You can win two tickets to see Alan Jackson at the BancorpSouth Arena!

All you have to do is register at NEMS360.com.

Go to the home page for more details.

I posted earlier this week about Andy Hallett, the actor who starred as Lorne in "Angel."

Hallett, 33, passed away of heart failure.

As an "Angel" fan, Hallett's death has broken my heart. Hallett was perfect as the demon bar owner, Lorne. I was surprised to learn that Lorne was his first acting job. He always seemed so comfortable embodying this green, karaoke-singing, L.A.-loving demon. His performance was always pitch-perfect.

Tim Minear, who served as writer and director of many episodes of "Angel," has posted this terrific video of some of Hallett's best scenes from "Angel."

Also, if you'd like to send your condoences to Hallett's family, you can do so here.

Feel free to share your favorite Lorne moment.

Hey y'all -

I'll be spending much of Thursday at Ole Miss, giving two presentations on entertainment writing at this year's MSPA conference. So, I won't be blogging much over the next day/weekend. Try to console yourselves. :)

Feel free to chat about anything you're in love with in comments, though, as a sort of mini-Show & Tell.

Also, if you'd like, check out the OLD address for Scene Now – sheenabarnett.wordpress.com - as I've taken it over for my own, NON-Journal pop culture/entertainment site. I'll also be posting up my old music reviews and columns there, so stay tuned.

Til then, be nice and I'll see y'all next week. Say hi if you're at any sessions!

Megan Corkrey was voted off "American Idol" tonight.

She was in the bottom two with Anoop Desai. Allison Iraheta was in the bottom three.

Next week's theme is music from the year the contestants were born.

What's happening this weekend?

• Both Kelli Karlson and M. Scott Morris dug "Monsters vs. Aliens." See if you like it – it's playing in theaters now.
• "Cats" is at the BancorpSouth Arena Thursday.
• Rock Bottom Trio, Crushing Ophelia and Augie May will perform at the Main St. Bar and Grill in Tupelo.
• The Kevin Waide Project has a show Saturday at Boondocks Grill in Tupelo.
• Check out Jamie Davis & Soul Gravy at State Theatre Friday night.
• Gunboat will perform Saturday at Dave's Dark Horse in Starkville.
• Sister Hazel has a show at The Lyric Oxford Friday.

Hey y'all – Sorry this is a touch late, but a pal of mine is moving this week and we threw her a going-away party last night. I didn't get to watch "Idol" til late, and I highly doubt anyone was up at midnight when I was finally done watching "Idol," waiting on these recaps...

Anyway, last night was contestants' choice, so long as it was on iTunes (equal parts "can you vague that up for me?" and "let's suck up to iTunes!").

Anoop Desai went first, singing Usher's "Caught Up." Seemed totally karaoke to me.

Randy said: He picked up his swagger but it still wasn't the best song choice.

Kara said: He played it safe and it was too close to the original.

Paula said: She loved seeing his playful side but he needs to work on his stage presence.

Simon said: It was a "complete and utter mess." He came over as a wannabe.

Megan Corkrey sang "Turn Your Lights Down Low," previously performed by Bob Marley and Lauryn Hill. I think the song should've worked, but it just didn't.

Kara said: She may be in trouble – wrong song choice.

Paula said: Megan needs to "take us by surprise."

Simon said: It was a boring, indulgent song choice.

Randy said: It was like watching paint dry.

Danny Gokey sang Rascal Flatt's "What Hurts the Most." I'm certainly not a Danny Gokey fan, and this didn't win me over. I have no idea what the judges' heard, but his version was the same as the original.  I didn't hear anything great about it.

Paula said: "This is where you thrive."

Simon said: It was his best performance to date and he was so much better than the first two.

Randy said: He can really sing and he needs to move more on stage.

Kara said: He moved everyone emotionally and he gave so much of his heart and soul.

Allison Iraheta sang No Doubt's "Don't Speak," and she played a guitar. I really liked this, but then I'm a huge No Doubt fan.

Randy said: She rushed the song a little, liked the guitar, but didn't like her outfit.

Kara said: She's a rocker so she doesn't need to dress the part.

Paula said: She liked the guitar and her voice is as strong as singers twice her age.

Simon said: It sounded like she was trying to be a rock star and she shouted some of the song.

Scott MacIntyre sang Billy Joel's "Just the Way You Are" while sporting Flock of Seagulls hair. The song was pretty; the hair, not so much.

Kara said: It was a smart song choice.

Paula said: She's the most proud of him – not because of his "challenge," but for "everything that makes me forget about that challenge."

Simon said: His best performance so far.

Randy said: One of the best performances of the night.

Matt "Sheena's Mama's Favorite" Giraud sang The Fray's "You Found Me." I thought Matt did a good job of bringing life into such a boring, generic song.

Paula said: It was too soundalike.

Simon said: He didn't get it and it was like he was trying to be somebody else.

Randy said: It was the wrong song choice.

Kara said: He's talented and doesn't deserve to go home, but he needs to define who he is as an artist.

Lil Rounds sang "I Surrender," by Celine Dion. And, egads, I don't know why. She can sing anything and she chose Celine Dion?

Randy said: It was the wrong song choice but she sang it well.

Kara said: We got a glimpse of what we saw in the beginning and we need to see more of that.

Paula said: She needs to have more fun.

Simon said: It was like a wedding performance.

Adam Lambert was next, performing "Play that Funky Music." It was equal parts kinda good and kinda...well..Adam. Take that as you will.

Paula asid: "True genius does not fulfill expectations; it shatters it." Likened him to Mick Jagger.

Simon said: It was very brave and original.

Randy said: He worked it out.

Kara said: Every week she can't wait to see what he'll do next.

Kris Allen finished the night singing "Ain't No Sunshine." Ladies and gents, rarely will I ever tell you to rush out and buy an "Idol" contestant's version of anything, but go buy this. While nothing is as good as the migthty Bill Withers, this was really, really good. It made me hear the song in a whole new way. It was gorgeous.

Randy said: It was "so creative, so cool."

Kara said: "That is artistry."

Paula said: He took a 30-year-old song and made it seem new again. Best performance of the night.

Simon said: He's finally showing some confidence and it was a very good arrangement. His best performance so far.

What say ye, Scenesters?

What new musical goodies are on your iPod?

The newest album on mine is Elvis Perkins in Dearland's self-titled album.

When Elvis Perkins (yes, yes, yes, he's the son of Anthony "Norman Bates" Perkins) released his debut album, "Ash Wedneday" in 2007, I remember there being a bunch of buzz around him. I never bought his album but kept his name in the back of my mind as someone to catch up with when I had the time.

Perkins' band, Elvis Perkins in Dearland, released its new album on March 10. If you like really unique, honest-to-goodness musical sounds, try this album out. There's a lot going on – I can hear many genres in the band's sound – but it all sounds very together. And the instruments just sound amazing.

Check out this clip of Elvis Perkins in Dearland performing "Shampoo," as well as this clip of the band performing "Doomsday."

What's on your iPod?

This weekend I rented the Swedish vampire movie "Let the Right One In."

The movie follows Oskar, a 12-year-old boy who's regularly beat up by school bullies. His only friend is his new neighbor, Eli, also 12. As their friendship deepens, he learns that Eli is a vampire – but his loyalty to her doesn't waver.

I rented this movie because I'd heard it was a vampire movie, and being a fan of vampires, I thought it would be a thoroughly creepy two hours. I was really surprised – and, kind of touched, actually – to learn that this is really more of a coming-of-age film. Yeah, there's a vampire, and yeah, there's some bloody violence – but there's no horror at this movie's heart.

My initial reaction to the film was that it was more disturbing than it was scary. There are some scenes that definitely didn't sit well with me, just because of the violence and the young age of the kids involved. But the beautiful thing about this movie is that it has stayed with me, and the more I thought about it, the more I saw the positives, the more beautiful aspects of the story.

More than anything, too, "Let the Right One In" is visually stunning. There are some scenes/visuals that will not leave my mind. It's worth watching just to see how gorgeous the movie is.

This is a film that has grown on me – I enjoyed watching it, but I've enjoyed thinking about it more since seeing it. And now I regret sending it back without getting the chance to watch it another time.

Click here to view the trailer.

What have you rented lately?

Happy Tuesday!

Have plenty to share, but I'll write all about all of those things later...ah. :)

 

• First off, some very sad news today: Andy Hallett, who starred as Lorne in "Angel," has passed away. R.I.P, Andy. :'(
• "Friday Night Lights" has been renewed for two more seasons.
• The new "Star Trek," which won't be released until May, already has a sequel in the works.
• Want to be the new Smashing Pumpkins drummer? Billy Corgan is holding auditions.
• Bad news for "Guiding Light" fans – the show is in danger of being canceled.
• But good news for "Real World" fans – the show will be on for another four years.
• Here's the scoop on Booker T's new album that he made with the Drive By Truckers.
• And, finally, I know I keep harping on how great Justin Townes Earle is. CMT has this great interview with him. See, CMT thinks he's great, too. :)