There are some great upcoming events for music lovers in 2006.

The 2005 Grammy award winner John Mayer is touring during the early part of the year. This is definitely not one to miss. John Mayer’s career really took off in 1999-2000. Working out of Atlanta, he produced his first solo album, “Inside Wants Out”, in 1999. Mayer became a regular draw in the Atlanta club circuit. Then, an appearance in March of 2000 at the South by Southwest Music Festival equated to a recording contract with a subsidiary of Columbia Records. He recorded his major label debut, “Room for Squares”, with producer John Alagia, who had previously worked with artists like Dave Matthews and Ben Folds Five. Room for Squares featured electric funky hooks and Mayer's versatile, smooth voice, which bore a striking resemblance to the stylistic sound of Dave Matthews.

Upcoming John Mayer Events:

01/30/06 On ABC @ 9:00pm, In Style TV Show - Chicago, IL

02/09/06 Tonight Show with Jay Leno - Los Angeles, CA

02/13/06 Adelaide Entertainment Centre - Adelaide Australia

02/14/06 Rod Laver Arena - Melbourne Australia

02/15/06 Rod Laver Arena - Melbourne Australia

02/17/06 Entertainment Center Newcastle - Newcastle Australia

02/18/06 Entertainment Center - Sydney Australia

02/19/06 Entertainment Center Wollongong - Wollongong Australia

02/21/06 Royal Theatre - Canberra Australia

02/23/06 Brisbane Entertainment Centre - Brisbane Australia

02/25/06 Perth Challenge Stadium - Perth Australia

Speaking of Dave Mathews, the great South African vocalist/guitarist of the Dave Matthews Band is doing something unusual and interesting. It begins in Florida on Friday February 3, 2006 as Sovereign of the Seas sails from Port Canaveral while, simultaneously, Majesty of the Seas sails from Miami, each ship carrying fans and Artists on a weekend musical fantasy trip to the Bahamas. Dramatically, in the Atlantic, these two sister ships will converge and sail side by side, an event of rare occurrence in cruising history. Artists scheduled to perform during the cruise include Dave Matthews & Friends, Bob Weir & Ratdog, G. Love & Special Sauce, Toots & the Maytals, Ozomatli, North Mississippi Allstars. Mike Doughty's Band, Soulive, Mofro, Michael Tolcher. ALO (Animal Liberation Orchestra), DJ Logic, Motion Potion, John Brown's Body, Grace Potter & the Nocturnals and Brett Dennen. The Dave Mathews Band was formed in Virginia in the early '90s. Featuring Matthews, Stefan Lessard, Leroi Moore, Boyd Tinsley, and Carter Beauford. They built up a strong word-of-mouth following in the early '90s by touring the country relentlessly, concentrating on college campuses. Rumor has it that the Band is planning a summer tour for 2006. As for the dates and locations, keep your eyes peeled.

Out of all the former Beatles, Paul McCartney by far had the most successful solo career, maintaining a persistent presence in the British and American charts during the '70s and '80s. In America alone, he created nine number one singles and seven number one albums during the first 12 years of his solo career. Although he sold records, and is wildly popular, McCartney never attained much respect from the critics, especially when compared to his former partner John Lennon. This changed entirely with his release of “Flaming Pie” in 1997. One momentous live performance given by McCartney was "Good Day Sunshine" performed for the international space station crew. NASA astronaut Bill McArthur and Russian cosmonaut Valery Tokarev were treated to a live wake-up call of the Beatles classic in a first-ever concert linkup to the space station. Currently, Paul McCartney is not touring.

Coldplay is a band destined to be hailed as one of the most creatively sparse and emotionally artistic to come around in quite some time. The London-based quartet can comfortably go from stunning stadium anthems to slow-burning churns and do it with a flair like no other.

Complete Coldplay tour dates:

1/25/06: Seattle, Key Arena

1/26/06: Vancouver, GM Place

1/30/06: Sacramento, CA, Arco Arena

1/31/06: Oakland, CA, Oakland Arena

2/1/06: San Jose, CA, HP Pavilion

2/3/06: Las Vegas, MGM Grand Garden Arena

2/19/06: Denver, Pepsi Center

2/20/06: Omaha, NE, Qwest Center

2/22/06: Auburn Hills, MI, Palace of Auburn Hills

2/23/06: Louisville, KY, Freedom Hall

2/25/06: Houston, Toyota Center

2/26/06: Dallas, American Airlines Center

2/27/06: Oklahoma City, OK, Ford Center

3/2/06: Washington, DC, MCI Center

3/4/06: Orlando, T.D. Waterhouse Centre

3/5/06: Tampa, Ford Pavilion

3/20/06: Cleveland, Quicken Loans Arena

3/22/06: Toronto, Air Canada Center

3/25/06: East Rutherford, NJ, Continental Airlines Arena

3/26/06: Uniondale, NY, Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum

3/30/06: Chicago, United Center

4/3/06: Manchester, NH, Verizon Wireless Arena

4/4/06: Uncasville, CT, Mohegan Sun Arena

4/6/06: Philadelphia, Wachovia Center

Rob Thomas is just wrapping up his first solo tour. The former singer and main songwriter for Matchbox Twenty, a Florida based alternative group that found success with a blend of '70s rock influences and 1990s grunge crunch. The band broke into major success in 1996 with "Push". They were then off and running. The album “Yourself or Someone Like You” went platinum a dozen times over in the U.S. Ultimately, a song he co-wrote for the Carlos Santana album Supernatural. "Smooth" launched Thomas to stardom. The track collected three Grammys including Song of the Year, and Thomas was selected to People's Magazine "Most Beautiful People" list. Thomas has only two stops left on his current tour:

2/13/06 Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Adelaide

2/14/06 Melbourne Park - Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne

The Rolling Stones are on the Worldwide circuit again. Besides the appearance at this years Superbowl, the World's Greatest Rock & Roll Band has an extensive whirlwind tour in progress. From the hard driving blues and rock to the mellow psychedelic pop blends, there is no greater thrill than seeing the best there is. A Rolling Stones Concert is a once-in-a-lifetime event (more if you’re lucky).

Complete Rolling Stones tour dates for 1996:

Jan. 10 -- Montreal, QC -- Molson Centre

Jan. 13 -- Boston, MA -- Fleet Center

Jan. 15 -- Boston, MA -- Fleet Center

Jan. 18 -- New York, NY -- Madison Square Garden

Jan. 20 -- New York, NY -- Madison Square Garden

Jan. 23 -- Chicago, IL -- United Center

Jan. 25 -- Chicago, IL -- United Center

Jan. 27 -- St. Louis, MO -- Savvis Center

Jan. 29 -- Omaha, NE -- Qwest Center

Feb. 01 -- Baltimore, MD -- First Mariner Center

Feb. 05 -- Detroit, MI -- Ford Field (SUPER BOWL)

Feb. 11 -- San Juan, PR -- Coliseo de Puerto Rico

Feb. 18 -- Rio de Janeiro, Brazil -- Copacabana Beach

Feb. 21 -- Buenos Aires, Argentina -- River Plate Stadium

Feb. 23 -- Buenos Aires, Argentina -- River Plate Stadium

Feb. 26 -- Mexico City, Mexico -- Rodriguez Autodromo

Mar. 01 -- Monterrey, Mexico -- Estadio Universitario

Mar. 04 -- Las Vegas, NV -- MGM Grand Garden

Mar. 06 -- Inglewood, CA -- The Forum

Mar. 09 -- North Little Rock, AR -- Alltell Arena

Mar. 12 -- Ft. Lauderdale, FL -- Bank Atlantic Center

March/April -- Japan and Australia

May 27 -- Barcelona, Spain -- Estadio Olimpic

May 29 -- Madrid, Spain -- Estadio Calderon

June 01 -- Brussels, Belgium -- Stade Baudouin

June 03 -- Paris, France -- Stade de France

June 06 -- Bergen, Norway -- Koengen

June 08 -- Jutland, Denmark -- Forum Horsens

June 10 -- Gothenburg, Sweden -- Nya Ullevi

June 13 -- St. Petersburg, Russia -- Petrovsky

June 16 -- Brno, Czech Republic -- Exhibition Grounds

June 18 -- Warsaw, Poland -- Airport Bemowo

June 20 -- Vienna, Austria -- Happel Stadion

June 22 -- Milan, Italy -- Stadio Meazza

June 29 -- Athens, Greece -- Olympic Stadium

July 02 -- Belgrade, Serbia -- Hippodrome

July 06 -- Zagreb, Croatia -- Maksimir Stadium

July 10 -- Nuremberg, Germany -- Frankenstadion

July 12 -- Leipzig, Germany -- Zentralstadion

July 14 -- Frankfurt, Germany -- Waldstadion

July 16 -- Munich, Germany -- Olympiastadion

July 19 -- Hanover, Germany -- Niedersachsenstadion

July 21 -- Berlin, Germany -- Olympiastadion

July 23 -- Cologne, Germany -- Mungersdorferstadion

July 30 -- Amsterdam, Holland -- Amsterdam Arena

Aug. 01 -- Amsterdam, Holland -- Amsterdam Arena

Aug. 03 -- Stuttgart, Germany -- Daimlerstadion

Aug. 05 -- Switzerland -- To Be Announced

Aug. 08 -- Nice, France -- Le Palais Nikaia

Aug. 12 -- Porto, Portugal -- Estadio Dragao

Aug. 14 -- Valladolid, Spain -- Estadio Zorrilla

Aug. 18 -- Dublin, Ireland -- Phoenix Park

Aug. 20 -- London, England -- Wembley Stadium

Aug. 22 -- London, England -- Wembley Stadium

Aug. 25 -- Glasgow, Scotland -- Hampden Park

Aug. 27 -- Sheffield, England -- Don Valley Stadium

Aug. 29 -- Cardiff, Wales -- Millenium Stadium