I want to wish all of you a merry christmas, great holidays and a happy new year! I decided to put this site on a little winter break, but don’t worry, we’re back in January 2009 with the latest on our favourite band! Huge thanks to all of you for making this site as great as it is by now!

Maroon 5 front man Adam Levine knows what kind of music he likes and he’s not shy about requesting it either. He stopped by the Foxtail Club in West Hollywood and told the DJ to play…a Maroon 5 song, of course! Adam was so happy he danced to his own song.

“Is that it?” my friends said, sounding quite shocked that Maroon 5′s show was already over. “Did they even do all their hits?” But enough of that for the moment. Flashback 60 minutes when Adam Levine, James Valentine, Jesse Carmichael, Michael Madden and Matt Flynn were about to hit the stage, and the atmosphere was electrifying. Despite being on a school night, fans turned out in their thousands at Dubai Festival City to catch the American band’s first live performance in the Middle East – and where else would it be but the UAE? Several minutes later and the boys made it onto centre stage-kicking off with fans’ favourite, and the track that ultimately made the band the worldwide phenomenon it is today, This Love, followed by another hit If I Never See Your Face Again, sans Rihanna this time around. When not busy posing for the cameras or interacting with fans, Levine shone with his spectacular voice, and the band included all the favourites in their setlist, including Sunday Morning, I Won’t Go Home Without You, The Sun, Shiver, Makes Me Wonder and Wake Up Call and She Will Be Loved. For the encore, Levine and co gave an energetic performance of the band’s very first single, Harder to Breathe, before bursting into Sweetest Goodbye; quite fitting for the last song of the night. But before disappearing back to their Sheikh Zayed Road hotel, the band gave it their all one last time with a fabulous guitar and drum solo combo with lead guitarist Valentine and drummer Flynn, as well as Levine (who’s also a guitarist) dominating the final two minutes. Returning to the beginning of this review: Yes, it was short, but let me tell you, Maroon 5 live in Dubai was one sweet experience. Would I go see them again? I think you know the answer.

Take a look a few excerpts from reviews that have been coming in for Call & Response: The Remix Album:
“Few bands make music that’s elastic enough to be stretched into so many improbable shapes without losing any snap.” – Entertainment Weekly
“Maroon 5, art rockers? These remixes of the group’s hits by indie acts like Of Montreal and Deerhoof make the idea seem oddly plausible.” – Rolling Stone
“Cut Copy take “This Love”– a pretty good song any way you slice it– and impart a fizzy and highly appealing dancefloor sheen, extending it to just over seven minutes in the process.” – Pitchfork.com.

Maroon 5, Keith Urban, Daughtry, Five for Fighting, along with other artists, teamed up with the Army and Air Force Exchange Service to deliver a free compilation of songs produced exclusively for servicemembers, called For the Troops II, this holiday season. The music can be downloaded free by all U.S. active duty, Reserve and National Guard personnel, military retirees and their families at www.aafes.com. Additionally, Dr. Pat Boone, a vocalist, recorded two Christmas songs for troops and their families to download free. The songs, entitled “A Christmas Letter From Your Family,” are available at RedWhiteandBlueChristmas.com or at DrPatBoone.com. The songs are a holiday gift of encouragement, appreciation and love from families to the troops.