Playlist

The Denton band is the live music behind the rock opera at Dallas Theater Center, and they'll put on their own show on Monday, Sept. 22. Check out the arts blog post for more information.

Also: Check out the back-and-forth on Oso Closo between Mike and theater critic Lawson Taitte

The Red Rocker returns. But, um, not that he ever went anywhere. Nevertheless, Sammy Hagar has signed a new recording contract with the just-launched Loud & Proud Records, an imprint of Roadrunner Records. His first disc for the label, Cosmic Universal Fashion, is scheduled to be released Nov. 18. It includes "Cosmic Universal Fashion," a song Mr. Hagar wrote as an online collaboration with Iraqi rocker Steven Lost. The tune, sporting a message about "getting involved," has been released through Sammy's website, www.redrocker.com.

Photo: Sammy still can't drive 55 (Randee St. Nicholas).

British soul singer Joss Stone sure has been making the rounds of guest vocals on recent and current albums. Last year she was on Annie Lennox's Songs of Mass Destruction. She was one of the female voices on the soaring anthem "Sing." She's also on three current discs: Belting "I Believe to My Soul" on David Sanborn's Here and Gone; crooning with Raphael Saadiq on "Just One Kiss" from his new The Way I See It; and delivering "Just Walk On By" from Randy Jackson's Music Club, Vol. 1. You can also hear Ms. Stone on "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart," a duet with soul legend Al Green from the Sex and the City: The Movie soundtrack.

Photo: The ubiquitous Joss Stone (Chris Pizzello).

The New Year kicks off its world tour Thursday at the Granada Theater with its trademark slower-than-thou rock. Formed from the ashes of Dallas' semi-legendary Bedhead, the group is touring the U.S. and Europe behind The New Year, its first CD in four years. Fellow "slow-core" master Will Johnson of Centro-matic has temporarily joined the band, which is led by Matt and Bubba Kadane.

By Matt Weitz
Special Contributor

GRAND PRAIRIE -- John Hiatt's Monday night performance at Nokia was a textbook case of great show, bad night: a Monday evening, immediately following bad weather, that was also a major sports night (Cowboys game).

That explains why there were only about 500 folks for what was a truly great evening of music. Opener Joan Osborne kept asking audience members to come up front and huddle while she did songs from her just-released album, Little Wild One, as well as old favorites like her hit "One of Us."

(Photo by Jason Janik/Special Contributor)

...or exploit airtime to promote a new single, whatever: according to its website, R&B crooner R. Kelly will openly speak about his child pornography case for the first time on BET (Black Entertainment Television) this week.

As reported earlier, Kelly was accused in 2002 of making a sex tape with a 13 year old girl between 1998 and 2000.

The case took six years before going to trial earlier this year and the singer was acquitted on all 14 counts of child pornography that he faced.

Kelly, who hasn't spoken about the case during the past six years, will discuss the case and it's affects on his career and personal life on a BET special titled R. Kelly Speaks tomorrow (September 16).

If you have the spare time---and a cast-iron stomach--- the show will air at 10:00 p.m.(Eastern) tonight and Kelly will be interviewed by BET host and acclaimed journalist Toure. Windex is optional, but highly recommended.