Arts and entertainment reports from The Times, national and international news services and the nation’s press.

POP/ROCK

Crank Up the Amps: Metallica has won court approval for its free outdoor concert today in Philadelphia, despite concerns from neighbors that the noise levels might prove too much. After officials in Boston and Chicago had rejected the band’s “Multimillion Decibel March,” Philadelphia officials agreed to allow the show in the parking lot of the CoreStates Complex. But on Friday, stadium officials, deluged with complaints from neighbors worried about the noise, said the group must play indoors. Metallica then went to court, and U.S. District Judge Harvey Bartle III ruled in the band’s favor Saturday, saying it must make sure there is enough security for the event, which is expected to draw a crowd of about 40,000.

*

Tupac Biography Sparks Dispute: A new biography on the late rapper-actor Tupac Shakur has sparked a dispute between its writer and publisher, with author Armand White refusing to do public appearances to support “Rebel for the Hell of It” and even asking major magazines such as Village Voice, Newsweek and Spin not to review the tome. White told the New York Post that the book no longer reflects his “intent,” due to some cuts and an editors’ note linking Shakur’s death to that of fellow rapper Notorious B.I.G.--a link White says he specifically avoided. Thunder’s Mouth Press publisher Neil Ortenberg, meanwhile, told The Times that the total amount of changes “comes to about a page,” and that the mention of Notorious B.I.G.’s death shortly after Shakur’s merely “gives context” and “brings the book up to date.” Ortenberg--who said he expected the book to be “widely reviewed” despite White’s pleas--termed the whole incident “an editorial dispute with . . . an author who refused to submit to the editorial process.”

TELEVISION

Sinbad, ‘Vibe’ Maintain Viewership: In his second week as the new host of the late-night talk show “Vibe,” Sinbad and the program are holding steady in terms of viewership. “Vibe” last week attracted 6% of the audience, the same as the previous week when Sinbad first replaced comedian Chris Spencer as host. The percentage share is 2% more than Spencer got the week of Oct. 13, the last full week he hosted “Vibe.” The boost for “Vibe” with Sinbad as host did not apparently come at the expense of “The Keenen Ivory Wayans Show,” its late-night rival. Wayans went from 6% of the audience the week of Oct. 13 to 7% of the audience last week.

RADIO

KABC-AM’s Elder Gets OK to Syndicate: KABC-AM (790) talk-show host Larry Elder declined comment Monday on the station’s decision to slice his air time in half--from 3-5 p.m. weekdays instead of 3-7 p.m. But as a concession, the Disney-owned outlet is allowing Elder to syndicate his show. Until now he did not have that leeway. “It is my hope that the rest of the country can hear my show,” Elder said. Ed Tyll, most recently a talk-show host in Orlando, Fla., began airing in KABC’s 5-7 p.m. slot Monday.

PEOPLE WATCH

‘Soup Nazi’ No. 1: The modest New York takeout spot run by the chef immortalized on “Seinfeld” as the “soup Nazi” topped super-swanky Le Cirque 2000 in the prestigious Zagat restaurant guide. Al Yeganeh’s Soup Kitchen International, spoofed on “Seinfeld” for its often curt service, rated 27 points out of a possible 30 for food deemed “extraordinary to perfection.” Le Cirque’s food got a 25 rating, “very good to excellent.” Said Yeganeh: “I believe I’m the best. Who says I should come in second best?”

QUICK TAKES

Dwight Yoakam’s benefit concert, scheduled for Thursday night at Billboard Live, has been postponed until Dec. 21. Tickets must be exchanged at point of purchase. . . . Tickets are available now for Oasis’ Jan. 28 concert at the Universal Amphitheatre. The added concert was announced over the weekend after the band’s Jan. 27 show at the venue sold out. . . . Country star Reba McEntire will ring in the holiday season with a new song, written by Diane Warren, that will raise money for the Salvation Army. Proceeds and royalties from “What If?”--which will debut during halftime of NBC’s broadcast of the Tennessee Oilers-Dallas Cowboys football game on Thanksgiving Day--will be donated to the charity. . . . Van Halen guitarist Eddie Van Halen doesn’t need a new hip, a publicist said Monday. Following extensive examinations and X-rays, improvement in his condition was noted, making surgery unnecessary at this time, a Warner Bros. Records spokeswoman said. . . . NBC’s “Homicide: Life on the Street” has received the Catholics in Media Associates’ 1997 Television Award for its “inspirational storytelling that uplifts the spirit and helps to understand what it is to be part of the human family.” . . . Actress Barbara Carrera (“Dallas”) has been named ambassador at large for Nicaragua, the country in which she was born. . . . Free screenings of “Free Tibet,” a film documenting last summer’s Tibetan Freedom Concert in New York that features many of the biggest acts in rock and rap, will be shown today at the UA Marina Del Rey theater and also Nov. 18 at Cal State Long Beach. Both showings are at 6 p.m. . . . The Sci-Fi Channel has acquired all 22 hours of the drama series “American Gothic,” including four episodes that have never aired in the United States, and will begin showing the series Jan. 2.