Al Anderson at Iron Horse; McLachlan, Skynyrd at Foxwoods

Guitarist and songwriter Al Anderson, a Windsor native and the lead singer and guitarist for roots rock fave NRBQ for 22 years, comes home for two shows at the Iron Horse in Northampton, Mass.

Big Al began his career writing and recording tunes, including "Ridin' in My Car," "Captain Lou" and "RC Cola and a Moon Pie." He has gone on to write hits for performers including Jimmy Buffet, LeAnn Rimes, Trisha Yearwood, Vince Gill and Tim McGraw.

Anderson divides his time between Connecticut and Nashville. Included in the lineup of musical guests accompanying Anderson is Emmy-winning West Hartford-based guitarist and producer Jim Chapdelaine.

Shows are Dec. 26 and 27 at 7 p.m. Tickets prices are $35 in advance and $40 at the door. The Iron Horse is at 20 Center St., Northampton, Mass. For tickets and more information, visit www.iheg.com or call 413-586-8686 or 800-THE-TICK.

Duct Tape Creations at Windsor Library

This one caught our attention. The Windsor Public Library is hosting a Duct Tape Festival on Dec. 29 at 2 p.m. Open to teens in grade 6 through grade 12, it invites participants to show off or develop a project made with, you guessed it, duct tape.

"The things you can do with duct tape are unreal!" the library blurb said. "Have you started a duct tape project and want some time to finish it? Have you seen someone else's duct tape wallet, rose, or purse and want one of your own?"

Well, not yet, but we're willing to try anything.

The free event runs from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Refreshments will be served. The Windsor Public Library is at 323 Broad St., Windsor. For more information, visit www.windsorlibrary.com or call 860-285-1918.

A New Year's Murder Mystery in West Hartford

Playhouse on Park in West Hartford presents its second annual New Year's Eve Murder Mystery Party on Dec. 31. Viva West Hartford: Murder on the Park Road Strip is an interactive event in which guests play characters. Please, dress "to kill."

Throughout the party, uncover clues that point to the killer. Enjoy beer and wine, hearty hors d'oeuvres, a champagne toast, coffee and dessert and heaps of lies and scandal. Once you purchase your ticket, you are sent details pertaining to your "role" for the evening. Space is limited. Tickets must be purchased in advance. 

The party runs from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. Tickets cost $55 per person. Playhouse on Park is at 244 Park Road, West Hartford. For more information, visit www.playhouseonpark.org or call 860-523-5900 x10.

Ebeneeza Returns

Want to see a contemporary Scrooge story set in the city we call home? HartBeat Ensemble presents its annual – and annually updated – production of Ebeneeza A Hartford Holiday Carol from December 26 through December 29 at West Hartford's Playhouse on Park. The play, originally written in 2006, borrows characters from the Charles Dickens' classic and makes them Hartford's own. 

Tickets cost $20; $15 students and seniors. For performance times and tickets, visit www.playhouseonpark.org or call 860-523-5900 ext. 10. Playhouse on Park is at 244 Park Road, West Hartford.

Pantoliano Part of All-Star Cast for "Celebrity Autobiography

The Sopranos star Joe Pantoliano takes the stage at New Haven's Long Wharf Theatre for a production of Celebrity Autobiography. Pantoliano, who is a Connecticut resident, has been featured in more than 100 films and television programs including The Matrix, Memento and The Fugitive.

The cast also features Saturday Night Live veteran Rachel Dratch, Tony Award-winning actress Karen Ziemba (Contact, Chicago and Long Wharf's Sylvia), and Norwalk native Roger Bart, who recently played Dr. Frankenstein in the Broadway production of Young Frankenstein.

Also appearing in the show are its co-creators Dayle Reyfel and Eugene Pack. The show is built around excerpts from celebrity autobiographies including "poetry" by Suzanne Somers, "romance tips" from Tommy Lee and details about one of the most famous Hollywood love triangles in history – Elizabeth Taylor, Debbie Reynolds, and Eddie Fisher.

Time magazine calls the show "The funniest docu-theater stunt of the year."

Show dates are Dec. 23 through Dec. 29 with performances at 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Tickets cost $40. Long Wharf Theatre is at 222 Sargent Drive, New Haven. For tickets or more information, visit www.longwharf.org or call 203-787-4282.

My Dog Tulip at Real Art Ways

Celebrate the importance of the family dog this holiday season. Directors Paul and Sandra Fierlinger have created this animated film around the relationship that develops between a curmudgeonly man and a rescued German shepherd dog.

Based on the book by J.R. Ackerly, My Dog Tulip is voiced by a first-rate team of actors including Christopher Plummer, Lynn Redgrave and Isabella Rosselini.

The New York Times' Stephen Holden calls the film, "One of the most sophisticated dog movies ever created."

Melissa Anderson, writing in the Village Voice, says the film "transforms the seemingly banal relationship between pet and owner into something singular, inimitable, sacred."

We dog owners know that already.

My Dog Tulip plays at Real Art Ways from Dec. 26 to Jan. 2. For show times and more information, visit www.realartways.org or call 860-236-1006. Real Art Ways is at 56 Arbor St., Hartford.

In case you missed the Patch roundup of suggested New Year's Eve events, here are a few worthy of advance consideration.

Two Big Names for Foxwoods New Year

Two big music acts arrive at the Mashantucket casino this New Year. One will help you rock out the last hours of 2010, the other will start 2011 on a sweet note. The New Year's Eve show at Foxwoods is none other than Lynyrd Skynyrd.

The legendary, venerable Southern rockers, touring in support of their latest album God & Guns, will be playing through a catalog of hits including "Freebird," "Sweet Home Alabama," "Tuesday's Gone," and "Simple Man."

Show time is 10:30 p.m. in the MGM Grand Theater on Dec. 31. Tickets range from $75 to $110.

The following day, revelers can start the New Year on a sweet note when Grammy-winning songwriter Sarah McLachlan takes the stage. The Canadian songstress, who released her new album, Laws of Illusion, in June, performs on January 1. Show time is 8 p.m. in the MGM Grand Theater. Tickets range from $50 to $80. 

Foxwoods Casino is at 350 Trolley Line Boulevard, Mashantucket. Visit www.foxwoods.com or call 860-312-3000 or, toll-free, 800-369-9663.

A "Bangin'" New Year's With Chelsea Handler

Comedienne Chelsea Handler, a Tonight Show regular and star of Chelsea Lately, performs a New Year's Eve show at the Mohegan Sun casino in Uncasville. Handler has co-hosted The View, and been featured on programs including Today, Live With Regis and Kelly, and Late Night With David Letterman.

Whether she's riffing on pop culture, entertainment news or celebrity rumors, her comedy mixes honestly, ironic riffs and self-deprecation for a mix that promises what Mohegan is calling "a bangin' time."

Tickets cost $55. Mohegan Sun is at 1 Mohegan Sun Boulevard, Uncasville. For more information, visit www.mohegansun.com or call 888-777-7922.