The Winery Dogs to Play Ridgefield Playhouse, 5/2

The Winery Dogs -- the power trio featuring drummer Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater, Avenged Sevenfold, Adrenaline Mob), legendary bassist Billy Sheehan (Mr. Big and David Lee Roth) and guitarist/vocalist Richie Kotzen (Mr. Big, Poison) -- is getting 2014 started with a new round of tour dates and the release of two new special versions of its self-titled debut album. ?They will be in concert at The Ridgefield Playhouse on Friday, May 2, at 8 p.m.

The Winery Dogs Special Edition (releasing in April) consists of two CDs featuring 10 songs recorded live in Japan during the band's July 2013 tour, including "Criminal", a track previously unavailable in the U.S.??The Winery Dogs' self-titled debut album from 2013 topped international charts and made the Top 30 onThe Billboard 200 chart. The Playhouse show is sure to make earplugs de rigueur with this supergroup rockin' the house down. To add to a great night out, Tom Tom's Restaurant and Bakery (417 Main St., Ridgefield) will pour a free glass of house wine with dinner the night of this show when tickets/stubs are presented. An AllShows.com VIP Party Pass ($25 addt'l per person), which includes a pre-show cocktail party 6:30 - 7:15 p.m. with open bar, hors-d'oeuvre and priority parking, is available for this show by calling the box office (203-438-5795). This event is part of the Xfinity Rock Series.

The Winery Dogs are selling out venues and wowing true music fans. Touted as one of the best guitar players in the world, Richie Kotzen also has a voice that is on par with some of the greatest rock/soul singers. Mike Portnoy is one of the founding members of Dream Theater, which has sold more than 10 million albums worldwide, and his laundry list of awards includes 26 Modern Drummer magazine Reader's Poll Awards, Best Progressive Rock Drummer (a record breaking 12 years in a row), and Best Recorded Performance of the Year (seven times) while in Dream Theater and Avenged Sevenfold. DRUM! Magazine named him Drummer Of The Year two years in a row (2011 & 2012), and Mike Portnoy won the Revolver Golden Gods Award for "Drummer Of The Year" in 2011.

As a founding member of the band Mr. Big, Billy Sheehan helped shape their trademark virtuosic musicianship and stellar vocal harmonies. Mr. Big contributed numerous hit songs, including the ubiquitous "To Be With You," which was a Billboard Hot 100 #1 single in 15 countries, propelling the band to major international success and record sales in the multi-millions. Sheehan was voted the "Best Rock Bass Player" five times in Guitar Player magazine's Readers Poll and won the prestigious Player magazine Reader's Poll for Best Bass Player an unprecedented 14 consecutive times.

For tickets ($55), call the box office at (203) 438-5795, or order online at ridgefieldplayhouse.org. The Ridgefield Playhouse is a not-for-profit performing arts center located at 80 East Ridge, parallel to Main Street, Ridgefield, CT; ridgefieldplayhouse.org.