Drake's Chaotic Non-Concert at South Street Seaport!

Drake's free concert erupts into chaos

Rapper Drake decided to celebrate the release of his new album Thank Me Later with a free concert at the South Street Seaport in lower Manhattan yesterday.

Unfortunately, he never went on.

What was expected to be a cast of 10,000 fans at the concert, which also featured pop trio Hanson, exploded to 25,000 fans, resulting in the NYPD declaring the area unsafe for the show to continue. What happened next was pure chaos, as people standing on the balcony at Pier 17 threw bottles and even a chair down at the crowd below. In retaliation, people on the ground began throwing items up at the people on the balcony. Two people were arrested for disorderly conduct and the area was eventually evacuated.

Drake apologized for not being able to perform on his Twitter: "I am so disappointed. To all the devoted fans who came out I wish you could've seen what I had planned. Until next time."

Earlier in the day, Drake appeared at the Union Square Best Buy to sign copies of his album. 500 people attended the event.

Thank Me Later is Drake's first studio album and is currently sitting at #1 on the iTunes album chart.

Whitney Performs "I Will Always Love You" at London's O2 Arena

I completely sympathize with Whitney Houston (and I still advocate for Bobby Brown's burning at the stake), but after hearing her voice at her London concert two nights ago, I have some serious advice for ticketholders for the diva's future concerts. First, get a refund, immediately after reading this post. Then, either spend that money on a Whitney greatest hits CD or watch Youtube videos of her past performances. Otherwise, prepare to be disappointed, heartbroken, shocked, or all three at the same time.

Here is the legend performing "I Will Always Love You":



I'm sorry Whit, but you need to not perform live, for a long time. In fact, for the sake of your reputation, I would just cancel the rest of the tour altogether.

A New Michael Jackson "This Is It" Clip!!!

Here is the King of Pop performing "Human Nature" during the rehearsals for his London concert series.

I'm officially standing first in line to get tickets for this. Damn Michael and those who contributed to his death for taking this epic show away from us...

Remembering The King of Pop: Rehearsal Photos Released

Adding just another layer to the unbelievable tragedy that was Michael Jackson's passing, photos from his rehearsal at the Staples Center in Los Angeles were released.

Taken on June 23rd, the pictures show the King of Pop focused and even smiling as he prepared for the would-be London comeback that was to commence in two weeks. In one photo, he is dressed in the suit he wore for the iconic "Smooth Criminal" music video. While he does look paler than usual, he looks fine.

As we know now, he wasn't.

Check out the photos below (pictures from TMZ.com and AEG):

Jackomania Watch Part 3: All Fifty Shows Sell Out In Five Hours!

Hundreds of MJ fans line up outside of the O2 Arena Friday morning to score those coveted tickets. Over one million have been sold out.

This morning, hundreds of Michael Jackson fans queued up in front of the O2 Arena to snatch up tickets for the concerts of the decade.

By noon in London town, all of the tickets, an estimated 860,000, were totally sold out. It took only five hours, making Jacko's concerts the fastest selling in history. When added to those sold during the pre-sale, Michael has sold over one million tickets in less than a day.

Who says MJ isn't the King of Pop?

AEG boss Randy Phillips admitted that he "underestimated" the demand for the concerts, going as far as saying the 50-date residency will make the company "recession-proof for two years".

As for the potential length of this mega-tour, he told BBC 1 Newsbeat: "We never thought '50 shows' and frankly based on the queues on Ticketmaster, plus the 300,000 registrants we still haven't issued codes to, we could spend two years here. Mike asked me how long he would be in the United Kingdom for and I told him, probably long enough to get a British passport."

The director of Ticketmaster UK said: "We often talk about unprecedented demand, but this week we have witnessed a live entertainment phenomenon...This was undoubtedly the busiest demand for tickets for an event which we have ever experienced."

Phillips also revealed that Jackson, who has reportedly suffered from insecurity that led to many undeveloped performance plans, is "thrilled" by the response. He even alluded to the possibility of a world tour after the residency.

Jackomania Watch Part 2: "This Is It" Concerts Extended to FIFTY DATES!

Seriously MJ haters, the humble pie is in the oven for you.

The King of Pop has blown all expectations out of the water for his final London concerts. Originally a 10-date concert tour, excessive demand that downed two websites has forced concert promoters to extend it to a record-breaking 50 dates, the last taking place in February of 2010.

AEG Live has revealed that 360,000 tickets allotted for the pre-sale have already been sold, within 18 hours. This means that, before tomorrow's general sale, Jackson's concerts havethe fastest ticket sales in history. Jackson has broken other records, such as the highest attendance record for one city and the highest attendance for a group of arena shows.

There is a three month break between the first and second legs of the concert tour, which makes one wonder what Jackson will be doing during this time; it is unsure, although not unlikely, that Michael will use this time to perform elsewhere, such as the United States.

The pre-sale wasn't without its problems; UK Ticketmaster suffered a website crash when 2 million fans rushed to purchase tickets yesterday. Some fans who received pre-sale codes where turned down because of the overload, either leaving them without tickets or with bad seats or dates. Among the pre-sale buyers were scalpers, who purchased tickets and almost immediately jacked up prices into the $1000 range, when their face value is 1/10th of that. It hasn't stopped people from resorting to eBay and Seatwave to get their Jackson tickets.

AEG promoters have alluded to the possibility of a world tour if these concerts are successful, so here's to hoping that Michael does amazingly and he comes to NEW YORK (or Hartford, Connecticut)!

Jackomania Sweeps World Again: SIXTEEN More Dates Added, New Single and Album, and American Idol Tribute

Anyone who doubted the commercial power of Michael Jackson may want to think again.

Since last week's announcement of the King of Pop's London comeback concerts, over 1 million people have registered for the pre-sale alone. On the day of the pre-sale, over 1.5 million fans across the globe crashed the websites of the O2 Arena and Ticketmaster UK in a desperate attempt to snap up tickets, according to Britain's Daily Mail.

The demand for tickets led AEG, the organizers for the concerts, to extend the concert series to a total of 26 dates, with more being added by the hour. The concerts currently run through July and August, ending in early September.

Sales of Jackson's records have also seen major spikes since last week's sensational announcement. UK music website Play.com saw sale increases of over 150% for Thriller, Dangerous, Bad, and Off The Wall, which saw the largest increase of 200%.

Across the pond here in the States, Jackomania is slowly, but assuredly taking over pop culture, The biggest sign of that was last night's American Idol episode, which was dedicated to him. The Top 13 contestants performed songs from his catalog, ranging from his first ever single "Rockin' Robin" to his Grammy-winning smash "Beat It". The Idol impact has driven 10 of Michael's songs into iTunes Top 100 Pop Songs already. The Essential Michael Jackson, a compilation released in 2005, sits at #22 on iTunes Top 100 Albums.

Speaking of MJ music, AEG head Randy Phillips announced that Michael will release a new single before the July 8th concert date. "Michael has got some new music and he is looking for a new way of disseminating his material to his fans," he told The Sun.

Michael officially parted with original record label Sony BMG in 2001, after he accused the company of lackluster promotion of his album Invincible and former label head Tommy Mottola of racism.

A week into the long-rumored and oft-doubted comeback, it appears that the Gloved One truly is the King of Pop.

The King of Pop Is Back! Michael Jackson Announces "Curtain Call" Concerts in London!

It's 100 percent official, straight from the Gloved One himself!

Pop icon Michael Jackson announced today in London that he will be doing a series of concerts at the O2 Arena this summer.

In front of global press and approximately 2000 fans, Jackson declared that these concerts in July will be his "final curtain call", insinuating that he may never perform again. The vague statement officially makes the summer concert series the hottest ticket of the year.

"This is it, and when I say this is it, I really mean this is it," said the pop star, who appeared 90 minutes late to the press conference.

It is unclear whether Michael will perform here in the States, although I am sure it would be extremely desired.

The concert will be his first full-length one in 12 years; he toured last in 1996 and 1997 to support the HIStory album.

The concert series starts on Wednesday, July 8th. Tickets will begin selling on March 13th, with prices ranging from $70-$105 You can register for the pre-sale at www.michaeljacksonlive.com.

Here is the press conference (courtesy of BBC News):

The Michael Jackson Comeback Is Coming (Seriously, It Really Is)!

Prepare for the news you've heard a million times, but never believed was true!

Michael Jackson is expected to announce a series of summer performances in the United Kingdom this Thursday.

The BBC (that's right, not a tabloid, but the BBC) reported today that the King of Pop will appear at the O2 Arena in London to announce a series of comeback concerts. British tabloids have been reporting of a Jackson residency for two years, but nothing has come of them. It is believed that the concerts are meant to generate nuch-needed cash for the struggling pop star, who recently had to auction itmes from Neverland Ranch to pay his debts.

Michael Jackson had his last real performance in 2001, at his Madison Square Garden tribute concert (which I attended, by the way, and it was truly spectacular). His last tour, HIStory, finished in 1997.

There is no news whether Michael will tour the United States.

Will his US fans flock to London to see what may be a series of historic events?

Madonna and Britney Perform "Human Nature" At Dodgers Stadium

I'm just going to say two things:

Britney looks fantastic.

She's getting better and better every day. Her's might be the best comeback in recent pop culture history.

Madonna looks WAY too old to be dressing the way she is.

Seriously, and I mean no disrespect, but Madonna does not look attractive on that stage at all. It's not even the age thing. It's more the "I'm going to wear a bra and panties with a sheer black top at 50" thing. It's a bad look on paper, but in reality, with her thin, too-muscular body, its just kinda gross. What happened to the yoga thing Madonna had going on?

Until she's ready to put the weights down, I think she should rethink her wardrobe, by putting more on.

For more Britney, she'll be doing LOTS of promo in the coming weeks, including X Factor. For more Madonna, she's currently on her "Sticky and Sweet" tour.

UNBelievable: Girls Aloud + Jonas Brothers = Successful US Tour?

AND ?

While in the UK promoting "Burnin' Up" and the Camp Rock film, the Jonas Brothers revealed that they attempted to sign girl group Girls Aloud as their support for their "Burnin' Up" tour.

The trio are big fans of the pop group, and they wanted GA to play with them in the United States, but they were busy with their upcoming album and their own Tangled Up tour in the UK. However, in an interview, Kevin said that they were going to make sure something would happen the next time around.

Girls Aloud coming to the US would be a dream, but I have to go to a Jonas Brothers concert to see them? Why??

Britney Spears Cameo on Madonna's Sticky and Sweet Tour

It's here.

Thanks to YouTube, we get to see the anticipated Britney Spears cameo thing for Madonna's new tour:



I've gotta say, this comeback seems to be in full force, because she looks really good in this video. I particularly liked the ending, where she said, "It's Britney, bitch!"

Our little pop princess trainwreck seems to be getting back on track, and I'm very happy for her. How much difference a year makes, huh?

Here's An Idea....Whitney's Comeback Concert

It's like trying to see a UFO if you live in the US.

For months we've been hearing (and seeing, thanks to godsend YouTube) about Whitney Houston's comeback performances across the globe. She was in Malaysia for the Live and Loud concert. She appeared in Tobago to terrible reviews. She then went to London to perform at the Cauldwell Children's Ball, where many proclaimed her voice was back. A few months earlier, she appeared at the Swarovski Rocks concert/fashion show there as well. There was Morocco, and the latest being in Kazahkstan a few weeks ago.

So, when is she coming to the US? Are these performances warm-ups, or test audiences? When will she be ready to launch a solid comeback?

My suggestion/wish?

Whitney Houston signs a deal with HBO/Showtime/MTV/VH1 (pick one) to air a special 2-hour concert special live from Madison Square Garden. The last time she did that was in 1997 with HBO for her Classic Whitney concert from Washington DC. I choose MSG because it's easy for me to get there and plus, its one of the greatest arenas in the world.

Of course, the concert would coincide with the release of her new album in November, preferably on November 7th (my b-day, lol). Her voice must also be in tip-top shape (UK tabloids reported Whitney's voice was so shot after years of drug use, she had to get voice lessons). Knowing how Whitney is when she's determined, I definitely think she can do it.

The press would be massive, the tickets would be an easy sell-out (seeing a major diva return after a tragic, yet slightly entertaining fall from grace? Easy), and plus, it would drum up interest in the new record, which she desperately needs (her last album Just Whitney peaked at #9).

Knowing the genius that is Clive Davis, I am seriously hoping he is planning something like this. Whitney needs something like this, plus, after finally dumping that drugged up sack of garbage she called a husband, she deserves it.

Whitney in Kazakhstan?

Everywhere but the States?

My favorite recovering drug addict megadiva has been playing a game of Where In The World Is Whitney Houston?, going to London, Morocco, Malaysia, and Tobago. Now, she's in Kazakhstan?

Apparently, Whitney performed there a few weeks ago, to show that she still has it.

When is she coming to the US? We miss her!

Do YOU think she's got it? Check her out below:

Another Regine Performance....

Here, "Asia's Songbird" sings Barry Manilow's "Weekend in New England":



She is simply fantastic.

Amy Winehouse Performs at Rock In Rio in Madrid, Spain

Why is her label letting perform while she's like this?

Amy Winehouse, after two so-so performances at Glastonbury and Nelson Mandela's birthday concert, appeared on stage again, this time at Rock in Rio in Spain.

With a glass of wine on stage, Amy warbled her way through 8 songs, including Download of the Day "Valerie" and my personal favorite " Back To Black".

Here are some performances I thought were her "best" (I'm probably being too nice):

"Back To Black"

"Tears Dry On Their Own"

"Wake Up Alone"

Nick Jonas Gets Emotional At Toronto Concert

Okay, I'm a bit of a sap.

I love it when artists get emotional during their concerts. Whether they're filled with unbridled joy (Whitney Houston in South Africa in '94) or they take a moment of solemn reflectiveness (Michael Jackson after a ballad during a tour), the concert-going experience becomes all the more personal when the performers open up past what the song requires.

While I have yet to resolve my like/dislike relationship with the Jonas Brothers, I couldn't help but feel a little heartstring tug when, at the end of a performance of "A Little Bit Longer" during the first show of the "Burnin' Up" concert, Nick had to stop the song and place his head on the piano to hide his presumable tears.

I definitely can understand why he would lose his composure, considering "A Little Bit Longer" (which, when its released, may become their highest rated song on this blog) is about dealing with his Type 1 diabetes. Also, when you have thousands of girls obnoxiously screaming during a song that is his most personal, it can become overwhelming. Let's not forget he is still 15, even though he is pretty much a pop star.

It's always endearing to the cynics of an artist to see them emotionally connect with their audience; it's a sign of their longevity and it shows the thought they put into the song they're performing. Knowing how important the song was to Nick, this is just further confirmation.

Here's the video:

Leona Performs "Better In Time" at Mandela Concert

Along with "Bleeding Love", Leona Lewis performed new single "Better In Time" at Nelson Mandela's birthday concert, below:

Amy Winehouse at Nelson Mandela's 90th Birthday Concert

I have been searching for this performance, and I found it!

Amy Winehouse performed at Nelson Mandela's birthday concert today, and surprisingly, wasn't a disaster.

She performed "Rehab" and "Valerie" despite revelations that she was suffering from the early stages of emphysema last weekend.

When she performed "Rehab", she looked and sounded bored (I'm sure a part of her regrets making that song now). She kind of didn't sing some of the words, but her voice was in pretty good shape. It wasn't as good as the Grammys, but it was MUCH better than Rock In Rio.

Things changed when she sang "Valerie". She looked more lively and she she put far more energy into the song than she did the last. Dare I say it, it was actually a really good performance. It definitely exceeded my expectations (although it should be said there were very low).

I hope this performance signals a changing in tides for Amy. I won't call it a comeback, but it definitely showed she still had something.

Leona Lewis at Nelson Mandela's 90th Birthday Concert

For those of you too anxious to wait until Monday for the broadcast, here is Leona's performance at Nelson Mandela's 90th Birthday Concert at Hyde Park in London: