July 21, 2005

DJ Z-Trip is gearing up for a six-week North American tour, which will begin with an Aug. 3-7 stand in Los Angeles for ESPN’s Summer X-Games and run through Sept. 18 in Tallahassee, Fla. The artist will also be on hand Saturday (July 23) to perform at Lollapalooza in Chicago’s Grant Park.

The roadwork comes in support of Z-Trip’s Hard Left/Hollywood debut, “Shifting Gears,” which debuted in May at No. 56 on Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. It spawned the single “Walking Dead” featuring Linkin Park’s Chester Bennington, which peaked at No. 17 on Billboard’s Modern Rock chart.

“The goal is to make the live set be a little bit of the album and a little bit of a ‘show,'” Z-Trip tells Billboard.com, promising to include some of his now-patented mash-ups during the concerts. “We’ll see what happens. I’m hoping some of the MCs [that appear on ‘Shifting Gears’] can come out and do the songs live.”

The shows will feature an opening set from reunited hip-hop act Black Sheep.

Here are Z-Trip’s tour dates:

July 23: Chicago (Lollapalooza)
Aug. 3-7: Los Angeles (ESPN Summer X-Games)
Aug. 18: Tucson, Ariz. (Club Congress)
Aug. 19: Los Angeles (House of Blues)
Aug. 20: San Francisco (Grand Ballroom)
Aug. 21: Sacramento, Calif. (Harlow’s)
Aug. 23: Vancouver (Richard’s on Richards)
Aug. 24: Seattle (Neumo’s)
Aug. 25: Portland, Ore. (Wonder Ballroom)
Aug. 28: Boulder, Colo. (Fox Theatre)
Aug. 30: Minneapolis (Quest)
Sept. 1: Covington, Ky. (Madison Theatre)
Sept. 2: Cleveland (House of Blues)
Sept. 8: Boston (Axis)
Sept. 9: New York (Irving Plaza)
Sept. 10: Philadelphia (Trocadero)
Sept. 11: Washington, D.C. (9:30 Club)
Sept. 14: Atlanta (Loft at Earthlink Live)
Sept. 15: Orlando, Fla. (House of Blues)
Sept. 16: St. Petersburg, Fla. (State Theatre)
Sept. 17: Miami Beach, Fla. (Soho Lounge)
Sept. 18: Tallahassee, Fla. (Club Down Under)

Source billboard.com.

Stylus Shows Inc. original, 1st annual Shakedown Campout and Music Festival originally slated for August 26-27, 2005 at Horning

It has been almost a year since Phish disbanded after a weekend’s worth of shows in Coventry, Vt., but several releases are in the works to satiate the band’s rabid fan base. Among them is the DVD origianlly shown at setbreak of the group’s 20th anniversary on Dec. 2, 2003, at Boston’s FleetCenter.

“It’s either funny or memorable moments taken from 2,500 videotapes we’ve collected,” bassist Mike Gordon reveals to Billboard.com of the film, which originally ran about 30 minutes. “The band was going back and forth about whether we wanted to release it. But I’m excited, because we’ve added about 10 minutes of footage. We’ll probably have to subtract because of clearances for appearances and cover songs. Some of them will be impossible to get the rights to for any amount of money.”

“There’s a great moment where we are playing [Prince’s] ‘1999’ and we’re being lowered down onto the stage by contortionists dressed up in costume and on stilts,” Gordon continues. “[Guitarist] Trey [Anastasio] and I, our bodies are perfectly straight. I don’t know how we did it. We eventually were flat on the stage. The groove is a very legitimate version, for us anyway, of a Prince song. It’s such a nice moment. But the licensing coordinating company has said there isn’t any chance in hell we’ll get permission to use it.”

The DVD, provisionally named “The 20th Anniversary Video,” may arrive in time for Christmas but could be pushed to early next year. And while the film focuses on on-stage moments, there are a handful of behind-the-scenes clips.

Full article: Billboard

After months of speculation, the producers of the Bonnaroo festival have confirmed they will stage a mega-event in Las Vegas around Halloween. Produced by A.C. Entertainment and Superfly Presents, Vegoose is set for Vegas’ Sam Boyd Stadium Oct. 29-30. Other late-night music events are planned for the area in as many as five different venues from Oct. 28 until Halloween night.

Among those believed to be performing at the stadium shows are Dave Matthews, the Black Crowes and Jack Johnson. Superfly president Jonathan Mayers would not confirm any artists, but did tell Billboard.com, “We’re very excited about the lineup we’re putting together. The programming will be somewhat similar to Bonnaroo in that it will be an eclectic mix of artists.”

Source: Billboard

Following the July 31 conclusion of her current touring leg in Floyd, Va., singer/songwriter Ani DiFranco will begin a year-long hiatus from the road. The artist is suffering from tendonitis in her wrists and hands, a condition that has worsened despite a three-month break from touring earlier this year.

A West Coast tour due to begin Aug. 30 in Boise, Idaho, has been canceled to accommodate the artist’s recovery. “If she were to continue to perform at this time, she would risk permanent nerve damage to her hands,” reads a statement from DiFranco’s spokesperson.

While away from the live stage, DiFranco is planning “several new recording projects” with unspecified special guests, as well as a new solo album due sometime in 2006 via her own Righteous Babe label. She will also speak as part of the New Yorker Festival on Sept. 24 in the Big Apple.

Source billboard.com.