fittingly titled Stripped will hit North America this April with performances in 34 cities. Critics have described Izzard as everything from the “funniest man in pretty much all of the known universe,” to “a human search engine,” to “a surrealist maestro of historical and scientific trivia,” and “a one-man Monty Python crew.” Izzard won acclaim in the U.S. with his first one man show, Dress to Kill, which debuted on HBO and won two Emmy Awards. His last record breaking tour, Sexie, sold-out 15 cities, including a week at New York's City Center, and a week at The Wiltern Theater in Los Angeles. In between tours, Izzard has earned rave reviews for his acting talent seen on television in the hit FX series, The Riches, on the big screen in Steven Soderbergh’s Oceans 13, and on Broadway where he starred in the acclaimed revival of A Day in the Deal of Joe Egg. Izard received a Tony nomination for "Best Leading Actor in a Play" for his performance.

August 1st, Cincotti will be headling a benefit concert for Concerts For Kids at the Ellie Caulkin’s Opera House. Local favorite, Hazel Miller, will be kicking off the evening at 8:00 PM with her stunning, sultry voice! Tickets for this event are on sale NOW through Ticketmaster. Exploring musical styles that blend pop, rock, blues, funk and jazz, Cincotti's percussive piano playing and rich vocals infuse each song with a startling energy. Cincotti’s newest album, East of Angel Town, was created through the collaborative effort of noted producer and 4-time Grammy winner David Foster, producer Humberto Gatica, and producer/sound designer Jochem van der Saag. “My husband, Walter, and I have been fans of Peter’s music for years and are very excited to be able to have him perform for Concerts For Kids,” Christie Isenberg, President and Co-Founder of Concerts For Kids said. “Once you see him on stage, you will be mesmerized by his extraordinary talent. This is an event you won’t want to miss!”

kick-ass rock *n roll music," says Puddle Of Mudd frontman Wesley Scantlin about his band's imminent third album, Famous. After their 2001 debut, Come Clean, sold over 5 million copies and spawned no less than 4 radio hits (including "Blurry", the most played song of 2002); and their gold-certified follow-up Life On Display, Puddle Of Mudd were able to step back a little to create Famous (scheduled for a July release). "We had a lot of time to write and then make the record, as opposed to our second record where we were writing while we were recording," explains bassist Douglas Ardito. "This time we had time to live life and have experiences to talk about." After demoing songs "in some crazy little apartment with an isolation booth in the middle of Hollywood", Famous was recorded in Los Angeles and Colorado. Brian Howes (Hinder, Daughtry) co-wrote the first single "Famous," which is currently rising up the Rock radio charts, with Wes and produced the track. For all their platinum albums, awards and sold-out shows, Puddle Of Mudd have retained their organic approach to songwriting, usually starting with Wesley at home with an acoustic guitar. "If it sounds good and it makes your skin goose bump-up then you're probably onto something," he mulls. And Puddle Of Mudd now have fresh inspiration from new members Christian Stone (ex-Campfire Girls) and Ryan Yerdon. Famous once again displays Puddle Of Mudd's sixth sense for creating anthemic, songs that are at once optimistic and uneasy, uplifting yet contemplative, dramatic but never without humor. Wesley's voice retains its serrated charm but is more versatile than ever, able to shift a song's mood with sometimes unexpected inflections. As ever, Puddle Of Mudd are single-minded in focusing on unpretentious songcraft and accessible lyrical authenticity over fashion's fickle demands or artsy affectations. "We're not using DJ turntables and synths and all that stuff," Douglas confirms. "We're just trying to pull out the honesty and make another batch of great songs for people to listen to."

charges. Ages 16 and up. Concerts rain or shine.

1 around the globe, it has been confirmed that Madonna's "STICKY & SWEET TOUR" will begin (hip) hopping around the world on August 23rd in Cardiff, Wales with stops in major European markets through September including London (11-September) and Paris (20-September). The North American leg of the "STICKY & SWEET TOUR" begins October 3rd at the Izod Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey, with stops at New York's Madison Square Garden on October 6th and 7th, followed by performances in Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles and more before stopping at Miami's Dolphin Stadium on November 26th. Madonna's "STICKY & SWEET" tour will also visit Mexico and South America later this year.