Music Roundup

Van Halen Postpones 30 Tour Dates

Debline — Sat, 19 May 2012 21:38:45 +0000

It was one of the most highly anticipated concert tours of the summer season, but Van Halen announced this week that it was postponing a number of summer dates. No reason was given.
The abrupt postponement came as a surprise and disappointment to fans, who openly hoped on message boards that band members were well. Some speculated that the band might be postponing parts of the tour because guitarist Eddie Van Halen is sick again.
“I just hope it’s not Eddie having to battle against cancer again,” said one fan on a Van Halen fan message board.
Thirteen of the band’s shows, including a stop Saturday in St. Paul, Minn., will go on as scheduled, but all dates after the June 26 New Orleans show will be postponed. In all, 30 dates will be postponed. No information was given about when these appearances will be rescheduled.
The band is touring behind its new release, “A Different Kind of Truth”, which is the first album the band has released since lead singer David Lee Roth re-joined the band. The last full album the band recorded together was “1984”, which was released on Jan. 31, 1983.
Van Halen has a turbulent history with lead singers as well as personal issues. Roth left the band in 1985 and was replaced by Sammy Hagar, who left the band in 1996. He was replaced by former Extreme vocalist Gary Cherone in 1998; the album recorded with Cherone at the vocal helm was the worst-selling in the band’s history.
Lead guitarist Eddie Van Halen has more than once undergone treatment for cancer and alcoholism as well as other health problems. In 2007, the band was inducted in to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame; later that year, the band announced a tour with Roth at the helm. During that tour, the band replaced original band member guitarist Michael Anthony with Van Halen’s son Wolfgang, who was 17 at the time. During the 2007-2008 tour, several dates were postponed, but all were rescheduled.

Staples Center Hosting the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards

Debline — Fri, 18 May 2012 21:01:39 +0000

The MTV Video Music Awards had its biggest year ever last year, so it stands to reason that it will now move to one of the largest venues in the country for this year’s award show.
The awards show announced this week that the Staples Center in Los Angeles will host this year’s VMAs; the Staples Center is considered to be the epicenter of the entertainment and sports universe and putting the VMAs there simply makes sense.
Last year, the VMAs scored the second biggest audience of any show in the network’s history. It boasted more than 12 million viewers. It was also the most tweeted-about award show ever. Many believe that was due in large part to two things – the reveal of Beyonce’s baby bump and Lady Gaga’s appearance as Joe Calderone, her apparent alter ego.
While the Staples Center is the largest venue to host the VMAs, the show has also been held at New York City’s Radio City Music Hall, American Airlines Arena in Miami, and the Palms Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. This year’s venue is the largest and most spectacular, but, after all, the MTV Video Music Awards are known for putting on a pretty spectacular show so it works.
The VMAs will be held Sept. 6 at 8 p.m. Presenters and musical acts will be announced later. If you need to get your MTV award show fix before then, you can tune into the 2012 MTV Movie Awards, which will air live June 3 from Gibson Amphitheatre; it will be hosted by British comedian and actor Russell Brand.

“X Factor” Bags Britney Spears and Demi Lovato as Judges

Debline — Tue, 15 May 2012 21:04:11 +0000

Fox’s “X Factor” is sure to delight young music fans this fall. After lots of speculation about who the new judges would be, two new judges were announced yesterday. They are Britney Spears and Demi Lovato.
It’s been rumored for weeks now that Spears was set to join the show, and some gossip included the tidbit that she had successfully nabbed a $15 million contract for the show. While she is now confirmed to be a judge on the show, the amount of her contract has not been revealed. It’s been rumored that Lovato will get the much lower sum of $1 million for her participation on the show.
“I’m so excited about this whole experience,” Spears said Monday during the Fox Upfronts presentation in New York City. “I’m ready to find the true star.”
“X Factor” is Simon Cowell’s show and he had some fun with the revelation that both Spears and Lovato had joined the show. “Well, we delivered,” Cowell said. “Rumors are one thing, but delivery is something else.”
The two are replacing judges Nicole Scherzinger and Paula Abdul; the show’s host also left at the end of the first season. That job has yet to be filled.
Returning judge L.A. Reid was excited about the addition of Spears and Lovato and the obvious return of Cowell. “I’m the luckiest guy in the planet, standing next to these three,” he said Monday. “This is the Rolls Royce of television right here.”

While NBC’s “The Voice” has pulled in record numbers in its second season, which just wrapped, Cowell predicts that when the two shows go head to head in the fall, “X Factor” will come out on top.
“This year, we’re going to seriously kick butt,” he told reporters. “We’re thrilled ‘The Voice’ has decided to compete with us and I wish them the most sincere luck. But second’s not great.”

Underwood Leads Nominees and Performers at This Year’s CMT Music Awards

Debline — Tue, 15 May 2012 01:35:05 +0000

The lucky artists who will perform at this year’s CMT awards run the gamut from the traditional to the new breed of crossover artists.
While hosts have not been announced, some of the performers were announced on Monday. The hosts and additional performers will be announced soon, according to Country Music Television.
The event will be held on June 6 in Nashville and will air live on CMT and CMT.com. Fans who want to attend can begin purchasing tickets on May 21 at 11 a.m.
Performers announced Monday include Lady Antebellum, Brad Paisley, Carrie Underwood, Kenny Chesney, and the Zac Brown Band.
Underwood leads all nominees with five nods, including one for her newest project, “Good Girl”. Underwood also has an interesting nod in the CMT performance of the year category. She is nominated with Steven Tyler for their live rendition of “Just a Dream/Dream On” from “CMT Crossroads: Steven Tyler and Carrie Underwood from the Pepsi Super Bowl Fan Jam”.
Underwood shares two of her nominations with Brad Paisley for “Remind Me”, which is in both the collaborative video of the year and video of the year categories.
Kenny Chesney is also competing in both of those categories for his collaboration with Grace Potter on “You and Tequila”. Lady Antebellum has three nominations, including video of the year and group video for “We Owned the Night”. They also received a nod in the CMT performance category for “Dancin’ Away with My Heart”.
Fans can vote from now until June 4 for their favorites at www.cmt.com or on their CMT apps which are available for the iPad, iPhone and Android devices.
Nominees for video of the year will be announced at the start of the live show and fans can vote throughout the show to determine the highlight winner of the night.

Right Singer Singing National Anthem at 500

Debline — Thu, 10 May 2012 18:26:09 +0000

A country’s national anthem is its calling card. It’s what citizens learn at an early age and sing along with as soon as they can. National anthems are exactly as the name implies – they are songs that serve as important anthems to bring the people together and they raise the collective patriotism of any given country.
America’s national anthem, however, has been somewhat butchered recently. Like most national anthems, it’s a song that not everyone can sing and which should be reserved for the most vocally gifted singers in the country. That’s not to say that we cannot sing along, only that whoever leads the song should be gifted enough to bring out our patriotic spirit and encourage us to sing along, not make us stop in our tracks and wonder why the song is being disrespected.
That’s why those of us who favor hearing the national anthem sung like a national anthem should be are glad to hear that country singer Martina McBride has been chosen to sing the national anthem at the May 27 running of the Indianapolis 500.
It’s fair to say that America was a bit up in arms when Steven Tyler put his – ahem — unique spin on the National Anthem at the Super Bowl this year. It brought up memories for many Americans of other horrible versions of the song, including those from Roseanne Barr and Christina Aguilera, the former simply not a singer and the latter forgetting most of the lyrics.
It’s true. We place a lot of importance on the anthem and how it’s sung. I think this is true in every country. America’s anthem, however, ends on a difficult note and really only the best singers can pull it off. Many of us hold our breath waiting to see how those final bars will sound and erupt in either tears or applause when it’s sung just right (think Whitney Houston at the 1991 Super Bowl).
So we say ‘thank you’ to those who decided to anoint McBride with the honor at the American classic Indianapolis 500. Doug Boles, the spokesperson for the Speedway, told the Indianapolis Star that officials wanted a singer who could sing the anthem in a traditional manner.

SNL Losing its Musical Touch

Debline — Tue, 08 May 2012 19:33:49 +0000

It used to be, back in the day, that Saturday Night Live featured real musical artists performing live. It was a forum for new and up-and-coming artists to get attention and publicity and a place for more established performers to have a good time on a Saturday night showing off a new song or having fun with old favorites.
These days? It’s often a mess.
Witness Rihanna on this past Saturday’s SNL. While she might have sung live, it’s hard to tell in this case, she spent the bulk of both of her performances shaking her hips and patting her .. ahem .. lady parts. True, I’m not a great Rihanna fan so it’s easy to find fault her, but this was a hot mess. I don’t mean hot as in, “she’s so hot”, but truly a big messy performance series.
Who can do it better? This year, there have been few good performances. Gotye brought some of the classic SNL feel his performance a couple of weeks ago, but few others have really brought what made SNL performances special.
Instead, look to the past.

Not only did Nirvana perform LIVE (for shame) in early 1992, they welcomed the new year with classic rebel style.

Nirvana on SNL

The Blues Brothers reminded us that music can be fun. While the Blues Brothers franchise has tried to remind us again and again that “new” versions are just as good as the original created by Jon Belushi, watching them perform on SNL in 1978 reminds us why this just isn’t the case.

Blues Brothers on SNL

Finally, for some time we all loved to hate Kanye West. But he made a comeback of sorts on SNL in October of 2010. This brilliant performance reminded us that not only is the bad boy talented, but that we might need to forgive him his transgressions. Brilliance is often eccentric.

Kanye West on SNL

Bieber’s “Boyfriend” Video Undergoes Changes

Debline — Fri, 04 May 2012 17:48:20 +0000

I know Justin Bieber has a fan base somewhere, but it’s certainly not among the kids I know. These kids range in age from 9 to 15 and, but for a few, there is no real love for the Biebs.
I’m always amazed, therefore, at the traction anything to do with Bieber has. He goes to dinner with Selena Gomez? Front page news. Gets mobbed while in a convertible in Miami? News, staged though the whole thing might be. It’s just always a mystery to me that he is as famous as he is, though I have always argued among the youngsters in my world that he’s talented. Boy can dance, sing and play instruments. I’m not sure, but I think he even writes some songs.
Recently, there was quite a buzz about the video for his new song, “Boyfriend”. The hints were that the video was edgy, sexy and very adult. A few video stills were released showing Bieber with a number of different girl’s hands on him. It was all very risqué for the 18-year-old who, while now a legal adult, is still considered quite young by adults and his pre-teen fan base.
But the video was released this week and it seems the original idea was scrapped, a new director was brought in, and the result is a teenage-friendly view of Bieber and a variety of dancers hanging on a city rooftop, driving cars and Bieber dancing with a Gomez lookalike.
Bieber hinted to MTV that he might have been punking everyone the whole time, saying that he and the new director, Director X, decided to “change things up”. The new director, for his part, said that the new video best expresses both the song and the singer himself.
“Cars, girls, just young people hanging out, having fun, that kind of thing. When I heard it, I thought that’s what it should be… From what they wanted to do with Justin and the song and who he is and his age now, I thought that was it,” the director told MTV. “They should expect the Justin they know, just a little more grown-up.”
And he is more grown up. The video shows a much more mature looking Bieber and the song, already a hit, reminds us that he’s here to stay. The good news, according to one young girl in my youngster group, is that his “voice finally lowered and he doesn’t sound like a girl anymore”. Thank goodness for small miracles.

Pepsi Rolling out Summer Concert Series on Twitter

Debline — Fri, 04 May 2012 00:53:14 +0000

If you’re not on Twitter yet, it’s time. With the summer concert season approaching, you might miss great live performances if you don’t have a Twitter account.
Concerts on Twitter? That’s right. If you follow Pepsi on Twitter this summer, you can enjoy steaming videos of Twitter concerts. Pepsi isn’t giving away too much information yet, and has chosen to keep identities of the various performers a secret. That’s until at least next week when the company is planning to unveil more details on the Twitter partnership.
It looks like Pepsi is determined to keep looking fresh and new as it continues its cola war with Coca-Cola Co. It’s estimated that Pepsi will spend more than $600 million this year staying current and first in the drinking hands of young adults everywhere.
Part of Pepsi’s new strategy is an ad campaign that will feature Nicki Minaj. That campaign is nearly ready to be rolled out.
Pepsi has received criticism from investors in recent years, who say that the company needs to reinvent itself through marketing; in 2010, it ranked third behind Coke and Diet Coke.
Using musicians to market soda beverages certainly isn’t new. Both Coke and Pepsi have used famous musical artists over the years to market new products, garner attention from younger consumers and increase sales. In the past, Pepsi has partnered with musicians like Michael Jackson, Ray Charles, Britney Spears, MC Hammer and Beyonce.

NBA Playoffs Have Their Own Soundtrack

Debline — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 16:18:22 +0000

It’s the NBA playoff season and Billboard magazine has the theme songs to make the play more interesting. Last week, in advance of the start of the playoffs, Billboard selected songs that fit each of the playoff teams. Most are right on; here is a sampling.
For the Oklahoma City Thunder, fun.’s “We are Young”: The Thunder got lucky with the drafting of Kevin Durant, James Harden and Russell Westbrook. These high energy (and young) stars have made the Thunder a real contender this year.
For the Miami Heat, Lady Gaga’s “Edge of Glory”: Miami came close to the big title last year, but the Big Three (Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and LeBron James) ended up not delivering in the end and the Heat lost in the finals to the Dallas Mavericks. Maybe this year, instead of being at the edge of glory, they will celebrate glory.
For the Los Angeles Lakers, Maino’s “Hi Hater”: In general NBA fans love to hate the Lakers, one of the winningest (and yet most unlikeable) teams in the NBA. While they might be unliked, they are successful and they simply “let a hater hate” and do their thing.
For the Boston Celtics, Kelly Clarkson’s “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)”: The Celtics have had their share of challenges this year, yet the team has come out strong and has learned that if it doesn’t kill them, it makes them stronger. While the Celtics might have been written off early in the season, they are now a serious contender. Stronger indeed.
For the Dallas Mavericks, T.I.’s “King Back”: While they came into this season as the defending NBA champs, the Mavericks haven’t had the best of seasons, but they are in the playoffs and are expected to put up a good fight. At least until they lose, they are still the kings of the bench.
For the New York Knicks, Jason Mraz’s “I Won’t Give Up”: The Knicks have had quite a year with the discovery of Jeremy Lin and the firing of one coach and hiring of another. They have been up and they have been down, but it seems they won’t give up. Will it take them to the finals?

Summer Tour Season Looking Like a Good One

Debline — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 22:29:24 +0000

The summer concert season is finally heating up with dates being announced for a number of big tours.
One of the biggest this year will be Madonna, for sure, as she is touring behind her marginally successful “MDNA”. The Beach Boys kicked off their summer tour this week to a properly attired (button down, palm-trees adorned shirt) and enthusiastic audience. While the band isn’t playing some of the larger venues, it’s likely that their shows will be a fan favorite.
Also likely popular this summer is the geriatric voices and bodies of Aerosmith. They have announced an ambitious tour that will take them around North America to some of the biggest venues. Coldplay, touring behind “Mylo Xyloto”, is sure to sell out a few venues, while the Red Hot Chili Peppers are counting on a resurgence of popularity as they tour Europe and North America this year.
Today, the troubled Demi Lovato announced she will go on tour with opening act Hot Chelle Rae. She will kick off her tour June 12 in California and wrap up Sept. 1 in Oregon.
Some of the other big acts this summer include:
• Kanye West and Jay-Z
• Radiohead
• Van Halen
• Jennifer Lopez and Enrique Iglesias
• Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band
• One Direction
While concert promoters say that selling tickets has been harder in these tougher economic times, One Direction sold out Madison Square Garden in a matter of minutes, leading the band to add more dates to its North American tour.