* Akon and Michael Jackson are holding hands.

* I've finally seen it all: David Letterman tattooed on someone's teeth.

* Just when Kristen Bell couldn't get any cuter, she starts smoking a cigar.

* What the sweet jebus is Rihanna wearing?

* Hancock isn't getting the greatest reviews...

* The Evolution of Britney's Uggs.

* Aw, cool! Bjork drummed for Sigur Ros on Saturday during their concert in Iceland.

* And finally, Courtney Love's preferred method of transportation: shopping cart.

So even though we've all lost interest in who is going to be singing the damn theme song for the 22nd James Bond film, Quantum of Solace (Winehouse, Beyonce, Duffy, who cares!), we can still get our Bond fix with the first official trailer which hit the internet today. I must say, the movie looks pretty slick.

Apparently in this new incarnation, James is "so blinded by inconsolable rage" that he's going ballistic on just about anyone who gets in his way. Daniel Craig is obviously back in the title role and Judi Dench is back as M, offering her British words of wisdom and bon mots. And, of course, we get the obligatory shirtless Daniel Craig shot.

If Quantum of Solace is just even half as clever and stylish and action packed as 2006's Casino Royale, then I'll be happy. And in regards to who's going to be singing that theme song - fine, I'll do it!

Check out the trailer for Quantum of Solace in various formats here.

OH EXCUSE ME, I don't know if you heard, but there was a wee music festival in England this past weekend, and some up and coming artists like Amy Winehouse, The Verve, John Mayer and Jay-Z hit the stage. No biggie, really.

Ahem. So if you're bored, I've got something for you to do - either you're at home right now (bored) or tricked into working today (still bored because let's face it - how much work are you really doing right now?). Like I said, I've got something for you to do: WATCH VIDEOS FROM GLASTONBURY. Now, they don't have all the acts (there were pretty much a fajillion, so they picked a select 31ish); let it be known that the most important (in my opinion) is available in full: Mr. Carter (not Lil' Wayne) himself, Jay-Z. Now, this was a controversial choice for Glastonbury headliner, because Oasis Noel came out and said that a hip-hop dude shouldn't be playing a traditionally rock & roll festival. And you may eat your foot now, Mr. Gallagher, because Hova killed it. Plus, he kicked his set off with a tongue-in-cheek cover of "Wonderwall", which is awesome.

You can also watch Amy "punching an audience member" close to the end of her set (blink and you'll miss it - more like a half-hearted elbow, what's all the fuss about?), Editors, The Verve, Hot Chip, Raconteurs, Lupe's spastic and great set, PATD, Duffy, plus quite a few more. You're welcome.

* The Jo Bros are here already?

* Incubus will be taking a break now, folks ... even though I'm pretty sure they've already been taking a break for the past three years.

* Glastonbury organizers are pleased with Jay-Z's headlining performance. Um, of course?! The man is unstoppable.

* Speaking of Glastonbury, Amy Winehouse punches fans. First of all, she couldn't knock over a cardboard cut-out of Miley Cyrus if she tried, and second of all, way to shine up your image, Wino! Ok, but someone tried to grab her, and that deserves some flailing on her part...

* Lily Allen album news!

* This story is the wackness.

* The Verve are releasing their latest album Forth in August, but Spinner.com is streaming the first single, Love Is Noise. I dare you not to love it.

* Speaking of streaming, on Saturday, June 28th @ 3pm ET, National Geographic will be live streaming the Bjork and Sigur Ros concert from Iceland. Watch or perish.

* I present to you The 5 Most Ridiculous International Music Acts. Lionel Richie sucking back helium to sing Hello is a definite head-scratcher.

* Oh Good God - what the hell is Emile Hirsch wearing?!

* Madonna has sold over one million tickets for her upcoming Sticky And Sweet world tour.

* Ladies, stay away from any men named Dimitri.

* And finally, Mary-Kate Olsen on Letterman: she was actually kind of likeable, especially when talking about her high school classmate, the "oily" Spencer Pratt.

In case you're wondering why there is so much screaming currently taking place around the nation, I'll fill you in: on Thurs, July 3rd @ 5pm ET, the one and only Jonas Brothers will be in the Much Environment for a very special Jonas Brothers Live@Much!

Hyperventilating yet? No? OK - how about this: If you want a wristband to the event, you need to line-up on the day of. That's right - you could be right in the thick of all the action. (Ear plugs not included.)

And how about THIS: A select number of people lined-up for wristbands will win the chance to attend a private pre-concert dress rehearsal with the Jo Bros immediately following the Live@Much!

(But - shhhhh - between you and me, you can also win wristbands to the rehearsal by entering online.)

Heads are surely now exploding.

And for all of y'all who have a question for the Brothers Jo, then send it ASAP to jonas@muchmusic.com OR send in a webcam question by uploading it to the Live@Much channel on ShowMeYours.

Get all the info here!

Ah! How did I not know about this?! Nine In Nails are hitting the road next month for a little toury-tour-tour and there are Canadian dates! They are as follows:

July 28 - Edmonton, AB @ Rexall Place
July 29 - Calgary, AB @ Pengrowth Saddledome
July 31 - Winnipeg, MB @ MTS Centre
August 5 - Toronto, ON @ Air Canada Centre

Gasp! Tickets are already on sale!

Also, after releasing their latest album The Slip online, Trent Reznor and the boys will now be releasing it as a limited edition CD/DVD on July 22nd. You better snatch it up quick, because only 250,000 copies will be available worldwide.

* I had never heard of this until now (I know, unacceptable), but the trailer for Joss Whedon's internet musical has hit the, um, internet.

* James McAvoy was on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson last night to promote his new film Wanted (which opens today). The interview is very quite charming.

* Camera-happy Miley Cyrus loves her MySpace angles.

* All those rumours that happened months ago are true: Madonna & Guy Ritchie have officially drifted apart.

* But Uma Thurman is engaged! (Take THAT, Madonna.)

* And some man in Florida just can't seem to NOT get attacked by alligators.

A movie without music would most definitely be flat. Boring. Unfinished. Music is essential to a film - it provides colour, creates emotion, establishes mood, or simply just reminds you to have a good time. Sure, there are Movie Musicals (pffft please), but even in a regular ol' Talkies, sometimes the most interesting plot or character developments happen with the aid of song. Some of these moments are definitely more memorable than others, so let's take a look at some of the best, shall we?

10. Adventures In Babysitting's Babysitting Blues

Elisabeth Shue has fallen off the radar a bit as of late, which is sad since she is an Academy Award nominee for Christ's sake! And oh yes - she starred in one of the greatest family films of all time: Adventures In Babysitting. Even though she shouldn't be cutting a record anytime soon, when Shue, as the overwhelmed babysitter, found herself on a stage in a crowded bar and was forced to sing the Babysitting Blues, she instantly became the dream 'Sitter of kids everywhere (and their parents' worst nightmare). [WATCH]

9. Trainspotting's Lust for Life

"Choose life. Choose a job. Choose a career. Choose a family, choose a f*cking big television, choose washing machines, cars, compact disc players, and electrical tin openers. Choose good health, low cholesterol and dental insurance. Choose fixed-interest mortgage repayments. Choose a starter home. Choose your friends... Choose your future. Choose life. I chose not to choose life: I chose something else. And the reasons? There are no reasons. Who need reasons when you've got" ...a great opening Iggy Pop song to accompany one of the best monologues of the past 15 years. [WATCH]

8. The Breakfast Club Library Dance

In what may arguably be one of the best teen movies of the 80s, 5 students of different backgrounds and archetypes are forced to spend a Saturday together in the school library for detention. What follows is a character journey where these 5 seemingly different teens slowly begin to realize that they have a lot more in common than originally thought. The scene where this becomes clear is when they have an impromptu dance party to kill the time. We see the prom queen dancing pretty, the nerd with no rhythm, the bully working out his aggression and the psycho girl dancin' all odd-like - but they are all bonding to the same song: We Are Not Alone by Karla DeVito whose lyrics fittingly spell out the entire message of the movie. Looking back on it now, it's just as lovable as ever. [WATCH]

7. Se7en's Opening Credits

Se7en, which is the creepiest movie of the 90s also has the creepiest opening title sequence - all due to a remix of Nine Inch Nails' Closer (precursor). In said sequence, we see the hands of our John Doe meticulously writing, cutting, crafting - but our focus is elsewhere as Trent Reznor's unusual white noise/creaky instrumentation kicks in. It puts us directly where masterful director David Fincher wants us: on edge and freaked out. [WATCH]

6. Jack Rabbit Slim's Twist Contest in Pulp Fiction

Yeah, yeah, I know - if I'm going to pick a film where John Travolta dances, why wouldn't I go with the dance-heavy Saturday Night Fever? (Or its ill-conceived sequel Staying Alive?) Well, because disco is dead, folks. And in Pulp Fiction, a non linear movie full of carnage, Royales with cheese, Gimps and adrenaline shots administered directly into the heart, watching two beautiful people simply do the Twist for a few minutes is certainly unexpected but also most welcome. [WATCH]

5. Shaun of the Dead's Queen Smackdown

Zombie movies have been the horror genre du jour as of late, and so it was refreshing to see one that added a lil' humour to the mix with Shaun of the Dead. One of the funniest scenes is the unintentionally choreographed self-defense routine to Queen's Don't Stop Me Now. The song adds the needed tension yet provides some much deserved laughs. The next time I'm smacking down zombies, I'll make sure to have some Freddie blasting on my iPod. [WATCH]

4. Reservoir Dogs' Bloody Ear

Quentin Tarantino likes his blood and he likes his music. He's well-known for infusing his graphic films with some major classic tune-age, but no more so than in 1992's Reservoir Dogs - the film that put the then up-and-coming Tarantino on the map. Case in point, the pivotal scene in which Michael Madsen's Mr. Blonde tortures Officer Marvin Nash is beautifully juxtaposed with the "Dylan-esque pop bubble gum favourite," Stuck In The Middle With You by Stealers Wheel. You end up cringing as you see an ear get sliced off, but your foot doesn't stop tapping. [WATCH]

3. Napoleon Dynamite's Canned Heat Dance

Napoleon Dynamite helped launch the age of the quirky comedy and definitely spawned a few catchphrases ("Tina, come get some ham!"), but what sells the movie is one of the final scenes where Napoleon, everyone's favourite underdog, bravely hits the stage to help save his best (and only) friend's attempt at winning the Class President elections. As he puts his practiced D-Qwons Dance Grooves to use, one can't help but both laugh at and cheer for the guy. He is the ultimate, lovable moonboot-wearing dork who, with a few hilarious moves to Jamiroquai's Canned Heat, becomes the coolest guy in school (even if it's just for an afternoon). [WATCH]

2. Pretty In Pink's Prom Finale

In 1986's Pretty In Pink, Molly Ringwald's Andie is sought after by a trio of boys: Steff, the stuck-up rich boy; Blane, the misunderstood nice guy; and Duckie, the platonic best friend. It all comes to a head during the final scene at their Prom where Duckie might finally have his chance to take the relationship to the next level, where Blane finally sticks it to Steff and then professes his love to Andie - leaving Duckie in the dust. Yay! to Andie and Blane, but poor Duckie! Just like high school, the scene is confusing and wrought with emotion, which is only elevated by OMD's classic If You Leave. In the end, it's the song's yearnful strings and 'ooohs' which make the scene what it is: one of the most heartbreaking yet uplifting teen movie moments. [WATCH]

1. Wayne's World Car Sing-A-Long

Years before the unfortunate incident that is The Love Guru, Mike Myers brought us this quintessential pop culture moment: the car ride headbang to Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody in Wayne's World. Now, because of this scene, no one is safe on the road when this song hits the radio. The scene perfectly articulates the suburban idea of a bullshit-free good time. I mean, who hasn't at some point mindlessly driven around with friends (going to the next great party or stripmall) and just rocked it out to that great sing-a-long song of the moment? If you haven't, you poor bastard, let Wayne & Garth show you how it's done. [WATCH]

* Thom Yorke says his Radiohead lyrics are nonsensical and such.

* RollingStone has reviewed The Dark Knight - and they liked it!

* Anyone else sick of Chris Martin's multi-coloured jacket yet?

* JT is OCD and ADD, OK?

* Erm, Colin Farrell is Minnie Driver's baby daddy?

* Some "journalist" says Britney fears an early death.

* And finally, Martha Stewart teaches us all about blogging! ("Clap, clap.")

OK folks, this is just about the most exciting (and simultaneously devastating) news I've heard all month. We are holding a MEGA contest with a prize of epic proportions, and since we work here, we obvs can't enter it ourselves. So we need all of YOU to enter, and two of you to win. Here's what's up for grabs.

One pair of FRONT ROW tickets to see Coldplay in either Toronto (July 30 @ Air Canada Centre) or Ottawa (October 20 @ Scotiabank Place). Tell me you don't want these tickets in your hands tout de suite!

Anyone who tried knows that when tickets to these shows went on sale two weeks ago at 10am ET, the earth's weather patterns shifted with a collective gasp of air from the entire population of Toronto and Ottawa when the shows sold out at precisely 10:01am ET. It was a colossal FAIL.

To say that the prize is sweet is truly an understatement - not only do you win tickets at all, but they're the best possible seats available. Now stop crying and enter for your chance to be within arm's reach of Chris Martin and co. on July 30 or October 20!

ENTER NOW

There is not much I can say about this; the video kinda says it all: WATCH!

Thank you Shaquille O'Neal, thank you for making my week. (And in case you are wondering, we are not laughing with you...we are laughing at you.)

I don't want to leave Shaq out to dry as the only musical criminal (I'll even NOT mention his 5 horrible albums - ooops I guess I kinda did), so here are a few other examples of celebrities who should leave the music to, ya know, musicians.

Macho Man Randy Savage: WATCH

Macho Man Kevin Costner: WATCH

Macho Man Billy Bob Thorton: WATCH

Macho Wo-man Scarlett Johansson (honey I love you and everything but leave Tom Waits music alone PLEASE!): WATCH

It all 'aint SO bad...check out Juliette Lewis: WATCH

take it easy,
=mw

* Kanye is SORRY about BONNAROO, OKAY?! Wait, does he actually apologize in this explanation?

* Oh, my god. Please look at this. I'm going to go die now.

* Santogold VS Santo Gold! I'm putting $20 down on Santogold.

* So, how about how these Timberlake Givenchy ads are kind of super hot?

* I guess Soulja Boy is beefin' with Ice T?

* Ummm... Rod Stewart dancing at home to "Do Ya Think I'm Sexy" with BUSTA RHYMES?! Pretty much the best thing ever.

* BE STILL MY HEART!!! Alicia Keys performed "Teenage Love Affair" at the BET awards, then she brought out SWV to sing "Weak", then she brought out EN VOGUE to sing "Hold On" AND THEN she brought out TLC to sing "WATERFALLS"!

* Ne-Yo serves up a little diss rap to Chris Brown. Well, it's rumoured to be directed at Chris Brown. Either way, DRAMA!

* The free Coldplay concert at Madison Square Garden turned into a star-studded event. Erm, where was my invite?

* Oohhh, I haven't posted anything Kristen Bell-related lately, so here she is doing yoga in a park! (Fascinating, I know).

* Nine Inch Nails share another rehearsal video, this time for Letting You.

* Celine Dion tops the list of the World's Worst Cover Songs, with her version of AC/DC's You Shook Me All Night Long. (Yup - it's pretty bad.)

* Curious to hear My Morning Jacket's 3-hour Bonnaroo set? Well the whole thing is right here.

* And finally, Sarah Michelle Gellar reveals her Top 10 classic male TV characters she wishes she could play.

[Ed note: the girls from our fave reality show sent us some blogs when they got back to the states! Nice, huh? Here's what they have to say!]

Canada was INSANE!!! I'm not really sure what I expected coming to Canada for the MMVAs. I know that most of the people on our Myspace are Canadian and they all had been warning me that Toronto was so much fun I might not want to leave!! Let me just say I have been considering packing up all my Girlicious booty shorts and moving my ass right to Canada!!! The MMVAs are a HUGE deal out here. I watched the much music channel all day as they recapped previous MMVA show moments and even thinking about it now I get butterflies in my stomach.

Ok sooo, the people in canada are truly amazing, crazy, and so damn dedicated! It was so great to meet a lot of you, take pictures, and see you all in person. You guys really make the MMVAs what it is. The energy on the the stage was just ELECTRIC! I speak for the girls when I say that for our very first awards show, we couldn't have been happier to be in Canada sharing the experience with you all. Your support is never ending and it's very touching :) OooOoo! I can't leave out MuchOnDemand! MOD was so much fun and yall's VJ Matt is not bad to look at either ;) . We also received our first award on MOD for "Best booty shaking" at the MMVAs! Thanks MOD! I cannot wait to come back for Summer Rush on July 20th and I know I will see everyone when we kill it on the Girlicious/Backstreet Boys tour!!! HoLLA!

xo NiC

I really enjoyed everything about Toronto! What an amazing experience at our very first award show as well as our first time out of the country. The energy of Toronto was electric and alive as well as welcoming, I can't wait to come back... I actually considered trying to convince Robin to move us there lol!

Thanks for the love Canada!! Can't wait to see you again.

xoxo Natalie

Hey Canada it's your girl Tiffanie from Girlicious and I just have to say thank you sooooooo much for supporting Girlicious and remaining so loyal to us, you guys are helping to put Girlicious on the map and we know it. when we went to Canada we were so overwelmed with all of the love. You are so sweet and everyone is so nice, and your city is so cleannn... and there is such a variety of people and culture. Canada has quite the swag I must say. So, before I sign off I have one little request: Girlicious is nominated for the best breakout group and best music reality tv show for the Teen Choice Awards. I want people in the u.s. to wake up and realize the influence that the "north" has on our culture, so pllllease go to teenchoiceawards.com and vote for Girlicious and help us beat Jonas Brothers and American Idol! We can do it, because we have Canada behind us! Anyhow, I love you guys and I love that you guys say 'washroom' instead of 'bathroom' and 'pop' instead of 'soda' lol... anyways let me hush... and say "HOLLA!!!!!"

xoxo Tiffanie

Just got back from Toronto and I got to say... we love all of you!!! Thanks soooooo much for supporting us the way that you all did - U guys are trully amazing! It's really nice to know that we have TRUE supporters!!! Thanks for making our first award show the best experience and the most memorable experience EVER!!!! WE truly love u all!!! We really had sooooooooooooo much fun!

Love,
Chrystina!!!!!

Tomorrow's episode of The Shift features Stephanie. She got to spend the day rock climbing with her favourite Much VJ Tim Deegan. Watch Stephanie co-host The Shift Tomorrow @ 9pm ET.

Hi Everyone!

Love Stephanie

Just because VFest Calgary has come to an end, doesn't mean that we stop giving out VFest-related news since, well, Toronto VFest is still to come!

Added to the T-dot's (yup - I just said "T-dot") schedule is Moby, who will be DJing on Sept 7th. So get your tickets, get ready to dance, and bring some sunscreen for both you and Moby's sure to be glistening noggin.

Two things you need to know:

1. 50 Cent was here on Sunday with Lloyd Banks and DJ Whoo Kid. Now you can watch the whole interview on AXS!

2. There are still tickets to be won for Calgary and Edmonton to see G-Unit live in concert!

Got that? Gooooood.

MOD is looking for Tokio Hotel fans with webcams to talk about the new video live on our show. E-mail ondemand@muchmusic.com if you want to be a part of the show. It all goes down 5pm ET today!

It is being reported that "mini-Timberlake" Blake Lewis (American Idol runner-up on the Jordin Sparks season), has been dropped by his label, Arista. His debut album, Audio Day Dream, was released in December and only sold an underwhelming 300,000 copies. This somewhat surprises me because (a) the kid was bearably charming, and (b) the album, although by no means great, had some decent production value and took some interesting 80s-inspired risks.

But Lewis isn't the first Idol alumni to be dropped from a label; both "Soul Patrol" Taylor Hicks and "Open Toes" Katharine McPhee (who had an equally dance-ready album) got the boot after their albums tanked and same goes for Season 2 winner, Ruben Studdard. We still have yet to see any of these artists fully bounce back, so is Lewis now destined for the same fate of potentially fading into obscurity?

So, American Idol, what gives? I mean, yes, for every Idol failure, there has been a success story (namely Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Daughtry and Jordin Sparks), but it seems that the Idol "hit making" batting average has been a disappointing 50/50. So just how relevant is this show? What is more important here: the actual up-start of new-found talent? Or simply the juggernaut that is Idol franchise TV ratings?

Discuss.

Photograph Courtesy Getty Images

The Smashing Pumpkins website has announced that "plans are underway that will lead to the eventual release of a pre-Gish/Gish box set!"

It goes on to say that although no one knows for sure what will actually be included on this box set, it should be released at the same time with their Gish tour sometime in 2008.

Hmmm. No one knows for sure? To coincide with a tour? In 2008?! That doesn't really leave them much time to figure it all out since the year is now half over. Get to it, boys! But then again, if they're touring an album of theirs that's 17 years old (Gish was released in 1991), then I guess their work is mostly already done.

And perhaps even more importantly: why Gish? I would argue that it wasn't necessarily their best album.

* Because Chris and RiRi are cute, ok?!

* Anne Hathaway's ex is a supa dupa troublemaker.

* If you can't decide what to sang at karaoke, EW's got some suggestions. But please, no more Grease.

* Announcement: Speidi's new website will be "bigger than MySpace, bigger than Facebook." It's good to dream!

* Announcement: that story about Paris and the pet store turning her away? Not true.

* I actually hate myself for linking this, but here is Heidi Montag's latest song, Fashion. Ugh - a little piece of me just died inside.

* Brittany Snow speaks up about her troubled past.

* Rihanna does The View and performs Take A Bow. Ha! We got her first, bitches!

* Get Smart dominates at the box office this past weekend. (Sorry, Love Guru).

* Sad, sad, sad: one of the funniest of all funny-men, George Carlin, passed away yesterday at the age of 71.

* And finally, Matthew McConaughey's beach bums fight back!

Yeah, yeah, by now you all know the MMVAs were great. But what you didn't know is that during the entire weekend, our MuchMusic.com crew was walking around with brand spankin' new 8GB Nokia N95 cell phones. But get this: it's also a 5 megapixel camera! Whhaaa?! I know! That's cah-wazy!

Well, this phone of ours took some great shots. Lookie here (if you're viewing in Firefox):

And now, just for fun, we offer up a pic for you to caption. It's of Hedley, those good sports who are usually up for anything.

So caption away in the comments below!

Earlier today, Toronto Mayor David Miller, Councillor Kyle Rae and Pride Toronto gathered with the general public at City Hall to officially proclaim the beginning of Pride Week 2008 by raising the Rainbow Flag.

Mmhmm, that's right, Folks - Toronto Pride Week is now underway and just like every year, we bring you a special Much Comes Out Video Playlist on MuchAXS. We have your gay icons (such as Madonna, Mariah, Rufus, Celine, Britney, Pet Shop Boys), your cuties (Jesse McCartney, Jonas Brothers, Tegan and Sara, Robyn), your newbies (MIKA, Katy Perry, Fritz Helder) and, well, a whole lot more. It's an eclectic mix geared to celebrate our differences and to make you dance no matter if you're Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transsexual, Transgendered, Intersexual, Queer, Questioning, 2-Spirited or Straight - because if there's one thing that unites us, it's the love of great music.

So in celebration of the great week ahead, proudly check out the colourful Much Comes Out Video Playlist.

Also, for all your Toronto Pride updates, check out pridetoronto.com. And make sure to check out the Supporting Our Youth Pride event: The Fruit Loopz Stage, full of youth artists, musicians, and cool games.

It's the moment all you krumpin' fools have been waiting for: the return of Randy Jackson Presents America's Best Dance Crew. It all starts over again NOW. The first episode of Season 2 is upon us. Same judges, same host, all new dance crews.

What does Season 2 have in store for us? From what we saw from the Casting Call Special, there will be more tricks, more impressive athleticism, more eye-popping dancin' and more inevitable drama!

So let us begin shall we...? Show host and recently named People Magazine's Hottest Bachelor, Mario Lopez, hits the stage looking as casual as ever. His dimples inform us that "thousands of crews auditioned, but only the 10 best have made it here tonight."

Who are these 10? Let's find out:

Supreme Soul from San Francisco, CA
Super CR3W from Las Vegas, NV
Fanny Pak from Los Angeles, CA
SoReal Cru from Houston, TX
Distorted X from Houston, TX
Phresh Select from Philadelphia, PA
Sass x7 from Piscataway, NJ
Boogie Bots from Washington, DC
Xtreme Dance Force from Naperville, IL
A.S.I.I.D. from Detroit, MI (WAY too smiley for my liking, BTW).

And ah yes, the RAISING of the 10 team banners, which, after each episode, will be narrowed down as the eliminated team's banner falls to the floor. Oh-so-dramatic.

Now getting right down to business, Mario's perfectly coiffed hair tells us that there will already be an elimination this week because after the Casting Call Episode, America got to vote for their favourites.

But let's stop being pedantic, k? The dancing awaits!

SoReal Cru
Song: Omarion - Entourage

SoReal Cru baffles me in that I have yet to fully understand why their original dance studio kicked them out. All we know is that it's because they wouldn't change their name, but how is "SoReal Cru" in any way offensive? Truly bizarre. (Did I miss something? Was this explained in further detail at some point?) Either way, I think I'm going to like SoReal. This routine was fun, to-the-point and had a dash of last season's Kaba Modern flair. (Kaba Modern, btw, I still feel got the major shaft). So I'm totally on team SoReal right now, but with 9 more crews to go, that can obviously change (and probably will - I'm fickle that way).

Mario Lopez: "Oh! SoReal Cru looking SoTight!" (wha-whaaaaa.)

Now on to the judges... "Pop Music Icon" JC Chasez likes Pat's butterfly jump into the splits. He calls it "manly." (JC was introduced by Mario as a "pop music icon"...? Really, Mario? Reeeallly?) Shane Sparks is "trippin" and sees this team in the "top 2" and Lil' Mama apparently doesn't know an Alien from an Ayleen but she "really likes this group." Oh judges, off to a rocky start... I love it.

Supreme Soul
Song: Busta Rhymes - Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See

There is something about this dance crew that is actually adorable. They attack the dancing like it's a team sport, and their choreography definitely has a sense of humour - the visual gags are non-stop, with their arm waves and head smacks. Plus the old-school letterman jackets and cardigans are a nice touch. It's like Abbott & Costello-Meets-Dance Crew. Me likey.

Shane likes it, but needs it to be cleaned up; Lil Mama is disappointed and says "cocky" a lot; JC thinks they "got caught up in the tricks" and thinks they were trying to be "too cute" (which, again, I think actually works for them, but c'est la vie). I'm sure they'll clean up their act for next week and come back stronger than ever.

Xtreme Dance Force
Song: Lil Mama - Shorty Get Loose

This team perplexes me. Everything about them (in name, clothes and dancing) screams "we're from the 90s!" and their sculpted waxed eyebrows are way too crazy for me to handle. They are rich, pampered, and just down right annoying. Yet they definitely have talent. Their choreo is quick, clean and fun to watch (albeit somewhat generic), and all the members seem to be on an equal level. It's almost like watching a cheerleading squad on ESPN, which could be a good thing since I like watching cheerleading squads on ESPN. Hence the confusion this team brings me. I hate them but I love them, ya know?

The judges seems to be equally confused. Lil Mama thinks they are "neat," Shane thinks they are "whack" and has a 10-year old who he thinks could choreograph that same routine, and JC thinks they were a bit "stiff."

A.S.I.I.D.
Song: Nicole Scherzinger - Whatever You Like

Oh. My. God. I love this team. Yes, partly because one of their team members is deaf and totally hitting all of the steps, but also because their energy is infectious. You can tell they all really enjoy each other and that they love to entertain. And entertain they did.

Shane is all smiles, saying "it's a dance show and they just danced!" Lil Mama, like me, was "entertained." JC thinks they have that "je ne sais quoi." Ooooo... JC is getting all fancy-like with the francais.

Boogie Bots
Song: Zapp & Roger - More Bounce To The Ounce

I appreciate this team's 80's vibe and their electronica music, plus they have a cool name, but other than that, I think this team is unfortunately ultimately forgettable. Like, we need more bounce to the ounce, ya know? And that's all I gotta say about the Boogie Bots.

JC likes the song selection and thinks the performance was clean; Lil Mama likes the knee slides; Shane sees the potential but wants them to be more creative.

Super CR3W
Song: James Brown - Get Up

If there's one thing I like, it's dancin' Ninjas. The falling towers off the top of this routine were amazing and everything that followed was concise, creative and well-executed. Step aside SoReal, this team of B-boys may have now become my favourites.

Lil Mama thought they "turked it up," whatever the F that means; JC thinks they were "wildly entertaining" because they "used the whole stage"; and Shane says they just "shit on everybody." Um, that's gross, Shane.

Phresh Select
Song: Boyz II Men - Motown Philly

I was just kind of feeling that. The old school Boyz II Men was great, but overall the choreography and execution were all just sorta "meh." But I like this group's style and what they stand for (their youth outreach within their local community is commendable), so I hope that they come back next week stronger than ever.

Shane was impressed; JC liked them a lot; Lil Mama liked the performance. Gee guys, way to be specific.

Sass x7
Song: Danity Kane - Damaged

This group says that they don't want to look like cheerleaders, but I must say, that's exactly what they looked like to me. But again, like I mentioned with Xtreme Dance Force, that's not necessarily a bad thing (competitive cheerleading is hard, yo!). Now that being said, what this team brings to the mix is some classical dance training - their non-ironic pirouettes were a nice touch. Overall, I think these girls are a bit out of their element in this competition, but I'm curious to see what else they'll bring to the table. (PS: Good song choice).

JC thinks it was a smart song choice and also saw the cheerleader vibe; Lil Mama wants them to go harder because it's too cheerleader-y; Shane thinks they are good, but wants them to switch it up, adding some waves and chest pops and what not (in other words, not be so cheerleader-like).

And now the Bottom 2, Fanny Pak & Distorted X, will duke it out!

Fanny Pak
Song: Kylie Minogue - SpeakerPhone

I LOOOOOVE this group. They are totally different, yet have totally captured that 80s/American Apparel zeitgeist. And their song choice of Kylie Minogue's SpeakerPhone was great. Their choreography is original, but had enough of the required elements that the judges usually look for. If Fritz Helder & The Phantoms were a Dance Crew, they would be Fanny Pak. These are the true underdogs of this season and I'm rooting for them. Thoughts?

Distorted X
Song: Tweet f. Missy Elliott - Oops Oh My

I can now see why these are the two bottom groups. They are very different than the other 8 teams. They seem to be taking more risks and breaking away from the hip-hop mould that most dance crews come from. This routine was good, but if I had to pick between Distorted X and Fanny Pak, I'd obviously choose Fanny Pak.

Lil Mama thinks Fanny Pak was a group that was "slept on" (again, I don't know what that means!); Shane thinks Distorted X put a great performance together and that they took their time; JC thinks both performed "really well."

So the first banner of the season is about to fall. Whose will it be?! ... Distorted X.

So Fanny Pak stays! Yay!

Aaahhh Dance Crew bliss... Season 2 will be a good one.

Watch the entire episode on MuchAXS: Episode 1

Photographs Courtesy Warner Bros.

So it is now Monday, the day that everyone gets back to work (or school) after a hopefully relaxing weekend. Unless you're Kat and Wendy, that is. The two lady bloggers extraordinaire spent the entire weekend running amok at Calgary's first ever VFest and have recapped all of their shenanigans for you. They are currently on the plane heading back to boring ol' Toronto, but below you will find everything you need to know about Cowtown and its virgin Virgin Festival.

VIDEO RECAPS:
Day 1
Day 2

DAY 1 MUSICAL ACTS & PICS:
Stone Temple Pilots
The Flaming Lips
Three Days Grace
The Fratellis
Carolina Liar
Corb Lund & Crash Parallel
Face To Face

DAY 2 MUSICAL ACTS & PICS:
The Tragically Hip
Matthew Good
The New Pornographers
City & Colour
Stars
Constantines
Attack In Black & Ten Second Epic

SARAH TAYLOR MUSINGS:
Loving Calgary & Wayne Coyne
Sunday Thoughts

Phewf. I didn't even go to Calgary and I'm exhausted... Now bring on VFest Toronto! (Damn you, September! Why you gots to be 3 months away?!)

That's Nicole, Sarah, Adam, Wendy & me (Kat), aka the MuchMusic Does Virgin Festival crew! Look how fabulous and festival-ed out we look!

*sniff*

Our time in Calgary has come to an end. In a few short hours we'll be boarding a plane and flying back east to Toronto. I just turned my watch back (er, forward) to Eastern Standard Time. Seeing what time it 'actually' is makes me sleepy. The weekend has been filled with frequent outbursts of "but it's actually ____ o'clock!"

Virgin Festival was a blast! We rocked out to The Flaming Lips from sidestage and watched the sweaty masses rock out to the 90 minute visual extravaganza. We saw naked ladies on stage. We consumed massive amounts of perfectly melted Oh Henry! bars. Flirted with stiltwalkers. Competed in a danceoff with two bushes. Signed autographs. Cuddled with lemurs. You get the gist. Some snaps:

Sarah & Nicole, front row during Flaming Lips' set

Contemplating my viewing schedule

Sarah, freshly pierced

Lemur on the loose (literally) at the Calgary Zoo

Nicole experiences Exeloo toilet success in downtown Calgary

Things We Learned About Calgary:
- it doesn't even begin to get dark outside until almost 11pm (what's up with that? I mean, I know we were here on the longest day of the year, but ... 11pm??)
- the city's built on the most compact grid system ever
- there's no any sales tax, just GST
- there's a streetcar
- people are friendly and approachable
- cabbies are cute
- people love lounging outside of coffee shops
- every establishment 'proudly serves Starbucks coffee'
- they're piloting the Exeloo Self Managing Public Toilet
- you're about to get ten digit dialing (suckers!)
- Diner Deluxe serves the best brunch in all of 403

Bye Calgary! Thanks for being so galldang nice to us while we were here.

We'll miss you, and hopefully will see you again at Virgin Festival 2009!

Aaaaaaand we're done. In conclusion, here's another video! See you in Toronto...

PS: If you missed it, here's our video from day one!

... or How Gord Downie Taught A City How To Move

One thing's for sure: Calgary's festival organizers know how to pick headliners who are true performers. This Gord Downie character sure knows how to work a stage.

But first, let's backtrack a second. I'm no Tragically Hip connoisseur by any means; I know Poets is the video with the cats and Ahead By A Century is that one that Much played a lot the year it came out (yes children, there was a time when we played videos by The Hip). Alas, there are few other Hip songs I can name or recite - but that doesn't mean I can't enjoy the legendary Canadian band when they're mere feet in front of me. Aaaaaaand I did.

Sometimes a performer is a PERFORM-AIRE. Sometimes they just give it to you in all facets of stage prowess. And sometimes Gord Downie comes along and chews on a kleenex and acts like a primate right in front of your face. No, seriously - he played monkey for a short while. And he twirled and jumped and kicked his mic stand; he posed and skulked and jammed and saaaaaaang. When you've got a camera in your hand, this kind of stage presence is gold. I was laughing and snapping away, grinning ear to ear.

Alas, I cannot tell you their set list, on account of the aforementioned lack of Hip knowledge - but if you were there, leave a comment relaying what you remember, and I'll share it with the peoples. Alls I knows is that the open venue was more packed than I had seen it all weekend; all eyes and ears were glued to a band that truly knows how to put on a show. And Gord is a maniac (in the best possible way)!