NY Yankees raise tickets prices by 100%

The New York Yankees have raised the price they charge per gam for the most coveted tickets from a yearly cost of $37,oo for a four seat box to an amazing $81,000 for the same box in 2008. That is a staggering per ticket cost of $250.00 per ticket per game! Tixx.com can get you Yankees tickets for the best games call 1-800-688-4000 and save money today by not having to buy the whole season

The way the Yankees did look at their 2008 pricing was as an interim step of sorts en route to 2009 and their move across the street.

"The best way to say it is that approximately 50 percent of the increases that have been put in effect in 2008 will not increase into the new building," he said.

The team has about 37,000 season-ticket holders, and there is no reason to expect much drop-off, if any, with the new stadium on the horizon.

Trost said the price of bleacher seats will rise from $10 to $12 (in a season package) and upper reserved seats will go from $17 to $20 or $25. There also are increases at far more expensive levels.

Unlike the Mets, the Yankees do not offer variable pricing based on opponents or day of week.

The 10 most expensive ticket levels already are sold out.

The costliest of the remaining eight levels, the "Tier Boxes MVP," cost $55 per game for a full season ticket, $65 for an individual ticket in advance and $70 on game day.

The most expensive ticket is $400 for a game-day purchase at the "Field Championship" level.

LED ZEPPELIN US TOUR 2008

LED ZEPPELIN celebrated their triumphant comeback gig by planning world domination over cups of tea and coffee.

Unlike in their hellraising heyday, singer ROBERT PLANT and guitarist JIMMY PAGE slapped each other on the back and were handed giant mugs of hot drinks.

But then the rock fighting talk began and they discussed returning to Madison Square Garden in New York - where they did three sell-out shows in 1973.

My source backstage at London’s O2 arena said: “Robert had a couple of bottles of beer before going on stage but afterwards it was just hot mugs of tea and coffee.

“The band were really fired up and were talking about their late drummer JOHN BONHAM and what he would have thought about it - it was a time for reflection.

“Then the talk went to, ‘What next? Was this it or would there be something else?’ One of the guys started talking about their three concerts at the Garden.

“There was a consensus of, ‘Why not?’ It is one of the best live music venues in the world. I have no doubt after their reaction backstage that they will be there next year playing to a sell-out crowd.”

I said in my Bizarre manifesto I held wrinkly rockers in high esteem - and Led Zep’s first show for 19 years didn’t disappoint.

At the reunion gig the three surviving members - Page, Plant and JOHN PAUL JONES - were joined by Bonham’s son JASON on drums.

To see more pics from the gig and the celebs who attended, click on the link below.

Click here for slideshow

The band have hinted they would launch a tour if they enjoyed performing.

And if they loved it as much as their 18,000 screaming fans on Monday, expect to see them at a sold-out venue near you soon.

Page has been up for doing more gigs for a while, but Plant has been enjoying his solo career and has been reluctant.

But it seems the reaction of the fans and a bit of backstage back-slapping has turned his head.

A return was also predicted by support act PAOLO NUTINI.

He said: “They seemed very happy. Based on the show they gave I think they will tour.”

Celebs in the audience were full of praise for the band too. FOO FIGHTERS’ DAVE GROHL said: “That was amazing. Jason Bonham was fantastic on drums. I think he was even better than me.”

Then he challenged anyone listening: “I’ve got Led Zeppelin tattoos, have you?”

Just one word from LIAM GALLAGHER: “Mega”.

VERVE frontman RICHARD ASHCROFT wasn’t saying much but he did get noticed — he turned up with a dodgy bleached barnet.

Led Zeppelin? They’ve still got a Whole Lotta Love to give.

NFL taps Tom Petty for Super Bowl halftime show

NFL taps Tom Petty for Super Bowl halftime show
December 3, 2007 10:12 AM
By Tjames Madison
LiveDaily Contributor
Tom Petty [ tickets ] & The Heartbreakers will play the biggest stage in America next February, rocking the halftime show of Feb. 3's Super Bowl XLII, organizers have announced.
The halftime show of the National Football League's annual championship game is traditionally coveted by musical performers, who gain a huge lead-in audience from the game itself; this year's performance by Prince drew more than 140 million US viewers, according to the NFL.

Recent halftime acts for the big game have also included The Rolling Stones in 2006, Paul McCartney in 2005, and 2004's infamous "wardrobe malfunction" pairing of Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake.

The Super Bowl, which will be televised by Fox, will be held at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, AZ, which also plays home to the NFL's Arizona Cardinals.

Tire-maker Bridgestone has signed on as title sponsor for the Super Bowl's halftime show for both Petty's turn in 2008, as well as the following year's event, marking the first official Super Bowl exposure for either party.

The singer and his band toured last year to support "Highway Companion," his third solo release and 18th overall career album. The set debuted at No. 4 on The Billboard 200, making it the Pettyr's highest-ever chart debut. At the time of the outing, he told Rolling Stone the trek could be his last.

Petty continues to stay busy hosting the XM Satellite Radio show "Tom Petty's Hidden Treasures," which recently began its third season. He and his band can also be heard on the just-released tribute CD "Goin' Home: A Tribute to Fats Domino," on which they do a rendition of "I'm Walkin."


to buy Super Bowl tickets go to www.tixx.com

Little Mermaid Broadway review -from a fan

I thought the show was incredible.

I was VERY wary of the heelies concept going in, but it actually works really well. It certainly was a clever way to stage the swimming without using a lot of wires and things.

The cast is almost uniformly excellent. Sierra Boggess makes a solid Broadway debut. She truly inhabits the character of Ariel, and already seems to have her mannerisms and whatnot down. She has a great voice, and "Part of Your World" was one of the evening's highlights.

There is also the fantastic Titus Burgess, whose voice is just out of this world. I never saw Jersey Boys, so I had no idea what kind of voice he had. What he does with Under the Sea is amazing. I didn't really like his costume though- he kind of looked like Elmo.

Eddie Korbich was a lot of fun as Scuttle, as were the two guys who played the eels. Norm Lewis is underused, but he does get one brief moment where he really gets to use his voice.

The only person in the cast I did not care for was Sean Palmer. He gets a pretty thankless role to begin with, but he did absolutely nothing with it. Looking at his credits, he seems to be more of a dancer (appearing in Fosse, Dream, and Saturday Night Fever). However, Eric does very little dancing, so I am not sure why they went with him. His acting was blah, and his voice wasn't great.

Anyway, as good as Sierra and Titus were (and they were exceptional), the star on the stage this evening was the sensational Sherie Renee Scott, who in a perfect world would win the Best Featured Actress in a Musical Tony this year. She only appears in 6 scenes, but wow....she makes the most of it. She plays Ursula like this faded glamour queen. I felt like she was channeling a bit of Norma Desmond. Whatever it was, it worked. She gets two GREAT numbers that she sells to the rafters (the act 1 closer- Poor Unfortunate Souls and a new song called I Want the Good Times Back).

The costumes are fantastic, especially Ursulas. They did a great job of making her tentacles work. The set was lovely, and very imaginatively done. The way they shifted from the undersea world to land was clever. My only complaint about the set was Ariel's treasure trove. It wasn't so much a cavern as a rock. All she appeared to have collected was some old shoes. I also hope they do something about Ursula's final disappearance. It's not nearly as grand as it could be.

The staging was well-done. The highlights were Under the Sea and Kiss the Girl, the latter of which is very reminscent of Can You Feel the Love Tonight. The show moves along VERY briskly- by 10:25 this evening, I was out on the street.

Audience was really into it, and applauded loudly throughout- every major scene change got a lot of applause. They were very well-behaved- I didn't hear a peep out of any of the children. I want to give kudos to the ushers at the Lunt-Fontanne. The house did not open until 7:47 this evening, because the usher told me they were having problems with the set. However, in spite of that, they still had the house seated VERY quickly, and the show began at 8:07.

The audience was very appreciative throughout, and this source material is clearly very beloved (moreso, I suspect, than any Disney movie besides the Lion King). If tonight's packed house was any indication, they've got a winner on their hands that will run for a long, long time.


The Little Mermaid
Tickets are now on sale for this brand-new Disney musical. Great seats are available beginning January 2008!





In a magical kingdom beneath the sea, a beautiful young mermaid named Ariel longs to leave her ocean home to live in the world above. But first, she'll have to defy her father - the king of the sea, escape the clutches of an evil sea witch and convince a prince that she's the girl with the perfect voice.

Curtain Up! Patti LuPone Gypsy Is Headed to Broadway in 2008

Curtain Up! Patti LuPone Gypsy Is Headed to Broadway in 2008
By Andrew Gans
28 Nov 2007

for tickets go to https://www.wwwtixx.com/information/gypsy-tickets.html or call 1-800-688-4000

Patti LuPone in the City Center production of Gypsy.

photo by Joan Marcus

After a limited engagement this past summer at City Center — the inaugural production of the Encores! Summer Stars series — the acclaimed mounting of Gypsy starring Tony and Olivier Award winner Patti LuPone will arrive on Broadway in 2008.

According to a casting notice, the classic musical will open at a Broadway theatre-to-be-announced March 27, 2008. Rehearsals will begin Jan. 27, 2008.

Gypsy co-creator Arthur Laurents, who helmed the City Center run, will direct on Broadway as well. The casting notice says that the entire cast of the Encores! production have been offered the chance to repeat their roles on Broadway, but only LuPone has currently been cast.

The creative team will also include Patrick Vaccariello (music director) and Bonnie Walker (reproducing Jerome Robbins' original choreography).

The Encores! Summer Stars production of Gypsy played its final performance at City Center July 29. The limited run began previews July 9 with an official opening July 14.

Directed by Laurents, who wrote the book to what is considered one of the finest American musicals, the cast also boasted Boyd Gaines as Herbie, Laura Benanti as Louise, Leigh Ann Larkin as Dainty June, Tony Yazbeck as Tulsa, Alison Fraser as Tessie Tura, Nancy Opel as Mazeppa/Miss Cratchitt, Marilyn Caskey as Electra, Sami Gayle as Baby June, Emma Rowley as Baby Louise, Jim Bracchita as Uncle Jocko/Pastey, Bill Bateman as George/Mr. Goldstone/Bougeron-Cochon, Bill Raymond as Pop/Cigar and Brian Reddy as Weber/Phil.

The creative team also included James Youmans (set design), Martin Pakledinaz (costume design), Howell Binkley (lighting design) and Dan Moses Schreier (sound design).

Gypsy features a score by Jule Styne (music) and Stephen Sondheim (lyrics) and a book by Arthur Laurents. The musical bowed on Broadway in May 1959 at the Broadway Theatre, playing 702 performances before closing at the Imperial Theatre, where it later transferred, on March 25, 1961. Ethel Merman created the role of Rose in the original production; subsequent Broadway Roses include Angela Lansbury, Tyne Daly and Bernadette Peters. Merman and Peters were Tony-nominated for their performances; Lansbury and Daly won the coveted award.

A Tony Award winner for her work in Evita, Patti LuPone also earned an Olivier Award for her performances in the West End productions of Les Misérables and The Cradle Will Rock. Her other theatrical credits include Sunset Boulevard, Anything Goes, Oliver!, Working, The Old Neighborhood, Master Class and Pal Joey. LuPone also headlined two solo Broadway concerts, Patti LuPone On Broadway and Matters of the Heart, and received glowing notices for her performance as Mrs. Lovett in the Lincoln Center concert version of Stephen Sondheim's Sweeney Todd and a Tony nomination for her performance in the recent revival of that Sondheim work. She was seen in the Kennedy Center's staging of Marc Blitzstein's Regina and recently joined Audra McDonald for Los Angeles Opera's production of Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht's Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny. Her screen and recording credits are numerous.

Foo Fighter tickets Madison Square Garden NYC New York

FOO FIGHTERS TICKETS
Madison Square Garden • February 19

With their recent release of Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace,
Foo Fighters – consisting of Dave Grohl, bassist Nate Mendel, drummer Taylor Hawkins and guitarist Chris Shiflett – have crafted a twelve-track milestone that showcases and reconciles the band's every strength and sensibility in the most complex and confident album to date.

The road to Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace hasn't been easy, but 12 years in and going stronger than ever, Foo Fighters have established themselves as the epitome of the American rock band for generations to come with its catalogue of platinum-plus, multiple Grammy® winning albums and classic tracks.

Don't miss Foo Fighters at Madison Square Garden on February 19!

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________________________________________

Upcoming Events


Ozzy Osbourne with Special Guest: Rob Zombie
Madison Square Garden
December 22



They Might Be Giants
Beacon Theatre
February 2



Steve Winwood
Eric Clapton
Performing Together
Madison Square Garden
3 Nights Only!
February 25, 26 & 28



On Sale 12.3
Van Halen
Madison Square Garden
March 17



The Cure
Madison Square Garden
June 20

Broadway Stagehands, Producers Face Fourth Day of Strike Talks

Broadway Stagehands, Producers Face Fourth Day of Strike Talks

By Philip Boroff

Nov. 28 (Bloomberg) -- Stagehands and producers meet in New York today for the fourth straight day to try to end a strike that's led to the cancellation of more than 500 performances.

After about 30 hours of talks spread over two marathon sessions, negotiators return to the theater district offices of Proskauer Rose LLP to salvage what's left of the holiday season. Talks are scheduled to begin at 10 a.m.

``We made some progress,'' Charlotte St. Martin, executive director of the League of American Theatres and Producers, said in an interview after talks yesterday. ``We just don't have a deal.''

Since stagehands represented by Local One of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees walked off the job without warning on Nov. 10, 26 of Broadway's 35 shows have been shut down. The industry had ticket sales of $4.3 million in the week ending Nov. 25, down 81 percent from the $23.3 million weekly gross a year ago, according to figures out yesterday from the League of American Theatres and Producers.

Last week's grosses exclude ``Young Frankenstein,'' the Mel Brooks musical that shuns industry tradition and does not disclose ticket sales.

Producers and union officials involved in the talks say a conflict over work rules for the load-in of sets -- which can cost producers more than $1 million per show -- has already been revised. Still to be resolved are labor rules for shows that are already running, as well as pay increases. Producers said last week they offered a 20 percent increase over five years.

All-Night Vigils

The talks, which officially began in July, have of late attracted round-the-clock media attention. Yesterday, reporters, cameramen and news vehicles clogged West 48th Street outside Proskauer, which shares its office building with Morgan Stanley. During two successive all-night vigils, television people napped in their vans as writers and photographers loitered uncomfortably on the sidewalk.

While producers and union members are cushioned by separate multimillion-dollar strike funds, the dispute has cost the city's economy dearly. New York City Comptroller William Thompson puts the impact at $2 million a day. That estimate assumes that most out-of-town tourists who are shut out of Broadway will spend an equal amount of money on other activities.

``I think someone is assuming too much,'' Jeffrey Friedland, a Harvey, Louisiana-based theater diehard, wrote in an e-mail.

``I have been talking to a lot of friends who have cancelled plans to go to New York because of the strike, and one couple who was already there just went to museums and walked around the Village. No extra spending. They pocketed the refunds and came back home, very irritated and disappointed.''

`Grinch' Return

Just one show has reopened so far, after missing 23 performances. On Nov. 23, ``Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas! -- The Musical'' resumed performances after the producers won a court fight against their landlord, Jujamcyn Theaters. Jujamcyn sought to keep the show closed while Local One was striking in its four other theaters.

``Grinch'' has a separate contract allowing as many as 15 performances a week -- seven more than the typical Broadway show.

When ``Grinch'' reopened, it faced a daunting challenge: it had 18,000 tickets to sell for 11 performances over a three-day weekend. People who'd used credit cards to buy tickets before the strike had received automatic refunds.

``We did very well considering that families had only two days notice,'' said Tomm Miller, vice president of marketing for Running Subway LLC, the show's lead producer. She said ``Grinch'' played to about 90 percent capacity over the weekend -- good under the circumstances but disappointing for what's normally one of the year's busiest theater weekends.

When the strike is resolved, many other shows will struggle to regain momentum, without the giddy and concentrated press coverage that the ``Grinch'' enjoyed. New plays without stars may be particularly vulnerable.

``Every day you have refunds, your advance sale goes down,'' said Robyn Goodman, a veteran Broadway and off-Broadway producer and serious-play devotee. ``If you only had a small advance, it can go down to zero.''

To contact the reporter on this story: Philip Boroff in New York at pboroff@bloomberg.net .

The Led Zeppelin renuion its more than a one night stand

Led Zeppelin's Return Is More Than 1970s Nostalgia (Update1)

By Mark Beech

Nov. 28 (Bloomberg) -- Led Zeppelin's singer Robert Plant has joked that the group's comeback means their trademark song ``Stairway to Heaven'' should be renamed ``Stairlift to Heaven.''

Fans of the U.K. rock band, who have been hoping for a reunion for three decades, are indeed in ecstasy. For Plant, 59, and his band mates, who have already sold more than 300 million albums, it could also signify a golden pension plan.

Led Zeppelin fell apart after the death of drummer John Bonham in 1980. Thanks to bone-crunching songs such as ``Whole Lotta Love,'' the group's influence was once viewed as equal to that of Elvis Presley, the Beatles and Bob Dylan.

The group has new CDs, a DVD and a Web site. It put its back catalog online and joined a charity concert, featuring pals Jimmy Page on guitar and singer Robert Plant, with Bonham's son Jason on drums and the estranged bassist, John Paul Jones.

More than a million fans entered an Internet ballot for the Dec. 10 gig at London's 20,000-capacity O2. Tickets have been offered on EBay for as much as $10,000 each for ``buy it now'' sales. The demand may tempt Led Zeppelin to tour in 2008.

The group is ``concentrating on the concert,'' said its U.K. spokesman Chris Goodman of public-relations company the Outside Organisation. Still, the reunion is stirring speculation among Internet bloggers that the band is lining up venues for a tour.

Broadway strike impasse is how much to pay the stage hands that sweep the floor

Broadway Talks Continue For Second Night In A Row

November 27, 2007

For the second day in a row, stagehands and producers worked overnight to try reach a deal to end the two-week-old Broadway strike.

The two sides convened at around 7 p.m. Monday, but as sunrise approached Tuesday morning, there was still no word of a deal.

An end to the strike would allow more than two dozen Broadway shows to reopen after 17 days in the dark.

The two sides negotiated for nearly 20 hours over the weekend – from Sunday morning until just before 7 a.m. Monday – before agreeing to take a 12-hour break.

“We all felt exhausted and bleary-eyed. I was able to get 20 minutes sleep on the floor; some people weren’t,” said Local One spokesman Bruce Cohen. “The need here is to be creative and to crunch numbers. Local One has its spreadsheets and its computers and its calculators, figuring out the economic impact of everything being discussed and just at one point, everyone realized, we’re not functioning at 110 percent."

Both sides say they're hopeful about settling their differences, and are feeling the pressure to resolve the contract dispute in this latest round of talks.

Stagehands were back on the picket line Monday, hopeful it would be their last day on strike.

Sources tell NY1 that the sticking points remain mopping of the stage and continuity hours – the hours worked at the beginning and end of a stagehand’s shift.

Super Bowl packages for 2008

Super Bowl packages lavish workers

Has your company performed well this year? If so, then you might want to subtly mention to your CEO that the Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee is offering a handful of corporate hospitality packages.

The most expensive of them - which runs $150,000 for a group of 10 people - will get you into the weeklong party known as the FBR Open, exclusive Super Bowl bashes and the Feb. 3 game itself in Glendale.

Others will have you rubbing shoulders with comedian Jay Leno, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and Hall of Fame inductees at a VIP gala. advertisement




The non-profit Host Committee says a portion of the sales will go back into the community, funding free public events, youth sports programs and local charities.

Here's a rundown of the packages:


Greens to Gridiron package



• $150,000


• Ten south end-zone Super Bowl game tickets, including complimentary food and beverages. Five game-day parking passes.


• Ten tickets to the Host Committee's pre- and postgame party at the Renaissance Glendale Hotel & Spa near the stadium.


• Ten Bird's Nest passes for the entire FBR Open, including seating and hospitality in a skybox at either the 16th or 18th holes.


• Ten passes to Fabulous Friday Night, the Host Committee's private party at Tempe Town Lake.


• Ten passes to 944 magazine's Saturday Night Party in Scottsdale.


• Ten NFL Experience football theme-park tickets.


• Golf for four at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale.


• Golf for four at Blackstone Private Country Club in north Peoria.


• Five rooms for four nights at either the Millennium Resort or Gainey Suites Hotel, both in Scottsdale.




Fairway to Field



• $10,000 per person for two or $10,500 for single


• South end-zone game ticket including complimentary food and beverages. Parking pass for four or more.


• Ticket to the Host Committee's pre- and postgame party at the Renaissance Glendale Hotel & Spa near the stadium.


• Ticket to the FBR Open's Corporate Village on the 18th green for five days.


• Golf at Blackstone Private Country Club in north Peoria.


• Four-night stay at Scottsdale Embassy Suites, Buttes Resort in Tempe or San Marcos Hotel in Chandler.




Super Ticket



• $7,500 per person


• South end-zone game ticket, including complimentary food and beverages. Parking pass for group of four or more.


• Ticket to the Host Committee's pre- and postgame party at the Renaissance Glendale.


• Tickets to Fabulous Friday Night, 944 Saturday Night Party and NFL Experience.




Big Ticket Gala


Dinner at the Phoenician Resort in Phoenix, including entertainment by Tonight Show host Jay Leno, and appearances by ESPN anchor Chris Berman, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and 20 Hall of Fame inductees. Commemorative gift for all guests.


• Champions Circle - $100,000

Premium table for 10, plus a Hall of Famer seated at your table.

Admission to postevent reception with Leno and Hall of Fame guests.

Ten game-day Super Bowl tickets and five parking passes.

Ten tickets to pre- and postgame party and Fabulous Friday Night.


• Super Circle - $50,000

Premium table for 10, plus Hall of Famer seated at your table.

Admission to postevent reception with Leno and Hall of Fame guests.

Four game-day Super Bowl tickets and two parking passes.

Four tickets to pre- and postgame party and Fabulous Friday Night.


• Victory Circle - $25,000

Table for 10.

Two game-day Super Bowl tickets.

Two tickets to pre- and postgame party and Fabulous Friday Night.


• Touchdown Club - $12,500

Table for 10.


• Team Player - $1,250

Individual ticket at mixed table.

Kenny Chesney, Keith Urban Reveal Concert Dates

Kenny Chesney, Keith Urban Reveal Concert Dates




Kenny Chesney tickets will headline a concert at Gillette Stadium near Boston, on July 26, according to the tour section of his Web site. Billed as the New England Country Music Festival, Chesney will be joined by Keith Urban, LeAnn Rimes, Gary Allan and Sammy Hagar. ... In related news, Urban and Carrie Underwood will launch their new tour with two shows (Jan. 31 and Feb. 1) at Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Conn., according to Urban's Web site. Only a few other Urban/Underwood concert dates have been revealed: Feb. 16 in Roanoke, Va.; March 7 in Omaha, Neb.; and March 11 in San Jose, Calif.

for tickets to Kenny Chesney go to https://www.wwwtixx.com/kenny_chesney_tickets.html

Jacksons may reunite for tour 2008

Jacksons may reunite for tour
"Michael will be involved," says Jermaine Jackson of long-delayed move that includes new album

Nov 27, 2007 04:30 AM


Everybody else is getting back together, why shouldn't The Jacksons?

In a year that has seen reunion tours by The Police, Van Halen and the Spice Girls, Jermaine Jackson is floating the idea of a 2008 outing with his brothers, who range in age from 46 to 56.

"We feel we have to do it one more time," the singer/guitarist told BBC 6 Music yesterday.

The Gary, Ind.-born group, which began as the Jackson 5, shot to fame in the late '60s with the pop-soul hits "I Want You Back" and "ABC" on the strength of fifth son Michael's infectious vocals.

By the time they hit the road for the 1984 Victory Tour, they had left Motown for Epic Records, been joined by a sixth brother, Randy, and seen Michael score a multi-million-selling sophomore solo smash with Thriller.

They recorded 1989's 2300 Jackson Street before disbanding in 1990.

The key to a successful Jacksons comeback is the participation of King of Pop sibling Michael, who was said to have performed on the Victory Tour reluctantly.

"Michael will be involved," said Jermaine, who indicated that his infamous brother has attended organizational meetings at which concert dates were tabled.

He also told the BBC the long-rumoured reunion was delayed by Michael's 2005 sex abuse trial.

Though evidently the inspiration of young superstars such as Usher and Justin Timberlake, the entertainer's cat-and-mouse games with the public, absence from record charts, implausible plastic surgeries and controversial relationships with young boys have transformed him from music icon to punchline.

Being part of a family tour "could add something positive" to Michael's legacy, said Flow 93.5 program director Wayne Williams.

"It would be good for him and his career. And regardless of Michael's goings-on, there's definitely an appetite to see him along with all his brothers onstage one more time."

Jermaine also told the BBC that the band was "in the studioat the moment," hinting at work on new material.

Michael, who has long been supposed to be working on a new record, says in the current issue of Ebony magazine: "I'm writing a lot of stuff right now. I'm in the studio, like, every day."

However, the 49-year-old entertainer, who is featured on the cover to commemorate Thriller's 25th anniversary, is evasive on the subject of touring, primarily noting "I don't like long tours."

for more concert ticket information go to www.tixx.com

Led Zeppelin tour in '08?

Led Zeppelin tour in '08?
By RAY WADDELL

Billboard

It would be big. Potentially one of the biggest ever.
I'm talking, of course, about the increased chatter regarding a Led Zeppelin reunion tour for 2008 featuring founding members Robert Plant on vocals, Jimmy Page on guitar and John Paul Jones on bass, with Jason Bonham, son of the late Zep drummer John Bonham, manning the skins.

There has been no announcement that this tour is going to happen, and Plant has publicly denied it will take place. Billboard in general and myself in particular aren't usually in the rumor business. But this thing is starting to take on a certain air of reality. Maybe it's just wishful thinking.

For years, a Led Zeppelin tour, or the closest thing to it in the absence of John Bonham, has been considered the holy grail of the touring world.

Plant and Page toured arenas together in the mid-'90s. With a killer backing band, the pair reported $31.4 million from 63 shows that drew 1,028,678 people. That was enough to make Plant/Page the seventh-grossing tour of the year at a time when the Rolling Stones, the Grateful Dead and the Eagles were all touring stadiums.

And remember, 1995 was the cusp of exploding ticket prices. A ticket price higher than $100 was rare; the Stones topped out most dates at $50 that year, the Dead were $33.50 tops and the Eagles had shattered the glass ceiling but were still mostly less than $100.

While the days of coast-to-coast stadium tours appear to be behind us, a Led Zeppelin tour will undoubtedly play scattered stadiums in North America and probably all stadiums in Europe. The tour would most likely be a creative "mix and match" route similar to what the Stones have done recently.

So let's be conservative and say Led Zeppelin averages $225 per ticket, with top seats at a Stones-esque $450 and a low end at $75. It's a big production, so you get an arena capacity of about 15,000 max. Say 5,000 tickets at $75, 5,000 at $200, 3,000 at $300 and 2,000 at $450, for the sake of discussion. That comes to a gross of $3.2 million for one night.

Suddenly those 1,028,678 headbangers Plant and Page played to in 1995 generate a gross of $231,452,550 in 2008. From those 63 shows the average gross is now $3.7 million, compared with slightly less than $500,000 per night then.

Given the status this tour would have and what it would take to get these guys out on the road, it's not unreasonable to assume the guarantee would be in the $3-million-per-night range. The merchandise numbers would be astronomical, $15 per head or better, so that brings in another $15.4 million minimum, with online sales bringing in plenty more. Plus, there no doubt would be some serious live DVD possibilities, not to mention there's talk of a new compilation release, and catalog sales at large would receive a terrific boost. Let's not forget VIP and fan-club packages, and a high- seven-figure sponsorship deal. And, hey, while were at it, let's get them in the studio to record some new material under the Zep brand. Now that's big. *

Cult Will Open For Led Zeppelin 2008 concert tour of America

Cult Will Open For Zeppelin In '08
Led Zeppelin

November 20, 2007, 6:15 PM ET

billoard is reporting the folllowing.....
Not only is Led Zeppelin going back on the road in 2008, but they've selected the Cult as their opening act. That's according to Cult frontman Ian Astbury, who blabbed the news Saturday (Nov. 17) during a show in Cincinnati.

According to an MTV.com report, Astbury told the crowd, "We'll be back next year because we're opening for a band you may have heard of ... the name starts with an 'L' and has a 'Z' in it." After a fan shouted, "Led Zeppelin," Astbury nodded and raised his arm in the air.

A spokesperson for the Cult had no comment on Astbury's remarks. A Led Zeppelin spokesperson could not be reached at deadline.

However, there is growing speculation that Zeppelin, who will perform a one-off Dec. 10 show in London in tribute to the late Ahmet Eretgun, will indeed tour next year, with or without the Cult.

It is understood that conversations have already taken place to gauge the willingness of surviving bandmates Jimmy Page, Robert Plant and John Paul Jones to hit the road, and there are unconfirmed reports that U.S. venues have already been approached about holding summer dates.
Led Zeppelin Reunion Tour Dates and Tickets

For his part, Page isn't doing much to quash speculation about Zeppelin's future. He told Guitar World that just one show would amount to a huge tease for the legions of Zeppelin fans dying to see the band live. "If that's it, we probably shouldn't have taken the genie out of the bottle," he said.

Then, Page told Reuters the band would play a never-before-unveiled song during the London gig, which he would describe only as "really intense."

"I think really we'd need to see how we got on in every respect," Page told Billboard in 2003 when asked about a Zeppelin reunion. "I mean, it's all very well. I know everyone would love to see us play together, but the reality of it is, if you start doing that, you commit to a period of time. And you've got to make sure that the music is jelling, and the personalities are jelling. But you know, who knows? Everything is possible!"

"Let's be positive and say that maybe it could be," he added. "It certainly wouldn't be because anyone had gone ahead and booked dates for us. No, no, no, no, no. That wouldn't be the case at all. It would be because we felt like we'd like to do it."

Led Zeppelin tour dates
Led Zeppelin tour dates 2008
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Van Halen tour date announced for Dallas 2008

Van Halen tour dates announced for Dallas
By Pegasus News wire

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DALLAS — A Dallas date has been announced for the ballyhooed Van Halen tour reuniting David Lee Roth and Eddie Van Halen: The band will perform at American Airlines Center on Saturday, January 26, 2008. Tickets go on sale December 1.

When the reunion tour -- which also includes Alex Van Halen and Eddie's son Wolfgang on bass -- was originally announced back in August, Dallas was not on the list of 40 stops. But the tour, which kicked off September 27, has been extended, with a series of 2008 dates announced in mid-November, including Oklahoma City on January 22 and Houston on January 28. Dallas seemed a likely addition. More dates are expected to follow.

to buy tickets for Van Halen click here

Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood tour dates

Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood to reunite for NYC shows
November 5, 2007 11:11 AM
By Tjames Madison

Eric Clapton [ tickets ] has announced three concerts in New York City reuniting the legendary guitarist with Steve Winwood [ tickets ], his former bandmate in '60s supergroup Blind Faith.
The Madison Square Garden dates--set for Feb. 25, 26 and 28--come on the heels of the impromptu reunion between the two at Chicago's Crossroads Guitar Festival earlier this summer, where Winwood joined Clapton during his set for several songs, a set that included a few tunes from Winwood's old band, Traffic.

"I have wanted to play with Steve for a long time," Clapton said in a press statement. "I consider him a friend and a truly gifted musician. Our set at the Crossroads Festival this summer was a real treat, so I expect these shows will be good fun for us and for the fans."


Blind Faith, which initially placed the pair together, came about in 1969, after the breakup of Clapton's group Cream, and while Winwood's Traffic was on hiatus. The group, which also included Cream drummer Ginger Baker and bassist Ric Grech, released one self-titled album before splitting.

"I'm very excited about these upcoming shows with Eric," Winwood said in a statement. "Blind Faith was a long time ago and we have both come a long way since then. It was a wonderful experience for me to play at Crossroads this summer and I'm really looking forward to exploring some more music together in February."

Clapton's latest album, "The Road to Escondido," pairs him with his hero J.J. Cale. The 2006 release, which runs the spectrum of blues, rock, country and folk, is streaming at Clapton's website.

Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood

February 2008
25-26, 28 - New York, NY - Madison Square Garden


eric clapton tour dates
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concert tickets
concert tour dates
steve winwood eric clapton
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Bruce Springsteen Adds More Dates in ‘08

Bruce Springsteen Adds More Dates in ‘08


By Bob Grossweiner and Jane Cohen

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band this week released the first series of additional tour dates for 2008, which will start Feb. 28 in Hartford, CT and wrap up April 30 in Charlottesville, VA.

The current leg of the tour, which finished in the States earlier this week and will take the band to Europe through the middle of December, has been a rousing success, in part due to the strength of Springsteen's 23rd album, "Magic." The critically acclaimed album was released Oct. 2 on Columbia Records and debuted at number one on Billboard's Top 200 Albums chart.


Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band 2008 tour itinerary:

February 28 Hartford, CT HCC Arena
March 2 Montreal, QC Bell Centre
March 3 Hamilton, ONT Copps Coliseum
March 6 Rochester, NY Blue Cross Arena
March 7 Buffalo, NY HSBC Arena
March 10 Hempstead, NY Nassau Coliseum
March 14 Omaha, NE Quest Center
March 16 St. Paul, MN Xcel Center
March 17 Milwaukee, WI Bradley Center
March 20 Indianapolis, IN Conseco Fieldhouse
March 22 Cincinnati, OH U.S. Bank Arena
March 24 Columbus, OH Schottenstein Center
March 28 Portland, OR The Rose Garden
March 29 Seattle, WA Key Arena
March 31 Vancouver, BC GM Place
April 4 Sacramento, CA Arco Arena
April 5 San Jose, CA HPPavillion at San Jose
April 7-8 Anaheim, CA Honda Center

April 13 Dallas, TX TBA
April 14 Houston, TX TBA
April 18 Ft Lauderdale, FL Bank Atlantic Center
April 19 Orlando, FL Amway Arena
April 21 Tampa, FL St. Pete Times Forum
April 25 Atlanta, GA Philips Arena
April 27 Charlotte, NC Charlotte Bobcat Arena
April 28 Greensboro, NC Greensboro Coliseum
April 30 Charlottesville, VA John Paul Jones Arena

springsteen tour dates 2008
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concert tickets
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Broadway strike is rumored to be over press conference at 11pm tonight

sources at the website www.wwwtixx.com are quoted as saying the strike is over tonight!

75,000 union workers are affected by the Broadway strike

according to the Union 350 stgaehands jobs are affecting the livlyhood of 75,000 union workers.. read this old press release to confirm the numbers

THIRTEEN BROADWAY UNIONS AND GUILDS FORM INDUSTRY‑WIDE COALITION:
COBUG EYES PUBLIC POLICY AND COLLECTIVE BARGAINING
TO PROMOTE BROADWAY

December 17, 2002

NEW YORK‑Thirteen Unions and Guilds collectively representing over 75,000 workers in the live entertainment industry announced the formation of a coalition to address issues of common interest to their members who work on Broadway COBUG, the Coalition of Broadway Unions and Guilds. The coalition represents all aspects of the Broadway theatre, from actors, musicians, playwrights, directors and choreographers, to set, costume and lighting designers, stagehands, ushers and ticket‑takers, box office personnel, wardrobe, hairstylists, porters, press agents and company managers

The mission of COBUG is to strengthen the position of every constituent union and guild within the industry and "to make our collective voice and concerns heard by employers, public officials and tire theatre-going public," said Anthony DePaulo, Business Manager for IATSE Local I, Stagehands, and Alan Eisenberg. Executive Director, Actors' Equity Association, who serve as COBUG'S Co-Chairs. The members are:

Actors' Equity Association (AEA)
American Federation of Musicians, Local 802 (AFM)
Association of Theatrical Press Agents and Managers, Local 18032 (IATSE)
Dramatists Guild
International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, International (IATSE)
Makeup Artists Hair Stylists Union Local 798 (IATSE)
Motion Picture Projectionists, Operators. Video Technicians, Theatrical Employees & Allied Crafts, Local 306 (IATSE)
Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers (SSD&C)
Service Employees International Union, Local 32BJ Theatre Division (SEIU)
Theatrical Protective Union Stage Hands, Local 1 (IATSE)
Theatrical Wardrobe Union, Local 764 (IATSE)
Treasurers & Ticket Sellers Union, Local 751 (IATSE)
Untied Scenic Artists Local 829 (IATSE)

Broadway is New York City's top tourist attraction, generating billions of dollars (and tax revenues) for tourist related businesses like theatres, hotels, restaurants, and taxis; it is one of New York's largest employers, providing jobs and benefits for thousands of workers; and it supports numerous ancillary service industries. Almost 11 million tickets were sold in the 2001-2002 season; grossing $643 million dollars in revenue for Broadway producers and theatres.

The formation of the coalition is the direct result of meetings that began after September 11, 2001, when every union and guild took unprecedented; across-the-board pay cuts in order to keep a number of long-running Broadway shows from closing. "Like many citizens, our members demonstrated their commitment to Broadway and to the future of this city in a very tangible way," said DePaulo and Eisenberg. "Directly and symbolically, our members kept the lights shirring on Broadway during those very dark times and saved New York's mast important industry."

Meetings in the months following helped to shape a broad spectrum of interests and a shared, progressive agenda. Among those interests and goals are:

Advocate Public Policy which benefits labor and the entertainment industry
Build Positive Relationships with Civic, Trade and Employer Organizations
Collective Bargaining with Shared Employers
Promote Tourism and Broadway
Support Public and Private Funding for the Arts
Healthcare and workplace safety issues
Impact of New Media and Computerized Technologies on Live Theatre

"Significant attention will be paid to educating the public about the issues that we face at the bargaining table," added DePaulo and Eisenberg. COBUG members will share information about collective bargaining issues; starting with GSA Local 829's current negotiations and the musicians upcoming Broadway negotiations next year.

'DR. SEUSS’ HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS! THE MUSICAL'

THEATER REVIEW New York Times| 'DR. SEUSS’ HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS! THE MUSICAL'
Green Menace Is Back, Just in Time for Holidays
By NEIL GENZLINGER
Patrick Page, it appears, is out of stamps. When you’re reprising a seasonal role, and half of your audience hasn’t yet celebrated a 10th birthday, you’re supposed to be mailing it in, as they say. But Mr. Page, in his second year as the title crab face in “Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical” at the St. James Theater on Broadway, is delivering an extraordinary performance.

The young ’uns in the crowd might not appreciate just how good it is, but their accompanying adults certainly will. It’s lucky for them that Mr. Page has brought his A game, because this adaptation, unlike, say, a Pixar movie, doesn’t stuff itself with quick grown-up jokes and references.

the rest of the article can be read on the

New York Times site

Dressers in Wardrobe Union Fear Loss of Health Insurance Due to Strike

Dressers in Wardrobe Union Fear Loss of Health Insurance Due to Strike
By Kenneth Jones
21 Nov 2007


Like those in their sister unions who have been impacted by the stagehands strike, Broadway dressers, stitchers, launderers and others of Theatrical Wardrobe Union Local 764 are not immune to feeling anxious.

In a scenario echoed from union to union, wardrobe people are nervously counting up their work weeks and salaries to see if lost work since the strike's Nov. 10 start will prevent them from making the minimum work weeks or salary required to give them an essential benefit — health insurance.

Emergency strike pay of $400 a week began Nov. 15 (as it did for other union folk, like those in Actors' Equity), but members of Local 764 told Playbill.com some wardrobe people in the 1,000-person union are at great risk of losing their insurance — and insurance for their spouses and kids — in 2008.

"I know people who may not make minimum [due to the strike]," said one Local 764 I.A.T.S.E. member, who asked not to be named.

Rules prevent members from paying directly into health insurance. They must work to be insured.

Members said the wardrobe union leadership told them there might be some employment opportunities in other areas that could fill in the work gaps — so members could reach toward making minimum for insurance.

However, members have been worrying about a worst-case scenario: a strike that continues for many weeks. Day work or pick-up work won't be able to solve the lost weeks in that case, members say.

"I know some people are upset now, but if it lasts, there will be a bloodbath," one member said.

If the strike is protracted, members say they expect many stories of dressers and others desperately scrambling to raise thousands of dollars to pay for their own (or their families') insurance, through COBRA, the law which allows the formerly insured to pay for the continuation of lapsed insurance due to job loss.

According to Local One documents, in order to have coverage for yourself and one eligible dependent in 2008, a wardrobe worker must earn $40,000 in covered employment in 2007. In order to have family coverage in 2008, you must earn $55,000 in covered employment in 2007.

In theory, a wardrobe person may end up being covered but face the grim fact that their kids are not, a union member told Playbill.com.

"I thank my lucky stars I am working on this show," said one wardrobe person working in a still-running Broadway show. She said some who have made their minimum and are working in running shows have been known in recent days to give up a portion of their hours to strike-stricken wardrobe people.

The outside work options for stranded wardrobe people are further reduced at the moment due to the current Writers Guild strike, affecting TV and movie work; filming has shut down.

At the time of the Broadway strike, there were about 400 wardrobe people working on Broadway, including those who continued working the eight Broadway shows that were not affected by the strike.

The strike is also hurting wardrobe workers of the eight currently running Broadway shows — Mauritius, Xanadu, Pygmalion, The Ritz, Cymbeline, …Spelling Bee, Young Frankenstein and Mary Poppins tickets. Some workers' regular income on those shows was often supplemented by day work on other shows. Unlike actors, wardrobe people can cross over into others shows.

Unlike other unions, there is no Local 764 Strike Fund, but it's getting support from its parent, I.A.T.S.E., so the unemployment-level weekly strike pay of $400/week is not necessarily in danger.

In seven weeks, traditional unemployment will kick in if the strike lasts that long.

Lingering Broadway strike hits where it hurts

Lingering Broadway strike hits where it hurts
BY LINDA WINER

linda.winer@newsday.com

November 20, 2007

The theater community was reeling at the news that 27 Broadway shows will be closed through the lucrative Thanksgiving weekend.

"Stunned is the word," said Maria Somma, representative for Actors Equity Association, about the breakdown of talks between Local One, the stagehands' union, and the League of American Theatres and Producers. Two 12-hour days of negotiations came to an abrupt end late Sunday and Charlotte St. Martin, executive director of the League, announced cancellation of performances through next Sunday.

As theatergoers with Broadway tickets hustle to make alternate plans, the industry tries to sort out the ramifications of an extended strike, which began Nov. 10. This is already Broadway's longest strike since 1975, when the musicians' union closed much of Broadway for 25 days.

Thanksgiving is a critical time for the commercial theater, second only to the week between Christmas and New Year's Day. Income must be stockpiled to get productions through the bleak months of January and February.

Most threatened immediately by the strike are the five dramatic plays yet to open. "The Farnsworth Invention" and "The Seafarer," both scheduled to open last week, have been postponed, as has "August: Osage County," which was to open tonight. Like Mark Twain's "Is He Dead" (Nov. 29) and Harold Pinter's "The Homecoming" (Dec. 13), these do not have the advance sales or high profile that may propel Disney's big new musical, "The Little Mermaid" (Dec. 6), without the momentum of reviews.

There is concern for "Cyrano de Bergerac," starring Kevin Kline and Jennifer Garner, a limited run that, despite strong reviews, has always been scheduled to close Dec. 23. Tom Stoppard's "Rock 'n' Roll" is not a limited run but the heady drama is in danger of losing the steam from its positive hype.

Then there are the long-running shows, staples without hefty advance sales, which are especially dependent on holiday tourists. Mayor Michael Bloomberg, instrumental in the settling of the four-day musicians' strike in 2003, called the strike "tragic."

"The bottom line is that it's not good for the city. It's not good for the people in that business. It's not good for tourism," he said yesterday. "There is no way to put hard and fast numbers, whether it's economic impact or a date. Is it a cataclysmic thing for the city? No. Is it bad for the city? Yes."

The Grinch is back on Broadway, the union will stop striking the GRinch show Tuesday!!!

one of my contacts just told me the strike is off only for this show ...all other picket lines remain
One of the shows affected by the strike might reopen. The union has ordered that the picket line come down for “Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas!,” which is playing at the St. James Theater, said James Sanna, one of the show’s producers.

“Grinch,” which runs on an unusual 12-performances-a-week schedule, had negotiated a special arrangement with Local 1 last year, said Mr. Sanna, who argued that arrangement put it outside the current negotiations. Mr. Sanna, who is not a member of the league, said he expected the show to be up and running for the Tuesday evening performance.

The league said last night that it had not been informed of the decision to reopen “Grinch.”

League Begins Implementing Terms of Rejected Stagehands Contract

League Begins Implementing Terms of Rejected Stagehands Contract
By Adam Hetrick By Andrew Gans
23 Oct 2007


Following the Oct. 21 announcement that Local One, the Broadway stagehands union, had authorized its leaders to implement a strike should one be necessary, the League of American Theatres and Producers issued an 11-page document outlining the terms of their proposed contract, portions of which they began implementing Oct. 22.

The union, in an Oct. 21 press statement, said its members will continue to work should the producers start implementing the new rules. However, come holiday time, that will change. James J. Claffey, Jr., the president of the union, told his members, "No work in December without a deal."

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who has offered to mediate negotiations between the two sides, said Oct. 22 that he believes that for "the next month or so, there is no danger of a work stoppage or lockout on Broadway," according to the Associated Press. "The city has a big interest in keeping Broadway going. It's part of our economy, part of our culture. . . . On the other hand, [they are] private employers and [a] private union, and they have a right to negotiate without government dictating a settlement, which would clearly be wrong. We have offered to provide them with facilities and/or somebody that can keep them talking. ... And if they want to take advantage of it, they both certainly have my number 24 hours a day."

The Union, which has been working without a contract since July 31, and the League have been unable to come to agreement on points of flexibility within designated work assignments, as well as in the reduction of labor and cost for the load-in process of scenery for a new production.

The new rules that the League has begun enforcing follow.

Setting the Running Crew
Stagehand crew size and job assignments were previously frozen on the opening night of a Broadway show. The League claims this does not allow enough time to "routine stagehand work and determine appropriate staffing levels." The crew size and job assignments will now be frozen six weeks after opening night. (The Union rejected this proposal.)

Electrician Duties
In some instances up to three electricians have operated the board that controls light, projection and sound cues — a job that can be handled by one electrician. The new rule says that "three separate stagehands are not required" to operate such a board. (Local One tentatively agreed to codify this practice.)

Premium Pay for a 7th Day or 9th Performance
Stagehands who work a 7th day or a 9th performance (for example, a Monday performance for a show that regularly plays a Tuesday-Sunday schedule) are paid time-and-a-half. Previously, even those stagehands who had not worked all six days or eight performances were paid time-and-a-half for this extra performance. The League and the Union agreed to a proposed exchange whereby the League would not be required to pay time-and-a-half to those who had not worked the full week; however, the League agreed to pay time-and-a-half for all work "performed on any non-performance day where a production performs only five days per week (Wednesday through Saturday)."

Overtime Hiring Requirements
Previously, if only a few stagehands were required to work overtime, Broadway producers were required to pay overtime to all of the stagehands that had been called that day. Producers will now pay overtime only to the stagehands required to work past a given call period. (The Union rejected this proposal.)

Meal Periods
Meal periods, the previous contract stated, must take place on the hour at 12-1 PM or 1-2 PM, and for evenings at 5-6 PM or 6-7 PM. During many load-in and technical rehearsal days, management was left a choice between "stopping and restarting work for an entire department on the hour or paying everyone a penalty of a time-and-a-half hour." The League will now implement meal time flexibility as long as a break is given within 3 to 5 hours of a stagehand's start time. The new rule would also allow a 30-minute break if a meal is provided for the crew. (Local One has rejected this offer.)

Rehearsals and Work Calls
Currently stagehands called in for a four-hour minimum call can only perform work specific to that type of call. For example, a crew member called in for a rehearsal call cannot be required to do maintenance work — fixing lights or maintaining scenery. Such work would require an additional work call. The League states that they will now require that stagehands perform any work necessary, within departmental lines, on a production while they are being paid, regardless of the type of call. (Local One has rejected this offer.)

Performance Calls
During the performance of a show, there are strict rules regarding what can be required of a crew member. The Union has agreed to allow "work on equipment and related items for promotion and publicity." The League also proposed that stagehands should be permitted to clean up the set, the show's equipment and repair any problems that occurred during the performance. Should the work require more time than the actual running time of the show, crew members would be paid in one-hour increments. Local One agreed to a two-hour minimum call solely to permit clean up for safety reasons.

Continuity Calls
In the previous Local One contract, stagehands may be called one hour prior to a performance (solely for work related to that performance), or for one hour after the performance, but never both, unless producers schedule an additional four-hour call. Producers now intend to schedule and pay for work up to three hours around any given performance, limited to two hours prior and one hour after. This does not include clean up, which may require two hours. The previous union contract also said that if a show ending at 10:25 PM necessitates additional work, the call-time rolls back to 10 PM, requiring producers to pay for an additional hour's work. And, if more time is needed, the call becomes a four-hour call. The League has eliminated this rule, which Local One rejected.

Canceled Performances
Currently, when a scheduled performance of a show is canceled and replaced by a rehearsal or a work call, stagehands are required to be paid for both the canceled performance and the rehearsal/work call. The League will now not pay stagehands twice for the same hours. (The Union has rejected this proposal.)

*

The Nederlander Organization, a major Broadway theatre owner and producer, has distanced itself from measures set to be imposed by producers on Oct. 22.

The Nederlanders, who have been observers in the negotiations between Local One (the stagehands union) and the League of American Theatres and Producers, have announced they will not be implementing portions of the League's final contract offer that was rejected Oct. 9 by the union.

During the lengthy negotiations, the League has been bargaining on behalf of the Jujamcyn and Shubert theatre owners, who account for 22 of the 39 Broadway houses. The Nederlanders, representing nine Broadway theatres, are under a separate, also-expired contract with Local One.

On Oct. 16 the League had announced that beginning Oct. 22 they would begin enforcing "portions of its final offer [to the union]. The implemented provisions will govern how work will be performed going forward." The deadline of Oct. 22 is especially noteworthy because Local One has called a meeting for Oct. 21 in order to ask its members to "give authorization to the union leadership to take any job action necessary in light of the possibility of the producers implementing new work rules."

The news about the Nederlanders — who operate the Brooks Atkinson, Gershwin, Lunt-Fontanne, Marquis, Minskoff, Nederlander, Neil Simon, Palace and Richard Rodgers theatres — was announced by Local One Oct. 18. In its press statement, the union said, "Herschel Waxman, Vice President of Labor Relations of the Nederlander Organization, Broadway's second largest theatre chain, today (October 18) informed James J. Claffey, Jr., President of the 121-year-old union that has never struck Broadway, that the Nederlander Organization will not be implementing new work rules on Monday. Mr. Waxman has been an observer in the talks between the union and the league because the Nederlander Organization has a [separate] contract with Local One."

In the same statement, union president Claffey, Jr. added, "Local One has always had a warm relationship with the Nederlander Organization, the Nederlander family and Mr. Waxman. The respect they have for their employees is returned a thousand fold from the stagehands they employ."

A press release from the League was subsequently issued Oct. 18 at 7 PM. Charlotte St. Martin, executive director of the League, said, "In the wake of the press release from Local One and the statement by Mr. Claffey, we have been authorized by the Nederlander Organization to state that they have reviewed and are strongly supportive of each of the League's proposals as they seek to make necessary changes for this business. The Nederlander Organization intends to seek the same objectives in its own negotiations with Local One.

"The Nederlander Organization has their own agreement with Local One, and therefore is not represented by the League in these negotiations. Before negotiations commenced, The Nederlander Organization requested that Local One negotiate with them and the League simultaneously as coordinated bargaining partners, but Local One rejected that request. Although the League has reached an impasse with Local One, Nederlander is not at an impasse. As a result, the Nederlander Organization cannot legally implement these terms at this time. Regardless, they are fully supportive of the League's effort and will remain so until a resolution is found."

In addition to the theatres owned by the Nederlanders, those unaffected by the current negotiations include the New Amsterdam, the Hilton, Circle-in-the-Square, the Biltmore, the Helen Hayes, the American Airlines and Studio 54. Each of those theatres, Local One says, has a separate contract with the union.

*

A previous statement from the League discussed why the organization felt it necessary to begin imposing provisions of the final offer that was offered to the union, which has been working without a contract since July 31. In that statement, St. Martin, said, "We are forced to implement because Local One will not pursue meaningful change. They not only rejected our offer; they submitted a counter-offer which would make matters worse by requiring even more nonproductive hiring. During the life of the contract, under these provisions, costs for new musicals would rise by 30% and for plays would rise by 44%. This is indefensible in an industry with a financial failure rate of 80% in which only one in five productions recoups its costs.

"We have moved a long way to address the Union's concerns. But we have not and will not yield on the basic principle: archaic work rules that jeopardize the industry's health must be reformed. Our final offer would make sure that Broadway stagehands continue to be the most highly paid in the theatre industry. But we need, at the same time, to protect and preserve the industry that provides for their own livelihood and the well-being of all the creative people who work on Broadway.

"Our goal remains achieving a fair and balanced contract for the industry, the theatre-going public and the city. We believe, at this critical time, this is the necessary and appropriate step to achieve that goal."

Actors' Equity spokesperson Maria Somma released a statement Oct. 17 in response to the League's latest statement: "Actors' Equity Association is disappointed that the employers' League has chosen to unilaterally impose its final offer on the professional stagehands of Local One/IATSE. We fear that this provocative action will make it more difficult to achieve a timely settlement. We believe this crisis needs to be resolved at the bargaining table. We urge the League to agree to Local One's continued offer to return to that bargaining table."

Local One president James J. Claffey Jr. previously stated why the union rejected the League's final offer: "The union addressed nearly every item on the producers' list and offered imaginative solutions that met the producers' requests… What the producers failed to do was recognize our suggestions with exchanges of its own. What they failed to understand is what I said publicly and privately in the last year: Local One is open to exchanges on work rules and other areas, but would not make a concessionary agreement of any kind. Local One will not accept cuts."

Local One represents the 350 to 500 stagehands working on Broadway and a further 2,500 stagehands employed in TV, arenas, scene shops, opera, and music halls in New York City.

In order for Local One to strike, its members must first vote in favor and request permission from I.A.T.S.E. leadership for approval. Wary of a lockout or an implementation of the new contract, the union stated it is "unclear" whether this authorization will be necessary.

The announcement of the Oct. 21 meeting set off a ten-day strike authorization process, which I.A.T.S.E.'s constitution states is necessary in order to allow members enough time to consider the implications of a strike. If Local One were to strike, it would be the first in the union's 121-year history.

The New York Post reported Oct. 17 that New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has offered to mediate a discussion between the League and the Union. His offer, however, was turned down by the union. Union president Claffey told the Post, "I appreciated his offer, but I respectfully declined. The mayor understands and respects our organization's right to bargain." Bloomberg, it should be noted, was instrumental in helping to end the Broadway musicians strike in 2003.

**

Both the League and Local One claim substantial reserves ($20 million from the League and $4 million from Local One), which they hope will ease some of the financial losses, were a lockout or strike to occur. In addition, Local One could relocate some of its members to other venues in television and various venues throughout the metropolitan area, citing "Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall, Carnegie Hall, City Center, hotels trade shows, and all of Lincoln Center (there are as many Local One jobs at Lincoln Center alone as there are on Broadway.)"

The Color Purple on Broadway suring the strike

Nov. 14 Matinee Performances of Darkened Theatres Canceled

Nov. 14 Matinee Performances of Darkened Theatres Canceled
By Andrew Gans
13 Nov 2007


Due to the ongoing stagehands strike, which began Nov. 10, the League of American Theatres and Producers has announced that matinee performances on Wednesday, Nov. 14 have been canceled for the 27 theatres darkened by the strike.

League spokesperson Alan Cohen told the Associates Press, "We will deal with the Wednesday evening performances on Tuesday."

Twenty-seven Broadway shows are currently dark because of the strike. Only eight shows will perform Tuesday evening, Nov. 13 and Wednesday afternoon, Nov. 14. Those shows include Cymbeline, Mary Poppins, Mauritius, Pygmalion, The Ritz, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Xanadu and Young Frankenstein. These productions are housed in theatres whose contracts with Local One are separate.

For information regarding refunds of tickets, click here.

Playbill.com will provide further information as it is made available.

Broadway strike information 2007

Matchbox Twenty reunites for trek with Alanis Morissette

Matchbox Twenty reunites for trek with Alanis Morissette
November 12, 2007 03:11 PM
By Tjames Madison
LiveDaily Contributor
Matchbox Twenty will greet 2008 with its first North American outing in more than four years.
The band's "Exile in America" tour, featuring special guests Alanis Morissette [ tickets ] and elctro-rock outfit Mute Math [ tickets ], is scheduled to kick off Jan. 25 in Hollywood, FL, and visit US arenas from coast to coast through mid-March. The trek will also cross the border for shows in Toronto and Vancouver. Details are listed below, and tickets go on sale Nov. 17.

"We're all completely pumped about getting back together and heading out on the road after all this time, especially since we have a bunch of new songs to play for everyone," Matchbox Twenty frontman Rob Thomas said in a statement.

Morissette added that she can't wait to play songs from her forthcoming album, "Flavors of Entanglement," which is due next year.

After spending the last few years focusing on their various side projects, the members of Matchbox Twenty regrouped to put together a greatest-hits album. They enjoyed the reunion so much that they ended up writing a bunch of new material, according to their bio. In the end, their new record, "Exile on Mainstream," turned out to be a mix of old and new.

The set combines 11 Matchbox Twenty hits with six new tracks, including lead single "How Far We've Come." The new tunes represent a major shift in the band, which previously relied on frontman Rob Thomas' songwriting abilities.

"I don't think we could have gone on if we didn't change the dynamic of the band," the group's drummer-turned-guitarist Paul Doucette said in a statement. "It got to a point where it was like, well, if we're going to be a band, this needs to really be a band."

While Thomas' solo career took off with 2005's multiplatinum-selling "... Something to Be," Doucette and guitarist Kyle Cook were working with other bands and becoming songwriters in their own right.

"We're all older now and it doesn't make sense any more for the guys in Matchbox to spend their lives trying to play my life," Thomas said in an online bio.

"Exile on Mainstream," which debuted at No. 3 on The Billboard 200 last month, is Matchbox Twenty's first album since 2002's "More Than You Think You Are." The Grammy-nominated band last toured in 2003, selling out premier concert venues including New York City's Madison Square Garden and Los Angeles' Staples Center, according to a press release.

The upcoming dates will mark the group's first tour as a four-piece, following guitarist Adam Gaynor's 2005 departure. Thomas, Doucette, Cook and bassist Brian Yale round out the current lineup.

Matchbox Twenty has sold some 30 million records since releasing its 1996 debut, "Yourself or Someone Like You," which earned the RIAA's Diamond Award for US sales topping 10 million.

[Note: The following tour dates have been provided by artist and/or tour sources, who verify its accuracy as of the publication time of this story. Changes may occur before tickets go on sale. Check with official artist websites, ticketing sources and venues for late updates.]
January 2008
25 - Hollywood, FL - Hard Rock Live
26 - Tampa, FL - St. Pete Times Forum
28 - Atlanta, GA - Philips Arena
29 - Charlotte, NC - Cricket Arena

February 2008
1 - Hoffman Estates, IL - Sears Centre
2 - Auburn Hills, MI - Palace of Auburn Hills
4 - St. Paul, MN - Xcel Energy Center
5 - Milwaukee, WI - Bradley Center
7 - Cleveland, OH - Quicken Loans Arena
8 - Fairfax, VA - Patriot Center
12 - Verona, NY - Turning Stone Resort & Casino
14 - New York, NY - Madison Square Garden
15 - Atlantic City, NJ - Borgata Hotel Event Center
16 - Niagara Falls, NY - Seneca Niagara Casino Theatre
18 - Uncasville, CT - Mohegan Sun Arena
19 - Reading, PA - Sovereign Center
21 - Albany, NY - Times Union Center
22 - Toronto, Ontario - Air Canada Centre
25 - Kansas City, MO - Sprint Center
26 - Omaha, NE - Qwest Center
28 - Houston, TX - Toyota Center
29 - Grand Prairie, TX - Nokia Theatre

March 2008
2 - Oklahoma City, OK - Ford Center
4 - Colorado Springs, CO - World Arena
5 - Broomfield, CO - Broomfield Event Center
6 - West Valley City, UT - The E Center
8 - Seattle, WA - Key Arena
9 - Vancouver, British Columbia - General Motors Place
12 - San Jose, CA - HP Pavilion
14 - Reno, NV - Reno Events Center
16 - Los Angeles, CA - Staples Center
17 - Phoenix, AZ - Cricket Wireless Pavilion
18 - Las Vegas, NV - The Pearl Concert Theater

Stagehands Blame Strike on Theater Management

Stagehands Blame Strike on Theater Management
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By JOHN HOLUSHA
Published: November 11, 2007
Striking Broadway stagehands accused theater owners and producers this afternoon of provoking the walkout that shut down 27 productions in order to unilaterally impose new work rules that would lead to unsafe conditions in theaters.

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Related
Strike Dampens the Moods of Many Tourists (November 11, 2007)

City Room Blog
The latest news and reader discussions from around the five boroughs and the region.

Go to City Room » Saying that the owners and producers were insulting workers by exaggerating their incomes and using terms like “featherbedding” in describing staffing levels, James J. Claffey Jr., the president of Local One of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, said no new talks would be scheduled until managers treat workers with respect.

His statement appeared to represent a hardening of attitude on the part of the union, which had never before struck in its 121-year history. He said that if the management proposals that were on the table when the talks broke off are still there at the next negotiation meeting, “we won’t go back.”

“We are being attacked,” Mr. Claffey said at a news conference of the management proposals. “We worked for months to make a deal,” he said “We truly regret that there is no show.”

The leaders of the musicians and actors union said they stood behind the stagehands against what Mr. Claffey said was an effort to reduce the middle-class status of theatrical workers.

He said the increasingly elaborate theatrical productions on Broadway had added to the burden of stagehands because they used larger, heavier scenery and equipment. The manning levels in previous agreements, which have been criticized as excessive, “is for our protection.”

“If there is a four-person piece that needs to be moved, they want you to do it with three,” Mr. Claffey said of the producers and theater owners.

He said that Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg had been in touch with union officials to offer his help with the negotiations, but that they had “respectfully declined” his offer. Mr. Claffey said the impasse appeared to have been generated by a group of theater owners and producers who want to restructure the economics of Broadway in one negotiation.

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My review of the New Radio City Christmas Show 2007 NYC

My review of the New Radio City Christmas Show
Posted On: 11/7/07 at 05:24 PM


It is the 75th anniversary of Radio City Music Hall and to celebrate, the Christmas show has been dusted off, revamped and updated. In the past, the show was quite disjointed hopping from one Christmas tradition to another without much thought. One moment there are ice skaters and then the Nutcracker and elves and suddenly the audience is whacked on the head with a baby Jesus. This year though they figured out a way to make it all go together. Of course the classics are still there. The Rockettes still look great and their precision is most evident during the Parade of the Toy Soldiers. It's a real crowd pleaser and will always be in the show. One new scene that was particularly good was New York at Christmas. Although the scene has been part of past productions, the addition of a double decker bus with all of the Rockettes riding on it is really great. The stage has a humongous LCD screen that serves as backdrop for almost all of the scenes. As the bus "drives" around the stage the screen shows, with remarkable accuracy, the city streets from Radio City to Central Park. It looks real and it's hard to believe that it is only computer generated. Amazing.

Another new element in this year's show is the addition of two young boys questioning the existence of Santa Claus. By putting them in the show, it allows a real segue from scene to scene. The double decker bus ends it's tour at a city corner where Santa is ringing his donation bell when the boys ask him how he is in so many places at once. Cue: Here Comes Santa Claus. Although the number has been in past productions, now we have a reason for it. Then Santa takes them to the North Pole again giving a reason for the transition.

The Living nativity is still in the show although greatly (and thankfully) shortened. In past shows it always seemed like an afterthought to have any explanation of the real meaning of Christmas. Wisely, the two young boys are now shown in their living room reading the Christmas Story as the Nativity scene comes to life in the background. Gone is the overpowering voice over booming about the importance of Jesus Christ. Now we have the simple voice of a young child gently reading the story to his little brother.

The Radio City Christmas Show has always been a bit over the top trying to stuff in every Christmas cliche as possible. This year, it seems that they have acknowledged the level of X-treme X-mas and accepted it. The show even has a few very moving moments and the cast is great. Charles Edward Hall makes a a great Santa Claus as usual. The ensemble actually sings this year instead of lip syncing and the whole cast gets a well-deserved curtain call for the first time. If you have not seen the Christmas show in a few years, this is the year to do it. And if it's your first time to see it, you won't be disappointed. It gets you in the mood and ready for the whole holiday season. Merry Christmas!

Rockies Rebound After Virtual Pummeling

Rockies Rebound After Virtual Pummeling
By Matt Richtel

Tags: Baseball, Electronic Commerce

The lean air of high-altitude Denver is known for yielding baseball players a lot of hits. Nothing like the Colorado Rockies experience on Monday.
The team put its allotment of World Series tickets on sale at its Web site and was promptly overwhelmed with millions of hits. Two and a half hours after the site went up, it crashed, leaving ticket-hungry fans almost as forlorn as the Cleveland Indians faithful.
With the site still off line Tuesday, the team went for help to the proverbial bullpen. It called in Major League Baseball, which worked with the team, its ticket vendor, Paciolan, the software maker Oracle and other companies to fix and fortify the system.
The 52,000 tickets went on sale again today at 3 p.m. eastern and were gone in a couple of hours.
What went wrong? Bob Bowman, chief executive officer of MLB.com, said the system was initially overwhelmed by unscrupulous types who were using automated programs to get ahead in the virtual ticket line or to buy more than the four-ticket allotment allowed.
What changed? Mr. Bowman said that the team took two main steps: it improved the system to toss out automated requests, and it doubled to 20 the number of servers designated to process ticket requests and payments.
“Better planning would have solved this,” Mr. Bowman said, summing up what he said is the lesson of the crash.
The other lesson is how the forces of supply and demand are made far stronger and spread around the world by the Internet. The resale value of World Series tickets is near $1,000 for the least expensive tickets, and more than $5,000 for choice seats. That creates real incentives for people to get into the system, whatever the means – and wherever they are located.
Major League Baseball teams, which once frowned on scalping, now are active participants in a secondary market through sites like Stubhub. It’s a market that is driving at least some of the millions of hits that cost the Rockies the first loss of the World Series.





http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/10/23/rockies-rebound-after-virtual-pummeling/

Rockies World Series Tickets Go On Sale Oct. 22nd

Rockies World Series Tickets Go On Sale Oct. 22nd Save Email Print

Posted: 3:42 PM Oct 9, 2007

click here for tickets
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A | A | A The Colorado Rockies will begin selling World Series tickets on Oct. 22.

Starting at 10 a.m. that day, the team says tickets will be available in person at the Coors Field ticket office, Rockies' Dugout Stores and on the team's Web site.

A lottery system will be used for people waiting in line at Coors Field and the Dugout Stores and people will be limited to four tickets per person per game.

Prices for the tickets will range from $65 for Rockpile seats to $250 for infield boxes and the club level.

Stubhub sets up in office, Times Square NYC

The company, which in January was acquired by rival eBay, is opening a store at 1440 Broadway and 40th Street this Friday

VAN HALEN ON THE ROAD, SETLIST CLEAR

VAN HALEN ON THE ROAD, SETLIST CLEAR

VAN HALEN is officially on the road for the first time in 22 years with original singer David Lee Roth.

The tour kicked off in Charlotte, North Carolina on Thursday night.

The setlist, as expected, was all sourced from the Roth era albums from the self-titled debut in 1978 through to his final album with the band, 1984's '1984'.

Putting the albums back to back, the band performed:

Van Halen (1978) 8 tracks
Van Halen II (1979) 3 tracks
Women and Children First (1980) 3 tracks
Fair Warning (1981) 3 tracks
Diver Down (1982) 2 tracks
1984 (1984) 5 tracks

01. You Really Got Me (from Van Halen, 1978)
02. I'm the One (from Van Halen, 1978)
03. Runnin' With the Devil (from Van Halen, 1978)
04. Romeo Delight (from Women and Children First, 1980)
05. Somebody Get Me a Doctor (from Van Halen II, 1979)
06. Beautiful Girls (from Van Halen II, 1979)
07. Dance the Night Away (from Van Halen II, 1979)
08. Atomic Punk (from Van Halen, 1978)
09. Everybody Wants Some (from Women and Children First, 1980)
10. So This Is Love? (from Fair Warning, 1981)
11. Mean Street (from Fair Warning, 1981)
12. Pretty Woman (from Diver Down, 1982)
13. Drum Solo
14. Unchained (from Fair Warning, 1981)
15. I'll Wait (from 1984, 1984)
16. And the Cradle Will Rock (from Women and Children First, 1980)
17. Hot for Teacher (from 1984, 1984)
18. Little Dreamer (from Van Halen, 1978)
19. Little Guitars (from Diver Down, 1982)
20. Jamie's Cryin' (from Van Halen, 1978)
21. Ice Cream Man (from Van Halen, 1978)
22. Panama (from 1984, 1984)
23. Guitar Solo (incl. "Women in Love" intro, "Cathedral", "Eruption")
24. Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love (from Van Halen, 1978)
––––––––––––
25. 1984 (from 1984, 1984)
26. Jump (from 1984, 1984)

The next show is tonight in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Dates for the Van Halen tour are:

Thu 09.27 Charlotte, NC Charlotte Bobcats Arena ?
Sat 09.29 Greensboro, NC Greensboro Coliseum ?
Mon 10.01 Philadelphia, PA Wachovia Center ?
Wed 10.03 Philadelphia, PA Wachovia Center ?
Fri 10.05 Uncasville, CT Mohegan Sun Arena ?
Sun 10.07 Toronto, ON Air Canada Centre ?
Wed 10.10 Cleveland, OH Quicken Loans Arena
?Fri 10.12 Toronto, ON Air Canada Centre ?
Sun 10.14 Indianapolis, IN Conseco Field House ?
Tue 10.16 Rosemont, IL Allstate Arena
Thu 10.18 Chicago, IL United Center ?
Sat 10.20 Detroit, MI Joe Louis Arena ?
Mon 10.22 Auburn Hills, MI Palace of Auburn Hills ?
Wed 10.24 Minneapolis, MN Target Center
Fri 10.26 Kansas City, MO Sprint Center ?
Sun 10.28 St. Louis, MO Scottrade Center ?
Tue 10.30 Boston, MA TD Banknorth Garden?
Thu 11.01 Washington, D.C. Verizon Center ?
Sat 11.03 E. Rutherford, NJ Continental Airlines Arena ?
Thu 11.08 Uniondale, NY Nassau Coliseum ?
Sat 11.10 Montreal, QC Bell Centre ?
Tue 11.13 New York, NY Madison Square Garden ?
Tue 11.20 Los Angeles, CA Staples Center
Fri 11.23 Glendale, AZ Jobing.Com Arena?
Sun 11.25 San Diego, CA Cox Arena ?
Tue 11.27 Sacramento, CA Arco Arena ?
Sat 12.01 Portland, OR Rose Garden?
Mon 12.03 Seattle, WA Key Arena ?
Wed 12.05 Vancouver, BC General Motors Place ?
Fri 12.07 Calgary, AB Pengrowth Saddledome ?
Sun 12.09 Edmonton, AB Rexall Place?
Sun 12.16 San Jose, CA HP Pavilion at San Jose

The stage at Van Halen last night

September 28, 2007

Hail to Van Halen
By JANE STEVENSON

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Their hair is a lot shorter but the undeniable chemistry is still there.

After 22 years apart, Van Halen guitarist Eddie Van Halen and original lead singer David Lee Roth were back on stage together for the L.A. hard rock band's much-anticipated reunion tour, which launched last night at the Charlotte Bobcats arena in front of some 18,000 fans.

Joining the duo, whose long locks used to be as much a part of their identity as their respective showmanship and incredible finger dexterity, was original drummer Alex Van Halen and Eddie's 16-year-old son Wolfgang on bass.

Wolfgang is replacing the band's fourth and final original member, Michael Anthony, who's touring next month with one-time Van Halen vocalist Sammy Hagar.

And while Wolfgang may be the odd man out, sharing the stage with three fiftysomething musicians, he displayed a confidence and musicianship well beyond his age, even venturing out on the band's S-shaped catwalk by himself to get closer to the crowd.

Eddie, meanwhile, was all smiles all night long, beaming like a proud parent at Wolfgang, hi-fiving Roth -- who grinned right back -- on more than one occasion, and performing scissor kicks while playing his guitar at lightning speed.

He was the undisputed star -- "The Maestro" as Roth called him -- of the night.

For example, when Roth and Eddie had a contest about who could make a better motorcycle sound with their mouth or guitar, Roth easily backed down saying: "I can't do that!"

If anything, it was Roth who was the weakest link of the evening, at least physically.

He still sounds decent enough and loves to tell a good story, like the long-winded but funny one right before he played acoustic guitar on Ice Cream Man, but his legendary limberness isn't what it used to be.

This was a guy who could high kick and jump with the best of them.



Van Halen's two-hour-and-10-minute performance kicked off with a triple-shot of great classic rock -- their cover of The Kinks' You Really Got Me, I'm the One, which the band stopped mid-song to rapturous applause -- "It only took us 20 years to get this far," said Roth -- and Runnin' With the Devil.

In between, there were such classics -- all from the Roth-fronted years of 1978-84 -- as Romeo Delight, Beautiful Girls, Dance the Night Away, Everybody Wants Some, their cover of Roy Orbison's Pretty Woman, I'll Wait, And the Cradle Will Rock, Hot For Teacher, Little Guitars, Jamie's Cryin', Panama, and Ain't Talkin' Bout Love.

Truthfully, it was hard to maintain the energy of that trio of opening songs, but the band definitely aimed to please with a hits-heavy set list and backed by impressive green laser lights, an enormous video backdrop and confetti raining down on the audience by the very end.

"I can't tell you all how excited we are to be here tonight," said Roth.

The unseasonably warm temperatures outside -- in the low 30s Celcius -- did little to dampen the enthusiasm inside the arena as fans held up everything from signs to flags to hand-drawn pictures.

Like most big tours, Van Halen's 29-date road trip started in a relatively small market before travelling to Greensboro, N.C. tomorrow, Philadelphia on Monday and Wednesday and then crossing the border to Toronto for two shows on Oct. 7 and 12.

The other Canadian dates are Vancouver on Dec. 5, Calgary on Dec. 7 and Edmonton on Dec. 9, the latter the final date of the tour.

---

VAN HALEN

Charlotte Bobcats Arena, Charlotte, N.C.

Last night

Sun Rating: 3 1/2 out of 5







Van Halen tickets for Madison Sqaure Garden are on sale now at www.tixx.com