The Red Hot Chili Peppers will tour North America starting in May. The two-month outing will be preceded by a March tour of Europe.
Snoop Dogg and the Mars Volta will open. Some reports say Queens of the Stone Age will open a few shows.
Tour dates (according to livedaily.com):
May 2003
1 – St. Paul, MN – Xcel Energy Center
2 – Madison, WI – Alliant Energy Center
7 – St. Louis, MO – TBA
9 – Moline, IL – Mark Of The Quad Cities
10 – Grand Rapids, MI – TBA
12 – Ottawa, Ontario – TBA
13 – Toronto, Ontario – Air Canada Centre
15 – Montreal, Quebec – TBA
17 – Albany, NY – TBA
19 – East Rutherford, NJ – TBA
June 2003
2 – West Palm Beach, FL – Coral Sky Amphitheatre
3 – Orlando, FL – TD Waterhouse Centre
5 – Raleigh, NC – TBA
6 – Charlotte, NC – Verizon Wireless Amp. Charlotte
8 – Atlanta, GA – TBA
10 – Shreveport, LA – TBA
11 – New Orleans, LA – TBA
12 – Bossier City, LA – CenturyTel Center
13 – Selma, TX – Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
14 – Houston, TX – C.W. Mitchell Pavilion
18 – Oklahoma City, OK – The Ford Center
20 – Denver, CO – TBA
21 – Salt Lake City, UT ? TBA
The 2003 Juno Awards will be a battle of the old versus the new. Avril Lavigne, the 18-year-old pop singer from Napanea, Ontario, is up for 6 awards. Shania Twain, the country star from Timmins, Ontario, is up for 5.
Lavigne, who will also perform at the awards show, leads all artists with nominations in these categories: Single of the Year, Album of the Year, New Artist of the Year,
Songwriter of the Year, Pop Album of the Year, and the Fan’s Choice Award.
Twain is nominated for: Album of the Year, Artist of the Year, Songwriter of the Year, Country Recording of the Year and the Fan’s Choice Award.
Celine Dion, Our Lady Peace and Remy Shand received 4 nominations each.
Singer /songwriter Tom Cochrane and Nettwerk Music Group CEO Terry McBride will be inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, the night before the Junos are handed out.
Our Lady Peace, Sam Roberts, Remy Shand and Swollen Members have also been announced as performers. As previously announced, Shania Twain will host the show as well as perform.
Tickets for the show go on sale Saturday through Ticketmaster. The price ranges from $49.50 to $69.50.
The complete list of nominations is available at juno-awards.ca.
The Junos will be handed out on April 6 from Ottawa.
O.A.R. (“Of A Revolution”), who independently sold 290,000 albums in the United States, have signed a multi-album recording deal with Lava Records.
After releasing 4 albums on their own Everfine Records label, the band is currently recording their major label debut, “In Between Now And Then,” with the help of producer John Alagia (Dave Matthews, John Mayer).
?You cannot doubt the importance of a band like O.A.R.,” said Jason Flom, President of Lava Records, in a press release. “Their forward thinking approach to marketing and technology is exactly what the industry needs right now to shake things up and we are excited to be a part of their team.
The upcoming album, which will also feature a limited edition DVD, is scheduled for release on May 27.
Lava has such artists as Kid Rock, Simple Plan, and Unwritten Law on their artist roster.
As previously announced but confirmed today, the Lollapalooza tour will return this summer.
Artists announced so far include Jane’s Addiction, Audioslave, Incubus, Queens of the Stone Age and Jurassic 5.
Jane’s Addiction frontman Perry Farrell founded the tour in 1991, but it hasn’t been around since 1997.
Dates and other acts will be confirmed in the coming weeks. Organizers did announce that the tour will stop in these 28 cities:
Atlanta, GA
Boston, MA
Chicago, IL
Cincinnati, OH
Cleveland, OH
Columbus, OH
Dallas, TX
Denver, CO
Detroit, MI
Hartford, CT
Holmdel, NJ
Houston, TX
Indianapolis, IN
Kansas City, MO
Los Angeles, CA
Miami, FL
Milwaukee, WI
New York, NY
Pittsburgh, PA
Philadelphia, PA
Phoenix, AZ
Raleigh, NC
St. Louis, MO
San Diego, CA
San Francisco, CA
Toronto, ON
Virginia Beach, VA
Washington, DC
Two more acts, and possibly the last two, have been announced as Grammy performers. No Doubt and James Taylor have been added to the list, which already features 11 other performers.
Also announced today were a few presenters: Beyonce Knowles, Michelle Branch, Mary J. Blige and Martina McBride.
The Grammy Awards will be handed out on February 23 from New York City.
After watching a 2 hour documentary that could destroy his career, filing a complaint may not have been good enough for Michael Jackson.
Matt Drudge, an online journalist who writes the Drudge Report, reports that Jackson is so upset at ABC and Granada UK, that he may appear on CBS’ 60 Minutes on Sunday.
He wants to “refute the image portrayed in the television doc aired this week,” reports Drudge.
60 Minutes Executive Producer Don Hewitt is “on the verge of saying ‘yes’.”
Update:Michael Jackson will not be speaking to 60 Minutes.
As the summer concert lineup shapes up, don’t expect to see Eminem coming to your town, unless you live in his native city of Detroit.
The best-selling rapper plans on performing at just one concert this year- a hometown gig at Ford Field on July 12, the Detroit Free Press reports.
“His entire North American tour takes place at Ford Field,” Rick Franks of Clear Channel Entertainment told the paper. “We look at it as the highlight of the summer.”
Franks said that Eminem played a big part in organizing the show, which will also feature 50 Cent and Missy Elliott.
This is the only concert on Eminem’s itinerary, but more dates are not out of the question.
The tickets, which go on sale next Saturday, will cost $59.50 (U.S.) each, but will quite possibly be snapped up at record paces. The stadium holds about 45,000 for concerts.
Incubus, Audioslave, Queens of the Stone Age, Jurassic 5 and Jane’s Addiction will all be a part of the Lollapalooza tour this summer.
Dates, venues, and other acts will be announced on Monday at a press conference in Hollywood, MTV reports.
Jane’s Addiction frontman Perry Farrell founded the tour in 1991, but it hasn’t been around since 1997.
Rising pop singer Shawn Desman has teamed up with Reebok Canada to launch the Classic Amaze collection.
“I’m very excited to be working with Reebok,” Desman said in a press release. “The Classic Amaze is off the hook!”
He follows in the footsteps, pardon the pun, of fellow Canadian singers Jully Black and Choclair, now a judge on Popstars. Jay-Z, Jadakiss, and Missy Elliott have also been involved with Reebok campaigns.
You may have seen Jalen Rose of the Chicago Bulls sporting a pair of the Amaze. The retro-like shoes come in six colors, with velcro strap styling and a high
top silhouette.
Desman will familiarate himself with the world of basketball when he sings the national anthems during NBA All Star Weekend, coming up this weekend.
Gord Downie, lead singer of The Tragically Hip, will release his second solo album, “Battle of the Nudes,” on June 3.
The album will be released simultaneously, on MapleMusic Recordings in Canada, and on Zo?/Rounder Records in the U.S.
He released his first solo album, “Coke Machine Glow,” in 2001.
The Bad Boy family has a new home. Sean Combs (P. Diddy) has signed a three-year deal with Universal Records to press, distribute and promote music from Bad Boy Entertainment, his record label, according to reports.
The deal allows Combs to retain ownership of his company, its artist roster and catalogue.
Combs said the deal was more about structure than money.
“I’m blessed to make the money,” Combs said, reports the Associated Press. “But what I’m trying to do is make history, make some hit records.”
Bad Boy/Universal have several upcoming releases, including new albums by New Edition, Dream, and Loon.
Combs ended a similar deal with Arista Records about eight months ago.
One of the biggest summer tours this year could be one with a rock and roll based lineup. Metallica, Linkin Park, and Limp Bizkit will all play headline length sets this summer.
Joining them on the “Summer Sanitarium Tour 2003″ will be Deftones and Mudvayne.
Specific dates and venues have yet to be announced, but a list of cities was released today.
Here they are, in no particular order, other than the order sent to andPOP:
Minneapolis
St. Louis
Orlando
Philadelphia
New York
Boston
Columbus
Montreal
Dallas
Houston
Seattle
Denver
San Francisco
Los Angeles
Detroit
Toronto
Washington /Baltimore
Chicago
You’ve been watching American Idol and thinking to yourself, “Hey, I’m better than that guy.” The only problem is you live in Canada and have not been eligible to audition. Well, problem solved.
The search for the first “Canadian Idol” will begin in the spring. Judges, who have not been announced yet, will travel to seven Canadian cities in April and May to audition those who think they are worthy.
Anyone Canadian between the ages of 16 and 26 can enter.
CTV will broadcast the 24-part series starting in June, and according to a press release, the formula will be the same as American Idol. There will be a weekly hour-long show with performances, which will be followed the next night by a “results show.”
Thousands will be cut down to 100. 100 will transform into 30. Then viewers will help decide the final 10, which will then be narrowed down to two. Those two will square off, and the winner will get a guaranteed recording contract.
You can get all the information, including rules, at idol.ctv.ca.
Cities and Dates:
Vancouver Thurs., April 24
Calgary Tues., April 29
Winnipeg Sat., May 3
Montreal Wed., May 7
Halifax Tues., May 13
St. John’s Wed., May 21
Toronto Mon., May 26
The list of Grammy performers has grown to eleven, with the additions today of Ashanti, the Dixie Chicks, Vanessa Carlton, Avril Lavigne, John Mayer, and members of the New York Philharmonic.
They join previously announced performers Coldplay, Faith Hill, Norah Jones, Nelly featuring Kelly Rowland, and Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band.
Awards will be handed out February 23 from New York.
Record producer Phil Spector was arrested Monday for allegedly shooting a woman to death at his suburban mansion, the Associated Press reports.
Spector, 62, was booked for investigation of murder in Alhambra, California. Bail was set at $1 million.
It is unknown who the woman is or what her relationship to Spector was. A murder weapon was found, but no details have been released. The victim was found in Spector’s foyer. Someone in the home called police after hearing shots.
He produced music for Elvis Presley, Ike and Tina Turner, and the Beatles. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989.
Spector will be represented by Robert Shapiro, who represented O.J. Simpson.
Ashanti may have some more hardware to add to her collection. The 8-time Billboard Award winner received 3 nominations for the Soul Train Awards, as announced today in Pasadena, California. Ashanti and Amerie lead all nominees with 3 nominations each.
They’ll go head to head in the Best Female R&B/Soul Album and Best R&B/Soul Single categories. Ashanti is also nominated for Best R&B/Soul or Rap Album, while Amerie is up for Best New Artist.
Floetry, Justin Timberlake, Musiq, B2K, and Nelly each received 2 nominations.
Boyz II Men’s “Full Circle” was a bust on the shelves, but it is up for Best R&B/Soul Album, Group Band or Duo, against B2K, Floetry, and R. Kelly and Jay Z.
Nelly will be honored with the 2003 Sammy Davis, Jr. Award for “Entertainer of the Year.” LL Cool J and Dionne Warwick will be given the 2003 Quincy Jones Award for Outstanding Career Achievements in the Field of Entertainment.
Queen Latifah and Arsenio Hall will host the show on March 1.
When Jamie Catto and Duncan Bridgeman set out for six months on a worldwide journey, it was thought and an audiovisual representation that lead to the finished conceptual product of “1 Giant Leap.”
They explore many different topics on cultures, and they brought everything together on the “1 Giant Leap” DVD. Traveling to 25 countries in 5 different continents three years ago with just a laptop and digital camera, they met with musicians, authors, religious types, and ordinary people. They explore many hammering issues including God, Money, and Happiness.
It is the most extraordinary musical project of its time. It’s more than just watching live music; it’s an experience. Words cannot justify the brilliance of the masterpiece. Watching the DVD from start to finish justifies its two Grammy nominations for Best Long Form and Best Short Form Music Video (“My Culture”).
Michael Stripe from REM is at his best on “The Way You Dream,” stepping away from his rock image, showing the lighter but powerful side of him. It’s nothing like REM, but he still sounds and looks comfortable in this unfamiliar setting. UK superstar Robbie Williams also uncharacteristically leaves his ego behind and lets his true emotions take over his voice in “My Culture.”
Catto is the founding member of Faithless and art director of the band’s label, while Bridgeman was a member of the soul band I Level and has produced for Duran Duran, Eurythmics, Paul McCartney and Take That.
Also Featured on the DVD are: Dennis Hopper, Kurt Vonnegut, Tom Robbins, Brian Eno, Baaba Maal, Anita Roddick, amongst others.
5*/5*
A bootleg remix of Justin Timberlake’s “Cry Me A River,” with a rap from 50 Cent, is making its way around the internet.
According to Launch, someone at Timberlake’s label says the track has become so popular that they may both head into the studio to record an official version of the song.
The song is currently available via file swapping programs. But if you want to be legit about it, just hope it gets released on CD soon. If you?re willing to risk your freedom (reports have it that you can get arrested for downloading MP3s), then search at your own risk.
Before she was named the first “American Idol,” Kelly Clarkson had a small part in a gay movie, according to Launch.
Clarkson played “Crystal” in “Issues 101.” Crystal is asked by a fellow undergrad to have sex and then is seen leaving with the guy.
Director John Lincoln III told Launch, “It was a fluke that Kelly did the film. We were looking for actresses who didn’t mind being in a gay-themed film, and Kelly’s generous spirit fit perfectly in our 90-minute project.”
Contrary to your imagination, this is not a porn.
Another Canadian act will open for Avril Lavigne. Simple Plan, the rising punk pop act, has joined her “Try to Shut Me Up” tour.
Fellow Canadians Gob will also open up for her, while Swollen Members will play the Canadian dates.
The tour begins April 9 in Toronto and wraps May 17 in Philadelphia.
