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Outside Lands in photos: Pearl Jam, Incubus, Built to Spill and more.

Incubus lead singer Brandon Boyd couldn’t escape the curse of being a vocalist on the main stage of Outside Lands opening night. Where headliner Eddie Vedder had a tickle in his throat, Boyd had a frog. Standing at the center of a band renowned for its larynx-driven histrionics, Boyd could only plead with the boozy crowd to sing along to “Stellar” and “Drive” as he hoarsely half-sung the notes. Touring their best-of album Monuments and Melodies, one had to respect the Calabasas, California chart monsters — blown out voice and all — for delighting the ebullient crowd, who basked happily in the mid-70-degree sun.

“Anna Molly” and a mangled Prince cover had Boyd drinking red wine right from the bottle. “I told my friends I was sick and they all said the same thing. ‘Get drunk,’ ” he said. “If I lose my pants by the fifth song, don’t hold it against me and don’t tell anyone.” The pants stayed on, no one looked offended and Incubus fought through their one-hour set without killing anyone’s buzz.

As a counterpoint, Brooklyn post-punk quintet the National turned in a broody, cryptic and riveting one-hour set mid-afternoon on the second stage, augmented by a brass trio that included French horn. Vocalist Matt Beringer, clad in a smart grey suit, cut a stark figure amidst the shady eucalyptus grove. Showered and blue-blazered, he intoned deeply and strutted on “Mistaken For Strangers” from 2007 critical darling Boxer. “How are you all doing?” Beringer drolly asked the throng. “It’s nice. I just killed a bug. On my nose.” His rock talk suited the understated portent in powerful, tight, numbers like “Cold Fever Girl” off debut LP The National and “Baby We’ll Be Fine” and “Abel” from Alligator.

With Built to Spill buried in the early line-up at 2:30 p.m, even SoCal fuzz rock upstarts Silversun Pickups were paying respect. “Built to Spill is one of the best bands of all time,” chanted lead singer Brian Aubert during the beginning of the trio’s 4:15 p.m. main stage set. Their adept hour-long performance introduced thousands to their walls of fuzz like “The Lazy Eye” and “The Royal We” from their debut LP Carnavas and 2009 follow-up Swoon. The band seemed genuinely taken aback by the football fields of fans. “Hi way back there, Holy shit! We’re really happy to have all of you here — it’s so gorgeous it’s just stunning,” said Aubert. “San Francisco. Golden Gate Park. It’s pretty hard to find a place half as fucking beautiful as this city. Especially today.”

In other news, Q-Tip dedicated his set to the recently deceased DJ AM. Los Angeles’ Autolux opened the proceedings with a haunting, furious 1 p.m. set. And San Francisco local favorites the Dodos pounded out new material from their much-anticipated release Time To Die.

Check out a full report from Pearl Jam’s Day One headlining set.

Hairs stood on end Friday night in Golden Gate Park when tens of thousands of Pearl Jam fans took over vocal duties on “Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small Town,” singing “thoughts and thoughts they fade, faaaaade away,” so loud it echoed throughout western San Francisco. Recent touring has shredded Eddie Vedder’s vocal chords, so the ebullient, tanned crowd handled significant chunks of “Evenflow” and “Daughter,” creating just a few of the many postcard-perfect moments at the second annual Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival.

Almost 100 bands are drawing more than 100,000 people to the three-day music series, sprawled out across 20 city blocks inside the verdant, enormous city park. Also featuring headliners Dave Matthews Band Saturday and Sunday’s M.I.A. and Tenacious D, Friday’s eight-hour proceedings occurred under near-idyllic, sunny, mid-70-degree weather with a touch of ocean humidity.

Dive into Outside Lands in photos of Pearl Jam, Incubus, Built to Spill and more.

The day was dominated by anticipation for live show mammoths Pearl Jam, who have been touring material from upcoming September 20th release Backspacer, though Built To Spill, the National, Silversun Pickups and Incubus fielded devout factions as well. Eddie Vedder and Pearl Jam emerged at 7:50 p.m. on the minute in front of a backdrop of stylized waves inspired by Japanese print artists like Utagawa Hiroshige. Wearing trademark brown flannel, jean shorts, sneakers and beard, Vedder laconically grumbled “Let’s get it on,” sending drummer Matt Cameron and bassist Jeff Ament into the overdriven rhythms of “Why Go.” Lead guitarist Mike McCready entered like a chainsaw massacre and asserted a dominance he would maintain all night. “Animal” drove the crowd into a frenzy unseen all day.

“Is everybody good out there? Everybody staying safe? I hope so because there’s a whoooole hell of a lot of you out there so keep track of each other, help each other up,” said Vedder. “And don’t eat the brown acid. The mushrooms are fine.”

It wasn’t the first time the San Francisco landmark event drew comparisons to Woodstock, which is celebrating its 40-year anniversary this August (check out all of RS’ coverage here). In terms of logistics, Outside Lands ran like atomic clockwork. “Corduroy” roared forth as Vedder donned his guitar and sang, “can’t buy what I want because it’s free,” catapulting McCready into another minutes-long, virtuosic solo.

Though Pearl Jam proved tight to the microsecond, Vedder apologized for having a cold. “The tour kicked our fucking ass and I’m pissed off my throat is not what it is.” His hoarseness went unnoticed or forgiven by the die-hards and the merely drunk laid low by smuggled-in hard liquor and $7 Heineken chasers. “Evenflow” sent crowd surfers skyward and McCready played the song’s solo behind his head, the entire spectacle magnified by twin, hi-definition stadium video monitors fed by at least six fixed and mounted cameras. Even the shortest fans felt like front row watchers, and McCready made it look easy.

“We’re about to take three weeks off,” said Vedder. “I don’t know what the fuck [Mike]’s going to do when he can’t do that.”

The two-hour set included two encores and featured new album Backspacer’s “Got Some” and “The Fixer,” Yield’s “Low Light,” plus “Black,” “Do the Evolution” and Ament on upright bass for “Daughter,” before Pearl Jam closed with Neil Young’s “Rockin’ in the Free World.”

Pearl Jam keep on rocking September 21st in Seattle. Outside Lands continues Saturday with headliners the Mars Volta and Dave Matthews Band and Sunday with M.I.A. and Tenacious D.

Read about Incubus, the National, Silversun Pickups and more of Day One’s lineup.

More Pearl Jam:

• Pearl Jam Tell Story Behind Backspacer in Making-Of Video
• Pearl Jam Break Out New Songs, Rarities, Ronnie Wood in London

The lights atop the Palms Hotel and Casino paid tribute to DJ AM on Friday night


Photo: Rob Loud/ Getty Images

On Friday night, to pay tribute to the life of the late DJ AM, Rain nightclub at the Palms Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas went quiet. DJ AM, born Adam Goldstein, had a weekly gig at the club.

The Las Vegas Sun reports that despite the expensive and complicated sound and light system, the Vegas club turned it all down to observe a moment of silence for AM. It was a far cry from the way the club usually celebrated AM on Friday nights, when he would assume his spot at the turntables just after midnight. AM’s friend and opening act, R.O.B, paid tribute to the DJ.

“Today is a sad day in the nightlife community and an especially somber time for DJs across the world,” R.O.B. said. “He was not only our resident DJ at Rain nightclub inside the Palms Casino Resort, he was also our brother in music. I considered him a close friend, and Palms Casino Resort, the N9NE Group, and myself would like to send our condolences to his family, friends and fans,” he continued. “DJ AM, you will be dearly missed.”

For the moment of silence, clubgoers stood and faced the DJ booth for about a minute. The Las Vegas Sun notes that one patron shouted, “It’s my birthday!” prompting others to shout back “Respect!” and “Respect our boy, AM!”

	DJ AM: A Life In Photos

R.O.B. added that AM was a “talented DJ.” “He has single-handedly brought nightlife and DJs from around the world to another level.” Spinning Diddy’s 1997 tribute to the Notorious B.I.G., “I’ll Be Missing You,” he then asked that the patrons to have a good time, as that’s what AM would have wanted.

The Palms also shut down the lights on each letter in their sign, except for the A and M. In a statement, Palms owner George Maloof said, “I am deeply saddened by the news of the passing of DJ AM. He was our resident DJ at Rain Nightclub at the Palms Casino Resort. We considered him a friend and a great artist. He will truly be missed.”

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DJ AM


Photo: Robyn Beck/ AFP/ Getty Images

Less than 24 hours after police found DJ AM (real name: Adam Goldstein) dead in his New York apartment, the Medical Examiner’s office announced that an autopsy on the DJ’s body failed to determine a cause of death.

“The cause of death was inconclusive because we need to do additional testing,” New York City Medical Examiner spokesperson Ellen Borakove told People.com on Saturday (August 29). “The testing would include toxicology and tissue testing. We don’t expect any results for several weeks.”

Borakove declined to comment further on the case.

“It’s under investigation and when the investigation is complete we will have a cause of death and a manner of death,” she said, adding that office is investigating the death in cooperation with the New York City Police Department.

Citing anonymous police and other sources, many media reports claim that Goldstein was found with prescription medication bottles and/ or drug-smoking paraphernalia near his body.

AM had a history of drug abuse but recently said he had been clean for 11 years. Before his death, Goldstein had filmed a substance-abuse intervention show with MTV called “Gone Too Far” that aimed to warn young people about the perils of drug abuse. The show was scheduled to premiere in October.

	DJ AM: A Life In Photos

Goldstein had openly discussed his former heavy drug and alcohol use in his last interview with MTV News a month ago. He was said to be distraught over a recent break-up with American Apparel model Hayley Wood. TMZ reported that a woman believe to be Wood was seen at AM’s apartment on Friday night and appeared ‘visibly shaken’ as she ran from the building to a waiting taxi.

Goldstein’s death came near a year after he and frequent musical partner Travis Barker of Blink-182 survived a fiery Learjet crash in South Carolina that killed the other four people on board.

A hugely popular celebrity DJ, AM was honored on Friday night at the Palms Hotel in Las Vegas, where a moment of silence was observed at the Rain nightclub where he had a weekly gig, as well as on Twitter by a number of friends such as Katy Perry, Lindsay Lohan, Perez Hilton and Ryan Seacrest. MTV News’ Sway Calloway also paid tribute to AM, calling the mixmaster someone who was “really respected, somebody who revolutionized music culture.”

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Scroll down for full news stories, commentary and much more in Rock Daily.

Once upon a time, 50 Cent and At the Drive-In were both Rolling Stone Artists to Watch. So were the White Stripes, Mastodon, My Chemical Romance and Shakira. Find out who else we picked as winners in the past decade, and look at their accomplishments in the years since here:

• Artists to Watch: Where Are They Now?

And don’t forget to check out our 2009 selections, which include Drake, the Avett Brothers and Little Boots. Hear music and check out their stories here:

• Artists to Watch 2009

It’s been exactly one week since Paula Abdul posted on Twitter that she would not be returning to American Idol for its ninth season. Since her announcement, contract squabbles, the addition of Kara DioGuardi as fourth judge and Abdul’s past criticism of Idol producers have been blamed for the split. According to the New York Times, all those reasons — and a handful more — factored into Abdul’s decision, with sources telling the paper that the pop star was fed up with being a punchline and eager to prove that she could be a success outside of the show. With NBC and ABC reportedly battling it out to secure Abdul’s services, the former judge seems to have proven her detractors wrong.

Look back at Season Eight of Idol, featuring Adam Lambert and Kris Allen.

“Paula didn’t place as much importance on remaining on the show as some other people did,” a person close to Abdul told the NYT. Abdul was earning far less money than her male counterparts, and felt that years of subtle jokes concerning her unreliability, alleged prescription drug addiction and a rumored affair with an AI contestant cost her endorsement deals. One incident in particular riled Abdul, who reportedly blamed her fellow co-stars’ comments for ruining an opportunity with a major clothing designer in 2006.

Click here for Adam Lambert’s reasons why he’ll miss Paula Abdul on Idol.

While Abdul seemed fine on the surface about the casting of Kara DioGuardi as Idol’s fourth judge, sources tell the Times Abdul took DioGuardi’s addition as a message from producers that Paula was replaceable. Abdul reportedly felt the show’s offer of $5 million per season, half of what she had requested and well less than both Simon Cowell and Ryan Seacrest, proved the point. Abdul scoffed at the $5 million deal, and while negotiations continued with Abdul’s new manager David Sonenberg, she took matters into her own hands and made her Twitter announcement.

Related Stories:

• Paula Abdul Announces She’s Leaving “American Idol”
• Seacrest “Stunned,” Jackson “Shocked” By Abdul’s “Idol” Exit
• Abdul Talks Leaving “Idol,” Show Starts Search for Fourth Judge

Jay-Z


Photo: Jared Milgrim/FilmMagic

It was already shaping up to be a pretty huge night, but now, the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards have gotten even bigger. Or at least grittier and glammier.

That’s because Jay-Z and Lady Gaga have been booked to perform at the VMAs, joining an already impressive list that includes Taylor Swift, Green Day, Pink and Muse.

Jay — whose gnarly “D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)” is up for Best Hip-Hop Video and Best Male Video — will perform a song from his hotly anticipated The Blueprint 3 album, due September 11. The glittery Gaga — who, along with Beyoncé, leads everyone with nine VMA nods — will perform a single from her breakthrough The Fame album.

“I’m simply gutted to be both a performer and nominee at the 2009 VMAs,” Gaga said. “In fact, I’m so happy, I could die.”

In addition to the performers, there are some big-name presenters to add to the show too. Nelly Furtado, Miranda Cosgrove and “Gossip Girl” star Leighton Meester — who is up for Best Pop Video and Best Direction for Cobra Starship’s “Good Girls Go Bad” — will be on hand to, well, hand out the awards. They join Katy Perry, Ne-Yo and Chace Crawford, who have already been announced as VMA presenters.

But who will they be presenting the awards to? Well, that’s up to you. Voting for the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards is under way over at VMA.MTV.com. Verizon Wireless subscribers can also vote by texting VMA to 97979.

The VMAs will broadcast live from New York on September 13 at 9 p.m. Russell Brand will once again serve as host for the evening. Trust us: It’s going to be a night you just can’t miss.

The 2009 MTV Video Music Awards will take place September 13 at 9 p.m. ET. Nominees, celebrity presenters and additional performers will be announced in the coming weeks. To be the first to find out the inside scoop, follow the Inside MTV Twitter account at Twitter.com/InsideMTV.

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Jay-Z performs at the 2001 VMAs


Photo: Theo Wargo/WireImage

The 2009 MTV Video Music Awards are back in New York this year, and no one represents the Big Apple quite like Jay-Z. So, it only makes sense for the Brooklyn rap icon to perform during the festivities. When the show airs live on September 13 at 9 p.m. ET, Jay is gonna take to the stage to perform a track from his upcoming album, The Blueprint 3, which will drop just days prior to the big show.

It won’t be his first time appearing at the VMAs, although it’ll definitely be one of his most eagerly anticipated. Here MTV News recaps five other memorable times Hov graced our stage in the past 10 years.

	Jay-Z’s Greatest VMA Moments

1999: Run This Town
Jay-Z made his VMA performance debut in a big way at New York’s Metropolitan Opera House. Joined by Ja Rule and Amil, Jigga took to the stage to perform his breakout hit “Can I Get A …”  along with a medley of tracks from his best-selling, Vol 2…Hard Knock Life. His 2009 performance has a lot to live up to in order to top this one.

2001: Classic
Just days before he released one of his most celebrated albums, The Blueprint, Jay-Z was already basking in the success of the project. The legendary lyricist donned a number 23 Chicago Bulls jersey with Carter emblazoned on the back as he performed “Izzo (H.O.V.A).” The message was clear: This was his year in hip-hop. Everyone agreed.

2003: Meet the Carters
Madonna’s kiss with Britney may have had tongues wagging, but the real steam came when Jay-Z joined Beyoncé for their hit “Crazy in Love.” B cozied up to Jay and put some extra umph into her moves when she walked past her man. Jay might not have been onstage for long, but sparks were flying during his screen time.

2004: And The Winner Is … Hov!
The Roc boy was definitely in the house on this night. Jay-Z tied with OutKast for the most Moonmen at the 2004 VMAs held in Miami. His gritty, artistic and authentic clip for “99 Problems” scored the Roc-A-Fella boss wins for Best Rap Video, Best Direction, Best Editing and Best Cinematography. He did say he would not lose.

2006: King of New York
You guys thought Mayor Bloomberg oversaw the city? Think again. Jay-Z introduced the 2006 VMAs perched 70 stories atop the famed GE Building in Rockefeller Plaza. The show was back in New York after two consecutive years in Miami. With one simple line and gesture, he made us feel like we never left. “Welcome home,” Jay said as he put on his trademark Yankee hat.

The 2009 MTV Video Music Awards will take place September 13 at 9 p.m. ET. Additional celebrity presenters and performers will be announced in the coming weeks. To be the first to find out the inside scoop, follow the Inside MTV Twitter account at Twitter.com/InsideMTV.

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