At the Podunk Bluegrass Festival, 'The Land Is Flat, But the Music Never Is'

It's counterintuitive to feature mountain music in the middle of a city. But if that site involves a wooded park, on-site camping, a swimming pool and some of the best bluegrass music in the nation, as the Podunk Bluegrass Music Festival in East Hartford does year after year, you're all set. Plus, they're gracious enough to admit city residents for free, so that cuts down on the noise complaints.

This year's festival is Thursday-Sunday, Aug. 4-7, in Martin Park, East Hartford.

Actually, we should say it's some of the best bluegrass in the world; one of the five bands competing for the Best Band designation and a spot in the 2012 festival lineup is the Russian-based Grass Pistols.

Bands playing in the four-day, feel-good festival include the Steep Canyon Rangers, who toured with banjo-pickin' actor and performer Steve Martin and backed him on his new album; Dixie Bee-Liners, named Roots Music Association's Bluegrass Artist of the Year in 2008 (over fellow nominees Alison Krauss and Merle Haggard); Danny Paisley and the Southern Grass, a group steeped in family tradition; New Englanders Mac McHale and Radio Gang; the Travelin' McCourys; Mountain Heart, who have appeared on the Grand Ole Opry stage more than 100 times; and Tennessee's own Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver.

This family-friendly event, now in its 16th year, offers workshops, free music instruction for the kids, plus ensemble playing and jamming, open field pickin' all weekend, free showers and a large Cantina tent to get in out of the sun.

By nature, the acoustic-style music that sprang up in the '40s and combined country western, gospel and blues with European-influenced Appalachian mountain music, is inclusive. Expect to be drawn in.

A four-day pass with camping is $143 for adults, $123 for seniors and $90 for children ages 13-17. Children 12 and under enter for free with a paid adult. One-day trips in to hear the music on Saturday and Sunday are $43 for adults, $35 for seniors and $21 for juniors; $30 for adults and $15 for teens after 7 p.m. either night. Partial days Thursday and Sunday are considerably cheaper. East Hartford citizens with ID get in for free. For more information, visit the Podunk Web site or call East Hartford Parks and Rec at 860-291-7166. Parking is available next to Martin Park off Hillside Street for $3 per car.

If You Want Your Bluegrass Indoors, See Krauss at Foxwoods

This is the weekend for bluegrass greats, no question. Grammy Award champion Alison Krauss plays with her band of soloists Union Station on Saturday, Aug. 6, at 8 p.m. at MGM Grand Theater at Foxwoods.

Just this spring Krauss released a new album, Paper Airplane, after her platinum knockout collaboration with Robert Plant, Raising Sand, in 2007. That previous work put her at 26 Grammys, including Album of the Year and Song of the Year, the most for any woman and the third most for any recording artist in Grammy history. She has sold more than 12 million albums.

The band Dawes will also perform.

Tickets are $45-65. For information, visit the MGM Grand Web site or call 1-800-200-2882.

Comic Lewis Black Stands Up at Mohegan Sun

The prolific Lewis Black, comedian, author, playwright, social critic and actor, will do his “In God We Rust” show 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 5, at Mohegan Sun Arena. Black has sold out shows at places such as Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, New York City Center and the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Known for his ranting style, playing on the edge of mental collapse, he leaves no controversy at peace. He hosted the Comedy Central series “Lewis Black's Root of All Evil” and often delivers his “Back in Black” commentary on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.

Tickets are $45. For information, visit the Mohegan Sun Web site or call 1-888-226-7711.

Kids, Go Ahead, Make Some Bones about it 

The Lutz Children's Museum in Manchester is playing into the interests of budding paleontologists in two programs Monday, Aug. 8.

The lasting imprint of fossils will be the topic for children ages 3-5 in either of two sessions, 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. or 2 to 3 p.m. “Fossils are preserved remains of creatures that lived long ago,” the program description says. “Many things can be fossils, like footprints, bones, eggs and even scat!” Well, everyone poops, as the popular children's book tells us. Kids will see real fossils and also make their own.

Children ages 5-10 will learn about creatures that lived more than 65 million years ago, examine fossils in the Lutz collection and construct a dinosaur skeleton in a session from 4 to 5 p.m. Aug. 8.

Cost of either program is $13 for members, $15 for non-members.

For information, visit the Lutz site or call 860-643-0949.

'Some Like It Hot' at Rockville Library

Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon star in this comic masterpiece where two musicians witness a mob hit and hide out by going on tour with an all-female band. Which means, of course, they need to be in disguise, er, that is, drag. The Billy Wilder classic will be screened for free at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 9, at Rockville Public Library. So beat feet and beat the heat with “Some Like It Hot” in the air-conditioned Edith Peck Room on the lower level. Don't forget to scoop up some free popcorn.

For more information, please 860-875-5892, ext. 21.