Dimension Films has released a trailer for the upcoming motion picture Soul Men, starring Samuel L. Jackson and the late Bernie Mac and Isaac Hayes, both of whom passed away last month.

The actors play the lone surviving members of popular ’70s soul band in the movie, which opens November 7.

Britney Spears hit the press room basking in the afterglow of her three big wins. She smiled ear-to-ear holding her Moonmen and posing for the photographers. She didn’t talk to the press, but T.I. wasn’t shy about calling his own performance the best of the night. He also praised Spears and Brand. “Britney did her thing. It’s quite a comeback,” he said. As for Brand, “I think you have to push the envelope and think outside the box and he’s definitely doing that.”

Linkin Park’s Chester Bennington agreed. “Last year was probably one of the worst experiences of my professional career,” he told us. “It was terrible. This year’s show is much better.” His band’s “Shadow of the Day” picked up the award for Best Rock Video, and Joe Hahn said, “This is a cool video because it’s one that the whole band wasn’t in. It was just Chester and he carried the whole video. We’re trying to do different things so it feels good to win for that.”

The Pussycat Dolls’ Nicole Scherzinger informed us that the group roped in Missy Elliott to be in their next video for “Whatcha Think About That.” “It’ll be the Pussycat Dolls taken to the next level,” Scherzinger said. Doll Domination drops September 20th and the Dolls are plotting a world tour that starts in January 2009.

When a reporter asked presenter Paris Hilton about the Russell Brand-Jonas Brothers chastity controversy, Hilton said, “I think they are all really good kids. That’s something cool for a kid to keep so don’t pick on them for that.” Hilton added that her new music will be “very pop like Kylie Minogue.” A few contestants on Hilton’s new reality show also lingered backstage, telling Rolling Stone that they would get sued for $6 million if they revealed the winner. They did say that Hilton has permanently ditched her catchphrase “that’s hot” for “love’s it.”

If there was one hot thing Seth Green loved last night, it was Weezy’s ass. The actor got caught between Lil Wayne and T-Pain as they started their performance — not that he was complaining: “I gotta say, I almost squeezed Lil Wayne’s butt because it looked so firm and squeezable.”

Oasis guitarist Noel Gallagher was attacked by an audience member during the band’s set at the Virgin Festival in Toronto. As evidenced by the above video, the unnamed assailant appears from stage right and pushes Noel into his monitor while the band played “Morning Glory.” The man then attempts to confront singer Liam Gallagher before being promptly restrained by security (who also had to restrain Liam from punching the assailant). The band followed the attack with a short break before returning to the stage to resume their set. The unnamed attacker was later charged with assault. No motive was given as to why the man attacked Noel Gallagher but it’s safe to assume the assailant is a fan of either Jay-Z, Radiohead, Damon Albarn or whoever else Oasis happens to be sparring with this week.

Related Stories:

• Oasis & Ryan Adams Preview Upcoming Albums in Vancouver

• Oasis’ Dig Out Your Soul Gets Release Date, Warner Distribution

• Oasis Pay Tribute to John Lennon on New Album

Everyone knew it was going to an emotional night.

It always is when it’s the last concert of a lengthy tour. Yet, this closing night of the Dave Matthews Band’s annual summer trek carried far more significance than usual. Sunday, you see, would’ve been LeRoi Moore’s 47th birthday.

The saxophonist didn’t make it to the party. He died on Aug. 19 due to complications stemming from an ATV accident he suffered on his Virginia farm back in June.

His fans, however, turned out in full force, filling the 8,500-seat UC Greek Theatre in Berkeley to capacity for three nights, Friday through Sunday. It was, in effect, a three-day memorial for this founding member of one of America’s most popular rock acts. In that sense, it resembled every other stop that DMB has made since Moore’s passing. Matthews, through both his words and his actions, has turned each show held over the last few weeks into tributes to Moore.

Most fans in the building were well aware of Sunday’s significance. They came barring banners and signs, all wishing Moore a happy birthday. There was even some birthday cake to be had and a quite a few Moore tribute T-shirts.

The 41-year-old band leader didn’t need to say anything to mark the occasion, and for the most of the night he remained silent between songs. It wasn’t until near the end of the show that he shouted out his own well wish, “Happy birthday to my good friend LeRoi Moore.”

In general, he let the music do the talking, which is probably how Moore would have wanted it.

Kicking off the nearly three-hour show with passionate takes on “Bartender” and “Everyday,” the group sounded strikingly different than the one that’s been making the rounds over the past 10 years.

Moore’s absence, of course, is the most newsworthy aspect of the change. Holding down the sax spot is Bela Fleck and the Flecktones’ Jeff Coffin, a decidedly energetic player who served as a sparkplug on several songs. Coffin fit in well with the rest of the band, so nicely, in fact, that it would be a surprise if we don’t see him onboard for the next tour.

Another personnel change is that longtime DMB accompanist, pianist Butch Taylor, has left the fold. In his place is Matthews’ trusty collaborator, guitarist Tim Reynolds, a true shredder that’s not afraid to test the Marshall stacks.

Those two new additions have helped give DMB a harder-edged sound, one that the band is showcasing in new arrangements of old songs as well as in an exciting batch of rotating cover material (including tunes by the Talking Heads, Peter Gabriel and Pink Floyd).

The group _ which also features drummer Carter Beauford, violinist Boyd Tinsley, bassist Stefan Lessard and trumpeter Rashawn Ross _ thrilled the crowd both with up-tempo favorites like “Drive In Drive Out” and “Corn Bread” and with softer pieces such as “Loving Wings” and “The Maker.”

There were many memorable moments, but none left a mark like what directly preceded the encore. As the crowd waited for DMB to return, a slide show was played on the big screens in back of the stage. The images told Moore’s story, moving chronologically from childhood and high school up through recent years.

It was just what one would expect to see at a funeral or a wake, the kind of touching remembrance that always seems to come too late for the honoree to see it.

Ask these fans, however, and they might tell you that Moore didn’t miss it _ that he was, indeed, in the house on this night. That’s a nice thought, one that I’m happy to share.

Set list:
Bartender
Everyday
Old Dirt Hill
#27
Drive In Drive Out
Crash Into Me
Corn Bread
Loving Wings
What Would You Say
The Song That Jane Likes
Crush
When The World Ends
The Maker
So Much To Say
Anyone Seen The Bridge
Too Much Intro
Ants Marching

Encore:
You Might Die Trying
Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)

New Yorkers will now have the chance to see Australia’s Midnight Juggernauts during their fall visit to the U.S. before the band hibernates to begin work on their second album.

In addition to four previously announced U.S. shows, the Midnight Juggernauts will play NYC’s new art cabaret space Le Poisson Rouge on September 13th, 2008 with Grandmaster Flash.

The band has spent the last year touring the globe in support of their debut ‘Dystopia’, which included a U.S. tour with Justice, a triumphant Coachella performance and countless festival performances including Primavera, Glastonbury and Fuji Rock, just to mention a few.

Midnight Juggernauts 2008 U.S. Fall Tour Dates:

9/10 Los Angeles - Vanguard (Scion House Party, presented with VICE) w Hearts Revolution
9/11 Austin - Beauty Bar (Scion House Party, presented with VICE) w HeartsRevolution
9/12 San Francisco 1015 (With Digitalism)
9/13 NYC - Le Poisson Rouge (With Grandmaster Flash)
9/17 Baltimore - Ottobar (Scion House Party, presented with VICE) w Hearts Revolution

For more information on Midnight Juggernauts, visit

MySpace
Midnight Juggernauts Official Website

Sunday Sep 7 2008
University of California, Berkeley - Greek Theatre

Bartender *
Everyday *
Old Dirt Hill *
#27 *
Drive In Drive Out *
Crash Into Me *
Corn Bread *
Loving Wings *
What Would You Say *
The Song That Jane Likes *

Crush *
When The World Ends *
The Maker *
So Much To Say *
Anyone Seen The Bridge *
Too Much Intro *
Ants Marching *

Encore:
You Might Die Trying *
Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin) *

Show Notes:
* Jeff Coffin

Well, the way I play, I try not to be a 'repeater pencil', ya dig? Originality's the thing.   You can have tone and technique and a lot of other things but without originality you ain't really nowhere. Gotta be original.--Lester Young

The trouble with most musicians today is that they are copycats. Of course you have to start out playing like someone else. You have a model, or a teacher, and you learn all that he can show you. But then you start playing for yourself. Show them that you're an individual. And I can count those who are doing that today on the fingers of one hand.--Lester Young

When Lester plays, he almost seems to be singing; one can almost hear the words.--Billie Holiday

In some ways Lester Young is the most complex rhythmically of any musician. He does some things which are just phenomenal.--Lee Konitz

Anyone who doesn't play like Lester Young is wrong.--Brew Moore

And, in case you haven't seen it in a while, here are Prez and a few of his friends in Gjon Mili's classic 1944 short film Jammin' The Blues. The cast credits run at the top. Do yourself a favor and watch it full screen.