Country star Dierks Bentley is sure to play "What Was I Thinkin'," "Free and Easy" and other hits when he opens for Brad Paisley Saturday night (Feb. 28) at the Tacoma Dome. He'll also appear at the Varsity Grill downtown from 4 to 6 p.m. that day. So I thought I'd share a couple of quotes from my interview. Wrote a story about it for today's GO section. Click the links to hear ol' Dierks talk about touring with Brad and tonight's high-tech show or what went into his brand, spankin' new album, "Feel That Fire"
MARK HUMPHREY/AP

Promoter/bartender Matt Eklund just informed me that the New Frontier Lounge is opening up Mondays, starting next week, with a new theme night called Rebel Monday. It's an industry-themed night, with DJ Jason Diamond spinning roots reggae and possible live music down the road. Music will get started around 9 p.m. starting Monday (March 2).

The Rod Stewart concert I blogged about the other day has been moved to Aug. 7 at Auburn's White River Amphitheatre, according to a statement just released by Live Nation. Find ticket info and other details here.

Almost forgot to mention that you can hear the ex-Tacoma girl's new "Middle Cyclone" disc in its entirety before it hits stores next Tuesday (March 3), thanks to NPR's exclusive online stream.

Pearl Jam's Stone Gossard and Friends will headline Seattle's Can Can on March 8 and 9, band publicist Vandenberg Communications announced. The Gossards friend will include Barb Ireland (the Fags), jazz multi-instrumentalist Hans Teuber (Ani DiFranco, Julian Priester, Jovino Santos-Neto), bassist Keith Lowe (David Sylvian, Fiona Apple, Bill Frisell), multi-instrumentalist Steve Moore, aka Stebmo (Sufjan Stevens, Bill Frisell), DJ Bean One and others.

The set list will include new, original songs along with covers of classics by Hank Williams, the Rolling Stones, Grace Jones, Johnny Thunders and Prince, according to the show announcement. Click here for ticket info.

The summer concert calendar is really shaping up with yet another big concert announcement. No Doubt will headline Auburn’s White River Amphitheatre on July 19, part of a summer tour that will kick off on May 3 at the Bamboozle Festival in East Rutherford, NJ, according to Live Nation's announcement this morning.

No Doubt – best known for “Just a Girl,” “Hella Good” and other hits and other hits – will be joined on the road by Paramore. And talk about eclectic openers: The Sounds, Janelle Monae and Bedouin Soundclash will add support on select dates.

And here’s an excerpt about pre-sale tickets, directly from the press release:

To guarantee No Doubt fans get the best seats in the house, the No Doubt Tour Club has been created. Fans will have special access to presale tickets beginning February 26 at 4pm (local time) through March 1st at 4pm (local time). Fans can now validate their email address to be eligible to join, visit nodoubttourclub.musictoday.com for full details. Tour club ticket quantities are limited.

The band will also launch a No Doubt widget that will allow fans to check out daily video messages from Feb. 28 to March 6. Learn more here. And click here to get the skinny on today's other big White River concert announcement.

In the wee hours of this morning, Motley Crue announced the itinerary for it's Crue Fest 2 tour, which will include a July 27 stop at Auburn's White River Amphitheatre this year. This year's theme: The White Trash Circus. It's the follow up to one of last summer's most successful tours, which brought Buck Cherry, Trapt, SIXX: A.M. and Papa Roach to White River last year.

Beginning next Monday (March 2) pre-sale tickets will be available to fan club members. Learn more and find a hot line number here.

Hey, check out the theme for EMP/SFM's Pop Conference this year. It'll take place from April 16 to 19 at the Seattle rock museum, and this year it's being billed as "Dance Music Sex Romance: Pop and the Body Politic." According to today's announcement it "will bring to the forefront the erotic, taboo and sensual issues in many music styles and eras."

Hey, how's that sounds a lot steamier than a bunch of people sitting on panels and dissecting and intellectualizing pop music. And unlike previous years, I guess there will be a little dirty talk during 40 different sessions. (Click here for the sched.) And Nona Hendryx (LaBelle) and Diane Warren (the prolific songwriter behind Aerosmith's "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" and Jennifer Hudson's "You Pulled Me Through," among others) have been tapped for two keynote addresses, at 7:30 p.m. on April 16 and 6 p.m. April 17, respectively.

Here's the cover art for Mastodon's new album "Crack the Skye," which is due in stores March 24. If you just can't wait, iTunes is taking pre-orders as we speak. Hear Troy Sanders talk about what it might sound like here. And my source at Warner tells me a Seattle date will be announced in the next few days.

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Rod Stewart will headline the White River Amphitheatre on Aug. 1, Live Nation announced Monday. [Update: Show date was changed to Aug. 7 a few days after this post.] Expect a lot of unplugged material since the tour will follow the March 10 reissue of "Rod Stewart Unplugged ... and Seated."

Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Monday (March 2) and will be available exclusively through Live Nation, select Blockbuster locations or by calling 877-598-6659. .

The Varsity Grill hosted the Wintergrass dance stage over the weekend. And while I was in there checking out the Tallboys, a fun bluegrass band from Seattle, I noticed all the posters advertising a Dierks Bentley meet and greet coming up Saturday. Looks like the country star will be ducking into the Varsity a few hours before his opening slot for Brad Paisley at the Tacoma Dome. And venue owner Jon Tartaglia tells me there will be some kind of a raffle to see Bentley perform an intimate unplugged set in that little theater they've got in there. I'm guessing they'll have more details here when they firm up.

Despite a couple of sound problems, was that Bee Eaters performances at the Hotel Murano ballroom with Darol Anger and Paul from Big Trio amazing or what? With some Beatles done bluegrass style to boot. FYI, I learned that a bee eater is apparently an African bird, in contrast to the funnier image you may have had of some knucklehead shoving bees in his mouth. Hence the bird on the cover of the Boston group's self-titled debut album.

Make sure you go back and check out the interview clip from the other day if you haven't. And I'm working on getting the OK to post a couple more performance clips, so stay tuned and I'll hopefully have something later today.

Darrell Scott is a great interview, with answers as thoughtful and engaging as some of his lyrics. And since I had only a small space to work with for my story on Wintergrass in today's paper, I thought I'd post a few clips from out conversation online, including this one with Darrell talking about the electric vibe that comes with playing Urban Grace Church.

After a long day yesterday, I'm getting a late start at the festival today. But Darrell's comments give me more incentive to get there in time for Mike Marshall & Choro Famoso, playing at the church at 4:15 p.m.

Alright, here’s where I give you two compelling reasons to go see the Boston-based Bee Eaters today at Wintergrass, namely these breathtaking tracks the quartet played for a few lucky folks behind the scenes at Hotel Murano this afternoon.

The Bee Eaters play "The Tree Climber"

The Bee Eaters play "Stoneground"

After you give those two killer cuts a listen, you’ll probably wonder about the album they came from (which with Darol Anger, by the way), their influences, how they met and all that good stuff. And it’s all covered if you click this sentence to hear an interview clip with banjo player Wes Corbett (first male voice), fiddler Tashina Clarridge (the female voice), her brother, Tristan (second male voice) and hammer dulcimer player, Simon Chrisman. They play at 7:30 p.m. today at the Hotel Murano Ballroom.

Tashina Clarridge, Wes Corbett, Simon Chrisman and Tristan Clarridge, a.k.a. The Bee Eaters, play the Hotel Murano ballroom Saturday (Feb. 21) at 7:30 p.m. By all means, check 'em out.
ERNEST JASMIN

I'm holed away in a room at Hotel Murano working on my first batch of uploads for Wintergrass. And being one of three people who got to catch singer-songwriter Darrell Scott deliver an intimate, acoustic performance? Yeah, this is the part of the job I really love.

With the artist's permission, I'm willing to share, of course. Click the links below to hear a couple of songs Scott said he'll likely perform tonight, or just go check the guy out at 8:30 p.m. tonight at the Hotel Murano Pavilion or 10:45 p.m. at Urban Grace Church. (The latter is the venue he said keeps him coming back, by the way.) I'll have some interview clips with one of Nashville's underrated songwriters later.

Darrell Scott singing "Crooked Road"

Darrell does "River Take Me"

... here's staffer Joe Barrentine's video from last year. It's a great primer for folks who have never been, too, for that matter.

The 16th annual Wintergrass festival kicked off Thursday night at the Hotel Murano Pavilion, where I caught great performances by Seattle’s Tallboys, Canada’s Widow Maker and mandolin master Mike Marshall’s latest project, Big Trio (above with Marshall in the maroon shirt with Alex Hargreaves on fiddle, upright bass player Paul Kowert not shown.) I had my Microtrack with me, and the plan was to record a few "bootleg" clips throughout the festival to either show you what you missed or help you figure out who to catch next. But technical difficulties (read: user error) threw a monkeywrench in my plan for night one, and all I got were really muffled clips with a lot of hissing, which really wouldn't do the performances any justice. All three bands I caught were great, but the lack of clips is especially a bummer after Big Trio's phenomenal, gypsy jazz oriented set. But I plan on picking up the new CD today, and I've got another chance to record when Trio comes back to the Pavilion at 12:30 p.m. Sunday. Plus, Marshall will also be gigging with Brazil's Danilo Brito & Choro Famoso. Check here or The News Tribune for full schedule. And I figured out how I screwed up the settings on my field recorder, so check back here throughout the day for interview and song clips, plus a few photos.
ERNEST JASMIN

I was listening to a radio show early this morning that mentioned Tom Leykis being fired. After calling Leykis' producer Gary Zabransky and going to voicemail, I checked The Los Angeles-based shock jock's web site. And it said that today's episode of the Tom Leykis Show will, indeed, feature the final installment of Leykis 101, the on air class for men about "how to get the most tail for the least amount of money."

The web site for KISW-FM (99.9), which has aired Leykis since 2005, confirmed the show's end with this explanation:

The long and short of this is that Tom’s home station, KLSX in L.A. will change format Today, Friday 2.20 at 5pm, and his syndication company Westwood One has ceased distribution of the show, unfortunately leaving Tom a man with a show and no place to broadcast it from.

Tom Leykis enjoyed a great stay in Seattle on KQBZ and KISW for well over 10 years. And we wish him the very best.

Starting Monday on KISW from 10pm to 2am you will hear the Grindhouse after Jolene.

"All questions will be answered beginning today at 5," according to Leykis site, likely referring to the time of the format switch. Of course, Seattle listeners will have to wait a few hours longer to hear if Leykis has any parting words about what went down. His show used to air live on KQBZ-FM (The Buzz, 1007) until that station went country as KKWF-FM, "The Wolf," and Entercom moved him to nights on KISW. Seattle was one of Leykis' strongest markets, and a healthy chunk of his calls came from Puget Sound before the switch.

In a related story, today is also the last day Entercom's KNDD-FM (The End, 107.7) will have the Adam Carolla Show, another guy-oriented, syndicated shock show that's gotten the axe. Sources report that Carolla will continue to podcast from his site.

Dave Matthews fans know guitar virtuoso Tim Reynolds from the live CDs “Live at Luther College” and “Live at Radio City.” Several thousand saw the dynamic duo headline a concert in honor of the Dalai Lama last April at KeyArena.

But Saturday (Feb. 21), Reynolds will bring his main band, TR3, to Jazzbones. And recently I caught up with him to talk about Tibetan Buddhism, songs from TR3's new “Radiance” disc, and his roots in Charlottesville, Va., where he met Matthews and helped push him toward arena rockin' glory. Here are a few clips from that interview.

Part 1: The music he'll play this weekend with TR3

Part 2: Tibetan Buddhism and how he got involved with the Dalai Lama show

Part 3: Dave Matthews' early acting career, his role in getting him to start the Dave Matthews Band

Part 4: Touring and recording with the DMB this year, missing LeRoi Moore

For the forthcoming “War Child presents Heroes” compilation, a bunch of hipster-approved artists remade some of their favorite material from their own idols, all to benefit children displaced by war. (Click here to learn about the cause.) Beck recorded that remake of Dylan’s “Leopard-Skin Pill-box Hat” local fans heard him play at Bumbershoot last year. TV on the Radio revamped their homie, David Bowie’s, “Heroes.” And I’m kind of partial to Peaches’ electro-punk treatment of this classic Stooges tune.

Know all those hilarious pop parodies Andy Samberg and company do for “Saturday Night Live”? Now you can pop a bottle of Santana DVX and enjoy the uncut versions, as featured on “Incredibad,” the debut album from comedic trio, the Lonely Island (also SNL writers Akiva Schaffer and Jorma Taccone.) Yes, Justin Timberlake’s most infamous collaboration is on there -- the thing about boxes. But surprisingly, that’s not quite as funny or filthy as Natalie Portman unleashing her inner gangsta. Who knew?

Haven’t spent enough time with Lily Allen’s sophomore disc, "It's Not Me, It's You," to form a strong opinion, aside being apprehensive about how seriously the cheeky pop star seems to be taking herself this time around. She starts out with social commentary on the soul-numbing perils of self-medication, fer cryin’ out loud. But a couple of tracks in, on this twangy number, she’s back to what she does best – namely, skewering the laddies with their sexual shortcomings. Note to British dudes: Stop dating Lily Allen. It’s not good P.R.

And on the old school tip, I was watching my copy of the must-see PBS documentary, “Respect Yourself: The Stax Records Story” the other night, and was embarrassed by the lack of Otis Redding and Booker T & the M.G.’s in my collection. Fixed that recently. Just soak up the heart-rending expressiveness of Redding's voice. Then compare that to the Auto-Tune-drenched dreck all over urban radio nowadays. At the risk of sounding like my dad, they just don’t make 'em like this any more.

Wintergrass kicks off Thursday (Feb. 19), and the Grammy-nominated SteelDrivers are expected to generate a big buzz as they showcase their soulful “rhythm & bluegrass” during four sets Friday and Saturday nights. (Show times are listed below the photo.)

The quintet is made up of Nashville vets Chris Stapleton (lead vocals, guitar), Mike Henderson (mandolin, vocals), Richard Bailey (banjo), Tammy Rogers (fiddle, vocals) and Mike Fleming (bass, vocals), an outfit that has collectively written, toured and recorded for the likes of George Jones, Waylon Jennings, the Dixie Chicks, Reba McIntire and Al Green, just to name a few. Now they’re rising stars themselves, and I caught up with Fleming to get the skinny on his crew.

Click this link to hear what he had to say, along with clips from three tracks from the band's self-titled debut, “Blue Side of the Mountain,” “Drinkin’ Dark Whiskey” and “Heaven Sent.”

Fresh from a Grammy nomination for their song "Blue Side of the Mountain," the SteelDrivers are ready to thrill the bluegrass loving masses at Wintergrass. The band is scheduled to perform 7:15 p.m. Friday at the Hotel Murano Pavilion, 9:15 p.m. Friday at the Rialto Theater, 7:15 p.m. Saturday at Urban Grace Church and again 10:40 p.m. Saturday at the Hotel Murano Pavilion. Check the Wintergrass site for the latest scheduling and ticket info.
DAVID MCCLISTER

Last month, I reported that Hotel Murano had put the kaibosh on lobby and mezzanine jam sessions for Wintergrass, thanks to a few unruly folks who broke furniture and -- how shall we say? -- couldn't hold their liquor last year. But the jams are now officially back on, according to Wintergrass publicist Wendy Tyner.

"The hotel is actually going to let us jam," Tyner said. "It was a major concern," she added, remarking at how integral the jams have become to the Wintergrass experience.

Anyone who's gone to the festival before has witnessed this hive of spontaneous musical activity, which sometimes finds enthusiastic amateurs jamming right along with main stage talent. And this year the Wintergrass folks have added a jam tent, sponsored by the California Bluegrass Association. That will be set up outside of Hotel Murano's pavilion area.

The festival runs from Thursday through Sunday at the Murano and other downtown venues. Check out the schedule on the Wintergrass site. And of course I'll be wanderin' around with my notepad and camera, so check back here over the weekend for coverage.

Dave Matthews Band just announced summer tour dates, which include a three-night stand at (wait for it, wait it) the Gorge Amphitheatre. That would be the band's traditional Labor Day weekend concerts, which will take place on Sept. 4, 5 and 6 this year with G. Love & Special Sauce and the Yonder Mountain String Band opening up.

The tour will kick off on April 14 at New York's Madison Square Garden and wind down Oct. 2 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, according to the announcement. Other supporting bands recruited for this go around include the Hold Steady, Femi Kuti & the Positive Force, Umphrey's McGee, Old Crow Medicine Show, Jason Mraz, Donovan Earl Keen, Donavon Frankenreiter, Switchfoot and Robert Randolph & the Family Band.

Learn more about the tour and pre-sale info here. Meanwhile, DMB fans can also check out guitar virtuoso Tim Reynolds -- who will be joining the band on the road and in the studio for a new album this year -- on Saturday night (Feb. 21) at Jazzbones. Plus, I'll have some audio from my interview with Tim posted in the next couple of days.

All right, settle down, Sparky. Didn't mean to make you think I was doling out all expenses paid vacations to actually see Neko Case in Amsterdam. On a reporter's salary? In this economy? Please! That's crazy talk. But what I can do, at least, is give you the poor man's consolation prize -- this link to Fab Channel's webcast of the upcoming show at Amsterdam's Paradiso.

This month's Paste cover girl, who grew up in Tacoma but now kicks it in Tucson, Ariz., is bound to play some fresh, new cuts from her forthcoming disc, "Middle Cyclone." Fab Channel spokesman Victor van Ommen tells me you'll be able to catch the performance live around 7 a.m. Sunday (Feb. 22). But for those who plan to sleep in, after a night of Wintergrassin' or whatever, the show will be archived for on-demand viewing. Who knows? Maybe I'll have some code and imbed a couple of songs here. Stay tunes.

Yesterday, I posted the lineup for Sasquatch 2009, which will include appearances by Nine Inch Nails and a fully reunited Jane's Addiction. What I didn't realize then was that their Sasquatch gigs were part of a planned NIN/Jane's tour. And the bad news is that Trent Reznor is characterizing said tour as a curtain call on the 20th anniversary of his influential band.

Well, all good things come to an end, I guess. And how well would "Closer" go over with a geriatric Trent Reznor performing it 15, 20 years from now, when he's Mick Jagger's age? It's not pretty when I picture that scenario in my head.

I got a couple more big show announcements from Seattle's Paramount Theatre this afternoon. Looks like they’ll have singer-songwriter India.Arie there on April 4 and the Roots on April 9. India.Arie tickets will go for $29.50 to $59.50, while Roots tickets are set at $35. Both go on sale at 10 a.m. on Saturday. Read more here.

Nine Inch Nails, TV on the Radio, Kings of Leon, the Decemberists, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Erykah Badu and Jane's Addiction, with all the original band members, are among the biggest names that Live Nation announced for Sasquatch 2009 this morning. The Gorge Amphitheatre's annual kickoff gala will take place from May 23 to 25 this year, and tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. on Feb. 28. Prices are set at $56.50 per day and $154.50 for a 3-day pass through March 1, $66.50 per day and $199.50 for a 3-day pass from March 2 through May 10, and $76.50 per day and $229.50 for three days after that.

Click the read more button to be blown away by one of the festival's strongest lineups to date.

=> Read more!

Tacoma SOTA-bred duo Makeup Monsters will compete in the next round of EMP/SFM's annual battle of the 21-and-under bands, Sound Off, next Saturday (Feb. 21). That's the contest that's been a springboard for the likes of Schoolyard Heroes, Idiot Pilot and Natalie Portman's Shaved Head. So wish 'em luck.

Rolling Stone has details here. Hmmm. Wonder how Pearl Jam feels about this.

The incident that kept Rihanna and boyfriend Chris Brown from participating in the Grammys Sunday may be even uglier than we imagined. Quoting police, several reports, including this one from TMZ, say Rihanna suffered "horrific" injuries during an assault that allegedly involved Brown, including bite marks and facial contusions.

Coldplay was sure to have one of the most successful U.S. tours of 2009 before last night's Grammys show. But how much faster will the Brit band's July 11 show at the Gorge sell out now thanks to last night's Grammy buzz?

Speaking of which, ticket pre-sale for the show in Grant County starts at 10 a.m. on Friday (Feb. 13) according to the Ticketmaster site.

Robert Plant and Alison Krauss take album of the year with "Raising Sand," beating out a gang of edgier bands that people under 40 like? That wasn’t utterly predictable.

Overall, it was a fairly bland, forgettable Grammy show, though there were some enjoyable moments in the last hour: The Bo Diddley tribute; Justin Timberlake and T.I. with the nice string arrangement for “Dead and Gone”; Sugarland’s Jennifer Nettles knocking it out of the park on her own hit before helping Adele out on “Chasing Pavements.” And can’t forget my favorite goofball moment of the night, a sweaty and possibly buzzed Jay Mohr standing at L.L. Cool J’s side and shouting out Farmer’s Boulevard. You know, that's where he and E out. Cool out. Know what he's sayin'? That's where the crib's at. Sweet! So what stands out for you all?

“The Rap Pack,” featuring M.I.A.’s Maya Arulpragasam, five minutes away from droppin’ a baby, in a see-through outfit and obviously lip-syncing. Weird! Were there other people on the stage with her? Didn’t notice.

Paul McCartney with Dave Grohl on drums works better than the other match-ups I've been complaining about since Dave’s headed for the Rock Hall himself and all. But considering some of the more obnoxious pairings in recent years, I wouldn’t have been surprised if Sir Paul showed up and did a duet with Soulja Boy.

- Yeah, yeah, yeah. We get it, Katy Perry. You like kissing girls, cherry chapstick – blah blah blah. Now that off-key performance would have been a good place to insert some other obnoxious, fly by night pop star, not during one by a legend like Stevie freakin' Wonder! And what was Katy Perry wearing? All she was missing was one of those fruit headdresses from back in the day. If she was going for kitsch, mission accomplished. But to quote “American Idol’s” Randy Jackson, “That was not good, dog.”

- Whoah! Speaking of taking risks with fashion, Kanye pushes the style envelope once again and parties like it’s 1985 with a shag! Hey, if the hipsters on Capitol Hill can rock mullets in 2009, then why not? But personally, I think he should have really gone for it and rocked the high top fade. Maybe he didn't have time to grow one out. And love how he slipped in the oh-so-Kanye whine about not getting nominated for best new artist when he was eligible. At least he didn't flip out. But wonder if Estelle thought she was about to have a Mike Meyers moment for a second up there.

- Plant and Krauss win again for record of the year. Out of that batch, I was pulling for M.I.A.'s “Paper Planes,” even if the Clash should get a lot of the credit for that sick sample. Not that M.I.A. had an ice cube's chance in hell of winning against Robert Plant. Interesting comment from the guy, though, on the song’s origins.

“It’s an old song Jimmy Page and I wrote, post Led Zeppelin,” he said, drawing a smattering of cheers for his old band. Now if only they’d sort out their differences and get that Zep tour on the road already. I'm being optimistic and hoping all those Plant-less tour and feud rumors are just calculated publicity.

A few more observations during the commercial break:

- Figured Coldplay would take song of the year with “Viva la Vida” (even if “42” and “Yes” were better cuts in my humble opinion.) More of the self-deprecating humor with the joke about ripping off Paul McCartney. Chris Martin has already joked about ripping off everyone from Radiohead to Jeff Buckley, and it's a good way to defuse the haters, I guess.

- Kid Rock’s “wife beaters” must all be in the laundry. The guy cleans up pretty well, anyway. And the least he could do was acknowledge the late, great Billy Powell considering how he’s cashed in by ripping of Skynyrd’s “Sweet Home Alabama.” Jeez! Did he have a whole army on stage with him like that at the Puyallup Fair?

- Jennifer Hudson’s tearful “You Pulled Me Through” is, hands down, the best performance so far. It had to be tough for her keep it together during the performance between that poignant selection and the way her tragedy played out so publicly. Best wishes go out to her.

Wha-wha-what? The legendary Stevie Wonder on stage with the frickin’ Jonas Brothers? Nothing against the Jo Bros themselves even though I'm not a 12-year-old girl. They seem like nice enough lads and all, but get off of Stevie's stage! It's now official. The Grammys … must … be … stopped.

We're at the first commercial break, and just a few observations so far:

- Was it just me or did Whitney Houston seem a little out of it? And she sounded weird for a minute there, like she was doing an Eartha Kitt impression or something.

- Al Green should have won for "Lay It Down," easily my favorite R&B/soul cut of '08. But I cheated and peeked at some of the East Coast coverage and knew it would be Jennifer Hudson. Hard not to pull for her, and the acceptance speech kind of tugged at the heart strings after the tragic year she's had.

- Why do the Grammy people insist on jamming a million superstars on one stage, often ones that don't seem to really go together. Would have much rather seen Al Green by himself, even if Justin Timberlake kind of held his own. And the thing with Jay-Z joining Chris Martin during Coldplay's set did not work for me. Not at all. They finished strong, but this won't be as memorable as their performance of "Politik" a few shows back.

- On the country tip, Carrie Underwood kind of rocked out on "Last Name." Kind of wish I hadn't blown her off to see Heart when she was at the Puyallup Fair last fall. Maybe the tables will be reversed with Heart playing this year's Fair. Was kind of pulling for the Steeldrivers for country song by a group or duo, but should have figured on Sugarland. Love me some Jennifer Nettles. She's so funny.

Well, if you've got satellite TV or checked out all the spoilers online, you already know many of tonight's winners. But I'll be blogging during commercial breaks during the West Coast broadcast. So check back in a bit.

Buckcherry, featuring singer Josh Todd and guitarist Keith Nelson, got the Tacoma Dome all “Lit Up” last night. Click the “more” button to read more about what went down.
ERNEST JASMIN

=> Read more!

I'd been wanting to catch up with Olympia singer-songwriter Kimya Dawson for a while, ever since several of her songs helped the soundtrack for "Juno" become perhaps the most unlikely No. 1 album of 2008. She's been elusive for sure, but finally I got her on the phone for a spell to talk about the soundtrack being up for a Grammy tonight. And I've gotta say she was worth the wait. I found her to be disarmingly thoughtful, genuine and modest as we talked about everything from her recent concert at Thurston County's Timberline Library to Samuel L. Jackson.

Here are a couple of sound bites for starters. Check back later, and I may have a few more clips posted. And pick up a copy of the Sunday Trib to read the Kimya Q & A I wrote to go with our Grammy coverage.

Pt. 1: How she got involved with "Juno," how "silly" being embraced by the mainstream feels

Pt. 2: The next soundtrack she'll be on; her newest obsession ... community choir

By now many of you should know about “Two Car Garage,” the forthcoming split disc that the Ventures and the Fabulous Wailers are releasing on April 10 to commemorate their 50th anniversaries. (Click here to learn more about the album and the CD release party if you’ve been slackin’ on your Bring the Noise readin’.) And this morning it was a meeting of Tacoma rock legends, pimped rides and one smokin’ model at Austin's Pro Max on South Tacoma Way for the album cover shoot.

Ventures guitarist Don Wilson (top photo) and the Wailers’ Buck Ormsby posed for a couple of promo shots with Seattle burlesque performer Fuchsia Foxxx, the model recruited for their new album cover. Wilson just recently returned from a tour of Japan during which the Ventures played 22 shows in less than two weeks.
ERNEST JASMIN

The scantily clad Foxxx braved the elements and got her pose on as photog Chad Ruin snapped away. Did I mention it was just a few degrees above freezing?
ERNEST JASMIN

Wilson and Ormsby huddled with Wilson’s son, Tim Wilson (far left) and Blue Horizon Record’s Leonard Haggarty.
ERNEST JASMIN

Got tats? Josh Todd will join his Buckcherry band mates on Saturday (Feb. 7) at the Tacoma Dome. This is what he looked like last time he played in Tacoma, at Cheney Stadium with KISW-FM's Pain in the Grass gala.
ERNEST JASMIN

After a day and a half of homicidal thought inducing computer problems, I finally have some audio from my interview with Buckcherry's Josh Todd, as promised in today's GO section. Better late than never, I guess. Here's some of what we talked about.

Pt. 1: Does he live the sex, drugs and rock n' roll scenarios he sings about?

Pt. 2: Starting over after the original Buckcherry imploded

Pt. 3: Paris Hilton and other things that inspired his band's comeback hit

Pt. 4: The making of his Buckcherry's new "Black Butterfly" album

And just so the uninitiated will have a better idea of the music we're talking about, here are clips from three old Buckcherry hits …

Lit Up

Crazy Bitch

Everything

… and three songs from the new disc. And see ya Saturday.

Cream

A Child Called It

Too Drunk

Technical difficulties are keeping me from posting clips from my interview with Josh Todd, as promised in today's GO section. But check back in a bit and hopefully I'll have it all sorted out.

It's business, it's busiiinessss tiiiiime. Especially now that Kiwi comedy duo Flight of the Conchords headed to Seattle's Paramount Theatre on May 11 and 12. The duo's new tour coincides with the end of season two of their HBO TV series, and Arj Barker has been tapped to open. Tickets are $35 and go on sale at 10 a.m. on Saturday (Feb. 7). Check here for more details.

Public Enemy’s Chuck D spoke to a group of University of Puget Sound students earlier tonight at the school's Schneebeck Concert Hall.
ERNEST JASMIN

Public Enemy’s Chuck D just wrapped up his lecture on Rap, Race, Reality and Technology at the University of Puget Sound’s Schneebeck Concert Hall, a meandering talk that sometimes had the feel of a two-hour freestyle with all the tangents that the iconic rapper packed into it. During an informal, non sequitur filled two hours, he’d bounce from Barack Obama to the Notorious B.I.G.; from politics to the sad state of American hip-hop; the importance of world travel to a history of how saggy jeans went from prison yards to a mass marketed fashion trend.

The transitions may have been jarring at times, but the underlying message he delivered to a few a few hundred college students was pretty clear: Take advantage of educational opportunity, be true to yourself and don’t let your intellect be dulled by “weapons of mass distraction.” Click the "more" button to read a few quotes I managed to jot down for those who missed it.

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In December, I reported that Broadway Center had plans to host a local hip-hop gala in June. But those plans could be in jeopardy since the center is still looking for a partner to take on half the production cost.

Click the more button to read the letter that was sent out to event planners. If you've got some extra cash sitting around and always wanted to get into the rap promotion game, maybe you'll give ol' Luke a call.

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Early yesterday morning I posted something about the joint that's moving in to 1022 S. J St., the spot that housed the Monsoon Room before it shut down. And today owner Neil Harris told me he's shooting for a March 1 opening, assuming he can jump through all the necessary hoops for the liquor license by then.

Of course, things are moving faster than usual for a club/bar opening since he already had what was left when Monsoon Room owner Laura Malone vacated. Harris said to expect a similar vibe and decor but "a little simpler, a bit more understated."

Last fall, some of you heard Fergie mangle Heart’s “Barracuda” at the Puyallup Fair. But on Sept. 23, Heart fans will get to hear the real deal as Ann and Nancy Wilson bring their Seattle-bred classic rock band to the grandstand at the Puyallup Fair & Events Center. (That's Ann in the pic, and she sounded a hell of a lot better than her Fergaliciousness when Heart opened for Journey at Auburn's White River Amphitheatre last summer.) The show is set for a 7:30 p.m. start, fair organizers just announced. Tickets will go for $20 to $50, and Ticketmaster will have them beginning at 10 a.m. on Valentine's Day. Check the Puyallup Fair site for more info on this year’s concert series.
ERNEST JASMIN

Marilyn Manson and Slayer will co-headline this year's Mayhem Tour, a blood curdling pairing that will drop in on Auburn's White River Amphitheatre on July 14, according to Slayer's publicist. Click the YouTube clip to hear Kerry King and Tom Araya make the announcement.

This just went out on the mailing list for Club Impact, the all-ages rock night at downtown Tacoma's Brick City Club:

After 11 years of hosting INCREDIBLE all-ages shows in Tacoma, the legenday Club Impact will be having it's 11 Year Birthday Show/Party on Sat. April 18, and it's Final Show on Sat. April 25th. We also have shows EVERY Saturday until then so we would absolutely love to see your faces at these events.

Thank you all very much for your support! We'd love to hear back from people as to their "experiences" in the past 11 years of Club Impact so we can put together a scrapbook of sorts.

For the latest info go to www.myspace.com/clubimpact

As blogged in December, New Frontier owner Neil Harris is working on opening a new bar in the space that until recently housed the Monsoon Room, at 1022 J St., in Tacoma. And New Frontier bartender Chris Langston just told me that he'll be running the joint, which he called 1022 South.

Decisions, decisions. On the same night as that big comedy show I just blogged about, you can also check out a meeting of legendary talents when Merle Haggard and Kris Kristofferson headline Seattle's Paramount Theatre, at 8 p.m. on April 3, Seattle Theater Group announced today. That's especially good news given the health issues that forced Haggard to call off his Dec. 13 stop at the Emerald Queen. Tickets for that show are $45 to $65 and go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday (Feb. 7). Check with Ticketmaster for details.

Comedian Lisa Lampanelli, a.k.a. the Lovable Queen of Mean, a.k.a. that woman you see dishing out the lowest blows on all those Comedy Central roasts, will bring her politically incorrect style of humor to Tacoma. She'll headline the Temple Theatre at 7 p.m. on April 3, Live Nation announced today. Tickets are $37.75 and will go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday (Feb. 6). Find out more here.
CHRIS PIZZELLO/AP

Public Enemy's Chuck D will be the main attraction Wednesday (Feb. 4) at the University of Puget Sound's Schneebeck Concert Hall. And I caught up with the hip-hop legend for a story running in our SoundLife section Tuesday. But before that hits your doorstep, here are a few audio clips from my chat with Public Enemy No. 1.

Pt. 1: Barack Obama

Pt. 2: "Kanye West is the Elton John of hip-hop”

Pt. 3: Had to ask him about Flavor Flaaaaaaaaaaav!

Catch Kusikia Saturday (Feb. 7) at Urban Xchange with Mount Eerie, Karl Blau and Calvin Johnson.