2nd May

Gary U.S. Bonds , Johnny Burnette, Gene McDaniels, Mark Wynter and The Fleerekkers play at The Granada, Kingston, UK.

Jeff Hanneman, one of the founding guitarists of pioneering thrash metal band Slayer, dies aged 49 of liver failure at Hemet Valley Medical Center, Inland Empire, Southern California, USA. In early 2001, Hanneman had contracted necrotizing fasciitis, a flesh-eating disease possibly caused by a spider bite. Hanneman almost lost his arm, and was briefly placed in a medically-induced coma, but had seemed to be recovering in recent months.

Rapper Gucci Mane is released [again] on bail from prison in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, where he was incarcerated for assaulting a man in an Atlanta nightclub with a bottle, and also for a parole violation.

Ramblin' Jack Elliott plays at Knucklehead's Saloon, Kansas City, Missouri, USA.

On her Diamonds World Tour, Rihanna plays at Scotiabank Place, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

Hands play their first-ever British date, at The Shacklewell Arms, London, UK.

On their English Electric tour, Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark [OMD] play at The Regent Theatre, Ipswich, UK.

The funeral service for George Jones, widely considered "the greatest voice in country music," is held at The Grand Ole Opry, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.

Justin Bieber plays at The ITU Stadium, Istanbul, Turkey, Europe.

Jay-Z attends a meeting in Long Island, New York State, USA, of a group planning to renovate the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum outside New York City.

Cowboy Junkies play at Yoshi's, San Francisco, California, USA.

Gregory Porter is interviewed live on BBC tv show Breakfast at Media City, Salford Quays, Manchester, UK.