• The merger has been approved after a year­long inves­ti­ga­tion. This night­mare merger had been what many music fans had been fear­ing, but it appears the Jus­tice Depart­ment found some com­mon ground. “We were pre­pared to lit­i­gate this case, and I told the par­ties that,” said Jus­tice Depart­ment antitrust rep­re­sen­ta­tive Chris­tine A. Var­ney. “The required divesti­tures and behav­ioral pro­hi­bi­tions alle­vi­ate our con­cerns.” Tick­et­mas­ter has to ditch a tick­et­ing divi­sion and license its soft­ware to a com­peti­tor. Oh, and the boys at Jus­tice will be watch­ing them like a hawk for 10 years. Good idea – music fans will thank you. source

• We are doing our very best to get through this show, but right now it’s very hard.
• Blink-182 bassist/singer Mark Hoppus • On playing a show in Hartford, Conn. last night, almost immediately after DJ AM’s death. The band sang a song in honor of their fallen comrade, who was especially close with drummer Travis Barker, with tears rolling down their eyes. This sounds like one of the saddest sights ever. Both Barker and Goldstein shared in the plane crash tragedy last year, which killed many of their friends even though they survived. • source

£20,000

to see an Abba tribute band source