Roger Daltrey

Credit: AP Photo

And then there was one. Roger Daltrey is hitting the road to perform the Who’s classic rock opera “Tommy” in its entirety, as well as other Who classics.

Guess who’s not performing with him? Who guitarist Pete Townshend, who wrote the bulk of “Tommy.”  Instead, his baby brother Simon Townshend will be on guitar, in a band rounded out by guitarist Frank Simes, drummer Scott Deavours, bassist Jon Button and keyboardist Loren Gold.
 
The Who never toured the musical in its entirety in sequence, so this is your chance. Daltrey premiered this iteration at Royal Albert Hall in London in March at a benefit for Teenage Cancer Trust and will now embark on a six-week U.S. tour starting Sept. 13 in Hollywood, Fla.

Pete Townshend has given the tour his blessing, according to a statement: “Great to see Roger performing ‘Tommy’ with his band in 2011. I will be there in spirit. Roger has my complete and most loving support. Roger is touring his unique concert version of ‘Tommy’ using his faithful presentation of the original work as the backbone for a set of wider material. It is wonderful to hear the way Roger and his new band re-interpret the old Who songs.”

Tickets for the AEG-produced tour go on sale May 19.

DATE    CITY    VENUE
9/13    Hollywood, FL    Seminole Hard Rock
9/15    Alpharetta, GA    Verizon Wireless Pavilion
9/17    Boston, MA    Agganis Arena
9/18    Newark, NJ    Prudential Center
9/21    Philadelphia, PA    MANN Center
9/23    Uniondale, NY    Nassau Coliseum
9/24    Hartford, CT    XL Center
**9/27    Montreal, QC    Place Des Arts
**9/28    Ottawa, ON    Scotiabank Place
**9/30    Toronto, ON    Sony Centre For The Performing Arts
10/1    Windsor, ON    The Coliseum at Caesars Windsor
10/5    Minneapolis, MN    U.S. Bank Theater at Target Center
10/7    Hammond, IN    Venue at Horseshoe Casino
10/8    St. Louis, MO    Peabody Opera House
10/11    Cedar Park, TX    Cedar Park Center
10/12    Grand Prairie, TX    Verizon Theatre
10/14    Kansas City, MO    The Midland by AMC
10/16    Broomfield, CO    1STBANK Center
10/19    Los Angeles, CA    NOKIA Theatre
10/21    San Jose, CA    San Jose Civic
10/22    Las Vegas, NV    The Joint
10/24    Portland, OR    Rose Quarter-Theatre of the Clouds
10/25    Seattle, WA    Key Arena at Seattle Center
10/27    Vancouver, BC    Rogers Arena
10/29    Edmonton, AB    Rexall Place
10/30    Calgary, AB    Scotiabank Saddledome
11/1    Saskatoon, SK    Credit Union Centre
11/2    Winnipeg, MB    MTS Centre



 

Katy Perry

Katy Perry’s “E.T.” featuring Kanye West may fall out of the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 this week, but Perry sets a much sweeter record: with “E.T.” at No. 2, it marks the first time an artist has spent 52 consecutive weeks in the top 10 of the chart.

Perry’s streak began when “California Gurls” featuring Snoop Dogg bowed on the Hot 100 at No. 2 for the week of May 29, 2010. This week’s chart is dated May 21.

Knocking Perry’s “E.T.” out of the top spot is Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep,” meaning the British singer has both the No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 and the No. 1 single on the Hot 100 simultaneously. She’s the first female artist to do so since Ke$ha hit both summits in January 2010 with the single “TiK ToK” and album “Animal,” according to Billboard. More remarkably, it is the first song by a female solo artist to top both Billboard’s Alternative Songs chart and the Hot 100 since Sinead O’Connor’s “Nothing Compares 2 U” in 1990.

Just as Adele will likely receive an additional  surge next week from performing on “Dancing With the Stars” earlier this week, Jennifer Lopez gets a boost from singing “On the Floor” featuring Pitbull on “American Idol” last week: that song jumps 7-3 this week on the Billboard Hot 100.  The Black Eyed Peas’ “Just Can’t Get Enough”  stays at No. 4, as Bruno Mars’ “The Lazy Song” remains at No. 5.

[More after the jump...]

Dave Matthews

Dave Matthews, Willie Nelson, Neil Young and John Mellencamp will headline the annual Farm Aid concert on Aug. 13 at Kansas City’s Livestrong Sporting Park. Other acts will be announced soon.

Tickets start at a staggeringly low $29 for the concert that benefits family farming.  Nelson, Young and Mellencamp founded Farm Aid in 1985.

As one might imagine, the food at the festival will come from family-farm identified, local and organic foods.

This marks the first time that Farm Aid has taken place in Kansas.

Steven Tyler has undoubtedly done his share of heavy breathing and now he’s sharing it with us on his first solo tune, “(It) Feels So Good,” a breezy, summer time tune.

He’ll premiere the video on “American Idol” on Thursday, May 12.

The tune is Aerosmith-lite with none of Joe Perry’s guitar bite, but the lyrics are vintage Tyler: a combo of lighthearted comments about his head being turned by a cutie with a twist: “My little kewpie was a real superfreak/By the time that I came down I’d been locked up in her room for a week...Your oh-la-la has done it to me good.” Tyler wrote the tune, which begins and ends with Tyler panting, with longtime Aerosmith collaborate Marti Frederikson.

The Aerosmith leader, who just released his autobiography, sounds great here, especially with the trademark yelps at the end, but the song could use a bit more punch.

[More after the jump...]

Black Eyed Peas

What could possibly stop the Black Eyed Peas’ party except for, oh say, an actually hummable melody?

OK, I’ll quit being a hater. It’s only because their lives are clearly so much more exciting than ours, as evidenced in the spanking brand new video clip for “Don’t Stop the Party.”

We follow the Peas on their world tour and get to see lots and lots of people jumping up and down to their music, as well as see one overzealous fan hop on stage and try to grab Fergie. There’s even a parrot. Plus, we see their futuristic costumes, etc. Like we've never seen those before. Yawn.

The video gets infinitely better around the 3:40 mark when it turns into a travelogue, as we see sandy beaches, city skylines and gorgeous landscapes that make us instantly want to call our travel agent and jet off to somewhere fabulous where the skies are blue, the champagne corks are popping and there are 60,000 waiting in a stadium for us.

With “Just Can’t Get Enough,” the second single from “The Beginning,” still ensconced in the top 5 of the Billboard Hot 100, BEP is clearly looking at “Don’t Stop the Party’s” video to get this “Party” started instead of giving it a jump start after its radio life is well underway.

So get packed and jump on the party bus.

Phish

Phish is taking summer time touring seriously, starting its latest concert series on Memorial Day and ending it on Labor Day. That means they can wear white every single day.

The outing closes with three nights at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colo.,  Sept. 2-4. Tickets go on sales  to the general public on June 4 through various outlets.

Fans are encouraged to make use of nearby campgrounds with three-day camping/parking tickets available through Phish’s website.

The tour starts Memorial Day weekend in Bethel, N.Y. Other highlights include Super Ball IX, Phish’s ninth festival , which takes place in Watkins Glen, N.Y.  Ticket prices include a free MP3 download from that show.

Phish Summer Tour Dates

5/27                 Bethel, NY                   Bethel Woods Center for the Arts
5/28                 Bethel, NY                   Bethel Woods Center for the Arts
5/29                 Bethel, NY                   Bethel Woods Center for the Arts
5/31                 Holmdel, NJ                 PNC Bank Arts Center
6/1                   Holmdel, NJ                 PNC Bank Arts Center
6/3                   Clarkston, MI              DTE Energy Center
6/4                   Cleveland, OH              Blossom Music Center
6/5                   Cincinnati, OH             Riverbend Music Center
6/7                   Mansfield, MA             Comcast Center
6/8                   Darien Center, NY       Darien Lake Performing Arts Center - ticket includes free admission to Darien Lake Theme Park on day of show
6/10                 Camden, NJ                  Susquehanna Bank Center
6/11                 Columbia, MD              Merriweather Post Pavilion
6/12                 Columbia, MD              Merriweather Post Pavilion
6/14                 Alpharetta, GA                        Verizon Wireless @ Encore Park
6/15                 Alpharetta, GA                        Verizon Wireless @ Encore Park
6/17                 Charlotte, NC              Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
6/18                 Raleigh, NC                  Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion
6/19                 Portsmouth, VA           Ntelos Pavilion at Harbor Center
7/1-3                Watkins Glen, NY        Super Ball IX - Watkins Glen International
8/5-6                George, WA                 The Gorge
8/8                   Hollywood, CA                        Hollywood Bowl
8/9-10              Stateline, NV                Lake Tahoe Outdoor Arena at Harveys
8/12                 San Francisco, CA        Outside Lands Music Festival
8/15-17                        Chicago, IL                  UIC Pavilion
9/2-4                Commerce City, CO     Dick's Sporting Goods Park

Matthew Morrison

 

Credit: AP

After last week’s cascade of top titles including new releases from Beastie Boys, Jennifer Lopez and Stevie Nicks, the release slate slows to a trickle the week of May 10 in terms of marquee names. However, there are still plenty of reasons to be “Glee”-ful as Matthew Morrison releases his solo album debut, plus neo-soul sensation Rafael Saddiq returns with a new set.

The Cars, “Move Like This” (Hear Music/Concord): Ric Ocasek and the boys are back with a tight set produced by Jacknife Lee. It’s their first album featuring original members Ocasek, Elliott Easton, Greg Hawkes and David Robinson  in 27 years. We have two words: Let’s Go.

Booker T. Jones, “The Road From Memphis” (Anti-Epitaph): Long gone are the MGs, but in their place, Jones has a slew of modern artists like My Morning Jacket’s Yim Yames, the National’s Matt Berninger and Sharon Jones accompanying the soul vet. He blends originals with covers of Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy” and Lauren Hill’s “Everything is Everything.”

The Lonely Island, “Turtleneck & Chain” (Universal Republic): “SNL’s” Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer and Jorma Taccone, aka The Lonely Island, are back with their second set, a double CD (!!) that includes tunes from their “SNL” digital shorts, including the brilliant “I Just Had Sex” featuring Akon, the newest sensation, “Jack Sparrow” featuring Michael Bolton” and “Motherlover” featuring Justin Timberlake.

Manchester Orchestra, “Simple Math” (Favorite Gentleman/Columbia): Third album from scraggly eclectic alternative quintet from Georgia finds them adding strings to their ragged rock sound of a set of deeply personal tunes.

Matthew Morrison, “Matthew Morrison” (Mercury): “Glee’s” Mr. Schuester gets some help from Gwyneth Paltrow and Elton John on his first solo album that will appeal to fans of Michael Buble and that ilk. No, he does not duet with Sue Sylvester.

Okkervil River, “I Am Very Far” (Jagjaguwar): Austin, Texas indie faves release their sixth set and their first since their collaboration with Roky Erickson.

Christina Perri, “lovestrong” (Atlantic): Is there more to this 24-year old singer/songwriter than her breakthrough smash ballad “Jar of Hearts?” Her label certainly hopes so since they signed her after the song started to take off.

Raphael Saadiq, “Stone Rollin,’” (Columbia): You saw him perform with Mick Jagger on the Grammys and if you’re old enough, you remember him from Tony! Toni! Tone!. Saadiq’s brand of soul combines old school with indie leanings for a smooth, wonderful sound. On his fifth studio album, he tackles everything from mellotron to drums, but gets some able assistance from the likes of Robert Randolph.

Tyler, the Creator, “Goblin” (XL Recordings): Leader of hip hop collective Odd Future releases a solo CD. With titles like “B***h Suck D**K and “Fish/Boppin B***h,” it’s fun for the whole family to enjoy.

Various Artists, “The Royal Wedding: The Official Album” (Decca): Yes, it’s true. This is an album featuring the music from the April 29 extravagance and even William and Catherine’s vows. If it came with a replica of Princess Beatrice’s hat, I would be so in.


 

Lady Gaga's "The Edge of Glory"

With “Judas” underperforming, Lady Gaga is already moving on to the next song from “Born This Way”... or at least giving us a chance to hear more before the album drops on May 23.

Over the weekend, she tweeted that new song, “Till the Edge of Glory” will drop on Monday at 1 p.m. PDT. “Another shot before we kiss the other side. I’m on the edge of something final we call life.”  We’re hoping those are lines from the song. The song will be released on iTunes.

Lady Gaga also tweeted a new image to go with the single.

First single, “Born This Way,” soared the top of the Billboard Hot 100 and has become an anthem in very sort order. “Judas” debuted at No. 10 and has fallen to No. 20 in two weeks, although the video, which came out on Thursday, may help it rebound back up the chart this week.

Ne-Yo

Forget those rumors you’ve heard about Ne-Yo’s fifth studio album being called “Love & Passion.” He set the record straight for us when we ran into him recently. “It doesn’t have a name yet. But be looking for it in September,” he says. “I’m putting it together as we speak.”

Ne-Yo is collaborating with a number of fellow musicians, producers and songwriters on the set, including Tricky, Ryan Leslie and Stargate. As far as guest artists, it’s still unclear. “I don’t know what I’m doing for features yet, but talking with a bunch of people. We’ll see what happens in the long run.”

Don’t look for Ne-Yo to chase trends on the new set, his follow-up to “Libra Scale.” “I wasn’t trying to find the next hot new thing with this album. I went in with traditional R&B, traditional pop music, music that feels good. That’s what this whole album is about. Music that feels good.”

Unlike a number of artists who have postponed appearances in Japan following the devastating earthquake, Ne-Yo kept his commitments there and played a series of shows in late March. “To be completely honest with you, if you didn’t know something had just happened over there, you wouldn’t know. Their spirits are so high. All the shows went over fantastic. We raised a bunch of money for a good cause and it felt good.”

He says he never contemplating not going. “I felt like for me to back out of it at that time, it would have been absolutely wrong. That’s the time when they need music and a reason to smile and a reason to be happy the most. What kind of artist would I be, especially  since they’ve been so supportive of my career this whole time, to back out of them in their time of need?”

In other Ne-Yo news, he recently told the Associated Press that he’d inked a deal with The Cartoon Network for an animated series called “I Heart Tuesdays,” about a 16-year old girl who has to save the world every week.

He also keeps acting. Following his stint as a killer in a recent episode of “CSI: NY,” as well as a role in  “Battle: Los Angeles,” look for him in George Lucas’s “Red Tails,” a film about the famed Tuskegee airmen. The movie comes out in February.

So it seemed only logical to ask when Ne-Yo finds time to sleep. The answer was up in the air: “On airplanes. That’s the only time I can sleep and I never have any problems. The second my ass touches the seat, I’m gone.”
 

The cover of The Beastie Boys' 'Hot Sauce Committee Part Two'

 

Look for Adele to log another week at the top of the Billboard 200 when the official chart results are announced on Wednesday. “21” is poised to sell up to 160,000 copies, as much as 50,000 more than the likely No. 2 album, Beastie Boys’ “Hot Sauce Committee Part Two.”

The Beasties kick off a slew of new titles in the top 10: eight potential ones to be exact.  “Hot Sauce” and “Now 38” are too close to call for the No. 2 and No. 3 slots, although Hits Daily Double gives “Hot Sauce” a slight edge going into the final round.

Coming in at No. 4 is likely to be Spin cover boys Fleet Foxes’ “Helplessness Blues”, with sales of around 90,000. "American Idol" judge Jennifer Lopez settles for No. 5 with “Love?” selling up to 65,000 copies as her comeback continues, but  probably not at the pace she would have liked. Stevie Nicks’  “In Your Dreams,” her first solo album in 10 years, summons sales of close to 50,000 copies for No. 6, while Musiq Soulchild’s “Musiqinthemagiq” looks good for No. 7 with around 40,000 units.

Mumford & Sons’ “Sigh No More” maintains its residency in the top 10, most likely at No. 8, making it the only title other than “21” to not be a debut in the elite set.  Sade’s “Ultimate Collection” and Sixx: A.M.’s” This is Gonna Hurt” (Motley Crue member Nikki Sixx’s side project) are too close to call for No. 9 and 10, with both set to sell between 27,000-30,000 copies.