After fumbling an opportunity to relocate the Patriots a decade and a half ago, Hartford’s Adriaen’s Landing project finally has its anchor franchise.

The Infinity Music Hall & Bistro on Front Street in Connecticut’s capital will host its first-ever concert on Thursday, August 28 with alt-rock darlings Toad The Wet Sprocket getting the opening honors. Future confirmed acts include Aztec Two-Step (Aug. 30), Suzanne Vega (Sept. 13), Asia (Sept. 14) and Deer Tick (Sept. 20), to name a choice few.

The Infinity Music Hall & Bistro Hartford is an extension of the dream owner Dan Hincks had when he opened the first Infinity Music Hall & Bistro in Norfolk in October of 2008. The success of that historic 19th-century venue caught the eye—and ear—and of Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy, who swiftly helped secure a $1.3 million grant in September of 2012 to assist in the opening of the downtown Hartford sister venue.

“Infinity Music Hall will be a great addition to our capital city, one that will complement other top-notch entertainment venues,” Gov. Malloy declared at the time. “City [officials] have worked diligently to attract and retain businesses in Connecticut—this project will do both by bolstering economic activity in Hartford and creating a draw for people from throughout the region.”

“Without Norfolk, we wouldn’t be in Hartford,” added Hincks just before the Hartford venue’s Aug. 21 ribbon cutting. “The patrons truly appreciate the high quality entertainment Infinity provides. It makes sense to expand into Hartford. We’re so excited to join this increasingly vibrant market and thrilled to bring Connecticut and Massachusetts even more music and dining options.”

Tix for Toad the Wet Sprocket and more are available now at infinityhall.com.

 

In other Nutmeg State news, oft-maligned Stone Temple Pilots frontman Scott Weiland surfaces at Mohegan Sun’s Wolf Den Friday, Aug. 29 for a free solo show with his current project The Wildabouts. According to current reports, the veteran frontman’s set presently consists of a healthy mix of STP and Velvet Revolver tunes along with a couple of quirky covers.

 

Meanwhile, up in Noho, two celebrated contemporary pianists—Liz Story and Lisa Downing—turn “Paradise City” into a veritable “Ivorytown” when they hold court at the Iron Horse Aug. 30. Downing is an internationally acclaimed performer and composer and Story’s story is even more compelling—she is a four-time Grammy Award nominee, among other things. Tix are $25 in advance, $30 at the door and available at visionquestmusic.com.

 

In neighboring Amherst, gold-grilled, gold-selling Grammy winner Lil John has just announced an Oct. 12 play at UMass’ Mullins Center with special guest Just Blaze.

Billed as “the hottest party of the fall 2014 semester,” Wild On: Umass will pair “jungle decor and world class DJs with special FX and state-of-the-art production.” For more info on this and other UMass shows, kindly point your browser to mullinscenter.com.

 

Last but not least, scene stalwart Russell Brooks checked in to report that he has set his wayback Time Machine to 1965-1975 for his Aug. 28 Majestic Theater play in West Springfield.

“Time Machine is a new indie-rock supergroup I’ve put togehter with myself, Brian Marchese, Joe Boyle, Dave Hayes and Josh Sitron,” he explains. “This Thursday, it will be the British Invasion and beyond as we tackle the works of Donavan, The Turtles, The Yardbirds, The Beatles and so much more.”

Tix for this 7:30 p.m. show are $21 in advance, $23 at the door and available at majestictheater.com.•

 

Send correspondence to Nightcrawler, P.O. box 427, Somers, CT 06071; fax to (860) 394-4262 or email garycarra@aol.com.