Fairfield Theatre Company Weekly Round up: 4 shows announced including Gary Hoey

Fairfield theatre company in Fairfield Connecticut photos • Finding Connecticut — Photo via Fairfield Theatre Company

Fairfield Theatre Company announced Jon Cleary & The Absolute Monster Gentlemen, Super 70’s Rock Show, Gary Hoey, and Zoso this week. Tickets are on sale now at manicpresents.com

Jon Cleary & The Absolute Monster Gentlemen
Fairfield Theatre Company • 70 Sanford St, Fairfield, CT 06824
October 1, 2026
Click here to purchase tickets

Jon Cleary & The Absolute Monster Gentlemen

After thirty-five years of being at the forefront of the ever-evolving musical landscape of New Orleans, Grammy Award winner Jon Cleary decided to bring that sound back home, both figuratively and literally. He assembled his Absolute Monster Gentlemen (his acclaimed all-star big band) in his home studio in the Bywater neighborhood of New Orleans, drew up a setlist of some of his most beloved songs– and some new favorites– and rolled tape.

“We set out to capture that sound in the old-fashioned way: everybody in the room, playing together,” Cleary explains.

The result is The Bywater Sessions, a musical tour-de-force that showcases the grit, funk and joy that’s packed concert halls from New Orleans to Tokyo and beyond. Co-produced by Cleary and John Porter (Roxy Music, The Smiths, Taj Mahal), it’s a stunning collection of performances that affirms Cleary’s place in the New Orleans musical vanguard.

“There’s a lot to be said for the ‘lean and mean’ sound of a piano trio, stripped down to basics, simple and direct,” Cleary says. “But recently, I’ve been experimenting with different combinations; adding horns, guitar, percussion and even another keyboard player. This expanded line-up has allowed the arrangements to blossom in new directions.”

As for the musicians, it’s the best of the best. Long time Monster Gentlemen Cornell Williams and A.J. Hall anchor the band on bass and drums, respectively. They are joined by Nigel Hall (Lettuce) on Hammond organ, Pedro Segundo (Ronnie Scott’s All Stars) on percussion, Xavier Lynn (MonoNeon, Ledisi) on guitar, and an all-star horn section of Aaron Narcisse (Delfeayo Marsalis & the Uptown Jazz Orchestra), Charlie Halloran (Squirrel Nut Zippers, Preservation Hall All Stars) and Jason Mingledorff (Galactic).

“Sophisticated, nasty, good-time, low-down funk is the folk music of New Orleans,” Cleary says. “Everyone playing on this recording is a New Orleanian by birth or by choice, having learned their craft at the feet of the masters who in turn were taught by the old lions in their day – it’s a tradition stretching back over two hundred years. The roots go deep, but each generation, growing up with street parades and second-lines, absorbs the old and introduces the new, gently coaxing the essential essence into and out of each succeeding decade.”

It’s an apt description of Cleary’s career thus far. Born in London and on a plane to New Orleans before he turned twenty years old, he grew up absorbed by the sounds and rhythms of the Crescent City. His mastery of the city’s music landed him gigs playing as a session musician in the bands of local legends Earl King, Johnny Adams, Walter ‘Wolfman’ Washington, Snooks Eaglin, Ernie K-Doe, Jessie Hill– and as a guitarist for Dr. John. He later toured extensively with icons like Bonnie Raitt and Taj Mahal. His solo career began in earnest in 1989 and includes beloved records like their self-titled band debut and his 2015 Grammy winner, Go-Go Juice.

In fact, his first job in New Orleans was as a painter at beloved local club the Maple Leaf Bar, and it wasn’t long until he was playing piano in that very room. To this day, he and his band continue to pack that room to crowds that gather from around the world, playing their unique and ever-evolving take on New Orleans funk and R&B.

“These grooves are not museum pieces, they are alive, breathing and fresh – and that’s why joints like Tipitina’s, The Maple Leaf Bar and Chickie Wah Wah are always packed when the locals, young and old, come out to hear the Gentlemen do they thang,” Cleary proudly adds.

On The Bywater Sessions, the band that Rolling Stone’s David Fricke called “as broad, deep and rolling as the Mississippi river” is finally captured as intended– live, in the room and as funky as ever. And with that comes an invitation from Cleary himself:

“Close your eyes, imagine you’re in the room with us, me and the band, Mike Dorsey the engineer, John Porter the producer and Reed the manager. Turn it up and enjoy the experience. I hope you have as much fun listening as we did playing.”

Super 70’s Rock Show
Fairfield Theatre Company • 70 Sanford St, Fairfield, CT 06824
November 6, 2026
Click here to purchase tickets

Super 70’s Rock Show

Introducing SUPER 70’S ROCK SHOW featuring Super Trans Am

Get ready for a full-throttle, high-octane trip through the Seventies. It’s an electrifying, immersive concert experience packed with arena anthems and chart-topping radio hits that defined a generation. The 70’s are BACK.

Combining unparalleled musicianship with artistic and inspired A/V production, you’ll enjoy revisiting classic singalongs from one of the most definable decades in American history. Performing masterworks from icons such as The Eagles, Hall & Oates, Queen, The Doobie Brothers, Paul McCartney & Wings, Peter Frampton, Foreigner, Kiss, Boston and Journey as well as “Yacht Rock” favorites such as “Still the One” by Orleans and Pilot’s “Magic”, your audience will fall in love with this epic decade of memorable music all over again.

In addition to every member of the band taking the lead vocal mic throughout the evening, each show is accompanied by state of the art video and stage production that pays homage to the era’s unique pop culture. You can even get your picture taken in a classic replica of the 1978 Smokey and the Bandit Trans Am, which will be available at select shows.

Super 70’s Rock Show featuring Super Trans Am is the perfect entertainment choice for municipal parks, food truck festivals, county/state fairs, theaters, nightclubs, casinos, private events, themed weddings and car shows.

It’s time to dust off your flared jeans, break out the air guitar and take a trip back to the days when Welcome Back Kotter and Happy Days kept us glued to our televisions, Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter led our nation, kids jumped Evil Kneivel toys over their Matchbox cars and these timeless songs became the soundtrack to our lives.

The timing couldn’t be better for this talented group to emerge. In addition to those of us who grew up with our radios locked on “77; WABC”, a new generation has been introduced to the music of the 1970’s in recent hit movies such as GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY and DOCTOR STRANGE. Your entire family will have a great night out together singing along with the band.

Ladies and gentlemen…Start your engines…Roll down your windows, crank up the radio, and take a ride with the Super 70’s Rock Show Super Trans AM.

Gary Hoey
Fairfield Theatre Company • 70 Sanford St, Fairfield, CT 06824
November 29, 2026
Click here to purchase tickets

Gary Hoey

Gary Hoey is the kind of guitarist who makes a room lean in, then turn up.

A rock and blues player with serious miles on the amp, Hoey broke through with his fiery take on “Hocus Pocus,” landed a radio hit with “Low Rider,” scored films and soundtracks, and built a career on the kind of guitar work that feels big, precise, and built for the stage.

Now he is back on the road behind Avalanche, his first album since 2019 and a return to his rock roots. Expect the new material to hit with volume and muscle, plus the classics that made Hoey a favorite among guitar fans who like their blues with bite and their rock with real chops.

This tour also brings a personal spark: Gary is joined by his son Ian Hoey on guitar, making the night part guitar showcase, part family affair, and all live-wire rock energy.

For fans of instrumental guitar heroes, blues-rock power, big solos, and a set that knows exactly when to let it rip.

Zoso
Fairfield Theatre Company • 70 Sanford St, Fairfield, CT 06824
December 17, 2026
Click here to purchase tickets

Zoso

Celebrating their 30th anniversary in 2025, Zoso has become one of the most iconic and respected Led Zeppelin tribute experiences worldwide, having performed over 4,800 shows across the globe. Known for their unparalleled dedication to faithfully recreating the legendary band’s live performances, Zoso has earned accolades from both critics and fans alike.

Zoso’s live performances focus on the raw energy and intricate musicality of Led Zeppelin’s best-known hits and deeper tracks, with a particular emphasis on recreating their live show experience. The band’s commitment to authenticity has earned them praise from major outlets, with the LA Times calling them “head and shoulders above all other Led Zeppelin tributes,” and the St. Petersburg Timesdescribing them as “the most exacting of all the Led Zeppelin tributes.”

After starting 2025 touring with Zakk Wylde on the Zakk Sabbath tour, the band has now embarked on its 30th anniversary headlining tour.

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July events at Fairfield Theatre Company

7/3 – Jesca Hoop
7/6 – Summer Cabaret Workshop
7/10 – Roomful of Blues
7/10 – The Amish Outlaws
7/16 – Mikaela Davis
7/24 – Jimmy Buffett’s Escape to Margaritaville
7/25 – Jimmy Buffett’s Escape to Margaritaville
7/26 – Jimmy Buffett’s Escape to Margaritaville
7/30 – David Cook

Click here for more information & order tickets.

July events at PeoplesBank Arena

7/10- Earth Wind & Fire click here to purchase tickets
7/17 & 18 – 2026 U.S. Classic click here to purchase tickets
7/28 – Billy Strings click here to purchase tickets

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Fairfield Theatre Company Weekly Round up: 4 shows announced including Gary Hoey