TheSunNews.com: Music News - Wire

Peter Wolf to perform with Portland Symphony

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 17:13 EST

Rocker Peter Wolf says he's looking forward to trying some home-brewed beer and good wine when he arrives in Maine for a gig with the Portland Symphony Orchestra.

Wolf, the former frontman for the J. Geils Band, will narrate Igor Stravinsky's theatrical work "A Soldier's Tale" during Sunday's program at Merrill Auditorium.

Actor Judd Nelson, who is from Portland, was supposed to do the part but had to cancel. Wolf, who lives in Boston, was happy to step in.

Elton John on mend, resuming tour dates

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 07:30 EST

Elton John has been released from a London hospital after being treated for flu and an E. coli bacterial infection.

The singer's spokesman Gary Farrow says John was at home Friday and was feeling fine. He left the hospital early Thursday.

He says John planned to resume his suspended tour and would play scheduled U.S. dates with Billy Joel starting in Oakland, California on Nov. 14.

Calle 13 wins 5 Latin Grammys in Las Vegas

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 09:49 EST

Puerto Rican duo Calle 13 won all five awards it was nominated for Thursday at the Latin Grammys in Las Vegas, including two of the top awards of the night and honors in both urban and alternative categories.

The awards show ran late because Mexico's "Divo of Juarez," Juan Gabriel, sang for 40 minutes straight while mariachis stomped on stage and the audience clapped and sang along.

Calle 13 won album of the year for its innovative collaborations and politically charged reggaeton. Left with little time to accept the golden gramophone for the top honor, lead singer Rene Perez, who raps as "Residente," dedicated the award to Argentine folk singer Mercedes Sosa, who died in October at age 74.

NYC's Village Gate club owner, Art D'Lugoff, dies

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 21:30 EST

Art D'Lugoff (Duh-LOO'-guhf), who owned the famed Village Gate nightclub in New York City, has died. He was 85.

D'Lugoff died Wednesday at a Manhattan hospital. His brother, Burt D'Lugoff, said a cause of death was not yet known.

D'Lugoff opened the Greenwich Village club in 1958. He hired blacklisted singers Paul Robeson and Pete Seeger and fired Dustin Hoffman as a waiter. Hoffman, then a struggling actor, later said he was so distracted by the performers that he neglected customers.

Rihanna: Chris Brown 'had no soul in his eyes'

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 23:10 EST

Rihanna on Friday described the horror she felt as her ex-boyfriend Chris Brown was biting and punching her during a violent argument in February, saying she saw "no soul in his eyes."

"There was no person when I looked at him," the 21-year-old singer recalled during portions of an interview with Diane Sawyer airing on ABC's "20/20" and, earlier, "Good Morning America." "He had no soul in his eyes. Just blank."

Brown was arrested Feb. 8, hours after he was accused of beating Rihanna after the two argued over another woman. He later pleaded guilty to felony assault.

R&B singer Usher's divorce from his wife is final

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:34 EST

R&B singer Usher's divorce from his wife is final, according to court documents.

Fulton County Superior Court Judge Bensonetta Tipton Lane issued a final decree in the divorce case Wednesday.

Usher, 31, whose real name is Usher Raymond IV, filed for divorce from Tameka Raymond on June 12. He said the couple had been separated since July 2008 and claimed there was "no reasonable hope of reconciliation" and the marriage was "irretrievably broken."

Honolulu Symphony cancels remaining 2009 concerts

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 00:20 EST

The Honolulu Symphony said Friday it's canceling concerts for the rest of the year and filing for bankruptcy, citing a big drop in donations.

The symphony, the oldest in the nation west of the Rocky Mountains, said it has $1 million in debt and doesn't have enough money to support operations into November and beyond.

The Honolulu Symphony Society's board of directors voted to file for Chapter 11 protection at a special meeting on Oct. 30. Papers will be submitted to court next week.

Estelle, Ludacris pay tribute to late Otis Redding

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 01:24 EST

Grammy-winning singer Estelle remembered when she used to strut in the living room when she was younger, singing many of soul legend Otis Redding's classic songs like "Sittin' On The Dock of the Bay."

On Thursday night, she had a bigger audience as she and others paid homage to the soul singer in a two-hour performance at the Woodruff Arts Center in Atlanta.

"I'm just trying to do his song justice," said Estelle, who sang "Satisfaction," the Rolling Stones song that Redding covered. "I hope I come close to making the song sound great just like him."

Latin singer Alejandro Sanz searches for paradise

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 09:45 EST

Whenever Latin pop sensation Alejandro Sanz writes music, he sets off on a "long mental journey" to find inspiration. But when Alicia Keys surprised the singer at a party in New York by joining him in an impromptu jam session, Sanz knew then that he'd found his muse.

"I simply grabbed a guitar and we started to improvise, singing and playing. After that, we decided then that we needed to do something together," he said in an interview. "Working with her was such a marvelous thing. She's a great artist, a great woman, and it turned out to be something marvelous between us."

The end result is reflected in their new duet, "Looking For Paradise."

Joe Jackson seeks stipend from Michael's estate

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:31 EST

Michael Jackson's father is seeking an allowance from his son's estate to help cover expenses that exceed $15,000 a month, according to court documents filed Friday. The request seeking an unspecified amount for Joe Jackson was filed by lawyer Brian Oxman, who said there was no apparent reason for the administrators of the estate to not seek an allowance for the Jackson family patriarch.

Michael Jackson's 2002 will, however, omitted any mention of his father. The two had an often-strained relationship, and Michael Jackson said at one point that he would get physically sick - as a child and as an adult - at the sight of his father.

The singer's private trust calls for money to be paid to his mother, Katherine, his three young children, and various charities.

Green Day to play at Carson Daly's New Year's Eve

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 13:55 EST

Green Day already has New Year's Eve plans: They'll be ringing in 2010 with Carson Daly.

The punk-rock trio are slated to perform during "NBC's New Year's Eve with Carson Daly." The show is to air live from Times Square.

Daly says he's "beyond excited" to have the Grammy winners as his guests.

Midler announces end date for her Las Vegas show

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:55 EST

Bette Midler will perform her Las Vegas show "The Showgirl Must Go On" for the last time on Jan. 31.

Midler's show has had a home for nearly two years at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace. Her stint at Caesars began on Feb. 20, 2008.

Midler says in a statement Thursday that her run has been fabulous. She thanks both Caesars Palace and AEG Live for "the best partnership a showgirl could imagine."

Rihanna, Jay-Z to perform at American Music Awards

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 20:03 EST

Rihanna, Eminem, Lady Gaga, Green Day and Carrie Underwood will be among the diverse roster of performers planning to take the stage at the American Music Awards in Los Angeles, show producers said Thursday.

Producer Larry Klein said Jay-Z, Shakira, Mary J. Blige, Adam Lambert, Kelly Clarkson and Alicia Keys are also slated to perform on the 37th annual show, to be held at the Nokia Theatre on Nov. 22 and broadcast live on ABC.

He said that three more performers are yet to be announced, bringing the total to 18.

Outrage over wall blocking free U2 Berlin concert

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:43 EST

Irish rockers U2 returned to Berlin for a free mini-concert Thursday in front of the Brandenburg Gate, playing its classic singles and a duet with Jay-Z even as the show was obscured from public view by a nearly 6-1/2-foot (two-meter) high metal barrier.

Bono greeted the crowd with the German words "Berlin, Du bist wunderbar!" (Berlin, you are wonderful!) and the band played a 30-minute, six-song set that featured "Sunday, Bloody Sunday," "One" and "Beautiful Day."

Rapper Jay-Z appeared as a surprise guest and performed Bob Marley's "Get Up, Stand Up" with Bono.

Killers slay audiences with live show experience

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 13:15 EST

When the Killers started out, they wanted to raise a ruckus like their favorite rock stars did on the road: Frontman Brandon Flowers heard of the legendary exploits of Led Zeppelin and David Bowie and wanted to emulate those experiences.

But Flowers says the Killers' indulgence in the stereotypical rock star lifestyle is now in the wind.

"When we got away from cliches, our shows started really getting better," Flowers points out.

Winners of the 16th annual MTV Europe Music Awards

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:53 EST

Winners of the 16th annual MTV Europe Music Awards, presented Thursday:

Best Song - Beyonce for "Halo"

Best Live Act - U2

Winners at the 10th Annual Latin Grammy Awards

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 23:53 EST

Partial list of winners from the 2008 Latin Grammy Awards in Houston, Texas:

Record of the year: "No Hay Nadie Como Tu," Calle 13 featuring Cafe Tacvba.

Album of the year: "Los de Atras Vienen Conmigo," Calle 13.

Rihanna: Going back to Brown after beating 'wrong'

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:55 EST

Rihanna said Thursday that she regrets going back to ex-boyfriend Chris Brown after he left her bruised and battered during a February assault, warning other women facing domestic violence to not let themselves become blinded by love.

"It's completely normal to go back. You start lying to yourself," the 21-year-old singer said on "Good Morning America" in her first TV interview following the beating. "I'll say that to any young girl who is going through domestic violence: 'Don't react off of love.'"

Brown, 20, was arrested Feb. 8, hours after he was accused of beating Rihanna after the couple attended a pre-Grammy Awards party. He later pleaded guilty to felony assault and a judge ordered Brown and Rihanna to stay away from each other.

Islamic critics blast Beyonce on eve of Egypt show

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:30 EST

As Egypt gears for pop diva Beyonce Knowles' first performance in North Africa, Islamic conservatives are branding her show an "insolent sex party" that threatens the Muslim nation's "social peace and stability."

On giant posters plastered across the Egyptian capital advertising the Friday evening concert, Beyonce sports a revealing, flame-covered outfit and grips a set of motorcycle handlebars extending from her hips - a sharp contrast to Cairo streets, where most women wear the traditional Muslim headscarves.

TV ads promoting the show, part of Beyonce's "I Am ..." world tour, have run on Egyptian and Arab satellite stations. The tour, which also took Beyonce to the United Arab Emirates last week, had grossed $53.5 million as of October, according to Billboard magazine.

U2, Beyonce draw fans for MTV's Berlin show

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 18:08 EST

Berlin loves Beyonce.

The R&B superstar scooped up three wins Thursday at the 16th annual MTV Europe Music Awards, including trophies for best female, best song for "Halo" and best video for her No. 1 smash, "Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It.)"

When she won the best video award, she thanked Jay-Z - who just happens to be her husband - for "putting a ring on it."