Queens Of The Stone Age, Alice In Chains, Nickelback, Keane and Gretchen Wilson will perform as part of the second VH1 Rock Honors, to be taped May 12 at Las Vegas’ Mandalay Bay Events Center for broadcast 12 days later on the music channel. Honorees Genesis, Heart, Ozzy Osbourne and ZZ Top will also take the stage for the event, hosted by “Jackass” star Bam Margera.
Cameron Diaz, Jada Pinkett Smith, Billy Bob Thornton, Robin Williams, Criss Angel and Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins will also make appearances. Tickets are on sale now via Ticketmaster.
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— Jonathan Cohen, N.Y.
Pixies frontman Frank Black is reverting to his old stage name, Black Francis, for his next solo album, “Bluefinger.” The project is due in September; its first single, “Threshold Apprehension,” will be released May 7 to digital services.
It will also be included on an upcoming double-disc compilation, “Frank Black 93-03,” due June 12 via Cooking Vinyl. That album rounds up tracks from Black’s nine solo releases as well as nine live recordings tapes last fall during a solo tour.
Black begins a summer European tour June 15 at the Greenfield Festival in Interlaken, Switzerland.
— Jonathan Cohen, N.Y.
Willie Nelson has drafted Son Volt, Old 97’s, Drive By Truckers and Amos Lee to perform at his annual Fourth of July Picnic. The show will be held at the Gorge Amphitheatre in George, Wash., the first time it has taken place outside Nelson’s home state of Texas. Tickets go on sale May 12 via Ticketmaster.
Having just played the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival over the weekend, Nelson will remain in the California desert to perform at the first Stagecoach festival this weekend.
— Jonathan Cohen, N.Y.