#sydney cassette

[tracy-warcross]

Lu series clarity meme pairings (yes i am cursed rn)

Note: this is the falling catching meme

Legend:

Dune, but June catching day cuz he fell off a building doing parkour

Day and Tess, with day catching Tess cuz she stumbled off a tower running from the authorities with day

Eden and Pressa, someone pushed Pressa off the sky town (I forgot what it’s called) platforms. They might both die.

Eden day, days catching his little brother from death once again- and lands in a pile of mud. They look like pigs in a play pin.

June and Tess, june catching again. June catches Tess and lands on her back with Tess in her arms. Tess falls in lo- *insert that sound they use in videos before they rewind clips*

Day and anden, day catching only cuz June would get mad at him.

Scenario 2: Day and Anden again, except mid catch day decides to start doing parkour leaving Anden to die. Jk day isn’t evil like that

Warcross:

Himika, with Hideo catching (Emika physically and himself, feelings). Managed to get her only to get a thank you and Emika runs away. (I’m an epic himika hater.)

Romaine, either catches and gets the other safely NO ONE DIES

(Hammie films them doing this dramatic act over a pool off a springboard and calls them cringe, but secretly loves it (video title: romaine lettuce falls into pool))

Hammer (ham Asher), ummmmmm could happen idk how tho

Sasuke and Jax, Sasuke can’t do shit unless he throws out a web or smth, he’s too heavy for Jax to carry (dudes like 500 kg or something). Just won’t happen cuz they both think it’s stupid

Jaxmika, jax saves Emika (cuz she was doing stupid shit. Jax told me) and saves her but labds herself into the hospital (broken back)

Hamika (hammie Emika), either would save. They’re reenacting what romaine did earlier except Emika sucks at catching and they nearly drown (sorry)

Keimika (keira Emika), they both die. No one’s catching either they’re both trying to save the other and killed themselves in the process. The end.

Skyhunter:

(I don’t remember much, bare with me)

Red and anyone: he catches and saves cuz duh he has wings

(Technically Talin too)

That’s it I forgot everything sorry all

Stars and smoke:

(Only one pairing rn cuz I’m at school and can’t think)

Winter Sydney, Sydney saves cuz winter is oof. Technically he can too but she won’t let him lol

[lem-de-lemon]

English: (Translate)

I had already uploaded one of these on Amino, but it was just Elijah. This is a second, less literal version of a "Reverse AU"?

So...

Sydney Sargent: The Architect.

Sydney is a nurse's aide at Camp Here & There, Lucille saved him when he was a child and despite his difficulties he dedicated his life to being useful to her and staying by his best friend's side keeping him safe. He is affectionate although somewhat distracted so he can sometimes seem distant, but he does not stop loving others. He spends his days mostly in his office recording his progress on a "project" on cassettes and as a hobby he also likes to take care of a small garden of wild plants. He has a special interest in fungi so part of his library is about them. He suspects that he may be ill, but he has not said anything about it.

Jedidiah Martin: The Muse

Nurse at Camp Here & There. He has a good heart, but the children run away from him despite his attempts to help the other camp counselors. He is in charge of giving the announcements in the camp, he doesn't seem to be doing too badly. For some reason he seems to be very interested in clocks, he has a small collection of several of them in different and extravagant designs from around the world. Lately he feels watched, he is not very religious but he claims to be persecuted by a guy with a goat mask (The others don't know whether to believe him or not and those who do have very strange theories about satanic cults. Sydney doesn't have an opinion on that , in fact he seems a little uncomfortable and prefers to avoid the topic.) He has a slight allergy to rabbits.

(Up and) Adam: A stranger in the woods.

He was once a psychology student, but one day he disappeared in the woods and no one cared enough to go find him. He has a strange obsession with Jedidiah Martin, he believes she may be the solution to his problems. He doesn't like Sydney, but he has offered Jedidiah sessions to talk about him (Gaslight?). He's weird. When he takes off his mask he makes the others feel sleepy, sometimes it amuses him to wake Jedidiah up by making a lot of noise with his tambourine. Probably cannibal. "Bone Apple Teeth"

Elijah Volkov: A demon with a PhD.

A "nice" nurse demon, he walks around in the dreams of others (especially Jedidiah and Sydney) causing them to have quite strange nightmares. He wears part of a pink suit that would not at all give you the feeling that you were talking to a doctor. Why study medicine? He really isn't sure, maybe he wanted to understand the camp nurses a little more, maybe he was bored or maybe he just finds it funny to correct others so they call him "Dr." He has a strange relationship with Sydney, possibly it has to do with his medical condition or why Jedidiah went from looking like a dead person overnight to looking better than ever when they were kids. He has a strange taste with elephants, he would put stickers of them in other people's notebooks and the others would find them on random pages everywhere.

Español: (Lengua nativa)

Ya había subido uno de éstos en Amino, pero solo era Elijah. Esta es una segunda versión menos literal de un "AU Reverse"?

Asíque...

Sydney Sargent: El arquitecto.

Sydney es un ayudante de enfermería en Camp Here & There, Lucille lo salvó cuando era un niño y a pesar de las dificultades dedicó su vida a serle útil y permanecer al lado de su mejor amigo manteniéndolo a salvo. Es cariñoso aunque algo distraido por lo que aveces puede verse distante, pero no deja de amar a los demás. Pasa sus días mayormente en su oficina grabando sus avances sobre un "proyecto" en cassettes y como pasatiempo a parte le gusta cuidar de un pequeño jardín de plantas silvestres. Tiene un interés especial en los hongos por lo que parte de su biblioteca trata sobre ellos. Se sospecha que pueda estar enfermo, pero no ha dicho nada al respecto.

Jedidiah Martin: La Musa

Enfermero en Camp Here & There. Tiene un buen corazón, pero los niños huyen de él a pesar de sus intentos por ayudar a los demás consejeros del campamento. Es el encargado de dar los anuncios en el campamento, no parece irle mal. Por alguna razón parece interesarle muchos los relojes, tiene una pequeña colección de varios de ellos en diferentes y extravagantes diseños del mundo. Últimamente se siente observado, no es muy religioso pero dice ser perseguido por un sujeto con máscara de cabra (Los demás no saben si creerle o no y los que si lo hacen tienen teorías muy raras sobre cultos satánicos. Sydney no tiene una opinión sobre eso, de hecho parece algo incómodo y prefiere evitar el tema.) Tiene una leve alergia a los conejos.

(Up and) Adam: Un extraño en el bosque.

Alguna vez fué un estudiante de psicología, pero un día desapareció en el bosque y a nadie le importó lo suficiente para ir por él. Tiene una extraña obsesión con Jedidiah Martin, cree que pueda ser la solución a sus problemas. No le gusta Sydney, pero le ha ofrecido a Jedidiah tener sesiones para hablar sobre él (¿Gaslight?). Es... extraño. Cuando se quita la máscara provoca que los demás se sientan somnolientos, aveces le divierte despertar a Jedidiah haciendo mucho ruido con su pandereta. Probablemente caníbal. "Bone Apple Teeth"

Elijah Volkov: Un demonio con doctorado.

Un "simpático" demonio enfermero, se pasea en los sueños de los demás (Especialmente Jedidiah y Sydney) provocandoles pesadillas bastante extrañas. Porta parte de un traje rosa que para nada te daría la sensación de estar hablando con un doctor. ¿Porqué estudiar medicina? Realmente no está seguro, quizás queria enteneder un poco más a los enfermeros del campamento, quizás estaba oburrido o quizás simplemente encuentra divertido corregir a los demás para quelo llamen "Dr". Tiene una relación extraña con Sydney, posiblemente tenga que ver con su condición médica o porqué de la noche a la mañana Jedidiah pasó de verse como un muerto a estar mejor que nunca cuando eran niños. Tiene una extraña afición con los elefantes, pagaría stickers de ellos en los cuadernos de los demás y los demás los encontrarían en páginas random por todoa lados.

[thelocalbozo]

More Than Just A Hangout Jacket x Reader

Gender neutral, not entirely canon compliant

Warning this is a smut. Please be advised

Jacket was surprisingly out of his hangout, granted he was with the freak squad, in the common area. They were being loud like usual, rowdily wrestling around, you watched from the stairs you were sitting on. Silently you stood up, walking up behind Jacket, who was wrestling Wolf, who had him in a headlock. Wolf looked back seeing you, letting go quickly, not saying anything but nodding to Jacket. Eventually you got the hint to walk up behind Jacket who was rubbing his neck confused by the others silence. You wrap your arms around Jackets waist, he jumps a bit, looking over his shoulder seeing you, blushing a bit, he smiled softly realizing it was only you.

“Awww look at him bein’ all sweet~” Sydney spoke in a cutesy voice, making Wolf and Jimmy giggle a bit. Jacket glared at her before turning around to wrap his arms around you, he was much more for showing affection in private, rather than around others, but never minded it if you initiated it, unless of course you were actively in a loud heist. 

“Awww look at the pretty couple!!~” Jimmy commented laughing, Jacket let out a silent snicker, blushing, he released you a bit looking at you, a small smile on his face. Jacket pulls his tape recorder out of his pocket,

"We should go.” He clicks again, fast forwarding, then clicks play, "Please follow the stairway down." 

Jacket took your hand to lead you down the stairs into the basement, then over to his little hangout area. Shutting the door behind you, he grabbed his NES controller and booted up a game wrapping an arm around you, he played for a while, glancing at you every once in a while. Eventually he sighed, setting the controller on his leg reaching for his cassette,

"Did you know that according to Abraham Maslow, the most basic needs for human beings are food, water, sleep, and sex?" He clicked pause on the tape then looking at you, smiling mischievously, you blush, knowing what he was implying. Jacket set the controller completely off to the side turning to you, leaning in and kissing you softly. Slowly it turns into a soft makeout session, laying on the couch in the hangout, arms around his neck, he rubs up and down your sides. He sits up, sitting between your legs, looking down at you with loving, yet lustful eyes. He took off his signature bomber jacket, then his shirt, revealing his thin-fit build, you watch him undress drinking it all up. He holds your chin, forcing you into making eye contact, before leaning back down to kiss you slowly, and passionately, your lips moving in a rhythm you knew all too well.

He helps you take off your pants, and underwear in one pull, pulling his own pants down enough for his cock to spring free, he looks back at you asking for consent, you nod silently, you felt his cock press against your hole, he looked back at you again making sure it was absolutely okay, you nod again, and he slowly pushes in, causing you to moan loudly, you bit your hand, to not let more loud noises out. He pushes fully in, sitting in this position waiting for your go ahead. After a minute you roll your hips down on his dick, he grunts a bit, growling under his breath and bucks his hips up into you causing another loud moan to spill out of your mouth into your hand. He fucks you slowly and passionately, kissing all over your neck, as you moan quietly into your hand. The sociopath licked a strip up your neck biting down when he felt your pulse under his tongue, causing you to moan much louder, cupping both hands over your mouth, glaring down at him, he smirks grabbing both of your hands pinning them to the couch. Fucking into you a bit harder, turning his attention back to your neck, sucking hickies into your skin, leaving love bites all over, he took both your hands into one of his hands, reaching the other down to your crotch rubbing in pace with his thrusts, he was also moaning at this point, the heat pooled in his stomach. You moan very loud, you were sure that everyone could hear you at this point, you felt your climax quickly approaching.

“Mmm Jacket~” Was all you could squeak out before you came hard. Jacket slowed his pace and roughness down fucking you through your orgasm, chasing his own climax still. Soon he came in you, fucking through his own orgasm, overstimulating you mildly. Jacket sat there for a minute catching his breath, you did the same, soon he pulled out, rubbing your sides softly soothing you, kissing all over your face. He pulls his pants up and helps get your underwear back on, grabbing you by the waist, pulling on his lap facing him, resting your head on his shoulder, he grabs his controller again resting his head against yours, he starts playing his game once more.

[a-man-for-hire-and-his-archives]

‘It’s the relationship I knew I wanted’: Scrublands star on learning to commit

Luke Arnold is an actor and writer who is best known for playing Michael Hutchence in Never Tear Us Apart. The 39-year-old discusses the endearing nickname he called his little sister as a child, a silly but romantic Christmas gesture and what he is most proud of in his current relationship.

“It’s interesting to reflect on the actresses I admired before I got into the acting industry who later became colleagues, like Heather Graham.”

My maternal great-great-grandmother thought her name was Jean, but when she was 70 she found her birth certificate, which said Jane. Her mother died when she was young, so I’m not sure what went wrong there, but she was still Jean to us all.

Some of my first memories are getting handwritten and recorded poems on cassettes from her. Looking at them recently, I can see the influence their form and patterns have had on my own writing.

When I was young, my maternal granny, Valerie, lived on a sailing boat with my step granddad. They also travelled around Australia on a motorbike. They were a great example of the freewheeling, bohemian lifestyle that was definitely passed down to me.

My parents, Nola and Colin, met while picking fruit. Mum is not the tallest lady and trained to become a jockey. It was her passion from a young age, but in the late 1970s she found the male-dominant culture of the racing industry too tough to realise her dream.

Mum is an enthusiastic and bubbly person. Before my younger sister, Ashley, and my brother, George, were born, I had her full attention for two years. It was great, as it meant that when I started school, I was on my way to reading and writing.

When I was just a baby myself, I used to call my sister “my little darling”, as we were so close. In the teen years we grew apart a bit, but since 2019 we’ve become close again. Ashley’s a web designer and is living the life of a digital nomad.

My first celebrity crush was Amy Jo Johnson, the actress who played the Pink Power Ranger on Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.

It’s interesting to reflect on the actresses I admired before I got into the acting industry who later became colleagues, like Heather Graham, star of Boogie Nights, which is one of my favourite films. When Heather enlisted me to act opposite her on her 2018 film Half Magic, it was a “pinch-me” moment. One minute I would be talking to her as a colleague, then the next I’d think, “You’re HEATHER GRAHAM!”

My first serious relationship was with Hayley at Sunshine Beach High School in Queensland. We bonded over acting and performing. It was nice to meet a girl after my teenage years in Sydney, where I’d worked as a clown, doing parties and magic, mostly around dudes.

While at drama school [WAAPA in Perth], I picked up a girlfriend from the airport dressed in wrapping paper. I’d asked her what she wanted for Christmas and she’d replied, “Just you.” I took that literally. It was a silly, ridiculous, romantic gesture. I’m glad camera phones weren’t a big thing back then.

In the 2022 NITV SBS series True Colours, Rarriwuy Hick and I both played detectives. Filming that was a huge education for me. My touchstones on the Northern Territory set were the women – Rurriway and Arrernte/Warlpiri woman Marie Ellis, with whom we consulted daily to follow cultural protocol.

It was nerve-racking to be the white fella who was ignorant of so many things. But the First Nations people had such generosity teaching me about that part of the country, and about the practices that impacted storylines, like men’s business, kinship and payback. There was overwhelming care for us outsiders coming in.

I’ve been with my current partner, Laura, for a year. We met while making a film 16 years ago and I was completely and madly infatuated with her. We were both young and at that time I was ill-equipped to handle such strong feelings.

We had a couple of false starts that left us both feeling tender, but we kept returning to the flame. Something I’m proud of is that we kept showing up, as it would have been easy to just turn it into a story of heartbreak and not deal with it.

We’ve always been great friends throughout it all. Laura is the person I want to call with good news, with a question, or if I’m anxious about something. It’s the relationship I knew I wanted, and I’m very grateful to be in it now.

Luke Arnold stars in Scrublands, premiering November 16 on Stan.

Source: The Sydney Morning Herald

[sequestered-song-skirmish]

Round 1 Poll 39

Bound For Hell：　「The Mercenaries were a garage-rock-ska-punk-ish band performing on the Sydney, Australia pub circuit around the 1980s, and alas, they never really took off. They produced a single album, 'Soldiers of Misfortune' which was never formally released and only given on CD to band members. (Your friendly neighbourhood submitter happens to be the lead singer's daughter.) 'Bound for Hell' is the band's most popular original composition, and was used as a gig closer.」

Ma Sar：　「It's the kind of music that stays with you.

I love the dreamy quality of the song; it feels almost nostalgic in a way, between the synth and guitar, the singer's strong, but soft vocals over top. Even if I can't understand the words, this kind of song resonates with me. I love seeing how artists from other countries approach music. Foreign, but familiar.

I honestly don't know much about the song or artist. Music tends to get lost in translation. I can't read or understand Arabic, so googling's a no go. From English searches she may be from Lebanon and lived in France. She has a facebook and a soundcloud, but she's only got 1.1K followers and she hasn't posted anything since September of 2022. Who is she, is she doing well? Are her songs hits in her country? Is she still making music? I'm about to go down some obscure rabbit holes to get my hands on a cassette or CD or something. If anyone can speak Arabic please help me」

[tomkeifersgf]

! Updated Intro/About Me Post !

Hi! My name is Syd (Sydney), and I use she/her pronouns :) Im 23 and my birthday is March 27th! Aries sun, taurus moon, and gemini rising are my big three :) I am a diesel mechanic and work on semi trucks!

I mainly made this blog to post and reblog 80s/90s bands that I enjoy :))

I was raised on 80s and 90s metal and rock. The very first song I remember loving is Youth Gone Wild by Skid Row, when my mom and I would sing it together in the car when I was around 5. Skid Row has always and will always be my favorite band, and Sebastian Bach has a special place in my heart and is my all time favorite singer.

My mom and aunt were going to these concerts starting at age 11 and collected so much concert merchandise and bought so many cassette tapes on release and I am so lucky to have these things passed down to me! I feature many photo cards that I find in these cassettes here too :)

I love making mutuals/friends here so please don’t hesitate to interact with me! 🖤

Some of my favorite bands (that definitely get posted here a lot) are Skid Row, Cinderella, Motley Crue, Ratt, Poison, Def Leppard, Guns n Roses, Firehouse, Bon Jovi, Van Halen, LA Guns, Warrant, Great White, Faster Pussycat, Slaughter, and more 🫶

obligatory gif addition of my five favorite boys 🫶

my other links:

[fivenightsatfreddysfanfiction]

Trade Tomorrow for Today

Sydney finds all the beta tester logs before Alex does. The consequences are lasting.

Time Frame: End of Special Delivery Arc, Sydney POV

Inspired by Poison from Hazbin Hotel OST

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

The VR world remained as unsettling as when he first ‘stepped’ into it following Alex’s instructions. His little brother’s words in his ear via the tiny communication bud had been a grounding presence, kept him from freezing in place the moment the digital recreation of Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza built up around him.

It was both familiar and unknown to him, the black and white checkered tile under his feet, covered tables with party hats strewn on them, aged walls that once upon a time had been a lighter shade of blue.

How did he know they had been blue?

But through each mini-game Alex walked him through after passing them himself, Sydney inched through the digital maze in search of the pieces of code that seemed out of place. Fragments trapped in the forms of cassette tapes with a fearful voice explaining her situation in broken sentences. Her words made him tense, a strange tingling passing over him like the faintest of headaches that faded too fast to be natural. He gave himself a small pat on the back for having the foresight to tell Alex not to play the tapes himself until they were all gathered and isolated from the VR world. Maybe playing them as regular audio from a speaker won’t cause the weird feeling.

Something else here had been blue, not the walls, something his Remnant had fixated on and still didn’t let go even when so much had been worn away. Blue, blue, blue.

Along with the tapes and the tingling was this glitching figure of someone in a rabbit suit, glowing purple eyes staring at him as it waved in a stuttering motion, like not enough frames had been put in its animation. Sydney had reported it to Alex and he’d sworn under his breath, growling about the Master File he had suspected had been implanted into the game’s code. While his brother went about modifying the VR game to upload the changes live and contain the A.I., Sydney focused on the figure that seemed to draw closer to him with each tape collected.

Couldn’t play the games with Freddy, kept freezing up and panicking and feeling like if he just cast his mind somewhere else he’d be safe and Alex had to talk him back to himself, get him out of the mini-game, wait until he hacked in cheats to let him skip directly to each tape’s general location and buy him time to search for them.

The rabbit guy seemed to get clearer visually and gain more animation as his exploration went on, a low distorted voice whispering as ambiance. It made Sydney’s skin crawl. This wasn’t the Master File, what little he knew of him and could recall. There was a copy of him at Boss Lady’s pizzeria, Digital Lucian, who was the operator of Circus Baby. Blonde, one green eye, one silver eye, dressed in blue and red, tended to avoid crowds if he didn’t have to be around them, snarky and demanding one second, withdrawn and somber the next; the Master File version had silver eyes, dressed in purple, and had gleefully helped the Aftons drag him and Alex into their schemes to the point both of them were close to just ceasing to exist.

He also liked talking. A lot. Lots of flattery and taunting, conniving little bastard. Different from how Sydney could talk. He tried not to think about what his way of talking could do. He’d slipped once, out of anger that his brother had gotten bullied at the pizzeria, and had only snapped out of speaking once the acrid smell of his victim soiling themselves hit his nose.

Last Sydney heard, that kid never regained the person they had been before, fawning when anyone even slightly raised a voice in their presence. It made him ill. A personality broken because he lost control.

He’d talked to someone here, didn’t he, someone blue, but they didn’t break. Didn’t break, couldn’t fly but didn’t break.

“Wish you were here,” Sydney muttered with a faint sigh, “Someone I couldn’t break. Someone strong like that.. wonder if they’re still around.” He held up another of the labeled tapes, frowning at it before reaching out to press the glitch-textured tape player on the virtual desk that connected to the previous tester’s room.

Fade in, fade out, the case containing the other tapes remained in place on a lone desk with the player he used to listen to them. They were numbered in the wrong order, which had frustrated Sydney when he heard far too late that whatever the tape girl had been afraid of, likely this rabbit thing, had attached itself to the log tapes and she’d broken and scattered them to try and weaken it. But her last tape said she had an idea of what to do about it, so maybe this final tape had her plan?

He’d play it and then let Alex know the steps via their earbud. Then maybe that stupid rabbit thing would go away and the weird pressure in his head would stop. Sydney glanced over his shoulder, scowling at the figure still looming there, leaning to one side and still staring at him with that stupid smile that was sewn into his rabbit head.

Tape in the player, play button pressed.

Why did it smell like old blood?

Sydney listened with half his attention on the tape, the rest cast outside of the limiting view of the VR game, sudden tension gripping him. The air in the testing room had changed, there was a faint swish of cloth, the scent of perfume, the feel of another person in proximity, soft breaths taken to try and conceal themselves. The rabbit drew closer. What did the tape girl say? Alex needed those instructions. Sydney pressed play again, tried to pull his awareness from the other person to focus on the tape. Hard reset? Allow the merge to begin, then trigger a memory flush?

Something cold and metal pressed to his head, making him freeze in place. -Wait, this was familiar too, he experienced this before but not this way, roles flipped, someone blue, old blood- There was a hiss of air pressure and then a sharp stabbing pain as something was injected into him, a new and foreign object locking into place so suddenly he didn’t even have a chance to react.

“Ah, here’s the signal,” that familiarly flirtatious voice echoed in the darkness of the tape room in game, almost in sync with whatever it was that was fired into his head. “I thought one of them would recollect the pieces for us, but I had expected it to be the little hacker boy.”

Shit, they were on to them. They tagged him, but maybe he can stop them from tagging Alex. Sydney quickly raised his hands to pull the VR headset off, only to find his arms halted in place, glowing green hands of the rabbit figure gripping his wrists and holding him in place.

“Wh-what the hell?!” he exclaimed, panicking confusion setting in. The rabbit guy was grabbing him in game, so why couldn’t he move his real body?!

The shadows of the tape room parted to let in the lanky figure of the Master File, a graphic trail of pixels drifting after him as the silver-eyed digital ghost smiled shrewdly. Sydney jerked in place, trying again to wrench himself free, but the rabbit was weirdly strong for having such a deceptively scrawny figure. Why couldn’t he move his real body too?!

“Should have listened to the warnings at the start of the game, Darling,” Master File purred, standing by the table of tapes and folding his arms over his chest in a casual pose. “You and the kid did a wonderful job of gathering up the parts of this learning A.I. for us, and you gave us enough time to get that implant into you.” His eyes gleamed cruelly as he chuckled, “Now I have direct access to you. Electrical impulses, digitized Remnant, you get the picture.” Master File gestured towards the rabbit figure. “I just encourage your brain to believe what happens in here, happens in real life.”

The rabbit lightly kicked at Sydney’s legs and his knees hit the floor painfully, a soft grunt escaping him. Wasn’t Alex picking up any audio? What the hell? Was he in some mini-game that was overpowering the earbud again?!

He felt the careful scrape of fingernails against his ear that made him twitch uncomfortable, then grit his teeth as the tiny bud was pulled out and away, severing his connection to his brother. “Hm, no wonder this one found the learning A.I. first,” the tape girl’s voice remarked outside of the game, a strange accent to her voice that hadn’t been in the recordings, “He’s been cheating with the help of his partner.”

“Cheating a game is one thing, but still a far less sin than the act of cheating death,” Sydney began, promising himself to make up for this later. “How many lifetimes have you stolen to-?”

A sharp pain stabbed through his skull again, making him cry out. The rabbit held him in place as he doubled over, gasping while riding the pain out. Old habit, old habit, breathe through it.

“Oh, did you think you could pull that trick on her? I just told you I have direct access to you, idiot,” Master File sighed as if in disappointment. “Afton, I do hope you have something to transport the data with. I’m going to be a bit busy frying this meathead’s brain to wipe our trail.”

“And waste a perfectly good transponder? Especially one that has the same V.A.N.N.I. connection as the others?” Tape Girl, or was she Afton now, declared indignantly, “I put that in for you to have control, not waste materials!” Sydney could hear her swing the device she used around in the air. “I have the two vessels this body could get me access to, but this is also a good opportunity to gain two more assistants for my plans. Just need to track down where the other one is in the building…”

Panic. This could ruin everything! The deal, the deal was to stay away from their old ways of doing things, right? Couldn’t remember, but close enough. If Alex wasn’t pulled in, maybe he could get away, could be spared.

Didn’t he do this before too? Sent him away, trapped his not-dad in place, and then.. something. Blanks in memory.

“You don’t need him!” Sydney blurted out, wincing at the glare from the Master File, a warning thrum of pressure put on him through the implant. “Wait, wait, think about it. For what you’re thinking, having a kid do that? It’ll be too easy to trace back to you; he’s sloppy with physical shit, that’s why I kept him on tech stuff!”

That sounded about right, right? Convince them that Alex would be useless, keep him out of this, keep him safe. If only he knew more about what they used to do, how they worked. The way Alex talked about it, it seemed this was how they operated. He was the brains and Sydney the brawn and.. someone was.. was there someone else?

“Afton, this network hardware is limiting,” Master File remarked warningly, glaring out at the darkness of the tape room in game. “I can’t guarantee holding control over both of these rats if you implant the other one. Pick one so I can just kill the other.”

It wasn’t working. It wasn’t working! What could he do-?

Oh.

He can talk.

“This much control over me and him? Don’t need to do that if we make a deal,” Sydney spoke with a calmness he didn’t really feel. Master File shot him a suspicious look but Afton made an interested hum. It wasn’t much but at least it was a foot in the door. Don’t break down personality, break down the argument. “No idea how you came back, but I got my new lease on life via contract. And my old job as a merc meant I deal in contracts all the time. So how about we exchange control that’ll be more hassle than it’s worth for a more mutually beneficial contract?” he offered, pushing as much of his old cold confidence into his words as he could without tipping his hand.

“You have my attention,” the woman murmured, tapping a foot against the floor, “What do I get for not going after your partner?”

Okay, okay, took the bait, now to secure the interest.

“Since I wasn’t able to give any identifying report, he’s got no clue who’s involved in this or what the scheme is, so he can’t give anything to anyone else,” Sydney began in the same calm voice, wincing only a little at the grip still on his arms by the rabbit figure. The Master File was focused on him, and the tingling feeling that was starting to ramp up was probably him trying to get a better grip on his brain. “No trail of evidence he can use. Me, I was the senior partner; whatever you need done, I’ve got more experience. I’m the more valuable merc.”

“And for letting the little vermin just scurry away, you’ll be… obedient?” Afton asked in an amused tone.

“Ah, that’s why his Remnant seemed familiar,” Master File suddenly piped up, a sharp smile cutting across his face as Sydney turned a wide-eyed gaze towards the digital ghost, “I have a record matching it from the database we’ve been building. Traces of it were scanned from that paper plate thing that was stashed in the defunct Spring Bonnie unit we recovered from his partner’s Remnant control.” The Master File looked back out at the room, as if he could see Afton out in the real world from within the VR game. “This guy was Sydney Michaels in his past life, hired by the first William Afton to take out Fredbear’s Family Diner, then by your ex to get Remnant sampling data from that Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza location, and ended up dying there. We were using his partner for power to run the manufacturing facility in Sub-Basement D, Sister Location.”

That… that tracked with what little he remembered.

“Oh, so you already have experience working with us!” Afton remarked brightly, “That makes this contract much easier to accept. I had been considering getting a bodyguard for Emelia’s new body and you seem like you’d do nicely to keep her in check.” He heard her clap her hands sharply and the door to the testing room creaked open. His heart skipped a beat at the pounding steps of an animatronic entering the room.

Run, run, need to run, get away, away, away.

His vision went black for a second, the tingling in brain growing nearly unbearable before settling down to a faint pressure that felt like… containment? When the darkness faded, he was alone in a sea of black. No sense of distance or direction. He was free to move, but… he felt odd. Disconnected.

There was the press of metal against his arms, the cold bleeding through the fabric of his shirt to leave a faint impression of temperature. Panic spiked again before dulling, like his head was muffled, stuffed with cotton. Sydney swayed, disoriented. Felt like he was still in VR but.. why didn’t he feel right?

The headset was lifted from him, control gloves pulled off, and he blinked slowly, a groggy feeling like an urge to sleep tugging at him as he looked up. A blonde woman smiled down at him, green eyes cold and calculating as she gazed over him in consideration. “Yes, this works out just fine,” she murmured.

“Wh-what did you do to me?” Sydney growled, struggling to keep afloat of the urge to sink into sleep, “W-we made a deal, I w-wasn’t going to… put up… a fight!” The woman just laughed softly at him.

“That we do, Mr. Michaels,” she agreed, smug smile pursing her painted lips, “but understand that I’d like to keep a training leash on my new dog until he properly learns his place.”

He glared, teeth bared in frustration as whatever animatronic was behind him pulled him to his feet. The fog over him thickened, senses dulling, and he couldn’t fight the urge to sleep any longer. He sank into it, resenting the relief that he felt over not having to face whatever was hauling him around.

.

The world began seeping back in with blurs of color in distorted shapes first. Sydney blinked slowly to clear his vision and bring focus back. There was motion; he could hear vehicles passing, felt the vibrations of wheels on road, the sturdiness of metal pressed to his back, all buzzing through his body as he lay prone. He blinked a bit more, giving himself time to reorient himself. What had happened? What was the last thing he remembered doing?

Ah.

A dull ache in the side of his head, a tender spot that hurt to touch, now he remembered. He clenched his teeth again, a swirl of emotions fighting to make themselves known to him making his head ache more and his gut churn uncomfortably. A few moments to push it all down and away, -don’t think about it, not gonna do any good- and then he was rolling over to get off the floor of whatever vehicle he’d been tossed into. The motion exacerbated the churning in his gut and he leaned against a stack of secured boxes, breathing carefully to let the queasiness pass.

Was he drugged? This definitely had all the earmarks of a classic abduction. The thought almost made him laugh. He’d been abducted. Him. The reborn merc who had a history of kidnapping people. The irony was bitterly amusing. His forehead pressed to his arm to help steady himself as a few soft chuckles escaped him, eyes squeezed shut so tight that they watered and that water escaped him too.

So funny.

Once Sydney pulled himself together, he looked around the area to get a better grasp of the situation. Back of a van, packed with boxes, an endoskeleton curled up in a corner and offline. Body still felt strange, like he was moving himself but as though removed from himself, as if he was stuck in VR and his body was the ‘game’ he manipulated. Jarring. He didn’t try to stand, too risky.

There was also a bench bolted in place against one of the walls of the van -moving van?- and two people were rested on it, straps pulled over them to keep them safely secured. One a young woman, long blonde hair, one strand colored in rainbow, dressed in a white shirt with a soft blue over shirt, ends tied in a casual loop, and a long pastel pink skirt, sturdy work boots still flaked with dirt and wood chips, rainbow flag pin decorating the overshirt, light makeup. She was asleep, slumped aside in her seat.

Beside her was a small boy, brown hair, bit on the skinny side, dressed in a striped shirt of dark colors and shorts, sneakers that looked like they hadn’t yet been used. He was also asleep, leaning into the woman for support. His facial features looked a bit like the woman’s, and the woman looked quite a lot like Afton’s new host body.

Were the three related in some way?

He gingerly picked his way to them, shuffling over the floor as he tried to navigate the new disconnect between himself and his own body. -Was this what Alex meant whenever he talked about disassociation? This feeling of his body only barely being his own?- Once there, Sydney carefully pulled himself up to sit on the bench as well, pulling a strap over himself for safety. As soon as the click sounded he let himself sag in place, slumping against the wall of the van while stress and exhaustion dragged him down in his own mind again.

A shuddering sigh passed through his teeth, a crack in the wall between himself and everything he shoved aside threatening to widen and overwhelm him. This was it, wasn’t it. It was the only thing he could do to keep the two contracts from tearing him apart and risking Alex’s life. He gave up power over himself. Had it been like this for his past victims too? This constant feeling of just barely staying above the drowning line in his own mind while his body seemed on the verge of betraying him, following someone else’s impulse and direction? This want to flee into the depths of his thoughts without looking back, desperate for any escape from what would surely be in his future once the van stopped?

The only difference here, from what he’d been told he did to his victims and what happened to him here… the difference was he chose this. And he had no idea if that was better or worse than whatever he’d done in the past. Were there other options he could have taken? Maybe if he’d been smarter. Alex would probably have found something. All Sydney had was panic and the deep-rooted need to keep his brother safe from any threat, even if that threat would one day be himself. Today just happened to be that day.

So he did the only thing he could do; he talked, said the things Afton wanted to hear, signed himself over to her clutches and just hoped it was enough. That Alex would see him gone and just stay away for his own good. Boss Lady would take him in, she was good about that. They were family.

Sydney’s eyes closed. No point thinking anymore. Even if he didn’t have tomorrow, he did his job today. He got all the threats away from Alex, bought his brother time to escape and paid with himself.

He was done.

[belovedindierock]

Friend Of A Friend is released through digital outlets today, hear it HERE.

Ahead of the Wall Of Eyes album release on 26th January there will be a series of events at a selection of independent cinemas between 18th and 25th January. Wall Of Eyes, On Film will celebrate the new album and collaborations with Paul Thomas Anderson.

The evening will include the world film premiere of Friend Of A Friend and a presentation of Wall Of Eyes, both directed by Paul Thomas Anderson and shot on 35mm filmas well as a Wall Of Eyes album playback in surround sound for one time only.

For the full programme and for participating cinemas go HERE. Tickets will be available for the events from 10am GMT on Thursday 11th January.

New European headline dates in June and August 2024 have been announced today. Subscribers to this list have access to a presale happening at 12pm GMT on Wednesday 10th January using this link HERE. Tickets will then go on general sale at 9am GMT on Friday 12th January.

James Holden will support The Smile at all headline shows this year.

The dates are:

8th June - Hamburg, Stadtpark Open Air, Germany 9th June - Cologne Palladium, Germany 11th June - Berlin, Verti Music Hall, Germany 12th June - Prague, Forum Karlin, Czechia 14th June - Belgrade, Hangar, Serbia 15th June - Pula Arena, Pula, Croatia 17th June - Bucharest, Arenele Romane, Romania 18th June - Sofia, Arena Sofia, Bulgaria 23rd June - Rome, Cavea Auditorium, Roma Summer Fest, Italy

13th August - Sigulda Castle, Sigulda, Latvia 14th August - Warsaw, Progresja, Summer Stage, Poland 20th August - Frankfurt, Jahrhunderthalle, Germany 21st August - Munich, Zenith, Germany 22nd August - Vienna Open Air Arena, Austria 26th August - Bordeaux, Krakatoa, France 28th August - Valencia, Jardines De Viveros, Spain

Including:

The World Premiere of FRIEND OF A FRIEND (directed by Paul Thomas Anderson) presented on 35mm*

The first public playback of THE SMILE’s new album WALL OF EYES in surround sound (for the first and only time)

Never-before-seen footage of the album’s recording sessions

THE SMILE - WALL OF EYES (directed by Paul Thomas Anderson) 35mm* presentation

RADIOHEAD - DAYDREAMING (directed by Paul Thomas Anderson) 35mm* presentation

THOM YORKE - ANIMA (directed by Paul Thomas Anderson)

RADIOHEAD - PRESENT TENSE: JONNY, THOM & A CR78 (directed by Paul Thomas Anderson)

RADIOHEAD – THE NUMBERS: JONNY, THOM & A CR78 (directed by Paul Thomas Anderson)

* 35mm presentations available at select locations

Available at the event:

Unique, limited-edition cassette of the album

Exclusive T-Shirts

The Smile 'Zine

Locations:

18TH JAN - LONDON, UK

18TH JAN - NEW YORK CITY, USA

19TH JAN - LOS ANGELES, USA

20TH JAN - SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA

20TH JAN - MILANO, ITALY

20TH JAN - CDMX, MEXICO

22ND JAN - TOKYO, JAPAN

22ND JAN - PARIS, FRANCE

23RD JAN - SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA

23RD JAN - AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS

23RD JAN - GLASGOW, SCOTLAND

25TH JAN - TOKYO, JAPAN

25TH JAN - BERLIN, GERMANY

[tracy-warcross]

Winter: do not

Sydney: *grabbing a macaron from the snack table* what? It’s not like they can see me

———————

Sydney: do not. That is going to ruin our mission

Winter: okay *obeys*

[spnexploration]

Driving

So I had to drive 7 hours over the last two days to visit a different office for work. Normally I have another colleague with me when we drive long distances, which is good as you can not only share the driving but also have someone to talk to. This time, I was alone.

Today, driving down the Hume (main highway between Melbourne and Sydney), I got bored of my podcasts and needed something else. Decided to try out the "Supernatural Soundtrack [all seasons]" play list on Spotify.

I now get why [the writers decided that] Dean listens to loud rock music on long drives - it was great! I was particularly surprised when Thunderstruck by AC/DC came on, hadn't realised an Aussie band made it on. It also made me laugh - if I was listening solely to cassette tapes from my Dad in the 80s, Acca Dacca would probably be in there!

[djdynamixau]

Making Your DJ Playlist for the Party: Party Arrangements

Organizing a party is a difficult task. Numerous elements need to be taken into account, from selecting the ideal theme to forming the guest list. It's the music, though, that has the power to really make or ruin your gathering. Hence, employing a pro DJ becomes necessary! Whether you're planning a classy corporate event or a crazy birthday party, having a talented DJ on hand will guarantee that your guests have an unforgettable evening. This blog post will cover party planning in detail and walk you through the process of making a playlist that will be talked about at your next gathering. With Party DJ Hire Sydney, let's get set to dance the night away!

Draw out a guest list.

The first thing to do while organizing a party is to invite people. This important job helps you decide on everything from venue size to food and drink numbers and lays the groundwork for your entire event. Think about the kind of party you want to throw and the guests you wish to invite first. Could it be a small party with close friends or a big celebration? Start writing down names as soon as you have an idea.

Also take into account your space constraints. When choosing your guest list, keep in mind if your venue can only hold a specific amount of people comfortably. Any unique needs or preferences that your guests may have, like as food restrictions, dietary requirements, or even musical tastes, should also be taken into account.

In order to allow visitors to RSVP and give you enough time to make the appropriate arrangements, make sure you send out invites well in advance. If digital invites better fit your event's style, you can still go conventional and send paper ones.

Select an event theme.

Your party's overall atmosphere can be established by your choice of theme. Your guests will be talking about it long after the event has ended because it brings a fun and exciting element. Think about your visitors' interests and preferences when choosing a theme. Would they rather have a more current look or are they liking nostalgic vibes? After you have an idea in mind, explore as many different ways as you can to make that topic come to life.

Make sure your decorations match your selected theme, as they are essential to creating the mood of any party. Everything, even the table settings and lighting fixtures, should accentuate the mood you wish to achieve. Consider using vibrant leis and decorations resembling palm trees for your beach party theme if it's a tropical one. Neon lights and cassette tape decorations are great for a 1980s throwback party.

Arrange and embellish

Party décor is a fun and creative way to create the ambience and mood for your guests. Your choice of décor may really make a difference, whether you're throwing a sophisticated cocktail party or an exciting dance party.

First, decide on a theme for your party. This will influence the decor you choose and help you achieve a unified design. For instance, to create the illusion of an island paradise in your area when holding a tropical luau, use vivid colors, tiki torches, and inflatable palm trees.

Subsequently, consider the many aspects of your location. Use striking decorations to create focal points, including balloon arches or bold centerpieces. For a cozy and inviting outdoor atmosphere, hang paper lanterns or fairy lights.

Don't overlook the table settings! Select dinnerware, napkins, plates, and linens to go with your theme. Include unique elements to make each visitor feel unique, such as personalized place cards or themed drink stirrers.

Organize your efforts.

Choosing the appropriate activities is essential to keeping your guests entertained and involved throughout the evening, whether you're throwing a lavish event or a laid-back backyard get-together.

First things first, think about your guest list's demographics. Do the majority of them enjoy dancing young adults? Or maybe parents who need to find some kid-friendly entertainment? Being aware of your audience will enable you to adjust the activities to suit their tastes.

Consider scheduling a brief dancing session with a qualified instructor for an enthusiastic group of people. Depending on the mood of your party, this might be anything from hip-hop to salsa. This is a great way to start a conversation and will also get folks moving and grooving.

Set up lawn games like giant Jenga or cornhole if you have an outdoor area accessible. These timeless games never fail to ignite everyone's competitive spirit and offer hours of entertainment to adults and children alike.

Provide spaces set out for card or board games so that visitors can congregate and mingle if they're looking for a more low-key affair. This enables people to take part in friendly competition and have lighthearted talks.

Remember to include activities that involve music! Get a karaoke machine or make your own DIY photo booth and decorate it with themed decorations. Over the course of the evening, these interactive features will keep guests engaged and provide them with photo opportunities.

Decide on a song.

Consider your guest list after that. Across what age range are they? Which music genres do they prefer? Selecting music that will captivate all listeners and keep them dancing all night long is crucial.

Don't be scared to change things around! Mix up your playlist with songs from different eras and genres. This will ensure that there is something for everyone and satisfy a variety of tastes.

If you're not sure where to begin, think about working with a professional DJ that caters to events just like yours. The ability to read a crowd allows a DJ Hire to pick music that will keep everyone dancing.

It's important to remember to make seamless song transitions. Without any abrupt tempo shifts or startling transitions between songs, you want your playlist to flow naturally.

assemble drinks and food

It's time to make sure your visitors are nourished and watered after you have handled all the party's logistical details. A well-stocked bar and a delectable food buffet are necessities for every successful celebration.

Think about the party's theme when selecting the meal. Grilled vegetables, hot dogs, burgers, and cool salads would be ideal for a laid-back backyard BBQ. Consider serving classy canapes or perhaps hiring caterers to handle the food for a more formal event.

Remember the beverages in addition to the delicious meal selections! Make sure you stock a variety of alcoholic beverages to suit a range of palates, including wine, beer, and spirits. Offer non-alcoholic alternatives as well, such as delectable mocktails or reviving water with fruit extract.

Make sure you have enough glasses and cutlery for everyone who will be there as part of your preparations. To ensure that guests' drinks stay cold during the event, it's also critical to supply an ample supply of ice buckets or coolers.

[fcrewell-wxnderlust]

DON'T LOSE YOUR LUGGAGE - TASK #1

Vala was going home - finally! With an invitation to work at a dig site plus a 5 year job as a research assistant at Sydney Uni, they could finally relax. They naturally took as much of their apartment with them as they could.

A: on them - purple short-sleeved shirt - tan shorts - boots - a hat - sunglasses - a hair-tie on each wrist in case they lose one - a mobile phone (broken from the crash) - a black bum bag (fanny pack) containing: + SPF sunscreen + chapstick (that they keep forgetting to wear) + a small notepad + a pencil + a pen + 2 spare scrunchies + a plastic lighter (they don't smoke - they just think it could be useful) + a chocolate bar + a packet of antihistamines

B: in their carryon - 3 books on how to learn Klingon - a couple of fiction reading books - a discman and some CDs for entertainment - a walkman and cassettes pertaining to their work on previous dig sites - a big notebook containing their notes on multiple ancient languages/alphabets (e.g. Ancient Babylonian cuneiform, hieroglyphics etc.) - 2 short-sleeved shirts - 2 pairs of pants - a pair of sandels - a packet of sanitary pads (just in case)

C: in their suitcase (currently missing, probably with the rear end of the plane) - the bulk of their clothes and shoes - more books (fiction and non-fiction) - a laptop and charger (probably damaged in the crash) - a stuffed rabbit called Gemma and a small stuffed frog (that they made) called Daniel - a travel sewing kit (that they put in the wrong bag) containing: + needles + threads + safety pins + a stich ripper + straight pins

[screamingforyears]

IN A MINUTE:

A POST_PUNK EXPRESS…

“FASCINATION” is the final single/title track from @buzzkull forthcoming LP (11/25 Avant! Recs) & it finds Marc Dwyer’s Sydney-based project expertly dipping its toes into the bodied-up & industrialized waters of “90’s era Front 242 & Front Line Assembly” w/out abandoning any of that darkened poppiness.

//

CHAT PILE are lending their talents to an upcoming independent film & do so by unleashing “TENKILLER,” the title track from said film which’ll also see the light of day as a cassette single via @theflenser (11/18) & it finds the Oklahoma City-based quartet of vocalist Raygun Busch, guitarist Luther Manhole, bassist Stin & drummer Captain Ron bringing a very on-brand piece of molasses-like sludge.

//

DOCILE BODIES are here w/ a new standalone single titled “VOYEURISM” (A La Carte Recs) & it finds the Tilburg, NL-based quartet of Sjoerd Aarden (vox), Merl van der Markt (guitar), Tadzio van Bel (bass) & Hans Diks (drums) bringing a relentless chug across 4+ mins of visceral post_punk that’s chockfull of dissonant six-strings, propulsive low-ends & stoically barked vocals.

//

“A CRY FOR HELP” is the latest single from TRUE FAITH’s forthcoming LP titled ‘Go to Ground’ (1/10 A La Carte/Candlepin Recs) & it finds the Boston-based quintet of Travis (Vox/Guitar), Quentin (Guitar) Dylan (Bass), Francisco (Synth) & Tom (Drums) swinging for the cheap seats w/ a big ole slice of rafters reaching & gloom_poppin NewWave.

//

GO AHEAD & GIVE THESE TUNES A LISTEN DOWN BELOW...

///

[qnewsau]

How Tina Turner inspired this Brisbane Melt Festival show

New Post has been published on https://qnews.com.au/how-tina-turner-inspired-this-brisbane-melt-festival-show/

How Tina Turner inspired this Brisbane Melt Festival show

Ben Graetz stars as his alter-ego Miss Ellaneous in TINA: A Tropical Love Story at Brisbane’s Melt Festival. 

In 1993, Ben Graetz had a life-defining moment: He saw Tina Turner in concert.

Seeing her perform had followed from years of listening to her music with his family.

“My mum and dad were huge fans and used to play her music on the cassette tapes on long drives,” he tells me.

“I just thought Tina was an incredible artist but at the time I didn’t think I’d get to see her live.”

Ben grew up in Darwin and the small city didn’t get many big stars coming their way.

However, in 1993 Tina made the trip north, during the hot and sticky month of November, much to his delight.

“She just embraced it and, just put on the most incredible performance, and that was who she was.”

“I’m so grateful I got to see her because it really did change my life.”

  View this post on Instagram

  A post shared by Melt (@melt.fest)

This has led Ben to create TINA: A Tropical Story for Brisbane’s Melt festival this month.

But it was a long and creative road to get there.

Discovering drag

When he was 18, Ben left Darwin for Sydney to study at the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA).

It was a move that saw him discover himself in more ways than one.

“I started to get more comfortable with my sexuality and I started going out on Oxford Street,” he says.

“The scene was thriving and it was an incredible time to come out and really be inspired by the incredible drag scene.”

This inspiration led to the creation of Miss Ellaneous, Ben’s alter ego which was somewhat inspired by Tina Turner.

“For my 25th birthday I decided I was going to actually do drag,” he recalls.

“I got a couple of my friends who block my eyebrows out, I got this really terrible wig, really terrible dress and you think you look glamour but I would have looked hideous!”

It was the start of a long-running career for Ben. He would return to Darwin to be a regular at Throb nightclub and he co-created the Miss First Nation’s pageant.

Not only has he excelled in drag, but he also started the First Nations arts festival Garrmalang, and was the Creative Director of both Sydney WorldPride and the National Indigenous Music Awards.

  View this post on Instagram

  A post shared by Miss Ellaneous aka Ben Graetz (@miss_ellaneous_ben)

Creating TINA: A Tropical Love Story

At one Darwin Fringe Festival, Ben took part in the show Deevuhz (he also spells it out for me: “d, double e, v, u, h, z – we wanted to be trendy.”) and did three Tina Turner numbers.

The response was overwhelmingly positive and when Darwin Festival came knocking for a show, he had one woman in mind.

“I wanted to do a tribute, well my love story to Tina Turner,” he says.

“And I thought, well, let’s call it TINA: Tropical Love Story because that’s where I fell in love with her, in the tropics.”

Tina’s inspiration isn’t just her music, Ben sees a lot of himself in her.

“I do say she’s a little bit like a drag queen because she wore wigs, she made her own dresses, or she wore incredible outfits and started in bars and clubs as well,” he explains.

“She’s also First Nations and I think there was that connection of her being in Darwin and having many people in the audience at that concert, First Nations.”

The show isn’t just a tribute to Tina though. Ben shares his own story and invites other queer artists on stage as part of the performance.

“I work with local performers as well, so I’m able to share their stories,” he explains.

“And because it’s my storytelling, I’m able to tell stories that relate to the place that I’m in and the people that are in the show.”

  View this post on Instagram

  A post shared by Ben Graetz (@brg_productions)

What’s next?

After he finishes his shows at Melt, Ben has plans to take a break.

“My husband and I are about to go back over to Wales in the UK to spend Christmas with his family,” he says.

Family is incredibly important to him.

“To be able to go back to Darwin see my parents, but also, I’ve got a daughter to two beautiful mums, so a rainbow family. She’s seven now, so to be able to spend time with her is so important.”

I can’t let Ben go without asking him a very difficult question: What’s his favourite Tina Turner song?

“I do love We Don’t Need Another Hero,” he says.

“But there’s a lot of songs that I like for various different reasons. I would also say Proud Mary.”

Luckily for the audience, there’ll be more than one or two Tina songs in his incredible show.

You can catch TINA: A Tropical Love Story at Brisbane Powerhouse on Friday 25 October and Saturday 26 October.

Get your tickets at the Melt website.

Read next:

Catch these Melt Festival 2024 highlights at Brisbane Powerhouse

Miss Ellaneous served the first ever drag show at federal parliament

Sad update on future of Darwin’s Throb Nightclub

For the latest LGBTIQA+ Sister Girl and Brother Boy news, entertainment, community stories in Australia, visit qnews.com.au. Check out our latest magazines or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

[screendoor-s]

Why Roller Blinds in Manly Are the Perfect Choice for Modern Living: Style, Functionality, and More

As one of Sydney's most picturesque beachside suburbs, Manly is a vibrant community known for its stunning beaches, relaxed lifestyle, and modern architecture. In such an idyllic setting, creating a harmonious living space is essential, and window treatments play a crucial role in achieving this. Roller blinds have emerged as a popular choice among residents for their stylish appearance and practical benefits. In this article, we will explore the many reasons why roller blinds in Manly are the perfect solution for modern living, examining their advantages, diverse styles, and essential considerations for selection.

The Appeal of Roller Blinds

Versatile Design

One of the standout features of roller blinds is their versatile design. Available in a multitude of styles, fabrics, and colours, these window treatments can seamlessly fit into any interior aesthetic. From minimalist and contemporary spaces to more traditional and eclectic designs, roller blinds can be customised to reflect your personal style.

Modern homes often benefit from clean lines and uncluttered visuals, which roller blinds naturally provide. They can be selected in fabrics that offer a range of opacities, from sheer to blackout, allowing homeowners to control the ambience of their living spaces effectively. With options that include patterns, textures, and even motorised functions, roller blinds provide a solution that suits both aesthetic preferences and practical needs.

Space-Saving Solution

In modern living environments, where space can be at a premium, the compact design of roller blinds is a significant advantage. Unlike traditional curtains that can take up considerable space when drawn, roller blinds roll up neatly into a small cassette, allowing for an unobstructed view and a feeling of spaciousness. This feature is particularly beneficial for smaller rooms, such as apartments or studios, where every square inch counts. By maximising your window space, roller blinds contribute to a light and airy atmosphere that enhances the overall feel of your home.

Key Benefits of Roller Blinds

Light Control

One of the primary reasons homeowners in Manly choose roller blinds is their exceptional light control. With options available in sheer and blackout fabrics, you can tailor the amount of sunlight entering your space to suit your lifestyle. Sheer fabrics allow natural light to filter through while maintaining privacy, making them an excellent choice for living areas and dining spaces. On the other hand, blackout blinds are perfect for bedrooms and media rooms, ensuring complete darkness when desired, which is essential for a restful night’s sleep or an immersive movie experience.

Moreover, roller blinds can help mitigate glare from the sun, protecting your furniture and flooring from fading and damage while creating a comfortable living environment.

Easy Maintenance

Maintenance is another aspect that makes roller blinds appealing to homeowners. Unlike other window treatments that may require extensive upkeep, roller blinds are relatively easy to clean. Most fabrics can be wiped down with a damp cloth to remove dust and stains, while some options are machine washable, providing a hassle-free cleaning process. Additionally, the absence of intricate folds and pleats makes them less prone to collecting dust, ensuring that they remain in excellent condition with minimal effort.

Choosing the Right Roller Blinds

Assessing Your Space

When selecting roller blinds, it’s essential to assess the dimensions and layout of your rooms. Larger windows may benefit from wider roller blinds or even a combination of multiple blinds for a seamless appearance. Additionally, consider the orientation of your windows; south-facing windows receive more sunlight throughout the day and may require more robust fabrics or blackout options to effectively manage heat and light.

Furthermore, think about the room’s purpose. For instance, a home office may benefit from sheer roller blinds that filter light while reducing glare on computer screens, whereas a nursery might require blackout blinds to create a peaceful sleeping environment for your child.

Fabric and Colour Choices

The fabric and colour of your roller blinds should harmonise with your existing decor and reflect your personal style. Light-coloured fabrics can brighten up a room and make it feel more spacious, while darker tones can add a sense of warmth and intimacy.

Consider the overall colour palette of your home. If your decor features neutral tones, you might opt for a bold pattern or vibrant colour to make a statement. Alternatively, if your space is already rich in colour, choosing a subtle shade may be the best approach to maintain balance.

Installation Tips for Roller Blinds

Professional vs. DIY Installation

While many homeowners may consider installing roller blinds themselves, hiring a professional can ensure proper fitting and functionality. Professionals can provide guidance on measurements and installation techniques that can prevent common pitfalls, such as uneven placement or difficulties in operation.

Professional installation also provides peace of mind, knowing that your blinds are securely fitted and will function effectively. Some companies even offer custom-made solutions that require precise measurements, making professional installation the best option for unique window sizes or shapes.

Regular Maintenance

To keep your roller blinds looking their best, regular maintenance is crucial. Simple tasks like dusting with a soft cloth or vacuuming with a brush attachment can help remove dirt and dust build-up. Checking the mechanisms periodically ensures they operate smoothly and can prevent more significant issues down the line.

In addition to regular cleaning, consider rotating the position of your blinds periodically. This practice can help avoid uneven wear on the fabric and prolong the lifespan of your window treatments.

Conclusion

In conclusion, roller blinds in Manly offer a perfect blend of style, functionality, and practicality, making them an ideal choice for modern living. With their versatility, exceptional light control, and easy maintenance, these window treatments can enhance any home while complementing its decor. By carefully considering your space, personal style, and practical needs, you can select the perfect roller blinds that not only elevate your interiors but also enhance your living experience in this beautiful coastal suburb. Investing in roller blinds is not just about window treatment; it’s about transforming your living environment into a stylish, functional haven that reflects your personality and lifestyle.