Talent traffic

After 16 years, Tom Ross has retired from his position as head of Creative Artist Agency's music department, effective immediately. Ross, 52, has been in the agency business for 30 years. Rob Light, who was Ross' first hire at CAA, will replace him. Light, like Ross, will be based out of CAAs Beverly Hills office. The agency books such top acts as Alanis Morissette, Madonna, Reba McEntire, Shania Twain, John Mellencamp, Alan Jackson, Third Eye Blind and many others.

Metallica has wrapped its 1998 tour of amphitheaters, the first shed tour for the band in five years. The total gross ended up at $24.1 million from 39 shows.

"This tour was awesome," said Adam Kornfeld, Metallica's agent at QBQ. "Virtually every show was sold out." Next Metallica plays a tour of ballroom-type venues in five cities, including Chicago, Detroit, Toronto, New York and Philadelphia. Kornfeld said it isn't likely Metallica will tour North America in 1999.

KISS will take its Psycho Circus tour to The Palace of Auburn Hills (Mich.) New Year's Eve. Tickets ($75-$100) went on sale Nov. 7, and Palace officials told Talent Traffic as of Nov. 9 tickets were still available. There won't be a showdown between KISS and Ted Nugent's annual New Year's Eve Whiplash Bash at Joe Louis Arena. Olympic Entertainment reps said a Red Wings game is scheduled for Dec. 31 at The Joe.

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