Boston-based station Radio 92.9 is hosting the 20th annual EarthFest concert at the Esplanade's Hatch Shell this weekend, and this year's event will feature performances by Vertical Horizon and Fastball.

Remember this Veritcal Horizon hit?

The concert, which starts on Saturday at 11:15 a.m., is the largest free radio station concert in the country and 92.9 expects more than 100,000 people will attend. Gates open for the event at 10 a.m.

EarthFest also showcases environmentally-friendly products and local non-profit environmental organizations, and will have a special area for children called Kids Planet. This youth-focused area promises performances by Zumix, Super Cool Beans, and more. Kids Planet is targeted for children 12 years-old and under, and opens at 10:45 a.m.

Radio 92.9 is urging festival attendees to donate at least $1 to the One Fund to benefit the victims of the Boston Marathon bombings.

Note for potential spectators: The DCR has updated entry and safety protocols for this year’s event. Backpacks, coolers, blankets, large bags or open containers will not be allowed into the festival and all bags will be subject to a discretionary search. Small bags and necessary items such as strollers will be allowed in with checks. Festival attendees may access the event at the Charles Street Footbridge or the Dartmouth Street Footbridge. There will be no access to the event via the Fiedler Footbridge, at the corner of Arlington Street and Beacon Street.

For more information on EarthFest, head to Radio 92.9's official website.

Do you plan to attend? Have you gone in the past? Let us know in the comments.

Pop stars Ryan Cabrera and Teddy Geiger are wrapping their tour with Tyler Hilton tonight at Boston's Hard Rock Cafe. Before the show, Geiger dished on his newest album, electronic music aspirations, and the joys of being on tour with his friends.

We talked with Teddy by phone earlier today.

Boston.com: How’s the tour been for you? Are you sad about it ending? Are you looking forward to maybe doing this again with them sometime in the future?

Teddy: It’s been a lot of fun. I’ve done a lot more sitting in on people’s sets than I’ve ever done in the past so it’s kind of fun just learning everyone’s songs and everything back stage was just great because it’s so easy. I am a little sad that it’s ending but, also, it’s going to be good to go home.

Pop stars Ryan Cabrera and Teddy Geiger are wrapping their tour with Tyler Hilton tonight at Boston's Hard Rock Cafe. Before the show, Cabrera talked about his upcoming album, what's been going on with his career during the past decade, and even about his Care Bear tattoo.

For any fans that are heading to the concert tonight: you might get brought up on stage. According to Geiger, Cabrera has some fun things in store for the last night of the tour. We caught up with Cabrera earlier today by phone:

Growing up, when it was time to get in the car and go somewhere, my dad told my brother and I that it was "time to rock 'n roll." It's Friday, I'm getting ready to go home, and my dad's signature phrase just popped into my head, so it's only fitting that I bring you some rockin' tunes for your drive home.

If you're in the mood for some classic rock, give these tracks a listen and thank my dad for using that term, which inspired today's playlist.

1. "Rebel Yell," Billy Idol

2. "Pour Some Sugar On Me," Def Leppard

3. "Frankenstein," Edgar Winter Group

It's Thursday. We're all anxious for the weekend. But take a breath and let these soothing sounds slow that heartbeat a bit. All these tunes are gorgeous in their own ways.

After probably a five-year hiatus, I've been on a massive Red House Painters/Mark Kozelek/Sun Kil Moon kick lately. (Oddly, after a day spent catching up on "Old Ramen," someone randomly asked if I was fan of Kozelek. Just meant to be.) This song isn't the Painters' signature moment, though it may be one of their better known tunes since it was on the excellent "Vanilla Sky" soundtrack, but the wide open pedal steel at the end gets me every time. It's also Kozelek at perhaps his most simple -- he's one of the most underrated guitarists around -- but here, simple equals stunning.

Local legends Morphine were known for their unusual lineup of slide bass, growling saxophone, and jazzy drums. But here, they open things up with no drums, a beautifully picked mandolin, and most importantly, the late Mark Sandman's whispered lyrics. Absolutely stunning.

Note: Due to Ryan's hectic schedule he won't be chatting today. We will update you when we have a rescheduled time. Thanks!

Pop musician Ryan Cabrera will be in the Hub today to play a show at the Hard Rock along with Teddy Geiger and Tyler Hilton. Before the concert, the singer, who gained popularity with the 2004 hit "On the Way Down," will chat with Boston.com readers about the tour and his new music.

Check out one of his latest singles, "I See Love," below, and get your questions ready to submit tomorrow at 11!

Feeling nostalgic? So are we. After a beautiful Monday and Tuesday, the gloomy weather has us reminiscing about the days where homemade mix CDs, our Sony boombox, and the newest copies of J-14 and Twist were our main squeeze on a rainy afternoon.

Take a trip down memory lane with us and indulge in these 5 all-time favorite throwbacks of the early 2000s. From alt-rock, to choreographed girl groups, to techno-pop, Boston.com's got you covered.

1. Dream - "He Loves You Not"

2. 311 - "Amber"

3. Daniel Bedingfield - "Gotta Get Thru This"

4. American Hi Fi - "Flavor of the Week"

5. Jagged Edge ft. Nelly - "Where the Party At"

Thoughts? Suggestions? Sound off in the comments section.

Searching for tunes? Here's a playlist that could help you spice up dull desk time, unwind on your way home, or anything in between.

The weather is absolutely gorgeous in Boston, and on days like today, my car is where I find my escape. When I'm driving, it's just me, the steering wheel, some horsepower (hopefully a decent amount), and the road.

When I leave the office today, the windows are going down, the music is going up and I'll be in the zone. From Prince's mellow, auto-themed "Little Red Corvette," to A Real Hero's electronic hit "College," I've put together a quick playlist that will get me from office to driveway, and take me on a journey along the way.

The last two songs just happen to be from two of my favorite car movies of all time: "Gone in 60 Seconds" and "Drive," respectively.

If you've got a solid 20 minute commute ahead of you and need some cruising tunes, head to a music source of choice and put these together (or listen below). You won't be disappointed.

1. "Little Red Corvette," Prince

2. "Tongue Tied," Grouplove

3. "I Love It," Icona Pop

4. "Flower," Moby

5. "A Real Hero," College

Have ideas or playlist theme suggestions? Let us know in the comments.

RIHANNA
At: TD Garden, last night

By James Reed
Globe Staff

She wasn’t worth the wait. And I mean that on two accounts. Rihanna was originally supposed to play the TD Garden in early March but had to cancel because of laryngitis. Fair enough.

When she returned last night, to another sold-out crowd of close to 14,500 people, it should have been spectacular. Instead, she took the stage around 10:30 p.m., 90 minutes after her scheduled set time. Rapper A$AP Rocky, her opening act, was a no-show because he was sick, leaving a DJ to fill three hours of silence.

Adding insult to injury? There was no announcement about the delays, or even a tweet from the artist, and certainly no apology at any point.

The crowd responded the best they could: with a round of boos. Even when the house lights went down, the cheers and jeers rose up in unison. That’s not how you want to begin your rescheduled concert.

All that drama aside, Rihanna gave a listless performance that hinged more on come-hither stares, coy smiles, a self-awareness that bordered on smug. Song titles reflected her overall state of mind: “Numb,” “Cockiness (Love It),” “Rockstar 101.” When she pulled her microphone away, you could still hear every word thanks to the backing tracks. She was half-hearted.

Nor was there any vision in the set design. Overhead screens rarely showed anything more than close-ups of our star. It was interesting to imagine what kind of mischief her friend Katy Perry could have had with a song like “S&M,” Rihanna’s delicious ode to, um, tough love.

Ballads, at least, are still her strong suit, the moments when Rihanna forgets the flash and burrows into a song’s sentiment. She sang an entire block of them, including “Love the Way You Lie” and “Hate That I Love You,” and her way with melancholy was on full display. She dedicated the closing “Diamonds” to Boston, acknowledging its strong spirit in the wake of the Marathon bombings.

She tried to hit hard in the last stretch with some of her biggest hits – “We Found Love,” “Only Girl (in the World),” “Don’t Stop the Music” – but it was too late. By then it was simply a mad dash to the finish line, just one more twirl and hair toss before she could recede into the shadows.

She seemed oblivious to all of this, of course. After the show, she expressed her love for Boston on Twitter, when really she should have copied and pasted the message she posted after her March postponement: “I’m hurt that I let you down.”

James Reed can be reached at jreed@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @GlobeJamesReed.

Justin Timberlake fans have several reasons to be happy today, and we can count 11 of them. The first 10 reasons: 10 new songs on the upcoming "The 20/20 Experience" Vol. 2, due out on Sept. 30. The last: a world tour to follow the release.

Timberlake announced the album release date on Instagram and Twitter Sunday, and " The 20/20 Experience World Tour" on Monday.

#2020Experience2of2 #TheTNKids instagram.com/p/Y8P76yydj6/

— Justin Timberlake(@jtimberlake) May 5, 2013

"The 20/20" tour will come on the heels of "The Legends of the Summer" stadium tour that Timberlake is co-headlining with Jay-Z. Timberlake and Hov will play a pair of shows at Fenway Aug. 10 and 11, but Mr. "Suit & Tie" won't make any additional stops in the Hub on his solo bout around the globe. See the list below for dates and details:

"The 20/20 Experience World Tour" Dates:
2013
Oct. 31: Montreal, QC (Bell Centre)
Nov. 13:Raleigh, NC (PNC Arena)
Nov. 15: Nashville, TN (Bridgestone Arena)
Nov. 16: Columbus, OH (Nationwide Arena)
Nov. 18: Memphis, TN (Fedex Forum)
Nov. 19: St. Louis, MO (Scottrade Center)
Nov. 21: Tulsa, OK (BOK Center)
Nov. 29: Las Vegas, NV (MGM Grand Garden Arena)
Dec. 2: Phoenix, AZ (US Airways Center)
Dec. 4: Dallas, TX (American Airlines Center)
Dec. 5: Houston, TX (Toyota Center)
Dec. 11: Indianapolis, IN (Bankers Life Fieldhous)
Dec. 12: Cleveland, OH (Quicken Loans Arena)
Dec. 14: Pittsburgh, PA (Consol Energy Center)
Dec. 15: Louisville, KY (KFC Yum! Center)
Dec. 17: Atlanta, GA (Philips Arena)
Dec. 19: Orlando, FL (Amway Center)

2014
Jan. 13: Edmonton, AB (Rexall Place)
Jan. 17: Seattle, WA (Key Arena)
Jan. 22: Denver, CO (Pepsi Center)
Feb. 7: Fargo, ND (FARGODOME)
Feb. 9: St. Paul, MN (Xcel Energy Center)
Feb. 10: Omaha, NE (CenturyLink Center)

Timberlake released "The 20/20 Experience" Vol. 1 on March 19, his first album in more than six years, which sold more than 968,000 copies in its first week.

Are you excited about the second CD? Were you pleased with the first? Planning on going to any concerts this summer? Let us know in the comments!

Country music legend George Jones passed away this morning at the age of 81 and tributes have been pouring in from across the web in stories and on Twitter.

No less an authority than Merle Haggard tweeted:"The world may have lost the greatest country singer that ever lived."

Keith Urban wrote: "If I'm blessed enough to make it there, I look forward to you giving me the grand tour. Rest in peace George Jones!!!!!"

Dolly Parton: "My heart is absolutely broken. George Jones was my all time favorite singer."

And the tributes were not limited to country music with everyone from rock stars like Nikki Sixx of Motley Crue, alt-rocker Mike Doughty, and comedian Patton Oswalt paying respect to the "Possum." Oswalt tweeted "George Jones has taken his last lawnmower ride. The Possum is a no-show. #RIPGeorgeJones"

You can read the Associated Press obituary here. Billboard has a Q&A looking back at his career here. Brian Mansfield from USA Today writes a lengthy obituary/appreciation here. And Country Weekly has his last interview, a great, candid read from just a few weeks ago, here.

It could be time for Marky Mark to "bring forth the rhythm and the rhyme" once again.

Boston hunk Mark "Marky Mark" Wahlberg told a TMZ reporter that he would consider reuniting the Funky Bunch to raise money for Boston after the Marathon bombings. The rapper-turned-"Pain & Gain" actor chatted quickly with media as he left T.C. Williams High School in Alexandria, Va. this morning.

"Mark, would you ever do a once in a lifetime concert for the victims of Boston?" the camera man asked him.

"Absolutely," Wahlberg replied.

The reporter then put his foot in his mouth by messing up the rest of the group's name (oops).

"As Marky Mark and the Fun Bunch?"

"Funky Bunch, but close," Wahlberg answered. "Why not?"

It feels like a lifetime ago that Wahlberg was out there rapping in tank tops and baggy jeans, but we'll be far from mad if he brings back hits like "Good Vibrations."

Wahlberg also commented on what he thought about the bombings when asked by another reporter on the scene.

"I think it's a horrible, horrible tragedy, but you know, we've felt so much support and love from the entire country and around the world," Wahlberg told the reporter in the TMZ clip. "You know, it's through those thoughts and prayers that people can start to heal."

Would you go see the show? Were you a fan of Marky Mark in the past? Fill us in via our comments section.

When a bearded Neil Diamond made a surprise appearance at Fenway Park on Saturday, leading Red Sox fans in an emotional version of "Sweet Caroline," he stood with Boston days after the Marathon bombing and mere hours after the capture of its remaining living suspect. Now, the legendary songwriter tells Rolling Stone he's planning to pen a song inspired by the tragedy.

"I'm writing now and obviously affected by this situation in Boston, so I'm writing about it just to express myself," Diamond told the magazine.

Diamond is currently preparing for a new record, though there's no release date yet announced. However, NBCNews.com reports that the singer has the song "on fast track."

"I spent the whole day recording it and I will spend tomorrow recording it. With a little bit of help from the man upstairs, I'll have it finished by the weekend," Diamond told the website at the end of last week.

What do you think? What do you expect from the song? Do you have any lyric suggestions for Diamond? Tell us in the comments.

Alfredo Estrella/Getty Images

Yeah Yeah Yeahs perform during the Vive Latino Music Fest in Mexico City on March 15.

Been to a concert lately? Had an urge to pull out your cell phone and record a sub-par video of the performance? Well, fans of the band around you might not like that too much --nor do the bands, apparently, like Yeah Yeah Yeahs. The rock group recently asked fans to shell their smart devices at a Webster Hall show, Spin Magazine reports.

The band (or someone working for the band) posted a sign on the doors of the venue that read:

"PLEASE DO NOT WATCH THE SHOW THROUGH A SCREEN ON YOUR SMART DEVICE/CAMERA.

PUT THAT [EXPLETIVE] AWAY as a courtesy to the person behind you and to Nick, Karen and Brian.

MUCH LOVE AND MANY THANKS!

YEAH YEAH YEAHS"

The band's lead singer, Karen O, later reiterated the written sentiment by telling the crowd to take as many photos as they wanted during the second song of the night, "Gold Lions," before putting those newfangled cellular phones away, according to Spin.

Think they were going overboard? Do you think smartphones take away from concerts? Let us know in the comments.

Rumour has it that 24-year-old British pop sensation Adele is back in the recording studio for the first time after giving birth to her son, Angelo, in October 2012.

The 9-time Grammy winner is said to be working with renowned producers James Ford and Kid Harpoon on a highly-anticipated follow-up to her album, "21," which sold over 10 million copies as of November 2012.

Adele claimed she will only record a new album when she "has something to sing about," According to NME.

Do you think Angelo will be the subject of Adele's newest album? Sound off.

[Photo credit: Brian Rasic]

The Rolling Stones announced dates for their upcoming "50 and Counting" tour including a stop at the TD Garden on June 12. (Full tour itinerary below.)

Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts and Ronnie Wood will hit the road in the U.S. and Canada in May and June.

In the press release Jagger said, "'50 And Counting' has been pretty amazing so far. We did a few shows in London and New York last year...and had such a good time that we thought...let's do some more. It's a good show. Lots of the classic stuff everyone wants to hear...with a few little gems tucked in here and there. The stage is shaped like lips and goes off into the venue so I get to run around in the crowd. It's great fun to be able to get that close to the audience."

"From day one at rehearsals it sounded so fresh. You could tell that everybody was dying to get their teeth into it. It was like... open the gates...let us out!" said Richards. "'Cause man, it is the life and blood of us to play in front of people."

Ticket details for the Boston show are TBA but tickets for Oakland, San Jose, Toronto and Chicago go on sale beginning Monday, April 8 at 10AM local time and will be available at www.rollingstones.com.

Mick Taylor, who was a member of the Rolling Stones from 1969-74, will be a special guest throughout the tour.

"50 AND COUNTING" TOUR DATES

TBA Los Angeles STAPLES Center TBA

May 5 Oakland Oracle Arena On sale April 8 @ 10AM PST

May 8 San Jose HP Pavilion On sale April 8 @ 10AM PST

May 11 Las Vegas MGM Grand Garden Arena TBA

May 15 Anaheim Honda Center TBA

May 25 Toronto Air Canada Centre On sale April 8 @ 10AM EST

May 28 Chicago United Center On sale April 8 @ 10AM CST

June 12 Boston TD Garden TBA

June 18 Philadelphia Wells Fargo Center TBA

Did Harry Styles' breakup with a certain pop starlet (cough: Taylor Swift) inspire him to write a solo album? The One Direction singer reportedly worked on a few tracks in Hollywood during the group's world tour reprieve, according to the Mirror newspaper and Splash News.

Styles, who dated Swift in 2012, even consulted another of her rumored ex's, Ed Sheeran, according to a source for the Mirror.

One-D fans, don't fret. The source also told the Mirror that Styles' priority is "obviously" still with his group, and he doesn't plan to leave any time soon.

Are you excited to hear his solo album? Think it will be any sort of retaliation for Swift's supposed diss toward him after their split? Let us know in the comments.

Carole King, Willie Nelson, and Annie Lennox will share a stage when Berklee College of Music honors them on May 11. The trio of musicians will each receive an honorary doctorate from the famous school during its commencement ceremony, which will take place at Boston University's Agganis Arena, a 7,000-seat stadium on Commonwealth Avenue.

King, Nelson, and Lennox were selected thanks to their "achievements and influence in music, and for their enduring contributions to American and international culture," according to a press release from Berklee.

To pay tribute to the musicians, Berklee students will continue a tradition of playing music associated with the honorees' careers in a special concert at Agganis.

The concert and ceremony are closed to the public.

Have a favorite song by these artists? We picked one from each below for you to enjoy!

Tanglewood Music Festival has just announced a handful of additional pop artists for its summer programming. Joan Baez (above) will team up with the Indigo Girls on June 23, marking their return to the Shed since performing there in 1990. They join an impressive summer lineup that also includes:

June 21: Melissa Etheridge with Eric Hutchinson
June 22: Jerry Garcia Symphonic Celebration, featuring Warren Haynes with Keith Lockhart conducting the Boston Pops
July 4: Jackson Browne with Sara Watkins
July 23: Barenaked Ladies with Ben Folds Five and Guster
July 29: Steve Miller Band
Aug. 4: Esperanza Spalding
Aug. 19: Grace Potter & the Nocturnals with Josh Ritter

Tickets will go on sale on March 25 at www.tanglewood.org and 888-266-1200.

From a neon green school bus named the Gypsy Dancer, parked outside the CBS studio in Brighton, the WBCN crew broadcast live for the station's 45th anniversary (March 15) with interviews featuring past DJs, familiar Boston faces, and music fans alike.

Who was part of the celebration? Well, Charles Laquidara for one. The Boston-area radio legend called in from Maui to talk about the old days, when he broadcast from the WBCN studio originally on Newbury Street. According to the interview, Laquidara started at the station nicknamed "The Rock of Boston" in late 1968 or early 1969.

The radio station first hit the Boston-area airwaves in 1968. Its first song: "I Feel Free" by Cream.

Laquidara was with the station from the early years, and retired in 2000. Less than a decade later, after 41 years on the radio with the call letters WBCN 104.1, the station shut down in 2009. It now broadcasts digitally in HD at WBCN.com under the name "WBCN Free Form Rock."

The term "free form" is a tribute to the ideals of early radio, when the DJs had the liberty to play deep tracks and music from a range of genres. Kopper further defined the term when he talked to The New York Times in 2012:

The free form WBCN “is not a nostalgia trip,” Mr. Kopper insisted, but a revival of the old techniques that radio has lost in recent years, when D.J.’s took listeners on a musical tour.

The station returned on May 1, 2012, with Sam Kopper behind the mic, a longtime DJ who left WBCN in 1991 to sell swimming pools, according to the New York Times. Kopper resurrected the station last year with backing from Cohasset native Mark Hannon, the senior vice president of CBS Radio Boston.

Other notable guests included Fred Taylor who ran Paul's Mall & the Jazz Workshop in Boston for 15 years (from 1963-1978) and later produced concerts for Boston Symphony Hall and the Boston Garden.

The radio station is the subject of the documentary "The American Revolution," which is currently in production. Take a look at the trailer below.