Rascal Flatts

You knew it was coming. Three songs into their elaborately staged concert Thursday night at 1st Mariner Arena, members of the country-pop super-trio Rascal Flatts took nasty swipes at that other country-pop mega-threesome: the Dixie Chicks, who had swept the Grammys with five wins just this week. Rascal Flatts, nominated for What Hurts the Most, went home empty-handed, and the guys seemed sore about it. Lead singer Gary LeVox cattily sang the title of the Chicks' hit "Not Ready to Make Nice," then made a disgusted face.

It's our second results show of the season; who's going home? It's got to be one of the "24 is the new 21" scores, right? That'd be Jack, Gladys, Melissa, Gavin or Sherri. I'm thinking Melissa. We start with a performance of Seal, covering "Lean on Me. " I'm, alas, of the generation that first knew this song as a Club Nouveau song . Forgive me - I have mended my ways and am now a huge Bill Withers fan. I'm perfectly fine with listening to Seal sing most anything, even a straight-forward cover like this one. Just getting my first look at Brooke's dress - I think this was the alternate design for Dale Arden's wedding dress in "Flash Gordon.

LOS ANGELES -- There was a knock on Rascal Flatts' dressing room door, followed quickly by the familiar face of Jay Leno, here to welcome the Tonight Show guests to the NBC lot in Burbank. "Howdy, boys," said the comedian at a recent show. Then he noticed the laptop in front of singer Gary LeVox. "Good ol' country boys with computers," Leno drawled. "Yessiree Bob, can't get more country than that. You guys got your boots and your computers, there you go." LeVox, bassist Jay DeMarcus and guitarist Joe Don Rooney got a good laugh out of Leno's remarks, but a few minutes later they were talking much more seriously about this whole question of what is and what isn't permissible in country music.

TELEVISION 1.CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, CBS 2.Dancing with the Stars, Monday, ABC 3.Major League Baseball, American League Championship Series, Game 7 (Cleveland at Boston), Fox 4.Desperate Housewives, ABC 5.Grey's Anatomy, ABC FILMS 1.30 Days of Night, Columbia 2.Why Did I Get Married?, Lions Gate 3.The Game Plan, Disney 4.Michael Clayton, Warner Bros. 5.Gone Baby Gone, Miramax SINGLES 1.Crank That (Soulja Boy), Soulja Boy Tell 'Em 2.Stronger, Kanye West 3.Apologize, Timbaland featuring OneRepublic 4.No One, Alicia Keys 5.Bubbly, Colbie Caillat ALBUMS 1.Rock N Roll Jesus, Kid Rock 2.Magic, Bruce Springsteen 3.Still Feels Good, Rascal Flatts 4.Family, LeAnn Rimes 5.Exile on Mainstream, Matchbox Twenty DVDS (SALES)

Rascal Flatts Country band Rascal Flatts takes its Me and My Gang tour to Nissan Pavilion at Stone Ridge Saturday night at 7:30. Gary Allen is also billed. Nissan Pavilion is in Bristow, Va. Tickets are $29-$58.25 and are available through Ticketmaster at 410-547-SEAT.

Downloaded singles 1.Bad Day, Daniel Powter 2.What Hurts the Most, Rascal Flatts 3.Dani California, Red Hot Chili Peppers 4.Unwritten, Natasha Bedingfield 5.What You Know, T.I. [Courtesy iTunes] Downloaded albums 1.Me and My Gang, Rascal Flatts 2.I'm Not Dead, Pink 3.At War With the Mystics, The Flaming Lips 4Daniel Powter, Daniel Powter 5.Ringleader of the Tormentors, Morissey [Courtesy iTunes] Downloaded videos 1.Dave, Lost 2.Lockdown, Lost 3.Michael's Birthday, The Office 4Everybody Says Don't, Desperate Housewives 5.The Return of Chef, South Park [Courtesy iTunes]

Just announced Rascal Flatts -- Nissan Pavilion in Bristow, Va., on Sept. 8. 410-547-SEAT or ticketmaster.com. Tesla -- Rams Head Live on Sept. 14. 410-244-1131 or ramsheadlive.com. Screamfest -- featuring T.I., Ciara, Yung Joc and others, 1st Mariner Arena on Aug. 24. 410-547-SEAT or ticketmaster.com. Fabio -- Sonar on Aug. 31. 410-327-8333 or ticketmas ter.com. Still available Summer Funk Festival II -- starring Chuck Brown, Mother's Finest and the SOS Band, DAR Constitution Hall in Washington on Aug. 4. 410-547-SEAT or ticketmaster.

You knew it was coming. Three songs into their elaborately staged concert Thursday night at 1st Mariner Arena, members of the country-pop super-trio Rascal Flatts took nasty swipes at that other country-pop mega-threesome: the Dixie Chicks, who had swept the Grammys with five wins just this week. Rascal Flatts, nominated for What Hurts the Most, went home empty-handed, and the guys seemed sore about it. Lead singer Gary LeVox cattily sang the title of the Chicks' hit "Not Ready to Make Nice," then made a disgusted face.

The 2006 concert landscape looked a bit like a pop music rest home, shaped for the most part by artists who have been at it for three decades and more, according to the 2006 North America tour rankings released by the trade magazine Pollstar. The Rolling Stones and Barbra Streisand topped the list, and the Top 20 was littered with old-timers, including Elton John, Billy Joel, the Who, Def Leppard, Journey and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. And the biggest thing on the 2007 horizon? A reunion of Genesis, featuring Phil Collins.

Rascal Flatts Country band Rascal Flatts takes its Me and My Gang tour to Nissan Pavilion at Stone Ridge Saturday night at 7:30. Gary Allen is also billed. Nissan Pavilion is in Bristow, Va. Tickets are $29-$58.25 and are available through Ticketmaster at 410-547-SEAT.