Playlist

Live Nation announced the dates today for Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers' North American Tour. We get one of the first five shows, with Tom Petty (with Joe Cocker) scheduled at Superpages.Com Center on May 15 after stops in Raleigh, Charlotte and Tampa.

Tickets go on sale Monday, March 8, at livenation.com.

He'll play Milwaukee's Summerfest ("the world's largest music festival") with ZZ Top. Interestingly, this tour offers a variety of opening acts. But only one per each stop. The opening acts include Cocker for the first leg of the tour; Drive-By Truckers for the second leg; Crosby, Stills & Nash; and My Morning Jacket for a few dates near the end of the tour.

According to a release, "all 2010 Tour tickets purchased online will include an MP3 download of every track on the Heartbreakers' electrifying new album, Mojo," which will be released this spring.

(Tom Petty performing at 2008 Super Bowl. Photo by Matthew Emmons/US PRESSWIRE)

Cool performer: The influential rapper entertained 12,000 fans Tuesday night at American Airlines Center with a full band including a horn section, percussionist and DJ in tow.

Cool set: A skyscraper-like light display at the back of the stage immediately looked like the New York skyline, a nod to his hometown, of course. A variety of images were projected throughout the two-hour show, making it most striking.

Cool artistry: Jay-Z had the lower platform all to himself and he filled it up robustly. He's tall, imposing, an intense presence. His rapping flow is fast but clear. He doesn't chew his words. There's an engulfing quality to this music, from the thunderous beats to the rhymes, which have messiah-like potency.

Cool players: The crowd was with him from the onset, even with bill-sharer Young Jeezy's 25-minute set sandwiched between Jay-Z's stage time. Assisting Jay-Z was perennial sideman Memphis Bleek. Singer Bridget Kelly offered the Alicia Keys chorus on "Empire State of Mind," a definite highlight that arrived early in the gig. R&B vocalist Trey Songz was the opening act.

For more on Jay-Z's show, go to www.dallasnews.com/entertainment Wednesday or pick up GuideDaily Thursday.

Photo: Jay-Z's in control (Jason Janik/Special to DMN).

The new-and-improved-I-guess Stereogum has "Thieves," a track from the new She & Him album, Volume 2.

Zooey Deschanel's vocals sound like a modern-day Patsy Cline in the song, so of course I'm in favor.

See She & Him at SXSW on March 18 at Cedar Street Courtyard and on March 20 at Auditorium Shores.

Now that we know who will be playing SXSW, we're ready to get to know the talented artists who made the festival. Anthony Erickson of Austin's Fulton Read was more than happy to talk about his group's "psychadelic piano powerpop" sound in our e-mail survey.

How long has the group been together?
I've been truckin along as Fulton Read rockin community centers, churches, piano bars, or Neiman Marcus's for almost 5 years now, but our current incarnation has been playing together throughout Texas for about a year and a half.

How would you describe your music?
Texas Psychedelic Piano Powerpop - 'cuz we're Texan and proud, psychedelics are awesome, mind blowing and contribute to some great art, I slam some ivories, Duffy brings the Power, and we all bring the Pop!

Due to an illness, the Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons show that was scheduled for Tuesday night at Bass Hall in Fort Worth has been rescheduled for April 22. Tickets for the original date will be honored but will need to be exchanged for tickets for the new date. Refunds are available through the Bass Hall box office. 817-212-4280 or www.basshall.com.

Call out the dreadheads: Rockwall's Jason Castro, a Top Four finalist on American Idol during the 2007-08 season, has joined record-label mate Matt Hires on Hires' State Lines 2010 tour. They'll make a Dallas stop on Wednesday, performing at 7:30 p.m. at the Loft, 1135 S. Lamar just south of downtown. $10. 1-800-745-3000. www.ticketmaster.com.

PHOTO of Jason Castro by Amy Conn-Gutierrez

What happened to the Mariah Carey that stunned me back in 1990 with "Vision of Love?" That gifted singer is not who I saw in concert Thursday night at Nokia Theatre in Grand Prairie. The Mariah Carey I witnessed last night wouldn't stop talking about nonsense, kept changing her clothes and sang one throwaway song after another. What's worse, she did "Up Out My Face," perhaps the most embarrassing tune of her career. It's from last year's Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel, a musically lifeless disc.

I was at her Dallas stop on The Emancipation of Mimi tour a few years back. I enjoyed the gig. She did a nice job of combining splash with substance. She hasn't a clue anymore. This is a woman that once had a flowing quality to her soaring voice. Now she's just adept at caterwauling. Her pipes are cold and soulless.

Maybe I'll pull out my copy of her self-titled debut album to remind myself of what Mariah Carey used to be. But not for a few days. I need to let the memory of this show exit my brain.

For a full concert review of Mariah Carey, go to www.dallasnews.com/entertainment Friday or pick up GuideDaily Saturday.

Photo: Carey and the costumes (Mike Fuentes/Special to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram).

Merle Haggard and Kris Kristofferson, who played together for a sold-out crowd Wednesday night at Bass Performance Hall in Fort Worth, relished in feel-good musicality during two new songs.

Haggard, backed by his six-man band the Strangers, which included his 17-year-old son Benion Haggard, sang "Pretty When It's New," a jaunty little number from his upcoming album, I Am What I Am (due April 20 on Vanguard Records).

Kristofferson turned cool and rhythmic with "Closer to the Bone," the title track from his 2009 album for New West Records. He strummed his acoustic guitar and kept his harmonica propped near his lips.

Both American music icons were in great form during only one of six shows they will share this year. For a full review of the gig, go to www.dallasnews.com/entertainment Thursday or pick up a copy of the GuideDaily section Friday.

Photo: Haggard and Kristofferson before a full house (Rodger Mallison/Fort Worth Star-Telegram).

Among the pages and pages of the SXSW Music schedule, you'll find plenty of awesome artists from the Lone Star State.

See the entire list after the jump.

The day has arrived! The SXSW Music schedule is up!

Several of the showcasing bands hadn't already been announced - pretty cool acts like Broken Social Scene, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club and Chamillionaire.

See the schedule here and start planning! Let us know who're you're going to see in the comments section.

Sasquatch, the three-day music festival the runs over Memorial Day weekend, announced its 2010 lineup of bands yesterday. The festival will be at Gorge Amphitheatre in George, Washington on May 29 - 31. Tickets and camping accommodations will be available at Ticketmaster. A few of the bands announced: Vampire Weekend, MGMT, Tegan & Sara, Girls, the New Pornographers, Broken Social Scene, Nada Surf, the Hold Steady, She & Him, and more.

The rest of the lineup is after the jump.

The Granada Theater has added a "Get Your Photo With Kinky!" event to his concert appearance there on Thursday night. The meet-and-greet will take place from 7 to 7:30 (for ticketholders only) before the 8 p.m. show. Friedman, who's running as a Democrat for Texas state agriculture commissioner, is also well-known as a singer, songwriter and writer. $12-$50. www.granadatheater.com or 214-824-9933.

Violinist extraordinaire David Garrett, whose influences include everything from Metallica to Mozart, has postponed his concert at House of Blues, originally slated for Tuesday. The concert is now set for April 8. Tickets for the original show will be honored, or refunds are available at point of purchase. www.livenation.com.

Dana Harper, daughter of former Mavericks point guard Derek Harper, took the microphone to perform two songs from her debut CD Saturday afternoon during the 3rd annual Dwyane Wade All-Star Luncheon at the Tower Club. The 19-year-old Texan, who is now a freshman at New York's Pace University studying musical theater, sang "Hummingbird" and "Be Alive." She sang to instrumental track - the sad reality of performing for a banquet room full of sports stars and enthusiasts - but managed to showcase her clear, melodic and crisp voice. Musically, she's in the R&B, soul and jazz vein. Her CD, Be Alive, was released in January.

Before the luncheon, Harper had this to say about the disciplines behind music and basketball: "The work ethic is the same. I talk to my dad all the time. I see how he works. It's the same."

Has being the daughter of an NBA star opened any doors for her in the musical world? "Not yet. But it's what I love to do and hopefully some things will happen for me."

In attendance at the event, a benefit for Wade's World Foundation, which in turns helps Dallas' Jonathan's Place and Texans Can! academies, were Dwyane Wade, of course, film director Spike Lee, actor Chris Tucker, NBA star Alonzo Mourning, and many others. Dallas Stars' Mike Modano, considered a co-host of the luncheon, was a no-show. He's in Phoenix with the Stars.

Photo: Dana Harper singing (From her MySpace page).

The Nouvelle Vague show, canceled tonight because of travel/weather, has been rescheduled for Monday at 8 p.m. at the Granada Theater. They're calling it "Lundi Gras." Go forth and party.
214-824-9933. www.granadatheater.com.

The Nouvelle Vague show, with special guests Shock of Pleasure and Chameleon Chamber Group, has canceled tonight's show at the Granada Theater due to transportation problems because of the weather (join the rest of the country, Nouvelle Vague!). The show may be rescheduled; check www.granadatheater.com or call 214-824-9933.

I was all set to immerse myself in the soulful drama that is Mary J. Blige, who along with Mario Lopez and Mark Curry were at the Majestic Theatre Thursday night for an NBA All-Star Weekend event. No can do. At the 11th hour, we were told no media. We were under the impression we could be there. But this from Amanda Thorn of the NBA: "It's a private event run by the Mavs Foundation. It's a ticketed seats only event and the proceeds are benefitting the Mavs Foundation. As for media inside, Mary J. Blige's team did not approve media coverage so this was never opened up as an option."

So I headed on over to the Centennial Building at Fair Park for the fifth annual Zo & Magic's 8-Ball Challenge, a benefit for the Alonzo Mourning Charities. In the house were Mourning, of course, and Earvin "Magic" Johnson, plus radio personality Tom Joyner, comedian Sheryl Underwood, Senator Royce West, Nancy Lieberman of WNBA and Kenny Lofton of MLB, among others.

Turns our Mourning has the word on why basketball and music are so connected these days: "You have a lot of athletes that want to be musicians and a lot of musicians that want to be athletes. Some have done that successfully. Music has a connection with the world. It brings people together. Athletics and music have a connection because they are both trying to bring people together. The more impact we can have the more we can do that."

Well said!

Photo: Alonzo Mourning in a pic from 2006 (Vince Bucci/Getty Images).

Banjo player extraordinaire brought an international hoedown to the stage of the Granada Theater on Wednesday, playing both solo and with a handful of virtuoso musicians from Mali and Tanzania. Who knew that bluegrass, jazz, rhythm and blues, and African beats would meld so beautifully?

Through a nearly three-hour show, Fleck and his compadres enchanted an audience that was both respectful and overwhelmingly enthusiastic. Much of the set was drawn from Fleck's fabulous 2009 double-Grammy-winning album Throw Down Your Heart. Anyone who wasn't dancing by the end of Wednesday's concert should check to make sure yours is still beating.

Check back here Thursday afternoon for our full review.

PHOTO by Rex C. Curry/Special Contributor: Bela Fleck at the Granada

Bonnaroo's 2010 lineup was announced today... actually, it's still being announced right now at their MySpace page. Check it out.

Get tickets here for the June 10 - 13 festival.

So far, the lineup includes...

The trailers for Disney and Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland don't have me hooked yet. (Seriously... another Tim Burton directed fantasy film with dark undertones and an "out-there" performance from Johnny Depp? Yawn.)

I'm much more excited for the companion album that will accompany Danny Elfman's score for the film. The album's called Almost Alice and will be released March 2. Disney seems to have taken a page out of the Twilight playbook and compiled an eclectic soundtrack full of indie or lesser known acts.

Disney's site is streaming the entire lead track from the disc, an Avril Lavigne song called "Alice." The site also offers previews of the other tracks from the likes of Owl City, Shinedown, Metro Station, Tokio Hotel and Kerli, The All-American Rejects, 3OH!3, All Time Low, Robert Smith, Mark Hoppus and Pete Wentz, Plain White T's, Franz Ferdinand, Motion City Soundtrack, and Wolfmother.

The songs from Wolfmother, Motion City Soundtrack and Owl City are already my favorites. Listen to the previews here.