Trey Anastasio has cancelled his only confirmed summer performance, a headlining spot at Detroit Lakes, MN's 10,000 Lakes Festival. The former Phish guitarist is currently undergoing a court-ordered drug rehabilitation program in upstate New York. While it was long believed that Anastasio would be able to fulfill his prior tour commitments, his spokesman released the following statement today: "Trey is disappointed he is unable to play the festival this year but is looking forward to returning for the 2008 10,000 Lakes Festival."

The String Cheese Incident will perform in Anastasio’s place as part of its final tour with Bill Nershi. Last summer, the group played two shows at 10,000 Lakes, including one with longtime pal Keller Williams. In addition, the group has added shows at the Beacon Theatre (7/11) and Red Rocks (8/9) to its summer calendar. A number of guests, including Femi Kuti and ALO, will also support the group during its Horning’s Hideout event.

Other acts scheduled to perform at 10,000 Lakes include Bob Weir & RatDog, The String Cheese Incident, Umphrey's McGee, moe., Gov't Mule, Keller Williams, The Disco Biscuits, The Tragically Hip, Zappa Plays Zappa, The Derek Trucks Band, Galactic, Little Feat, Particle, New Riders of the Purple Sage, Blueground Undergrass, Everyone Orchestra and Ivan Neville's Dumpstaphunk.

Almost seven years after its members split, the Smashing Pumpkins reunited last night for a rare club gig at Paris’ Grand Rex. The relatively intimate gig, which took place in front of 2,000 fans, marks the group’s first performance since December 2, 2000. The evening opened with a new song, “United States,” which will be featured on the group’s forthcoming album, Zeitgeist. Immediately after debuting “United States,” the group dipped into its back catalogue, dusting off its early hit “Today,” from the seminal alt-rock album Siamese Dream. The remainder of the group’s three-hour gig featured a mix of new songs and classic material, including favorites from the group’s heyday like “Zero,” “Hummer,” “Cherub Rock,” “1979” and "Disarm." The gig also featured a short acoustic set, which included selections such as “To Sheila.” In total, the quintet played 29 songs and offered two separate encores.

Though the Smashing Pumpkins seem recharged, the quintet touring this summer only features two members of the group’s classic lineup: guitarist/frontman Billy Corgan and drummer Jimmy Chamberlin. Before reviving the Smashing Pumpkins name, the pair spent time together in the post-grunge group Zwan. The reformed Smashing Pumpkins also includes guitarist Jeff Schroeder, bassist Ginger Reyes and touring keyboardist Lisa Harriton.

The Smashing Pumpkins will headline a number of major European festivals this summer, beginning May 28 at Holland's Pinkpop festival and continuing through a June 17 date at Switzerland's Greenfield Festival. The group will also headline a number of European events in late-August and early-September, after appearing at East Rutherford, NJ’s Live Earth and Washington, DC’s  Virgin Festival. As a warm-up, the group has announced two sets of residency gigs in the U.S.: nine nights at Asheville, NC’s Orange Peel (June 23, 24, 26, 27, 29, 30 and July 2, 3, and 5) and 11 shows at San Francisco’s Fillmore (July 15, 16, 18, 22, 24, 25, 27, 28, 30 and 31 and August 1). According to the band’s management, Corgan and Chamberlin will debut a number of new songs from the Zeitgeist which did not make the album’s final cut throughout their tour.

“I got into Trey World and the story unfolded.”

This comment from Stewart Copeland was in response to the first question of the second Bonnaroo Press Conference, featuring Stewart Copeland of The Police, comedian Lewis Black, and Nathan Followill of Kings of Leon, where Copeland explained how he got back into drums and how he came to know Bonnaroo, first with Oysterhead and now with top-billed The Police.

Copeland also let fans of Bonnaroo and the Police know to expect a wild, one-of-a-kind show that will never happen again.

“I thought the people coming to see Oysterhead in New Orleans were my fans. They were (Trey Anastasio and Les Claypool) fans … We’ve (The Police) been rehearsing for four months. With Oysterhead, we rehearsed for two days. I want to do a completely different kind of show at Bonnaroo, where the mission is to deconstruct the whole thing,” Copeland said.

“I learned to let my hair down and disregard everything I learned about stagecraft. The fans want to go on that (improvisational) journey which is the opposite of The Police thing. We’ll do a completely different show at Bonnaroo if I have anything to do with it,” Copeland said. “We may play five songs for half-an-hour each.”

Lewis Black promised more Bonnaroo-related comedy and raved about his previous festival experience. “The first time there was a little Bonnaroo comedy, the second time, there will be more – last year I was completely overwhelmed – I haven’t seen anything like that for years.” Copeland also raved, saying what a great time he had at Bonnaroo.

Black also raved about the audience. “They’re extraordinarily attentive and as good as any I’ve ever been in front of. Plus I get to see in three days bands that would take me ten years otherwise on my schedule.”

“It vindicates what I’ve been doing my whole life. I know that if I had stayed in Chapel Hill I would still dress the same way as fans do and love the same things,” Black said. “I walk down (Shakedown) and they’re selling the same shit they were selling when I was 15, and that’s great!”

Tickets for the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival, which takes place from June 14-17, are still on sale at www.bonnaroo.com.

Emerging artists hoping to score a spot onstage next to Pearl Jam, Ben Harper and Daft Punk this summer are in luck. For the second year, Lollapalooza will hosts its online battle of the bands competition, Last Band Standing.

Beginning today, artists  will be able to upload songs and images to Lollapalooza.com where fans will have two months to vote for their favorite bands. At the end of the multi-round competition ,two bands will be rewarded spots at the veteran festival. In 2006, more than 2000 artist submissions were accepted, and more than 850,000 votes were cast. Online voters were fervent in their support—and non-support—of artists. As in 2006, this year’s contestants will also be voted on by a celebrity panel featuring Lollapalooza founder/Jane's Addiction leader Perry Farrell, among other luminaries. The competition’s finalists will also face-off in a live competition at Chicago’s Double Door before the event. 2006’s winners were Tone Deff and the Cankles.

As previously reported, Lollapalooza will take place from August 3-5 at  Chicago’s Grant Park. Pearl Jam, Daft Punk, Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals, Muse, Iggy and the Stooges, Interpol, Kings of Leon, Modest Mouse, My Morning Jacket, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Perry Farrell’s Satellite Party, Snow Patrol, The Roots, Paulo Nutini, Femi Kuti and The Positive Force are among the artists scheduled to perform. Relix will be at the festival all weekend, blogging at www.relix.com. For more information please visit www.lollapalooza.com.