The Closing Bell - Pollstar News

It’s time to lock the doors, raise the drawbridge and get the ol’ Pollstar.com compound ready for its weekly fumigating. But before we leave we want to tell you about new dates for The Rumble Strips, The Klezmatics and Skillet, and links to items about the French Frank Sinatra, a CD-ripping cell phone, a venue honoring Kid Rock and a new TV series featuring artists in unusual venues.

Link-O-Rama …

Looking for a cell phone capable of ripping music directly from CDs? Sony has one. But you gotta like the color pink – Gizmodo

New public television series, “Live From the Artist’s Den,” featuring performances in “unusual” venues, to debut in February – Associated Press

Detroit’s Palace of Auburn Hills honors Kid Rock with a permanent banner that will hang at the venue for … ever! – Detroit Free Press

Photo: AP Photo

Country Music Awards, Sommet Center, Nashville, Tenn.

Catching up with “The French Sinatra” Charles Aznavour – The Times Online U.K.

Dates, Dates & More Dates …

The Rumble Strips fill up their March and early April calendar with new U.K. dates. New on the schedule is March 9 in Birmingham at the Rainbow; March 13 in York at Fibbers; March 20 in Cambridge at The Junction; April 2 in Exeter at the Cavern Club and April 6 in Bristol at Thekla.

New York-based neo-klezmer band The Klezmatics update with new ones for this year and next. First of all, the band adds SUNY / Oswego for May 26 & 27 of this year and March 10 & 11 for next year. In between they add a Brooklyn date – December 13 – at Kingsborough Community College.

And Skillet adds a handful of new dates spread across the months. New stops include May 8 in McAlester, Oklahoma, at the Expo Center; July 8 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, at Sunnyview Fairgrounds and September 19 in Charlotte, North Carolina, at Carowinds.

John L. Cooper and Christian rockers Skillet bring tha noise to the Dove awards and the Gospel Music Association at Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry House . (Photo: AP Photo).

That wraps up the heavy lifting for the week. Thank you for accompanying us on our daily quest for fresh concert data. Remember! It isn’t a weekend without live music. And here’s to a great weekend! Adios!