9/26/01 courtesy of    dayday3@gte.net   from jdmfans@yahoogroups.com
JO DEE MESSINA

JERZEES And Jo Dee Messina Retool Promotional Plans To Help with Red Cross Relief Efforts

Activewear apparel company JERZEESŪ and country music artist Jo Dee Messina have announced that they will aid in the collection of relief funds for victims of this month's terrorist attacks. JERZEES, sponsor of her tour, is working with local Red Cross chapters in cities along the concert route, setting up collection drives in connection with its previously planned promotional efforts. JERZEES and Jo Dee have already raised funds for the Red Cross during Messina's concerts in Shakopee, Minnesota and Niles, Ohio.

"This is a time when we all need to come together, to unite to help our fellow Americans," said Cheryl Barre, President of JERZEES ActivewearT. "Our hearts go out to the victims and their families and we at JERZEES would like to help in any way that we can."

In conjunction with the Messina concert tour, a JERZEES events team has planned a series of programs originally formatted to promote their new Premium Fit clothing line. Events being held at various venues in towns near the concerts will now also serve as Red Cross collection drives. Red Cross volunteers from local chapters will be on hand to help collect financial donations and to ensure that all funds go toward relief efforts connected with the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington. Currently the Red Cross is only requesting financial donations, but if the need arises for blood, food or other items, JERZEES plans to assist as needed.

"I want to thank all the fans who have e-mailed me regarding the tragic events of September 11th. I'm hoping that my concerts will be a time for us to come together and help strengthen us in our time of sorrow," said Messina. We all want to do something to help with the relief efforts. If you are unable to donate directly to the Red Cross, myself and JERZEES are trying to make it easier by setting up Red Cross bins at my show or at one of the JERZEES Premium Fit events around town in concert cities."

JERZEES and Messina's management group say that Premium Fit promotions will take place in select cities on the tour. Those cities include: Charlotte, North
Carolina; Grand Rapids, Michigan; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Topeka, Kansas; Birmingham, Alabama; and Lincoln, Nebraska. Although Messina's concert scheduled for this weekend in Champaign, Illinois has been rescheduled for December 15, JERZEES says it plans to continue with promotional programs in place.

9/04/01 courtesy of   "Jason" andersonj@pop.belmont.edu   from jdmfans@yahoogroups.com
CONCERT REVIEW

Messina delivers, but almost too much Country music: On her first headlining tour, she displays plenty of talent but goes over the top with choreography and banter.

September 3, 2001

By TOM ROLAND
Special to the Register

Jo Dee Messina may hail from Massachusetts, but she absolutely embodies Nashville 2001.

Plagued by derision throughout much of its history, the country music industry often views itself as a poor cousin to Los Angeles and New York. Messina, during Friday's show at the Universal Amphitheatre, reeled out a string of songs with underdog themes, which tie perfectly into the Music City mindset. She turned in an
impressive concert in her first tour as a headliner, although on occasion she hit the audience with so much that it seemed the underdog mentality had overwhelmed her - she did more than necessary to make it work.

Messina performed 85 minutes, exuding a huge amount of energy, strong vocal pipes and a surprising amount of charisma. At times, she was a veritable tornado on stage - whirling, twisting, stomping and laughing, swinging her hair and jerking her elbows in almost constant motion.

Dressed in a spangled tank top, she absolutely nailed the vocals, belting with unusual power and impressive control. Her performances fit well the numerous survivor themes that dotted the show, including a swampy remake of Dottie West's "Lesson in Leavin'," the spitting kiss-off "Bye Bye," the reflective "Bring on the Rain" and a passionate show of feminine self-assurance, "Stand Beside Me."

With few exceptions, Messina brandished upbeat tempos and anthems of positivity, filling out the evening with a series of cover songs to demonstrate the breadth of her influences. One could easily criticize her renditions of Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'" or Robert Palmer's "Bad Case of Loving You" as not really country, except that they worked in context. The Journey song has the same defying-the-odds theme that marks much of her material, the tunes were certainly energetic, and the crowd ate it up.

Messina, however, spent too much time blabbing in the middle of this segment. She showed genuine comedic skills, but the audience did not come to hear Shecky Greene. While ticket buyers were generally supportive of her excessive patter, at least one male fan yelled at her to shut up and sing.

Messina threw in four female dancers, two rounds of confetti, lots of hand gestures that dovetailed with the lyrics, and a Barbara Mandrell moment in which she played a couple of instruments. While most of the production did not get in the way of the songs, the fact is she did a little too much. She is enough on her own, and would have succeeded without so many extras.

Opening act SHeDAISY embodied all the wrong aspects of Nashville. The three Osborn sisters threaded smarmy pop with hokey choreography and harmonies that offer as much breath as actual tone. They seemed to try so hard to exude stardom and showmanship, but were never really able to rise above high-schoolish
mediocrity.

For Nashville to rid itself of the poor-cousin self-image, it would do well to avoid limp, short-term Spice Girl wanna- be's and ride with artists who communicate something of merit to an audience that appreciates underdogs. Of course, talents such as Messina rarely remain underdogs for long.