The land is littered with jam-band, alternative, country, and bluegrass festivals. But whatever happened to old-fashioned rock and roll?
Columbus, Ohio, has the answer on May 19 with Rock on the Range. The one-day event will feature ZZ Top, Evanescence, Velvet Revolver, Hinder, Chevelle, Three Days Grace, Breaking Benjamin, Puddle of Mudd, Papa Roach, Buckcherry and more. The show takes place at Columbus Crew Stadium, which holds about 22,000 fans for soccer.

For ticket details, check rockontherange.com.

White Stripes posted a strange message on their web site, essentially sayng they've finished a new CD titled "Icky Thump." No release date was announced, but Jack & Meg hint it will be this year, and wiull be backed by an extensive touring. Yeah! I've seen them three times, and I'm for a fourth.

Dierks Bentley, fighting a cold, phoned Showcase and chatted for a good 20 minutes about his career and upcoming show at Tullio Arena on March 30. Look for that in the March 29 Showcase.

On March 15, check Showcase for an interview with Ian Mitchell, former guitarist with Bay City Rollers. He's assembled a modern-day Rollers -- a tribute, really, he calls it -- that plays Docksider on March 16. He had some interesting things to say about Marc Bolan, who was a friend, and the Monkees' Davy Jones.

Misery Bay became the final automatic qualifer for Sherlock's Battle of the Bands; they won Week 4 last night (Wednesday). Two wild cards will be announced soon, however. Three bands will square off in the first semifinal on March 14, another three on March 21. The two semifinal winners move on to the finals on March 28.

Don't forget: Tickets go on sale Friday (March 9) for the Tragically Hip's May 18 concert at the Warner Theatre. They're one of the most compelling live bands around; don't miss it.