Panic At The Disco and Plain White T's to Take the Stage at the Rock Band 2 Party to Benefit LIFEbeat Saturday, September 6th at House of Blues in Los Angeles

NEW YORK, Aug. 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Rock Band 2 -- the next incarnation of the cultural and video game phenomenon Rock Band -- is teaming up with LIFEbeat to shed some star power over the continued need for HIV/AIDS prevention in the week prior to the game's launch.

On Saturday, September 6th at House of Blues inLos Angeles, Rock Band will enlist the help of Rock Band Live Tour artists Panic At The Disco and Plain White T's for special short performances to bring awareness to LIFEbeat's cause and celebrate the forthcoming launch of Rock Band 2. The "Rock Band 2 Party to Benefit LIFEbeat" during MTV's Video Music Awards weekend marks a unique occasion where stars, the music industry and true fans alike can all take in a hot show and fight for a cause with proceeds from the show benefiting LIFEbeat - The Music Industry Fights AIDS.

Attendees will rock out with a sneak peek and chance to play Rock Band 2 before it hits retail, as well as enjoy musical appearances by Panic At The Disco and Plain White T's. Tickets for the Rock Band 2 Party to Benefit LIFEbeat, an all ages event, are $50.00 for General Admission, with proceeds going to LIFEbeat. Tickets can be purchased at House of Blues Box Office and online at www.ticketmaster.com.

The VMA/LIFEbeat Concert has become a major staple in the 24-hour lead-up to the annual Video Music Award and allowed MTV to plant a major stake in the cultural ground by staging an exclusive concert featuring an on-the-verge artist or a major act (prior LIFEbeat acts include The Beastie Boys, The Bravery, Robin Thicke and Maroon 5).

"MTV is proud to be teamed up with LIFEbeat again on this year's VMA weekend as we support their long-standing commitment to HIV/AIDS education and prevention," said Tim Rosta, SVP of Integrated Marketing at MTV. "We have always seen the LIFEbeat benefit as one of the cornerstones of the weekend, and this year's event is no exception."

Paul DeGooyer, Senior Vice President of Electronic Games and Music for MTV Networks Music & Logo Group, added, "By bringing Rock Band and LIFEbeat together, we hope to unleash the power of one of the biggest video game launches this year to benefit a fantastic and worthy cause."

"HIV/AIDS remains a major epidemic in America with over 56,000 new cases diagnosed each year, and half of those infections occurring in Americans under 25, making it more important than ever to reach young audiences," said John Cannelli, Executive Director, LIFEbeat. "This annual event offers a great opportunity to further our goals and mission."

Energizer, the official battery of Rock Band 2, and Stride(R) Gum are also lending their support as sponsors of the event.

Rock Band 2 hits retail in September and features the largest music catalogue of any music-based videogame to date including over 100 songs on the Rock Band 2 soundtrack with an unrivaled blend of classic and new artists including AC/DC, Guns 'N Roses, Bob Dylan, Pearl Jam, Motorhead and more!

The "2008 MTV Video Music Awards" will air live from the Paramount Lot on Sunday, September 7, 2008 at 9PM (Live ET/Tape Delayed PT.) Presenters and additional performers will be announced at a later date. The event will be hosted by Russell Brand, and includes performances by Lil Wayne, Jonas Brothers, Kid Rock, Paramore, Pink, T.I. and Rihanna. For more information, please go to vma.mtv.com.

The official sponsors of the "2008 MTV Video Music Awards" are GM, Pepsi, TAG Body Spray, Taco Bell, Rhapsody, Nikon and Verizon Wireless.

Mission Statement

LIFEbeat - The Music Industry Fights AIDS, is a national non-profit organization dedicated to reaching America's youth with the message of HIV/AIDS prevention. LIFEbeat mobilizes the talents and resources of the music industry to raise awareness and to provide support to the AIDS community. For more information visit: www.lifebeat.org.

About House of Blues -Los Angeles

The House of Blues(R) company was founded inCambridge, MA in 1992 as a vision to become a home for live music and southern-inspired cuisine in an environment celebrating the African American cultural contributions of blues music and folk art. Two years later in May of 1994, the House of Blues Sunset Strip opened its doors to the world, changing theLos Angeles music scene forever. With its incredible sight lines and state of the art sound and stage, the world-class venue has since become the premier live music club in LA. The HOB walls feature American folk art affectionately referred to as the visual blues or Outside Art. With over a thousand original pieces of folk art, the HOB company houses one of the largest publicly displayed folk art collections in America. The House of Blues was acquired by Live Nation in November of 2006, and currently operates 12 branded clubs, includingAtlantic City, Anaheim,Chicago,Cleveland,Myrtle Beach,New Orleans,Las Vegas,Los Angeles,Orlando,San Diego andDallas. www.hob.com

About Live Nation

Live Nation is the future of the music business. With the most live concerts, music venues and festivals in the world and the most comprehensive concert search engine on the web, Live Nation is revolutionizing the music industry: onstage and online. Live Nation is headquartered inLos Angeles, California. Additional information about the company can be found at www.livenation.com under the "About Us" section.

About MTV Networks

MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), is one of the world's leading creators of entertainment content, with brands that engage and connect diverse audiences across television, online, mobile, games, virtual worlds and consumer products. The company's portfolio spans more than 150 television channels and 350 digital media properties worldwide, and includes MTV, VH1, CMT, Logo, Harmonix, Nickelodeon, Nick at Nite, Noggin, The N, AddictingGames, Neopets, COMEDY CENTRAL, Spike TV, TV Land, Atom, Gametrailers and Xfire.

About MTV Games

MTV Games is dedicated to creating, marketing and publishing high-quality, innovative interactive products that are relevant to the MTV audience and complement the core values of the MTV Networks brands.

SOURCE MTV

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