Top U.S. general in Afghanistan gives order: Close TGI Friday's (Seattle Times)

By the order of Army Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, the International Security Assistance Force, or ISAF, is shutting down most of these reminders of home.

Oklahoma musicians leave their marks on Austin fest (The Oklahoman)

AUSTIN, Texas — Exploding speakers, opening for Wanda Jackson and accidentally lobbing a Roman candle into a crowd were events merely hinting at the madness that was the 23rd annual South by Southwest music festival.And those scenarios were just the ones involving Oklahoma musicians.Three members of the Oklahoma City instrumental rock quartet The Non left March 16 to join the hundreds of bands …

Quick Hits: Jimi Hendrix, Rihanna, Beck, Noel Gallagher, Phish, Jakob Dylan (FMQB)

Many of Jimi Hendrix ‘s classic albums are coming to Rock Band as downloadable content, starting with Axis: Bold As Love on March 30. Rolling Stone reports that Rock Band will work in conjunction with Experience Hendrix , and the CD/DVD remasters of a portion of the Hendrix catalog.

Rock band to roll with Old Boys

OASIS tribute band Noasis will rock Hartlepool Old Boys Rugby Club in a fundraising night this weekend.

Rock band to roll with Old Boys (Hartlepool Mail)

OASIS tribute band Noasis will rock Hartlepool Old Boys Rugby Club in a fundraising night this weekend.

Top U.S. General in Afghanistan Gives Order: Close TGI Friday's (CommonDreams.org)

by Dion Nissenbaum KANDAHAR, Afghanistan — By American standards, the boardwalk at Kandahar Airfield isn’t much to write home about. There’s no roller coaster, mirror maze or carousel with unicorns. There’s no cotton candy to buy, no candied apples, and no annoying mimes trying to get out of imaginary boxes. But this little square of Western culture in the Taliban heartland has served for years …

Some Kandahar Airfield amenities are on the way out (Stars and Stripes)

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan — By American standards, the boardwalk at Kandahar Airfield isn’t much to write home about. There’s no roller coaster, mirror maze or carousel with unicorns. There’s no cotton candy to buy, no candied apples and no annoying mimes trying to get out of imaginary boxes.

Gram Rabbit Brings New Tunes to SOhO (Santa Barbara Independent)

Rock ’n’ roll gets the fusion treatment this week, thanks to shows from Turbo Fruits, Kitten, and Gram Rabbit.

Top U.S. general in Afghanistan gives order: Close TGI Friday's (McClatchy Newspapers via Yahoo! News)

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan — By American standards, the boardwalk at Kandahar Airfield isn’t much to write home about.

Wednesday's Music Roundup (Spin)

[Updated: 1:44 P.M.] NEWS:   EVANESCENCE Offshoot Debuts New Songs Live We Are the Fallen play small London club with new singer, American Idol ‘s Carly Smithson. [ SPIN ] SAVES THE DAY to Start Recording New Album The Princeton-based quartet will head into the studio April 1 for their seventh studio album, Daybreak . [ Alter The Press ] TRAVIS BARKER Teaches RIHANNA to Play Drums The Blink-182 …