Playlist

After the big Vans Warped Tour show on Sunday, some of the bands are scheduled to greet fans and maybe even have an impromptu jam session at Denny's. Yes, really.

Participating groups include A Skylit Drive, Dance Gavin Dance, Therefore I Am, Hit the Lights and InnerPartySystem. They're scheduled to be at the Denny's at 4400 N. Central Expressway on Sunday from 9 to midnight. (Denny's is a tour sponsor.)

LONDON -- The Anschutz Entertainment Group, the commercial monolith that promoted the 50 Michael Jackson concerts here that will never happen, pretty much had the whole town riled up by Wednesday morning. AEG, which is part of the same Philip Anschutz empire that brought "Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs" to the Dallas Museum of Art (and which owns the Nokia Theatre at Grand Prairie), came up with a no-refund alternative to Jackson's ill-fated concert series that provoked a Fleet Street frenzy of angry headlines. AEG Live says that anyone who wants a full refund to Jackson's ill-fated series of 50 concerts at the O2 (the London arena and exhibition enclave where the King Tut show played before coming to Dallas) can get one, but, if you're willing to consider a no-refund alternative, have they got a deal for you! Fans can have their very own souvenir ticket, to a concert that will never happen! And, claims AEG, it's one that Jackson himself designed shortly before his death! (Please click below to read on.)

Photo: Michael Jackson performing during halftime of the Jan. 31, 1993 Super Bowl, won by the Dallas Cowboys 52-17

LONDON -- This city may come to be known as the beginning of the end for Michael Jackson. That certainly appeared to be the conclusion of the London Evening Standard on Friday night, when the blaring headline read: "JACKSON FAMILY BLAMES LONDON." The story quoted family lawyer Brian Oxman as accusing "enablers" of "pushing Jackson too hard physically in preparation for the 50 comeback concerts in London" that were scheduled to begin July 13. And where were those shows supposed to take place? The O2, the sprawling arena and exhibition enclave in East London where "Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs" took place before heading to the Dallas Museum of Art last October. The O2 has welcomed through its doors Celine Dion, the Eagles and Tut. Its owner is the Anschutz Entertainment Group, which, of course, is headed up by reclusive Colorado billionaire Philip Anschutz, who also owns Arts and Exhibitions International, which, along with the Egyptian government, staged the Tut show at the DMA. MTV reported that the Anschutz Entertainment Group faced the "daunting task" of having to refund $85 million in ticket sales for 50 sold-out concerts and that Jackson had passed a physical to obtain insurance for the 50 concerts. The Los Angeles Times reported that AEG had invested a reported $20 million in production costs for the "This Is It" concerts with an expected profit of about $115 million and a three-year worldwide tour that could have grossed $450 million. By Monday, the focus had shifted a bit, with the London papers quoting Joe Jackson, the singer's father, about allegations of foul play, almost as though London itself were getting a reprieve when it came to the blame game. (Please click below to read on.)

Photo: Michael Jackson

We've rounded up some links for all you Michael Jackson fans - places to check out online that are honoring the pop star. Keep checking in as I add throughout the day.
This video is a find from Todd Davis on the Cowboys blog: "Entertainer Michael Jackson, who died Thursday night, had a few connections to the Dallas Cowboys. When the Jackson Five reunited in the 1980s, Texas Stadium was one of the stops on tour. But one of Jackson's biggest moments was when he shared the same stage as the Cowboys in the Rose Bowl as the halftime show for Super Bowl XXVII."

Continue reading for a list of links to check out and more videos.

UPDATE: LA Times reports. Michael Jackson is dead.

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UPDATE: Oh geez, now LA Times is reporting he's in a coma.:
"Pop star Michael Jackson is in a coma and his family is arriving at his bedside, a law enforcement source told The Times. Jackson was rushed to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center this afternoon by Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics. Fire Capt. Steve Ruda said paramedics responded to a call at Jackson's home at 12:26 p.m. He was not breathing when they arrived. The paramedics performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation and took him to the hospital, Ruda told The Times.]"

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UPDATE: From TMZ:

We've just learned Michael Jackson has died. He was 50.
Michael suffered a cardiac arrest earlier this afternoon and paramedics were unable to revive him. We're told when paramedics arrived Jackson had no pulse and they never got a pulse back.
Michael is survived by three children: Michael Joseph Jackson, Jr., Paris Michael Katherine Jackson and Prince "Blanket" Michael Jackson II.
Jackson had 13 number one hits during his solo career.

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UPDATE: This LA Times story reports "Capt. Steve Ruda said paramedics responded to a call at Jackson's home around 12:26 p.m. He was not breathing when they arrived. The parademics performed CPR and took him to UCLA Medical Center, Ruda told The Times."

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TMZ.com reports that King of Pop Michael Jackson has been taken to a Los Angeles hospital in an ambulance.

"We've just learned Michael Jackson was taken by ambulance to a hospital in Los Angeles ... and we're told it was cardiac arrest and that paramedics administered CPR in the ambulance ... and it's looking bad. The 911 call came in at 12:21PM at his Holmby Hills home in L.A. ... A Jackson family member tells TMZ Michael is in "really bad shape" and the brothers are headed to UCLA. ... We just got off the phone with Joe Jackson, Michael's dad, who says "he is not doing well."

Here's a concert with a cause. Thursday's Santigold show at House of Blues is presented by Bono's (RED)NIGHTS campaign and Live Nation. What that means is that a portion of the proceeds will go directly to the Global Fund. This concert is just one of 26 in the U.S. helping fight AIDS in Africa. Other artists who will turn one of their upcoming concerts (RED) include Katy Perry, Gomez, O.A.R., Fall Out Boy, Lisa Hannigan, The Veronicas, Matisyahu and The All-American Rejects. So far, Santigold's show is the only D-FW one, but the (RED)NIGHTS concert series Web site hasn't listed a date or location for Fall Out Boy and The All-American Rejects yet, so that might change.

Break out those karaoke tapes and get your gimmicks ready, Bikini Girl 2.0: American Idol auditions are making their way to Dallas. Well, actually, Arlington, at Cowboys Stadium.

Registration will be on Wednesday, June 24, and Thursday, June 25, at the stadium. You can find more details here: American Idol official site and Audtion FAQ

We'll be out there with you on Friday, standing in line, praying for a sudden cold front, staring in awe at the new stadium. But don't think you have to miss out if you won't be there. Thanks to the power of the Internet, you can follow along @guidelive_goes and on the breaking news blog.

And if you ARE trying out, you can play along, too. E-mail us to be part of our Tweet Street Team and share your experiences during the day.

Photo: Angela Crisci, 17, wipes a tear as she texts her boyfriend that she was not selected to go onto the next round at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. (AP)

Brad Paisley and his American Saturday Night tour will stop at Superpages.com Center On Sept. 12. Dierks Bentley and Jimmy Wayne will also be on the tour date.

Tickets can be bought at Live Nation and go on sale Saturday at 10 a.m. They are $26 for the lawn, and $31 and $55.75 for reserved seats.

Get ready for some new House of Blues shows, just announced today.

Here's your list:

Kiki Melendez's Hot Tamales Live on Sunday, Aug. 2
Atmosphere on Thursday, Aug. 6
The Footprint in Hip-Hop Tour featuring Method Man & Redman and Ghostface Killa on Saturday, Aug. 8
Collective Soul, Wednesday Sept. 2
Mitchell Musso, Tuesday Sept. 22
The Airborne Toxic Event, Wednesday Sept. 30

See ya at The Footprint in Hip-Hop Tour show.

Whenever a CD surfaces in this office with the name Jackson Browne on it, I'm usually the one who ends up with it. I've been an ardent fan of Jackson's since 1972, when he released his debut album Jackson Browne. No, its title is not Saturate Before Using, even though everyone seems to think so. (I have him to back me up.) So, a DVD screener ended up in my mailbox this week of the upcoming episode of Soundstage on PBS. Soundstage booked Browne to be the inaugural guest of its summer season, which debuts on KERA-TV (Channel 13) at 10 p.m. Thursday and in high definition. Fans hoping to hear a bunch of old stuff might walk away disappointed (though he does sing "Doctor My Eyes"). He sings a bunch of tunes from his fine new album Time the Conqueror, which makes lavish use of his terrific backup band: Mark Goldenberg on lead guitar, Mauricio Lewak on drums, Jeff Young on keyboards and Kevin McCormick on bass. But the two newest additions to Browne's band are what make his current national tour and the summer debut of Soundstage so memorable. (Please click below to read on!)

Photo: Jackson Browne performing in 2004 at Music City Texas Theater in Linden

Lil Wayne seems to be on track to become a touring moneymaker purely through sheer volume, this time stopping at Superpages.com Center on Aug. 23.

He's bringing along Drake, Soulja Boy, Young Jeezy, Jeremih and Pleasure P. No R&B softening the mood this time. Gates are scheduled to open at 5:30, with the show beginning at 6:30.

Tickets, priced from $29.75 for the lawn and $59.75 and $79.75 reserved, go on sale Saturday at 10 through Live Nation. Get in there quick: A four-pack of lawn seats cost only $99 while supplies last.

(Photo of Lil Wayne performing at American Airlines Center in December 2008 by Mike Fuentes/Special Contributor)

Because of the stormy weather, the Dallas Museum of Art has canceled its Jazz Under the Stars concert for tonight. The museum will still host its regular Jazz in the Atrium program at 6 p.m., though, and, as usual on Thursday nights, general admission is free from 5 to 9.

David Allan Coe's House of Blues concert, scheduled for this Saturday, has been rescheduled for Thursday, July 23.

Tickets will be good for the new date. If you can't make the new date, though, you can get a refund wherever you bought your tickets.

I am a child of the 90s, and I must say the name Aqua brings back embarrassing, yet fond memories of being a Barbie Girl. However, I never thought Aqua was ever going to resurface in my life other than out of nostalgia, but boy was I really wrong.

Aqua is back: Back to the 80s actually, which is the title of their new single. The song is full of cheesy lyrics and rhymes like, "When Eminem was just a snack, and Michael Jackson's skin was black..." The lyrics are just the start though. The video, released today, is full of neon lights, smoke machines, and lots and lots of glitter. Click play now.

In celebration of both Linkin Park's new iTunes-exclusive single, "New Divide" and the upcoming film it's featured in, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (out June 24), video game site UGO.com is opening up a contest tomorrow to win a special edition Fender guitar singed by Linkin Park band members, plus look at that awesome graphic. I want, I want, I want!

But UGO is making fans work for this prize. This is not just an enter-your-name contest. You've got to actually know stuff. Beginning at 2 pm tomorrow check in on UGO.com's movies blog here for details and trivia questions on the band and Transformers. They say whoever sends in the most correct answers wins. According to all their rules and regulations, you have until the end of June 14 to win this guitar, valued at $235.

Today (that'd be Wednesday, June 10), concert behemoth Live Nation is offering tickets through its Web site without service fees for all the shows at the venues it owns and operates. Locally, that'd be Superpages.com Center. Acts coming up at the venue include Rascal Flatts, Marilyn Manson, Aerosmith and Coldplay. So, if you were planning on seeing a show there anyway, today might be the day to make a purchase.

Today we have a story on local hip-hop duo DMG$ (a.k.a. Damaged Goods) possibly leaving the States for Europe, where they see better chances on making it.

It's a little sad to hear that they want to take their brilliance elsewhere. I got a copy of their CD Hello World when it came out in early March, and I recommend picking it up if you haven't yet. It's like listening to your favorite party mix, but this one you can actually rap along to and you'll want to with its fun and real lyrics. The album, produced with the help of England's Xrabit, reminds me of Mike Monday's Songs Without Words (especially DMG$'s track "Are We Friends") and a little bit of Black Eyed Peas.

If you're 21 or older, catch DMG$ live at 8 tonight at The Lounge in Deep Ellum (2810 Elm St.). Dallas booking operation Parade of Flesh presents the guys plus a couple of other acts performing.

If you missed her in the spring, Britney Spears' "Circus" tour will be coming back to Dallas on Sept. 18.

AEG Live announced today the second North American leg of Spear's tour, which started March 3 in New Orleans. So we get a spring and a fall Britney. I wonder if the costumes will change to suit the weather ...

Tickets go on sale Friday, June 19, at 10 a.m. through Ticketmaster.

(Photo by Rachel Parker)

North Texas Public Broadcasting, Inc. (KERA) has purchased 91.7 FM and will begin broadcasting a full music schedule in the fall. The station doesn't have a name yet, but it will be "within the public radio 'Triple A' (Adult Album Alternative) music format with diverse, adult-oriented playlists covering a broad spectrum of music such as folk, acoustic, world music, alternative and indie rock and country."

For years, KERA's 90.1FM mixed news and music, but in 1996, it went strictly news. Mary Anne Alhadeff, KERA's president and CEO says in the press release that listeners missed the music component.

"I arrived at the station in late 2005, and right away I heard from long-time listeners who said that they appreciated the expanded public radio news schedule but missed the music programs," she says.

Programming under consideration includes: World Café (distributed by NPR), Echoes (from Public Radio International), Undercurrents (from Native Voice One) and American Routes (from American Public Media).

Pete Doherty, always seemingly on the road away from recovery, was detained in Geneva and fined for heroin consumption.

The rocker was on a flight from London in which a flight attendant found him collapsed in a bathroom. A used syringe was nearby. Doherty was heading toward an unveiling of his debut solo album.

Of course, he paid the fine and was released. And performed at the festival. See (above, right)? Sigh.

(Photo of Doherty at the Open Air music festival in Neuchatel, Switzerland, by Sandro Campardo/Keystone via AP)

I'm sure you've been hearing the rumors of Whitney Houston's comeback album for some time now. Rumors no more. Here you go:

NEW YORK (AP) -- The date for Whitney Houston's comeback has been set.
Arista Records says her long-awaited album will be released Sept. 1. Houston hasn't released a CD in seven years.

So far, there's no word on a title for the album.

The 45-year-old superstar is one of the best-selling artists of all-time, but in recent years, she's been defined more by drug problems, marital woes and erratic behavior than by her Grammy-winning voice.

But lately, Houston has appeared to return to her pop princess form. She wowed the crowd when she performed at her mentor Clive Davis' pre-Grammy party in February.

(Photo of Whit presenting at this year's Grammys by Mark J. Terrill/The Associated Press)

Cowboys Stadium in Arlington makes its debut as a Dallas-Fort Worth music venue Saturday with a concert from George Strait, Reba McEntire, Blake Shelton and Julianne Hough. Our music critic Mario Tarradell did a nice write-up on the importance of these country singers and their futures in the business.

For Dallas ticket-holders, traffic shouldn't be much of a problem. The Tom Landry Highway (I-30 Westbound) HOV lane will be open between 2:30 and 7pm just for this concert, which begins at 5:30 pm. The lane will be open eastbound from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. Sunday.

Remember, these lanes are only for vehicles with two or more persons or motorcycles. Pickups are welcome, but leave the trailers at home, requests DART officials.

So, yes, I know. There are more lists than you have time to keep up with. And then one of your favorite rappers makes two of them. Jay-Z tops The Source magazine's "Power 30" list and is on Forbes' "Celebrity 100" list along with wife Beyonce, who is No. 4 on that list.

All of the lists use nebulous ranking criteria (Angelina Jolie topped Oprah Winfrey on the Forbes power list, despite almost a $200 million difference in the amount of receipts they pulled in), so I won't even begin to quibble there. The Source says that Jigga is No. 1 because of his varied interests in business, along with his status as an "industry leader."

Photo by Matt Sayles/The Associated Press)

Miley Cyrus fans get ready.

Miss Miley today announced her 2009 North American Tour. The 45-show tour, featuring special guest Metro Station (fronted by Miley's brother, Trace), launches September 14, 2009, and will play in several major cities including Dallas, before wrapping on December 2nd.

Tickets go on sale to the public beginning Saturday, June 13th at 10 am. Ticket prices range from $39.50 to 79.50 plus fees and applicable service charges.

Fan Club Presale will be offered on Monday, June 8, from 10 am to 10 pm.

Tickets available at www.ticketmaster.com/mileycyrus and www.mileycyrus.com.

Selena Gomez, Grand Prairie native and star of The Wizards of Waverly Place, is making a Web series based on the making of her album, due to drop in September, according to People.com. But the busy youngster's got more on her plate- the Disney Channel series has been picked up for a third season and she's playing big sis Beezus in the movie Ramona and Beezus.

Dallas musician Carter Albrecht was accidentally shot and killed by his neighbor, who thought he was a burglar, on Sept. 3, 2007. The 34-year-old guitarist and keyboardist was best known for his work with Dallas rock band Sorta, as well as Edie Brickell & New Bohemians.

Seventy-five percent of Jesus Is Alive ... And Living In London was complete when Albrecht was killed. But according to CBS 11's story, the musician's father, Ken Albrecht, couldn't let it remain unfinished. With the help of New Bohemians' Edie Brickell and "some of the best producers and musicians in Los Angeles," the CD's background music was completed and released today. All proceeds from sales will go to the Carter Albrecht Music Foundation.

Tonight at 6pm there will be a CD listening party at Bryan Street Tavern (4315 Bryan St., Dallas), and check out the official CD release concert at the Granada Theater at 8 pm tomorrow, May 27.

Maxwell announced the dates of his North American tour today, and sadly, Dallas isn't on it. Yet.

The closest he'll come on this just-announced list of shows in Austin. I'm telling you, it'll be worth the drive. An exquisite showman and a chills-inducing singer, Maxwell catapulted back into sight with his new single, "Pretty Wings."

We've taken a lot of your feedback and have made several changes to the new GuideLive.com, including adding "GUIDELIVE IT!" sections at the top of each tab (Events, Movies, Restaurants and Performers) to help you search for things that matter most to you.

GUIDELIVE IT! PERFORMERS is where you'll able to find listings for that night's live music options, and DJs spinning, plus a list of popular places to hear that live music in case you're looking for somewhere new to check out.

We encourage all of you musicians out there to create your own Performer's page where you can tell people about yourself and your music, as well as link to your own sites. Another benefit of creating a Performer's page is that you can add it to concert listings and other events where you are featured, so people interested in going to the show can quickly find out more information about you beforehand.

Just remember to search the Performers section first, because you might already be in there, in which case you can click "Report an error with this listing" and claim it to gain control over it. Also, if you're a local and want to be included in our list of Dallas-Fort Worth musicians and artists, tag you page "dfwlocal" and enjoy the exposure.

Give us a shout or leave comments below if you run across any other concerns regarding the new GuideLive.com. Searching for music news and reviews? You can find all that right here.

And in the case of, well, you knew it was going to happen but you were hoping for the best, Michael Jackson has postponed his shows at London's O2 Arena, according to Billboard.

Of course, he's only canceling the first four. So, that's something. Refunds will be given to anyone who can't make the rescheduled shows. Sigh. I hope this doesn't portend anything else wrong with the shows or the showstopper.

The first show, which was supposed to be July 8 has been pushed back five nights to July 13. The other shows have been moved to March 2010. I guess that comeback got stuck in neutral.

(Photo by Joel Ryan/The Associated Press)

Take at look at the new GuideLive.com. The Dallas Morning News is upgrading its signature entertainment portal this week with a state-of-the-art, “go, see and do” utility you won’t want to leave home without.

From now on, when you type in GuideLive.com or click on “Things to do” you will discover, front and center, a simple search box that can find the event, movie, venue, restaurant or performer just right for you. It understands words you would normally use, so when you’re looking for something tomorrow, just type “tomorrow.” Then in one place, you’ll get our critics’ ratings and reviews, user reviews from across the Internet, often an option to purchase tickets, directions and nearby attractions, too.

We’ve got more things to do than ever at your fingertips. Look for sporting events, community and church events, art exhibitions – and if you don’t see an event you’re hosting, please add it!

You can still find all the coverage that our Guide staff provides about the arts and entertainment in our Entertainment channel on dallasnews.com (and linked from each relevant GuideLive.com listing). And we’ve finally added a comment box below each article, plus a way to share it or e-mail it to your friends.

Visit the new GuideLive.com!

September is going to rock.

Elvis Costello & the Sugarcanes are coming to Nokia Theatre on Sept. 2. The group's first album together, Secret, Profane, and Sugarcane, will be out June 2. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Monday through Ticketmaster.

P!nk's current Funhouse Tour has gone so great that she's added six more stops, including American Airlines Center on Sept. 23. Expect lots of costumes.

And Blink-182 has launched a 50-date North American tour that hits Dallas on Sept. 24 at Superpages.com Center. The punk-rock band hasn't toured since 2004. You can get these tickets starting May 30 at livenation.com.

Get ready for the masses! Teen pop-country sensation Taylor Swift brings her Fearless Tour Sept. 25 to American Airlines Center, it was announced today. Tickets go on sale May 22 at 10 a.m. at all Ticketmaster outlets. Swift's trek obviously supports her mega-successful sophomore album, Fearless, the follow-up to her career launching debut, the 3-million-selling Taylor Swift. The singer-songwriter's opening acts are American Idol alum Kellie Pickler and new country group Gloriana. According to her Nashville publicist, Swift's concert will feature "graphics, sets and visual elements designed by Taylor herself." Get ready for the masses, folks!

Photo: Taylor in red (Jae C. Hong).

OK folks, take a deep breath. That Jennifer Hudson and Robin Thicke concert at Nokia Theatre in Grand Prairie has been rescheduled yet again. It is now May 21. The Oscar- and Grammy-winning J-Hud has been ordered by her doctor to go on vocal rest because of strain found on her vocal cords. So naturally it's been a logistical nightmare rerouting the tour. Tickets for the original May 7 date will be honored May 21. Those of you that made plans to attend the show May 16 (the first rescheduled date) now need to plan on May 21. Tickets are still available through Ticketmaster.

PHOTO: Hang on, folks, J-Hud is coming! (Charles Sykes)

Here's a bit of music news from our golf writer, Bill Nichols:

Country singer Jack Ingram will kick off Memorial Day weekend at the HP Byron Nelson Championship with a May 22 performance. The concert is scheduled to start at 8:30 p.m. in the Pavilion at the Four Seasons Resort and Club at Las Colinas. Jockersdeck will open at 7 p.m.

The show will be free to all ticket and badge holders at the May 21-24 tournament. Tickets will be sold at the tournament's main entrance and on Ticketmaster.com. Ingram, who attended SMU, won the Academy of Country Music's Top New Male Vocalist award last year.

The Nelson's "Pavilion After Dark" post-play entertainment series features concerts after the first three rounds. Emerald City will play on May 21 (7:30) and Professor D will perform on May 23, starting at 5:30 p.m. For more information, visit www.hpbnc.org.

Photo: Jack Ingram (Courtesy of Big Machine Records).

UPDATE: Both Nokia Theatre and Ticketmaster's Web sites indicate the concert has been rescheduled for Saturday, May 16. Your tickets for Thursday's show will be honored. Call Ticketmaster for any questions: 214-373-8000 or 972-647-5700.

Yahoo.com reports:

Jennifer Hudson is taking a break this week from her national tour with Robin Thicke. Doctors are said to be treating her for a throat condition related to her singing.

Last night's stop in Oakland, Calif., was postponed until May 19. This week's concerts in Dallas and Houston have also been rescheduled for later dates, according to Thicke's rep."
Read more.

I'm still all pumped from Saturday's Dave Matthews Band concert, so I know you guys are probably shaking in your seats waiting to use your hot concert tickets this summer. Guide has issued their top picks for summer concerts May through August. I asked GuideLiveMusic's Twitter followers: Which summer concert on this list are you most excited to see? This by no means is a complete list of concerts this summer, but it's a good starting place.

See who they chose and let us know who you're most excited about. I'm thinking about No Doubt, Aerosmith, Vans Warped Tour and Coldplay myself.

For those of you who were waterlogged at Pizza Hut Park on Saturday for the Sun City Carnival Tour, headliner Kenny Chesney brings this ray of sunshine: He's rescheduled the concert for Sunday, May 17, also at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco.

Fans who purchased tickets to Saturday's show will be admitted free to the May 17 show; some tickets may also be available for purchase. This show will be general admission, with first-come, first-served seating; seating assignments from Saturday's show cannot be honored.

No further details are available at this time -- including whether openers Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert or Sugarland will join in for the May 17 concert -- but Kenny's spokeswoman, Holly Gleason, advises that you keep an eye on www.kennychesney.com for updated info. And of, course, we'll update you here.

As for the weather conditions and safety concerns, spokespeople at Pizza Hut Park, the tour and the tour's promoter, AEG Live, said that weather conditions were carefully monitored and the storm wasn't thought dangerous until just before the concert was called at around 9:50 p.m. "It looked like the worst had passed us; it was wet but not dangerous," said Louis Messina, president of the Messina Group and a partner with AEG Live. "And then we had this one really bad cell that just popped up, and that's when they pulled the plug."

Photo by MATT NAGER/Special Contributor: Kenny Chesney performed Saturday night at Pizza Hut Park.

Rumors have been swirling for quite some time that all wasn't well in the land of Nas and Kelis, who is well into a pregnancy with a baby due July 21.

Well, gossip no more; it's official. "Milkshake" filed for divorce today from "God's Son." Sigh.

First, Russell and Kimora break up and now this. Where is the love?!

(The couple at the Entertainment Weekly Island Def Jam Grammy party in Los Angeles in Feb. 2008 by Dan Steinberg of the Associated Press)

The Austin City Limits Festival, scheduled for Oct. 2-4 at Zilker Park in Austin, has announced the headliners for this year's fest.

ACL always has a diverse lineup, and this year will be no different with Pearl Jam (!), Dave Matthews Band, Beastie Boys (double !), Kings of Leon (whee!), Ben Harper and Relentless7, and Thievery Corporation all taking on headlining duties.

Passes for the three days of the festival are selling at $185 each, almost the same as one ticket for a U2 concert, so don't balk. And the service fees are included in the price of the ACL three-day pass. Tickets and VIP passes are available on the festival's Web site.

Univision Radio's huge, free Cinco de Mayo fest, which has been at Texas Stadium in past years, will be at Fair Park this time around. It's on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and musical acts include Eddy Lover, Makano, Alexis y Fido, Grupo Bryndis, Grupo Duelo and Conjunto Atardecer. Univision's billing it as the largest free outdoor Hispanic music festival in Texas (Fair Park's Web site says parking costs $10).

The Kevin Rudolf show slated for Tuesday (April 21) at House of Blues has been canceled. Ticket refunds are available at point of purchase.

Beyoncé is everywhere. She's got her manicured nails touching just about every aspect of mainstream entertainment these days. And come July 5, she'll be on the American Airlines Center stage. The Houston native begins her "I Am..." tour June 21 at Madison Square Garden in New York. Her trek will end with a four-night stand July 30 through Aug. 2 in Las Vegas at the Encore at Wynn. Tickets go on sale April 25 at 10 a.m. at all Ticketmaster outlets. By the way, Beyoncé is making 2,000 seats at each venue available for $20 a pop. Gracious, isn't she?

Photo: The ubiquitous Beyoncé works it at the recent Oscars (Mindy Schauer).

Big D Opry will premiere April 30 at Fellowship Dallas, and local musicians are encouraged to take part.

Three finalists will perform in a talent competition as part of the show; to enter submit a sample of your music (music file or video link) by e-mail by April 28 to info@atexasstyle.com. For more information about Big D Opry, go to www.atexasstyle.com.

From the mid 1980s to the mid 1990s, The Basement was a home away from home for thousands of local and national bands. The Greenville Avenue rock club closed in January of 1995, but now it's back for a one-night reunion.

Recently, the former manager of six years, Jeff Schattle, noticed Facebook users posting photos and comments reminiscing over the music venue. So he created the Facebook group The Basement Rock n Roll, and within days the group had almost 500 members. Now he's taking it a step further and organizing the first annual Basement reunion this Saturday, April 18, at the Lakewood Theater. Doors open at 5 p.m., and tickets are $15-$20. Free hot dogs 5-7 p.m.

Scheduled to perform: LORD TRACY, Sweet Savage (featuring original members, Joey C. Jones, Laine Sheridan, Chris Sheridan and Randy St. John), July Alley, Lowside (featuring Ron Taylor and Darren DeLatte of Lillian Axe), the return of BONE CIRCUS, and Dallas' Red Leather.

Follow the jump to read the Dallas Morning News article about the Basement's final show before closing its doors in 1995, and share your memories from the historic club.

(File photo: Ed Killmer outside The Basement the last night it was open)

The Tickets' Gordon Keith hosted a Bono sound alike contest for fans to win tickets to the upcoming U2 concert. Cliff McClelland of Dallas won the contest which was held at Reverschon Park in Dallas.

Watch the video and listen here.

This is pretty cool. Alex Carew from Spinner.com offers funky trivia on how some bands, solo artists got their names. Check it out.

Lady GaGa: Christened Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, her producer based her snappier name on Queen's hit 'Radio Ga-Ga,' likening her glammed-out pop vocal approach to Freddie Mercury.
Radiohead: Originally calling themselves On a Friday, a critic pointed out that he was bored by their name- they swapped it for the title of the Talking Heads song, 'Radio Head'.
The Rolling Stones: Mick Jagger picked up their band name from blues giant Muddy Waters, who hit big with the song 'Rollin' Stone' in 1948.
Bright Eyes: Likely encountered in the 1978 animated film about rabbits, 'Watership Down.' We're still waiting for Conor Oberst to return the favor when some new four-piece band names itself A Spindle, a Darkness, a Fever and a Necklace.
Judas Priest: Priest bassist Ian Hill admits their name came from the Bob Dylan song, 'The Ballad of Frankie Lee and Judas Priest'. It's safe to assume they wouldn't be the metal gods they are today had they taken the 'Frankie Lee' half of the title instead.
The Pretenders: According to one version of the story, Chrissie Hynde was hanging out with some rough characters, one of whom wanted to play his favorite song for her. After making sure that none of his pals were in sight, the guy put on the Platters classic 'The Great Pretender.'
Death Cab for Cutie: Quite a pedigree to this odd little phrase: Neil Innes, who co-wrote 'Death Cab for Cutie' with Vivian Stanshall, says he came across it in an old pulp fiction magazine. Written as an Elvis parody, the Bonzo Dog Band song appeared in the Beatles' 'Magical Mystery Tour' film. Thirty years later, Pinwheel guitarist Ben Gibbard borrowed it for his new band's name.
Jet: Inspired by the Paul McCartney-helmed Wings song 'Jet.' Because if it sounds like the Beatles, and it ain't nailed down, these Aussie boys are having at it.
Godsmack: Despite admitting being aware of the song in question, Godsmack insist they're "not some Alice in Chains clone band" and have given two alternate origin myths for the name. Either the band is named after the Almighty smiting singer Sully Erna with a cold sore after he made fun of someone else's blemish, or it stems from the band's favorite retort, "God will smack you for that one."
Ladytron: Inspired by Roxy Music's "Ladytron." Ladytron's Daniel Hunt has considered remixing the original Roxy track: "I thought about what I could do with it, but I just haven't got 'round to it. Maybe it'll be crap." We can't wait.

Photo: Should we call her Queen GaGa?

From MSNBC.com:

Pearl Jam is lining up U.S. concert dates for the second half of the year, including the Outside Lands Music & Arts Festival in San Francisco.

Pearl Jam also has completed 14 songs for a new album and is working on a film with director Cameron Crowe, guitarist Mike McCready said in a recent radio interview.

Read more.

The Randy Rogers Band, that cool country band from the Austin area, drew a whopping 18,561 fans to the group's Friday night gig at Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie. Those are huge numbers, particularly in these perilous economic times. According to Dan Leary, Lone Star Park's Director of Communications, the RRB show ranks as the "seventh largest non-fireworks night attendance in track history." In fact, the first six places are filled by fellow Texans -- Cross Canadian Ragweed (two shows), Willie Nelson (three shows) and Pat Green (one show). Pretty cool, huh? If you were there Friday night, tell us about the concert.

Photo: The RRB boys (Natalie Caudill/DMN).

Our very own American Idol contestant, Jason Castro, just signed a record deal with Atlantic. The third-runner up on the talent show is working on his debut album. Hopefully, it'll be some laid-back, bob-your-head music that suits his hair and singing style.

Atlantic Signs Jason Castro; Acclaimed Singer/Songwriter Slated to Release
NEW YORK, NY -- (Marketwire) -- Atlantic Records has announced the signing of singer/songwriter Jason Castro. The Texas-based tunesmith -- best known as the third runner-up on the 2008 season of Fox's "American Idol" -- is currently hard at work on his debut album, set for release later this year. Among his creative collaborators are Grammy Award-winning producer John Fields (Lifehouse, Switchfoot, Soul Asylum) and a number of acclaimed songwriters, including "Idol" judge Kara DioGuardi (Kelly Clarkson, Jewel, Santana), Martin Terefe (Jason Mraz, KT Tunstall), Sacha Skarbek (James Blunt, Jason Mraz), Guy Chambers (Robbie Williams), and Jason Reeves (Colbie Caillat).

(Photo by Frank Micelotta / FOX)

Lindale's fiery country-rocker Miranda Lambert is one of three vocalists (along with Jazmine Sullivan and Zooey Deschanel) reinterpreting the memorable "the touch, the feel of cotton" music that was retired in 2001 and has now been relaunched. The campaign, dubbed "The Fabric of My Life" features television commercials that began airing April 5. Lambert, still promoting her awesome 2007 CD, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, has this to say about cotton: "My style in three words is comfortable, funky, my own. Cotton is a big part of that style so I was very excited to be part of this campaign. My favorite outfit is jeans, T-shirt and a great pair of cowboy boots but on a summer day, there is nothing like throwing on a cotton sundress and boots."

Photo: Miranda loves her cotton (Ben Torres/Special to DMN).

KISS, those trend-setting masked men, want fans in the United States and Canada to route their upcoming North American tour, which begins in September. Right now, Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Eric Singer and Tommy Thayer are playing soccer stadiums in South America. But the KISS 2009 North American tour will be completely routed by fans. Go to www.eventful.com/KISS and cast your vote. You'll see that Dallas is currently in fourth place. The cities with the most votes should end up on the band's itinerary. You can also check out a KISS-produced video announcing the promotion here. Simmons says this in a prepared statement: "KISS has never followed the rules -- we have always broken them. KISS has never listened to critics -- we have always listened only to the fans." So let your voices be heard!

Photo: Paul and Gene in concert! (Courtesy of www.kissonline.com)

Texas Nite Life Talent Search is looking for talented singers for an upcoming country music competition. Auditions will be held at Rodeo City Music Hall in Mesquite on April 17 a 6 p.m. and are $10 per person. The competition will be at Willie Nelson Place in Hillsboro on May 27 and runs through June 17. Finals are June 19.

Make sure you're prepared, because you'll perform in front of Indie Record companies, booking agents and others. For more info, call 972-658-9688 or 1-866-241-9688 or visit myspace.com/txtalentsearch.

Live Nation finally verified that U2 will be in concert Oct. 12 at the new Cowboys Stadium in Arlington. Tickets go on sale Monday, April 20.

If you remember, there was a minor conflagration when U2 announced the dates scheduled for its tour of Europe and North America. Dallas was listed as a city they'd like to visit, but no details could be pinned down.

Well, now those details are set.

According to a press release, there have been over 2.5 million tickets sold for U2 360 (degrees), presented by BlackBerry, since the abbreviated itinerary was first announced on March 9.

"Special guest" Muse is also on the bill.

(Photo by Jeffrey R. Staab/CBS)

As the data wrangler for our print-edition lists of local and touring concerts, I get exposed to vast varieties of band names. I'm trying out a new feature for the Playlist blog: Silly Band Name of the Week (SBNW). The band names I'll highlight aren't necessarily new -- just ones that catch my attention. Congratulations to the Exploding Chihuahuas for making me laugh out loud this week.
Exploding Chihuahuas will perform Wednesday April 15 at 8:30 p.m. at Tolbert's restaurants in Grapevine; no cover.
-Nancy Moore

Gospel entertainers are needed for the second annual "Power to End Stroke Gospel Concert/Fight of Our Life Health Tour" with Kirk Franklin. The concert, featuring gospel star Kirk Franklin, will take place Aug. 8 at Six Flags Over Texas.

Gospel-style soloists, groups, choirs, spoken-word artists, instrumentalists, rappers and dancers are needed. To audition, submit a demo tape by next Monday, April 13.

For information about the audition process, go here, or call Dione Banks (Dallas entries) at 214-748-7212 or Benzi George (Fort Worth entries) at 817-698-5472.

Why rewrite great news? Lisa Endicott, who gives me the scoop on happenings at the Granada, sent this to me today "via Blackberry":

"Brit singer-songwriter Robyn Hitchcock and the Venus 3 play Granada Theater Apr 4 at 8 pm. What you need to know is that the Venus 3 consist of three members of R.E.M. -- sans Stipe -- namely Peter Buck, Bill Rieflin, and Scott McCaughey -- who have played on tour and the last five albums for R.E.M. If you missed R.E.M. at their last concert this is a chance to get up close and personal for this intimate show.
Tickets are still available at www.granadatheater.com."

I love technology! Don't you?

Today would have been Marvin Gaye's 70th birthday. Yesterday was the 25th anniversary of his death.

Marvin began his career wanting to be the black Frank Sinatra. But he found his niche in emotionally resonant songs and that sweet, sweet tenor, later turning to his version of protest songs. And when he protested, how sweet is was to be loved by his music. That 1971 concept album, What's Going On, featuring songs such as "Mercy Mercy Me" and "Inner City Blues (Makes Me Wanna Holler)," is still relevant today and is considered by some to be one of the greatest albums ever.

As Motown celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, the legendary label also celebrates and mourns for Marvin Gaye, tragically killed by his own father a day before his 45th birthday in 1984. I remember that day, all of my elders walking around in a daze, actively saying "What's Going On," subconsciously repeating Marvin's lyrics.

To remember, Motown released a special digital-only album, Marvin Gaye: Then & Now, on March 31. They're also releasing a vinyl-only re-release of United, his duets album with Tammi Terrell (another one gone too soon), on April 14.

(Photo by Jim Britt)

It may have taken them 14 years to reunite, record a new studio disc, 2008's The Block, and hit the road for a successful tour last year -- it stopped at American Airlines Center in October -- but now NKOTB can't stay away. Joey, Donnie, Jordan, Danny and Jonathan play Superpages.com Center July 17. Tickets for the "Full Service Tour" go on sale Saturday, April 4, at noon at all Ticketmaster outlets. Ticket Prices are $85, $65, and $45 for reserved, and $25 for lawn seats. Also, during that first sales week, lawn seats are only $10 each.

So here's what I want to know: How many of you that were at the October AAC show will come back for more and attend the Superpages.com Center gig?

Photo: NKOTB did their thing last October at AAC (Tim Gruber/DMN).

Ever listen to Lucinda Williams, Pixies frontman Frank Black's solo stuff, or John Prine? Then you've probably heard Duane Jarvis' guitar work. Samples of his songs are available on his myspace page. Jarvis passed away this morning in Marina Del Rey, California, after a battle with colon cancer. Jarvis played in Dallas many times at venues such as the Gypsy Tea Room, most recently with Black. His latest solo album Delicious is available on CD Baby. Read about him on the L.A. Times' music blog here, and also in The Tennessean here.
Jarvis had a reputation for helping fellow musicians, especially those just starting out in the business. One would be hard pressed to find a country-rock music aficionado in Nashville or Los Angeles who didn't know him and speak highly of him. For Americana music fans, there is a "disturbance in the force."

Rod Stewart brings his raspy pipes to the Nokia Theatre stage for a July 26 concert performance. Tickets for the iconic singer's gig go on sale Monday, April 6, at 10 a.m. at all Ticketmaster outlets. Stewart's most recent studio album was 2006's Still the Same...Great Rock Classics of Our Time. Last year his former longtime label, Warner Bros., released The Definitive Rod Stewart, a two-CD collection of 30 career hits.

Photo: Rod the Mod from an October 2007 show in Oberhausen, western Germany during his "Greatest Hits 2007" tour (Volker Hartmann).

From KRLD.com:

*WARNING MATURE CONTENT*

Pop sensation Britney Spears will be playing to a sold-out AAC Tuesday night in front of thousands of screaming teens and pre-teens and once again controversy is following Britney into town.

The new hit single, "If You Seek Amy," is causing a stir with conservative parent groups who claim the song has a hidden message.

Read more.

Fans of pop-country trio Rascal Flatts have two reasons to rejoice: First, Gary LeVox, Jay DeMarcus and Joe Don Rooney perform in concert June 13 at Superpages.com Center. Tickets, priced at $76 for reserved and $36 for lawn seats, go on sale Saturday, April 4, at 10 a.m. at all Ticketmaster outlets. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the show starts at 7:30 p.m. with opening act Darius Rucker. OK, the second reason is Unstoppable, the group's sixth studio album, which arrives in stores April 7. There. Is that enough Rascal Flatts activity for ya?

Photo: Rascals LeVox and DeMarcus at Superpages.com Center July 21, 2008 (G.J. McCarthy/DMN).

Heavy metal hierarchy and digital downloads -- is it a match made in musical heaven? We're about to find out. Metallica will release its entire discography exclusively to iTunes Tuesday, as in tomorrow. We're talking 163 tracks from nine studio albums, one double live album, one double covers album, bonus tracks and more. The Complete Metallica, which is what the digital box set has been dubbed, arrives at all other digital music outlets April 28. Metallica continues high visibility since its recent South by Southwest Music Festival appearance and concert performance. The video game Guitar Hero Metallica, with 28 tunes from the metal masters, is now available. Also, Metallica will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland April 4. Oh, and the guys will be hard-rocking American Airlines Center Sept. 29. Tickets go on sale April 4.

Photo: James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett turned Austin's Stubb's upside down March 20 (Erich Schlegel/Special to DMN).

Denton's Eli Young Band, currently enjoying a Top 20 country hit with "Always the Love Songs," makes its Jimmy Kimmel Live debut Thursday at 11:05 p.m. central on ABC-TV (Channel 8). "Always the Love Songs," by the way, is from the group's way cool major label debut CD, Jet Black & Jealous. These are hometown guys making us proud.

Photo: Chris Thompson, Jon Jones, Mike Eli and James Young get all jet black and jealous for a professional portrait by photographer Kristen Barlowe.

"A year and a day." Sounds like a good title for a CD, doesn't it? Well, no surprise as we've known T.I. was just awaiting sentencing on a felony weapons charge. And the fact that he was very visibly doing his community service, while his latest CD dropped hits like AIG dropped bonuses.

So, don't cry for him, Argentina or any other land. Here's a man, who by all accounts, accepts what he has done and the punishment for it. If you don't believe that, just look at his guilty plea, one that asks his fans and everyone else to let him atone.

What seems to be lost in all of this are the events that compelled him to stockpile guns. There was a real fear after his friend was killed; it could have been him. And that fear isn't just limited to our rap heroes; that's an every-day situation for too many young men.

So, pull out King and recognize that T.I. is more than a rapper. He's a man, bowed just a bit by a sentence.

Do you think there will be a run on his music as he heads to prison? Does the sentence fit the crime?

(Photo by John Amis/The Associated Press)

Spring will soon be sprung, and Poor David's Pub is announcing all sorts of cool shows. Brave Combo will appear there March 28, followed by the Wailers on April 4, Scottish-Gaelic folksinger Juliet Fowlis on April 16, the one-and-only Kinky Friedman on April 17 and Iris DeMent on April 24. DeMent is a real catch. She hasn't toured in years, but on previous tours, she has opened for John Prine and Mary Chapin Carpenter. When fall arrives, the good shows continue, with Jimmy LaFave appearing Sept. 12 and John Gorka on Dec. 3. The complete schedule can be viewed by clicking here. And for anyone who wants to hear Iris sing one of her classics, in this case "Our Town," click below to hear her duet with Emmylou Harris:

Photo: Iris DeMent

Snoop Dogg and Gavin Rossdale highlight new shows announced by House of Blues today.

Opening for Snoop Doog will be buzzed-about Somalian sensation K'naan (I like his CD; cop it when you can) and The Hustle Boyz on Wednesday, May 5. Tickets are $35 and go on sale Friday at 10 a.m.

Gavin Rossdale will play Monday, May 25. Tickets are $20 and on sale now.

Also announced was Zoso - A Tribute to Led Zeppelin on Saturday, May 9; Cowboy Mouth on May 29; Emory Quinn on May 30; and Michael Franks on Aug. 22. Tickets are on sale Friday for those shows.

Katy Perry on May 11 and Chris Cornell on March 28 are officially sold out.

(Photo of K'naan by Michael Nagle/Reuters)

It was so nice, they're doing it twice.

Kid Rock and Lynyrd Skynyrd are joining forces to reprise their Rock and Rebels tour. Kid Rock made a move on country radio this past summer with the inescapable "All Summer Long." That hit sampled "Sweet Home Alabama."

The tour starts June 26 in West Palm Beach, making a stop in Dallas on July 1 at Superpages.com Center. Tickets and VIP packages can be found at livenation.com starting Friday.

(Photo by Matt Sayles/The Associated Press)

Tejano singer Emilio Navaira is still recuperating after wrecking his tour bus last year. Here's the Associated Press' update:

By JUAN A. LOZANO
Associated Press Writer
HOUSTON -- Tejano music star Emilio Navaira will spend three days in jail and serve two years' probation after pleading guilty Friday to driving while intoxicated when he wrecked his tour bus in suburban Houston last year.

The Grammy winner, wearing a white protective helmet for his head injuries nearly a year after the accident, could be seen shaking while he waited in court to enter his plea. Accompanied by his wife, Maria, the singer spoke very little during the hearing.

The plea deal came just a week after prosecutors filed the misdemeanor DWI charge against Navaira.

(Photo by David J. Phillip/The Associated Press)

Proving he's still king of something, Michael Jackson's 50, that's 5-0, shows at London's O2 Arena sold out in hours. Fans were e-mailed a code to just get in line for the pre-sale only after registering at a Web site.

According to Billboard, tickets were selling at a rate of 40,000 an hour when the sale was opened to the general public just this morning. Heck, even sales of Michael's greatest hits and Thriller have gone up tremendously.

So, that's 50 sold-out shows at a capacity of 23,000 fans per show. You do the math. Anticipation for the show has been decades in the making. So, no wonder.

(Photo of fanatic by Andrew Winning/Reuters)

OK, so this isn't U2 or the Jonas Brothers, but it'll still be a pretty cool show. ZZ Top, that iconic Texas rock 'n' roll band, along with actor/musician Billy Bob Thornton and his musical mates, the Boxmasters, play March 19 at 9 p.m. at Billy Bob's Texas, 2520 Rodeo Plaza, Fort Worth. Pam Minick over at the venerable honky-tonk confirmed this concert announcement today. This will be the Top's first performance at BBT since 1981, when the venue opened. Reserved seats are $50, with general admission seats available for $20. Tickets go on sale Monday, March 16 at 10 a.m. at all Ticketmaster outlets and the Billy Bob's Texas box office. If you need to reach the club, that number is 817-624-7117.

Photo: ZZ Top's Frank Beard, Dusty Hill and Billy Gibbons (Richard Carson).

Yes, by now we all know that the Jonas Brothers will kick off their new world tour (presented by Burger King) on June 20 at the new Cowboys Stadium in Arlington. What's new is that March 20 is the on-sale date for tickets, according to Billboard. Fan-club members will be privy to a presale that starts March 16 in select cities.

Live Nation is your source for tickets.

The tour starts in Arlington and will end Aug. 31 in Ottawa. Those youngsters better have a lot of energy as that's 44 dates in a short number of months.

Grammy, Oscar and Golden Globe winner Prince will perform for three consecutive nights on The Tonight Show With Jay Leno, starting on March 25.

Prince will also play Leno on the host's next-to-last show on May 28. Last time Prince was on Leno, he played a two-song encore, including his hit "1999." He released this message to fans in early March: "From the 24th on, there will b a slew of NPG-related events happening around electric Lalaland," said Prince. "We don't want 2 give away all the details yet, but b prepared 2 get yo groove on, numerous ways 4 numerous days. We know $ is tite but the adventures will b worth ur while! Stay 2ned 2 this outtaspacestation."

His Royal Badness has partnered with Target to release his next CD: a three-disc bundle that will include his two new studio albums, and LOtUSFLOW3R and MPLSoUND, along with an album from his newest protege, Bria Valente. The CD will cost only $11.98 and will be available March 29.

U2 played as the house band on The Late Show With David Letterman for the week before they released their newest CD.

Three constitutes a trend. Who's next?

(Photo by KEVORK DJANSEZIAN/The Associated Press)

Local superstars the Jonas Brothers -- Kevin, Joe and Nick -- open their "Jonas Brothers World Tour 2009" June 20 at the new Cowboys Stadium in Arlington. The gig has been confirmed by the JoBros' New York publicist. The 44-city trek features a 140-foot stage centered in whatever venue they play as well as opening acts Jordin Sparks (of American Idol fame) and Honor Society. On-sale and pre-sale dates for tickets were still being negotiated at the time of this blog post. But you can stay abreast of the situation by visiting www.jonasbrothers.com and/or www.livenation.com.

Photo: Joe, Nick and Kevin Jonas (Mitch Dumke).

UPDATE: Thanks for your questions about tickets for the U2 concert. Here's more information that might make the situation more clear.

A representative from TicketNetwork confirmed the tickets on GuideLive.com's TicketNetwork page are legitimate. What you're paying for holds a place for when the tickets go on sale.

The representative also said TicketNetwork has access to these tickets because of its relationship with the venue. When you pay TicketNetwork, you're getting a commitment for that ticket when they go on sale.

The price is set at a 15 percent markup, the majority of which goes to The Dallas Morning News.

-- Bridgette Williams, GuideLive.com Editor

~~~~~~
Everyone wants to know if the rumors are true. Will rock band U2 be playing at the new Dallas Cowboys Stadium in Arlington in October?

The tour info on U2.com doesn't have a date or venue listed, but it does say that Dallas will be one of 11 cities visited in September and October. A post on U2log.com lists the band playing Oct. 12 at the Cowboys stadium, incorrectly listed in Dallas, and then Oct. 14 at Houston's Reliant Stadium before moving along to Norman, Okla. for an Oct. 16 show. And team officials and tour promoter Live Nation both said in this story yesterday that U2 has not confirmed a date or venue in Dallas.

But there is hope. Our ticket seller said today that they have confirmed a date at the new Dallas Cowboys Stadium for Oct. 12 and you can now purchase the tickets here, though they're quite pricey.

(Photo: Adam Clayton, The Edge, Bono and Larry Mullen are U2. Credit: Associated Press)

We featured Arlington resident Mark Glasmire last year in this story and this video when he won the B.W. Stevenson Memorial Songwriter Competition at Poor David's Pub, and now he's gone and won another.

The Dallas Songwriters Association announced Friday that Glasmire won grand prize in its 2008 Song Contest with his ballad "Missing You."

From the press release:
"Winner Glasmire chose cash over a new Gibson guitar while also getting a dedicated website sponsored and maintained by Broadjam. In addition he can have the song of his choice produced as a premier demo by Beaird Music Group, Nashville, Tenn., adding up to a total value of almost $2,000. ... Roy Elkins, founder and CEO of the music community website Broadjam and the contest grand prize judge, said of Glasmire, "This is a very good songwriter from whom I'd love to hear more. His song "Missing You" is simply a nice song that could be played on any instrument with vocal or even as an instrumental. It's very easy to listen to, and everyone who hears this song can share the writer's experience."

You can hear "Missing You" on Mark's Web site, where he says the song is about the loss of his father.

Here's more information on the winners.

The North Texas Wind Symphony is providing the soundtrack to former President Bill Clinton's life, according to the song listing on an autographed iPod being auctioned for charity. The nano supposedly is stocked from Clinton's personal playlist.

I don't know. The list seems a bit tame to me for the man from Arkansas. I mean, really? "Bridge Over Troubled Water"? The former prez and I do share a couple of favorites: "Angel" by Sarah McLachlan and Willie Nelson's "A Song for You." But you be the judge.

What's on Bill Clinton's iPod?
By Stacy St. Clair
Chicago Tribune

So just how does Bill Clinton unwind between offering President Barack Obama unsolicited advice and helping Hillary pack for diplomatic trips?

Seems he kicks it with a little North Texas Wind Symphony.

(Photo by CHIP EAST/Reuters)

Metallica singer James Hetfield fell ill and the band had to cancel its second Stockholm show. According to the band's Web site, the show will be rescheduled.

From The Associated Press:

STOCKHOLM -- Organizers say 16,000 fans of the heavy metal group Metallica had to leave the Stockholm Globe Arena without seeing their heroes perform after lead singer James Hetfield was taken to the hospital.

Spokeswoman Carolina Satterwall says Hetfield caught a stomach bug Sunday and suffered dehydration but left the hospital that evening. He has returned to the United States with the rest of the band.

(Photo by VERNON BRYANT/Staff Photographer)

The first time I saw Bonnie Raitt, she was opening for Jackson Browne. It was 1974, at McFarlin Auditorium on the campus of my alma mater, Southern Methodist University. He was in the midst of his Late for the Sky tour, and she was the only woman, surrounded by 13 guys from two bands on the same tour bus, en route to 50 American cities. I also saw her live in San Diego in 1987, when she appeared as the surprise guest for a concert featuring Jackson and David Lindley. As great as they are -- as much as I love their music -- Bonnie more or less blew everybody off the stage that night. I soon learned there was a reason for that: She was feeling fantastic, having become clean and sober and fit. And in two years, she would release Nick of Time, her breakout album, and the first of a string of Platinum recordings. I next saw her live in Santa Cruz, Calif., on a bitterly cold night in December 1998, and again, her ability to seize the stage left me amazed. Well, now, it's your turn to see Bonnie Raitt, simply by going to Meyerson Symphony Center on Monday night. (Please click below to read on!)

Photo: The great Bonnie Raitt

As if this year weren't enough about Bruce Springsteen, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum has announced the he'll get an exhibit entitled "From Asbury Park to the Promised Land: The Life and Music of Bruce Springsteen."

Springsteen performed in D.C. during the presidential inauguration festivities, released a critically acclaimed CD (Working on a Dream) and was the halftime entertainment for the Super Bowl, all just this year.

The Boss' exhibit will open April 1, just three days before this year's induction ceremonies in Cleveland. The induction ceremony returns to the home of the Hall for the first time since 1997.

I visited when the John Lennon exhibit just took up a small room deep inside the Hall. This exhibit promises to be the "most extensive" one yet dedicated to a single artist ever at the museum. I'll bet they have fans' shouts of "Bruuuuuuce" on a loop.

This year's inductees include Bobby Womack, Jeff Beck, Run D.M.C., Metallica and Little Anthony and the Imperials.

(Photo by Stuart Ramson/The Associated Press)

If you're looking forward to the Beach Boys concert scheduled for April 11 at Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, don't get worried about something you may read in news headlines today.

According to a press release we received, "Earlier today, Lone Star Park's parent corporation Magna Entertainment Corp. (MEC) and some of its subsidiaries announced that they have filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court ..."

But according to general manager Drew Shubeck, " ... Lone Star Park is not among the parties filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection" ... and that the Grand Prairie race track is proceeding with business as usual. " ... there should be no immediate implications for Lone Star Park, our employees, horsemen, vendors or customers."

So, pull on your boots, and dig out your bangora summer straw hat for some Texas music fun: Other upcoming concerts at the horse races include: Randy Rogers band April 10; Stoney LaRue May 1; Gary Allan May 22; Cross Canadian Ragweed June 12, and Eli Young band July 24.

Due to Facebook's new Terms of Service, our profile got bumped, so you may have noticed that we're not friends anymore. But good news: We really miss you guys and we're back in the form of a Facebook Page. So follow this link and become a fan to continue getting updates and news from GuideLive.com.

Katy Perry's concert for March 21 at the House of Blues has been rescheduled for May 11. All tickets will be honored for the new date.

Perry, whose hit "I Kissed a Girl" has made her ubiquitous in all the music mags, performed on the Grammys (right) in early February. The singer has a penchant for dressing like the pinups of old and recently blogged about her love of WE tv's Little Miss Perfect, a show following young (very young) pageant contestants. She called it "the best thing that has ever hit television."

(Photo by LUCY NICHOLSON/Reuters)

Christopher Guest, Harry Shearer and Michael McKean will bring their six-week, 30-city tour to Nokia Theatre at Grand Prairie on Saturday, May 2.

This time, the guys will be Unwigged and Unplugged, performing music from heavy metal band Spinal Tap and folk music from A Mighty Wind, among other selections. It could be considered a 25th anniversary celebration of This Is Spinal Tap. Guest, Shearer and McKean, considered a legendary trio of comedians and musical artists, will be performing their alter ego-music as themselves for the first time. No wigs, no amps, no electric instruments. Let's see if they can hit "maximum volume" in an acoustic setting.

Tickets go on sale Friday through Ticketmaster.

(Photo of (left to right) Shearer, McKean and Guest by Suzanne Tenner/Warner Bros. Pictures)

The seemingly just-announced Jodeci concert at Dallas' House of Blues on March 13 has been cancelled. The concert was to feature the four original members: brothers K-Ci and Jo-Jo Hailey, and Dalvin and DeVante DeGrate.

Tickets will be refunded at the point of purchase, according to a press release from House of Blues staff.

Yes, Maynard James Keenan is best known as the frontman of rock band Tool. But he's very much a wine guy. In fact, he co-owns Arizona Stronghold Vineyards and is making some appearances around the country signing bottles of his wine. On March 23 he stops by Whole Foods Market, 2201 Preston Road, in Plano. He'll be there from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. For more on Arizona Stronghold Vineyards, click here. For more on Tool, click this one.

Photo: Keenan and his vino (Ron Newkirk).

George Strait's Nashville publicist, not to mention Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, are busy trumpeting that the country superstar's upcoming June 6 concert at the new Cowboys stadium is a sell-out. Well, not so fast. As of late Monday afternoon, Ticketmaster still had single seats in the upper deck area. That means it isn't completely sold-out yet. Read the story here. However, those that doubted King George could pack the place...now what do you say?

Photo: Jones singing Strait's praises last month during a local press conference (Tom Fox/DMN).

Anything to help out Texas country godfather Robert Earl Keen, especially since he's also lending a hand. Keen will again perform during a benefit for the Hill Country Youth Orchestra. Organized in 1995, the Orchestra provides an opportunity for children to immerse themselves in classical music by playing in an orchestra. The children get the lessons and the instruments gratis. That's very cool. Anything to instill the beauty of the arts at a young age.

Want to go to the intimate concert? It's March 12 at the Callioux Theater in Kerrville, Texas. For ticket info, call 830-896-9393.

Photo: Keen doing his thing onstage (JASON KINDIG/Special to DMN).

Live at Last, the Stevie Wonder concert film from his Oct. 2008 performance at the London O2 Arena, screens at Studio Movie Grill, 75 and Royal Lane, March 4 at 7:30 p.m. That concert was part of Motown Records' 50th anniversary celebration. It was also the legendary Wonder's first gig in Europe in more than 10 years. Film highlights include "Superstition," "Signed, Sealed, Delivered," "Higher Ground," "My Cherie Amour" and many other career benchmarks. Backing Wonder is a 14-piece band, which includes his daughter, Aisha Wonder, on background vocals. Movie tickets are $8.75 for adults, $7.75 for students. To purchase, go to www.studiomoviegrill.com.

Photo: Wonder at the recent Grammy Awards (Mark J. Terrill).