Last minute

Free performance: Today's free in-store performance at Phil's Music, Books & More is by singer/songwriter Ben Walz. Music starts at 7 p.m. The store is at 4307 Winston Ave. in Covington's Latonia neighborhood, next to Kroger. More info: (859) 431-7774.

Countdown

Last of trilogy: Leading up to the release of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King on Dec. 17, theaters will begin special screenings of the first two films in the trilogy. Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring returns to theaters Friday. Screenings of Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers begin Dec. 12.

Grammy nominations today: Two stars who died recently, Johnny Cash and Warren Zevon, are likely to be among the most-nominated artists when this year's Grammy ballot is announced today in Los Angeles.

So is Luther Vandross, who suffered a stroke in April.

This year's Grammy announcements arrive a full month earlier than usual, reflecting a three-week advance for the event, to Feb. 8.

New York Daily News

Hot tickets

On sale Saturday:

Singer/songwriter Erykah Badu returns to the Taft Theatre at 8 p.m. Feb. 21. Tickets are $47 and $37 and will go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday at Ticketmaster outlets, (513) 562-4949 and www.ticketmaster.com.

Coming to Bogart's:

• Ekoostik Hookah, the Columbus jam band, 8:30 p.m. Jan. 3. Tickets are $14 and $17 at Ticketmaster.

• The rootsy, folksy English band Gomez, 8 p.m. Jan. 25. Tickets are $15 at Ticketmaster.

• Louisville's My Morning Jacket, a five-piece band known for classic country, 8:30 p.m. Jan. 9. $12 at Ticketmaster.

FYI

Pay cut in Indy: Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra musicians will take a pay cut and other concessions under a new three-year contract, approved last weekend.

The contract, through August 2006, calls for $670,000 in concessions during the 2003-04 season. Each musician is expected to lose at least $3,500 in wages this season, and will pay more health care costs, the Indianapolis Star reports.

The deal, ratified by a majority of the orchestra's 83 players, will help reduce the orchestra's six-figure operating deficit accumulated over the past two years, and it will guarantee the players keep their year-round jobs.

Like the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, the Indianapolis Symphony is one of about 18 professional orchestras with year-round contracts.

Janelle Gelfand

Movies opening Friday

Last Samurai

Honey

Party Monster

Coming Friday in Weekend

Tea time: Take time for a tea break. A leisurely sipping of tea, nibbling of sandwiches and lingering over pastries.