Odds & Ends: Sting, DJ Diesel, James Taylor, Blood For Tickets

Sting will be the hero come Dec. 14 when he brings his Symphonicity show to New York City’s Stern Auditorium for a one-night only performance benefiting Carnegie Hall’s artistic and music education programs.

Running 2010-2011, Sting’s “Symphonicity” tour featured the singer/bassist performing his own songs as well as tasty nuggets from the Police catalog accompanied by an orchestra.  The New York show will feature Sting and his band performing with the Orchestra of St. Luke’s conducted by Rob Mathes.

A fan club presale that includes access to the pre-concert cocktail reception dinner at The Plaza began this week.  A limited amount of concert-only tickets will be made available to the fan club starting Aug. 20 at 8 a.m. EDT.  Concert-only tickets will go on sale to the general public Aug. 24.  Visit Sting.com for more information.

Can a former pro basketball player make it in the world of EDM?

It’s no secret that Shaquille O’Neal is a man of many talents.  Along with playing with several NBA teams, including the Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics, and Orlando Magic, Shaq has taken on movie roles and has released four rap albums.

Now Shaq is planning to appear as “DJ Diesel” when he spins records at the mammoth TomorrowWorld 18-and-over festival happening Sept. 25-27 in Georgia’s Chattahoochee Hills near Atlanta.

Not much more is known about DJ Diesel’s appearance.  However, the TomorrowWorld people did send this nifty artwork.

In addition to Diesel, TomorrowWorld’s lineup includes Kaskade, Steve Angello, Tiësto, Martin Garrix, Hardwell and others.  Tickets are still available.  Follow this link for details.

Heavy rains forced Cincinnati’s Riverbend Music Center to move tonight’s scheduled James Taylor concert to Sunday, July 26.

From the venue’s website:

“Due to the unprecedented rain fall over the past few weeks the levels of the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers are exceptionally high for this time of year. The Army Corps of Engineers has the Ohio River forecast continuing to rise over the next 48 hours causing flooding of the stage area at Riverbend. Due to these conditions the James Taylor concert cannot be performed this Friday as scheduled.”

Tickets purchased for tonight’s show will be honored on the new date.  Those who cannot attend may seek refunds at points of purchase.

There’s more than one way to snag a ticket to Romania’s Untold Music Festival.  Sure, you can buy the tickets.  But what’s the fun in that when you can trade your own blood for entry?  Especially when you consider that the festival is located deep within Transylvania, the home stomping sucking grounds for Vlad The Impaler, otherwise known as Count Dracula.

To participate in the “Pay With Blood” campaign, blood donors in regional and county transfusion centers have until July 24 to complete a donor form at UntoldFestival.com to receive discounts. Plus, fans signing up as blood donors now through July 19 at Herastrau Park of Bucharest or July 20-21 at the Blood Transfusion Center in Cluj-Napoca will receive tickets instantly.

The Untold Festival runs July 30-Aug. 2.  Headliners include Armin Van Buuren, Avicii, David Guetta, and Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike.  Click here for the official website.