#rocky horror picture show world tour

[myheadphonesareneverloudenough]

pinning this one to my profile for the next two weeks.

The Tin Can Bros need your help as they embark on the Tinlightenment World Tour: Spreading the Gospel of TCB which includes 7 holy missions, aka 7 days exciting live events in LA, New York, London, Edinburgh, and Adelaide

Spy Another Day: in LA, original cast members of the TCB and Talkfine comedy musical, Spies Are Forever, will be reuniting (along with new special guests, many you know and love from Starkid) for a Rocky Horror Picture Show-esque live concert screening! Watch the full movie with audience participation and live musical numbers!

Spy Another Day, in London: that’s right, baby! Spies Are Forever live concert screening is coming to London, too! Featuring brothers Joey, Brian, and Corey, along with Lauren Lopez!

The Solve-It Squad Returns: at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, the original cast of TCB’s comedy play, The Solve-It Squad Returns!, will be back together once again to do the first ever live TCB event outside of America!

This Could Be On Broadway: the original comedy musical starring Bryce Charles, Esther Fallick, James Tolbert, and many more is coming back baby! live at 54 Below in New York City, the cast will be performing all the songs for the first time ever in front of a live audience.

Gross Prophets: An all-new original TCB musical about cults, enlightenment, financial and spiritual freedom! starring Joey Richter, Brian Rosenthal, and Lauren Lopez, with performances happening in Australia and LA!

Intelligent Life: the Tin Can Bros have a new queer sci-fi comedy show, Intelligent Life, and will be doing a live reading of the pilot episode in LA, summer 2024. following two ex-boyfriends, one who can’t get away from his ex, even after leaving Earth to explore a new planet!

The Great Debate: who is the best Hollywood Chris? what is the worst 3rd movie in a film trilogy? who is the worst muppet? what’s something that feels like a cult, but isn’t? so many questions to ask, so many opinions to debate! The Great Debate is a live comedy game show where the Tin Can Bros and special guests argue seriously unimportant topics with the kind of passion of a serious life-or-death debate. things get heated, friendships are ended, and one person will always come out on top… with so many amazing guests! TCB have already announced three special guests on The Great Debate; Smosh’s very own Angela Giarratana, Chanse McCrary, and Arasha Lalani!

but none of these projects can happen without your help! until March 2nd, the Tin Can Bros’ kickstarter is in full swing!! we’re working our way to their goal of $200,000!

all TCB asks of you is to pledge $3, and to share this campaign with your friends! this is how we can make it happen!

have more than $3 to give? amazing!! there are 12 backer tiers of varying prices that can get you some INCREDIBLE rewards like merch, custom t shirts, collectables, and a BelieverBand that will allow you to unlock incredible backer perks in the very near future of TCB

interested? go to tinlightenment.com to check out these reward tiers!

we’re over 50% funded, friends <3 we can do this.

TINLIGHTENMENT.COM

[afpwestcoast]

Bearsville Theater, Bearsville, NY, 10/26/24

Happy Birthday to MEEEEEeeeeeee!

Things got off to a festive birthday start as we were lined up before the show and the greatest venue security guy ever - Reynaldo Gayle, aka Rey - was going over the rules and warming up the crowd when someone told him it was my birthday, so he led the entire line in a rendition of “Happy Birthday to You!” Heavy foreshadowing.

Before we went in for soundcheck Michael McComiskey (Amanda’s man Friday and all-around stellar human being) handed me a copy of “All the Light We Cannot See” signed by Amanda for my birthday. We watched the mini series based on the book and it was awesome, so I’m really looking forward to reading it. Since the Dresden Dolls began performing together again in November of 2022 there has been a heavy emphasis on new material that they were workshopping and preparing for the new album. That album has been put on hold and so tonight the focus shifted not just to old material, but to some truly deep cuts from the vault. But this was more therapy session than nostalgia tour, as it was clear that Amanda was working through some things. Overall the performance was crisp and tight and thoroughly enjoyable, but lacked the manic energy that characterizes the Dolls at their best.

But then again … birthday shot! So …

Annotated Set List:

Science Fiction Double Feature (Richard O’Brien and Richard Hartley cover) The opening theme to The Rocky Horror Picture Show served as notice (warning?) that this would not be a normal night.

Sex Changes

Gravity

Coin-Operated Boy(!?) VERY early in the set for this one!

Backstabber

My Alcoholic Friends Midway through this song it is traditional for (Tour Manager) Jaron to bring two shots onstage for he and Amanda to do together. I have fantasized about being Amanda’s shot-delivery boy; that didn’t happen, but the next-best thing did! Jaron brought out two shots for him and Amanda, as usual, but Michael brought out two for him and … ME! Amanda said, “Happy Birthday, Tom!” and we all did our shots together. Happy Birthday indeed!

The Kill This is a deep cut that I haven’t heard them play in an age.

Missed Me

“It’s about to be time to vote. And it has come to our attention that there are a lot of people out there in the world with a lot of money who are going to very possibly influence this vote in one way or another and the most important thing as all of these things are happening around us and all of these wealthy people who own all of these newspapers and all of the space and the sky because any day now we are going to look up; we’re going to look up and we’re going to see the moon. And it’s either going to say ‘Google,’ or ‘Amazon.’ We wrote a song about this a long, long time ago so we’re going to play it for you!”

Modern Moonlight

Thirty Whacks

“Sometimes it takes going all the way to New Zealand and living there for a couple years to realize that Lizzie Borden really did have an effect on your childhood.”

Pierre (Carol King and Maurice Sendak cover)

Welcome to the Internet (Bo Burnham cover)

There were two children front and center and someone pointed them out to Amanda saying that they were 9 and 11. “Oh my god! My 9yo wanted to watch a movie tonight instead … and I don’t blame him. He did do an incredible interpretive dance to ‘Pierre’ during soundcheck. Full seven-minute interpretive kind of tacky, stretchy goth dance.”

Mein Herr (from ‘Cabaret’ by John Kander and Fred Ebb) (Brian on guitar)

“I wrote a lot of songs especially towards the very end of the time that I was living right here in this neighborhood in a house that at this point feels completely fucking haunted. And they’re ALL incredibly fucking sad songs. I wonder why? But this one’s actually like the least sad, I think. And it’s really sad. … I wanna say one last thing about Rey, our amazing security guard tonight. I’ve been crying a lot lately because of all sorts of things … I’ve cried a couple times today, but Rey made me cry. … He asked me, you know in that like casual way, ‘How are you doing?’ and I was like, ‘I don’t know. I’m not great. I’m pretty fucked up; I’m dealing with a whole family crisis.’ And he said, ‘Oh but that’s out there. Now you’re with your family.’”

Another Christmas (Brian on guitar; Amanda on jingle bells) This one hit with a little more emotional impact than usual tonight.

“This is a song, also from our second record, back before I learned how to write a powerful song about abortion in a non-sarcastic way. This was like 2.0, before we got to 4.0. You should VOTE.”

Mandy Goes to Med School This one included both a bit of Cab Calloway’s ‘Minnie the Moocher,’ and a brief excerpt from ‘Careless Whisper’ by George Michael tonight.

-crew thanks and merch commercial-

Amanda gave a big shout-out to Nikki McQueen, who has been designing amazing posters for the Dolls’ tours for the past couple years and was brought to the show from South Africa by a successful crowd-funding campaign.

The Jeep Song

Massachusetts Avenue (Grand Theft Orchestra cover)

“This is a break-up song, but it’s a really weird one because it’s about that time when you know the break-up’s gonna happen, but it hasn’t quite happened yet. And you’re still like luxuriating in the agony of ‘We’re still fucking’ but it’s over.”

Boston

Half Jack The extended instrumental intro to this one started with Brian solo on the drums for quite a while before Amanda joined in on piano. It was effective at building tension and anticipation. — — Girl Anachronism

Sing (Brian on guitar to start)

Photo Gallery:

Before the show Michael delivered a birthday present from Amanda!

Soundcheck!

Just point a camera at Brian Viglione and you will get something good.

BIRTHDAY SHOT! (photos by Melissa Smith)

Amanda doesn’t have a thousand-yard stare. Not at all.

Blue period.

The Dresden Dolls!

Mein Herr (upper right photo by Deanna Aliano)

Another Christmas (photo by Deanna Aliano)

Good night, Bearsville!

In a final act of birthday kindness Michael hand-delivered the set list to me after the show. They followed it closely for the most part, but veered off toward the end, as is tradition.

[berylgrace]

up, down, up, down

this year, i visited my best friend's new house where he lives with his boyfriend

i lived in the student flat from hell where i experienced constant anxiety, irritation from the noise and inconsiderate behaviour, a filthy kitchen, and felt like a ghost in a flat full of girls who were all friends except me

i turned 20

i went to see the rocky horror picture show

i saw elton john's final tour, my first ever concert

my best friend tried to kill himself. he didn't succeed. i remain furious at his partner for how badly he handled it, but keep it to myself for the sake of keeping bad blood to a minimum

i got a job in retail. i like my manager, my coworkers, the job itself

i moved into a (student) studio flat, eating up all of my student loan, overdraft and then some, draining my finances but improving my mental health. no more agonising and waiting until 9pm to hope the kitchen is free and eat a 10 minute meal

i was the victim of a financial scam. almost £3k was taken, but thankfully was all returned. i no longer answer ANY phone call that isn't someone in my contacts

i saw fall out boy in concert, standing

my mom had a screaming, yelling, threatening, sobbing, S/I emotional breakdown

i feel as though every time i took a step forward i was pushed back three. i tried reflecting hoping i would find the good but there was so much bad that it just overshadows. outwardly i'm quite a positive person and i wonder if it would be easier if i was the person who is allowed to suffer instead of the immovable object. dumb thing to ponder anyway considering i couldn't let myself be that even if the rest of the world decided they would let me.

[thatrandomartistjavi]

Actors that were in Alice in Wonderland media and where you might know them better from. Part 3: 2000s-2020s

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3(you're here!!)

American McGee(2000)-

Susie Brann as Alice: The Groke from Moominvalley(2019) Roger L. Jackson as the Cheshire Cat(and many others): Ghostface voice from the Scream franchise Mojo Jojo from The Powerpuff Girls Hol Horse from Jojo's Bizarre Adventure Jarion Monroe as the Caterpillar: Dr. Kaufmann from Silent Hill

What's the Matter with Hatter(2007)-

Lewis MacLeod as the Hatter: Sebulba from Star Wars Episode I- The Phantom Menace Principal Brown/Rocky Robinson/Mr. Small/Miss Simian/the Doughnut Sheriff from The Amazing World of Gumball(season 1)

SyFy(2009)-

Caterina Scorsone as Alice Hamilton: Dr. Anelia Sheperd from Grey's Anatomy Matt Frewer as Charlie the White Knight: Russell Thompson Sr. from Honey, I Shrunk the Kids! Panic from Hercules Pink Panther from The Pink Panther(1993) Chaos from Aladdin the Animated Series(the one exception to the No one time characters rule because I love Chaos) Kathy Bates as the Queen of Hearts: Margaret "Molly" Brown from Titanic Tim Curry as the Dodo: Dr. Frank N. Furter from The Rocky Horror Show/The Rocky Horror Picture Show Wadsworth from Clue Mr. Hector from Home Alone 2- Lost in New York Long John Silver from Muppet Treasure Island Pennywise the Clown/It from It(1990) Hexxus from Ferngully- The Last Rainforest The Cat King from The Cat Returns Taurus Bulba from Darkwing Duck Nigel Thornberry from The Wild Thornberrys Chancellor Palpatine from Star Wars- The Clone Wars S.I.R. from ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter Harry Dean Stanton as the Caterpillar: Balthazar from Rango Brett from Alien Brave Hearts Lion from The Care Bears Movie Timothy Webber as the Carpenter/Alice's dad: The Apprentice from Once Upon a Time

Malice in Wonderland(2009)-

Maggie Grace as Alice: Irina from Twilight- Breaking Dawn Shannon Ruthenford from Lost Nathaniel Park as Harry Hunt: Master Edward Gracey from The Haunted Mansion(2003) Pam Ferris as Duchey: Miss Agatha Trunchbull from Matilda

Tim Burton(2010)-

Johnny Depp as Tarrant Hightopp: Edward Scissorhands from Edward Scissorhands Captain Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean Willy Wonka from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Victor Van Dort from Corpse Bride Sweeney Todd from Sweeney Todd- The Demon Barber of Fleet Street(movie) Rango from Rango Helena Bonham Carter as Iracebeth of Crims: Emily from Corpse Bride Ms. Lovett from Sweeney Todd- The Demon Barber of Fleet Street(movie) Bellatrix Lestrange from Harry Potter franchise Mme. Thénardier from Les Misérables(2012) Fairy Godmother from Cinderella(2015) Anne Hathaway as Mirana of Marmoreal: Mia Thermopolis from The Princess Diaries Haru Yoshioka from The Cat Returns Red Puckett from Hoodwinked Jewel from Rio Fantine from Les Misérables(2012) Crispin Glover as Ilosovic Stayne: George McFly from Back to the Future Matt Lucas as the Tweedles: Sparx from AstroBoy(2009) Benny from Gnomeo & Juliet Gerarld Prodnose from Wonka Nardole from Doctor Who Frances de la Tour as Aunt Imogene: Madame Maxime from Harry Potter franchise Leo Bill as Hamish Ascot: Headmaster from Cruella Marton Csokas as Charles Kingsleigh: Lord Celeborn from The Lord of the Rings Lindsay Duncan as Helen Kingsleigh: Queen Annis from Merlin(2011) Tim Pigott-Smith as Lord Ascot: Sir Philip Tapsell from Downtown Abbey Geraldine James as Lady Ascot: Marilla Cuthbert from Anne with an E Michael Sheen as Nivens McTwisp: Dr. Griffiths from Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue Aro from Twilight-Breaking Dawn Aziraphale from Good Omens Alan Rickman as Absolem: Hans Gruber from Die Hard Severus Snape from Harry Potter franchise Judge Turpin from Sweeney Todd- The Demon Barber of Fleet Street(movie) Stephen Fry as Chessur: Narrator from Pocoyo Master of Lake-town from The Hobbit Barbara Windsor as Mallymkun: Blonde from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Timothy Spall as Bayard Hamar: Nick from Chicken Run Mr. Poe from A Series of Unfortunate Events(2004) Peter Pettigrew from Harry Potter franchise Beadle Bamford from Sweeney Todd- The Demon Barber of Fleet Street(movie) Paul Whitehouse as Thackery Earwicket: William Van Dort from Corpse Bride Michael Gough as Uilleam: Alfred Pennyworth from Burton Batman and its sequels Elder Gutknecht from Corpse Bride Christopher Lee as Jabberwocky: Saruman from The Lord of the Rings Dr. Wilbur Wonka from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Pastor Galswells from Corpse Bride Imelda Staunton as Talking Flowers: Bunty from Chicken Run Dolores Umbridge from Harry Potter franchise Knotgrass from Maleficent Aunt Lucy from Paddington Jim Carter as the Executioner: Mr. Charles Carson from Downtown Abbey

Wonderland the Musical(2011)-

Janet Dacal as Alice Stetson/Cornwinkle: Carla from In the Heights Nikki Snelson as the Hatter(2009-2010): Brooke Wyndam from Legally Blonde the Musical Kate Shindle as the Hatter(2011): Vivienne Kensington from Legally Blonde the Musical Jose Llana as El Gato: Chip Tolentino from 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Karen Mason as the Queen of Hearts: Tanya from Mamma Mia!(musical)

Royal Opera House ballet(2011)-

Steven McRae as the Hatter: Skimbleshanks from Cats(movie)

Once Upon a Time in Wonderland(2013)-

Sebastian Stan as Jefferson: Bucky Barnes/The Winter Soldier from the Marvel Cinematic Universe Keith David as the Cheshire Cat: Dr. Facilier from The Princess and the Frog Husk from Hazbin Hotel President from Rick and Morty Glossaryck from Star vs the Forces of Evil King Andrias Leviathan from Amphibia The Cat from Coraline Goliath from Gargoyles Arbiter from Halo 2 Millie Bobby Brown as Young Alice: Eleven from Strangers Things John Lithgow as Percy the White Rabbit: Reverend Shaw Moore from Footloose Lord Farquaad from Shrek

Ever After High(2013)-

Cindy Robinson as Madeline Hatter: Sirene/Psycho Jenny from Devilman Crybaby Leap from LeapFrog Jackson Jekyll/Holt Hyde/Operetta from Monster High(2010) Amy Rose from the Sonic franchise(since 2010) Wendee Lee as Lizzie Hearts: Faye Valentine from Cowboy Bepop Konata Izumi from Lucky Star Lisa Lisa from Jojo's Bizarre Adventure Nefera de Nile from Monster High(2010) Bekka Prewitt as Kitty Cheshire: Bela Dimitrescu from Resident Evil Village Robbie Daymond as Alistair Wonderland: Megumi Fushiguro from Jujutsu Kaisen Raymond from Ok K.O.! Let's Be Heroes Jesse Cosay from Infinity Train Ice Prince from Fionna and Cake Stardust Cookie from Cookie Run Kingdom Karen Strassman as Bunny Blanc/Queen of Hearts: Miyuki Takara from Lucky Star Olivia from Lego Friends Elissabat/Catty Noir from Monster High(2010) Rouge the Bat from the Sonic franchise(since 2010) Josey Montana McCoy as Chase Redford: Kaeya from Genshin Impact Neighton Rot/Victor Frankenstein from Monster High(2010) Paula Rhodes as Courtly Jester: Stacie from Barbie- Life in the Dreamhouse Scarah Screams/Sirena Von Boo from Monster High(2010) Macaron Cookie from Cookie Run Kingdom Julie Maddalena as the Cheshire Cat: Venus McFlytrap/Robecca Steam from Monster High(2010) Marc Grane as the Mad Hatter: Mr. Zurkon from Ratchet and Clank

Dora in Wonderland(2014)-

Mel Brooks as the Hatter: Professor Max Krassman from The Muppet Movie Vlad Dracula from Hotel Transylvannia 2 Alan Cumming as the White Rabbit: Floop from Spy Kids The Emcee from Cabaret(1993,1998) Sara Ramirez as the Queen of Hearts: Calliope Torres from Grey's Anatomy Queen Miranda from Sofia the First

Through the Looking Glass(2016)-

Sacha Baron Cohen as Time: King Julien XIII from Madagascar Signor Adolfo Pirelli from Sweeney Todd- The Demon Barber of Fleet Street(movie) Uncle Ugo from Luca Matt Vogel as Wilkins: Big Bird(since 1998)/Count Von Count(since 2013) from Sesame Street Uncle Deadly/Floyd Pepper/Sweetums/Lew Zealand/Crazy Harry/Camilla the Chicken/Robin the Frog from The Muppets(since 2008) Kermit the Frog from The Muppets(since 2020) Rhys Ifans as Zanik Hightopp: Xenophilius Lovegood from Harry Potter franchise Curt Connors/The Lizard from Amazing Spider-Man Richard Armitage as King Oleron: Thorin Oakenshield from The Hobbit Hattie Morahan as Queen Elsemere: Enchantress from Beauty and the Beast(2017) Kyle Herbert as Young Bayard: Big the Cat from Sonic Frontiers Wally Wingert as Humpty Dumpty: Almighty Tallest Red from Invader Zim Time from Disney Infinity 3.0 Riddler from Lego DC Super Villains/Batman-Arkham Hank Pym from Avengers- Earth's Mightiest Heroes Jon Arbuckle from The Garfield Show(2008) Renji Abari from Bleach

Alice By Heart(2019)-

Colton Ryan as Alfred Halam/White Rabbit: Connor Murphy from Dear Evan Hansen(movie) Wesley Taylor as Harold Pudding/Hatter: Sheldon Plankton from Spongebob Squarepants the Musical Honorable Mentions that have no footage of them playing the characters: Mike Faist as Alfred Halam/White Rabbit- Connor Murphy from Dear Evan Hansen(musical) Ben Platt as Alfred Halam/White Rabbit- Evan Hansen from Dear Evan Hansen Phillipa Soo as Tabitha/Cheshire Puss- Eliza Schuyler from Hamilton Anthony Ramos as Angus/Caterpillar- Phillip Hamilton from Hamilton

Come Away(2020)-

Angelina Jolie as Rose Littleton/Queen of Hearts: Maleficent from Maleficent Lola from Shark Tale Tigress from Kung Fu Panda

Alice's Wonderland Bakery(2022)-

Audrey Wasilewski as Dinah/Three Anne: Tucker Carbuckle from My Life as a Teenage Robot Arlene from Garfield(2009) Ortensia from Epic Mickey franchise Stealth Elf from Skylanders Megan Olsen from Infinity Train Craig Ferguson as Doorknob: Gobber from How to Train Your Dragon Owl from Winnie the Pooh(2011) Lord Macintosh from Brave Eden Espinosa as the Queen Valentina of Hearts: Cassandra from Tangled the Series Bobby Moynihan as Tweedle Don't/Dill: Panda from We Bare Bears Louie from Ducktales(2017) Dude from Descendants Donald Faison as Harry the March Hare: Christopher Turk from Scrubs Max Mittelman as Cheshire Cat: Saitama from One-Punch Man Plaqq from Miraculous Ladybug Ryuji Sakamoto from Persona 5 Red Velvet Cookie from Cookie Run Kingdom Arataki Itto from Genshin Impact George Salazar as Dad Hatter: Michael Mell from Be More Chill Grover from The Lightning Thief Musical Mandy Gonzalez as Mother Rose: Nina Rosario from In the Heights Yvette Nicole Brown as Mama Rabbit: Coach Roberts from Inside Out 2 Lesley Nicol as Iris: Mrs. Patmore from Downtown Abbey Merle Dandridge as the Silver Queen: Alyx Vance from Half-Life Marlene from The Last of Us Ana Gasteyer as Kiki the Caterpillar: Betsy Heron from Mean Girls Lamorne Morris as Dandy: Winston Bishop from New Girl Christopher Fitzgerald as Thistle: Boq from Wicked Ogie Anhorn from Waitress Matthew Moy as David of Spades: Lars Barriga from Steven Universe Shroomboom from Skylanders James Monroe Iglehart as Oliver the Onion: Genie from Aladdin on Broadway Asmodeus/Vortex from Helluva Boss Zestial from Hazbin Hotel Kausar Mohammed as Ms. Parvaneh: Yasmina Fadoula from Jurassic World- Camp Cretaceaus/Chaos Theory Cleo de Nile from Monster High(2022) Mark Williams as Ribbitton: Arthur Weasley from Harry Potter franchise Horace from 101 Dalmatians(1996) Karen Fukuhara as Sakura: Katana from Suicide Squad(2016) Glimmer from She-Ra and the Princesses of Power(2018) Kipo Oak from Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts Isabella Abiera as Milly the Carpenter: Hazel from Infinity Train Dee Bradley Baker as Jabbie the Jabberwock: Perry the Platypus from Phineas and Ferb

Rise of Red(2024)-

Leonardo Nam as Maddox Hatter: Felix Lutz from Westworld Kylie Cantrall as Princess Red of Hearts: Dani from High School Musical-The Musical The Series(season 4)

[8iunie]

‘We’ve always been very divisive’: Måneskin on fighting fascists and breakfast with Chris Martin

First The X Factor, then victory at Eurovision, now a Grammy nod: the Italian glam rockers have taken the road less ordinary on their way to worldwide fame. So long as they can be themselves, they wouldn’t have it any other way (posted on 21.01.2023)

Damiano David is bent double over a large glass table, gleefully snorting an imaginary line of cocaine. His Måneskin bandmates – bassist Victoria De Angelis, guitarist Thomas Raggi and drummer Ethan Torchio – collapse in fits of laughter around their frontman, each one pretending to wipe the nonexistent powder off the table in their rented LA flat.

David is playfully reimagining the Italian rockers’ most infamous moment: hours after winning Eurovision 2021 with their pogoing glam-rock stomp Zitti e Buoni, in front of a global audience of 183 million, footage circulated of David appearing to snort something off a table in the green room. The images quickly went viral, with Emmanuel Macron reportedly calling for the band to be disqualified (France’s entry was in second place). In the end David offered to take a drug test, which cleared him of any wrongdoing; the results are still pinned proudly to his fridge at home.

“I think the view people have of us, and of me, it’s very off-target,” David says now, his usual rock star uniform – Gucci-styled 70s glam idol mixed with Rocky Horror Picture Show vamp – replaced by an oversized beige sweater and a violent cold. (Every band member is struck down with it, rendering a grey-looking Raggi almost mute.) “People think we behave like the Sex Pistols, or Mötley Crüe, but we’re nothing like that,” David continues. “We’ve got more educated on the risks of drugs and how they affect your body. I don’t even drink alcohol any more.”

“At the time we got so upset about it and now we don’t give a fuck,” smiles De Angelis, the band’s most outspoken member, sat looking resplendent in an Italians Do It Better T-shirt.

David, however, is having none of it: “No, I am still upset about it, actually. I think it’s dumb to tarnish the victory at Eurovision. I think we should go back and hand flowers around.”

Måneskin, despite their throwback vintage rock vibe, represent a very modern take on the rock’n’roll mythos. Prior to Eurovision – a DayGlo pop jamboree not renowned for its links to rock excess – the band gained notoriety via Italy’s version of karaoke conveyor belt The X Factor. Their origin story has led to some music purists taking umbrage at the band’s success, with their CV now including two UK Top 10 singles, more than 4bn streams, multiple world tours, a collaboration with Iggy Pop, plus a support slot with the Rolling Stones in Vegas.

“Some of the stupid comments we get are probably because of [having done The X Factor and Eurovision],” shrugs De Angelis. “People are so narrow-minded that they can’t see beyond the idea that if we went on Eurovision we must be shit. They can’t listen to our songs with an open mind and judge them based on what they really think.”

On their highly anticipated third album, Rush!, Måneskin’s first since becoming one of the few new rock acts to break through globally, the band can often be found grappling not only with the speed of their ascent (hence the title), but also a complicated relationship with what rock’n’roll means in 2023. “The whole concept of rock music is not conforming to what society would love you to be,” De Angelis says. “It’s ignoring those made-up rules and being yourself. We don’t think real rock music is about these stereotypes of the sex and drugs and rock’n’roll lifestyle,” she continues. “It’s about expression and creative freedom.”

Still, Rush!, which was mainly co-produced in LA by Swedish hitmaker Max Martin, is stuffed with songs about sex, drugs and, indeed, rock’n’roll, but often with a twist. While lead single Supermodel criticises, rather than valorises, LA’s vapid party scene (“Everything [in LA] is so huge and big and wants to impress you, it’s all showing off,” sniffs De Angelis), the band confess to having enjoyed at least one A-list schmooze with Coldplay’s Chris Martin, who invited them over to his and girlfriend Dakota Johnson’s house for breakfast.

“Dakota cooked us eggs, Chris didn’t cook,” remembers Torchio.

“He was enjoying the moment,” suggests David.

Supermodel also references the band’s apparent drug of choice, cocaine, as does the frenetic Bla Bla Bla, though it largely serves as a warning of sorts, as David sings: “I’m too drunk and I can’t get hard.” “It happens when you drink too much,” the 23-year-old shrugs, ignoring his bandmates’ giggles. “Even when you haven’t had a drink. [That song] is a mixture of honesty and putting on ‘crazy guy’ shoes. [That character] says some things I would never say.”

Perhaps the best example of stereotypical rock’n’roll swagger arrives on the ludicrous Kool Kids, a punky marauder that finds David aping the spit-flecked delivery of Slowthai. “That [was written] three days after Eurovision so our feeling was: ‘Fuck off, we won and everybody has to eat our shit,’” David says. “Before Eurovision we went through a very tough year; everybody was trying to stop us doing this kind of music and doing Eurovision. Nobody believed in us. So we had this feeling of being the underdogs that won.”

That feeling has helped cement Måneskin’s sibling-style bond. It’s been fostered since they formed at high school in Rome in 2016, with David, De Angelis and Raggi coming together after their various other bands didn’t work out (Torchio was later recruited via Facebook). “I remember when I started playing guitar at school, everyone was like: ‘Oh my God, you play electric guitar. Are you a lesbian?’” De Angelis says. “It’s all these stereotypes you know.” Suddenly her eyes dart around the room. “But then actually they were right,” she adds with a huge roar of laughter.

The band, named after the Danish word for moonlight (De Angelis is half-Danish), would quickly garner similar reactions across Rome for their style, which often involved every band member donning makeup. “I remember even when we were busking or playing at school parties everyone always looked at us like freaks,” says De Angelis. “This gave us even more of an attitude of wanting to tell them to shut up. Growing up and being inspired by a lot of the artists from the 70s, the glam, it showed us something we hadn’t seen.”

In 2017, the band appeared on The X Factor, eventually finishing second and landing a chart-topping album in Italy a year later. “When we went on The X Factor we were the first rock band to [appear], but we just played as if it was our own show,” De Angelis continues. “We didn’t have to change.”

While more success quickly followed in Italy, including five Top 10 singles in two years, the band say they felt a shift at home after Eurovision sent them interstellar. “We’ve always been very dividing,” David says. “There are a bunch of people that love us and are very proud of what we’re doing, and then there’s a whole other part made of conservatives and traditional rock’n’roll fans and fascists that hate us with everything they’ve got. Then there’s this conspiracy building up … ”

Everyone at the table looks bemused.

“What?” splutters Torchio.

“Yeah, guys you have to be informed,” snaps David. “It says that we’re getting famous because we’re being paid. That we’re working with the Italian government to share this gender-fluid culture!”

“A lot of people are really proud,” De Angelis says. “But Italy is a very conservative country and they’re intimidated by the fact that someone can wear makeup or high heels or appear half-naked or not be straight. But fuck them.”

This passion for nudity caused problems last August when the band performed at the MTV VMAs, where they won best alternative video for single I Wanna Be Your Slave. While David donned a dog collar, leather chaps and buttock-revealing thong, De Angelis covered one nipple with a silver star before her top slipped down revealing the other one to be unadorned. Cue lots of hastily edited aerial shots to save everyone’s blushes. “We’re too hot for US television,” smiles De Angelis. “It’s so stupid because they want to appear so open-minded and then they get scared about a pair of nipples. There is this difference between men’s and women’s bodies and how you’re perceived and sexualised all the time. Everyone has nipples.”

“It’s very clear the different standards people have because I was literally butt-naked,” adds David.

Perhaps it’s no surprise that a band whose success was forged in controversy are now under the microscope. For David and Raggi, the band’s straight contingent, there have been accusations of queer-baiting, thanks to their penchant for sporting makeup and experimenting with a more fluid style. “There are some cases where it happens, but sometimes [the accusations are] so extreme,” says De Angelis. “It’s stupid for queer people, who should fight these stereotypes, to label it as this and create more hate. The fact [Raggi and David] are straight doesn’t mean they can’t wear makeup. Or heels.”

David agrees: “Everything me and Thomas do is always filtered by two people who are [queer]. Of course we don’t experience the same stuff, but we live every day very closely with people from the community.”

They are keen to also deflect their spotlight on to more immediately concerning issues, with Rush!’s throbbing Gasoline – performed at last September’s Global Citizen festival in New York – aimed at Putin (“How are you sleeping at night? How do you close both your eyes? Living with all of those lives on your hands?” run the lyrics.) The song, they say, is a message of support for their Ukrainian fans. Rather than shy away from politics, the band see it as entwined with who they are. “Everything you do as an individual is political,” says David.

For now, however, they are keen to get some sleep. There is a discussion around how much time they’ve had off since winning Eurovision in 2021, with the general consensus landing on about two weeks in total. With another tour booked for this year, including a sold-out show at London’s O2 Arena, and a Grammy award to fight for (they’re nominated for best new artist), their schedule seems unlikely to let up any time soon.

“Two weeks off in two years!” repeats a dazed David shaking his head. Rock’n’roll stops for no one.

Writer: Michael Cragg for The Guardian

[cryptid-killjoy]

After a lovely evening with his husband, lovely. Lovely. Flotsam's mind started to realize a part of them was always Valerie and just like parts of Flo remained in Val, Val's manner of speech/thinking was still in Flo. He did. He had a god damn lovely evening with his husband before packing for Ireland. Now he remembered why he missed having a dick though. How lucky was he to experience his handsome husband every way possible?

He woke in a good mood. Even going back to bottle mode didn't feel as intense as it did the first time now that he'd gotten to switch back and forth. There was a safe feeling in knowing all he had to do was take off the necklace if Valerie really needed to. All Flo's little secret fears and true wishes were out of the bag so to say and Thomas and his wolf helped put Flo at ease there too. Halloweening was on the list of to dos. So Flo wasn't freaking out. Everything was going to be okay no matter where in the world they were. He still wanted to get away after all he'd learned of himself in the middle of what else had been stressing him. So he was back to escapism mode with the vacation wanting to get away, but really, it wasn't so heavy anymore. Thomas was still being the fix it guy for him and all it took was a conversation he never wanted to have.

The first thing Flotsam did was start to write a list of things he wanted to do before leaving Ireland. Order mattered not. He found the basics, as far as basics go for him. He isn't the sort to want to tour every damn castle in Ireland or anywhere else in Europe. But, Blarney Castle he'd go for.

"Babe. So fair warning. I'm taking the kids to carry out their first felony. We will accomplish a family heist at the Blarney Castle and steal plants from the Poison Garden. Goals. I have them."

Go to Blarney Castle

Kiss the Blarney stone

Steal plants from the Poison Garden

The Northern Lights

See The Rocky Horror Picture Show at the Grand Opera House in Belfast ((because it has to be fate that's playing while they're there))

The National Leprechaun Museum

Titanic Museum

Goals indeed. "Northern lights. Pretty sure there's somewhere in Ireland you can see them. I so wished you were there when I got to go to Alaska. I wished it the whole time we were staring at the sky. Not that I told anyone this back then because I was still in young crush me who refuses to tell anyone I like you in that wayish. But, we can see them in Ireland too. Even better. Your green world. Meant to be. Has to happen."

He was googling things on their way there, in parking lots, in lines, sitting around waiting for flights, all those boring moments he took his moment to play tourist. He spoke as they were on their way to the rental.

"Rocky Horror is playing at the Grand Opera House. Feels like an authentic Irish experience to me." He laughed having a hard time picturing Rocky Horror being done with Irish accents and couldn't help not smiling. "Leprechaun museum for cheesy pictures with the kids and Titanic Museum for morbid pictures of us having fun taking end of ship movie photos at what's essentially a memorial of dead people's things drudged up from bottom of the ocean, Captain. Gotta love capitalism." He said with his own cheesy grin.

He grinned over at him when he called him Captain remembering their date on the boat. He really liked that. "We should buy a boat. Also this is the last trip without Pippin. I'm getting her a damn plane for real. The one I would have ended up getting Chip. I halted on that because of his zombie-thing worried that maybe he shouldn't be flying around after all wings or not. But, Pip's still clear headed. If anything they can fly together and she can take over if he zombies out."

They were building an air strip out in Nola. It's all Feral now. They were probably never going back any how. Time to consider where to keep a private plane elsewhere.

When they finally pulled into the rental and Flotsam got to see where his escape was going to be he smiled. It felt like something Thomas would pick.

"Look at you giving us the real deal experience, Cap. This is so great. Perfect for all of us." He kept picturing him with the sea behind him. Something kept making his mind go back to that date. He remembered how Thomas looked with the blue waves of adventure behind him. But, he really did like the privacy there. With the triplets he liked their own space. He'd accept the maid service for the time being. Flo's one of those people who would rather do something himself than have people near him sometimes. So, it would be no wonder if he ever called them off or put a do not disturb on the property as a whole because fuck people. No maid outfit required for Thomas. It would probably weird Flo out if he did.

"Oh, you know what else I want to do at some point? Go to the rebel poet's pub. James Clarence Mangan. I don't know the name of it. But, I know it's in Ireland. I'll find it if I look it up. But, I heard he haunts a pub in Ireland. I'm going to find out if it's true." Leave it to Flotsam to want to go get autographs of dead celebrities, not live ones. "Maybe Leap Castle, but only because I know it's like one of the hauntedier ones and I would love to see the murder hole, but really. I don't need to see every castle in Ireland, ya feel me?"

Then right as he said ya feel me as he walking through the quaint style cottage of neutral colors he spotted the prize winner of the property. The ocean.

"Oh!"

It was ocean front property. Flotsam started to glow. He didn't need River's inner physical glow to see this beaming straight from the inside out. He stopped yick yacking and his whole face lit up.

"Oh my fucking a-hole. Look at that. Look what you did. We are sitting next to the ocean. Like... on purpose. We can just walk outside and it's... it's right there." He pointed out at it over top of the stroller he'd been pushing. "Right there." He jumped enough to where both feet came off the floor and knees rose waist high. His feet in those heavy kicks stamped back down. "Right there, Thomas. It's right there. Real ocean."

They didn't have to get into a car and drive there first, get the car and go home after, consider the light of day, or night, length of travel back for drying off, cleaning up, anything that beach brings on. It wasn't a lake shore. It wasn't a river's shore like on the old Mississippi. It wasn't a swamp. It was a real life ocean shore.

"Right. There." He kept pointing.

[brookston]

Holidays 6.19

Holidays

Artigas Day (Uruguay)

Baseball Day

Beggar's Banquets (Brazil)

Butterfly Day

Constitution Day (Seychelles)

Day of the Independent Hungary

Día del Nunca Más (a.k.a. Never Again Day; Argentina)

Emancipation Day (Texas)

Feast of Forest (Palawan)

Festival of the Coming Ice Age

Garfield the Cat Day

International Box Day

International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict (UN)

International Fathers Mental Health Day

Juneteenth (US)

Labour Day (Trinidad and Tobago)

Laguna Day (Philippines)

Mass Market Paperback Book Day

Midsummer’s Eve (a.k.a. Midsommarafton; Aland, Finland, Sweden)

Midsummer’s Eve [Day before Summer Solstice]

National Ding Free Day (Canada)

National FreeBSD Day

National Heroes’ Day (Bermuda)

National Pets in Film Day

National Reading Day (India)

National Watch Day

Never Again Day (Uruguay)

New Church Day (Swedenborgian)

Pediatric Headache Awareness Day

Red Soda Celebration

Rye Day (French Republic)

Spooky Stories Appreciation Night

Surigao del Norte Day (Philippines)

Surigao del Sur Day (Philippines)

Svalbard Global Seed Vault Day

"War Is Hell" Day

World Albatross Day

World Sauntering Day

World Sickle Cell Day

Food & Drink Celebrations

Eat An Oreo Day

National Dine Out Day

National Martini Day (a.k.a. Dry Martini Day)

Real Food Day

3rd Monday in June

National Tour Guides Day [3rd Monday]

Organic Act Day (US Virgin Islands) [3rd Monday]

Ride to Work Day (Motorcycles) [3rd Monday]

Rusalka’s Week begins (Honoring Divinity of Rivers; Asatru/Slavic Pagan) [3rd Monday]

Take Your Cat to Work Day [Monday of 3rd Full Week]

Independence Days

Mondero (Declared; 2010) [unrecognized]

Thebes (Declared; 2019) [unrecognized]

Feast Days

Asatru Alliance Founding Day (Asatru)

Boniface of Querfurt (Christian; Saint)

Cornelius Krieghoff (Artology)

Deodatus (a.k.a. Didier or Die) of Nevers (or of Jointures) (Christian; Saint)

Feralia: Day of Purification (Pagan)

Festival for Minerva (Ancient Rome)

Georges Ribemont-Dessaignes (Artology)

Gervasius and Protasius (Catholic Church; Martyrs)

Hildegrim of Châlons (Christian; Saint)

Jude (Christian; Saint)

Juliana Falconieri (Christian; Saint)

Martini Day (Pastafarian)

Pelayo (Positivist; Saint)

Princess Gwendolynda (Muppetism)

Robert Heinlein Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Romuald (Christian; Saint)

Ursicinus of Ravenna (Christian; Saint)

Zosimus (Christian; Saint)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Shakku (赤口 Japan) [Bad luck all day, except at noon.]

Umu Limnu (Evil Day; Babylonian Calendar; 28 of 60)

Premieres

American Gods, by Neil Gaiman (Novel; 2001)

Batman Returns (Film; 1992)

The Brave Little Toaster (Animated Film; 1987)

Bukowski (Film; 2013)

The Cannonball Run (Film; 1981)

Dancing in the Street, recorded by Martha and the Vandellas (Song; 1964)

Devil May Hare (WB LT Cartoon; 1954)

Dream for an Insomniac (Film; 1998)

The Enigma Variations, by Edward Elgar (Orchestral Piece; 1899) 

For Your Eyes Only, by Sheena Easton (Song; 1981)

Garfield (Comic Strip; 1978)

The Gospel According to the Son, by Norman Mailer (Novel; 1997)

Hatari! (Film; 1962)

How to Save Your Own Life, by Erica Jong (Novel; 1977)

The Idler Wheel…, by Fiona Apple (Album; 2012)

I’m a Honky Tonk Girl, recorded by Loretta Lynn (Song; 1960)

Inside Out (Animated Pixar Film; 2015)

Jason and the Argonauts (Film; 1963)

The Last of Us Part II (Video Game; 2020)

Mulan (Animated Disney Film; 1998)

The Music Man (Film; 1962)

Porky’s Building (WB LT Cartoon; 1937)

The Proposal (Film; 2009)

Purple Haze, by Jimi Hendrix (US Song; 1967)

Ramblin’ Rose, recorded by Nat King Cole (Song; 1962)

The Rocky Horror Picture Show (UK Musical Play; 1973)

Rough and Rowdy Ways, by Bob Dylan (Album; 2020)

Roxanne (Film; 1987)

Streamlined Greta Green (WB MM Cartoon; 1937)

Superman II (Film; 1981)

Tim McGraw, by Taylor Swift (Song; 2006)

X-Files: Fight the Future (Film; 1998)

Today’s Name Days

Juliana, Romuald (Austria)

Božidar, Julijana, Romuald (Croatia)

Leoš (Czech Republic)

Gervasius (Denmark)

Sigrid, Siiri, Siivi (Estonia)

Siiri (Finland)

Gervais, Romuald (France)

Juliana, Romuald (Germany)

Paisios, Zosimos (Greece)

Gyárfás (Hungary)

Gervasio, Protasio, Romualdo (Italy)

Nils, Vaironis, Viktors (Latvia)

Dovilas, Dovilė, Ramunė (Lithuania)

Elling, Erling (Norway)

Borzysław, Gerwazy, Julianna, Odo, Protazy, Sylweriusz (Poland)

Iuda (România)

Alfréd (Slovakia)

Aurora, Gervasio, Romualdo (Spain)

Germund, Görel (Sweden)

Carisa, Carissa, Jarvis, Jervis, Karissa, Ralna (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 170 of 2024; 195 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 1 of week 25 of 2023

Celtic Tree Calendar: Duir (Oak) [Day 8 of 28]

Chinese: Month 5 (Wu-Wu), Day 2 (Wu-Shen)

Chinese Year of the: Rabbit 4721 (until February 10, 2024)

Hebrew: 30 Sivan 5783

Islamic: 30 Dhu al-Qada 1444

J Cal: 20 Sol; Sixday [20 of 30]

Julian: 6 June 2023

Moon: 3%: Waxing Crescent

Positivist: 2 Charlemagne (7th Month) [Pelayo]

Runic Half Month: Dag (Day) [Day 10 of 15]

Season: Spring (Day 91 of 92)

Zodiac: Gemini (Day 29 of 32)

[rhela-xiv]

Actually yeah I am gonna reblog this just so I can tell yall about my dad.

I love my mom so much. We have a lot in common.

But my dad is one of my absolute favorite people and I mean that with all my heart.

Father’s Day was always difficult growing up, because every card is for a dad who’s into cars, or beer, or fishing, or football. My dad is a recovering alcoholic. He got into fishing for a little while, and grilling. He cheered for his dad’s football team and coached my brother’s little league games. He had a motorcycle when I was little.

But my father is, and always has been, a gigantic fucking nerd. And a theater kid. And a writer.

He read comics and played D&D with his friends back when you still got your lunch money stolen for that kind of thing. He was in high school theater with the most luxurious and perfectly styled head of hair you could possibly imagine. He did Rocky Horror Picture Show in LA. He saw the original Star Wars in the theater multiple times, and because he was working at a toy store at the time we still have original, in box, Kenner action figures. I distinctly remember him playing video games when I was little (he had both a Dreamcast and a Genesis). When it was time for bedtime stories, he read to my brother and I. Or rather, he performed for us. All the voices, the sound effects, accents, emotions. Chapter books, every night, without fail.

There was no such thing as too many books, for my dad. Even when my brother and I switched to manga and comics, because those were books, too, with stories just as worthy of being read and discussed. He didn’t shy away from other media, either. Every weekend, for years, we would go to the video stores down the street and rent movies we had never seen before.

My brother went through a samurai phase, and we watched almost every single Kurosawa film. We discovered Cowboy Bebop one weekend, and my dad called half the video stores in town until he found one that had the whole series. We watched cartoons together, from Powepuff Girls and Dexter’s Lab, all the way to Toonami and the Midnight Run. Nothing was “off limits”. We watched The Marx Brothers, and Mel Brooks movies, and South Park, and Team America. He supported my first foray into a fandom space by renting me every single Vin Diesel movie we could find. Multiple times.

My dad introduced me to theatre. We didn’t get many tours where I grew up, so he found film adaptations, or filmed performances. A Chorus Line, Jesus Christ Superstar, Cabaret, Chicago, Sweeney Todd. He took me to see Rent on stage when I was in high school. He has lyrics from Wicked tattooed on his chest. We’ve gone to more live shows together than I can count.

It wasn’t always great. He and my mom separated, and things were bad. And then the divorce finalized and things were really bad. We fought. Constantly. Over everything. I got in trouble. A lot. But my dad was always there. Even when we fought about my (shitty) high school boyfriend and I told him I wanted to stay with my mom for a while. He dropped me off at her house and told me he loved me. I came back a few days later, and he never held it against me.

When I moved out for college, our relationship got better. Distance helped. It’s really hard having two people in the same house struggling with unmedicated depression and anxiety.

When my brother went to college, my dad suddenly had a lot of free time on his hands and he rediscovered his love of video games.

I don’t know what started it. He found Second Life first, but there wasn’t enough space there for him to really create, so he found another virtual space. He built houses. Towns. He built an entire, functioning, virtual film museum. He made friends in virtual spaces, including one very lovely woman who convinced him to give World of Warcraft a try. And he found his people.

These days, we talk every weekend. Sometimes more. We send each other stupid memes (he sends puns and, of course, dad jokes). I played a bit of WoW with him, and he came over to XIV for a while. Ultimately we both returned to our own games, but we can relate to the common MMO experiences. He writes and records a weekly podcast with his now-girlfriend, and he still does all the voices. We info dump about our OCs, and share our stories with each other.

I’m not what you’d call a “daddy’s girl”, but I fucking love my dad. He’s one of the coolest people I know, and I wouldn’t trade him for the world.

Actually I'm curious. The notes will probably be rancid but whatever. Like personally I love my mum but I am my father's son all the way. Like I WILL play favourites and my favourite is my dad. And I'm wondering what the ratio of mother's children to father's children is on this site. I have my suspicions because this is the 'I hate my dad' website, but let's do "science".

[shotattheshow]

[REVIEW] Bowling For Soup @ Rickshaw Theatre

By Jacob Zinn

It’s hard to believe it’s been 20 years since Bowling For Soup’s A Hangover You Don’t Deserve was released – but it’s even harder to believe that Friday was their first time performing in Vancouver since the 2003 Warped Tour, before their biggest album ever came out.

But the pop-punk stalwarts finally found their way north of the border for a series of Canadian dates, including a sold out headliner at the Rickshaw Theatre to celebrate the album’s 20th anniversary.

[PHOTOS] Bowling For Soup @ Rickshaw Theatre

The temporary trio from Texas (founding lead guitarist Chris Burney is recovering from surgery) was joined by Insta-famous Long Island rock quartet Adam and the Metal Hawks and Rhode Island pop punkers MAKEOUT (formerly Trophy Wives) for easily one of the funnest shows of the year.

[PHOTOS] MAKEOUT @ Rickshaw Theatre

MAKEOUT got things started with a series of instant singalongs like “Childish, “Lisa” (to anyone named Lisa, they’re so sorry) and the ever-catchy “Crazy.” Guitarist Tyler Young and vocalist Kyle Dee warmed the crowd up from the front of the stage while drummer Scott Eckel kept a low profile in the back – all-in-all, an impressive opening set by the touring three-piece.

[PHOTOS] Adam and the Metal Hawks @ Rickshaw Theatre

From social media to the stage, AMH kicked off their set with the Rocky Horror Picture Show classic “Time Warp” and alternated between original tunes such as “Backwards” and “Fine Line” – all heavily influenced by the likes of Led Zeppelin, AC/DC and Tenacious D – and covers of Queen’s “Don’t Stop Me Now,” The Killers’ “Mr. Brightside” and Jimmy Eat World’s “The Middle.”

Then came time for Bowling For Soup – the 21-year wait was over! Going song for song, singer/guitarist Jaret Reddick, drummer Gary Wiseman and bassist Rob Felicetti launched into the came-up-short anthem “Almost” followed by headwear love song “Trucker Hat” and their biggest smash earworm, “1985.”

Touring on an album means playing it front-to-back in its entirety – all 17 tracks – and about halfway through, singer Jaret Reddick acknowledged that their set was inadvertently front-loaded by the album’s three hit singles. (Including the highlight of MAKEOUT taking over the onstage responsibilities during “Ohio (Come Back to Texas)” midsong.)

“This next song is my favourite song on the album,” said Reddick, referring to “Last Call Casualty.”

“I think it should’ve been a hit, but we had three or four other ones off this album, and we’ve already played them so you guys are going, ‘Fuck, shit…’ But here’s the thing, if you guys make it through this whole album, we’re gonna play more hits afterwards!”

And indeed they did! After peppering in some other AHYDD favourites like “Next Ex-Girlfriend,” “A-Hole” and “Smoothie King,” Reddick invited a lucky fan named Brittany onstage to spin a wheel for the next song – she crossed her fingers for “Emily,” and as fate would have it, the spin actually landed on it!

The encore rounded out the night with three of the band’s biggest early-to-mid 2000s throwbacks.

First up, “High School Never Ends” perfectly reminded us of the celebrity culture of its time, and how little has changed in the last two decades. Then, perhaps for some of the younger fans, they led right into “Today is Gonna Be a Great Day,” the Phineas and Ferb theme song – there were more than a few Perry the Platypus hats in the crowd so this was a big one, even for those who attended Punk Rock 101.

And, of course, the show wouldn’t be complete without the penultimate song about your high school crush on a goth girl with a choker, “Girl All the Bad Guys Want.”

“Ladies and gentlemen, I hate goodbyes, but I do love the fact that we get to leave you… with THE BEST SONG EVER SUNG,” said Reddick before riffing into the finale.

But he also left the Vancouver crowd with some hope for a return sooner than later.

“It’s been a long time since we played in Canada, it’s been a long time since we toured here,” he said, “and I hope that we won’t take that long of a break again, it would be great to come back a time or two very, very soon.”

[privilege-rpg]

SAM EVANS

☆ FULL NAME: Samuel "Sam" Dwight Evans ☆ GENDER: Cisman ☆ PRONOUNS: He/Him ☆ AGE: 33 (May 4th, 1991) ☆ TYPE: Full sibling; solo ☆ HOMETOWN: Nashville, Tennessee ☆ JOB: Voice Actor and Impersonator ☆ SCHOOL: PSU Alumni ☆ SEXUALITY: Fluid ☆ FACECLAIM: Austin Butler

ABOUT SAM

The Evans home was always filled with music. Sam remembers his dad always playing the guitar and always having country songs playing throughout the house. So it wasn’t long before he had a guitar in his arms. One of his favourite memories was him and his dad with the family around the backyard camp fire singing songs. His dad gave him the guitar from his first tour and it became his prized possession.

As the oldest, Sam always felt like there was a lot of responsibility on his shoulders. His dad always reminded the kids of his life before he won star search and went from a normal person to massive country music star and how lucky they should be. They wanted to give their kids the things they didn’t growing up. So all the opportunities were made for them to be successful. When Sam started playing guitar and singing he was taken to the studio with his dad and got to play with legendary performers like Dolly Parton and Billy Ray Cyrus and after seeing his talent he even got his own recording contract. 

So at the age of 13 Sam released his first single “I want candy” which was an instant hit. However the song was accidentally given to two artists at the time and a young Austin Carson took Sam to court for copywrite infringement. Sam lost the case and was blackballed from the music business. So Sam was forced to walk away from music keep his head down and tried to focus on his schooling which was definitely not his strong suit due to his dyslexia.

By the time he made it to 18 Sam wanted to learn from his mother and took up modelling. She took him under his wing and introduced Sam to the modelling world. Sam started being on the covers of magazines and began to be quite the hot commodity. Being in the modelling world intensified the focus on Sam’s body. It started Same obsession with how he looked. He would watch what he ate and over exercise when he was stressed. Sometimes he would starve himself if he was just too busy to eat or he had a big shoot coming up that he wanted to be the shape for. When he tried out to be a runway model his athletic build didn’t fit the lean build of the other models and it sent Sam spiralling into a dark place and his relationship with food it its lowest. So the family tried to get point him in another direction to take the heat off. That’s how he ended up in the most controversial remake of the Rocky Horror Picture show playing  Rocky. The film was not only a bust but it was so bad and so controversial that it all but destroyed Sam’s career. No one would touch him. He spiralled ended up going off grid. He ended up living in a motel and started a new career stripping. 

White chocolate as he was known at the strip club was loved by everyone. He had the moves and the rhythm. Although a weird job choice Sam found he a very good living with stripping, especially with the tips and he quickly went up the ranks to become one of the most successful at the club. It wasn’t his favourite thing to do but he did enjoy people appreciating the work he put into his body. Sam was getting himself back on his feet and setting up a good life for himself when he learnt about the Mayan Apocalypse. Scared that the end of the world was upon the world and he had so much he wanted to experience in his life Sam sold up most of his things and gave a lot away. He focused on experiencing all that life had to offer and show his appreciation to those in his life. It all turned out to be false however and after the date of the Apocalypse Sam realised he was left with nothing.

With that Sam was forced to return home. His family helped him get back onto his feet and they pushed him to go to PSU and branch out his abilities even though he didn’t have the grades. He was however good at impressions. Lucky PSU had The Channing Tatum former male stripper grant so Sam attended PSU and took up an acting course to hone his skills. This way he could continue his love of performing. As his acting skills grew he would add many other acts to his roster and as part of his time at PSU he realised his large mouth was particularly good for voice over work. Not only could he do the most amazing impressions but he could make the most amazing sounds with his mouth. A police car siren, no problem, a motor boat, by all means, beatbox, easy. He was like a one man folly artist.

Along with that one day whilst on his way to college he was out in LA getting coffee when someone mistook him for Justin Bieber and he was filled with a brilliant idea. Hence the creation of his one man show The Justin Bieber experience. Sam would get hired for birthdays and events as a Justin Bieber impersonator and he was pretty good at it. He didn’t have to be himself and no one had to remember him from he bad publicity and he could live through the success of others. 

So now Sam works as a voice actor full time. Often at Indigo Sounds where a lot of his work happens. He has a dog called McConaughey. As a side hustle he does have a number of alter egos which he does impersonations of. After all the difficulties Sam has faced due to bad devotions and unfortunate events in the public eye Sam struggles when bed things happen in his life. He has created an alter ego Evan who he often reverts to when needed. Evan is an Elvis Presley impersonator and Sam ofter refers to him as his smarter twin brother. 

FAMILY BACKGROUND

Country music star, Dwight Evans, rose to fame in his 20s after winning American Idol (think Carrie Underwood). Evan’s first single “Flowers and Hounds” made him the first country artist to debut atop the Billboard Hot 100 chart and the only solo country artist in the 2000s to have a number-one song on the Hot 100. His debut album, "I Still Believe in Rebellion", was the best-selling solo male debut album in country music history.

Dwight met super model, Mary Tanner at a client mixer where they immediately hit it off. One Elvis impersonator marriage later and the two were now the Evans family. They had four kids together and did their best to keep themselves away from the rumor mill that comes with the spotlight. But like most, it did eventually catch up to them as Dwight and Mary decided to get a divorce sighting irreconcilable differences. The fall out was messy and now Dwight is seeing a much younger woman, forcing the family to take sides as the media circus plays around them.

[mongowheelie]

I found this on NewsBreak: ‘Rocky Horror Picture Show’ with Original Cast Members Touring New England

I found this on NewsBreak: ‘Rocky Horror Picture Show’ with Original Cast Members Touring New England

[brookstonalmanac]

Holidays 6.19

Holidays

Artigas Day (Uruguay)

Baseball Day

Beggar's Banquets (Brazil)

Butterfly Day

Constitution Day (Seychelles)

Day of the Independent Hungary

Día del Nunca Más (a.k.a. Never Again Day; Argentina)

Emancipation Day (Texas)

Feast of Forest (Palawan)

Festival of the Coming Ice Age

Garfield the Cat Day

International Box Day

International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict (UN)

International Fathers Mental Health Day

Juneteenth (US)

Labour Day (Trinidad and Tobago)

Laguna Day (Philippines)

Mass Market Paperback Book Day

Midsummer’s Eve (a.k.a. Midsommarafton; Aland, Finland, Sweden)

Midsummer’s Eve [Day before Summer Solstice]

National Ding Free Day (Canada)

National FreeBSD Day

National Heroes’ Day (Bermuda)

National Pets in Film Day

National Reading Day (India)

National Watch Day

Never Again Day (Uruguay)

New Church Day (Swedenborgian)

Pediatric Headache Awareness Day

Red Soda Celebration

Rye Day (French Republic)

Spooky Stories Appreciation Night

Surigao del Norte Day (Philippines)

Surigao del Sur Day (Philippines)

Svalbard Global Seed Vault Day

"War Is Hell" Day

World Albatross Day

World Sauntering Day

World Sickle Cell Day

Food & Drink Celebrations

Eat An Oreo Day

National Dine Out Day

National Martini Day (a.k.a. Dry Martini Day)

Real Food Day

3rd Monday in June

National Tour Guides Day [3rd Monday]

Organic Act Day (US Virgin Islands) [3rd Monday]

Ride to Work Day (Motorcycles) [3rd Monday]

Rusalka’s Week begins (Honoring Divinity of Rivers; Asatru/Slavic Pagan) [3rd Monday]

Take Your Cat to Work Day [Monday of 3rd Full Week]

Independence Days

Mondero (Declared; 2010) [unrecognized]

Thebes (Declared; 2019) [unrecognized]

Feast Days

Asatru Alliance Founding Day (Asatru)

Boniface of Querfurt (Christian; Saint)

Cornelius Krieghoff (Artology)

Deodatus (a.k.a. Didier or Die) of Nevers (or of Jointures) (Christian; Saint)

Feralia: Day of Purification (Pagan)

Festival for Minerva (Ancient Rome)

Georges Ribemont-Dessaignes (Artology)

Gervasius and Protasius (Catholic Church; Martyrs)

Hildegrim of Châlons (Christian; Saint)

Jude (Christian; Saint)

Juliana Falconieri (Christian; Saint)

Martini Day (Pastafarian)

Pelayo (Positivist; Saint)

Princess Gwendolynda (Muppetism)

Robert Heinlein Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Romuald (Christian; Saint)

Ursicinus of Ravenna (Christian; Saint)

Zosimus (Christian; Saint)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Shakku (赤口 Japan) [Bad luck all day, except at noon.]

Umu Limnu (Evil Day; Babylonian Calendar; 28 of 60)

Premieres

American Gods, by Neil Gaiman (Novel; 2001)

Batman Returns (Film; 1992)

The Brave Little Toaster (Animated Film; 1987)

Bukowski (Film; 2013)

The Cannonball Run (Film; 1981)

Dancing in the Street, recorded by Martha and the Vandellas (Song; 1964)

Devil May Hare (WB LT Cartoon; 1954)

Dream for an Insomniac (Film; 1998)

The Enigma Variations, by Edward Elgar (Orchestral Piece; 1899) 

For Your Eyes Only, by Sheena Easton (Song; 1981)

Garfield (Comic Strip; 1978)

The Gospel According to the Son, by Norman Mailer (Novel; 1997)

Hatari! (Film; 1962)

How to Save Your Own Life, by Erica Jong (Novel; 1977)

The Idler Wheel…, by Fiona Apple (Album; 2012)

I’m a Honky Tonk Girl, recorded by Loretta Lynn (Song; 1960)

Inside Out (Animated Pixar Film; 2015)

Jason and the Argonauts (Film; 1963)

The Last of Us Part II (Video Game; 2020)

Mulan (Animated Disney Film; 1998)

The Music Man (Film; 1962)

Porky’s Building (WB LT Cartoon; 1937)

The Proposal (Film; 2009)

Purple Haze, by Jimi Hendrix (US Song; 1967)

Ramblin’ Rose, recorded by Nat King Cole (Song; 1962)

The Rocky Horror Picture Show (UK Musical Play; 1973)

Rough and Rowdy Ways, by Bob Dylan (Album; 2020)

Roxanne (Film; 1987)

Streamlined Greta Green (WB MM Cartoon; 1937)

Superman II (Film; 1981)

Tim McGraw, by Taylor Swift (Song; 2006)

X-Files: Fight the Future (Film; 1998)

Today’s Name Days

Juliana, Romuald (Austria)

Božidar, Julijana, Romuald (Croatia)

Leoš (Czech Republic)

Gervasius (Denmark)

Sigrid, Siiri, Siivi (Estonia)

Siiri (Finland)

Gervais, Romuald (France)

Juliana, Romuald (Germany)

Paisios, Zosimos (Greece)

Gyárfás (Hungary)

Gervasio, Protasio, Romualdo (Italy)

Nils, Vaironis, Viktors (Latvia)

Dovilas, Dovilė, Ramunė (Lithuania)

Elling, Erling (Norway)

Borzysław, Gerwazy, Julianna, Odo, Protazy, Sylweriusz (Poland)

Iuda (România)

Alfréd (Slovakia)

Aurora, Gervasio, Romualdo (Spain)

Germund, Görel (Sweden)

Carisa, Carissa, Jarvis, Jervis, Karissa, Ralna (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 170 of 2024; 195 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 1 of week 25 of 2023

Celtic Tree Calendar: Duir (Oak) [Day 8 of 28]

Chinese: Month 5 (Wu-Wu), Day 2 (Wu-Shen)

Chinese Year of the: Rabbit 4721 (until February 10, 2024)

Hebrew: 30 Sivan 5783

Islamic: 30 Dhu al-Qada 1444

J Cal: 20 Sol; Sixday [20 of 30]

Julian: 6 June 2023

Moon: 3%: Waxing Crescent

Positivist: 2 Charlemagne (7th Month) [Pelayo]

Runic Half Month: Dag (Day) [Day 10 of 15]

Season: Spring (Day 91 of 92)

Zodiac: Gemini (Day 29 of 32)

[sonicallyn0tstraight]

Adam Lambert: From Idol to Superstar

On January 12, 2009, the eighth season of American Idol premiered with many talented artists competing. Among those competing was Adam Lambert, who was able to advance all the way to the top two. When it came down to the viewers of the show to decide who would win the season, almost 100 million votes were cast. Then, the winner of season eight, the next American Idol, was announced to be Kris Allen. Years later when Lambert was asked if he thinks homophobia caused him to come in second on American Idol, Lambert responded with “Who knows, yeah, probably” (Rock, 2023). To contextualize Lambert’s statement and the attitudes surrounding queer people during the time Lambert was on American Idol, I want to briefly talk about an event in the state of California that greatly impacted queer rights. Months before season eight aired on television, a vote was cast in California. This vote was regarding Proposition 8, an amendment to the California constitution that would ban same-sex marriage in the state and overturn the previous California Supreme Court ruling from May of 2008 that legalized gay marriage. On November 4th of 2008, Proposition 8 was passed with 52 percent of the votes. Proposition 8 now made it so that “only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California” (History.com Editors, 2022). Supporters of Proposition 8 invoked the “far reaching consequences” of legalizing gay marriage. One consequence that was particularly focused on was the implication that school curriculums would change and be required to teach that gay marriage was equivalent to traditional marriage. Proposition 8 was soon overturned through the court system.

Returning to Adam Lambert, he did not let being runner up on American Idol stop him from becoming a superstar. Soon after American Idol ended, Lambert was signed to RCA Records and released his first album, For Your Entertainment, which debuted at number three on the Billboard 200 (Peck, 2021). But these achievements did not stop the industry from trying to stifle Lambert’s queerness. One particular instance that caused Lambert to get in some hot water was his 2009 performance at the American Music Awards. During the performance, Lambert was doing what he called “the kind of performance I had seen since I was a teenager” (Paul, 2023). The performance involved dancers on stage, some suggestive moves, and an impromptu kiss between Lambert and his male bass player. After getting off stage, Lambert recalled being banned by the network for a while and being threatened with a lawsuit (Paul, 2023). This had served as a moment of realization for Lambert that not everyone was accepting of queer identities. Then in 2012, he released his second album, Trespassing, and soon after began collaborating with the band Queen, who he coincidentally met during his time on American Idol. In addition to touring with the renowned band, the two released a collaborative album in 2020 called Queen + Adam Lambert Live Around The World. His third album was released in 2016, called The Original High, which garnered positive reviews. Velvet and High Drama, his two most recent album releases, were released in 2020 and 2023 respectively, with the latter being a cover album of both classic and current songs.

In between his musical releases and touring, Lambert has appeared in a number of television shows and engaged in activism. Some more well-known television and movie appearances made by Lambert include being a guest star on Glee, co-starring in the television remake of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, appearing on Pretty Little Liars, acting in the movie Fairyland, and more. In all these roles and throughout his many years in the music industry, Lambert is able to provide representation for queer people. Lambert acknowledges the importance of representation, saying that “Visibility is so powerful” in his speech at the 2023 Creative Coalition Spotlight Initiative Gala (Paul, 2023). In 2019, Lambert created the Feel Something Foundation, named after his song Feel Something, to support members of the LGBTQ+ community. The mission of this foundation is to support LGBTQ organizations that are moving the needle for the communities they serve and are focused on building a fully inclusive society where LGBTQ people of all ages and backgrounds enjoy full human rights and are supported through the myriad of issues that disproportionately affect them” (Feel Something Foundation). The foundation does this through an annual choosing of LGBTQ+ charities both in the United States and across the globe with the help of charitable contributions and public funds raised through fundraising.

Sources

https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/prop-8-passed-california-gay-marriage

[frenchtwistagain]

Bilan 2022

2022 was challenging but full of surprises. It was better than 2021 for sure - I made progress in my social life, my finances, I reached a happy self. Work was hard (not to say crap), I almost got burnt out twice, and my managers don't give a sh*t but that's not just me, so, meh. I did get a promotion though. Doesn't make it easier but at least that's that. TRIPS : I spent 2 weeks in South Africa. It was wonderful. I spent 1 week in Johannesburg and 1 week in a safari in Kruger Park. I still can't believe everything I've seen.

I also spent a weekend in Marseille (lovely, hot - I wanna go back to go on boat rides!), 1 day in Cabourg, 2 days in Lyon for work, and 3 days in Bordeaux, where I tried for the first time a No Diet Club Food Tour - yum ! FOOD : Talking about food, I visited as many restaurants I could. My favs were Les 3 B in Boulogne : the food was exquisite! And Le Grand Café d'Athènes which offers real typical Greek Food. CULTURE : I tried to go back to concerts, but not many artists make me want to see them live. So I "just" saw Tommy Cash, Foals, Tate McRae supported by Dylan (both very good), Mirabelle and Chunck No Captain Chunk.

On the other hand, I bought a UGC cinema card that allows me to go to the cinema as much as I want. I watched many movies : Elvis (awesome), Esther 2 (fun), Les 5 Diables, Beast, Plan 75, Ninja Baby (so good), Close, 3 Nuits Par semaine, Le Torrent (meh), and the best movie of 2022 : The Menu. We also watched The Rocky Horror Picture Show animated by actors. I saw Bianca Del Rio live, Trixie Mattel (best drag queen ever!) and Trixie & Katya. Friends invited me to an American comedian's show, Sebastian Marx, for my birthday. He was good !

I attended the Colors Festival which showcase street artists, and the Pop Air exhibition - which was seen on screen in the third season of Emily in Paris !

I took my 5yo nephew to the Jardin d'Acclimatation for a day, we had such a good time. And then my bfd and I visited Parc Astérix ! It was my first time there and we went on back to school day, so the park was almost empty and there were only adults. I carry on training as a pole dancer, but I experimented with pole duo and pole flow classes. Flow is actually more my thing than regular technical pole dancing. Can't wait to take more classes ! We also went to a chess-boxing match. Crazy.

Talking about sports, I discovered the world of wrestling and regularly attend shows in Paris. I'm into it ! :)

Also, I attented 3 weddings (already 1 planned for 2023!) and got one new tattoo.

RIP : Igor Bogdanoff, Ronnie Spector, Nino Cerruti, Gaspard Ulliel, Meat Loaf, Thierry Mugler, Ivan Reitman, Taylor Hawkins, Patrick Demarchelier, Arno, Régine, Gu, Mamie Hélène, Vangelis, Miss.tic, Ray Liotta, Francesco Pelosi, Jean-Louis Trintignant, Charlotte Valandrey, Olivia Newton-John, Issey Miyake, Sempé, Queen Elizabeth, Jean-Luc Godard, Coolio, Angela Lansbury, Jean Teulé, tWitch, Pelé, Vivienne Westwood.

I hope I'll keep getting better in 2023. I wish for a better and a appeased society. I also hope the French are gonna beat the governement over this new pension law !

Here's to 2O23 ! Champagne !

[littleeliza-lotte]

Saw Rocky Horror Picture show! Never been into it but my mom wanted to see it, and it was great! Although seeing the start of act two with your parents beside you is a bit embarrassing.