DiFranco goes from Church to Babeville

Buffalo, N.Y. – Ani DiFranco has renamed the 19th-century Gothic church in Buffalo that she bought and renovated.

Originally dubbed The Church, the venue is now Babeville.

The building houses her music label, Righteous Babe Records, and Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center.

DiFranco’s first public concerts in the space were set for Tuesday and Wednesday in Asbury Hall, the former sanctuary. Both concerts were sold out.

The 36-year-old singer reopened the building in January after she and her manager, Scot Fisher, saved it from the wrecking ball and, with the city’s help, poured $10 million into its renovation.

Michelle Yeoh to receive the Legion of Honor

Paris – Michelle Yeoh, one of Asia’s biggest film stars, will receive France’s highest civilian honor later this year.

Yeoh will be awarded the Legion of Honor in an Oct. 3 ceremony in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur, French Foreign Ministry officials said Tuesday.

She began her career in Chinese action movies and leapt to international fame in the 1997 James Bond movie, “Tomorrow Never Dies,” and Ang Lee’s 2000 kung-fu hit, “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.”

Yeoh stars in the upcoming sci-fi adventure movie “Babylon A.D.,” directed by French filmmaker Mathieu Kassovitz.

Timberlake postpones 2 shows to rest voice

New York – Justin Timberlake has been ordered to rest his voice.

Timberlake’s strained voice is the result of his performance Sunday at MTV’s Video Music Awards in Las Vegas and months of touring, Jive Records said in a statement Tuesday.

A doctor ordered several days of vocal rest for Timberlake, forcing the 26-year-old singer to miss shows in Sacramento, Calif., on Monday and San Jose, Calif., today.

Tour promoter AEG Live has rescheduled the shows for Sept. 23 in San Jose and Sept. 25 in Sacramento.

Timberlake wraps up his FutureSex/LoveShow tour this month.