Link-O-Rama …

Congress back in session means the RIAA and MPAA resume their battle for more expansive copyright laws – CNET / Politics and Law

Alas, poor CD. We knew you well – The Sydney Morning Herald

Oasis is giving away free music in a format that’s even older than vinyl – Telegraph U.K.

Red Rocks Amphitheatre preps for the second annual Monolith Festival – Daily Camera

Meanwhile, Hinson, Tennessee, preps for next week’s Chattahippie Music Festival – The Pulse

Is there a music server in your future? – Stereophile Magazine

Dates, Dates & More Dates …

Songwriter Rachael Sage updates with new gigs for October, November and next March. New shows on Ms. Sage’s calendar include October 10 in Boise, Idaho, at Record Exchange, October 18 in Binghamton, New York, at Cyber Cafe West, November 5 in Decatur, Georgia, at Eddie’s Attic, November 21 in NYC at Rockwood Music Hall and a house concert in Savannah, Georgia on March 7, 2009.

Richard Cheese & Lounge Against The Machine continues the quest to bring lounge music to every venue on the planet with a new show slotted for Vegas on January 9. Other new stops include San Diego on January 31, Orlando on March 14 and Vegas, Vegas and Vegas, May 22, May 24 and July 11, respectively.

Ron Sexsmith adds shows in his native Canada for this month and next. September 30 has him in Winnipeg, Manitoba, at Franco-Manitoban Cultural Centre, Regina, Saskatchewan, gets him on October 1 playing The Exchange, October 2 is Calgary, Alberta, at the Grand Theatre and October 3 is Edmonton, Alberta, at Myer Horowitz Theatre.

Finally, Omaha’s McCarthy Trenching provides a hefty update for October and November. Look for the band playing Chicago on October 17 at Double Door, Pensacola on October 23 at Sluggo’s, October 31 in Brooklyn at Union Hall and Evanston on November 9 at SPACE. Other stops include Philadelphia, DC, Saint Augustine and Orlando.

During the last couple of hours we also updated the schedules for Melodians, Mint Condition, Loverboy, Lou Gramm (Lead Singer Of Foreigner), Jeff & Vida, I Am The Avalanche, Hey Ocean!, Greg Brown, Don Edwards, Eddie Money, Ahmad Jamal, The Vivian Girls, The Philosopher Kings, Waddie Mitchell, Tony Clifton (yeah, we know, but that’s the name on the ticket) and This Is Hell.

That’s what’s up at the halfway mark, but we’ll have another dose of hard concert data in Your Latest Update, scheduled for a 3 pm (PDT) post on Pollstar.com!