Alan Jackson

WHO I AMAlan Jackson (Arista 18759)It's hard not to like Alan Jackson. Even in a field where good manners and a friendly demeanor are assumed to be standard equipment, Jackson stands out as one of country music's most amenable personalities. Yet that all-around nice guy image is precisely the problem with Jackson's third album, "Who I Am." Being so full with good intentions, he seems virtually incapable of putting any kind of edge on the music, and while that isn't a problem on touching, confessional songs like "Job Description," it pretty much takes the teeth out of up-tempo material like his remake of "Summertime Blues."

Alan Jackson Country star Alan Jackson headlines the 19th annual benefit concert for cystic fibrosis on Saturday night at 1st Mariner Arena. The show starts at 7:30 p.m., and tickets are $20-$67.50. The arena is at 201 W. Baltimore St. For tickets, call 410-547-SEAT or go to ticketmaster.com.

For country music neo-superstar Alan Jackson, who performs at the Rocky Gap Country Bluegrass Festival, near Cumberland, Saturday, it all must still seem like a dream come true.After all, it was only five or six years ago that the tall, blue-eyed, blonde, Marlboro Man-handsome singer and his wife Denise reluctantly decided to sell their house in their hometown of Newnan, Ga., and relocate to Nashville."It was a big jump for me," admits Jackson, who this year won the Academy of Country Music's New Male Singer award, was the Nashville Network's 1990 Star of Tomorrow, and was chosen by the editors of R&R, a leading music trade magazine, as Best New Artist of 1990.

Billy Idol / Rams Head Live 1980s rock star Billy Idol will lead the rebel yell at Rams Head Live, 20 Market Place, Saturday night at 9. Tickets are $36 in advance and $39 at the door. For more information, call 410-244-1131 or visit www.ramshead live .com. Alan Jackson / Nissan Pavilion Grammy winner Alan Jackson will deliver his country hits at Nissan Pavilion at Stone Ridge, 7800 Cellar Door Drive in Bristow, Va., tomorrow night at 7:30. Tickets are $24-$59 and are available through Ticketmaster.

Alan Jackson Country star Alan Jackson headlines the 19th annual benefit concert for cystic fibrosis on Saturday night at 1st Mariner Arena. The show starts at 7:30 p.m., and tickets are $20-$67.50. The arena is at 201 W. Baltimore St. For tickets, call 410-547-SEAT or go to ticketmaster.com.

The Donnas / 9:30 Club The Donnas rock out the 9:30 Club, 815 V. St. N.W. in Washington, Wednesday night at 10. The bill also includes the Von Bondies and Starlite Desperation. Tickets are $15. For more information, visit www.930.com. Howie Day / Recher Theatre Coffeehouse pop singer-songwriter Howie Day plays the Recher Theatre, 512 York Road in Towson, tonight at 7. Tristan Prettyman is also on the bill. Tickets are $16 and are available through Ticketmaster by calling 410-547-SEAT or visiting www.ticketmaster.

Top Fives Hit Radio Singles 1. 3 Doors Down, "When I'm Gone" 2. 50 Cent, "In Da Club" 3. R. Kelly, "Ignition" 4. Justin Timberlake, "Rock Your Body" 5. Amanda Perez, "Angel" Alternative Singles 1. Linkin Park, "Somewhere I Belong" 2. Evanescence, "Bring Me To Life" 3. Audioslave, "Like A Stone" 4. Trapt, "Headstrong" 5. Red Hot Chili Peppers, "Can't Stop" Country Singles 1. Darryl Worley, "Have You Forgotten" 2. Kenny Chesney, "Big Star"...

CONTEMPORARY HIT RADIO (TOP 40) 1. OutKast, "The Way You Move" 2. Jessica Simpson, "With You" 3. Nickelback, "Someday" 4. Britney Spears, "Toxic" 5. OutKast, "Hey Ya!" URBAN 1. Twista featuring Kanye West and Jamie Foxx, "Slow Jamz" 2. Beyonce, "Me, Myself and I" 3. Usher featuring Ludacris and Lil' Jon, "Yeah" 4. Ruben Studdard, "Sorry 2004" 5. Ludacris, "Splash Waterfalls" COUNTRY 1. Toby Keith, "American Soldier" 2. Alan Jackson, "Remember When" 3. Tim McGraw, "Watch The Wind Blow By" 4. Terri Clark, "I Wanna Do It All" 5. Brad Paisley, "Little Moments" ALTERNATIVE 1. Incubus, "Megalomaniac" 2. Linkin Park, "Numb" 3. Audioslave, "I Am The Highway" 4. Nickelback, "Figured You Out" 5. Blink-182, "I Miss You"

An update on the concert scene: newly announced shows and ticket availability. For ticket information and purchase, call Ticketmaster at 410-547-SEAT unless otherwise noted. Just announced David Gray performs at Constitution Hall in Washington on Oct. 3. Beck plays George Mason University's Patriot Center in Fairfax, Va., on Oct. 5. Still available Sonny Landreth at the Funk Box on Aug. 26. Hilary Duff at 1st Mariner Arena on Aug. 27. Tower of Power at the Birchmere in Alexandria, Va., on Aug. 27. 703-549-7500.

An update on the concert scene: newly announced shows and ticket availability. For ticket information and purchase, call Ticketmaster at 410-547-SEAT unless otherwise noted. Just announced David Gray performs at Constitution Hall in Washington on Oct. 3. Beck plays George Mason University's Patriot Center in Fairfax, Va., on Oct. 5. Still available Sonny Landreth at the Funk Box on Aug. 26. Hilary Duff at 1st Mariner Arena on Aug. 27. Tower of Power at the Birchmere in Alexandria, Va., on Aug. 27. 703-549-7500.

CONTEMPORARY HIT RADIO (TOP 40) 1. OutKast, "The Way You Move" 2. Jessica Simpson, "With You" 3. Nickelback, "Someday" 4. Britney Spears, "Toxic" 5. OutKast, "Hey Ya!" URBAN 1. Twista featuring Kanye West and Jamie Foxx, "Slow Jamz" 2. Beyonce, "Me, Myself and I" 3. Usher featuring Ludacris and Lil' Jon, "Yeah" 4. Ruben Studdard, "Sorry 2004" 5. Ludacris, "Splash Waterfalls" COUNTRY 1. Toby Keith, "American Soldier" 2. Alan Jackson, "Remember When" 3. Tim McGraw, "Watch The Wind Blow By" 4. Terri Clark, "I Wanna Do It All" 5. Brad Paisley, "Little Moments" ALTERNATIVE 1. Incubus, "Megalomaniac" 2. Linkin Park, "Numb" 3. Audioslave, "I Am The Highway" 4. Nickelback, "Figured You Out" 5. Blink-182, "I Miss You"

Scott Adams used to struggle for material for "Dilbert," his renowned, syndicated comic strip that chronicles a pointy-haired boss and his tormented staff, such as Tina the Tech Writer and Asok the Intern. But in recent years, real-life tales of worker disgust and job frustration have poured into Adams' electronic mailbox and provide fresh fodder for the strip as jaw-dropping as any fictional cartoon. There was the e-mail he received about a worker who was asked to contribute to his own farewell party.

Top Fives TOP 40 SINGLES 1. Kelly Clarkson, "Miss Independent" 2. Beyonce, "Crazy In Love" 3. Black Eyed Peas, "Where Is The Love?" 4. Evanescence, "Bring Me to Life" 5. Matchbox Twenty, "Unwell" URBAN SINGLES 1. Monica, "So Gone" 2. Beyonce, "Crazy In Love" 3. Chingy, "Right Thurr" 4. Ginuwine, "In Those Jeans" 5. Lil' Jon and the Eastside Boyz, "Get Low" COUNTRY SINGLES 1. Brooks & Dunn, "Red Dirt Road" 2. Lonestar, "My Front Porch Lookin...