I heard about a little fiasco at the Darrington Rock Festival through the grapevine a few weeks back; namely that 2,000 excited Cheap Trick fans showed up but never got to hear “I Want You to Want Me” and other sugary hits because, you know, the headliner never got onstage. All told, five of the nine headliners didn’t play, according to a report on the fallout from that event that ran in the Everett Herald. And, for some reason, the paying customers were a tad vexed.

Then today several people have brought a follow up story to my

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Loft general manager Bryce Schierenbeck dropped me a line the other day to fill me in on some upcoming events at the Loft and 21 Commerce. Check it out:

- Free comedy show (Tuesday, 21 Commerce): The laughs start at 9 p.m., followed by DJ J Fresh and half priced drinks.

- Labor Day foam party (Sunday, The Loft): Doors open at 9 p.m. and the foam gets going at 10. Bikinis are encouraged.

- Donald Glaude (Sept. 6, The Loft): The Tacoma native and internationally renowned superstar DJ starts spinning after 9 p.m.

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I’m way too old and way too male to be in Hilary Duff’s prime demo. So I have yet to buy a ticket for her and sister Haylie’s new movie, "Material Girls." But I at least did a little research leading up to my interview with the pop megastar, which took place about an hour ago. And, to put it mildly, reviews have been a tad harsh.

Here are just a few choice blurbs posted at RottenTomatoes.com:

“You may find yourself longing for the intricate plotting

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OK, like I mentioned in the previous blog item, it was a trip to see Fishbone’s Angelo Moore and John Norwood in “Idlewild.” (Apparently, drummer John Stewart – no, not that Jon Stewart – was in the film, too. But the Fishbone clips go by so quick, I didn’t catch him.) After all, Fishbone opened the first concert I ever went to (Beastie Boys, Louisville Gardens, 1987.) And I also had a chance to kick it with those guys when they headlined Hell’s Kitchen in early ’05. Several shots of Patron and Jaeger were involved, followed by a massive hangover

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Just got back from a screening of Outkast’s new movie, “Idlewild,” at Pac Place in Seattle. I’ll leave the in-depth analysis to our film critic, Soren. But I’ll say this in passing; it’s worth a matinee if you’re a fan of the group. Think “Purple Rain” when it comes to the quality of the story, not to mention a few jarring music video moments that feel plucked straight from MTV.

As a music fan, it was fun to see Dre and Big Boi in action, not to mention appearances from the likes of Angelo and Norwood

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The Associated Press reported that British alt-rock band Keane had postponed its U.S. tour after singer Tom Chaplin checked into rehab to deal with drug and alcohol issues. (See their story here, and a related post on the band’s Web site here.)

But House of Blues publicist Joanne Anderson just e-mailed to assure that the Oct. 2 date at Seattle’s McCaw Hall is still on. Details can be found through the Seattle Center site here.

Nothin’ to do Wednesday? Calvin Murphy of Ocean Grooves just dropped me a line with the 4-11 on his birthday party, which will kick off at 9 p.m. at Maggie O’Tooles in Lakewood. Jason Diamond, DJ Dab and DJ Omar will be in rotation, spinning house and top 40. Should be a good time.

Mastodon’s “Blood Mountain” arrived in my inbox about an hour ago. I’m through most of it, and I’ve got to say it’s way more freaky and prog than I imagined, even after hearing the Atlanta metal quartet unveil “Capillarian Crest” during an opening slot for Slayer a few weeks back. “Crystal Skull” (also posted on their My Space page) is the only song that is as immediately accessible as their last album “Leviathan.” “Bladecatcher” is the most bizarre track so far, with spastic, processed vocals that are best described as R2D2 having a conniption fit. And “Pendelous Skin” sounds

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The “Idlewild” soundtrack is posted, in its entirety, on Outkast’s My Space page. I’m not ready to commit to saying it’s better than “Speakerboxxx/The Love Below.” But it’s comparable. Really pushes the boundaries, with a heavy Prince influence in some spots.

I’ll give you a more detailed take next week.

I’ve been hearing quite a buzz about Saturday’s Embellish Festival, which will bring bands, art and food downtown to Court D, between 11th and 13th streets.

The event – billed as both a celebration of Embellish Salon’s grand opening and as a grassroots showcase of local talent – will take place from noon to 6 p.m. And the musical schedule, recently provided by Jennifer Johnson at Diamond Rock, goes like this:

Noon: Andy Shaules

12:30 p.m.: Hotter Than Karl

1 p.m.: Terry Dean

1:15 p.m.: Matt Coughlin

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