I, and the other bloggers with The Salt Lake Tribune, have a new Web site.

1. My blog is going to look different, but the address is the same (http://blogs.sltrib.com/burger - just be sure there's no /index.htm on the end)

2. The RSS feed will have a new address (my new one is http://blogs.sltrib.com/burger/index.php?tempskin=_rss2 ). If you want to subscribe, click on the link again.

3. Comments are encouraged, but registering will be the same as registering for story comments on the rest of the Trib site. If they're already registered, you're good to go.

Good luck. I'll need it. (But remember, the address is the same!)

Park City's Roots Rock Reggae Fest will be held on July 11 and July 12, with the line-up including national acts Pepper and Collie Buddz and talented local acts Mana Poly All-Stars and the Codi Jordan Band.

It's the same weekend as the Park City Jazz Festival, but the fest above skews younger. Honestly ( and I say this as a jazz fan), how many young people have you seen at jazz concerts around here?

Utah's first "green" music festival, the 5th Annual Desert Rocks Music Festival, will be held May 21 through the 24 (Memorial Day Weekend) in Moab.

Discounted Tickets are currently on sale through May 19 at http://www.desertrocks.org/: $95 for 4 days of music and camping.

The line-up is ALO, The Mother Hips, The Alkaholiks, Hot Buttered Rum, Head for the Hills with Billy Nershi from the String Cheese Incident, David Gans from the Grateful Dead Hour, Wisebird, The Motet - Tribute to Herbie Hancock, Big Light, Stonefed, Labcoat, Band of Annuals, Lion Vibes, The Williams Brothers, Puddle Mountain Ramblers, Stanky Pockets, Potcheen Band, Dead Horse Minstrel, Scenic Byway, Gigi Love and the Hearts of Gold, Johnny Rawls, Tistrya and Friends, Spearit, Matt Calder Band, Bryon Friedman, Al Howard, White Water Ramble, Juno What, Magic Gravy with members of ALO and the Motet, and more.

Get more info at http://www.desertrocks.org/

No Doubt, who will perform May 25 at the E Center, performed on "American Idol" Wednesday night. The tour is a greatest-hits album, bassist Tony Kanal told me, and is supposed to recharge their juices so they can find inspiration to write a new album.

Gwen and the band performed "Just a Girl," and it was like 1994 all over again, with Gwen wearing the tank top and hiccuping like she did in the old days. Good stuff.

Local comedian Scotty Lee perfoms at the new Wise Guys Trolley Square tonight at 8 p.m., with tickets $10 at SmithsTix.

The club is where the old Hard Rock Cafe was.

Check him out to support local talent. Go to the Old Spaghetti Factory before to fill up, or that Brazilian Grill, where you can eat enough meat to make some Jurassic carnivores stage an intervention advising you to eat more carbohydrates.

It's not music, but The World Famous Lipizzaner Stallions are at Mckay Events Center tonight at 7:30 p.m., for $14.50 to $24.50 at SmithsTix.

I have nothing against horses, but ...

Some tidbits at the end of Tuesday:

1. John Hiatt and Lyle Lovett will perform at Kingsbury Hall on the same bill on 10/10.

2. "Celtic Woman" is very, very close to selling out the E Center a week from tonight. Get your tickets quickly if you want to see the Irish spectacle. And did I mention one of the four singers is LDS?

Libbie Linton, a folk-singer-songwriter from Logan, has released her new album "Bird Wings in the Bleak, and has two shows coming up:

Saturday, May 9 at 6 p.m.
Salt Rock Coffee, 184 20th Street, Ogden

Wednesday, May 22 at 7:30 p.m.
Kilby Court, 738 S. Kilby Ct., Salt Lake City

Her album was recorded by Stuart Maxfield, who now plays in Fictionist (recently profiled in the Tribune). Linton plays guitar, banjo, ukelele and glockenspiel on the record, while Maxfield plays the guitar, banjo, violin, piano, bass, toy piano and glockenspiel. Marcus Voight, Robbie Connolly and Aaron Anderson also play on the 12-track album.

Above, Linton plays an Erasure cover.

Samantha Crain
The 22-year-old just released her debut full-length, a blend of jangly indie rock and haunting folk. The album was recorded in five days in the mountains of North Carolina with producer Danny Kadar (Grizzly Bear, My Morning Jacket, The Avett Brothers). Thao And The Get Down Stay Down and Sister Suvi are also on the bill.
When: May 5 at 7 p.m.
Where: Kilby Court, 841 S. 330 West, Salt Lake City
Tickets: $8 in advance, $10 day of, at 24Tix

Black Label Society
This metal band is fronted by Zakk Wylde, guitarist for Ozzy Osbourne. The legendary guitarist is also a playable character in the video game "Guitar Hero: World Tour." Cycle of Pain is also on the bill.
When: May 5 at 8 p.m.
Where: The Depot, 400 W. South Temple, Salt Lake City
Tickets: $35 at SmithsTix

The artists for the 2009 Park City Jazz Festival have been announced, and the festival organization has been nice enough to schedule it for my birthday weekend.

The fest will run from Aug. 21 to Aug. 23 and includes local as well as national favorates.

Friday, Aug. 21, at 8 p.m.: Esperanza Spalding
Sunday, Aug. 23 at 6:15 p.m.: Al Jarreau
Saturday, Aug. 22 at 7:45 p.m.: Poncho Sanchez
Saturday, Aug. 22 at 5:15 p.m.: Anna Wilson

The Crescent Super Band will perform Friday, Aug. 21 at 6:15 p.m.

To purchase VIP seats and GA tickets, go to www.parkcityjazz.org or call 435-940-1362. Children 12 and under are free in the GA section.

Comedian SINBAD will be at Wiseguys Ogden Friday, May 22 at 8 and 10pm. Tickets for this event at $25 at SmithsTix. No Jackee?

Red Butte Garden tickets for this summer's concert series are NOW onsale to the general public. Go to www.redbuttegarden.org for tickets.

By the way, Death Cab for Cutie sold out over the weekend.

Above is a video about Park City-based Skullcandy, a headphone company I recently profiled in The Salt Lake Tribune. It is a bit of a commercial for SAP, but it's well-done and gives some insight into Utah's action-sports culture. Hey, even here at The Tribune, we can skate inside — in the stairwells between 2:16 a.m. and 2:24 a.m. each night!

The video was made by a German company.

On May 9, the Boothe Bros. Performing Arts Center in American Fork (165 N. Main, Spanish Fork) will hold the fourth annual Amp Sho' and Concert.

The all-day event showcases old (read: classic) guitars and amplifiers from the 1950s to today, and besides workshops and music, there is a raffle where you can win top-end guitar parts and accessories.

If you have an amplifier that you'd like to exhibit or sell, call 801-798-7650.

The exhibit/sale costs $5, and the concert costs $5. Or you can get a "bundle" ticket and go to both for $7. You can buy them with your credit card by calling 801-798-7650.

The exhibit/sale begins at 10 a.m., and the concert starts at 7:30. Performers include The Matt Lewis Band, Quasi-Stellar Radio, Rock Daddy, LBLM and The Rockin' Jukes.

Moreland & Arbuckle perform tonight at The State Room at 638 S. State St. in Salt Lake City.

The show starts at 8 p.m. and costs $18.

Here is what the State Room's Web site says:

Hey Salt Lake, Monday blues is back! From the heartland of America, these young men bring to the table a powerful devil's potion of Delta, hill-country, and postwar electrified blues, all rolled into one ... This high energy trio moves effortlessly between raw-edged country blues and bone-crushing, hip-shaking electric blues on their truly exciting nothernblues debut."

Check them out above, singing about whiskey. They also cover "John Henry" and write train songs:

The Excellence in the Community concert series features local musicians, and one programming highlight is Red Rock Rondo, six Utah musicians who created one of 2008's best albums, "Zion Canyon Song Cycle."

Composer and former Springdale mayor Phillip Bimstein wrote the song suite and performed the music with two members of the Salt Lake Symphony and local singer-songwriter Kate MacLeod.

The project aims to help listeners hear the canyon come alive and sing.

If you miss tonight's show, trek down to the gorgeous O.C. Tanner Amphitheater in Springdale on May 9, when the Western Folklife Center presents the premiere of the musical documentary film about the people and history of Zion National Park. The program begins at 8 p.m. with a concert of songs from the Red Rock Rondo song cycle, followed by the film screening at 9 p.m. Tickets for the Springdale show are $15 ($10 for seniors and youth under 18), and are available at www.westernfolklife.org, by calling 888-880-5885, or at the venue.

When: Friday night at 7:30
Where: Peery's Egyptian Theater, 2415 Washington Blvd., Ogden
Tickets: $8 to $12 at www.peerysegyptiantheater.com or call 801-689-8700

Shows this weekend, including another circus:

Mr. Lif
The Massachusetts native is a political rapper and activist. In 2000 and 2001 he won the Boston Music Award for Outstanding Rap/Hip Hop Act. Willie Evans Jr. and Grieves are also on the bill.
When: Friday. Doors open at 9 p.m.
Where: Urban Lounge, 241 S. 500 East, Salt Lake City
Tickets: $8 in advance, $10 day of, at SmithsTix and 24Tix

Lenka
The former Australian TV actress is now a successful pop singer and songwriter with "The Show" becoming a minor radio hit earlier this year. San Diego musician Greg Laswell, a fixture on the singer-songwriter circuit, is also on the bill.
When: Friday night at 6:30
Where: Avalon, 3605 S, State St., South Salt Lake
Tickets: $10 in advance, $12 day, at SmithsTix

Greg Hahn
The South Florida-based comedian is the second performer to headline the new WiseGuys comedy club in downtown Salt Lake City. He often performs on the "Bob and Tom Show," and has appeared on "Late Night with Conan O'Brien."
When: Friday night and May 2 at 8 and 10
Where: WiseGuys Trolley Square (Poundcakes), 505 S. 600 East, Salt Lake City
Tickets: $10 at SmithsTix

Cirque Eloize
This French-Canadian circus troupe offers a show that's a lot cleaner than Britney Spears' "Circus," with performers who specialize in acrobatics, twirling and untangling themselves from ribbons suspended from the ceiling, as well as other graceful daredevil acts.
When: May 2 at 2 and 7:30 p.m.
Where: Kingsbury Hall, 1395 E. Presidents Circle, Salt Lake City
Tickets: $19-$45.50, available at 801-581-7100

David Halliday and Angela Bingham
Talented sax player David Halliday and New York City-based singer Angela Bingham team up for a night of jazz standards and cutting-edge newer jazz. Utah session players Don Waldis, Evan Coombs and Steve Lyman join the group.
When: May 2 at 7:30 p.m.
Where: Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center's Jeanne Wagner Theatre, 138 W. 300 South, Salt Lake City
Tickets: $15 at 801-355-ARTS

Kelly Joe Phelps
A blues player who infuses his songs with jazzy elements, Kelly Joe Phelps is a recent addition to The State Room's calendar. He was a talented jazz bassist before making the leap toward writing his own songs, inspired originally by the birth of his daughter.
When: May 3 at 8 p.m.
Where: The State Room, 638 S. State St., Salt Lake City
Tickets: $20 in advance, $25 day of, at thestateroomslc.com

Here is a list of the Top 20 concert tours last week as compiled by Pollstar. It ranks artists by the average box office and includes the average tix price per show. The previous week's ranking is in parentheses.

1. (2) Elton John / Billy Joel; $2,185,634; $115.84.

2. (3) Celine Dion; $2,075,108; $106.68.

3. (1) Britney Spears; $2,046,399; $97.09.

4. (4) Eagles; $1,691,056; $130.12.

5. (New) Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band; $1,646,223; $89.71.

6. (6) Fleetwood Mac; $1,143,665; $98.71.

7. (7) Nickelback; $789,761; $58.39.

8. (8) Rascal Flatts; $656,209; $61.08.

9. (9) Lil' Wayne; $573,928; $68.72.

10. (10) Brad Paisley; $454,374; $48.30.

11. (11) Motley Crue; $382,436; $54.11.

12. (12) Jeff Dunham; $272,548; $44.17.

13. (13) The Killers; $263,409; $42.69.

14. (14) Slipknot; $250,080; $37.87.

15. (15) New Kids On The Block; $229,557; $53.62.

16. (16) Avenged Sevenfold / Buckcherry; $184,684; $36.91.

17. (17) John Legend; $179,374; $55.41.
Story continues below

18. (18) Larry The Cable Guy; $172,301; $32.82.

19. (19) Rain - A Tribute To The Beatles; $168,160; $47.40.

20. (21) Ron White; $143,698; $44.67.

Some of the funniest comedy bits can be raunchy.

Take George Carlin's "Seven Dirty Words." Or Howard Stern's "Bestiality Dial-A-Date." And don't even get me started on "The Aristocrats," the comedic documentary about the most disgusting joke ever told.

But four comics who will perform at Calvary Chapel on Friday are attempting to prove that clean comedy can be funny and, at its best, inspirational. The Apostles of Comedy -- Jeff Allen, Brad Stine, Ron Pearson and Anthony Griffith -- all have secular credits, including appearances on "The George Lopez Show," "The Bernie Mac Show," The Drew Carey Show," "The Tonight Show," Comedy Central and HBO.

Each comedian answered an e-mail question posed by The Tribune, and their answers provide insight into their comedic journey. You can judge them on the jokes -- unless you believe only God can judge jokes.

What is funny about religion?
Allen: I don't feel "religion" is funny. But I do feel that God has a sense of humor. For example, when my wife and I decided to have children, we prayed for patience, tolerance, love and understanding. God answered the prayer. He gave us not one, but two, ADHD children. So be careful for what you pray for. The Big Guy has a sense of humor.

What is the goal of "Apostles of Comedy"?
Pearson : The goal of the Apostles of Comedy is to save over $1,000 in pennies. No, wait, that's my goal. Our goal is to be the best comedy tour out there and then go one step further. We want to wipe the audience out comedically, but also want to touch their hearts.

Why do you believe some -- or most -- comics resort to dirty humor to get laughs?
Stine : First off, I'm probably the cleanest of all the comics. I will shower up to eight times a day just to make sure I'm clean. As far as language goes, our culture in America cares very little for social decorum. All you can find in comedy clubs nowadays is blue language. It is much less creative and, as far as I am concerned, makes for lazy writing. Because clean is not demanded from clubs or even TV, for that matter. It is just taking the easy way out. Clean comics demand more from themselves by seeing just how funny they can be with words and concepts available to all comics and yet delivered without the luxury of a dirty word. Therefore, the joke lives or dies on its merits, not on shocking and titillating the audience. We actually honor our audience by assuming they're smart enough to appreciate it clean.

How can comedy be inspirational?
Griffith : A comic's ability to look at difficult circumstances and sprinkle them with humor can serve as a road map/bridge/tool for the viewer when it comes to life's complexities. Laughter [is] a great companion on this road called life.

The Apostles of Comedy
When: Friday night at 7
Where: Calvary Chapel, 460 Century Drive (4350 South), Murray
Tickets: $17 at 800-325-SEAT, www.ticketwest.com or the door

If you learn one thing this weekend, it's that Cinco de Mayo is not Mexican Independence Day -- that's Sept. 16 -- but instead a regional holiday marking the Mexican army's defeat of French forces in 1862.

If you learn another thing this weekend, it's that the U92 Cinco de Mayo Custom Car Show and Concert celebrates independent-minded national and local musicians who have diversified the hip-hop landscape.

The first concert of the season at Usana Amphitheatre features Pitbull, Lil Rob, Chino 4 Real and Hogg Boss, four rappers who prove that Latino artists have earned the credibility -- and ears -- of an often-fickle rap audience.

"Specifically, we try to cater to Hispanic audiences," said Kevin Cruise, U92's program director and talent booker for the annual Cinco de Mayo concert. Too often, he added, casual music fans tend to treat hip-hop as one genre, whereas there is diversity in hip-hop and rap.

In separate interviews, Pitbull, Lil Rob, Hogg Boss and Chino 4 Real said they are not surprised that Utah audiences are turning the Cinco de Mayo concerts into one of the fastest-growing annual concerts in the state.

Pitbull: Pitbull, 28, is a Cuban-American Miami-based rapper who is riding high at the moment thanks to his five songs on the popular "Fast & Furious" soundtrack, including two versions of "Blanco," one in English, the other in Spanish.

His next album, "Rebelution," will be released in September, and Pitbull said it's designed to offer a "tour of Miami." Cuban and proud, Pitbull said that last year when he learned that Fidel Castro was stepping down as the official leader of the communist nation, he ran into the recording studio at 11 p.m. and recorded a song titled "Ya Se Acabó" ("It Is Over"). He raps the verse "hasta luego" ("see you later") throughout the song.

He's not stopping with "Rebelution." The rapper's first Spanish-language album will be released in either December or January, he said. "I want to take over the genre," he said of Latin music.
He's not surprised at his popularity in conservative Utah. "I guess music is a universal language," Pitbull said.

Lil Rob: A Mexican-American from Texas, Lil Rob, about 34, was shot in the jaw when he was a 16-year-old gang member. That's when he decided to devote his life to rapping, and he's become a pioneer at gaining acceptance as a Latino in the rap world.

In 1997, he released his first album, but it wasn't until 2005, with the release of "Twelve Eighteen, Pt. 1," that Lil Rob found commercial and widespread critical success. It was a thoughtful, engaging record that radiated with Chicano pride as well as neighborhood loyalty. "Never forget where you come from," he said.

The rapper is excited about attending the car show associated with the Cinco de Mayo concert, because he said he got his start performing at car shows, which he called an important part of his culture. He looked forward to "beautiful cars, beautiful women," he said.

Chino 4 Real: Chino 4 Real, 25, represents the local scene of Latino rap, as he grew up in Midvale and is now established in Salt Lake City. He has steadily increased his stature over the past several years, having opened for The Game, Baby Bash, Ice Cube and T.I., with the latter at The E Center arena. "I performed at The E Center before David Archuleta," the amiable rapper said with a laugh.

Chino's second album, "New Wave American G," was released this past week and is available at Utah's Graywhale Entertainment record stores. Chino 4 Real writes about growing up on alleys, where he was surrounded by gangs and drugs. "This is all Utah," he said of the follow-up to 2003's "The Greatest Snow on Earth." "This is our Utah."

Chino, who recently recorded a verse to be included in a forthcoming Lil Rob song, said he enjoys being around other rappers who share his culture. "It's always hard for a Latino rapper to be accepted," he said.

Hogg Boss: Another local Mexican-American rapper, Hogg was raised on the east side of Salt Lake City. He has been involved in the hip-hop scene since 1994 and is tasting commercial success currently with his U92 hit "Ringtone."

"People want to dance," Boss said of his approach to music. He prefers upbeat anthems that uplift people, especially during the tough economic times, and the beats in his song bear him out: They are reminiscent of Plies and Ne-Yo. "My swagger's different," he said.

Hogg Boss is not named after Boss Hogg, the villain in "Dukes of Hazzard." Instead, the rapper earned the nickname from his father who noted his son's appetite.

U92 Cinco de Mayo Custom Car Show and Concert
When: May 2 at 11 a.m.
Where: Usana Amphitheatre, 5150 S. 6055 West, West Valley City
Tickets: $20 in advance, $30 and $40 day of show, at SmithsTix
Performers include: Pitbull, Lil Rob, Chino 4 Real, Mims, David Rush
Car show: Included with the price of admission is the U92 Custom Car Show. Registration for the car show is $40 and includes two tickets to the concert. Call U92 for more info at 801-412-6046

Press release from Stadium of Fire organizers:

Additional Stadium of Fire Tickets Released: Additional tickets to this year’s Maakoa Stadium of Fire presented by UncleSamsLand.com featuring the Jonas Brothers and Glenn Beck were released April 28. Many previously unavailable $65 and $45 seats for the largest stadium fireworks show in the country were made available to the public as production needs have been firmed up. Stadium of Fire will be held Saturday July 4, 2009 at 8:00pm in the BYU LaVell Edwards Stadium. Tickets may be purchased by going to www.stadiumoffire.com.

This year's Stadium of Fire sponsors include Maakoa, UncleSamsLand.com, KUTV, Provo City, Daily Herald, Radio Disney, 97.1 ZHT, and the Utah Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Hope of America

For the first time ever, Hope of America will split into two nights to allow more Utah County elementary students to participate.

Date: May 5 and May 6
Time: 7:30pm
Location: BYU Marriott Center
Price: Free
Details: Open to the public

What: A combined total of 8000 students will gather in Brigham Young University's Marriott Center to share with an audience of 20,000 what they've learned about becoming the "Hope of America." The chorus sits in the shape of the American flag with students in red, white and blue t-shirts. The students use not only their voices, but choreography, American Sign Language, flags, and flashlights to enhance their numbers.

In its fourteenth year of production, the Hope of America Student Showcase is one of the Festival's most popular educational programs. The Festival provides curriculum to 72 schools teaching American values, responsible citizenship, physical, mental and moral fitness and talent development through music and stories.

Something is going on with the public's slight reluctance to buy tickets to see the Jonas Brothers and opening act Jordin Sparks. Maybe people don't want to see Glenn Beck again--he hosted last year, when Miley Cyrus' performance sold out in hours.

Here is the line-up for Saturday's U92 Cinco de Mayo concert at Usana Amphitheatre:

12:25 Hogg Boss
12:45 Jay Rock
1:10 Gorilla Zoe
1:50 Chino 4 Real
2:30 Mims
3:10 Lil Rob
4:05 Chamillionaire
5:05 David Rush
5:15 Pitbull

The show also includes a car show, and tickets are at SmithsTix.

Justin Townes Earle, who recently played a great set at The State Room while opening for Jason Isbell, has just been added to the line-up of the Mountain Music Festival this summer at Snowbird.

For a whole story about Snowbird's music events this summer, check out Sunday's paper.

The local Excellence in the Community music series, which celebrates and showcases local musicians, usually takes the summer off.

But this summer, organizer Jeff Whiteley is expanding the series with JazzSLC and GAM Foundation founder Gordon Hanks, and will call it the GAM/Excellence Cabaret Series.

"The idea is to provide more performance opportunities to local musicians, and at times to mix local musicians with national artists," Whiteley said. "The other idea was to provide an opportunity for dancing."

"The key to the new project is the Murray Theatre, a great venue for live music with one of the best dance floors I have seen in town for a long time," he continued. "The Murray Theater has a high stage and terraced seating space; this allows people to see the stage over the dance floor. People could choose to consider the event as a concert from their seats, or use the dance floor, or both. Sound and lighting systems at the Murray Theater are impressive. The owner, Nate Sheppick, has been coming to Excellence Concerts and is fully onboard to extend the series and the concept to his venue."

The first event, on May 16, features guitarist Jeff Linsky (above) and percussionist Michael Spiro. Linsky is a national touring artist, but his wife's family is from Utah, and he visits the area often. You can check out Linsky at jefflinsky.com

"Cutting to the chase, Linsky is an astonishing musician," Whiteley said. "Jeff Linsky toured at age 17 with the Grass Roots. He performs on classical guitar, uses classical technique, but performs all styles of music. He has performed all over the world, has quite a reputation in Brazil and has performed for U.S. Presidents and the Dali Lama. He is known for a Mozartian sort of genius for improvisation and arranging in real time. His repertoire is encyclopedic. I have experienced these aspects of his performance from close range."

The show is on a Saturday, and begins at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available at SmithsTix for $20.