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Britney Gets Behind Mardi Gras
Louisiana native BRITNEY SPEARS will partake in this year's Mardi Gras festivities in New Orleans -- beginning with an appearance on ABC's Good Morning America on February 28th, when the morning show broadcasts live from the city. For the program, the pop singer will make surprise visits to NOLA residents still suffering in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Spears recently made headlines after photos of her driving with four-month-old son Sean Preston in her lap led to new federal funding proposals for stricter child booster seat laws.
Beyonce Leads Box Office
The remake of the classic comedy The Pink Panther, starring comedian STEVE MARTIN and BEYONCE KNOWLES, led the weekend box office, taking in $21.7 million. The former DESTINY'S CHILD diva Knowles previously co-starred in the 2002 MIKE MYERS comedy, Austin Powers: Goldmember. She is currently filming a new movie adaptation of the hit Broadway musical Dreamgirls, alongside JAMIE FOXX and EDDIE MURPHY.
Anti-Christ's Wedding Hits Fashion Mag
Photos and details of MARILYN MANSON's December wedding to burlesque dancer DITA VON TEESE are in the March issue of Vogue. Images of the Goth-tinged ceremony at a castle in Ireland feature the bride wearing a Vivienne Westwood dress and the groom in a velvet tuxedo amidst 4,000 black and crimson roses and multiple candelabras. Hip-hop music played as the couple exchanged vows. LISA MARIE PRESLEY, KEANU REEVES and OZZY and SHARON OSBOURNE were among the guests, who also joined in post-wedding activities including archery and falconry.
Lou Reed Cancels Shows
Veteran rocker LOU REED has canceled two concerts -- February 11th at the Bardavon Opera House in Poughkeepsie, New York, and February 13th at New York's Crobar -- due to an undisclosed illness. The former VELVET UNDERGROUND singer-songwriter is scheduled to perform next at the Twentieth Winter Olympics' medals ceremony on February 23rd in Turin, Italy. Tickets for the canceled U.S. concerts are being refunded. Meanwhile, more than fifty photos from Reed's latest book, Lou Reed's New York, are on display at New York's Steven Kasher Gallery through the 25th.
Avenged, Cambria Team Up
AVENGED SEVENFOLD and COHEED AND CAMBRIA will co-headline a thirty-one-date U.S. tour, beginning April 7th in Poughkeepsie, New York. More dates for the spring trek, which will hit most major cities, will soon be announced.
Mellencamp Brings More "Music"
JOHN MELLENCAMP will return to the road for the third leg of his Words and Music Tour, in support of his platinum-selling two-disc hits collection, Words and Music: John Mellencamp's Greatest Hits. The jaunt begins on March 30th, stopping in twelve cities, with a free show on April 2nd in Indianapolis for the NCAA Basketball Final Four Tournament. (Mellencamp's "R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A." is the theme for the NCAA's coverage.)
Carey, West Totally Requested
MARIAH CAREY, KANYE WEST, CHRISTINA AGUILERA, CHRIS BROWN and ASHLEE SIMPSON will be on hand for MTV's fourth annual TRL Awards airing on February 25th. The event will honor MADONNA with a lifetime achievement award and U2's BONO for his international humanitarian efforts. Carey, KELLY CLARKSON, GWEN STEFANI and SHAKIRA will duke it out for the title of TRL's First Lady, while West, EMINEM, 50 CENT and MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE frontman GERARD WAY are up for top male artist.
Islands, Angels, Fever and More Hit Stores
Former UNICORNS songwriter NICK DIAMONDS and drummer J'AIME TAMBOUR have formed the new Montreal indie outfit ISLANDS. Their debut, Return to the Sea, hits April 4th. The ten-track album boasts appearances from members of the ARCADE FIRE . . . PLACEBO will drop Meds, the follow-up to 2003's Sleeping With Ghosts, on March 21st. The album was mixed by producer FLOOD (U2, SMASHING PUMPKINS) . . . VAGUE ANGELS, helmed by CHRIS LEO (brother of indie rocker TED LEO), drop their sophomore effort, Let's Duke It Out at KilKenny Katz', on March 6th . . . The FEVER release their sixteen-track sophomore album, In the City of Sleep, on May 2nd . . . Former CURE keyboardist ROGER O'DONNELL will launch his 99 X Out of Ten record label with the May 16th release of his solo album, The Truth in Me. "Truth in You," the first single, off the Moog synthesizer album, is being remixed by the POSTAL SERVICE's JIMMY TAMBORELLO.
Hilary Heads to the Races
HILARY DUFF will be the honorary starter for the Auto Club 500, NASCAR's premiere West Coast race, on February 26th at the California Speedway. Before Duff waves the green flag that starts the race, American Idol FANTASIA BARRINO will sing the national anthem. Joining Duff on the podium will be her sister, actress HAYLIE.
More Bands Head to Bonnaroo
OYSTERHEAD -- the trio compromised of former PHISH guitarist TREY ANASTASIO, PRIMUS bassist LES CLAYPOOL and POLICE drummer STEWART COPELAND -- will perform together for the first time since 2001 at this year's Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival. Claypool will also play another set at the fest with his own band. Jam bands UMPHREY'S McGEE and the DISCO BISCUTS have also been added to a roster that includes headliners TOM PETTY and RADIOHEAD. Tickets for the festival, taking place June 16th through the 18th in Manchester, Tennessee, are currently on sale at bonnaroo.com.