Quick quips: U2, Michael Jackson, Reba McEntire, Bob Dylan, Guns N’ Roses, Peter Hook, New Order

Bono announced at a press conference in Toronto that a covers version of the U2 album Achtung Baby is on its way. Commissioned by the British magazine Q, the album will include Patti Smith (Until the End of the World), Depeche Mode (So Cruel), Jack White (Love is Blindness) and Damian Rice (One).

Even more trouble for the Michael Jackson tribute scheduled for October 8 in Cardiff, Wales. Global Events Live, who is putting on the show with part of the Jackson family, recently offered tickets “buy 1 get 1 free” which outraged those who have already purchased tickets and gave the over thirty Jackson fan clubs who were calling for a boycott of the show more fodder.

Reba McEntire may be returning to TV. ABC has announced that they have picked up the pilot for a series called Malibu Country. Reba will play a mother of three who divorces her cheating husband and moves from Nashville to Mailbu where she’ll try to restart her music career and not let her family be influenced by the materialistic world around them. Dave Stewart is one of the producers.
McEntire previously spent six years on the series Reba.

An exhibit of the art of Bob Dylan is coming to New York’s Gagosian Gallery. 18 drawings and paintings will be on-display from September 20 to October 22.

Dates are starting to leak out for an October tour by Guns N’ Roses. At this point, only Orlando, Miami and Kansas City have been mentioned but further dates are sure to be announced in the coming days.

Peter Hook has told Rolling Stone how disappointed he is that New Order will reunite without him.
“Ultimately it’s my music they’re playing so it’s not the end of the world. I was instrumental, excuse the pun, in New Order for 34 years and they won’t take that from you unless they started releasing new records that eclipsed all the New Order stuff. And maybe they’ll do that, I don’t know. But I do know at this point in time there have been some really underhand, dirty business dealings that have enabled them to do this that I don’t agree with and I’m very saddened and upset by it. But it’ll come out in the wash.”

After a multi-year battle, it looks like artists will be granted a longer copyright period in Europe. Currently, the limit is set at 50 years which means some of the earliest records of the rock era, including those of artists like Cliff Richard, are coming into the public domain. According to an unnamed source within the European Union, that is likely to be extended to 70 years on Monday.
The move will be good for artists and labels alike as catalog sales have been growing over the last few years with the addition of digital downloading of older songs.

Bob Dylan performed a set full of his classic tracks at his only UK gig of 2011 on Saturday

Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan performed a set full of his classic tracks at his only UK concert of 2011 on Saturday (18.06.11).

The 70-year-old music legend only spoke to the audience at the London Feis event to introduce his band during the encore, but it didn’t diminish the crowd’s enjoyment of a set including favourites such as ‘Highway 61 Revisited’, ‘A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall’ and ‘Like a Rolling Stone’ – which inspired a mass sing-along.

Bob – who headlined a bill in the city’s Finsbury Park which featured Irish acts including The Cranberries, Christy Moore, Shane McGowan and The Undertones – appeared to be enjoying himself as he moved between the keyboard, harmonica and guitar and even raised a smile during ‘Ballad of a Thin Man’.

Danny O’ Reilly – the son of Irish singer Mary Black and frontman of The Coronas, who kicked off proceedings on the main stage, revealed they were thrilled to be on the same bill as the legendary singer.

He exclusively told BANG Showbiz: “It’s such an honour to be asked to play the Feis and to be on the same bill as Bob Dylan is just incredible. We couldn’t turn down this opportunity even though we’re not playing too many gigs this summer because we’re working on our new album.”

The Feis – taking over from the annual Fleadh that ran for 14 years at Finsbury Park between 1990 and 2004 – celebrated its 21st anniversary last night with a headlining set from Van Morrison. Yesterdays performances also included Thin Lizzy, Horslips, The Hothouse Flowers and Paul Brady.

Bob Dylan set list:

‘Gonna Change My Way Of Thinking’
‘It’s All Over Now Baby, Baby Blue’
‘Things Have Changed’
‘Tangled Up In Blue’
‘Summer Days’
‘Simple Twist of Fate’
‘Cold Irons Bound’
‘A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall’
‘Highway 61 Revisited’
‘Forgetful Heart’
‘Thunder on the Mountain’
‘Ballad of a Thin Man’
‘Like a Rolling Stone’
‘All Along the Watchtower’
‘Blowin’ in the Wind

Bob Dylan performs his first ever concert in China

The 69-year-old musical legend was granted permission to give the concert at the Worker’s Gymnasium in central Beijing after having his music vetted by censors, though some of his more well-known protest songs – including ‘The Times They Are A-Changin” and ‘Blowin’ In The Wind’ – were dropped from his set so as not to offend the country’s communist government.

However, the two-hour performance saw the 5,000-strong crowd entertained by the folk singer’s classic tracks, including ‘Like a Rolling Stone’, ‘Ballad of a Thin Man’ and ‘Highway 61 Revisited’.

Audience member Zhang Tian told Billboard.com: “I was a little disappointed that he didn’t sing many of his songs because of the politics. What is the government so afraid of?”

However, the singer’s appearance impressed other fans.

Yin Yang said: “I know his songs from karaoke, but I’m really not that familiar with him. I think this was a historic concert and I’m glad I’ve seen him.”

The performance comes after Bob was refused permission to perform by China’s Culture Ministry – who must approve every concert that takes place in the country -last year.

Dylan will perform in Shanghai and Hong Kong next week as part of a tour marking 50 years since his first major live performance.

Bob Dylan’s China setlist:

‘Gonna Change My Way Of Thinking’
‘It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue’
‘Beyond The Horizon’
‘Tangled Up In Blue’
‘Honest With Me’
‘Simple Twist Of Fate’
‘Tweedle Dee & Tweedle Dum’
‘Love Sick’
‘Rollin’ And Tumblin’
‘A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall’
‘Highway 61 Revisited’
‘Spirit On The Water’
‘Thunder On The Mountain’
‘Ballad Of A Thin Man’
‘Like A Rolling Stone’
‘All Along The Watchtower’
‘Forever Young’