Sugarland releases song to benefit tornado victims

Sugarland has recorded a special version of its song, “Stand Up,” with tour mates Little Big Town to benefit recent tornado victims.

The live video for “Stand Up (For Tornado Relief)” was filmed earlier this month at the groups’ tour stops in Chicago and Minneapolis.

Both the song and video are available on iTunes. All proceeds will go to the American Red Cross to aid storm victims in Alabama and Joplin, Mo.

For a preview, click here: http://bit.ly/SugarlandTornadoRelief

The duo of Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush wraps “The Incredible Machine Tour” with a hometown date Oct. 22 at Philips Arena.

Edited: May 31st, 2011

Sugarland to end tour at Philips Arena

Sugarland fans have known for months that the band had a show planned in Atlanta for Oct. 22 – just not the location.

It’s now been revealed that the Atlanta duo of Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush (with opener Sara Bareilles) will play Philips Arena on that date, putting a period on their 59-date tour that began in Texas March 3.

Tickets for the Atlanta show are on sale at 10 a.m. June 3 through all Ticketmaster outlets. Prices TBA.

Keep an eye on www.ticketmaster.com and www.philiparena.com for more ticket info.

Edited: May 20th, 2011

Go behind-the-scenes with Big Boi

Big Boi has a new partnership – and a new mini-movie to go with it.

The Atlanta rapper/songwriter/producer has teamed with Crown Royal and as part of the publicity blitz for the Crown Royal Black variety of the Canadian whiskey, Big Boi has been asked to design a velvet bag for the company’s Artist Signature Series.

His limited-edition packaging arrives in June, and to promote the release, director Hudson Dusters followed Big Boi around, capturing him on stage in Los Angeles, cruising around Atlanta and heading into the Jamaican Jerk restaurant to pick up his favorite chicken meal.

Also in the the quickie movie, Big Boi’s Uncle Darnell talks about how important family is to the rapper, who is also seen riding around a motorized cart in a local Kroger and pumping gas.

The 10-minute film can be viewed here: http://youtu.be/2kZehIu2–I (and for those concerned about watching at work, put the headphones on since yes, there is some “language”).

Edited: May 19th, 2011

Mars and Monáe: These ‘hooligans’ are ‘wondaful’

Though cutely dubbed the “Hooligans in Wondaland” tour, the joint outing by whiz kids Bruno Mars and Janelle Monáe could just as accurately be called the “Old Soul(s) Revue.”

For all of the grousing that so many of today’s young stars are more pre-occupied with image and flimsy, disposable radio fare than creating anything substantial, here are two examples (three, really, if you count opener Plan B) that defy those complaints.

For more than three hours last night, fans packing a sold out Fox Theatre received a lesson in authenticity.

It started with British singer/rapper Plan B (aka Ben Drew), who fronted a five-piece group of classy-looking, skinny-suit-clad musicians intent on overpowering his voice.

A huge star in his homeland, B is hardly another random Top 40 singer. With a voice coated with the gristle of a vintage soul man, he sauntered through the soulful pop of “The Recluse,” growled through the hip-hop dotted “Coming Up Easy” and seamlessly segued into the …

Edited: May 11th, 2011

Cee Lo debuts VH1 ‘Storytellers’ installment this month

Photo: Frank Micelotta/Picture Group for VH1

Last month, Cee Lo Green headed to Culver City, Calif., to tape a two-hour installment of VH1’s “Storytellers.”

The resulting performance will air at 11 p.m. May 20 on VH1.

During the show, which featured Green performing 10 songs in front of a 150-member audience, the Atlanta-based soul man reunited onstage with Goodie Mob and announced that the group is getting back together for a future album.

Green also dedicated “She Knows” to his mother, who died when he was a teenager, and apparently got emotional during the performance.

“I feel like I’m living out her dream, her want for me,” he said from the stage.

Green didn’t neglect the song that will forever be identified with him, the euphemistically renamed “Forget You,” and kicked off the show with his Gnarls Barkley hit, “Crazy.”

Edited: May 3rd, 2011