EAST LANSING, Michigan — Judging by the number of cars bearing Canada license plates around Michigan State University's Breslin Center on Tuesday, it was clear that Vancouver's Nickelback were going to feel right at home.
Fans waved maple-leaf flags around the venue before the Campus Invasion show, which also featured performances by Starsailor, Injected and Nickelback protégées Default (see "Nickelback, Default, Injected Invading A College Near You"). Others sat atop their rides shouting pro-Canada slogans.
Stepping onstage to sweeping, cinematic music, Nickelback kicked off their set with "Woke Up This Morning." Singer/guitarist Chad Kroeger was obviously pleased with Nickelback's newfound multiplatinum status — he grinned incessantly as fans punched their fists in the air and sang along with the album track.
The quartet looked more like good ol' boys from the South than Canadian rockers; they all wore cowboy boots, and bassist Mike Kroeger donned a white cowboy hat. No wonder they adopted the "Dukes of Hazzard" theme as entrance music for their fall tour.
During their 90-minute set, Nickelback whipped through most of the material from their two U.S. records, last year's Silver Side Up and 2000's The State. Kroeger and Ryan Peake created a wall of sound with their guitars on songs such as "One Last Run" and "Breathe." Harmonies were near flawless, as were Kroeger's album-ready vocals.
For "Cowboy Hat," the Kroeger brothers and Peake opted to take the stage in a metal fashion, standing along the rim to jam during a bridge. The Kroegers and Peake took turns playing atop pedestals and a walkway that stretched behind the drumkit and wall of speakers.
Nickelback's set also included two new songs, and frontman Kroeger invited the audience to "email us, write us, scream at us at the end of the f---ing show" to voice their opinions on the tracks.
One of the new songs, tentatively titled "Figured You Out," is an overtly sexual tune that includes the line "I love the pants around your feet." The track is perhaps one of Nickelback's best, with a stop-and-start guitar style that segues into smooth two-part harmony. Fans, most of whom were college-aged and decked out in Abercrombie & Fitch, responded fervently when Chad Kroeger asked, "What do you think? Does that one make the cut?"
The spring 2002 installment of the Campus Invasion Tour began with an outdoor set on the MTV2 stage by England's Starsailor, whose mellow performance was in stark contrast to their tourmates'. Inside the venue, at 7:30 p.m., Injected opened the show with a short set of material from their major-label debut, Burn It Black. Lead singer Danny Grady flashed devil horns to the audience, who more than eagerly returned the gesture.
Default provided a tight, crystal-clear set featuring songs from their U.S. debut, The Fallout, which was co-produced by Chad Kroeger. With a firm grip on the microphone, vocalist Dallas Smith looked like just another fraternity boy on campus, but his powerful voice belied his appearance. Default kicked off their set with "Slow Me Down," allowing Smith to stop midway to yell, "Michigan State University, make some noise."
Guitarist Jeremy Hora laid down a series of blues licks before bassist Dave Benedict threw a water bottle in the air to kick off "Seize the Day." They closed the set with their latest single, "Deny."
As they did on their fall tour, Nickelback wrapped up the evening with an acoustic set. They performed a rendition of Big Wreck's "Mistake" and teased the audience with a mellow verse from "How You Remind Me." Inviting the audience to sing along, Chad Kroeger said, "I think you can sing a lot louder than that. Ready?" Nickelback paused, strapped on electric instruments and pounded away to a strong finish.
—Christina Fuoco
Posted by Jen on Wednesday, April 17, 2002 @ 04:26 p.m.
You would think that after winning five Grammys and selling close to 5 million albums, Alicia Keys might find time for a summer vacation. On the contrary, the braided wonder is delving deeper into work mode, touring and recording an album.
"First I'm finishing up the second half of my tour, which starts July 3 in New Orleans at the Essence festival," Keys said, outlining her plan of attack. "In the process, I'm always writing, recording, getting out ideas. After I finish this second half of the tour, I'm going to be in the studio hard, working on this next album. [I'm] really, really ready for it. It's gonna be off the hook."
For her sophomore LP, Keys, who has just finished a remix version of "How Come You Don't Call Me," said she already has a concept that will tie her two discs together "into one masterpiece." She said she'll write and produce most of it but that she isn't averse to collaborating with others for part of the project.
"I'm not writing from a different place; I'm writing from my heart," she said of her new songs. "No matter what circumstances you are in, there's those things that always affect you, that always happen to you no matter who you are. You could be dead broke, you could be rich.
"Life always helps me write," she continued. "No matter what I'm doing, it always helps me in a certain way. It helps me realize things as I'm going, so that sparks me to write. For me it's all about growth. I'm not the same person I was three years ago, although a lot of characteristics in me are very much the same. You grow and you learn and you see and you want to try new things. It's definitely going to be different, but it's gonna have the same foundation, because that's who I am, but it will definitely be the next step up."
It'll be tough to match the success Keys had with her debut, but working some of the kinks out of her album this summer might help. The singer is considering giving some of her new work a test run on tour.
"I may try new material. I also have learned so much from my last tour. I observed a lot and took in a lot. I definitely plan to change it up a bit, but the show is already a journey."
—Shaheem Reid, with additional reporting by Sharon Gomes Thomas
Posted by Jen on Wednesday, April 17, 2002 @ 04:23 p.m.
Although she won't be making her big-screen debut until New Line Cinema's "Austin Powers in Goldmember" opens in late July, Destiny's Child principal Beyonce Knowles is quickly moving on to her follow-up project. Knowles is in final negotiations to star as the female lead opposite Cuba Gooding Jr. in Paramount Pictures/MTV Films' "The Fighting Temptations" for director Jonathan Lynn. The project aims to go into production in the summer.
"Temptations" reunites Knowles with MTV, where the singer/actress worked on the telefilm "Carmen: A Hip Hopera." That production marked her first outing as an actress.
Described as "Soul Food" meets "The Full Monty," "Temptations" is the story of a Los Angeles hip-hop producer (Gooding) who travels to a small Southern town to collect an inheritance. As stipulated in the will, he must create a gospel choir and lead it to success before he can cash in. Knowles plays a choirgirl who becomes Gooding's love interest.
Destiny's Child begins an extensive international tour April 29 in Melbourne, proceeds to Europe with a May 15 date in Antwerp, Belgium, and winds down with 13 U.K. shows beginning June 7 in London.
-- Zorianna Kit, The Hollywood Reporter
Posted by Jen on Wednesday, April 17, 2002 @ 04:20 p.m.
``Get Your Body Started'' Class to Debut in More Than 400 Bally Facilities Throughout the U.S. and Canada; Bally to Host National and Local In-club Pink Dance Competitions and Pink Parties
CHICAGO--(ENTERTAINMENT WIRE)--April 17, 2002
-- Building on the success of the recent television advertising efforts, Arista Records' pop music sensation Pink has signed a marketing pact with Bally Total Fitness (NYSE: BFT - news), North America's leader in health and fitness products and services.
The agreement calls for a creative collaboration on a new Bally-Pink hip-hop dance aerobics class, titled ``Get Your Body Started,'' a national dance competition, and the presenting sponsorship of the performer's upcoming ``Pink - The Party Tour 2002'' throughout North America.
The ``Get Your Body Started'' hip-hop dance aerobics class, which will launch this month, was developed by Pink's choreographers and Bally's group exercise experts, and will be available in more than 400 Bally facilities throughout the United States and Canada. The group exercise class is based on the innovative choreography featured in Pink's award-winning videos, and set to the artist's hit songs, including the blockbuster single ``Get The Party Started'' from the double-platinum album on Arista, M!ssundersdaztood.
``Pink is on the cutting edge of contemporary and popular entertainment,'' said Jon Harris, vice president, media development and communications, Bally Total Fitness. ``She's young, fit, edgy and irreverent, a perfect brand ambassador for Bally.''
``With music being such an integral part of fitness, we're excited to partner with one of today's most popular artists on the ultimate dance exercise class that will motivate people to have fun and `get their body started,''' he added.
The ``Get Your Body Started'' Dance Contest and National Promotion
In conjunction with the ``Get Your Body Started'' exercise class, this month, Bally will rollout the ``Get Your Body Started'' Dance Contest, a national promotion that will be conducted at select Bally Total Fitness facilities throughout North America. The national Dance Contest kicks-off on April 30th in Phoenix, Arizona, and ends on June 18th in Los Angeles, California. Other key contest cities include New York, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Dallas, Miami, Atlanta, San Francisco and Toronto.
How the contest works is simple: Individuals visit their local Bally facility and learn the dance moves featured in the ``Get Your Body Started'' exercise class. In each city, contestants will perform the choreography before a panel of judges, who will evaluate competitors on alignment, range-of-motion, self-assurance and showmanship.
Those with the highest scores will win a pair of VIP concert tickets and the chance to meet Pink at an upcoming performance in their city. In June, one grand prize winner will be chosen from all local finalists and flown to Los Angeles for the ``once-in-a-lifetime'' chance to appear on-stage with Pink. The contest is subject to official rules, and participants must be at least 18 years of age to enter. Space is limited.
To further support the local dance competitions, the company will host ``Pink Parties'' at participating Bally Total Fitness locations where fans can invite their friends and family to cheer on contest participants and receive Pink-specific prizes, such as CDs and T-shirts.
Bally will support its association with Pink through national and local print and television advertising, as well as a radio campaign featuring the artist and her music. The creative was developed and executed by Santa Monica-based advertising agency Colby and Partners.
Bally Total Fitness Presents: Pink's ``The Party Tour 2002''
Through an exclusive agreement with Clear Channel Entertainment, the world's leading promoter and marketer of live entertainment, Bally Total Fitness has signed on to be the presenting sponsor for the singer-songwriter's North American tour, launching on May 2nd in Phoenix, Arizona. Pink will perform songs from her new album, M!ssundaztood, which is already over 3 million in sales in the U.S., as well as favorites from her first album, Can't Take Me Home, which was a double platinum smash in the U.S. and gained platinum and gold discs throughout the world. For show and ticketing information for Pink's ``The Party Tour 2002,'' log on to www.cc.com.
About Bally Total Fitness
Bally Total Fitness is the largest and only nationwide, commercial operator of fitness centers, with approximately four million members and more than 400 facilities located in 28 states and Canada under the Bally Total Fitness, Crunch Fitness, Sports Clubs of Canada, Gorilla Sports, Pinnacle Fitness and Bally Sports Club brands. With 150 million annual visits to its clubs, Bally offers a unique platform for distribution of a wide range of products and services targeted to active, fitness-conscious adult consumers. For more information, visit www.ballyfitness.com.
Posted by Jen on Wednesday, April 17, 2002 @ 04:12 p.m.
The voice of Britney Spears is cooing out of headphones attached to a near-square-shaped gizmo with a footprint roughly three-fourths the size of a floppy disk. And even though the device is small, I can't fathom how the pop princess, regardless of how fit she is, managed to squeeze inside the thing.
I'm kidding, of course.
But as I review two recent additions to the portable digital audio craze -- the upcoming MTV DataPlay player by Evolution Technologies and the new Rio Riot from SonicBlue -- it is remarkable how much audio can be packed into diminutive devices nowadays.
OK, diminutive may not be the ideal way to describe Rio Riot; it's not exactly pocket size or light (though 10 ounces can't be called heavy by any means), and lots of digital music marvels are punier. Still, the Rio is smaller than a portable CD player, yet it houses a 20-gigabyte hard drive capable of storing more than 400 albums. It contains an FM tuner to boot. I'll have more to say about it below.
But let's begin with the MTV DataPlay device, which size-wise belongs with the shrimps. The DataPlay system has been anticipated for a couple of years now, but this is the first product to exploit DataPlay discs, although it is a preproduction unit that hasn't exorcised all the kinks. A final version hits stores late next month. DataPlay, which invented the media, has other deals with device manufacturers such as iRiver, Samsung and Toshiba.
Indeed, DataPlay uses ''micro-optical'' discs, tiny recordable discs that look like oversized quarters encased in translucent plastic. The digital media has a capacity of 250 megabytes on each side; a 500MB double-sided version (nearly the data capacity of a CD) can hold more than 11 hours of compressed music downloads (at decent quality) or five prerecorded albums, hundreds of photos or dozens of games.
Though DataPlay discs are intended for use in all manner of gadgets, from digital cameras to PDAs, the grand scheme is for music labels to bring out pre-recorded titles that adhere to the new format. This summer, the independent label Zomba plans to release albums from Aaron Carter, 'N Sync (news - web sites), R. Kelly and Britney Spears, among others. Overall, DataPlay expects some 50 pre-recorded titles to be available in June, slightly lagging the launch of the MTV player, with music labels BMG, EMI and Universal also on board.
The labels are banking on Britney and friends to lead fans to, well, more Britney and friends, without requiring devotees to leave the house. For example, the Britney disc I had contained 13 full-length songs and a dozen 30-second preview cuts from another album, Oops! . . . I Did It Again. You can listen to the previews and purchase a download ''key'' to unlock some or all of the extra content.
I connected the MTV player to my computer via a Universal Serial Bus port and clicked on a button inside the FuturePlayer software that automatically appeared on the screen. That took me to a Web page with various retailers on it (though for testing purposes, I could only go to DataPlay directly). The initial prerecorded disc will be similar in price to CDs, probably $15.99 in the case of Britney. For $12.99, I could download a key to unlock the entire second album. Or I could cherry pick individual tracks for $1.99 each. It took under a minute for each song I grabbed.
Here's another twist. You can make sure no space on the disc is wasted. So on the same disc with Britney, I was able to copy my own MP3s over from my computer.
With that in mind, you can also buy blank DataPlay discs (to sell for $5-$12) to burn your own music. Be aware that unlike cassette tapes or CD-RW discs, this is a ''write-once'' medium, meaning once you've recorded something you cannot reclaim the space, even if you later choose to delete the tune.
Alas, I ran into a snag trying to transfer 248 MB of music -- 58 songs in total -- onto a blank disc inside the MTV player. About 15 minutes into the process, with nearly 75% of the project complete, I received an unwelcome message: ''There has been an error copying content to DataPlay Medium. Error Code= Ox100FF.'' The FuturePlayer software on my PC froze. I'll give DataPlay the benefit of the doubt since this is still ''beta'' software and I was able to listen to the tunes that made it onto the disc.
Nonetheless, I encountered other problems during initial setup and later. For example, I had to summon help from a DataPlay techie because software drivers didn't load properly. Another complaint: The FuturePlayer software doesn't offer to automatically search your PC for digital media as do other players, so if your MP3s are scattered, you've got to do the digging yourself.
The controls on the $369 MTV player also could be friendlier. The scroll wheel on top and the five buttons on front aren't the most intuitive --especially since I didn't have a manual. The case can be made at this point in the evolution of music players that the basic controls should be intuitive. (DataPlay says changes will be implemented before the final version turns up.) Moreover, while you can skip ahead to the next track or retreat (standard on any music player), there's no way to fast-forward to a particular spot inside a track. Nor could I alter the display to show, for example, how much time remained on a song.
Nonetheless, DataPlay is off to a promising start, and I would expect the devices to improve in the future.
And now, back to Rio. By its very nature, the player invites comparisons to the Apple iPod, probably the sexiest of the digital players on the market. Rio isn't nearly as slick-looking as the white, playing-card-size Apple. Nor is it as fast. I was able to transfer 291 songs off a Mac onto iPod in a blazing two minutes; by contrast, it took me 53 minutes to move 359 tracks from a PC onto the Rio using the supplied Real Jukebox software. Of course, Apple uses FireWire connections while the Rio relies on slower USB.
But the $400 Rio is impressive just the same. For starters, you can carry an awfully large boatload of music: more than 5,000 tunes on a hard drive that is four times larger than the 5GB iPod I used and the biggest I am aware of in the market (matched, though, by the new $400 Creative Nomad Jukebox 3; Creative also has announced a $500 40GB version, due next month, and Apple now has a 10GB iPod). And SonicBlue says you'll get more than 10 hours of playback between having to charge the lithium ion batteries, which seemed about right based on my usage.
Rio does a reasonable job in letting you find things you want to hear on the quick, even if I occasionally pressed the wrong button digging through the various menus.
I especially appreciated the Rio DJ tool that conjures up various ways to satisfy your music palate. ''Entertain Me'' generates a random mix of selections based on how much time you have to listen, from 15 minutes to eight hours; ''Memory Lane' conjures up playlists of music you haven't heard in a while; ''Sounds of . . . '' customizes music from a given year or decade.
The Rio is easy to grip if you are on an airplane or commuter bus, and it comes with a carrying case. But unlike, say, the DataPlay device, it is far too bulky to jog with.
Then again, that extra space will sure make it simpler for your favorite musician to climb into it.
Posted by Jen on Wednesday, April 17, 2002 @ 04:07 p.m.
--In 1985, Dee Snider was on Tipper Gore's s**t list.
Snider and his then-band Twisted Sister were in the middle of the controversy over rock music lyrics spearheaded by Gore and the PMRC (Parents Music Resource Center).
The PMRC placed Twisted Sister and its hit song ``We're Not Going to Take It'' on its list of fifteen songs that they considered offensive. The songs came to be known in the media as the ``Filthy Fifteen.'' Snider did not take the designation lightly and was among an eclectic group of artists who testified before a Senate panel about the harmful effects of the PMRC's activities and demands.
This Sunday, Snider plays himself in the VH1 Original Movie ``Warning: Parental Advisory,'' a comedic spin on the war on ``porn rock'' led by Gore and the PMRC -- and the bizarre cast of unlikely characters who get caught up in the battle on Capitol Hill. ``Warning: Parental Advisory'' premieres Sunday, April 21 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT on VH1.
In honor of the upcoming movie, Snider has come up with his own ``filthy fifteen'': ``Not because they necessarily deserve it, but because ultra-conservative, short-sighted judgmental a--holes assume they do,'' he explains. His list (in no order):
1. BRITNEY SPEARS "Slave 4 U"
2. CHRISTINA AGUILERA, L'IL KIM, MYA and PINK "Lady Marmalade"
3. DMX "Where's My N--gaz"
4. EMINEM "Kim"
5. JAY-Z "Super Ugly"
6. KID ROCK "Paid"
7. CUSTOM "Hey Mister"
8. MARILYN MANSON "The Reflecting God"
9. MYSTIKAL "Shake You're A--"
10. NINE INCH NAILS "Closer"
11. ROB ZOMBIE "House of 1000 Corpses"
12. SHAGGY "It Wasn't Me"
13. SLIPKNOT "People = S--t"
14. SNOOP DOGGY DOG Anything by him
15. SYSTEM OF A DOWN "Chop Suey"
Posted by Jen on Wednesday, April 17, 2002 @ 04:03 p.m.
-- With the arrival of the Spring season, Goody Products, Inc., has signed on top celebrity and fashion hair stylist, Richard Marin, as the company's newest spokesperson. Famed for his work on TV show ``Friends,'' Richard has glamorized the hair of celebrities across the country. Richard's client list includes Cindy Crawford, Neve Campbell, Matt Damon, Johnny Depp, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jodie Foster and Britney Spears, just to name a few. His most recent work includes Marcia Gay Harden for the Academy Awards, Carrie Ann Moss for the Spirit Awards, and Jodie Foster promoting her new film ``Panic Room.''
As Goody continues to drive hair trends as the leader in fashion and beauty, Richard will create exclusive hair designs using Goody products and accessories for Goody's fashion conscious consumers. Of this new relationship, Richard comments: ``I am very excited about my collaboration, because it combines my expertise in fashion and beauty with Goody's reputation for quality fashion and innovation. This partnership unites the best of both to the real advantage of women and their styling needs.'' John Andrews, Goody Products, Inc. Senior Brand Manager, further explains: ``We are thrilled to be working with Richard and look forward to substantial growth in both Goody's product awareness and sales through this new agreement. His solid skill base and longstanding reputation in the fashion and beauty industry partners extremely well with our commitment to continue our role in defining beauty.''
Goody Products, Inc., a Newell Rubbermaid (NYSE: NWL - news) company, is the world's most recognized producer of hair care products and accessories, personal care travel products, mirrors, clips, barrettes and rollers. The company's brands, including Goody, ACE combs and brushes, and Goody Travel items are sold primarily at leading food, drug and discount retailers. Goody Products is based in Peachtree City, Georgia. For more information, visit www.LookinGoody.com , or Richard Marin via Cloutier, Hollywood's premier celebrity, fashion and beauty agency, at www.cloutieragency.com/richardmarin.
Posted by Jen on Wednesday, April 17, 2002 @ 03:59 p.m.
In The News is a site devoted to Entertainment news found from various
sources on the Internet. In The News will mostly focus on Top-40 music news (mostly pop music
news) and news on the hottest celebrities. In The News cannot
guarantee the credibility of the articles found within the site. We are
only as credible as our sources make us. If an article has been found to
be false, we will make sure it is known as soon as possible.
In The News is archived daily, so to view news from past days updates, check the Archives.