Napster says it will use security technology from Los Angeles-based PlayMedia to operate the digital music player in its new subscription offering, which is set to roll out later this summer. PlayMedia has developed and is helping to deploy technologies that enable the Napster software to encode, recognize, and play protected music files. PlayMedia’s technology has been embedded in Napster’s media players since the Beta 8 version, released in December 2000. A proprietary version of the technology has been developed for the new subscription service.
— Brian Garrity, N.Y.
A cast of 23 widely varying artists can be found interpreting the music of Phish on the new two-disc tribute album “Sharin’ in the Groove: Celebrating the Music of Phish.” A portion of the proceeds from the album, which is available exclusively at Trans World stores and Phish’s official Web site, will benefit the Mockingbird Foundation, a charity for music education.Among the more notable cuts on the set include Dave Matthews’ solo rendition of “Waste,” Jimmy Buffet’s “Gumbo,” Tom Tom Club’s “Sand,” the Boredoms’ “Free,” and Arlo Guthrie & Xavier’s “Bouncing Around the Room.” The album is structured to resemble a Phish concert, with two “sets” and an encore.
— Troy Carpenter, N.Y.
The University of Colorado fined the Dave Matthews Band $15,000 — $1,000 a minute — after its concert last Wednesday ran 15 minutes past a 10:30 p.m. curfew. “They tend not to go over curfew that frequently, but they were just having a great time and wanted to keep playing a little longer,” the band’s publicist said. She called the $15,000 fine, levied the next day, a “routine” part of touring concerts.Under a contract with CU, fines would have escalated to $10,000 a minute after 10:45 p.m. The band and promoters grossed about $2 million from the show, while the university netted at least $133,000, said JC Ancell, associate director of CU’s University Memorial Center. The fine will help pay for any overtime for hourly employees at the scene, Ancell said.
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