#the afterparty season 2 review

[oneofusnet]

Screener Squad: The Afterparty Season 2 THE AFTERPARTY SEASON 2 The songs off the playlist are winding down. The frantic dancing has slowed to a shuffling of feet in the drunken embrace of a lover that never was, and all the kegs are empty. You know what that means, catch me at the AFTERPARTY! Apple TV presents Season 2 of Chris Miller’s Who-Done-hit, The Afterparty. Aniq (Sam Richardson) and Zoe (Zoe Chao) are attending Zoe’s sister Grace’s (Poppy Liu) wedding to the tech boy millionaire Edgar (Zach Woods). This timeless love is not to be as Grace finds her newly betrothed Edgar has run out of… Read More »Screener Squad: The Afterparty Season 2 read more on One of Us

[hurpdurpburps]

The Otherside Picnic Michelin Guide

Instead of prepping all the shit I have to do for an upcoming 80-hour work week, my procrastination has led me to writing this list, which is mostly a food-focused curation of my OP Pilgrimage Destination List, with new additions that I've discovered since publishing that.

I like to eat and my 4 years of working as a food journalist have sorta ingrained a subconscious razor-sharp attention to mentions of food in the media that I consume (pun intended). Armed with 5 years of experience living full-time in Tokyo, I've decided to redirect my powers for the Greater Gastronomic Good.

All photos featured are taken from Tablelog/official sources. I haven't been to any of these places myself, but you bet your ass I will be visiting most of them and writing up reviews on here when I'm done.

1. Kitchen Nankai Jinbocho (キッチン南海 神保町店)

The "Western food" (洋食) place Sorawo and Toriko visited for a quick builder's lunch in Vol 6 (File 20 - T is for Templeborn).

In case you're interested in what our protagonists ate:

Sorawo ordered the tonkatsu curry (カツカレー) topped with cheese, while Toriko went for the fried flounder and ginger pork with rice (ひらめフライ生姜焼きライス).

From the photos on their Tablelog page, raw egg seems to be the most popular topping for curry, which is surprising to me since cheese seems like the most intuitive candidate. Best to bring a healthy appetite since their portions look absolutely huge.

2. Sichuan Cuisine Aki Jinbocho (四川料理 秋 神保町本店)

The Chinese restaurant near Jinbocho station where Toriko and Sorawo held their first ever afterparty together after hunting the kunekune.

Unlike what the name implies, it seems to be a run-of-the-mill Chinese place that kinda does a jack-of-all-trades menu rather than any focused niche in Sichuan cuisine. They even have peking duck on the menu according to their Tablelog page, but I can't guarantee if it'd be any good.

If you want to follow what SoraTori ordered, then go for the cashew chicken (鶏肉のカシューナッツ炒め), cumin lamb (ラム肉のクミン炒め) and water spinach (空芯菜), and wash it all down with Tsingtao beer.

3. Cafe Pause Ikebukuro

The cafe where Toriko and Sorawo had their first fight. Its location right behind Junkudo presumably translates into a lot of foot traffic from bookworms. Reviews that I've read say that more than half of its customers come here just to read in peace, and it's got free wifi to boot, so the ambience's probably top notch as well.

The cafe regularly updates its menu (but not online, sadly) and offers a wide range of cafe staples such as fresh pasta lunch sets and homemade baked goods. If you want to recreate Sorawo's one-woman feast, you can check to see if the menu has some or all of the following items:

Taco rice

Chocolate and sour cherry cake

Matcha terrine

“Tart of the day” topped with raspberries

Caffè latte

Grape-flavoured black tea (ぶどうの紅茶)

Check out their website and Instagram here.

4. Maison c

Also nearby Junkudo is this cosy little wine bar in Ikebukuro where Sorawo and Toriko had a rather gloomy dinner after the Ninja Cat saga in Vol 2 (File 8 - Little Bird in a Box).

They don't have a website or a menu, but from what I could glean from their Instagram, they serve mostly seasonal French-Italian fare. Order some sparkling red wine and a prosciutto-salami platter for that SoraTori experience.

Place looks tiny so I wouldn't try to visit with more than one companion, or at least not without a reservation (strictly by phone).

6. Keio Plaza Hotel Shinjuku

The buffet that The Girls stuffed their faces at for their first anniversary dinner in Vol 7 (File 22 - Toilet Paper Moon) is the Glass Court Super Buffet, located on the 2nd floor.

The line in the book about roast beef being their signature is probably true. I mean LOOK AT THIS:

Other shout-outs from the book (MASSIVE HUNGER WARNING):

Picking away at the appetizer of sakura shrimp and lily bulbs as we talked, our first glasses were soon empty.

I gluttonously loaded up my plate with fresh fried tempura, mussels, foie gras with strawberry sauce, Berkshire pork and mountain vegetables fried in miso, and tom yum noodles. Toriko got a chicken stir fry with chili peppers, chicken liver and bamboo shoots in garlic, a bunch of Iberian ham, and more. It was a lot of meat, but she also had a Caesar salad and yuba maki rolls, so she still succeeded in having a somewhat stylish plate overall.

Just a bit of an intermission here to note a couple of slight mistranslations. The Japanese text is as follows:

揚げたての天ぷらとか、ムール貝とか、フォアグラの苺ソースがけとか黒豚と山菜の味噌焼きとかトムヤム麵とか、欲望のまま皿に取ってきた。鳥子は鶏肉の唐辛子炒め、砂肝と筍のガーリック風味、たっぷりの生ハムなどなど、やたら肉が多めだったけど、ちゃんとシーザーサラダや野菜の湯葉巻きなんかも取っていて、全体として小洒落た感じにまとめることに成功していた。

砂肝 (sunagimo - lit. "sand liver") refers to the gizzard. The name is derived from how the organ works, which stores bits of grit to help grind up food before it's digested, since birds can't chew.

生ハム (nama hamu - lit. "raw ham") is a term for generic proscuitto, and is not interchangeable with the much more culturally/geographically-specific parma ham or jamon iberico.

We both went to the buffet and came back, having gotten gratin, paella, beef curry, and other heavy foods that would pair well with red wine.

Toriko asked between bites of roast beef. It was the type the chef cuts as you watch, and I’d gotten some too. This was supposed to be one of their best dishes here and the taste reflected that.

I got a tiny cake and a confection called nerikiri, then poured myself a cup of black tea.

It was Crêpes Suzette, warm crepes in an orange sauce with coconut ice cream on top.

The second half of the night takes place at the Aurora Sky Lounge on the 45th floor.

Definitely a great (and very convenient) choice to bring a date to get in the mood.

7. Chichibu Waraji Katsu Tei (秩父わらじかつ亭)

After escaping Hasshaku-sama in Vol 1 (File 2 - Hasshaku-sama Survival), Toriko and Sorawo had dinner at a waraji katsu shop located within the food court of a recreational complex that was connected to Seibu-Chichibu station.

This complex is called Matsuri No Yu (祭の湯) and the only waraji katsu shop here is Chichibu Waraji Katsu Tei (秩父わらじかつ亭).

Here's their Tablelog page. According to reviews, the standard serving size is two pieces of katsu. Miyazawa really wasn't lying about meat overflowing from the bowl.

8. Masan's Home (琉球酒場 ま～さんの家)

The Okinawan izakaya that Sorawo and Toriko pigged out at after finding themselves on Kokusai-dori in Naha.

Their Tablelog page features a very extensive menu. Jimami tofu and sea grapes are a must if you're visiting Okinawa for the first time, and I also recommend going for the local sashimi platter as well as other Okinawan specialties such as rafute, Okinawa soba, goat sashimi and bitter gourd stir-fry (ゴーヤチャンプルー).

Honourable Mentions

1. Mendokoro Maruwa (麺処 まるわ)

In case you missed it, there was an OP x ramen collab back in 2018. You can read all about it in my first ever tumblr post (literally I made a whole ass tumblr acc bc I felt like I NEEDED to share it with the world lmao).

I'm not sure if the Ultra Blue is still up on the menu (probably not after all these years), but if you're enthusiastic about the restaurant's link with the series then perhaps it's worth checking out. Their signature is the basil salt tsukemen (バジルソルトつけ麺) so it wouldn't be too different from the Ultra Blue in terms of base flavour profile.

Here's their Tablelog page and Twitter.

PS. This place is in Chiba prefecture, outside of Tokyo. So like idk maybe plan it before a Disneyland trip or smth to be more time-efficient.

2. Kayu San Chin Keio Mall (粥餐庁 京王モール店)

The Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) food therapy restaurant that Sorawo and gang visited in Vol 3 after the events of the Kotoribako was KOGA Seibu Ikebukuro (皇雅西武池袋店), which closed down a few years ago.

While not a perfect replacement, there's a store specialising in Chinese-style congee located at the Keio Mall in Shinjuku, called Kayu San Chin (粥餐庁 - lit. "congee restaurant" in Chinese).

Their menu is similar enough (sans the TCM tea selection that was apparently a signature offering by Koga).

3. A Whole Buncha Meat Places

Kozakura treated Toriko and Sorawo to a luxurious steak lunch near Shakujii-kōen station after the kidnapping incident in Vol 4 (File 12 - The Matter of that Farm). While Meat Bar Modavaca (ニクバル モダ・バッカ) has since closed down, there's more than a handful of places where you can try out the quintessential "sizzling hot plate" Japanese steakhouse experience for yourself.

Ikinari Steak (いきなり！ステーキ) is the most easily accesible place where you can order a cut of beef by weight. It's a chain, so don't get your hopes up with regards to the meat quality, but it's also a convenient and budget-friendly option. Website here.

Steak Kuni (ステーキくに) is a similar concept business but on a much smaller scale - with only three locations so far split between Tokyo, Natori in Miyagi prefecture and Koshigaya in Saitama prefecture. Website and Instagram here.

Beef Up Tokyo is a chic joint nestled somewhere near the Yaesu side of Tokyo station near Kyobashi. Which bumps it up really high on my to-try list based on the location alone (I'm pretty sure my usual hotel is max 2 streets away from it). They have basic options that start at 1,800 yen for a 200g cut of run-of-the-mill sirloin, to A5 marbled wagyu going at 3,600 yen for the same size. Which is a steal imo. Click here for their Tablelog page, Instagram and official website.

Pound-Ya Roppongi (听屋 六本木) is another option if you want to splurge a little bit more on quality. Their wagyu steaks are priced at 2,200 yen/100g for the rump/round and 4,000 yen/100g for the sirloin, with the filet taking the cake at 5,600 yen/100g. Tablelog page and Instagram here.

PS. I KNOW that you laughed at that name.

[sunnydaleherald]

The Sunnydale Herald Newsletter, Monday, July 22 - Tuesday, July 23

BUFFY: Thanks for side-kicking. I didn't want to trouble Willow. Figure she's got enough to do. First day back and all. XANDER: Are you kidding? We're doing vent work at the site. Anything's better than breathing freon for eight hours. (beat) So, did she say what this thing is? BUFFY: Some sort of spider demony thingy. She had to go pretty quickly. I think she had to sign up for classes or something. XANDER: Ah, yes, there is little that can distract the Willow when she's on the hunt for the mighty syllabi. BUFFY: I don't know. I guess she was a little more nervous than she was letting on.

~~Buffy Season 7 Episode #127: "Selfless"~~

[Drabbles & Short Fiction]

I Trusted You (Buffy/Giles, E) by The_Crazy_Knight

Awakening the angel of death (Angel, unrated, Bones xover) by Fidelio_cascadilio

La réserve des monstres. (Cordelia, Xander, Willow, T, French) by AngelicaR2

Bedtime Story (Xander/Angel/Spike, M) by witchway

Grilled cheese and kisses (Buffy/Spike, G) by Lilacsandorangeblossoms

Number one fan (Buffy/Spike, T) by Lilacsandorangeblossoms

He brought flowers (Buffy/Spike, T) by Lilacsandorangeblossoms

Cherish the day (Buffy/Spike, T) by Lilacsandorangeblossoms

[Chaptered Fiction]

Prison of Misery Ch. 1/2 (Buffy, unrated, Harry Potter xover) by Buffyworldbuilder

The Call Ch. 4 (Giles, unrated) by pbjellius

Families Ch. 2/15 (Ensemble, unrated) by 19BBY

Shenanigans Ch. 1/5 (Buffy/Spike, T) by flootzavut

The Right Swipe Ch. 1 (Buffy/Giles, E) by DancingAngel0013

Aegis Ch. 11 (Xander, T, multiple xovers) by dogbertcarroll, Narsil

Dead Man's Afterparty Ch. 2 (COMPLETE) (Ensemble, G) by Greensword101

In the Company of Witches and Slayers: Ch. 109 (Willow/Tara, E) by VladimirHarkonnen (TheLightdancer)

Task Mistress, Chapter 4 (Buffy/Spike, E) by HappyWhenItRains

Life with Buffy, Chapter 4 (Buffy/Spike, T) by Joan963z

Stygian Nights, Chapter 4 (Buffy/Spike, T) by JamesMFan

East of Nevada, Chapter 5 (Buffy/Spike, M) by Blissymbolics

Stab in the back, Chapter 23 (Buffy/Spike, E) by MelG_2005

The Degradation of Duality [Series Part 2], Chapter 34 (Buffy/Spike, E) by Ragini

Buffy Summers and the Major Case of the Wiggins, Chapter 4 (Buffy/Spike, E) by Soulburnt

I’ll Get You, My Pretty!, Chapter 4 (Buffy/Spike, M) by CheekyKitten

A Second Chance- Their Story, Chapter 13 (Buffy/Spike, E) by Loup Noir

Birds of a Feather, Chapter 1 (Buffy/Spike, E) by Maxine Eden

The Watcher, Chapter 20 (Buffy/Spike, E) by In Mortal

Something Borrowed, Chapter 1-3 (Buffy/Spike, M) by Geliot99

Unicorn , Chapter 8-10 (Buffy/Spike, M) by Desicat

Over the Hills and Far Away, Chapter 3 (Buffy/Spike, T) by Rea

[Images, Audio & Video]

Artwork:Tara () by samof1994

Artwork:F E A R L E S S (Cordelia) by notbraveenoughforpolitics

Artwork:Scoobies () by tubesock86

Custom Figures: Drusilla () by thegothicalice

[Reviews & Recaps]

PODCAST: Bonus Episode - Season 2 Recap by The Sunnydale Diaries

PODCAST: Episode 124: Wrecked by Mythtaken

PODCAST: BTVS 520 - Spiral by Another Buffy Podcast

[Community Announcements]

Tuesday's Prompts are Purple-y by comment-fic

Fanged Four Family Kink Bingo by Runs in the Blood Discord Server

[Fandom Discussions]

Something abt Willow defying the narrative itself to bring Buffy back. by duckwnoeyes

Becoming a puppet in “Smile Time” by lindseymcdonaldseyelashes

Wait, if Sahjhan was hoping Holtz would kill Angel and/or Darla before Connor could be born... by nicnacsnonsense

one of the things that bothers me most about late seasons btvs by greensaplinggrace

Most Shocking Moments of BTVS/AtS by hoponlilmama

SoS: A Darker Giles by Multiple Authors

What are things characters don't get enough credit for? by The Whirlwind

What's your favorite season? by The Whirlwind

Which episode do you prefer and why? by Priceless

Did they bring Angel back too soon? by Stoney

NOTHING hit like Buffy season 2,3 and 5 by Cailly_Brard7

Accents by DanTrueCrimeFan87

Lullaby/Connor’s birth by Circus1701

Mixed Feelings On Season 5 by BigBoss2203

Giles in Band Candy by Omfgjustpickaname

Pangs v Hush: Angel and the vision about Buffy by penderies

What if Buffy was transported to an alternate universe during 'The Gift' by MattanzaMafiaFedora

I appreciate these two more as an adult than I did as a teen. by illegallysmolkate

Evil Willow by thedemonglitch

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Is the Angel series any good? by DragonfruitHot9889

Buffyverse watch Order by Mat1711

Doyle Appreciation by ElephantWorldly5010

lorne reading fred in 3x03? by nellyxbear

How many schools did Buffy burn down? by MonsterTournament

Would Kate get the same Hate as Justine? by Potter1612

a hot take by brwitch

The Wish questions by Tsole96

I actually totally understand Buffy now by lokeyvigilante

Did anyone else just realize this is Pedro Pascal in S4?! by ElephantWorldly5010

For those of us who walk in worlds the others cannot begin to imagine by Stracharys

Dead Man’s Party Episode by user294859382

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Tucker's brother didn't need the trio (part 3 of the trio going solo) by drawandpaintbyfire

the order of episodes in the watchers guide by lilalphabetxboy

Rewatching for the 100th time by ConsiderationEasy967

Angel's greatest acting performances by Cailly_Brard7

Buffy The Vampire Slayer's greatest acting performances by Cailly_Brard7

Looking for a rewatch podcast, any recommendations? by ThisPaige

Which moments best capture how the show manages to balance drama and comedy by InfiniteMehdiLove

Angel was 9th. Agree? Disagree? Fight about it in the comments… by DanTrueCrimeFan87

Totally Underrated Pair. I wish we got to see more of them together. by GoblinQueenForever

I just started watching buffy and OMG okay by Substantial_Tax5577

Dushku emancipation — when and why by mig_mit

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AtS Season 5 feels like a different show by Ok_Frame_4117

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[robbinggoodfellows]

A very angry rant / personal essay about Wes Anderson parodies and the reduction of his style to just simple visual aesthetic

Recently, I became very invested in a show on Apple Tv called The Afterparty. That investment in it only grew when I learned that season 2 would be promising a “Wes Anderson style episode.” Naturally, as someone who takes a lot of inspiration from Anderson’s films I was excited to see what this episode would be like. I am no longer invested in The Afterparty and it is entirely because of this episode.

We’ve seen this before, the reduction of Wes Anderson’s entire style to just quirky characters and pastel colors. Anyone who participated in the Tiktok trend of recreating this style knows this. Of course, this is done with utter disregard for everything else that makes up his style.

This brings me to my detailed review of The Afterparty, season 2 episode 4. I believe my exact words were “I'm so disappointed.” I was legitimately infuriated with this episode, to the point where I can no longer watch The Afterparty.

First of all, just straight up copying exact things from Wes Anderson movies isn’t cool. This episode literally did the exact same montage from the beginning of Rushmore. I was pissed. Furthermore, this episode copies the easy parts of Wes Anderson without acknowledging the work the actually goes into his films. Just color grading your shots and putting text on the screen in a quirky font isn’t enough. There’s a certain cadence that Wes’ screenplays have, a certain way of speaking that this episode simply did not have. Actually I think the only character who had the line delivery down was Ulysses in his scene with Hannah. His short amount of screen time was the highlight of this episode for me.

Another thing that pissed me off is that Wes would never write lesbians like that (he would write them so much better.) Every analysis of Wes Andersons style as a whole has pointed out one thing in common between his films, they are all about relationships. Wether those relationships are platonic or romantic, maybe even familial relationships, they focus in how people interact with people. And that’s another place where I feel this episode fell short. Hannah and Grace’s relationship felt like it was on the back burner, like it wasn’t important. Of course maybe it wasn’t meant to be important, maybe the main relationship of the episode was supposed to be Hannah and Edgar. But then maybe they could have given the two more than five minutes of screen time together. It felt like they missed the mark on any of the relationships in the episode, even having Hannah be extremely manipulative towards Grace for no reason.

The part that makes the the angriest is, why didn’t they consult with Wes Anderson about his style? For non-fans of The Afterparty, you may not know that every episode is told in a different genre. This episode is actually the first one to describe its genre with the name of a specific director. That’s a big undertaking, even with a director whose style isn’t as bold as Anderson’s. The least the show could have done would be to ask Wes how he does it. Or just not make the episode.

I am very interested to know if Wes even knows about the episode or if he had any opinions on it. Especially now, with the release of Asteroid City which is now reaffirming for newer fans that Wes Anderson is not just a visual aesthetic or a quirky character. Rather, his films have deep stylistic choices that cannot be replacated . Wes is doing things that no other director is doing, and while I understand why that may make people more interested in copying his style, it is not the right thing to do. I truly don’t believe anyone except for Wes Anderson knows what Wes Anderson is doing. And that is okay. I just wish modern media would leave it alone.

[threedotsfromstardom]

season 2 reviews for the afterparty are out! so i'm gonna give a rundown on some stuff!

edgar and sebastian are business partners into c.ryptocurrency

danner is no longer a cop, she's currently writing a book about the events of season 1

aniq tries to get zoë's parents blessings for a proposal

while aniq and danner do their investigation on finding the killer, zoë is doing her own

feng's episode is found footage a la tiktok

travis is a conspiracy theorist who's on reddit

vivian's episode is 80s soap opera (not listed in reviews, but heard it from an interview of her)

there's a sex scene with spaghetti, condiments, bagels etc

zoë and aniq are both protective of her family from the suspicion of them as suspects

[agentnico]

The Afterparty - Season 2 (2023) Review

(IN SOUTHERN ACCENT) "Sir, there has been a murdah, and you are a suspect." Michael Scott from The Office would fit so well into one of these murder mysteries, I tell ya.

Plot: When Zoe's sister's wedding weekend is destroyed by a murder, Aniq calls his old friend, Danner, to investigate the crime. The two proceed to interview the suspects, each telling their story in the style of a different movie genre.

Once again, there has been another murder, and yet again Hercule Poirot is busy elsewhere in Venice dealing with death and ghosts apparently, so we are left in the capable hands of the Haddish to discover the murderer. It's another whodunnit, and ever since Rian Johnson reignited the excitement of the genre in 2019's Knives Out, I've been eagerly anticipating these murders. I sound like a psycho stating I'm excited about murders, so I must emphasize I mean fictional ones. Then again, what if I'm not and have now become the prime suspect in my own murder mystery! Regardless, The Afterparty returns for a second season to Apple TV+, and though at first I expected only Tiffany Haddish's detective to transition from the first outing in the style of a Holmes or Miss Marple, we actually also see the return of Sam Richardson's Aniq and Zoë Chao Zoe as the charming yet awkward couple, and Richardson especially stood out last time with his comedic timing so was lovely to see him return.

Otherwise, it's a whole new fresh set of characters and suspects, and look, if there's one thing murder mysteries these days are good at, it's getting flashy actors to be in them. The entire roster is great here, from the disarmingly charming John Cho who's truly blossomed into a wondrous flower compared to his days smoking the greens and traveling to White Castle with his friend Kumar; to Anna Konkle as a socially awkward quirky sister of the groom; to Ken Jeong being surprisingly delightful and adorable and the loving father of the bride, and very different to Jeong's more madder unhinged performances in Community and The Hangover movies; to Paul Walter Hauser as the ex-boyfriend who by the way is absolutely hysterical in this, especially with the physical comedy, but those who recall seeing Hauser in 2017's I, Tonya as he inept doofus of a bodyguard should not be surprised by this. It's a great cast and was fun watching all of them. My good friend though has made it super clear to me that he has a vengeful hatred for Jack Whitehall, and as such as I enjoyed the weekly new episode releases of The Afterparty, I also had the pleasure of receiving by message weekly dosages of my friend's commentary which primarily involved comments such as "I do worry that Jack Whitehall will ruin it" and "is Jack Whitehall shit in every scene he's in??" to "Jack Whitehall is not a handsome guy" and also "I think I just hate Jack Whitehall" and finally "I think Jack Whitehall might be one of the only people I hate". All I'm saying is that if Jack Whitehall gets murdered out of the blue, we know who our No 1 suspect would be.

The second season also dials up a notch its concept of mind movies, in which each suspect tells their story using a certain unique movie genre. On top of playing with elements like cinematography, music, and sound, The Afterparty Season 2 also immerses us further in each character's mindset with more exaggerated costuming, hair and makeup, and production design choices. Season 1's characters wore the same costumes in every mind movie, and the sets and props remained constant as well. Here, they switch depending on whose point of view we're watching. An especially hilarious film noir episode dresses characters in sleek suits and fedoras, while the Jane Austen episode sees characters exchanging lavish, handwritten letters while wearing elaborate gowns. Elsewhere, an inspired Wes Anderson-themed installment takes painstaking efforts to evoke the filmmaker's signature style across the board. Additionally, we also get some campy horror and 80s soap opera parts in there too.

As for who was the murderer this season? No spoilers, but I'd say it was a good choice, however, the show had plenty of red herrings thrown in throughout they really could have gone for any one of the suspects and it would have made sense. Feel like they could have maybe thrown an extra clue in there to guide us more specifically to the truth, but maybe I am just sore cause I did not guess the killer. I'm usually really good at predicting this stuff, so this is a damper on my own ego.

I really enjoyed this season of The Afterparty, and though I believe it suffered from a bit of a slow start in the beginning, it became a very delightful weekly load of entertainment, that is also really funny. Also, they revamped Haddish's detective with more layers this time around and she gets another backstory episode this season that added an extra load of flair and panache to her character which I believe lacked the previous season. As it stands, very much looking forward to a potential third season, and seeing where else Phil Lord and Chris Miller will take this funky humouristic little murder mystery next, as in a market that is now really saturated with the whodunnit genre, The Afterparty still manages to stand out with its own distinct flavour.

Overall score: 7/10

[reachingfortheday]

I posted 1,791 times in 2022

That's 1,019 more posts than 2021!

377 posts created (21%)

1,414 posts reblogged (79%)

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@classicwhatthefuckplotline

@twocarsonenight

@afeveredblur

@thegirlalmighty

@grandpapa-sweater

I tagged 1,658 of my posts in 2022

Only 7% of my posts had no tags

#our flag means death - 162 posts

#what we do in the shadows - 139 posts

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#taika waititi - 80 posts

#the afterparty - 59 posts

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#ted lasso - 48 posts

#boy (2010) - 43 posts

Longest Tag: 139 characters

#the twitter fandom is losing their minds over rhys’s wife being pro-monarchy and like she didn’t sign up for having you all read her tweets

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

colin doesn’t remember the racecar bed or singing and dancing at the club or climbing the fence at the zoo with laszlo to see the rhinos i’m—

586 notes - Posted September 6, 2022

#4

hyperventilating

926 notes - Posted August 18, 2022

#3

i saw someone say laszlo went from being the most hated character at the end of season 3 to the most loved character at the end of season 4 and i’m like

6,040 notes - Posted September 9, 2022

#2

matt berry as laszlo performing a genuinely touching cover of sunrise sunset over a montage of photos of colin’s lost youth is something that can actually be so personal

10,650 notes - Posted September 6, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

vico ortiz i am obsessed with you

(source)

21,735 notes - Posted June 2, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[jeremiahjefferson]

I posted 219 times in 2022

That's 216 more posts than 2021!

216 posts created (99%)

3 posts reblogged (1%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@unearthlydust

@canmking

@disneytva

I tagged 203 of my posts in 2022

Only 7% of my posts had no tags

#youtube - 163 posts

#netflix - 11 posts

#ms marvel - 9 posts

#the afterparty - 8 posts

#ironheart - 6 posts

#kraven the hunter - 6 posts

#doctor strange in the multiverse of madness - 6 posts

#mcu - 5 posts

#spiderman across the spiderverse part one - 5 posts

#morbius - 5 posts

Longest Tag: 57 characters

#the first christmas the story of the first christmas snow

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

I Am Watching The Season Finale Of The Peripheral With My Mom & Sister On Amazon Prime Video

4 notes - Posted December 3, 2022

#4

I Am Watching The Orbital Children On Netflix

4 notes - Posted February 27, 2022

#3

I Am Watching The Way Of The Househusband On Netflix

5 notes - Posted March 17, 2022

#2

I Am Watching House Of The Dragon On HBO Max With My Mom @supermanbeyondsblog-blog

7 notes - Posted September 27, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

I Am Watching Human Resources On Netflix With My Mom

127 notes - Posted March 18, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[mostlymovieswithmax]

Movies I watched in May

Sadly, I kind of skipped writing a post for April. It was a mad month with so much going on: lots of emails sent and lots of stress. I started a new job so I’m getting to grips with that... and even then, I still watched a bunch of movies. But this is about what I watched in May and, yeah… still a bunch. So if you’re looking to get into some other movies - possibly some you’ve thought about watching but didn’t know what they were like, or maybe like the look of something you’ve never heard of - then this may help! So here’s every film I watched from the 1st to the 31st of May 2021 Tenet (2020) - 8/10 This was my third time watching Christopher Nolan’s most Christopher Nolan movie ever and it makes no sense but I still love it. The spectacle of it all is truly like nothing I’ve ever seen. I had also watched it four days prior to this watch also, only this time I had enabled audio description for the visually impaired, thinking it would make it funny… It didn’t.

Nomadland (2020) - 6/10 Chloé Zhao’s new movie got a lot of awards attention. Everyone was hyped for this and when it got put out on Disney+ I was eager to see what all the fuss was about. Seeing these real nomads certainly gave the film an authenticity, along with McDormand’s ever-praisable acting. But generally I found it quite underwhelming and lacking a lot in its pacing. Nomadland surely has its moments of captivating cinematography and enticing commentary on the culture of these people, but it felt like it went on forever without any kind of forward direction or goal. The Prince of Egypt (1998) - 6/10 I reviewed this on my podcast, The Sunday Movie Marathon. For what it is, it’s pretty fun but nowhere near as good as some of the best DreamWorks movies.

Chinatown (1974) - 8/10 What a fantastic and wonderfully unpredictable mystery crime film! I regret to say I’ve not seen many Jack Nicholson performances but he steals the show. Despite Polanski’s infamy, it’d be a lie to claim this wasn’t truly masterful. Howl’s Moving Castle (2004) - 8/10 Admittedly I was half asleep as I curled up on the sofa to watch this again on a whim. I watched this with someone who demanded the dubbed version over the subtitled version and while I objected heavily, I knew I’d seen the movie before so it didn’t matter too much. That person also fell asleep about 20 minutes in, so how pointless an argument it was. Howl’s Moving Castle boasts superb animation, the likes of which I’ve only come to expect of Miyazaki. The story is so unique and the colours are absolutely gorgeous. This may not be my favourite from the legendary director but there’s no denying its splendour.

Bāhubali: The Beginning (2015) - 3/10 The next morning I watched some absolute trash. This crazy, over the top Indian movie is hilarious and I could perhaps recommend it if it weren’t so long. That being said, Bāhubali was not a dumpster fire; it has a lot of good-looking visual effects and it’s easy to see the ambition for this epic story, it just doesn’t come together. There’s fun to be had with how the main character is basically the strongest man in the world and yet still comes across as just a lucky dumbass, along with all the dancing that makes no sense but is still entertaining to watch. Seven Samurai (1954) - 10/10 If it wasn’t obvious already, Seven Samurai is a masterpiece. I reviewed this on The Sunday Movie Marathon podcast, so more thoughts can be found there. Red Road (2006) - 6/10 Another recommendation on episode 30 of the podcast. Red Road really captures the authentic British working class experience. Before Sunrise (1995) - 10/10 One of the best romances put to film. The first in Richard Linklater’s Before Trilogy is undoubtedly my favourite, despite its counterparts being almost equally as good. It tells the story of a young couple travelling through Europe, who happen to meet on a train and spend the day together. It is gloriously shot on location in Vienna and features some of the most interesting dialogue I’ve ever seen put to film. Heartbreakingly beautiful.

Tokyo Story (1953) - 9/10 This Japanese classic - along with being visually and sonically masterful - is a lot about appreciating the people in your life and taking the time to show them that you love them. It’s about knowing it’s never too late to rekindle old relationships if you truly want to, which is something I’ve been able to relate to in recent years. It broke my heart in two. Tokyo Story will make you want to call your mother. Before Sunset (2004) - 10/10 Almost a decade after Sunrise, Sunset carries a sombre yet relieving feeling. Again, the performances from Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke take me away, evoking nostalgic feelings as they stroll through the contemporary Parisian streets. There is no regret in me for buying the Criterion blu-ray boxset for this trilogy. Before Midnight (2013) - 10/10 Here, Linklater cements this trilogy as one of the best in film history. It’s certainly not the ending I expected, yet it’s an ending I appreciate endlessly. Because it doesn’t really end. Midnight shows the troubling times of a strained relationship; one that has endured so long and despite initially feeling almost dreamlike in how idealistically that first encounter was portrayed, the cracks appear as the film forces you to come to terms with the fact that fairy-tale romances just don’t exist. Relationships require effort and sacrifice and sometimes the ones that truly work are those that endure through all the rough patches to emerge stronger. The Holy Mountain (1973) - 10/10 Jodorowsky’s masterpiece is absolute insanity. I talked more about it on The Sunday Movie Marathon podcast.

The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014) - 10/10 Another watch for Grand Budapest because I bought the Criterion blu-ray. As unalterably perfect as ever. Blue Jay (2016) - 6/10 Rather good up to a point. My co-hosts and I did not agree on how good this movie was, which is a discussion you can listen to on my podcast. Shadow and Bone: The Afterparty (2021) - 3/10 For what it’s worth, I really enjoyed the first season of Shadow and Bone, which is why I wanted to see what ‘The Afterparty’ was about. This could have been a lot better and much less annoying if all those terrible comedians weren’t hosting and telling bad jokes. I don’t want to see Fortune Feimster attempt to tell a joke about oiling her body as the cast of the show sit awkwardly in their homes over Zoom. If it had simply been a half hour, 45 minute chat with the cast and crew about how they made the show and their thoughts on it, a lot of embarrassment and time-wasting could have been spared. Wadjda (2012) - 6/10 Another recommendation discussed at length on The Sunday Movie Marathon. Wadjda was pretty interesting from a cultural perspective but largely familiar in terms of story structure.

Freddy Got Fingered (2001) - 2/10 A truly terrible movie with maybe one or two scenes that stop it from being a complete catastrophe. Tom Green tried to create something that almost holds a middle finger to everyone who watches it and to some that could be a fun experience, but to me it just came across as utterly irritating. It’s simply a bunch of scenes threaded together with an incredibly loose plot. He wears the skin of a dead deer, smacks a disabled woman over and over again on the legs to turn her on, and he swings a newborn baby around a hospital room by its umbilical cord (that part was actually pretty funny). I cannot believe I watched this again, although I think I repressed a lot of it since having seen it for the first time around five years ago. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 - (2011) I have to say, these movies seem to get better with each instalment. They’re still not very good though. That being said, I’m amazed at how many times I’ve watched each of the Twilight movies at this point. This time around, I watched Breaking Dawn - Part 1 with a YMS commentary track on YouTube and that made the experience a lot more entertaining. Otherwise, this film is super dumb but pretty entertaining. I would recommend watching these movies with friends. Solaris (1972) - 8/10 Andrei Tarkovsky’s grand sci-fi epic about the emotional crises of a crew on the space station orbiting the fictional planet Solaris is much as strange and creepy as you might expect from the master Russian auter. I had wanted to watch this for a while so I bought the Criterion blu-ray and it’s just stunning. It’s clear to see the 2001: A Space Odyssey inspiration but Solaris is quite a different beast entirely. Jaws (1975) - 4/10 I really tried to get into this classic movie, but Jaws exhibits basically everything I don’t like about Steven Spielberg’s directing. For sure, the effects are crazily good but the story itself is poorly handled and largely uninteresting. It was just a massive slog to get through.

Darkman (1990) - 6/10 Sam Raimi’s superhero movie is so much fun, albeit massively stupid. Further discussion on Darkman can be found on episode 32 of The Sunday Movie Marathon podcast. Darkman II: The Return of Durant (1995) - 1/10 Abysmal. I forgot the movie as I watched it. This was part of a marathon my friends and I did for episode 32 of our podcast. Darkman III: Die Darkman Die (1996) - 1/10 Perhaps this trilogy is not so great after all. Only marginally better than Darkman II but still pretty terrible. More thoughts on episode 32 of my podcast. F For Fake (1973) - 8/10 Rewatching this proved to be a worthwhile decision. Albeit slightly boring, there’s no denying how crazy the story of this documentary about art forgers is. The standout however, is the director himself. Orson Welles makes a lot of this film about himself and how hot his girlfriend is and it is hilarious.

The Mitchells vs. The Machines (2021) - 4/10 More style over substance, Sony’s new animated adventure wants so much to be in trend with the current internet culture but it simply doesn’t understand what it’s emulating. There’s a nyan cat reference, for crying out loud. For every joke that works, there are about ten more that do not and were it not for the wonderful animation, it simply wouldn’t be getting so much praise. Taxi Driver (1976) - 10/10 The first movie I’ve seen in a cinema since 2020 and damn it was good to be back! I’ve already reviewed Taxi Driver in my March wrap-up but seeing it in the cinema was a real treat. Irreversible (2002) - 8/10 One of the most viscerally horrendous experiences I’ve ever had while watching a movie. I cannot believe a friend of mine gave me the DVD to watch. More thoughts on episode 32 of The Sunday Movie Marathon podcast. Don’t watch it with the family. The Golden Compass (2007) - 1/10 I had no recollection of this being as bad as it is. The Golden Compass is the definition of a factory mandated movie. Nothing it does on its own is worth any kind of merit. I would say, if you wanted an experience like what this tries to communicate, a better option by far is the BBC series, His Dark Materials. More of my thoughts can be found in the review I wrote on Letterboxd.

Antichrist (2009) - 8/10 Lars von Trier is nothing if not provocative and I can understand why someone would not like Antichrist, but I enjoyed it quite a lot. After watching it, I wrote a slightly disjointed summary of my interpretations of this highly metaphorical movie in the group chat, so fair warning for a bit of spoilers and graphic descriptions: It's like, the patriarchy, man! Oppression! Men are the rational thinkers with big brains and the women just cry and be emotional. So she's seen as crazy when she's smashing his cock and driving a drill through his leg to keep him weighted down. Like, how does he like it, ya know? So then she mutilates herself like she did with him and now they're both wounded, but the animals crowd around her (and the crow that he couldn't kill because it's Mother nature, not Father nature, duh). Then he kills her, even though she could've killed him loads of times but didn't. So it's like "haha big win for the man who was subjected to such horrific torture. Victory!" And then all the women with no faces come out of the woods because it's like a constant cycle. Manchester By The Sea (2016) - 6/10 Great performances in this super sad movie. I can’t say I got too much out of it though. Roar (1981) - 9/10 Watching Roar again was still as terrifying an experience as the first time. If you want to watch something that’s loose on plot with poor acting but with real big cats getting in the way of production and physically attacking people, look no further. This is the scariest movie I’ve ever seen because it’s all basically real. Cannot recommend it enough. Eyes Without A Face (1960) - 8/10 I’m glad I checked this old French movie out again. There’s a lot to marvel at in so many aspects, what with the premise itself - a mad surgeon taking the faces from unsuspecting women and transplanting them onto another - being incredibly unique for the time. Short, sweet and entertaining!

Se7en (1995) - 10/10 The first in a David Fincher marathon we did for The Sunday Movie Marathon, episode 33. Zodiac (2007) - 10/10 Second in the marathon, as it was getting late, we decided to watch half that evening and the last half on the following evening. Zodiac is a brilliant movie and you can hear more of my thoughts on the podcast (though I apologise; my audio is not the best in this episode). Gone Girl (2014) - 10/10 My favourite Fincher movie. More insights into this masterpiece in episode 33 of the podcast. Friends: The Reunion (2021) - 6/10 It was heartwarming to see the old actors for this great show together again. I talked about the Friends reunion film at length in episode 33 of my podcast.

Wolfwalkers (2020) - 10/10 I reviewed this in an earlier post but would like to reiterate just how wonderful Wolfwalkers is. If you get the chance, please see it in the cinema. I couldn’t stop crying from how beautiful it was. Raya and The Last Dragon (2021) - 6/10 After watching Wolfwalkers, I decided I didn’t want to go home. So I had lunch in town and booked a ticket for Disney’s Raya and The Last Dragon. A child was coughing directly behind me the entire time. Again, I reviewed this in an earlier post but generally it was decent but I have so many problems with the execution. The Princess Bride (1987) - 9/10 Clearly I underrated this the last time I watched it. The Princess Bride is warm and hilarious with some delightfully memorable characters. A real classic!

The Invisible Kid (1988) - 1/10 About as good as you’d expect a movie with that name to be, The Invisible Kid was a pick for The Sunday Movie Marathon podcast, the discussion for which you can listen to in episode 34. Babel (2006) - 9/10 The same night that I watched The Invisible Kid, I watched a masterful and dour drama from the director of Birdman and The Revenant. Babel calls back to an earlier movie of Iñárritu’s, called Amores Perros and as I was informed while we watched this for the podcast, it turns out Babel is part of a trilogy alongside the aforementioned film. More thoughts in episode 34 of the podcast. Snake Eyes (1998) - 1/10 After feeling thoroughly emotionally wiped out after Babel, we immediately watched another recommendation for the podcast: Snake Eyes, starring Nicolas Cage. This was a truly underwhelming experience and for more of a breakdown into what makes this movie so bad, you can listen to us talk about it on the podcast.

[a-sky-full-of-skams]

Cries in French: Skam France Episode 1

Introduction:

Skam France is the first Skam Remake. Poor Skam France didn’t have much time to shine because Druck and Skam Italia aired before the first season had even finished. Skamfr has completed Season 2, and is renewed for Season 3 & 4. Despite its success, it doesn’t seem to be the most popular remake judging by the response on Tumblr. often called a “copy and paste” version of the original.

While there’s definitely a lot of similarities with the original, I still liked and appreciated some aspects of this episode.

This review is my opinion only and isn’t meant to offend anyone.

Clip One:

The episode begins with Yann’s video. I have issues already; isn’t the same dialogue as the original? Additionally, the video contains clips of the girl squad that occur later in the series. It breaks the realism. All criticism aside, when I watched this episode the first time I still felt chills seeing the yellow Skam logo again after the original ended.

Emma and Yann discuss his video project like the original. Ingrid and Sara (I see you Alexia!) walk by, with the Skam theme playing. Jonas tell her she’s better off without them. I guess Emma is supposed to feelsad seeing the girls, but the actress doesn’t convey any emotion. Hopefully, she’ll improve. Anyway, I’ll list a few thoughts on Jonas’s line.

1: It’s more reassuring and sweeter than the original scene.

2: I don’t think Yann has the right to say Emma is too good for Ingrid and Sara, when he used to date Ingrid.

3: For new French viewers who’ve never seen the original, it’s spoils the eventual confrontation between Emma and Ingrid at the party. They now already know the girls used to be friends.

I do like how the scene is shot. It’s a sterile, cold environment symbolizing Emma’s isolation, with the only color being Yann’s bright red jacket.

Bragging about his essay grade, Lucas walks up to them. The rest of the scene plays out similar to the original;Lucas and Yann tease Emma about her grade and then leave. I like Yann’s line about Emma making great pasta, it’s sweet.Yann and Lucas are decent actors, it’s only Emma who is unconvincing.

“Don’t Kill My Vibe” by Sigrid plays at the end. The lyrics highlight Emma’s loneliness and frustration at Yann.

Clip 2:

The song from the first clip continues. This scene is pretty similar to the original, Emma tries to write her essay and Lucas Skypes her. She questions him as to what time Yann left french!Elias’s (forgot his name, sorry). Yann climbs in through the window and sees Emma’s actual grade and reads the essay.. The only line I’ll point out is when Emma says he could have used the door as her mom isn’t home, alluding to the later reveal of Jonas never having met her mom. Skamfr is definitely more obvious than the original.

Clip 3:

Sitting in the library, Emma watches Ingrid be rude and dismissive to Daphne. I liked this little glimpse into Daphe, it makes her eventual attempt to reconnect with Ingrid’s group that much sadder as they didn’t treat her well to start with. This part wasn’t in the original and it’s one of the few changes that enhances the story. Theatre kids approach Emma, they’re amusing as usual. Emma agrees to attend said party.

Clip 4:

Emma tries to convince Yann to attend the party with her. Emma’s argument involves saying how cool is it that Adrian’s whole family will be there. First of all, neither she nor Yann know this guy so neither would care his family is coming. Secondly, how does that make the party more entertaining?

At the end of the clip, the camera lingers on Lucas’s disappointed face. For viewers unfamiliar with the original, it’s definitely a clue. They probably wouldn’t guess he likes actually Yann, but they’d think Lucas has a crush on Emma. The fake “reveal” of Lucas liking Emma is definitely foreshadowed. Most of these hints mentioned don’t add to characterization, they just make the plot more predictable.

Clip 5:

Emma sits at home, and there’s no watching Dr. Phil like in the original. Emma decides to attend the party after looking at Ingrid’s Instagram. I wished they’d replace that with an equivalent because “don’t let yourself be a victim” was a theme of Eva’s season.

Emma arrives at the party and is approached by the theatre kids who tell her about their after party. There’s a brief moment where Ingrid kicks Daphne off...whatever the french equivalent of Russ is. She finds Ingrid and the conversation happens similarly to the original. Manon approaches Emma. She seems a little nerdier than Noora, mentioning lab rats which I liked. The conversation has issues. Emma is barely listening to Manon and is dismissive, watching Ingrid dance in jealousy. Emma is physically not looking at or facing her. Manon is the one who is more invested. I can’t see Emma obsessing over whether Manon accepts her friend request like in the original or awkwardly fumbling her first message to Manon and worrying whether Manon dislikes her. Emma doesn’t care about her.

She heads to the bathroom and runs into Daphne, who is crying and asks for Alex. In the original, Eva had to ask a lot of people if they were male!Chris. He’s the first person she finds. It doesn’t have the same impact when Daphne tells her she has the wrong Alex. In the original, Vilde and girl!Chris talk about all the paper they bought and now can’t sell, later we find out Vilde was kicked off Ingrid’s Russ bus and can infer that the crying scene was after Ingrid kicked her off. Alexia tell Daphne they don’t need Ingrid or her friends. I like that Alexia seems more actively supportive than Chris, but after seeing Ingrid oust Daphne it’s very redundant and again, obvious.

Emma walks away after Daphne tells her to leave. male!Alex asks if they were going to talk as well, I really like this line a lot better than the original don’t be a dick tease, it’s a lot nicer. “Homeless” by Maria Kaye plays. It’s a lot more overstated than a lot of the more understated music played in the original, but I like it. The shot of Emma walking through the crowd is very nicely shot, with the music they chose this is the first time I feel like Skam France has a district identity from the original. Also, there’s a scene of Emma walking outside the building texting one of the theater kids about the afterparty. They don’t respond and she heads home. They’re background characters, Emma, they aren’t coming back! Anyway, it’s sad because it’s another failure at a potential friendship for Emma and she’s feeling lonelier than before.

Conclusion:

I liked the music. There’s a greater examination into Daphne’s character so far than Vilde. Alex and Emma are cute. Yann and Alex seem nicer than their original counterparts. Some of the shots are very aesthetically pleasing. Hopefully, Alexia receives more character depth than Chris in the original because I prefer her at the moment. I enjoyed the final scene. The added diversity is also great.

Skam France not only struggles as a distinct show separate from the original, but also struggles even as a copy and paste version. Almost every change they make cheapens the plot by removing suspense or emotional impact. In regards to originality, there isn’t much yet. The actress portraying Emma’s acting isn’t great. I could be biased though, because Eva was my favorite character in the original.

I hope you enjoyed this review! Druck’s first episode is next.

[sunnydaleherald]

The Sunnydale Herald Newsletter, Thursday, July 18-Friday, July 19

Joyce: I'm sorry. I didn't mean to put down... Buffy: Yeah, well, you did. It doesn't matter. I have to go. I have to go on one of my pointless patrols and react to some vampires. If that's alright with MOO... And nice acronym, Mom.

~~Gingerbread~~

[Drabbles & Short Fiction]

Dig Deeper (Buffy, PG-13) by veronyxk84

Make Me Better (Buffy/Maggie Walsh, M) by MadeInGold

What Was That Noise? (Angel/Spike, T) by MadeInGold

When the Hellmouth Freezes Over (Giles/Maggie Walsh, T) by MadeInGold

Game Over? (Giles, G) by LonesomeSundown

Drunken Dreams (Giles/Spike, E) by MaggieLaFey

Buffy's Bad Day (Buffy/Angel, G) by badly_knitted

Groovy Baby (Buffy/Giles, E) by unendingwanderlust

[Chaptered Fiction]

Forgiveness Doesn't Come Easy, Chapter 35 (Buffy/Spike, R) by slaymesoftly

Shadowed Suspicion, Chapter 434 (Crossover with Jojo's Bizarre Adventure, T) by madimpossibledreamer

are we destined to burn?, Chapter 2 (Buffy/Giles, E) by Skyson

Spuffy Drabbles, Chapter 2 (Buffy/Spike, T) by spikesummers

Leveraged and Bestowed, Chapter 1 (Giles/Ethan Rayne, T) by CoffeeMilkLuvr

the face of someone (i don't know), Chapter 1 (Buffy/Giles, E) by guin_ramble and zombiesam

Dead Man's Afterparty, Chapter 1 (Giles, Buffy, G) by Greensword101

Stygian Nights, Chapter 3 (Buffy/Spike, PG-13) by JamesMFan

Waiting for You, Chatper 13 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by honeygirl51885

The Degradation of Duality [Series Part 2], Chapter 30 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by Ragini

A Blackcap's Song, Chapter 2 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by Murray

Tale as Old as Time, Chapter 7 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by honeygirl51885

Yes or No?, Chapter 3 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by scratchmeout

In The Dark With You, Chapter 31 (Buffy/Spike, R) by Geliot99

A weapon of victory, Chapter 12 (Crossover with Lord of the Rings, FR7) by fpb

Unicorn, Chapter 7 (Buffy/Spike, R) by Desicat

Lie To Me, Chapter 32 (Buffy/Spike, AO) by In Mortal

Perception, Chapter 2 (Buffy/Spike, G) by flootzavut

First Love, Chapter 1 (Buffy/Spike, AO) by Spikesgirl

[Images, Audio & Video]

Craft:A little bracelet that I made! by DasSockenmonster

Artwork:just a bit of light reading by mistyintherivers

Artwork:Now Kith by fallinginaforrest

Artwork:Fantasy by ice-fire-art

Gifset:No, look at me. I love you. by ladyverdance

Gifset:6x07 | "Once More, With Feeling" by clarkgriffon

Gifset:Every Tara Look: S4E10 Hush by lovebvffys

Video: Buffy Summers x Rupert Giles - «I Always Wondered About You Two» by Kiss The Librarian

Video: Buffy Summers - The weight of living by Faith Victoria

Video: Buffy, The Vampire Slayer - Right Way To Do The Wrong Thing by Boo Harder

Video: Buffy Summers | forever young by Spuffylove Edits

Video: loml [buffy + angel] by Aurora Edits

[Reviews & Recaps]

The Hero We Needed | SEASON 6 FINALE | Buffy the Vampire Slayer 6x22 "Grave" by The Normies

Selfless: Buffy 7x05 Reaction by Dakara

Buffy The Vampire Slayer | 2x2 "Some Assembly Required" | REACTION by Andres El Rey

The Re-Watcher's Council | "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered" Buffy S02E16 Spoiler Review by LGRN - Entertainment

"Blood Ties" | Buffy 5x13 - First Time Watching by Dodo Reactions

Buffy The Vampire Slayer 5x17 Forever Reaction | First Time Watching by Jules Reacts

Buffy the Vampire Slayer 3x15 & 3x16 REACTION | Faith in the Hot Seat & Vamp Willow Returns! by The Horror Bandwagon

Buffy the Vampire Slayer REACTION | Season 6, Episode 21: Two to Go by JayPeaKay

Podcast: Angel S4E5: Supersymmetry by Booze & Buffy

Podcast: Once more with feeling - 5x22The Gift by Nerd Subculture Podcast

[Fandom Discussions]

Buffy should have had a cat by 5bi5

What If: Cordelia did pass on the visions by multiple authors

Did anyone else notice that Anya talked a lot less about her victims/ demon days after this episode? by multiple authors

Why did Buffy not use her powers in 3x18 Earshot to defeat the big bad? by multiple authors

What would have happened if Angel hadn't left? by multiple authors

What's something from the Buffyverse that shocked you, but at the same time, it didn't shock you? by multiple authors

Giles leaving in Tabula Rasa by multiple authors

Does anyone else not feel strongly about Buffy and Dawn's relationship? by multiple authors

Has anyone had thoughts on the size of angels and spike (reproductive organ) [NSFW] by multiple authors

Between Superstar, Real Me, and Storyteller how would you rank these somewhat atypical character-centric episodes? by multiple authors

Food For Thought… by multiple authors

Let's talk about Buffy by multiple authors

Tento di Cruciamentum Slayer deaths by multiple authors

Submit a link to be included in the newsletter!

Join the editor team :)

[entergamingxp]

Vote for Readers Choice & GOTY Nominations

December 16, 2019 9:16 AM EST

DualShockers’ Game of the Year 2019 is upon us. Check our nominations and vote for your favorite games in 2019.

Welcome back, everyone! This is resident DualShockers Editor-in-Chief, Lou Contaldi, and it is time for the annual bloodbath… err– celebrating the best and the brightest of gaming in 2019!

While it is tradition to hold a separate poll for Readers’ Choice for both Game of the Year 2019 and Most Anticipated Game of 2020, we are spicing things up with a few new ways this year: announcing our nominations for each category and giving you a way to participate in the DS staff polls.

Vote for Readers’ Choice 2019 Awards:

Without question, our community is the best part of DualShockers, so we (and the developers and publishers we chat to) know that the Reader’s Choice Award is one of the best annual honors to win. And, as always we are looking for your help in making that selection in one of gaming’s busiest years.

You’re given the ability to change your vote at any time before the cutoff time, which will be December 22nd, at 11:59:59 PM Pacific Time. People change their mind all the time, so we don’t see a reason why you wouldn’t be able to change your vote here.

Below, you’ll find a form to vote for your favorite game (you can find it here if you are on mobile). In order to limit spam and vote manipulation, you’ll be asked to log in to a google account if you aren’t already. If you don’t have one, making it is pretty easy and very quick.

In order to be eligible for Game of the Year, a game needs to have been released for the first time (unless it’s a remaster/remake) between December 10th, 2018 and December 15th, 2019. Expansions are not eligible. Early Access games that have moved out of early access this year (for instance Dead Cells) are considered 2019 releases.

While we love Japanese games, only releases in the West are eligible (to avoid games appearing for two years in a row). For instance. it wouldn’t make sense to ask you to vote for Persona 5: The Royal as Game of The Year, since most of you will play the Western version (Persona 5: Royal) in 2020. You’ll be able to vote for it in our Most Anticipated Game of 2020 – Reader’s Choice Award.

Asian market releases in English have been included where appropriate in case a western release is confirmed as not happening, or extremely unlikely.

As you’ll probably notice, the list is very long — though sorted alphabetically. While other outlets give you a narrowed down list for Game of the Year, we think it is better that all voices get heard — even niche games that may be ignored. If you notice a game is missing that you wanted to vote on, go ahead and let us know in the comment section and we will add it on.

You’ll also notice that there are plenty of games that didn’t review very well on the list. It’s not our place to tell you what you should or shouldn’t like. Yet, we apologize if we missed or forgot games that you might love. After all, we’re only human.

So, what are you waiting for? Get voting, and feel free to let us know your favorites in the comments:

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DualShockers 2019 GotY Award Nominations and Vote

Now here comes the new part: not only will we be sharing our nominees for each category ahead of the vote, we want you all to be part of the decision-making.

Following a multi-week process of narrowing down on our nomination pool with both the DualShockers Staff and our Discord community, we have a tighter list of the games we are voting for in each category. Starting today, we will be tallying votes from both Staff and the Community. Each DualShockers Staff member will have one vote; comparatively, the Community will get a 10% stake in the final totals (at 3 points) for all of their leading contenders. No game will win without a clear majority (50.1%).

Voting cut-off for this initial vote is Wednesday, December 18 at 11:59:59 PM Pacific. In the instance that there is no clear majority (which will most certainly be the case), there will be a series of run-off elections happening exclusively on the DualShockers Discord! You can join those conversations by heading here: https://discord.gg/uKFUAxp

DualShockers Game of the Year

Apex Legends

Astral Chain

Control

Death Stranding

Devil May Cry 5

Disco Elysium

Fire Emblem Three Houses

Judgment

Resident Evil 2

Sayonara Wild Hearts

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

The Outer Worlds

The Walking Dead: The Final Season

Most Anticipated Game of 2020

Cyberpunk 2077

Doom Eternal

Final Fantasy VII Remake

Halo Infinite

The Last of Us: Part II

Hardware of the Year

Google Stadia

Nintendo Switch Lite

Razer Blade 15

Xbox Elite Controller 2

Indie Game of the Year

Disco Elysium

Gris

Katana Zero

Outer Wilds

Sayonara Wild Hearts

Untitled Goose Game

Best Developer

Capcom (Devil May Cry 5, Onimusha: Warlords, Resident Evil 2, Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Trials and Tribulations)

Nintendo (New Super Mario. U Deluxe, Nintendo Labo – Toy-Con 04: VR Kit, Ring Fit Adventure, Super Mario Maker 2)

Respawn Entertainment (Apex Legends, Star Wars: Fallen Order)

Still Not Bitten (The Walking Dead: The Final Season)

ZA/UM (Disco Elysium)

Best Publisher

Annapurna Interactive (Outer Wilds, Journey, Telling Lies, Sayonara Wild Hearts, Wattam)

Capcom (Devil May Cry 5, Onimusha: Warlords, Resident Evil 2, Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Trials and Tribulations)

Devolver Digital (Serious Sam Classics, Heave Ho, Metal Wolf Chaos, Gorn, My Friend Pedro, Devolver Bootleg, Gato Roboto, Obervation, Katana Zero, Weedcraft Inc., Ape Out, Pikuniku)

Nintendo (Astral Chain, BoxBoy! + BoxGirl!, Daemon X Machina, Fire Emblem: Three Houses, The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening, Luigi’s Mansion 3, Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games 2020, Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order, NSMBU Deluxe, Labo VR Kit, Ring Fit Adventure, The Stretchers, Super Kirby Clash, Super Mario Maker 2, Tetris 99, Yoshi’s Crafted World)

Sega (Football Manager, SolSeraph, Citizens of Space, Total War: THREE KINGDOMS, Team Sonic racing, Yakuza Kiwami 2, Love Thyself – A Horatio Stari, Yakuza Kiwami, Catherine Classic , Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz, Catherine Full Body, Judgement)

Best in Big Categories

Best First-Party Game

Dreams

Fire Emblem: Three Houses

Gears 5

Super Mario Maker 2

Best PS4 Game

Concrete Genie

Days Gone

Death Stranding

Judgment

Best Xbox One Game

A Plague Tale: Innocence

Crackdown 3

Gears 5

The Outer Worlds

Best Nintendo Switch Game

Astral Chain

Fire Emblem: Three Houses

Luigi’s Mansion 3

Pokemon Sword and Shield

Best PC Game

Apex Legends

Disco Elysium

Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers

The Outer Worlds

Best Mobile Game

Call of Duty: Mobile

Pokemon Masters

Sayonara Wild Hearts

What The Golf!?

Best in Genre

Best Action-Adventure Game

Astral Chain

Control

Death Stranding

Devil May Cry 5

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

Best Battle Royale Game:

Apex Legends

Ghost Recon Breakpoint: Mercenaries

Mordhau

Planetside Arena

Tetris 99

Best Competitive Game

Apex Legends

Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled

Modern Warfare

Mortal Kombat 11

Tetris 99

Best Co-op Game

Borderlands 3

Gears 5

Luigi’s Mansion 3

The Division 2

World War Z

Best DLC or Expansion

Destiny 2: Shadowkeep

Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers

Monster Hunter World – Iceborne

Mortal Kombat 11 Kombat Pass

Best Family Game

Jackbox Party 6

Luigi’s Mansion 3

Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3

Super Mario Maker 2

Untitled Goose Game

Best Fighting Game

Dead or Alive 6

Mortal Kombat 11

Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid

Samurai Shodown

Best Horror Game

Blair Witch

Gylt

Resident Evil 2

The Sinking City

Best Interactive Story Game

Afterparty

Erica

Life is Strange 2

The Walking Dead: The Final Season 

Best Metroidvania

Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night

Control

Indivisible

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order

Best Multiplayer Game

Apex Legends

Gears 5

Modern Warfare

Tetris 99

Best Platformer

Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night

Indivisible

Super Mario Maker 2

Trials Rising

Best Puzzle Game

Baba is You

Catherine: Full Body

Tetris 99

Untitled Goose Game

Best Racing Game

Crash Team Racing: Nitro-Fueled

Dirt Rally 2.0

GRID

Team Sonic Racing

Best Remake or Remaster

Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age – Definitive Edition

Resident Evil 2

The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening

World of Warcraft Classic

Best Role-Playing Game

Disco Elysium

Fire Emblem: Three Houses

Kingdom Hearts III

The Outer Worlds

Best Shooter

Apex Legends

Borderlands 3

Call of Duty Modern Warfare

Gears 5

Metro Exodus

Best Sports Game

Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020

MLB The Show 19

NBA 2K20

NHL 20

Best Strategy Game

Civilization VI

Fire Emblem: Three Houses

Slay the Spire

Wargroove

Best Virtual Reality Game

Asgard’s Wrath

Beat Saber

Blood & Truth

Falcon Age

Trover Saves the Universe

Technical Awards

Best Art Direction

Control

Death Stranding

Gris

Kingdom Hearts III

Sayonara Wild Hearts

Best Audio Design

Ape Out

Call of Duty Modern Warfare

Death Stranding

Sayonara Wild Hearts

Best Character

Casper Darling – Control

Clementine – The Walking Dead: The Final Season

Gooigi – Luigi’s Mansion 3

Mr X – Resident Evil 2

Parvati – The Outer Worlds

Best Graphics

Astral Chain

Death Stranding

Devil May Cry 5

Gears 5

Resident Evil 2

Best Narrative

Control

Death Stranding

Disco Elysium

Judgment

The Outer Worlds

The Walking Dead: The Final Season

Best Open World

Death Stranding

Greedfall

Judgment

Shenmue 3

The Outer Worlds

Best Ongoing Game

Destiny 2

Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn

Fortnite

Monster Hunter World

Rocket League

Best Performance

Ashly Burch as Parvarti – The Outer Worlds

Jolene Andersen – Ada Wong – Resident Evil 2 Remake

Mads Mikkelson as Cliff – Death Stranding

Melissa Hutchison as Clementine – The Walking Dead: The Final Season

Tommie Earl Jenkins as Die-Hardman – Death Stranding

Best Soundtrack

Death Stranding

Devil May Cry V

Kingdom Hearts III

Pokemon Sword and Shield

Sayonara Wild Hearts

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December 16, 2019 9:16 AM EST

from EnterGamingXP https://entergamingxp.com/2019/12/vote-for-readers-choice-goty-nominations/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=vote-for-readers-choice-goty-nominations

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TOP 50 Music Festivals in the USA • US Festival Bucket List [2020]

Looking for the best music festivals in the USA!? Well, you’ve come to the right place, because I’ve compiled the ultimate US festival bucket list to keep you plenty busy for many festival seasons to come!

In the last decade, the popularity of the festival industry and amount of new events hitting North America has been exponential, and every year they’ve just been getting bigger and better! From weekend-long camping adventures, dusk-til-dawn mega raves, and small boutique festivals – this list has got it covered! 

While attending ALL of these would require a significantly large amount of money, time, and energy – it would certainly be the adventure of a lifetime (and something I’m personally trying to achieve)!  

So without further ado, here’s what I think are…

Credit: Alive Coverage

1) Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival

Photo by Andrew Jorgensen

When: June 11-14, 2020

Where: Great Stage Park, Manchester, Tennessee

www.bonnaroo.com | www.facebook.com/bonnaroo

The most positive place on this planet, and a once-in-a-lifetime experience, every time.

“Bonnaroo is…Thousands of happy campers. 700 acres of Tennessee nature. 150 epic performances. 10+ Stages of music. Dozens of comedians. 4 of the best days ever. An escape into Excitement. Music. Art. Discoveries. Trees. Fresh Air. Green Grass. A mini film fest. Friends (Old / New). Adventure. Overwhelming happiness. Hugging a stranger by accident. Sharing and Generosity. Funky Dancing. Hyperbolic verbiage. System overload. The perfect bite of ice cream. Sandals. Fallovers. Chirping Birds. Flashing Lights. Food and Drink. Variety. Singing. Laughing. Short shorts. High-Fives. Rocky IV in the cinema tent at 3am. Spicy Pie. Memories. Someone dressed up like Teen Wolf. Holy Cow(!) Moments. Interesting factoids. Egg sandwiches. More music. Adventure. Deep Breaths. Big smiles. This. That. The Other. Hellos and Goodbyes and reminders of all that we have to celebrate and look forward to next year and in the future.”

Photo by Andrew Jorgensen

Bonnaroo features a diverse lineup of 150+ musicians and other performance artists every year. With 10+ stages and entertainment that goes ALL NIGHT LONG, you will NOT be bored. AND Camping at Bonnaroo is hardly “camping” by most definitions of the word – it’s a non-stop adventure of discovery and human connection with your fellow Bonnaroovians, and a key to the one-of-a-kind Bonnaroo experience.

Watch this incredible short film below for just a small glimpse about what Bonnaroo is all about!

2) Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival

When: Fri, Apr 10, 2020 – Sun, Apr 19, 2020 (Two Weekends)

Where: Empire Polo Club, Indio, California

Website: https://ift.tt/1ANevsK

Coachella is arguably the most iconic and famous music & arts festival in the United States (and quite possibly the entire world). If you haven’t been, I can guarantee you it’ll certainly be an experience that you’ll never forget. While it may be notoriously expensive, I personally think it’s worth every penny. Each year Coachella provides an undeniably impressive line-up spanning nearly every music genre, epic stage production, world-class food & drink vendors and a fantastic festival atmosphere.

Being a favorite among the dozens of quality music festivals in California, tickets do sell-out almost instantly, so make sure your festival squad plan ahead and scoop up some tickets while you can! I’ve attended Coachella in 2014 & 2018, and I had the time of my life, and can’t wait to return to the magical  Empire Polo Club for another round for Coachella 2020! 

Check out this Coachella after movie below for some stunning footage!

3) Governor’s Ball

Photo by Greg Noire via Gov Ball’s Facebook

When: June 5-7, 2020

Where: Randall’s Island Park, New York City

https://ift.tt/2j4ln1d

For the east coast residents looking to enjoy an unbelievable festival with the iconic NYC skyline as a backdrop, make your way to Governor’s Ball. Widely recognized as one of the biggest and best festivals in New York, this definitely deserves a top spot on your bucket list! Located on the beautiful and well-maintained Randall’s Island Park, festival-goers are treated to three days of world-class music, phenomenal stages, and good vibes. 

“We started all this 8 years ago because we were music lovers who lived in a city that needed – that deserved – a contemporary music festival. Music is always our primary focus, and with 60+ artists of all genres across 4 stages, there is something for everyone.”

4) Outside Lands Music Festival

When: August 7-9, 2020

Where: Golden Gate Park, San Fransisco, California

Website: https://ift.tt/2n7PdZe

Outside Lands is Northern California’s premiere music festival, and I can personally say that it’s an absolute blast! It’s a local favorite among San Franciscans, and there really is a special and relaxing festival vibe for these three days in Golden Gate Park. While tickets, food, and drink costs are rather high (like everything in SF), it’s an incredible event that you should definitely check out at least once! 

The line-ups are always super-diverse (and I always discover tons of new artists), the production is fantastic, and you’ll simply fall in love with the venue (located in the heart of San Francisco). While Outside Lands Music Festival finishes early (around 10 PM), the city is filled with afterparties and sideshows of the artists on the line-up, and it really is a great time to visit the city. If you don’t want to spend the money for the full 3-day general admission, just buy a one-day ticket for your preferred day of the line-up, and spend the rest of your time partying it up in San Francisco’s thriving nightlife scene

Read my festival reviews from 2017 & 2018:

 Outside Lands Music Festival: The Ultimate Golden Gate Park Party

Outside Lands Festival 2018 | Top 10 Weekend Highlights

5) Austin City Limits 

Photo by Sydney Gawlik

When: October 4 – Oct 13, 2019 (Two Weekends)

Where: Austin, Texas

https://ift.tt/2goek2e

2 Weekends, 8 Stages, and Over 130 bands

Since its first edition in 2002, Austin City Limits has grown to become one of the largest and most well-known festivals in the US! With its growth in popularity, it’s expanded to a two-weekend event that offers its attendees some of the best international artists spanning all genres, fine arts exhibits by local artists, and incredible Texas BBQ, as well dozens of other delicious food & drink vendors.

6) Lollapalooza

Credit: Charles Reagan

When: July 30- August 2, 2020

Where: Grant Park, Chicago

Genre: Various

https://ift.tt/2e5AEOR

“What started as a single-stage music showcase put together in 1991 by Perry Farrell, lead singer of Jane’s Addiction, has since evolved into a larger-than-life music experience like no other. Connecting with the city’s deep musical legacy, Lollapalooza set down roots and made Chicago its home in 2005—and it hasn’t looked back. Now a destination event, thousands of fans travel from around the world to experience the massive crowds, scenic lakefront setting, and incredible entertainment every summer.”

Lollapalooza is Chicago’s biggest (and longest) summer festival that brings together the biggest names in music every year! Located in the beautiful Grant Park with the Chicago skyline as a backdrop, it’s a four-day adventure that will surely be a highlight of your summer. Plus, you’ll be able to destroy those festival hangovers with some delicious deep-dish pizza! 

7) Ultra Music Festival

Photo credit: RUDGR

When: March 20-22, 2020

Where: Miami

https://ift.tt/1TDR79B

For over 20 years, ULTRA Music Festival has invited guests to downtown Miami for a weekend of top-notch electronic music, and in recent years, has been producing events in nearly every corner of the globe. From Australia to Japan, Buenos Aires to Croatia – ULTRA has proven repeatedly it’s one of the best music festival productions in the world. 

While in 2019, ULTRA was forced to move venues due to issues with the city of Miami, I’m stoked that ULTRA 2020 will be returning to its iconic venue of Bayfront Park in Downtown Miami, Florida. It’s always the main highlight of Miami Music Week, and is truly an experience that every EDM fan should experience at least once in their life. While ticket prices may be high for the average festival attendee, once you get a look at the star-studded line-up, it makes perfect sense! 

“For EDM fans around the world, Ultra in Miami is a must-stop on the international circuit. While most of the United States is shivering in parkas waiting for the summer festival season, Ultra fans are dancing their asses off in sunny Miami. The show always delivers surprises – both in the musical acts and the fans that attend.”

8) Firefly Music Festival

Credit: Alive Coverage

When: June 2020

Where: The Woodlands, Dover, Delaware

https://ift.tt/HTHiEm

“Taking place annually in the beautiful Woodlands of Dover, Delaware – Firelfy Music Festival is the East Coast’s largest music and camping festival! Featuring incredible live performances by genre-bending artists, unique food and drink vendors and a one-of-a-kind onsite camping experience, The Great Atlantic Campout, Firefly Music Festival has become a can’t miss summer event for legions of fans.”

“Firefly. This is like the new Glastonbury of America!”   – Marcus Mumford of Mumford and Sons

9) Electric Daisy Carnival

When: May 15-17, 2020

Where: Las Vegas Boulevard, Las Vegas

Homepage

All Are Welcome Under the Electric Sky | Dusk Til’ Dawn

Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC for short) Las Vegas is the largest electronic dance music festival in North America, but pretty much every EDM fan already knows that. What started in 1997 as a warehouse party in Los Angeles, has turned into one of the wildest, massive, and mesmerizing dance music festivals in the entire world, and simply should be at TOP at every raver’s bucket list!  

Now I’ve personally attended EDC three different times now: the last edition that was hosted in Los Angeles (2011), the first year it was brought out to Las Vegas (2012), and once again in Vegas back in 2014. It truly is unlike any festival I’ve been to in the USA, and is one of the most impressive events in the world! I’ve gotta give it up to Pasquale Rotella and the team over Insomniac events because they go above & beyond to ensure the “headliners” (the attendees) all have a life-changing experience every year!! 

“EDC is a unique multi-day festival pushing the boundaries of imagination and setting standards in the live entertainment industry. By incorporating carnival themes and attractions, cutting-edge stage production, world-class talent, and innovative art and technology, EDC is more than an electronic music festival – it is an unparalleled multi-sensory experience unlike any other. The brand has created a passionate community of accepting fans that have turned EDC into a way of life. The foundation upon which the phenomenon was built is one of unity, love, self expression, and respect for one another.”

10) Electric Forest 

Image via Don Idio – https://ift.tt/2oV7eeP

When: Late June 2020

Where: Rothbury, Michigan

https://ift.tt/2Oq1RPq

“Have you ever felt anything like it? The beat of the bass charging the atmosphere with electrifying energy. Bolts of lightning streaking through the forest, arcing around the trees, and captivating the crowd into awe.A mind-melting experience of community, woodland, and rhythm bringing 45,000 people together every year in a musical-matrix of natural and electric vibrations…”

Out of all the US music festivals on this list, I’d argue that Electric Forest wins for having the best venue! Tucked deep in the woods of Michigan, once a year pops up a magical land filled magical lights & lasers shining through the massive trees, epic stages with performances from world-class artists, and top-notch vibes from the loving #ForestFamily. Make sure you snag tickets to this one early, because they are certainly hard to come by! It’s one of the most highly sought after music festivals in the country, and is guaranteed to be one of the highlights of your summer!   

While I have yet to attend myself, I’m really hoping that Electric Forest 2020 will be my year! Everyone I know who has been says nothing buy incredible things, and that it’s simply a place you have to visit to fully understand it! 

11) Hangout Festival

When: May 15-17, 2020

Where: The Gulf Shores, Alabama

https://ift.tt/VUw58j

Hangout Music Festival is a massive 3-Day beach extravaganza complete with beach clubs, ocean swimming, sailing expeditions, roller discos, free yoga, beach volleyball, a puppy kissing booth, Ferris wheel views, beautiful art installations, and so much more! While Alabama might not be the first place you think of for a “destination festival”, Hangout Music Festival is produced by Goldenvoice (the same company behind Coachella), so you know it’s guaranteed to be an incredible beach and music festival vacation. Take a look through their previous line-ups, and you’ll understand the talent they bring out. 

Join the Hangout Music Festival 2020 Facebook Event

12) South by South West (SXSW) 

Atmosphere – Outdoor Stage – Photo by David Brendan Hall

When: March 13-22, 2020

Where: Austin

Home

“It’s not that South by Southwest takes over Austin — downtown Austin becomes SXSW for nine days in March. Music, art, interactive, panels, comedy, and movies all vie for your attention span. Let’s put it this way. You could skip media for a year, come to Austin for the week, and still come out ahead on pop culture.

Founded in 1987 in Austin, Texas, SXSW is best known for its conference and festivals that celebrate the convergence of the interactive, film, and music industries. The event, an essential destination for global professionals, features sessions, showcases, screenings, exhibitions, and a variety of networking opportunities. SXSW proves that the most unexpected discoveries happen when diverse topics and people come together.”

  13) Electric Zoo 

When: End of August 2020

Where: Randall’s Island Park

http://electriczoo.com/

“Established in 2009 by Made Event, the internationally renowned Electric Zoo Festival is one of New York City’s largest music festivals and features the top names in electronic music, bringing a wide variety of acts from around the world and across the spectrum of electronic music’s various sub-genres. International editions of Electric Zoo have taken place in Mexico City, Tokyo, Shanghai, and São Paulo.

Electric Zoo celebrates the joy of electronic music every year by putting on one of the biggest, most immersive festival experiences in the world.”

It is said that change is not only a natural part of life but the only way to reveal true beauty. Just think about the metamorphosis that a caterpillar undergoes to become an exquisite butterfly. It’s pretty mind-blowing. Thus, we’ve taken such inspiration and tied it into this year’s theme, Electric Zoo: Evolved.

14) Kaaboo Del Mar Festival

Credit: Alive Coverage

When: September 18-20, 2020

Where: Petco Park

https://ift.tt/1EIlrIN

Southern California’s largest music, comedy, art and culinary festival!

“Forget what you know about music festivals, we’ve shifted the paradigm and built something new. KAABOO is the perfect weekend escape, described in a word that comes from whatever the hell we feel like yelling when we’re high on life and having fun. A curated three-day sound voyage that combines rock-n-roll music and tastemaking events in a modern wonderland on the warm shores of the pacific. Where every detail is designed for your enjoyment and clean, comfortable amenities inspire you to break from your busy life, let loose and enjoy the experience. Welcome to KAABOO, the place where all of your senses align.”

And exciting news, that beginning in September 2020, KAABOO Del Mar, will celebrate its sixth festival event with a move to America’s number one ballpark (Petco Park, home of the San Diego Padres) and its surrounding venues, and will feature a variety of headlining music hitmakers and legends of varying genres, and offer an unrivaled level of entertainment throughout the weekend.

15) BUKU Music + Art Project

Credit: Alive Coverage

When: March 20-21, 2020

Where: New Orleans, Louisiana

https://ift.tt/2QBnEVY

Urban music+art festival meets epic warehouse party celebrating the progressive subculture of New Orleans.

“Buku is a New Orleans playground. The lines between fan and performer are blurred. Am I looking at art or sitting on it? Does it matter? Let go and immerse yourself in: BUKULTURE. Music & art feel different like this! We believe in those who strive to be dope. Originality, creativity, freedom, and community is our anthem. If you’re in the BUKREWE, you know! If not, come join us”

16) Lightning In A Bottle

When: May 20-25, 2020

Where: Buena Vista Lake, Kern County, California

https://ift.tt/RiiYhm

Lightning in a Bottle, or more commonly referred to as “LIB”, is one of the largest transformational music festivals in the USA

While it always boasts an incredible electronic line-up, there is much to more to this spiritually awakening festival.  Many friends of mine have called it their favorite festival they’ve ever attended, and it will easily be a life-changing festival experience.  Go to some workshops, do some yoga, take a refreshing dip in the lake, watch the sunrise, and party like there’s no tomorrow!

Celebrating Art, Music, Performance, Sustainability & Life. 

“The history of LIB spans more than a decade, and friends, family, and co-horts of The Do LaB are thrilled and astounded that it’s been more than ten years of making miracles and catching Lightning in a Bottle!”

17) Shaky Knees Music Festival

When: May 20-25, 2020

Where: Central Park, Atlanta, Georgia

https://ift.tt/2jdX8hF

“Drawing in nearly 40,000 attendees, Shaky Knees Festival brings a highly desired indie scene to the streets of downtown Atlanta, Georgia. In an era where most festival headliners feature a variation of EDM/DJ acts, Shaky Knees lives to show another side of modern-day music.

With more than 60 bands each year Shaky Knees is a rock lover’s dream. Since its inception in 2013, Shaky Knees has featured a diverse lineup ranging from world-renowned acts to up-and-coming artists.”

18) Made in America 

Credit: Matthew Chen

When: August / September (Labor Day weekend)

Where: Philadelphia

Home

“The Made in America music festival is a massive musical celebration that takes over the Benjamin Franklin Parkway each Labor Day weekend in Philadelphia. With dozens of top performers and multiple stages on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, the two-day music festival curated by Jay-Z is one of the year’s can’t-miss events. Every year, Jay-Z hand-picks a lineup of both established and up-and-coming musicians to perform throughout the weekend — and sometimes, you can even find Jay-Z singing along in the crowd.”

Credit: Michael Allen

19) Summerfest

When: June 24- July 5, 2020

Where: Milwaukee, Wisconsin

http://summerfest.com/

“Summerfest presented by American Family Insurance is the World’s Largest Music Festival and Milwaukee’s cornerstone summer celebration that attracts the music industry’s hottest stars, emerging talent and local favorites.”

Lasting for over 11 days across 11 different stages, and 800 performances – Summerfest is attended by a staggering 800,000 people! So check it out for one day, or all 11, but just make sure you add it to your US festival bucket list!

Join the Summerfest 2020 Facebook Event

20) Lost Lands

Image via https://ift.tt/2oV7eeP

When: September 27-29, 2019

Where: Thornville, Ohio

Genre: EDM, Bass, Dubstep

Lost Lands 2019 Home Page

ESCAPE THE CONFINES OF THE WORLD OUTSIDE AND FIND YOURSELF IN AN IMMERSIVE ENVIRONMENT SURROUNDED BY DINOSAURS, BEATS, AND BASS. LOST LANDS MANIFESTS A FORWARD-THINKING VISION TO DELIVER AN UNFORGETTABLE FESTIVAL EXPERIENCE AND UNITE HEADBANGERS TOGETHER AS ONE TRIBE.

“Experience Lost Lands, presented by Excision, at the beautiful Legend Valley in Thornville, OH this September! See the land before time in all its glory — dinosaurs included. The insane Lost Lands lineup is curated by Excision himself, & it’s sure to rattle the fields right down to their core.  Grab your tickets and catch the top artists from the past 65 million years and join us for the filthiest 3 days of bass you have ever experienced!”

21) Movement Electronic

Credit: Katie Laskowska

When: Memorial Day Weekend 2020

Where: Detroit

https://www.movement.us

“Each year on Memorial Day weekend, thousands of people from across the globe gather in the birthplace of Techno to celebrate the heritage of Detroit and its musical influence over countless generations, new and old. Movement Music Festival is one of the longest-running dance music events in the world, committed to showcasing authentic electronic music and providing an experience unlike any other. The festival takes place in Hart Plaza – Detroit’s legendary riverfront destination. ”

22) Groove Cruise

When: January 9-13, 2020  

Departing: Miami 

OFFICIAL GROOVE CRUISE WEBSITE

Groove Cruise is the OG music festival cruise, and will without-a-doubt be one of the best experiences of your life! I’ve personally attended three different Groove Cruise voyages, and it’s truly the most loving atmosphere I’ve ever encountered in the music festival industry. There’s something unexplainably magical that occurs when the #GCFAM gets together, and they always deliver stacked line-ups with a mix of EDM, House, Trance, and Techno, as well provide a deliver a wide variety of unique activities onboard the cruise. Plus, they sail to beautiful locations in the Caribbean and Meixico, so it’s the perfect music vacation for music festival lovers!

Check out my Groove Cruise festival reviews for a bit more information, and I hope to see you on board!

23) Life is Beautiful 

Credit: Alive Coverage

When: September 2020

Where: Downtown Las Vegas

https://ift.tt/1Ap4TrE

“Life is Beautiful takes over Downtown Las Vegas for a three-day weekend each year, promising festival-goers a host of surprises in four key areas: Art, Music, Food and Learning – truly providing something for everyone. The lineup mixes popular acts such as Imagine Dragons, Kendrick Lamar, Major Lazer, Brandon Flowers and Hozier with classic icons such as Duran Duran and Stevie Wonder.

Street art, huge murals, installations and a multi-sensory Art Motel entice art-lovers, and a VIP area – complete with celebrity chef cooking demos, real grass to lounge on and free lemonade – helps you forget the desert heat.”

24) Imagine Music Festival

When: September 2020

Where: Atlanta Motor Speedway, Atlanta

https://ift.tt/1lsxj5G

We look forward to bringing your imagination to life! Welcome to the Imagine Music Festival.

When it comes to the best EDM festivals in America, this is the ONE I’m personally dying to check out myself! Everyone I know who has attended has expressed how amazing it is, and every year the Imagine Festival crew wow their attendees with stacked line-ups, impressive stage designs, and unbeatable rave community vibes!

  It’s no surprise it’s recently been voted as one of “Top 20 Festivals in the World” by Fest300, as well as in the “Top Ten Emerging Music Festivals by USA Today”!  

  “When Imagine Music Festival arrives, the event will transport festival-goers to an immersive aquatic fairytale featuring multiple magnificent stages with world-class sound and lighting production. Wander through fantastic atmospheres filled with mind-bending circus performers, mermaids, sea creatures, art installations, vendors, CAMPING and more, creating an unforgettable 360-degree experience.”

  25) HARD Summer Music Festival

Credit: Doug Van Sant

When: August 2020

Where: The Speedway in Fontana, San Bernadino, California

Homepage

This annual two-day mega-festival has been a Southern California favorite for over a decade, and always manages to put together an unbelievably stacked line-up, incredible stage production, and overall stellar festival experience. 

The team over at HARD Events has been a key player in the growth of the EDM scene in the United States, and fun fact, my first massive rave in the USA was HARD Haunted Mansion back in 2009! From producing events like HARD Day of the Dead, Holy Ship, and HARD Red Rocks: attending one of their events will always impress!

26) Paradiso Festival

When: June 2020

Where: The Gorge Amphitheatre, Washington

https://ift.tt/1s0R77h

“Each year we come together on a pilgrimage to find a balance between a modern digital world and the natural environment surrounding us. Experience three stages with world-class visuals & audio production, thrilling rides & attractions, some of the biggest names in electronic dance music, a stunning natural backdrop you have to see to believe, and the best part of all, the Paradiso family.

In the distance, do you hear it? A warm whisper calling out to those spirits yearning for wanderlust that vows to lead those who follow to a paradise where nature and technology seamlessly coexist. This promise is for those who don’t seek to stand still, but instead jump headfirst into the motion in the hopes of discovering adventures hidden just over the horizon. Will you be one of those who answer the call?

27) ROLLING LOUD 

Rolling Loud LA 2019 Line-Up

When: December 14-15, 2019 September & October 2020

Where: Miami, Flordia | Oakland, California | Queens, NY

https://ift.tt/15wlY52

 “Rolling Loud Festival is a 3-day music event that started in Miami, FL and is now the largest Hip-Hop festival in the world. We now also hosts festivals in Northern California and Southern California, with plans to expand internationally to Japan, China and Europe in the near future. Some of the biggest names that have performed on the Rolling Loud stage includes the likes of Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole, Future, Lil Wayne, A$AP Rocky, Travis Scott, Young Thug, Post Malone, Migos, Kodak Black, Lil Uzi Vert, 21 Savage, Lil Yachty, Lil B, and many more.”

For the hip-hop festival fans out there, this should definitely be on your dream festivals! 

28) Pitchfork Music Festival

When: July 2020

Where: Union Park, Chicago

Genre: Alternative Rock / Indie / Electronic / Hip Hop

https://ift.tt/30Or7lc

“Celebrating its 14th year in 2019, the internationally recognized Pitchfork Music Festival presents 40+ acts over the course of three days each summer in Chicago’s Union Park. The festival highlights the best in new and emerging music. Since 2006, this independently run festival has consistently proven to be one of the most welcoming, comfortable, reasonably priced, and rewarding weekends of music around.

Hosting 60,000 attendees of all ages from 45 states and 26 countries, Pitchfork Music Festival offers a wide array of activities beyond the music. With 50 individual vendors, as well as specialty record and craft fairs, the festival works to support local businesses while promoting the Chicago arts and food communities as a whole. We maintain a commitment to keeping ticket prices low, providing new and useful amenities, and working with the city’s best local vendors each year. Stay tuned for more festival feature updates.”

29) New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival

When: April 23- May 3, 2020

Where: Union Park, Chicago

Genre: Jazz

https://ift.tt/s4YWq3

For all the jazz fans out there, if the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival isn’t on your bucket list yet, then you’re not a true jazz fan! It’s one of the longest-running and largest jazz festivals in the USA, and is the perfect time to visit the great city of New Orleans!

“Started in 1970, “Jazz Fest” continues to showcase the most important names in music both locally and nationally. Celebrating 49 years of musical and cultural memories, Jazz Fest stands alone in presenting the highest caliber artists in such varied genres as gospel, blues, traditional and contemporary jazz, rock, R&B, Cajun, country, zydeco and much more.”

30) Louder Than Life Rock Festival

The Largest Rock Festival in America

When: September 2020

Where: Highland Festival Grounds, Louisville, Kentucky

Genre: Rock

https://ift.tt/1hjNDLo

Complete with dozens of the biggest names in rock & roll, massive stages, and unique bars – the annual Louder Than Life festival is an adventure every rocker needs to experience for themselves. The 2019 line-up included headling sets from Guns N Roses, Slipknot, Rob Zombie, Marlilyn Manson, and tons more! There aretons of delicious food & drink options spread around the epic festival grounds and lots of unique festival experiences for attendees to check out during these three-days of incredible rock music!

31) Friendship

When: January 6-10, 2020

Where:  Miami

https://ift.tt/2Mh4KiP

2018 was the inaugural sold-out cruise for the brand new festival cruise, “FRIENDSHIP”. With a star-studded line-up with names like Boys Noize, Dixon, and Rufus Du Sol – it looked like an epic time! I had some friends who went (who even got engaged during one of Destructo’s legendary sets), and they had nothing but great things to say about it.  It’s one of the new music festival cruises in the scene, but I’ve got a feeling the Friendship will be around for many years to come!

Friendship is returning for their 2nd voyage from January 6-10, departing from Miami and sailing to the iconic CocoCay island in the Bahamas! With a jam-packed line-up, awesome activities, and incredible vibes – it’s going to be a top-notch experience for all those who are lucky enough to book a room on board!

“Get ready to cruise out with some of the best international music acts aboard a glamorous ship to sea. It’s the perfect setting to make new friends and gather with old ones. States DESTRUCTO, “There is a place where my friends and I go and we do fun things—the kind of fun things that build everlasting memories that I could never put a price on and I absolutely never could because these times are priceless and irreplaceable. At the end when I look back and reminisce about these times I had and the experiences that molded me and watered me enough to grow, I’ll think about all the friends I’ve made along the way and how I am a part of their story and they are more than all my friends. They are all my family. That is FRIENDSHIP.”

32) iHeart Radio Music Festival

Photo via iHeartRadio Facebook

When: September 2020

Where: T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas

https://ift.tt/2MuYDFE

“Since 2011, iHeartRadio Music Festival has taken place each year in Las Vegas, in September. It boasts a myriad of world-class musical acts, and has quickly become a fixture on the festival scene. For the first several years, the festival was held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. However, as of last year, the main festival stage was moved to the T-Mobile Arena. But that’s not the only place to see great music: the festival also features the iHeartRadio Daytime Village, a second venue that features additional up and coming acts.

As an attendee at this amazing festival, you are treated to performance after performance, both indoors and outdoors, all weekend long. Prepare for music overload, in the best way possible! This is truly the experience of a lifetime for music lovers of all ages. As you’ll see in a moment as we divulge this year’s lineup, it’s really no surprise that this festival has established itself as one of the most well-known and well-regarded music experiences in such a short time.”

33) Stagecoach Music Festival

When: April 26-28, 2019

Where: Indio, California

https://ift.tt/2oVuJV4

“The five-day transformation from the massive Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival into Stagecoach: California’s Country Music Festival by the Los Angeles-based Goldenvoice company is always shocking to people who go to both events. 

Instead of surreal and sometimes psychedelic installation art of Coachella, there are giant cowboy boots and a bronze bucking horse. The attire morphs from flower crowns and H&M branded fashions to red, white and blue everything – including shirts, pants, bandannas and long flowing sashes bearing the U.S. flag. Held at Indio’s Empire Polo Club, this festival celebrates new and established country music artists.”

34) Camp Bisco

When: July 2020

Where: Montage Mountain, Scranton, Pennsylvania 

Genre: Electronic

http://campbisco.com

“Camp Bisco is an outdoor music festival held at the picturesque Montage Mountain, a world-class concert venue & waterpark located in Scranton, PA. Camp Bisco is a 3-day, rain-or-shine event with camping. Camp Bisco will feature 3 days and nights of music on 3 stages. Anyone who has been before can tell you, Camp Bisco is the best event of its kind and we’re so excited to see you all again! Join us at Montage Mountain for our 17th installment of this amazing weekend for the ultimate escape to your reality.”

35) Wanderlust Festival

Credit: Melissa Gayle Photography

When: July 2020 Dates TBA

Where: Various Locations

Website: https://ift.tt/23ZVpPh

Wanderlust is different than your standard music festival, as it’s more of a retreat/ getaway/ vacation with a big emphasis on music and community! The few friends I know who have attended told me it’s truly special, and they can’t wait to them for many years to come! 

They also host events ALL around the world, so definitely worth checking out their website and keeping up-to-date with their calendar if you’re into this type of transformational event!

“This Way to True North.

For 10 years, Wanderlust has gathered teachers, experts, musicians, and creators at stunning resorts for transformational experiences—each unique unto itself. Over the last decade, yogis have grown their practice, connected with community, and made life-altering discoveries. To celebrate our tenth year, we’re making our festivals accessible to all.

From mountain resorts to majestic city parks, 4-day retreats to 2-day urban escapes, the festival experience is now within your grasp. Step into what’s beyond: new ideas, new friends, new foods, new moves. And at the end of all this blissed-out exploring you’ll find you’ve come home—to yourself.

Music is the heartbeat of Wanderlust festivals. You’ll feel the pulse in the subtle spinning of a brilliant DJ, in the sweet rhythms of our acoustic meditations, and classes accompanied by perfectly paired beats will leave your body awash in energy. Whatever your taste, the musical discoveries that await at Wanderlust will leave you with new favorites for practice and party alike.”

36) Dirtybird Campout

Credit: Aaron Glassman

You’re never too old to go to summer camp! Dust off your camping gear and calibrate your compasses, Dirtybird Campout is coming…

When: October 2020

Where: Modesto Reservoir Campgrounds, California

Website: https://ift.tt/1LHQLwz

“What remains most special about Dirtybird Campout is its ability to craft an intimate space for guests to let their inner children out to play and create unforgettable memories, soundtracked by top selectors in house, techno, and bass. Campers are invited to immerse themselves in a wide variety of activities just steps away from camp and the stages—from tug-of-war to archery, to kickball—often alongside DIRTYBIRD ‘Camp Counselors’ themselves. It’s this open and fun atmosphere that keeps its ranks filled year after year. 

So I’ve been a HUGE fan of the Dirtybird Record label for a long time, and Dirtybird Campout is the annual event that’s an unforgettable adult summer camp/music festival experience. It started in 2015, and has grown bigger, better, and wilder every year! Definitely add this one to your list!

Read my Dirtybird Campout 2016 Festival Review to get a better understanding!

“Whether you went to summer camp back in the day, or found yourself at Campout over the last four years, those memories of sun-drenched hours full of outdoor activities, hazy summer afternoons, and sleepless nights under the stars, have fostered an unmatched sense of belonging and an unparalleled community for many. It is this family feel that has made Dirtybird Campout one of North America’s most celebrated and unique festival weekends.”

37) Decadence Arizona

Arizona’s Biggest New Year’s Eve Celebration Music Festival

Decadence 2018 | Photo by Jacob Tyler Dunn

When: December 30-31, 2019

Where: Chandler

https://ift.tt/2bDzR5G

“Decadence is a 2-day New Year’s Eve experience that features a diverse lineup of artists that is sure to please all… If you live on the West-coast, love music, and yearn for adventure… you will want to gather your friends and make the journey to DECADENCE where you can say your final goodbyes to 2019 and kick off 2020 with a BANG.”

  38) Lucidity Festival

When: April 10-12, 2020

Where: Live Oak Campground, Santa Barbara, California

Website:  https://ift.tt/2ImxHsH

Sound baths, acro yoga, dance workshops, fire breathers, circus performers, food vendors, fashion stalls, blacklight tea parties, cacao ceremonies, art galleries, epic DJ’s, live bands, crazy costumes, and an incredible amount of Oxytocin filled hugging. I had an unbelievably magical experience at Lucidity Festival, and think the world would be a better place if everyone attended it once in their life.

It’s truly one of the most unique, colorful, and intimate community-oriented camping festivals I’ve ever attended!  

Check out my review article about my experience here:  Ludicity Festival – Rising Dawn | Top 12 Festival Highlights!  I, unfortunately, I couldn’t make it back for the 2019 edition since I was traveling through Spain, but I’m really hoping to make a return for 2020!!

39) Voodoo Festival

Credit: Sydney Gawlik

When: October 25-27, 2019

Where: City Park, New Orleans, Lousisiana 

https://ift.tt/2nYtJgl

“Voodoo is a musical gumbo stirring together music, art, community, cuisine and all the mystery and adventure that Halloween weekend in New Orleans conjures up. With more than 65 bands over three days, Voodoo is more than just a Festival – it is an experience. There’s plenty to do in between sets. Across the Festival Grounds of City Park, Voodoo hosts interactive and immersive large-scale art installations, the Brew Dat Beer Hall and the House of Blues Voodoo, a handcrafted shopping experience at the Market Place, and more”

40) Okeechobee Music Festival

When: March 5-8, 2020

Where: Okeechobee

Homepage

“Okeechobee Music & Arts Festival is a 4-day surreal experience, filled with multi-genre music, immersive art and transformative events, deep in the heart of Florida’s wild wilderness. A gathering of all walks of life where the common ground is music, magic and mystery from dusk til dawn.”

“Okeechobee Music & Arts Festival burst onto the Florida scene in 2016 and immediately become a fan favorite. Taking place in early March, Okeechobee is now the first major music festival of the US festival season and provides a glimpse of touring summertime artists. The festival’s home at Sunshine Grove is a treat for campers with lush grassy fields, a sandy beach, and a majestic grove.”

  The Okeechobee Music + Arts Festival is back this year for a full weekend of music, camping, art, and unique transformational experiences! The festival will take place amongst 800 acres of lush grasslands, lakes, woods, and jungle in Sunshine Grove, Florida, with nature-filled and lakeside camping options.

In addition to OMF’s three main stages, dance music lovers will gravitate towards Jungle 51, a dusk till dawn dance party nestled in the heart of the jungle that has hosted some of the biggest names in house and techno in recent years. From dawn till dusk, OMF attendees will again be able to experience Aquachobee Beach, situated in the scenic background where Sunshine Grove’s jungle meets the white sand beach, that will give Okeechobeeings the chance to catch daytime live music sets while swimming and sunbathing.

Camp OMF 2020 will kick-off on Thursday, March 5 with a nighttime pre-party, and each day, Chobeewobee Village will feature an eclectic mix of immersive art, food & beverage offerings,  performances, yoga classes, life-enhancing workshops, speakers, as well as its signature artisan vendors in a bazaar-style experience. Also on site, a 24-hour general store, 24-hour food options, showers, free portalets, and local and craft food and beverage options complete the experience. Featuring an array of comfortable accommodations varying from tent camping to deluxe preset RV and glamping, all Okeechobee 2020 ticket and camping options can be explored.

41) Bumbershoot Festival

When: Labor Day Weekend, September 2020

Where: Seattle, Washington

https://ift.tt/2q2UxNX

“Now approaching half a century, Bumbershoot is one of Seattle’s largest cultural touchstones. Each year, thousands of people from across the country flock to Seattle Center to attend this acclaimed festival, which has become one of the biggest and most-loved contemporary festivals in North America, while having maintained its Northwest spirit and innovative roots.”

42) Arise Music Festival

Credit: Eric Allen Photography

When: August 2020

Where: Sunrise Ranch, Loveland

ARISE Music Festival | Aug 2-4, 2019

“The ARISE Music Festival is much more than a music festival…it’s a movement.  Held on an organic ranch in a picturesque Colorado Rocky Mountain valley oasis just 60 minutes north of Denver. 3 days and nights of camping, music, art, workshops, films, yoga and so much more!

At the core of the ARISE mission is a firm belief that creating a festival experience which inspires positivity, joy and active engagement in issues of social justice is a call to celebrate the beauty and wonder of this precious life.”

ARISE plants 1 tree for every ticket sold.

43) Afropunk Festival

When: August 2020

Where: Atlanta & Brooklyn

https://ift.tt/MSy7Tl

AFROPUNK is an influential community of young, gifted people of all backgrounds who speak through music, art, film, comedy, fashion and more. AFROPUNK is a voice for the unwritten, unwelcome and unheard.

Afro: as in, born of African spirit and heritage; see also black (not always), see also rhythm and color, see also other, see also underdog.

Punk: as in, rebel, opposing the simple route, imbued with a DIY ethic, looking forward with simplicity, rawness and open curiosity; see also other, see also underdog.

AFROPUNK is defining culture by the collective creative actions of the individual and the group. It is a safe place, a blank space to freak out in, to construct a new reality, to live your life as you see fit, while making sense of the world around you.

“The AFROPUNK festival is not only a diverse multicultural music fest that has an international influence and platform, but also a growing movement of non-conforming, forward-looking creatives and individuals who live fearlessly and authentically within their unique truth.” – VOX ATL

44) Watershed Festival

When: July 31- August 2nd, 2020

Where: The Gorge Amphitheater, Washington

Genre: Country

https://ift.tt/1fqwdtb

Watershed Country Music Festival will return to the Gorge for a wild weekend of twangin’ goodness. Put on your “Shedder gear” (trucker hats?) and get ready for three whole days of down-home studs.

Watershed Music Festival is the largest country music festival in the Pacific Northwest and is a must-attend for country fans all over the U.S (and the entire world). Located at the beautiful Gorge Amphitheater, you’ll enjoy sets by the biggest names in country music with an unbeatable backdrop! 

45) Elements Lakewood Music & Arts Music Festival

When: May 22-25, 2020

Where: Lakewood, Pennsylvania

Genre: Various

https://ift.tt/2olyFIF

“Anticipate hidden forests, beachfront parties, wellness workshops, outdoor activities, interactive performers, and captivating experiences of all kinds. This is Elements Lakewood. We can’t wait to be back in the woods dancing, laughing, and inhibiting our own world together. Your energy and smiling faces inspire us to outdo ourselves each year.

We’ve been dreaming all year of creating new forest escapes, treehouses, and nique experiences to surprise you with. 2019 brings more immersive spaces to become a part of, unique art cars to climb on, large sculptures to explore, secret paths to uncover, exhibits to question, and alternate realities to enter.”

46) Snowglobe Music Festival

California’s Ultimate New Year’s Eve Festival

When: December 29 – January 1, 2019

Where: South Lake Tahoe, California

Website: https://ift.tt/GLp9tl

“Literally And Figuratively The Chillest Festival Ever.”

This 3-Day EDM Festival is the New Years Eve event of your winter dreams!  Spend your days snowboarding in the beautiful Lake Tahoe mountains, and then party all night to some of the world’s biggest electronic DJ’s!

47) The Common Ground Music Festival

When: June 2020

Where: Lansing

https://ift.tt/2VhHW6C

“The Common Ground Music Festival is a multiple-day music festival entering its 19th year. The festival has highlighted more than 400 artists including 38 Grammy award winners and 22 Rock-and-Roll Hall of Fame inductees. Each July, more than 40,000 people come to Lansing, Michigan to enjoy the best in music, entertainment food, and beverage. This annual celebration features an outstanding lineup of musical acts, focusing on top-level, national and regional music performers of many genres including contemporary and classic rock, pop, alternative, country, hip hop, rhythm & blues, soul and more.”

48) Sonic Bloom Festival

Credit: Juliana Moskow

When:  June 18-21, 2020

Where: Spanish Peaks Country

https://ift.tt/1mSGFsP

“SONIC BLOOM is a 4-day camping festival that brings electronic music, dance, art and human performance together in an atmosphere that inspires open channels of co-creativity for everyone involved.”

Out of all the music festivals in Colorado, this is the one I’m DYING to go to.  It looks like such an amazing festival, and I know many friends who have gone and said how amazing it is.  The line-ups are always awesome, but the reason people go to is the VIBE.  If you’re looking for a good Colorado festival, then this should be your top priority (in my opinion).

49) Wet Electric Festival

Credit: Mix 247 EDM

When: April 2020

Where: Phoenix / Tempe   

Home

“Experience all the fun of a rowdy pool party with a banging electronic dance music festival at Wet Electric in Tempe, Arizona! The festival takes over an entire waterpark for two days filled with world-renowned DJs and electronic musicians, extravagant cabanas, wave pools, waterslides, several bars and more. Past performers include artists such as Paul Oakenfold, Lil Jon, The Crystal Method, Swanky Tunes, Robbie Rivera, Darude, Dash Berlin and many others.”

50) Boston Calling

When: May 2020

Where: Allston, Massachusetts 

https://ift.tt/2oXczCe

Genre: Various

“Across the street from Harvard Business School, a renowned music festival shakes up the scholarly vibes of nearby Cambridge, Massachusetts, once a year. While most music festivals tend to focus on a few genres, Boston Calling doesn’t discriminate between all the sounds you love; this is the kind of festival you attend when you’re a fan of music, through and through. If you’re the type of person who can go from dancing to lively electronic beats to headbanging to gnarly guitar riffs without delay, consider Boston Calling your music mecca.”

Best New Festival Coming to the US in 2020 

Primavera Sound Los Angeles

Earlier this year European festival juggernaut Primavera Sound announced they’d be premiering in the US in 2020 to celebrate its 20th anniversary! How exciting is that!? After living in Barcelona for two different summer, I know Primavera Sound means serious business, and I can’t wait to see what type of line-up they create in my home-state of California. 

When: September 19-20, 2020

Where: LA Historic State Park 

Bonus Special Event* Burning Man

When: August 30 – September 7, 2020

Where: Black Rock City, Nevada (Two Hours Away from Reno) 

https://burningman.org/

Last, I couldn’t complete this article discussing the best parties and events in the US without mentioning Burning Man. BUT – it’s NOT A MUSIC FESTIVAL, which is why I’ve added it as a bonus special event.

After attending Burning Man for the past two years though, I can say it’s one of the most magical and life-changing experiences! It’s a temporary city filled with countless themed camps, LED lights, dust storms, techno sunrise dances, amazing people, and unbeatable burner vibes. 

While it’s definitely the most challenging event on this list to prepare for, it’s by far the most rewarding and memorable. If you’re interested in attending Burning Man, feel free to reach out to me with any questions! I’m happy to discuss the 10 principles, best preparation methods, how to find a camp, and tips for getting tickets!

You can read through my articles on Burner Accessories & Burner Goggles though to help with the shopping list!

What USA Music Festivals do you think deserve a spot on this list…?

This list took me quite some time to put together, and I hope you’ve enjoyed reading it and finding some new events around the US! But I’d love to hear from you to see if I missed any specific event! There are thousands of festivals every year in the US (it’s a pretty massive country), so I couldn’t include all of them, but I do think I did a pretty great job at compiling the best US festivals in 2020!  

Looking for more music festivals in the USA?

My travel blog is filled with articles just like this that will help you find some of the most fun, magical, and awesome music festivals and parties around the United States. Check out a few of my favorite below, and feel free to reach out to me and let me know about any that I’m missing! 

Thanks for reading about the Best Music Festivals in the USA!

Share these 2020 US Festivals with your festival squad!

Related Posts

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[mrwilliamcharley]

Miami Music Week 2019 Was Everything You’d Dream Of It Being [REVIEW]

Miami Music Week was a grand success. Offering a variety of hectic pool parties, afterparties, and exclusive label showcases. It’s a giant culmination of everything that will transpire the coming year in electronic music. Kicking off the festival season in big fashion, we wanted to highlight some of the best parties you may or may not have missed out on in Miami Music Week this year.

Drumcode took over Club Space for an extensive party that lasted till 6pm the next day. Bringing in heavy hitters from their lucrative roster like ANNA, Dubfire, and Adam Beyer; techno enthusiasts were treated to a night they wouldn’t forget.

Brownies & Lemonade held their annual Miami Music Week party and this time they truly outdid themselves. Hosting the legendary return of Dog Blood, this stacked lineup brought a sold out crowd to Mana Wynwood for a night full of surprises.

SHAQ’s Fun House was the exclusive soiree that guests had hoped for. With only limited high-priced tickets being sold, the buck definitely proved itself worthy. The surprise lineup brought out DJs like Kaskade, Diplo, Armin Van Buuren, Oliver Heldens, and more.. surrounded by celebrities, open bars, carnival games, and food.. not sure what else you can expect from the Diesel himself. It was one of the most insane nights and those who were there to witness it unfold would say the same.

Dirtybird Players remained a highlight of the week. Partying till the morning to the sounds of groovy house music was well worth the energy spent. Attracting one of the best crowds, house enthusiasts gathered around Club Space in hopes of catching sets from Claude VonStroke, Justin Marin, Weiss, Shiba San, Walker & Royce, and more!

Virtual Self held his notorious 3-hour extended clubsystem show down in the Wynwood Area. What started off as a euphoric trip down the realms of trance and melodic house, turned ugly in an instant. It was good though, maybe not for the faint of heart but losing your mind to rigid drum and bass and hardstyle at 2-4am was probably the most intense sequence of Miami Music Week you could’ve experienced.

Elrow as a brand has been labeled as one of the best parties on the planet. After making the trek to their ‘El Bowsque Encantado’ spectacle, it’s really hard to combat that statement. Bringing legends like Patrick Topping, Claptone, Nathan Barato, and more, the festivities held inside were unforgettable. Elrow showed Miami a great time and that’s all that mattered.

STAY IN THE KNOW! FOLLOW US ON SPOTIFY

▲ ▲ Read More About Miami Music Week Here ▲ ▲

Read more from Omar and connect with him on Soundcloud, Twitter, and Instagram.

'Miami Music Week 2019 Was Everything You’d Dream Of It Being [REVIEW]

The post Miami Music Week 2019 Was Everything You’d Dream Of It Being [REVIEW] appeared first on Run The Trap: The Best EDM, Hip Hop & Trap Music.

from Run The Trap: The Best EDM, Hip Hop & Trap Music http://bit.ly/2XWl390

[sunnydaleherald]

The Sunnydale Herald Newsletter, Friday, October 12

[Drabbles & Short Fiction]

Lucky (Dawn, Clem, PG) by katleept

Father-Daughter Bonding (Buffy, Jojo's Bizarre Adventure xover, G) by madimpossibledreamer

Love Itself Have Rest (Connor/OFC, NC-17) by Cornerofmadness

Ghost of a Kiss (Buffy/Spike, PG-13) by zabjade

Beautiful to Me (Buffy/Spike, G) by zabjade

Beautiful (Buffy/Spike, G) by zabjade

Bound and Claimed (Buffy/Spike, PG-13) by zabjade

By Moonlight Held (Drusilla, Spike, G) by zabjade

The Moment (Spike, G) by zabjade

A Beach and Some Sun (Buffy/Faith, G) by myth_taken

the glorious afterparty (Tara/Willow, PG-13) by blamethenargless

After All (Buffy/Oz, Mercy Thompson Series xover, PG-13) by Vashti (tvashti)

[Chaptered Fiction]

Far to Go Series Parts 2 - 18 (Buffy/Spike, NC-17) by zabjade

A Hellmouth Resurrection Chapter 1 (Buffy/Spike, R) by SpindleKitten

The Prodigals Chapter 2 (Giles/Jenny, PG-13) by Florence_in_Silver

Apocalypseses Now Chapter 22 (Ensemble, Multiple xovers, R) by mabus101

A Matter Of Control Chapter 2 (Oz, Supernatural xover, PG-13) by Rod

Kindred Chapter 10 (Buffy/Spike, PG-13) by Lavender Bixby

Secrets Kept Chapter 9 (Buffy/Spike, R) by MsXGingerXNinja

Rewritten Chapter 3 (Buffy/Spike, PG-13) by Sigyn

[Images, Audio & Video]

Artwork: Spike sketch by sakarisingh

Fanvid: Promises (BtVS Season 2) by obsessive24

Fanvid: This is the Picture (Whedonverse) by obsessive24

Fanvid: The Hand that Feeds (Connor, Faith) by obsessive24

Fanvid: Centuries (Buffy) by TerryRBD

Fanvid: Song About A Rabbit (Anya) by kitkatbyte and kitzeproductions

[Reviews & Recaps]

Fansided: Buffy The Vampire Slayer season 12 review: A perfect conclusion

Video: Is Buffy The Vampire Slayer Worth It? by Lytane Variety Show

[Community Announcements]

Start opening those caskets... at buffyversetop5

Call for Banners at seasonal-spuffy

[Fandom Discussions]

Gif commentary series - "Restless" by dreamsofghostsandstars

ReddIt: Buffy was a Bad Leader and she Brought the Coup on Herself by chinggis_khan27