Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers' tickets that were to go on sale March 14 for the Vic Theater in Chicago have been postponed. A limited number of tickets that went on sale the morning of March 13, as part of a special Internet pre-sale, almost immediately appeared on the E-bay website for re-sale in what was termed as excessive amounts.
As a result, the management of Tom Petty, along with Jam Productions and Ticketmaster, have decided to postpone the original public on-sale date. A new on-sale date is being planned, and complete details will be announced March 18.
Included in that announcement will be a special voucher system to ensure that only those people who purchase the tickets will be allowed into the theatre. Tickets already purchased via the internet pre-sale will be honored.
"We need to make every effort so that the real fans will have access to tickets at the intended price," says the band’s manager Tony Dimitriades. Adds Jerry Mickelson from Jam, "This is a landmark event at a historic venue, and access should not be restricted only to those with the deepest pockets."
Continuing their tradition of playing multiple nights at historic venues, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers will perform three special shows (April 14, 16-17) at The Vic Theatre in Chicago. The band, which once played 20 shows at The Fillmore in San Francisco, will perform at the intimate 1,400-capacity venue while they’re in town to film the PBS show "Soundstage."
Ozzy Osbourne Gets New Bassist – Ozzy And Metallica Essentially Traded Bass Players
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Former Metallica bassist Jason Newsted has joined Ozzy Osbourne's band. Newsted will hit the stage with Ozzy this summer on the Ozzfest tour.
In a weird twist, Ozzy and Metallica have essentially traded bass players because the musician Newsted replaces left Ozzy's band to fill an empty spot in Metallica. Robert Trujillo played his last show with Ozzy on Friday.
At Friday's farewell bash for Trujillo at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas, Sharon Osbourne had to be rushed to the hospital. Her spokeswoman tells The New York Post that Sharon was overcome by heat exhaustion and felt faint while watching Ozzy's show.
Sharon was in the hospital for about 20 minutes before she was released. "It was nothing serious," the spokeswoman says.
While Osbourne's band is adding people, the Ozzfest has lost an act.
TRUSTcompany was slated to play the main stage, but instead it will return to the studio to record its second album. No replacement has yet been announced.
The rest of the main stage lineup now features Korn, Marilyn Manson, Disturbed and Chevelle.
Meanwhile, Osbourne has confirmed an eight-date Canadian tour before Ozzfest, beginning June 1 in Vancouver and wrapping up June 16 in Quebec City, Quebec.
White Stripes Cancel March Shows Due to Drummer's Broken Wrist
White Stripes drummer Meg White has reportedly broken her wrist after slipping on ice in New York knocking out the entire March itinerary. The duo had planned some promotional appearances in the United States for their new album, Elephant. European and American April dates are still on the itinerary.
White Stripes itinerary:
APRIL 7 Wolverhampton, UK Civic
April 8 Manchester, UK Apollo
April 10 Glasgow, UK Glasgow Academy
April 11-12 London, UK Brixton Academy
April 15 Detroit, MI The Scottish Rite Theatre (inside the Masonic Temple building)
April 16 Detroit, MI Masonic Temple (Main Theater)
April 19 New York, NY Hammerstein Ballroom
April 20 Boston, MA Orpheum
April 27 Indio, CA Coachella Music and Arts Festival
April 28-29 San Francisco, CA – Warfield
April 30 San Diego, CA Soma
Bands to Sing at Dale Earnhardt Tribute
MOORESVILLE, N.C. (AP) — Hootie & The Blowfish and The Goo Goo Dolls joined the lineup for the inaugural Dale Earnhardt Tribute Concert, a charity event being put on by Earnhardt's widow, Teresa.
Sheryl Crow, Kenny Chesney, Brooks and Dunn, and Alabama have also signed up for the June 28 concert at Daytona International Speedway. This will be the first nonracing event at the track.
Earnhardt appeared in a Brooks and Dunn video before his death. His son, Dale Earnhardt Jr., has starred in one of Crow's videos, and she and Hootie frontman Darius Rucker have made frequent appearances at NASCAR races.
Proceeds will benefit the Dale Earnhardt Legacy Program, which will donate money to children's, wildlife and educational programs.
ZZ Top's Beer Drinkers and Hell Raisers Tour
ZZ Top will tour with Ted Nugent and Kenny Wayne Shepard with Double Trouble under the banner "Beer Drinkers and Hell Raisers" kicking off April 25 at the Century Tel Center in Bossier, LA. The 32-date tour winds down June 14 at the American Airlines Arena in Dallas. The tour will be co-produced by Clear Channel Entertainment and Beaver Productions, Top's longtime promoter.
ZZ Top itinerary:
April 25 Boosier City, LA Century Tel Center
April 26 Birmingham, AL Oak Mountain
April 29 San Antonio, TX Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
April 30 Laredo, TX Event Center
May 2 Jackson, MS Coliseum
May 3 Oklahoma City, OK Ford Center
May 7 W. Palm Bch, FL Coral Sky Amphitheatre
May 9 Raleigh, NC Alltel Pavilion
May 10 Charlotte, NC Charlotte Verizon Amphitheatre
May 11 Virginia Bch, VA Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
May 13 Washington, DC Nissan Pavilion
May 14 Columbus, OH Germain Amphitheatre
May 16 Pittsburgh, PA Post-Gazette Pavilion
May 17 Indianapolis, IN Verizon Wireless Music Theatre
May 18 Cleveland, OH Germain Amphiteatre
May 20 Boston, MA Tweeter Center
May 21 Philadelphia, PA Tweeter Center
May 23 Detroit, MI DTE Energy Music Center
May 24 Chicago, IL Tweeter Center
May 25 Milwaukee, WI Alpine Valley
May 28 Cincinnati, OH Riverbend Music Center
May 30 Nashville, TN AmSouth Amphitheatre
May 31 St. Louis, MO UMB Bank Pavilion
June 1 Kansas City, KS Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
June 3 Albuquerque, NM Journal Pavilion
June 4 Phoenix, AZ Cricket Pavilion
June 6 Sacramento, CA Sleep Train Amphitheatre
June 7 San Bernardino, CA Glen Helen Pavilion
June 8 San Francisco, CA Shoreline Amphitheatre
June 12 Tulsa, OK Convention Center
June 13 Austin, TX Frank Erwin Center
June 14 Dallas, TX American Airlines Arena
Ringo Starr to Hit Road for Eighth All Starr Tour
The eighth Ringo Starr and His All Starr tour kicks off at the Casino Rama in Toronto on June 24-25 and winds down at the Greek Theater in Los Angeles on September 6 with 15 concerts already booked. Starr will rehearse for two weeks at the Orillia, Ont. venue.
The 2003 tour will feature new and returning All Starr band members: Mark Rivera on sax, guitar, percussion and vocals (formerly with Peter Gabriel and Foreigner); guitarist Colin Hay (Men At Work); bassist John Waite (Bad English, The Babys); keyboardist Paul Carrack (Mike &The Mechanics, Ace); and Sheila E. on drums and percussionist.
Ringo Starr and His AllStarr itinerary:
July 24-25 Toronto, ONT Casino Rama
July 27 Boston, MA Fleet Boston Pavilion
July 29 New York, NY Radio City Music Hall
July 31 Uncasville, CT Mohegan Sun Casino
August 3 Holmdel, NJ PNC Bank Arts Center
August 4-5 Westbury, NY Westbury Music Fair
August 8 Grand Rapids, MI Van Andel Arena
August 12 Chicago, IL Rosemont Theatre
August 29 Lake Tahoe, NV Harrah's
August 30 Las Vegas, NV Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
September 2 Jacksonville, OR Britt Festival
September 4 Saratoga, CA Montalvo Center for the Arts
September 6 Los Angeles, CA Greek Theater
Lisa Marie Presley Makes Singing Debut
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Elvis Presley's daughter quietly made her first singing appearance at an industry trade show Tuesday.
Lisa Marie Presley's debut, in promotion of her first album's impending release, was before 1,000 enthusiastic record label executives and music sellers at the National Association of Recording Merchandisers' annual convention.
But it was difficult for the audience to hear Presley's voice above her backing band.
"She's a little shy, but she's new. Give her six months, and she's going to get much more comfortable," said Alan Josef Kaplan, with the music production company Music Universe.
Kaplan added that Presley has "star presence," and "you can see (mother) Priscilla and Elvis both in her."
Although her quiet voice may have been a technical problem, convention attendees surmised that Presley's label, Capitol, is hiding her behind the music as she starts her career. It was also difficult to hear her voice in the video for the single "Lights Out," which was shown at the convention.
Presley was visibly nervous during her first song, saying, "This is our first real applause ever."
By the second song, she was relaxed, smiling and joking around with band members. During her third song, she showed some attitude and stage presence.
Presley, dressed semi-casually in black slacks, black shirt and orange T-shirt, was kept away from attendees and the media. She was ushered out immediately after her three-song set.
Although comparisons to her father will likely be made, Presley's voice is completely unique, a hint of country mixed in with rock. Some attendees couldn't figure out Presley's genre of music, but agreed that it could fit into both rock and pop categories.
Even Capitol president Andy Slater said when he first heard about Presley singing, he was skeptical.
"Is it another celebrity trying to be a rock star?" he said at the time.
However, Slater said she is "tough and passionate about her music" and "radiates that thing that says, 'she's a star.'"
Said Jim Donio, executive vice president of NARM: "She is a celebrity, but now they see that she is a singer and a songwriter. She was very well received."
Presley's album, "To Whom It May Concern," will be released April 8.
House of Blues, Volkswagen Produce Concert Series
For the third time, House of Blues and Volkswagen of America are teaming up for a concert series. The eight-city "Radiovw.com presents Keb' Mo'" tour begins April 4 in Orlando.
"Both Volkswagen and House of Blues recognized the value in facilitating a strong connection between music and consumers and have found the concept of the "VW Tours House of Blues" a viable and valuable partnership," said Tesa Aragones, Director of eBusiness for Volkswagen.
Previous tours featured Kinky and Supreme Beings of Leisure.
VW car owners who visit House of Blues can take advantage of the Perks
Program – a special program that offers discounts to people who have the VW
Club card.
Radiovw.com presents Keb' Mo' itinerary:
April 4 House of Blues Orlando, FL
April 8 House of Blues Myrtle Beach, SC
April 16 House of Blues Sunset Strip, CA
April 18 House of Blues Las Vegas, NV
April 19 House of Blues Anaheim, CA
April 21 House of Blues Cambridge, MA
April 22 House of Blues Chicago, IL
April 28 House of Blues New Orleans, LA
Mavericks Reunite After Three Years For Album and Tour
The Mavericks–Raul Malo, Robert Reynolds, and Paul Deakin–have reunited after a three-year layoff. They will perform on May 2 at Nashville River Stages, one of only a few public performances before launching a world tour in the fall. The tour will be in support of The Mavericks' next studio album (their first in six years) which the band plans to record in the coming months. The album is scheduled for a September release on their new label Sanctuary Records.
Malo, Reynolds, and Deakin unofficially went their separate ways in the late 1990's-each pursuing "non-Mavericks" musical interests. Malo recorded a solo album (Today, released in 2001 on Higher Octave Records) and toured as a solo artist as well as with RCA supergroup, Los Super Seven. He also continued producing albums, first for K.T. Oslin and most recently, Tejano country artist Rick Trevino.
Deakin toured with David Mead, and with Reynolds and Jerry Dale McFadden formed the band Swag, releasing an album, Catch All. While all found success in their individual creative outlets, after several years each found himself feeling a bit of a "Mavericks void" that was too compelling to ignore. Malo realized that several of the new songs he had written had that distinct, undeniable Mavericks flavor which led to him reaching out to Reynolds and Deakin with the notion of reforming the band. Reynolds and Deakin responded favorably and The Mavericks were reborn.
Stuart, Flatts Announce Performance Dates
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Country singer Marty Stuart and duo Rascal Flatts have announced upcoming shows.
Stuart will be the headline performer at the grand opening black tie gala for the University of Mississippi's new Center for the Performing Arts in Oxford.
Also appearing at the March 28 event will be other native Mississippi natives, including Morgan Freeman, Gary Collins, Mary Ann Mobley and Delta Burke.
Stuart is also laying down tracks for his upcoming album. His spokeswoman says he spent Monday in the studio with Earl Scruggs and Uncle Josh Graves, recording their parts for the song "Tip Your Hat."
Meanwhile, Rascal Flatts is the first feature act to be announced for this year's Kansas State Fair, and they'll be headlining. The trio will be the main event at the grandstand show on Sept. 13. Phil Vassar will open.
The fair's general manager says Rascal Flatts was the band everybody was coming to see, so the fair's producers ponied up almost 10 percent of their entire entertainment budget to land them.
The fair's general manager says the entertainment budget is "up to $400,000 for 2003, and it cost the fair $35,000 to sign Rascal Flatts and $20,000 to sign Vassar."
This year's fair runs Sept. 5-14.
Minnelli Enters Pa. 'Self-Help' Program
WERNERSVILLE, Pa. (AP) — Liza Minnelli has entered a "self-help" program at a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center in rural central Pennsylvania, her publicist said.
Minnelli's visit to the Caron Foundation, set in a former resort hotel in bucolic Wernersville, is routine, Warren Cowan & Associates said in a written statement.
"Liza Minnelli is currently doing her annual self-help program at the Caron Foundation which she does eight weeks out of the year as part of her recovery," the firm said. "She is fine and she will continue her concert tour and all of her commitments as promised. She is in great condition."
Minnelli has spoken openly about being addicted to alcohol and painkillers and about her past stints in rehabilitation programs.
The 57-year-old singer and actress last week canceled a party that she and husband David Gest had planned for April 15 to celebrate their anniversary. The couple said the timing of the bash was inappropriate because of the war with Iraq. Around 1,200 people had been expected to attend.
Power Outage Sidelines Cher Concert
You just can't fight mother nature. Colorado's severe winter storm, forced the cancellation of Cher's March 17 concert at Denver's Pepsi Center where there was a power failure. Electricity was out for a half-hour. Although the Pepsi Center had a backup power source, Cher's big productions needed more juice than the backup could provide.
Clear Channel Entertainment plans to reschedule the show.
