2006

Eric Clapton last landed stateside for a Cream reunion tour, will return to the U.S. with his own band for a fall tour.
Details are pending but the first leg of his North America tour is expected to begin September 16 in Minneapolis and continue to cities including St. Louis, Chicago, Detroit, Toronto, Boston, Philadelphia, Washington, Miami and New York, where Clapton will play two nights at Madison Square Garden.
Twenty-two dates are expected to be announced, but more shows will likely be added. The Robert Cray Band will open for the U.S. concerts.
The 61-year-old rock legend is on a European tour and wraps a seven-night run at London’s Royal Albert Hall on May 26. The tour ends with a show in Moscow’s Red Square August 3.
Clapton’s current touring band includes guitarist Derek Trucks, and the shows have included both old classics and songs from his 2005 disc, Back Home.

Source pollstar.com.

Widespread Panic will toast the release of ‘Earth to America’ (Sanctuary/Widespread Records), their first studio album in three years, with an exclusive free release day party/performance at New York

Sonic Youth has just announced dates for their summer tour. The Flaming Lips will serve as openers.

August 4 State Theater Detroit, MI
August 24 St. Paul, MN Minnesota State Fair
August 25 Council Bluffs, IA Stir Cove at Harrah’s
August 28 Columbus, OH Promowest Pavilion
August 31 Allentown, PA Allentown Fair
September 1 Syracuse, NY New York State Fair
September 3 Boston, MA Bank of America Pavilion

The good folks at Superfly have announced the schedule for this year

One of the most colorful careers in music came to a close today as pioneering booking agent Ian Copeland died in Los Angeles of melanoma. He was 57.

Ian founded Frontier Booking International (F.B.I.), younger brother Stewart was the founder and drummer of the Police; and older brother Miles was the founder of International Records Syndicate (I.R.S.), a record label whose acts included R.E.M., the Go-Gos, Black Sabbath, Oingo Boingo, Wall of Voodoo and General Public. Older sister Lorraine (Lennie) is a writer and producer. Ian Copeland was surrounded by family at the time of his death.

Gorillaz co-creator Jamie Hewlett has been named Britain’s designer of the year for his groundbreaking animation for the virtual band.

Hewlett, who first earned fame for co-creating the comic strip Tank Girl, won the award Monday in a ceremony at the Design Museum. He was honored for conceiving the graphics, animation and “live” performances for the band, which is composed of four animated, fictional members.

“Jamie Hewlett has not only created a personal mythology with the virtual band Gorillaz, he has also created designs for the direction in which technology and culture are going

Next ski season is 178 days away. That