Last minute

Texas troubadour: Jimmie Dale Gilmore returns tonight to the Southgate House, 24 E. Third St., Newport, (859) 431-2201, for an evening of classic American country, folk and blues. Up-and-coming Americana singer/songwriter Josh Ritter, whose Golden Age of Radio is winning raves, opens the 8 p.m. show. $15 at the door.

Larry Nager

Countdown

Feel-good music: Opera bass and former Procter & Gamble brand manager David Michael will make a rare local appearance at 4 p.m. Sunday in a recital of "American Songs and Spirituals." The concert, at Montgomery Community Baptist Church, is free; there will be a freewill offering. 489-0892 or www.mcbccincy.com.

Janelle Gelfand

On sale Saturday

Tori Amos: 8 p.m. March 20 at the Taft Theatre. Tickets are $35 at Ticketmaster outlets, by phone at (513) 562-4949 and online at www.ticketmaster.com

Billy Joel and Elton John: 7:30 p.m. April 22 at Nationwide Arena, Columbus. Tickets are $46-$176 at Ticketmaster.

FYI

Lovely deal: Shadowbox Cabaret, Newport on the Levee, is offering a special Valentine's Day package. $80 includes two tickets to the Feb. 14 performance of Sex at the Box, a bottle of champagne, a brownie/ice cream dessert and two tickets to Shadowbox's spring production Dirty Little Secrets. Make reservations by Feb. 7. (859) 957-7625.

Jason Nebel

Prize winners: Pianist Cameron Logan, a junior at the School for Creative and Performing Arts, has won first prize in the Blue Ash Young Artist Competition. He will perform as soloist in the Blue Ash/Montgomery Symphony Orchestra's Labor Day concert. Cameron studies with Simon Goykhman in the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music prep department. Second-place winners were Mori Neumann, a flutist and senior at Walnut Hills High School, and Emma Sutton, a 15-year-old home-schooled violinist.

Janelle Gelfand

New job: It's official. Peter Oundjian, 46, former first violinist of the Tokyo String Quartet, has been named the music director of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. His five-year contract will begin in 2004.

Janelle Gelfand

Movies opening Friday

Biker Boyz
El Crimen del
Padre Amaro
Final Destination 2
Metropolis
The Recruit

Coming Friday in Weekend

Los Lobos: After 30 years, three Grammys and a few million records sold, Los Lobos is still one of the best bands around.