Weekly music agenda: Pop divas tour the US

(AFP PHOTO/Leon Neal)

The last week of the year kicks off Mariah Carey's tour, while Lady Gaga takes her show to the US in early January.

MIDEM reduced registration
Through December 31
Cannes, France

The next MIDEM (Marché International du Disque et de l'Edition Musicale) is scheduled for January 24-27, 2010. Through the end of 2009, reduced registration is available for €825 rather than the full advance-purchase price of €1,025. The world's largest music industry trade fair, MIDEM has been held in the South of France each year since 1967. Musicians, administrators, recording engineers, journalists, and other music professionals gather at the event to discuss products and trends. MidemNet, a separate conference that opens a day before MIDEM, focuses on multimedia outlets and the online marketplace.
http://www.midem.com

Mariah Carey's 'Angel's Advocate'  tour
December 31 - February 27
United States

Pop and R&B diva Mariah Carey is scheduled to make her first tour in three years, beginning with a New Year's Eve performance in New York City. The 19-city Angel's Advocate tour makes its way throughout the US in January and February, ending February 27 in Las Vegas. Carey will tour in support of her recent album Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel.
http://www.mariahcarey.com/splash/index.html

Lady Gaga's The Monster Ball tour
January 3 - May 29
US/Europe/Australia

The US run of Lady Gaga's tour continues January 3 in Florida and ends January 21 in New York City. On February 18, the tour picks up again in Manchester, England, continuing with a string of shows in Ireland and England through March 8. The pop-dance music artist performs in Australia from March 17 to April 2, then heads to France for two dates at the end of May.
http://www.ladygaga.com

Muse on tour
January 7- April 14
Asia/Oceania/North America

British rock band Muse has tour dates scheduled throughout the month of January in Japan, New Zealand, and Australia, followed by shows in early February in Singapore and Hong Kong. Then, in late February, the band begins a 20-show run throughout the US and Canada, beginning in Atlanta, including a March 5 visit to Madison Square Garden in New York, and ending in San Francisco on April 14.
http://muse.mu

Elvis Presley Birthday Celebration
January 7-10
Memphis, Tennessee, USA

Plans are underway to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the birth of Elvis on January 8. The Elvis Presley Birthday Celebration - a series of concerts, tours, benefits, and other events - will take place from January 7 through 10 in Graceland and at other venues throughout Memphis, Tennessee. Tickets are currently available for all events from the official Elvis website.
http://www.elvis.com/graceland/calendar/elvis_birthday.asp

OK Go on tour
January 11-28
Europe

American rock band OK Go begins a European tour on January 11, starting with nine UK shows and moving on to Brussels, Amsterdam, Cologne, Paris, and Copenhagen. More 2010 shows are expected, including stints in Asia and the US. The band will tour in support of its album Of the Colour of the Sky, due out January 12, which includes the track "Shooting the Moon" from the Twilight: New Moon soundtrack.
http://www.okgo.net/


Black Eyed Peas 'The E.N.D.' World Tour
January 19 - April 11
North America

The Black Eyed Peas have more than 30 shows in the US and Canada booked between January 19 and April 11, beginning in Atlanta and finishing up in Vancouver. In May the act is expected to head to Europe; those dates and venues have yet to be announced. The band will be touring in support of the album The E.N.D, which includes the international chart-topping singles "Boom Boom Pow" and "I Gotta Feeling."
http://www.blackeyedpeas.com/


Arctic Monkeys' 'Humbug' Tour
January 26 - February 10
Europe

The British indie rock band Arctic Monkeys will tour Europe in January and February, beginning in Italy on January 26, then heading to France, Portugal, Spain, and Germany. The band will tour in support of its album Humbug, which was released in August and debuted at number one on UK and European album charts. The Humbug tour began in January 2009 and is expected to extend well into 2010. British indie band Mystery Jets will be a supporting act for the European dates. Tickets for some shows are already on sale.
http://www.arcticmonkeys.com

ABBAWORLD
January 27
London, UK

An interactive exhibition devoted to the Swedish pop group ABBA and backed by the band opens at Earls Court in London on January 27. ABBAWORLD includes 25 rooms of music, footage, images, and memorabilia from the personal collections of the band members. Among interactive activities: fans can get up on stage with 3D holograms of the band, take an ABBA quiz, join a sing-and-dance-along, and see themselves in an ABBA video. ABBAWORLD organizers say the exhibit will visit other major cities following its London residency. Founded in 1970, ABBA has sold nearly 370 albums worldwide. Exhibit ends March 26.
http://www.abbaworld.com
For tickets: http://www.livenation.co.uk

Grammy Awards celebration
January 31
Los Angeles, USA

On January 31, the Recording Academy will award the best of music at the 52nd annual Grammy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles. Awards are given in 31 fields, including pop, rock, and classical, as well as in four "general" categories unrestricted by genre: Album of the Year, Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best New Artist. This year's nominees include Beyoncé, The Black Eyed Peas, Lady Gaga, Dave Matthews Band, ACDC, Taylor Swift, and newcomers MGMT and The Ting Tings. For updates and breaking news from the nominations concert and awards show, visit the Recording Academy's social networks on Twitter and Facebook.
http://www.grammy.com