Odds & Ends: Barry Manilow, Paul McCartney and ‘Snowstorm’ Tour

Barry Manilow reschedules shows scheduled for this week in Chicago to July, lineup for Musicares Person Of The Year event honoring Paul McCartney released, and the Snowstorm Tour featuring T-Pain and Gym Class Heroes drops a couple of dates.

Manilow’s Hips Don’t Lie

Fanilows in the Windy City anticipating Barry Manilow’s three-night engagement at the Chicago Theatre Feb. 2-4 were the recipients of bad news this week when they learned the gigs are being pushed back to July.

A posting on Manilow’s website says the performer is recovering from hip surgery and has been “undergoing intense physical therapy” while rehearsing for his new concert presentation.

New dates for the Chicago gigs are July 12-14. Tickets purchased for the original shows will be honored on the new dates.

“All of us are greatly disappointed and feel terrible that we are disappointing so many others,” Manilow said on his website. “We have all worked very hard on creating the new show and at the same time spent hours with physical therapists to get back in shape. Unfortunately, my hips just aren’t ready yet; and these hips don’t lie.”

Manilow’s next scheduled stop is a four-night engagement at New York City’s Radio City Music Hall Feb. 10-12 & 14.

Photo: John Davisson
Amway Center, Orlando, Fla.

Stars To Honor Macca

Musicares Person Of The Year evening honoring Paul McCartney is loaded with talent.

The organization dedicated to providing critical assistance to professional musicians announced its list of performers today, revealing a lineup that turns the old “star-studded” cliché into an understatement.

Appearing at the Los Angeles Convention Center Feb. 10 will be Tony Bennett, the cast from The Beatles “Love” by Cirque Du Soleil, Coldplay, Duane Eddy, Foo Fighters, Alicia Keys, Diana Krall, Alison Krauss + Union Station featuring Jerry Douglas, Norah Jones, Sergio Mendes, Katy Perry, James Taylor and Neil Young with Crazy Horse.

Who’s hosting this incredible extravaganza combining top-tier artists along with the music industry’s crème de la crème? That would be British comedian Eddie Izzard.

But not all persons of note attending the event are music artists. Plenty of show biz movers and shakers will be honoring McCartney as well, including Musicares and National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences president Neil Portnow, famed record producer Sir George Martin and “Saturday Night Live” creator Lorne Michaels.

As you’ve probably already guessed, this isn’t your typical evening of music. Ticket packages for the sold-out tribute to McCartney included the Diamond Sponsor that included three “diamond” tables for a total of 36 seats priced at $100,000. However, if economy is your mantra, the Silver Sponsor package that included one “Silver Table” with 10 seats carried the easy-on-the-wallet price of only $15,000. Meanwhile, single ticket prices ranged from $1,500 to $8,500. Click here for more info.

Photo: AP Photo
The O2, London, UK

Changes In Snowstorm Forecast

The second annual Snowstorm Music Tour has canceled a couple of dates. The road trip featuring T-Pain and Gym Class Heroes was supposed to launch Feb. 7 in Battle Creek, Mich., and play Green Bay, Wis., Feb. 8.

But that was then. Now, word is the tour is skipping the land of breakfast cereals and nixing the home of the NFL’s Packers as well.

Promoter Jade Presents told Pollstar the two canceled dates are the only changes for the routing and the Snowstorm tour will now launch in Springfield, Ill., at the Prairie Capital Convention Center Feb. 9.

Photo: Jason Moore
Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion, Raleigh, N.C.

Along with T-Pain and Gym Class Heroes, Snowstorm features performances by Outasight, Grieves & Budo and Cris Cab. Click here for the official website.