Several sources have reported that Buddy Miles died of congestive heart failure late Tuesday night at his home in Austin, Texas. He's best known for his work with Jimi Hendrix. That's Miles you hear on skins on "Band of Gypsys" album, as well as on "Rainy Day, Dream Away" and "Still Raining, Still Dreaming" from "Electric Ladyland" album. But his illustrious career also found him playing with other rock and soul heavyweights, the likes of Wilson Pickett, Stevie Wonder and David Bowie.

An official statement has been posted on his Web site.

Time for another sampling of songs that currently melt my butter.

“Clowns” Goldfrapp: This British synth-pop duo takes big risks on the new “Seventh Tree” album, adding more acoustic instruments to the arrangements and channeling a sunny psych-pop vibe that’s bound to alienate fans that would prefer them to keep cranking out new versions of “Ooh La La.”

“As You Wish” Aqueduct: Imagine if Slayer preferred cheery pop melodies. Oh, and they had a horn section. They might sound like this. Seattle’s Aqueduct is way funnier than Tenacious D.

“Twinkle” Erykah Badu: Ms. B’s brand spankin’ new album, “Amerykah: Part One (Fourth World War)” is the most overtly hip-hop album she’s made, as you can tell by the “Sucker MCs” style beat that drives this, my favorite track so far.

As Rolling Stone reports, Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne may have taken a page out of Perry Farrell's book this year. That is, like Farrell's Lollapalooza festival, which once toured the country but now just happens in Chicago, Ozzfest may drop anchor in Dallas and become a two-day metal fest.

In a move that got plenty of ink last year, the Osbournes made the festival free. (Hear Ozzy himself talk about that by clicking this link.) But fans still didn't quite fill up opening day at Auburn's White River Amphitheatre, and that can't be a good sign if they're going back to chargin' good old fashioned ducats.

So I figured it's time for a survey, since I haven't had one in a while. I've heard mixed reviews from local metal fans regarding the state of Ozzfest these past few years. Some still see it as the big metal event for the summer. Others scoff at how commercial it's gotten and think the bands are lame. But what do you think?

You know the routine. Click here to revisit the Useless Trivia Tuesday Leap Day Quiz and see if you know which songs were No. 1 on the last 10 Leap Days, sans spoilers.

And I've gotta admit, this week's quiz was pretty hard. Hell, I'd never guess Paul Mauriat if I didn't look it up. Anyway, answers are highlighted below.

The Leap Day Quiz

Feb. 29, 2004

A. “Hey Ya” Outkast
B. “Yeah” Usher feat. Lil Jon and Ludacris
C. “Redneck Woman” Gretchen Wilson
D. “My Boo” Usher and Alicia Keys

Feb. 29, 2000

A. “Break Stuff” Limp Bizkit
B. “Crawling” Linkin Park
C. “Amazed” Lonestar
D. “What’s Your Fantasy?” Ludacris

Feb. 29, 1996

A. “Hey Man, Nice Shot” Filter
B. “Black Hole Sun” Soundgarden
C. “One Sweet Day” Mariah Carey feat. Boyz II Men
D. “Genie in a Bottle” Christina Aguilera

Feb. 29, 1992

A. “Smells Like Teen Spirit” Nirvana
B. “Pass the Mic” Beastie Boys
C. “To Be With You” Mr. big
D. “Nuthin’ But a G Thang” Dr. Dre feat. Snoop Dogg

Feb. 29, 1988

A. “Father Figure” George Michael
B. “Rhythm Nation” Janet Jackson
C. "@#%@ the Police” NWA
D. “Straight Up” Paula Abdul

Feb. 29, 1984

A. “Purple Rain” Prince & the Revolution
B. “Girls, Girls, Girls" Motley Crue
C. “Rock the Casbah” The Clash
D. “Jump” Van Halen

Feb. 29, 1980

A. "Upside Down” Diana Ross
B. “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” Queen
C. “Coming Up” Paul McCartney & Wings
D. “Lady” Kenny Rogers

Feb. 29, 1976

A. “Rock ‘N Me” Steve Miller
B. “Disco Lady” Johnnie Taylor
C. “You Should Be Dancing” The Bee Gees
D. “Theme From SWAT” Rhythm Heritage

Feb. 29, 1972

A: “Without You” Nilsson”
B. “Miss You" Rolling Stones
C. “My Cherie Amour" Stevie Wonder
D. “I’ll Take You There” Staple Singers

Feb. 29 1968

A.“I Heard It Through the Grapevine” Marvin Gaye
B. “Hello, I Love You” The Doors
C. “Love is Blue” Paul Mauriat
D. “I Wanna Hold Your Hand” The Beatles

Many of you saw Iron Maiden play Ozzfest at White River Amphitheatre a few years back, just before things went sour with festival namesake Ozzy Osbourne. And now they're coming back for their own tour, which will drop in on the Auburn venue on June 2.

Maiden's latest tour is in support of the band's "Somewhere Back in Time" DVD, and will focus on its classic '80s period. And Live Nation just released ticket details. Prices are set at $25 to $75, and tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. on March 8. Check the Live Nation and Ticketmaster sites for further details.

Surprise, surprise. This week’s quiz is actually on time. And since Friday is a special occasion, Leap Day, I thought I’d relate this week’s challenge to that. Flo Rida’s “Low” seems poised to be the No. 1 single for Leap Day 2008. (We'll find out tomorrow.) But see if you know (or can at least guess based on the choices) what the No. 1 song was on the previous 10 leap days.

The Leap Day Quiz

Feb. 29, 2004

A. “Hey Ya” Outkast
B. “Yeah” Usher feat. Lil Jon and Ludacris
C. “Redneck Woman” Gretchen Wilson
D. “My Boo” Usher and Alicia Keys

Feb. 29, 2000

A. “Break Stuff” Limp Bizkit
B. “Crawling” Linkin Park
C. “Amazed” Lonestar
D. “What’s Your Fantasy?” Ludacris

Feb. 29, 1996

A. “Hey Man, Nice Shot” Filter
B. “Black Hole Sun” Soundgarden
C. “One Sweet Day” Mariah Carey feat. Boyz II Men
D. “Genie in a Bottle” Christina Aguilera

Feb. 29, 1992

A. “Smells Like Teen Spirit” Nirvana
B. “Pass the Mic” Beastie Boys
C. “To Be With You” Mr. big
D. “Nuthin’ But a G Thang” Dr. Dre feat. Snoop Dogg

Feb. 29, 1988

A. “Father Figure” George Michael
B. “Rhythm Nation” Janet Jackson
C. "@#%@ the Police” NWA
D. “Straight Up” Paula Abdul

Feb. 29, 1984

A. “Purple Rain” Prince & the Revolution
B. “Girls, Girls, Girls" Motley Crue
C. “Rock the Casbah” The Clash
D. “Jump” Van Halen

Feb. 29, 1980

A. "Upside Down” Diana Ross
B. “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” Queen
C. “Coming Up” Paul McCartney & Wings
D. “Lady” Kenny Rogers

Feb. 29, 1976

A. “Rock ‘N Me” Steve Miller
B. “Disco Lady” Johnnie Taylor
C. “You Should Be Dancing” The Bee Gees
D. “Theme From SWAT” Rhythm Heritage

Feb. 29, 1972

A: “Without You” Nilsson”
B. “Miss You" Rolling Stones
C. “My Cherie Amour" Stevie Wonder
D. “I’ll Take You There” Staple Singers

Feb. 29 1968

A.“I Heard It Through the Grapevine” Marvin Gaye
B. “Hello, I Love You” The Doors
C. “Love is Blue” Paul Mariat
D. “I Wanna Hold Your Hand” The Beatles

You know, a friend and I were just speculating on who would play the Gorge's Sasquatch festival this year. Well, Live Nation just released the lineup, and we were right with a couple of guesses: Death Cab for Cutie, R.E.M.

Other big names that will play the Grant County venue's yearly kickoff event on May 24 to 26 are the Cure, Modest Mouse, M.I.A., Built to Spill, the Presidents of the United States of America, the Hives and the Flaming Lips (also debuting their movie "Christmas on Mars.")

But wait! There's more. Try Michael Franti & Spearhead, Flight of the Conchords, the New Pornographers, the National, Tegan & Sara, Rodrigo y Gabriela, Ozomatli, Cold War Kids, the Breeders, Beirut, the Kooks, Matt Costa, Blue Scholars, Ghostland Observatory, Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks, Okkerville River, Dengue Fever, Jamie Lidell, Crudo (featuring Mike Patton & Dan the Automator), Mates of State, Destroyer, Rogue Wave, Battles, the Fleet Foxes, White Rabbits, the Cave Singers, Pela, Grand Archives, the Little Ones, Thao Nguyen & the Get Down Stay Down, Dead Confederate, 65DaysofStatic, the Heavenly States, Kinski, David Bazan, Dyme Def, Vince Mira with the Roy Kay Trio, Sera Cahoone, Joshua Morrison, the Blakes, Siberian, Throw Me the Statue, the Cops, Say Hi, the Shaky Hands, J. Tillman, "Awesome" and more to come.

Tickets go on sale at noon on March 8. Cost is $55 per day for the on sale weekend only, $65 per day beginning March 10 and $75 beginning May 19.

Find more info here.

Cripes, y’all! I am seriously worn out after bouncing back and forth between all the big musical happenings in T-town over the weekend. First, I got to hang out with the Ebony Hillbillies and discover some cool bluegrass acts I hadn’t checked out before – folks like Colorado’s Spring Creek and Seattle’s Loose Digits – over at Wintergrass.

Then for reasons unrelated, I didn’t get any shuteye until around 5 a.m. So I woke up pretty late, cranky and barely in time for Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars show at the Pantages Theater, which was actually just what I needed to lift my spirits. The nine-piece outfit’s joy was so palpable and infectious during a two-hour set that featured most of the rump shaking African reggae numbers from debut album, “Living Like a Refugee,” along with new material that bandleader Reuben Koroma said his band would soon record for a follow up disc.

“African music is a therapy,” Koroma said at one point, speaking with a rich Krio accent. “It makes you shake all your limbs – shake your trunk.”

And there was plenty of trunk shakin’ happenin', indeed. Clusters of dancers grew in the aisles as the show went on. And at Koroma’s beckoning nearly everyone -- young, old, hippie, yuppie -- got on their feet and wiggled it a bit for “Soda Soap,” a song many must have recognize from the documentary that bears the band’s name.

Of course, the most captivating footwork took place on stage with vocalist-percussionist Alhaji Jeffrey Kamara, aka Black Nature, being the biggest hit. He took center stage several times for a few bars of dancehall-style chant which he’d punctuate with an arsenal of sick moves. The guy would bounce, wobble and twitch around like a boneless puppet. He’d twirl with his eyes closed and a dreamy expression on his face, seemingly blessed by some sixth sense that barely him from crashing into band mates or his set of congo drums. Or he’d theatrically fall only to bounce right back up without missing a beat; think of those guys who fight with drunken monkey style in one of those old kung fu flicks. That guy was a gas.

SLRA put on the best show I’ve seen so far this year. And I seriously want to kick myself for not taking my camera, if only to show you all Koroma’s flamboyant getups. The first looked kind of like a shiny, pink space suit with a gaudy, metallic-looking baseball cap. Seriously, George Clinton might have told the guy to tone it down a notch. Then I spied Koroma dressed in street clothes and sneaking off tot he tour bus, which was parked on Broadway, during intermission. And when he came back on stage he was wearing an only slightly more subdued white ensemble with blue sequins and turban.

I was bummed that I didn't have enough time to squeeze in any more Wintergrass before I capped Sunday evening off by dropping in on Travis Tritt at the Emerald Queen Casino. The country superstar kicked off a rockin’ set with “Drive In Your Country,” his hips swiveling like a twangier version of Elvis. And it was soon clear he planned to give fans their money's worth when he took a moment to make fun of performers who play short sets and skimp on their biggest hits.

“You think to yourself as you’re drivin’ home, if I’d just stayed at the house and listened to the CD,” he said, drawing a few laughs. “Well, here’s the good news. That’s not gonna happen tonight, I promise.”

He wasn't lyin' about an epic set that last more than two hours and was chock full of such crowd pleasing hits as “I’m Gonna Be Somebody,” “The Whiskey Ain’t Workin’,” and “Here’s a Quarter (Call Someone Who Cares)”and the Eagles’ “Take It Easy.” The soulful singer performed a lot of the songs all by his lonesome during an extended solo acoustic set that included “Foolish Pride,” “Where Corn Don’t Grow,” “Where Corn Don’t Grow” and fiery instrumental “Pickin’ at It.”

I got to hang out with a few of those Ebony Hillbillies today at Wintergrass. So I thought I'd post a couple of clips.

I'd done a bit of research since last night's Black and Bluegrass performance. And I discovered that bassist Bill Salter had made quite a name for himself playing other genres of music. The guy's got two Grammys. And ever heard of a little song called "Where Is the Love?" You know, as in Roberta Flack? Maybe Bill Withers' hit "Just the Two of Us?" Well, Salter and a partner wrote those. And as I walked to sound check with him, he told me a little bit more about his background and how he hooked up with the Hillbillies last summer.

Click here to listen.

Then I caught up with group founder Rique Prince, who talked about what playing their first Wintergrass meant to his band.

Here's what he had to say.

Country superstar Alan Jackson is headed to the Tacoma Dome for a May 9 date, promoter Live Nation announced this morning. He'll be back in the South Sound for the first time since 2003 in support of his new album, "Good Time."

Tickets are set at $35 to $65 and will be available through Ticketmaster and Live Nation beginning noon on March 1.

Well, it appears Ben Gibbard's hometown of Bremerton will get first crack at seeing Death Cab for Cutie perform songs from the forthcoming album, "Narrow Stairs," which will hit stores in May.

The band announced an April 18 show at Bremerton's Admiral Theatre this week. Tickets are set at $35 and will be available through Ticketmaster beginning 10 a.m. Friday (Feb. 22).

The band also posted this track listing for the new disc:

Track listing for Death Cab for Cutie's "Narrow Stairs"

Bixby Canyon Bridge
I Will Possess Your Heart
No Sunlight
Cath
Talking Bird
You Can Do Better Than Me (But I Can't Do Better Than You)
Grapevine Fires
Your New Twin Size Bed
The Remainder
Pity and Fear
The Ice Is Getting Thinner

The band is going in a decidedly different direction with this one, guitarist/producer Chris Walla told me last month. And you can hear what he he had to say by clicking here.

Whether you’re into Piedmont pickin’ or a sucker for bones solos, chances are you’ll find something to melt your butter at this year’s Wintergrass festival, which kicks off today and will continue through Sunday at several downtown venues, including the newly renovated Hotel Murano (formerly the Sheraton Tacoma.)

Opening night’s big event is the Black and Bluegrass showcase which will bring Seattle’s Laura Love and her new band, Harpers Ferry, Ruthie Foster and the band with the coolest name in the festival, the Ebony Hillbillies, to the Murano pavilion tonight. In the clips below, Love – the driving force behind the event – discusses the inspirations for the event, which will draw parallels between bluegrass, Negro spirituals and other American roots styles, and her new band. The Patrice she mentions in the first one is Wintegrass director Patrice O’Neill.

Clip one: Being “a fly in the buttermilk” and the gist of Black and Bluegrass

Clip two: The lowdown on Love’s new band Harpers Ferry

Your task: To complete the lineups and name the bands. Your answers are below. As always, I've provided a link for you to jump back to the original quiz without encountering any spoilers.

Useless trivia answers

1. James Hetfield, Jason Newstead, Robert Trujillo and Lars Ulrich are Metallica.(Raise those devil horns!)

2. Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Bill Ward and Geezer Butler are Black Sabbath. (Keep ‘em up!)

3. Kevin Richardson, Brian Littrell, Howie Dorough, A.J. McClean and Nick Carter are the Backstreet Boys. (You can put ‘em down now.)

4. Adam Yauch, Michael Diamond and Adam “Ad Rock” Horovitz are the Beastie Boys. (Strike a b-boy stance.)

5. Michael Nesmith, Mickey Dolenz, Peter Tork and Davy Jones are the Monkees.

6. Robert “3D” Del Naja and Grant “Daddy G” Marshall are Massive Attack.

7. Ricky Bell, Ronnie DeVoe and Michael Bivins are Bell, Biv, Devoe. (Responsible for the most awesomely ridiculous lyric ever: “Smack it, flip it, rub it down. Oh noooooooooooooooooo!”)

8. Bill Berry, Mike Mills, Peter Buck and Michael Stipe are past and present members of R.E.M. (OK, I’ll quit insulting your intelligence now.)

9. Eric Judy, Jeremiah Green, Isaac Brock, Tom Peloso, Joe Plummer and ex-Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr are Modest Mouse.

10. Kim Thayil, Matt Cameron, Chris Cornell and Ben Shepherd used to be Soundgarden. (And during Matt’s next break from Pearl Jam, I propose a reunion show. Shall we start a petition?)

11. Dave Lombardo, Tom Araya, Kerry King and Jeff Hanneman are Slayer!!!! (Did I mention devil horns?)

12. Noodle, Russel, 2D and Murdoc are Gorillaz.

Here are a few things on my musical itinerary:

Wintergrass (today through Sunday, downtown Tacoma): I’ll be checkin’ out Laura Love’s new band, Harpers Ferry, tonight at the Black and Bluegrass showcase. The weekend also brings Michael Cleveland, the Punch Brothers, the Duhks, Vasen and many more. Find a complete schedule, list of venues and ticket information here.

Vicci Martinez/Flowmotion (Saturday, Showbox at the Market): How long before T-town’s own Vicci Martinez is headlining the Moore or the Paramount? This is an all-ages gig.

The Hives (Saturday, Showbox SoDo): The Hives bring the rowdy garage rock goodness and the Donnas and Holy Ghost Revival add support.

Sierra Leon’s Refugee All Stars (Sunday, Pantages Theater): The 10-piece All Stars band will deliver “Living Like a Refugee,” “Soda Soap” and other uplifting reggae tunes inspired by their experiences during Sierra Leone’s 1990s civil war.

Travis Tritt (Sunday, Emerald Queen Casino): The country superstar brings some “T-R-O-U-B-L-E” to the EQ.

You know, I think there's something wrong with our blogging software. It says I posted this around a quarter after nine Wednesday morning. Ch-yuh! What's up with that?

Anyway, today's quiz requires that you name the band and fill in the missing band member. Think you're up for the challenge?

The Who's in the Band? quiz

1. James Hetfield, Jason Newstead, Robert Trujillo and ____ are ______

2.Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Bill Ward and _____ are ____

3.Kevin Richardson, Brian Littrell, Howie Dorough, A.J. McClean and _____ are ______

4. Adam Yauch, Michael Diamond and ______ are ____

5. Michael Nesmith, Mickey Dolenz, Peter Tork and ____ are _____

6. Robert “3D” Del Naja and ____ are _______

7. Ricky Bell, Ronnie DeVoe and ____ are _______

8. Michael Stipe, Mike Mills, Peter Buck and ___ are retired and active members of _______

9. Eric Judy, Jeremiah Green, Isaac Brock, Tom Peloso, Joe Plummer and ____ are ______

10. Kim Thayil, Matt Cameron, Chris Cornell and ____ used to be ______

11. Dave Lombardo, Tom Araya, Kerry King and ____ are ______

12. Noodle, Russel, 2D and ____ are ______

So do you guys remember the concert security guard that sued Marilyn Manson after the shock rocker dry humped his dome a few years back? No? Well, I do. So I was just a little apprehensive about getting too close to the guy before his headlining set Monday night at Seattle's Paramount Theatre. Hey, I’ve got enough baggage to work out in therapy without adding the trauma of getting molested by a creepy rock star.

But I was worried about the wrong thing, as it turns out. One of Manson’s handlers showed up to brief the handful of photogs assembled to shoot. Mostly he laid out familiar ground rules. We got one song. No flash. Pick a side of the stage and don’t cross over. And then the stern warning that I'll try to paraphrase from memory:

"He doesn’t like it when people get too close to him. And he’s got an 18-inch knife and," he made a quick downward jabbing motion, "he’ll bring it down on your lens or your head. It’s just not his thing.”

I figured this routine served to enhance Manson’s crawly street cred as much as anything else. And for a fleeting moment I contemplated an early retirement plan. Hell, I’d get poked in the cranium and take a few stitches for a million bucks. Can't hurt that bad; probably been through worse playing rugby. But then Manson came out (after a recording of Bauhaus’ classic “Bela Lugozi’s Dead,” of course.) And that was a pretty ginormous knife attached to his mike. I decided to err on the side of caution and work for the next three decades instead. You know, Manson’s aim might be bad, and I like the idea of having two eyes for the rest of my life. The better to shoot photos like these, my pretties.

I'll have some scary photos from last night's show at the Paramount Theatre in a bit. Meanwhile, here's this ...

Marilyn Manson
Paramount Theatre
Feb. 18, 2008

Cruci-Fiction in Space
Disposable Teens
Irresponsible Hate Anthem
Great Big White World
mObscene
If I Was Your Vampire
Heart Shaped Glasses
The Love Song
Sweat Dreams (Eurythmics)
Rock ‘n’ Roll Nigger (Patti Smith)
Tourniquet
Little Horn
The Dope Show
Rock is Dead
Coma Black

Encore: Antichrist Superstar

Grammy winning rockers the Foo Fighters will headline KeyArena on July 11, promoter Live Nation announced today. Tickets are set at $25 to $45, and they will go on sale at 11 a.m. on Saturday (Feb. 23).

Dave Grohl's chart-topping outfit is still riding high after winning in the best rock album and best hard rock performance categories at the 2008 Grammys, for last year's "Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace" album and hit single "The Pretender" respectively.

Recently, I caught up with Atlanta blues man Sean Costello, the main attraction Saturday night at Jazzbones. You can get a more thorough rundown on who he is and read about what he had to say by reading the story I wrote about him for today's GO. But the point where I thought the conversation got really good was after I asked him to expand on a statement he'd made to an Oakland Tribune reporter about blues posers. ("Uh oh," he said. "Depends on what mood I was in ..."):

"People are rehashing the great stuff in a not so great way. It's not even blues, it's cheesy. It gives blues a bad name."

He starts by responding to that in the first interview clip below. In the second he talks about some of the flack he's gotten from people that don't think his take on the blues is authentic. Check 'em out:

Part One: The true spirit of the blues vs. blues-rock cliches

Part Two: Being criticized for his own eclectic take on the blues.

A little birdie (one with a text messaging plan) just told me that Sir Mix-A-Lot will be at the Bone Yard on April 25 with protégé Outtasite. And I'm guessing this may have something to do with the project that Mix mentioned last time I ran into him.

Remember all the speculation about when Eddie Vedder would embark on a solo tour? (See what I wrote about it early last fall by clicking here.) Well, the band's publicist just e-mailed me a bona fide itinerary. There's no Seattle date yet, as you can see below. But if I know my Pearl Jam, I'd guess there will be a surprise around April Fool's Day itself.

Still, I know how willing many of you Pearl Jam fans are to travel. So I'll let you should have your cash and/or credit cards ready at 10 a.m. on Feb. 22 when tix go on sale through Ticketmaster.

Eddie Vedder tour dates

April 2: Vancouver, British Columbia (The Centre, $66.50 Canadian)
April 5: Santa Cruz, California (Civic Auditorium, $65.50)
April 7: Berkeley, California (Zellerbach Theatre, $65.50)
April 10: Santa Barbara, California (Arlington Theatre, $68)
April 12: Los Angeles, California (Wiltern Theater, $68.50)
April 13: Los Angeles, California (Wiltern Theater, $68.50)
April 15: San Diego, California (Spreckels Theater, $67.75)

Universal just sent me the track listing for Portishead's first studio album in 11 years, "Third." Goes something like this:

Portishead "Third"

1. Silence
2. Hunter
3. Nylon Smile
4. The Rip
5. Plastic
6. We Carry On
7. Deep Water
8. Machine Gun
9. Small
10. Magic Doors
11.Threads

And in a related matter, I was just speculating with a buddy of mine who might wind up on the main stage at Sasquatch this year. There's usually some Coachella crossover. And call it wishful thinking, but could these guys be en route to the Gorge?

OK, don't wanna get any trip-hop fans' hopes up. I'll let you guys know once I have something concrete.

The Dalai Llama will "open" for Dave Matthews on April 11 at KeyArena. Sort of.

Matthews and long-time collaborator Tim Reynolds will headline an acoustic show billed as A Concert for Compassion, one of several events that will center around the Dalai Lama from April 11 to 15, Matthews announced on his fan site this week. And before the actual performance, Matthews, the Dalai Lama and others will engage in an on stage discussion about the role music plays in fostering compassion and building cultural, racial and religious bridges, Matthews announced on his Web site this week.

Tickets are set at $75 and will be available through Ticketmaster beginning 10 a.m. Saturday (Feb. 16). Proceeds will benefit the group Seeds of Compassion.

Talented triple threat Saul Williams will headline a benefit for Kenyan orphans called Why Africa Matters, which will also include local hip-hop crew 2012, dance troupe Reality Check and music and poetry from Peacetime Armory Friday night at Tacoma's Rialto Theater.

For those who don’t know the cult idol, Williams is the critically acclaimed poet, actor and hip-hop artist best known for his starring role in the movie “Slam,” several volumes of poetry (“She,” “The Dead Emcee Scrolls”) and three alt-hip-hop CDs. And when I caught up with him last month, my focus was on his latest album “The Rise and Inevitable Liberation of Niggy Tardust,” which he recorded with homey and Nine Inch Nails main man Trent Reznor, and which he has sold directly to fans via his Web site, a la Radiohead. (Note: Williams won’t be playing the new songs Friday; more like poems from “The Dead Emcee Scrolls” since it’s a spoken word performance. You’ll have to wait till he brings his band back this way, on March 19 at Neumo’s. )

Here’s some of what he had to say …

… about hooking up with Reznor to make music.

... the concepts behind his new alter ego, Niggy Tardust (and, of course, the Bowie connection.)

… on selling directly to fans and the greater freedom technology gives independent and experimental artists.

You should Rollingstone.com's look back at 1988, arguably the greatest year in rap history.

And did I mention that "Thriller" turned 25 years just a while ago, too?

As always, you can avoid quiz spoilers by clicking ...

... this link.

Otherwise, you can just read the answers to yesterday's (late) Useless Trivia Tuesday quiz about everybody's favorite clock-loving, non sequitur-spouting bachelor, Flavoooor Flaaaaaaaaavv!!

The first ever Useless Trivia Wednesday answers

1. What’s Flav’s real name?
(d) William Drayton

2. Which one of the following is not a Flavor Flav catch phrase?
(b) Straight up bunyons, yo! (But it should be a Flavaism.)

3. Which of the following Public Enemy songs features Flavor Flav as the main vocalist?
(c) 911 Is a Joke (Note: Apologies for the original version of the quiz, which actually didn’t have a Flavor song listed.)

4. Who was Flav’s love interest on VH1’s “Strange Love”?
(a) Brigitte Nielsen

5. Which of the following did not roast Flavor Flav on Comedy Central:
(d) Professor Griff

6. What’s the alias of the “Flavor of Love” girl who spit on New York?
(b) Pumkin

7. What’s New York’s real name?
(a) Tiffany Pollard

8. Which of the following is not a staple of Flav's wardrobe?
(c) a red codpiece (That would be Cameo’s Larry Blackmon who apparently needs to be ready for full contact rugby and kung fu at all times.). Wooord up!)

9. Which of the following movies did Flavor Flav make a cameo in?

(a) New Jack City

10. Complete the Flavor lyric: “So get up get, get, get down/ 911 is a joke in yo town/ Get up, get, get, get down …”
“… late 911 wears the late crown.”

11. How old will Flav be on March 16?
(d) 49

12. Whose solo debut features a cameo from Flavor Flav?
(a) Ice Cube (Can’t quote the song title here, though.)

13. Complete the Flavor lyrics: “I got Louie’s, boy …”
“… I’m not trampin’.”

14. Which New York burrough does Flav hail from?
(c) Long Island

15. Which of the following songs appears on Flav’s self-titled solo debut?

(a) Unga Bunga Bunga (Which you heard first in that weird limo scene from “Flavor of Love 2.”)

16. Sure, you’ve seen him on American Reality TV. But which British show did Flav appear on?
(a) The Farm … (But wouldn’t he be awesome on “Absolutely Fabulous?”)

How you scored:

15 to 16: Yeaaaaaaaaaaaah, boyeeeeeeeeee!!!
13 to 14: You’re lampin’, you’re lampin’! You’re cold, cold lampin’!
11 to 12: Read a book or sum'in'.
10 or less: Can't do nuttin' for ya, man. Your rags are ruthless, messed up toothless!

OK, I figured I owed you a quiz this week. And since the third season of "Flavor of Lov" just kicked off on VH1, it gave me an idea about m'man Flavor Flaaaaaaaaaav!

Every minute that show is on the air, a little bit of Public Enemy's legacy is chipped away. I imagine Chuck D dies just a little inside as he watches from his home in Atlanta. 'Cause the D is for "dignity," as Jimmy Kimmel reminded us on that hilarious Flavor Flav roast on Comedy Central.

So I wanna see where the real PE fans are. The ones that know a bit about both Flavor Flav that legendary hype man as well as Flavor Flav, the lovable reality TV weird. So here it is. The first ever Useless Trivia Wednesday quiz on Flavor Flaaaaaaaaaaaav!

The Flavor Flav quiz

1. What’s Flav’s real name?

(a) Russel Jones
(b) Adam Yauch
(c) Curtis Jackson
(d) William Drayton

2. Which one of the following is not a Flavor Flav catch phrase?

(a) Yeaaaaaaaaah, boyeeeeeee!
(b) Straight up bunyons, yo!
(c) Flavooooor Flaaaaaaaaaav!!!
(d) Cold medina!

3. Which of the following Public Enemy songs features Flavor Flav as the main vocalist?

(a) Welcome to the Terrordome
(b) Can’t Truss It
(c) 911 Is a Joke
(d) You’re Gonna Get Yours

4. Who was Flav’s love interest on VH1’s “Strange Love”?

(a) Brigitte Nielsen
(b) Paula Abdul
(b) Chaka Khan
(d) Salma Hayek

5. Which of the following did not roast Flavor Flav on Comedy Central:

(a) Carrot Top
(b) Snoop Dogg
(c) Ice T
(d) Professor Griff

6. What’s the alias of the “Flavor of Love” girl who spit on New York?

(a) Buck Wild
(b) Pumkin
(c) Peaches
(d) Smurfette

7. What’s New York’s real name?
(a) Tiffany Pollard
(b) Roxanne Jackson
(c) Kim Hutchens
(d) Tasha Jones

8. Which of the following is not a staple of Flav's wardrobe?

(a) oversized clocks
(b) a Viking helmet
(c) a red codpiece
(d) glittery, gold fronts

9. Which of the following movies did Flavor Flav make a cameo in?
(a) New Jack City
(b) Menace to Society
(c) Barber Shop
(d) Poetic Justice

10. Complete the Flavor lyric: “So get up get, get, get down/ 911 is a joke in yo town/ Get up, get, get, get down …”

11. How old will Flav be on March 16?

(a) 37
(b) 52
(c) 41
(d) 49

12. Whose solo debut features a cameo from Flavor Flav?

(a) Ice Cube
(b) Dr. Dre
(c) Q-Tip
(d) Cee-Lo

13. Complete the Flavor lyrics: “I got Louie’s, boy …”

14. Which New York burrough does Flav hail from?

(a) Brooklyn
(b) the Bronx
(c) Long Island
(d) Manhattan

15. Which of the following songs appears on Flav’s self-titled solo debut?

(a) Unga Bunga Bunga
(c) Can’t Do Nuttin’ for Ya Man
(c) New York’s Mom Is Whack, Get Back
(d) Night of the Living Baseheads

16. Sure, you’ve seen him on American Reality TV. But which British show did Flav appear on?

(a) The Farm
(b) The Weakest Link
(c) American Idol
(d) Absolutely Fabulous

Got so busy yesterday I forgot to post a Useless Trivia Tuesday quiz. My bad. So should I post two next week or come up with something this afternoon? Lemme think.

Saul Williams will appear at a benefit for Kenyan orphans at the Rialto Theater Friday night. And maybe you've seen the video for his remake of U2's "Sunday, Bloody Sunday." The clips of him as a homeless guy are actually from a forthcoming film he's starring in called "Carmaggedon," he told me when I caught up with him last month.

“Basically it’s about a homeless schizophrenic named King who lives in downtown LA on skid row," he said. "And he believes he’s in a movie because the world is illusion and we’re all just actors playing our parts.”

There was no scheduled release date when I talked to him. Stay tuned this week for a few sound bites from my interview, including details on how he hooked up with Nine Inch Nails mastermind Trent Reznor on his latest album, "The Rise and Inevitable Liberation of Niggy Tardust."

It's official. The Ebony Hillbillies will replace the Carolina Chocolate Drops' vacated Wintergrass spots next week, according to festival spokeswoman Patrice O'Neill. And I say it's all for the best since their name is way cooler, anyway.

Click here to read more about the lineup, and check out Friday's GO for an interview with Laura Love about her new band, Harper's Ferry.

Wintergrass organizers will have to do some quick last minute shuffling, based on what festival spokeswoman Patrice O'Neill just told me. Bluegrass buzz band, the Carolina Chocolate Drops, pulled out of Wintergrass this afternoon, just days before the Tacoma festival's yearly run, set for Feb. 21 to 24 at several downtown venues.

O'Neill said the Chocolate Drops are the first band in 15 years to drop off of Wintergrass, among the most high profile bluegrass festivals in the country. The band was scheduled to perform at a Black and Bluegrass concert opening night at the Murano pavilion, and again on Feb. 22 at both the pavilion and on the Varsity Grill stage.

The Black and Bluegrass showcase will highlight the intersection of African and European traditions in roots music, and will feature Ruthie Foster and the first performance by Seattle singer-songwriter Laura Love's new band, Harper's Ferry. O'Neill mentioned the Ebony Hillbillies as possible replacements for the Chocolate Drops.

Click here for more info on Wintergrass, including schedules and ticket info.

Well, Radiohead just announced the venues for the first leg of their U.S. tour. We're not on there yet, but the tour is aiming west as you can see from the itinerary below. So let's hope keep our fingers crossed for the end of May:

Radiohead U.S. tour dates 2008 (so far)

May 5: Cruzan Amphitheatre, West Palm Beach, Florida
May 6: Ford Amphitheatre, Tampa, Florida
May 8: Lakewood Amphitheatre, Atlanta, Georgia
May 9: Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre, Charlotte, North Carolina
May 11: Nissan Pavilion at Stone Ridge, Bristow, Virginia
May 14: Verizon Wireless Amphitheater, St Louis, Missouri
May 17: Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, Houston, Texas
May 18: Superpages.com Center, Dallas, Texas

A few thoughts on last night’s Grammys …

Last night’s Grammys were definitely more interesting than last year. But that whole yesterday meets today mash-up deal they were trying – pairing artists of today with hit makers of yesteryear – was very hit or miss. The intro, which paired the lovely Alicia Keys with a video of Frank Sinatra, was pretty classy. The Beatles tribute was nice, too, with Cirque du Soleil performing a snippet of their "Love" show with “A Day in the Life” (the most awesomest Beatles song ever, as far as I’m concerned) followed by a moving gospel treatment of “Let It Be.” And while I was a little uncomfortable as a several decades past her prime Tina Turner got started, I was on board by the time Beyonce showed up to help out with “Proud Mary.” You know, even if Tina can’t shake those geriatric bones like she used to.

But when the show went wrong it really went wrong. First of all, if you read this blog last week, you know I was pretty excited about Jimmy Jam getting back together with Morris Day and Jerome Benton from the original lineup of The Time. And it was pretty smooth how the performance was set up, with Jimmy sauntering out like he’s just there to present before – BAM! – his homeboys show up for a funky delivery of “Jungle Love.” I just about jumped out of my seat over at Puget Sound Pizza.

And then what do those Grammy knuckleheads do? They trample all over this magic moment – the funk equivalent of last year’s Police reunion -- by shoving Rihanna in the middle of it!!! AGGGGHH! Don't get me wrong. I like Rihanna; loved that “Umbrella” song the first million times I heard it. But DO NOT MUCK WITH THE TIME REUNION! Let them do their song, maybe throw in a few snippets of “Wild and Loose” and “Cool” and make it a medley. Then let her do her song. That's the way it should go. Period. (And speaking of the whole Minneapolis scene, Prince presented a little earlier, and does that guy still look suave and like he's still 25 or what? Is it clean livin’? Good genes? The best surgery a bazillionaire rock star can buy? Whatever, I just want some of what he’s got when I get his age. But I digress.)

And speaking of train wrecks, whose idea was it to pair Keeley Smith, who won at the first Grammys 50 years ago with “That Old Black Magic,” with Kid freakin’ Rock? Huh? What? Why didn’t they just boot up a video of Billie Holiday and have her duet with Ghostface Killah? It might have been less awkward and tortured. Then again, the move was brilliant one one level. A stroke of comedic genius? Yeah, we'll go with that.

But the thing I was most looking forward to was Amy Winehouse who performed via satellite from London. We can look past some of her spacey, strung out demeanor, considering what she’s been through lately. (You Tube it if you don’t know already.) Oh, and the fact that it took her something like 15 seconds to remember she needed to give an acceptance speech after she won her next award – ahem – for some reason. But will someone please give that girl a ham sandwich? Extra mayo. Side order o’ cheesy fries. They could show a clip of that performance at Calista Flockhart and Mary-Kate Olson’s next intervention. I thought Amy’s legs might snap every time she did that weird knee-knocking thing during her oh so appropriate set list, “You Know I’m No Good” and “Rehab.” Her voice still sounds good. All jokes aside, congrats to Amy for racking up a whole shelf of well-deserved awards. And here’s hoping she can get her life back together before it's too late.

And was I the only one who kinda sorta wanted Kanye "the worst sport of all time" West to get shut out again? Not because I hate the guy (who will headline KeyArena on April 16, by the way.) It's just that awards show freakout Kanye is a lot more exciting than well-behaved acceptance speech Kanye. I'm just sayin'.

Anyway, that's enough of my jibba jabba. Here are some of the night's big winners. Find the rest on the Grammy site, and leave your comments on the show.

Partial list of 2008 Grammy winners

Album of the Year

Herbie Hancock "River: The Joni Letters"

Record of the Year

Amy Winehouse - "Rehab"

Song of the Year

Amy Winehouse - "Rehab"

Best New Artist

Amy Winehouse

Best Female Pop Vocal Performance

Amy Winehouse "Rehab" (noticing a pattern yet?)

Best Male Pop Vocal Performance

Justin Timberlake - "What Goes Around ... Comes Around"

Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals

Maroon 5 "Makes Me Wonder"

Best Pop Vocal Album

"Back to Black" Amy Winehouse (there she is again)

Best Rock Song

"Radio Nowhere" Bruce Springsteen, songwriter (Bruce Springsteen)

Best Rock Album

"Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace" Foo Fighters

Best Alternative Music Album

"Icky Thump" The White Stripes

I usually write about current chart toppers and buzz bands, whereas the Emerald Queen Casino’s bread and butter is the nostalgia circuit. And that pretty much explains why I hadn’t ventured into the casino's showroom for a spell. That is until last night when Smash Mouth – the closest thing to new blood you're likely to catch at the EQ – dropped in for a 90 minute romp through hit party anthems and some killer Van Halen covers. Here’s some of what you missed:

The big Grammy news this week was about Amy Winehouse's work visa woes. But I'm more excited to read about The Time's upcoming performance at Sunday's awards ceremony. Everybody! Ceeeeeee-oh-oh-elllllll. What's that spell?

I just dated myself, but whatever. Jimmy Jam's even back on board, but where's Terry Lewis when ya need 'im? Anyway, enough jibba jabba. Don't forget to take the Bring the Noise Grammy surveys.

Home base: Mostly Tacoma, though singer Kim Miller hails from Bellevue

Lineup: The live band includes Miller, Hunter Lea (guitar, keyboards), Jordan Luckman (bass), Jason Falk (drums), Martin Feveyear (keyboards), George Reed-Harmon (guitar) and Scott Clarke (percussion, keyboards)

Style: The band’s new, self-titled album features moody, cinematic pop that bridges the gap between Nancy Sinatra and early Goldfrapp.

Hear ‘em online: At www.monoinvcf.com or www.myspace.com/monoinvcf

See ‘em next: At the band’s CD release party Sunday at the Triple Door in Seattle

Big changes: Hunter Lea on a tumultuous run that included lineup changes and a bout with cancer..

A new chapter: Lea on finding Miller and forging ahead with a new aesthetic.

Hmmm. Something big is supposed to be happening in the world of pop music this weekend. What was that? Thinking, thinking …

Oh yeah! The 50th Grammy Awards are Sunday. And I'm curious about who you think should win in some of the big categories. So click the links to add your two cents, and I'll post the results on Sunday.

These should keep you busy for a few nights:

The Coup (Friday, Nectar Lounge): Boots Riley + Pam the Funkstress = the most radical group in hip-hop. But they have a sense of humor when it comes to stickin’ it to the Man. Hmmm, wonder what sorts of rants primary season will inspire.

Smash Mouth (Friday, Emerald Queen Casino): I was kind of torn about including these guys on the must see list. I mean, you're usually well past Hasbeensville when your lead singer appears on the “Surreal Life.” But I guess “All Star” and “Walkin’ on the Sun” were a’ight.

Curtis Salgado (Friday, Jazzbones): The man who inspired the Blues Bros returns to T-town.

Mono in VCF (Saturday, Triple Door): One of Tacoma’s most unique indie pop bands unveils new tunes at this CD release party, with local faves the Elephants adding support. (And that reminds me. I should probably finish editing my interview with Hunter Lea and post some clips.)

DJ Shadow, Cut Chemist, Kid Koala (Sunday, Showbox at the Market): The indie turntablists equivalent of a bill with the Arcade Fire, Death Cab and Modest Mouse. Or something like that.

Kimya Dawson dropped me an e-mail a few days ago. But otherwise, I'm not having much luck connecting with Olympia-based musician, whose quirky acoustic tunes you may have heard on the soundtrack for "Juno," and whose music local fans will hear live when she appears at the Grand Cinema on Sunday. But I did, at least, find a Q & A between the singer-songwriter and an interview named Krisbee posted on the Antifolk Online music site. It covers the native New Yorker's reasons for moving to the Norhtwest. An excerpt:

Krisbee: I haven't seen in many interviews you talking about your Washington years, is that a sensitive topic?

Kimya Dawson: No, what would you like to know?

Krisbee: Would motivated you to move out there, how did the Olympia scene influence you...

Kimya Dawson: I went to a college in Boston that I didn't like and heard about Evergreen from some hippie I knew from high school, so I transferred.

Krisbee: What did you go to college for?

Kimya Dawson: Originally teaching, but then in Olympia I studied bunch of different things. My 1st year I was in a multicurricular program called- Home: A Mutually Shared Responsibility (haha). I studied creative writing, stand up comedy and the sociology of humor, multicultural lit, art stuff, but I always figured I'd get my masters in teaching.

Charismatic soul diva Jill Scott kicked off her new tour last night at Seattle’s Paramount Theatre, a trek in support of her new DVD “Live in Paris” and her third studio album, “The Real Thing:: Words and Sounds, Vol. 3.” And while the sound was slightly muddy up in the nosebleed section (to which I retreated after snapping the photos on this page) the 35-year-old diva’s vocal prowess was still apparent. Backed by a tight 11-piece band, Scott went from sultry purr to booming crescendo, and even hinted at being able to pull off Minnie Riperton theatrics, if only for a fleeting moment.

But what came through most clearly from a distance was the singer's engaging personality. Her sassy confidence, infectious enthusiasm and a sometimes raunchy sense of humor kept her connected to the capacity crowd. “I know some good women, and I try to be one my damn self,” she said early on, pausing for the punch line: “But sometimes I slip – oops.”

Admittedly, I’d forsaken Ms. Scott in recent years. (Hey, it’s easy to do with her taking her sweet time between albums, and considering her last Seattle appearance was in 2004.) So I was most partial to the early cuts, from back when critics crowned her the queen of “neo soul.” “A Long Walk” was an upbeat crowd pleaser, while “Do You Remember” was made over as a funky dirge, with Scott hamming it up with slinky, slo-mo dance moves as the band slowed the tempo to a crawl.

Of the newer songs, I’d point to “How It Make You Feel” as the biggest treat, with Scott and her backup singers romping through the bouncy vocal hook in a playful way that belied the song's solemn subject matter.

“Tell me how you'd feel if I was gone,” she sang. “What if I was gone, forever/ no more chocolate kisses …”

The band launched into a mellow groove during the encore. “Oh, I know this,” Scott joked, before joining in on “Slowly Surely,” a song that culminated in an a powerful drum solo. Then Scott called fans to their feet for “Golden.” (There had been surprisingly little dancing in my section until that hit single.) And with everyone's blood pumping afterward, she asked who felt blessed.

Fans cheered in response. “Because of that, somebody is mad at you,” she responded, this being the intro to hit single “Hate on Me.”

While Queen Latifah's show last November at the Pantages and Joss Stone's Seattle shows were nice place holders, this was truly the sort of A-list R&B show that this market has been starved for. Now if only Erykah Badu will drop back in after her album drops later this year.

Hey, remember that "Body of War" soundtrack mentioned in the Bring the Noise post a about AT&T censoring the Webcast of Pearl Jam's performance at Lollapalooza? Well, that sucker is coming out in March with another Eddie Vedder track called "No More." Vedder sang it with Ben Harper in Chicago.

Vedder most recently contributed several original songs to the soundtrack for "Into the Wild." And Rolling Stone's Web site provides more details about the latest soundtrack and film. "Body of War" is a documentary about Tomas Young, a 26-year-old soldier paralyzed in Iraq. According to the magazine, Young curated the soundtrack, which will also include contributions from Neil Young, Bright Eyes, Serj Tankian and Tom Morello.

This week's Useless Trivia quiz was inspired by my reading about Bruce Springsteen's early, pre-E Street Band days in Dave Marsh's excellent bio "Two Hearts." Hey, I didn't know the name of the Boss's first band before I read it. And I figured I'd find out who the true fans were by asking about a few other legandary rockers' roots. So this week's quiz is about the bands' big shot rockers were in before they got all rich and famous.

This week's quiz is also special because I turned to one of our awesome techie guys, Aaron, for help. You know, 'cause he can do magical, mind-blowing stuff like creating a Web page that gives you immediate feedback on your answers. Oooooh ahhhhhh. So what are you waitin' for? Click the link below to take the quiz.

Monday night, I made the trek up north to Seattle’s Neumo’s hoping to figure out what the big deal was about the Black Lips. From what I'd read, the Atlanta outfit had built its reputation on fiery live shows and debauched on stage antics – pants dropping, creative use of bodily fluids. You know, the usual. But left a few minutes early and somewhat disappointed to encounter four well-behaved lads performing a decent but not exceptionally mind-blowing or original garage rock set. They were more early Rolling Stones than Sonics in spots; and like me, they own a Roland SP-404 sampler, which they hooked up to one of their mikes for a little reverb fun.

I was actually more impressed with Unnatural Helpers, the Seattle band that preceded both the Lips and punk vets, Pierced Arrows (featuring ex-members of Dead Moon.) And it's been a while since I've ventured to Neumo's so I was impressed with the makeover they've given part of the bar. The dark, swanky lounge area was like a bar within a bar, with a DJ spinning high energy dance tracks for the folks who didn't feel like getting all twangy and garagey; a great spot for pre-funkin'.

The Presidents of the United States of America have tapped pop parody king "Weird" Al Yankovic to direct the video for their new song "Mixed Up S.O.B.," the band's publicist announced today.

"Mixed up S.O.B." is the lead single from the Presidents' forthcoming new album, "These Are the Good Times, People," which is due in stores on March 11. Local fans will be able to hear some of the new songs live during a headlining hometown date at Seattle's Paramount Theatre on March 15.

That said, the Presidents and Weird Al? Just throw in the Barenaked Ladies, and you've got a silly rock package tour. Lumpfest? Yankstock? OK, I can't think of a stupid brand for it, but you get where I'm goin'.

My colleague C.R. Roberts reports that Fender is moving Tacoma Guitars production to the East Coast. What next? Tacoma trucks being made in ...

Oh, never mind.

Here are a few more clips from Tuesday's conference call with the Jo Bros. Remember, Nick is the quietest one, Joe is a bit louder and Kevin has a slightly nasal quality to his voice. You'll also hear me and Michael Roberts, a reporter from Denver's Westword.

Part three: Their forthcoming Disney flick "Camp Rock"

Part four: Dealing with greater scrutiny thanks to You Tube and the tabloids (a topic inspired by the viral spread of video of Joe's fall on the American Music Awards)

Part five: It ain't just the little girls chasin' after 'em