That’s right! News just in that TLC is going to resurrect Left Eye in true Tupac/Coachella fashion for an upcoming reunion tour. TMZ reports that five major cities have already been booked, and there are many more in the works. While no hologram can ever replace the real artist, this technology opens a whole new realm of concert opportunities. Is it creepy? Should we allow technology to bring people back from the grave for the sake of entertainment? Does this devalue the worth of the artist and the experience fans had with them while they were alive?

Who knows! If this does become a trend in the music community, there are a number of bands we expect to make a comeback…

initiating the gallery...

What do you think? Creepy or cool? Love it or hate it? Who would you add to our list? Tell us below!

The weather is getting warmer, and I don’t know about you, but my feet are itching to get into some flip flops.  Is it summer yet?

Personally, I just survived one of the harshest winters in years (if you live in a warm climate, I hate you), combined with a crapload of work and stress.  Once summer hits, I’m going to call Benjamin Linus and ask him to freeze time so I can stay in July forever (pardon the Lost reference- I’m kind of obsessed).  I am currently making a To-Do list to make sure I enjoy every possible moment during the upcoming summer months.

1.  Music Festivals!

Once, I almost passed out due to the sweltering heat at the Warped Tour.  So worth it.  Music fests are a great way to hang out all day with thousands of strangers and listen to live music from not one, but several of your fave bands… or to discover new groups that you simply NEED to download on i-Tunes, like now.  If the festival spans a few days, make a road-trip-slash-camping-trip out of the ordeal with your favorites, and leave all of your worries behind.

A friend from England invited me to the Exit Fest in Serbia, featuring Moby, among others.  And to be honest, Serbia sounds fan-f**king-tastic right now.  But, let’s be honest.  What college student can afford Serbia in this economy?  Check out Starpulse for a rundown on festivals that might be coming to a city near you!

2.  Drive-in Movies!

When the air changes and I know it’s officially summer, I immediately crave a silver screen feature under the stars, complete with lawn chairs, blankets, and soccer-mom-vans that are oh-so-convenient on carload night.  Way more fun that being cooped up at home with a stack of Netflix orders, and cheaper than going to the cinema (you get two movies for less than the price of one!), the drive-in is a longstanding summertime tradition.

It’s too bad that many drive-in movie locations have buckled in recent years, but Driveinmovie.com has a listing of current locations across the country.

3.  Keg Parties!

Whether it’s a high school reunion in your hometown or the dudes across the hall just got their own duplex, summer is the prime time to party.  Pool parties, hot tub parties, bonfire parties… the possibilities are endless.  Plus, since so many people are on break or taking vacations, you’ll never run into the same crowd twice.  You might meet someone new who’s visiting a friend at the party, or run into someone from school you haven’t Facebooked in forever.  Besides, you can finally wear halter tops without freezing your buns off on the walk home.

4.  W-A-T-E-R!

I’m just going to lump all aquatic activities into one category.

Swimming Pools. Beaches. Lakes. Hot Tubs. Slip N’ Slides.

Jetskiing. Tubing. White Water Rafting. Chicken Tournaments.

I can’t wait to alternate my vintage style Juicy Couture one-piece (with a little ruffle to hide the thighs I wish were more toned) with the bikini that makes my cleavage take the focus off of said thighs.  As much as I’m looking forward to weekend beach trips, I’m also excited to work up a sweat at the gym and come home to dive straight into my parents’ in-ground pool.  My skin is going to get so prune-y it’s ridiculous.

5.  Road Trips!

This can apply to any of the above.  But road trips are pretty much the best part of summer.  The driving part is sometimes even better than reaching the final destination when you factor in the windows-down-sing-alongs, pumping your fists feverishly to make truck drivers blow the horn, and bonding with your pals because you’ve been couped up in a car for hours on end and will talk about anything to make the time pass.

Organize a road trip to a music festival, a crazy party, or a beach town.  Invite a group of low-maintenance, fun-loving friends, and set out on an adventure.  (Note: I say low-maintenance because you don’t want a princess who complains about rest area bathrooms, lack of electrical outlets for her hair straightener, or the fact that you keep driving through dead zones and she can’t call her shnookums and tell him how much she misses him already).

With the possible exception of the music festivals, all of these totally fun events can happen pretty much spur-of-the-moment.  I plan to live totally spontaneously this summer in order to make the most of every sunshine-filled day that passes.  What’s everyone else looking forward to this summer? I want to add to my list….

Who doesn’t love a good summer road trip? Especially if that road trip involves music. And I’m not just talking about turning up some old-school Madonna and rocking out in the car; I’m talking about days and days of awesome live music once you reach your destination.

Concerts are fun, but outdoor music festivals are memorable. They are life experiences. And they give you a lot more music bang for your buck. Looking to get away this summer? Why not grab some friends, pack up the car and head out to the biggest music festivals of the summer. Trust me, you don’t want to miss out. And if you’re lucky, you might even be able to hit them all!

Bonnaroo (Manchester, TN) -  June 11-14

You’ve likely heard of Bonnaroo, because it’s that good (and a total hippie fest). It’s actually become so successful that the people behind the festival bought the 7 acre farm where it happens every year! Although, I think the orginal owners were just getting upset about all the public urination and free love. But I bet you didn’t know that it’s a lot more than just music going on, from comedians, to art, workshops, and lots more.

But it’s really the music we care about, right? So, let’s get to it. My top choices performing at the Big Bon this year are: Wilco, MGMT, Phish, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, Snoop Dog, Girl Talk, Of Montreal, Gomez, Jenny Lewis, Al Green, and plenty more.

Oh, and Jimmy Fallon is going to be there too. Not exactly sure what he’s got planned, but he’s in the lineup. All in all, a perfect summer weekend filled with music, friends and whatever other stuff you happen to stumble on while you’re there…

Lollapalooaza (Chicago, IL)- July 7-9

Lollapalooza is a definitely must-see festival for anyone who cares anything about music. It was once a traveling festival, but now it stands still for its 2 days. Luckily it stands still in Chicago, which is already an awesome place to visit. So, no complaints about getting to travel to Chicago AND getting to see tons of awesome bands at Lolla.

Who is it that’s so awesome? Gosh, where do I even start? Some of my favorites include The Killers, Kings of Leon, TV on the Radio, Neko Case, Band of Horses, Ben Folds, Vampire Weekend, Gomez, Lykke Li, and Bon Iver. Seriously, I could keep going but I’m containing myself. Also performing are Snoop Dogg, Asher Roth, Tool, Jane’s Addiction, Depeche Mode, Animal Collective, and tons and tons more. Basically, you can listen to all this amazing music while staring at the Chicago skyline. Sigh. Does it get any better than this?

All Points West (Jersey City, New Jersey)- July 31- August 2

It’s only the second year for the All Points West festival and it already has a totally rocking lineup. I mean, the festival is sometimes referred to as Coachella East, so you know it’s gonna be a good one.

Not only do you get to listen to fabulous music, but All Points West is working on taking the green initiative. They’re offering ferry service to get to the festival site, special parking for carpoolers, and a recycling program.

Some of the performers I’m more excited about at All Points West include Fleet Foxes, MGMT, Coldplay, the Gaslight Anthem, Beastie Boys, and Vampire Weekend. Not to mention, the kids from College Humor will be at the festival entertaining everyone. These are 3 days you will really regret missing.

Austin City Limits (Austin, TX)- Oct. 2-4

So, it’s not technically summer anymore, but I still think of Austin City Limits as being a summer tour. It’s actually the perfect time and location. Wherever you are, it could be starting to get cool outside come the start of October, but October in Austin is still nice and summery. So extend your summer and jam out at Austin City Limits.

The festival started in 2002 and gets bigger and bigger every year. This is one of my favorite festivals and it has some of the best music. For instance, this year’s Austin City Limits boasts Dave Matthews Band, Pearl Jam, Kings of Leon, John Legend, Sonic Youth, Bon Iver, Girl Talk, Brett Dennen, Andrew Bird, and about a billion more. Actually, there are about 130 bands, so you do the math. Lots of times, the best bands at Austin City Limits play secondary “secret” shows around town, so even if you can’t get close to the stage during the show, you can attempt to seek these out. And of course, you might be able to get up close and personal if you watch PBS’s Austin City Limits show, which often airs performances from the festival.

Dear (See Below) Bands,

I love your music. Love, love, love. But can you maybe try to be a little less annoying? It makes it so hard to defend you when I tell my friends about my favorite artists. Actually, it makes it hard to admit to anyone that you happen to be one of them.  And I want to make them like you, really, I do. But like that friend who has a minor character flaw that now pisses you off enough that you really can’t see the good in her anymore,  I’m finding it difficult to enjoy your music knowing how annoying you are.

Here are some heart-to-heart tips from your loving (secret) admirer to be a little less annoying and a little more rock and roll.

Fall Out Boy

You always have a spot in my 6-CD player in my car. Sugar, you’ll never go down on the playlist for me if you continue to make some of the sweetest pop punk music out there. But please, Pete Wentz, I’m begging you – cut your hair, lay off the eyeliner and put on a damn shirt when you are on a magazine cover. You need to settle down – you play bass. And, um, you have a kid?

Also, Patrick, can you please enunciate your song lyrics so I can actually sing along and not just randomly open my mouth while humming the tune to look like I know what I’m singing? And what’s up with the weird syntax and bizzare punctuation in the song titles? Thnks Fr Th Confusn. I mean, e.e. Cummings was a legit poet, while you’re just… an antithesis of all semblance of reason. And grammar. My English teacher highly disapproves.

Avril Lavigne

“I’m with you” on how most of your songs are about girl problems to which every teenager can relate. And I love how you have other gigs too, like co-writing “Breakaway” for Kelly Clarkson and even recording The Spongebob Squarepants Movie theme song (my little bro totally agrees).  But I’m pretty sure that hot pink hair, combat boots, and thick-enough eyeliner to paint a mural were out of fashion like 10 years ago. You remind me of the wanna-be punk-rocker chicks at my old high school who stood in their corner by the snack machine and talked about how “complicated” their life was and how their parents didn’t understand them. You’re married now, for goodness sakes, so do your husband a favor and stop wearing pink angel wings and acting like a “sk8er boi.” Oh, and learn how to play the guitar for real. You’re kinda getting “under my skin.”

Coldplay

The first time I heard “Clocks,” it changed my life. And continued to do so for the 100 times I listened to it on repeat afterward. You should even see my wall – there’s a giant banner that shouts, “viva la vida,” my adopted mantra para mi vida. But enough with the same gloomy, sad looks while you play haunting, heart-wrenching melodies on the piano, Chris Martin. I’m wondering if you’re able to play some different chord progressions as well, since you only seem to stick to one particular one on every. single. bloody. song. Can we maybe change it up a bit, with chords and tempos and basically not have the same harmonic patterns last throughout the whole album? Or four? Keep the accent though, please. Oh, and tell Gwyneth to lose the GOOP.

Simple Plan

My friend saw you in concert in Japan, and just like her, I must say: I’m “addicted” to your music. In a “perfect world,” I would hang out with you guys all day and do crazy stuff like dye the neighbor’s pool yellow or something, because, let’s face it, “I’m just a kid.” You seem like a bunch of cool, fun kids just making music because you can, and I love that about you. But unfortunately, you kinda remind me of blink182. But not in a middle-school-memories, emo-phase, dress-like-a-punk, nostalgic sort of way. More like a trying-a-little-too-hard, bad-album-titles, life-is-so-unfair-let’s-cry-about-it sort of way. Skateboarding is a sport, not a prop, and yelling at your parents on a rooftop in the pouring rain? Effective, but kinda cheesy I must say. Maybe there’s a reason you’re “still not getting any”…

Miley Cyrus

My guilty pleasure of all things guilt-full and pleasurable is “See You Again.” It’s on my workout playlist, my clubbing/dance-party playlist, and my blasting-in-the-car playlist. To the point where I’m headbanging and screaming out the lyrics with my girlfriends, and looking like a mad woman to the car next to us. But oh mah gah. There is so much advice and wisdom I wish to impart upon you that’s long enough to last a whole Oprah episode. You’re obviously not as big as a band, but your ego is big enough compete with one. Can you please act your age and stop dating older men that are probably not into you and more into your…assets? And stop taking those trashy MySpace pictures that even my 12 year old cousin knows not to take? You’re probably one of the reasons sexting is such a problem these days among teens. Or maybe just why television shows are going down the drain. Whatever happened to old Disney classics like Even Stevens and Sister, Sister? Dump the TV show and the drama queen act and just behave more like the role model you’re supposed to be for young girls. Then I won’t be so embarrassed when someone sees you on (every single one of) my iPod playlists.

Love,

Your (Not-So-Secret-Anymore) Admirer

Ah, summer. It’s so close I can taste it.

And hear it?

Days on the beach, drinks on patios, and BBQs with friends. And music, lots of music. One of the very best things about summer is going to outdoor concerts.  And there are so many amazing tours this summer, I have a feeling I’m going to be at a concert pretty much every single week. And concerts mean music, beer, and friends. Which is pretty much heaven for me. Here are some of the biggest and best summer tours you should keep your eye (and ear) on.

Blink 182
Remember Blink 182? Duh, obviously you do. I used to be absolutely obsessed. I mean, how cute was Mark Hoppus? I was heartbroken when they went on hiatus and waited a couple years for them to get back together before I gave up. Mark created the not overly successful +44, Travis joined him along with fighting with Shanna Mokler on Meet the Barkers, and Tom formed the semi-successful Angels and Airwaves. But now? Back together again.

I don’t know why they’re reuniting. Maybe it had something to do with Travis Barker’s near-tragic plane crash and their thankfulness he’s still alive. Whatever the case, it’s hard not to be excited by their upcoming tour (and alleged new album!). No official dates have been confirmed yet, but the boys have said they will be touring the world this summer and rumor has it, they will be sharing the bill with No Doubt, another pleasant blast from the past! I’m pretty excited to see what the crowd is like for this show. Lots of people in their 20s and 30s reminiscing about their teenage angst-filled days I’m sure.

American Idol
Yeah, yeah, the crowd is probably going to be filled with 10-year-old kids, but come on. I’ll be at the American Idol tour, and with absolutely no shame either. After obsessively watching the contestants for a ridiculous amount of hours every week for basically half a year, there’s no way I’m missing a night of seeing them live.

The top 10 American Idol contestants of 2009 will be touring around the country, and yes, that includes the winner (ahem, Adam Lambert). But I’m also super excited to see Danny Gokey (please sing “What Hurts the Most”!) and Anoop Desai. I’m cringing a little bit at the fact I’ll have to watch Michael Sarver and Megan Joy once again, but I can always go buy a beer during their sets. Wait, do they sell beer at American Idol concerts? Please say yes.

Kenny Chesney
Kenny Chesney shows are always, always a good time, even if you’re not particularly a country music fan. The best thing (in my opinion) about Kenny tours in the summer is the chance that he might take his shirt off. OK, OK, so the music is pretty amazing too (but seriously, his body is h-o-t) and this year he’s touring with Miranda Lambert, Lady Antebellum, Sugarland, and Montgomery Gentry.

Helloo, it’s like a whole country music festival.

You’re probably going to want to spend some serious time tailgating, so get to the show early and wear your favorite cowboy hat. Everyone is a country fan when it comes to Kenny Chesney and with songs like “No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problem” and “Beer in Mexico,” there’s nobody better to spend a summer night with than Kenny.

Elton John (and Billy Joel)
Hi, Legend. Attending an Elton John concert would totally be one for the books. Right up there with Bryan Adams and Mariah Carey.  How could this not be the most amazing concert ever? Elton’s going to be touring the world with Billy Joel and while Billy’s not my absolute favorite, he’s definitely another huge legend. I kind of think whatever stadiums and arenas they’re performing at are going to explode with all that major legend-ness.

Elton has had so many huge hits, and even his recent albums are pretty fabulous, so I am super psyched to see what songs he’s going to choose to perform and if this concert is going to last all night long. Seriously, I don’t think Elton and Billy would even have enough time to sing all their hits in one evening. In any event, I can’t imagine Elton John will be touring too much longer, so I would jump on this summer tour if I were you. Do you think Elton will wear some outrageously huge sunglasses? Let’s hope so. I can’t wait to Crocodile Rock this summer!

What tours are you looking forward to this summer?

If you pay attention to music news at all, then I’m pretty sure you’ve got one thing on your mind: U2. Of course, U2’s new album is what everyone and their brother is talking about this week and for good reason.

But don’t let the boys from back in the day completely overshadow the rest of the fabulous music being released this week. If you miss out on Neko Case’s new album, you’re likely going to regret it. And give newcomer Molly Jenson a listen to as well. While new releases from the classic groups are always super exciting, there’s a lot of fabulous new music out there.

U2- No Line on the Horizon

It’s U2’s 11th album and because 11 is my lucky number, I had to review it. Well OK, and because it’s U2 and they haven’t had an album in 5 years. But judging from the tracks on No Line on the Horizon, it was worth the wait; and most long-time U2 fans should be pretty happy with how it turned out. I admit I’m not the hugest U2 fan; I’ve always enjoyed their music, but haven’t been waiting too anxiously to hear their new stuff. So I’m actually kind of surprised that I have been enjoying it as much as I have. I love that Bono’s voice is always so familiar even when he’s singing in different styles, like he seems to do on this album. In one of my favorite songs, “Breathe,” the band sounds a bit more rock ‘n’ roll-y than usual and the lyrics are amazing: “We are people borne of sound/The songs are in our eyes…Sing your heart out, sing my heart out/I’ve found grace inside a sound.” Chances are, you’ll know what he’s talking about and will find grace inside this album. I’m also enjoying the somewhat quieter “White as Snow” and the fun pop-ish “Stand Up Comedy.” As Bono and the boys sing in “Unknown Caller,” “Shout for joy if you get the chance.” Most of us will be shouting for joy that U2 is finally back. And better than ever!

Neko Case- Middle Cyclone

I’ve heard so, so much about Neko Case but it took me a long while to pay her a listen (in fact, I’m ashamed to admit that for a while, I just assumed Neko was a man). But now I’m incredibly happy I jumpd on the Neko Case bandwagon. Her newest album, Middle Cyclone, is enough to make me want to listen to all the rest. One of my favorite tracks on the album is the somewhat short “The Next Time You Say Forever” because it’s fun to hear such a seemingly sweet singer sing lyrics like: “The next time you say forever/I will punch you in your face/Just because you don’t believe it/Doesn’t mean I didn’t mean it.” Other standouts on the album include “Magpie to the Morning” and “I’m an Animal,” but honestly, the more I listen to the album, the more I fall in love with each song. At first I thought I had a bad copy of the album as my last song just sounded like crickets. 30 minutes of crickets chirping, in fact. But after I did some research, I discovered this was exactly how she meant the album to end. So maybe Neko is a little bit random, but I can handle that. Her voice is incredibly beautiful and her lyrics are powerful enough that she can end her album with crickets if she desires. I’m off to listen to Neko’s previous albums in hopes that I enjoy them half as much as Middle Cyclone.

Molly Jenson- Maybe Tomorrow

Molly Jenson is a quiet, effortless singer. You know the kind. Her voice is incredibly easy to listen to. Maybe Tomorrow was my first time listening to Molly and I can see why Greg Laswell was so eager to work with her. I find the album’s first single to be a little bit boring and generic; but I’m a big fan of the title track. It really showcases her voice, which actually reminds me a bit of Tristan Prettyman, who also sings about similar topics of love and heartbreak. The last song on the album, “Wait For You Here” is filled with a quiet emotion: “I won’t blame you if you can’t find your way/ I will wait for you here/If you don’t get here till the end of the day/Still I’ll wait for you here.” There are some religious undertones in Molly’s music, but it’s not classified as Christian music and it’s definitely meant to be listened to by anyone. I hope Maybe Tomorrow helps bring Molly Jenson into the mainstream, but I’m not positive as to how she’s going to break out. She might have to wait until her next album. Maybe tomorrow.

[Photos courtesy of AuntSmack4U on Flickr, and Amazon.com]

Life doesn’t come equipped with an orchestra. If your sexcapades, like your iTunes, are on shuffle, here are a few songs you probably don’t want on your playlist.

1. “Dat Baby”–Shawty Putt feat. Lil Jon

With a chorus of “Dat baby don’t look like me,” and an opening line, “Dat baby ain’t mine… I’m sorry, bitch you heard Maury,” this jam is an instant libido-killer. The last thing a guy wants to hear as he’s sliding into home base is “You are NOT the father!” Sure, you’re using protection, but condoms aren’t 100% effective…paternity tests, on the other hand, don’t lie. Besides, no woman wants to find out that her cute college hookup won’t take responsibility if an accident does happen.

2. “You’re Pretty When I’m Drunk”– Bloodhound Gang

You can kick yourself in the morning when you sober up and realize that the guy you brought home from the bar last night looks nothing like David Beckham (actually, he more closely resembles Danny DeVito), so you don’t need Jimmy Pop saying “I told you so.” Besides, lines like “I’m hungry like the wolf, but I’ll end up taming cattle,” and “it wouldn’t be the first time that I gave a dog a bone,” though satirical, are pretty harsh. As liberated, self-respecting women, we know we’re pretty when he’s sober, too, inside and out.

3. “John Wayne Gacy, Jr.”– Sufjan Stevens

If you didn’t know that this song is about the infamous serial killer, you might think the gentle ballad sets the mood. However, if your ears perk up at the lines, “And in my best behavior, I am really just like him/ Look underneath the floor boards for the secrets I have hid,” you’ll probably get creeped out, and ask yourself how well you really know the guy who’s jamming his tongue down your throat.

4. “UR So Gay”– Katy Perry

Straight guys will go flacid as soon as Ms. Perry belts her titular accusation in the chorus. They won’t even listen to the following line, “you don’t even like boys.” Homophobic or not, men don’t like to have their sexualities questioned. Besides, the whole song is an angry letter to a shallow metrosexual. You would never want your lover to “hang [himself] with an H & M scarf,” now, would you?

5. “MmmBop”– Hanson

This song will actually probably cause many social situations to take a turn down Embarrassment Alley. If you’re a closet Hanson fan, that’s fine. But your guy might not appreciate your “special” quirks.

Any I missed?

Moving to New York for the term just made everything worse. Suddenly I was with my own kind, it was like coming home for a family reunion. Only the hipsters I saw, well they were way more hip than me.

The swarms of tight-panted, ironic t-shirt wearing, gold mini-dress sporting, skinny as hell boys and girls had all the newest sneakers, knew all the newest bands both in the New York scene as well as the newest stuff coming from the West Coast, Canada, and Britain were at a whole new plane of cool and they knew it.

Looking extremely bored, hungry, and wearing too many shades of neon, these New York hipsters knew they were cooler than me. I could feel it. I was from, gasp, New Hampshire. What’s in NH besides maple syrup, cable-knit sweaters, and my favorite Ivy League institution? Exactly. It’s nothing but mountains and pancakes.

So I put all my energy into bringing up my hip status to snag myself a “posse” of cool friends but they’re so damn cliquey. It’s like being in middle school again. So I decided my best plan of action was to go to indie rock shows (which I heart) and stand there looking cool, unimpressed, and silent. I don’t know which is worse, the fact that I thought this was a good idea or the fact that it worked.

So I’m fairly sure I’ve reached hip status, with my gold leggings, disheveled but immaculate hair, and encyclopedia-like knowledge of all the newest groups emerging from the woodwork. But something is wrong…

Last night while standing in line for a free concert at the Hiro Ballroom, I had a lot of time for deep contemplation and people-watching (or as I like to call it, people-judging). Suddenly life on the inside didn’t look so grand. To my left there was a skinny-boy with tighter jeans than me who kept adjusting his hair but trying to look like he didn’t care about his hair at the same time. Behind me was a girl wearing a denim jacket and jeans (Canadian tuxedo) ironically, but I couldn’t decide if the subtle attempt at humor was genius or she just looked like badly dressed Canadian.

So that’s the dilemma. Are these hipsters cooler than everybody else or is it all a sham? I haven’t the slightest. But I do know that I’m going to start dating outside the scene. Something about seeing guys in better jeans than me is a big turn-off…