Advertisement

Rock News: Music's high and low notes

By PENNY NELSON BARTHOLOMEW, United Press International
Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter

U2

U2 launched the sold-out third leg of its Elevation Tour Thursday at Notre Dame's Joyce Center in South Bend, Ind.

Advertisement

The concert --- which lasted more than two hours -- spanned the band's entire career, including early singles "New Years Day" and "Pride" as well as tracks from their current album "All That You Can't Leave Behind."

The show was also filmed for the first concert Web cast from the Elevation Tour, screened live on u2.com. For those who missed it, registered members of u2.com will be able to view the entire concert on demand for the next seven days -- along with exclusive footage and crew interviews.

The Elevation Tour kicked off in March in Miami and closes in Los Angeles Nov. 19.

The remaining dates are:

DATE VENUE CITY

10/12 Molson Centre MONTREAL, Canada

10/13 Copps Coliseum HAMILTON, Canada

10/15-16 United Center CHICAGO

Advertisement

10/19 The Arena BALTIMORE, Md.

10-24-25, 27 Madison Square Garden NEW YORK

10/28 Continental Airlines Arena NEW JERSEY

10/30-31 Dunkin' Donuts Center PROVIDENCE, R.I.

11/2 First Union Spectrum PHILADELPHIA

11/5 Frank Erwin Center AUSTIN, Texas

11/7 Pepsi Center DENVER

11/9 Delta Center SALT LAKE CITY

11/12-13 Staples Center LOS ANGELES

11/15-16 Oakland Arena OAKLAND, Calif.

11/18 Thomas & Mack Arena LAS VEGAS

11/19 Staples Center LOS ANGELES

(Web site: u2.com)


SMASHING PUMPKINS

On Nov. 20, Virgin Records will release the long-awaited Smashing Pumpkins Greatest Hits album, titled "Rotten Apples." To coincide with the event, the label will also issue a limited-edition two-CD package that'll include the CD "Judas O," the follow-up to "Pisces Iscariot," the 1994 b-sides release by the Pumpkins.

The new compilation will feature b-sides and rarities culled from the band's sessions, which produced the albums "Melon Collie and the Infinite Sadness," "Adore" and "Machina."


BILLY JOEL

Billy Joel has a No.1 album --- on the classical music chart.

"Billy Joel Opus 1-10 Fantasies & Delusions (Music For Solo Piano)" (on the Sony Classical/Columbia Records label) made its debut atop the Billboard Top Classical Albums, with first week's sales of more than 14,000 units. That's the highest first week's sales of any album of instrumental classical music in the SoundScan era.

Advertisement

"Fantasies & Delusions" -- comprised of music compositions by Joel and performed by piano virtuoso Richard Joo -- also debuted at No.83 on the overall Top 200 Album Sales chart.

Also released Oct. 2 -- "The Essential Billy Joel," a collection of 36 songs from Joel's first three decades of hits. It debuted at 29 on the Top 200 Album Sales chart.

(Web sites: billyjoel.com, columbiarecords.com)


J. LO

NBC has announced that it will air "Jennifer Lopez in Concert" on Nov. 20.

Billed as Lopez's first-ever, full-scale live concert appearance, the show was filmed in September in San Juan, Puerto Rico, at Roberto Clemente Stadium. It features songs from both of her albums, "J. Lo" and "On The 6," which sold more than 7 million copies worldwide.

Lopez made show business history earlier this year when "J.Lo" and her feature film, "The Wedding Planner," entered the Billboard charts and the box office at No. 1.

The first single off "J.Lo," "Love Don't Cost A Thing," spent five weeks atop Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart. The current single, "I'm Real," with Ja Rule has spent five weeks at No. 1 on the Urban Mainstream Charts.

Advertisement

(Thanks to UPI Hollywood Reporter Pat Nason)


JOHNNY CASH

For some time, country icon Johnny Cash has suffered from a condition called autonomic neuropathy. The ailment makes him very susceptible to getting pneumonia and related conditions. Because of that situation, his doctors have admitted the 69-year-old singer-songwriter to a Nashville hospital. The official diagnosis is bronchitis.

Doctors at Baptist Hospital say Cash has been hospitalized several times in recent years with pneumonia. His manager tells the Tennessean newspaper that "it doesn't look serious." Because of his condition, though, doctors decided it was best to keep him in a hospital and not at home in case his condition worsened.


DOLLY PARTON

Dolly Parton says she will stage a "Red, White and Bluegrass" benefit on New Year's Eve. Parton's publicist says the show will raise money to provide scholarships for the children of victims of the Sept. 11 terror attacks.

The singer/songwriter told a Nashville news conference that she "wants to show my true colors -- red, white and blue, by being a good American and a good Samaritan." Parton says she plans a huge event and will soon announce the names of other participants.

Advertisement

By the way, the scholarship fund to which Parton wants to contribute is headed by Bill Clinton and Bob Dole and has pledged to raise at least $100 million in the next few months.

(The above two items thanks to UPI Feature Reporter Dennis Daily)


HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH

Gloria and Emilio Estefan and Jon Secada will be among the Latin artists performing for President Bush and Cabinet members at the White House Friday to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. They'll sing "El Ultimo Adios" (The Last Goodbye)," a song to honor the victims and their families of the terrorist attacks one month ago.

The tribute song -- written by Secada -- was originally recorded two weeks ago during coordinated recording sessions in Miami, Los Angeles, New York, Mexico City and Puerto Rico. Artists taking part included the Estefans, Secada, Ricky Martin, Marc Anthony, Shakira, Thalia, Celia Cruz, Jaci Velasquez and Carlos Vives.

"El Ultimo Adios" will be released and distributed by Crescent Moon Records through Sony Music, who will donate 100 percent of the proceeds from sales to the American Red Cross and the United Way.

Advertisement


CHI-LITES

The lead singer of the Chi-Lites has been sentenced to one year and a day in prison for his role in a bribery scheme that sold Dixmoor (Ill.) Park District police badges to businessmen.

The Chicago Sun-Times reports that Marshall Thompson, 59 -- a former Maywood Park District police sergeant -- was convicted of being the "bagman," transferring thousands of dollars from people who wanted police badges to Dixmoor Park District police authorities. He has until Feb. 26 to report to federal prison to begin serving his sentence.

Thompson -- a founding member of the Chi-Lites in 1961 -- also was fined $5,000. The R&B group had a string of hit soul singles in the 1970s, including "Oh, Girl," "Have You Seen Her" and "The Coldest Days of My Life."

Latest Headlines