LOCAL LICKS: Chicago-based bands Shock Stars and Helicopters have secured top-five spots in the national Lollapalooza Last Band Standing contest, having received thousands of votes in an online competition. Helicopters, along with the other three finalists -- Aranda (Oklahoma City), Glint (Nyack, N.Y.) and Sirsy (Albany, N.Y.) -- will perform for Perry Farrell in a live battle-of-the-bands at 8 p.m. Wednesday at Double Door, 1572 N. Milwaukee. A winner will be selected by Farrell and a panel of celebrity judges, and a runner-up will be chosen by audience vote. Both selected bands will perform at Lollapalooza on Aug. 5 in Grant Park.

MotorCity Madman Ted Nugent will arrive in Palatine on Wednesday to attend the dedication of a rock 'n' roll monument to his late mother, Marion "Ma" Nugent. Spearheaded by local musician and Palatine resident Eric Kinkel, the 7,800-pound stone tribute will be unveiled around 5 p.m. in front of Palatine eatery and music pub Durty Nellie's, 180 N. Smith, in downtown Palatine.

"Ma" Nugent, as she was affectionately known, was a Palatine resident for 28 years. "Ma Nugent's Mail," a "Dear Abby" of sorts, ran in the Illinois Entertainer from 1980-1988.

Ted Nugent's Palatine appearance precedes his Wednesday night concert at the Genesee Theatre in Waukegan. His new CD, "Love Grenade," detonates worldwide Sept. 4.

THE CHARTS:

There was a time when girls' names ruled the Billboard Hot 100. In 1962, Tommy Roe's ''Sheila'' was succeeded by the Four Seasons' ''Sherry.'' But it's become much rarer to see a girl's name in the No. 1 spot. Until this week, the only chart-topper with a girl's name this millennium was ''Maria Maria'' by Santana featuring the Product G&B, and that was back in 2000. A 2-1 move finds ''Hey There Delilah'' (Hollywood) by the Plain White T's on top of the chart. It's the first time the name ''Delilah'' has been featured in a No. 1 song and it's the first No. 1 for the Plain White T's. The most famous ''Delilah'' song until now was Tom Jones' ''Delilah,'' a No. 15 hit in 1968.

ON THE ROAD:

Rage Against The Machine will co-headline this fall's Vegoose Festival at Las Vegas' Sam Boyd Stadium, alongside French electronica duo Daft Punk. The event is set for Oct. 27-28; two-day passes are now on sale through Vegoose.com. Other acts on the bill include Queens of the Stone Age, the Shins, Muse and Iggy and the Stooges, performing their classic album ''Fun House'' in its entirety.

Compiled from Sun-Times wires