#buffalo drum

[realnyhiphop101]

Conway The Machine “The Devils Reject” Era

[bethanythebogwitch]

I found a bunch of pictures from my last job working with wild fish and I figured some of you critter-lovers would enjoy them

The angriest red-eared slider I've ever seen

mmmmmMMMMWWAAAAAAAHHH! (paddlefish)

A northern pike. These were always hard to work with because they're super slippery.

Grasp it firmly in your hand (paddlefish)

"I told you, mom, it's not just a phase!" (bighead carp)

Long, long man (longnose gar)

The biggest smallmouth buffalo we caught

The size of this lad (bighead carp)

That's a cute kitty (channel catfish I think)

Softshell turtles wake up every morning and choose violence. This one was trying to bite my finger off as I was taking its picture.

I've never seen a grouchy pancake before (softshell turtle)

Most turtles are chill. Snapping turtles are angry enough to for the rest of them

A freshwater drum. These guys make a grunting noise when they're upset

A bucked o' snoots. Pretty sure we were collecting these so fish and wildlife could tag and release them. (paddlefish)

A water snake

A juvenile gar. Just as pointy as the adults

I have apprehended the criminal

A bigger drum. This was more around the size we usually caught

A very shiny river carpsucker

A very mossy man (red-eared slider)

Anyone want to play darts? (longnose gar)

Looking very dignified (painted turtle?)

Take this, it will be important in your quest (common carp)

[potatopassenger]

Watching Chopper's backstory and he is going through it

[polux-aka-hyakunana]

The tragedy of having my hands full of work until at least next week and suddenly remembering how much I love and miss Lies of P while living my Geats fever because I need stalker!Riders injected on my veins to keep living

[untogetherxxx]

I’ve got some DJ gigs coming up in Buffalo and Rochester starting on Thursday & I’m really looking forward to all of them. You should come out to one or all of them.

[frankiegirl]

decided to listen to folie a duex all the way through this morning and I haven’t done that in a looooooong time here we go

[jandby]

Our lodge was a special place with a spectacular view of Volcanoes National Park where we watched our gorilla family. They had some traditional drum and dance performers for us one night. After dark, we had to have an escort to our cottage because buffalo graze on the property at night. One buffalo looks eerie in the guard's lantern.

[musicrunsthroughmysoul]

The only problem with these 1990/1991 Big Country concerts that I'm watching is that their drummer in 1990-mid 1991 literally cannot play a military-esque drum roll if it killed him, which is a ginormous problem for Big Country considering at least two of their biggest fucking hits features that prominently so then "In a Big Country" as a primary example doesn't sound nearly as good and anthemic as it normally does. SURELY IT MAKES SENSE WHY THAT'S A PROBLEM. Because if they don't play those songs, the audience will eat the band, but then the song doesn't sound as good and, what, the band just has to pray that the audience doesn't notice?! Okay. Yeah, sure. Whatever.

Although on one hand I could see that as, like, oh man, Mark really fucked them for any other drummers...he accidentally (or maybe not; I don't know his personal agenda) made sure that pretty much no other drummers would fit for the band (also considering his maximalist approach to drumming, LOL)...but on the other hand I like that classic drum roll about so many Big Country songs, so am I allowed to complain when another drummer can't imitate Mark Brzezicki perfectly?

[sweetbuckybarnes]

Who is This?: Chapter 1

Pairings: Bucky Barnes x reader

Summary: Bucky had a wife during the 40s, she was left heartbroken after the telegram arrived (missing, presumed dead). It's surprising when 80 years later, she was working behind a bar in Madripoor of all places!

Masterlist | Series Masterlist

Bucky followed Sam and Zemo into a loud bar, he immediately wanted to turn around and go home, why had Zemo demanded he go back to being the Winter Soldier (even if it was one night)?

The sound of heavy drums and guitars also deafened his hearing, a song he had come to learn was The Wild Boy by a band called Duran Duran. A few bartenders and waitresses were walking around, there was only one who stuck out to him - a dark-haired young woman who reminded him too much of his departed wife.

His heart breaks even more, thinking of the woman he had left behind, his girl. The love of his life. Bucky doesn't think he will ever 'get over' her.

The way the young woman walked, carrying a tray of empty glasses (before being tossed an empty bottle by a patron), was so similar to the way his girl walked in the hole-in-the-wall diner she worked in.

She wasn't quick enough to duck under the bar before they got to the door leading upstairs (which was coincidentally next to the bar), Zemo was talking to the bouncer. "Excuse me, gentlemen," the young woman said, squeezing between the back of Zemo and the front of Bucky. Which is when he got a good look at her face.

There she was.

His girl. His wife.

He couldn't even say anything to her, as he was taken upstairs and away from his girl. He could only hope he would be allowed back in at the end of the night to see her.

Y/N Barnes made her way behind the bar, glancing up at the TV where the Kansas City Chiefs were currently playing the Buffalo Bills at Arrowhead Stadium, then down at her phone which showed the live score of the Dodgers game against the San Francisco Giants.

She had been a long-time Dodgers girl, even after she found out they had moved from Brooklyn to Los Angeles.

"Did you see the way he was looking at you?" Yasmine asked, pushing a dry Martini in front of a 26-year-old woman.

Y/N looked up from the glasses she was putting in the dishwasher. "Huh? What are you talking about?"

"One of the men who went upstairs. The way he was looking at you," Yasmine fans her hand for dramatic effect. "I would drop my panties for him in a millisecond."

"Like you don't do that every night."

Yasmine rolled her eyes and served the next half-drunk who had come to the bar.

"Don't listen to her," Anastasia told her, rolling her eyes as Yasmine flirted with her current flavour of the week.

"It's not often I do, darling," Y/N replied, fiddling with Anastasia's curls for a second, before spotting a patron. "What can I get for you, darling?"

He hung off the bar, obviously far too drunk to understand what was going on. "Another beer and your phone number," he slurred.

She shook her head, reaching over and grabbing him another beer. As far as the boss of the bar (whoever that was) was concerned unless they were unconscious- why should you stop serving them? Y/N thought it wasn't right, but no matter how often she voiced this - she was shut down.

She set the beer in front of him and then went to the register to add it to his bill (good thing she currently has his credit card behind the bar).

"Oi, sweet cheeks!" He calls, but Y/N doesn't pay attention looking over at Yasmine and Anastasia with a raised eyebrow. "Sweet cheeks! I asked for your number."

Y/N replied by simply raising her hand proudly displaying her engagement and wedding rings to the drunk. It was only a small diamond (given Bucky worked on the docks before he was deployed), and the plain band she inherited from her great-grandmother.

"What's the matter with that 'un?" He hiccups. "He got you costume jewellery or somethin'?"

Y/N shook her head. "I'm going into the back for a moment," she tells Aidan.

Little did the drunk patron know, all those years ago, this was the date she was handed the telegraph - putting in such blunt words. Her James was missing, they presumed him to be dead. It breaks her heart that they never got to have a proper funeral.

"You alright, honey?" Elizabeth (another one of the waitresses) asked, she had been outside on her break. Elizabeth was the only one who knew her true age and about her James.

"It's the day I found out James was missing," Y/N said, before bursting into more tears.

Elizabeth wrapped Y/N up in a hug, everyone oblivious to the fact that Y/N's presumed dead husband was now running through the bar, flocked by Sam and Zemo, and into the alley behind the bar.

When Bucky was sure Zemo, Sam and Sharon were asleep, he slipped out of the safe house and into the night - determined to find out if the woman he saw in the bar was that of his (presumably? should be?) dead wife.

He eventually made his way to the front door of the bar, the bouncers had long since gone home. He could see lights on in the building and just about make out words being spoken thanks to the Super Soldier serum running through his veins.

He grasped the handle and gave it a push, the door hadn't been locked, as it gave beneath the slight push.

He could see three young women sitting on the bar, a man who was counting the money from the register and another man who was dancing.

The young woman sitting closest to the bar, had golden curls hanging around her head. "Mark, you didn't lock the door!"

The man dancing, Mark, looked over at Bucky, eyes widening when he saw the size of Bucky. "I say we just serve him, then lock the door behind him."

As the bartenders and waitress argued amongst themselves, Bucky's eyes never left the woman in the middle. It looked as if she had been crying. "Babydoll?"

The woman stopped giggling, tipping her head back to normal and looked at him, before dropping her glass as tears welled up in her eyes. "James?"

The curly-haired woman gasped, setting her glass down and giving Y/N a push off the bar.

Bucky held his arms out to catch her as her feet landed on the floor. He couldn't stop looking at her big eyes, he'd always loved her big expressive eyes. He always knew how she was feeling by just a look in her eyes.

"James? Is that you?" Her hand came out slowly, and shakily, as if she couldn't believe what she was seeing in front of her.

"Hi, babydoll," Bucky smiled, tears starting to fall down his cheeks, a heavy sob held tightly in his chest at the moment in time. As soon as her fingers met his skin, Bucky let out a heavy sigh of relief, reaching over and pulling her into his arms. Y/N's arms dug themselves away from his chest and up around his neck before her hand soon started fiddling with his hair.

The couple stood there for a moment, finally finding their slice of peace. Some came barging into the bar, and the dark-haired woman who had been sitting on the other side of Y/N practically demanded Mark lock the door before the Hounds of Baskerville came in.

Y/N was so happy to finally have her James back in her arms, but there was a whirling sound she couldn't let go. "What's that noise?"

Bucky looked from his wife to his arm and back to his bride. "I'll explain everything to you later, but... I lost my arm, and I now have a prosthetic one," he tells her, letting go of her for a moment so he could take his glove off and show her the black and gold Vibranium one he had made.

"Ok, James. It's a good thing you gave me this," she reached beneath her top and pulled a ring out from beneath, hanging from a chain. "Before you were deployed."

Bucky smiled, cupping her face so he could kiss her. Bucky pulled away chuckling a little. "Babydoll, will you please put my ring back on?"

She reached behind her to unclasp the chain, and slid Bucky's band off, "if it doesn't fit we'll get it resized."

"I don't care what size it is, as long as you put my ring back where it belongs," Bucky almost growled, a piece of him falling back into place with the ring back on his finger.

The next morning - Sam, Zemo and Sharon came into the living room, seeing Bucky sleeping on the sofa (Sam was expecting this, after being told by Steve), however, there was a lump lying next to Bucky they didn't recognise.

Sam slowly makes his way over, gently easing down the thick blanket lying over Bucky and the lump.

Lying there, practically on top of the 'bionic staring machine' was a young woman.

"Did he somehow pick up a girl?" Sam whispered. Sam and Sharon were trying to be quiet - however, Zemo (who didn't care) started clattering around the kitchen, causing Bucky to wake up in a start, which then caused the young woman to look up with tired owl-like eyes.

"What the hell is going on?" Bucky nearly demanded, keeping his arms wrapped around his companion.

Sam raised his eyebrow. "I could ask you the same question, Barnes?" Sam looked at the young woman in Bucky's arms. "Who is this?"

Bucky looked down at her, Sam watched as a smile grew on his face. "This is Y/N. Y/N Barnes. My wife."

[ateez-ana]

treasure film days

For those who have not seen the treasure film, the boys had to do individual challenges and group challenges to "find" the treasure

pt1 the challenge

The air crackled with nervous energy as the Ateez members gathered around a table in their Sydney hotel room. They had just received their 'Treasure Film' challenge sheets, a colorful array of tasks designed to test their courage, resourcefulness, and, of course, their comedic timing. It was their first time filming in Australia, and the vibrant energy of the city was infectious.

Ana, scanned the sheet, her brows furrowing. The tasks were a mix of daring and ridiculous, each matched to their individual personalities. San had to swim with sharks , Wooyoung had to ask a friend of her mom to give him food , and Mingi had to order some things in a pharmacy all by himself Ana’s eyes settled on hers: 'Skydive and take a selfie.'

Ana glanced at Hongjoong, their leader, who was carefully studying his own challenge, a mischievous glint in his eyes. He knew about her fear of heights, “Ana,” Hongjoong whispered, his voice laced with amusement, “You okay?” Ana swallowed, forcing a smile. “Just… thinking about it.” “I bet you’re going to be great,” he said, his voice laced with a reassuring confidence that calmed her a little.

A couple of hours later, the group gathered at the airfield, their nervous laughter echoing in the vast, open space. Hongjoong stood nearby, a watchful observer, a small smile playing on his lips as the cameramen began their preparations.

Ana sat at the edge of the runway, her heart pounding like a drum solo. The skydivers, clad in bright orange jumpsuits, seemed calm and collected, though their faces seemed to radiate a strange kind of madness.

“Ready, Ana?” the cameraman asked, his voice a little too chipper for the situation.

Ana’s knees trembled.

One by one, the skydivers climbed into the plane, their faces a mix of excitement and apprehension. When it was Ana’s turn, Hongjoong approached, his hand on her shoulder, his eyes twinkling.

“You got this,” he whispered, a reassuring squeeze before he stepped back.

Ana took a shaky breath as she climbed the ladder of the small plane, the cold wind whipping through her hair. The world shrunk beneath her as the plane ascended, the vast expanse of the land becoming a patchwork of greens and browns. Her stomach tightened, fear tightening its grip on her. This was crazy.

The wind hummed through the plane windows, and Ana, with her pale face and wet eyes, clung with all her might to the edges of the seat. Her heart was pounding like a maddened buffalo in her chest.

'Ana, are you ready?' The instructor's voice, a burly man with a smile too cheerful for the situation, echoed through the noise of the plane.

'No, no, no,' Ana let out a sob. 'Why are you doing me this? I pay you, I give you everything you want, but please don't make me jump. I'm not cut out for this kind of thing.'

'Don't worry, Ana. It's an incredible experience. Look at the view!' The instructor pushed her toward the open door of the plane.

Ana clung to the door for dear life, looking down in horror. The ground stretched like an endless chess board. Her stomach clenched as she saw the distance, and her legs began to tremble.

'I can't, I can't, I can't,' Ana whispered, tears threatening to overflow.

'What's wrong, Ana?' the instructor asked, a hint of concern in his voice.

'I'm afraid of heights,' Ana said, her voice shaking. 'I'm afraid of dying. I'm afraid of everything.'

'Don't worry, Ana. I'll be with you all the time. Come on, just a little jump!' The instructor pushed her lightly into the void.

'No! No! No!' Ana screamed, clinging to the instructor with a force that would have probably broken her bones.

'Ana, relax! It's just a jump!' The instructor, feeling a little uncomfortable with Ana's iron grip, tactfully tried to free himself from her. 'Besides, if you get off now, you can tell all your fans later,' he said with a wry smile.

Ana froze. His fans! The thought of the shame she would feel if her fans found out about her fear of heights filled her with a new terror, a terror even more intense than the fear of falling.

'It's okay,' Ana said, taking a deep breath. 'I'm going to do it, but… can you hold me tight and not let me fall?'

The instructor looked at her with a wry smile. 'Of course, Ana. I'm going to hold you very tight. Get ready for the adventure of your life!'

And with that, Ana, holding on to the instructor like a koala to a tree, launched herself into the void, screaming like a little girl. The wind whipped her face and the sound of her own scream echoed in her ears. Fear paralyzed her, but despite the terror, a small thought floated into her mind: at least her fear of heights would be a great story to tell her fans.

Ana took out her phone, her hands still trembling. She focused her lens on the breathtaking panorama and pressed the button, capturing the moment, the feeling of being alive, free, and conquering her fear. She had done it.

Back on the ground, she was greeted by laughter and cheers. The crew, the cameraman, the other Ateez members - even the skydiver who jumped with her – all seemed to be in on the joke, their faces lit by amusement.

“Ana!” Mingi cried, doubling over as he choked back a laugh. “Your face was priceless! Do you even realize how funny you were while falling?”

Even San, managed a chuckle, his eyes sparkling with mischief. “I knew you could do it, Uno,” he said, using his nickname for her.

Hongjoong just smiled, his eyes warmly admiring.

pt2

The air crackled with anticipation as Ana, Hongjoong, Yeosang, and Wooyoung stood in line at the concession stand, the smell of buttery popcorn and sugary soda filling their senses. This wasn't just any movie night; it was a challenge orchestrated by Hongjoong himself. He was dared to watch an entire English-language film without subtitles, a feat that seemed impossible considering his infamous sleepiness.

'I'm going to have to rely on the power of sheer will,' Hongjoong declared, his voice laced with a hint of nervousness as he surveyed the massive popcorn buckets. 'And this glorious sugary fuel.'

Wooyoung, ever the playful instigator, nudged him playfully. 'Don't worry, hyung. We'll all be your personal translators, even if they're just mumbled whispers in your ear.'

Yeosang, on the other hand, was surprisingly invested. He leaned towards the counter, his eyes scanning the menu with an almost academic curiosity. 'What kind of film did you choose, Hongjoong?'

'A classic,' Hongjoong said with a dramatic flourish. 'One that will truly test my limits.' He winked, 'Just wait till you see the trailer.'

The popcorn, a mountain of fluffy goodness, arrived, and they settled into their plush seats in the darkened theater. The crew had rented the entire space for their little experiment, a decision that felt both luxurious and strangely isolating. The lights dimmed, the opening credits rolled, and the story began to unfold.

The first few minutes were a blur of unfamiliar dialogues and foreign accents. Yet, Hongjoong, driven by his own challenge and an intrinsic need to prove himself, clung onto every spoken word, every dramatic inflection.

As the movie progressed, however, fatigue began to set in. His eyelids grew heavy, his head bobbing forward in an act of defiance against sleep. Around him, his friends succumbed one by one. Yeosang, with his usual quiet dignity, leaned against Wooyoung’s shoulder, his head resting against the soft fabric of his hoodie. Wooyoung, barely able to keep his eyes open, surrendered completely, his head drooping against the seatback, a slight snore escaping through his parted lips.

Ana, who had always been a light sleeper, managed to stay awake for a surprisingly long time, occasionally turning to Hongjoong with a concerned frown. But eventually, she too succumbed to sleep, softly snuggling up to Wooyoung, finding comfort in his warmth.

The rest of the film moved at a snail’s pace. Hongjoong, alone in a sea of slumbering faces, felt a mix of annoyance and pride. He’d lost count of how many times he’d had to fight the urge to close his eyes, to succumb to the comforting embrace of sleep. It was a mental battle, a testament to his determination. As the last image faded and the credits rolled, he finally let his head droop, defeated by the unrelenting fatigue.

He looked around at his friends, their faces peaceful in sleep. A gentle smile played on his lips as he observed Ana, curled up against Wooyoung like a sleepy kitten, Yeosang, comfortably slumped against Wooyoung’s side, and Wooyoung, fast asleep with a soft, rhythmic snore.

“Always the champions of sleep,” Hongjoong muttered to himself, his voice barely a whisper. He knew that his friends would feel a pang of embarrassment once they woke up

pt3

Ana stared at the camera, perched precariously on a stack of books on San's desk. It was supposed to be a simple 'good morning' message for Atinys, but the simple act of greeting their fans seemed to be turning into a comedy show starring only Ana.

'Good morning, Atinys!' she started, her voice bright and bubbly. 'It’s a beautiful day outside...' She glanced at the window, a thin sheet of rain lashing against the glass. 'Okay, maybe not a *beautiful* day, but it's a day nonetheless!'

The camera caught the faintest twitch of San’s eyebrow as he sat on his bed, his headphones on, completely engrossed in his phone. San was good about respecting her space, mostly. But this lack of interaction was a little... unnerving. Especially when she could feel his eyes on her every few seconds.

'Anyways,' she carried on, 'I hope you all have a wonderful day, full of sunshine and... and... well, I don’t know, anything you enjoy? I’m still trying to find my own sunshine.'

She sighed dramatically, leaning on her hand. This felt less like a greeting and more like a therapy session.

“Oh, and remember to eat breakfast, and drink lots of water,' she continued, suddenly serious. 'And if you’re feeling down, just remember… you’re not alone.”

She paused for a beat, then added with a mischievous grin, “Not literally, but you know what I mean.”

San finally looked up from his phone, a barely-there smirk playing on his lips.

Ana, emboldened by his amusement, decided to up the ante.

“Speaking of feeling down,” she said, gazing directly into the camera, “I’m feeling a little… under the weather.” She let out a dramatic cough, followed by a cough so fake even a five-year-old would know it was staged.

San, unfortunately, was not a five-year-old. He snorted, a sound that was half-suppressed laughter, half-choked disbelief.

“Why are you so… theatrical?” he grumbled, still staring at his phone but a hint of a smile creeping onto his face.

Ana pretended not to hear him, continuing with her performance. She coughed again, with theatrical flair, then leaned forward like she was about to reveal a shocking secret.

“Actually,” she whispered, her voice dropping to a dramatic whisper, “I think I’ve caught… the San-flu.”

San finally broke, throwing his head back and laughing. He was truly laughing, his shoulders shaking, a joyous sound that echoed through the room.

'I think you need to teach me some of your acting skills,' he said, his voice still tinged with amusement.

“I already did,” Ana replied, tilting her head with mock solemnity. 'That’s why you're always so dramatic.”

---------------

'San, do you think this is cute?' She showed him the recording, a grimace plastered on her face.

San burst out laughing. 'No offense, Ana, but that was, well, how do I say this politely… not quite 'cute'?' he chuckled. 'More like 'caffeine-deprived-zombie-trying-to-awaken-a-sleeping-giant'.'

Ana groaned. 'This is hopeless.'

'Don't say that!' San encouraged, his eyes sparkling. 'Look, just be yourself, alright? We love you, cringy moments and all. Just imagine you're talking to your friends.'

Ana contemplated his advice. 'Okay, maybe I can do this.'

Taking a deep breath, she began recording again. 'Good morning, Atiny! It’s Ana,' she started, her voice sounding more natural this time. 'I hope you’re having a great day.' She decided to channel her inner San and added with a chuckle, 'If you’re not, then don’t worry, you’re not alone. We all have those days. And remember, you’re all amazing!'

As she finished the message, her eyes darted to the clock. Only ten minutes left until the group message deadline! She quickly moved on to the next part, trying to think of something cute and memorable.

'Okay, how about this…' she muttered to herself, placing a hand on her cheek, pretending to be shy. 'Good morning, Atiny! Today is going to be amazing, just like you!'

A loud, snorting cough from the living room made her jump. She peeked through the door to see San clutching his stomach, tears streaming down his face.

'What?' Ana asked, bewildered.

“You're… you're channeling your inner-Mingi, dude!' San said between fits of laughter. 'Your facial expressions are priceless!'

Ana’s cheeks flushed red. 'Oh, no, I can't be caught dead trying to do a Mingi.'

San managed to compose himself, wiping his tears with a sleeve. “Okay, okay, how about this? Go for a simple, classic good morning. And maybe, just maybe… try a dance move? A little something for the fans.”

Desperate for a solution, Ana grabbed her phone and started scrolling through videos on TikTok.

'Oh! I got it!' she exclaimed, her eyes alight with an idea.

The camera started recording and she threw her hands in the air, mimicking a classic K-Pop move. But as she tried to execute the motion, her feet got tangled, and she stumbled, landing flat on the carpet.

A wave of laughter erupted from the living room. 'Ana!' San's voice rang out. 'Don't worry, I'm fine!' Ana called back, scrambling to her feet. “Just a little, uh, choreography malfunction.”

She decided to play it cool and finish the message, flashing a strained smile at the camera. “Okay, Atiny, I hope you have a wonderful day. See you soon, and always remember… you're all amazing!'

She uploaded the message and hurried to the living room, where the rest of ATEEZ were gathered, their faces a mix of amusement and concern.'You alright, Ana?' Yunho asked, his eyes filled with concern.'Yeah, just a few bumps in the road,' Ana replied, flashing a smile. 'But hey, at least it made San laugh.”San, wiping away a tear, nodded. 'Indeed. You know, Ana, for a girl who’s absolutely terrified of being cute… you’re a natural comedic genius.'

[muppetjackrackham]

PJO Fancast (6/?) → Iñaki Godoy as Leo Valdez

Leo looked like a Latino Santa's elf, with curly black hair, pointy ears, a cheerful, babyish face, and a mischievous smile that told you right away this guy should not be trusted around matches or sharp objects. His long, nimble fingers wouldn't stop moving—drumming on the seat, sweeping his hair behind his ears, fiddling with the buttons of his army fatigue jacket. Either the kid was naturally hyper or he was hopped up on enough sugar and caffeine to give a heart attack to a water buffalo. "Anyway," Leo said, "I hope you've got your worksheet, 'cause I used mine for spit wads days ago. Why are you looking at me like that? Somebody draw on my face again?"

[ourshadowstallerthanoursoul]

On this day... - October 30th

+ 1969 : Kleinhans Music Hall in Buffalo, New York, USA

“The Led Zeppelin group came off better in person in Kleinhans Music Hall than they do on their albums. They were in true simplistic terms… good, excellent professional, top-quality and nice to listen to! […] They have sound men controlling every aspect of their music. Exact distinctions can be made between the guitar, drums, bass and the singing. The quality of sound at this concert was a pleasantry not too common in a time when the emphasis is being put on loudness and over amplification. This isn’t saying that they weren’t loud – God knows they were. But the difference comes in their use of this loudness. It is a controlled sound that can penetrate as well as soothe. […] In another tune, Dazed and Confused, the audience is given the essence of the Zeppelin attack.” –‘Led Zeppelin – Musical Dichotomy’ (Buffalo News)

[arlechinav-blog]

Starting Materials for Mediterranean Trancework

If you are wondering what you will need to get started on this as a group, I have put together a list of materials. This is basically what I use when I am teaching others how to do this and when I host trance rituals.

I keep a fully stocked trance kit with extras of all the below items so that those who need them can have something to use until they can get their own. If you intend to lead your own group, be prepared to provide at least a few things for the effort.

Frame Drums: 14”-16” frame drums with synthetic heads are best for beginners. Recommending Remo’s Thinline, Renaissance, Fiberskyn, or Tar series’. Synthetic heads help students build up skills and needed hand calluses at the same time. Goat or fish skin drum heads will tear up your skin and go flat without proper care very easily. Each person involved should know how to play a drum and learn the beats your group uses. Avoid buffalo drums and bodhrans, they are too heavy for Mediterranean style drumming. 

Whiteboard and Easel: A wooden repurposed child’s art easel will work perfectly fine. Use it to balance a whiteboard where you can put up weekly notes. Large clips or magnets can be used to hold up a poster-board too, depending on what kind of easel you get. These are great for keeping up your trance chant lyric notes. Only use a whiteboard for notes that you will need once. 

Poster Boards: Record trance chants and rhythms that you use with your group onto large poster boards so that everyone can read them during practice sessions. Use a poster-board for notes that you will need multiple times to spare yourself from writing it again and again every time you need it. 

Trance Rhythms: I start folks out with 10 trance rhythms that can be used for pretty much everything. They work for just about any Mediterranean song you can find. I will have to film some samples for this so that you can hear them.

Trance Chants: To get through a basic trance ritual, you will need roughly 4-5 trance chants. Start your group with their first 5 and work on getting them down together. Some groups will prefer to work with songs in English, some will prefer songs in other languages, and some will prefer a mix of both. Feel out your group before you decide on your chants. 

Online Database of Communication: Start up a group where you can share resources, communicate about upcoming trance dates, and load up videos privately. Keep it secure. 

Incense: Incense is a trance trigger so pick one scent and stick to it every time you do practice or ritual. Keeping the same scent for all things trance will help participants go under. Use a soft floral scent like jasmine. Later, you can work in different scent triggers for different rituals. 

Rug: You can use rubber gym mats that link and/or an actual rug. Rugs will give rug burns so plan accordingly. Whatever you use has to be easily perceived by touch rather than sight--so tape on the floor will not work. This well defined border will be where the entranced are free to move. They will confine themselves to it so make sure it is the right size for the job you want it to do. 

White Flat Sheets: You will need at least 2 to start and +1 for each additional person who will trance. You can have your participants bring their own or you can pick some up from a second-hand store for fairly cheap. Everybody should have their own if possible.  

Colored Scarves: All things are color coded in trance for hypnotic suggestion and we use colored scarves to communicate with each other during trance rituals. People who wear a red scarf are monitors who look after trance dancers, people who wear white scarves are trance dancers who are there to trance, people who wear light blue scarves are musicians, and people who wear dark blue scarves are ready and capable of leading a trance session. You can have people bring their own or supply the group yourself. 

Your “Whites”: Each person will need an all white outfit to wear during trance rituals. For class, they can wear whatever they like. White is a spiritually neutral color used by all Mediterranean trance cults. Participants should supply their own trance clothes but you can keep a small supply of extra items to help supplement. 

Altar Kit: A trance altar needs to have a water jug and rinsing bowl with scented water for participants to wash their hands and face at (Cortas brand rose or orange blossom water are easy to find at Mediterranean groceries). It will need incense for participants to smudge themselves, their clothes, their hair and their instruments with. It will need a plate for monetary donations (it should never be empty). It is lucky to put an odd number on the altar ($1, $3, $5, $7 or $9). It will also need essential oils for use on skin that participants can rub on themselves (floral, fruit, or herbal scents preferred). Scent is very important to trance so the key is to be consistent and use it liberally so the scent can work as a non-visual trigger.

Wake-up Kit: A pitcher or fancy spritz bottle of cool water to spray or sprinkle on the arms and forehead of the entranced when they are done trancing. A blended oil of strong purgative scents that is dabbed on the fingers of the guide or monitor and wiped on the nose of the entranced when they are done trancing. I prefer a blend of rosemary, cedar and clove oil--that’ll wake you up! Make sure that no one in the space has an allergy to a product you use. 

Food: Always keep at least a loaf of fresh bread and some hummus for dipping on hand for post-trance snacks. Eating food helps those who have been trancing to come down and sober up. Water to drink is also helpful afterward. Be aware of dietary restrictions before you bring in foods that members of your group cannot eat.

Symbols: Think very carefully about the symbols you use and when you use them. Protect their meanings by bringing them out only when they are relevant. Continually reinforce their meanings in all that you do. This is a hypnotic suggestion and your symbols will become more and more important the more trancing you do. 

[rockandroar]

I adore the Steel Stampede! How did you come up with the appropriate animal designs? What are their characters? How do they act? Are they nice? They look very intimidating, and scary, like Clash!

That’s all! I’m quite excited to see their introduction and Clash’s introduction in the webcomic!

Thank you! :) Two of my lifelong obsessions are music and animals, so I guess it was inevitable that I'd end up caricaturing music genres as species or groups of animals. It's the premise that gave way to the entire Rock & Roar story, so I went wild with it. So with metal, we've got this loud, fast, heavy genre with chugging guitar riffs and drums doing blast beats, and all of that reminds me of powerful, charging animals and their thundering hoofbeats. Top that with the sign of "the horns" being a hand gesture associated with metal since the heyday of Black Sabbath, and it seemed clear to me that metal musicians and fans would be horned and hooved animals like the ones above.

I first drew Grant Ruffalo more than ten years ago and he was a buffalo/bison from the beginning. It's just the animal that intuitively felt right for this character. To his left is Onyx Slater, and I chose an oryx because their white face with black markings reminded me of the corpse paint some black metal bands wear.

To Grant's right are Billy Kidd the goat, and Gunnar Ramsey the black sheep. No specific reason for choosing those animals in particular, I just thought it'd be funny.

Steel Stampede became a band in the late 60s. These four guys take their music very seriously and are intimidating, for sure. They command respect and they don't mess around, at least not publicly. They're very much regarded as musicians of a very high caliber, a band that is cited as influential by virtually everyone else in the metal scene.

Grant is known for his short temper, Onyx is more restrained and keeps to himself, Billy is the funny guy of the bunch but also very brave for his small stature, and Gunnar is the most down to earth and easiest to talk to. None of them are actually mean though - that's more of an image they keep up. They're not going to go out of their way to bully anyone around or intentionally hurt someone. They just won't tolerate anyone messing around with them, or their gear, or their live performances. And frankly, I think they've earned that level of respect.

But backstage, if you're on a friendship basis with these guys, they're pretty cool. If Grant is in a good mood, he'll regale you with stories of all that he's experienced throughout his music career, and will enjoy listening to your own stories too. He might even pass on some of his wisdom, in the form of a guitar technique, or advice on stage presence. He wants his beloved music genre to live on and have a strong future beyond him and his band, and even if he won't outwardly show it, it really warms his heart to see young musicians pursuing their craft with passion and discipline the way he did. He wants small bands to succeed, and every once in a while he is known to publicly give a shout out to unknown bands whose future he believes in.

[iggyguyy]

if you ever wanna lore dump about your ocs I’m here I GRHRHRHEHKRHEJ I NEED TO MORE ABOUT THEM

You are now one of my favorite people ever I hope you know that <3

INSANELY LONG LORE DUMP UNDER READ ⚠️❌️

The over-all story of the silly guys:

It's about this 5 person band filled with weirdos in the very real Texas town named Round Top Senior (better version of round top). They live together in a small apartment and have a lot of playing gigs at the local all inclusive bar. Their main problem is money. Money for a new apartment. Their non human drummer is still growing, and is slowly outgrowing the current apartment. They are desperately looking for money to buy one that can actually house their huge drummer. One day this all changes when a 6th person gets sort of kidnapped by the banjo player and has to stay there for a while. No one really likes him and he has no idea how to act around neither queer people nor non humans. Chaos ensues when he finds himself slowly falling in love with the weirdo who got him in that situation in the first place...

THE 6 MAIN CHARACTERS:

Mama 🌞🪕: No one knows who or what he is, but he is sure there! His warm pink skin, his bright green hair and his huge chest make him very loved around the town; you'd recognise him anywhere! His species, age, gender, past and motives are all unknown, even to him. All he knows is that he likes stringed instruments (He plays the banjo, guitar, bass, electric guitar and harmonica) and that he loves befriending humans and learning more about them. There's something about him that really drives people to love him. His huge list of past lovers really shows this!

While most people (including him) don't know, he's actually an impressive 2723 years old. He's the last stander of a species that went extinct around year 700 B.C. I could do a post just about this species but good lord it's so much

He / him used on him mostly, he couldn't care less. He has a vagina and seems to be able to reproduce, no one has really tried. He has a very deep voice and a strong Cuban accent. 200 cm / 6'6 ft. Doesn't have body hair below the face, 0 fingernails and never wears underwear. He also REFUSES to wear shirts / cover his titties. His "titties" are actually holding a very sweet and intoxicating liquid, and the "lines" under his chest are shallow slits that excrete the smell of this liquid.

No Canon gender or sexuality but he will be with anyone who wants him. His favorite band is Buffalo Springfield. Old ass drawing but its still one of my favs!

Richard Kelly / Dickhead 🕶🎸: He thinks that he's the coolest guy ever but oh god he is STUPID! He tries so hard to be likeable that most people just end up hating him instead. From his neglectful parents and bullies in school, he's ended up being a very pretentious and dismissive person. He doesn't really "get" queer people, he thinks most people are beneath him and he doesn't even slightly respect non human people. Why is he even here? Good question! After getting mad at Mama for "stealing his girl" (His gf Jill broke up with him because he was yelling at her in front of Mama), he got so mad in his drunk state that he fainted mid-punch and woke up on Mama's couch the next day. The rest is history! He tries to pretend that he hates the band but oh god he's starting to love them so much. He also canonically loves goth girls.

He / him, cis male. 175 cm / 5'7 ft. Has a HUGE ass. Stubby beard paired with sad mustache. Cis straight man in the beginning of the show, cis BI man at the end! 25 years old, birthday is the 15th of August. His favorite band is Gorillaz. Haven't drawn him in ages whoopsies!

Julius Amadeus Usoro 🍎🥁: Big guy! This huge monstrosity is the head honcho of the band, their drummer and the one who owns the apartment! He has a huge fear of birds and insane abandonment issues. He tackles having 3 jobs at once, drummer for the band, ASL teacher for their deaf neighbour and he also teaches the drums! His other hobbies includes competitive eating, cooking, anything that has to do with apples, going on runs and walks, cooking even more, napping and cooking again. He is a mix between a sewerian and a Häll-horn, hence his purple skin! Most people just know him as "the demon" though. His brain is very small and he's not that bright, but he has a big heart and he is very loved by the band. He is illegal in many places and the band literally have to say that he's a guide dog to get out of some situations. The people of texas really don't like "demons". He legally adopted Marv in high school. Won't say his whole long ass backstory either but he was raised by a Russian lesbian couple who owned a big apple farm. He is also mute! He communicates through ASL or messy writing!

He / him, cis grayromantic bisexual male. 255 cm / 8'4 ft. 21 years old, birthday is the 10th of October. Huge titties on this guy. Gets winter fur but is pretty hairy all year round anyway! Paw-like hands. His favorite band is The Beatles.

His current design has him wearing headphones more times than not, but these old drawings still work to shoe his design :3

Marvin Juhani Usoro / Marv 🎺💣: The youngest in the band, but also the smartest by far! With 150 IQ and a concerning love for violence and explosives, this little pyromaniac is the main singer in this already weird band. He is completely blind, literally not having eyes at all under his opaque glasses, two of his limbs are amputated and his scarring is painful, so he uses his trusty crutch-cane wherever he goes. He's in and out of asylums and switches back and forth between psychologists, which is awful for him due to strong noscomephobia [fear of hospitals or care facilities]. He's diagnosed with bipolar disorder, autism and borderline personality disorder. His mother got killed by a faulty bomb he made, and his dad disowned him afterwards; making Julius and the band his only family. He was born in Borås, Sweden, to two Jewish finns, so he speaks english/finnish/swedish/jiddisch.

He / him, cis aroace sex+romance repulsed male. 177 cm / 5'9 ft. Big part of his nose gone due to explosion. 16 years old, birthday is the 3rd of March. His favorite band is either Insane Clown Posse or Children of bodom. Ignore that his foot is only missing on one drawing it's a pretty recent change !

[Dead name] Hernandez / Buddy 🎹🤙: They are the backbone and most street smart one in the band, without them the rest of them would be completely lost! They love messing with the others amd pulling small pranks. They're diagnosed with Adhd. As a side gig they like to play piano and sing during nights at the club without the band, usually with a bar specific backup crew. They are a recovering alcoholic and struggle with smoking. They used to be very ablelist and cruel to people, but they decided to leave that life and they're trying to become the bigger person. They write pretty much half of their songs [other half being by Julius], and being in this band is the best thing that ever happened to them. They've completely cut off the ties to their family who still lives back in Spain. They pride themself in their big amount of friends, always making sure to check in on them and hype them up. They don't use their dead name ever, except for legal instances, but it doesn't make them that uncomfortable so they can't be assed to legally change it.

Any pronouns, mostly they / them. AFAB genderfluid lesbian. They still view gender for them as fluid, but still primarily fem! They are 28 years old and their birthday is the 1st of April. 167 cm / 5'6. Their favorite band is Queen, but fav artist is Cass Elliot.

Dominic Smith / Dom 🎷🖼: The half raccoon half human who ran away from home and just happened to meet Julius! This sax playing maniac is so obsessed with Julius that he clings to him 24/7. He has autism, adhd, strong maladaptive daydreaming disorder and even stronger schizophrenia. He basically lives in his own little world and sees things as a jumbled mess of bland colours, and that's why he loves Julius and the band so much; they're a break from the same old same old! He grew up on a corn farm for most of his life, living with his mother and 2 older brothers. His dad was nowhere to be found, and Dom cant remember meeting him ever. He loves sporting his beautiful knockoff slipknot merch and jeans. He has a very hard time remembering things. His special interest is spongebob! [Although he calls him "monty spumbop" for whatever reason ?]

He/they/xe, amab but pretty much completely unlabeled. No one has ever explained the concept of gender to him in a way he understands, but if someone managed to do it he would most likely use xenogenders. He's silly like that. 155 cm / 5'1 ft tall. 19 years old, birthday is the 17th of January. His favorite band is slipknot.

SOMEWHAT IMPORTANT SIDECHARACTERS;

Barbra Scarlette Wilson / Barb 💄🎀: A 32 year old 190 cm tall texan dragqueen millionaire! He has the biggest, pinkest house in town, and he is PROUD of that! He uses he/him and is a cis gay man. His drag name is Scarlette Darling. He is absolute besties with Buddy and even gave them a specific pink flip phone that only has his number, so it's easier to contact him! He has a crush on Julius that pretty much everyone except Julius himself has noticed.

Kino 🟦💢: 29 year old unlabeled Häll-horn whos Ukrainian and Russian, very traditional one too. He has embraced the "demon" culture and is completely against all humans. He absolutely hates Julius because he thinks that he's a disappointment and embarrassment to the whole species, with how human influenced he is. He is very aggressive and mean.

Kaleb 🟥❔️: 20 year old trans ftm pansexual Sewerian whos Ukrainian, not very traditional one. He doesn't care too much about traditions or hating humans, he just wants to relax and live as he likes. The only reason he hangs around Kino is because they can relate over both being non human and "demons". He had to pretend to hate Julius just to make Kino happy, secretly he thinks Julius is extremely attractive so whoops that's not what Kino wants!

Oscar Pérez 🍊🍺: A 37 year old cis male gay human from Mexico. He used to date Mama and planned on getting married to him while Mama was in Mexico, after getting left alone completely randomly by him, Oscar swore to find him and get revenge on him. Now he's found him again, but he still loves him too much to go through with it. So now he's just in an abusive relationship with him instead! Oscar gets a lot of pent up anger he usually takes out on Mama, since he thinks he deserves it. Mama doesn't even remember who he is or that they're even together, but he still keeps letting Oscar treat him as if they're an item.

Jill Dimitry 🖤💫: Richards ex gf. She loves rock and is trying to learn the guitar. She is cis female and bisexual. She can get fed up very easily, so it's a surprise she didn't break up with Dickhead earlier! She doesn't talk to Richard anymore but she's talking to Buddy and Mama every now and then.

Rita Salvador ✏️💛: Julius' old high school roommate and girlfriend. She was a huge beatles fan and collected spongebob merchandise! She was a transfem autistic girlie who always wore her socks over her baggy sweatpants. She died when Marv was working on a bomb and accidentally knocked it to the floor, the explosion happening close enough to Rita to kill her, but only knock out Marv. Julius just lied to Marv and explained that she died of a heart attack, not wanting Marv to feel guilty. Rita named herself after the beatles song "Lovely Rita" !!

Alia 🌼🫒: The local florist shop owner! She sells handmade and homegrown bouquets and all kinds of flowers! She was very close friends with Rita. She loves meeting Julius during the week, even if she can't understand his ASL! She's a transfem Muslim who always sports her cool handmade skirts! ALSO SHE WAS CREATED BY THE LOVELY @animatronicthing [art in the photo below was made by schyr!!!!!!!!] GO CHECK THEM OUT

There are a few more characters worth mentioning who don't have a decided design or aren't that relevant but still!!!!!!!!:

The Abdullahi family. They are the band's neighbours whi recently moved here from Nigeria. Mrs. and Mr. Abdullahi don't know a lot of English, and their daughter Sani is deaf and autistic. Julius spends his free time teaching ASL to Sani!

War veteran neighbour: old man in wheelchair who lives across the street to the sillies and often goes out on his balcony at the same time as mama, making them greet each other every now and then.

Freddie: he's the local pizzeria owner and he absolutely loves getting visited by Dom and Julius, it really makes his day!!

That's pretty much all characters who are somewhat developed, but oh god there's more! TY sososososoosososoosososoososososoososo much for this ask i am literally going insane !!!!!!!!!

That's my sillies, bye ! ✌️