News …

Ticketmaster plunges into the resale ticket biz – Reuters

Huh? Starbucks to dump most of its in-store music merch? What will we look at while waiting for our latte? – Silicon Alley Insider

We were hoping we could go through an entire day without mentioning Amy Winehouse, but the British pub manager charged with taking a bribe to drop assault charges against her husband has been acquitted. Oh, well … Tomorrow is another day – Associated Press

Sales of Coldplay’s latest album defies recording industry sales slump – The New York Times (registration may be required)

It may have started as a joke, but Nick Cave’s effort to get a statue of himself erected in his hometown appears to be getting serious attention – The Sydney Morning Herald

What comes with its own light show, speaker system and a 160 gig iPod? Would you believe … a wheelchair??? – Coolest Gadgets U.K.

Views …

Stone Temple Pilots in Hollywood – “Soaring strongly, the reunited ’90s band wiped the grime off its troubled past with a performance worthy of the giants of its era.” – The Orange County Register

Stevie Wonder in Motown – “Wonder spent the show’s opening half digging into a trove of album cuts, mixing elegant ballads with smooth worldbeat sounds in a song list aimed for the hearts of seasoned fans.” – Detroit Free Press

Sigur Ros in London – “Focusing on newer material, this two-hour set was largely a bold triumph, with singer Jonsi Birgisson commanding our silent attention during pregnant pauses in their otherworldly sonic creations.” – The Evening Standard U.K.

Coldplay does it for free in NYC – ” … the show gave Coldplay a chance to try out, for the first time, all the special effects of its Viva La Vida tour. ” – The Star-Ledger

Leonard Cohen in Montreal – ” … delighted legions of fans in his hometown Monday night when he took the stage at Place des Arts for one of three highly anticipated sold-out shows.” – CBC News

My Bloody Valentine in London – “Just as earthquakes have epicentres, My Bloody Valentine have the co-frontman Kevin Shields” – The Times Online U.K.

They Say It’s Their Birthday … (Or so says Associated Press)

Eddie Floyd is 73

Carly Simon is 63

Allen Lanier (Blue Oyster Cult) is 62

Ian McDonald (Foreigner, King Crimson) is 62

Tim Finn (Split Enz, Crowded House) is 56

David Paich (Toto) is 54

George Michael is 45

Sean Kelly (Sixpence None The Richer) is 37

Mike Kroeger (Nickelback) is 36