| ABC are to headline this year's 'Regeneration Tour' in the USA. The bill also features HEAVEN 17, WANG CHUNG, MEN WITHOUT HATS and BERLIN. The tour will last around a month and will run from mid-June to mid-July. KYLIE MINOGUE has been confirmed as one of the presenters for next month's Brit Awards where U2 will play live and, according to recent rumours, PET SHOP BOYS will perform with The Killers... A-HA have announced three shows in South America, playing two gigs in Brazil and one in Chile in March. See GIGS for all the dates. PASSIONATE FRIENDS will open for THE BLOW MONKEYS at Glasgow's King Tuts on February 10th. Passionate Friends reformed in 2008 and are currently working on new material, the follow up to last year's 'Stealing Seconds' release. MICHAEL JACKSON's 'Thriller' video is being turned into a full stage musical show, fully authorised by Jackson himself who will also help the develop the show. SISTERS OF MERCY have announced two UK dates as part of a massive tour that will see the band playing all over Europe and South America between February and June this year. See GIGS for all the dates. THE CURE and A-HA have both had songs covered for a new Valentine's compilation 'Sweetheart: Our Favorite Artists Sing Their Favorite Love Songs' which will be released by Starbucks on January 30th in the US. The Cure's 'Lovesong' has been covered by Death Cab For Cutie while A-Ha's 'Take On Me' has been reinterpreted by New Pornographers' frontman AC Newman. DAVID BOWIE has started work on a new studio album in Berlin - the city where he recorded 'Heroes', 'Low', and 'Lodger' - although there is no word on when new material might see the light of day. THE BLOW MONKEYS, THE CHRISTIANS and SQUEEZE frontman CHRIS DIFFORD have all been confirmed on the bill of this year's 'Acoustic Festival of Britain' which will take place at Derbyshire's Catton Hall Park between May 22nd and 25th.www.remembertheeighties.com - "The eighties... up to date!" | 
