“Classic” music takes many forms. This week in Connecticut we’ve got a major vocal group from the ’60s, a new wave band formed in the ’70s, rappers from the ’90s, ska bands from the ’00s, contemporary jazz presented by the oldest jazz society in the country and a string quartet that likes to play pop covers. Many of these shows are happening indoors, though it’s also still very much open-stadium and blankets-on-the-lawn season.
Cursive and Lys
Cursive is Code is a local supergroup of sorts, led by Jason P. Krug and Julie Kay of Grimm Generation, with Cary Pollick of the Zambonis and Big Fat Combo playing lead guitar and Dan Ramage of The Nightcrawlers on bass. The band has an appealing organ-driven old new-wave sound. Also on the bill for the “Sunday Buzz” matinee Aug. 1 at 4 p.m. at café nine, 250 State St., New Haven: the stellar Lys Guillorn & Her Band. Free. cafenine.com.
Wilcox and Wolf
The latest free concert in the Paul Brown Monday Night Jazz Series at the Bushnell Park Pavilion this week — Aug. 2 at 6 p.m. — features the Andrew Wilcox Sextet and the Warren Wolf Quartet. There are still two more concerts in the series after this one, presented by the Hartford Jazz Society. hartfordjazzsociety.com.
Cool for Cats
Squeeze, the venerable ’70s new wave band still helmed by awesome songwriting team of Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook, turns up at Ridgefield Playhouse twice this month: Aug. 4 and 10 at 7:30 p.m. Talk about “Tempted”! (Other Squeeze hits include “Black Coffee in Bed,” “Goodbye Girl,” “Take Me I’m Yours” and “Another Nail in My Heart”). Tickets are $150 on the floor or $130 in the balcony, plus $99 if you want a VIP package that gets you exclusive merchandise plus a “virtual Q&A” with Difford and Tilbrook. ridgefieldplayhouse.org.
‘You Can’t Fail Me Now’
Nobody’s had a career like Loudon Wainwright III. He had a novelty hit with “Dead Skunk” in 1972, branched into political satire with “Jesse Don’t Like It” in 1990, and has crafted hundreds of stirring folk songs before, during and after those. He had heralded acting roles on “M*A*S*H” (as the Singing Surgeon) and “Undeclared” (as the embarrassing dad). He appeared on the fifth episode of “Saturday Night Live” and the first episode of “Parks & Recreation.” He’s at the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Centre, 300 Main St., Old Saybrook on Aug. 4 at 7:30 p.m. $36. katharinehepburntheater.org.
Golden hits
Golden Scroll Soloists, the string quartet that plays covers of pop songs, performed in Bushnell Park last week. On Aug. 4 at 6:30 p.m. you can find them on the lawn outside The Autorino Center for the Arts and Humanities, on the University of St. Joseph campus at 1678 Asylum Ave., West Hartford. $10-$15. usj.edu/arts/autorino-center-for-the-arts.
Stay Tuned
The Yale Summer Cabaret, run by graduate students at the Geffen School of Drama at Yale, is all-virtual this year, with a unique format: Three multi-episode radio plays, all starting this week. “Space Trash,” a comedy about aging astronauts by Corinne Caputo begins Aug. 5. “Soft Jade”by Nina Ki, in which a young queer Asian immigrant has to investigate the murder of his ex-lover, kicks off Aug. 6. “Ada” by Abigail C. Onwunali about Nigerian woman targeted for “unholy practices,” starts Aug. 7. Stay tuned. Tickets for each show are $7 ($5 students) for one episode, $10 ($8 students) for two episodes or $15 ($12 students) for all three episodes. An all-access plan for all three radio plays is $35 ($25 students). https://summercabaret.org/radi-play-series.
SHAG ends
The second and final weekend of the Spring Hill Arts Gathering (SHAG) festival at Spring Hill Vineyard in Washington is divided into three distinct themes. Friday is “Movement and Expression,” with performances from Pilobolus, Connecticut Ballet, Brother(Hood) Dance and others. Saturday is “Music Fest” with K.T. Tunstall, Brooklyn Raga Massive, Innov Gnawa and more. SHAG’s last day is a free community-based Washington Town Party celebration with an “Old Time Barn Dance,” “A Tribute to Town Heroes, a marketplace, performances and more. Day passes are $45 for Friday and Saturday; Sunday is free. springhillartsgathering.com.
Oh, what a night
Twice postponed during COVID, Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons finally turn up at Mohegan Sun Arena Aug. 6 at 8 p.m. for $35. They’re not just a legendary music act; their hitmaking adventures in the 1960s became a hit Broadway musical, “Jersey Boys.” mohegansun.com/events-and-promotions/schedule-of-events/oldies-frankie-valli-0806.html.
Ska space
What’s August without a classic ska show to skank to? The Pilfers, from New York, and Connecticut’s own The Hempsteadys and Ghost Tones raise the trombones Aug. 6 at 8 p.m. at the Space Ballroom, 295 Treadwell St, Hamden. $10-$15. spaceballroom.com.
OTF
The new Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater — which, confusingly, is not in Hartford but at 500 Broad St. in Bridgeport — hosts the OTF Fest Aug. 7 from 7 to 11 p.m. with rappers Big Mike The Ruler, Lil Durk, Coi Lergy and Pooh Shiesty. $56-$200. bridgeportharbormarina.com.
Christopher Arnott can be reached at carnott@courant.com.
