Justin Timberlake
Photo: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Justin Timberlake is extending his North American FutureSex/LoveShow with a second leg. The 15 additional dates begin with an August 6 performance at FedExForum in his Memphis hometown and end with a September 16 gig at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Here are the venues he'll play in between: the Gwinnett Center in Atlanta (August 7); TD Banknorth Garden in Boston (August 10); Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford, New Jersey (August 13); Madison Square Garden in New York (August 15); Bell Centre in Montreal (August 18); Air Canada Centre in Toronto (August 20); MTS Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba (August 25); Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas (September 1); GM Place in Vancouver, British Columbia (September 5); Rose Quarter in Portland, Oregon (September 7); Tacoma Dome in Tacoma, Washington (September 8); ARCO Arena in Sacramento, California (September 10); and HP Pavilion in San Jose, California (September 12). ...

In other JT news, he doesn't have much to say about ex-girlfriend Britney Spears these days, but he does have an opinion about the gossip magazines that keep a close watch on her — and on him and ex Cameron Diaz. "I despise what they do," Timberlake said in the April issue of Details, on newsstands Tuesday (March 27). "They create soap operas out of people's lives. [Britney and I] had our thing and it's over." ...

Avril Lavigne and Spears may not be linked in the tabloids, but they do have a connection — fans who enjoy Lavigne's live show can thank Britney for her influence. "My mom made me go to a Britney Spears concert when I was young," the singer said in an interview published in the April issue of Jane (on newsstands Tuesday). "I was like, 'No, I don't want to!' She was like, 'You're going to be a performer, you need to see other people!' " ... Jessica Simpson visited a Mexican orphanage in Nuevo Laredo on Tuesday, showing up to a throng of cheering children, according to The Associated Press. The singer/actress, who was accompanied by her mother, donated a new 2007 Chrysler minivan to the orphanage. She stayed there for about 40 minutes, having her photo taken and signing autographs. ...

Jessica Smith, a former "Laguna Beach" castmember, has been arrested for investigation of felony driving under the influence of alcohol following a late-night freeway crash Monday, AP reports. The 19-year-old crashed into another car, the driver of which sustained minor injuries. A passenger traveling with Smith also suffered minor injuries. The actress, who has remained in custody in lieu of $100,000 bail, is scheduled for arraignment Wednesday. ...

Just a day after Eminem and ex-wife Kim Mathers agreed in court to stop criticizing each other in public for the sake of their daughter, Kim was interviewed on New York radio station Hot 97 Tuesday morning and spoke about Em, including his recent legal action to stop her from speaking about their relationship. "How many songs has he done about me?" Kim — who has served as subject matter for tracks including "Cleaning Out My Closet" and "Mockingbird" — asked radio host Miss Jones. "How many interviews has he done where he's talking about freedom of speech? ... I do a couple of interviews and he's crying like a little girl." Kim accused Em of being "disconnected from reality," revealed that she has no contact with him despite only living a mile away — and shot down any chance that the twice-divorced couple would eventually find their way back to each other. "We don't work good together," she said. "It's not good for the kids." ...

On Monday nights, West Hollywood, California's Keyclub is home to cover band Metal Skool, and they bring '80s classics, big hair and tight spandex. So the last thing you'd expect to see there is one of today's big-name guitarists taking the stage — behind a drum kit. Earlier this week, those who paid the $20 admission got much more than they bargained for when Rage Against the Machine's Tom Morello took a seat at the kit, joining the entire crew of Disturbed and Anthrax's Scott Ian to rock the house with a rendition of AC/DC's "Highway to Hell." Looking a little uneasy at first, Morello gradually took control of the drums over the course of the performance. ...

Akon is featured on "Never Never," the first single from Brick&Lace. The track was made available Tuesday on iTunes, while the Jamaican sister duo's debut album, Love Is Wicked, is due June 26 on Akon's Kon Live Distribution imprint through Geffen Records. ... LOX rapper Styles P has signed with Koch to release his next project, 5 Star General, tentatively due in July. The album will mark his first release since parting ways with Interscope late last year. The rapper had previously announced his intentions to partner with Koch during a New York radio interview, but now the paperwork is complete. "It feels good to be a part of a team that appreciates hip-hop in its truest form," Styles said in a statement. "I am ecstatic about being in control of my own destiny." ...

The All-American Rejects will be honored with the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers' Vanguard Award at the 24th annual ASCAP Pop Music Awards on April 18 at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood. The Rejects will perform, as will the Fray and Nick Lachey. Melissa Etheridge, Kelly Clarkson, Jermaine Dupri and Johnta Austin will also be honored. ... The White Stripes have unveiled the track list for their upcoming Icky Thump album, which is due in June. According to a post on WhiteStripes.com, Thump will span 13 tracks, with titles like "300 M.P.H. Torrential Outpour Blues," "Prickly Thorn, but Sweetly Worn" and "A Martyr for My Love for You." Of course, this being the Stripes, the announcement also came with a crossword puzzle and a series of track descriptions, which run the gamut from cautionary ("If you're looking for hot water, don't be shocked when you get burned a little bit") to straight-up nonsensical ("They got a white pony in a stable and ride him when the doggie isn't able.") ...

Female-fronted metallers In This Moment have been added to this summer's Ozzfest rotating lineup, securing a slot on the tour's second stage alongside Hatebreed, Nile, the Showdown, Daath, Circus Diablo, Ankla, Mondo Generator and 3 Inches of Blood. According to guitarist Chris Howorth, the band is "very proud and honored to be a part of this year's Ozzfest. Not only are we huge Ozzy fans and excited to be playing with him every day, but this year's festival is free, so everyone has a chance to come out and be a part of this amazing experience. It's going to be a great chance to reach out to an entirely new audience. We are also looking forward to playing with and getting to know all the rest of the bands on the tour. It's so surreal because not too long ago we were watching the Ozzfest as fans out in the crowd, and now we are performing." ...

Sammy Hagar and Linda Perry have been selected to receive Recording Academy Honors awards for the San Francisco chapter. The ceremony is scheduled for April 29 at the Westin St. Francis in San Francisco's Union Square. ... Saves the Day and Say Anything are heading out on a 32-stop co-headlining tour that kicks off April 10 in San Diego and hits cities including Los Angeles, Seattle, Minneapolis, Chicago, Cleveland, Boston and Atlanta before wrapping up May 17 in Dallas. Saves the Day will follow the tour with a trip to the studio, where they will work on their sixth LP, Under the Boards, due in the fall. ... Kings of Leon will tour North America in support of Because of the Times, due April 3. The trek begins April 28 at Coachella and ends June 16 at Bonnaroo.

03.26.2007

Eminem and Kim Mathers agreed not to criticize each other in public on Monday (March 26), The Associated Press reports. The couple agreed that fighting publicly could be harmful to their 11-year-old daughter, Hailie. Eminem, who had previously filed a motion seeking to stop his ex-wife from making "derogatory" comments about him in public, was not at the closed-door court hearing but spoke by telephone. ...

Ciara, Ludacris, Ne-Yo, Robin Thicke, Steve Harvey and the O'Jays — with Keith Sweat and Johnny Gill — have been added to the Essence Music Festival lineup. They join previously announced participants including Beyoncé, Chris Brown and Mary J. Blige. The fest takes place July 5-7 in New Orleans. ... Slayer are planning to hit the road yet again in support of last year's Christ Illusion, this time with Marilyn Manson as the co-headliner. The full schedule hasn't been announced, but expect the metal madness to hit 25 cities, starting July 25 on the East Coast and ending in early September on the West Coast. Two support acts will be added. ...

Nas, Public Enemy, the Roots, Mos Def, EPMD, Cypress Hill and Pharoahe Monch are among the artists joining the Rock the Bells lineup, which features previously announced headliners Rage Against the Machine and Wu-Tang Clan. Tickets go on sale Saturday for shows at New York's Randall's Island (July 28); San Bernardino, California's NOS Events Center (August 11); and San Francisco's McCovey's Parking Lot (August 18). Organizers also announced Monday that the tour will be extended with 15 more shows, featuring co-headliners Nas and Wu-Tang Clan — but not Rage. Details on the added dates will be revealed in the coming weeks. ...

Mary Weiland, wife of Scott, was arrested Monday for allegedly setting fire to the Velvet Revolver singer's clothes outside their home in Toluca Lake, California, AP reports. She was later booked for investigation of felony arson vandalism, and their children, ages 4 and 6, were placed in custody of family friends. That wasn't the only weekend incident involving the couple, though — on Saturday, police were called to the Graciela Hotel in Burbank after the Weilands were found brawling there. ... Rapper DG Yola was shot in a failed robbery attempt while his vehicle was stopped at a red light in Atlanta on Saturday night; the bullet went through one cheek and out the other. Yola is currently recovering at an Atlanta hospital, where doctors are optimistic that he will make a full recovery. "He is already up and about and writing. Yola ain't gonna let up," his family said in a statement. "We respectfully request privacy and appreciate the well-wishes and prayers of Yola's fans during this time." Yola's debut album, Gutta World, is scheduled to be released on Power Hittas/ Atlantic in June. ...

Kal Penn, UPenn prof? The actor, who stars most recently in "The Namesake" but is better known as Kumar from "Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle," will teach two undergraduate courses at the University of Pennsylvania during the school's spring 2008 semester, AP reports. Penn will guest-instruct "Images of Asian Americans in the Media" and "Contemporary American Teen Films." ... Sean Lennon is taking to the road for a monthlong tour in support of his recent release Friendly Fire. The string of dates spans a Friday gig in Dallas through an April 29 show in San Francisco. ...

Arcade Fire have been forced to cancel the last eight dates of their European tour after lead singer Win Butler succumbed to a nagging sinus/bronchial infection while in Norway. In a post titled "Heavy Heart" that went up on the band's Web site Saturday, the singer explained, "I am backstage at the venue in Oslo and I just had to make the very sad decision to cancel the rest of the European tour. I have been suffering from a sinus and bronchial infection for the last three months, and last night in Stockholm I finally pushed my voice and body farther than they are able to go. Last night I kept yelling at the monitor guy because I didn't recognize the sound that was coming out of the monitor as my own voice, and it took me until the second song to realize that the sound was coming from me. Today I can barely speak or make any sound, so finishing the shows is no longer possible." Butler said several doctors advised him to cancel the tour weeks ago and he tried to press on but must now have sinus surgery to begin healing. It's not known if Butler will recover in time for the planned April 26 kickoff of the group's U.S. tour. ...

Elton John celebrated his 60th birthday Sunday night by extending a Madison Square Garden record with his 60th concert at the New York arena. John was introduced by former President Bill Clinton, who noted the efforts of the singer's foundation to fight HIV/AIDS. The show also featured a round of "Happy Birthday" sung onstage by John's longtime songwriting partner Bernie Taupin along with comedians Robin Williams and Whoopi Goldberg. John also paid tribute to late Beatles singer John Lennon, recalling that Lennon joined him onstage at MSG in November 1974 for what would be Lennon's last concert appearance. ... Estradasphere, an eclectic and adventurous outfit from Santa Cruz, California, has posted a live video for "A Corporate Merger" at TheEndRecords.com. The group begins a North American tour Monday in Petaluma, California, with dates scheduled through April 23 in its hometown.

• Justin Timberlake
• Eminem
• Britney Spears
• Avril Lavigne
• Saves The Day

Tupac Shakur
Photo: Interscope

Late rapper Tupac Shakur will be immortalized in wax at the Madame Tussauds wax museum in Las Vegas as part of the new "Tupac Eternal" exhibit. The Shakur figure will be unveiled at a ceremony April 5 in the city where he was gunned down nearly a decade ago. The wax model was carved by the same sculptor who worked on the museum's Beyoncé statue, using hundreds of photos and measurements provided by the rapper's mother, Afeni Shakur, with each of the MC's iconic tattoos hand-painted onto the figure. ...

On April 3 UPN will re-air a 2005 episode of "Half & Half," showcasing current "American Idol" finalist Ace Young, TV Guide reports. The "Idol" heartthrob starred as a client seeking representation at a talent agency. ... Just weeks after being found guilty of sexually abusing two underage girls in Vietnam, British singer Gary Glitter (born Paul Gadd) plans to appeal his three-year prison sentence, according to The Associated Press. Glitter, 61, told his lawyer, Le Thanh Kinh, that "he was innocent so he has to appeal to clear this matter." The singer would be eligible for parole in November and would likely be deported at that time. ...

Cypress Hill's Mellow Man Ace and Sen Dog — otherwise known as the Reyes Brothers — are joining forces for their first joint release, Ghetto Therapy, June 13. The LP, which includes top producers Warren G, Cypress Hill's B Real and Fredwreck, will be powered by the lead single "We O.G.'s" featuring Warren and Snoop Dogg. Expect the track to hit radio in May. ... Tre Hardson, former member of influential West Coast rap group the Pharcyde, is set to release his sophomore solo disc, SlimKid3's Café, April 4. To push his latest effort, Hardson is launching a cross-country trek called the Rap Renegades Tour that will also feature Speech of Arrested Development, Modill, Longshot and Hardson's new five-piece band, Fuqawi. The tour will kick off its West Coast leg April 6 in Arcata, California, and wrap April 28 in Santa Rosa (at the Last Day Saloon, coincidentally), with additional tour dates to be announced in the coming weeks. ...

On May 9 Fearless Records will release Punk Goes 90's, a compilation featuring several contemporary punk, emo and metal bands' takes on some of that decade's biggest hit records. The disc will feature Mae's rendition of Nine Inch Nails' "March of the Pigs" (produced by Blink-182's Mark Hoppus), Emery tackling Toad the Wet Sprocket's "All I Want," Copeland doing Soundgarden's "Black Hole Sun" and Hit the Lights covering "Hey Jealousy" by the Gin Blossoms. The record will also boast contributions from Bleeding Through, Anberlin, Cartel, Eighteen Visions, the Starting Line and others. ... Vagrant Records is teaming up with Major League Baseball to bring Warped Tour-goers the "Vagrant Stage" during this summer's festival. Senses Fail, Saves the Day, From Autumn to Ashes, the Bled, Reggie and the Full Effect, Moneen, Emanuel, Protest the Hero and Down to Earth Approach will take the stage during each stop along the Warped route. Sense Fail and Saves the Day will pull double duty, performing plugged-in sets on the main stage and going acoustic on Vagrant's stage. ...

"Doom" co-creator John Carmack and well-endowed video game adventurer Lara Croft are among the major gaming figures who will be inducted Thursday (March 16) at San Francisco's Walk of Game. Inspired by Hollywood's Walk of Fame, the Walk of Game is located in the floor of the recently sold Sony Metreon entertainment complex. The Walk was opened last year with six inductees, including Atari founder Nolan Bushnell and Sonic the Hedgehog. This year Carmack and "Civilization"-creator Sid Meier will receive Lifetime Achievement stars. Croft and the video game franchises "EverQuest," "Final Fantasy" and "Starcraft" will get regular stars. Selections were decided by 500,000 votes cast online in October. ...

Remnants of Fats Domino's pianos have been pulled from his devastated New Orleans home, The Associated Press reports. Recovery workers from the Louisiana State Museum managed to unearth a black Steinway baby grand, a white Steinway grand and an electric Wurlitzer keyboard from the legendary jazz player's abode that was submerged beneath 10 feet of water when the city was flooded in August. The museum hopes Domino will donate the black Steinway for inclusion in a future exhibit on Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. ... Phil Collins, 55, is headed for his third divorce. The former Genesis singer has announced his separation from third wife, Orianne, according to The Associated Press. The pair married in 1999 and have two sons, ages 4 and 1. Collins also has three children from his two prior marriages. "They have been living separately since the beginning of the year and both cite the fact that they have been growing apart for some time now and this has put too much pressure on their relationship," according to a statement. ...

03.15.2006

Nearly 2 million viewers tuned in last week to catch the premiere episode of "Lil' Kim: Countdown to Lockdown," making it the most-watched series debut for BET. The six-episode show — which airs Thursday nights — captures Kim's final two weeks of freedom before entering prison to serve 12 months behind bars for perjury. ...

50 Cent, G-Unit, Mike Jones, Nick Cannon, RZA, Mobb Deep, Tony Yayo, DJ AM, Gabrielle Union, Jeremy Piven, Trina, Raekwon, Sleepy Brown and Timbaland are among the hip-hop elite slated to tee off for charity in a celebrity-golf tournament taking place in Arizona March 20-21. The event is part of the three-day Scion Release Invitational, a celebration to kick off the launch of Scion's new Release sportswear collection. All of the proceeds from the game will benefit the Boys & Girls Club of America. ... Wal-Mart's about to open its 2,000th Supercenter, and it'll celebrate the momentous occasion with a free concert featuring Ryan Cabrera. He'll perform March 18 in the parking lot of said store — located in Beaumont, California. The show is open to the public and starts at 4 p.m. ...

Rivers Cuomo is engaged to Kyoko Ito, whom he met when he performed solo at the Middle East club in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1997. The Weezer singer's spokesperson told Boston magazine the two will wed in the summer after Cuomo graduates from Harvard. ... A week after performing a five-hour, 66-song set in Memphis, Tennessee, for 311 Day (March 11), Nick Hexum is taking on another marathon. The 311 singer is running in the Los Angeles Marathon XXI on Sunday for his pro-environmental cause, Liberal Hexum. ...

Journalist, author, poet and activist Kevin Powell — whom you'll remember from the first season of MTV's "The Real World" — is running for higher office. Powell's seeking a seat in Brooklyn, New York's 10th Congressional District. Powell, who's running on a platform that includes education reform, better access to health care, economic development, financial literacy and "job training instead of jail sentencing in poorer neighborhoods," said the events of 9/11, as well as the war in Iraq and the government's shortsighted response to Hurricane Katrina, encouraged the move. "I want to use my voice, in Washington, D.C., on a national stage, in a way that affirms our humanity, not denies it," he said. "It is time for new leadership, a new generation, to push us forward, and I want to be a part of that wave of fresh ideas, of new visions, for these times, for the 21st century." For more on Powell's campaign, check out KevinPowell2006.com. ...

Hoobastank's forthcoming Every Man for Himself will now hit stores May 16. The disc was originally slated for release April 18. The band's also booked a series of television appearances: "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno" (May 12), "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" (May 16), "Jimmy Kimmel Live" (May 18) and "Last Call With Carson Daly" (May 25). ... It's going to be a busy May for Mogwai, who've just lined up 20 North American dates to chase the band's appearance April 30 at this year's Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. The first is set for May 2 in Salt Lake City, and dates run through May 27 in San Francisco. The Scottish indie-rockers' most recent record, Mr. Beast, came out earlier this month.

• Tupac
• Snoop Dogg
• Saves The Day

Saves The Day
Photo: Appio

Encouraged by the response they've gotten from fans (read: high advance ticket sales), the organizers of the Bamboozle Festival have decided to take the show on the road.

The punk-rock extravaganza was already set to take over New Jersey's Meadowlands Sports Complex on May 6-7 (see "Fall Out Boy, Motion City Soundtrack Good To Go For Bamboozle '06"). But now it will stage 20 additional shows in the weeks leading up to (and perhaps after) the main event as the four-pronged Bamboozle Roadshow.

Scheduled to kick off in April, the Roadshow will consist of four separate tours hitting various cities throughout the Northeast. Organizers are taking advantage of the fact that many of the bands scheduled to appear at the Meadowlands shows are already going to be on tour.

The four Roadshow splinters will also meet up for a handful of all-day "mini festivals" along the way, according to a spokesperson for Max Cruise Entertainment, the company behind Bamboozle. More than 20 bands will appear at those festivals, which will be staged in Boston; Rochester, New York; and the Long Island area.

The first band confirmed to play the Roadshow is Saves the Day, although they have yet to be announced as Meadowlands participants. They'll headline at least two Roadshow dates — April 1 in Asbury Park, New Jersey, and April 29 in Rochester — along with Circa Survive, Moneen and Pistola.

Max Cruise would not confirm additional acts or dates for the Bamboozle Roadshow, though it was strongly hinted that Pittsburgh and New York cities Syracuse, Buffalo and Albany would host shows. A spokesperson added that a major announcement will happen Friday through Bamboozle's official site, TheBamboozle.com.

• Saves The Day
• Circa Survive
• Moneen
• Pistola

Saves The Day's Chris Conley
Photo: Brendan Ciecko/Interscope

The members of Saves the Day recently boarded a plane bound for Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, where on October 18, at the local House of Blues, the Garden State emo punks launched a 47-date tour. About 15 minutes before the guys had to head out the door for the airport, frontman Chris Conley says they were still in Southern California's Electric Ladybug Studios, working on their forthcoming, self-funded album, Sound the Alarm. A few loose ends needed to be tied up.

"We did a bunch of hand claps that didn't actually make it to the record, and we had to redo one bass note," Conley explained. Oh yeah, and then there was that goat the band brought into the studio. "He made some noises. We prodded him, and he kind of squealed a little bit. It was mainly for our own amusement, and I'm not sure if it will make the record. We tried to get a few lizards and some elephants for the album, too."

Somehow, a bleating goat doesn't seem to fit in with the overall theme of Sound the Alarm, which Conley said is one of "desolation, like you're the last person standing after the apocalypse and you're alone and you're cold. Your home has been obliterated, but you have to keep on trucking through those feelings of isolation and desolation and keep hope alive in the midst of insanity." As you might guess, Sound the Alarm is a record created during a most vulnerable period for Saves the Day.

At the moment, the band is without a label home — its last record, 2003's In Reverie, was issued by now-defunct Dreamworks Records (see "Saves The Day Attempt To Save Themselves, The World With Reverie") — meaning the guys had to pony up their own scratch to get it made.

"It stretched us, for sure," said Conley. "But we really believe in these songs, so we just said, 'F--- it — let's go for it.' We were lucky enough to have enough capital to get things going. It's a big investment, but we really believe in the music and this is what we want to do."

Working with producer Steve Evetts (Story of the Year, Dillinger Escape Plan) — who also manned the knobs for the band's first two discs, 1998's Can't Slow Down and 1999's Through Being Cool — Saves the Day took four months to record the album's 13 tracks, which include "Bones," "Eulogy," "Head for the Hills," "Hell Is Here" and "Don't Know Why."

"We wanted to work with Steve again because he can kind of see what your qualities are and bring out the best in you, rather than trying to make you more than you are," explained Conley. "He brings out the abilities you already have. We tried to stick to what we know, and rather than throw in keyboard parts and Mellotron and all kinds of vibes and bells and whistles and sh--, we kept it simple — two guitars, bass and drums. We stripped it down and tried to make a raw album."

The result, Conley said, is typical Saves: an album that sounds nothing like any of their previous efforts.

"We did the same old thing, though," he said. "We wrote songs unintentionally. They just kind of happened. And after we recorded them, we realized that this is quite different from the last record. That happens each time [we record] because we never sit down to have a powwow and discuss what we're going to do. I think people find that interesting about us — that every record is something brand new. Listening back to all the albums we've made, it's kind of shocking how different they are. Especially because at the time, we were just doing what felt right. It wasn't like there was a deliberate meeting behind the curtain, with evil laughter. It was just us doing what felt natural."

While the future of Sound the Alarm is something of a question mark (the band had hoped to have it out early next year but think a spring 2006 release is more realistic), Conley's sort of enjoying Saves the Day's free-agent status.

"It's refreshing and fortifying," he said. "I'm a nonbeliever in the industry. It's a crock of sh--. I understand it's a business, but these guys might as well be selling cars. I don't want anything to do with that. I don't want to hang my hopes and dreams on a bunch of guys that're just trying to make quarter earnings. Anything indie is more comforting, in theory, than a big conglomerate. That just makes me feel nervous."

And while he's glad to see some of his friends — Fall Out Boy and New Jersey neighbors Senses Fail and My Chemical Romance — doing well for themselves in the mainstream waters, he's not so sure he wants to go swimming.

"Every band wants people to hear the record, but I don't want to be in magazines," Conley said. "I don't want to be a Fall Out Boy. I think it puts too much pressure on you for that next album. All those industry guys breathing down your neck — it just seems like it would be tough. We'd rather fly under the radar and do our own thing. Hopefully, kids will keep coming to our shows and that'll keep us going."

• Saves The Day
• Fall Out Boy

Taking Back Sunday (file)
Photo: Victory

Somewhere between the slight goofiness of the barbershop quartet and the life-or-death dramatics of the opera, there lies a cappella, a form of harmonized singing usually reserved for bow-tie-clad lawyers-to-be at Ivy League colleges across the Northeast.

But one group of students at George Washington University is aiming to change all that, by bringing a cappella to the hoodie and studded-belt set.

They're called Emocapella (spelled with one "p," which, in itself, is way emo), a bunch of sensitive lads who harmonize tunes by emo faves like Dashboard Confessional, Taking Back Sunday and Saves the Day at nearly sold-out concerts in activity centers and dorm-room socials all across the GW campus. Once or twice a year, they even pack into rented vans — DIY style — and hit up colleges all across the Northeast, hoping to pour out their pain to the masses.

"Actually, part of the reason we started the group was to get girls. Girls like sensitive guys," said Emocapella president (and self-described "sensitive guy") Lee Seligmann. "And it's definitely helped with the girls. We're the only all-guy a-cappella group on campus."

OK, so maybe preaching the emo-gospel isn't the main focus of the group. Seligmann cops to being more of a classic-rock fan himself (Led Zeppelin are his favorite), and is hard-pressed to even define the term "emo." According to him, the whole group is only half serious. But don't tell that to Taking Back Sunday, who invited Emocapella to perform with them back in December 2002.

"They opened for us at one show in Washington, D.C., and it was amazing," Taking Back Sunday guitarist Eddie Reyes said. "We are very flattered that they covered one of our songs."

And don't tell it to the many, many emo fans inhabiting chat rooms and operating blogs all over the Internet. Emocapella, to put it mildly, aren't exactly their favorite group.

"When we first came out, there was a lot of talk on the Internet about us. Lots of 'You guys aren't emo!' and stuff like that," Seligmann laughed. "I kind of think that people in emo and punk bands take themselves very seriously. We mainly do this for fun."

But there are instances in which Emocapella tiptoe the line between fun and dedication. Witness, for example, their rigorous rehearsal schedule ("We practice twice a week for two hours, but usually less," Seligmann said), or the long hours they poured into recording their debut album, the appropriately titled I'm Sorry.

"We recorded the album in two days, in two sessions," Seligmann said. "And the album is selling pretty well. I mean, we have a lot left, but I think it's doing pretty well. But I wouldn't know. I've never really made an album before."

As for the future of Emocapella, Seligmann is brutally honest. The group lost nine members to graduation last semester, and finding new (and sufficiently emo) singers to fill the void is going to be tough. Plus there's the issue of rampant tardiness at Emocapella rehearsals. But the group pledges that it'll still perform the occasional "guerrilla-cappella" concert — basically a spur-of-the-moment show on GW's lawn — because, as Seligmann puts it, "Sometimes people stop and watch. But it usually depends on when we perform and how drunk people are."

But before he calls it a day, Seligmann said he'd probably like to have one more crack at GW's annual "Battle of the A Cappella Groups," which Emocapella has, somewhat improbably, never won.

"Oh, we never win those. The first year, we won 'Most Energetic,' which is kind of like the 'E for Effort' award," Seligmann said. "Last year we didn't win anything. But that's OK. Not winning is way more emo anyway."

• Dashboard Confessional
• Taking Back Sunday
• Saves The Day

Sean McGrath (file)
Photo: Chris Kole/Vagrant

Dashboard Confessional, Thrice, Thursday, Saves the Day and other major hard rock, punk and emo bands are paying their respects to former Saves the Day bassist Sean McGrath, who died from intestinal cancer last month, by contributing previously unreleased tracks to the album In Honor: A Compilation to Beat Cancer, which comes out September 21.

The double CD will list for $12.98, and proceeds will be split between the Syrentha Savio Endowment and the Sean McGrath Fund, both of which provide financial assistance and support to people battling cancer.

McGrath played with Saves the Day for two years, working with the band from their debut, Can't Slow Down, through the songwriting for Through Being Cool in early 1999. He was replaced by Eben D'Amico, who remains with the band.

In a post on their Web site, Saves the Day wrote, "He was a wonderful friend and he was such a positive influence on our lives and our music. We will miss you, Sean, and we love you. ... I am thinking of you and smiling, happy you are now able to rest. When I see you in my heart, you are smiling and laughing. ... Wherever you are, I love you, Sean, and I miss you."

A few months before McGrath died, he submitted a song to the album by his group the Foreign Exchange called "I Hate This Stupid Bike." It was one of the last things he ever recorded.

The Saves the Day track, "Don't Go Outside," is an outtake from their 2003 album, In Reverie. Thursday, who were close friends with McGrath, offered the old out-of-print track "Mass at Shadows"; Thrice donated an acoustic version of "Stare at the Sun"; Taking Back Sunday provided an acoustic rendition of "You're So Last Summer"; and Dashboard Confessional recorded a new, still-untitled cut. Previously unreleased live recordings were donated by My Chemical Romance, Funeral for a Friend, Bouncing Souls and Jawbreaker.

The compilation was assembled by Vagrant Records employee Tim Hansell, who decided to embark upon the project after his mother died of cancer. "She was a nurse and her fellow nurses helped her through the end, but I knew there were people who didn't have the same help and friendship that she did," he said. "So I wanted to use this as a platform to really make a difference."

In the wake of his mother's death, Hansell found out from Thursday that McGrath was sick, so he used his contacts to help contribute to auctions to help fund the bassist's treatment. From that point on, Hansell and McGrath talked every day until McGrath died.

"He was so cool, and so strong," Hansell recalled. "Sometimes he'd tell me he was nervous about going into surgery, and I'd say, 'Dude, if my mom could do it, so can you.' So he'd be like, 'Yeah, you're right.' Two days before he died, I knew he wasn't doing so well, but he told me, 'Hey, dude, we should totally hang out this weekend.' He kept a really good attitude until the very end."

• Saves The Day
• Thursday
• Dashboard Confessional
• Thrice

Saves The Day
Photo: Josh Rothstein

Except for his facial stubble, fashion sense and, well, the fact that he's a man, Saves the Day frontman Chris Conley could have been a Miss America contestant. His ultimate wish isn't for great wealth or celebrity, it's to achieve peace and harmony.

"I want peace inside my body and peace with the world," he explained. "Not peace and love like the hippie thing, but I long not to be angry with the world and angry with myself."

Conley's dilemma echoes plaintively throughout the band's fourth album, In Reverie, which comes out September 16. The group's most reflective offering to date, the album features songs like the title track, "In My Waking Life" and "Monkey," all of which address themes of struggle, survival and recovery.

"Post 9/11, the world seems to be pretty crazy," the singer said. "There's a constant battle every day to remain sane and stay afloat because it's a confusing and dark time. It's really all about trying to keep your head above the water when it seems impossible."

Since 2001's Stay What You Are, Saves the Day have experienced musical growth that should remove them from the emo category into which they've wrongly been shuffled. The first single from In Reverie, "Anywhere With You," is representative of their new direction. The song features a jazzy verse that sounds vaguely like Steely Dan and a distorted chorus that recalls Weezer. While such a shift may seem pre-meditated coming from a band that longs be viewed as musically diverse, Conley insists the music just flowed out of him.

"It really came out of nowhere," he said. "I was just playing guitar one day and I started playing the opening riff. The rest just fell into place. It was the first song we played together as a band when we started working on new material."

Like many songs on the album, "Anywhere With You" is about coming to grips with the ugliness and unhappiness in the world, whether political or interpersonal. "It's about longing for something better — for a feeling of peace or completeness," Conley said. "Psychologically, that's been the struggle with me for a few years."

As dreary as that and other songs like "Driving in the Dark" and "What Went Wrong" might seem, Conley insists that In Reverie is filled with optimism and hope and that in the dimmest situation, he always reaches for a flashlight — even if he knows the batteries are dead.

"I just try to remind myself that everything is happening for a reason, even the most horrible things," he said. "Even if it doesn't make any sense to me and it seems like the end of the world, I just try to accept that it's happening for some reason or it wouldn't be happening at all."

• Saves The Day

Weezer's Rivers Cuomo and Kermit the Frog on the set of "Keep Fishin'."
Photo: Interscope

Biggie and Tupac, Jay-Z and Nas, Axl and Kurt, Oasis and the bulk of humanity ... some musical beefs are sublime, and some are ridiculous. The latest, between Weezer and Saves the Day, is a little bit of both.

When reports surfaced that Weezer wrangled Jim Henson's Muppets for their new video, "Keep Fishin'," last month (see "Weezer Collaborate With Kermit The Frog, Miss Piggy"), the "emo and puppets" premise gave their former opening band a case of déjà vu. Nearly two months ago, Saves the Day — who opened for Weezer in February (see "Saves The Day Prep For Weezer Tour, Dismiss Detractors") — wrapped a video for their second single, "Freakish," featuring (surprise, surprise) a supporting cast of furry, Muppetesque puppets. And so the Emo Puppet Wars began.

"We were just kind of surprised and thought, 'How'd that happen?' " Saves the Day bassist Eben D'Amico recalled. "Our immediate reaction was, 'Oh no, that kind of sucks.' I hope people don't ignore our video now, because we were really excited about it. But I think they're probably both good and unique videos that have their own things going for them, Muppets or no Muppets."

While the similarities between the two clips are curious, Weezer said they had no creative input in the "Keep Fishin' " video treatment, which exonerates them of any mischief.

"Of every video we've ever made, this is the one we've had the least to do with," Weezer frontman Rivers Cuomo said. "I think everyone's been disappointed in our videos, our past — I don't know, however many videos. I finally reached a point where I was like, 'Well, screw it, I don't want to have anything to do with this, then.' We wanted to hand the responsibility over to someone else and see if they could do something cool. I guess I'm not the right person to ask [about this], 'cause I didn't have anything to do with the video. I just showed up and pretended I was singing."

The entire imbroglio can be chalked up to circumstance, thankfully, because things could have gotten violent. Jim Henson Company President Charles Rivkind said that "Keep Fishin' " (Click for photos from the shoot) director Marcos Siega approached the studio about the concept of using the Muppets in a music video long before the Saves the Day clip was shot or the Weezer-Muppets connection was conceived. The Henson Company floated Siega's idea until it found a band that fit the Muppets' sensibilities, which turned out to be Weezer.

"Right away we knew this was a project and a band that definitely matched the Muppets' irreverent spirit and sense of humor," Rivkind said of the Weezer clip.

"I don't feel slighted," Saves the Day's D'Amico said. "As long as people can see our video for what it is and their video for what it is, I think there's enough puppets to go around for everybody."

Viewers will soon be able to see both videos on MTV2. Saves the Day's "Freakish" is already in rotation, while Weezer's video for "Keep Fishin' " debuts July 8. MTV2 will also air a half-hour special that goes behind the scenes of the "Keep Fishin' " shoot on July 14 at 10:30 p.m.

—Gideon Yago

• Weezer
• Saves The Day

Green Day
Photo: Warner Bros.

Bastions of '90s punk Green Day and Blink-182 will embark on a co-headlining jaunt, beginning April 17 in Bakersfield, California. The 41-city Pop Disaster Tour will continue through June 17 in Minneapolis, according to a tour publicist. Venues have yet to be hammered out.

Jimmy Eat World will tag along for the first half of the tour, and Saves the Day have come aboard for the second bunch of dates, Blink singer/guitarist Tom DeLonge revealed on "TRL" Wednesday (February 13). Local bands and lesser-known acts chosen by the headliners will comprise the fourth band on the bill.

The outing marks the first tour of the new year for Blink-182, whose third single, "First Date," from last year's Take Off Your Pants And Jacket, continues to be a hit at radio and video outlets.

Before commencing the trek, Blink singer/guitarist Tom DeLonge and drummer Travis Barker might be a little road weary already. The pair, along with Over My Dead Body guitarist Dave Kennedy, is expected to tour behind the debut album from the side-project Boxcar Racer, according to an MCA Records publicist, though dates have yet to be sorted out (see "Blink-182's Tom DeLonge Salutes His Roots On New Album").

Green Day will wrap a five-date tour of Japan on April 4 in Osaka before creating Pop Disaster with their pogo-ing brethren. The Bay Area trio are hitting the road on the heels of their greatest-hits collection, last year's International Superhits! which also features two new songs, "Maria" and "Poprocks & Coke." Those tracks, as well as three untitled songs that were posted on the group's Web site (greenday.net) in November (see "Green Day Offer Preview Of Demos Online"), are expected to make their live debuts. A new album consisting of B-sides and rarities is expected in summer.

Pre-sale tickets for the Pop Disaster Tour can be purchased here at MTV.com, beginning February 21.

Dates and cities for the Pop Disaster Tour, according to the publicist:

• 4/17 - Bakersfield, CA
• 4/19 - Phoenix, AZ
• 4/20 - Irvine, CA
• 4/23 - Las Vegas, NV
• 4/24 - Los Angeles, CA
• 4/25 - San Diego, CA
• 4/27 - San Francisco, CA
• 4/28 - Sacramento, CA
• 4/29 - Oakland, CA
• 5/1 - Tacoma, WA
• 5/3 - Salt Lake City, UT
• 5/4 - Denver, CO
• 5/6 - St. Louis, MO
• 5/7 - Kansas City, MO
• 5/9 - Dallas, TX
• 5/11 - Birmingham, AL
• 5/14 - Tampa, FL
• 5/15 - Miami, FL
• 5/17 - Orlando, FL
• 5/18 - Atlanta, GA
• 5/19 - Raleigh, NC
• 5/20 - Charlotte, NC
• 5/22 - Virginia Beach, VA
• 5/23 - Holmdel, NJ
• 5/24 - Scranton, PA
• 5/25 - Pittsburgh, PA
• 5/27 - Hartford, CT
• 5/28 - Philadelphia, PA
• 5/30 - New York, NY
• 5/31 - New York, NY
• 6/1 - Buffalo, NY
• 6/2 - Boston, MA
• 6/4 - Saratoga, NY
• 6/5 - Washington, DC
• 6/8 - Grand Rapids, MI
• 6/9 - Columbus, OH
• 6/11 - Detroit, MI
• 6/12 - Cleveland, OH
• 6/14 - Indianapolis, IN
• 6/15 - Chicago, IL
• 6/16 - Milwaukee, WI
• 6/17 - Minneapolis, MN

• blink-182
• Green Day
• Jimmy Eat World
• Saves The Day

Saves The Day
Photo: Jeremy Weiss

For any young band, the idea of performing before thousands on their first arena tour is a daunting proposal.

When the heroically titled Saves the Day were tapped as openers for Weezer's North American tour, which begins February 5 (see "Weezer To Paint The Towns Green With February Tour"), however, they pushed the butterflies aside and focused instead on rising to the occasion.

"Every tour that we go on, we hope to be more comfortable as a live band," bassist Eben D'Amico said. "Just being able to do our thing onstage that much better. We're always honing and perfecting what we do."

While the Princeton, New Jersey-rooted quintet may come off like it's "just another gig," the prospect of introducing their brand of soul-baring indie rock to crowds that will likely be susceptible to their honest lyrics and catchy, unrefined melodies isn't completely lost.

"It's an amazing opportunity," said singer Chris Conley, "and it will certainly be overwhelming, to say the least. We've played to 3,000 people at the most, and [New Jersey's] Continental Airlines Arena (scheduled for February 11) holds 17,000 — who knows if it will be filled, but still — it's mind-blowing. We're just some dudes, you know."

That Saves the Day are "just some dudes" plays a major role to their recent success. Fans relating to the unassuming quintet, whose intent to express their inner softie isn't muddied by rock-star pomp and circumstance, has helped their third album, Stay What You Are, sell more than 110,000 copies since its July release — making it one of the best-selling albums for indie label Vagrant Records, home to such emo stalwarts as Dashboard Confessional, the Anniversary and the Get up Kids. The LP's first single, "At Your Funeral," is a certified bullet, increasing spins on alternative radio stations nationwide while its accompanying video continues to enjoy evermore exposure on video outlets.

Not a bad stride for a group of guys barely on the other side of 20, most of whom were high-school classmates. The band witnessed a few lineup changes since forming in 1997, and the group recorded its debut album, Can't Slow Down, during winter break in 1997. Hardcore label Equal Vision released the LP a few months later, while the bandmembers were finishing their senior years, and after graduating they spent more of their days on the road promoting themselves than off.

Saves the Day's shape-shifting lineup still leaves them unsettled. Before learning of the Weezer tour, drummer Bryan Newman quit the band after the group headlined last summer's Vagrant American label tour, opting to go to college. The group is in the process of finding a permanent replacement. In the meantime, Hey Mercedes drummer Damon Atkinson will fill in for the tour.

With tension-building music tethered to early-'90s indie rock and lyrics that speak frankly of feelings most mook rockers elect to project as rage, Saves the Day were quick to be lumped in with the emo crowd, alongside bands like the Promise Ring, Jimmy Eat World and Jets to Brazil — though an attentive ear reveals acute differences in each band. And like any band that perceives it's being unfairly pigeonholed, Saves the Day respond to any broad-stroke designations with weary disdain.

"People are going to label you something, whatever you're doing," Conley explained, as if one time too many. "We're just making music because something is telling us to make music. And it's fine. I don't care what people call us, because it's just music."

Coupled with the band's own ire, some of Saves the Day's fans are equally peeved to find their coveted musical secret now amplified for nationwide broadcast. Although the bandmembers vehemently laugh off accusations of selling out, contending their modest success has come on their own terms through persistence and perhaps a bit of luck, D'Amico understands why some fans react the way they do.

"Part of the thing about a band like us — or independent bands in general — is you're thinking, 'This band is mine; this music is mine,' " he explained. "And people get freaked out, because they think now everybody's going to have this band, and it's not going to be just mine anymore. So I can identify with that. I wish that whatever fans are upset by us growing in size, they would think about it from our end and say, 'It's best for them. It's good for their career. Their music is getting out to more people.'

"There are always going to be people who react negatively to anything you do as a band," he continued. "There's always going to be a contingent of people who shout you down for doing something — whether it's recording music that sounds a little differently from the last music you recorded or moving up to bigger venues and playing with different bands. Whatever you do — if you wear a different pair of pants, there is going to be one person who says it sucks for one reason or another."

• Saves The Day
• Weezer

Warped Tour 2006 Photos

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MTV.com Exclusive: Saves The Day Photos

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