#underground reunion tour

[happyfoxx-art]

Manic's making a great first impression here.

[aealzx]

so HappyFoxx has single handedly reminded me that apparently I've been a deep closet Sonic fan since I was a teenager, it was just for the really obscure Sonic Underground and the lil green dude Manic was my delightful fav X'DDD Which, like, ..... I can admit the triplets were really the only good thing about that show X'DDD I don't know how they got it to air, but I'm glad it got through and I am going insane over the rewrite and redesigns Happ is doing.

Here's her intro posts about the kiddos

Sonic - Sonia - Manic

She made Sonia the prettiest queen fancy lady, Sonic the local heart throb, and fixed Manic's weird grass head into a reasonable design, I'm so happy X'DD She also made Manic an empath, AND childhood friends with Amy and I'm never letting those headcanons go.

After seeing Happ's pretty lady Sonia, and having AmaLee's cover of Ruler of My Heart come on my Tidal tracks I drew some royal children being fanceh~

We also went absolutely deranged insane over other things Manic related (rip poor boy being our fav), but those will be for later BD

[covid-safer-hotties]

Also preserved in our archive

by: Beck Levy

“Maybe now vocalists will finally start bringing their own mics,” I tweeted in the first days of March 2020. My virtual audience was mostly friends I met by participating in subcultures in and adjacent to the DIY tendency of hardcore punk rock. In those early days, we on the cultural fringes shared a sense that the pandemic, in its capacity as a social intervention, could meaningfully disrupt the oppressive ruling order.

When I booked and played shows before COVID-19 hit, I tried to harness energy and rally when crisis arose. Touring band is lost on the road? I was ready to DJ to keep people from leaving between sets. No one came to unlock the club? Let’s play in the parking lot. The last show I’d played, just weeks earlier during Mardi Gras, was on a trailer being pulled by a dump truck. We’re responsive to shifting circumstances, right?

I couldn��t get a clear look at the new terrain through the brutal haze of my first-wave infection. I was disoriented, waking up breathless, fevered, delirious from nightmares about drowning in my own blood. I could not fathom taking any action that would contribute to COVID-19 circulating, and my symptoms made me believe I would be a risk to my community. With home tests scarce, every flare had me conceiving of myself as though I might be a biological weapon.

Friends texted their fears to me frantically: “Is music over? Are shows done?” I thought back to informal and unconventional gigs, the freedom and potentiality those moments held, and reassured my friends, sequestered in our separate biomes. I said and believed: “Music always finds a way, youth culture always finds a way, underground culture always finds a way.”

Slowly, reimagined, remote, and socially-distanced events returned. In lieu of Jazz Fest, New Orleans radio station WWOZ charmed us with “festing in place” on the airwaves. I did a solo set in a virtual anniversary showcase for my old record label. Another friend live streamed a show from a cavernous church. I’d guessed performances mediated by technology might salt the wound, but desperate for connection, I treasured those experiences.

I watched my place in the world creep away from me. There were rumors of scandalous secret shows during lockdown. But the first real sign was pictures on Instagram of people traveling and touring again. Scroll to that last image: a row of COVID-19 tests, all negative, smug. Or positive, chagrined but only a little; a mismatch to the scale of: “For fun I traveled as a disease vector and personally participated in the proliferation of an airborne pathogen that can kill or maim.” Was it a character limit? A limitation of character?

The world passed me by, carouseling through normalization phases, like COVID-19 tests phasing their way out of tour posts. I watched scenes regroup from my new vantage point in biopolitical exile. Pandemic gloom catalyzed a spate of reunions, which is wholesome and beautiful except for the fact that at least one band knowingly toured with a member who tested positive.

Was I overreacting? While COVID-19 left me with an immune system that attacks my body, my mind attacked itself with this question. I’d traded amps for this mental feedback loop. The counterargument was implicit: people need unfettered access to music more than we need safety.

Live music came back. It just didn’t bring me with it.

I didn’t see a critical mass of bookers, venues, or bands advocating for COVID-19 safety with measures like outdoor shows, improved ventilation, livestream options, or just adding tests and masks to the earplug bin at the door. Some hand disinfectant; a little hygiene theater at conventional venues. The will just wasn’t there. I thought our deal was fuck the state, we’ll do it our way. I found myself slipping through the subcultural safety net that exists for outcasts who are slipping through the cracks of mass culture and late capitalism.

Of course, punk was already inaccessible to some. And I actually believe a certain amount of gatekeeping is necessary to protect punk from posers, jerks, and cops. But among the nebulous community clustered around shows, the sexism and racism people have experienced has always been very real, to the tune of entire zines, books, films about that exclusion. I monitored my heartbreak, critically. Resource-scarce, informal, and underground operations often exist at a quagmire of conflicting access needs. Was the sting of betrayal just this painful because it affected me, directly? Can the subaltern mosh?

There was a brief period where my baseline had plateaued, and I enjoyed medium-functionality between flares. Clinging to my modest recovery, a memorial service was my first congregant risk. That was the last time I tried to play guitar. I got the twisties, psychic vertigo from grief and from the contradiction of my setting and my experience, but the band played on, complete with a brass section. And at that otherwise beautiful event, I was ceremoniously reinfected by an asymptomatic tuba player. My health has been steadily deteriorating ever since.

Isolation is hard: it can feel like rejection, it can feel real personal. I struggled to adapt. I know I can have a persecution complex, but I also know I’m materially being made surplus. So what do I tell the complex? Are people being thoughtless, or do they explicitly not give a fuck about immunocompromised people like me?

Life is never totally safe, danger is often exciting, sometimes risk is the point. I know that. I’m not (just) a joyless scold. In the era of potentially deadly airborne pathogens, we’re playing with other lives when we make “individual” health decisions—I thought we’d learned that, but there was no such reckoning.

Punks accepted the sociological production of the end of the pandemic, moving in lockstep with the state, sacrificing medically vulnerable people on the altar of pleasure, just as the state had sacrificed us on the altar of capital. I thought our ingenuity would create new forms of shows. Instead, it exposed our limits under duress. To quote the band Allergic to Bullshit, “If this is what we’re for, this is what we’ll get.”

Maybe my shock seems naïve—after all, there’s a difference between “subculture” and “counterculture”—but there’s a reason I expected better. There are visionaries with love, passion, and fearlessness who organize shows in strip malls, caves, skateparks, churches, parking garages; shows with immediacy like distributing free Narcan, and conviction, like benefits toward Palestinian liberation. I await, with diminishing faith, the eruption of that tendency in the bioethical arena.

Since immune ableism is hegemonic, congregating is a question of building a realistic threat model, making decisions with people who are directly impacted by your actions, and taking all possible precautions. I’m encouraged by radical formations with accessibility modifications, particularly those connecting social abandonment, climate crisis, and genocide. I see this reflected in art book fairs that require masking, outdoor Shabbatot, test-first leftist reading groups. Queer and drag events are making adjustments. Mask blocs and clean air clubs collaborate, with limited resources, to make spaces more accessible. These are people who insist on collective health, demanding freedom to live and breathe clean air.

For those of us with severe Long COVID, exclusion from live music represents a profound loss of humanity. This disconnection feeds into my daily despair; in medical terms, my depersonalization/derealization. Having hoped this crisis would push us closer to communism than complacency, I feel whiplash, what Naomi Klein calls “political vertigo.” Millions of Americans with Long COVID have disappeared from the workforce. Data on the underground music scene are unavailable. It’s hard to count ghosts. I’ve wanted to ask: Have you noticed that some of us are gone? Do you ever miss us?

Four years later, I still can’t even make it to a well-filtered show. My last recreational outing ended in hospitalization from merely ascending a steep hill. I hear about shows from my roommate, the only person I see, who is also the only masked person at them. I tell myself I could try to go to an outdoor gig one day, maybe, if my governing health planets aligned. Instead of being an active musician, I pretend I’m like Jandek, a reclusive genius, but really I’m too clumsy and unfocused to play at home.

I do what I do with everything: act like I’m in a different world. It’s not difficult, because I am. The Well do their thing out there, I do mine in here. I moved across the country in search of better healthcare and, homebound, routinely forget I’m not still in New Orleans. Either way I am inside. I gave up and I don’t fight the world leaving me behind. I am back here, rolling the boulder of my body up steep hills.

In spite of everything, I’m glad shows continue. It’s bittersweet comfort knowing freaks are getting raucous in basements, with noise made by other freaks, sprayed with wet yells, aggressively jostling with teens; in a reprieve from control, experiencing music together. I’d die for your right to do that. And thanks to you, I just might.

[art-missy]

Could you do one with Fade, where (let’s just pretend) reader is who “they took”. What if one day she finds us and how the reunion will be? I love your work ❤️❤️

Let's see...

So I made two scenarios :

Scenario A : Fade was the one fetching reader to be an agent for the protocol.

Scenario B : Reader is an agent of the protocol and knew Fade a long time ago and meet her again when she joins Valorant.

Scenario A

Fade was watching you training your aim in the range. She was admiring your concentration and how laid back you were. The gun was like an extension of your body in your hand and your eyes was as merciless as the lense of a sniper. A cold shiver ran down her spine. It was when she was watching you like that that she wondered how she managed to get you to join Valorant.

You once were a hit person and was known in the underground world to be the coldest death one could ever had the misfortune to meet.

When your gaze finally met once you were done shooting the training targets, she realized that her past self was pretty lucky when you first came face to face with eachother.

Fade was a bounty hunter before joining the protocol. She knew how to track people down and how to drag them to her employer. Cypher just had to give her a picture of you and she was on her way to fetch you. She might have overestimated her skills or underestimated yours. She had followed your trail to a disaffected warehouse. She knew you were there and had sent her prowler away to capture you to only realize her mistake when she felt a grip grabbing her hair and tilting her head back as a knife threatened her throat.

"Who have the gall to send someone against me ?" she had heard a confident but very bored voice in her ear.

You had known all along you were being followed. You were the one setting a trap, not her.

"Not against you. For you," she corrected, keeping her calm. "We want to hire you."

"We ?"

She had then explained why she was tracking you down —very calmly because you were also known for your unpredictability. When you had released her from your firm and threatening grip, she slowly stepped back to finally look at you. And that was when she met your sharp but attentive eyes for the very first time. She had felt so little under your gaze, so weakened.

Today, when Fade looked into your eyes, she mainly saw her affections for you being returned with an almost unnerving protectiveness. She almost found funny how you ended up a couple.

"Need my company already ?" you smirked at her.

Today when your hand touched her hair it was to caress them, when your hand grabbed her jaw it was for you to press a kiss on her lips. When you touched her, it was only to be gentle and loving. Today, she felt so protected under your gaze, so supported.

"Always, aşkım."

Scenario B

It was supposed to be a simple tour of the protocol, not a flashback session. All she did was turning around the corner of a corridor of the headquarters with her tour guide and she ended up frozen. Her eyes were wide opened, her lips parted and her throat suddenly so dry. She was confused, wondering if it was again another dream that was soon going to turn into a nightmare. But unlike any other dream, you were returning her stare with the same amount of shock.

"Hazal ?" you breathed out, and your voice was oh so real.

Last time she saw you, you two were screaming at each other and saying things you were both now heavily regretting. Fade couldn't even remember the cause of your argument. All she remembered, was the hole you left in her life when you disappeared without a trace. But after so many years, here you were, right in front of her. Alive and safe.

Her body moved before her mind could register its movements and, in a blink of an eye, your face was cradled in her hands. Tears also escaped her beautiful heterochromatic eyes. Tears that you immediately wiped away gently with your thumbs. Your touch was the confirmation she needed. You were there. You really were there.

"I thought I've lost you," she murmured, her breath shaky. "I found you ! I finally found you ! Why did you disappear ?"

"I...became an agent," you answered, your voice shaky as well. "Hazal, you are Fade ?"

She nodded and you took her in your arms, rocking her from side to side. You couldn't believe that the individual blackmailing the protocol all this time was her. You couldn't believe that, after all these years, you were holding her in your arms again.

You were caressing her back when you heard someone clearing their throat behind you. You looked back and saw Cypher tilting his head.

"I believe you'll take the tour from here ?"

You nodded and thanked him as he walked away, your attention returning on the Turkish new agent.

"Don't ever disappear on me like that," she murmured against your shoulder. "Please."

"I promise."

"I thought you were taken away from me."

So that was the reason of the blackmail. She wrongly thought that the protocol took you away.

"Sorry," you wiped another tear from her cheek. "Sorry for... everything. I...thought you hated me."

She took a deep breath and looked at you again. You've matured without really changing. You were still you. After all this time, you were still you.

"Me too," she whispered. "And I apologize. For what I said, for what I've done, for... everything."

[thgfanfictionlibrary]

General Rated Fics Masterlist (26)

Parts 1-19 / Part 20 / Part 21 / Part 22 / Part 23 / Part 24 / Part 25 /

Created: May 12th, 2024

Last Checked: —-

A Fading Bruise-VanillaCottonCandy (ao3) Summary: "We shouldn't be here," he suddenly states, as if we're not in a room surrounded by doctors and workers of District 13. And Haymitch. When my expression contorts to confusion, he clarifies. "I don't think we're safe here, Katniss." Alternate Universe in which Peeta was never hijacked in Mockingjay. A trace on the earth-keeptheearthbelow (ao3) Summary: Katniss's discovery of flowers planted in the forest leads Peeta to express a wish for the future. Close Your Eyes-VanillaCottonCandy (ao3) Summary: Mockingjay AU, where both Katniss and Peeta were rescued from the arena and brought to Thirteen. Katniss spends quality time with Peeta down in the underground bunker while Snow tries to bomb Thirteen. Based on prompt : “hi bestie! any drabbles of everlark in district 13, assuming they were both originally rescued that you could bless us with?🥰 maybe along the lines of Katniss going to visit Peeta’s bunk during the Capital’s bombing on 13 bc she knows his family isn’t there to share his space with him” Crash Into Me-VanillaCottonCandy (ao3) Summary: I try to object again but then his eyes meet mine and there’s something else there. There’s something else in his gaze, an intensity I rarely see. The same intensity that appears when he’s drawing, that was there when the peacekeeper in Eleven pressed his gun to me, an intensity that indicates an entire world locked away inside the boy with the bread. An entire world I’ve only recently discovered, that I’ve barely begun to know. Really know, not just as a byproduct of survival, as a byproduct of acting for the cameras, but really come to understand on a deeper level. / Katniss and Peeta bonding during the sweet, peaceful period in Catching Fire before the Quarter Quell was announced. Their bonding leads them to an unforeseen circumstance as their feelings come to a head. Catching Fire AU.

Dusk-aspiringpandabear (ao3) Summary: During one sleepless day before the Victory Tour, Peeta discovers his love for the colors of the sunset.

Haunted Heart-VanillaCottonCandy (ao3) Summary: “One of the doctors steps away to grab something off the cart beside the bed and Peeta’s blue eyes — the bluest, tenderest and most haunted gaze I’ve ever seen — take me in for the first time. For the first time since that last night in the Quell. And I can’t hold myself back any longer.” / Based on the prompt : “i’d love one of everlark’s reunion in mockingjay if peeta hadn’t been hijacked (OR of their reunion if katniss had been captured instead, but still not hijacked).”

It feels wrong to have adult sized problems in child sized pyjamas-Hdishebrna (ao3) Summary: Katniss’s development through the series as she navigates the changes. Later coming to terms with the affect placed further down the line

Midday Musings-Mollywog (ao3) Summary: I could lean up and kiss him right now. But what if he woke? A small voice inside me whispers ‘so what if he did?’

object permanence-orangecranscones (ao3) Summary: Forget being a lover. Ever since the Quarter Quell announcement, Peeta's dropped all pretense of even being Katniss' friend. It's been so long, in fact, that she can't remember if all those hugs and kisses were real or not. Because if they're not being given out whenever she'd like, did they even exist in the first place?

Wild Rose-adsofraser (ao3) Summary: Peeta is not the only one with a weakness for beautiful things. Set shortly after Peeta and Katniss arrive home from the 74th Games.

[holdoncallfailed]

lou reed's wardrobe trunk, presumably used during the velvet underground reunion tour in 1993 (via)

[black-arcana]

LZZY HALE Shares Cover Of LINKIN PARK's 'Crawling'

Lzzy Hale has shared a cover of LINKIN PARK's "Crawling". The 40-year-old HALESTORM frontwoman posted a video of her piano-led rendition on Instagram on Wednesday (August 28),the same day that LINKIN PARK's mysterious 100-hour countdown came to an end.Although Lzzy did not include any information about the timing of her post, she liked several comments that speculated that she might be involved in some capacity in LINKIN PARK's rumored reunion.

LINKIN PARK launched the 100-hour countdown timer on its web site and official social media accounts on Saturday, August 24. The same countdown timer was shared by the Instagram account of Welcome To Rockville, fueling speculation that some of the band's surviving members will perform at next year's edition of the Danny Wimmer Presents-produced festival, set to take place May 15-18, 2025 in Daytona Beach, Florida.

LINKIN PARK has since announced that it will hold a special event on Thursday, September 5, and members of the band's official fan club, Linkin Park Underground (commonly referred to as the LPU),have reportedly been e-mailed about the same event, which will take place in Los Angeles. The event is only open to LPU members, with tickets being randomly assigned. It will reportedly take place between 12:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. local time.

This past May, Billboard reported that LINKIN PARK was considering a possible 2025 reunion tour with a female vocalist stepping in for late lead singer Chester Bennington.

LINKIN PARK's booking agency WME was reportedly taking offers for a potential tour along with headlining festival dates that would feature Mike Shinoda, Brad Delson and Dave Farrell, Billboard's sources said.

One of the sources told Billboard that LINKIN PARK was hoping to find a female vocalist to front the reunited band, a rumor which was first started in April by ORGY frontman Jay Gordon who mentioned during a radio interview that he had "heard" that LINKIN PARK was working with a "girl singer now". When pressed, Gordon continued by saying: "Don't quote me on that. I'm not sure who the singer is going to be, but I heard it was gonna be female. They might just try to move on like that. That ought to be interesting." Jay later seemingly walked back his comments, writing in a Facebook post that he knew "nothing about any of that" and accused "people" of taking his words "out of context.".

[mediamonarchy]

https://mediamonarchy.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/20240902_MorningMonarchy.mp3 Download MP3 Concert economy, military cemetery and mind-boggling state TV broadcasts + this day in history w/the burning of Zozobra and our song of the day by Blitzkrieg on your #MorningMonarchy for September 2, 2024. Notes/Links: Image: The Media Monarchy origin story – Heartbreaking: Annoying Kid That Refused To Do Pledge Of Allegiance In High School Was 100% Right https://mediamonarchy.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/kid_refuse_pledge_right.jpg Arctic Monkeys Setlist at Royal Albert Hall, London, England Jun 7 2018 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Live_at_the_Royal_Albert_Hall_(Arctic_Monkeys_album) // https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/arctic-monkeys/2018/royal-albert-hall-london-england-63ed46ef.html Oasis Reunion Tour to Make Swift Impact on UK Economy, Live Sector https://archive.is/kWvje Ticket Prices Are Higher Than Ever. Will Fans Keep Paying?; Dynamic pricing deters scalpers, but the practice has led to a 30% increase in ticket prices. Has the concert industry reached a tipping point? https://archive.is/ZHma9 Video: Why Did Concert Tickets Get So Expensive? (Jan. 2, 2023 // Audio) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPjVpFBjJ6I The Get Up Kids – “The Company Dime” (Vinyl // Audio) https://www.discogs.com/release/8804867-The-Get-Up-Kids-Something-To-Write-Home-About // https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Something_to_Write_Home_About // https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYuU_zvsPck Michigan Residents Weary of National Politics, Hopeful for Truth; Many voters in the battleground state said they discard mailers and tune out video ads but would like to hear more candid talk from the candidates. https://archive.is/CIqYp CNN fact-checks Harris’ interview on CNN https://archive.is/veV4B Harris dodged questions about her Day 1 plans. Here’s how 5 presidents have spent their first days in office https://archive.is/gkg6N Harris Defends Shifting Positions, Pivots on Messaging https://archive.is/rmA0Q Comrade Harris Scolded Donald Trump About Arlington, So Trump Dropped Eight Videos in Response https://thelibertydaily.com/kamala-harris-scolded-donald-trump-about-arlington-so/ Video: Kamala Harris calls Donald Trump’s Arlington cemetery visit political stunt (Audio) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-eTkSkn60k Manacles – “Tiesa” (Cassette // Audio) https://www.discogs.com/release/18905143-Various-Punk-Is-Love // https://www.discogs.com/artist/7771008-Manacles // https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSvpWFeXuCc Armed and Underground: Inside the Turbulent, Secret World of an American Militia https://www.propublica.org/article/inside-secret-ap3-militia-american-patriots-three-percent Largest Texas Newspaper Slams Greg Abbott: ‘He Don’t Care’ https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/largest-texas-newspaper-slams-greg-abbott-he-don-t-care/ar-AA1pncvz New Mexico police chief claims he had constitutional right to leave his body cam off after crash: report; Albuquerque police chief ‘intentionally’ left body camera off after running red light, hitting driver, according to an Internal Affairs investigation https://www.foxnews.com/media/new-mexico-police-chief-claims-he-had-constitutional-right-leave-his-body-cam-off-after-crash-report Aurora, Colorado, Mayor Blames Government After Gangs Take Over Apartment Blocks; The city has set up a task force of law enforcement officials to help deal with the gangs https://archive.is/uH6Br Video: JUST IN: An armed illegal immigrant gang has reportedly taken over an apartment complex in Aurora, Colorado. https://x.com/CollinRugg/status/1828919972166545595 Ontario man stumbles upon ‘mind-boggling’ North Korean state TV broadcasts https://globalnews.ca/video/10710145/ontario-man-stumbles-upon-mind-boggling-north-korean-state-tv-broadcasts Video: Ontario man stumbles upon “mind-boggling” North Korean state TV broadcasts (Audio) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBknQAwKe8c The Comas – “Hologram” (Audio) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2f8KalgBgeE #MorningMonarchy: September 2, 2016 ...

[doomandgloomfromthetomb]

The Velvet Underground - The Playhouse, Edinburgh, Scotland, June 1, 1993 (Soundcheck)

Let's keep it Cale-y. A short time after his Eno collabs, John had joined forces with some other old friends — a little band called the Velvet Underground. And just about 30 years ago this week, the reformed VU was playing its first shows. Together again and delighted about it.

To celebrate, we've got a total curio for true Velvet maniacs — a soundcheck! I don't know if we really have any other instances of the VU soundchecking ... so you know you've got to check it out, right? You have no choice! I assume what we're hearing here is what the soundman was hearing as he monitored various levels and tones — throughout the 23-minute tape, other instruments drop out so that we can enjoy, say, Sterling Morrison's sterling 12-string part on "Beginning To See The Light" or Cale's isolated viola shrieks on "Venus In Furs." Necessary listening? Probably not. But it's neat anyway. We also get to hear Cale scold someone for smoking in the venue ... those were different times, people! (If you need to hear the gig that followed the 'check, here it is!)

Your friend and mine Dean Wareham was there. "They were strikingly similar to what I expected," he said. "Some bands re-form and flesh their sound out with extra musicians. With the Velvets, it was just the four of them on stage. I remember sitting in our dressing room in the Edinburgh Playhouse, waiting to do a soundcheck, and hearing the band do 'Venus In Furs.' I realized then that for all the talk of the countless bands that the VU influenced, the truth is that no one else sounds remotely like them."

Sounds about right to me! Dean and Luna were opening up for the Velvets during most of their UK / Euro tour, but I don't have a tape of any of their sets — alas! But there is this very sweet audience recording of the band on a night off at the Borderline in London, uploaded via the great Head Full of Wishes site ... they even perform a VU deep cut that the VU themselves left off their reunion setlists: the always beautiful "Ride Into The Sun."

[nineofmeee]

Responsibility, Arrogance, Tolerance. A Dresden Dolls essay from a black girl.

On July 20th, 2022, I was confronted with the shocking consequence of my actions. That day I left a comment below one of the Dresden Dolls posts. The post was a poster for one of their upcoming return tours and in response, I commented a hilarious and creative comment that showed my excitement for this announcement and the love I had for the duo.

Nineofmee: "Big day for racists!

In a SHOCKING turn of events, I was banned from their Instagram account, and still feel this sting to this day....."Why did I do that?" I thought. "What did I learn from this experience?" I questioned...

"How should I feel about the Dresden Dolls?"

The Dresden Dolls, Pioneers of the dark cabaret/punk-cabaret scene in the early 2000s, were represented by Amanda (fucking) Palmer and Brian Viglione. The two of them performed for many years and released two full-length LPs an EP and live albums galore. The duo frequented hiatus for personal and career purposes causing their activity as the Dresden Dolls to be far and in between, but in 2020 when they officially announced their reunion and are currently playing shows all around. The social climate they left in the 2010s would not be one they'd return to in the 2020s because something shifted when it came to the Dresden Dolls name; something they didn't have an abundance of before that they now have.

A spotlight.

"Plus my only natural talents wasted on my alcoholic friends.."-The Dresden Dolls.

TikTok is a double-edged sword. Through all the corruption and bad media overstimulation that the brains of millions around the world experience, the app allows once unheard-of artists to be readily available and gain some traction, boosting their careers. This is exactly what Amanda and Brian found themselves benefiting from. My Alcoholic Friends spread like wildfire on a specific side of the app and introduced many people to the Dresden Dolls.

Not far after, another Amanda Palmer project gained traction around TikTok to...let's call it "mixed reviews", and from this many people got more interested in the question of who Amanda Palmer was outside of the Dresden Dolls, and up from the depths of the internet came;

WARNING! I WILL BE GOING INTO OLD AND ACKNOWLAGED CONTROVERSIES HERE! GIVE ME A SECOND TO EXPLAIN WHY I BRING THIS UP!

"Fuck the police comin' straight from the underground A Young n**** got it bad 'cause I'm brown And not the other color so police think..."-N.W.A

N.W.A, a hip-hop group from Compton, California sings about police brutality from the perspective of being African-American men in America...and Amanda Palmer also sings along for some fucking reason. It was in 2009 when Amanda Palmer started to perform these ukelele covers and at the time apparently; she was not aware she should probably not say the N-word as a white woman? Amanda Palmer has a long statement on her blog apologizing for her arrogance surrounding the use of this racial slur, but here's where I want to flip this post to be a little less of an essay and more of a personal statement.

As a black woman, I do not forgive her arrogance.

Amanda Palmer has apologized and I'm not asking for anything with this post here, I'm just simply conceptualizing my feelings. Amanda Palmer in a video interview talks about her feelings about being flamed on the internet and her feelings on "Radical Compassion" What is Radical Compassion? Well, it is the idea that "even in the moment when you strongly disagree with someone (ect...) you have to approach every last motherfucker with a massive dose of compassion knowing that they're just as human as you..." Kindly, I think this excuse to deflect full responsibility. Even in her blog she says and "this is to remind you that nothing progresses within a vacuum, that we are in a relationship. we are a unit, you and me.." If this isn't to shame her audience or deflect blame then, why bring up other people in your apology? Also, Amanda Palmer is notorious for not hearing people out in her career, standing on her opinions as strong as a cement pole. I will forever continue to acknowledge their music, their history, their impact on my life, but I don't think it is fair to be asked to not be angry about this. If Amanda Palmer didn't understand it's impact then why did she add it to her song Guitar Hero where she uses it in a derogatory to prove a point about how much the word weighs? If Amanda Palmer didn't understand it's impact why would she change the inflection of the word from an "a" suffix to an "er" suffix? How punk and non-racist are you if you don't think and reflect on that maybe a little bit. Black people aren't here to educate you on what you should and shouldn't be saying, google it. Lear history. Use your privilege. Don't be arrogant.

What does this have to do with The Dresden Dolls?

Amanda Palmer is half of the band, I support the band I support Amanda. I don't want to directly finance her, but i struggle to ignore her importance to me. She was someone really important to me but, i am so sick of being told by people to forgive them for mistakes surrounding my race, my person, she's aware of her actions, she isn't a child. 2015 was the last time she performed this cover and embarrassed herself in front of her fans. It isn't OUR JOB to educate you. That, in a whole is where I stand.

Thanks for reading this and, please comment any comments that pop in to your mind! I love to further conversations and challenge my own opinions! In the words of Amanda Palmer; "I talk, you listen. We're a unit," except I'm not saying slurs I shouldn't say and trying to deflect the blame.

Cited Sorces: “Amanda Palmer on Abortion, Cancel Culture, and Australia’s Bushfires | Junkee.” YouTube, YouTube, 5 Feb. 2020, www.youtube.com/watch?v=fN9JtncxF5o&t=1s. “On Racism, Words, Art, Time and Progress.” Amanda Palmer Blog, 22 June 2020, blog.amandapalmer.net/racism-words-art-time-progress/.

[greensparty]

Stuff I'm Looking Forward To in March

Wow, somehow it's already month 3 of 2024. In addition to Daylight Savings Time (March 10 - Spring ahead), Ramadan (March 10-April 9), St. Patrick's Day (March 17), first day of Spring (March 19), Palm Sunday (March 24), Holi (March 25), Good Friday (March 29), and Easter (March 31) here is what's on my radar this month:

Movies:

Dune: Part Two

Denis Villeneuve has become one of the great visual stylists of recent years thanks to films like Arrival and Blade Runner 2049. I named his film Dune Part One, one of my Best Movies of 2021. How good Part One really was depends on Part Two, which drops 3/1.

Knox Goes Away

Michael Keaton has always been a tremendous actor and now he's back in the director's chair for the second time with a starring role about a contract killer who has a form of dementia and he attempts to connect with his estranged son. Oh and Al Pacino co-stars! Opens 3/15.

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire 

A Ghostbusters sequel is a tall order. Jason Reitman's 2021 sequel Ghostbusters Afterlife actually had its moments and it had a lot to say about living up to a legacy, in the film it's the grandchildren of Egon, but it could also be Jason Reitman about the fear and honor of continuing a film series that his dad Ivan began. The new sequel is directed by Gil Kenan, who co-wrote this with Jason. The fact that original Ghostbuster cast members are back gives me hope. Sequel drops 3/22.

Music:

Sheer Mag Playing Favorites

I was lucky enough to see Philly rockers Sheer Mag at House of Blues in May 2022. After two solid albums, they are finally back with their third, dropping on 3/1. (Review to come)

Liam Gallagher & John Squire Liam Gallagher John Squire

Former Oasis singer Liam Gallagher's solo career has been a mixed back, but his album As You Were was one of my Best Albums of the 2010s. As shown in the 2019 documentary Liam Gallagher: As It Was, he doesn't need to play music for money or fame, he has plenty. He plays because he loves music. Now he's doing a new album with John Squire, former guitarist for The Stone Roses. Sounds like a serious meeting of musical minds! Album drops 3/1.

The Black Crowes Happiness Bastards

The first new studio album from The Black Crowes since 2009 is cause for celebration. After a bitter break-up in 2015, the brothers Chris and Rich Robinson announced they were reuniting in 2019. In early 2020, I caught an acoustic live show from Brothers of a Feather (my last concert before the pandemic lockdowns) and since that show, The Black Crowes have had some reunion tours (NOTE: by reunion - I mean Chris and Rich, not the original lineup). They've released some anniversary albums, but this marks the group's first studio album in 15 years. Looking forward to it when it drops on 3/15.

The Dandy Warhols Rockmaker

I've always loved Portlandia's The Dandy Warhols. Through this blog, I've had the pleasure of interviewing lead Dandy Courtney Taylor-Taylor and keyboardist / bassist Zia McCabe, the band's 2019 Boston concert, and their excellent 2019 album Why You So Crazy. Now the band is back with a new album dropping on 3/15! (Review to come)

Film Festivals:

Boston Underground Film Festival

Boston's fun genre film festival for horror, fantasy and bizarre is back. I've had the pleasure of covering this fest from 2016 to 2019 and returning last year. The fest returns to The Brattle Theatre (Cambridge, MA) from 3/20 to 3/24!

Conventions:

Northeast Comic Con

I've had a blast covering the Northeast Comic Con for years now (read my coverage here) and the Spring 2024 edition returns with guests like Kevin Chapman (who I worked with on Monument Ave), a Growing Pains reunion of Tracey Gold, Jeremy Miller and Julie McCullough, The Go-Go's drummer Gina Schock and more! Convention is at the Boxborough Regency (Boxborough, MA) from 3/8-3/10. (Coverage to come).

Awards Season:

The awards season for the best of 2023 continues on with the Razzie Awards, actually the Worst of 2023 (3/9) and the Academy Awards (3/10).

In a Category all its own...

Shamrock shakes!!!

[happyfoxx-art]

Let's get this Underground rewrite going.

Meet Sonic, living legend and the most popular rock star in Robotropolis- possibly even the whole world. He showed up about five years ago and took the music scene by storm all on his own. Not much is known about him other than his songs and tendency to only ever be seen when performing. Except when he's on stage, he seems to be reclusive and keeps to himself, as far as the public knows.

[mywifeleftme]

320: V/A // Tommy Boy's Greatest Beats Volume 1

Tommy Boy's Greatest Beats Volume 1 Various Artists 1998, Tommy Boy

The Tommy Boy catalogue has been endlessly repackaged over the years, but if you’re looking to score some of the classics on wax you could do worse than this late ‘90s double LP compilation. Tommy Boy had commemorated its first 15 years with a 2xCD/4xLP box set of the label’s “Greatest Beats,” but for the more cost-conscious consumer also broke the vinyl set out into individual volumes. Volume 1 sadly (sadly!) does not include anything by Coolio or House of Pain, for which you would have to splash out for Volume 2, but what is here’s pretty good: both Bambaataa’s “Planet Rock” and “Renegades of Funk” (the latter in its full 12” glory); the 12” mix of De La Soul’s debut “Plug Tunin’ (Are You Ready for This”); early electro gem “Play at Your Own Risk” by Planet Patrol (likewise in 12” format); Stetsasonic, Naughty by Nature, Digital Underground and more.

The selection admittedly feels a bit random without the accompanying Volume 2 (we get K7’s minor New Jack-dancehall hit “Move it Like This” rather than his smash “Come Baby Come” for example), and it’d be hard to argue fun but forgettable cuts like Choice MC’s instrumental b-side “Gordy’s Groove” or Bambaataa and James Brown collab “Unity” belong on a “hits” comp for a label of Tommy Boy’s magnitude. Not all of the actual hits are winners either—Club Nouveau’s Grammy-winning Kidz Bop version of Bill Withers’ “Lean on Me” has aged like a Kidz Bop reunion tour. On balance though, the set does a good job of representing the label’s hip-hop, dance, electro, and R&B sides, delivering some of the most influential Black music of the past forty years, a heap of ‘80s and ‘90s nostalgia, and some sure-shot party fuel. Drop the needle and hit the floor.

320/365

[apocalyptic-casper-sayhi]

My current vibe:

Hi! My names Casper, giving a tour to my adoptive parent to the new city :>

I’m between 13 and 15, genderqueer, It/They/Any neos are fine with me!

Ooc: here’s what Casper looks like :) click for better quality because Tumblr destroyed it-

All threads:

Casper meets Akiva and Claire

Claire realizes that Casper might be traumatized

Familial trauma duo go to The Underground to find the third member of their found family

familial trauma duo at the Headquarters

Casper looks at the stars for answers

The duo of all time +Morningstar discuss things

Ohhhh boy, reunion!

The final battle(?)

Continuing on, but what now?

Zels palace

Other:

Original prompt

Kessels introduction

Spoilers, Timeskip design below!

[musicnewsweb]

Girls Aloud are releasing a Blu-ray and special deluxe box set of their 2024 ‘The Girls Aloud Show’ reunion tour. Recorded at their dazzling show at London’s O2 Arena last June, fans of the ‘Sound of the Underground’ hitmakers can relive the night and collect a special Blu-ray, DVD and 2CDs of the show, all packaged in a 12”x12” 62-page rainbow foil hardback photobook and slipcase. #girlsaloud #musicnews More at Music-News.com

[loadedradio]

The Enduring Legacy of Hard Rock Radio Stations

Hard rock has maintained a loyal following for decades, thanks in part to the influence of hard rock radio stations. These stations provide a platform for both classic hits and emerging artists, keeping the spirit of hard rock alive. Whether through traditional FM channels or digital streaming services, fans can access a constant stream of electrifying guitar riffs, pounding drums, and powerful vocals. The continued popularity of these stations proves that hard rock remains a vital part of the music landscape.

The Role of Hard Rock and Heavy Metal News in the Industry

For fans of intense guitar solos and headbanging rhythms, staying updated with hard rock heavy metal music news is essential. Dedicated news sources provide the latest information on album releases, band reunions, tour announcements, and industry developments. These updates keep the global hard rock community connected, allowing fans to follow their favorite artists and discover new music. By offering insights into the evolving trends of the genre, these news sources help shape the future of hard rock and heavy metal.

How Hard Rock Radio Stations Support Emerging Artists

While major bands continue to dominate, hard rock radio stations also serve as a launchpad for up-and-coming artists. Many stations dedicate airtime to underground bands, giving them an opportunity to reach wider

 audiences. By featuring independent musicians alongside legendary acts, these stations help cultivate the next generation of rock stars. This exposure allows fresh talent to grow and ensures that the hard rock scene remains dynamic and ever-evolving.

The Evolution of Hard Rock and Heavy Metal

Over the years, hard rock and heavy metal have transformed, incorporating new influences while staying true to their roots. As hard rock heavy metal music news highlights, bands continuously experiment with different sounds, fusing elements from punk, blues, and even electronic music. This genre fluidity has helped hard rock stay relevant, attracting new listeners while maintaining its core fan base. Despite changes in mainstream music trends, hard rock and heavy metal continue to thrive in festivals, radio stations, and streaming platforms worldwide.

The Future of Hard Rock and Heavy Metal Media

With digital advancements, the way fans consume hard rock music has changed dramatically. Hard rock radio stations have adapted by expanding their presence online, offering podcasts, exclusive interviews, and live-streamed concerts. Meanwhile, hard rock heavy metal music news platforms provide instant updates through social media, blogs, and video content. These innovations ensure that hard rock remains accessible and engaging for both long-time fans and new listeners alike.

Conclusion

The impact of hard rock radio stations and hard rock heavy metal music news cannot be overstated. These platforms keep the genre alive, promote new talent, and connect fans across the world. As technology and musical tastes evolve, hard rock will continue to find new ways to resonate with audiences, proving that its powerful energy and rebellious spirit are far from fading.