The Pixies and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club are the first acts confirmed for the sixth annual Voodoo Music Experience. Set for Oct. 16-17 in New Orleans City Park, the event will feature an eclectic lineup of artists on multiple stages.

"The exotic mixture of African, European and Caribbean elements made New Orleans into perhaps the most unique musical and cultural melting pot that the world could produce," says Stephen Rehage, the event's founder and executive producer. "Voodoo's orchestration will continue to represent the diversity and exoticism of its home."

The initial lineup for the event and ticket information will be announced in the coming months. Updated details will be available on the Voodoo Music Experience Web site.

The 2003 festival featured performances by more than 50 acts, including 50 Cent, Iggy & the Stooges, Marilyn Manson, Paul Oakenfold, Queens Of The Stone Age, the Roots and Gov't Mule.

-- Barry A. Jeckell, N.Y.

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Vanguard Records has signed Deana Carter. Her self-produced debut for the label is due early next year. Carter released two albums for Capitol Records in Nashville. Her 1995 debut set "Did I Shave My Legs For This," yielded three No. 1 singles on Billboard's Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart. More recently, she recorded the album "I'm Just a Girl" for Arista Nashville, which peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart in April 2003.

Carter begins a summer tour June 17 in Stockton, Calif., which will primarily visit fairs and outdoor festivals.

-- Phyllis Stark, Nashville

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Aimee Mann has announced a slate of summer U.S. tour dates, beginning June 11 in San Diego. Mann, who in November reissued her 2002 album "Lost In Space" with live and studio tracks, has dates booked through June 29 in Boston. More shows are expected, as an Aug. 20 performance in Saratoga, Calif., has also been confirmed.

Here are Aimee Mann's tour dates:

June 11: San Diego (Belly Up)
June 12: Anaheim, Calif. (House Of Blues)
June 14: Nashville (Belcourt Theatre)
June 15: Asheville, N.C. (Orange Peel)
June 16: Atlanta (Variety Playhouse)
June 18: Durham, N.C. (Carolina Theatre)
June 19: Washington (9:30 Club)
June 22-24: Brooklyn, N.Y. (St. Ann's Warehouse)
June 26: Northampton, Mass. (Calvin Theater)
June 29: Boston (Avalon)
Aug. 20: Saratoga, Calif. (Mountain Winery)

-- Jason MacNeil, Toronto