On Tuesday, the musical “Fela!,” produced by Alicia Keys,Jay-Z, Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, received 11 Tony Awards nominations. “La Cage aux Folles” also received 11 nominations to tie with “Fela!” for the most nominations this year.

“Fela!,” in addition to its Best Musical nomination, also received Best Book of Musical nomination for Bill T. Jones and Jim Lewis. Sahr Ngaujah received a Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical nomination.

“Fela!” is the life story of Fela Kuti, Nigerian musician. On June 8 the original recording from the Broadway cast will be made available by Knitting Factory Records.

The musical based on an album from Green Day, “American Idiot,” also received a Best Musical nomination, as well as “Million Dollar Quartet” and “Memphis.” Best Original Score nominees are Andrew Lippa (“The Addams Family”), Lucy Prebble and Adam Cork (“Enron), Branford Marsalis (“Fences”) and Joe Di Petro and David Bryan (“Memphis”).

Best Revival of a Musical nominees are “Ragtime,” “A Little Night Music,” “La Cage aux Folles,” and “Finian’s Rainbow.”

On Tuesday morning, Lea Michele of Glee and Jeff Daniels announced the nominations. The Tony Awards show will air on June 13 on CBS from New York City’s Radio City Music Hall.

R&B singer Trey Songz has experienced a meteoric rise in the last three months sharing the stage with Jay-Z, having his name on the Grammy nomination list, laying down notes with Stevie Wonder and even doing the Obama fist bump at the White House. In recent interviews, Songz has described his brush with fame surreal and doesn’t feel out of place opening forJay-Z between two rappers – Young Jeezy and the Hova.

Trey Songz, who was born Tremaine Aldon Neverson, is touring in support of his most recent release gold-certified “Ready.” The album was nominated at the Grammy’s for Best Contemporary R&B Album. Singles drawn from the album including “Say Aah” and “Neighbors Know My Name” have seen success on the airwaves and have continued to introduce Songz to new listeners.

Trey Songz participated in the remake of “We Are the World” with the likes of heavyweights like Harry Connick Jr, Natalie Cole and Snoop Dogg, and he participated in the BET Honors 2010 that shone the spotlight on Stevie Wonder.

2010 Trey Songz Concert Tour
March 2010
11 – Boston, MA – TD Garden
12 – Uniondale, NY – Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum
13 – Atlantic City, NJ – Borgata Hotel, Casino and Spa Event Center
14 – Auburn Hills, MI – The Palace of Auburn Hills
16 – Pittsburgh, PA – Mellon Arena
18 – Chicago, IL – United Center
19 – St. Louis, MO – Scottrade Center
20 – Indianapolis, IN – Conseco Fieldhouse
22 – Denver, CO – Pepsi Center
24 – San Jose, CA – HP Pavilion at San Jose
26 – Los Angeles, CA – Staples Center
27 – Las Vegas, NV – Pearl Concert Theater
30 – New York City, NY – Roseland Ballroom

On Wednesday night, Alicia Keys and her Freedom Tour made a stop at Madison Square Garden in New York City, the singer’s hometown. The night was one of surprise guests, positive messages and soaring vocals. Joining Keys onstage were Swizz Beatz, Beyonce and Jay-Z. The singer performed a long list of songs, covering the past up to the present. Keys even put her dancing skills on display.

Before Keys came onto the stage, opening acts Robin Thicke, Melanie Fiona and Jermaine Paul treated fans to their soulful sounds. Jermaine Paul, a former Keys background singer, gave an enthusiastic effort and helped to rev the audience up. The momentum kept moving with Fiona and her powerful voice as well as charismatic smile as she performed the songs “Ay Yo” and “It Kills Me.”

As Robin Thicke made it to the stage, it was apparent that he was quite aware that his female fans were out in force. Decked in sunglasses and dark suit, Thicke crooned through the set, including “Lost Without U” and “Shakin’ It 4 Daddy.” Thicke kept things playful. He ended his set with “A Milli” by Lil Wayne with the audience singing along.

The lights were dimmed just after 9:30. “They Don’t Care About Us” by Michael Jackson filled Madison Square Garden. Drums from the 1996 track intensified with the main attraction of the night appearing on huge video screens before the fans.

Alicia Keys made her appearance in a cage wrapped in chains, with smoke flooding the stage. The singer started her show off with a “Love Is Blind” and “Caged Bird” medley, whipping her hair side to side as she emerged from the spinning cage out to the stage.

She asked the crowd, are you feeling good New York? The audience didn’t hesitate in their reply back. Keys, dressed in sparkling pants, tight black top and red tailed coat, used the entire stage, floating side to side along with the dancers on “You Don’t Know My Name.” She changed the vocals around on “Fallen” and continued on with “Another Way to Die,” her rocking collaboration with Jack White.

Jermaine Paul, the opening act, returned to stage when Keys sat down to the piano for the song “Diary.” Keys and Paul played vocal acrobatics together during the bridge of the song and it was obvious they have an onstage chemistry. Following a quick change of costume into a white, sleek dress Keys performed “If I Can’t Have You” and “Superwoman.” Throughout the show, the singer took several moments to explain how important it is to believe in yourself.

Following another outfit change, Keys’ “Put It in a Love Song” performance get got the fans riled up. Then Keys introduced Beyonce as she was descending from a staircase to join in with Keys on the rest of the song, with a dance breakdown ending the song. It was the first time Keys and Beyonce had performed together. Things were slowed down by Keys after the duet, as she performed “Try Sleeping With a Broken Heart” and “Unthinkable.”

With the surprise appearance of Beyonce onstage, it was quite fitting that her husband would be there as well. Keys stopped momentarily playing the piano. Then Swizz Beatz came onstage, followed soon after byJay-Z. The city skyline and Times Square engulfed the arena with city scenes shining brightly on the audience. There’s something very moving when listening to “Empire State of Mind,” a New York city ode, when in the actual city.

Keys is a master of the piano always. However her night in New York was proof that she has the ability for putting on an outstanding show with her powerful message, strong imagery and massive vocals.

Gorillaz, Muse and Jay-Z are among the top acts for the roster for Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival’s 11th annual show. It will take place at Empire Polo Field in Indio, CA from April 16-18.

Pavement will also be reuniting for the festival. The last time the indie rockers performed was in 1999. The only other stops in North America that have been confirmed are a show in Toronto on June 19 and four shows in September at Central Park in New York City.

Other artists set to perform this year at Coachella include Thom Yorke, Spoon, The Death Weather, Vampire Weekend and Them Crooked Vultures.

The entire lineup will feature over 130 acts.

It’s the fourth year that the April festival has been a three day event. According to an event press release, for the first time attendees will be allowed to freely come and go during the course of the festivals. The options for camping have also been expanded to include RV and car camping in addition to tent camping.

Tickets for Coachella go on sale on Ticketmaster starting January 22. The cost for weekend three day passes will be $269 in addition to any surcharges. The price for single day tickets hasn’t been announced as of yet. More information regarding the layaway plan for tickets, camping options and the festival’s lineup can be obtained on the website for Coachella at coachella.com

2010 Coachella Music Lineup

Friday, April 16:
Jay-Z, LCD Soundsystem, Them Crooked Vultures, Vampire Weekend, Deadmau5, Public Image Limited, The Specials, Grizzly Bear, Passion Pit, Echo and the Bunnymen, Benny Benassi, Fever Ray, Grace Jones, She & Him, Erol Alkan, The Avett Brothers, Calle 13, The Whitest Boy Alive, The Cribs, La Roux, Yeasayer, Lucero, DJ Lance Rock, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Proxy, Ra Ra Riot, Deer Tick, Wolfgang Gartner, Aeroplane, Iglu & Hartly, Sleigh Bells, P.O.S., Baroness, Hockey, Little Dragon, White Rabbits, Wale, Kate Miller-Heidke, As Tall as Lions, Jets Overhead, Alana Grace, Pablo Hassan

Saturday, April 17:
Muse, Faith No More, Tiësto, MGMT, David Guetta, The Dead Weather, Hot Chip, Devo, Coheed and Cambria, Kaskade, 2Many DJ’s, Major Lazer, Dirty Projectors, Gossip, Z-Trip, The xx, John Waters, Les Claypool, The Raveonettes, Mew, Sia, Camera Obscura, Tokyo Police Club, Porcupine Tree, Old Crow Medicine Show, Aterciopalados, Bassnectar, Frightened Rabbit, Dirty South, Flying Lotus, Corinne Bailey Rae, Pretty Lights, Shooter Jennings, RX Bandits, The Almighty Defenders, Edward Sharp and the Magnetic Zeros, Craze & Klever, Zoe, The Temper Trap, Portugal. The Man, Band of Skulls, Girls, Beach House, Steel Train, Frank Turner

Sunday, April 18:
Gorillaz, Pavement, Thom Yorke, Phoenix, Orbital, Spoon, Sly and the Family Stone, De La Soul, Julian Casablancas, Plastikman, Gary Numan, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Sunny Day Real Estate, Yo La Tengo, MUTEMATH, Deerhunter, Infected Mushroom, Club 75, Matt & Kim, The Big Pink, Gil Scott-Heron, King Khan and the Shrines, Florence and the Machine, Yann Tiersen, Little Boots, Miike Snow, Talvin Singh, Ceu, B.o.B., Babasonicos, Owen Pallett, The Glitch Mob, Mayer Hawthorne, Local Natives, Rusko, The Middle East, Hadouken!, The Soft Pack, Kevin Devine, Paparazzi, Delphic, One Eskimo

If you have been patiently awaiting Jay-Z’s latest album “The Blueprint 3,” you’d better scurry on over to iTunes. The album was due out Friday but got bumped up for release today instead.Jay-Z is set to spend Friday playing a 9/11 benefit at Madison Square Garden that benefits the New York Police, the Fire Widow’s and the Children’s Benefit Fund. After he closes the event, he’ll skip the pond for a handful of European tour dates before setting his sights stateside starting October 9 in University Park, Pennsylvania.

The US Tour will be comprised of a 19-city run that wraps in Austin, Texas on November 22. Full tour dates are listed below. “The Blueprint 3″ closes out the trilogy that Carter originally started with “The Blueprint” in 2001. “The Blueprint 3″ marks the first release Carter brings to the table as a part of the management and recording deal with LiveNation.

2009 Jay-Z Tour Dates
September 2009
11 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden

October 2009
9 – University Park, PA – Bryce Jordan Center
10 – Highland Heights, KY – Bank of Kentucky Center
13 – Edmonton, Alberta – Rexall Place
14 – Calgary, Alberta – Pengrowth Saddledome
15 – Kelowna, British Columbia – Prospera Place
16 – Vancouver, British Columbia – General Motors Place
17 – Seattle, WA – Key Arena
24 – Providence, RI – Dunkin Donuts Center
25 – Amherst, MA – Mullins Center
27 – Baltimore, MD – 1st Mariner Arena
28 – Columbus, OH – Value City Arena
29 – London, Ontario – John Labatt Centre
30 – Montreal, Quebec – Bell Centre
31 – Toronto, Ontario – Air Canada Centre

November 2009
1 – Ottawa, Ontario – Scotiabank Place
12 – Champaign, IL – University of Illinois – Assembly Hall
19 – Albuquerque, NM – Tingley Coliseum
20 – El Paso, TX – Don Haskins Center
22 – Austin, TX – Frank Erwin Center Arena

Rihanna, Kayne West and Jay-Z, three of R&B’s biggest names, will be performing together next month for “The Jay Leno Show’s” debut episode.

The three will be appearing in the September 14 launch episode for the new primetime show of Leno’s on NBC and perform the single “Run This Town” from “The Blueprint 3,” the forthcoming album fromJay-Z due out in stores on September 11.

It will be one of the first public performances for Rihanna since Chris Brown, R&B singer and former boyfriend, assaulted her last February.

A judge ordered Brown to stay 10 yards away at least from Rihanna during public events. On August 27 he will be sentenced. According to reports that have been published, it is expected that Brown will be receiving probation of five years and community labor of six months.