THE BUZZ.

Byline: - Staff and Wire Services

U2 FINDS EXIT: ``Come up,'' U2's Bono told four young women in the audience during the band's encore Tuesday night at the Staples Center. The women - who make up the all-female quartet Exit, based in the San Fernando Valley - had been holding a homemade sign that read, ``Bassist, Singer, Guitarist, Drummer - The Girls Play Really Well.'' They then went on to prove it, rocking the arena with the 1980 U2 nugget ``Out of Control,'' while Bono, The Edge, Larry Mullen Jr. and Adam Clayton watched with admiration.

``They're good,'' said Bono to the Edge as Exit played.

Trevi Fligg, Exit's new lead singer, seemed a bit nervous at first, as she had only been with the band - which includes guitarist Courtney ``Captive'' Lavender, drummer Pam Bluestein and bassist Susan ``Affa'' Hamilton - for a few months. But it wasn't long before band was at full throttle, and when the song was over, the applause was deafening.

Originally, Exit was a U2 tribute band, but its members are now writing their own songs and recording demos. After Tuesday, their stock has risen. On Wednesday, Exit was inundated with calls from the likes of Atlantic Records, Sony BMG and Columbia Records. For more information on Exit and to listen to the band's mp3s, visit www.exit-band.com.

THE MATERIAL BOY/GIRL: After Madonna wowed the crowd at the beginning of the MTV Europe Music Awards on Thursday with the first live televised performance of her new single ``Hung Up,'' the ceremony's host Borat from Kazakhstan noted, ``It was very brave of MTV to start the show with a transvestite.'' The alter ego of comedian Sacha Baron Cohen was just trying to be funny, we think, about her performance.

The 47-year-old Madonna had emerged from a giant glitter ball wearing purple leather boots and a matching leotard and said she still got a kick out of playing to a crowd.

``After I fell off my horse, it was amazing to be able to get up and dance,'' she said backstage, referring to a riding accident in August when she cracked three ribs and broke her collarbone and a hand. She was still suffering from injuries when she filmed the music video for ``Hung Up.''

``It was kind of scary because I had sort of been laying around for six weeks before I started dancing. I had to do a lot of rehab on my shoulder and arm. The actual shoot days, I had to have a nerve block and injection so I couldn't feel the pain in my arm,'' Madonna said. ``It was a little bit stupid to do that, actually, but the show must go on, and I had a video I had to shoot.''

Madonna, who was not up for any awards, is hoping ``Hung Up,'' the first single from her new album ``Confessions on a Dancefloor,'' puts her back on top of the charts after her last album failed to sell well. ``I've been making records for over 20 years. I've had an incredible run, highs and lows, but I keep going.''

CAPTION(S):

2 photos

Photo:

(1) The members of San Fernando Valley-based Exit - Courtney Lavender, left, Pam Bluestein, Susan Hamilton and Trevi Fligg - are fielding record company offers following their impromptu performance during U2's encore.

Photo by Michele Lanyzs

(2) MADONNA

Dave Hogan/Getty Images