VOLUNTEERS FOR AMERICA CONCERTS
Members of the classic rock bands Styx and Journey presented a check for $500,000 Tuesday to the New York Port Authority -- the proceeds from two benefit concerts held last month in Atlanta and Dallas to raise funds for the victims and heroes of the Sept. 11 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center.
The Volunteers For America concerts -- on Oct. 20 at the HiFiBuys Lakewood Amphitheatre in Atlanta, and Oct. 21 at the Smirnoff Music Center in Dallas -- featured performances by both bands, as well as Bad Company, Peter Frampton, Kansas, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Eddie Money, REO Speedwagon, Survivor, John Waite, Edgar Winter and Grand Funk Railroad's Mark Farner.
(Thanks to UPI Hollywood Reporter Pat Nason)
U2
U2's concert last summer at Boston's Fleet Center was taped and will air next week on VH1. "U2: Elevation Live 2001" captures the band live on stage as Bono, The Edge, Adam and Larry perform a mix of their hits as well as songs from their latest album, "All That You Can't Leave Behind."
The 90-minute special --- airing Nov. 23 (at 9 p.m. ET/PT) -- will be immediately preceded by "U2: Legends" (at 7:30 p.m.) and a special half-hour U2 concert pre-show (at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT).
"U2 Elevation Tour 2001" is the band's first tour since the highly successful "PopMart" (the top-grossing tour of 1997), and their first arena tour since 1992. It kicked off March 24 in Miami/Ft. Lauderdale and has continued with more than 101 sold-out dates in North America and Europe. The tour began its second North American leg in Notre Dame, Ind., on Oct. 10, and winds up in Miami Dec. 2.
U2 is tied with Dave Matthews Band for the most nominations at the upcoming My VH1 Music Awards '01, airing live Dec.2 (at 9 p.m. ET/PT) on VH1.
P.O.D.
P.O.D. takes the main stage at Warner Bros. Online's site, warnerbros.com, offering fans a behind-the-scenes look at a rehearsal performance from the band's "Youth Of The Nation" tour.
The multi-camera shoot was captured for Warner Bros. Online at the House of Blues in Las Vegas. P.O.D. plays hits from their latest CD, "Satellite," which was certified platinum just one month after its release.
B.B. KING
B.B. King is out with his first Christmas album.
"A Christmas Celebration of Hope" (on the MCA/Universal Records label) features 13 songs that were recorded in New Orleans and produced by B.B. King with his touring band on the sessions. It includes Christmas classics in both popular and blues music genres as well as two B.B. King originals -- "Christmas Celebration" (first released in 1960 on Kent Records) and the newly written instrumental "Christmas Love."
MCA Records is donating all profits from the sale of "A Christmas Celebration of Hope" to City of Hope to fund its research and patient care programs.
"It has been my long time dream to produce an album of Christmas music," said King. "Now the time has come for me to release with great pride and joy, 'A Christmas of Hope.' In addition, it is with pleasure that I dedicate this album to the City of Hope in support of their hard work to bring hope and healing to all people who suffer from life-threatening diseases everywhere."
King makes a guest appearance on the new Tony Bennett CD "Playing With My Friends: Bennett Sings the Blues" (RPM Records/Columbia), singing "Let the Good Times Roll" in duet with Bennett.
