Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter Subscribe SUPER BOWL XXXVI Paul McCartney will lead "a tribute to the spirit of everyday heroes" during the pre-game show for Super Bowl XXXVI, set for Feb. 3 at the New Orleans Superdome. That's according to Billboard.com, which said a McCartney spokesperson could not confirm whether the performance would include the song "Freedom," which the artist debuted at the Concert for New York City last October, or a new tune written specifically for the occasion. Advertisement "As a sports fan, I am thrilled to have the opportunity to be involved in the Super Bowl, and as a musician, I am honored to add my voice to the message of tribute that this year's Super Bowl will carry," McCartney said in a statement. Other musical artists taking part in the Super Bowl festivities this year include Mariah Carey, who'll sing "The Star-Spangled Banner"; Mary J. Blige and Marc Anthony dueting on "America the Beautiful"' and U2 performing during the halftime show. Advertisement DAVE MATTHEWS BAND The Dave Matthews Band is hitting the studio before hitting the road again. Sonicnet.com reports the band will enter the studio to work on a follow-up to last year's "Everyday." No release date has been set for the still-untitled disc. DMB will take a break from the recording studio to perform at the Winter Olympics for a concert celebrating the opening of Olympic Medals Plaza on Feb. 9. Then on April 4, the band will launch a 33-date tour in Washington, D.C.: 4/4 -- Washington, DC @ MCI Center 4/5 -- State College, PA @ Bryce Jordan Center 4/7 -- Boston, MA @ Fleet Center 4/8 -- Boston, MA @ Fleet Center 4/10 -- Philadelphia, PA @ First Union Center 4/12 -- Providence, RI @ Dunkin' Donuts Center 4/13 -- Buffalo, NY @ HSBC Arena 4/15 -- New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden 4/16 -- New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden 4/19 -- Toronto, ON @ Air Canada Centre 4/20 -- Ottawa, ON @ Corel Centre 4/21 -- Montreal, QC @ Molson Centre 4/23 -- Auburn Hills, MI @ Palace of Auburn Hills 4/24 -- Cleveland, OH @ Gund Arena Advertisement 4/26 -- Rosemont, IL @ Allstate Arena 4/27 -- Rosemont, IL @ Allstate Arena 4/29 -- Minneapolis, MN @ Target Center 4/30 -- Ames, IA @ Hilton Coliseum 5/2 -- Selma, TX @ Verizon Wireless 5/4 -- The Woodlands, TX @ C.W. Mitchell Pavilion 5/5 -- The Woodlands, TX @ C.W. Mitchell Pavilion 5/7 -- Dallas, TX @ American Airlines Center 5/9 -- Albuquerque, NM @ Journal Pavilion 5/10 -- Denver, CO @ Pepsi Center 5/12 -- Phoenix, AZ @ Cricket Pavilion 5/13 -- Chula Vista, CA @ Coors Amphitheatre 5/15 -- Los Angeles, CA @ Staples Center 5/16 -- Irvine, CA @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre 5/18 -- Mountain View, CA @ Shoreline Amphitheatre 5/19 -- Mountain View, CA @ Shoreline Amphitheatre 5/21 -- Marysville, CA @ Sacramento Valley Amphitheatre 5/23 -- Portland, OR @ Rose Garden Arena 5/24 -- Vancouver, BC @ General Motors Place DAVE MATTHEWS, JOHNNY CASH Dave Matthews and Johnny Cash are recording a duet, "For You," that may be included on the soundtrack for the upcoming Mel Gibson film "We Were Soldiers." MTV.com reports Cash cut guitar and vocals tracks for the song last Sunday at his home studio in Jamaica. Matthews will add his vocal tracks. Advertisement The two met in 1999 when Matthews appeared on the cable television special "An All-Star Tribute to Johnny Cash." "We Were Soldiers," due out in March, may include music from other country stars. The soundtrack album will be released by Sony. GREEN DAY, BLINK-182 Green Day and Blink-182 are planning a co-headlining North American spring and summer tour, according to representatives of both bands. Allstar.com says no dates have yet been announced, but details should be revealed soon. The nine-week tour is expected to kickoff in mid-April and end in June. This will mark the first time the two California-based bands will have toured together. Although the two groups will be co-billed, Green Day will perform last at the shows. As previously reported, Green Day is scheduled to play live at the Winter X-Games in Aspen, Colo., on Jan. 19, with the performance airing later on ESPN. The band also tours Japan from March 29 through April 4. RUFUS WAINWRIGHT Rufus Wainwright is planning his first-ever headlining tour with a full band beginning on Feb 8 in Boston. The road trip is in support of his new album, "Poses" (Dreamworks). Wainwright, the son of singer/songwriter Loudon Wainwright, hit the road as a solo performer and opening act for Roxy Music and Tori Amos last year, but he has never taken a full band on the road. Advertisement Tour dates: 2/8 -- Boston, MA, Avalon Ballroom 2/9 -- Albany, NY, Hart Theatre At The Egg 2/10 -- Toronto, Canada, Convocation Hall 2/11 -- Montreal, Canada, Le Spectrum De Montreal 2/14 -- New York, NY, Town Hall 2/15 -- Philadelphia, PA, Electric Factory 2/16 -- Washington, D.C., 9:30 Club 2/17 -- Towson, MD, Recher Theatre 2/19 -- Pittsburgh, PA, Metropol 2/20 -- Ann Arbor, MI, Michigan Theatre 2/22 -- Chicago, IL, Vic Theatre 2/23 -- Oberlin, OH, Finney Chapel 2/24 -- Greencastle, IN, Kresge Auditorium 2/26 -- Madison, WI, Barrymore Theatre 2/27 -- Minneapolis, MN, First Avenue 3/1 -- Aspen, CO, Double Diamond 3/2 -- Denver, CO, Gothic Theatre 3/8 -- Los Angeles, CA, Wilshire Ebell Theatre 3/9 -- San Francisco, CA, Fillmore GORILLAZ Gorillaz has a new album coming out Feb. 26. "G-Sides" is a compilation of new tracks, rarities, remixes and the band's animated videos. RollingStone.com reports it'll include two remixes of "19-2000" and a remix of "Clint Eastwood," both from the animated group's self-titled 2001 debut, as well as two new songs, "Faust" and "The Sounder." "Ghost Train," "Hip Albatross" and "12D3," also included on the compilation, were previously only available as B-sides in the U.K. The CD's release will coincide with the start of the animated group's first live tour of North America, scheduled to kick off Feb. 23 in Toronto. Advertisement GRAMMY AWARDS Producers of the upcoming 44th Annual Grammy Awards say Jon Stewart will return as host. The host of MTV's "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" earned excellent reviews for his work on last year's Grammy show. This year's telecast is scheduled for Feb. 27 on CBS. (Thanks to UPI Hollywood Reporter Pat Nason) BETTY BLOWTORCH BENEFIT Motorhead's Lenny Kilmister was in the audience for Tuesday night's benefit concert for Bianca Halstead, a.k.a. Bianca Butthole of the band Betty Blowtorch. She was killed in a car accident in New Orleans on Dec. 15. The show at the Dragonfly Club in Los Angeles featured The Superbees, Motochrist, Texas Terri & The Stiff Ones, Faster Pussycat, Coyote Shivers and The Pleasure Seekers. A New York benefit concert is set for Feb. 12 at Club Luxx in Brooklyn -- the venue which hosted Betty Blowtorch's last NY show. Bands booked to perform include Firegods (featuring Sean from the Toilet Boys), Bantam (featuring Gina of the Lunachicks), Candyass, The Humanoids,Supagroup, Angel Rot, Bad Wizard, The Munts and a special re-union show by Helldorado -- featuring Nashville Pussy bassist Tracy Almazan and Blare N. Bitch of Betty Blowtorch. Advertisement All proceeds from both shows will go to assist Halstead's family with funeral and burial arrangements. Halstead, 36, was a passenger in a car that went out of control while returning to the band's hotel. Betty Blowtorch was on tour with Nashville Pussy and had played a show at The Howling Wolf Club in New Orleans that evening. The driver was hospitalized. Halstead died at the scene. Betty Blowtorch's CD "Are You Man Enough?" was released last May (on Foodchain Records).
