Doubt no longer … After weeks of rumors and hints, Gwen Stefani and the dudes from No Doubt have officially announced that they are reuniting with a summer tour, with Paramore as their “Special Guests,” if they can call them that. While most fans think of the pop-punkers as noobs to the scene, some No Doubt diehards aren’t afraid to say that the kids will probably garner more sales than Gwen and company. Tickets to be on sale soon.

I’ll give you something ridiculous to ponder over … Katy Perry and celibacy? Well, at least that what she says. After a surprisingly short-lived relationship with Gym Class Heroes’ frontman Travis McCoy, the pseudo girl-kisser says that the only lip-locking this year will be with her cat, Kitty Purry (clever one). When MTV asked about her breakup with Travie, she took the opportunity to talk about her tour instead. Looks like homeboy got the short end of the stick this time around.

50 beefs it up … 50 Cent is giving Weezy and West a verbal run for their money, hitting them with disses on interviews and live performances. While promoting his new album Before I Self Destruct, 50 called into a radio station, dissing Lil’ Wayne as a “junkie” and calling Kanye’s latest an “R&B album.” Cough, publicity feud, cough.

Let’s talk about a real rapper … Actor Joaquin Phoenix is “embarking on a new path as a rapper,” as part of a documentary whipped up by Casey Affleck. The film will be focused on Phoenix’s new career, along with another actor and friend who, too, have decided to drop their day jobs for a more…street credible one? The album, according to Billboard, will be produced by Sean Combs.

No, really, where’s the real music? … In other, more substantial music news, Metallica, Run-DMC, and Jeff Beck are a few musicians who will be inducted into the 2009 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Other notable artists include Fifties R&B vocal group Little Anthony and Sixties soul singer Bobby Womack. Run-DMC will be performing at the April 4th ceremony for the first time since Jam Master Jay’s death seven years ago.

Dubbed by the press as a “metal mariachi band,” Rodrigo y Gabriela is what happens when a couple of young Mexico City natives evolve from local thrash metal bandmates to acoustic guitarists with serious improvisational skills. Not only do they pick and strum—they hit (yes, hit) their guitars.

The speedy guy-and-gal guitarists’ heavy metal influences shined through their Latin-roots performance September 18 at the Grove of Anaheim.

Short story: the pair met in Mexico City as teenagers and later relocated to Dublin. There the duo’s 2006 album debuted number one on the Irish charts, beating Johnny Cash and Arctic Monkeys for the spot. Their sound—a fusion of their vast influences— metal, flamenco, folk, and jazz—is genuine, original, and eye-and-ear-opening.

The duo strode onto the stage throwing horns in the sky as if they were members of Black Sabbath. Though their rock star entrance didn’t quite match the bare stage setup (only a couple of chairs and guitars on stands), Rodrigo y Gabriela instantly owned the venue, hitting the strings as soon as they sat down, playing vibrant songs like “Tamacun,” and “Diablo Rojo,” while occasionally setting a softer mood with sensually smooth ballads like “Ixtapa” and “Vikingman.” Compensating for the lack of lyrics in their music, Rodrigo later asked for the crowd’s participation, quickly leading to rhythmic claps and vocals from the audience. They gracefully improvised a few solos, responding to the audience’s creations without a hint of a stutter.

The highlight—for me, at least—came when they covered Metallica’s “Orion” and Led Zep’s “Stairway to Heaven.” Their  versions wandered away enough to be exotic and kept the crowd in awe, but still remained true to the originals.

Watching their sophisticated playing techniques proved as blissful as listening to the music: Gabriela’s talent as a percussionist was highlighted, when she hid her face behind the guitar, allowing the audience to focus on enticing solos that incorporated both hands— rhythmically drumming on the guitar’s body, accompanying Rodrigo’s picking. Rodrigo’s energetic bursts of movement between frets were just as impressive as he splashed the show with the occasional metal-based shred session.

By the evening’s end it was clear: these two are not your ordinary pair of guitarists—heck, they aren’t even your typical performers. With an unmatched prowess of creativity, intensity, and technique, Rodrigo y Gabriela are bound to make anyone—from metal heads to flamenco fans—fall in love with them.