• We were seriously considering skipping this year’s indie-rock-peddling, week-long hangover known as SXSW but then the Stooges went and announced they’ll be performing at the event. As if our minds weren’t sufficiently blown by the fact that in March the band will release Weirdness, their first album in 30 years, now we have to refocus on going to Austin.
• We thought Americans didn’t give a shit about Paul Weller? The reluctant icon of all Mod revivalists reportedly sold out three New York dates in less than three minutes. Now he’s added dates in L.A. At this rate he’ll overtake the heartland next week.
• “Leaked Demos, weird me out to the max,” Karen O writes on the Yeah Yeah Yeahs Web site, in response to yesterday’s fury over a collection of unreleased O tracks put online. As per usual, the bowl-cut-sporting vixen is the essence of rational badassness. Our hero.
• If you don’t already have your tickets for the Princess Di tribute contest then you didn’t really love her (but you can still go). The first tickets reportedly sold out in about a day.
• It’s apparently no accident that Meatloaf’s upcoming Seize The Night tour starts out in California in February and ends up in New York City in April. He’s avoiding the snow. “I don’t do cold,” the temperature-sensitive rocker reportedly said. Good to know. Dates after the jump.

Feb 23 – Pala, CA – Pala Casino
Feb 28 – Victoria, BC – Save On Foods Memorial Ctr
Mar 2 – Vancouver, BC – PNE / Pacific Coliseum
Mar 4 – Edmonton, ALB – Rexall Place
Mar 6 – Kelowna, BC – Prospera Place
Mar 8 – Calgary, ALB – Pengrowth Saddledome
Mar 11 – Winnipeg, MB – MTS Ctr
Mar 14 – Toronto, ONT – Hummingbird Ctr
Mar 16 – Ottawa, ONT – Scotiabank Place
Mar 18 – London, ONT – John Labatt Ctr
Mar 20 – Hamilton, ONT – Copps Coliseum
Mar 22 – Syracuse, NY – OnCenter
Mar 24 – Upper Darby, PA – Tower Theatre
Mar 26 – Poughkeepsie, NY – Mid-Hudson Civic Ctr
Mar 28 – Binghamton, NY – Broome County Arena
Mar 30 – Hershey, PA – Giant Ctr
Apr 1 – Washington, DC – DAR Constitution Hall
Apr 3 – Clearwater, FL – Ruth Eckerd Hall
Apr 5 – Boca Raton, FL – Mizner Park Amphitheatre
Apr 7 – Orlando, FL – Hard Rock Live
Apr 10 – Wallingford, CT – Chevrolet Theatre
Apr 12 – New York, NY – Theater at Madison Square