Lady Gaga hospitalized, pulls out of Brazil's Rock in Rio

Lady Gaga said Thursday she had been hospitalized in "severe pain" and was pulling out of Brazil's Rock in Rio festival, which she was due to headline this weekend.

The US superstar, who revealed Tuesday that she suffers from the chronic disease fibromyalgia, had been due to open the festival on Friday in Rio de Janeiro.

"I was taken to hospital its not simply hip pain or wear & tear from tour, I'm in severe pain. I'm in good hands w/ the very best doctors," she tweeted.

"Brazil, I'm devastated that I'm not well enough 2 come to Rock in Rio. I would do anything 4 u but I have to take care of my body right now," she tweeted.

A statement from Rock in Rio, which is to be staged in the barely used Olympic Park in Rio de Janeiro, said Lady Gaga "is undergoing treatment by medical specialists."

"Rock in Rio regrets to announce the cancellation of her show," the statement said.

The singer of hits like "Million Reasons" and "Perfect Illusion" had been due in Rio as part of her Joanne World Tour, which ends in December.

Gaga had already announced that due to her disease, which causes pain and fatigue, she was planning a break after the tour. In September she also abruptly canceled a concert in Montreal.

Running for seven days in all -- Friday through Sunday and then September 21 to 24 -- Rock in Rio is being welcomed by the city as a chance to put the huge facilities built for the 2016 Olympic Games back in use. They have hosted only sporadic events since the Olympics ended in August of that year.

Joining the lineup are rock concert stalwarts including Aerosmith, Bon Jovi, Guns N' Roses and The Who, as well as the more alternative bands Incubus and The Kills.

Brazilian music lovers will be treated to the likes of legendary diva Elza Soares and rapper Rael. Adding to the star power will be supermodel Gisele Bundchen, who plans to use the occasion to campaign against destruction of the Amazon rainforest.

While Brazil is only starting to emerge from a painful recession, the 700,000 tickets to the event sold out months ago and city hotels are hoping to be nearly full, reversing a prolonged post-Olympic slump.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Metallica to play US debut of Rock in Rio

NEW YORK - Crowd-pleasers Metallica and Taylor Swift will headline the US debut of Rock in Rio as the Brazilian festival pursues an ambitious expansion, organizers said Friday.

Rock in Rio, the mammoth music festival held five times in its namesake city since 1985, earlier this year announced that it would launch a version in Las Vegas.

Announcing details in New York, organizers said that metal veterans Metallica and country-pop sensation Taylor Swift would headline Rock in Rio USA to take place May 8-9 and May 15-16 next year.

Other big-ticket acts confirmed to perform include Linkin Park, No Doubt and John Legend, indicating that Rock in Rio USA is looking for more mainstream appeal than some other major festivals.

Roberta Medina, the executive vice president of Rock in Rio and daughter of the festival's founder Roberto Medina, told reporters that the festival would spend $25 million in a publicity campaign to promote ticket sales.

In a high-stakes move, Rock in Rio USA earlier announced that it would build its own venue called the "City of Rock" in the casino town.

The venue will be able to fit 80,000 fans and five stages. Rock in Rio USA is only planned every other year, with the complex to be used for other events at other times.

Music festivals, which have long been major summer attractions in Europe, have been proliferating in the United States and have emerged as must-do dates for many musicians both in terms of finances and exposure.

Major US festivals including Coachella, Bonnaroo and Lollapalooza are held on rented or public grounds and have focused on highlighting independent and emerging artists along with big names.

Rock in Rio has also expanded in Europe, with festivals in Madrid and Lisbon.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com