B.B. King will once again spend the summer headlining his traveling namesake, The B.B. King Blues Festival. This year King has retooled his festival and, in the process, recruited an impressive mix of blues icons and rising roots music stars for his annual outing.  Unlike previous editions of The B.B. King Blues Festival, this summer’s festival will take place primarily on weekends at small amphitheaters and large theaters. In addition to King, the 17-date, 16-city outing will feature soul-icon Al Green and blues-diva Etta James.   The festival will kick off July 24 at Hollywood, FL’s Seminole Hard Rock Casino  and wrap-up September 9 at Murphys, CA’s Ironstone Vineyards.    Highlights include an August 7 appearance at New York's Theatre at Madison Square Garden, a September 1 appearance at Morrison, CO's Red Rocks Amphitheatre, and a September 5 appearance at Los Angeles’ Hollywood Bowl. Robert Randolph and James Hunter will sub for James and Green before King's Hollywood Bowl appearances. King's only two night stand will take place at Highland Park, IL's Ravinia Festival from August 28-29 with Joan Osborne severing as King's support.

After spending the past few years in semi-hibernation, hosting a series of weekend jam-sessions in his Woodstock barn, The Band’s Levon Helm returned to the pubic eye this weekend.  On Friday and Saturday the former Band drummer/mandolinist/singer hosted a pair of guest-laden performances at New York’s Beacon Theater. Fronting an expanded backing band which included former Bob Dylan/Phil Lesh guitarist Larry Campbell and Fab Faux/Late Night guitarist Jimmy Vivino, Helm switched back and forth between drums and mandolin throughout the night. On both nights roots-rock combo Ollabelle, which features Helm’s daughter Amy, supplied support duties and father/daughter duo shared a duet on “Goodbye My Love.” On Friday New Orleans icon Allen Toussaint  also appeared on “Yes We Can,” while  Beacon Theater-veteran Warren Haynes supplied vocals and guitar on "I Shall be Released", "The Weight,” and "Take me to the River.” Theresa Andersson also took the stage to help Helm through a version of “Did You Love Me.”

Saturday’s performance featured another round of guests, including longtime Band keyboardist Garth Hudson, who appeared on a show closing version of “Take Me To the River.” Dr. John, who played with The Band during its famed Last Waltz  performance, also made a surprise appearance, playing keyboards on a handful of numbers beginning with “Such a Night.” Haynes, Anderson and Toussaint reprised their rolls from Friday night, with most of the cast appearing for a final jam based around “Take Me To the River.” Helm will appear at Tarrytown, NY’s Music Hall  on  March 28.

Last Sunday concertgoers were surprised when acoustic guitar duo Rodrigo y Gabriela missed their scheduled appearance at Langerado. As if turns out the paired performers have been forced to cancel their entire US tour after a case of mistaken identity put

Rodrigo Sanchez's work visa on hold while officials at the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City verify that he isn't the criminal whose name appears on a wanted list. “I feel frustrated because we wanted to play to our fans in the states, we have had a great response from them and from the media too,” Sanchez says. “I feel bad for our American label, ATO Records, they have been doing a great job and this has forced them to relocate their energies towards something that has nothing to do with the music industry. I have met some other musicians from different parts of the world that have, unfortunately, been through the same situation when they were about to start their tour in the States. This is nothing to do with being Latin or Arab or from wherever. This is a policy that some have chosen to support, these are internal security measure issues that have to be resolved by Americans themselves. We hope to be back into the States as soon as I'm cleared to do so and keep contributing to society by sharing music and our time with people and reinforcing the importance that art and culture have, have had and will have to all of us while we are alive.” In addition to the duo’s recent Langerado appearance, Rodrigo y Gabriela have postponed dates in Atlanta, Nashville and Washington

Gene Ween has added rare solo show to his concert calendar. The oddball musician will now perform at Falls Church, VA’s State Theater on March 29. Soon after, the band Ween will launch a mini-tour leading up to JazzFest.  The short tour will kick off April 30 at Asheville, NC’s The Thomas Wolfe Auditorium and include stops at Birmingham, AL’s Alabama Theatre (May 1), Oxford, MS’ The Library (May 3) and New Orleans’ Contemporary Arts Center (May 4). The quintet will also appear at Bonnaroo in June. “We have been in the studio every day recording our new album, “ Gene Ween says. “We are doing the record in an old farmhouse we've been renting for the past year. Aaron and I wrote and recorded the demos in there starting last February--like between 50 and 60 songs. We have picked 20 or so for the album and are now re-recording them in the living room with Andrew Weiss to 24 track 2 inch tape. It sounds fucking great. I don't wanna give too much away about the record, but I will say that the brown meter is in the red.”