Loose Ends: BSS Replaces Massive Attack At Virgin Fest, Free Beyonce And John Mayer Shows, And Van Halen Porn Music

09/07/06 7:00pm

Britain's Massive Attack have had to pull out of their Sunday night headlining spot at Toronto's inaugural Virgin Festival, as well as a performance in Montreal the next night, after not being issued U.S. immigration visas in time for the start of their eagerly awaited North American tour. Broken Social Scene will take their place and close the festival on Toronto Island.

If you don't want to pay $104.50 for a two-day Virgin Festival pass, Best Buy invites you to Toronto's Yonge-Dundas Square for a free performance by Beyonce on Sept. 15 and another free show by John Mayer the following afternoon. The home electronics chain is using its leverage with record companies and sponsoring the concerts to promote its new downtown store.

Guitarist Eddie Van Halen teamed up with friend and adult video director Michael Ninn to write and perform two songs for the film Sacred Sin, which will arrive in the back corner of video stores on Sept. 13. The Ninn Worx production is apparently aimed at the couples market and will feature videos for the two Van Halen songs, "Rise" and "Catherine." A non-explicit version of the film, which almost no-one will want to see, will be titled Rise and be released at a later date.

Aerosmith set out on their "Route Of All Evil" tour on Tuesday, but founding bassist Tom Hamilton wasn't part of it, as he's recovering from radiation treatment for throat cancer. The 55-year-old is expected to rejoin his bandmates in mid-October. David Hull, a longtime friend of the band who played in the Joe Perry Project, is filling in. Aerosmith will play Toronto's Air Canada Centre on Oct. 2.

Victor Willis, the original cop from The Village People, has been sentenced to three years' probation on drug possession charges after he agreed to enter a 90-day treatment program at the Betty Ford Center in Rancho Mirage, Calif. He'll then be transferred to a residential treatment program for at least six months.

The 54-year-old was arrested in San Francisco in March after police stopped his car and found cocaine and drug paraphernalia. He pleaded no contest in July after failing to appear for several court hearings. After co-writing the disco smashes "YMCA" and "In The Navy," Willis left The Village People in 1980.

Toronto concert announcements:

Sept. 22 Peter Katz and Rob Szabo @ Rivoli
Sept. 23 Peter Katz, Thomas Matheson and Megan Lane @ Rivoli
Sept. 23 Digging Roots and Madagascar Slim @ Silver Dollar
Sept. 24 Carlos Morgan @ Trane Studio
Sept. 30 Carlos Del Junco Band @ Silver Dollar
Oct. 7 Hamell On Trial @ Revival
Oct. 8 Peter Case and Jon Dee Graham @ Horseshoe
Oct. 9 Giant Sand and Howe Gelb @ Horseshoe
Oct. 13 Pat Travers and Mulholland Drive @ Healey's
Oct. 26 Deicide, Disgust, Remain and Desolation @ Kathedral
Oct. 30 The Black Angels and The Tyde @ Horseshoe
Nov. 1 The Beautiful South @ Phoenix
Nov. 7 Bob Dylan and Foo Fighters @ Air Canada Centre
Nov. 7 All-American Rejects, The Starting Line, The Format and Gym Class Heroes @ Arrow Hall
Nov. 10 Jon Rae And The River @ Lee's Palace
Nov. 16 Panic! At The Disco, Bloc Party and Jack's Mannequin @ Ricoh Coliseum
Dec. 9 Savoy Brown and Kim Simmonds @ Silver Dollar
Dec. 10 Arrogant Worms @ Hugh's Room
Dec. 14 Murray McLauchlan @ Hugh's Room
March 17 Chris Whiteley @ St. Nicholas Anglican Church
May 12 Garnet Rogers @ St. Nicholas Anglican Church

Vancouver concert announcements:

Sept. 15 RuPaul @ Celebrities
Sept. 19 Laura Doyle, Megan Metcalfe, Mae Moore, Lester Quitzau, Jimmy Zee, Ginette Genereux and Ron Irving @ Roundhouse Community Centre
Sept. 22 Sweatshop Union @ Highland Pub
Sept. 22 K'Naan and Moka Only @ Commodore Ballroom
Sept. 29 Exit This Side and Black Halos @ Highland Pub
Oct. 11 Bob Dylan and Kings Of Leon @ Pacific Coliseum
Oct. 14 Nazareth, Kenny Shields & Streetheart and Headpins @ Edgewater Stage
Oct. 16 The Detroit Cobras, King Khan, BBQ and Taylor Hollingsworth @ Richard's On Richards
Oct. 20-21 54-40 @ Commodore Ballroom
Oct. 22 Harry Manx and Michael Kaeshammer @ Centennial Theatre Centre
Oct. 22 The Black Angels and The Tyde @ Richard's On Richards
Oct. 23 Ziggy Marley @ Commodore Ballroom
Oct. 26 Cat Empire @ Commodore Ballroom
Oct. 27 Be Your Own Pet, Awesome Color and Tall Firs @ Richard's On Richards
Nov. 3 April Wine @ Show Barn
Dec. 1-2 Ron Sexsmith @ Vancouver East Cultural Centre
Dec. 2 Panic! At The Disco, Bloc Party and Jack's Mannequin @ Pacific Coliseum