All-female country/rockers Antigone Rising got game… literally.

To commemorate the recent release of the band’s 11th studio effort—Red 23—the Mohegan Sun dedicated one of its roulette tables to fans before and after AR’s July 9 Wolf Den performance.

The occasion marked the first time the venue had ever tied in casino gaming with a concert (each fan that landed on 23 red during the designated time was given a free, autographed CD). And, in light of the backstory behind said CD’s moniker, it certainly seems a befitting honor.

“We were actually playing a Mohegan Sun show and after it was over, [lead vocalist] Nini Camps said we could find her at the blackjack table and that her good-luck color and number was 23 red,” explains bassist/founding member Kristen Henderson. “Coincidentally, I went to Glen Cove High School, where our sports team is the Big Reds—and my number was 23. Now, any time we play a show, we all put our hands in a circle and say ’23 red’—it’s become kind of our band mantra for rebirth and staying together.”

Sister/six-stringer Cathy Henderson brought the crowd to its feet with her fiery fretwork as the band traversed the entire AR catalogue and meandered into some familiar covers by Fleetwood Mac and Patti Smith. Singer Camps also showcased her guitar chops, breaking out a slide to bring a taste of the Mississippi Delta to the Den.

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Similarly celebrating new studio product is Valley veteran Wayne Morphew (waynemorphew.com). Best known for his stint at the helm of popular pop-rockers Drunk In July from 1994 to 2006, Morphew has resurfaced with his first solo effort in nearly seven years. The disc is titled Spoon Fed America, and his impending Silk City performance in Florence this Friday, July 20, will be in its honor.

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In other news, your friendly neighborhood Nightcrawler has slithered upon no less than three acts of assorted audio altruism on tap for this weekend.

The first, dubbed Bruckstock (bruckstock.com), is a multi-band benefit occurring at the American Legion in Stafford, Conn. July 21 in honor of Bruce Beaupre and featuring bands Arizona Maid and Coldtrain. Tickets for that are $20 per person, $35 per couple or $10 for children ages 6-12, with all proceeds earmarked for the Stafford Citizens’ Scholarship Memorial Fund.

That same evening, no less than the likes of Led Zep replicas Get The Led Out, Pink Floyd facsimiles The Machine and local Jimmy Buffet tribute Changes in Latitude lend their considerable talents to the annual Summer State of Mind Concert (summerstateofmind.com) for Allie’s Five O’Clock Fund. What began as a backyard benefit several Memorial Days gone by has now blossomed into an event that commands a venue the size of Mountain Park in Holyoke… which is just where this year’s show will be on July 21. Specifically, Allie’s Five O’Clock Fund donates to the Jimmy Fund and Dana Farber, two organizations that have helped organizer Bob Guarente‘s daughter, Allie, in her battle against childhood cancer.

On Sunday, July 22, celebrated crooner Jimmy Mazz stars in What A Wonderful World, a one-night-only dinner show at the Skyline in Windsor Locks that is looking to bolster the efforts of radio legend Brad Davis and his ongoing quest to provide backpacks for underprivileged children going back to school this fall. The $40 admission ticket includes both the concert and cuisine. For more information, kindly point your browser to brightlightsmusic.com.

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Last but not least, singer/six-stringer Ron Roy checked in to report that while Independence Day proper may have passed, he and his bandmates in Sheez Late fight for “freedom” at The Elevens on July 20—or at least the chance to perform at the 2012 Boston Freedom Rally, which is historically attended by upwards of 80,000 people.

“The Elevens show is basically a battle of the bands, where the winner will go on to Cambridge, then the Rally,” he explains.

Other acts entering the sonic fray this Friday include Mass Air Flow, Hot Dirt, Diamond Stones and Mothman Apparatus.

Send correspondence to Nightcrawler, P.O. Box 427, Somers, CT 06071; fax to (860) 394-4262 or email garycarra@aol.com.