The first wave of musicians got into town Thursday, and celebrity spotters were out in force. One cab driver insisted Anderson had arrived on an Air Canada flight but officials said the bombshell wasn't scheduled to touch down until Saturday.

The show is fast turning into an international spectacle. Juno broadcaster CTV announced Thursday the show has been picked up by several MTV stations, including ones in the U.S., Italy, Portugal and China. In the U.K., music fans will be able to view the show via VH1.

CTV will package Sunday's two-hour bash, which will feature performances by Coldplay, Bedouin Soundclash, Bryan Adams and Nickelback, for a later airing on the stations.A star in the world of classical music, Brueggergosman said Juno fever was palpable and heightened by the huge international buzz around Canadian acts.

She said the praise isn't limited to rock acts like Broken Social Scene and Arcade Fire.

"It's really a given in the classical market that Canadians are producing some of the very best musicians working right now," she said pointing to artists like cellist Denise Djokic and violinist James Ehnes.

"We're doing all right!"

Classical soprano Measha Brueggergosman is so excited about this weekend's Juno festivities that she laced up Thursday to practise for a charity game -- even though she's never played hockey.

"It's an unlikely marriage, hockey and opera," Brueggergosman admitted as she prepared for an on-ice workout.

"I speed-skated for 10 years, so I understand the ice but I've never, ever in all my life worn a pair of hockey skates."

Brueggergosman was joined at the Halifax Forum by Blue Rodeo front man Jim Cuddy, Canadian Idol host Ben Mulroney, former NHLer Paul Coffey and goalie Sami Jo Small.

Proceeds from the game, to be played Friday evening, will go to MusiCan, a foundation which helps buy instruments for school music programs.

The Juno awards will be handed out over two nights: Saturday during an industry-only dinner and on Sunday during a televised TV show.

The Fredericton-raised Brueggergosman said she was eager to partake in the various Juno-related activities, including a free street party at the Grand Parade on Thursday night featuring local stars The Trews and Matt Mays.

She had high praise for the host city.

"There's no better place to come in and blend in (with locals) and have a coffee on the street and grab some poutine. I'm hoping to see (Juno host) Pam Anderson at the Liquor Dome (night club)," she said.

Source: ctv.ca

The biggest night in Canadian music will for the first time be broadcast in the United States and around the world, offering audiences home-grown talent and an international flair.

The Juno Awards, held in Halifax, will be broadcast on a total of 11 MTV and VH1 networks. In addition to the United States (MTV2), the awards broadcast will be available to 246 million households in:

Australia (VH1), China (MTV), India (VH1), Italy (MTV), Latin America (VH1), Malaysia (MTV), Portugal (MTV), Singapore (MTV), Taiwan (MTV) and the United Kingdom (VH1)."Canadian artists have long been leaders on the world stage, and so its only fitting that the Juno Awards can be delivered to the world," said Susanne Boyce, CTV president of programming.

With Pamela Anderson as host, the show will feature 11 performances from groups such as Bedouin Soundclash, the Black Eyed Peas, Coldplay, Nickelback and crooner Michael Buble.

Coldplay's Chris Martin will also introduce Bryan Adams, who will be inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame Sunday night.

A total of seven awards will also be handed out on April 2 during the two-hour broadcast, including: Artist of the Year; New group of the Year; Single of the Year; Songwriter of the Year; Juno Fan Choice Award; Alternative Album of the Year and Album of the Year.

Alberta rockers Nickelback lead the Juno race with six Juno nominations.

Following closely with five nods is Michael Buble, whose sentimental track Home about feeling homesick was a big hit. Buble was nominated for a Grammy this year, but lost out to Tony Bennett.

Jazz crooner Diana Krall is also up for five nominations, and Neil Young is up for three awards.

Organizers say this year's Juno Awards show will have the energy of a live concert, partly because of the design of the stage.

Elevated walkways will extend out to a central pod in the middle of the arena -- where the awards will be presented. The walkways will be surrounded by fans in the general admission section.

"The shape of this walkway is like the waterways that lead to the ocean," said production designer Pete Faragher.

"The production design of the 2006 Juno Awards has been influenced by the wind, the ocean, the rocky coastline, lighthouses and the easy-going way of life in Atlantic Canada," said Faragher.

The awards will be broadcast from the Halifax Metro Centre on CTV from 7 to 9 p.m. in all time zones.

A total of 39 Juno Awards will be handed out over the weekend. Most of them will be distributed at an industry-only gala dinner on Saturday night.

Source: ctv.ca [thanks radioactive_coldplayer]

Where else can you find giant brown bears illuminated onto the crowd, thousands of people waving cell phones in the air on the command of a singer and people simply flipping out?

On Sunday, March 26, the renowned band Coldplay played to a sold-out crowd at Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, N.Y. during their 2006 Twisted Logic tour.

The show kicked off with the opening of former Verve member Richard Ashcroft, best known for the song "Bittersweet Symphony." It was a refreshing way to start off the high-energy evening.

Read the full review here

Enjoy a preview to Glastonbury: The Film and Glastonbury Festival 2007 by way of scans from NME this week.

View them here [thanks Steph]

Multi-platinum rock band Switchfoot is now on tour supporting its award-winning new album, NOTHING IS SOUND, a new single and video ("We Are One Tonight"), and much more.

One highlight in the current run of Switchfoot shows is the sneak preview performances of an unreleased song, "Awakening," that the band recently recorded with producer Steve Lillywhite (U2's HOW TO DISMANTLE AN ATOMIC BOMB, Coldplay's X&Y). Visit Switchfoot.com for on-the-road video clips and photos plus a complete list of upcoming concert cities and dates.In other news, readers of Campus Life's Ignite Your Faith magazine have just voted NOTHING IS SOUND and the set's first single, "Stars," as Album of the Year and Best Song of the Year respectively in the Second Annual Golden Ear Awards.

Elsewhere, Switchfoot is part of a contest where one winner will receive a 30GB video iPod pre-loaded with the band's entire album catalog. Three runner-ups will get clothing prize packs featuring Switchfoot, Atticus, and Macbeth gear; five winners will be sent DualDisc editions of NOTHING IS SOUND.

Source: http://top40-charts.com

Hollywood's legendary El Capitan Theatre will present the wildest show in town from April 14th through May 11th as part of its special "Spring Break" engagement of Walt Disney Pictures' hilarious new computer-animated feature, "The Wild," it was announced today by Lylle Breier, senior vice president of worldwide special events for Buena Vista Pictures Distribution.

Adding to the film's fun and entertainment is a spectacular score and a soundtrack filled with new and familiar tunes by such popular recording artists as Coldplay, Everlife, Lifehouse, and Big Bad Voodoo Daddy.

Read more here

A member of the Gwyneth Paltrow messageboard has reported seeing Will and his pregnant-looking wife, Marianne, at an Italian restaurant in New York.

Check it out here

As the birth of Chris Martin & Gwyneth Paltrow's baby comes ever closer, the media speculation about the baby's name is growing.

The baby's new name was previously revealed as Mortimer, with more & more of the world's media reporting the same quoted source.

Today, the Sydney Morning Herald reports that the celeb couple have chosen another name for their new baby. "In other inane news, Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin have moved on from naming offspring after grocery produce and found inspiration in fictional flying midgets. Paltrow has reportedly settled on "Tink", as in Tinkerbell from Peter Pan, for the name of their second baby."

More on this here

In My Place in my row @ ACC - Thurs March 23rd Concert

I had a great time at the Thursday concert, we were in section 104 (in the back), during In My Place he ran to our row, and sang the rest of the song there, it was awesome, luckily i had my phone and recorded as much as i could... check them out...

Watch the videos from the concert here [thanks razor_ro]

I cannot to begin to describe what an AMAZING night i just had. that was by far the best concert EVER. and thats saying a lot coz i go to concerts like a mad woman.

apparnetly 2nd row in the VIP section means i get to lean on the rail right in front of jonny. so needless to say i have a gazillion pics of jonny. and i took SO many videos. between me and my friend we got some great pics and vids.

unforunately i dont have time to put them up tonight - i have to wake up in 5 hours. but i will DEFINITELY get on that sometime later this week or this weekend.

More on this and pictures here [thanks TLo] and here [thanks guerti31]

I wish I could start my article on Coldplay by talking about how much I know about music, and how Coldplay is a generic rock band that has somehow made it big through good looks and major-label support.

But as Coldplay’s "Swallowed in the Sea" eases its way through my fluffy headphones, I slowly come to the realization that I can’t trash them. I smile wide as I catch myself trying to find something wrong with the track. Unfortunately for me, I can't find anything wrong.

In three minutes and 59 seconds, I hear excellent group chemistry, decent technical skills, catchy songwriting, and, most importantly, musical intensity.

Read the full review here

Last summer, Coldplay was the hottest band in rock and roll around the world. Their "X&Y" topped the charts in more than two dozen countries a little more than a week after its release last June and remained there for nearly a full month.

Nearly 10 months after its release, it remains on the all-genre-encompassing Billboard 200 chart, with more than 3 million copies sold. Like their previous studio efforts, "X&Y" has a few anthems, but they tend to serve as pick-me-ups of sorts for a lot of slick, yet melancholy and occasionally dour reflections.

For a band that is supposed to be the heirs to U2's throne, it's sure hard as hell to get psyched for a listen to a Coldplay disc. They do, though, make for good listening during a downpour."X&Y," though, may be it for a while from these guys. At an awards show in Britain in February, leader Chris Martin said he and his mates "need to go away. We've got a lot of work to do." While we do know that Martin and wife Gwyneth Paltrow are awaiting the addition of an Orange or an Arugula to their Apple in the near future, what exactly that comment entails is anybody's guess. My prediction? The mope-tops return in 2008. At the earliest.

At press time only seats behind the stage were available for Thursday's show. The March 31 show is sold out.

Coldplay, 7:30 p.m. Thursday and March 31, United Center, 1901 Madison St., Chicago, $41.50 to $81.50 (March 31 show sold out).

FYI: (312) 455-4500 or www.unitedcenter.com

More on this here

netmusiccountdown.com reminds us of this months Echo Music Awards:

Coldplay was among the winners at this year's Echo Music Awards, held earlier this month in Berlin.

During the German music awards show on March 12th, Coldplay was named Best International Rock/Pop Group for their album "X&Y." Madonna won the most awards of the evening, taking home Song of the Year for her single "Hung Up" and Best International Female Artist.

British singer-songwriter James Blunt earned the Best New International Artist award, while rapper 50 Cent received the Best International Hip-Hop/R&B Artist award. Other 2006 Echo Award winners included System of a Down, Michael Buble, Robbie Williams, AC/DC and Bob Geldof.

Every music fan knows that a real rock show doesn't look anything like a concert movie. They never seem to include the guy sitting next to you who won't shut up, or the fact that the stars look like insects from the nosebleed seats, or that half the fun is just being there, hanging out with friends.

As odd as it seems, the Beastie Boys [pictured] are the first band to ever take this to heart. The proof arrives this Friday with "Awesome! I F - - - in' Shot That," a concert movie that turns the genre on its head.

Still, the simple brilliance of the fan footage and the success of the experiment - at Sundance, the film got a great reception - has already spawned an imitator. Coldplay recently had five fans film a Toronto show for a DVD.

But, as Blender's Kandell sagely points out, "forget about the fact that it's not their idea and it's already been done well. Do you really care what the crowd of a Coldplay show looks like?

Read the full article here

As reported earlier, Michael Stipe of R.E.M. and video director Danny Clinch have collaborated on a short film, "In the Sun: Michael Stipe and Special Guests," created to remind Americans of the continuing suffering of survivors of Hurricane Katrina, report coldplay.com.

The film documents the recording of 6 versions of the song "In the Sun," written by singer/songwriter Joseph Arthur, one version featuring Michael Stipe and Chris Martin.

The short film includes interviews with Chris Martin, former Smashing Pumpkins guitarist James Iha and Katrina survivors and relief volunteers. The documentary premieres Monday, April 3 at 9pm (et/pt) on the Sundance Channel.

More on this story here

If you've been to see the Twisted Logic tour you know what happens at the end of In My Place. I just thank the arbitrary combination of 0's and 1's that blessed us with these seats at the show in Milwaukee last weekend.

Didn't think I'd ever get that close to Chris and I count my lucky stars every time I look at this. The concert was awesome and this moment was unbelievable.

See the picture here [thanks CGJW]

Coldplay live at the Continental Arena in Jersey

The place was rocking. the band was in perfect form. love how that start out at square one....heard a few i haven't heard from cp lately--trouble, beautiful world....nice suprises. so much energy from the moment they stepped on stage until the end. the fans and band together as one.

there is no one who can touch coldplay live. i can't believe chris said see ya in 3 years ...three years?? i know we all know that but to hear him say it....

More on this here [thanks penelope]

We sent Lousie and her friend Carley to watch Coldplay live - in CANADA.

They flew out to Toronto on Tuesday [21st March] where they took in the sights of the City centre and The CN Tower.

On Wednesday 22nd March, they went to watch Coldplay perform live. Before they went on stage Louise and Carley were invited to go backstage and hang out with Chris Martin and the guys. As well as getting their photos taken, they were also given signed programmes and t-shirts from the band.

Read the full story here [thanks Marisa]

What do American Idol winner Carrie Underwood and Coldplay frontman Chris Martin have in common? They are the reigning king and queen of PETA’s annual "Sexiest Vegetarian Alive" contest, in which visitors to PETA’s GoVeg.com Web site voted for their favorite vegetarian celebrity.

Now, PETA has expanded its contest to include the vegetarian boy or girl next door. After the first round of votes were tallied, 29-year-old Brian Kellison, a producer for two major sports-talk radio programs in San Diego, beat out hundreds of entrants from the United States and Canada to become one of 10 male finalists.Also an accomplished filmmaker, Brian worked as an editor and producer on the documentary Ears, Open. Eyeballs, Click, which won awards all over the world. When he’s not plugging a cruelty-free vegan diet on his radio shows, Brian can also be found playing lacrosse or competing in amateur cycling races. Brian’s photo and bio, along with those of the other hot hunks and veggie vixens selected as finalists, can be viewed at GoVeg.com. The winners will be announced in mid-April.

"On average, vegetarians are thinner, healthier, and sexier than meat-eaters," says PETA Vegan Campaign Director Bruce Friedrich. "One look at our radiant lineup of sexy vegetarian finalists and it’s clear that they’re all winners."

Source: peta.org

Playing professionally for nearly 30 years, folk-rock legend Steve Forbert says he's glad of his success, but is relieved he isn't a star.

Catching up with Forbert during a studio-recording session in his hometown of Nashville, things aren't going exactly as planned. His engineer, Tim Coates, accidentally recorded the demos they'd been working on in the wrong key.

Studio time, especially in a place like Nashville, can be expensive. But there's no label lording over Forbert to keep costs down and deliver an album by a set date. The next album, he says, will be ready when it's ready.

"One of my nightmares would be if someone said I've got to make a record and turn it in by the Fourth of July," Forbert says, laughing. "Some people can do it. That would be terrible (for me); I couldn't do it. I like to let the songs grow, one by one, finish them and then start another one. I never felt any pressure because I never sold that many albums. You've got a label like EMI completely waiting on the new record from Coldplay and the whole company is depending on it. I've never had that problem." That isn't to say Forbert hasn't run afoul of a label before.

In 1978, he released his debut album, Alive on Arrival, on Nemperor Records, a subsidiary of Columbia. Between Forbert's raspy vocals and acoustic guitar, many critics heralded him as the next Bob Dylan - talk about pressure.

But he delivered with his followup album, Jackrabbit Slim, which cracked the top 20 thanks to the hit single Romeo's Tune.

His second and third albums, however, didn't perform as well, and his fifth album was rejected by Columbia altogether. It left Forbert in limbo for the early part of the '80s.

"There were a lot of politics involved, which could have been resolved if there was a voice of reason," he recalls. "I don't think I was ever like John Mellencamp, who has a reputation as a stubborn guy. He even called himself 'Little Bastard' when he produced his own records.

"When I made mine, I wanted to do so with no over-dubs because I knew if I did that, nobody would be tampering with my recordings when I left the studio. I saw that as a safety net for not being made into something I didn't want to be."

Born in Meridian, Mississippi - the birthplace of country legend Jimmie Rodgers - Forbert's destiny might well have seen him strumming bluegrass if he hadn't set out for New York City when he was 21. When he arrived, he quickly entrenched himself in Greenwich Village's music scene, and ended up becoming a commodity because a folk-rocker channelling Gram Parsons and the Byrds was so out of place at that time.

"That's the time that I didn't have any distractions or strings in life, so that had to be the time I went to New York," he says. "And it worked out. I couldn't have said, 'You know, there's a lot of punk and new wave up there. I think I'll wait a few years before I go.' "

That fish-out-of-water mindset has persisted with Forbert trading up New York for Nashville, another city he doesn't really fit into. Existing outside of the shadow of the Grand Ole Opry is easy, he explains, when you're mostly living in Nashville because it's "geographically convenient."

"I'm mostly in Nashville just for practice with other musicians. I have to travel to play folk rock. Anybody aspiring to play country now ... it's a real set of parameters. Here, you'll find you have to try and fit in more. I would have never have bothered. I wanted to develop a following and keep doing what I did to develop that following. People coming to Nashville today ... sorry, I can't even relate to it."

Being true to one's self is something the 51-year-old Forbert's tried to instil in his three kids. He laughs, saying his 18-year-old twins' love of "metal-core" is a testament to their individuality.

And being Dylan-esque, says the laid-back Forbert, will always be second-best to just being Steve Forbert.

"I'm proud of the work I've done, but I feel like the challenge is still there to do something that really clicks and reaches a lot of people. You have to be hungry for something. But I'm not in a rush - I work on songs until I'm happy with them and I think they're the best they can be. If it takes me a few weeks to write a song, then I'm kind of resigned to that."

Advance $15 tickets for the show are available at Tix on the Square and Southside Sound. Children under 12 get in for half price at the door only.

Source: edmontonsun.com

Eighties pop icons A-ha and blues legends Jeff Beck and Buddy Guy have been added to the line-up for this year’s Summer Pops.

Norway’s favourite sons have confirmed a show on Sunday, July 16. Vocalist Morten Harket said: "We're really excited about this show. It will be a real celebration." Blues legends Beck and Guy team up for fans of ace guitar playing, with a show four days earlier on Wednesday, July 12.

Today they are recognised as one of the most influential bands, with U2, Robbie Williams and Coldplay all acknowledging the group’s superb songwriting.Jeff Beck said: "Playing a legendary musical city like Liverpool with a music legend like Buddy is going to be very special."

The Big Top line-up already boasts a double sell-out by rock legends The Who, along with shows by Il Divo, Simply Red, Westlife, James Brown, Simple Minds, Oscar Peterson, Ronan Keating, Sugababes, and Whitesnake.

More big names are being promised by organisers CMP Entertainment.

With their 1985 UK number one The Sun Always Shines On TV and perennial 80s classic Take On Me, A-ha - Morten, Paul, and Magne - became global stars..

In 1991 they played to a world record paying audience of 198,000 at Rio de Janeiro's Maracana stadium.

Source: http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk

COLDPLAY (Tomorrow through Monday)

The piano-playing arena rock melodist Chris Martin brings themes of fatherhood to bear on his band’s most recent songs, which pick up the tempo a bit but do not rival the band’s timeless misfit cri de coeur, “Yellow.” Tomorrow at 8 p.m., Continental Airlines Arena, the Meadowlands, Route 120, East Rutherford, N.J., (201) 935-3900; $38.50 to $78.50. (Sold out.)

Sunday and Monday at 8 p.m., Nassau Coliseum, 1255 Hempstead Turnpike, Uniondale, N.Y., (631) 888-9000; $37.50 to $77.50. (Sinagra)

Source: nytimes.com

A plea from jbarry5503 for the forthcoming show [the last in the final US leg of the Twisted Logic Tour] in Philadelphia...

The momentum is building... we have 8 people who have volunteered to print and pass out signs to hold up at the last U.S. show in Philly but we need even more!!!

The more we can get to help, the more amazing the guys will feel. This is the last Coldplay show for us in the U.S. for a very long time as they go off to create the best Coldplay album yet. Let's do all we can do to make it an unbelievable night for Chris, Johnny, Will and Guy!!!

If we all printed out a pack of paper worth of signs can you imagine what that place would look like....incredible!!!!!!!!

So far we have folks in Sec. 102, 115, 1, 7, and 8a. As you can see we have some holes and really need some help in the 100 sections. If anyone saw the pictures from the DC show where DreamOutLoud and her group passed out Happy Birthday signs for Chris it looked beautiful and Chris was visibly touched.

Lets make the Philly show one that both Coldplay and the fans won't soon forget.

More on this here

More pictures from Coldplay's concerts in Toronto are posted.

You can view the latest ones from the messageboard here [thanks Crius]

There are many lessons to be learned in the practice of attending live rock shows. They include: "Don't drink too much if you've got a good spot in front of the stage, unless you plan to piss your pants" and "Don't wear your brand-spankin' new tour T-shirt at the gig because you'll look like a tool."

The latest lesson to be learned is if you have a chance to attend a gig where the band are filming for a live DVD, go. You're guaranteed the best of everything, from lighting to effects to performance. Thousands and thousands of dollars are being spent to make sure this show looks and sounds stellar, so as a concert-goer, you can rarely do better.

Read the full review here