UNCLE KRACKER'S HAPPY HOUR TOUR

Uncle Kracker is hitting the road this March and April for a round of headlining dates in support of his latest release, Happy Hour, and his brand new single, "Smile." The Happy Hour tour dates are as follows:

March 11: The Machine Shop—Flint, MI
March 12: Intersection—Grand Rapids, MI
March 13: Streeters & Ground Zero Nightclub—Traverse City, MI
March 14: Peabody’s Downunder—Cleveland, OH
March 17: Memorial Hall—Hutchinson, KS
March 18: People's Court—Des Moines, IA
March 19: Austin's Saloon/Fuel Room—Libertyville, IL
March 20: The Rock—Maplewood, MN
March 22: Majestic Theatre—Madison, WI
March 23: Blue Note—Columbia, MO
March 25: Bluebird Nightclub—Bloomington, IN
March 26: McGuffy’s House of Draft—Dayton, OH
March 28: Northern Lights—Clifton Park, NY
March 30: Toad's Place—New Haven, CT
March 31: Crocodile Rock—Allentown, PA
April 2: Starland Ballroom—Sayreville, NJ
April 4: Recher Theatre—Baltimore, MD
April 6: The Hat Factory—Richmond, VA
April 7: The Handlebar—Greenville, SC
April 8: Amos’ Southend—Charlotte, NC
April 9: Crossroads—Wake Forest, NC
April 10: Cattle Annies—Lynchburg, VA



Want more Uncle Kracker? Visit: UncleKracker.com and MySpace.com/UncleKracker.

AMERICAN CARNAGE TOUR: MEGADETH, SLAYER & TESTAMENT

Megadeth, Slayer and Testament are gearing up for this summer's American Carnage North American tour. This is the first time that all three bands have toured the U.S. together since 1991's epic Clash of the Titans tour.

The three metal bands were originally slated to begin touring together this past January, but had to postpone the dates after Slayer vocalist/bassist Tom Araya decided to undergo surgery to treat the severe pain, numbness and muscle spasms he'd been dealing with. Araya is currently recovering and is said to be doing well.

Here are the American Carnage North American tour dates:
July 23: Pavillon de la Jeunesse—Quebec City, CAN
July 24: Parc Jean—Drapeau, Montreal, CAN
July 26: Metro Centre—Halifax, CAN
July 27: Moncton Coliseum—Moncton, CAN
July 29: Molson Amphitheatre—Toronto, CAN
July 30: John Labatt Centre Center—London, CAN
Aug. 11: Glens Falls Civic Center—Glens Falls, NY
Aug. 12: Izod Center—East Rutherford, NJ
Aug. 14: Tsongas Arena—Boston, MA
Aug. 15: Susquehanna Bank Center—Camden, NJ
Aug. 16: Chevrolet Theatre—Wallingford, CT
Aug. 18: Tower City Amphitheatre—Cleveland, OH
Aug. 19: Joe Louis Arena—Detroit,MI
Aug. 20: UIC Pavillon—Chicago, IL
Aug. 21: Roy Wilkins Auditorium—Minneapolis, MN
Aug. 23: Cap Fed Park at Sandstone—Kansas City, KS
Aug. 25: Magness Arena—Denver, CO
Aug. 26: Tingley Coliseum—Albuquerque, NM
Aug. 27: Dodge Theatre—Phoenix, AZ
Aug. 29: Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre—San Diego, CA
Aug. 30: Long Beach Arena—Long Beach, CA
Aug. 31: Cow Palace—San Francisco, CA
Sept. 1: Arco Arena—Sacramento, CA
Sept. 3: Wamu Theatre—Seattle, WA
Sept. 4: Washington County Fairgrounds—Portland, OR

Megadeth

Slayer

Testament

Tickets purchased for the postponed shows will be honored at the rescheduled dates for the same venues. Complete information regarding ticket sales and more information about the bands can be found at: Megadeth.com, Slayer.net and TestamentLegions.com.

GRAMMY WINNERS!

The 52nd Annual Grammy Awards were held January 31 at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. The show was filled with great performances from the likes of Beyoncé, Pink, Lady GaGa and Bon Jovi. Which awards did your favorite artists earn? Here’s a select list of the top winners:

BEYONCÉ
Song Of The Year: “Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)”
Best Female Pop Vocal Performance: “Halo”
Best Female R&B Vocal Performance: “Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)”
Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance: “At Last”
Best R&B Song: “Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)”
Best Contemporary R&B Album: I Am... Sasha Fierce

TAYLOR SWIFT
Album Of The Year: Fearless
Best Female Country Vocal Performance: “White Horse”
Best Country Song: “White Horse”
Best Country Album: Fearless

THE BLACK EYED PEAS
Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals: “I Gotta Feeling”
Best Pop Vocal Album: The E.N.D.
Best Short Form Music Video: “Boom Boom Pow”

KINGS OF LEON
Record Of The Year: “Use Somebody”
Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals: “Use Somebody”
Best Rock Song: “Use Somebody”

LADY GAGA
Best Dance Recording: “Poker Face”
Best Electronic/Dance Album: The Fame

JASON MRAZ
Best Male Pop Vocal Performance: “Make It Mine”
Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals: “Lucky” (with Colbie Caillat)

MAXWELL
Best Male R&B Vocal Performance: “Pretty Wings”
Best R&B Album: Blacksummers' Night

JAY-Z, RIHANNA & KANYE WEST
Best Rap/Sung Collaboration: “Run This Town”
Best Rap Song: “Run This Town”

GREEN DAY
Best Rock Album: 21st Century Breakdown

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN
Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance: “Working On A Dream”

AC/DC
Best Hard Rock Performance: “War Machine”

JUDAS PRIEST
Best Metal Performance: “Dissident Aggressor”

JAMIE FOXX & T-PAIN
Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals: “Blame It”

JAY-Z
Best Rap Solo Performance: “D.O.A. (Death Of Auto-Tune)”

EMINEM, DR. DRE & 50 CENT
Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group: “Crack A Bottle”

EMINEM
Best Rap Album: Relapse

KEITH URBAN
Best Male Country Vocal Performance: “Sweet Thing”

LADY ANTEBELLUM
Best Country Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals: “I Run To You”

CARRIE UNDERWOOD & RANDY TRAVIS
Best Country Collaboration With Vocals: “I Told You So”

For the complete list of winners, visit: Grammy.com/nominees.

SHIROCK & HOLLISTER CO. WANT TO GIVE YOU FREE STUFF!

Want to win a shopping spree at Hollister Co.? Like pop-rock music? Then you need to enter the "Win A Hollister Co. Valentine's Day Shopping Spree from Shirock"!

The Nashville-based quintet—whose debut album, Everything Burns, is currently available on iTunes and on CD in Hollister stores—has teamed up with the clothing company to give fans the chance to win gift certificates to Hollister plus Shirock t-shirts, CDs and other prizes.

To enter the contest, just friend Shirock on Facebook and sign up to follow Shirock on Twitter before Valentine's Day, February 14. On V-Day, the band will randomly send out three "Contest Alert!" tweets from their Twitter account directing contestants to find the winning phrase on their Facebook page. The first person to locate the winning answer to the Tweeted contest question and then tweet it back to the band wins!

TV ALERT: VH1's TOP 40 OF 2009

Show: Top 40 Of 2009
Premiere Date: Friday, Dec. 18, @ 9 PM
Channel: VH1




What was your favorite music video of 2009? Was it Beyoncè's "Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)"? Or maybe it was Green Day's "21 Guns"? What about Taylor Swift's "Love Story"? See VH1's top picks for the year in a special 2-hour program that also features musicians, industry insiders and pop culture experts dishing the dirt behind the most memorable videos and explaining why these 40 clips are the very best of ’09.

For additional showtimes and more details, visit: http://www.vh1.com/shows/top_40_videos_2009/series.jhtml.

MILEY COVERS POISON!

Teen pop sensation Miley Cyrus has recorded a cover of rock band Poison's classic ballad "Every Rose Has Its Thorn" for an upcoming album.

Seventeen-year-old Miley says that "Every Rose…"—which hit No. 1 on the Billboard charts in 1988 (four years before Miley was even born!)—is her favorite song of all-time and that she has been a Poison fan for most of her young life. She even says that the first non-Billy Ray Cyrus concert she ever attended was Poison in Nashville.

Poison frontman Bret Michaels was in the NYC recording studio as Miley laid down her vocals—and he may even make a guest appearance on the track!

TV ALERT: CHRISTMAS IN WASHINGTON

Show: Christmas In Washington
Premiere Date: Sunday, Dec. 20, @ 8 PM
Channel: TNT

Join host George Lopez and a bevy of musicians as they bring holiday spirit to the nation’s capital. The 28th annual Christmas In Washington concert, an hour-long event taped at the National Building Museum, features performances from Justin Bieber ("Someday At Christmas"), Mary J. Blige ("The Christmas Song"), Neil Diamond ("Joy To The World"/"Winter Wonderland"/"Cherry, Cherry Christmas" medley), Sugarland ("Gold and Green"), Rob Thomas ("A New York Christmas") and Usher ("Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas"). President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama are among the night’s honored guests.

Host George Lopez

Neil Diamond Performs

Singers Jennifer Nettles (Sugarland) & Mary J. Blige Mingle

Vocalists Usher, Justin Bieber & Rob Thoms Hang Out

For more information and additional airtimes for Christmas In Washington, click here.

SCOTT WEILAND'S ARCHANGEL AUCTION!

Singer Scott Weiland (Stone Temple Pilots/ex-Velvet Revolver) is auctioning off personal items and memorabilia via his ArchAngel Organization. All of the proceeds from this special auction will go to the family of Scott's late brother, Michael Weiland, who passed away in 2007 after struggling with addiction.



"The overall idea is to grow this into something more, while still helping my brother's family, and to also reach out and help families who are or have recently been through the same painful and seemingly hopeless situation," says Scott. "For now, however, this is what we can and what we are able to do. Have fun with it and know that 100% of the profits are going to help my sister-in-law and my nieces, Sophie and Claudette."

Weiland is auctioning off a Dean acoustic guitar signed by the members of Stone Temple Pilots and personal items of clothing, including designer suits and pieces worn on stage. The eccentric singer personally signed most items.

The 2-week auction can be accessed by visiting: SoftDriveRecords.com/ArchAngel.

SOUNDTRACKS FOR YOUR SOUL

If you've seen any good movies or TV shows lately, chances are you also heard some great music in key scenes. Here's our guide to recently released soundtrack albums that we think you'll love:

Alvin and the Chipmunks 2: The Squeakuel Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Rhino Records): The furry little singers are back and they now have competition from a female trio. The 15-song record features cute and fun covers of popular hits sung by both the Chipmunks and the Chipettes like Katy Perry's "Hot N Cold," Beyoncé's "Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)," Bee Gees' "Stayin' Alive," Peaches & Herb's "Shake Your Groove Thing" and Foreigner's "I Want To Know What Love Is." Additionally, Honor Society, Queensberry and Charice make guest appearances.


Glee: The Music, Volume 1 (Columbia Records): Viewers of Fox's smash hit Glee have already downloaded more than 1 million songs performed by the cast. Now, 17 of the tunes performed on the show during the first half of its inaugural season have been collected on one awesome CD. Hear stars Matthew Morrison (Will Schuester), Lea Michele (Rachel), Cory Monteith (Finn), Amber Riley (Mercedes), Kevin McHale (Artie), Jenna Ushkowitz (Tina), Diana Agron (Quinn) and Mark Salling (Puck) sing songs like Journey's "Don't Stop Believin,'" Kanye West's "Gold Digger," Rihanna's "Take A Bow," Celine Dion's "Taking Chances," Heart's "Alone," Billy Idol's "Dancing With Myself" and many other popular tunes.


Glee: The Music, Volume 2 (Columbia Records): Due out Dec. 8, the second CD featuring the cast of Glee has the actor/singer’s belting out songs like Diana Ross and Lionel Richie's "Endless Love," The Pretenders' "I'll Stand By You," John Lennon's "Imagine," Cyndi Lauper's "True Colors" and Kelly Clarkson's "My Life Would Suck Without You."


NCIS: The Official TV Soundtrack—Vol. 2 (CBS Records): NCIS has been a top rated program for seven seasons now and it's no wonder that top artists wanted to fill up its second soundtrack. "California," a never-before-released Bob Dylan song, and NCIS star Michael Weatherly's "Bitter and Blue" are just two notable tracks on this compilation , which also features Norah Jones, Joss Stone, John Mellencamp, Sheryl Crow and Otis Redding.


Pirate Radio (Republic Records): A movie about a rock 'n' roll radio station broadcasting from the ocean in the 1960s has to have a superb soundtrack to accompany it! This 2-disc set highlights classic musicians like The Kinks, Martha Reeves & The Vandellas, The Beach Boys, Smokey Robinson, The Who, Cream, Jimi Hendrix and David Bowie.


Saw VI: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Trustkill Records): The sixth film in the popular horror franchise features 18 tracks from some of metal's heaviest acts, including songs from Hatebreed, Lacuna Coil, Mushroomhead, Chimaira, Suicide Silence, Shadows Fall, Type O Negative and Kittie.


Soundtrack 90210 (CBS Records): There are 14 brand new songs (plus a remix of the show's theme) on this collection of tunes, all of which will be featured in episodes of The CW drama this season. Adele with The Racounters, N.E.R.D. featuring Santigold, Jet, The All-American Rejects, Anberlin and The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus are among the artists who contributed music.


The Twilight Saga: New Moon—Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Atlantic Records): The second film in the wildly popular series about vampires and werewolves is filled with music by bands like The Killers, Muse (one of New Moon author Stephenie Meyer's favorite bands), Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, OK Go and Grizzly Bear. Death Cab For Cutie's "Meet Me On The Equinox" is the soundtrack's lead single.

Push Play: Long Island’s Midnight Romeos Score!

Learn all about the new pop band Push Play, by reading CherylBLITZ's article for the publication Aspire by clicking here!

ALICE COOPER IS "KEEPIN' HALLOWEEN ALIVE"!!!

Alice Cooper and Halloween go hand-in-hand. So the King of Shock Rock should have a special anthem to commemorate the holiday, right? Right!

Coop's brand new single, "Keepin’ Halloween Alive," features his signature snarl backed by upbeat, garage-punk music. The digital-only release (from Shout! Factory) was co-written and co-produced by Alice and Piggy D. (a.k.a. Rob Zombie's bassist).


"At home, my family all gathers around an old spooky tree decorated with skulls and bones in the living room and we exchange gifts," says Cooper about his family's tradition. "It's our holiday. We even all have matching black-and-orange Halloween sweaters! I wanted a theme song for people like me—and, for us, Halloween never ends. In the chorus, I say, 'I'm keepin' Halloween alive, baby, 3–6–5'—and I mean it!"

Check out the special website KeepinHalloweenAlive.com for more information about how to purchase the song, see a video with the tune's lyrics and even watch a very funny Public Service Announcement from Alice himself.

TV ALERT: VH1 HIP HOP HONORS

Show: VH1 Hip Hop Honors
Premiere Date: Tuesday, Oct. 13, @ 9 PM
Channel: VH1

The sixth annual VH1 Hip Hop Honors debuts this month! This year, the music channel celebrates the 25th anniversary of Def Jam Records with stars like Mary J. Blige, DMX, Eminem, Fabolous, Jimmy Fallon, Gym Class Heroes, Ja Rule, Ludacris, Method Man, ONYX, Public Enemy, Redman, Chris Rock, Kid Rock, The Roots, Rick Ross, Warren G., Young Jeezy and more.
Visit VH1.com for more information and additional air times.

MUSIC BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS!

Whatcha reading? Nothing? Why not? A slew of non-fiction books about music/musicians have come out recently that will surely captivate your mind for hours! Whether you're looking for a juicy (auto)biography, fun photos or a lesson in music history, there's definitely something out there for all music lovers! Here's MusikBLITZ's top picks:

Black Tooth Grin: The High Life, Good Times, and Tragic End of "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott by Zac Crain (Da Capo Press): This unauthorized biography chronicles the life of the late, great guitarist—from his Texas youth to worldwide success with the bands Pantera and Damageplan to the tragic onstage shooting that ended his life.


Elton John: The Bitch Is Back by Mark Bego (Phoenix Books): Sir Elton's astounding five decades in the music biz is chronicled in the pages of this book, including "all of the addictions, the self-doubts, bad toupées, affairs and scandals—but also with the triumphant later years, the coming-to-terms with his sexuality and the establishment of a happy and healthy private life."


Got The Life: My Journey of Addiction, Faith, Recovery, and Korn by Fieldy (William Morrow): Bassist and founding member of Korn Reggie "Fieldy" Arvizu tells the all-too-common tale of drugs, alcohol and womanizing that nearly destroyed both him and his successful band in this memoir. Among his revelations: how he nearly killed a girlfriend during a drug-fueled jealous rampage and how he was almost kicked out of Korn for his out-of-control behavior.


Grunge Is Dead: The Oral History of Seattle Rock Music by Greg Prato (ECW Press): This tome is said to be the "definitive" story of the Seattle music scene of the late '80s/early '90s. The book contains over 130 interviews conducted specifically for the book with artists like Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder, Soundgarden's Kim Thayil, Velvet Revolver/Loaded's Duff McKagan, Alice In Chains' Jerry Cantrell and more.


Hit Hard: A Story of Hitting Rock Bottom by Joey Kramer (HarperOne): Aerosmith drummer Kramer is the first of the Boston Bad Boys to have his own memoir published and, in the book, readers find out about "the early days of the band, glamorous drug-addled events leading up to their eventual sobriety, battles within his family and among bandmates, and the explosive internal dynamics in Aerosmith that continue to unleash a fury of endless creativity."


Mötley Crüe: A Visual History, 1983-2005 by Neil Zlozower (Chronicle Books): In this 275-page all-color hardcover, legendary rock photographer Zlozower captures the Crüe's rise from Hollywood punks to international rock gods. Hundreds of photos (onstage, backstage, hanging out and in the studio) and dirt from the band and those "in the know" are included. Plus, Mötley bassist Nikki Sixx penned the foreword.


Neil Diamond Is Forever: The Illustrated Story Of The Man and His Music by Jon Bream (Voyageur Press): In stores Oct. 15, this tome utilizes pictures and words to retrace the history of the hugely popular singer. Filled with more than 300 photographs and pieces of memorabilia (concert programs, posters, backstage passes, ticket stubs and more), the book also includes a complete album discography, comments from celeb admirers (Paul McCartney, Barry Manilow, Kid Rock, Taylor Swift, etc), previously unpublished quotes from Diamond himself and so much more.


The Official Heavy Metal Book of Lists by Eric Danville (Backbeat Books): The 231-page book features over 150 lists about the most rockin' genre of music out there. Find out the names of Alice Cooper's snakes and all of Spinal Tap's dead drummers and learn which metal stars have sex tapes! Members of Guns N' Roses, Motörhead (Lemmy penned the foreword), Sepultura, Vixen, Biohazard, Gwar and more cast their ballots within the book too.


Precious Metal: Decibel Presents The Stories Behind 25 Extreme Metal Masterpieces edited by Albert Mudrian (Da Capo Press): Decibel magazine editor-in-chief Mudrian goes behind-the-scenes—inside the recording studios where some of the heaviest metal albums were created—scoring in-depth interviews with band members about their creation processes for this paperback. Tales about Black Sabbath's Heaven and Hell, Slayer's Reign In Blood, Cannibal Corpse's Tomb of the Mutilated, Monster Magnet's Dopes To Infinity and Opeth's Orchid are among the featured albums.


Snake Eyes: Confessions Of A Replacement Rock Star by Stacey Blades (BookSurge Publishing): As the guitarist in Phil Lewis' version of L.A. Guns, Blades has had to put up with constant comparisons to his predecessor (band namesake Tracii Guns). But he's also had to deal with an identity crisis, sordid relationships, drugs, alcohol, endless bands, constant dead ends and deaths. This is his story.


The Velvet Underground: A Walk On The Wild Side by Jim DeRogatis (Voyageur Press): The first complete illustrated history book on the influential punk/alternative band—formed by Lou Reed and John Cale and once managed by Andy Warhol—comes out just as the group honors the 45th anniversary of its founding. Interviews with band members, excerpts from Warhol's memoirs and photos (many of which have never-been-seen) are included.


Visit Amazon.com, BarnesAndNoble.com, Borders.com or your local book store to purchase these books.

NewsBLITZ: CELEBRITY FIT CLUB 7 CAST ANNOUNCED!

Once again, VH1 is helping out-of-shape stars get healthy—Celebrity Fit Club 7 is now filming!

Nutritionist Dr. Ian Smith and trainer Harvey Walden will return as mentors along with a new life coach, Rhonda Britten. The eight contestants competing for svelte new bods are:

Kevin Federline: Britney Spears' notorious ex-husband who once possessed a (backup) dancer's bod.

Shar Jackson: Curvy actress (most known as Moesha's Niecy) who is another of Federline's exes.

Bobby Brown: Former R&B king (both solo and with New Edition) who lost his shape after marrying and divorcing Whitney Houston.

Nicole Eggert: Once a Baywatch babe, she is now far from wearing that perfect red swimsuit.

Kaycee Stroh: The voluptuous one from the High School Musical flicks.

Sebastian Bach: Heavy metal singer (formerly with Skid Row) once known for wearing super-tight leather pants.

Tanisha Thomas: The BBW from Season 2 of Oxygen's Bad Girls Club.

Jay McCarroll: The chubby, gay winner from the first season of Project Runway.

Celebrity Fit Club 7 is slated to air sometime in 2010.

Visit VH1.com for updates.

ZO2 EXCLUSIVE MINI INTERVIEW!

Rockers ZO2 have a new album out, Casino Logic, and recently wrapped up the second season of their hot IFC show Z Rock. When Paulie Z (vocals/guitars) and David Z (vocals/bass) had a spare second, they chatted with CherylBLITZ for Aspire magazine's Fall issue, which is out now (or you can click here to read the article online). As a bonus for MusikBLITZ readers, here are a few fun responses from Paulie and David that did not make it into the Aspire article:

MusikBLITZ: Sometimes when the lead guitarist is also the lead singer, he just stands in front of the mic and is very boring to watch—but you guys are not like that at all!
PAULIE: It’s all about the tushy. And the hair. Hair has a lot to do with it too. I remember when we first started playing The Cutting Room [in New York City], we had shorter hair and, I didn't realize this at the time, but visually it makes such a difference. Now Dave's got the long hair and I've got this big 'fro that when it gets wet, it really moves. It's amazing how much that adds to the show, just whipping it back and forth. It's great!
DAVID: And we know this because we get compliments almost as much on our hair as we do on our songs.
PAULIE: That's one of the bigger reasons people come to our shows.
DAVID: Girls love it!

MusikBLITZ: So do you have any special hair care tips then?
DAVID: Buy a Chi flat iron—they're the best.
PAULIE: If you have naturally curly hair and you want to keep it nice, you've got to condition every day! Shampoo, maybe, once a week and put in some conditioner after you dry your hair; lightly dry it and when it's a little damp, put in a quarter's worth of conditioner and leave it. That's one of the keys.

MusikBLITZ: On Z Rock, you guys are always at Hill Country Barbecue. How much do you love that place?
PAULIE: I actually went there recently and two guys were in the place who were fans of the show and said, "I can't believe you're actually here. We came because we saw you eat here on the show and now you're here!" That's so cool! I said, "Yeah, it's all true." They have our picture on their oven. I drew a caricature of us. When you walk in and order food, right behind the butchers you'll see a ZO2 caricature.

MusikBLITZ: Where else do you recommend dining in New York, Paulie?
PAULIE: I'm so into food!

1. Silver Spurs, on Broadway and 9th Street [in Manhattan], is the best burger in our opinion. Get the Bunkhouse cheeseburger—it's incredible!

2. Gino's Italian restaurant in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, is amazing!

3. Fushimi is an incredible Japanese-French fusion restaurant also in Bay Ridge.

4. Max Brenner's on Broadway right off of 13th Street is for when you want something quick/a little bit of comfort food with a nice, cool atmosphere; get some crepes, amazing salads and things like that.

5. Gray's Papaya for hot dogs. [Various Manhattan locations]

6. Katz's has the best pastrami in the world!

7. Rosario’s Pizza is one of the best pizza joints. It’s on Orchard and Stanton [in Manhattan].

ZO2's David Z, Paulie Z and Joey Cassata with Dave Navarro.

For more on ZO2, visit there official website at: ZO2.com.

NewsBLITZ: ROB ZOMBIE RETURNS TO MUSIC!

Rob Zombie is returning to his musical roots—and the concert stage—after taking some time off to write and direct the films Halloween and Halloween II!


Zombie's first headlining tour since 2007—The Hellbilly Deluxe 2 Tour—kicks off Oct. 29 in Phoenix with the Nekromantix and Captain Clegg & the Night Creatures (who were in Halloween II) serving as opening acts.

On tour, Rob will be playing fan favorites as well as new tracks from his upcoming Geffen Records release Hellbilly Deluxe 2—Noble Jackals, Penny Dreadfuls and the Systematic Dehumanization of Cool. This CD serves as a companion to 1998's original Hellbilly Deluxe disc, which was Zombie's first solo venture after the demise of White Zombie. Rob's backup group is comprised of his longtime bandmates John 5 (guitar), Piggy D (bass) and Tommy Clufetos (drums).

"I am bouncing off the walls like a mental patient," says Zombie "That tells me it's time to take it to the stage and let the demons loose."

Rob Zombie Tour Dates:
Oct. 29: Dodge Theatre—Phoenix, AZ
Oct. 30: The Pearl—Las Vegas, NV
Oct. 31: Hollywood Palladium—Hollywood, CA
Nov. 1: The Grove—Anaheim, CA
Nov. 3: San Jose Event Center—San Jose, CA
Nov. 5: Great Salt Air—Salt Lake City, UT
Nov. 6: The Fillmore—Denver, CO
Nov. 8: Brady Theater—Tulsa, OK
Nov. 10: Austin City Music Hall—Austin, TX
Nov. 11: Verizon Wireless Theater—Houston, TX
Nov. 13: Palladium Ballroom—Dallas, TX
Nov. 14: The Uptown—Kansas City, MO
Nov. 15: The Pagent—St. Louis, MO
Nov. 16: Murrat—Indianapolis, IN
Nov. 17: Civic Theatre—Akron, OH
Nov. 19: Eagles Auditorium—Milwaukee, WI
Nov. 20: Roy Wilkins Auditorium—Minneapolis, MN
Nov. 21: Val Air Ballroom—Des Moines, IL
Nov. 22: Aragon Ballroom—Chicago, IL
Nov. 24: Broadbent Arena—Louisville, KY
Nov. 25: Lifestyles Pavilion—Columbus, OH
Nov. 27: The Fillmore—Detroit, MI
Nov. 28: Sound Academy—Toronto, CAN
Dec. 1: Hammerstein Ballroom—New York, NY
Dec. 2: House of Blues—Boston, MA
Dec. 3: Mohegan Sun Arena—Uncasville, CT
Dec. 4: Electric Factory—Philadelphia, PA
Dec. 5: 9:30 Club—Washington, DC

For all things Rob Zombie, visit his official website: RobZombie.com.

NewsBLITZ: MEGADETH SUPPORT NEW ALBUM, ENDGAME, WITH TOUR!

Megadeth's new album, Endgame, hits stores on Sept. 15 and the band is launching a major tour to bring the new music to the masses!


For the first batch of dates, Machine Head, Suicide Silence and Arcanium will all serve as support acts for Dave Mustaine and company. Starting Dec. 5, Warbringer will replace Machine Head on the bill.

Megadeth tour dates are as follows:
Nov. 14: The Orbit Room—Grand Rapids, MI
Nov. 15: Peoria Civic Center—Peoria, IL
Nov. 17: Eagles Ballroom—Milwaukee, WI
Nov. 18: The LC Pavilion—Columbus, OH
Nov. 20: Madison Theater—Covington, KY
Nov. 21: The National—Richmond, VA
Nov. 22: Valarium—Knoxville, TN
Nov. 23: The Fillmore—Charlotte, NC
Nov. 25: Revolution—Fort Lauderdale, FL
Nov. 27: Hard Rock Live—Orlando, FL
Nov. 28: House of Blues—Myrtle Beach, SC
Nov. 30: The Pavilion at Concrete Street—Corpus Christi, TX
Dec. 1: Sunken Gardens—San Antonio, TX
Dec. 2: Palladium Ballroom—Dallas, TX
Dec. 3: Bricktown Events Center—Oklahoma City, OK
Dec. 5: The Beaumont—Kansas City, MO
Dec. 6: Pop's—Sauget, IL
Dec. 7: Great Hall at River Center—Davenport, IA
Dec. 8: Fargo Civic Auditorium—Fargo, ND
Dec. 10: Shrine Auditorium—Billings, MT

Additionally, fans can catch Megadeth performing live this Thursday, Sept. 17, on NBC's Late Night With Jimmy Fallon.

For more information about Megadeth, Mustaine and music, visit: Megadeth.com.

NewsBLITZ: VANS WARPED TOUR AT THE MOVIES!!!

This Thursday, September 17, you can catch some of your favorite Vans Warped Tour bands from the last 15 years...at the movies!

The Vans Warped Tour 15th Anniversary Celebration theatrical event will be shown at more than 460 movie theaters across the country. The 2-hour film—recorded at Los Angeles' Nokia Theater on Sept. 6—features exclusive performances, behind-the-scenes footage, red carpet access and more from 3OH!3, The Aggrolites, All-American Rejects, Bad Religion, Blink-182, The Decaydance All Stars (Fall Out Boy's Pete Wentz along with Panic! At The Disco's Brenden Urie, Spencer Smith and Ian Crawford), Ice T, Katy Perry, NOFX, Ozomatli, Pennywise, Rise Against and Underoath.

"I consider Warped Tour to be an essential summer rite of passage for bands and crowds alike," says Wentz. "I have met some of my best friends there and was introduced to new music, baby wipe showers and dry shampoo for the first time. More than anything, I look forward to it every summer as a daylong escape for one hot day. And it's especially cool that people are going to see the Warped Tour in a new setting—movie theaters—with the Anniversary special."

For a list of theater locations near you showing Vans Warped Tour 15th Anniversary Celebration, visit:
http://www.ncm.com/Fathom/ConcertsAndMusic/WarpedTour.aspx.

CONCERT REVIEW: VANS WARPED TOUR 2009

Words & photos by Jeannie Blue

This past summer, the Vans Warped Tour celebrated 15 years of its annual "Punk Rock Summer Camp" with a super-hot excursion across North America. Teens flocked to parking lots and fields to catch a glimpse of their favorite bands strolling around a carnival of booths promoting various worthy causes (breast cancer awareness, animal rights, safe sex, etc.); selling band merchandise; or retailing their favorite skating garb. Meanwhile, the rest of us simply sated ourselves with the eclectic bevy of groups on the daily roster, with this year's talent ranging from classic acts such as Bad Religion, Flogging Molly and Anti-Flag to newcomers like 3OH!3, Escape The Fate and A Day To Remember. Here's a glimpse at some of this year’s action as witnessed at the Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, New York, on July 18, 2009:

AIDEN
Winners of the most crazed fan reaction of the day, Wil Francis and company rocked through a goth-tinged set that included crowd favorites like "Scavengers of the Damned." Preaching to the masses about his lack of religious fervor, Francis also sported a homemade t-shirt complete with an upside down cross and the word “Believe.” Okay, so perhaps they’re not the most original cast of characters, but Aiden still put on a thoroughly enjoyable set.
ANTI-FLAG
Even though the band is one of the Warped Tour's most veteran acts, Anti-Flag still managed to put on a powerful set as they promoted their ninth studio album, The People or The Gun.
BAYSIDE
Anthony Raneri and his born and bred Long Island cohorts thoroughly enjoyed their homecoming during this stop of the Warped Tour. Bayside rocked a set that included standouts from their four studio albums, including "Tortures of the Damned," "Duality" and "Devotion and Desire." The large crowd seemed perfectly content with the band's performance, though the rabid energy present in other sets throughout the day was decidedly lacking here.
FLOGGING MOLLY
Mixing Celtic folk and punk rock, Flogging Molly performed a very fun and entertaining late day set. The 7-piece band of multi-instrumentalists delighted the masses with songs like "Seven Deadly Sins" and "Drunken Lullabies." Grab a Guinness and catch this band if you can!

GALLOWS
Hardcore punks from the streets of England, Gallows are obnoxiously energetic—as were their fans. Circle pits abounded in the massive crowd, as lead vocalist Frank Carter urged concertgoers on by jumping down into the audience and remaining there for half of the band's set. Entirely unfazed by his departure, the remaining members continued to launch through a banging set of heavy punk rock. Visually and sonically enthralling, the band left no fan disappointed.

NOFX
Yes, NOFX played music during their half-hour set, but it was the banter between vocalist/bassist Fat Mike and lead guitarist El Hefe that was the highlight of this performance. Racist jokes, funny tales and plenty of insults brought a special element to the punk act's show. Example: "Why did Hitler commit suicide? He got the gas bill!!!"
SENSES FAIL
One of the best, most raw and in-your-face performances of the day came from Senses Fail. Frontman Buddy Nielsen is not known for mincing words, and he did not disappoint during the day's set. The group's three full-length albums—Let It Enfold You, Still Searching and Life Is Not A Waiting Room—were all represented, much to the delight of the audience. Taking a break between songs, Nielsen assured his disciples that he would not talk any smack about other bands on the tour, despite the fact that some of his contemporaries were doing just this during their own stage times. Kudos to a band that don't have to bring others down to elevate their own sound!

SHOOTER JENNINGS
The son of legendary country musician Waylon Jennings, Southern rocker Shooter was a bit out of place playing a Warped stage. In fact, when he started his set, less than 20 people were there to cheer him on. More people did come around (possibly to catch a glimpse of his famous fiancée, The Sopranos' Drea de Matteo; who didn't appear to be on hand), but his mellow set just didn't hold up to the more rambunctious acts on the bill.
3OH!3
If you're looking for fun, upbeat, danceable music with ridiculous lyrics, you can trust that 3OH!3's Sean Foreman and Nathaniel Motte are going to entertain your socks off with tunes like "Don't Trust Me." Throw in a special appearance by rapper Lil Jon and their set was definitely one of the most talked about and well-attended of the day.