#electric ballroom academy

[musicalislife]

Love the bat sleeves ❤️🦇

Vido from @gregorzalokar instagram story 2023.07.20.

[lovemkx]

MILES KANE - ONE MAN BAND TOUR 2024 (UK LEG)

25/01 - O2 Academy, Leeds 🇬🇧 ✅

26/01 - O2 Academy, Bristol 🇬🇧 ✅

27/01 - O2 Institute, Birmingham 🇬🇧 ✅

29/01 - O2 Academy, Oxford 🇬🇧 ✅

30/01 - Rock City, Nottingham 🇬🇧 ✅

01/02 - SWG3 Galvanizers, Glasgow 🇬🇧 ✅

02/02 - NX, Newcastle 🇬🇧 ✅

03/02 - O2 Ritz, Manchester 🇬🇧 ✅

05/02 - Junction, Cambridge 🇬🇧 ✅

06/02 - Engine Rooms, Southampton 🇬🇧 ✅

08/02 - Concorde 2, Brighton 🇬🇧 ✅

09/02 - Electric Ballroom, London 🇬🇧 ✅

10/02 - Electric Ballroom, London 🇬🇧 ✅

[depressedraisin]

a compilation of tlsp covering leonard cohen's memories live

also known as: baby miles charming everybody's pants off for 3 mins straight

BBC Electric Proms 2008, Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool

The Mayan Theatre, Los Angeles

Paradiso, Amsterdam

Cirque Royale, Brussels

Manchester Apollo, Manchester

Sheffield City Hall, Sheffield

Manhattan Grand Ballroom, New York

Hammersmith Apollo, London

Store Vega, Copenhagen

Carling Academy, Glasgow

[black-arcana]

‘As Pure and Raw As It Can Get’: The Pretty Reckless’s Going to Hell Turns 10

Taylor Momsen and Ben Phillips recall the tragedy-to-triumph story of the band’s second studio LP, released on March 12, 2014

Taylor Momsen and The Pretty Reckless perform during the 2014 iHeartRadio Music Festival Village on September 20, 2014 in Las Vegas. (Credit: Isaac Brekken/Getty Images for iHeartMedia)

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times—the making of The Pretty Reckless’s Going to Hell, that is. As the band’s second studio album celebrates its 10-year anniversary, frontwoman Taylor Momsen and guitarist Ben Phillips recall the epic and often heartbreaking journey of its creation—and surprising success, against the odds. “I think that it’s a story of triumph in a lot of ways,” Taylor says. “To see it become so successful when that wasn’t the intention is a little surreal, to say the least.” 

The triumph part is easy. Four years after their studio debut Light Me Up (“Make Me Wanna Die” its hit lead single) established them as a band of definitive talent, The Pretty Reckless set out to create an album that reflected their shared love for the same fiery sound—with zero interest in topping anyone’s charts. The result was Going to Hell, an album best described in any room as unapologetic. Untamed and gut-wrenching also apply, as well as thoughtful, deliberate, and empowering—showcased by Taylor’s fierce and flawless voice, one perfectly suited for hard rock ‘n roll. 

For perspective, in 2014 the Frozen soundtrack boasted the longest-running No. 1 album, with Pharrell Williams’ sticky, bop-along “Happy” Billboard’s No. 1 song of the year. And then here comes Going to Hell, flame-throwing itself onto Billboard’s No. 5 spot upon its release. “We melted Frozen,” Ben remarks, and he and Taylor break out in laughter. 

Bassist Mark Damon, Taylor Momsen and the band on stage at London’d Brixton Academy on November 26, 2014. (Credit: Christie Goodwin/Redferns via Getty Images)

Clearly, the intention wasn’t to create a commercial album, and Ben goes so far as to recall when he and producer Kato Khandwala first met Taylor and how authentically “non-commercial” she was.

“She wanted to be Chris Cornell, and she didn’t care about anything else,” Ben says. “We don’t even know what a hit is in this band.” 

As Ben recalls, Taylor and Kato met first, and it was established that Taylor “didn’t want to write songs for the record label or for [an] audience or for the whatever. She had songs that she wanted to write, and that meant that you had to be an artist about it. No one ever hears our records till they’re mastered and finished. That’s the first thing. No one. We’re not looking at the radio, we’re not looking at anything. We just create in the studio.” The 15/16-year-old Taylor that ignited Light Me Up wasn’t the same as the 18/19-year-old Taylor behind Going to Hell. “She’d stepped into maturity,” Ben says.

Going to Hell started with the best of intentions. Gone were the “childish pretensions” and “a whole mess of music industry stuff we weren’t expecting” of their studio debut, according to Ben. Kato had put together a new studio for them—Hoboken, New Jersey’s Water Music Recording Studio—and they “worked on songs as they came, in a vacuum making our music and not knowing what anyone else was doing,” Ben says. Also present were bandmates Mark Damon on bass and Jamie Perkins on drums. Working as a unified, creative force, these were the best of times. But then, in October of 2012, Hurricane Sandy came and destroyed the studio. They relocated to Lake Hopatcong (also in New Jersey) to finish up. 

“There’s no songs on this for radio or anything,” Ben thought, at the time, and they were happy with what they believed to be an honest, authentically non-commercial album. Taylor agreed, definitively, remembering: “This is not a hit record.”

Taylor and Ben before a live performance at London’s Electric Ballroom, March 24, 2014. (Credit: Rob Monk/Total Guitar Magazine/Future via Getty Images)

Ben refers to the album as a “dark record about Taylor removing herself from her childhood, growing out of her upbringing…identifying with all her childhood mistakes and everything that she had done.” Aside from its obvious dark themes, the album was written in actual darkness, during the 2012 NYC blackout, Taylor sitting in her apartment surrounded by candles. “I was sitting in the freezing cold writing ‘Going to Hell,’ Taylor says, of the single that eventually became the theme of the entire project. Though they initially wanted “Going to Hell” to be the album’s first single, they went with “Heaven Knows,” released on November 13, 2013, and it would become the band’s first No. 1 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Songs chart. “Messed Up World (F’d Up World)” and “Follow Me Down” followed in chart-topping suit.

No one was more surprised than The Pretty Reckless. “We never had any radio [play] in America, so we didn’t even think that was a possibility,” Ben says. They clearly struck an unexpected chord. A “heavy and dark” chord at that, according to Taylor. Going to Hell was already a hit.

Taylor and Ben attribute the artistic and unanticipated commercial success of Going to Hell to being a cohesive unit. 

“Possibilities were endless… musically we were on the same page,” Taylor says. This, of course, included Kato who, according to both of them, was at his creative height on Going to Hell. Aside from Hurricane Sandy drowning their studio in six feet of sewage, and, in Taylor’s words other “devastating outside forces” during the making of the album, Kato’s wife Lisa passed away at the end of the year. It was Lisa who’d come into the studio with Q-Tips and, as Ben recalls, “cleaned every guitar from screw to screw for us, bringing them all back to life.” Going to Hell is dedicated to Lisa. 

This devastating loss signaled a definite shift. In an attempt to help Kato through the tragedy of Lisa’s passing, they brought him back into the studio to work on the last single, “Messed Up World (F’d Up World),” a song that Taylor says “sums up the whole thing.” Kato, their cherished collaborator who Ben referred to as “our best friend,” died in 2018 as the result of a motorcycle accident. 

As Ben says, losing Kato meant trying to navigate future projects without him, moving forward: “We had to rebuild and figure out how we were going to do this without him.” 

Taylor adds: “[Kato was] a conduit for our songwriting and our creativity. He got inside what Ben and I were writing and helped to make that vision come to life in a really deep and involved way.” Going to Hell, she continues, “changed our lives. Even though we maybe didn’t see it at the time, we certainly are feeling the effects of it to this day. First, it made us double down on our ethics. It gave us the confidence to go, ‘We’re doing the right thing by doing it this way,’ and continued us on the path that we’re still on.”

“It’s ups and downs, but…that’s life,” Ben says.

“That’s the life,” Taylor says. “It’s a perpetual, lifelong sacrifice to be a songwriter and to be true to yourself.”

From his 125th Street Harlem studio, photographer Danny Hastings, best known for his legendary hip-hop album covers (Enter the Wu-Tang: 36 Chambers, Eminem’s Slim Shady special edition, among others), shot a naked and painted Taylor over the course of 16 hours. 

Determined to preserve authenticity, and inspired by the classics, Taylor and team were committed to capturing the Going to Hell cover image in its entirety on camera. That meant, the now-famed downward-pointing arrow/cross was painted on Taylor on site, a task that took time, but was well worth it, in the spirit of iconic covers of the past. As Taylor explains, the idea came from the famous 1996 Pink Floyd promo poster shot by Tony May featuring six naked women sitting by a pool, their backs painted with the band’s cover art. (Eric Clapton’s E.C. Was Here and Pink Floyd’s Wish You Were Here, where a man was actually lit on fire, served as further inspiration.) 

“It’s kind of a homage to love, with a new take on it,” Taylor explains. “Because the cross was something that I had drawn myself and come up with. I was like, ‘This is the physical representation of this record to me, this is the symbol.’” Visuals, she says, come naturally to her, “especially when making music.” (She says she sees music visually, too.) 

“I was drawing [the cross] while we were recording the record, and I was like, “Well, this is the logo, this is the symbol for this record and so let’s put it on my back and use sensuality and sexuality.”

An outtake from the Going to Hell photo shoot. (Credit: Danny Hastings)

The artist hired to apply the graphic on Taylor was familiar with the band, but not Taylor and her former acting career — in the beginning.  “As he was painting my nipples very detailed and it’s specifically my nipple…that’s what’s funny about this…he’s leaning in…creating every little speck and dot perfectly. He puts together that I was Cindy Lou Who [in 2000’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas], and this guy drops his paintbrush, starts spinning around the room, screaming, going, ‘I can’t believe I’m painting Cindy Lou Who!’” Taylor says. It provided some “much-needed comic relief [for] this very serious project.” 

As to not distract from the music, Taylor’s face is intentionally not shown. They thought of every detail, including the redness under the right elbow. “It’s getting scorched by flames you can’t see as I’m reaching down to hell, being tugged,” Taylor says.

To achieve the final image—Taylor’s body curved just so, arms forward in gentle balletic motion—the inky graphic had to be painted perfectly and, according to Ben, she had to angle her body a certain way, to achieve, in Taylor’s words, “a piece of art.” 

The result is an astute personality test for any onlooker: Is the woman in the picture actually going to hell – or emerging from it?

“This is me as pure and raw as it can get,” Taylor says. “Kind of how I feel about this album.” 

[mariacallous]

As the war drags on, Russian soldiers are continuing to abduct and torture civilians in Ukraine’s occupied territories. One of these civilians is Leonid Popov, a 22-year-old Melitopol resident diagnosed with schizophrenia. On April 24, 2023, after being detained and tortured by occupation authorities multiple times, Leonid disappeared from his home. After three months of imprisonment and abuse, he was transferred to a hospital ward, where he was treated for emaciation. Then, on August 2, Russian forces told Leonid’s dad that he was being released — but hours later, soldiers abducted him again. Leonid’s mom recently told her son’s story to journalists from the independent outlet iStories. Meduza is sharing an abridged, English-language adaptation of her account.

Occupation

Me and Lenya, my older son, moved to the Poltava region a few years ago, while my sons’ father — my ex-husband — stayed in Melitopol. Two months before the war started, Lenya went to stay with him in Melitopol.

Then, two weeks before the war began, my ex-husband got into a car accident. He was hospitalized for multiple fractures and memory loss. My younger son, who’s one year younger than Leonid, also went to see him. Soon after that, fighting broke out and Melitopol was occupied. My children found themselves under a blockade.

I wasn’t worried about my younger son; he’s more like an older sibling. He was with his father, helping him, driving him to get his bandages changed.

But our Lenya is a Rain Man. Growing up, he was always different. A wunderkind, a musician. He played in the orchestra, did ballroom dancing, and played chess, traveling all across Ukraine for competitions and winning first place. He competed in chemistry, physics, and astronomy competitions, and outside of school, he studied at the Minor Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. He was a walking calculator — you could give him any difficult multiplication or division problem and he’d quickly give the answer.

But he doesn’t understand people’s emotions. He was always asking, “Mom, what does it mean when you look at me like that?” When his symptoms flared up, he might jump, leap, laugh. Small children really love him. But he can also be very serious, like a sage. He’s very kind and always ready to help everyone. But he’s also very naive and succumbs to pressure — it’s easy to exploit him.

I begged him to leave Melitopol from the beginning. There were evacuation routes. But he said, “I’m needed here. I have to help people. There are grandmothers who are hungry, and I give them bread, I give them porridge.”

The first abductions

In May 2022, Ukrainian mobile networks were disconnected in Melitopol. My younger son left to look for phone service during curfew and ended up in a military office. He told me that everyone who had tried to get service, around 30 people, had been thrown into a crowded cell. There was a single bucket for all of them to use as a toilet.

There was one person in the cell who seemed drunk. He was screaming incessantly. The soldiers said, “Cover his mouth, or we’ll shoot you like kittens.” Then the terrified crowd started to beat the person. Whenever he started yelling, they would choke him to make him stop. Eventually, he died.

That was on May 21. On May 28, Lenya, my oldest son, went to buy shawarma, and there were a lot of young people standing in the same area. Soldiers came up to them, threw them all [into a car,] and drove them to a military office. There, they tortured Lenya with electric shocks. Afterwards, they let him go, but took his passport.

After that, Anna’s younger son decided to leave Melitopol. During the “filtration” process in Chonhar, Russian soldiers beat him and threatened to drive him out to the steppe and shoot him. He ultimately managed to get out and is now in Europe.

Leonid disappears

In the spring of 2023, I saw an announcement that there would be free evacuations from Melitopol with help from Western volunteers. Lenya didn’t have a passport [because the occupation authorities had confiscated it]. By then, they had already started issuing Russian passports, and I told him to get a Russian passport. But he refused; after the electric shock torture, he had made up his mind never to get a Russian passport.

Still, I prepared all of his documents and arranged for him to be taken to safety in Poland, where I would pick him up, and at that point, he agreed to leave.

The volunteers were supposed to pick him up on April 26. On April 24, his father called him, asking him to come see him. Lenya said that he was on Pushkin Street, five minutes away by foot. 15 minutes passed, then 20. My ex-husband tried calling Lenya again, but he could no longer reach him.

I asked my ex-husband to drive [to the house where Leonid had been living during the occupation]; maybe he was asleep or sick. My ex-husband broke down the door, but my son wasn’t there.

The search for Leonid

My ex-husband and his partner went to the police and the military commandant’s office. They officials there said they hadn’t detained anyone for about two months. (As it turned out, this wasn’t true; they had detained many people.) The police wouldn’t take a statement. They said, “Don’t worry, he might have been detained by soldiers — we don’t have any authority over them. They’ll just look through his phone. If there’s nothing bad there, they’ll let him go.”

I started to worry that Lenya’s disorder would worsen because of his abduction. This had happened before: in 2017, he became unrecognizable. A psychiatrist in Zaporizhzhia said that he needed to be hospitalized. He was diagnosed with “undifferentiated schizophrenia.” He spent three months in a hospital, where he was treated with antipsychotics. When I picked him up, I had to re-teach him how to brush his teeth and hold a spoon.

Later, another psychiatrist confirmed that he does have an illness but said he hadn’t received the right treatment and that his hospitalization had been unnecessary. She prescribed a new course of antipsychotics, and after that, Lenya went into a long remission.

When he disappeared, I went insane: Is he even alive? What’s happening? I was scared that the stress would cause him to lose his memory and his sense of reality again. The doctor had warned me that regression was possible and that he could regress to the level of a 10-year-old child.

I put the information on social media and wherever else I could. Ukrainian journalists contacted me; I did an interview and a story came out. But I hid the fact that Lenya had a mental illness. I thought I would lose his trust completely if he found out his mom spoke like that about him to the whole country.

I don’t know whether Russian forces saw these stories or if it was a coincidence, but after the story came out, someone called Lenya’s dad. He introduced himself as a military policeman and offered to meet. He said he was participating in the search for Leonid and asked a bunch of questions about me and his father.

The man put my ex-husband in touch with another police officer, a soldier who introduced himself as Lev. “Don’t worry,” he said when I called him, “We’ll search for him. We’ll let you know as soon as we find him. You need to be calm, your child is fine.” I trusted him. He also said I should stop talking about the abduction publicly so that Lenya would be released sooner.

“Mom, I miss you’

In June, Lenya’s father received a call from someone who said that he was being held in a military office basement with our son. The guy said our son was in critical condition: unable to stand up, exhausted, and constantly whispering, “I want to eat.” He said they were only given water every two or three days. When they were given food, which didn’t happen every day, it was only in very small amounts. He also said they were beaten. If Lenya wasn’t taken out of there, the guy said, he would die.

The men were being held in a military office in an old traffic inspection building. Lenya’s father went there, and a guard came up to him and said no one was being held there. They told everyone that no one’s in there — but in reality they’re holding a lot of people. (Editor’s note: iStories has confirmed that multiple prisoners were held in the building in question.)

I immediately wrote to the soldier, Lev: “Help! My son’s illness is worsening, he can’t starve.” Lev wrote back that Lenya was fine, he was smiling, and he was even making jokes. He offered to pass along a package once a week. Lenya’s father agreed right away. The soldier helped us organize a phone call, and Lenya had a supervised conversation with his dad.

Lev said that Lenya was allegedly being held for taking photos of military equipment.

He sent me a photo of Lenya and a voice message: “Mom, I miss you, I heard your message and started crying. Look, I have emotions now.” He’d had problems with emotions. As soon as I saw my son’s photo and heard his voice, I was eager to go. But the soldier told me, “It’s not worth it. They won’t let him go. You won’t see him, so there’s no point.”

‘They beat me so hard that I couldn’t use the bathroom for four days’

On July 24, Leonid’s father called me and said “Lenya is now going to talk to you.” I was unbelievably happy. But his voice was so weak. He said, “Mom, I’m in the hospital.” And the connection dropped.

Lenya’s father then told me that soldiers had taken him to the gastrointestinal department to be treated for emaciation. He’s 1.95 meters (6’ 5”), but weighed just 40 kilograms (88 pounds). His father took a video and sent it to me. Lenya’s 22 years old, but he was behaving like a child. He didn’t understand anything; he was just repeating, “I want to eat.”

He ended up in a gastrointestinal unit with doctors who hadn’t left [after the start of the occupation]. The gastrointestinal doctor knows me, my deceased mother, and our family. I knew he was in good hands, that they would help him recover. Lenya started to stand up and walk, and he constantly wanted to eat; they would give him two servings at the hospital.

He felt better after getting an IV. He started talking. But he was only able to tell us a small part of what happened to him. He said, “Mom, you know how you said that there’s a hell? Well, I went to hell. I was beaten by soldiers and by my cell mates.” He shared a prison cell with convicts from Simferopol and Sevastopol. He said that he was interrogated at the beginning, that he was beaten constantly by soldiers, and that he was forced to sign some documents, but he couldn’t remember what they said. He was barely fed and only given water once every two to three days.

I wrote to the soldier [Lev]: “My son is emaciated! And you said that everything was okay!” He asked if my son might have some kind of illness. From the very beginning, I had told him that he’s ill and that he’s not supposed to put through stress. But Lev told me again not to worry.

He said, “I fed your son. I brought him sausages and grechka, and I moved him to a good cell.” I don’t know if it’s true. He had lied to me when he told me that my son was happy, well-fed, and doing fine. And I had desperately believed every word I heard.

I told Lenya that there are good people in the world, like Lev, the soldier, since he passed along packages to him and sent photographs of him. “Well, he also beat me during interrogations at the beginning,” he responded. “But whatever you say.”

Lenya said, “I was so scared to fall asleep. I was scared that they would come and choke me again, kill me. I was so thirsty, but they wouldn’t give water. But most of all, I wanted to eat. Then they beat me even harder. They beat me so hard that I couldn’t use the toilet for four days. Why, mom? Ma, maybe you know what my crime is?”

“I’ll never go back there, right?”

On August 2, the local Investigative Committee called Lenya’s dad and told him that Lenya was being released for lack of evidence. His father picked him up from the hospital and drove him back to the house, but they hadn’t even made it to the door when soldiers arrived in a vehicle with tinted windows: Lev and his partner. Lev said that he couldn’t do anything to help, that the case was still open, and that he was facing pressure from his superiors. He handed Lenya a bag to put over his head, and then they taped him up and took him away. A week has passed and Lev still hasn’t answered any of my messages or the calls from Lenya’s dad.

Lenya’s father called the Investigative Committee. They said that they’re sorry but that there’s nothing they can do to help, because they have no power over the military command. They suggested consulting an international organization. I haven’t received any updates about Lenya since then.

The last time I spoke with my son was about an hour before the soldiers took him. He was so happy that he’d soon be free. “Mom,” he said, “I’ll never end up there again, right?” “No, my son,” I told him, “I’ll come to get you.” He asked me to wait so that he could say goodbye to his friends and his girlfriend, who he’d started dating in Melitopol. He told me, “Mom, I kissed someone for the first time. I’m in love.” I told him that we’ll move to Germany where my younger son is, where there’s no war. I said we’ll go to museums and churches there.

He also managed to tell me that there are a lot of people detained at the military office. Most of them are civilians that have been held since the start of the war. Their relatives are searching for them, but they don’t know that they’re there. Some of them have already died, and their relatives don’t even know.

This the 21st century. Our grandparents survived fascism in 1941. Now it has returned, only to another country. Hitler used to exterminate people with mental illness.

The human rights organization Every Human Being is assisting Leonid Popov’s mother. Its employees told iStories that they filed complaints with various agencies in Russia and Ukraine, as well as UN working groups on arbitrary detention. So far, human rights activists have only received confirmation that these complaints have been received.

After the media report about Leonid came out in Ukraine, a man who introduced himself as a military police officer contacted Leonid’s father and offered to meet with him. The man said that Leonid is fine, that he’s being fed, that he’s not being beaten, and that he was allegedly detained for taking photos of military equipment. Journalists from iStories have identified the number as belonging to Igor Kara, a former Ukrainian police inspector from the Donetsk region who defected to the Russian side after the full-scale invasion. On the phone, he initially denied that he knew Leonid Popov before confirming that he spoke with his father. Kara said: “The case of his disappearance is with the Investigative Committee. The Investigation Committee is searching for him.”

The investigator from the Investigative Committee who called Leonid’s father on August 2 and said Leonid could be picked up told iStories that Leonid has been recognized as a victim in his criminal case: “Investigations are underway to establish his whereabouts. He’s not in our custody. Contact the military commandant’s office. We also contacted them. I can’t tell you their response as it’s a classified investigation. I can’t comment on criminal matters in my department.”

[tarjaturunenfansource]

#Repost @tarjaofficial via Instagram

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Thank you Manchester Academy for the rocking last night! It was unbelievable. You will be missed. ♥️Tonight London Electric Ballroom Camden Who is coming? #london #manchester #electricballroom #intheraw

[savefilescomng12]

Vin Diesel Gives "First Crush" Rita Moreno a Moving Tribute

Rita Moreno's incredible, decades-long career is being celebrated. Moreno, 92, appeared at the Edison Ballroom in New York City at the WNET Group's 2024 gala on Tuesday, May 7, where Vin Diesel celebrated his onscreen grandmother's and official "first crush's" legendary acting career. Taking the stage with a heartfelt speech, Diesel, 56, made it clear he was there to support Moreno, who portrayed Abuelita, the grandmother of Diesel's long-running Dominic Toretto character in Fast X. “My dream as a kid growing up here in New York … my first crush … was Rita," he began. He credited Moreno's role in The Electric Company for helping him and fellow New Yorkers in his neighborhood learn how to read. The classic television series ran from 1971 to 1977. He then recalled a full circle moment when he was looking for an actress to play Abuelita in the latest Fast & Furious franchise film. "I had the incredible luxury of meeting one of my idols and from that moment on I thought the only human in the world that could play the most significant role to Dom Toretto would be Rita Moreno." 8SP_David Nicholas He praised Moreno for helping him realize as a child that someone who "looks like me" can make it as a famous actor, giving him the "confidence" to pursue his own dreams. Sharing an unforgettable moment Diesel continued, "Rita and I were working and a line was created on the spot for her to say. It was whispered into her ear and she looked up and started crying and said. 'That’s the most beautiful line I’ve ever heard.' Now what? What do you do with that but cry? The whole set was crying." "You not only show up for family but you show up for people that make a difference in this world and that just by inviting me here validates my existence. I’m serious," Diesel said. "I don't have an Oscar, I don't have an Emmy, I don't have a Golden Globe, I don't have a Tony but I got Rita Moreno.” Moreno became emotional after hearing Diesel's kind words, and told the audience in what appeared to be an unexpected moment on the microphone, "I’ve never had any kind of celebration in my honor. Yes, I’ve gotten some pretty fabulous awards and statutes but I’ve never had anything in my honor." After reflecting on her journey, she sang a rendition of "Dream," which garnered a standing ovation from the audience. 8SP_David Nicholas Morgan Freeman, Alan Cumming, Lin Manuel-Miranda, and Sally Field also appeared via video to pay tribute to the EGOT winner. Dancers from the Ballet Hispánico performed at the event, as did Marvel actress and Dancing with the Stars champion Xochitl Gomez. Ansel Elgort performed "Something's Coming" from West Side Story, resulting in an emotional Moreno kissing Elgort after the moment. Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.  Moreno first appeared on Broadway as a teenager in 1945 in a production of Skydrift; she then began acting for the screen with 1950's So Young, So Bad and memorably starred in the 1961 film West Side Story, for which she won an Academy Award for her performance as Anita. Moreno reached EGOT status in 1977 after she won an Emmy Award for appearing on The Muppet Show; she won a Grammy in 1973 and a Tony Award in 1975 for her performance in The Ritz. Kristina Bumphrey/Variety via Getty Moreno turned 92 in December. She caught up with PEOPLE in April, when she spoke about her relationship with her daughter Fernanda Luisa Gordon, whom she shares with her late husband, Leonard Gordon. "There are times when I need her wisdom, and they are more often than you might think, particularly at this age," she said at the time. "Ninety-two is not easy in many ways, and it's something that's difficult to understand."  Source link Read the full article

[ajoytobeheld]

Los Campesinos! UK tour, March 2012

January 16th, 2012

We are very happy to announce details of our forthcoming UK Tour.

Mar 20 – PHOENIX, EXETER (14+) Mar 21 – THEKLA, BRISTOL (14+) Mar 22 – ELECTRIC BALLROOM, LONDON (14+) Mar 23 – 02 ACADEMY, OXFORD (14+) Mar 24 – RAINBOW WAREHOUSE, BIRMINGHAM (16+) Mar 26 – ACADEMY 3, MANCHESTER (14+) Mar 27 – O2 ACADEMY 2, LIVERPOOL (14+) Mar 28 – CABARET VOLTAIRE, EDINBURGH (14+) Mar 29 – ACADEMY 2, NEWCASTLE (14+) Mar 30 – WATERFRONT, NORWICH (14+) Mar 31 – LEADMILL, SHEFFIELD (14+)

Tickets are available now, from the “Gigs” link at the left hand side of the page and will be on general sale from Wednesday. This is our first ‘proper’ UK Tour since February 2010. Tell all your friends, let’s make it wild. (Support TBA)

[georgiaeveritt]

Research - Boscombe Royal Arcade

15.10.23

Bournemouth Daily Echo

I found a newspaper in a local off license which had Boscombe Arcade becoming refurbished as front page news - this immediately grabbed my attention and I read the article.

The article itself spoke more from the locals perspectives and the small businesses that already thrive there - one owner saying they "don't want it to become gentrificated like castlepoint".

I personally visit this arcade a bit - they have claire's collectables, a crystal shop and record shop which I enjoy looking in. The council plan to spend 11.4 million in refurbishing the arcade into food courts - which local tourists say will do no good for the economy - it'll just make it worse.

The locals said there's enough food places around the area as it is, and that the council should focus on Boscombe's high street with this effort and money instead.

Built in 1892, the commercial centre of Boscombe has a major boost with projects by Archibald Beckett including blocks of shops, Salisbury Hotel, The Royal Arcade, Grand Theatre, and the Royal Ballrooms which is known today as the O2 Academy.

It was built in 1888 - opened on 29 May 1897 and was one of the first arcades in England to be lit by electricity.

Performers from the joining Grand Theatre included singers and musicians, they would entertain the shoppers below - they were a great addition to the shopping experience, providing a unique and enjoyable atmosphere.

[agrimedena-drax]

"I want to love! I want love!"

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Context:

The scene happens on The Ball of the Thousand Faces, the equivalent of prom mixed with school end ceremony for everybody in Quinque Lupi. For the characters: end of year 3 in the Academy.

~~~

Characters:

P.O.V --> Lech Sokol (he/him)

Other: Nurah Sultan (she/her), headmaster Chimwala Aroha (he/they)

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“Everybody!” the thunderous voice of headmaster Aroha spread throughout the ballroom. “Time for the last dance! Music!” He clapped twice and the band picked up a Lasan waltz, then he approached his wife, professor Rahat, and invited her to dance with him.

Students and teachers were quickly seeking for a partner to dance and moving rapidly towards the dance floor to not miss the beat. Dakarai and Devina almost broke every single glass on our table, as they jumped from their seats and rhythmically twirled towards the dance floor. Vieno slowly stood up from the chair next to me and unsurely approached Sir Wiseegoth, asking him to join them. Those two became relatively close over this year, both being head representatives of their units.

“They have more balls than I do” I thought.

I sunken in my chair holding my glass of champagne. Rather than being rejected throughout the whole piece, I preferred staying on my seat, waiting for the party to end. Either way, the person that I would love to invite for a dance wasn’t even here.

I dragged my fingers across my blonde locks and closed my eyes, trying to at least enjoy the well-known music.

“Mr Sokol, shall we dance?” the sweet, deep, female voice rang in my ears, causing a warm shiver to go down my spine. I immediately opened my eyes to see Nurah’s beautiful, green irises staring at me softly.

She looked absolutely stunning. Her head was covered by a rich, wine coloured vail, the same colour as her long sleeved, ankle length dress, perfectly complimenting her glossy, sienna skin.

I didn’t know if my heart stopped or started beating really fast. Surely Princess Sultan took my breath away, flooded my mind, enslaved my heart and soul. With her single stare and hand reached towards me, the world stopped existing for me. My heart was sure now. I was in love with my best friend.

I jumped from my seat, straightening my posture in front of her.

“You came” I finally spoke in shock. “You were supposed to leave tonight”.

“I packed all my things and I realised I still have time for a last dance” she smiled. “Would you give me this pleasure and dance with me?”

I grabbed her hand with mine. Unfortunately, I couldn't stop my body from shaking in the fast rhythm of the heartbeat.

“Though you’d never ask, Princess” I smiled softly and led her towards the crowded dance floor.

We stood at the edge of the tables, waiting for the moment when we won’t intrude on any pair in dancing. I suddenly felt her hand tightening on mine nervously.

“Lech,” she whispered. “I don’t know the steps. Never danced the Lasan waltz before.”

“Don’t worry, I know them. Just follow my lead” I rubbed my thumb in her grasp to give her comfort. “Enter, now!”

I pulled her to me and delicately put my right arm behind her back. Little gasp of shock went out of her mouth, as her chest was pressed against mine. Trying not to lose myself in her wonderful, cinnamon scent, I was leading us around the ballroom, delicately navigating every spin and turn. Of course Nurah, raised on the royal court, caught the steps pretty quickly, so we didn’t have to worry about them for most of the dance.

Tiny electric impulses were going down my arms and spine as her tough skin on inner palms were rubbing mine. Her mesmerising eyes were looking into mine with this softness, brightness and happiness. I couldn’t help myself but smile so hard my face hurt, but I didn’t mind it. Us being so close, feeling each other’s warmth, smiling, spinning to the beautiful music, all of this made me luvvie.

The music rose up just to end the dance with spectacular effect. All the pairs stomped on the final note. The whole ballroom went silent just to be filled with the loud applause the seconds later. Everybody cheered, whistled, laughed and clapped.

But I was only looking at her, heavily breathing, looking intensely into my blue eyes. Our chests lifting, touching themselves, feeling our fast beating hearts. My hand, still holding her back, rubbed them delicately. Her hands tightened on mine. Big, white smile appeared on her bright face, making me ascendant. We stayed for a while in the dancing position, holding each other’s hands tightly, not wanting to be either separated or let go of ourselves.

“The Ball of Thousand Faces came to an end!” headmaster Aroha appeared once again on the elevated stage. Nurah’s site went towards him. I shrugged myself as if waking from a beautiful dream.

“I would like to thank all the school staff and teaching body for preparing this wonderful event. And thank you, my dearest students, for showing up for this event looking absolutely stunning and meeting for the last time before the end of the school year” he said, then raised his wolf head cane above his head. “Farewell our amazing 6th years, let your knowledge guide you through your life. Thank you!”

The loud cheering rose up again. Nurah let my hands go to applaud the leaving alumnus. The moment she did it, I wanted to hold them again, look at her, keep her close to me forever.

“I have to go now” her somehow sad voice woke me up from the trance. The sad reality struck me right after. “My car is waiting for me outside. I am already late.”

“I can walk you!” I spilled a little too loud and excited.

“Thanks” she smiled and gave me a fist bump on the arm, a little nod towards the exit. “Let’s go.”

I followed her behind as we were leaving the ballroom. My hands awkwardly went behind the back, holding themselves back from grabbing hers. Suddenly her arm wrapped around mine. It wasn’t anything new, we wandered like that a lot, but this time felt different. Warm sweat heated my body even more, my heart was beating so fast, I was scared it would pop out of my chest.

We walked down the dark stairs of the entryway of the school, holding each other closely, hearing only our breaths and footsteps. It didn’t feel awkward or bad, it felt just right as it supposed to be: comforting and calming.

Warm air of Lasan summer hit our faces as we headed towards the school gates. As we were getting closer, her grasp was tightening on my arm. When we finally got there, I noticed her expression tensing, as always when she was insanely thinking about something.

"So," she started, before doing a pause. "Will we see each other in a month at your house?"

"As promised" I assured her.

"Great!" she smiled brightly, the starlight and moonlight brightening her big eyes. "You better prepare for the morning run! I won't let you chill even during holidays!"

"Ay, ay General!" I saluted jokingly.

She wrapped her arms around my torso and brought me into a hug. Hugging her back, I could feel her breath getting shaky, her heart against my body. The scent of the cinnamon, the smoothness of her dress, the strong arms holding me, I really wanted us to stay like that just a little while longer.

She finally let me go and gave me the last, soft smile, the last glance of those emerald eyes. The warmth spread once again throughout my entire body, my cheeks were burning from the sudden burst of blush.

"See you later, Sokol" she whispered, quickly saluted with her hand and headed towards the car.

I turned around and quickly started heading back to the building. I was torn, panicking from my helplessness in expressing my own emotions.

"Spirits! I love her! But does she feel the same?! What if not?! What I'd I misinterpreted it? Then I am a complete idiot! Buffoon even! What if she prefers friendship? What if my feelings will ruin everything? Lech, you idiot, decide!!!"

I tangled my fingers in my hair and started pulling them out of frustration. Then it struck me.

"I want to love! I want love!"

I immediately turned on my heel and ran back to Nurah. My heart had never been more sure. I could see her opening the doors of the vehicle. Before she could get inside, I grabbed her hand and pulled her, so she could face me.

"Nurah!" I said loudly, still catching my breath.

"Yes?" she asked, visibly stunned by my sudden appearance.

"This night was the best I've ever had!" I said between heavy breaths. "And it was all thanks to you. You make me happy, Nurah Sultan. You are the person that feels my life with light and joy. You are the person that keeps me up at night and dreamy at day".

The chain of words, all things I always wanted to tell her, spilled out of my mouth at once. Just after I did that I noticed her face becoming more and more serious and immediately felt small in front of her short persona. As soon as the regret wanted to creep into my mind, she grabbed my hands and pulled me closer to her.

I bend over to meet her sharp expression, eyes filled with deep seriousness, face stern and focused. But what she couldn't hide was her lips, trebling ever so slightly. Nurah was nervous.

"What do you want to say?" she asked shakingly, touched? Her face started to lose its tension under emotions we both felt at this moment.

"I mean," I took a deep breath and grabbed her hands tighter, looking straight into her eyes. "I fell in love with you, Princess" I let out the words with a loud exhale.

She immediately pulled me closer with her arms around my neck. We ended up in the biggest, warmest hug we'd ever shared. Our bodies were shaking with overwhelming emotions, both exhaled heavily after letting all out, open cards.

I felt the heaviness of her basically dangling on my neck, as she raised her head from my shoulder. Seconds later she stood on the edge of the car entry to have direct eye contact with me. Once again, I drowned into the greenness of her irises.

"I love you, too, Mr Sokol" she expressed breathily before kissing me.

Her soft, warm lips touched mine. The electrifying shivers circulated around my body. I hugged her tighter, bringing her even closer and responding for a kiss. The euphoric state we both entered was indescribable. We sunk into each other's embraces, exclaiming our released affection with the passionate caress. Her fingers tangled in my blonde locks, causing my legs to bend down a little, my hands sunk into the fabric on her waist. The world stopped for a second, it was only us and our love. Kissing her made me the happiest I'd ever felt.

We pushed from each other, catching breaths. With our foreheads still touching and our eyes not losing sight of ourselves, I whispered: "I love you so much".

"I love you, Lech," she cried quietly.

"What do we do now?" I mumbled under my heavy breaths, rubbing my nose to hers.

"Unfortunately, I have to come back to Furidium for Solstice celebrations" she sighed sadly, looking down. "But we will soon meet again. It's only a month" she added, smiling slightly and looking back at me.

"Only a month," I repeated reassuringly.

"And then we will talk and figure out everything together, ok?" She put her rough palm skin on my cheeks and rubbed it delicately. The wave of pleasure tickled my face.

"I'd love that" I whispered, smiling so hard my cheeks started to hurt.

I didn't want to let her go. Hug her forever, feel her rough palms on my skin, feel her perfumes, caress her lips with thousands of kisses to express my love and respect towards her.

Finally I had to put her down on her car seat, still holding her hand, letting it go just before closing her door. Couldn't stop looking into her eyes until her car drove far behind the gates of Quinque Lupi. My heart was sinking in my chest with the vehicle disappearing in the darkness of the forest.

I sighed deeply then looked up at the stars, spread my arms and shouted at the top of my lungs. Even if she had to leave me, that night I was the happiest man alive.

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Taglist:

@circa-specturgia

(let me know if you want to be added in 2023 ✨)

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Hello there (General Kenobi!!!!) ✨

My last post in 2022 happens to be a sweet, fluffy snippet for y'all. I can't believe that I can end this year with renewed passion for writing and new Tumblr mutuals supporting my work ✨

I want to thank everybody that was supporting my journey and also the whole Writeblr community for welcoming me so warmly during the hard times of this year ✨

Entering 2023 with new ideas, inspiration and passion. Can't wait to see what's next 🤩

Love you all!

Agri ✨🖤

[theboywantscoffee]

One never knows when the Cotton Eye Joe will be the difference between life and death.

Veggienald Hargrapes, (at one point I’m sure)

[cantquitu]

I'm very sad that I won't get to see Harry play Brixton this week 😢 The three album release shows in London (and the Troubadour show) are the ones I wished I'd been at more than anything.

The Garage for HS1, Electric Ballroom for Fine Line, and now Brixton Academy for Harry's House...these are the sticky-floor venues I grew up seeing bands play. I have so many amazing memories from over the years. I know Brixton Academy is a shithole, but it's my shithole. And it's so small compared to the hangars Harry plays these days.

Oh well, one can dream. At least I got to see him play the Hammersmith Apollo on the first tour. I suspect that will remain the smallest show I'll ever see him play.

[baefonglin]

Linzumi slow dances

(young Linzumi part 1 here)

The torches around them burned. This was the last day of summer, the last day before Izumi would go back to the Academy, before Lin would return to Republic City. She had been dreading this day all summer. She looked for Lin in the crowd, she easily spotted the dark green dress amongst the sea of red surrounding her. She looked beautiful.

Izumi slowly started making her way towards Lin, until she stood right beside her. “Hey there,” Izumi whispered in her ear.

Lin looked up at Izumi with a smile which quickly turned into a smirk. “Told you I knew the Crown Princess of the Fire Nation,” she said triumphantly to one of the girls she was talking to.

The girl looked at Izumi with big eyes as she stammered: “Your Royal Highness.” Izumi awkwardly bowed towards her.

“Let’s get out of here.” Izumi whispered to Lin, who quickly nodded.

“Please excuse us, my lady,” Lin said, smirking to the Fire Nation girl who bowed again.

Lin and Izumi walked out of the ballroom buzzing with people and exchanged it for the open air.

“Thank the Spirits we got out of there.” Izumi said.

“Aren’t you supposed to be all royal and everything? It is your seventeenth birthday after all.” Lin said with a hint of a smile.

Izumi huffed, “tell that to the people inside that ballroom. This party is about everyone but me.” For a moment, they looked over the Fire Nation capital, both lost in thought. Izumi’s eyes drifted to Lin’s face. In the last year Lin’s cheekbones had slowly started to sharpen, making her face even more striking. And the green of her dress matched her eyes so well. “You know,” Izumi said as a blush slowly started spreading over her face, “I’m happy I’m spending my birthday with you.”

Lin looked up to Izumi and smiled that beautiful smile of hers. “Actually,” she said, “I got you something too.” Out of her dress she got a small deep blue box, which she quickly handed over to Izumi.

Izumi opened it and couldn’t help but gasp. Inside the box was a simple, but incredibly beautiful necklace that had four jade beads strung to it, each a different colour. On the outside were a turquoise coloured jade and a fire-like red jade, inside a light yellow and a classic green jade, the same colour as Lin’s eyes. Izumi softly traced each bead, while biting her lip.

“Do you- do you like it?” Lin’s voice quivered. She sounded so uncertain, Izumi almost doubted if it was actually her.

“I do,” a smile spread over Izumi’s face, “thank you, thank you so much.” Izumi wasn’t quite sure if she was laughing or crying. Of course it was Lin who would truly think of her.

“The beads represent all four nations,” Lin said while she stared into Izumi’s eyes, “I got it in Republic City. I thought of you, because, well, we are from different nations and yet I would consider you my best friend. We’re the living proof of friendships that transcend nations.” Lin paused for a second. “And I think that the yellow jade looks like your eyes.” Izumi thought she spotted that quiver again.

“The green jade is the same colour as your eyes,” Izumi said with a smile, “would you put it on me? Please?”

Lin took the necklace from the box and walked behind Izumi. As she put the necklace on Izumi felt Lin’s hands graze the back of her neck, making her skin feel practically electric. When Lin was done Izumi turned to her. They stood so close together, Izumi could practically feel Lin’s breath.

“It’s beautiful on you,” Lin whispered.

“Thank you” Izumi felt her temperature rise. Lin shivered. “Are you cold?” Izumi asked.

“A little.” Lin smiled.

“I know what we can do about that.” Izumi wrapped one arm around Lin’s waist and intertwined her other fingers with Lin’s.

“What are you doing?” Lin’s body turned stiff to Izumi’s touch.

“We’re dancing.” Izumi said. As they swayed to the music softly emanating from the ballroom, Lin’s body relaxed. Izumi felt their energies intertwine, two becoming one.

She wished the night would never end.

[anothertimdrakestan]

Familiar Green

Damian Wayne x Reader Soulmate AU

In an AU where when your soulmate and you touch you feel sparks and intense warmth! Damian is around 16-18 ish in my head!

  Being a sucker for a good love story you couldn’t help but always feel jealous watching your classmates, friends, and even strangers on the street find their soulmate. You watched as kids bumped into each other only to see their eyes meet at the feeling of sparks. What did the “sparks” even feel like? As a child you were about ready to touch an electric fence to understand the feeling. 

  As you grew up your focus eventually left your soulmate and you spent far to much time focussing on school work. You got into Gotham Academy on a merit scholarship from the Wayne Foundation and you were determined to put it to good use. Money was a sore subject and your family had been scraping by since you could remember. Your parents were soulmates and always said that their love would conquer all or some sappy shit like that. The only thing you were in love with was knowledge and that was just fine. In classes you were attentive and quiet, learning quickly no one liked a smart ass. Teachers often slipped you materials for projects knowing you probably didn’t have them at home and you sat in the back minding your own business.

  You never ran with the popular crowd. You had friends you walked to class with and studied with, especially friends who were as driven as you but you never had a BEST friend. The person you tell everything to and a confidant who shares your passions and jokes with like no other. You would wait for the sparks to show you who that would be. 

  Currently, you were planning a speech for the annual Wayne Family Gala where all their merit scholars would show what they were doing with their scholarship. The speech was somewhere in between intense bragging about your grades, achievements, and experiments while also thanking the Wayne family every two words. You had it planned perfectly: big purse to get snacks for the endless speeches, the same dress you’ve worn the last two years, and one gratitude dance then home. Easy. 

  When the bell released you from the last class you began pushing towards freedom. Students grumbled and shoved through the tight halls and you rolled your eyes at the stupidity of those walking against the crowd or those stopped to chat about nothing. With the door in sight you sped up, pushing hard when you felt a zap. Your heart stopped, turning around to the sea of people pushing past you. The feeling was comforting yet alarming, the friction of just tapping shoulders was enough to stop you dead in your tracks. What seemed like endless hoards of people pushed past you while you stood begging for the person who felt it too to run back to you.

“Look at the genius who forgot how to walk”

  Words shook you from a daze as you looked up to see a football star with a 2.1 GPA staring you down. Rolling your eyes you headed out for fresh air and a walk home to prep for the gala, but you couldn't shake the feeling resonating in your shoulder.

-- agressive time skippppp -- 

  As you watched your classmate wrap up his speech on his first place win at the Math Olympics you realized it was time for yours. The two of you did a quick high five before you found yourself alone, shaking hands clutching note cards with bright white lights blinding you from seeing Gotham’s most powerful staring expectantly up at you. With a deep breath, you began recounting the highlights of your year. Finding Mr. Wayne’s face up near the front you saw him nodding as you detailed your research with collegiate professors, perfect test scores, and passion. Thanking the board members one last time you looked to the cameras and gave a big smile before heading back behind the stage.

  Once away from the prodding lights you let out the breath held in for the entire speech. Until next year Gothamites. Detailing your plans to chat up the rich folk, dance in front of the cameras photographing merit scholars then leaving and probably getting fast food on the way home, you smiled to yourself knowing it was almost over. Heading out to the main floor you listened politely to the rest of the speeches before scouting out the person with the biggest net worth in the room. 

  Making your way around the room, you accidentally locked eyes with none other than Mr. Wayne who gestured you over. Estimating that the money held between Mr. Wayne and the men he was talking to stood around a couple trillion dollars you gladly complied, hoping to find a sponsor for more research, maybe even college scholarships.

  “Hello Miss. It’s y/n right?” you politely greeted Mr. Wayne trying not to gawk at his suit that probably cost more than your family’s rent. Finding your inner confidence you took the opportunity to explain your passions and ask questions of the people in the semi-circle formed around you. While talking, a young man came to stand next to his father, clearly impressed with your credentials. After a couple glances you recognized the light smirk and emerald green eyes as Damian Wayne. You saw him as the opposite of you, he floated through Gotham Academy on Daddy’s wallet, barely showing up to school and often wearing dark sunglasses to hide what you assumed to be a hangover from partying the night before. Giving him a curt smile you continued, mostly focused on David Shield, a man about 55 who ran a series of fancy hotels, he shared passions with you and looked very interested. 

  The more you spoke the more Shield focused on you. Eventually, he offered to bring you to get a drink (non-alcoholic you assumed) and talk about a possible partnership. Quickly you began thanking the men around you will either a nod or a quick handshake. You couldn’t pass up the opportunity to shake Bruce Wayne’s hand and you almost fainted when you realized you were shaking hands with THE Bruce Wayne. Lastly you turned to Damian and saw Mr. Wayne pat his back, forcing him to hold out a hand, rolling his bright green eyes lazily. As you went to shake it Mr. Shield tapped your shoulder hurrying you saying “let’s go princess I’m in a hurry here” as he started walking off. This was the opportunity of your lifetime, you tried to walk past Damian, hurriedly trying to follow Mr Shield. When your shoulder brushed Damian’s and you felt the familiar sparks again your heart ripped in half. You could swear you heard them crack and pop in the air as you locked eyes with his green ones. Ready to forget about Mr. Shield you turned to Damian only for him to put two hand on your shoulders and mouth “Go I’ll find you” as he tried to direct you towards Mr. Shield. Where his hands made contact with your collarbone warmth erupted you could feel each finger radiating and sizzling against your bare skin. 

  In a daze, you felt Damian let go and you stumbled towards the bar. Mind racing you couldn’t stop turning back to Damian, who was in deep conversation with his father, both of them stealing glances at you. Trying to focus on the room and not the cold feeling from missing your soulmate’s touch you felt a hand snake around your waist and pull you towards the bar. Looking up at Mr. Shield who held your waiste for far too long you tried to shake off all thoughts of Damian and secure your future. Mr. Shield told you to call him David and he tried to order a fancy alcoholic drink for both of you. Asking for a club soda he paid and the two of you spoke about shared interests and a possible collaboration. Trying to focus on the conversation and not the feeling of your heart beating out of your chest was extremely difficult. 

  After sipping bubbly water with Mr. Shield David and him deciding to grant you the money you needed you felt ecstatic. Trying to wrap up the conversation and look for Damian Mr. Shield wouldn’t end the conversation with you. Your heart sunk as you saw the paparazzi follow Mr. Wayne, Damian, and his three brothers out of the ballroom. The only breath of hope you felt was seeing familiar green eyes frantically scanning the ballroom for who you hoped was you, but his eyescouldn’t find yours.

  Defeated you returned to speaking with David but decided it was late and you were feeling more lightheaded than normal. He offered a ride home and you couldn’t pass it up, not feeling too well, probably because of the loud atmosphere and heavy air. Getting up you felt him place his hand in the small of your back and though you tried to twist or politely shake it off he kept it there. As you stumbled towards the door you felt worse and worse. Knowing something was seriously wrong you decided it was better to wait outside for your parents to come get you. You tried to explain the situation but Mr. Shield adamantly said you had to come with him. Beginning to get woozy and frustrated you started pushing him away.

“Y/n sweetie let me take you home” he purred

“You don’t even know where I live let me go” you stopped dead in your tracks.

“C’mon just right here let’s get in” he gripped your arm and immediately fight or flight kicked in and momma didn’t raise no bitch. You began to hit his chest, yell, and try to slither out of his grip. Your fist connected with his chin and he stumbled back, visibly angered he advanced toward you and you realized this was not going to end well. Closing your eyes you braced for pain but felt a smaller, latex covered hand wrap around your waist with a woosh. 

  With your eyes still closed you couldn’t tell if you really were floating in a stranger's arms or if you were just heavily drugged. Opening an eye you saw the gala building grow smaller and you decided it was definitely the former, but probably also the latter. Sucking in a breath you looked up to see a domino-masked, red and yellow-clad vigilante holding you with one arm and a grapple with the other. Realizing you were literally hundreds of feet above solid ground you wrapped your arms around Gotham’s own Robin squeezing his neck and feeling a familiar spark. Unable to connect the dots due to a heavily drugged brain you clung to the hero praying for your life until you heard 

“y/n we’re safe now” from a familiar, and very concerned voice. 

  Peeking up you realized he was still holding you as you clung to him though he stood comfortably stable on the roof of a building. Gingerly you put your feet on the ground, not releasing him from your grasp feeling the sparks fly between your fingertips and his neck. Looking up at Robin you moved a hand to his cheek, sparks sizzling and jumping more so than ever. And in what was probably not your smoothest moment you mumble

“hey Damian” at the masked figure. Your fingers instinctively tug at the domino mask and as you expected, the same piercing green eyes looked down at you. 

“hello y/n” he nodded. His eyes began to scan you for any signs of pain and you assured him you were fine.

“disgusting of David Shield to try to drug a teenager especially my own soulmate TT” your heart fluttered at the acknowledgment of the bond. You reached up to touch his face again just to check the sparks were still there. Like clockwork electricity danced between the two of you. Content with the feeling you decided to share some personal information. Whatever Shield gave you made you bold if nothing else.

“You know I’ve wanted a soulmate my whole life. I’d let Shield go after me again if it meant I’d get to meet you. Especially if it meant my soulmate was this hot holy hot damn” Damian’s eyes softened looking down at you and his lips pulled into a smirk but you could tell no amount of comfort would stop his anger. 

“Trust me beloved no one will go after you ever again” he pulled you against him and you instinctively wrapped your arms around his torso, fitting together like a puzzle. Even with a cool breeze blowing around the top of the building the warmth from holding your soulmate was enough to have you melting into his arms. In that peaceful moment every cliche made sense. This was feeling you wanted to feel forever. You heard a light buzz from his earpiece with a voice asking about his location and status. With a curt reply Damian told you it was time for him to take you home. Holding onto Damian as he swung down he whispered in your ear

“I could get used to having you in my arms beloved” and with a giddy smile you replied

“I’d hope so lover boy you’re kinda stuck with me forever” at this he squeezed you tighter, his eyes shining with an emotion he’d never felt before and you looked up filled with excitement for the emerald green eyes you’d spend the rest of your life looking at.

[traeumenvonbuechern]

June Wrap-Up

1. Can't Take That Away (Steven Salvatore)

Carey Parker dreams of being a diva, and bringing the house down with song. But despite their talent, emotional scars from an incident with a homophobic classmate and their grandmother's spiraling dementia make it harder and harder for Carey to find their voice. Then Carey meets Cris, a singer/guitarist who makes Carey feel seen for the first time in their life. With the rush of a promising new romantic relationship, Carey finds the confidence to audition for the role of Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, in the school musical, setting off a chain reaction of prejudice by Carey's tormentor and others in the school. It's up to Carey, Cris, and their friends to defend their rights--and they refuse to be silenced.

2. Sanditon (Jane Austen)

Written in the last months of Austen's life, Sanditon features a glorious cast of hypochondriacs and speculators in a newly established seaside resort, and shows the author contemplating a changing society with scepticism and amusement. It tells the story of Charlotte Heywood, who is transported by a chance accident from her rural hometown to Sanditon, where she is exposed to the intrigues and dalliances of a small town determined to reinvent itself - and encounters the intriguingly handsome Sidney Parker.

3. The Witch King (H.E. Edgmon)

Wyatt would give anything to forget where he came from—but a kingdom demands its king. In Asalin, fae rule and witches like Wyatt Croft…don’t. Wyatt’s betrothal to his best friend, fae prince Emyr North, was supposed to change that. But when Wyatt lost control of his magic one devastating night, he fled to the human world. Now a coldly distant Emyr has hunted him down. Despite transgender Wyatt’s newfound identity and troubling past, Emyr has no intention of dissolving their engagement. In fact, he claims they must marry now or risk losing the throne. Jaded, Wyatt strikes a deal with the enemy, hoping to escape Asalin forever. But as he gets to know Emyr, Wyatt realizes the boy he once loved may still exist. And as the witches face worsening conditions, he must decide once and for all what’s more important—his people or his freedom.

4. One Last Stop (Casey McQuiston)

For cynical twenty-three-year-old August, moving to New York City is supposed to prove her right: that things like magic and cinematic love stories don’t exist, and the only smart way to go through life is alone. She can’t imagine how waiting tables at a 24-hour pancake diner and moving in with too many weird roommates could possibly change that. And there’s certainly no chance of her subway commute being anything more than a daily trudge through boredom and electrical failures. But then, there’s this gorgeous girl on the train. Jane. Dazzling, charming, mysterious, impossible Jane. Jane with her rough edges and swoopy hair and soft smile, showing up in a leather jacket to save August’s day when she needed it most. August’s subway crush becomes the best part of her day, but pretty soon, she discovers there’s one big problem: Jane doesn’t just look like an old school punk rocker. She’s literally displaced in time from the 1970s, and August is going to have to use everything she tried to leave in her own past to help her. Maybe it’s time to start believing in some things, after all.

5. Between Perfect and Real (Ray Stoeve)

Dean Foster knows he’s a trans guy. He’s watched enough YouTube videos and done enough questioning to be sure. But everyone at his high school thinks he’s a lesbian—including his girlfriend Zoe, and his theater director, who just cast him as a “nontraditional” Romeo. He wonders if maybe it would be easier to wait until college to come out. But as he plays Romeo every day in rehearsals, Dean realizes he wants everyone to see him as he really is now––not just on the stage, but everywhere in his life. Dean knows what he needs to do. Can playing a role help Dean be his true self?

6. The Cruel Prince (Holly Black)

Jude was seven when her parents were murdered and she and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there, despite her mortality. But many of the fey despise humans. Especially Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King. To win a place at the Court, she must defy him–and face the consequences. As Jude becomes more deeply embroiled in palace intrigues and deceptions, she discovers her own capacity for trickery and bloodshed. But as betrayal threatens to drown the Courts of Faerie in violence, Jude will need to risk her life in a dangerous alliance to save her sisters, and Faerie itself.

7. Boy Queen (George Lester)

Robin Cooper’s life is falling apart. While his friends prepare to head off to university, Robin is looking at a pile of rejection letters from drama schools up and down the country, and facing a future without the people he loves the most. Everything seems like it’s ending, and Robin is scrabbling to find his feet. Unsure about what to do next and whether he has the talent to follow his dreams, he and his best friends go and drown their sorrows at a local drag show, where Robin realises there might be a different, more sequinned path for him . . . With a mother who won't stop talking, a boyfriend who won't acknowledge him and a best friend who is dying to cover him in glitter make up, there's only one thing for Robin to do: bring it to the runway.

8. Felix Ever After (Kacen Callender)

Felix Love has never been in love—and, yes, he’s painfully aware of the irony. He desperately wants to know what it’s like and why it seems so easy for everyone but him to find someone. What’s worse is that, even though he is proud of his identity, Felix also secretly fears that he’s one marginalization too many—Black, queer, and transgender—to ever get his own happily-ever-after. When an anonymous student begins sending him transphobic messages—after publicly posting Felix’s deadname alongside images of him before he transitioned—Felix comes up with a plan for revenge. What he didn’t count on: his catfish scenario landing him in a quasi–love triangle.... But as he navigates his complicated feelings, Felix begins a journey of questioning and self-discovery that helps redefine his most important relationship: how he feels about himself.

9. Wuthering Heights (Emily Brontë)

Lockwood, the new tenant of Thrushcross Grange on the bleak Yorkshire moors, is forced to seek shelter one night at Wuthering Heights, the home of his landlord. There he discovers the history of the tempestuous events that took place years before: of the intense passion between the foundling Heathcliff and Catherine Earnshaw, and her betrayal of him. As Heathcliff's bitterness and vengeance is visited upon the next generation, their innocent heirs must struggle to escape the legacy of the past.

10. Ace of Spades (Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé)

Welcome to Niveus Private Academy, where money paves the hallways, and the students are never less than perfect. Until now. Because anonymous texter, Aces, is bringing two students' dark secrets to light. Talented musician Devon buries himself in rehearsals, but he can't escape the spotlight when his private photos go public. Head girl Chiamaka isn't afraid to get what she wants, but soon everyone will know the price she has paid for power. Someone is out to get them both. Someone who holds all the aces. And they're planning much more than a high-school game...

11. The Queer Principles of Kit Webb (Cat Sebastian)

Kit Webb has left his stand-and-deliver days behind him. But dreary days at his coffee shop have begun to make him pine for the heady rush of thievery. When a handsome yet arrogant aristocrat storms into his shop, Kit quickly realizes he may be unable to deny whatever this highborn man desires. In order to save himself and a beloved friend, Percy, Lord Holland must go against every gentlemanly behavior he holds dear to gain what he needs most: a book that once belonged to his mother, a book his father never lets out of his sight and could be Percy’s savior. More comfortable in silk-filled ballrooms than coffee shops frequented by criminals, his attempts to hire the roughly hewn highwayman, formerly known as Gladhand Jack, proves equal parts frustrating and electrifying. Kit refuses to participate in the robbery but agrees to teach Percy how to do the deed. Percy knows he has little choice but to submit and as the lessons in thievery begin, he discovers thievery isn’t the only crime he’s desperate to commit with Kit. But when their careful plan goes dangerously wrong and shocking revelations threaten to tear them apart, can these stolen hearts withstand the impediments in their path?

12. Weekend Girl (Alex Powell)

Ashley Kingston is a genderfluid university student with a major crush on attractive and charming Nolan. He seems just too perfect to be true. What happens when Ash meets Nolan while dressed as both a man, and a woman? And even more confusing, what happens when Nolan seems enamoured of both versions of Ash? A twisty-turny romance filled with fun and shenanigans.

[bandsonfilm]

Gig List 2022

02.02. Björk - The Shrine, Los Angeles 08.02. Tommy Cossack & The Degenerators/ Plastic Gift / Ikari Orchestra - George Tavern 17.02. CLT DRP/ After London - Signature Brew E8 19.02. Cassels/ Kyoto Kyoto/ Cursty & Cry - The Victoria 20.02. Shame/ MAY - Windmill Brixton 24.02. M(h)aol / Genn/ Blood Wizard - The Ivy House 25.02. Girls in Synthesis - The Shacklewell Arms 26.02. Sit Down/ Slap Rash/ Sleemo - Signature Brew E8 02.03. Sprints/ Prima Queen/ Saloon Dion - MOTH Club 07.03. Destroy Boys/ Lambrini Girls - Camden Assembly 10.03. Wunderhorse/ Oscar Browne - The Lexington 15.03. Lambrini Girls - The Victoria 17.03. Butch Kassidy/ UH - The George Tavern 19.03. Yowl/ Loose Articles/ Lemondaze  - Shacklewell Arms 22.03. Lumer/ Novi Sad - Shacklewell Arms 24.03. Ditz/  Predeceased/ Frank and Beans - Shacklewell Arms 26.03. Stiff Little Fingers/ The Professionals - Roundhouse 28.03. Skating Polly/ Fräulein - The Lexington 29.03. Bodega/ M(h)aol - MOTH Club 30.03. bdrmm/ Pozi - Studio 9294 02.04. A Place To Bury Strangers - Lafayette 05.04. Bambara - Rough Trade East 07.04. Junodef - Oslo 10.04. Crows/ Lumer/ Fuzz Lightyear - Brudenell Social Club, Leeds 14.04. Grouper - Barbican 16.04. Protomartyr/ Traams - Islington Assembly Hall 19.04. Florence & The Machine - Theatre Royal Drury Lane 20.04. King Hannah/ Hussy - Oslo 23.04. Heartworms - Lion Coffee & Records 28.04. Big Brave - MS Loretta, Bremen 05.05. Scalping - Fabric 09.05. Gustaf/ Kills Birds - MOTH Club 10.05. Bad Waitress - MOTH Club 12.-15.05. The Great Escape, Brighton 16.05. Illuminati Hotties - MOTH Club 18.05. Nono - Old Street Records 18.05. Treeboy & Arc - Sebright Arms 19.05. Predeceased - Blondies 20.05. LA Witch - MOTH Club 21.05. Lambrini Girls/ Sit Down - Dream Bags 23.05. Kim Gordon/ Pretty Happy - KOKO 26.05. Bob Vylan/ Grove - Underworld 27.05. Mogwai/ bdrmm/ Beak> - Alexandra Palace 28.05. Wide Awake Festival 06.06. Pinkshift - Camden Assembly 07.06. Judy and the Jerks - The Finsbury Pub 09.06. The Velveteers - The Lexington 17.06. Kikagaku Moyo - Futurum Music Bar, Prague 19.06. Pulled Apart by Horses - Signature Brew E17 21.06. Nine Inch Nails/ Yves Tumor - Brixton Academy 22.06. Sunn O))) - Fabric 25.06. Phoebe Bridgers/ The Rolling Stones/ Dream Wife/ Vista Kicks - Hyde Park 28.06. Bloodmoon/ Hexvessel - Alexandra Palace Theatre 29.06. St. Vincent/ Big Joanie - Hammersmith Apollo 02.07. Calva Louise/ Highly Suspect - Electric Ballroom 02.07. Heartworms/ Kyoto Kyoto - The Shacklewell Arms 07.07. Web - Shacklewell Arms 08.07. Bad Breeding/ Thank/ The Reflecting Skin - Mabgate Bleach, Leeds 09.07. Rat Cage/ Blind Monarch - Lughole, Sheffield 20.07. Iron Maiden - Bürgerweide 23.07. Traams - Rough Trade East 26.07. Phoebe Bridgers/ Sloppy Jane - Brixton Academy 05.08. Junodef/ Japanese Television - The Victoria 06.08. Treeboy & Arc - The Shacklewell Arms 14.08. Ditz/ Liz Lawrence - Signature Brew E17 22.08. Emma Ruth Rundle/ Jo Quail - Clapham Grand 24.07. Junodef/ Cheerless/ Mango in Euphoria/ Elis 25.08. Tame Impala/ Caroline Polachek/ Feet/ Goat/ Working Men’s Club/ Mattiel/ House of Women - All Points East 26.08. Clamm/ 7ebra - The Shacklewell Arms 27.08. Boy Harsher - The Garage 29.08. M(h)aol - The Grace 30.08. Taraka/ Index For Working Music - MOTH Club 01.09. Meatbodies/ Predeceased - MOTH Club 06.09. Drag/ Vanity Fairy - The George Tavern 10.09. English Teacher - Dr. Martens Boot Fair 16.09. Jeffrey Lewis - Schule 21, Bremen 20.09. Drahla/ Genn/ Mynk - Bermondsey Social Club 04.10. James Burgess / CC Honeymoon/ First Hate - Moth Club 09.10. Sniffany & The Nits/ Stingray/ Skitter/ Last Affront - House Show 10.10. Lingua Ignota - Earth 12.10. Double Helix/ Joanie - The Lower Third 13.10. Traams - MOTH Club 17.10. Kate Clover - Shacklewell Arms 18.10. Midwife - Cafe OTO 19.10. Deli Girls/ Prison Religion/ Lizzitsky - Shacklewell Arms 20.10. Liiek/ Miltown - New River Studios 21.10. Crack Cloud - Earth 25.10. Kaputt - Shacklewell Arms 29.10. Stingray/ Micromoon - Blondies 30.10. Pulled Apart By Horses - The Hope and Ruin, Brighton 4.11. Crows - Patterns, Brighton 5.11. Saint Agnes - The Prince Albert, Brighton 5.11. JOHN/ Nuha Ruby Ra - Green Door Store, Brighton 5.11. Kyoto Kyoto/ Moreish Idols - The Old Blue Last 09.11. Gilla Band - Studio 9294 10.11. Highschool/ Moreish Idols/ Wet Kiss- The Shacklewell Arms 14.11. Bnny - St. Pancras Old Church 15.11. Lambrini Girls - Shacklewell Arms 17.11. Dion Lunadon/ Novi Sad - Shacklewell Arms 18.11. Crows/ Film Noir/ Zilcho Hamblin/ Platonica Erotica - Shacklewell Arms 24.11. Total Luck - Dream Bags Jaguar Shoes 26.11. Beige Banquet/ Butch Kassidy - MOTH Club 30.11. Fatdog/ Sweat - Corsica Studios 01.12. Baby in Vain - The Victoria 02.12. JOHN/ Ditz - The Dome 03.12. Bob Vylan - Electric Ballroom 06.12. Ethel Cain/ Kavari - Omeara 07.12. Cobra Man - The Garage 15.12. Scalping/ Working Men’s Club - The Forum Kentish Town