#very excited for the 19th for the green day album

[terryfuckingturniptruck]

While the Blink 182 album was disappointing, the Green Day one is gonna be baller!

[girls-scenarios]

Girl Groups That Debuted in 2020

Well, we’ve finally reached the end of this crazy year. Instead of focusing on all of the negative things that happened this year, though, I’d like to take a look back on the amazing groups that debuted this year! These girl groups are all incredible and talented, and if you haven’t checked them out yet, you certainly should now! - Admin Kiwi

Cignature

Cignature is a seven member girl group under J9 Entertainment that debuted on February 3rd with their single Nun Nu Nan Na. From left to right the members are Chaesol, Seline, Jeewon, Sunn, Belle, Ye Ah, and Semi, many members who were former members of the girl group Good Day. Since their debut they’ve had two comebacks with ASSA and Arisong. Their music is fun, bright, and loud, and all of them are extremely talented. They’re probably my favorite girl group to debut in a while and I just want everyone to love them as much as I do!

Secret Number

Secret Number is a five member girl group under VINE Entertainment that debuted on May 15th with their song Who Dis? The group consists of members Denise, Dita, Soodam, Jinny, and Léa. They recently had a comeback with the song Got That Boom. I’d recommend checking out their Privacy and Holiday performance videos to see more of their music. I think most of you probably know about Secret Number, especially since their girl crush debut was such a success, but they’re definitely a group to keep an eye on going into 2021.

Weeekly

Weeekly is a seven member girl group under Play M Entertainment that debuted on June 30th with the title song Tag Me (@Me) on their debut album We Are. The group consists of members Jiyoon, Zoa, Soojin, Soeun, Jaehee, Monday, and Jihan. They’re Apink’s little sister group and member Jiyoon has already produced multiple songs for the group, including the song My Earth, about climate change and saving the earth. They have an upbeat and fresh sound that they once again showed with their most recent comeback Zig Zag!

Aespa

I’m sure you all have already heard about aespa, but they’re a four member girl group that just debuted on November 17th under SM Entertainment with the song Black Mamba. The group consists of members Giselle, Winter, Karina, and NingNing, and they created quite a stir with their concept of not only having secret members (perhaps trainees to be added later?) but also having other AI/avatar selves from an alternate universe. They’re already killing it and I can’t wait to see what the next year has in store for them!

STAYC

STAYC is a six member girl group under High Up Entertainment who just made their debut on November 12th with their single album Star To A Young Culture and the song So Bad. The group consists of members Yoon, Sieun, J, Seeun, Sumin, and Isa. This is another group you might have already seen around as they became popular quite literally overnight. You might also recognize Sieun from her acting career, as she’s acted in shows like “Mystic Pop-Up Bar” and “Still 17.″ If you want to hear a little bit more of their sound, I’d recommend watching the performance video for their song Like This.

LUNARSOLAR

LUNARSOLAR is a four member girl group under JPlanet Entertainment that debuted on September 2nd with their song Oh Ya Ya Ya. This group has previously been known as Rookie Planet and First Love. The group consists of members Yuuri, Eseo, Jian, and Taeryeong. Taeryeong (Lim Jungmin) was on both Produce 101 and Mixnine, so she might seem familiar to some of you. Their debut song was refreshing and upbeat and I hope to see more of them next year!

Bling Bling

Bling Bling (or BlingBling, it seems to be stylized both ways) is a six member girl group under MAJOR9 Entertainment that debuted on November 17th with their single album G.G.B. The group consists of members Narin, Juhyun, Yubin, Marin, Jieun, and Ayamy. They debuted with a girl crush concept but with a latin spin on their music that seems to have made them pretty popular in South America, especially in Brazil if their comments are anything to go off of. I was actually very pleasantly surprised and I found myself playing both G.G.B and their b-side La La La over and over after they debuted. Their sound is definitely something that I haven’t seen explored in Kpop before and I’m excited to see how they grow in 2021!

Woo!Ah!

Woo!Ah! is a five member girl group under NV Entertainment that debuted on May 13th with their single album Exclamation and the title song Woo!Ah! as six members. Unfortunately member Songyee left the group due to personal issues, but the group now consists of members Lucy, Sora, Nana, Minseo, and Wooyeon. They also have a very fun sound and you might have seen Woo!Ah! going a bit viral on Kpop tiktok recently. Their most recent comeback was with Bad Girl, a song that has once again gone a bit viral on tiktok for the unique, especially in Indonesia. I would also recommend checking out their song Payday, my personal favorite by them so far!

CRAXY

CRAXY is a five member girl group under S.A INTAINMENT that debuted on March 3rd with their full-length album My Universe and the title track Aria. The group consists of members Wooah, Karin, Swan, Hyejin, and ChaeY. The song Aria received attention after it’s release for being... interesting and unique, to say the least. I’ll admit, on the first listen I didn’t like the song, but it definitely grew on me and I enjoy watching them perform it. Unfortunately they haven’t released any comeback since but they have been active doing covers on their YouTube channel so you could definitely check them out there!

REDSQUARE

REDSQUARE is a five member girl group under About Entertainment that debuted on May 19th with their song Colorfull. The group consists of members Lina, Ari, Green, ChaeA, and Bomin, and all of the members other than Lina were also former members of the girl group Good Day with members of Cignature. Since the group is under a smaller entertainment company, their debut unfortunately didn’t get the attention it deserved. However, Colorfull is not only an amazing song, but the music video is incredibly artistic and aesthetic. I’d really recommend you check these girls out and I hope they have a comeback soon.

BLACKSWAN

BLACKSWAN is a four member girl group under DR Music that debuted on November 10th as five members with Tonight. Unfortunately the group was already hit with controversy (much like Rania, the group BLACKSWAN “replaced” and some of the members were a part of) and member Hyeme left the group. The remaining members are Youngheun, Leia, Fatou, and Judy. While the future of this group seems to be up in the air, I would totally recommend listening to Tonight, because it’s an absolute bop, just like all the Rania songs come before.

KEEMBO

Last but not least, KEEMBO is a duo under Ara-Line that debuted on April 10th with their song Thank You, Anyway. The duo consists of Boa and Bohyung, both former members of the girl group SPICA and absolute vocal powerhouses! I was so excited to see them give music another chance because their voices are absolutely amazing. Since their debut, they’ve released a handful of songs, including Scandalous, 99 (Gu Gu), and most recently Scene. There isn’t a single bad song and I would encourage you all to check them out. Scandalous and 99(Gu Gu) are upbeat and bright summer songs while Thank You, Anyway is a ballad and Scene is a bit darker and more sultry in tone. If you’re looking for good vocals and good music, KEEMBO is where to find them.

[sinceileftyoublog]

Pitchfork Music Festival 2021 Preview: 15 Can’t-miss Acts

black midi; Photo by YIS KID

BY JORDAN MAINZER

While yours truly won’t be attending Pitchfork Music Festival this year, SILY contributor Daniel Palella will be covering the actual fest. If I was attending, though, these would be the acts I’d make sure to see. 5 from each day, no overlaps, so you could conceivably see everyone listed.

FRIDAY

Armand Hammer, 1:00 PM, Green Stage

Earlier this year, New York hip hop duo Armand Hammer released their 5th album Haram (BackwoodzStudioz) in collaboration with on-fire producer The Alchemist. It was the duo’s (ELUCID and Billy Woods) first time working with a singular producer on a record (though Earl Sweatshirt produced a track), and likewise, The Alchemist actually tailored his beats towards the two MCs. Haram is the exact kind of hip hop that succeeds early in the day at a festival, verbose and complex rhymes over languid, cloudy, sample-heavy beats, when attendees are more likely to want to sit and listen than dance. And you’re going to want to listen to Armand Hammer, whose MCs’ experiential words frame the eerie hues of the production. “Dreams is dangerous, linger like angel dust,” Woods raps on opener “Sir Benni Miles”, never looking back as he and Elucid’s stream-of-consciousness rhymes cover everything from colonization to Black bodily autonomy and the dangers of satisfaction disguised as optimism. (“We let BLM be the new FUBU,” raps Quelle Chris on “Chicharrones”; “Iridescent blackness / Is this performative or praxis?” ponders Woods on “Black Sunlight”.)  There are moments of levity on Haram, like KAYANA’s vocal turn on “Black Sunlight” and the “what the hell sound is this?” type sampling that dominates warped, looped tracks like “Peppertree” and “Indian Summer”, built around sounds of horns and twirling flute lines. For the most part, Haram is an album of empathetic realism. “Hurt people hurt people,” raps Elucid on “Falling Out of the Sky”, a stunning encapsulation of Armand Hammer’s world where humanism exists side-by-side with traumatic death and feelings of revenge.

You can also catch Armand Hammer doing a live set on the Vans Channel 66 livestream at 12 PM on Saturday.

Dogleg, 1:45 PM, Red Stage

It feels like we’ve been waiting years to see this set, and actually, we have! The four-piece punk band from Michigan was supposed to play last year’s cancelled fest in support of their searing debut Melee (Triple Crown), and a year-plus of pent up energy is sure to make songs like “Bueno”, “Fox”, and “Kawasaki Backflip” all the more raging. Remember: This is a band whose reputation was solidified live before they were signed to Triple Crown and released their breakout album. Seeing them is the closest thing to a no-brainer that this year’s lineup offers.

Revisit our interview with Dogleg from last year, and catch them at an aftershow on Saturday at Subterranean with fellow Pitchfork performer Oso Oso and Retirement Party.

Hop Along, 3:20 PM, Red Stage

Though lead singer Frances Quinlan released a very good solo album last year, it’s been three years since their incredible band Hop Along dropped an album and two years since they’ve toured. 2018′s Bark Your Head Off, Dog (Saddle Creek), one of our favorite albums of that year, should comprise the majority of their setlist, but maybe they have some new songs?

Catch them at an aftershow on Saturday at Metro with Varsity and Slow Mass.

black midi, 4:15 PM, Green Stage

The band who had the finest debut of 2019 and gave the best set of that year at Pitchfork is back. Cavalcade (Rough Trade) is black midi’s sophomore album, methodical in its approach in contrast with the improvisational absurdism of Schlagenheim. Stop-start, violin-laden lead single and album opener “John L”, a song about a cult leader whose members turn on him, is as good a summary as ever of the dark, funky eclecticism of black midi, who on Cavalcade saw band members leave and new ones enter, their ever shapeshifting sound the only consistent thing about them. A song like the jazzy “Diamond Stuff” is likely impossible to replicate live--its credits list everything from 19th century instruments to household kitchen items used for percussion--but is key to experiencing their instrumental adventurousness. On two-and-a-half-minute barn burner “Hogwash and Balderdash,” they for the first time fully lean into their fried Primus influences, telling a tale of two escaped prisoners, “two chickens from the pen.” At the same time, this band is still black midi, with moments that call back to Schlagenheim, the churning, metallic power chords via jittery, slapping funk of “Chondromalacia Patella” representative of their quintessential tempo changes. And as on songs like Schlagenheim’s “Western”, black midi find room for beauty here, too, empathizing with the pains of Marlene Dietrich on a bossa nova tune named after her, Geordie Greep’s unmistakable warble cooing sorrowful lines like, “Fills the hall tight / And pulls at our hearts / And puts in her place / The girl she once was.” Expect to hear plenty from Cavalcade but also some new songs; after all, this is a band that road tests and experiments with material before recording it.

Catch them doing a 2 PM DJ set on Vans Channel 66 on Saturday and at an aftershow on Monday at Sleeping Village.

Yaeji, 7:45 PM, Blue Stage

What We Drew (XL), the debut mixtape from Brooklyn-based DJ Yaeji, was one of many dance records that came out after lockdown that we all wished we could experience in a crowd as opposed to at home alone. Now's our chance to bask in all of its glory under a setting sun. Maybe she’ll spin her masterful remix of Dua Lipa’s “Don’t Start Now” from the Club Future Nostalgia remix album, or her 2021 single “PAC-TIVE”, her and DiAN’s collaboration with Pac-Man company Namco.

Angel Olsen; Photo by Dana Trippe

SATURDAY

Bartees Strange, 1:45 PM, Red Stage

One of our favorite albums of last year was Live Forever (Memory Music), the debut from singer-songwriter and The National fanatic Bartees Strange, one that contributor Lauren Lederman called “a declaration of an artist’s arrival.” He’s certainly past arrived when you take into account his busy 2021, releasing a new song with Lorenzo Wolff and offering his remix services to a number of artists, including illuminati hotties and fellow Pitchfork performer (and tour mate) Phoebe Bridgers. Expect to hear lots of Live Forever during his Pitchfork set, one of many sets at the fest featuring exciting young guitar-based (!) bands.

Catch him at a free (!!) aftershow on Monday at Empty Bottle with Ganser.

Faye Webster, 4:00 PM, Blue Stage

Since we previewed Faye Webster’s Noonchorus livestream in October, she’s released the long-awaited follow-up to Atlanta Millionaires Club, the cheekily titled I Know I’m Funny haha (Secretly Canadian). At that time, she had dropped “Better Distractions”, “In A Good Way”, and “Both All The Time”, and the rest of the album more than follows the promise of these three dreamy country, folk rock, and R&B-inspired tunes. Webster continues to be a master of tone and mood, lovelorn on “Sometimes”, sarcastic on the title track, and head-in-the-clouds on “A Dream with a Baseball Player”. All the while, she and her backing band provide stellar, languorous instrumentation, keys and slide guitar on the bossa nova “Kind Of”, her overdriven guitar sludge on “Cheers”, cinematic strings on the melancholic “A Stranger”, stark acoustic guitar on heartbreaking closer “Half of Me”. And the ultimate irony of Webster’s whip-smart lyricism is that a line like, “And today I get upset over this song that I heard / And I guess was just upset because why didn't I think of it first,” is that I can guarantee a million songwriters feel the same way about her music, timely in context and timeless in sound and feeling.

Catch her at an aftershow on Saturday at Sleeping Village with Danger Incorporated.

Georgia Anne Muldrow, 5:15 PM, Blue Stage

The queen of beats takes the stage during the hottest part of the day, perfect for some sweaty dancing. VWETO III (FORESEEN + Epistrophik Peach Sound), the third album in Muldrow’s beats record series, was put together with “calls to action” in mind, each single leading up to the album’s release to be paired with crowdsourced submissions via Instagram from singers, visual artists, dancers, and turntablists. Moreover, many of the album’s tracks are inspired by very specific eras of Black music, from Boom Bap and G-funk to free jazz, and through it all, Muldrow provides a platform for musical education just as much as funky earworms.

Revisit our interview with Muldrow from earlier this year.

Angel Olsen, 7:25 PM, Red Stage

It’s been a busy past two years for Angel Olsen. She revealed Whole New Mess (Jagjaguwar) in August 2020, stripped down arrangements of many of the songs on 2019′s amazing All Mirrors. In May, she came out with a box set called Song of the Lark and Other Far Memories (Jagjaguwar), which contained both All Mirrors and Whole New Mess and a bonus LP of remixes, covers, alternate takes, and bonus tracks. She shortly and out of nowhere dropped a song of the year candidate in old school country rock high and lonesome Sharon Van Etten duet “Like I Used To”. And just last month, she released Aisles, an 80′s covers EP out on her Jagjaguwar imprint somethingscosmic. She turns Laura Branigan’s disco jam “Gloria” and Men Without Hats’ “Safety Dance” into woozy, echoing, slowed-down beds of synth haze and echoing drum machine. On Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark’s “If You Leave”, her voice occupies different registers between the soft high notes of the bridge and autotuned solemnity of the chorus. Sure, other covers are more recognizable in their tempo and arrangement, like Billy Idol’s Rebel Yell ballad “Eyes Without a Face” and Alphaville’s “Forever Young”, but Aisles is exemplary of Olsen’s ability to not just reinvent herself but classics.

At Pitchfork, I’d bet on a set heavy on All Mirrors and Whole New Mess, but as with the unexpectedness of Aisles, you never know!

St. Vincent, 8:30 PM, Green Stage

Annie Clark again consciously shifts personas and eras with her new St. Vincent album Daddy’s Home (Loma Vista), inspired by 70′s funk rock and guitar-driven psychedelia. While much of the album’s rollout centered around its backstory--Clark’s father’s time in prison for white collar crimes--the album is a thoughtful treatise on honesty and identity, the first St. Vincent album to really stare Clark’s life in the face. 

Many of its songs saw their live debut during a Moment House stream, which we previewed last month.

The Weather Station; Photo by Jeff Bierk

SUNDAY

Tomberlin, 1:00 PM, Green Stage

While the LA-via-Louisville singer-songwriter hasn’t yet offered a proper follow-up LP to her 2018 debut At Weddings, she did last year release an EP called Projections (Saddle Creek), which expands upon At Weddings’ shadowy palate. Songs like “Hours” and “Wasted” are comparatively clattering and up-tempo. Yet, all four of the original tracks are increasingly self-reflexive, Tomberlin exploring and redefining herself on her terms, whether singing about love or queerness, all while maintaining her sense of humor. (“When you go you take the sun and all my flowers die / So I wait by the window and write some shit / And hope that you'll reply,” she shrugs over acoustic strums and wincing electric guitars.) The album ends with a stark grey cover of Casiotone for the Painfully Alone’s “Natural Light”; Tomberlin finds a kindred spirit in the maudlin musings of Owen Ashworth.

Get there early on Sunday to hear select tracks from At Weddings and Projections but also likely some new songs.

oso oso, 2:45 PM, Blue Stage

Basking in the Glow (Triple Crown), the third album from Long Beach singer-songwriter Jade Lilitri as Oso Oso, was one of our favorite records of 2019, and we’d relish the opportunity to see them performed to a crowd in the sun. Expect to hear lots of it; hopefully we’re treated to new oso oso material some time soon.

Catch them at an aftershow on Saturday at Subterranean with fellow Pitchfork performer Dogleg and Retirement Party.

The Weather Station, 4:00 PM, Blue Stage

The Toronto band led by singer-songwriter Tamara Lindeman released one of the best albums of the year back in February with Ignorance (Fat Possum), songs inspired by climate change-addled anxiety. While the record is filled with affecting, reflective lines about loss and trying to find happiness in the face of dread, in a live setting, I imagine the instrumentation will be a highlight, from the fluttering tension of “Robber” to the glistening disco of “Parking Lot”.

Revisit our preview of their Pitchfork Instagram performance from earlier this year. Catch them at an aftershow on Friday at Schubas with Ulna.

Danny Brown, 6:15 PM, Green Stage

The Detroit rapper’s last full-length record was the Q-Tip executive produced uknowhatimsayin¿ (Warp), though he’s popped up a few times since then, on remixes, a Brockhampton album, and TV62, a Bruiser Brigade Records compilation from earlier this year. (He’s also claimed in Twitch streams that his new album Quaranta is almost done.) His sets--especially Pitchfork sets--are always high-energy, as he’s got so many classic albums and tracks under his belt at this point, so expect to hear a mix of those.

Erykah Badu, 8:30 PM, Green Stage

What more can I say? This is the headliner Pitchfork has been trying to get for years, responsible for some of the greatest neo soul albums of all time. There’s not much else to say about Erykah Badu other than she’s the number one must-see at the festival.

[bronanlynch]

bi-ish weekly update

time sure passes huh. meant to do one last week but I wrote like 5000 words on Wednesday instead, and I’m not really sure what happened yesterday but maybe Thursday is my new day for these

listening: two for the price of one this week since I’m excited about both of them. first of all, obviously, is the Sangfielle theme by Jack de Quidt because it’s time for a new season of Friends at the Table. I love their description of this season’s music

the other thing I’ve been listening to is the new album from one of my fave bands, You’re Welcome from A Day to Remember. this is by far not the most musically interesting or complex song on the album but it is about, as far as I can tell, a bad breakup with a vampire and I love it for that just on principle, but also it’s fun! a fun pop punk-esque bop about breaking up with a vampire!

reading: since last time when I talked about many romance novels I was reading, I mostly just read more romance novels because sometimes that is all the brain can handle. shout out to KJ Charles for writing a historical romance with a nonbinary main characters, you really do love to see it. I appreciate that she puts trans characters in her books, and I hope that someday she writes one with a trans man as a main character, because that truly would be a book targeted directly at me.

I’ve also been reading the Kate Kane, Paranormal Investigator series by Alexis Hall (author of Affair of the Mysterious Letter, a weird fantasy queer Sherlock Holmes retelling that absolutely fucking slaps, highly recommend).

this is his author bio from the Kate Kane books, which really just sets the tone and also. what a fucking life goal

anyway. series starts with Iron & Velvet which is currently on sale, which is why I bought it, and it also fucking slaps. I’m like halfway through the last book right now but they have all been good and fun. Kate is like. archetypal disaster p.i. but done in an interesting way (i.e. the narrative actually addresses the depression and the alcoholism in a way that I personally really appreciated), and also pretty much every woman in the ~supernatural community she encounters is an ex or someone she will flirt/hook up with at some point, which is an accurate representation of every irl queer space I’ve ever been part of. she dates a vampire for a while. hot morally questionable vampire lady. the vampire power structure names positions after tarot cards it’s very fun and sexy and tailored specifically toward my interests. also she lives in the same part of London as my ex-girlfriend so it’s. fun to recognize place names and be like. oh I went there on a date once huh

watching: started watching Turn A Gundam because a twitter friend recommended it as being fun and also very different then any other Gundam series and they were right on both counts. the premise of it is ‘what if a bunch of people went to live on the moon and some people stayed on earth, the moon people got real into super advanced technology and the earth people are larping the 19th century, and now the moon people want to come back’ so there’s a fun mix of visual styles. would love to see serious analytical writing on this show by someone more versed in discussing indigeneity/colonialism than me though because there are things that I’m a little bit hmmm at but I don’t know enough to be able to explain why or know if that’s the right response to have

don’t know what’s up with the dude on the left’s sunglasses but my friend has promised me the fashion choices only get weirder

I know about the ‘wow cool robots’ meme but some of the mech designs are very cool and visually distinct both from each other and from the standard blocky humanoid shape that lots of mechs are, so that’s fun to see. and they’re all different sizes too, which for me at least makes it easier to get a sense of the scale of the conflict/threat. when they’re all the same size it’s easy for me to forget they’re like 40 feet tall but when some of them are 40 feet and some of them are like 10 feet it’s a lot easier to be like. oh. oh shit. these are big and destructive and scary as hell

there are mini versions of this big mech that are like. the size of one of its feet

also there’s some fun stuff about how the way society relates to a mech and what a mech is used for can change over time, which is part of what is maybe inspiring me to get back into trying to write games, because between Turn A and the fic I was writing about Integrity Friendsatthetable I was like. hey what if a hack of The Ground Itself by Everest Pipkin, a game about a place changing over time, except instead of a place it’s a mech

playing: finished Knife of Dunwall finally! please clap! I was kinda half-expecting not to keep to low chaos in the last mission because there are so many overseers but I did it! I did do a bunch of accidentally getting into fights, killing a bunch of people, and then reloading an earlier save so I could go back and not kill those people but it’s fine. anyway. fun game, fun level once I got the hang of it, and I do feel like I accomplished something a lil bit difficult so that’s a nice feeling. definitely harder than the main game. also, very sad about Billie and gay for Delilah. she shows up just to threaten you and then disappears again, and I think that’s pretty hot of her. also love the narrative parallels of having the choice to spare Billie and then the game ending with Corvo about to decide whether to spare Daud or not. I just think that’s neat

making: made some Thai green curry last week from this recipe, which was tasty and not too hard to make, but has just enough specialty ingredients to make it a lil bit too expensive to make too often. our grocery store only ever has lemongrass when we’re looking for things that look kinda like lemongrass but aren’t, and didn’t have any when we need it so we just used extra lemongrass paste and lime juice for the lemongrass, and for the kaffir lime leaves, which we were also supposed to substitute with lemongrass but. it’s fine it was still tasty

writing: a lot somehow, although it’s been over two weeks since last time I did one of these so I guess that makes sense. I wrote a couple of things for 15 Days of Friends at the Table, including Broun, Milli, and Thisbe cottagecore roommates, Clem and Gucci bickering/flirting, and an extended dream sequence that makes me very sad about Integrity (I’m very proud of the last one, I know it has a very small target audience because Sokrates/Integrity is very much a rarepair in an already small fandom, there are 6 works in the tag, 4 of them are by me, 2 of them are by the same other person, and one of those is a gift for me so. it’s mostly just me, but I think I wrote something pretty good)

also meant to write more for Persona 5 Girls Week, although so far I’ve only written one thing, a quick fluff fic which for once requires very little knowledge of the source material. meant to write something for today’s prompt but instead I had two job interviews and then cooked dinner for my household so that probably will not happen and I will probably watch more Gundam instead

[pacifymebby]

I wanted to spice up ur day abit but If any of these are too personal feel free to completely ignore them ❤️

-If u could date a lid which would it be...?

-if you had to had had to seriously kill one which one would it be e.g. which member is most disposable hahaha (id kill vehicle McCann :/)

-best day of ur life?

-What was the best concert you ever went to? N why

-best birthday ever?

-What music did you grow up listening to? Like mums music? dads music? carers music? Mcr Angsty teen choker phase? Jazz phase? Idk

-favourite place in the world?

-worst place?

-fav catb song ever? Mine is rango

-tea? Or coffee? Or piss?

-fav like unreleased catb song? Mines obviously asa

-introvert? Extrovert?

-least fav catb song? Mines conversation srry not srry.

-most expensive thing you’ve ever done?

-where would be the best place to meet a lid?

-most drastic thing you’ve ever done?

-a catb song that youd fuck to?

-fav drink?

-Would you like people writing fanfics abt u if u were famous? Would you read em?

-fav drug?

-fav catb album honey better be balcony

-fav movie? Top five fav movies?

-Future of catb? You think they’ll change their style?

-fav celebrity?

Can’t think of any more I’m just chucking random shit at u haha🥰

Ooooo these are excellent! Thank you

1. Bondy, how could u not?!

2.hahaha I couldn't kill Bob he's too wholesome, I couldn't kill Bondy obviously, Idk that I could kill benji tbh he's just cute. I might kill Van for being prettier than me?

3. Heatwave when I was about 10, me and my friend were climbing the trees across the road, running around in the dirt barefoot. We were smoking candy cigs and making up stories and idk, I haven't been like blissfully happy since I was a little kid.

4.i saw the killers at Brixton academy and it was just, intimate and lovely and it was a warm up gig for a big tour and I was with my best friend and it was just euphoric? Brandon flowers was just full of energy and so smiley and excited to be there it was ace.

5. Best birthday was probably my 19th? It was just a sick sick night at uni, all my friends in the kitchen high and dancing to indie music and yeah loved it so much.

6. Dad's music when I was wee, listening to the beatles every Sunday was like a religious experience. Then I had the classic emo mcr phase, then I had shoegaze which has stuck with me ever since. Also I went through a French crooners stage I guess too when I moved in with me nana because she loves that shit.

7. Cymru am byth! Nah I think the lake district is one of my favourites, I love the peaceful, and like moody scenery. Its dreary and rainy and isolated and I love it, all those dark green and grey stormy shades in the winter. Curled up on a settee listening to a record or watching a video. Spent a lot of time there as a kid and I always dream of running away and starting a new life there for myself.

8. I fucking loathe the south of England and some of the northern towns in Wales. I'll make an exception for Llandudno cause it gave us the lids but seriously. North Wales gets under me skin in a bad way. (cause its full of the English sorry everyone haha)

9. Fave catfish song very tricky, but I think Pacifier or Sidewinder?

10. Tea with a shot of steaming hot piss

11. Mine is also asa!!!

12. Introvert I'm terrified of everyone.

13. Emily? I think Emily? Or maybe mission? Idk I love them a lot soo. Why don't u like conversation am shocked by that!

14. Most expensive thing I've ever done? Go to uni I guess? But if not thst then I spent a lotttttt of money at Leeds festival.

15. Someone else's gig maybe, like at the bar or on the smoking area after a gig or in the crowd st a festival. Or a house party/through mutual friends!!. Or better, I'd like it if one of them just appeared in my room rn, that'd be good.

16. Most drastic thing I've ever done? I ran away from an ex boyfriends house, fully just ducked out into the night after an argument and turned up in a totally different city on my mates doorstep. Was MIA to a lot of my mates for awhile. I look back and think it was drastic but necessary too?

On a less intense note I got up and left mid date once because a girl told me she preferred oasis to blur and pulp.

I'm quite drastic about a lot though I'm stubborn and childish as fuck, I'd chop my nose off to spite me face as they'd say. Throw me dummy out the pram for literally the smallest thing.

17. I know ive fucked to that whole first album so many times tbh, an angsty fuck to something like red or outside would be good too. I would let someone fuck me extremely hard to outside.

18. Vodka?

19.i wouldn't mind it tbh, I'd probably wind up reading them out of nosyness. U know what I would do though, if I was dating someone famous and I found those fanfics which use like the person's irl gf as the evil bitch, I'd read those because I'd find them so fucking funny. And then I'd probably go fuck my man and feel smug haha.

20. Weed, it makes u sleepy and horny and cosy and thats how I'd like to spend my whole life

21.obviously it's the balcony I'm not nuts.

22. Spirited away, mean streets, taxi driver, Leon the professional, Heather's, true romance.

23.they won't change their style I don't think not for a while at least.id be interested to know what their current contract is whether it was only for the 3 or whether it was a 5.i reckon vans very set in his ways with what he wants for the band but I'd love to see some jazzy Johnny bond side projects. Him and Bob would probably do some sick experimental shit I'd love that.

24 Robert de Niro ❤️❤️

Thank u anon for these these were so fun thank u ❤️❤️

[shireness-says]

You’re Always 16 Hours Ahead

Summary: Killian Jones never expected to hit it big, but the opportunity of a lifetime pulls him away from home and the woman he pines for. Can a friendship that just might be more survive a concert world tour?

(With wide eyes and faith

That life could never pull us apart if we were ok

But distance kills the best of intentions…)

(~2.6K. Rated T for language. Also on AO3)

~~~~~

A/N: I’m so excited to share my contribution to the @csconcertseries! This is an idea I’ve had for a long time, and I’m excited to finally bring it to life. This is inspired by “Jet Lag” by Frank Turner, and also includes references to “Polaroid Picture,” “Get Better,” and “Plain Sailing Weather.” I’ve definitely been blasting his stuff all month long and dragging other people with me (looking at you, @thejollyroger-writer). Super thanks, as always, to @snidgetsafan for her beta talents. 

Without further ado: Enjoy, and let me know what you think!

~~~~~

POP PRINCESS ANNOUNCES WORLD TOUR

Great news, Fairy Fans: Wildly popular pop music star Tink is planning a world tour. The international exhibition will be undertaken to promote her latest album, “Neverland No More”. Tink will be joined on her tour by recent up-and-comer Killian Jones, who will serve as her opening act. Jones has captured the world’s ear with his recent hit single, “Green Eyes,” which continues to climb the pop charts. A full schedule of planned concerts can be found at…

  September 17th

Dear Emma,

I know it’s only been a few days, but I already miss you and Henry. Los Angeles is loud, and congested, and so much unlike Storybrooke that it scares me a little. But when that happens, I try to remember our bench on the docks, and it helps ground me. I’ve got a picture of us out there taped to the inside of my guitar case, just as a reminder that even if everything changes, I’ve always got something to come home to.

You didn’t think I was kidding when I said I’d write, did you? Mark my words, I intend to write you from every stop. To hell with blocking or setup or rehearsals or whatever, I’ll be sitting on an amp backstage writing you.

You must tell me everything, Swan - don’t you dare get skimpy with the details in your next email! I know it’s been less than a week, but I’m sure there’s something from the gossip mill. Has Liam secured a new Friday act yet? I’m sure he won’t find anyone nearly as talented (or handsome!) as yours truly, but I can’t imagine he and Robin are leaving that slot open in my honor. Tell me, how much do you think he’ll groan if I send back a signed world tour poster?

I’ve got to go - something about the lights. Such is the life of a rock star, isn’t it?

Your own personal celebrity (and best friend),

-Killian

September 19th

Liam - 

Brother, you’ve got to stop calling every few hours. I know you’re bored and your life is empty without me, but this is getting ridiculous. Half the road crew thinks you’re my father. Do you intend to run up your phone bill when the tour crosses the ocean? I love you, but please don’t go broke on my behalf. Now is the time to wean yourself off me.

All teasing aside, I do appreciate the calls, not to mention everything else. If you hadn’t insisted on making those demo tapes and forcing me to Boston and any venue or bar that would take me, I wouldn’t be here today. 

You’d have been so proud to see me - I must have been sweating gallons, but I got up on stage in front of that massive crowd and I did it, sang my pieces. The noise of all those people practically shakes your bones, Liam - and that wasn’t even half the noise that Tink elicited! I don’t know how she does it. I suppose I’ll find out, though, won’t I? After all, this is my big break, as long as I don’t screw it up too badly. 

I’m sure I’ll talk to you later - in the meantime, say hello to the lads for me.

-Killian.

P.S. Keep an eye on Emma and Henry for me, would you? I know you’ve already promised, but I worry. I owe you one, brother.

  October 2nd

Emma - 

Hello from Seattle! It is just as rainy as promised, and I’ve lost count of the coffee shops. Part of that might be the Starbucks, though. I swear, they’re like a plague, popping up all over the place. 

The tour is still going well. I might even get used to this tour bus life! I miss you all, of course - my love especially to Henry - but it’s exhilarating, getting up on stage every night in front of so many people. The crowds are huge, Swan, larger than I ever could have imagined. I know they’re mostly here for Tink, but there’s always applause and a handful of people singing along to my songs, and it’s the best kind of adrenaline. Leaves me with an itch in my fingers and a new song stuck in my head. I’ll work it out later. 

I’m so happy to hear that Henry is doing so well in kindergarten; he’s always been a little social butterfly. I’ll bet that he makes tons of friends; I’m glad he loves it so far. I’ll call soon, I promise. 

Yours, 

-Killian

  October 20th

Swan - 

Happy Birthday, darling! Technically, I’m mailing this a few days early, but I hope it’ll reach you just in time. I’m sorry to be missing the festivities this year - just know that I’ll be thinking of you all day, wishing I was there to celebrate with you. Keep an eye out for a package or two - and before you even try to protest that I don’t need to, they’re just little things, love. Stuff that made me think of you. Tokens of my affection, if you will. It’s your birthday, anyways - live a little! Let us spoil you for once.

Texas is… less than impressive. Large? Yes, in a way that feels almost performative. It’s missing some kind of charm, at least to me. Then again, I’ve never been much for cowboy hats; maybe that’s the real problem, here. Regardless, I’d gladly take the northeast fall colors any day. 

Make a good wish, alright? I hope the year to come is as wonderful as you are.

Yours,

-Killian

  November 26th

Dear Henry - 

Happy Thanksgiving! Did you have a good holiday? Did Granny make enough macaroni and cheese for you to eat your fill? I know that’s your favorite.

Thank you for watching the parade! I was really excited to be in it too. Sadly, the powers that be wouldn’t let me take home the Snoopy balloon for you, but I did manage to get a couple of handfuls of confetti for you. It should be inside this envelope. You would have loved it, Henry - the confetti was flying everywhere and I saw so many really cool floats up close and personal. We’ll maybe have to go together in a couple of years, aye? We’ll ask your mum.

Draw lots and lots of turkeys for me, little mate - I know you’re really good at that. And give your mum and Liam a great big hug for me!

Love,

-Killian

  CELEBRITY FILE EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH EVERYONE’S NEW FAVORITE HEARTTHROB - KILLIAN JONES

… In researching this piece, I heard over and over about how personal Jones’ lyrics were, how well they captured every feeling and variation of being in love. Every fan out there seems to feel like his words are written just for them, like a window into their soul. So when I finally met with the man himself, I couldn’t help but ask: Was there anyone who inspired such lyrical devotion? Some woman - or man! - in his own life who inspired such moving words?

“You know, the thing I’ve always liked in listening to music on my own is being able to recognize a little bit of myself in someone else’s words,” Jones told me in response to the question. “It always made me feel a little less alone - a little more connected to other people, I guess, to hear that they experienced or saw things the same way I do. It’s very rewarding to hear that people feel the same way about my music. I’m of the opinion that music should be a universal experience, and when I write, I write words that I hope other people can see a bit of themselves in.”

Something about that blush and the nervous scratch behind his ear that fans know so well tells me he’s holding out on us…

  December 11th

Dearest Swan - 

The holidays have crept right up on us, haven’t they? Do us both the favor of imagining me singing that sickly-sweet “I’ll Be Home For Christmas” nonsense, because it’s true. December 20th. Mark your calendar, and don’t blame me if I fall asleep on the car ride home from the airport. It’s all this travel, you see - takes it right out of you. You can’t blame a man for that, love.

(Also, please ignore that I’ll be flying in from Chicago. I still plan to claim jet lag. That one hour difference, love, it’s a real killer.)

Is there anything in particular that Henry especially wants this year? I’ve done my best to pick up things for you and Liam and everyone else, but I know the lad’s tastes change practically hour to hour, and he’s probably got a whole list stashed somewhere. I want to get him something he’ll really like instead of just wandering through the toy store in a panic, if at all possible.

Counting the hours until I see you again,

-Killian

  January 8th

Emma - 

I don’t even know where to start. How can I properly apologize for what happened at New Year’s? I struggle, because I can’t truthfully say that I regret it. I don’t think I’ve made it a secret all these years that I’m helplessly enthralled by you and everything you are. There are words - big words, three words - that rattle around in my heart every day, but I know you’re not willing to hear them yet. I’ll be here, love, whenever you’re ready.

I know you’re scared, Emma, but I’m begging you - just talk to me. We can forget all about this, if that’s what you want, but you’ve got to talk to me. Every day I don’t hear from you is just a little bit harder. I’ll follow your lead, whatever you say.

You’ll always be my best friend, Swan - no matter what else happens.

-Killian

  January 20th

I kissed her, Liam.

I’m sorry; that’s not much of a way to start a letter is it? How are you? Everything going well? 

But I’m sorry, I’ve got to talk about this and get it off my chest. Because I kissed her, Liam. Emma. I kissed Emma. And then it kind of… all went to shit. I guess that’s just like me, isn’t it? Give me one fine day of plain sailing weather, and I can turn it to stormy seas.

And I know where she’s coming from, really - I know better than almost anyone about how she’s been left behind too many times. As much as it hurts to have this sudden radio silence, I know she’s just trying to protect herself. But I love her, Liam. I’ve loved her forever. This isn’t just “distance makes the heart grow fonder,” or something stupid like that. I should have acted a long time ago. I should have done a thousand different things, but here we are.

If you have any ideas of how to fix this, please, let me know. I hope you’re having a happier new year than I so far.

-Killian

  February 2nd

Dear Emma - 

I can’t tell you how good it was to hear from you the other day. You may think that there’s nothing interesting about all the goings-on in the bar, but that particular kind of nothing is soothing. It’s like a little piece of home in every email. Besides, I know that the bar is never quite as boring as we always joked. And I’d welcome any word from you anyways, after how much I’ve missed you.

We’re in Paris right now. It’s gorgeous, truly - I’ll have to bring you and the lad back sometime. I know you’d call me a nerd, but I’ve been hitting museums - the Louvre, the Musee d’Orsay, the Rodin museum, etc. I made sure to do the Eiffel Tower too, just for you, even though the crowds were utterly terrible. Stuffed my face with pastries too, all on your behalf.

(Okay, you caught me, Swan - the pastries are for me too. The croissants, Swan! The bread! I surely won’t fit in my trousers if we’re here any longer, but I can’t regret it. I swear, I’d ship some back to you if I thought they’d survive the trip.)

We’ll have to schedule time for a call home soon - I find myself so often longing for your voice. I love your emails, but there’s something to a phone call that can’t be replaced. 

Yours,

-Killian

  March 11th

Dear Henry - 

Thank you for sending me that drawing! I love it. It’s taped to the inside of my guitar case now, where I can look at it every day. I especially like the yellow you used for your mum’s hair. You’ll have to thank her for scanning that for us on my behalf. That’s good form, you know.

I’m in Amsterdam right now. Your mum or Liam can show you where that is on a map; it’s in Western Europe. I went someplace I think you’d love today; it’s called Madurodam. It’s this entire miniature city, with little airplanes and zoo animals and everything. I had a lot of fun exploring it, and I think you would too.

A graduation, you say? From kindergarten? I wouldn’t miss it for the world, lad. I’ll be home, no matter what.

I miss you, Henry, and your mother too. It always brightens my day to see an email from you.

Sealed with a great big hug,

-Killian

  April 21st

Emma - 

London is rainy and cold. I suppose I shouldn't have expected anything different, but here I am, surprised all the same. It’s hard to convince myself to go do any of the tourist-y things when the weather is like this, so I’m stuck inside, writing to you. Not that that’s ever a hardship...

You’d hardly recognize me with this get-up I’ve found myself in for the show tonight - the heavy eyeliner especially. Gone are the days of some beat-up tee - though I think you might like the vest. Getting dressed feels like slipping into some other persona. I worry a lot of the time about whether I’ve changed beyond recognition, or if I’m still the same person you know. That’s the man I want to be, you know - someone you can be proud of, but somehow still that same poor bastard in the bar, just trying to write words that mean something. I hope I am. But you know how it goes - distance kills the best of intentions. 

I miss you terribly, Swan, and Henry too. Hell, even Liam. These letters are all that ground me some days, I fear. On the loneliest nights, I reread your emails and imagine you’re talking to me instead. It’s always just a too-brief daydream, unfortunately.

I’ve grown rather maudlin, haven’t I? That won’t do at all. I blame it on the rain. Here’s a happier note for us both: I’ll be home late next month. Perhaps I’ll have to make one of those paper chains Henry’s so fond of; if I do, I’ll include a picture with my next letter. 

Counting the days. Until then - 

Love, Killian

  May 17th

My Swan - 

By the time you get this, I’ll be home with you and the lad again, and hopefully have already told you in person everything I want to say now:

I love you, Emma. Every word of every song is for you. I’ve loved you from the first moment I laid eyes on you, and no time or distance or groupie is ever going to change that. I’m yours, love, body and soul. And I have faith that life can never tear us apart as long as that’s true.

I’m coming home, love. And my home is you.

Yours (in every sense),

-Killian

  BREAKING NEWS: KILLIAN JONES’ SECRET LOVER?

Bad news for all the fangirls and Killy-Tink shippers out there: Bad boy popstar Killian Jones appears to be off the market. The singer, 27, was spotted locking lips with an unidentified blonde at the Storybrooke Memorial Gardens, just outside of Boston, where Jones calls home. Sources have long speculated that Jones has a secret girlfriend back home, and this just might be confirmation. Check back as this story continues to develop. StarWatchOnline remains YOUR #1 celebrity news site… 

~~~~~

Tagging: @snowbellewells, @profdanglaisstuff, @kmomof4, @winterbaby89, @teamhook, @ohmightydevviepuu, @optomisticgirl, @spartanguard, @thisonesatellite, @let-it-raines, @scientificapricot, @searchingwardrobes

[rebekahgaveup]

Cruel summer, The Man, London Boy, Soon You'll Get Better, ME!, Delicate, LWYMMD, New Year's Day,Welcome to New York, Shake it Off, Red, All too Well, 22, WANEGBT, Everything has Changed, Starlight, Sparks Fly, Enchanted, The Best Day, Superstar, Mary's Song, Our Song, I'd Lie

Answers below the cut because Chey asked me Taylor’s entire discography

cruel summer: describe the best summer you’ve had.

I don’t know that I’ve ever had one distinct summer that’s better than others? Like I’ve definitely had some that were worse but summer is just such a like...happy time for me. Like in my head summer is this place where time doesn’t exist and everything tastes like honey and sunshine and I’m always warm and nothing can hurt me. It’s very idyllic. So I think all the summers?

the man: name a woman who inspires you and why.

Amy Adams! Obviously there are a million women who inspire me, but Amy Adams came to mind because not only is she extremely talented but she’s never really let her fame stop her from being a normal person. I feel like she looks and acts how she wants to rather than trying to appeal to some impossible beauty standard, and I think that’s part of what makes her both a beautiful princess and an intrepid journalist and a thousand other roles. She is all of her roles because they are her and all of her roles are her because she is herself, if that makes any sense. She seems like someone who doesn’t let other people define her. I don’t know I just find her very impressive and I think she’s a powerhouse.

london boy: what is your favourite city and why?

I think Long Beach, California. I have a lot of family that lives there and like, my great-grandparents lived there and so my family has been living there for generations and I just think it’s a really beautiful place. There’s something very historical about Long Beach. It kind of feels like it’s trapped somewhere between the 50′s/60′s and now. I just think it’s a really neat place.

soon you’ll get better: name your top five saddest taylor songs.

1. Ronan

2. Soon You’ll Get Better

3. Last Kiss

4. The Moment I Knew

5. Clean

ME!: what’s your favourite thing about yourself?

Physically? My eyes or my legs. They’re the only two parts of my body that I consistently like, haha. Personality wise? I think my tendency to look for what’s good in the world. I come into things wanting and expecting to love them. I don’t think I’ve ever met a person and wanted to dislike them, or gone into a situation and genuinely disliked it from go (though I can’t say there haven’t been some situations I ended up disliking anyway). I don’t know. I just like to think that the world is a good place, sometimes even after it proves me wrong. I think everyone except for me is fundamentally good.

delicate: what was your favourite moment of the reputation era?

Specific to me, @gillettestadium followed me during the reputation era which was very exciting for me. More generally in regards to the fandom, when she showed up to the Billboard Music Awards kinda out of nowhere and took a picture with BTS that was probably my favorite reputation moment. There are a lot though bc that was the era that I got into fandom and so it holds a lot of good memories for me.

look what you made me do: what is your favourite taylor music video?

I think probably the I Knew You Were Trouble music video. I love the speech beforehand.

new year’s day: if taylor held secret sessions for all of her albums, which one would you want to go to the most?

Speak!!!!! Now!!!!!!!

welcome to new york: is there a place you dream of moving to one day?

Yes! New York, actually! I’d like to try living in either New York or London. I think I’ve kind of idealized both places a lot, but also I think I would probably still have fun living there if I had the funds to do so.

shake it off: which songs instantly put you in a good mood?

I actually have a whole playlist for this! You can find it here.

red: what colour do you associate with each of taylor’s albums?

Debut: Blue and green

Fearless: Yellow and beige

Speak Now: Purple, Eden green

Red: Red, beige, white, mustard yellow

1989: Lavendar, beige, baby blue, neon pink

reputation: black and white, orange, army green

Lover: pink, blue, orange, yellow

all too well: if you could only listen to five songs for the rest of your life, which would you chose?

There is no universe in which I could answer this

22: which is your favourite taylor friendship?

Taylor and Selena! I think they’re really cute and I love seeing how they support each other.

we are never ever getting back together: what is your favourite taylor single?

Love Story. I go feral every time it comes on.

everything has changed: which artist do you wish taylor would collab with?

BTS!!!!!! But also Niall Horan please and thank you.

starlight: if you could go back to any era in time, which would it be and why?

There’s several I would go back to and it would all be for fashion reasons so I’m going to pick the only one that isn’t for fashion reasons, which would be the turn of the 19th century because that’s when all of Jane Austen’s novels are set and she sure knows how to write dashingly polite men.

sparks fly: if you had to create an ep with ten of taylor’s songs, which would you chose?

1. Enchanted

2. The Moment I Knew

3. Last Kiss

4. Gorgeous

5. You’re Not Sorry

6. Holy Ground

7. State of Grace

8. The Last Time

9. Death by a Thousand Cuts

10. Paper Rings

Not necessarily in that order.

enchanted: who is your favourite disney princess?

Solid tie between Belle, Ariel and Rapunzel.

the best day: talk about a memorable day you’ve spent with somebody you’re close to.

Most recently I got to watch Frozen II with my aunt in her new apartment, slept over and then we went for breakfast and got macarons afterward. It was a very good day and I think about it a lot. 

superstar: which artists do you stan besides taylor?

A ton, but the only one I really stan as hard as I stan Taylor is BTS. 

mary’s song: if you could have written any taylor song yourself, which one would you chose?

Okay so as a songwriter this is a terribly hard question because the answer is, at some point, all of them. However if I had to pick just one I’d say probably Last Kiss. I think it’s her best written song. Again though, I’ve wished to have written every song in Taylor’s discography, so...

our song: country taylor or pop taylor?

Pop Taylor. I’m more of a pop fan myself.

i’d lie: which is your favourite unreleased taylor song?

Dark Blue Tennessee! I actually have a non-canon URL saved for this one, but I’m not using it currently because I’m too afraid to even temporarily put lovedyouthreesummers on ice.

Thanks for the longest, most detailed ask I’ve ever had to answer Chey!

[lovingtheroyals]

Music at the St. George’s Chapel Wedding Service

Prince Harry and Ms. Meghan Markle have shared some further details about their wedding service at St George's Chapel

Both Prince Harry and Ms. Markle have taken a great deal of interest and care in choosing the music for their Service, which will include a number of well-known hymns and choral works.  The music will be under the direction of James Vivian, Director of Music, St George’s Chapel.

Mr. Vivian said: "The Choristers, Lay Clerks, Organists and I are very much looking forward to this exciting day and are pleased to be performing at the service music chosen by the couple. We are also looking forward to welcoming to St George’s musical colleagues from near and far who will be performing at this very special and joyful occasion."

A selection of choral groups, soloists, and musicians will perform at the Wedding Service of Prince Harry and Ms. Markle at St George's Chapel on May 19th. These are:

The Choir of St George’s Chapel

Conducted by James Vivian, the Choir of St George��s Chapel comprises up to 23 boy choristers from St George’s School and twelve Lay Clerks singing alto, tenor and bass. The Choir, which was founded in 1348, can be heard in venues throughout Europe in addition to its liturgical schedule of eight services per week in St George’s Chapel. Its repertoire draws on music from all ages.  

Sheku Kanneh-Mason

19-year-old cellist, Sheku Kanneh-Mason won BBC Young Musician 2016, made his BBC Proms debut the following year, and released his debut album, ‘Inspiration’, earlier this year. Sheku is a student at the Royal Academy of Music and combines his studies there with a busy international concert career. He is passionate about making classical music accessible to all and is Junior Ambassador for the music education charity London Music Masters. Last June, Prince Harry saw Sheku play at an event in London in support of the work of Antiguan charity the Halo Foundation.

Sheku Kanneh-Mason said: “I’m so excited and honoured to perform at Prince Harry and Ms. Meghan Markle’s wedding. I was bowled over when Ms. Markle called me to ask if I would play during the ceremony, and of course I immediately said yes! What a privilege to be able to play the cello at such a wonderful event. I can’t wait!”

Karen Gibson and The Kingdom Choir

Founded and directed by gospel conductor Karen Gibson, The Kingdom Choir is a Christian gospel group based in the South-East of England. The Choir is made up of a group of British artists dedicated to creating a sound that demonstrates the community they share, and has been performing both nationally and internationally for over 20 years. Over this time, the choir has become known for its united sound, warm energy and enthusiastic performance.

Karen Gibson said: "The Kingdom Choir is truly honoured to be invited to sing at the wedding of Prince Harry and Ms. Markle, and very excited to be taking part in such a historic moment. It will be a moment that we will always treasure, and we’d like to take the opportunity to wish the couple all the very best for their coming union."

The Orchestra

The Orchestra, conducted by Christopher Warren-Green, will be made up of musicians from the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, the English Chamber Orchestra and the Philharmonia.

Elin Manahan Thomas

Elin Manahan Thomas will join the orchestra. Ms Thomas is a Welsh soprano, best known for her performances of Baroque masterpieces, alongside classical and contemporary works.

David Blackadder

The trumpet will be played by David Blackadder, who will join the Orchestra. Mr. Blackadder is the principal trumpet with both the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and the Academy of Ancient Music, and is a specialist in music of the Baroque.

Luke Bond

The Organ will be played by Luke Bond, Assistant Director of Music, St George’s Chapel.

State Trumpeters

State Trumpeters are drawn from all ranks of the Band of the Household Cavalry, and will provide ceremonial support during the Service at St George's Chapel.

Further information on the music will be made available nearer the time of the wedding.  

[thebandcampdiaries]

Nils Wandrey is back on the scene with a brand new studio track: Become Who I Am

February 2021 - Nils Wandrey is a talented artist and songwriter with a focus on creating mesmerizing, yet punchy original music that blurs the lines between a wide range of styles. His sound captures the intensity of alternative rock, but it also feels like a great combination of melodies and personal lyrics, giving the audience a more charismatic listening experience as a whole.

Recently, the artist announced the upcoming release of a brand new single, which is titled “Become Who I Am.” The song immediately hooked me with an amazing production value. The sound is crisp and present, leading the audience to immediately feel at home, given the immersive listening experience. The track kicks off with some beautifully punchy guitar riffs. The style of this performance actually reminds me of music industry legends such as Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers (especially the guitar riff, which kind of reminds me of classic songs such as You Wreck Me or American Girl, although with a more modern feel to it. Nils has a really punchy and present vocal quality. He sounds very upfront and bright, but never harsh, which is something that makes his sound really stand out. The quality of his mix on this song is really awesome, and the vocals cut through all of the other layers without ever being overpowered,

and also without ever overpowering anything else. In addition to that, Nils stand out because his lyrics are incredibly personal and easy to relate to, making for a truly unique and one-of-a-kind combination of energetic rock and roll aesthetics and forward-thinking emotional release. He knows how to make the most out of every line, and his words are so incredibly down-to-earth and easy to relate to. It’s almost like listening to an old friend tell you a story from his life. You can really relate to every word, and the sound is so familiar, but also so exciting and innovative. I really love the personal and self-affirming message of this song, and I find that it can be particularly inspiring, particularly because the track is not pretentious at all. This is the classic example of a song that has a nice “less is more” attitude that truly works wonders in the process of creating a fantastic listening experience without getting too bogged down in production details. Some rock acts tend to layer dozens of guitar tracks and really make their sound a bit too manufactured. However, this is definitely not the case here, as Nils managed to keep the song as honest and simple as it gets. It’s really all about a person pouring his heart out, making for a one-of-kind musical skill.

I love it when rock music is made with passion and vision, and this definitely appears to be the case here, as Nils Wandrey has got so much to offer with his sounds. We can’t wait to hear what’s next for this amazingly talented artist, because if this song is any indication, we are surely going to be in for something quite special going forward! This release could mark the start of a very prolific 2021 for an artist that, in my opinion, has everything it takes to stand out from the heard and truly take his music to a higher level.

Ultimately, I would high recommend listening to this release if you are a fan of artists such as Green Day, Dead Rituals, or Linkin Park, only to mention but a few. What makes “Become Who I Am” so special is the fact that the song is very melodic, but also deeply personal, revealing multiple layers to Nils and his songwriting. Some of the best music out there is the one that can immediately make an instant connection with the audience, and this definitely seems to be the case here.

Find out more about Nils Wandrey, and do not miss out on “Become Who I Am.” This song is going to be available on February 19th, 2021.

https://nilswandrey.com/

https://www.instagram.com/nilswandrey/

https://twitter.com/nilswandrey

https://www.facebook.com/NilsWandreyMusic

https://open.spotify.com/album/3IoPLqFvAZdrXzvHIBHMCo?si=ThG_vd8tQCyjlTCDcb_Tbg

https://youtu.be/Cnnn0lrfnaA

[girls-scenarios]

New Rookie Girl Groups to Look Out For So Far in 2020

Since these posts have been getting a lot of attention and I like to promote the groups I love, I thought I’d go ahead and make a post about all the rookie girl groups I’m falling for! Also I’ll probably be updating this post as the year goes on and all the groups officially debut.

1. woo!ah!

Woo!ah! is the first group under nv Entertainment, run by a former SM employee. They debuted on May 15th with their single album Exclamation, with the song woo!ah! (on both 1theK and their YouTube channel) and the b-side Payday! They’re best known for their TikTok account (wooah_nv) where they post dances, covers, cute videos, and challenges. The members in order of the photo below are Wooyeon (lead vocalist and visual, born in 2003), Lucy (main rapper, vocalist, born in 2004), Nana (the leader and lead everything, born in 2001), Minseo (main vocalist, main dancer, born in 2004), Sora (vocalist, rapper, born in 2003, the only Japanese member), and Songyee (lead dance, vocalist and rapper, maknae born in 2004). Unfortunately because they just debuted they haven’t been on any shows yet, but they do upload frequently on their YouTube channel and they had an appearance on Gap Crush. Their concept is kind of teen crush, similar to that of Cignature and since they upload frequently on social media there’s always content from them!

2. Secret Number

Secret Number is a five member girl group under Vine Entertainment. They debuted May 19th with their single Who Dis? and b-side Holiday. You’ve probably seen something about them floating around on the internet, as people have been pretty excited about their debut since the lineup was announced. They do have a YouTube channel where they posted some covers and they interact with fans through Instagram lives (secretnumber.official) but because they just debuted they haven’t been on any shows. However you can find the short interviews during their showcase with English subs (1, 2, 3, 4). The members in order of the photo below are Léa (leader and vocalist, born in 1994, Japanese), Soodam (lead vocalist and dancer, visual, born in 1999), Jinny (main rapper and lead dancer, born in 1998, Korean-American and a former YG trainee), Dita (main dancer and lead vocalist, born in 1996, the first Indonesian idol), and Denise (main vocalist and maknae, born in 2001, also Korean-American and a former YG trainee). This group is unique for a number of reasons, considering that the Japanese member is the leader and four of the five members were born/grew up in another country. They have a girl crush concept and I’d really recommend that you check them out!

3. REDSQUARE

REDSQUARE is a five member girl group under About Entertainment. For this group it’s a bit harder to find information because the company was pretty quiet about them before posting teasers, but I do know that four of the members were in Good Day (the same group Cignature members were in). Another member, Heejin, was supposed to debut with the group but it seems like she left as member Lina replaced her. They made their debut on May 19th with the song ColorFul and the most interesting MV I’ve seen in a long time (watch it on their channel or on Seoul Music). They don’t show their faces in the MV and it seems like their concept is about feeling boxed in and judged, you can see that in their prequel. Starting from the left, the members are: Lina (main vocalist, born in 1997, already debuted as a soloist known as Blenn), Bomin (main rapper, lead dancer, vocalist, visual, face of the group AND maknae, born in 2001), Green (lead vocalist, visual, and center, born in 1997), Ari (lead vocalist, born in 1999), and ChaeA (Main Dancer, Lead Rapper, and Vocalist, born in 1997). They haven’t been on any shows yet but they did release an interview (without subs unfortunately). I’m really happy that the ex-Good Day members are giving things a second shot! Their concept is very elegant and mysterious and I’d recommend you all check it out!

4. Weeekly

Weeekly, formerly known as PlayM Girls or Fave Girls, is a seven member girl group under PlayM Entertainment, home to Apink. A lot of you might find them familiar as they’ve been active on TikTok and YouTube posting covers pre-debut and some of the members were on MIXNINE. They are set to debut in June and have been uploading teaser videos and short clips on their YouTube channel. I’d highly recommend you check out their series of videos called [The Weeekly Story] as they show all of the members, introduce their concept/lore, and are incredibly aesthetic. They post a ton on TikTok (@weeekly) so I’d recommend you follow them there as well! Also, since they post so much content pre-debut, their Kprofile’s page is REALLY detailed. Because there’s so much information on them, I’d recommend you go check out that profile to get to know them. The awesome thing about this photo teaser? All the names are under the photos. My bias is Monday and I personally can’t wait for them to debut!

5. Mystic Story Girls

Mystic Entertainment (a subsidiary of SM Entertainment) got my hopes up when they confirmed the lineup of their new girl group, but then have yet to set a debut date. Sigh.... However, we do know they will be debuting sometime this year. The lineup will most likely be familiar to you, because a lot of these girls are known! From left to right, the members are Miyu (known from AKB48 and Produce 48), Soomin (known from Produce 101 AND MIXNINE, used to be in the lineup for PlayM girls), Sua (a former YG trainee known from Unpretty Rapstar season 2), Suhyeon (known from Produce 101 and MIXNINE), Haram (a former SM trainee), Tsuki (former SM trainee), and Siyoon (model and child dancer). While they don’t have a ton of content yet, the members have done Listen Stage’s on the company’s YouTube and have an Instagram (mystic.rookies). While we don’t have a set date this group is going to be KILLER. I’m so excited for their debut!

6. RBW Girls

RBW Girls are, you guessed it, from RBW Entertainment, home of Mamamoo. While there isn’t a set date for their debut yet, it’s said that they should be debuting anywhere from July to September. We’ve been waiting for these girls to debut for a while. From left to right, the girls are: Sujin (maknae), Jieun (known from Produce 48), Seoyoung (former YG trainee), Goeun (known from Produce 48), Chaeyoung (she was on Star King at age 6, was on Kpop Star, and is a former YG trainee), Eunseong (known from MIXNINE), and Yuki (former JYP trainee, only Japanese member). To get to know more about them and their skills, I’d suggest you check out their YouTube 365 Practice! They post lots of covers as well as having some fun videos with the members. They also have an Instagram (365practice_official). These girls are all so talented and I can’t wait to finally get to see them debut!

7. Cignature

Cignature is a seven member girl group under C9 Entertainment that debuted on February 3rd. I have told you guys about Cignature so many times I’m sure you’re tired of it now, so if you want to know more about the girls, check out my Lesser-Known Girl Groups You Should Check Out list. I adore them and personally believe they’re in the running for the ROTY award so far this year.

We are also supposed to be getting new girl groups soon from WM Entertainment, HOW Entertainment, and SM Entertainment, but nothing official has been said yet so I’ll give an update when I have more information. But these are the girl groups I’m super excited for and I wanted to share them with you! What did you think of woo!ah!, Secret Number, and REDSQUARE’s debut? And are you guys excited about any upcoming girl groups? - Admin Kiwi

[dustedmagazine]

Joseph Burnett 2017 Review: Nostalgia for the Light

Back in days of yore (well, the 19th century), nostalgia was believed to be an illness so debilitating it could compromise the fate of an army were too many soldiers “infected.” One Russian general even threatened to bury his troops alive if they came down with nostalgia. It’s hard to imagine what the clearly charming general would make of our current times, so steeped are we in waves of competing nostalgia.  

I’m one to talk, of course. The below list of albums shows that retrenchment into the past has at times been a great escape for me, musically, as 2017 quickly resolved itself into a right shitter of a year both personally and in the grander scheme of things. I’ve found myself actually nostalgic for the tiny, damp and claustrophobic apartment my ex and I used to rent because we were at least — in my mind — happy then. But that’s the thing about nostalgia: it doesn’t allow for a very nuanced image of what reality was. We certainly did have some good times in said bolthole, but surely the problems that swam into heartbreaking focus only a year or so later (and in a much nicer flat) were already there?

In politics — and this doesn’t get mentioned enough — nostalgia seems to have become a driving force. Trump vows to make America great again, without really elaborating on when it was that America was great in the first place. If one is to believe Roy Moore, it was that glorious period when slavery was a reality and you could still kill gays. But at least there was cholera and high levels of infant mortality to offset the troublesome fact that people were owned as goods and chattel. A similar vein of nostalgia has animated the Brexit debate on this side of the pond, as right-wing Brexiters hit out at “political correctness” and the European Court of Justice’s human rights laws along the road to the UK leaving the EU. Again, one can’t help but feel that the glorious past they pine for mainly revolved around being able to use ethnic slurs and homophobic insults on their way to a packed church on the edge of the village green armed with a blue passport. As with my domestic situation and Trump’s supporters, this nostalgia conveniently ignores unpalatable truths: the fifties right-wing nostalgics dream of actually included polio, rationing and the threat of nuclear annihilation. So it’s not really that different to today, except the polio bit. In that context, I’d say a bit of opprobrium directed towards racism, homophobia, transphobia and antisemitism represents progress.  

So once again, as a wave of distorted nostalgia in part propels us towards an uncertain, even scary future, music has felt like a refuge. It’s becoming a tiresome leitmotiv, really. But the past is threaded through the below list, either as a nostalgic signpost or as a fictionalized unreality. Richard Dawson, on his superlative Peasant, reimagines medieval life in a series of epic, unfathomable and beautiful songs. The folk resurgence remains steady, despite the best attempts of lacklustre Mumford & Sons-like mainstream acts to dilute its potency. June Tabor’s Quercus released Nightfall, the most authentically “folk” album to have emerged in 2017, despite its jazz flourishes, with classic traditional songs echoing through the ages like ghosts. Similar phantasms crop up on Sarah Angliss’s Ealing Feeder to tell the hidden, murky story of London. Like the camera movements in John Sayles’ Lone Star, the past swirls around us listeners on these records, as well as on the crystalline chamber jazz of Tarkovsky Quartet’s Nuit Blanche whilst Elodie’s pair of superb instrumental albums are suffused with the nostalgic atmosphere of Proust. And there have been few more haunted albums of late than Áine O’Dwyer’s Gallarais.  

Over on the dance floor, experimentation remains a vibrant way to concoct new sounds, with some of the most exciting producers around taking their already impressive music to new levels. Lee Gamble, Jlin, Actress, Laurel Halo, Shackleton, Arca: all released superb albums in 2017 that dragged the field of electronic music forwards, even those that looked into the past (the Ghost Box label continues to fascinate as it mines old TV music, computer game imagery and found sounds, with ToiToiToi’s Im Hag successfully reinventing the label’s perpetual motion wheel).

 But in a world of Trump and rising right-wing populism, defiance has resonated most powerfully for me as an emotion. Irreversible Entanglements channeled the spirit of Max Roach’s Freedom Now Suite and Jeanne Lee’s majestic invective on Conspiracy to deliver a monumental invective against white privilege and the mistreatment of African Americans throughout time. Jlin’s Black Origami maintained the politically-charged, hyperactive energy of her debut Dark Energy and Mhysa contorted notions of gender and sexuality with an inventive form of r’n’b.  

Even in such illustrious company, one voice seemed to soar out of the abyss most forcefully. A strain of disillusionment has always run through Gary Mundy’s work in Ramleh or other projects, but on his latest solo outing as Kleistwahr he has hit new heights of despondency and despair. Determined to champion his own outsider status, Mundy baptized his album  —a wondrous swarm of haunted guitar and seething electronics — Music for Zeitgeist Fighters. It’s a beautiful cry of rejection as the zeitgeist becomes the plaything Trump and Spencer, Farage and Murdoch, a call to arms for all who abhor the views seeping into the mainstream to scream “not in my name!.”  

The great Chilean documentary director Patricio Guzmán’s most celebrated film is called Nostalgia for the Light and it traces that country’s traumatic history through the prism of the Atacama desert being one of the best places on earth to observe the stars. In that context, nostalgia becomes a way to reconcile oneself with the past and, perhaps, start looking for new light in the future. Maybe all who oppose the rise of right-wing demagoguery, be they musicians, activists, politicians and even lowly journalists, can find ways to look backwards to build a better tomorrow. If the world is going to be swallowed by pernicious nostalgia, it must be fought with a hopeful variety of that Russian general’s bugbear in turn.  

Kleistwahr — Music for Zeitgeist Fighters (Nashazphone)

Jlin — Black Origami (Planet Mu)

Nadah El Shazly — Ahwar (Nawa Recordings)

Richard Dawson — Peasant (Weird World)

Áine O’Dwyer — Gallarais (MIE Music)

Elodie — Vieux Silence (Ideologic Organ)

Actress — AZD (Ninja Tune)

Tarkovsky Quartet — Nuit Blanche (ECM)

Irreversible Entanglements — Irreversible Entanglements (International Anthem)

Laurel Halo — Dust (Hyperdub)

Shackleton & Vengeance Tenfold — Sferic Ghost Transmits (Honest Jon’s)

ToiToiToi — Im Hag (Ghost Box)

Forest Swords — Compassion (Ninja Tune)

Félicia Atkinson — Hand in Hand (Shelter Press)

Saz’iso — At Least Wave Your Handkerchief at Me: The Joys and Sorrows of Southern Albanian Song (Glitterbeat)

Colin Vallon — Danse (ECM)

Lee Gamble — Mnestic Pressure (Hyperdub)

Elodie — La Porte Ouverte (Faraway Press)

Skullflower — The Black Iron that Fell from the Sky, to Dwell Within (Bear It or Be It) (Nashazphone)

Pan Daijing — Lack (PAN)

Arca — Arca (XL)

Quercus — Nightfall (ECM)

Dopplereffekt — Cellular Automata (Leisure System)

Aaron Dilloway — The Gag File (Dais)

Yair Elazar Glotman & Mats Erlandson — Negative Chambers (Miasmah)

Maleem Mahmoud Ghania — Colours of the Night (Hive Mind Records)

The Necks — Unfold (Ideologic Organ)

The Belbury Circle — Outward Journeys (Ghost Box)

Sarah Angliss — Ealing Feeder (self released)

Mhysa — fantasii (Halcyon Veil)

Reissues 

Tony Conrad — Ten Years Alive on the Infinite Plain (Superior Viaduct)

Anne Briggs — The Time Has Come (Earth

Lal & Mike Waterson — Bright Phoebus (Domino)

Henry Flynt — You Are My Everlovin’ (Superior Viaduct)

The Belbury Poly — The Owl’s Map (Ghost Box)

Battiato — Fetus (Superior Viaduct)

Akira Rabelais — Spellewauerynsherde (Boomkat Editions)

Luc Ferrari — Hétérozygote / Petite symphonie… (Recollections GRM)

Zos Kia/Coil — Transparent (Cold Spring)

Jon Gibson — Two Solo Pieces (Superior Viaduct)

[bthenoise]

ICYMI: Here Are Nine Newsworthy Items You May Have Missed Over The Holidays

Hello everybody and happy new year! While getting back into the swing of things here at the office, we noticed a handful of exciting things have been announced while we were off celebrating the holidays.

So, instead of pumping out article after article for you to comb through and catch up on, we thought we’d compile all the things you may have missed into one, easy-to-read post.

Let us begin:

Bring Me The Horizon, Dance Gavin Dance, Asking Alexandria and The Acacia Strain Drop Surprise Releases 

In case you weren’t paying attention to streaming services and social media sites over the holidays, four very well-known acts decided to end their 2019 with brand new releases -- those being Bring Me The Horizon, Dance Gavin Dance, Asking Alexandria and The Acacia Strain. 

Coming in all different types of records, Bring Me The Horizon dropped a spiritual and experimental EP aptly titled Music to listen to~dance to~blaze to~pray to~feed to~sleep to~talk to~grind to~trip to~breathe to~help to~hurt to~scroll to~roll to~love to~hate to~learn Too~plot to~play to~be to~feel to~breed to~sweat to~dream to~hide to~live to~die to~GO TO, Dance Gavin Dance released yet another impressive instrumental album -- this time for Downtown Battle Mountain -- Asking Alexandria shared a new deluxe version of their 2017 self-titled LP featuring demos, remixes and more, and lastly, deathcore champions The Acacia Strain debuted the first of two new releases with their bruising EP It Comes In Waves.

The Coachella 2020 Lineup Is Here Featuring Rage Against The Machine, PUP, Code Orange And More      

As many expected when they announced their long-awaited reunion, political rap-rock activists Rage Against The Machine will be one of the main headliners for this year’s Coachella festival. Along with the “Guerrilla Radio” penmen, the annual Southern California music and arts fest will also feature -- as far as our scene is concerned -- King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, IDLES, The Chats, PUP, the HU, The Regrettes, Beach Bunny, Snail Mail, Emo Nite LA, Mannequin Pussy, Yungblud, and most surprising of all, hardcore outfit Code Orange. This year’s festivities will take place April 10th - 12th and 17th - 19th. 

Silent Planet To Release New Re-Recorded Version Of The Night God Slept

Starting off what should be a busy 2020, metalcore maestros Silent Planet are planning to release a newly re-recorded version of their debut album The Night God Slept. The new re-tracked, remixed and re-mastered effort is due out January 24th via Solid State Records. Along with the exciting news, the band also released a sample of what’s to come sharing “XX (City Grave) Redux” and “Wasteland Redux.” To check out the re-worked tracks, be sure to see below. Afterward, make sure to pre-order The Night God Slept here.  

Ice Nine Kills Made A “Merry Axe-Mas” Video Game 

To help make everyone’s Christmas as fun and evil as possible, horror-obsessed outfit Ice Nine Kills debuted a new online video game based on their  music video for “Merry Axe-Mas.” The game, which can be played on a desktop computer or mobile phone, stars an evil Santa Claus delivering green skulls to unsuspecting children. To check out the free game, head here.    

Set It Off Share New Surprise Single “So Predictable”  

Just days before kicking off their tour with Sleeping With Sirens, Belmont and Point North, Set It Off shared their second new b-side taken from their recently released album After Midnight. Titled “So Predictable,” according to frontman Cody Carson, the new track comes from a place of total frustration. “We've all been there before — same argument, same issue, same nonsense, different day,” says Carson. “This is one of those songs written out of complete frustration of those kinds of moments — whether it be someone you love who you butt heads with or someone so irritating yet you can't avoid them. We had a blast making this song because of the overall attitude that surrounds it.” To check out the new track, see the video above. Afterward, make sure to grab tickets to see Set It Off out on tour here.

State Champs, Simple Plan and We The Kings Share New Music Video For “Where I Belong”

Hot on the heels of wrapping up their massive winter tour together, pop-punk acts State Champs, Simple Plan and We The Kings shared a brand new music video for their collaborative track “Where I Belong.” Featuring all three bands performing their infectious single together, the high energy video also showcases what it’s like to be on tour with the fun-loving musicians. To check out the video, see above. 

Watch Some Of Metal’s Best Come Together For “The Biggest Shred Collab Song In The World III”

Last week, acclaimed YouTuber and diehard metal fan Jared Dines returned with his annual “Biggest Shred Collab Song In World.” For 2019′s version, Dines enlisted help from some pretty big names like Animals As Leaders’ Tosin Abasi, Trivium’s Matt Heafy, Polyphia’s Tim Henson, Megadeth’s Kiko Loureiro and more. To check out the nine-minute shred-fest, see above. Additionally, you may notice something off for Jason Richardson’s (All That Remains, ex-Chelsea Grin, ex-Born Of Osiris) solo. Dines commented on that below.   

“Hey guys! Unfortunately, I am a dumb dumb and put Jason Richardson’s part over the wrong backing in the final file for the big shred collab video this year. I know I know.. you’d think I’d have my act together by now…  WELL, here is what he actually intended for you all to hear haha merry Christmas everyone! (Tbh, Jason could play over dumpsters fucking and it would sound good). My deepest apology to you Jason, please don’t SLAPP me at namm.”

Attila Recap Ragefest 2019 With New “Toxic” Music Video

To help highlight just how much fun they had on last summer’s Ragefest, deathcore/metalcore party-starters Attila debuted a brand new music video for their Villain track “Toxic.” Mixing chaotic live footage with non-stop party antics, Attila’s new video shows just what it’s like to be on tour with Fronz and company.  

Danny Worsnop Shares Bluesy New Solo Track “Another You”

Finishing up his very busy year fronting Asking Alexandria and releasing a new solo album called Shades of Blue, the outgoing Danny Worsnop released a brand new solo track titled “Another You.” Talking about the bluesy new tune, Worsnop said, “Beyond excited to finally have this out. ‘Another You’ was the first song I recorded in my home studio when I finished building it. It might have even been before it was finished! But either way, it was a great sense of accomplishment, and it instantly became one of my favorite songs I’d ever written.” Worsnop is currently on tour now and tickets can be found here.

[cokeisrael4-blog]

Can South Philly Hold On to What’s Always Made It Unique?

City

It’s our most famous neighborhood, defined by its immigrants and its characters, by intermingling (sometimes clashing) cultures — and by near-constant change. Where does it go from here?

The rapidly changing South Philly. Photograph by Adam Englehart

In the late summer of 1981, very much against my Catholic mother’s wishes, I had just moved into a rowhouse at 17th and Naudain — then the very bottom edge of Center City — where my new boyfriend lived. Mom, who’d recently been diagnosed with cancer, was coming for her first visit, reluctantly. The neighborhood was admittedly sketchy — most of Center City was, back then — but I was proud of our chic little home, with its new sofa and drapes and the garden planted out back. Mom knocked, I opened the door, and she peered past me into the narrow hallway.

“Oh my God,” she said, and not in a good way. “It’s just like Morris Street.”

That was where my mom grew up: 128 Morris Street, in the heart of South Philly. A hundred or so years ago, for reasons that are lost in the sands of time, Casimir Norvilas, a Lithuanian immigrant, moved there. He was still in his 20s, but he’d already lived an exciting life, having served in the merchant marine and fought Pancho Villa on the U.S.-Mexican border.

In Philly, perhaps calling on some leatherworking skills acquired on the horse farm near Vilnius where he grew up, he opened a shoemaker shop. He married a fellow Lithuanian immigrant, bought the house on Morris Street, and had three daughters, the eldest of whom was my mom.

The part of the city where he settled was traditionally a point of entry for immigrants. It was close to the docks where ships arrived from the Old World; those same docks provided jobs for laborers whose only skill was brute force. The first big flush of migrants to the city had been Irish, pried from their hearths in the 1840s by a potato blight that caused widespread starvation, killed a million people, and drove another two million to exit the Emerald Isle. The next was Italian, propelled by the “unification” of small city-states and the breakdown of the peninsula’s feudal system. Some seven million mostly Southern Italian peasants decamped for foreign parts.

The Morris Street house where the author’s mom grew up. Photograph by Michelle Gustafson

Since then, wave after wave of newcomers has inhabited the rowhouses of South Philly, on both the east and west sides of Broad Street — Southern blacks with the collapse of Reconstruction, Eastern European Jews starting in the 1880s, more Italians after World War II ended. Mexicans moved north under the 1942 bracero (“one who works using his arms”) program, and smaller tides of Cubans and Puerto Ricans and Vietnamese and Cambodians and Liberians landed here, too. South Philly was a place to gain a foothold, to begin anew, to build something from nothing for impoverished families from all over the world. Then your kids got the hell out.

That was what Mom did. She made her way to Girls’ High, which was then at 17th and Spring Garden, and after graduating went even further up Broad Street to Temple, where she met my dad. Together, they began a family and a series of successive moves away from South Philly, to Willow Grove and Glenside and finally bucolic Doylestown. They raised a solid middle-class clan of four kids and a dog on a third of an acre there.

Which is why, I think, the house on Naudain Street so unnerved Mom. When you’ve spent a lifetime trying to escape the past, it can’t be easy to realize that your child just cheerfully leaped back in.

That was the only time Mom ever visited me and Doug, who eventually became my husband. She died three months later. I’d like to think it wasn’t seeing the house.

•

The workingman’s homes that make up Philly’s rows were built in the mid-to-late 19th century, as the city underwent rapid industrialization. But there were rowhouses even before that; witness the city’s oldest block, Elfreth’s Alley. William Penn envisioned his city filled with gracious single homes set amid green lawns, but it didn’t take long for speculators to slice up the blocks he laid out and eke the most from them by erecting rowhomes. The city was built atop clay, which is what you make bricks from, which is why the rowhomes were brick.

I have the vaguest memories of the house on Morris Street; Poppy’s shoemaker shop and the penny-candy place next door made more of an impression on me. I know this, though: Mom’s parents, like so many new arrivals here, found the fact that they were allowed to own land amazing. Slaves from the South and serfs from the Baltic States and paesani from Italy had all fled societies in which “real estate” belonged to the master or czar or king. To buy for yourself even the postage-stamp property beneath a rowhouse was a marvelous thing.

Which is one reason newcomers stayed put. “People would move to South Philly because it was close to jobs on the waterfront or in the garment factories,” says Bryant Simon, a history professor at Temple. “Then they created a culture that reminded them of where they were from.” They opened butcher shops and bakeries, planted grapevines in tiny backyards, built churches and fraternal organizations. They dug in, deep.

A window near 8th and Tasker. Photograph by Michelle Gustafson

Southern Italian immigrants, notes Penn city planning and urban studies professor Domenic Vitiello, had a particular pattern of migration: “They settled in groups of people from the same town. You could identify them — this block from this village in Abruzzo, this block from this village in Calabria.” Mexican immigration, Vitiello adds, would later follow this same pattern.

My mom’s mom’s sister, Adeline, married an Italian my grandfather fondly called “Goombah Jimmy.” We only visited Adeline’s house, on Wolf Street near Broad, for the Mummers Parade and the occasional funeral, but it stood out because it was so unlike anything else in my bland suburban life. People drank, hard; everyone was loud; the women and the food — Italian sausages, kielbasa and pierogies — smelled wonderful; and in an upstairs bedroom there hung the biggest painting I had ever seen, a full-size reproduction of Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus, with all that bare-breasted flesh. Who could look away?

I went back to South Philly recently and checked out the house on Wolf Street. There were potted plants taking the sun beside the front stoop. Mom’s people were farmers at heart. She would have liked that.

I went to Morris Street, too, to see what was left of number 128. It looked good — the trim all freshly painted, a fancy ornamental door. There was a planter beside it, too. The houses on Mom’s row are tiny — under a thousand square feet, with two bedrooms and a single bath. Yet when she was a kid, her family took in a boarder to help with the bills, which wasn’t rare. A 1904 survey of the area from 8th Street to 9th Street between Carpenter and Christian showed that 41 of the 167 houses were occupied by three or more families. That’s a tight squeeze.

Bryant Simon says you can tell when a neighborhood gentrifies by the house numbers; newcomers prefer sans serif fonts. There’s a lot of sans serif on Mom’s block. Another clue: the four new three-story townhomes with garages and roof decks. They have three bedrooms and two and a half baths and, you can bet, one family apiece.

•

Mom’s old house sold for $43,000 in 1995; today, its estimated worth is $218,985. The big difference between people buying in South Philly these days and those from the old days is that the latest arrivals don’t land here with nothing. They bring along advanced degrees and SUVs and Mitchell Gold sofas and IRAs.

Back in 2011, Kate Mellina and her husband, Dave Christopher, moved from Asbury Park to Philadelphia, where Mellina had grown up: “In the Northeast — St. Timothy’s parish. But my dad was from South Philly. St. Monica’s. You forget how Philadelphia is defined by its parishes.” The couple, both artists, were looking for an area that was “up-and-coming,” Mellina says, and they bought a house in East Passyunk, overlooking the famed Singing Fountain. “It was not quite as developed then,” Mellina says, “but you could see it was on its way.”

Not long after they moved in, one of the couple’s friends happened on a vintage photo album at Lambertville’s Golden Nugget flea market and recognized some famous faces posing with the grinning strangers inside: Bob Hope, Tony Bennett, Johnny Mathis, Liberace. On the back of the album was the photographer’s studio address, on East Passyunk Avenue. “Our friend knew we’d moved in around there, so he gave it to us,” Mellina explains. “He said, “Here’s your housewarming present — find out who these people are!”

Naturally, Mellina says, she started by showing the album to her neighbor, “Frank from around the corner, who’s been here forever.”

“Oh, that’s Palumbo’s!” Frank said.

“We were like, ‘What’s Palumbo’s?’” Mellina had never heard of the now-defunct nightclub at 8th and Catharine that hosted everyone from Sinatra to Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr. back in the day. It started life as a boardinghouse for immigrants sailing from Italy; legend has it they’d arrive speaking no English but with signs around their necks that read PALUMBO’S.

Plenty of Palumbo’s stars were homegrown. South Philly’s rowhouses all looked alike on the outside, but they sheltered singular individuals inside. The roll call just of those who passed through South Philly High at Broad and Snyder is startling: Marian Anderson, Mario Lanza, Chubby Checker, Jack Klugman, Frankie Avalon, bandleader Lester Lanin, composer Vincent Persichetti, NBA founder Eddie Gottlieb, world heavyweight boxing champ Tim Witherspoon, mayor Frank Rizzo, boxing trainer Angelo Dundee … It’s hard not to feel optimistic in a neighborhood where just a few streets over, a Jewish punk named Eddie Fisher grew up to divorce Debbie Reynolds so he could marry Elizabeth Taylor. America. What a country.

“South Philly is a real neighborhood,” says Kate Mellina. “It’s a mix of people whose families have been here for three or four generations — in the same houses — and new people moving in with dogs and babies.”

Since the album was foisted on her, Mellina has visited senior centers and the local library in her quest to identify the non-famous people in its pages. She discovered that it had belonged to Arthur Tavani, a writer for a little local newspaper. “His sister was still alive then,” she recalls, “living in the same house they grew up in. She greeted me like a long-lost daughter.” Mellina also talked to Carmen Dee, who’d been the bandleader at Palumbo’s, which burned down in 1994. And she’s chronicled her efforts at a website, Unexpected Philadelphia, that lets you scroll through the photos in case there’s anyone you know.

“South Philly is a real neighborhood,” says Mellina. “It’s a mix of people whose families have been here for three or four generations — in the same houses — and new people moving in with dogs and babies. Everyone seems to get along. You take your lawn chairs out front in the summer, and people parade by with the kids and the dogs.” Asbury Park, she notes, actually was a small town — “but it didn’t have that small-town feel.”

The small town has gone big-time over the past decade. Townsend Wentz, Nick Elmi, Chris Kearse, Lou Boquila, Lynn Rinaldi, and Lee Styer and Jessie Prawlucki have all opened restaurants along this stretch of East Passyunk. The neighborhood has coffee shops, twinkly string lights, a British pie shop, and Artisan Boulanger Patissier. You’ll find dim sum and doggie boutiques, a retro typewriter repair shop, breweries and bike stores, not to mention a yoga studio that recently hosted a visit from an alpaca. It’s a freaking hipster paradise.

A block or so north, the paradise ends.

•

Philly’s Italian Market, which stretches along 9th Street roughly from Dickinson to Fitzwater, started out as a Jewish market. It’s now mostly Asians and Latinos who run the iconic sidewalk stalls. To go from twinkly Passyunk Square to, say, Giordano’s produce stand just above Washington is sort of a shock. The market hasn’t gentrified. It still has flies in summer and burn barrels in winter, and wooden skids and flattened cardboard boxes are piled everywhere. (“That’s not real trash,” Bryant Simon teases when I raise the subject of the market. “They bring it out every morning so it looks like a scene from Rocky.”) It also has guys who pick out your tomatoes for you, thank you very much, and put them in a bag. The area is a good example of the challenges of gentrification. “How do you maintain the market while the neighborhood changes?” asks Simon. “That’s a delicate balance. Tourists can only buy so many vegetables.” Anthony’s Italian Coffee & Chocolate House has stood here for four generations. Now it has online ordering, and seasonal lattes like the Spring Fling and the Crème Brûlée.

There have been fitful efforts to start up a Business Improvement District for the market, so merchants can kick in to gussy things up. A few years back, Michelle Gambino, business manager for the South 9th Street Business Association, described her vision for the future, with organic foods and craft booths alongside the homely produce carts: “We’re hoping that the look will continue to be Old World, but just upscale.”

To add to the balancing act, New York developers have so far unveiled three iterations of an apartment building planned for the heart of the market, right at 9th and Washington, ranging from six to eight stories in height. The latest version has 157 units. Merchants and shoppers panicked when plans showed the driveway to the building’s underground parking right on 9th Street, where it will surely disrupt the market’s traffic and pedestrians. So much for Old World.

“There are two processes going on in South Philly right now,” says Bryant Simon. “Longtime residents are being displaced by new immigrants and by high-end creative-class people.” In other words, old South Philly’s getting squeezed from both sides.

The Italian isn’t the only market in South Philly. The busy commercial stretch of Washington between 6th and 16th earned the soubriquet “Little Saigon” thanks to immigrants who settled there after the Vietnam War. (Condé Nast Traveler once dubbed the area “Pho Row.”) The city’s Asian population has continued to grow, jumping by 42 percent from 2000 to 2010; Philly is now home to the East Coast’s largest population of Vietnamese immigrants. At Horace Furness High, near Mom’s old house, 48.5 percent of the kids are Asian.

In Little Saigon, too, change is coming. Developers have proposed new rowhomes and duplexes, plus parking spots, on the site of the Hoa Binh shopping center, which occupies almost an entire block at Washington and 16th. The current shopping center isn’t pretty. But neither are most newly built rowhomes, when you think about it.

There may be no better example of South Philly’s metamorphosis than what used to be the Edward W. Bok Technical High School at 8th and Mifflin, where neighborhood kids not bound for college once studied tailoring and plumbing, hairdressing and bricklaying. After closing down in 2013, the Art Deco building, constructed in the 1930s by Franklin Roosevelt’s Public Works Administration, was reborn as BOK, an urban playground with a roof-deck bar, boutiques, “maker spaces,” tattoo artists and, of course, yoga. “I think BOK is a fascinating symbol,” says Bryant Simon. “There are two processes going on in South Philly right now. Longtime residents are being displaced by new immigrants and by high-end creative-class people who value urban spaces and are knowledge workers.” In other words, old South Philly’s getting squeezed from both sides.

•

We tend to think of “South Philly” as the Rocky world that’s east of Broad Street, but Point Breeze and Grays Ferry are South Philly, too. They were settled along familiar lines, first by European Jews, then by Italians and Irish, and finally by blacks driven west from their original stronghold in what had been farm country near 7th and South. There were race riots here in 1918, touched off when a black woman moved in; thousands battled in the streets. By the 1920s, according to a resident quoted in Murray Dubin’s South Philadelphia: Mummers, Memories, and the Melrose Diner, from Lombard Street to Washington Avenue between Broad and 20th was “solid black.” Still, racial strife bubbled up regularly. In 1997, then-mayor Ed Rendell had to negotiate a compromise with Louis Farrakhan to ward off a planned protest.

Today, Point Breeze is ground zero for Philly gentrification. The median housing price in the most gentrified section rose from $29,000 in 2000 to $234,000 in 2016, while the population of black residents changed from 80 percent to 46 percent. Bryant Simon, who wrote a book about Starbucks, says you can trace the spread of gentrification in coffee shops. He mentions developer Ori Feibush, who fueled Point Breeze’s gilding by opening OCF Coffee House at 20th and Federal “as a way of planting a flag. He was smart about that.”

Neighbors playing at 2nd and Porter. Photograph by Michelle Gustafson

For many residents of western South Philly, Feibush, who’s been building new townhouses everywhere, has become the face of black displacement. In 2015, he ran against incumbent 2nd District Councilmember Kenyatta Johnson in a bitter primary fight that stirred race into the already boiling pot of tax assessments and abatements and property values. Johnson won. In May, he introduced a bill that would ban from Grays Ferry and Point Breeze the balconies and bay windows featured on many newly constructed rowhomes — a pointed up-yours to Feibush and gentrification. The resentment is understandable.

Racism has a long history throughout South Philadelphia. “It would have helped if Frank Rizzo didn’t tolerate white resistance, or if there had been no redlining,” Simon says. Old photos of South Philly High show integrated sports teams as far back as 1918, and black and white cross-country runners in the ’50s with their arms draped around each other. But as recently as 2009, black students were beating up Asian immigrants. Following a boycott, a new principal, and a Justice Department investigation, matters have improved.

In fact, says Penn’s Vitiello, you could make the case that since the 1970s, South Philadelphia has been the city’s most successful neighborhood in terms of immigration: “A wide variety of refugees has found it comfortable and livable. There’s a wide variety of ethnic groceries, goods and services. The housing stock is still affordable. There are still plenty of absentee landlords who see new immigrants as an important source of income.” And many older residents, he says, “welcome newcomers in a very humane way. They appreciate that their neighbors are here just trying to raise their kids and provide for themselves.” It was former mayor John Street, he points out, who first established sanctuary protections in Philadelphia back in 2001, along with Irish-born police commissioner John Timoney.

“Change related to new immigrants is nothing new in South Philly,” Bryant Simon says. “It’s never been without tensions. Change is kind of perpetual there.”

To some extent, Vitiello says, politicians here have embraced immigrants because they know that without them, the city would be shrinking, not growing. He puts Michael Nutter in this economically motivated camp. But Jim Kenney, whose parents came to the U.S. from Ireland — and who grew up five blocks from my mom’s house, at 3rd and Snyder — “has consistently been more about treating people as humans, as neighbors,” he says.

At the same time, South Philadelphians, Bryant Simon points out, have always shown “a commitment to maintaining their turf.” Historically, this is the land of mobsters and payola, not touchy-feely empathy. “We make fun of yoga studios and deck bars serving IPAs,” Simon says, “and the identity that goes along with certain cultural practices.” But alpaca yoga isn’t South Philly’s big problem now: “The real tensions are over real estate values.”

On the positive side, he notes, “Change related to new immigrants is nothing new in South Philly. It was always a place of immigrants. It’s never been without tensions. Change is kind of perpetual there.”

•

I used to live in South Philly. In 1988, Doug and I bought a little rowhouse near 20th and Snyder for $35,000. We were ready to have kids and wanted some stability. We were an odd fit for the neighborhood back then. There was nobody our age on our block; old people lived there, and their kids drove in from Jersey for Sunday dinner. One entire wall of our bathroom was mirrored; it became our daughter’s favorite part of the house. Once, when I was taking the bus into Center City with Marcy when she was two, a nun asked what parish we belonged to. “We don’t go to church,” I told her. “Surely you’ve had her baptized,” she said. I shook my head. She looked me dead in the eye and said, “Do you want your daughter to go to Hell?”

Most people, though, were nice to us. Johnny from the auto shop across the street would invite us in for barbecued deer during fall hunting season. In winter, we pushed the kids in strollers beneath rainbows of Christmas lights. In summer, there were walks to the water-ice stand and cooling showers from fire-hydrant sprinklers. The mobster’s mom down the block wouldn’t let her grandson come to Marcy’s birthday party, but she did show up afterward with excuses and a gift.

After six years, we got tired of chasing guys with guns off our stoop, of worrying that the kids would get hit by cars, of the endless litter and the fight to find parking. I longed for a real garden, not a couple of barrel planters. We escaped to the suburbs, just in time for Marcy to start school. We sold the house for less than we’d paid for it, to two Cambodian brothers. We always have been terrible at real estate.

Today, the house we dumped for $32,500 is worth an estimated $195,954. I go back to see it, for old time’s sake. The neighborhood is still dotted with bodegas and pharmacies and Chinese takeout joints, but there’s a new coffee shop that delivers through Grubhub. Our place looks tidy and kempt; there are a host of potted plants beside the front door, which is painted deep blue. The house numbers are a bougie font. The young woman who lives there now walks dogs for a living. We exchange emails, and I ask if the bathroom still has that mirrored wall. She LOLs. It does.

In nearby Girard Park, I pick my way through downed tree branches from a recent storm to view a plaque honoring Kenyatta Johnson for nabbing $600,000 in improvements to its drainage, benches and walkways. Within eyeshot of the house where a pipe bomb blew up Phil “Chicken Man” Testa in 1981, I join a woman sitting on a park bench with a little girl in a stroller. I smile and tell her my daughter learned to walk right in this park. She smiles back. “I’m the nanny,” she says.

A nanny. In Girard Park. It’s the beginning of the end.

Not so fast, says Vitiello. “South Philly is pretty big,” he points out, “and gentrification moves in waves. There are some indicators that suggest South Philly will keep growing, and others that suggest its growth will be slow and halting.” That means South Philly’s seemingly impossible balance of old and new, rich and poor, black and white and everything else, could endure. Large tracts here, Vitiello insists, should remain affordable for a long time to come.

Maybe so. All I know is, there’s new three-story housing going up across 20th Street from our old place, no doubt with garages and roof decks.

Oh my God. It’s just like Morris Street.

Published as “True South” in the July 2019 issue of Philadelphia magazine.

Source: https://www.phillymag.com/news/2019/07/06/changing-south-philly/

[perditaalottachocolate-blog]

Mari, Chat and the Prank of Pranks - Chapter 3

This is the last bonus chapter to my MariChat May story. I’ve included some doodles (fanart is such a strong word in this case ;) ) Anyway... enjoy!

Chapter 1: AO3 / FFnet / tumblr , Chapter 2: AO3 / FFnet / tumblr

Chapter 3. Could this day get any weirder?

AO3 / FFnet

In the end Adrien had plenty of time to think about the events of the previous evening and the morning that followed. He sent a short message to Nino to let him know he was grounded for a few days, until his father's clerks would assess the damage. He asked his friend to pass this news to everyone in class, because it turned out that all of his classmates (bar Chloe) had sent him texts asking if he was all right and if they could help him somehow. Adrien didn't feel like replying to them all and risking to be dragged into questioning, even through texts only.

He still didn't have the courage to contact Marinette. Her messages where vague, simply inquiring if he was all right and if he got home safe. Adrien found a little consolation in the fact that those texts were an evidence of her worrying about him, not being mad at him. But despite that he still had no clue what to do now. Above all, he wanted to talk to her in person, not over the phone or via text. He wanted to look into her bluebell eyes and see for himself how she felt about him being Chat, and if she still wanted to be his girlfriend after that moronic prank.

The evening came, while the boy was still lying on his couch and tossing his phone mindlessly. Plagg had long ago curled up in the crook of his elbow and dozed off. They were both alarmed by the sound of knocking. Not on the door.

Although it was dark, there was no mistaking to who was the person standing outside his window. In no time Adrien was opening it and letting her inside.

After a moment of awkward silence Ladybug finally gathered her voice.

'I… I just wanted to check if you're okay.' She said sheepishly. 'You haven't replied to any of my texts. Nino told us you were grounded, but I just… I wanted to check for myself.'

Adrien nodded dumbly, unable to say anything, unable to think of anything.

'Well, you're clearly all right, so… Imma… I'm gonna go…' The red clad heroine waved her hand in the direction of the opened window. 'It's late. I don't want to bother you.' Her voice was slightly shaking, her eyes glimmered with a promise of tears. This sight was what finally got Adrien's brain to reboot.

Wordlessly he reached out and pulled her into a hug. Ladybug let out a very Marinetty squeak but soon melted into his embrace, resting her head on his shoulder and nuzzling her nose into his neck. Adrien pressed his cheek to the crown of her head, closed his eyes and basked in the familiar and above all most beautiful scent in the world. Chocolate chip cookies, vanilla, strawberry. Marinette. After a while the boy withdrew a bit, just enough to let their foreheads touch.

'I'm so, so, so sorry, Marinette.' He whispered, his eyes still closed.

'For what, Kitty?' She gently stroke his golden hair. He would have purred from delight if he wasn't so ashamed of himself.

'That prank was really stupid. I'm so, so sorry.'

'Well…' the girl murmured. He could feel her every breath on his lips. 'To be honest… I liked it.' She admitted with a small smile.

'What?!' Adrien's eyes shot open. He pulled away to look at her in astonishment. She was blushing so delectably that his heart skipped a beat.

'It was a great prank, Chat,' she said rubbing his ears, which was driving him crazy with pleasure even when he wasn't transformed. Seriously, how much more torture could he bear right now. Ladybug continued unaware of what she did to him. 'And if I wasn't a ball of nerves at the time because of what I was about to confess, I would have appreciate it. You know I would.' She kissed the tip of his nose lightly.

'It was just bad timing, Kitty, is all.' She whispered. And just when he thought he couldn't be more surprised, the girl added, 'Anyway, I'm sorry too.'

...Could this day get any weirder?...

'For what, my Lady?' Adrien croaked, utterly shocked.

'If I didn't scare you, you wouldn't have ended on the front page of every tabloid and newspaper in Paris. You wouldn't have been grounded. I'm really sorry, Adrien.' She pulled him closer and once again rested her forehead on his.

He smiled and kissed her, his whole body tingling with excitement. For the first time he got to hug her, to kiss her as Adrien, not as Chat. For the first time he could touch her with his bare fingertips, run his fingers through her soft and silky hair, finally knowing what it felt like. And it felt purely amazing and beyond.

Then he thought about the photo in the old album and with a mysterious smirk he said, 'Totally worth it.'

The scrapbook lied abandoned on the coffee table, still opened on the bookmark. Adrien hadn't meant to show it to Ladybug, it sort of happened without any intention on his part. The girl just looked curiously at the album and when he followed her gaze it was already too late, she found the photograph and was staring at it with her eyes opened wide.

Two people stood at the front door to a private female-only dormitory, as it was stated by the large sign next to the entrance (completed with additional sheet of paper clarifying "NO BOYS ALLOWED"). Marinette immediately recognized the person on the left – long golden hair, green eyes, Adrien's smile. It was definitely his mother, a little bit older than in the picture that served as the boy's computer background. As to the person on the right, she had to take a really close look but when Marinette finally recognized who she was seeing Adrien barely managed to cover her mouth with a pillow before she started tearing up from laughter.

Because on the right there was a much younger, and much more cheerful Gabriel Agreste, with a cocky grin across his face that strongly reminded Marinette of a certain feline hero. The man was wearing a hideous flowery women's dress and red ballerinas. There was a chestnut wig of shoulder length hair on his head and he was most definitely wearing make-up and even had his nails done, as evidenced by the hand proudly displayed on his hip. The note next to the picture written in a beautiful handwriting said

"DORTOIR POUR LES FILLES de MADAME GAGNON, Paris, May 19th 1990"

The first time Gabriel managed to by-pass "no boys allowed" rule

He got caught by the third time :)

Under the note there was a piece of officially looking document that said Adrien's father clearly got a reprimand for indecent behavior.

When Adrien was finally allowed to go to school it took all of his will power not to run straight to his girlfriend to kiss her. He found Marinette in the locker room surrounded by girls. The boy gave them a little wave. For a second his eyes locked with hers and she sent him a reassuring smile. Everything was going according to their plan. When she visited him for the second time during his house arrest they had decided to take things slow in public before they reveal their relationship. So no signs of affection at school for now, but they had plenty of time in the evenings to make up for that inconvenience.

The boy went to his locker, totally unaware of a certain pair of blue eyes watching carefully his every move. Nino just wandered into the room so instead of looking what he was doing Adrien turned to greet him. He jumped when the door to his locker burst out and there was a silent susurration of a hairslide.

The blond looked around. He was buried up to his knees in wigs of all colors and hair styles. Nino gaped at them in surprise, his stupefaction rivaling Adrien's own.

'Dude?' Was all his friend was able to stutter out, but Adrien was already grinning from ear to ear, his eyes sparkling in comprehension.

Marinette and Alya came to them, the redhead smiling wickedly. 'Hey Agreste, looks like your little stunt won't be so easily forgotten after all,' she snickered. Marinette stood beside her with an innocent smirk. Too innocent to his liking.

'I didn't count on that,' Adrien gave them a wink. He dipped his hand in the pile of wigs and quickly fished out a Ladybug one. 'But I guess I'm going to take it like a man.' Flashing them a wink the boy slammed the wig onto his head. He looked Marinette straight in the eyes. There was that very familiar gleam of mischief in them, which he returned with one of his own.

Oh, this prank challenge was sooooo on!

***

Thanks to the PR team and some quick thinking the following fall Gabriel brand released a new 'Magical Girl' line targeted at teenagers. And guess who was modeling this collection?

[kayla1993-world]

2021 looks to be an exciting year for movies, especially because it will finally see the release of several notable projects that have been stuck development hell. At first glance, development hell is a dark creative abyss that pulls down eagerly-awaited movies and TV shows into an unknown future - shifting around scripts, directors and studios, and frustrating legions of faithful and hungry film fans in the process. Thankfully, some highly-anticipated films have finally escaped development hell, and are scheduled for a 2021 release.

Whether it's Mad Max: Fury Road or the new Guns n' Roses album, development hell is frustrating for fans and creators alike. And the irritation doesn't stop there: indeed, completed movies with a bumpy production history have rarely turned out questionably perfect (see: Alien Vs. Predator, and  John Carter). But despite the term's obviously negative connotations, snags in the creative process can be extremely beneficial to a project. It signals that a studio is unwilling to flippantly rush the film for the sake of filling a tentpole release date, and instead takes reasonable care in finding the right talent to breathe life into an important creative venture. More time on a project typically means more care taken in the thought process.

There are movies that have been gestating for ten years or more that will finally be getting their big pay-off in 2021. Whether they'll sink or swim is anyone's guess, but anticipation is naturally rife -- these films have been a long time coming.

1.  Pinocchio -- The upcoming Pinocchio is Guillermo Del Toro's long-awaited adaptation of the classic children's novel, popularized by Disney's 1940 animated film. Del Toro's project has had a awkward path towards principle production, having been cancelled in 2017 after Del Toro failed to acquire funding for his allegedly darker interpretation of the whimsical tale, which apparently retains its European setting but switches the 19th century setting for Mussolini's Italy. Del Toro has repeatedly called Pinocchio his passion project, claiming a "deep, personal connection" to the character.

After stagnating for over a year, Netflix came to Del Toro's creative aid on his career high from 2017's  The Shape of Water. Along with the Jim Henson Company, Pinocchio will finally materialize with co-director Mark Gustafson in tow. Gustafson's talents as animation director are essential for the film's stop-motion animation -- a unique, surreal style that could potentially be a nice change of pace from today's vapid, CG-overload fantasy tales. Incidentally, Disney's live-action Pinocchio is moving ahead. A release date is not yet set, and the film may be delayed while Del Toro completes Nightmare Alley, but production is progressing nicely with stars Ewan McGregor, Tilda Swinton and Christoph Waltz already on board. A 2021 release date on Netflix seems probable.

2.  Uncharted -- Naughty Dog's hugely successful video game franchise Uncharted is somewhat notorious for failing to muster a film adaptation. Talk of a movie featuring treasure hunter Nathan Drake dates back to 2009, after the success of Uncharted 2, and the project has since sifted through an array of directors. David O’Russell, Neil Burger, Seth Gordon, Shawn Levy, Dan Trachtenberg and Travis Knight have all taken a shot at prepping Sony's eagerly anticipated blockbuster, but each director fled the Uncharted project for undisclosed reasons.

But the future seemingly grows brighter for Drake and company. In what is now an Uncharted origin story, Tom Holland has been cast as a young Nathan, and Mark Wahlberg, in a surprising turnaround, is now on board as Drake's mentor Sully (Wahlberg signed on as Drake in O’Russell's version, that was also to feature Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci). Antonio Banderas has also joined the roster of actors. They will be led by Venom director Ruben Fleischer, who took over from Knight in January, which (yet again) delayed the movie from its previous December 2020 release date, replacing Masters of the Universe on Sony's release schedule in the process. Assuming Fleischer doesn't join his predecessors in walking away from Uncharted, the movie is set for release on March 5th 2021.

3.  Space jam 2 -- The original Space Jam appealed to sports and classic cartoon fans alike, and its $230 million worldwide gross put a sequel on the cards almost immediately. However, plans for Space Jam 2 were scrapped in favor of 2003's Looney Tunes: Back in Action , which is currently Bugs, Daffy and friends' last effort on the silver screen. A sustained interest in the '90s classic has lead to a variety of stalled sequels in recent years. These featured the Tunesquad in different games with different sports celebrities, including golf with Tiger Woods and skateboarding with Tony Hawk.

The upcoming Space Jam 2  sequel is evidently a much more back-to-basics approach. NBA champion LeBron James is set to replace Michael Jordan as the Tunes' captain with director Malcom D. Lee filling Joe Pytka's boots as captain of production. Ryan Coogler even features in a Producer role. Actors Don Cheadle and Sonequa Martin-Green have joined the returning Looney Tunes favourites, who are sure to give the "Monstars" an exciting and madcap rematch.

4.  The batman -- Batman's next solo outing, The Batman , has swerved drastically since the DCEU culminated in 2017's horifically mismanaged Justice League . Initially intended to be directed and co-written by then-incumbent star, Ben Affleck, he left The Batman project in 2017 and recently citied a "loss of interest" in the character.

After briefly dropping out, Matt Reeves is back to oversee yet another reboot of the dark knight legend. Little is known of the narrative, except it will not incorporate the Affleck script, nor be connected to the virtually extinct DCEU. Reeves' ideas are intriguing: he has described it as a more detective-oriented story that takes inspiration from the graphic novel The Long Halloween. The caped crusader definitely has his work cut out in this picture, with Catwoman, The Penguin and The Riddler rounding out the movie's rogue's gallery.

Robert Pattinson was surprisingly Reeves' top choice for the role, and the actor's youthful appearance suggests it will center on Batman's early days. A rough, makeshift costume revealed in February supported this idea; more recently, images of The Batman's Batmobile were revealed. Assisted by Andy Serkis' Alfred, The Batman takes to the streets June 25th 2021.

5.  Sherlock Holmes 3 -- Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law are expected to reprise their roles as Holmes and Dr Watson respectively in the upcoming Sherlock Holmes 3 . The series that has long stalled squarely thanks to Downey Jr.'s MCU commitments, portraying Tony Stark aka Iron Man. Fans may have had three seasons of the BBC's Sherlock to get their fix, but certainly, some are eager to see Downey Jr.'s appealing performance as the Victorian detective once again, particularly after a decade-long absence.  Originally scheduled for December 2020, suspiciously, Sherlock Holmes 3  was delayed for an entire year.

Guy Ritchie directed the original 2009 film as well as its sequel, A Game of Shadows, but has vacated the chair for a potential third film. Hot from Elton John biopic Rocketman, British director Dexter Fletcher will replace him and has noted the inevitability that his sequel will be different to Ritchie's interpretation of the franchise.

Delays have been happening in the screenplay department for Sherlock Holmes 3. Chris Brancato is the latest writer hired to pen a script, after original's screenwriters Drew Pearce and James Coyne each turned in inadequate drafts of their own. Law has stated he and the filmmakers want the film to "be better" than the predecessors, so are understandably cautious about releasing a less-than brilliant "threequel." As the Sherlock Holmes 3 cast gears up, there's still time to perfect everything before its December 2021 release.

6.  Avatar 2 -- If anyone can believe it, Avatar was released more than a decade ago in 2009. Even before the movie's billion-dollar success, James Cameron had a rich vision and universe all laid out, which multiple sequels designed for him to draw from. Initially, Cameron envisioned Pandora and its surrounding worlds to be explored in a total of three sequels, with Avatar 2 finally releasing in December... of 2014.

Cut to seven years and multiple delays later, and there's not been a poster, trailer or much public interest to maintain faith in the continuation of the Na'vi story. But Cameron has evidently been working very hard. Development on the  Avatar sequels, although exhaustively drawn out, has never officially halted; Cameron has blamed an "involved writing process" for the Avatar sequels' setbacks, and even has hired some much-needed help in the form of four additional screenwriters, including Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver.

Always the pioneer, Cameron has also focused his efforts on helping the motion capture and 3D technology that made the original film so ground-breaking, although will not use the controversial HFR. Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver and Stephen Lang will be back on Pandora on December 17th, 2021.

7.  Indiana Jones -- After the release of 2008's Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull , Harrison Ford said that he'd love to do Indiana Jones 5 , if it didn't take "another 20 years" to be released. Well, half of that time has passed, and the quickest the sequel will be released is likely 2021.

Similar to Avatar, Indy 5's mid-2010s release date was replaced by a blowing tumbleweed. In the 12 long years since Crystal Skull, and some back and forth over the sequel's script, director Steven Spielberg has ultimately left the project. This is and isn't surprising. His mixed feelings about the fourth film seemingly indicated that he wanted to close off the series with a more satisfactory story, but his commitment to various projects over the past decade strongly suggested he was dragging his feet on helming the film.

Ford has always been game to return, and Spielberg is expected to join Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall in a Producer capability. There is no word that David Koepp's script is finalised, but production is clearly moving along, as evidenced by Lucasfilm's hasty recruitment of Logan director, James Mangold. Ford himself expects to start shooting Indy 5  in two months.

It's known that the film will not kill off Indy, nor will it integrate Shia LaBeouf's Mutt Williams; however it remains a mystery what Indy's quest will be. Ford has been deliberately vague, only hinting at where the character will go, promising a "resolve" to Indy's story. Given Ford's age and that the series was intended as five films, it's only natural that everything concludes here -- although the ever-eager Disney will inevitably pursue the reboot path in due time. Director and script troubles notwithstanding, Indiana Jones 5 will likely join the other development hell movies to be released in 2021.

[bluesdoodles]

Tuesday Blues day, and I was out to see Erja Lyytinen from Helsinki playing at the Borderline. I was very excited for one reason, I have never seen her play live. She’s a household name within the Scandinavian Blues scene and supported such names like Walter Trout, Carlos Santana or John Mayall. With her brand new single and the latest album “Stolen Hearts” at Tuohi Records in her suitcase, she travelled to London to kick off the European tour 2018/2019 at the Borderline on Tuesday 6th. The gig would have been a great opportunity for another live album like “Live in London” from 2015. The atmosphere was thrilling and her fans were in anticipation of her arrival. I was curious about Erja and her music and definitely in need for some serious Blues-rock. The evening started very promising with the fantastic guitar driven “Lovers Novel” and I knew I wouldn’t be disappointed at all. I really enjoyed it right from the beginning. I do love blues-rock and especially when it starts with a dramatic guitar solo. “Black Ocean” was next with its brightening beat in a perfect combination between Erja’s dark and jamming voice and the rhythm section of bass and drums. It felt like the natural beating flow of a heart. The sound of her guitar is unique and if this rhythm is not getting you then, I am very sorry, you truly have no blood but sheer water in your veins. After “Everything’s Fine” came “Another World” the brand new single which was released on October 5th (listen below) and the audience liked it a lot. The mixture of the clear guitar sound and the dusky, down to earth lyrics merged wonderfully and truly felt nurtured, like the song said, and filled you up with a more calm and peaceful state of mind. “Slowly burns! …“ can you feel my pain” Erja asked the crowd and then started bringing down her improvisation. “Stolen Hearts” the title track from her latest album and it is made to sing along. I still have the melody in my head so I can be delighted that my next working week will be lifted up by Erja and her music. And when have you last been at a solid Blues gig and witnessed enthusiast’s headbanging to the blues? All the cats who made it down to the Borderline on Tuesday had huge fun and a good time with the fantastic music.

So the Blues is coming back free and easy in style with a new generation of both musicians and fans. What came next was made for me, yes! “Do you like Sun House?” “Do you like Muddy Waters… what about Robert Johnson?” She called it Erja’s Delta mix and it was a superb little set of Delta Blues improvisations of Sun House, Muddy Waters, Robert Johnson and I don’t know what it is, but the sliding guitar sound goes down like Whiskey and it always gets me and my fellow audience colleagues too! For my point I can only say Finnish Delta Blues is alive and rocks the fjords. .. “and how about this girl from Helsinki?” In this sense, I have absolutely nothing against a takeover. What I enjoyed most was the eclectic improvisations with their natural flowing sound as if she was talking with her guitar. You listened to the solos starting and felt what it was about. This is how music should be! Feeling instead of reasoning is much more important and the harvest is coming into the soul through the music you’re listening to.

The cherry on top of the huge Ice cream for me and for all who were there was a real treat; Jimi Hendrix Crosstown Traffic! I love Jimi’s music and I am always happy when I hear a song like “All Along The Watchtower” or “Crosstown Traffic”. I remember sitting at home as a child and listening to this song for the first time… Most of all this memory is leaving a big smile on my face. I am sure he was looking down on us as well and smiled too. If you missed it there is another chance to see Erja again in London and that is on the 26th March 2019. A very big announcement was made on stage that night! Erja is going to record another album in 2019 and you all can take part make it happen by joining the crowdfunding campaign which will be starting soon. The fans at the Borderline were very enthusiastic. And isn’t it great to be able to help another album come to life with fantastic bluesy, rocky songs from one of Scandinavia’s most prominent Blues-rock guitarists? By doing so you are helping an award-winning artist capture her sound for you to listen again and again. I know where I am on the 26th of March 2019. I hope to see you there too.

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Listen to Another World – A Taster of what is to come in 2019 from Erja Lyytinen

MARCH 2019 UK TOUR TICKETS: SOLID ENTERTAINMENTS BOX OFFICE: 01472 349 222 NEW ALBUM COMING IN 2019 BAND LINE-UP:

ERJA LYYTINEN – VOCALS / GUITAR JUHA KUOPPALA – KEYBOARDS TATU BACK – BASS IIRO LAITINEN – DRUMS

Book Tickets at Solid Entertainments Box Office (no booking fee): 01472 349 222 (Mon-Fri: 9am-5pm)

Brighton, Komedia – Monday 18th March 2019

Bridport, Electric Palace – Tuesday 19th March 2019

Milton Keynes, The Stables – Wednesday 20th March 2019

Sheffield, The Greystones – Thursday 21st March 2019

Scarborough, Blues Festival – Friday 22nd March 2019

Glasgow, Nice ‘N’ Sleazy – Saturday 23rd March 2019

Kinross, The Green Hotel – Sunday 24th March 2019

London, 100 Club – Tuesday 26th March 2019

Oxford, The Bullingdon – Wednesday 27th March 2019

Birmingham, Hare And Hounds – Thursday 28th March 2019

Southport, The Atkinson – Friday 29th March 2019

Bromsgrove, The Artrix – Saturday 30th March 2019

Meta Erja Lyytinen Blue Guitar Live at the Borderline as part of her short 2018 visit to UK. Back in the UK 2019 with a new Album the first track watch it here

Erja Lyytinen Blue Guitar Live at the Borderline Tuesday Blues day, and I was out to see Erja Lyytinen from Helsinki playing at the…