The entire 11-date U.K. tour of controversial garage collective So Solid Crew and domestic dance duo Oxide & Neutrino have been canceled due to safety concerns. Promoters and authorities pulled a number of dates earlier this week in response to a recent shooting incident at the Astoria club in London.
In a statement, the acts condemned the “draconian measures” which forced the cancellation, adding that “So Solid Crew and Oxide & Neutrino have successfully appeared at many events throughout the U.K without any incidents at all, making this ruling even more bizarre and unfair.” Their management and respective record labels are seeking alternative venues for the performances in the new year.
So Solid Crew hit No. 1 on the U.K. singles chart in August with the track “21 Seconds.” The group won best U.K. garage act and best newcomer honors at the U.K.’s annual MOBO Awards in October.
— Lars Brandle, London
Performances from Pink, Bush, Busta Rhymes, Blink-182, LFO, Blu Cantrell, Jessica Simpson and the O’Jays will be featured during the three ABC specials Dick Clark will host on New Year’s Eve (Dec. 31). The aforementioned artists will appear throughout the two-part show, dubbed “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve 2002,” which airs beginning at 11:30 p.m. ET on ABC. Comedian Wayne Brady will co-host.The first special of the evening, “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve,” begins at 10 p.m. ET and will include performance clips from Dave Matthews Band, Destiny’s Child, Elton John, and Aerosmith. Retrospective clips of past New Year’s performances from Barry Manilow and Kool & the Gang will also be shown.
This is Clark’s 30th year hosting New Year’s festivities on network television. Last year’s event sported performances by the Bangles, the Baha Men, Boyz II Men, Lonestar, and Third Eye Blind, among others.
— Jonathan Cohen, N.Y.
Method Man, Redman, Ludacris, the L.O.X., Fabolous, Jadakiss, Noreaga, and Funkmaster Flex will perform Friday (Dec. 7) at the Hip-Hop Has Heart 2001 benefit concert at New York’s Hammerstein Ballroom. The event, sponsored by Sprite.com in conjunction with New York radio station Hot 97, will benefit Safe Horizons, a Manhattan-based victims assistance and advocacy organization. The concert is sold-out.In other concert news, Jay-Z and Missy Elliott have been added to the lineup for New York radio station Z100’s Jingle Ball, set for Dec. 13 at Madison Square Garden. They join previously announced performers Mariah Carey, Jewel, Alicia Keys, Craig David, Enrique Iglesias, Pink, Sugar Ray, Lifehouse, Five For Fighting, and O-Town, with more acts to be announced.
Proceeds from the event will benefit will a special relief fund set up by the station’s owner, Clear Channel Communications, to aid the families of the victims of the World Trade Center tragedy, as well as the Ronald McDonald House.
— Jonathan Cohen, N.Y.