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theassthatquits · 3 years

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The Plane of Celebrations Ch 3: A Lesson in Empathy

The third chapter is posted! You can read the first two here.

Summary: After the events of the Day of Sacrifice, the crew attempts to prepare themselves for the next holiday: The Day of Humility (A lesson in Empathy). Barry and Lup visit a temple.

“Okay, so according to this book on this plane’s celebrations, it seems like the next one is the Day of Humility: A Lesson in Empathy,” Barry was thumbing through the text, trying to figure out what their year here was going to look like.

“And? What does that mean for us? I can’t go another day without my sense of taste, I’ll just knock myself out for the rest of the day,” Taako called out from the other side of the room.

The crew was congregated in their common room, Barry was sitting on the couch with Lup draped over its back, reading over his shoulder. Davenport was standing in front of him at attention, ever the professional. Taako was leaning against the doorframe pretending to look uninterested but Lup could tell he was pretty apprehensive about what the next “holiday” would entail. Ever since the Day of Sacrifice, Lucrecia and Magnus had doubled down on what they lost. She had been writing more than ever and was currently taking detailed notes during their meeting. Magnus was pacing around the room lifting dumbbells that he had acquired from...somewhere.

“I can teach these people a lesson on empathy, they’ll never know what hit them,” muttered Merle from the floor where he was sitting cross legged. “I think they need a taste of Pan.”

“Something tells me that bringing Pan into this world isn’t going to fix anything, old man,” Lup teased from behind Barry’s ear. He shivered involuntarily.

Barry read out loud from the textbook: “‘The Goddess Eies had noticed that everyone was too harsh and judgmental of their neighbors, not caring what others had going on in their lives. To solve this issue, she made every head of household swap with another. For the full day, they had to live in another family’s shoes, doing what they do on a daily basis, experiencing their struggles, their joys. At sunset, she brought everyone together in the center of town for a community feast.’”

“Okay so we swap Davenport with someone for a day and then go to a delicious feast? Psh, this will be easy,” Taako scoffed from the doorway and turned to leave, waving behind him. “Taako out.”

“Hmm, I guess we can prepare for this at least.” Davenport started staring off into the distance, stroking his beard. “Do we have any idea when this is going to happen?”

Barry started flipping through the pages, running his finger along down the paragraphs. “Uhhhhh, no clue. It doesn’t really give a timeline.”

“Ooh! I have an idea!!” Lup leaped up and started prancing around the room. “How about we head into town and start asking around. They must have some idea of when this fantasy freaky Friday will take place.”

“Hmm...I suppose that isn’t the worst idea.”

This was all the permission Lup needed. Squealing, she ran over and enveloped him in a large hug. “Thanks cap’n! Hey, Taako! Get your fancy shoes on! We’re going out!” Lup jumped up and ran down the hall after her brother.

Sighing, Davenport turned to Magnus. “Will you go with them? Just to make sure there’s no...trouble?”

Magnus smiled and pointed one of the dumbbells at him. “You got it, cap’n’port!”

——

Barry sat in the lab, engrossed in the book, making notes all over the pages trying to prepare for the holiday ahead. Was it a magical switch? Would the captain wake up inside someone else’s body? Or would they receive word of where he should go? Would it even be Davenport that was chosen? He had just assumed because he was the leader of the group, but maybe it was more of a metaphorical head of household, someone who held them all together. That would probably be Lup if it were. Barry frowned at that idea, he wasn’t so keen on the thought of Lup switching places with a random person for a day. Maybe it wouldn’t affect them at all, they were all just assuming it would because of the last holiday. It’s good to be prepared regardless, he decided.

“Hey, there’s a whole world out there that can tell you all of that information, you know.”

Barry smiled. “Well if I’m out there winning the world with my charm, what will you do?”

“Hmmm,” Lup walked into the lab, settling herself down on the couch in the corner. “I guess hide here in the lab like the nerd I secretly am.”

“Gather anything good?”

“Oh, loads! So it’s going to take place sometime next week, it’s apparently always around the first week of the sixth month. And it happens magically, like Davenport is going to wake up in someone else’s bed on that day.”

“Yeah but will he be in that person’s body or his own?”

“His own! Isn’t that incredible? The kind of magic needed to just instantly transport all of those people, that’s…god-like.”

“Well, I’m pretty sure the forces behind all of this are gods. That is a whole lot of power that they would need for something like that…” Barry trailed off and Lup turned to look at him.

“What are you thinking about?” She said after a moment. “Barry, that’s your very intense thinking face. Did you get an idea?”

Barry snapped out of his reverie. “Oh! Sorry, Lup.” He furiously scribbled some notes down. “Yeah, something did just occur to me. Has anyone talked about these gods? If they have met them or anything?”

“I think a few have mentioned them by name but I haven’t heard of anyone being visited by them since the first time these events took place. I did see a few temples around town, did you want to go check them out?”

He paused, staring down at his writing. “Yeah, I think that might be a good idea.”

—-

Lup and Barry walked across town, over to the Temple of Eies. They walked past people preparing for the holiday, setting up tables and centerpieces, passing around sign-up sheets for food and entertainment, the temple itself was being adorned with flowers and letters written to the Goddess. Everyone was in high spirits, despite knowing that any day now a random person would magically wake up in their house.

This was not the first time that they had travelled into town, but Barry did not recognize many of the faces, he had really only just been to the library. Lup on the other hand was already on a first name basis with quite a few people. It seemed like no matter where they went someone was yelling over to them, or giving her a high five as they passed. One man was particularly enthusiastic about the high five and she swerved him, laughing as she walked past.

“He’s kind of a dick,” she whispered to Barry. “Told Taako his outfit looked stupid and no one messes with my boy like that.”

The temple was abuzz with activity and Barry almost suggested they turn around until they noticed that they were actively being welcomed inside. It was small, a statue of what he could only assume was Eies was at the front, a tall winged woman with her hands on the heads of two small children on either side of her. Fresh flowers were strewn around her feet, providing some color in an otherwise very gray space. A couple of benches were placed nearby and some columns lined the walls but other than that it was a pretty boring space. Not one that is immediately thought of for a Goddess of immense power.

“Can I help you fine folks with something?”

The small voice startled Barry and he turned around to find a halfling looking up at them.

“Yeah, actually. Are you in charge here?”

They chuckled at that, “Is anyone really in charge of anything? The Deities are the ones who are in charge, we just act in their vision. But yes, I am a devout follower of Eies and the keeper of this temple. What can I help you with?”

“Uh, we were hoping that we could ask you some questions about the upcoming holiday and the Deities.”

“Oh of course! I thought you were going to ask me for something difficult, this is an easy one. Come, come, let’s go sit and have a chat.” They led Lup and Barry towards the front of the temple to one of the benches nearby the statue. “My name is Sadorn, you two must be part of the group that are staying in that large metal thing right outside town.”

“Yes, this is Barry and I’m Lup. We haven’t been here for very long, we arrived a couple of days before the Day of Sacrifice.”

“You must have had quite a scare if that was your first venture into our celebrations!”

“Yes, it was…” Lup grimaced. “Unpleasant.”

“I’m sure but it is the work of the Deities! They know all, and we must trust them. Now what are your questions?”

“I’m curious about the nature of the Deities,” Barry started off. “Where did they come from and how do they know ‘all’?”

“Well, my dear, the Deities came from the sky! They had been watching us for a long time and couldn’t bear to see us miserable anymore. You’ve heard the stories, haven’t you?”

“Yes, I do have a book I have been reading, but it doesn’t give much in the way of specifics.”

“What kind of specifics are you looking for?”

“Like...has anyone alive spoken to a Deity?”

“Oh, no, the Deities left us a long time ago. They still watch us from above and will interfere again if needed.”

“How would one get into contact with a Deity?”

Sadorn motions to the letters left at Eies’s feet. “Write a letter, leave it at her feet. She will answer.”

“How does she answer? A note back? Some telepathy, perhaps?”

“Dear heavens, no,” Sadorn laughs as if this was the best joke they had heard in awhile. “The Gods don’t write notes.”

“Then how will we know?”

“Trust, my dear. The world will speak to you.”

Barry, a man of science, was not thrilled with this response.

“Okay, this has been...an interesting talk. Thank you for your time, Sadorn.”

“You’re very welcome, and please let me know if you need anything else. Have a great rest of your day and a safe holiday.”

Lup smiled warmly at them. “Thank you for talking with us, Sadorn. We will see you at the festival.” After Sadorn left, she turned to Barry. “Well, not the most reliable of sources but maybe we should give it a shot. Do you have any paper?”

The only thing on him was the book on celebrations he had been reading, so he flipped to the back of the book and ripped out the title page for the second chapter.

“What are you writing?”

“Well, they say that the Deities know all and they obviously have incredible power to pull off the things that they do. I’m going to warn them about the Hunger. And ask them for their help. If they really do have that kind of knowledge, then they should know that we aren’t from this plane and maybe they will know what to do.”

“I guess it doesn’t hurt to ask.” Barry pauses while writing, looking puzzled down at the paper. “What’s wrong?”

“How do I end a letter to a deity? Should I sign it with love?”

“Nah, man. Sign it something cool. We should come up with a name for our crew….ooh! I got it! How about the Hunger Blasters!”

Barry’s brow furrows, “I don’t know, sounds kind of dirty.”

Lup slaps him on the back in celebration. “Then it’s perfect! Sign it and let’s go!”

Sighing, Barry signed ‘Hunger Blasters’ at the bottom of the letter and then underneath in smaller print ‘(Sildar Hallwinter and friends)’. Probably best to be formal with a Goddess.

#blupjeans #barry bluejeans #taz #taz balance #taz balance spoilers #the stolen century #lup taako #Lup #barry bluejeans my beloved #the plane of celebrations

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yoshimickster · 5 years

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WELCOME TO THE ANGST ZONE-RWBY Volume 6x02 “Uncovered” Micksterecap(Rwby volume 6 spoilers)

HEY EVERBAH-happy Saturday-WELCOME BACK TO MICKSTERECAP! I’m sure this episode will start out with something completely norma-

HOLY SHIT-Cinder’s corpse! OOOOOOOOOOOOR IS IT?!

1:49 HUZZAH-she’s alive-OR IS SHE?! I ask because I’m live-blogging here, FRESH reactions today!

But seriously, TURNS OUT-this isn’t a dream sequence and she IS still alive...for NOOOOOOW! Cinder than punches her way out of the cave using what LITTLE strength she had left after her Avatar battle with Raven “Mother of the Year” Branwen, and upon escaping-SHE MEETS-

2:57 SOME RANDOM LADY WITH FOOD! Man THAT was convenient eh Cinder? Will she beg for food, or just murder her and take the basket-LET’S FIND OU-

3:11 We need to take the relic to Atlas?

GAH-I forgot this show had multiple plotlines-CURSE YOU SHOW I LOVE!

AW NEAT-a pointless flashback, taking place in that house that they...rented? Or did Qrow or the school own it? They never explained WHOSE house that was and it will always always ALWAYS bug me despite it never mattering in terms of plot.

BUT-said flashback ALSO features Weiss’ initial response to going back to Atlas!

3:20

“You’ve GOT to be joking”.

I feel for ya Weiss, escape your shit dad in Atlas, pay a plane to leave, get attacked by bees, get kidnapped by one of your possible love-interest’s moms, go to a school, fight bad guys, get IMPALED, get healed by ANOTHER of your possible love-interest( I said POSSIBLE, don’t hate me) ONLY to learn your going back to the place you escaped! MAN-how she don’t have whiplash from that I don’t know HOW she wouldn’t!

They also bring up a nice secondary reason for bringing the relic to Atlas that I admittedly didn’t think of-

3:33

Qrow: Without the Spring Maiden here to seal the relic back in its vault, its our best option.

Yang: And I just want to say its NO-ONE’S FAULT for not having Raven seal the vault back up after verbally decimating her for years of neglect.

Ruby: Yang its cool, you needed a cry.

3:50 We ALSO LEARN why their going to Argus in the first place, its the last Atlas military installation that still has soldiers...and considering Adam MOST PROBABLY hijacked the train to Argus they BEST get to steppin’ after this flashback is done!

Through that they figure through either asking nicely, or telling them they found one of three of Jacques Schnee’s abuse victims that they could get to Atlas. After they set up the low-down, Jaune asks Oz-

4:38

Jaune: Speaking of, what does it(the relic) do, exactly?

Oz: HAHA-definitely doesn’t attract monsters-DEFINITELY not!

But seriously, turns out it can answer ANY three questions(GEEEEEEEEEEEEEEENIE) once every 100 years about the present or past. NORA of course geeks out about it-

5:29

Nora: CAN WE ASK FOR MORE QUESTIONS?! CAN WE ASK WHY ME AND REN HAVEN’T KISSED ON SCREEN YET?!

Ruby: Yeah what’s up with that, y’all are CLEARLY a couple!

Ren: I’m as confused as you are.

SADLY THOUGH-the magical knowledge genie can’t answer ANY of our deepest ship questions as it turns out they were all used up before it was sealed-OR WERE THEY?! Seriously I’m legit wondering, for all we know Oz is lying.

5:40 Ruby: Well, we’ll be sure to keep it safe.

Yang: GIMME THAT STUPID LAMP-I’ma SMASH IT!

Ruby: Isn’t that more Nora’s thing?

Yang: I DON’T CARE I’M JUST PISSED AT OUR STUPID PRINCIPAL IN A FARMBOY’S BODY!

But seriously everyone is LOGICALLY pissed off about the current run of events, half their party is gone, Yang’s gonna push her motorcycle she should’ve left at home through snow-

6:11 -and they now have ANOTHER mysterious mystic old person who REEKS of mysterious mysticism...AAAAAAAAAAND THE PROOOOOOOOOOOOOM IS TOMOOOOOOOOOOOORROW! Remember that joke? Practically dissapeared.

LOGICALLY pissed off at Ozpin for LYING about how the ancient relic of ultimate destiny attracted murderous chimera after them, and I’m sure he won’t pull some bull-shit line like-

6:47

Ozpin: I did not lie to you.

PFFT-look at Maria’s face here, her bullshit detectory is on POINT! Because not informing them of the dangerous GRIMM MAGNET wasn’t a half-truth. Can we get a wizard who DOESN’T give the main heroes the run-around with their bullshit for a change, CAN WE PLEASE?!

Oz than explains that the reason he held the truth is because he wanted to save them from anxiety and negativity, AS WELL as that being the reason for why he had it so Lionheart wasn’t revealed to be a traitor after his death, in what KINDA sounds like a villain speech, even going as far as saying “The people of Remnant deserve more than the truth”, (because THAT line is never condescending) as WELL as saying he’s been betrayed so many times he’s straight up used to it.

Oz than puts it all to a head when he asks where the relic is and TURNS OUT-

8:32 RUBY HAS IT! Way to stay on task girl, especially in quite possibly the most STRESSFUL year of your LIFE! Remember the silly school dance? I miss that.

Ruby than LOGICALLY calls him out for saying he had so much faith in humanity in these years when the opposite is true. Its also a good thing that he didn’t lie about the relic not being able to ask questi-

9:10

Oscar:HURRY...he’s trying...to stop you...he’s afraid you’ll find out...what he’s hiding!

...well that’s ominous but as long as it turns out the relic still can’t work I say its o-

9:31

Oscar: Her name...is Djinn...say her name to summon her.

...well that’s good to know but AS OZPIN SAID-the relic TOTALLY doesn’t work so saying it won’t do ANYTHI-

Ruby:...Djinn?

9:45 ...OKAY-time just happened to freeze, I’M SURE NOTHING ELSE OZPIN MURDERINGLY MAGICAL HAPPE-

10:33 Djinn: Wonderful!

...OKAY-so there was a genie in it that every single person on planet Earth saw coming, but SURELY it still can’t answer 3 questi-

10:40 Tell me, what knowledge do you seek?

SON OF A BITCH OZPIN-not ONLY did you lie about the lamp housing a genie whose PRIME waifu material, but ALSO lied about the questions being used up! Because just saying “Don’t use the relic to ask questions” would be SO hard you dis-trustworthy ass old man!

Well surely the next thing to happen is Team RWBYOMQ asking how to best murder Ozpi-

10:47 ...or cut to a random dirty ass alley, because the writers like to TORTURE us!

10:55 DAMN-Cinder, you even stole the bitch’s CLOTHES! What are you, the Terminator?!

Cinder walks through the rainy ass street of scum and villainy-UNTIL SHE SEES-

11:37 RANDOM SPIDER-MAN GRAFFITI! Didn’t know Remnant had such a Marvel fan-base, NEAT!

But seriously, it turns out to be the INSIGNIA OF-

PURPLE CLAD GANGSTERS! I gotta assume they are like, REALLY good criminals becasue DEAR GOD do her two guards look silly, LOOK AT THEIR SCARFS!

Cinder than bribes her for information-

Cinder: You’re little Miss Malachite?

Malachite: Is that a fat joke or color joke? Because I’ve TRIED changing my name to Violet, but UGH the system.

She then tells Spiderlady that she’s looking for team RWBYJNR by SHOWING HER-

12:35 SEASON THREE SCREEN SHOTS! ALSO-yes those are all from the Vytal festival, for some reason I thought the JNPR pics were from the placement exam. And now we wait for the Pyrrha fans to be mad she was cropped out!

AFTER Little Miss Malachite(Her name should STILL be Violet dammit, or maybe Amethyst) gives a spooky spider speech, she tells Cinder she’ll find the team in a few days-BUT IT TURNS OUT-

13:34

Chaps: Little Miss, we all ready know where they are.

Little Miss: Oh really, we do? Why don’t you say it louder SO THE MYSTERIOUS MURDER LADY WE DON’T KNOW CAN HEAR YOU?!

Cinder: What was that?

Little Miss: Nothin’ sweetie, just makin’ creepy spider metaphors!

A THEN CUT BACK TO-

13:55 MARIA-adjusting her broken ass cyborg eyes to double-check if she’s not looking at a floating Navii from Avatar.

And WOULDN’T YA KNOW IT-turns out Djinn can still answer TWO more questions this era! ALSO-

14:25

Djinn: A-heh, its a pleasure to see you again old man.

AND-she’s met Oz before, PROBABLY since he asked the first question.

Ozpin pleads Ruby not to ask Djinn a question, which prompts Qrow to ask-

Qrow: Hey-

Weiss: WANNA DIE OLD MAN?!

Qrow: GAH-I was just gonna tell Ruby to do what she felt was right!

Yang: Well excuuuuuuuuuuuuuuse us if we can’t trust OLD PEOPLE RIGHT NOW!

Ruby than asks Djinn what is Ozpin hiding from them WHICH CAUSES OZPIN-

14:56 ...to...attempt to tag her...slap her...push her-WHAT WERE YOU ATTEMPTING TO DO TO MY DAUGHTER YOU WEIRD OLD MAN?!

BUT-before Ozpin can commit attempted assault and/or attempted game of tag-TEAM RWBYQOM-

A FREAKY ASS VOID-that turns INTO-

“Once upon a time, there stood a lonely tower”-

ALSO-

Blake turns into Qrow because...genies? BUT ENOUGH ABOUT THAT-

“-that sheltered a lonely girl...named-

“-Salem”.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH SHIT-Salem used to look NORMAL ONCE! BACKSTORY MOTHER FUCKEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEERS!

AND THAT’S SEASON SIX EP TWO-following the classic RWBY formula of exposition episode after action episode and I gotta say we learned...A LOT! FOR ONE-Ozpin pulls a full Rose Quartz in revealing he’s not the ethical leader we all thought he was, AS WELL as showing he has a secret connection TO Salem, implying...A BILLION possible things that I won’t put here because this is a recap blog and not a theory blog perse. HOO BOY-what a cliffhanger, NEXT WEEK-backstory time baby! SEE YOU NEXT WEEK on MICKSTERECAP!

If you like what you read, donate to my paypal here, or my Kofi page here. I put the link for my Paypal and Kofi here as I have JUST now realized the paypal link is under the search bar on my Tumblr homepage and is impossible to click so THERE ya go!

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myautowallpaper · 2 years

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vacationsoup · 5 years

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New Post has been published on https://vacationsoup.com/epcot-festival-of-the-arts/

Epcot Festival of the Arts - 39 Days of Artful Fun

Epcot International Festival of the Arts is on for 39 days from January 18th to February 25th 2019. There's more live music than ever before, along with fresh tastes to savor and new artwork to admire and bring home.

New this year, the Disney on Broadway Concert Series expands to seven days a week during the Festival of the Arts. More opportunities than ever before to bask in live Disney magic.

Each week, different pairs of Disney on Broadway stars take the America Gardens Theatre stage. They showcase favorite songs from award-winning Disney on Broadway productions.

The lineup rotates regularly, featuring music from shows such as “The Lion King,” “Frozen” and “Beauty and the Beast.”

Festival of the Arts Performers this year include:

Kerry Butler (“Beauty and the Beast”) and Kevin Massey (“Tarzan”)

Meredith Inglesby (“The Little Mermaid”) and Steve Blanchard (“Beauty and the Beast”)

Arielle Jacobs and Adam Jacobs (“Aladdin”)

Heidi Blickenstaff (“Freaky Friday”) and Gavin Lee (“Mary Poppins”)

Ashley Brown (“Mary Poppins”) and Josh Strickland (“Tarzan”)

Kissy Simmons and Alton Fitzgerald White (“The Lion King”)

Showtimes are 5:30, 6:45 and 8 p.m. nightly.

The Disney on Broadway Concert Series Dining Package is available at participating Epcot restaurants and guarantees show seating; package bookings open Nov. 8, 2018, at Disneyworld.com. Reservations can also be made by calling (407) WDW-DINE.

Epcot Festival of the Arts Food Studios

In addition to the concert series, the Epcot International Festival of the Arts features 13 Food Studios, plus additional creative food and beverage offerings around Epcot.

There's a whole new expanded selection of delicious new tastes to savor:

The Artist’s Table will feature beef wellington with mushroom bordelaise, fennel cream and roasted baby vegetables

Smoked salmon and cream gâteau with egg yolk cream, paddlefish caviar and micro-herbs is sure to be a new favorite at The Painter’s Palate

Pop Eats! will serve up almond frangipane cake with raspberry and chocolate

Red wine-braised short rib with parsnip purée, broccolini, baby tomatoes and aged balsamic will be available at Cuisine Classique

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Epcot Festival of the Arts Artwork

Art collectors and Disney enthusiasts alike will find artwork for sale throughout Epcot, from the Art of Disney store to Festival Markets. In addition, special merchandise will be available at Mouse Gear and other Epcot locations featuring the festival’s logo adorning shirts, mugs, totes and other charming items.

Family Events

The 2019 event provides fun every day for the whole family, including mesmerizing performance art, complimentary seminars, hands-on activities and much more:

World Showcase Plaza: Everyone’s invited to grab a paintbrush and help create a wall mural.

Artful Photo Opportunity: All ages will have the opportunity to literally step inside works of art and take fun photos, such as the “Washington Crossing the Delaware”.

Paint with a Disney Artist program invites guests to learn under the tutelage of a professional (offered select Fridays and Sundays, including continental breakfast, for an additional fee).

Workshops: A variety of workshops led by professionals will teach different artistic techniques. Learn floral design, ink and paint, mixed-media art and more. Offered Friday-Monday for an additional fee. As a memento of what they learned, guests will take their creations home with them.

Seminars: Complimentary 30-minute seminars will give guests helpful instruction for producing their own artwork at home.

Meet Artists: More than 50 visiting artists participating in the festival will be available to meet with guests and share insights on their work.

Disney artists’ work will be exhibited across Epcot.

Performing Arts: Gravity-defying feats of strength, acrobatics and many performing artists are scheduled throughout the festival.

Music: International musical and variety acts will share their talents with guests, including the return of Bodh’aktan to the Canada stage and Delta Q, a new group performing in Germany.

Masters Scavenger Hunt: Join in the fun of Figment’s Brush with the Masters Scavenger Hunt by purchasing a map at select merchandise locations.

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#ArtfulEpcot #FreshEpcot #TasteEpcot #Epcot Festivals

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rolandfontana · 5 years

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The Man Who Murdered the Sixties

It’s been a half-century since Charles Manson and his loopy minions conspired to commit a series of murders that still fascinate and flabbergast the world.

Manson, who died in prison in 2017, would savor the attention he continues to attract, including in this summer’s Quentin Tarantino film (“Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood”) and several new books, including my own.

In March 1967, at age 32, Manson was a fresh federal parolee who stumbled into San Francisco as American ingenues in peasant dresses and bellbottoms—runaways, hitchhikers, and lost souls—were streaming in for the Summer of Love. His timing was impeccable. The patchouli-scented sexual revolution created a perfect petri dish for his predation.

Using prison-honed talents as a con man and middling skills as a guitarist and singer-songwriter, Manson soon began building a cult of as many as 35 young hippies, three-quarters of them women.

He would spin campfire lectures for his stoner clan featuring Psych 101 dogma about projection and reflection. He basted their brains in a mix of Jesus Freakiness, Dale Carnegie hucksterisms, Norman Vincent Peale’s sunny-sided platitudes (“You are perfect!”), and the buggy self-help triangulations and “dynamics” of his prison-library Scientology.

Charles Manson. courtesy Oxygen

They believed he was a godly mystic.

The writer David Dalton nailed Manson in eight words: “if Christ came back as a con man.” Joe Mozingo of The Los Angeles Times said, “He was a scab mite who bit at the perfect time and place.”

Using the playbook of pimps and cult patriarchs, he isolated troubled young women from their past lives and controlled their bodies and minds. He was the Wizard of Oz for libertines, and he as much as told them so.

Susan Atkins, who became one of Manson’s most prolific killers, said Manson often mocked his own followers’ blind faith.’

“He said, ‘I have tricked you into doing what I want you to…It’s like I’ve got a bunch of slaves around me,” she told a grand jury in December 1969, after her arrest.

The Enigma of Charles Manson

Manson was an enigma on many levels.

The “Manson Women” Photo courtesy Oxygen

He was a racist and sexist imbued with the old-timey sensibilities of an Appalachian upbringing. He preached female subservience and racial segregation, and his young followers lapped it up in the midst of a flowering civil rights movement and on the cusp of modern women’s liberation.

Many were willing to kill for nothing more than Manson’s validation.

“You can convince anybody of anything if you just push it at them all of the time,” Manson once said, “…especially if they have no other information to draw their opinions from.”

Just 29 months after Manson began assembling his naifs into a communal Family, these “heartless, bloodthirsty robots…sent out from the fires of hell,” as a prosecutor would describe them, carried out a series of proving-ground murders in Los Angeles over four weeks in the summer of ‘69 that still has a place of prominence in America’s storied pantheon of crime spectacles.

The primary motive was money to allow the Family to finance a retreat to California’s Death Valley to ride out the race war that Manson predicted was coming.

The first victim, the Family’s good friend Gary Hinman, was Killed on July 27. Two weeks later, on Aug. 9 and 10, Manson followers killed the pregnant actress Sharon Tate, coffee heiress Abigail Folger, Leno and Rosemary LaBianca, and five others in acts of casual savagery that remain a peerless mashup of celebrity, sex, cult groupthink, and bloodlust.

Police outside 10050 Cielo Drive in Hollywood where the blood-splattered bodies of Sharon Tate and her four friends were found. Photo by George via Flickr

“It had to be done,” one of the killers, Leslie Van Houten, explained after her arrest. “For the whole world’s karma to be completed, we had to do this.”

Writer Dalton, who covered Manson for Rolling Stone, called him “the perfect storm” for 1969.

“It was the conflation of mystical thinking, radical politics, drugs, and all these runaway kids fused together,” Dalton told me.

“The world seemed to be in death spiral of violence, and we thought the whole hippie riot was about to begin to save use all. We were going to take over and everything would be cool. In fact, the opposite was happening, embodied by Charlie Manson.”

The implausible Manson story cannot be separated from the context of its era, as some Americans were asking essential questions about what their country ought to be.

The half-decade of 1965 to 1970 saw ghetto riots, the emergence of a vibrant new psychedelic culture, shocking political murders, riveting space exploration, escalation of the war in Vietnam, and burgeoning protests of the same.

Two months alone in the summer of 1969 brought an extraordinary series of events. On June 28, a police morals-squad raid on the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in New York’s Greenwich Village, touched off three days of rioting—and ignited the gay rights movement. On July 18, Ted Kennedy, surviving male heir to the American political tragi-dynasty, fled the scene of a fatal car wreck on Chappaquiddick Island, Mass. On July 20, the world watched on TV as Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin took their stiff, bouncing strolls through moondust.

Among the viewers was a small group of friends and kin gathered at the home of Sharon Tate. Twenty days later, on Aug. 9—50 years ago today—four members of the same group would be savagely murdered by Manson’s second kill team. A week after that, more than 400,000 peopled endured organizational bedlam to attend the Woodstock Festival, 100 miles north of New York City. That same weekend, Hurricane Camille pounded ashore on the Gulf Coast, east of New Orleans at Pass Christian, Miss., killing 256 people.

The Sixties created Manson, and his crimes were an exclamation point to a turbulent decade.

A ‘Child of the ‘30s’

But as he liked to say, “I am a child of the ’30s, not the ’60s.”

He was born to a prostitute mother and drive-by father in 1934 and raised by relatives in Kentucky, Ohio and West Virginia coal country. He became a chronic juvenile delinquent who flailed his way through a Dickensian childhood. A tiny boy who grew into an elfin but sinewy man, he was locked up in reform school, jail or prison for all but a few years of his life from age 13 to the grave.

He spoke or wrote a million words about his life and crimes—in court, in letters, in media interviews. He bleated many excuses for his wasted life, almost always beginning with a lack of parenting and proper education.

Manson often played crazy, but that was a studied tactic. As Vincent Bugliosi, his prosecutor and biographer, told Time magazine before he died in 2015.

“His moral values were completely twisted and warped, but let’s not confuse that with insanity. He was crazy in the way that Hitler was crazy…So he’s not crazy. He’s an evil, sophisticated con man.”

Manson preached a homespun version of liberation theology—the freedom to be you. But a switch was flipped in the fall of 1968, when the Beatles released their White Album.

Manson convinced his followers that the world’s most famous band was sending him direct messages in the lyrics, including those of “Helter Skelter.” He imagined that Paul McCartney’s song presaged a race war that would induce the Family to retreat to a desert hideout, then emerge heroically and install Manson as a world leader and master breeder.

Manson recast his horny young stoners into a classic apocalyptic cult, prepping for end times. Growing impatient for the race war, Manson decided to “show blackie how to do it” by committing a series of murders and leaving clues meant to implicate the Black Panthers, that era’s subject of America’s ever-changing moral panic.

The starry-eyed plan was a failure on every level.

Before Manson “got on his “Helter Skelter” trip,” according to Paul Watkins, another follower, “it was all about fucking.”

Five former members of the Family, all senior citizens now, are still imprisoned, 50 years along: Leslie Van Houten, Patricia Krenwinkel, Charles Watson, Bobby Beausoleil and Bruce Davis.

Manson follower Lynette “Squeaky” Fromme was imprisoned for the attempted assassination of President Gerald Ford. Photo via YouTube

Many others have died, including Watkins and Susan Atkins.

Most renounced Manson long ago, although Lynette (Squeaky) Fromme, an early acolyte who served 34 years in prison for a 1975 assassination attempt on President Gerald Ford, self-published an autobiography last year that was largely dedicated to minimizing Manson’s culpability.

Atkins, who once seemed to enjoy her public profile as an illustrious sexpot murderess, had a personal reckoning before her death from brain cancer in 2009.

“In hindsight,” Atkins wrote in her memoir, “I’ve come to believe the most prominent character trait Charles Manson displays is that of a manipulator. Not a guru, not a metaphysic, not a philosopher, not an environmentalist, not a sociologist or social activist, and not even a murderer.

David Krajicek

“His long-term behavior is one predominantly of a practiced manipulator.”

She called him “a liar, a con artist, a physical abuser of women and children, a psychological and emotional abuser of human beings, a thief, a dope pusher, a kidnaper, a child stealer, a pimp, a rapist, and a child molester. I can attest to all of these things with my own eyes.

“And he was all of these things before he was a murderer.”

This essay is adapted from David J. Krajicek’s new book, Charles Manson: The Man Behind the Murders that Shook Hollywood (Arcturus).

The Man Who Murdered the Sixties syndicated from https://immigrationattorneyto.wordpress.com/

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disneyworldenthusiast · 5 years

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This Friday, January 18 kicks off my all time favorite event…The 2019 Epcot International Festival of the Arts! If you are an artist or just wish you were, this is the ultimate celebration for you. The uplifting music, exquisite works, and deliciously crafted culinary delights, will truly inspire you. Here are the latest details about this captivating event courtesy of Disney!

Epcot International Festival of the Arts at Walt Disney World Resort will launch its annual celebration of the visual, culinary and performing arts beginning January 18. The popular event will continue for 39 days through February 25, 2019, with more live music than ever before, along with fresh tastes to savor and new artwork to admire and bring home.

New this year, the Disney on Broadway Concert Series expands to seven days a week during the festival, providing more opportunities than ever before to bask in live Disney magic. Each week, different pairs of Disney on Broadway stars will take the America Gardens Theatre stage to sing favorite songs from award-winning Disney on Broadway productions. The lineup will rotate regularly, featuring music from shows such as “The Lion King,” “Frozen” and “Beauty and the Beast.” Performers this year include:

Kerry Butler (“Beauty and the Beast”) and Kevin Massey (“Tarzan”)

Meredith Inglesby (“The Little Mermaid”) and Steve Blanchard (“Beauty and the Beast”)

Arielle Jacobs and Adam Jacobs (“Aladdin”)

Heidi Blickenstaff (“Freaky Friday”) and Gavin Lee (“Mary Poppins”)

Ashley Brown (“Mary Poppins”) and Josh Strickland (“Tarzan”)

Kissy Simmons and Alton Fitzgerald White (“The Lion King”)

The concert series is included with park admission; showtimes are 5:30, 6:45 and 8pm nightly. The Disney on Broadway Concert Series Dining Package is available at participating Epcot restaurants and guarantees show seating. Reservations can also be made by clicking here or calling 407-WDW-DINE.

In addition to the concert series, the Epcot International Festival of the Arts will feature 13 Food Studios, plus additional creative food and beverage offerings around Epcot with an expanded selection of delicious new tastes to savor:

The Artist’s Table will feature beef wellington with mushroom bordelaise, fennel cream and roasted baby vegetables

Smoked salmon and cream gâteau with egg yolk cream, paddlefish caviar and micro-herbs is sure to be a new favorite at The Painter’s Palate

Pop Eats! will serve up almond frangipane cake with raspberry and chocolate

Red wine-braised short rib with parsnip purée, broccolini, baby tomatoes and aged balsamic will be available at Cuisine Classique

Guests may fan their inspirational flames by bringing a piece of the festival home with them. Art collectors and Disney enthusiasts alike will find artwork for sale throughout the entire park, from the Art of Disney store to Festival Markets. In addition, special merchandise will be available at Mouse Gear and other Epcot locations featuring the festival’s logo adorning shirts, mugs, totes and other charming items.

The 2019 event provides fun every day for the whole family, including mesmerizing performance art, complimentary seminars, hands-on activities and much more:

Everyone’s invited to grab a paintbrush and help create a wall mural along World Showcase Plaza.

Guests of all ages will have the opportunity to literally step inside works of art and take fun photos, such as the “Washington Crossing the Delaware” Artful Photo Opportunity.

The Paint with a Disney Artist program invites guests to learn under the tutelage of a professional (offered select Fridays and Sundays, including continental breakfast, for an additional fee).

A variety of workshops led by professionals will teach different artistic techniques, such as floral design, ink and paint, mixed-media art and more (offered Friday-Monday for an additional fee). As a memento of what they learned, guests will take their creations home with them.

Complimentary 30-minute seminars will give guests helpful instruction for producing their own artwork at home.

More than 50 visiting artists participating in the festival will be available to meet with guests and share insights on their work.

Disney artists’ work will be exhibited across Epcot.

Gravity-defying feats of strength, acrobatics and many performing artists are scheduled throughout the festival.

International musical and variety acts will share their talents with guests, including the return of Bodh’aktan to the Canada stage and Delta Q, a new group performing in Germany.

Guests can join in the fun of Figment’s Brush with the Masters Scavenger Hunt by purchasing a map at select merchandise locations.

Heading to Disney World soon?

If you are planning a vacation to Disney World, be sure to check out these valuable resources to help you save time and money:

Check out my book 501 Ways to Make the Most of Your Walt Disney World Vacation for secret insider tips and tricks that you won’t find anywhere else!

View the latest Disney World discounts currently available!

Guarantee the best vacation price by clicking here for more information!

Will you be visiting Walt Disney World in early 2019? Please leave a comment; we would love to hear from you!

2019 Epcot International Festival Of The Arts Returns In January To Walt Disney World This Friday, January 18 kicks off my all time favorite event...The 2019 Epcot International Festival of the Arts!

#Disney World #Epcot #Epcot International Festival Of The Arts #Events #Walt Disney World

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joel-biermann · 3 years

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LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON || joel & mouse

@mousebiermann

First there was a flicker. Joel already set his beer down, a shock of panic sobering him up when the lights went out completely. Panic ensued. Of course it did. Those goddamn walkers in their cages seemed louder, roused by the screaming or simply the first sounds he picks up with the adrenaline rush. Joel didn’t waste a second. He probably knocked a stool over as he got up from the bar. Barking orders out—telling Johnson to get off his ass and shut the hell up, for Sosa to round up the others — then, “Mouse! You’re with me!”

Just like that: Joel and Mouse are side by side, running out of the Den together. The gun always on his hips already in Joel’s hand, muscle memory prepping the handgun, expecting Mouse to be doing the same. If he keeps a weapon on hand. He should. “Keep up, kid.”

#mouse #mouse: like father like son #( pretend he's running lol )#event: fresh and freaky festivities

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bystandrs · 3 years

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location : the den / with : @elenahastey

Elena talked, and Katsunari didn’t. That was the nature of their relationship (does knowing each other for a month and a half constitute a relationship? Kat didn’t know anymore, maybe never did), and mostly, that was fine for Kat. Elena was probably the one person in the triangle that he was closest to, and he wasn’t even sure if she knew his full name was Katsunari and not just the nickname he’s been called since he arrived in America. She kept trying, though, and that’s what he respected about her. Most other people would get the hint, after a few blank stares and one word answers, but it didn’t deter Elena. Perhaps if it was anyone else, he would’ve straight up told her to fuck off, but there was a secret reason why he didn’t—she was one of the first inside the outpost to talk to him, to treat him nicely. He wasn’t intending on sticking by her side like a teenager on the first day of the job, but the triangle was a big place. There were a lot of people, and he hadn’t been around so many living people since the one outpost he joined over a decade ago.

And Jesus Christ, were there a lot of people. It’s his first real ‘party’ in the triangle, and he hadn’t wanted to come, but he figured he should or else people would think he was odd, not a team player. As much as Kat wanted to be outside again, perhaps a little too much like an actual cat, he didn’t want to bite the hand that fed him just yet. Blend in, that was the plan, but he didn’t think he was doing a good job. Grimacing uncomfortably, he glanced at Elena and felt his throat run dry. He wanted to start a conversation, but didn’t know how. His mouth gaped open and close like a fish, and he felt utterly stupid. People probably wondered how a guy like him could survive so long outside, but out there was so much easier. Fiddling with the rim of his beer bottle, he glanced to the blonde again, his expression looking pained: “I... um. I never went to parties in high school.” It may seem like a non-sequitur, but it made sense in his head. He was trying to convey that he has never really had alcohol; sure, he could always find some while living on the road, but getting drunk while trying to survive by himself wasn’t exactly a smart idea. “I was a freshman when this all happened. In college, I mean. But I didn’t go to parties in college either.” That wasn’t really his fault, though, he never got to progress past the first semester. Fucking outbreak.

#elenahastey #arc › threads.#arc › elena.#elena › 001.#event › fresh and freaky festivities.#starter › closed.#he's... bad at talking lol #hope this is okay!! :)

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bbmannhall · 6 years

Photo

FIRST NATIONAL TOUR OF THE HIT BROADWAY MUSICAL

CONGAS ITS WAY TO

FORT MYERS

JANUARY 1-6

AT BARBARA B. MANN PERFORMING ARTS HALL AT FSW

TICKETS ON SALE FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5

BASED ON THE LIFE AND MUSIC OF 26-TIME GRAMMY AWARD-WINNING MUSIC ICONS

EMILIO & GLORIA ESTEFAN

WRITTEN BY ACADEMY AWARD® WINNER ALEXANDER DINELARIS

DIRECTED BY TWO-TIME TONY AWARD® WINNER JERRY MITCHELL

CHOREOGRAPHED BY TONY NOMINEE & OLIVIER AWARD WINNER SERGIO TRUJILLO

“THE VERY AIR IN THE ROOM

SEEMS TO VIBRATE

in this fresh, flashy and undeniably crowd-pleasing new musical.

RESIST IF YOU DARE!”

“INFECTIOUSLY FUN WITH GENUINE HEART! If you aren't humming a Gloria Estefan hit when you

leave the theater, it might be

time to check your pulse.

“With smoking-hot choreography and a tear-it-up band,

THE RHYTHM WILL ALMOST CERTAINLY GET YOU!”

(Monday, October 1) Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall at FSW is pleased to announce that the Fort Myers engagement of the hit Broadway musical ON YOUR FEET! – based on the life story of seven-time GRAMMY® winning international superstar Gloria Estefan and her husband, 19-time GRAMMY® winning producer-musician-entrepreneur Emilio Estefan – will go on sale Friday, October 5th at 10AM. Tickets

will be available at the Box Office, online at www.bbmannpah.com or call (239) 481-4849. ON YOUR FEET! is part of the Fifth Third Bank Broadway Series.

Gloria Estefan has sold over 100 million records and sold out stadiums around the world. Emilio and Gloria Estefan together have won 26 GRAMMY Awards® – but their music is only half the story. From the heart of Havana to the streets of Miami came a cultural phenomenon unlike anything the music industry had ever seen. ON YOUR FEET! is the new Broadway musical that follows the Estefans' journey to superstardom, set to their chart-topping, smash hits, including “Rhythm Is Gonna Get You,” “Conga,” “1-2-3,” “Get On Your Feet,” “Mi Tierra,” Don’t Want To Lose You Now,” and “Reach,” in addition to an original song written by Gloria and her daughter Emily Estefan.

ON YOUR FEET! is directed by two-time Tony Award® winner Jerry Mitchell (Kinky Boots, Hairspray) and choreographed by Tony Award nominee & Olivier Award winner Sergio Trujillo (Jersey Boys, Memphis), with an original book by Academy Award winner Alexander Dinelaris (Birdman, The Bodyguard Musical).

Completing the creative team are four-time Tony-nominated Scenic Designer David Rockwell (Kinky Boots, Legally Blonde), Tony-nominated Costume Designer Emilio Sosa (Porgy & Bess), Tony Award-winning Lighting Designer Kenneth Posner (Wicked, Hairspray), Tony Award-winning Sound Designer Steve Kennedy, SCK Sound Design (Lady Day, Guys and Dolls), Projections by Darrel Maloney, and Hair & Wig Designer Charles G. LaPointe (Beautiful, Newsies). With Music Direction by Clay Ostwald (Miami Sound Machine), ON YOUR FEET! features Orchestrations by Gloria Estefan and Emilio Estefan, Arrangements by Lon Hoyt (Hairspray), Dance Arrangements and Dance Orchestrations by Oscar Hernandez (The Capeman).

ON YOUR FEET! is produced by James L. Nederlander and Estefan Enterprises, Inc. in partnership with Bernie Yuman. Now celebrating its 100th anniversary, the Nederlander Organization, led by James L. Nederlander, President, continues the tradition of operating historic theatres, as well as producing and presenting the best in theatrical entertainment and concert events. Bernie Yuman, an illustrious figure in the entertainment industry and long-time friend and business associate of the Estefans, serves as Executive Producer. Yuman produced and managedSiegfried & Roy, one of the most successful and longest running shows in Las Vegas history.

ON YOUR FEET! began performances on Broadway on Monday, October 5, 2015, with an opening night of Thursday, November 5, 2015, at the Marquis Theatre in New York City. The musical played its final performance on Sunday, August 20, 2017, having played 780 performances.

BIOGRAPHIES:

GLORIA ESTEFAN (Music, Lyrics, Orchestrations). With seven Grammy Awards and more than 100 million albums sold worldwide, Gloria Estefan is the most successful Latin crossover performer in the history of pop music. In addition to her 38 #1 hits across the Billboard charts, Gloria recorded the Oscar-nominated song “Music of My Heart” and has received numerous honors and awards over the course of her illustrious career. She has been presented with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, inducted into the Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame, named BMI Songwriter of the Year, received an American Music Award for Lifetime Achievement and won an MTV Video Music Award, two ACE Awards and multiple Billboard Awards for her many chart-topping hits. Gloria has also been honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, The Kennedy Center Honors, the Ellis Island Congressional Medal of Honor and the Hispanic Heritage Award.

EMILIO ESTEFAN (Music, Lyrics, Orchestrations) is a world-renowned music, television and film producer who has been instrumental in shaping, developing and directing the careers of his superstar wife, Gloria, as well as Shakira, Ricky Martin, Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony and Jon Secada among many others. With a resume that includes 19 Grammy Awards, Emilio is one of the most successful producers in the music business, blending Latin, pop and world rhythms creating his own unique style and world-wide hits. It is this vision that transcends the music field and spills over into film, television, hotels and restaurants, among other business endeavors, including becoming the first Cuban-born minority stakeholder in an NFL franchise, the Miami Dolphins. Emilio & Gloria were the 2015 recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the first time the honor has been bestowed on a married couple.

ALEXANDER DINELARIS (Book) is an Academy Award and Golden Globe winner for the screenplay of Birdman (or The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance). He is the co-creator and executive producer of the series “The One Percent” for MRC, starring Hilary Swank. He is currently adapting the novel Entering Hades into a feature film with Michael Fassbender. Alex is also currently adapting his play Still Life into a feature film, which he will direct next spring. His film The Year of the Monarchs is in development with Mandalay Entertainment. Alexander is the book writer of The Bodyguard Musical and of Emilio and Gloria Estefan’s Broadway musical On Your Feet! Other recent work includes his plays Red Dog Howls (New York Theater Workshop), Still Life (Manhattan Class Company), The Chaos Theories (Shotgun Theater) and In This, Our Time (59e59). Mr. Dinelaris is a proud member of the Writer’s Guild and the Dramatists Guild.

JERRY MITCHELL (Director) received the Tony Award in recognition of his choreography for the 2013 Tony Award-winning Best Musical, Kinky Boots, for which he was also nominated as director. He was recently nominated for an Olivier Award for his choreography in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, which he also directed and co-produced in the West End. In the 35 preceding years, Jerry has been involved with more than 50 Broadway, Off-Broadway, West End and touring productions, starting as a dancer for Agnes de Mille in Brigadoon and thereafter assisting Michael Bennett and Jerome Robbins. His Broadway debut as choreographer, You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, was followed by The Full Monty (Tony nomination); The Rocky Horror Show; Hairspray (Tony nomination); Gypsy; Never Gonna Dance(Tony nomination); Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (Tony nomination); La Cage aux Folles (Tony Award); Imaginary Friends; Legally Blonde (Tony nomination), which he also directed; Catch Me If You Can; and Kinky Boots (also running in London, Korea, Germany, Australia and on National Tour). He also choreographed both the Off-Broadway productions and films of Hedwig and the Angry Inch and Jeffrey. Most recently, Jerry received the Drama League’s Founders Award for Excellence in Directing and the George Abbott Lifetime Achievement Award from his peers, the latter being especially meaningful to him in that he was directed by the 96-year-old Mr. Abbott in the Broadway revival of On Your Toes. His most recent Broadway experience is as Director of On Your Feet! Twenty-five years ago, Jerry conceived and created Broadway Bares, a comedy burlesque show performed annually for the charity Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. He continues to serve as executive producer of Broadway Bares, with a book, website and satellite productions in Fire Island Pines, Las Vegas (Peepshow, which recently concluded its five-year run of continuous performances) and London (West End Bares). Pretty Woman, the musical based on the iconic film, which Jerry has directed and choreographed, opened this summer on Broadway.

SERGIO TRUJILLO (Choreographer). Broadway: On Your Feet! (Tony Award Nominee, Outer Critics Circle/Astaire Awards), Memphis (Olivier/OCC Award, Drama Desk/Astaire Award nominations), Jersey Boys (Drama Desk, OCC/Greenroom/Dora Award nomination), A Bronx Tale (Chita Award Nomination), The Addams Family, Next to Normal, Hands on a Hardbody (Drama Desk nomination), Leap of Faith (Drama Desk nomination), Guys and Dolls (Astaire Awards nomination), All Shook Up. Director/Choreographer: Arrabal (ART), Gloria Estefan On Broadway (Minskoff Theatre), Flashdance: The Musical (National Tour), White Noise (Royal George Theatre). Other Theatre: Invisible Thread (Second Stage-Astaire Award Nomination), Carmen: An Afro-Cuban Musical (Olney Theatre-Helen Hayes Award Nomination), Freaky Friday (Signature Theatre), The Wiz (La Jolla Playhouse). International: Tarzan (Disney), Peggy Sue Got Married (West End), The Sound of Music and West Side Story (Stratford Festival). Current: Summer: The Donna Summer Musical (Broadway).

www.OnYourFeetMusical.com @OnYourFeetBway

# # #

Performance Dates / Times: Tuesday, January 1 – 7:30PM*

Wednesday, January 2 – 7:30PM*

Thursday, January 3 – 7:30PM*

Friday, January 4 – 8:00PM*

Saturday, January 5 – 2:00PM* & 8:00PM*

ASL Performance – Saturday, January 5 – 2:00PM*

Sunday, January 6 – 1:00PM* & 6:30PM*

Ticket Prices: $81* $76* $61* $51* $41*

*All shows, dates, times and ticket prices are subject to change.

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recommendedlisten · 6 years

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Album Review: Nine Inch Nails - ‘Bad Witch’ EP

When Trent Reznor returned from an indefinite hiatus with Nine Inch Nails in 2013 on the band’s eighth full-length effort Hesitation Marks, the least we could hope for was that they’d at least give us a return to form. Thankfully, they did. The album, while sleek in production fit for radio rotation and festival grounds alike, bared its teeth with urgency. Since then, however, Nine Inch Nails has been in a state of evolutionary flux. The latest interpretation of the band inside the studio is now dwindled down to just Reznor and his fellow film scoremaker Atticus Ross, and over these last two years, the duo has been in constant motion with a three EP project that finishes on its strongest note, Bad Witch.

Reznor has always been a character at confuse the norms of the industry at large, so he’s muddied the waters this time around by referring to the album as an LP (perhaps merely to play the algorithm rules of the game set forth by streaming overlords…) Semantics aside, what’s exciting on this go round is that unlike the familiar dystopian cinema gaze of 2015’s Not the Actual Events and 2017’s familiar turbulence ADD VIOLENCE, Bad Witch is an exploration in experimental industrial soundmaking that we’ve only heard Reznor test the waters with in the far out past. Its production is smattered with a messy granular texture that feels more raw than anything NIN have produced in quite some time, and coupled with a few surprises in Reznor’s sonic arsenal, it can be viewed as a restart in the band’s next life as one of the alternative’s last true provocateurs standing.

The listen opens with a statement of purpose indicating that much: “Got a new face and it feels all right / Power and strength and appetite,” Reznor’s voice steams through a hiss of static. “I eat your loathing hate and fear / Should probably stay away from here.” Before you know it, he’s practically gnawing away into your flesh. It’s like the scene of black energy shooting out from the box during the first episode of Twin Peaks: The Return in musical formation. That’s worth mentioning not just because Reznor and company made an appearance at the Roadhouse later in that season, but because the industrial riff fingerprints heard in the moments following bare familiar texture to the way harsh noise bleeds through in the show’s other standout of deferring to NYC industrial next gens Uniform for moody context. Those flair-ups reappear over to a lesser degree in the subsequent electrolysis of “Ahead of Ourselves”. If it’s pure happenstance that the influence is shared, which in all likeliness it is, Reznor has found himself back on the right path of intersecting crude heaviness with the soundboard.

Reznor and Ross do a remarkable at evening out Bad Witch’s loudness through fresh directives in weirdness using more subtle, organic transmissions as well. The NIN leader reunites with his long abandoned sax skills across freaky avant jazz-noise instrumentals “Play the Goddamned Part” and “I’m Not From this World”. They appear elsewhere when he ditches his hyper-macho bravado in favor of elevating a crooning register over a particle collision on “God Break Down the Door”. On its closer, he buries them coyly under grilled 808s. “I’ve always been 10 years ahead of you / Over and over again,” he can be heard singing beneath the atmosphere. It would seem that’s not stated without intention. With the world inside and outside of music resembling utter turmoil, Bad Witch feels like Reznor is not only figuring out where he and Nine Inch Nails fit into it all, but are redesigning what it stands for in extremes.

Nine Inch Nails’ Bad Witch is available now on the Null Corporation.

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fancyfreshjday · 6 years

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Weirdest Things You Can Eat In The US And Canada

The horrors of spam, poutine, and spray cheese are well-documented, but they're not the only culinary curiosities North America has to offer.

Though the lands of stuffed moose hearts and deep-fried-everything at state fairs may seem innocuous to fellow Westerners, make no mistake: they have plenty of edible oddities to discover. Below you'll find a collection of some of the weirdest eats in the US and Canada.

You've heard of comfort food. This is the opposite of that. Rocky Mountain Oysters [caption id="attachment_184019" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Rocky Mountain Oysters[/caption]

'Oyster' may be in the name, but you won't find these bad boys in any seafood restaurant. Rocky Mountain oysters, also known as prairie oysters, are battered and deep-fried bull testicles served in the western regions of the US and Canada. The dish reportedly originated as cowboy fare, but today is most commonly found at festivals and sporting events. Several American states hold annual testicle festivals, and Eagle, Idaho, claims to have the "World's Largest Rocky Mountain Oyster Feed" during its Eagle Fun Days. Ambrosia Salad [caption id="attachment_184008" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Ambrosia Salad[/caption]

Trust America to find a way to make salad unhealthy. Ambrosia is a variation on the traditional fruit salad, typically containing pineapple, orange segments, shredded coconut, maraschino cherries, marshmallows, and whipped cream. Other variations include yoghurt, pudding, Jell-O, cottage cheese, or sour cream, as well as other fruit options and crushed pecans. The mixture is refrigerated for a few hours or overnight before serving, often as a Christmas tradition in the South. Tepa [caption id="attachment_184022" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Tepa[/caption]

The nickname of this Alaskan snack says everything you need to know: stinkheads. Eaten by the indigenous Yup'ik people, tepa is fermented King salmon heads prepared by placing the fish heads and guts in a wooden barrel, covering it with burlap, and burying it in the ground for about a week. In modern times, plastic bags and buckets replaced the barrel, but due to the increased risk of botulism, stinkheads are now fermented directly in the ground in special burial pits. Once the bones have softened and the head has a mashable consistency, stinkheads are ready to be eaten as a pungent and putty-like mush. Turducken [caption id="attachment_184023" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Turducken[/caption]

Cajun chef Paul Prudhomme claims to have invented this over-the-top example of bird-ception: a chicken, stuffed inside a duck, stuffed inside a turkey. The thoracic cavity of the chicken and any other gaps are also filled, typically with a seasoned breadcrumb mixture or sausage meat. Some versions sport a different stuffing for each bird. And if the turducken is not extreme enough for you, you can cram the entire fowl package into a pig for maximum meatsurdity. Sourtoe Cocktail [caption id="attachment_184021" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Sourtoe Cocktail[/caption]

The Sourtoe Cocktail is, unfortunately, exactly what it sounds like: a drink seasoned with a severed, mummified human toe. Visitors to Canada's Dawson City have enjoyed this outlandish libation since 1973, when the original toe was discovered and given new life as a garnish. The liquid can be whatever you like, but one rule remains the same: “You can drink it fast, you can drink it slow—but the lips have gotta touch the toe.” The toe must touch your lips if you wish to become a member of the Sourtoe Cocktail Club, which is an absolutely real thing commemorated with a certificate of achievement. Just don't swallow. An ingested toe incurs a fine of $2,500. Chitlins [caption id="attachment_184010" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Chitlins[/caption]

Chitlins, more formally known as 'chitterlings', are not for the faint of palate or nose. The quintessentially Southern soul food dish is made from pig intestines which undergo a time-consuming and thorough cleaning process, then are boiled down, and sometimes battered and fried to finish. If you can get over the smell during cooking – which is exactly as bad as you imagine stewed intestines smelling – and smother them in the traditional condiments of apple cider vinegar and hot sauce, you may be able to enjoy this piece of Southern culinary history without hurling. Jellied Moose Nose [caption id="attachment_184016" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Jellied Moose Nose[/caption]

It stands to reason that, in a region populated by wild game, eating said game would be a wise move. We can also respect a commitment to minimising waste from any animal brought home from a hunt. That being said, jellied moose nose may be a step too far for weaker stomachs. This not-so-choice cut is served in Alaska and parts of Canada, where it's boiled with onions and spices, stripped of its hair, boiled again, then chopped and tossed into a loaf pan. The final step is to cover it with a broth that sets into a jelly. Slice the loaf and serve cold. Scrapple [caption id="attachment_184020" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Scrapple[/caption]

Much like a hot dog, scrapple is a “spare parts” recipe. In fact, scrapple is pretty much what's left after you've made the hot dog. The American Mid-Atlantic dish is traditionally a mishmash of pork scraps – like head, heart, and liver – and other trimmings combined with cornmeal, wheat flour, and spices. The mush is formed into what Wikipedia appetisingly describes as “a semi-solid congealed loaf”, which is then sliced and pan-fried before serving. Scrapple is usually eaten as a breakfast side dish, served plain or with a variety of sweet and savory condiments, or in a sandwich. Geoduck [caption id="attachment_184014" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Geoduck[/caption]

Geoduck is not, as it may sound, one of the original 150 Pokemon. Nor is it a duck, for that matter. This freaky and highly phallic critter is a large saltwater clam, native to the west coast of North America and pronounced “gooey duck”. The clam can live to be more than 100 years old, making it one of the longest-living organisms in the animal kingdom. Its leathery appendage can stretch up to a metre (3.3 ft) in length, and in culinary contexts is prized for its sweet flavour and delicate, crunchy texture. Geoduck is regarded by some as an aphrodisiac because of its blush-inducing shape. Garbage Plate [caption id="attachment_184013" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Garbage Plate[/caption]

This upper New York icon hails from Rochester, where it has confused tourists and clogged arteries at Nick Tahou Hots for decades. A Garbage Plate, according to a 2010 archive of the restaurant's official website, starts "with a base of any combination of home fries, macaroni salad, baked beans, or french fries topped by your choice of meats and dressed to your liking with spicy mustard, chopped onions, and the signature Nick Tahou's hot sauce. Each plate comes with two thick slices of fresh Italian bread and butter." Essentially, pile on any old rubbish you like and prepare to be amazed and disgusted in equal measures. Burgoo [caption id="attachment_184009" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Burgoo[/caption]

The spicy stew known as 'burgoo' has been a Kentucky crowd-pleaser for more than 150 years. A fierce debate rages about the origins of the dish, and even about what exactly goes in it. According to the “Burgoo Song” by Robert Myles, "You can toss in almost anything that ever walked or flew." In other words, any old thing you find rotting in the back of the refrigerator or decomposing on the side of the road is fair game, from venison and game birds to possum, raccoon, or squirrel. Mix your meat of choice with veggies, simmer for hours, then serve with cornbread to soak up the juices. Fried Rattlesnake [caption id="attachment_184018" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Fried Rattlesnake[/caption]

The New York Times described this delicacy as tasting like “a sinewy, half-starved tilapia.” If that soundsss ssscruptious, then head to the American Southwest for a heaping serving of fried rattlesnake. The venomous reptiles are skinned and served by boiling the meat off the bones, then dipping it in egg and coating it in a seasoning mix of salt, flour, and breadcrumbs. The meat is low in fat and calories, but deep-frying removes any hope of this serpent being a healthy snack. Flipper Pie [caption id="attachment_184012" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Flipper Pie[/caption]

No dolphins are harmed in the making of flipper pie, but we can't say the same for seals. This traditional Eastern Canadian dish contains exactly what it says on the label: seal flippers, typically culled during the annual spring seal hunt in the provinces of Newfoundland and Labrador. Detractors call it cruel, but locals say it’s a sustainable, healthy source of protein. The meat is dark, oily, gamey, and apparently tastes similar to hare. Flipper pie is traditionally a home-cooked delicacy, but today can also be purchased pre-made at a grocery store. Oreilles de Crisse [caption id="attachment_184017" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Oreilles de Crisse[/caption]

Oreilles de crisse are a Québecois bite similar to pork rinds. The base ingredient is deep-fried pork jowls or fatback, but that's not the odd part. For starters, the French name's unpalatable English translation is “the ears of Christ”. For seconds, oreilles de crisse are typically served in cabanes à sucre (sugar shacks) in spring time and topped with maple syrup. To recap: pork fat, deep fried, doused in syrup, named after an appendage of a Christian religious figure. It's not exactly your average midday snack. Akutaq [caption id="attachment_184007" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Akutaq[/caption]

Akutaq – also known as Eskimo ice cream – is found in parts of Alaska and Canada. Worlds away from Häagen-Dazs or Ben & Jerry's, akutaq was traditionally made with whipped fat rendered from a polar bear, mixed with various native berries, seal oil, and freshly fallen snow – a high-calorie concoction that kept hunters healthy while on long expeditions in the challenging landscape. Recipes could also include fish, tundra greens, roots, and tallow from reindeer, moose, walrus, or caribou. Though it's not the cool summer treat you're used to, akutaq is a delightful reminder that no culture, no matter how remote, is immune to the appeal of dessert.

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photosofusly · 7 years

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Exclaim!'s Top 29 Albums of 2017 So Far

As originally seen on Exclaim.ca.At this point last year, we’d already experienced massive album drops from the likes of Beyoncé, Kanye West, Radiohead, David Bowie and Drake; by the end of the year, we were left wondering just what was left to come out in 2017.

The answer is a swathe of albums by artists whose names might not adorn stadium marquees, but whose work shone brightly as beacons for another good year in music. Between long-awaited debut full-lengths, worldly, philosophical album statements and surprising genre crossovers, 2017 has seen a wealth of riches.

As the year’s halfway mark approaches, we’ve separated the great from the merely good in order to present the best albums released so far this year.

Click next to read through the albums one by one, or use the list below to skip ahead to your favourites.

Exclaim!’s Top 29 Albums of 2017 So Far:

1. Kendrick Lamar – DAMN. 2. Sampha – Process 3. Feist – Pleasure 4. Father John Misty – Pure Comedy 5. Mount Eerie – A Crow Looked at Me 6. Drake – More Life 7. Jay Som – Everybody Works 8. Mac DeMarco – This Old Dog 9. Joey Bada$$ – All-Amerikkkan Bada$$ 10. Slowdive – Slowdive 11. Power Trip – Nightmare Logic 12. The xx – I See You 13. Run the Jewels – Run the Jewels 3 14. Thundercat – Drunk 15. Oddisee – The Iceberg 16. Code Orange – Forever 17. Kelly Lee Owens – Kelly Lee Owens 18. Full of Hell – Trumpeting Ecstasy 19. Cloud Nothings – Life Without Sound 20. Stormzy – Gang Signs & Prayer 21. Do Make Say Think – Stubborn Persistent Illusions 22. Incendiary – Thousand Mile Stare 23. King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard – Flying Microtonal Banana 24. (Sandy) Alex G – Rocket 25. Future Islands – The Far Field 26. Timber Timbre – Sincerely, Future Pollution 27. GAS – Narkopop 28. Paramore – After Laughter 29. Ryuichi Sakamoto – async

29. Ryuichi Sakamoto async (Milan)

A good deal has been made of the possibly autobiographical nature of Ryuichi Sakamoto’s triumphant return, async. The disc landed a little less than three years after his throat cancer diagnosis, and is replete with mournful synth lines, scratchy noise (if ever there was a track that made you want to clear your throat, it’s “andata") and spoken word segments about mortality.

There’s much more than nostalgia at work here, though. The 65-year-old, who calls both Tokyo and New York City home, delivered us a complex, at times difficult listen. Yet async remains wholly accessible. It’s beautiful without being pretty, engaging and, at the same time, comforting.

Is the disc’s title short for asynchronous, which refers to events "not occurring at the same time"? Maybe reading his illness and subsequent recovery into that is a stretch, but Sakamoto’s pre-release materials describe his interest in "the blurred lines of life and artificiality/noise and music." The line between good and poor health is often similarly tough to distinguish, but its exploration would fit perfectly amidst the tender thoughtfulness evident here. Kevin Press

28. Paramore After Laughter (Fueled By Ramen)

Paramore have gone through their share of professional and personal turmoil and lineup changes since their chart-topping self-titled LP. Bassist Jeremy Davis left, drummer Zac Farro returned seven years after an acrimonious split and singer Hayley Williams admitted in pre-release interviews that she often doubted they would ever record another album. The trio address this adversity head-on on the startling, emotionally complex After Laughter, a tuneful, effervescent full-length on which Paramore mostly trade what was left of their punk and emo roots for New Wave synths, sinewy Afrobeat-influenced guitar riffs and percussive Technicolor pop that evokes Talking Heads, Paul Simon and Tango in the Night-era Fleetwood Mac.

In contrast with the soaring, ebullient melodies, the lyrics reflect the band’s tumultuous recent past, most prominently on the LP’s first single, the cathartic "Hard Times." Hitting rock bottom has rarely sounded better than on After Laughter, one of the year’s finest pop albums. Thierry Côté

27. GAS Narkopop (Kompakt)

Wolfgang Voigt has kept busy over the last 17 years through his various projects, but he’s been neglecting the one that earns him the most attention. Capitalizing on last year’s elaborate GAS box set, the 56-year-old returned with his fifth album under the moniker like no time had passed.

His new 75-minute opus, Narkopop, surveys different moods and pulses, filling in the vast space with a range of textures and styles: drone, ambient, neo-classical and minimal techno. The results can be mesmeric and beautiful, though he’s not averse to stirring up discomfiting moments to throw the listener’s meditation off, either.

Although it follows the GAS template in its design and structure, Narkopop, like its predecessors, is very much its own entity and an exciting next phase in the oeuvre of electronic music’s most intriguing characters. Cam Lindsay

26. Timber Timbre Sincerely, Future Pollution (Arts & Crafts)

The sinister synths that flood Timber Timbre’s sixth LP leave little doubt that the Canadian band’s latest record, Sincerely, Future Pollution, isn’t entirely optimistic about humanity’s course. The free-floating folk-noir ensemble, led by the haunting vocals of Taylor Kirk, reach new vibrancy on this record by harkening back to ’80s-era Bowie, drum machines and dystopian narratives to create an album that, like Pink Floyd’s The Wall, comprises a cinematic whole yet is approachable enough to enjoy in individual parts.

Evidenced by the cascading melodies of "Moment," the wide-swath guitar strums of "Sewer Blues" and the clavinet-bumping "Grifting," Sincerely, Future Pollution is much more concerned with world-building than 2014’s sensuous Hot Dreams in both theme and vision. As they have each release since 2006’s Cedar Shakes, Timber Timbre somehow manage to enhance their ever-evolving sound once again here; this time, they do so by borrowing from the past to craft an album as fresh as it is timeless. Mackenzie Herd

25. Future Islands The Far Field (4AD)

Less immediate than 2014’s Singles but ultimately more rewarding, the hooks on Future Islands’ The Far Field are subtler, the sound a little wearier. Anchored by the soulful, strange vocal stylings of Samuel T. Herring, the band still know how to write songs that will sound great at the outdoor festivals they’ve graduated to since the smash success of "Seasons (Waiting on You)" — and there are several of those here — but the real revelation is the bold steps they’re taking in the face of their success.

The woozy, weird "Candles" and the call-and-response Debbie Harry duet "Shadows" are proof that the band aren’t content to play it safe. By resisting the urge to go bigger, Future Islands have instead gone deeper, to devastating effect. Dave Mix

24. (Sandy) Alex G Rocket (Domino)

Eight albums in, the restless Alex Giannascoli — aka (Sandy) Alex G — refuses to be labeled simply as "indie rock." On Rocket, he tackles it all — bittersweet alt-country ("Bobby"), industrial pseudo-rap ("Brick"), auto-tuned R&B ("Sportstar"), weirdo psych-pop ("Witch"), ramshackle experimental noise ("Horse"), and the list could go on — yet it all still feels oddly cohesive, shrouded in a mysterious lo-fi intimacy narrated by Giannascoli’s melodic and dazed vocal style.

Hints of self-doubt, anger, sarcasm and bliss blend together effortlessly thanks to a strange and freaky concoction of plucky acoustic guitar, screeching synthesizers, dazzling violin, piano, saxophone and even random dogs barking. Rocket readily mutates around unsettling emotions using inventive fictional personas; it’s a curious approach, but it grounds the record to a quietly relatable content, and incites new feelings with each listen. Chris Gee

23. King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard Flying Microtonal Banana (ATO)

Like most of their previous efforts, King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard’s latest project was tied to a concept from the outset — this time around, microtonality.

Flying Microtonal Banana might be the band’s most ambitious concept album so far, using a collection of microtonal instruments to weave unique melodies and Eastern-flavoured harmonies into the band’s usual frenetic grooves. That experimentation shines on tracks like "Open Water," with riffs that sound like an electrified snake-charmer, and "Billabong Valley," on which lead guitarist and singer Stu Mackenzie’s vocal lines mirror the eerie and hypnotic guitar melodies.

Rather than allowing themselves to be boxed in on Banana, though, the band run wild with the concept, transcending the chromatic scale to pull together one of the best psych-rock experiences of the year. Brandon Choghri

22. Incendiary Thousand Mile Stare (Closed Casket Activities)

Incendiary’s Thousand Mile Stare is a blistering return for the Long Island hardcore outfit. In the four years since their last record, Cost of Living, the music industry has seen some dramatic changes, particularly in relation to the current political climate. With these ten tracks, Incendiary prove that not only are they still relevant, but they’re on the forefront of their scene, leaders in an increasingly anxiety-ridden landscape.

The album’s eye-opening lyrics and gut-busting riffs are perfectly exemplified in "Front Toward Enemy," as frontman Brendan Garrone yells about "Fearing revolution": "They got their trigger fingers moving / The threat of oncoming war." Thousand Mile Stare’s unforgiving interpretation of a genre the band helped build, coupled with the passionate message they continue to spew, help make it one of hardcore’s most important release of 2017 thus far. Griffin Elliot

21. Do Make Say Think Stubborn Persistent Illusions (Constellation)

Do Make Say Think have never made a weak album, but nobody expected the legendary Torontonian instrumental octet to come back with such vital urgency after the longest recording gap in their lifespan. Perhaps it should’ve been clear though — they declare literal "War on Torpor" on Stubborn Persistent Illusions’ opening track. And to back the claim, this music is anything but lethargic or mentally lazy.

Everything we love about the band is present — the brash energy of punk rock, the rhythmic complexity of jazz and Afrobeat, the patient, bold dynamics of classical, and those epic, richly interwoven tapestries of guitar melodies and horn harmonies — but while these pieces share obvious genetic material with the band’s best work, none of it feels like an exercise in cloning. It’s like new sonic lifeforms are evolving from the band’s collective primordial soup to populate heretofore unexplored corners of their distinct sound world.

Beautifully realized with the utmost of love and respect for the act of co-creation and a work that may well be the new high water mark in post-rock, Stubborn Persistent Illusions is an absolute gift to fans of the ineffable magic of musical collaboration. Scott Gray

20. Stormzy Gang Signs & Prayer (#Merky)

For a decade-and-a-half, future-minded hip-hop heads and Anglophiles alike wondered how to get grime over to North American audiences. In the last two years, it’s finally happened, thanks in no small part to Skepta. But while he may have been the one to open the door, absurdly tall South London MC Stormzy has burst through it with enough force to remove hinge from frame.

On Gang Signs & Prayer, Stormzy serves up a perfect blend of crisp, rapid-fire delivery, aggro battle rap, heartbreaking introspection and surprising R&B sensibility. Stormzy is a perfect poster child for the new wave of clever, pop-savvy grime MCs. Chris Dart

19. Cloud Nothings Life Without Sound (Carpark)

Almost every year, an album is released that immediately stands out from the punk-leaning, guitar-slinging pack. It was Beach Slang a couple years ago, and now it’s Cloud Nothings’ turn with Life Without Sound, a record that sheds any of the extraneous influence of the past and find the band at their most cohesive and emotionally resonant yet.

The shift in sound from previous LP Here and Nowhere Else is noticeable. The guitars are a little less ragged, the hooks maybe not as prominent, but while the intensity has been dialled back, it ends up refocusing the group’s vision, and elevates Cloud Nothings’ sound to the next level. Marked by themes of self-evaluation, isolation and desperation, Dylan Baldi’s lyrics feel relatable, without being cliché. Those moments where Baldi’s emotionally driven lyrics hit hardest seem perfectly balanced against the band’s momentous riffs, which burst from every angle out of the speakers feeling alive and purposeful. Anthony Augustine

18. Full of Hell Trumpeting Ecstasy (Profound Lore)

Following a pair of collaborative albums with experimental noise artists the Body and Merzbow, Full of Hell stripped away a lot of the chaotic noise elements found on those releases for a more focused and cohesive record. In just a little over 20 minutes, Trumpeting Ecstasy finds the grindcore powerhouses launching a savage assault of blast beats and ear-piercing shrieks with just enough variation to let each song stand on its own.

Throughout, the band manage to infuse their abrasive tracks and organized havoc with thoughtfulness and care, as evident on songs like "The Cosmic Vein" and the blisteringly fast onslaught of "Branches of Yew." And though they’ve dialled back the experimental noise here, the band still manage to fit those sounds into the delicate yet aggressive title track. Trumpeting Ecstasy is a slab of viciously hostile grindcore not meant for the faint of heart. Joe Smith-Engelhardt

17. Kelly Lee Owens Kelly Lee Owens (Smalltown Supersound)

Within its few seconds, Kelly Lee Owens’s self-titled debut evokes the familiarity of an old favourite. Her spacious, pop-inflected techno is both vivid and economical, wringing nuanced emotions from simple elements. "S.O" and "Lucid" show the patience of a seasoned pro, enchanting listeners with cozy ambience before introducing a beat, while "C.B.M." and "8" go straight for the throat, showcasing thumping bass and mind-bending drone, respectively.

Owens’ concise, focused lyrics feel naturally expressive, as soothing as a well-worn mantra. Yet she refuses to coddle her listeners, and both "Anxi." and "Throwing Lines" hint at internal discord without breaking the record’s placid surface. Kelly Lee Owens is as invigorating as it is inviting, and it only gets more welcoming with each repeated rotation. Matthew Blenkarn

16. Code Orange Forever (Roadrunner)

Leading up to the release of Forever, Code Orange’s third full-length album, many questions orbited the band and their future: Would the shift from Deathwish Inc. to Roadrunner Records dilute their unrelenting sound? Would Code Orange’s loyalty to producer Kurt Ballou begin to yield stagnant and predictable results? Having demonstrated much promise in the past, but never fully delivering on their potential, Forever had to be the band’s best effort yet.

Code Orange answered by punishing all scepticism with nauseatingly visceral riffs, behemoth breakdowns, jarring passages and concussion-inducing percussion. Forever is the band’s heaviest and most menacing album to date, while offering the most diversity, too. Having been released only two weeks into the year, the record will face much competition in the battle for 2017’s best heavy record, but it’s inarguably in the conversation; this shit is thoroughly, aggressively good. Lukas Wojcicki

15. Oddisee The Iceberg (Mello Music Group)

It’s an understatement to say that many of 2017’s headlines have inspired cultural malaise. But, as usual, tense political climates have led to some seriously reflective music. And Oddisee’s latest project, The Iceberg, recently joined the highest echelon of socially conscious rap albums.

The 12-track LP delivers a healthy dose of social commentary, discussing police brutality, immigration, gender inequality and, of course, Donald Trump’s presidency. In such an unpredictable era, an album like The Iceberg helps listeners make sense of the world while also disseminating an important message: You’re not alone.

But storytelling is only part of the battle when putting together a masterful rap project, and like only a handful of other hip-hop artists, Oddisee produces his own beats. Throughout The Iceberg, the 32-year-old pushes the boundaries of the genre by layering unorthodox instrumentation with dense synths and prominent percussion. Imagine a hip-hop track guided by an organ; Oddisee did, and he made it sound dope. Anya Zoledziowski

14. Thundercat Drunk (Brainfeeder)

Like a wild night out featuring several shots of tequila, Drunk is zany and random, an immensely entertaining journey through Thundercat’s colourful mind.

A blend of angelic vocals, quirky lyrics ("I think I left my wallet at the club," he croons) and dizzying bass lines that defy human logic, Drunk has anthems for every variation of inebriation. There’s the fun and fidgety "Tokyo" for the restless drunk, "Drink Dat" for the flirty lush among you and "Lava Lamp" for the more sombre imbiber. "Friend Zone" plays like the gratifying tipsy text you’ll later regret sending, while "Jethro" feels communal and deeply spiritual, like a heart-to-heart between two buzzed strangers at the bar. Featuring clever, full-bodied production from collaborators like Flying Lotus and Soundwave, Drunk is great at first and gets even richer over time, a merry indulgence without the hangover. A. Harmony

13. Run the Jewels Run the Jewels 3 (Independent)

The political ire of nonconformists El-P and Killer Mike has long been at the forefront of their music, and the same can be said of their latest, Run the Jewels 3, a finely executed confrontation of the ruling class and a perfect closer for their album trilogy.

On top of its gorgeous, hard-hitting production, RTJ3 features help from an impressive list of collaborators including Danny Brown, BOOTS, Trina and Kamasi Washington. Run the Jewels have crafted a sound and style that stands alone, and here, it’s sharpened enough to go for the throat. The duo’s ingenuity is recognizable almost immediately, and impossible to duplicate. If their first two records laid the groundwork for battle, RTJ3 finds the rap iconoclasts in the thick of it. Ashley Hampson

12. The xx I See You (Young Turks)

It seems almost contradictory to say that the xx expanding their sound could make their material more intimate — especially given the way they already wore their emotions on their sleeves — but that’s exactly the case with their third album, I See You.

On their first two records, the band matched lovelorn confessions with spare, reverb-heavy guitars, distant drums and the hushed vocal deliveries of Oliver Sim and Romy Madley Croft. This time around, producer Jamie Smith, fresh off his excellent solo record In Colour, infused the record with his signature sample-driven production style, adding a whole new level of character to the band’s signature sound without distracting from the emotional heft of the songs. The record is easily the band’s most ambitious, but also their most rewarding, featuring gems like Madley Croft’s heartbreaking vocals on "Performance" and the danceable "I Dare You."

Their sound palette has expanded considerably, but so has their conviction as a group, a fact that’s clear from I See You’s beginning to its end. Matt Yuyitung

11. Power Trip Nightmare Logic (Southern Lord)

The "crossover" in crossover thrash is on the continuum of metal to punk, but for Power Trip, there’s a whole other crossover happening — from hardcore underground to metal mainstream. With over 10,000 copies sold, Nightmare Logic is quickly becoming a phenomenon, and with good reason — it’s phenomenal.

While artists worry about a sophomore slump, Power Trip have delivered a sophomore slam dunk, outshining their previous material that is, itself, far from lacklustre. There’s new confidence here: Riley Gale’s powerful snarl is now less reverb-soaked; "Executioner’s Tax (Swing of the Axe)" and the title track manage to turn straight-ahead chugs into memorable, headbangable riffs; and the opening groove of "Soul Sacrifice" and the blaring thrash with which "Firing Squad" comes out of the gates are incredible. And that’s just the first half of the album.

Not since Municipal Waste blew "rethrash" open a decade ago with their penchant for partying has a band had a better shot at bringing thrash back to its one-time glory as one of the world’s biggest heavy genres. Bradley Zorgdrager

10. Slowdive Slowdive (Dead Oceans)

Releasing a record is a tricky proposition for any reunited band, let alone one as monumentally adored as Slowdive. Come back half-cocked and you’ll risk disappointing fans; refrain from making anything new, and you’ll leave listeners (and band members alike) wondering what could have been.

The British shoegazers deftly avoid both possibilities with their latest LP (and first in 22 years), a self-titled album filled with woozy atmospherics, ethereal vocals and reverb-drenched guitars that pack the same wallop as crumbling ice shelves.

Slowdive aren’t exactly reinventing themselves here, but with their core songwriters having spent the last two decades in the understated Mojave 3, and the whole band having toured together since 2014, Slowdive is a lean and impressive set of songs that improves upon what they do best. Hell, it might even be the best album of their career; it’s certainly the most fully realized. Matthew Ritchie

9. Joey Bada$$ All-Amerikkkan Bada$$ (Cinematic Music Group/Pro Era)

Joey Bada$$’s second studio LP, All-Amerikkkan Bada$$, was released early this year, debuting at #5 on the Billboard Hot 200. It marked a departure from his debut album; where that record served more as a showcase of his wordplay and an homage to the golden era of hip-hop, this time around, Joey packed his 12-song project with scorching political commentary that aimed to draw awareness from the younger generation of listeners that have come to hold the 22-year-old rapper in high regard.

Alongside releasing political-minded singles "Devastated" and "Land of the Free," Joey claimed that "I was put here on this Earth not only to inspire but to wake people up" in the lead-up to AAB’s release. Having heard its entirety, that makes sense; the album is a defiant assertion of his status as a leader of millennials and a timely collection of (almost) entirely self-produced, anti-establishment anthems Riley Wallace

8. Mac DeMarco This Old Dog (Royal Mountain)

Mac DeMarco, a hero for the kids with his onstage antics and an inspiration to "keep it light" while wearing a pair of seen-better-days red Vans and an equally beatup baseball cap, has become synonymous with goofiness and good times. So when This Old Dog, his third studio album, was announced, it was easy to assume that he’d continue to bring the "jizz jazz" signature sound that he popularized — but he didn’t.

Instead, DeMarco proved to critics and fans alike (likely shocking both a tad) that not only can he pen a great tune, he’s equally capable of bringing the party and pulling at your heartstrings. He’s teased at this sort of softness before, with tracks like "Still Together" from 2 or Salad Days’ "Let My Baby Stay," but This Old Dog’s focuses on sweetly strummed guitars, melodies that provoke nostalgia and lyrics that address love and his estranged father, with a few surprises thrown in (the slinky "On The Level" and bouncy "Baby You’re Out"). It’s a wonderful surprise, and a sweet one, too. Cosette Schulz

7. Jay Som Everybody Works (Polyvinyl)

Melina Duterte has said that her debut album as Jay Som was inspired by Carly Rae Jepsen’s E•MO•TION, a talking point that has reverberated throughout all of her press. True, songs like "Remain" and "One More Time, Please" bear at least some similarity to Jepsen’s more slow-danceable heartbreak anthems, but reducing Everybody Works to this comparison ignores the album’s character and breadth.

"The Bus Song" is an absolutely timeless indie rock sing-along that makes a solid argument for the return of gang vocals, "1 Billion Dogs" is a fuzzed out alterna-banger and "(BedHead)" is ingenious slowcore. The Jepsen comparison is most on-point in that Everybody Works is so perfect that it sounds like it was laboured over by a team of songwriters and hip producers. But it wasn’t — it was recorded by Duterte, alone in her bedroom. Josiah Hughes

6. Drake More Life (Young Money/Cash Money/Republic)

If VIEWS was the angry rebuttable to Drake’s authenticity being challenged, More Life is the realization that introspective and peace-seeking is his most authentic artistic self. While its swollen "playlist" designation allows for a few unnecessary inclusions, the majority of Drake’s tenth full-length project finds him at his absolute finest.

The underlying theme is celebratory, including the sewn-in appraisal for an increasingly varied selection of global influences. For a brief moment a year ago, it looked as if Drake’s unchecked dominance may be coming to an end, a notion that seems ridiculous in retrospect. Emerging as a humble victor suits Drake best, and allows us all to reap the real spoils. Michael J. Warren

5. Mount Eerie A Crow Looked at Me (P.W. Elverum & Sun, Ltd.)

"Death is real."

In the past two decades that Phil Elverum has been singing about mortality, nothing he’s said before has been as hard-hitting, direct and heavy as these three words. Recorded during the months following the death of his wife, Geneviève Castrée, A Crow Looked at Me is a document of Elverum’s thoughts, fears and reality.

But what makes his eighth Mount Eerie LP so compelling is how it stands as an example of peerless art. Elverum couldn’t have been thinking of his fan base, record label or any musical scene while recording these songs; he was creating music out of pure necessity, as the 11 songs featured on this LP are bereft of choruses, bridges or even a proper rhyming structure. A Crow Looked at Me is an album Elverum almost certainly wishes he never had to make, but alas, death is real, and therefore it exists. This resulting meditation on grief is both stark and stunning. Daniel Sylvester

4. Father John Misty Pure Comedy (Sub Pop)

Father John Misty’s all-encompassing Pure Comedy finds Josh Tillman addressing the absurdity of human life, the effect of technology on the way we connect with others and the inherent meaninglessness of being here, but he does it all with shocking affection, in an Elton John-esque guise.

Far from a cynical polemic, Pure Comedy is a monster of a record that is never as hopeless as it may appear. It tries to shine a light on the possibility of a brighter, happier future by pointing out trivialities like the ridiculous weight we ascribe to our online presence ("Ballad of the Dying Man"), or by holding up a mirror to our strange human existence/experiment on its title track.

In its final moments, during "In Twenty Years or So," Tillman drives home just what we can learn from and do with meaninglessness: Find our own meaning. And as he sings, "I look at you as our second drinks arrive / the piano player’s playing ‘This Must Be The Place,’ and it’s a miracle to be alive," it’s clear that beauty and meaning and love are not so hard to find — even in a world that might suggest otherwise. Matt Williams

3. Feist Pleasure (Universal)

Leslie Feist’s first record in over half-a-decade might just be her best. Somewhere between the delicate sophistication of 2007’s The Reminder and the rougher bombast of 2011’s Metals, Pleasure finds Feist at her most dynamic, weaving timbres as seemingly contrary as woodwinds and gain-y blues guitar into songs that swing dramatically from placid to stormy in seconds — and that’s just in the first five minutes of it.

Even at their loudest, these songs are minimal: "I Wish I Didn’t Miss You" climaxes with Feist’s voice wailing through a watery delay effect over just her acoustic guitar; "Any Party" sounds like one when the gang vocals join her and her guitar for the chorus; and the propulsive "Century" is lent almost all of its urgency by a crackling layer of handclaps. They’re simple ingredients, but in Feist’s deft hands, they sound like pure Pleasure. Stephen Carlick

2. Sampha Process (Young Turks)

Though many listeners may have first become acquainted with Sampha through his guest features with Drake or SBTRKT, the UK native has firmly established himself as a solo artist with Process. It isn’t just his buttery tenor that makes his long-awaited debut LP a standout of this year so far, but his talent as both a writer and producer, too.

Drawing on the process of overcoming his mother’s passing and his own personal hurdles in music-making, emotional strength is a thematic constant across the record’s ten tracks, from the percussive drive of piano and drums on "Blood on Me" to the hushed keys and enveloping pads of closer "What Shouldn’t I Be?"

The most powerful moment of Sampha’s Process comes when he strips the electronic wizardry away, though; the breathtaking ballad "(No One Knows Me) Like the Piano" finds him seated at the ivories to lay bare his love for both his mother and music. Calum Slingerland

1. Kendrick Lamar DAMN. (Interscope/Top Dawg Entertainment)

Given music’s subjectivity, and Exclaim!’s long-standing policy of allowing writers to freely express their opinions, our original review of Kendrick Lamar’s latest caused some expected consternation. It’s an album that was praised by some, and fell short for others. After polling the Exclaim! writer’s pool, the overwhelming consensus was that DAMN. is the most beloved album released in 2017 so far.

Over sonically skeletal production, Lamar bares his truths and insecurities, fleshing out the songs with new layers and textures as he dramatizes the various characters he uses to speak on his behalf. He balances societal heartache and ferocious resilience, serving as a mouthpiece to tell the stories of his generation, as well as those before him and after us — and unapologetically, at that. The war chants of "DNA." and the introspective depth of "DUCKWORTH." offer jolting insights into the lives of young black Americans, while the animated "HUMBLE." and daunting "PRIDE." explore the waves of fear and acceptance that come with that day-to-day existence.

Whether you love DAMN. or not, for all that it stands for thematically, you have to admire Lamar for laying it all out on the table. Erin Lowers

View Full Article Here: Exclaim!’s Top 29 Albums of 2017 So Far

Exclaim!’s Top 29 Albums of 2017 So Far was originally published on CALM | We Drive The Calmest, Strive Regardless

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