the inspired political showtune parodies of Randy Rainbow. Theaterwise, we welcome the return of Connecticut Repertory Theatre.
Death Metal just in time
In the run-up to Halloween, few bands bring the horrific imagery better than Floridian death metal mavens Bodysnatcher, playing Oct. 24 at 6:30 p.m. at The Webster Theater, 31 Webster St., Hartford. Their songs have titles like “Open Wounds,” “Nail in the Coffin,” “Death of Me” and “Rot.” But these are not mere shock tactics but opportunities for expressions of despair and isolation. Check out these lyrics from “Take Me to Hell”: “Another day frozen like the art on the walls/ A paralyzed shell/ I’m tired here/ Confined to my mind, confined to my mind/ No one understands/ My body beaten and bruised.” $15. webstertheater.com.
October Sky
The choral group Voices of Concinnity’s “October Sky” concert, Oct. 24 at 7 p.m., offers seasonal “songs of hope and comfort,” containing the compositions of Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, Undine Smith Moore, Saunder Choi, Ralph Vaughan Williams and others. On the comfort side, there are in-person and livestreamed options to see the concert. At the in-person one, at Storrs Congregational Church, 2 North Eagleville Road, Storrs, not only the audience but the singers will be masked. $10 suggested donation. consonaresing.org.
’Que viva el Perú señores’
The legendary Peruvian-American vocalist Eva Ayllón is only
in her mid-60s and has been performing for 50 of those years. She is celebrating this half-century milestone, which she hit not long after being honored with a Latin Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, on her latest U.S. tour, which finds her at Infinity Hall, 32 Front St., Hartford, Oct. 26 at 8 p.m. $65-$85. infinityhall. com.
Rainbow tour
YouTube sensation Randy Rainbow, one of the sassiest political parodists around, has a two night stand at the Ridgefield Playhouse, 80 Ridge Road, Ridgefield. Oct. 27 and 28 at 8 p.m. $72.50 to $125. ridgefieldplayhouse.org/event/randy-rainbow.
Listen to the music
In their long career, The Doobie Brothers moved from ragged singalongs like “Jesus is Just Alright” to the smooth pop of “What a Fool Believes.” The band released its 15th album, “Liberté,” this month. It coincides with a Doobies Brothers 50th anniversary tour, which comes to Mohegan Sun Arena Oct. 28 at 8 p.m. $63.25-$83.25. mohegansun.com.
Derring-do
“The 39 Steps” is a lively physical comedy by Patrick Barlow, a parody of the 1935 Alfred Hitchcock film which put its own comic twist on the classic British adventure novel by John Buchan. It’s the first live indoor public performance at the Connecticut Repertory Theatre since COVID, and you know how much pent-up energy those UConn theater students will be bringing to that stage. Oct. 28 through Nov. 7 at the Studio Theater 820 Bolton Road #1127, Storrs. $22, $10 students. crt.uconn.edu.
America’s halfcentennial
Their 50th anniversary tour got sidelined for a while, but here’s the British-rooted band America out touring America again, with a stop Oct. 29 at 8 p.m. at Waterbury Palace, 100 East Main St., Waterbury. America’s “50th Anniversary: Golden Hits” album, released in 2019, harks back to “Horse With No Name,” “Sister Golden Hair,” “Tin Man” and other defining ‘70s soft rock tunes. $35-$89. palacetheaterct.org.
Last train to Clarksville
Hey, hey, they’re the surviving Monkees, on their farewell tour. Micky Dolenz, who has not only visited Connecticut many times on tour but has appeared in theater productions at the Goodspeed and the Ivoryton Playhouse; and Michael Nesmith, who sat out decades of Monkee reunion opportunities but has been joining in for the past several years now. The two have known each other for over 60 years, and there’s recent recorded evidence of mutual admiration: “The Monkees Live — The Mike & Micky Show” (a concert from 2019) and “Dolenz Sings Nesmith,” where the Monkees’ most versatile vocalist interprets the work of the band’s best songwriter. Oct. 29 at 8 p.m. $29 and $39. mohegansun.com.
Cat and Nat offline
Cat and Nat, the Facebook
Live and Instagram hosts who dish on all things motherly, are at Foxwoods Resort Casino’s Great Cedar Showroom, 350 Trolley Line Blvd., Mashantucket, Oct. 29 at 8 p.m. $40-$57. foxwoods. com.
Torry time
L.A. comic Guy Torry is doing four sets Oct. 29 at both 7:30 and 10 p.m., then Oct. 30 at both 7 and 9:30 p.m. He’s got dozens of film and TV credits and he’s a credit to the family business (Joe Torry is his brother.) $22. hartford. funnybone.com.
Christopher Arnott can be reached at carnott@courant.com.