You don’t have to stay in the backyard with the hot dogs this 4th of July. Bushnell Park becomes a community party “ bonanza ,” Hartford Symphony Orchestra holds its latest “Celebrate America!” outside in Simsbury and The Used, Grails and Arrows in Actions demonstrate a range of modern American rock. It’s not all about America this 4th of July weekend in Connecticut arts.
Canadian pop icon Alanis Morissette is here. So are British exports UB40, former Foreigner vocalist Lou Gramm and an array of international acts at the Nice Festival in Norwalk. Sea Tea Comedy Theater is flattering both an American institution (“Seinfeld”) and a Japanese one (anime) with back-to-back improv shows.
Declare independence from staid old arts scenes and dig in this. In the nostalgia band summertime, it’s nice to find the esteemed heavy Portland experimentalists Grails out on tour now and at such a reasonable ticket price. When people call them dark, it’s apt: Their best known works include “Doomsdayers Living,” “The Burden of Hope” and the multi-volume “Black Tar Prophecies.
” The newest Grails album “Anches En Maat” came out last year. July 2 at 8 p.m.
$25 day of show, $20 advance. spaceballroom.com .
Utah alt-rockers The Used have been around for 25 years and 10 albums, with this year’s “MEDZ” recorded around the same time as last year “Toxic Positivity.” The Used uses The Oakdale July 2 at 7 p.m.
$41.25-$95.60.
livenation.com . The bright-eyed pop-p.
