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tampon-on-the-sidewalk · 2 years

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So, You’re the Commentator for your Eurovision Grand Final Party?

Have we got a treat for you! Facts about all 25 countries in one convenient post.

Now, I did say I would have different facts from my semi final posts, but on top of legit falling asleep as I type this, I know some people still only watch the Grand Final and may have missed the previous facts. SO, anything in bold at the end of each country are the new facts!

1. Czech Republic- We Are Domi-Lights Off- Formed in 2016, they met at the Leeds College of Music in the UK. Dominika Hasova, the singer, is Czech-American(born in NY) while the other two, Casper Hatlestad and Benjamin Rekstad, are Norwegian. The latter two are music teachers. The song is about a breakup, and is their 6th single. They were also featured on a song by Lake Malawi, who represented the Czech Republic in 2019. 2. Romania- WRS- Llamame 29 years old, started as a back-up dancer and part of the Pro TV Ballet before making his solo debut in 2020. He was nominated for 2 awards. He was part of a boyband in 2015. He learned spanish growing up through Telenovelas, which inspired the Spanish in his song. He considers his body his instrument, as a dancer. 3. Portugal- Maro- Saudade, Saudade- 27 years old, she intended on becoming a vet before deciding to pursue music. She also went to the Berklee College of Music. She currently resides in LA, and made her recording debut in 2018. Saudade is a uniquely portuguese word, meaning something along the lines of a wistful nostalgia. Wanting to see someone who you can no longer see, do things you can no longer do, etc etc

4. Finland- The Rasmus- Jezebel The band formed in 1994 and has achieved global fame with their song In The Shadows, a career spanning 9 albums. This is the first song with guitarist Emppu Suhonen after founding member Pauli Rantasalmi left. Desmond Child, known for writing many Bon Jovi songs(among others) and most recently Kings and Queens by Ava Max, co-wrote the song. The song was written before Emppu joined the band, and has hit both the Finland and Czech Republic music charts at 4th and 8th position, respectively

5. Switzerland- Marius Bear- Boys Do Cry- 29 years old, was a construction mechanic until being drafted into the army. A colleague told him he should pursue music, and he became a professional busker when he returned from the army. Recording debut in 2014. Won a Swiss music award for ‘Best Talent.

6. France- Alvan and Ahez- Fulenn- Thanks to this song being in the Celtic language of Breton, this is the first year in Eurovision history where not a single song is in French. However, it isn’t the first time France has sang in Breton (first time in 1996). Alvan and Ahez met by chance at a bar, which led to this collaboration.

7. Norway- Subwoolfer- Give that Wolf a Banana- Keith, Jim and DJ Astronaut. Two wolves from the moon who are known as ‘the best artists in the galaxy’. The song has more than 7 million hits on Spotify. While no one knows who Keith and Jim are, there is photo evidence that suggests that TIX of last year is DJ Astronaut.

8. Armenia- Rosa Lynn- Snap- 21 years old, a recording artist as of 2021 but made her TV debut in 2013 for Junior Eurovision’s National final. She has been playing Piano since the age of 6.

9. Italy- Mahmood and Blanco- Brividi- Translating to ‘Shivers’, this song sang by the Italian representative of 2019(Mahmood, with Soldi) and a rather successful new artist(Blanco). They are 29 and 19 years old, respectively. Blanco alone has won 3 awards in 2021 with nearly all of his discography being multi-platinum hits. 10. Spain- Chanel- Slo Mo - 30 years old, she is an actress in both musical theater and television since 2011. This song is her official recording debut. She is the first of the night to not have any involvement in the song-writing process.

11. Netherlands- S10- De Diepte- 21 years old, she began her career in 2016. Her debut album won an Edison Award(Dutch equivalent to a Grammy). It is the first song in the Dutch language since 2010. In Dutch, her name would be pronounced ‘Esteen’

12. Ukraine- Kalush Orchestra- Stefania Named after the founding member’s hometown, Kalush Orchestra a rap group that adds folk elements to their music. They were the runner-up of the national final, chosen after the winner withdrew.

13. Germany- Malik Harris- Rockstars 24 years old, he made his recording debut in 2018. He has been doing covers of songs on his guitar since age 13.

14. Lithuania- Monika Lui- Sentimentai- 34 years old, won a competition at age 16. She studied Jazz and also attended Berklee College of Music. She’s been a recording artist since 2013.

15. Azerbaijan- Nadir Rustamli- Fade to Black- 22 years old, he started his musical career in 2017. He won The Voice in his country in 2021, then was internally selected to compete in Eurovision. No involvement in the songwriting process.

16. Belgium- Jeremie Makiese- Miss You. 21 Years old, he joined his church choir at a young age. In 2021 he won The Voice Belgium, and was internally selected. Influences include Michael Jackson, James Brown and Aretha Franklin, as well as Stromae. He is a proffessional footballer. 17. Greece- Amanda Georgiadi Tenfjord-Die Together 25 years old, currently resides in Norway. Studied medicine before putting her studies on hold to pursue music. Recording Artist since 2014. 18. Iceland- Systur- Með hækkandi sól- Formed in 2011, a group of three sisters. Their father is a composer and keyboardist. Trans Rights activists! Title translates to ‘With the Rising Sun.’ 19. Moldova- Zdob si Zdub- "Trenulețul" These Eurovision legends barely need an introduction as they repped Moldova in 2005 and 2011, landing 6th place and 12th place respectively. Formed in 1994. 20. Sweden- Cornelia Jakobs- Hold Me Closer- 30 years old, daughter of The Poodles’ lead singer. Entered Melfest 2021 as a songwriter. Made recording debut in 2018, but her tv debut in 2008 on Swedish Idol. 21. Australia- Sheldon Riley- Not the Same- 23 years old, competed in X-Factor Australia, The Voice Australia twice, and America’s Got Talent before winning Australia’s National Final. He made his recording debut in 2018. Eurovision has been his dream ever since seeing Conchita win in 2014. His dress on stage consists of 90 thousand pearls and crystals, and weighs 40 kilos(88lbs). It was made by a team of 27 people and the design sketched by Sheldon himself 5 years ago. 22. United Kingdom- Sam Ryder- Space Man- 32 years old, he has been in the music industry since 2009, first as part of the band The Morning After followed by as a touring guitarist/backing vocalist for Blessed by a Broken Heart. He became their lead vocalist in 2012, but truly rose to fame in 2020 from doing covers on Tiktok during the Pandemic.

23. Poland- Ochman- River- 22 years old, he was born in Massachusetts to a Polish family. Was Prince Charmind in his school’s performance of Cinderella. Went to Poland for Music University. Won The Voice Poland in 2020 on Michal Szpak(2016 representative)’s team.

24. Serbia- Konstrakta- In Corpore Sano- 43 years old, she has been performing since age 19. She was a frontwoman of a band until her solo debut in 2019. Her stage name is inspired from her major in Architecture. The song title, as well as some lyrics, are in Latin. 25. Estonia- STEFAN- Hope- 24 years old, he participated in the national final 4 times in total since 2018. He won The Masked Singer Estonia.

#I'm sorry there's not as many new facts I'm legit falling asleep as I type this #eurovision #esc #Feel free to reblog with extra facts #eurovision 2022 #esc 2022 #eurovision2022 #esc2022

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pixoplanet · 1 year

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It's November 15th. 🎂 On this day in 1932, the soon-to-be world famous, multi-lingual, multi-talented Petula Sally Olwen Clark was born in Ewell, England. Her show business career began early, at the age of nine, when "Pet" made her first of over 500 radio appearances on BBC, singing for families of British soldiers during World War II.

When she turned 12, Pet appeared in her first film. She's since appeared in over 25 movies, starring alongside such stars as Kay Kendall in "London Town," Peter Ustinov in "Vice-Versa,” Alec Guinness in "The Card,” Fred Astaire in "Finian's Rainbow,” Peter O'Toole in “Goodbye, Mr. Chips,” and more.

Pet began her recording career at the age of 17. This phase of her show business career also got off to a strong start and ended up being the most successful chapter of her show business career. During the 50s and early 60s, she sold more than 20 million records in the UK and Europe (Including #1 hits in English, French, German, and Italian). When she released her "Downtown" single in the US, though, in 1964, she became a superstar on both sides of the Atlantic. The hits just kept coming, too – "I Know a Place," "My Love," "A Sign of the Times," I Couldn't Live without Your Love," and many more. She also sang her hits on many TV shows during this period.

From the 70s on, Pet continued to sing, perform, act, and host on TV. In 1998, in recognition of Pet's lifetime achievements and service, Queen Elizabeth II anointed her a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). Pet didn't rest on her laurels, though. She continues to be a relevant force within the entertainment industry. She's currently playing the Bird Woman in a "Mary Poppins" stage production in London's West End. Unbelievable! What a life! ☮️ Peace… Jamiese of Pixoplanet

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zooterchet · 1 year

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Chet’s Happy Time Pretend RL (David Champlain, “Scarecrow”)

Chas T. Main:

Target: Saudi Arabia (Date of dispatch, 1998).

Commanding officer: George W. Bush, counter-Morningstar, married into same family, via father, sperm stolen from Sam Brown’s family, MI-6 Narcotics Bureau, gifted to Senator Prescott Bush (only proper sperm semenal theft allowed under British law, into wealthy family of influence, otherwise sperm thieves targeting by Knights Templar, O’Neills and Geogian Caspians and Taiwanese and Egyptian Sudanese and other lines, especially Hispanic Iberian Queens).

Secondary Target: European medical psychology programs, using film and movies, as examples for psychiatrists to apply medication with.

Frame: Police officer, mother, Irish Mob, father, CIA, Southie Boston.

Truth: Spy, father, Irish Vatican MI-6 Double Agent through Imperial India, father, MI-6 Narcotics Bureau IDF, out of South End and North Attleboro, multi-millionaire, both sides.

Medication: Ineffective, Catholic. Practice of ninjitsu, age 9, and Catholic ritual for government with law, without force, hence government is always resisted, unless incentivized, New England law; unless Mafiaso, laws of religion applied as if police, refused.

Collections Agency:

Origin: Ikagawa-kai, George W. Bush, Bush Society, O’Neill Tyrone Hugh infiltration of Neo-Nazi 19th century farm Bund country attorneys, abolitionists, mutual multivariable movement of fingers, George W. Bush and self, freeing labor from factory, white, chattel, sweat shop, and extorted salary slavery of commission.

Target: Teamsters refusing nation of trade, upon offense against War on Terror pact nations (Britain, Israel, Canada, Russia, African Union), for violating American law of Patriot Act (guarantee of rights to suspect, first and second page, all other pages, cop legal defenses and resources for having violated rigid libertarian application of US Constitution, considered military code under police rights, military secondary, police first, military having fewer domestic rights than police, military held under brig if acting under police code, police removed from force and banned from social security number, if stealing identity, considered terrorist).

Method: Jehovah’s Witness.

Sigil of Baphomet:

Pacifist as pederasty considered common street fight, insurance for gift of rich to poor, murder to defend impoverished, film used as lure in defense, film in defense of law.

Each reversed, a queer mark on individual reversing, until all five, transgender for male killing, if female, then marriage boon.

Three letters, ‘i’ as one.

Crazy Train, Ozzy Osbourne, selected.

Gifted song, “Patient Number Nine”, MI-6 on American soil, written into film by Jewish bigots (talent producers, bullies of family, extortion artists with Mob).

Narcotics Bureau:

Office: Kayem Old Tyme franks and cheese, grocer’s exchange of Chelsea, Massachusetts.

Target: York Fens family (alias: Moen), acting through Donald Nixon, to spread rumor of cooperation between British Commonwealth and Israeli interests (false, British at de facto state of war, common in propaganda overseas, since 1948).

Solution: Salvo House, placed under control of Donald Nixon’s descent, Gwenn Pratt, through false invocation of God, self-marriage trap, Torquemada, Kurdi immunity to hypnosis played into shape to remove Salvo House from quarantine from Italian misregistered as Irish by Eillis Island Slavic Jews, distaste of tomato (Italian genome, Irish preferring tomato, nightshade).

Narcotics Trump: Victims of families involved, children placed in juvenile hall, women committed, through Salvo feminist rally (Stasi, without dam necessary to build, own proletariat framed as false Chinese Mob registration of sex offender on stalker websites for private detectives, through sports fans).

End: Arrest of York Fens family working through Belgian Jews, as gangster, through minority whip of Congress, historian journalist and communications disorder, writer and private detective, placing, decades in future, candidate unknown.

COINTELPRO:

COIN (Currency).

TE (Tele Fiction)

L (Location Essential)

PRO (Prostitution Exchange).

DC Comics, and other comics, manipulating political ideologies, considered unsavory to the British Commonwealth, through CD (Canada Department).

Targets:

Vanderbilt (monopoly over delivery food, via courier, to cop families, an extortion practice, for control of city development and city unions).

Johnson (the Carnegie Institute, strips of corporate executives attending universities, a B+ overall cumulative for two individual semesters, five classes per semester, unless sexual assault charge placed on potential executive, otherwise declared a “sociopath”, a psychiatric abuse victim).

Kennedy (separation of Jewish community, into NSA, INTERPOL, Mossad, to force all Jews to work together through three continents, Hitler’s myth come to life, for North America, Europe, and the Middle East).

Kemp (use of first week classes at one hundred level, elective studies, to control marginalized industrial labor, through poor education, guilt by association, Kaiser’s laws of New Rhodesia).

Holland NORML (spraying of marijuana with infertile solutes, Mussolini, to sell corrections munitions to prisons, for male and female victims of drug dealers out of intelligentsia, hidden from charges by campus professor nominations).

#batman

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arilessiagranara · 4 years

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is alyssa even italian???

I opened twitter and this was the 1st tweet that I saw. Same energy!

Also, that’s a good question.

“Alyssa Cara is a British born Instagram model with an Italian background. Cara was raised in the U.K. by Italian parents.

At age 16 while out shopping, Cara caught the eyes of a talent scout for Wilhelmina Models. Originally studying music at the University of Cambridge, she would leave school to further her modeling career.

Cara currently resides in Los Angeles, California to maintain a balance between being a model and pursuing an acting career. On her Instagram, she often posts her American valley girl accent.”

#answered #multi-talented italian queen

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existingispetty · 2 years

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Hello can I have a matchup for Arcane?

𝗔𝗣𝗣𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗔𝗡𝗖𝗘: 20 years old, 5'1", Southeast Asian. Chubby with brunette bob cut hair, chocolate brown eyes, and a small beauty mark on my forehead. My style is in between soft grunge and soft punk but loves to wear Korean makeup style

𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗦𝗢𝗡𝗔𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗬: Muggleborn Ravenclaw with a patronous spirit of Hummingbird, an INFJ (last time I checked at MBTI test), my enneagram is 4w5 and my moral alignment is Neutral Good. I may have a slight introverted tendencies and awkward nature, I describe myself as fiery, swears like a sailor, confident, jokester, and, passionate. Religious, super talkative, sometimes hyper (because of excitement), giggly (I always laugh for stupid reasons), nerdy, actually sweet and nice though I can be aloof, intimidating, and scary when I get so angry. I tend to become really fiesty, stands boldly on what I believe (claiming myself as a realist though some of my views doesn't makes sense), and unbothered to be true to myself, clumsy, stubborn, young-at-heart, unfortunate and inattentive. I have "no bs" towards the people that I hate, sarcasam and savagery is my main language. But on the other side, I overthink a lot and cry over small things many times, small mistakes leads me to provoke me even more that sounds like a drama queen, yet recognizes a soft spot for dumb jokes, cheesy pickup lines and prefer people with a good sense of humour who see myself as equal. Chill in academics, but very competitive that manages to the top even for my dreams---I'm very dedicated on what I want for my life, and I display modesty and gracefulness towards some people that deserves respect. One notable feature about her is her multi-potentiality due to being naturally gifted in artistic fields (this includes singing).

𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗦: Arts, choir, poetry, karaoke, literature, history, makeup, beauty pageants, fun/deep/dumb conversations, expanding my knowledge in Christianity, documentaries (about saints), reading interesting stuffs, talking about social issues, and creative writing, chilling both indoors and outdoors.

𝗛𝗢𝗕𝗕𝗜𝗘𝗦: Drawing, singing, dancing when nobody's around (I'm very bad at it), sharing nerdy or opinionated thoughts, walking like a model (if I ever feel so confident), sleeping, listening to music (from rock to kpop), chatting or browsing on social media, watching videos on YouTube, making terrible jokes/puns, watching cartoons, writing, reading interesting things, and conceptualizing my artworks. I also used to study Italian language a bit

Hello! Thank you for the ask! I’m so sorry about how long it took! I hope you enjoy it!(also you didn't mention which gender so I assumed you didn't care, if you want me to redo, I can) +++++++++++++++++++++++++

Your matchup is…(insert drumroll*)

You are like Caitlyn But with a sense of comedy, and Vi lives for it. Fiery is a good trait to have because of your in the undercity you need to stand up for yourself. You being a jokester is so refreshing to Vi because she’s always in serious situations with serious people. Vi would find your aloof trait quite cute. She would love to test just how intimidating you can get when you are angry.

All of your traits are go can combat something back, you guys have a fiery aura that intimidates others at first. Vi lives for sarcasm in people she’s around. Vi used to steal so she makes little mistakes. Once you tell Vi to do something she does it. You and Vi could do cheese-worthy pick-up lines back and forth for hours on end. Vi is also very dedicated, once she gets involved in something she sees it all out until the end. Vi only gives respect to those who earn it. Vi sees all as equals no matter how terrible or kind.

Vi wishes she was more talented in all of the hobbies you have so she tried to learn everything she can about them. She will read books and text you random questions over the arts. Vi is respectful of your religious hobbies. She understands how important religion is to so many people. Vi would probably make a lot of thirst raps if she were in our time. They would be cool too. Vi would love any kind of rock especially classic. You guys can make bad jokes together. If you say a joke that really interests Vi she will write it down and use it later with someone else.

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aion-rsa · 3 years

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30 Rock: A Trip Through Jenna Maroney’s Wildly Absurd Backstory

https://ift.tt/3xipFYl

Forget Jay Gatsby, Forrest Gump, and Fievel Mouskewitz, no fictional character so thoroughly embodies the American dream as Jenna Maroney. Conceived on a toilet, born on a kerb, and raised in a swamp, Maroney flew to fame and fortune on a rocket built from desperation and a pathological need for attention (why should babies get all the fuss? They’re not the only ones who can fit both feet in their mouths).

Born Ystrepa Grokovitz to parents Verner and Werner, and brought up in Toilet Cove Swamp, Jenna was a natural performer from a young age, gracing many a Florida child pageant stage and at Christmas, regaling mall staff with carols to distract from her mother’s shoplifting. She boasts a seventh grade education and a diploma from the Royal Tampa Academy of Dramatic Tricks, at which she majored in game show pointing and theatre superstitions. It all changed for Ystrepa when she met roommate and best friend Elizabeth Lemon, future head writer on NBC late-night comedy sketch show TGS – which brought us such greats as Gaybraham Lincoln and Fart Doctor.

Actor announcement! The character of TGS star Jenna Maroney was originally Jenna DeCarlo, a part Tina Fey wrote for her Second City and SNL co-star Rachel Dratch, who played Jenna in 30 Rock’s unaired pilot (see below) before being unceremoniously replaced by NBC execs. Dratch went on to multiple appearances in various character roles in the show’s early days.

Back to this timeline. At 29 years old (cough), Maroney has built some career. Not only a comedic sketch performer, she’s also a serious dramatic actor with roles ranging from murdered prom queen to murdered runaway to murdered sex worker to werewolf (various). A talented singer, she’s enjoyed international pop success with hits including ‘Muffin Top’, the theme song from musical ‘Rural Juror’ based on the novel by Kevin Grisham, and, who could forget summer jam ‘Balls’. Her vocal stylings can also be enjoyed in such classics as ‘Break Another Little Chunk of my Lung’ in her lead performance in unlicensed Janis Joplin biopic ‘Jackie Jormp-Jomp’.

Tina Fey Asks NBCUniversal to Pull Four 30 Rock Episodes, Three Containing Blackface

By Tony Sokol

30 Rock’s Best Running Jokes

By Louisa Mellor

So high-maintenance she makes Miss Piggy look reasonable and down-to-earth, Jenna’s meltdowns are as regular as her name drops. She loves to be wanted, and is, by the Yakuza. Jenna’s Hollywood lifestyle brings her into contact with many a famous face, towards all of whom she is fiercely competitive and extremely vindictive. She has multiple running feuds with US tween stars, for whose recently-out-of-rehab mothers she is regularly mistaken at awards ceremonies.

In the cut-throat world of entertainment, Jenna is a survivor. (Literally. She watched her entire church group get eaten by a bear.) That survival is rooted in her unfailing self-belief and deep psychological damage. Vice President of East Coast Television and Microwave Oven Programming Jack Donaghy describes her as an unceasing onslaught of dysfunction, while she’s proud to have been declared “unfixable” by TV’s Dr Drew. All of which led to a major career boost when she channelled her total lack of conscience into becoming the mean judge on reality talent show America’s Kidz Got Singing.

Less America’s sweetheart, more its slutty cousin, Jenna’s a multi-hyphenate with a colourful dating history and a weird sex tape for every occasion. She’s not only on cam-a-rah talent, but also the face of the vaginal mesh industry and briefly, was the spokesmodel for Enormé (America’s number one fragrance for plus-sized women). All that, and she’s been writing a sex column for Cosmo. (Cosmo is her 14 year old neighbour. He doesn’t know anything). Few could live life at Jenna’s speed. But you know what they say: if you can’t stand the heat, get off Mickey Rourke’s sex grill.

Mr Rourke is just one notch of many on Jenna’s bedpost, alongside OJ, Roseanne Barr and Tom Arnold, two of the Backstreet Boys, Frank Rossitano and Dog the Bounty Hunter. A legendary international adventuress, Jenna Maroney walked so Alexis Rose from Schitt’s Creek could run… away from the Thai drug lord she’s bribing with sex to help her free Vin Diesel from a Ugandan diamond smuggler’s villa.

Since the end of TGS, Jenna’s been a free woman – doubly so since the sheik who won her in that poker game was beheaded – and therefore able to devote her time to her marriage with gender dysmorphic bigenitalia pansexuelle and female-impersonator Paul, and her hobbies: getting turned on by car accidents, horse-electrocution, and Italian sex parties. From the wiggle in her walk to to the bullet lodged in her jaw, the woman’s an original. Charge your glasses and join us in a toast: She runs a tidy bakery, the boys all want her cake for free… everybody, to the monstrous Jenna Maroney!

cnx.cmd.push(function() { cnx({ playerId: "106e33c0-3911-473c-b599-b1426db57530", }).render("0270c398a82f44f49c23c16122516796"); });

30 Rock is available now on Netflix US.

The post 30 Rock: A Trip Through Jenna Maroney’s Wildly Absurd Backstory appeared first on Den of Geek.

from Den of Geek https://ift.tt/3loHdzE

#aion-rsa #Den of Geek

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x--daughters-of-darkness--x · 4 years

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Queens of Darkness: Top 6 Iconic Female Black Metal Vocalists

Darkened Nocturn Slaughtercult

Darkened Nocturn Slaughtercult is a black metal band from Dormagen, Germany founded by vocalist and guitarst Onielar (Yvonne Wilczynska) and former drummer Ariovist. The black metal that the band plays is heavily inspired by the seminal Norwegian black metal, basking in the glory of hectic drum blasts and delicious tremolo-picked riffs. In addition, Onielar has proven to be an immensely competent singer, and her guttural screams add a whole other dollop of raw power on the band's already impressive sound.

As one would expect from a band influenced by the genre's original greats, Darkened Nocturn Slaguthercult's lyrics abound with themes like Satanism and brutal, nihilistic critique of modern life are written and delivered in a dead-serious manner. For anyone saying that most newer black metal bands are posers – these guys surely ain't.

Currently, the band consists of Onielar (vocals, rhythm guitar), Velnias (lead guitar), Horrn (drums), and Adversarius (bass). They released their debut album titled "The Pest Called Humanity" back in 1999, and have since enjoyed a prolific career with eleven released studio albums to date. Their latest is called "Mardom" (2019) and you can check it out here:

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Ilkim Oulanem

Ilkim Oulanem is an extremely talented vocalist and multi-instrumentalist from Turkey. Her first forays into black metal occurred in 2005, when she founded a trve black metal band called Messerscmit in Ankara. She helmed the band as the bass player and vocalist until 2008, when she released a critically-praised demo titled "Alarm" on which she performed all the instruments as well as vocals.

In the following year, Ilkim would release an EP titled "Iblisbilim", her only other solo release to date. However, despite the relatively small amount of material she put out, her work was vastly praised and Ilkim (deservedly) amassed enough of a cult following for her gigs to be eagerly expected. Check out her song "BOŞLUĞUN LEŞ RUHLARI" and see for yourself what a powerhouse of black metal this woman is:

youtube

Cadaveria

Cadaveria (born as Raffaella Rivarolo) is one of the first ladies to have graced the extreme metal scene in the early '90s. She began her career as the vocalist and keyboardist of the Italian melodic black metal band Opera IX in 1992. After championing the band for five albums during eight years, she would leave Opera IX with bandmate Alberto "Flegias" Gaggiotti (who has also been the vocalist of the extreme metal band Necrodeath since 1998) to begin her eponymous solo project.

In the following years, she would release six studio albums through which she acquired a serious reputation in the extreme metal scene both in Italy as well as the rest of the world, with her last being 2016's Mondoscuro, a splt release with Flegias' Necrodeath.

Toward the end of the previous year, Cadaveria emerged victorious from a severe battle with cancer, only confirming how much of a badass this woman is. She has since become a true champion in the battle against breast cancer, by raising research funds and serving as a spokesperson for the cause. You can check out her song "Death Vision" in the link below:

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Mordichrist

Featuring yet another veteran lady of black metal, Mordichrist was formed in Sweden by Chaq Mol and Nenia in 2000. In the trve black metal fashion, Mordichrist is a mysterious project that lets only its work speak for itself (aside from Chaq Mol being the guitarist of Dark Funeral as well). So far they have released three demos and two EPs, but these proved to be enough for Mordichrist to receive the status of a cvlt hidden gem of the genre.

A statement on their Facebook page says "There are no female fronted black metal bands in the world today as brutal as Sweden's Mordichrist". And although we can't confirm that with the same level of certainty, we can confirm that the band's output so far has been brutal as fuck.

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Myrkur

In the previous several years, Myrkur (stage-name of the Danish-born multi-instrumentalist and composer Amalie Bruun) has become not only perhaps the best-known woman in the extreme metal genre, but also one of the most spoken-about current black metal musicians.

By know most of you are already aware of the praise their first two albums "M" and "Mareridt" received and I don't have to tell you anything you don't already know about it. Her latest album, this year's "Folkesange" saw Myrkur focus completely on the Scandinavian folk-inspired aspect of her work. However, "Folkesange" doesn't at all seem so strange an endeavor for a musician who began in black metal, as there was always a certain amount of strange, haunting beauty showing through the grotesque and the volatile nature of the genre even since its early days.

However, Myrkur has more than proven that he is a prodigious black metal vocalist, and for argument's sake I'll leave her iconic song "Måneblôt" here:

youtube

Astarte

Astarte were an all-female black metal band from Athens, Greece who had been showing us just how much ass such bands can kick even within black metal as early as 1995.

Originally named Lloth, the band released their demo album "Dancing in the Dark Lakes of Evil" in 1997. Shortly after, they changed their name to Astarte, in homage to the Semitic goddess of sexuality. Astarte would go through several lineup changes over the years, and would release five studio albums over the years.

In 2014, founding member, vocalist and multi-istrumentalist Maria "Tristessa" Kolokouri sadly passed away from complications following her battle with leukemia, and Astarte disbanded soon afterwards. The remaining members regrouped in 2015, once again under the name of Lloth, and have released one demo ("I (Dead Inside), 2015) and one studio album (Athanati, 2017).

Maria's untimely passing cut short what could have been an even more prolific career, but there is no doubt that she'll remain remembered as one of the greatest ladies of black metal vocals.

#Darkened Nocturn Slaughtercult #Ilkim Oulanem #Cadaveria #Mordichrist #Myrkur #Astarte

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usgunn · 5 years

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September 1, 2019

CLICK HERE for the September 1, 2019 playlist

1. Furniture - “Transatlantic Cable” (1983)

I stumbled across this band for the first time this week. Led by Jim Irvin, who went on to be a British music journalist and also has a co-write credit on a Lana Del Rey song? Only one EP is on Spotify, but I was so smitten with it I had to lead off with something from it this week. I’m getting a David Sylvian-vibe.

2. The Late Bronze Age - “King Greed” (1980)

Spotify credits this song to Col. Bruce Hampton and the Late Bronze Age, but when this record, Outside Looking Out, first came out, they were just the Late Bronze Age. No offense to my hippie pals out there, but due to his frequent visits to the Georgia Theater back when it was a jam-band haunt I always assumed I would never want to have anything to do with Col. Bruce. But nobody told me he was in a jazzy new wave band in the early 80′s that sounded like what I always wished Pere Ubu sounded like.

3. Tesco Bombers - “Break The Ice at Parties” (1982)

London band with but one release, the 7″ from which this song comes, on Y Records, which also put out killer music from Maximum Joy and Shriekback. I only know this from a compilation, Cease & Desist: DIY!, put together by JD Twitch of Optimo, the legendary Glaswegian DJ team.

4. Social Climbers - “Palm Springs” (1981)

NYC-band (by way of Bloomington, IN) who made one self-titled record and disappeared as far as I know, later reissued through the combined power of Drag City and Yoga Records. Now you know as much as I do. A lot of the album is more vocal-driven, but this track felt right to kick off a run of instrumental tracks coming up.

5. Fernando Falcão - “Ladeira dos Inocentes” (1981)

Back to Optimo - they also run a label, Optimo Music, which has picked up a sub-label, Selva Discos, that is putting out some fantastic and forgotten Brazilian music--and that label has just reissued two private-press Fernando Falcão albums. I first heard Fernando Falcão on the great Outro Tempo compilation a couple of years ago of avant-garde Brazilian music from the 80′s (the Os Mulheres Negras track from a few weeks back came from that compilation). I don’t know what you call this music. I like it when you don’t know what to call it.

6. Ennio Morricone - “Seguita” (1971)

I’m not gonna pretend to know much about Morricone beyond what everyone knows (Italian film composer, did several Sergio Leone movies). But I always love hearing his music, and I’ve always really liked the Crime and Dissonance compilation (from which this song is taken) of some of his lesser-known work put together by Alan Bishop of Sun City Girls and released on Mike Patton of Faith No More’s Ipecac Records. This menacing jazz tune is from the movie Gli Occhi Freddi Della Paura, if knowing that sort of thing is important to you.

7. Sons of Kemet - “My Queen is Harriet Tubman” (2018)

One of several projects of Shabaka Hutchings, a British saxophonist and restless collaborator. Seems to exist somewhere between jazz and afrobeat, with two drummers pounding out frenetic rhythms. The album this comes from, Your Queen is a Reptile, was The Wire magazine’s #1 album of 2018.

8. 75 Dollar Bill - “Tetuzi Akiyama” (2019)

75 Dollar Bill started as a guitar and drums duo but have expanded to something much different, playing music that seems steeped in the traditions of some mythical country. This song is like the blues on acid.

9. 5ive Style - “Pledge Drive” (1999)

5ive Style was a Chicago supergroup (if a supergroup can consist of people no-one has ever heard of): John Herndon (Tortoise, Poster Children) on drums, Leroy Bach (Chicago man-about-town, later in Wilco) on bass, Jeremy Jacobson (one-man-band The Lonesome Organist) on keys, and the inestimable Billy Dolan (later of Heroic Doses) on guitar. Dolan is one of THE great unsung guitar players of the last, I don’t know, 40 years, and you get a taste of that here.

10. Orange Juice - “Two Hearts Together (10″ Version)” (1982)

Whether you like this song will determine whether we can be friends. Not really, but I will die on the Orange Juice hill. Orange Juice was a Glasgow indie-pop band that most people only care about for their early singles and first-draft of their first album, when they were a scrappy, lo-fi band on Glasgow indie-lable Postcard Records. But I prefer Orange Juice after they signed to Polydor and became an over-produced also-ran. This Caribbean-inflected non-album single came between their first and second albums on Polydor, when the band had shed its original guitarist and drummer and added Malcolm Ross on guitar (from Edinburgh’s Josef K) and Zeke Manyika on drums, a Zimbabwe-born multi-talented musician who later recorded with The The and The Style Council, and who in my opinion was a catalyst for the best phase of Orange Juice’s career (but who otherwise seems to be a footnote in most people’s Orange Juice histories--to the extent other people have Orange Juice histories).

11. Archer Prewitt - “Gifts of Love” (2002)

Archer Prewitt is best known as the lead guitar player for The Sea and Cake, but made several solo albums of his own in the late 90′s/early 2000′s. No one would ever accuse The Sea and Cake’s bossa-nova inflected, jazzy post-rock of being “hard,” but Archer’s albums really veered into 70′s soft rock territory, in the best way possible. There’s a lot to like about this song, but the string-laden outro may be the best part, so good that I’m always disappointed when it fades out so soon.

12. The Clientele - “Bookshop Casanova” (2007)

The Clientele are a long-time Merge Records band that’s never really caught fire like some others, likely due to their spurts of inactivity and seeming reluctance to tour the U.S. in any meaningful way. Their catalog is deep at this point, full of poignant moments of beauty and deceptively complex arrangements that invite repeat listens. This song, though, is probably the closest they ever got at translating what they do into something that might catch a casual listener’s ear at first blush.

13. Howard Ivans - “Red Face Boy” (2013)

Howard Ivans is the alter-ego of Ivan Howard, co-leader of another Merge Records band, The Rosebuds. While The Rosebuds always rooted their genre-experiments in the world of indie-rock, the Howard Ivans persona allows Howard to go full R&B, with wonderful results. This was one of the first singles put out by Matthew E. White’s Spacebomb Records, and they went all out, with horns arranged by White and strings arranged by Trey Pollard, all cut to tape in Richmond, VA.

14. BADBADNOTGOOD & Ghostface Killah (ft. MF Doom) - “Ray Gun” (2015)

BADBADNOTGOOD is, as far as I can tell, a bunch of nerds from Canada who play really inventine funk, soul and jazz music, and they made a whole record, Sour Soul, backing Ghostface Killa from Wu-Tang Clan. I haven’t dived in too deep yet, but really like this song featuring the legendary MF Doom. Doom and Ghostface have been teasing a collaborative album for years under the name DOOMSTARKS, but so far, nothing.

15. Baby Huey - “Hard Times” (1971)

Larger than life at 400 lbs. and dead at 26 due to heroin, Baby Huey was not around long enough to make much of a mark. But he did manage to record one full-length, produced by Curtis Mayfield, from which this song comes (the song was also penned by Mayfield). There’s an amazing, nearly 10-minute performance of “A Change is Going to Come” on there too, but there wasn’t room this week (I reserve the right to put 10-minute long songs on this playlist, though).

16. Craig Finn - “Something to Hope For” (2019)

I was never much of a Hold Steady fan -- I appreciated them more than I liked them. But I feel like frontman Craig Finn is really coming into his own on the solo side of things, and the album he put out this year, I Need a New War, has some great moments, including this earnest, soul-inflected tune.

#playlist #spotify #weekly #music discovery

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rorymancuso481-blog · 5 years

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County Pop

Why all modern pop music sounds the same. The connection between music and cannabis becomes extra intertwined once we contemplate that each activate the pleasure and reward techniques in the brain. Cannabis with greater levels of cannabidiol (higher referred to as CBD — a compound that has medical advantages, however is not solely chargeable for nuls.org.cn the "excessive") than tetrahydrocannabinol (THC, the psychoactive component) is reported to extend the release of dopamine. In such strains, the amplified exercise in the reward system can psychologically condition the person to correlate hashish with a extra constructive listening experience. With music and hashish simultaneously triggering the mesolimbic dopamine system, the brain is chemically reinforcing two extraordinarily gratifying behaviours — and coupling them over time. Through highly aggressive auditions, beginning round ages 10 to 12, music studios induct talented children into the Okay-pop routine. The youngsters attend special colleges the place they take specialized singing and dancing classes ; they learn to average their public behavior and prepare for all times as a pop star; they spend hours in every day rehearsals and carry out in weekend music shows in addition to particular group performances. By way of these performances, lucky youngsters can achieve fan followings earlier than they even formally debut." And after they're old enough, in the event that they're really one of the lucky few, the studios will place them into an idol group and even, often, launch them as a solo artist. The late great Juan Gabriel may need penned one of the vital ardent love letters of all time in Amor Eterno," a standard ranchera tune sung by Rocío Dúrcal. A Spanish-born chanteuse with a Mexican heart, Dúrcal morphed this emotional ballad into a timeless eulogy, which she devoted to her deceased mother. While the saddest balada romántica - like, ever - is still performed by mariachis at funerals, it also serves as an anthemic Mom's Day hymn all through Mexico and past. Dúrcal's 1984 studio album, Canta a Juan Gabriel: Volumen Seis, ranked at number two on Billboard Latin Pop Albums chart the following 12 months, and earned a Grammy Award nomination for Greatest Latin Pop Album - a first for a ranchera album performed by a feminine soloist. I.R. Pop music is a combination of musical genres or types. It originated with the ragtime of the Eighteen Nineties and early 1900s, the jazz period of the Nineteen Twenties and 1930s, and the big band period of the Forties. Its roots may also be discovered within the rock and roll of the Fifties ushered in by Elvis Presley, often known as the ''King of Rock and Roll.'' Extra contemporary influences embody the Seaside Boys and the Beatles; disco, a type of dance music carried out by the Bee Gees and Diana Ross within the Nineteen Seventies; and rhythm and blues. Michael Jackson became referred to as the ''King of Pop'' because of his musical and dance expertise. Different pop artists embody Justin Bieber, Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, Madonna, Katy Perry, and Taylor Swift. The position of the music technologist has changed throughout history, although one trait has stayed consistent: the necessity for the person to function across multiple mediums and disciplines. This challenge-based mostly course gives a possibility to synthesize the key ideas and abilities learned in the Foundations of Music Technology Program, and permits students to determine significant connections between the contents of every course. The course can have students purchase actual-world inventive experience, through the critical examination of historic works, and the completion of a closing challenge, which demonstrates their capacity show how they themselves have change into The Modern Music Technologist. I don't assume it'll come as a surprise to a lot of audiophiles, but human listening to most definitely doesn't have a linear response curve. In actual fact, throughout Task 5 - what was considered essentially the most complicated of the duties - many of the take a look at topics may hear variations between tones with up to a factor www.magicaudiotools.com of thirteen extra acuity than the linear mannequin predicts. Those that had the most skill at differentiating time and frequency variations between tones had been musicians. One, an electronic musician, could differentiate between tones sounded about three milliseconds apart - exceptional as a result of a single interval of the tone only lasts 2.27 milliseconds. The identical subject didn't carry out in addition to others in frequency differentiation. One other professional music was distinctive at frequency differentiation and good at temporal differentiation of the tones. More often than not, when all else is held constant, music in a major key's judged as joyful whereas minor key music is heard as unhappy. I say more often than not as a result of it isn't true across the board. Minor music could be completely satisfied even when folks do not perceive the lyrics, comparable to in Van Morrison's ‘Moondance'. Or attempt protecting a smile on your face while you hear to ‘Dinner At Eight' by Rufus Wainwright or ‘I Know It's Over' by The Smiths, each of which are in main keys. Not only the primary basic hip-hop album, however a sharp breaking level from the buoyant post-disco rhythms and future-shocked electro that dominated the style's first five years on file. The Hollis, Queens crew did nothing short of reinvent the nonetheless-new type in their very own picture: exhausting, raw, in your face and catchy sufficient to challenge the rest in pop. The rap-rock fusion "Rock Field" stands as a foundationally transformative moment for American culture itself, whereas the earth-shaking one-two punch of "Sucker MCs" and "It is Like That" (which had been launched collectively in a landmark 1983 single) segued from Herculean MC grandstanding to complicated social realism. The album is minimal and stark, but still seems like an audacious good time. Within a scene the place saying you have been on the identical block as Mark McCoy is considered title-dropping and gauche as fuck, you needed to take extra steps to indicate that you just actually did not want greater than a hundred and fifty elite PayPal users to be into your music. This meant staying off MySpace as a present of moral braveness and reverse-SEOing your title so that you simply were not possible to seek out on Google. I can not fucking keep in mind the identify of a single one of these fucking bands right now, but these guys are all in bands on Matador now.

The history of Lithuanian professional music is indeed short, spanning about one hundred years solely. This might seem slightly paradoxical, taking into account that already the establishment of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania (1236) had a beneficial affect upon the development of music on the courtroom of the ruling Grand Duke. When the larger a part of Lithuania had adopted Christianity (1387), skilled music got here to the fore. Within the 16-17th centuries Vilnius, the capital city of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, was an essential scientific and cultural centre of East Europe. The historic sources witness lots of musical actions in this period, together with church choirs, court orchestras, and luxurious stagings of Italian operas. The greatest part of the musicians, and particularly composers, were both invited from overseas, or belonged to totally different national groups built-in into the multi-nationwide Grand Duchy of Lithuania.

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italianartsociety · 6 years

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Sofonisba Anguissola (born Cremona, about 1532; died Palermo, Nov 1625)

The first Italian Renaissance woman painter to gain widespread fame, Sofonisba Anguissola was renowned in her time, particularly for her portraiture. Born in Cremona to the wealthy Anguissola family, one of the most celebrated families in Northern Italy, she was the eldest of seven children. Sofonisba was raised and educated according to the advice found in Baldassare Castiglione’s Il cortegiano (The Courtier, 1528), a hugely influential text on proper etiquette, manner, education and behaviour. Her father Amilcare Anguissola ensured Sofonisba and her five sisters all received a proper education, which included training and practice in art and she studied painting with her sister Elena (active 1546–84) under Bernardino Campi from about 1545 and with Bernardino Gatti from 1549.

Though Sofonisba was unusual among other women painters of her time due to her noble roots, this did not free her from the constraints imposed on her training due to her sex. She was barred from life drawing, preventing her from executing large multi-figure scenes. Instead, she sought models from whom she could make portraits. Her keen interest in accurately depicting the physiognomy and psychology of her sitters soon gained her widespread admiration and commissions. In her own self-portraits, she crafted her self-image as a professional artist and asserted her independence and belief in this role. This extended to her images of other women in which she actively celebrates women’s achievement. Perhaps this is shown no where more recognisably than in The Chess Game (1555). Depicting three lifelike portraits of her younger sisters Europa, Minerva and Lucia engaged in the intellectually challenging game of chess was a remarkable image for the time and presents as Mary Garrard describes ‘a kind of female Eden and a self-celebration of women’s accomplishments and talents’.

In 1559 Sofonisba was invited to the court of Madrid, where she was appointed as a lady-in-waiting to Elisabeth of Valois in 1560, the third wife of Philip II. She executed many portraits of the aristocracy and royal families, such as Alessandro Farnese (about 1560) and of the queen herself.

Sofonisba was not afraid to assert her talents. Her drawing Boy Bitten by Crayfish was made in response to Michelangelo challenging her to depict the difficult emotional expression of crying. Michelangelo begrudgingly admitted how impressed he was and the work influenced Caravaggio.

In an extraordinary record of the time, we have an account of Sofonisba in old age, found in the sketchbook of Anthony van Dyck who travelled to Sicily in 1624 and found the elderly, but still active painter there. His pen and ink portrait of the 96-year-old (which he later worked up in oil) is accompanied by the following description:

‘…although she was lacking in good eyesight because of her old age, she nonetheless found pleasure in placing the paintings in front of her and, with great effort, placing her nose close against the painting, she was able to make out a little of it and took great pleasure that way. In making her portrait, she gave me several pieces of advice…moreover she recounted the greatest torment she had known was not being able to paint anymore, because of her failing eyesight. Her hand was still steady, without any trembling’.

Sofonisba Anguissola is buried in the church of San Giorgio dei Genovesi in Palermo.

by Maria Alambritis

References:

Barker, Sheila ed. Women Artists in Early Modern Italy: Careers, Fame and Collectors. ‘The Medici Archive Project Series’. Belgium: Harvey Miller Publishers, 2016.

Garrard, Mary D. Here's Looking at Me: Sofonisba Anguissola and the Problem of the Woman Artist. Renaissance Quarterly, Vol. 47, No. 3 (Autumn, 1994): 556-622.

Strinati, Claudio; Pomeroy, Jordana eds. Italian Women Artists from Renaissance to Baroque. Milano: Skira Editore, 2007.

Tanzi, Marco. "Anguissola family." Grove Art Online. January 01, 2003. Oxford University Press,.<http:////www.oxfordartonline.com/groveart/view/10.1093/gao/9781884446054.001.0001/oao-9781884446054-e-7000003005>.

Images:

Self-Portrait at the Easel, 1556, oil on canvas, 66 x 57 cm (Łańcut Castle, Poland)

Self-portrait, 1560-1561, oil on canvas, 36 x 29 cm (Pinacoteca di Brera, Milano).

Lucia, Minerva and Europa Anguissola Playing Chess, 1555, oil on canvas, 72 × 97 cm (Poznań, National Museum Poland).

Alessandro Farnese, oil on canvas, 107 × 79 cm, about 1560 (Dublin, National Gallery of Ireland).

Elisabeth of Valois holding a portrait of Philip II, 1561 – 1565, oil on canvas, 206 cm x 123 cm (Royal Collection, Museo del Prado, Madrid).

Boy Bitten by a Crayfish, about 1554, black chalk and charcoal on brown paper, 33.3 x 38.5 cm (Museo Nazionale di Capodimonte, Naples).

Anthony Van Dyck, Portrait of Sofonisba Anguissola, 1624, oil on canvas, 41.6 x 33.7 cm (National Trust, Knole, Kent, UK).

#Italian Art Society #art history #arthistory #italianart #Italian Renaissance #sofonisba anguissola #womenartists #women artists #renaissance women painters #advancing women artists

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bat-besties · 6 years

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On Impossibility - 4

Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9

A popular!Logan and loser!Roman high school AU based on @2pointomg’s idea with eventual Prinxiety.

impossible

ɪmˈpɒsɪb(ə)l

adjective

· not able to occur, exist, or be done.

Eg. It is impossible to fund both the sports and drama programmes with the school’s limited budget.

· very difficult to deal with.

Eg. The situation which Logan Sanders, Student Body President, is in after he convinced the school board to cut the unsuccessful drama programmes is impossible.

· (of a person) very unreasonable.

Eg. Roman Prince.

To Roman, nothing is impossible. Not following his older brother Patton to acting college, not being a loser taking on the school’s popular Student Body President and definitely not writing and performing an epic school play with no money and six cast and crew members.

Edited by @alpacasarethegreenestanimal, who can no longer be described as the Virgil to my Logan in this context. Theatre to Roman, then?

@toolazytothinkofcreativename

@entitydark

@romanasanders

@barclays-sides

@cashmeredragon

@jughead-is-canonically-aroace

@immacrazyfangirl

@narniasfinestavengingsociopath

@featuredfander

@what-a-catch-joe

@mightaswellenthuseaboutbooks

@candiukas

It was the best thing Roman had ever written. As his friends pointed out, he said that every time he wrote a new play (or ballad or short story) but that was just a testament to how quickly he improved, and how well he took constructive criticism aboard –

‘No, no, no! No kiss? How can there be no kiss at the end?’

Kyle looked down at his friend with a mixture of fondness and exasperation, ‘I’m not kissing you.’

‘It’s a teeny peck of a kiss.’

Talyn shuffled through their script, ‘It says here, ‘Rosso swoops Ombretto into a passionate kiss…. sensuous lips…. forbidden gay love…. could have confetti….at least 10 second of lip contact.’’ They looked up at Roman, raising their multi-coloured eyebrows.

Roman, lying on his stomach on the stage, held a hand out dramatically ‘Alright, alright. We’ll discuss the kiss when we get to it.’ He sat up, ‘So… do you guys like it?’

Valerie smiled at him, ‘I do.’

Terrence looked up. ‘Roman – it’s the best thing you’ve ever written.’

Roman smiled. All the stress of coming up with a good idea, all the late nights he’d put into that script, all the times he’d woken up his parents with reading through soliloquies, was worth this moment. Six high school kids sat in a circle on a stage in a dark auditorium, still cluttered with instruments and with the assembly podium in centre stage and realised they could make something amazing. Yes, there weren’t many of them, but Roman wouldn’t have traded his friends for the most star-studded of all Broadway casts. The love he had for them and his knowledge of their individual strengths shone through his play. It was an intense gothic-style story, and in his eyes, it was perfect.

Roman was Rosso, a knight fallen from grace due to his anger and arrogance who must prove his worth by going on a quest into a cursed forest.

Kyle would be Ombretto, who played the dual role of villain and love interest – Roman had originally written a different part for him, Rosso’s companion Giallo, who was the source of hope and goodness in the trials Rosso would face, but Giallo had to be written out because there was no way one person could play both characters – and Ombretto had to stay.

Terrence was a dancing malevolent fairy, Valerie was the evil queen of the forest and Dahlia would be Rosso’s guide through the woods, Margherita.

Of course, Talyn was in charge of hair, make-up, costume and props – their talents would be especially important as they had no-one to do set, so their work would have to evoke the gothic world much more than the group’s joint effort at some sort of background.

Elise had agreed to do sound and lights nearer the time.

‘We’ll show them,’ said Dahlia firmly, ‘we’ll show them what we can do – and how important drama and the arts are.’

Was it cheesy? When we are serious and heartfelt we can seem ridiculous, but in that moment it was not cheesy to say ‘We’ll show them’. In that moment, the six of them saw for the first time how this idea of theirs that they’d been working on for the past month could be realised. The easy companionship, the sense of purpose, the excitement for the future and the commitment to the project, no matter how hard it would be were cheesy, perhaps, but they swelled to fill the dim auditorium with possibility. The podium was some distant tower, the ropes backstage tangled vines and the seating was filled with expectant shadows.

Jarringly, the doors at the back of the auditorium swung open, and the intruders flicked the harsh white lights on, revealing the stage again as set up for mundane assemblies and not fantastical plays. ‘Alright Logan, I want you opening, I know you like responding but I’m trusting you to write an airtight opening speech, I’m going to close since I have the most experience, the middle we’ll sort out….’ Joan paused, looking at the blinking theatre kids on the stage. ‘Um, we booked the auditorium, so could you please leave.’

Roman stood up, indignation radiating from him. ‘This theatre has been used by the Drama Society from 4 ‘til 6 every Thursday for the past ten years- ‘

‘I’m sorry. First off, it’s an auditorium, not a theatre, secondly….’

Logan was doing his best to hide behind Joan and the others, hoping that Roman wouldn’t notice him. He still hadn’t apologised for the assembly incident, the past few days he had just been trying to keep himself together after his fight with Virgil. The extra debate practices before their competition in New York had been a godsend, and now Roman had to ruin them.

The others had already slipped their scripts into rucksacks and had collected any jackets lying on the stage. ‘Roman.’ Valerie picked up her friend’s backpack.

‘No.’ Roman replied to Valerie apologetically, then turned back to Joan speaking firmly, ‘No. This is our place.’

As the theatre kids stood in the glare of the light on stage, bags hung off single shoulders and jackets draped over arms they looked – helpless, somehow. And Roman was still standing there, clutching his script to his chest and staring Joan right in the eyes. Suddenly, Logan could see himself as he had been at his old school, sitting in the back of the seating. ‘Disputandum dominatur displays logic and higher social status to remove the theatrum parvus from their natural habitat. It is unlikely the theatrum parvus will find a secure habitat again due to government programmes aiming to cause them to go extinct.’ He told his head to shut up.

In his notebook, Logan always rooted for the underdog.

He stepped forward, waiting for Joan to finish speaking. Once they had, he cut in before Roman could.

‘While the debate team must use the auditorium now, our competition is in just three weeks. If you would consent to using our classroom for that period, you could book the auditorium at other times, and after that you could go back to normal. Besides, we practice in E4, which is very spacious so should be suitable for any small-scale exercises in make-believe you wish to engage in.’

‘Small scale? Small scale?!’ Roman roared, then he placed his hands on his hips – how someone could be that unconscious about the absurdity of their body language Logan would never know – and projected to the back of the room, ‘No! We are putting on a play. It will be the greatest play this school has ever seen, and furthermore it will get us back our funding! We will take your offer and for your generosity will give the debate club seats in the front row.’

Logan couldn’t tell whether that was sarcastic or a show of genuine gratitude.

Joan sighed, ‘Alright, it’s ten past and clearly we all have things to do. Let’s get started with compiling our research.’

As the Roman and his entourage left the auditorium, Logan didn’t hear a single word of what his captain was saying.

In the back of the room his former self was laughing. ‘Theatrum parvus member beats opponent twice its size with bravado and conviction.’

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

‘I don’t understand why I have to wear that!’

‘Because it’s your costume that’s why!’

‘Yeah - Talyn is the costume designer, they have final say!’

‘Well, I’m the actor, so shouldn’t I have final say over my lines?!’

‘So why did we workshop this play for so long if you don’t have any say over your lines!’

‘We workshopped for too long, we won’t get it ready in time!’

‘Maybe we would get it done sooner if you guys would co-operate a bit more!’

‘Maybe it would be a bit better if you didn’t bulldoze us every time we disagreed with you!’

‘Look, let’s just take a break for ten minutes and come back to it.’

‘Thanks Valerie,’ Roman sighed and put his head in his hands, ‘Ten minutes everyone.’

He knew that it was late and they needed to finish blocking the first act before the school closed or they would be a full week behind their schedule, but he would start ripping down the posters in that stupid English classroom if he had to stay in it for one more minute. Everything which made his play magical seemed childish in that room – the Google translate Italian names, Terrence’s dance which the space was too small for, even Valerie’s evil incantation.

Walking quickly down the hallways and enjoying the quiet, Roman ran over his lines in his head - why had he used ‘alas’ three times in as many sentences? ‘Princey’, ‘Disney’, ‘Princess’ or sometimes just ‘freak’ were the names the students knew him by and having a class of people shout ‘alas’ at him every time he spoke wasn’t something he wanted to encourage. Putting his whole being into every part he played always made it difficult for him when people teased him for his acting but performing in a play he had written was like offering his soul to the school on a platter. He knew everything inside him was beautiful and worthwhile – he was a shining star, the best guy in the school! – but it was hard to hold onto that when his peers found it ridiculous time and time again. And Logan Sander’s anti-bullying campaign counted itself as a success if nobody was getting beaten up in the hallways. Roman couldn’t help but resent Patton sometimes for the respect people in his year had had for him and his talent. He could never be the year’s shoulder to cry on or literal sunshine like Patton had been, but he would settle for nods in hallways and having the ball passed to him in PE - for genuine applause after his play. He could never settle for anonymity: it was something Roman found shameful, but he would rather be the butt of jokes or eyerolls than left in peace. This way, everyone knew his name. They would remember him when he succeeded in life!

He checked his watch as he wandered into Art – five minutes of freedom left. He stopped his journey and leaned on a table covered in splatters of purple paint. It all came down to the fact that no-one outside the cast and Talyn would feel the sense of mystery and charm this play held for them or appreciate the richness of the world or the drama of the story the way that they did.

Looking up, suddenly he was transported back into his enchanted forest.

Paintings in the style of illuminations had been blue-tacked to the peeling paint of the art room, and they were the most beautiful things that Roman had ever seen. Thorns embraced collapsing stone towers and glowing eyes peered out of bottomless wishing wells. A weeping knight cradled a dragon’s head as it lay with a lance in its side and a lady all in white wandered through a midnight forest lit by blood-red stars. The pictures glowed with light – he leaned forward, drinking in each careful brushstroke and inked line. They were perfect. Roman knew he had to get this person to join his play. He didn’t care if the artist was Logan Sanders himself because he was filled with the illogical but definite thought that as soon as he could get someone like that onto his team his play would begin to feel dark and eldritch again. He took a moment before he looked at that Comic Sans name tag, scared to have this hope taken from him. ‘Virgil Lee’. Huh.

Roman had mixed feelings on that. He had always enjoyed working with him, even if Virgil never seemed to want to move into a friendship beyond English projects and pre-lesson conversations. He had really tried to befriend him: he’d set up a speaker in his bedroom and sung ‘You’ve got a friend in me’ with a cowboy hat on to Virgil when he was round to analyse Moby Dick. Would someone time-travel to freshman Roman and burn his Disney karaoke CD? Or at least tell him that when Virgil stopped the backing music halfway through it wasn’t him that was being weird (Roman still used the CD). The angsty nature of the pictures definitely fit with the emo’s aesthetic and Roman knew that he had an appreciation for Angela Carter and Mary Shelley. The thing was that when Roman said he would even have taken Logan Sanders he did not expect his best friend to be the artist. Still, he had apologised to Virgil after the assembly (he was somewhat offended at the response his beautifully worded speech had got – the boy had been distracted and seemed as though he wanted nothing more than to be left alone) and at least it wasn’t some random freshman or something.

Pulling out his phone, he saw that he only had a minute to get back to the classroom. He needed Virgil as soon as possible, so before he could think too much he called him. The hall was silent except from the slapping of Roman’s shoes and the blaring of the dialling tone in his ear.

‘Hello?’

‘Ah, yes, Virgil, are you free to talk?’

‘You could just text me like a normal person.’

‘Is that the sound of a Disney film I hear?’

Virgil was indeed watching Disney. He had set himself up on his sofa with the Nightmare before Christmas, a tub of Oreo ice cream and a pile of blankets, trying not to think about Logan or Roman or anything much at all.

‘Nightmare before Christmas.’

‘Classic!’

‘What do you want?’

‘Well, friendo, I was in Art and I couldn’t help but notice your beautiful paintings!’

‘Um, OK. They’re not- ‘

‘I do not have time to deal with self-deprecation! I am calling because I need you to join my play. To do set design and help Talyn with the props. Please.’

‘Dude, I appreciate the offer, but I’m not qualified to- ‘

‘You were in set last year!’

‘I didn’t design the set though!’

Roman stopped outside the classroom door. He leaned on the wall and spoke more softly, ‘Virgil, it’s a gothic play. It needs you. I need you. Come on! It’ll be fun.’

The sound of a put-upon sigh was music to Roman’s ears. ‘Fine. When do you want me to come in?’

‘Now?’

‘I have ice cream and am watching a Tim Burton film, why would I leave that to go to school?’

‘Tomorrow?’

‘Sure thing, Princey.’

‘Goodnight, Charlie Frown.’

‘Hey!’

‘I’m sorry for calling you Charlie Frown.’

‘I’m sorry you called me too.’

‘Enjoy the movie.’

‘See you tomorrow.’

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

Virgil shifted the sketchbook under his arm as he stood outside E4, peering into the frosted glass panel in the blue door. He pulled out his phone to reread the text: 'E4 4:00’ which Roman had sent the night before. Tugging at the bottom of his sleeve, he barely had time to register a blurry shape rapidly filling up the window before the door swung open.

'Virgil, set designer extraordinare!’ Roman went in for a hug, which Virgil sidestepped. The actor looked down for a moment, then settled for ushering Virgil into their old English classroom as though it were the Old Vic itself.

‘Well, come on in.’

'You've met Talyn, right?’ Talyn looked up from their fabric samples and waved.

'Yeah, sure.’

If by met Roman meant 'stared longingly at the awesome dyed hair of' then Virgil had certainly met Talyn.

‘So, basically a disgraced knight called Rosso goes through a cursed forest with a guide Margherita, then faces an evil queen, mavolent spirit and finally a witch guy under the queen's power, who he gets together with at the end.’ Roman explained quickly.

Virgil quirked an eyebrow. ‘That’s really weird, you know.’

Roman threw an arm round Virgil, who started a bit at the sudden contact. ‘And you are here to make it even weirder!’

Virgil smiled – he was glad he came. It was funny how familiar this felt: the overdramatic boy, the yellow lights of the classroom defiant in the dark school, a project to be done. It was a funny mix of English projects with Roman and meetings with Logan. He shook his head, clearing it of all thoughts of his former best friend.

Roman had been so incredibly right about Virgil! Talyn animatedly explained their designs to him, and all the actors tried to do their best to impress him. Not Roman obviously, he was unaffected in his performance by the sight of those slender legs swinging from the desk or the pale knees framed by frayed, dark denim. It was just that it felt right to have him there. The boy's fringe fell in his face as he leaned over the design of Ombretto's cloak, tracing a finger along its intricate design.

‘How can you afford to make that?’

Talyn shrugged ‘We’ll find a way. I'll sew it, we’ve all chipped in for thread and beads and things, and I’ll see if the Art Department happens to have like a football field of black fabric spare.’

‘I’ll bring in some money.’

‘Thanks.’

As Talyn bent over their designs again, Virgil looked at Roman. The actor's hair was flopping stupidly into his face as he yelled passionately at Valerie until he unconsciously swept it back with a hand. What a dork.

For the past few days Virgil had been bringing in a packed lunch and eating by himself outside, but for convenience he began eating with the theatre kids. While he had been terrified of most people in his first few years of high school, he couldn’t believe he’d been too scared to ask to sit with them before now. A larger part of him than he would like to admit wanted Logan to see him with these people, sketching set pieces and joking with Roman about how their play fit into the lore of all different fictional worlds (Star Wars was as far as they could make believable). But the Student Body President didn’t so much as look up from his piles of text books when Roman stood up on a table to give his speech with a change in the position of him and Kyle or stop writing his anti-bullying charter when their table was overturned by a particularly annoyed sophomore.

#sanders sides #sanders sides fanfiction #logan sanders #roman sanders #virgil sanders #prinxiety #sanders sides au #high school au #thomas sanders

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pixoplanet · 2 years

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It's November 15th. On this day in 1932, the soon-to-be world famous, multi-lingual, multi-talented Petula Sally Olwen Clark was born in Epson, England. Her show business career began early, at the age of nine, when "Pet" made her first of over 500 radio appearances on 🎙️ BBC, singing for families of British soldiers during World War II.

🎥 When she turned 12, Pet appeared in her first film. She's since appeared in over 25 movies, starring alongside such stars at Kay Kendall ("London Town"), Peter Ustinov ("Vice-Versa"), Alec Guinness ("The Card"), Fred Astaire ("Finian's Rainbow"), Peter O'Toole (Goodbye, Mr. Chips), and more.

Pet began her recording career at the age of 17. This phase of her show business career also got off to a strong start and ended up being the most successful chapter of her show business career. During the 50s and early 60s, she sold more than 20 million records in the UK and Europe (Including #1 hits in English, French, German, and Italian), but when she released her single "Downtown" in 1964, the popularity of that song in the US made her a superstar on both sides of the Atlantic. The hits just kept coming, too – "I Know a Place," "My Love," "A Sign of the Times," I Couldn't Live without Your Love," and many more. She also sang her hits on TV many times during this period.

From the 70s on, Pet continued to sing, perform, act, and host on TV. In 1998, in recognition of Pet's lifetime achievements and service, 👑 Queen Elizabeth II anointed her a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). Pet didn't rest on her laurels, though. She continues to be a relevant force within the entertainment industry. She's currently playing the Bird Woman in a "Mary Poppins" stage production in London's West End. Unbelievable! What a life! ☮️ Peace… Jamiese of Pixoplanet

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your-dietician · 3 years

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British 18-year-old debutant Emma Raducanu beats Marketa Vondrousova to reach Wimbledon third round

New Post has been published on https://tattlepress.com/sports/british-18-year-old-debutant-emma-raducanu-beats-marketa-vondrousova-to-reach-wimbledon-third-round/

British 18-year-old debutant Emma Raducanu beats Marketa Vondrousova to reach Wimbledon third round

Wimbledon debutant Emma Raducanu knocks out Marketa Vondrousova to reach third round – GETTY IMAGES

A new star is among us. Move over Sir Andy, there is another Brit clamouring for a share of the Wimbledon headlines and the former men’s champion would be the first to salute the magnificent achievement of 18-year-old wildcard debutant Emma Raducanu making a mockery of form and status in defeating Marketa Vondrousova 6-2, 6-4, a player ranked 296 places above her to go through to the third round, the lone British woman flag-bearer.

And she will fulfil that honour with nerve and gusto as well as the occasional cheery smile as was seen flashing across her face during her one hour and 12 minutes out on court, toppling to the turf in exultation at the finish as well she might.

Two months ago Raducanu was sitting her A-levels, unknown and unheralded. Those days of anonymity are gone. This was her sporting matriculation. From sixth-former to prodigy in the spotlight. The wheel is turning and Raducanu is enjoying the ride as well she might given that her hobbies include go-karting and motocross. As with tennis, so with her life, multi-layered.

She was asked afterwards if she would rather A* in her exams or round four.

“That would have to be round four,” laughed Raducanu. “It feels quite incredible, like as if I’m on a holiday and I want to stay here as long as I can. I’ve got high standards of myself and go out there feeling as if I’ve got nothing to lose. I play every point as if it were to be my last at Wimbledon. This is my opportunity to show that I’m here. I’m so appreciative of the support and I want to do everyone proud. I’m trying to make the most of it.”

She had wandered onto court in the watery early evening sunshine on her own, giving a self-conscious wave to the scattering of fans who had gathered on Court 12, a late switch of courts from No 18 so as to ensure that the game got played. As she waited for a few minutes for her opponent to appear she sat in her chair all alone, ear-buds in, a study in nonchalance.

As Coco Gauff has shown, it is up to us to get used to precocity, not the other way around. These are youngsters, self-evidently, but they are here on merit. Even if Raducanu benefitted from a wildcard, it was her prowess that got her to that point, not nepotism. Appearances only matter out in the middle and Raducanu’s body language was positive, even affording herself a rueful smile as she leathered the first point way over the baseline from the back of court. At least she was up for the fight. And it soon showed, Raducanu securing an early break of serve in the third game with a delightful whipped cross-court forehand.

Story continues

There was nothing flighty or naïve in Raducanu’s game. If you knew nothing of the CVs of the two players, you would have assumed that the British player was the higher ranked and more experienced. She dictated play, pounding shots, dinking others, showing the nerve of a veteran. The opening game went to Vondrousova on serve, an unsurprising state of affairs given that the Czech is ranked 42 in the world and has been as high as 14.

But that was pretty much it for the 22 year-old, a bracing, serve-breaking start to the second set apart but Raducanu dealt with that too, scrapping to overcome that 0-3 deficit.

The early nerves didn’t last long. Rudacanu survived a couple of break points in her first service game but fought to hold, levelling at 1-1, the first of five games in a row that she took. It was supremely impressive stuff, a young talent with faith in her ability and the strength of character to put it all out there. Why should we be surprised given the exploits of the likes of teenagers Jadon Sancho or Jude Bellingham in England football colours? At this rate it won’t be long before Raducanu is operating at a similar commercial level to the footballers.

Emma Raducanu leaves the court after her victory – PA

Her season’s prize money coming into this tournament was barely into four figures although she does benefit from LTA support. Winning through to the third round guarantees her £115,000. Wimbledon was probably also echoing last night to the sound of agents and sponsors beating a path to her door.

Saturday’s likely showcourt contest with another surprise winner, Sorana Cirstea of Romania, who knocked out two-time Grand Slam champion Victoria Azarenka, will be a far more public affair.

There will be no clash of loyalties for her Romanian father who moved his Toronto-born daughter and Chinese wife to London when Emma was aged two. It was a shrewd move. Prepare to cheer Raducanu to the rafters.

Vacuum at summit of women’s tennis crying out to be filled

By Oliver Brown

World No 1 Ash Barty is forced to work hard for her victory – SHUTTERSTOCK

Ashleigh Barty is a world No 1 yet to reach a Wimbledon quarter-final, and one who toiled here to vanquish a Russian Centre Court debutant better known for her chess prowess. Aryna Sabalenka is a No 2 seed making her maiden third-round appearance on these lawns, having struggled to overcome a British wildcard. In just four days, six of the top 10 seeds have been scattered to the wind, sparking no little concern about what life after Serena Williams will look like.

This state of flux was in stark evidence at last month’s French Open, where Barbora Krejcikova, once known primarily as a doubles specialist, was the last woman standing. It is becoming a recurrent theme at Wimbledon, too, with Williams’ withdrawal through injury, allied to the absences of Naomi Osaka and Simona Halep, producing arguably the most open draw in living memory. Barty, long mentored by Evonne Goolagong Cawley, the last ladies’ champion from Australia, will never have a better chance to end her country’s 41-year wait for a repeat.

She is the most deferential of proteges, wearing a scallop dress to honour the outfit chosen by Goolagong for her first Wimbledon triumph half a century ago. The two also share indigenous heritage, with Goolagong a celebrated trailblazer for her remote Aboriginal community and Barty tracing roots to the Ngarigo people of New South Wales through her father, Robert.

There, perhaps, the similarities end. Where Goolagong was famously outgoing by nature, dubbed by Londoners as the “Sunshine Supergirl”, Barty is an instinctive introvert, betraying negligible emotion on court and even less off it. Her fellow Australians adore her for her lack of pretension, but she shows limited warmth in post-match interviews, using the royal “we” to describe her performances and leaning on phrases that belong more in a self-help manual. Twice this week she has spoken of “going out there and putting your dreams out to the universe”.

Barty has held her sport’s No 1 spot for two years, a reflection both of her surprise French Open title in 2019 and of a decision by the women’s tour to freeze the rankings once the pandemic struck. But she scarcely looked like the alpha female against Anna Blinkova, the precocious Muscovite renowned also for her chess skill and her mastery of six languages. During an error-strewn 6-4, 6-3 win, she committed 33 unforced errors and nine double faults, raising doubt as to whether the hip injury she sustained at Roland Garros had fully healed.

“A few things didn’t feel quite right,” Barty acknowledged. “It wasn’t my best serving day, and I felt like I was out of rhythm a little. Some days you feel like you’re eight-foot-tall and can’t miss the box. Other days, you feel like you’re three-foot-nothing, where just getting over the net is a bit of a battle.”

While this transition phase for the women’s game might be bewilderingly unpredictable, it is still producing matches of lustrous quality. The latest highlight was a riveting, 3hr 20min duel between Angelique Kerber and Spain’s Sara Sorribes Tormo, edged by the German 7-5, 5-7, 6-4. Rarely can the 2018 champion have been forced to grind so relentlessly at her strongest tournament.

Given the dearth of multiple champions left, the stage could yet be seized by 17-year-old Coco Gauff, already proving decisively that her inspired run to the fourth round in 2019 was no false dawn. She was poise personified against Elena Vesnina, dismantling the former semi-finalist with her power and accuracy, weapons that the leading contenders have still to demonstrate with any consistency this week.

On her Centre Court return, Gauff was no longer the giddy sensation, but the versatile talent who recognised that she belonged. “Walking out here feels like you’re walking through a museum,” she said. “I don’t really like the word ‘expectations’. I use the word ‘belief’. I believe that I can win. My goal is always to win the tournament, regardless of my ranking or what people think of me. Everything is much clearer than it was in 2019. My belief is a lot stronger now – the feeling that I can go far.”

03:21 PM

Gael Monfils is out

02:58 PM

Daniil Medvedev a set to the good

Against Carlos Alcaraz. The world No.2 takes the first set 6-4.

Daniil Medvedev

02:49 PM

It’s taken her 70 minutes…

…But Angelique Kerber has finally taken the first set against Sara Sorribes Tormo.

02:28 PM

Queen’s champion Matteo Berrettini is through

The Italian No.7 seed beat Botic Van De Zandschulp 6-3, 6-4, 7-6.

02:25 PM

Can Barty go all the way?

02:20 PM

Cam Norrie speaks after his straight sets win over Alex Bolt

On being through to the the round for the first time…

“Unbelievable to be back here – the fans were amazing it made it feel more special. I couldn’t be more pleased to be through to the third round.”

On beat Alex Bolt…

“It was a tricky start, he came out firing. But I could trust the foot today and I was pleased with everything and there was a lot of improvement [compared with first round win].”

On possibly playing Roger Federer in the third round – he faces Richard Gasquet later today…

“Come on, Gasquet! It will be special to play Roger or Richard, they’re both experienced players. I suppose now is the best time to play Roger, [but] he’s still a decent player. He can play!”

02:13 PM

Ash Barty speaks

On playing again at Wimbledon…

“I love the surface and happy to be back.”

On Blinkova…

“She pushed me incredably hard. She played a great match today so I am happy to get through.”

On her season so far…

“It’s been a great year so far and it’s nice to have the fans back in the stands.”

02:11 PM

BARTY WINS THE MATCH 6-4, 6-3!!

Barty has two match points on the Blinkova serve and plays a winner on the second of those – it was called out but Barty successfully challenges. They replay the point and Barty wins the match.

Barty was well bellow her best but she’s through. Blinkova played her part in the match and gave the world No.1 plenty to think about.

02:06 PM

Barty 6-4, 5-3 Blinkova* (*denotes next server)

Blinkova’s backhands are deep into Barty and from 40-15 up the world No.1 is up against it on her serve at deuce. Again Blinkova goes deep with a backhand, setting up an excellent crosscourt winner. That earns her a break point which she cannot take. She earns another break point with a delightful forehand crosscourt winner which again she cannot take. On the third deuce Barty serves up another double fault to gift Blinkova her third break point. Again Barty plays a backhand winner to save and take it to another deuce. Blinkova has another break point and it’s deja vu all over again as she cannot capitalises. From there Barty holds. That was a nine-minute game.

Blinkova will now serve to stay in the match.

01:56 PM

Barty* 6-4, 4-3 Blinkova (*denotes next server)

Blinkova’s serve is on the blink again as Barty earns a break point. The Russian is under pressure but throws down a good second serve to save the break point. Barty gets another break point thanks to a wonderful lob – brilliant shotmaking. The world No.1 then makes no mistake with a backhand winner on the run to take control of the second set.

01:50 PM

Confirmation Svitolina is out

The third seed’s championship is over.

01:49 PM

Barty 6-4, 3-3 Blinkova* (*denotes next server)

Better service game from Barty but the errors elsewhere remain – a sliced backhand into the net an uncharacteristic mistake from the Australian. She does just enough to hold to 30 and the second set stays on serve.

01:46 PM

Classy Cam

From 0-3 down in the first set the Briton has dominated against Alex Bolt and has won in straight sets.

01:45 PM

Barty* 6-4, 2-3 Blinkova (*denotes next server)

Much better from Blinkova on her serve – she’s been under pressure most of the match on serve but holds to 15. That’s three games in a row for the Russian.

01:43 PM

Barty 6-4, 2-2 Blinkova* (*denotes next server)

Barty is taken to deuce after a fine forehand passing shot from Blinkova. Under pressure the first seed then plants a forehand into the net and her opponent has a break point. Another double fault (her seventh) gifts Blinkova the game. Just when you think Barty is about to go up a gear she falters…

01:36 PM

Barty* 6-4, 2-1 Blinkova (*denotes next server)

Barty has had 22 unforced errors so far – a sign that she’s well below her best at the moment. But Blinkova’s serve is even more erratic than some of Barty’s groundstrokes and at deuce is in danger of being broken once again. She wins the next two points, though, and holds.

Barty

01:31 PM

Barty 6-4, 2-0 Blinkova* (*denotes next server)

Barty is brilliant when on song and she’s showing signs of that the further this match goes on. She moves Blinkova around the court with some powerful groundstrokes before coming into the net for a volleyed winner. That gets her to 40-0. But the errors are lingering and her sixth double fault allows Blinkova to get back into the game at 40-30. A forehand winner, however, gets her the 2-0 second-set lead.

01:27 PM

Barty* 6-4, 1-0 Blinkova (*denotes next server)

Barty is dominating the Blinkova serve and has three break points. Blinkova, though, is a battler and gets in back to deuces – the errors are still coming from Barty. The Aussie then earns her fourth break point of the game and this time a drive backhand is backed up with a forehand winner down the line and she’s got the early break in the second set.

01:22 PM

Third seed Elina Svitolina is out

Linette beats one of the favourites 6-3, 6-4.

01:19 PM

BARTY TAKES THE FIRST SET 6-4

Barty’s well below her best but she’s managed to find the shots when she’s needed them this afternoon. She holds to love and takes the first set.

01:16 PM

Barty* 5-4 Blinkova (*denotes next server)

It’s Blinkova now forcing the errors from Barty – the Aussie missing a sliced backhand (one of her weapons) early on. At 4-4 30-30 Blinkova has a great chance to put some scoreboard pressure on the world No.1 but sends a forehand wide. Barty then can’t capitalise on the break point as another backhand hits the net. The Australian earns another break point and this time a blistering forehand does the trick and the first seed will serve for the first set.

01:11 PM

Barty 4-4 Blinkova* (*denotes next server)

Barty has already had four double faults (during her first round win she only had three all match). She’s down 0-30 early on in this game BUT a Blinkova error and another forehand winner allow her to reach parity. 30-30 soon becomes deuce and the Russian has a break point thanks to a Barty long forehand. She converts it and both players are looking on edge and unsettled.

01:06 PM

Cam is in control

01:05 PM

Barty* 4-3 Blinkova (*denotes next server)

Both players are proving to be error-prone at the moment – Barty is showing the better touch and a delicate drop shot gets her to 0-40. She had three break points last Blinkova service game and couldn’t convert any of them. She makes no mistake this time and breaks to love. She’s just starting to settle.

01:02 PM

Barty 3-3 Blinkova* (*denotes next server)

Barty is making a few uncharacteristic errors, but she has a fine forehand. It’s a heavy shot that takes opponents out of position and two forehands back-to-back allow her to hold to 30.

12:58 PM

Barty* 2-3 Blinkova (*denotes next server)

Barty is hitting some good groundstrokes from the back of the court and waiting for Blinkova to make the error, which she does twice on the way to the Aussie getting three break points. The Russian is under pressure but two wayward forehands gets Blinkova back into the game at 30-40. And Barty then uncharacteristically plants a backhand into the net. The Russian wins five points in a row for a gutsy hold.

12:52 PM

Barty 2-2 Blinkova* (*denotes next server)

Barty is starting to look more comfortable after that nervy start. She sends down the first ace of the match to get to 30-15. She follows that up with the second two points later and holds to 30.

12:50 PM

Norrie has taken the first set having been 0-3 down

12:49 PM

Barty* 1-2 Blinkova (*denotes next server)

Blinkova has strapping on her right hand (the one the holds the racquet) that cannot be good. It’s not obvioulsy affecting her but Barty, thanks to some unforced errors, earn two break points. And another wide forehand from Blinkova allows the Aussie to break straight back.

12:46 PM

Barty 0-2 Blinkova* (*denotes next server)

Barty’s golf swing has been praised by Tiger Woods and it’s no shock that her serve is also efficient and effective as well. She mixes her serves and makes her opponent think. She does just that while show a lovely touch – playing a backhand drop shot winner. However, she’s looking a bit nervous and a double fault gifts Blinkova a break point. The Russian had a fine chance to go 2-0 up but fires a forehand on the run into the net. She, however, earns another break point next up and a double fault from Barty gives the Russian the early break.

Barty looked edgy in that game.

12:41 PM

Barty* 0-1 Blinkova (*denotes next server)

The Russian serves first and misses her first two first serves – not a great omen. Barty is a fine strokemaker and she hits a wonderful forehand winner to take the second point of the match. The first few games are always about trying to settle into rhythm and Blinkova has done just that holding to 15. She looked at ease there – a solid start.

12:34 PM

Barty and Blinkova are out on court

How will US Open semi-finalist Blinkova deal with the world No.1?

12:32 PM

French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova into the third round

12:27 PM

John McEnroe on Norrie

The BBC commentator (and all-time great) has just said…

The pressure is on Norrie – the seed, the favourite, the Brit. Bolt’s tricky though – I have watched play a number of times – he’s not a guy that’s going to beat himself.

As I type that Norrie has broken back and it’s now 3-2 to Bolt.

12:21 PM

Norrie down a break already

Bolt has stormed to a 3-0 first-set lead. Plenty of time to go, though, so no need to panic.

12:15 PM

Fourth seed Zverev is through

12:13 PM

Cam Norrie is having a great year and…

…he’s just got his match against Australian and fellow lefty Alex Bolt under way on Court One. He’s up to a career high of 34th in the rankings and I’ll keep you posted on how the Brit is doing. The winner of this match could face Roger Federer in the third round…

Cam Norrie

12:10 PM

So let’s talk about the slippery Centre Court surface

It’s dominated much of the talk surrounding these championships so far having claimed the title tilt of Serena Williams and helped Roger Federer through to the second round after his opponent Adrian Mannarino fell and hurt his knee.

So what is going on? It’s apparently more slippery than usual and the number of falls we’re seeing – Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray are just two two big names to fall on the lush turf – must be making players, coaches and fans worry ahead of every point.

Our very own Tom Morgan looked into the slippery shame…

“There has been speculation that Centre Court’s state-of-the-art ventilation system may have been a factor in failing to dry the surface. Over 600 air distributors pump dry air into the space when the roof is closed as part of a roof design led by Populous, which also led the regeneration of Wembley and Tottenham Hotspur’s stadium.”

READ: Wimbledon Q&A: What is causing players to slip on court? And how can it be stopped?

Novak Djokovic falls on Centre Court – PAUL GROVER

12:01 PM

Who is Anna Blinkova?

The Russian is ranked No. 89 in the world and hasn’t been able to translate her great junior form on the senior circuit. The 22-year -old was runner-up at the 2015 Wimbledon Championships in girls’ singles and was ranked the No. 3 junior tennis player in the world in August 2015. She has a career high ranking of 54 back in February last year.

11:29 AM

The talented Ash Barty is the one to beat at SW19

Ash Barty is one of those really annoying people. Not because of her personality, or any grating habits, no, she’s really annoying as she’s one of those people who can turn their hand to any sport and seemingly be very, very, very (I could carry on, but that too would be annoying…) good at it.

During lockdown she got her golf handicap down from 10 to four and became the Brookwater Golf Club women’s champion in the process. Louis Dobbelaar, a two-time Queensland amateur champion, is in no doubt Barty could make it as a professional. “She’s got all the tools if she wants to pursue it. If she put her mind to it, I’m sure she could,” she said. Barty also had a certain Tiger Woods gushing about her swing – I am not jealous, not at all.

Added to that she’s also played for the Brisbane Heat in the women’s Big Bash League – multi-talented doesn’t really do her justice.

Why do I mention this other than to remind myself it doesn’t seem fair that someone can be world-class in three sports? Well, the world No.1 faces Anna Blinkova on Centre Court this afternoon and it’s clear that the Russian will need all the luck she can grab on to.

Barty is the No.1 seed and, in the absence of Simona Halep and Naomi Osaka, favourite to win her second grand slam. Her first round match will have done her title bid no harm at all.

Having been given the “honour” of opening the women’s singles in the absence of reigning champion Halep, Barty came through a nervy start against Carla Suarez Navarro before really finding her stride in the third set. Whether she can carry that momentum over into her second round clash with Blinkova remains to be seen.

But the ultra talented Australian says she’s feeling good and is fully recovered from the hip injury that blighted her Roland Garros title defence.

”I think there was a little bit of nervousness, probably not knowing exactly how my body was going to feel genuinely. I know that I had full trust that we’d done absolutely everything that we could [but] you just never know. To be able to go out there today and play the way that I did was really nice.” Good luck to Blinkova, she may need it.

Stay here for all the action.

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dontshootmespence · 7 years

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His Equal

A/N: A request from @zoemonster200 for a Spencer x Reader where she is a theater dancer and the team always goes to her performances. It’s Luke’s first time meeting her since joining the BAU and wonders how nerdy, shy Spencer started dating her, but then at dinner she starts spouting random facts like Spencer and it clicks.

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Luke had never imagined joining the BAU; he was pretty sure he’d remain on the fugitive task force for many years, but now that he was here, he couldn’t really imagine being anywhere else.

Not only was everyone dedicated to their jobs, they were genuinely good people, who were great fun to be around, and were insanely intelligent - the best in their field. When it came to strict intelligence, Spencer personified that. He was one of the most brilliant people Luke had ever come into contact with.

Now, he wasn’t one to assume that certain types of people to be together, but Spencer’s relationship with Y/N, a dancer at a theater in DC, was truly mind-boggling. According to the rest of the team, all of whom had met her before, claimed she was outgoing, flirtatious, headstrong, determined, boisterous, and just all around Spencer’s opposite, so how was it that she had met and started a relationship with Spencer, fairly shy, definitely not flirtatious, headstrong and determined, but in a much less in-your-face way, and quiet to a fault?

It seemed like an enigma, but he was looking forward to her show later tonight, and the dinner afterwards. Maybe then he’d see what drew them together. As long as Spencer was happy, it didn’t matter; he hadn’t known Spencer for long, but he’d been through a lot, and if he was happy, what he thought truly meant nothing.

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As the team walked into the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the multi-dimensional hexagonal ceiling glimmered underneath the bright lights of the main room. With mezzanines and seats crawling up the walls of the room, the team took their seats on the floor, center stage, a few rows back. Whenever they were able to come, Y/N tried her best to get them good seats, and today was no exception. “What’s the show tonight?” Luke asked. He didn’t even have an idea of what they were seeing.

“It’s called The Red Shoes; it’s loosely-based on the film of the same name that came out in 1948,” Spencer said, pulling his jacket tighter and flattening the material as he sat down next to Luke. “Y/N is playing the lead, Victoria Page, who’s noted for her skills in ballet and is scouted by Boris Lermontov, a ballet organizer. He commissions a composer for the ballet, The Red Shoes, and the composer and Victoria fall in love, but as the play goes on she’s forced to choose between love and her career.”

Luke was immediately intrigued. After everything Spencer had been through, it was nice to see him so happy and proud of the woman he love. The lights began to dim, a hush coming over the audience as the ballet began, and within the first act, Luke came to see why Spencer had fallen in love with this woman. The love of dance flowed through every limb of her body as she moved across the stage. A talented actress as well as dancer, Y/N emoted perfectly, covering everything from Victoria’s joy of dance, to her steadfast love for the composer, to her indecision regarding whether to pursue her career in dance or remain with the man she loved.

A tragic ending brought the audience to its feet, Luke and the rest of the BAU included, before they all made their way to the side of the stage to meet up with Y/N. The lights had come back on, and the majority of the theatergoers had made their way outside when Y/N flitted across the stage to greet Spencer and the team. “Hello, love,” she said sweetly. “Did everyone enjoy?”

JJ and Garcia were in tears, Emily was astounded by her skill, and even Rossi, who was more of a classic film guy than a ballet guy couldn’t help but get immersed. Her eyes fell on Luke before she made her way backstage to get changed. “You must be Luke Alvez,” she said, hopping off the stage to shake his hand. “I’ve heard a lot about you. It’s so nice to finally meet you.”

Quickly, she jumped back onto the stage, her final costume, a red and white dress with delicate white ballet flats floating up behind her. “I’m just going to go get changed and then we can go to dinner, and I can properly introduce myself, Luke.” As she ran backstage, he could see one comparison between the two. While Y/N was delicate on the dance floor, she ran like her boyfriend.

It took her less than ten minutes to change out of her costume and into a comfortable pair of jeans, a red t-shirt, a black blazer, and matching black flats. “Carry me!” she exclaimed, hopping onto Spencer’s back for a piggyback ride to the car. “I’ve been on my feet all day.”

She kissed his neck on the way back to the car; Luke couldn’t help but notice how different he was with her. It seemed that when he was with her, he was truly himself – nothing hidden away behind pensive, brown eyes. “I’m so ready for food.”

The Italian place nearby was nearly empty after the late performance, so everyone was able to gather at the large, central table, where Y/N sat between Spencer and Luke. “So Luke, tell me a little bit about yourself,” Y/N said after the waiter had come to take their orders.

“Don’t worry,” Spencer laughed, squeezing Y/N’s hand. “She asks this of everyone she meets.” Luke told her all about his family, what brought him to the BAU, and how much he loved working with the team.

The entire meal was filled with Y/N and Luke getting to know each other and occasional interjections by other members of the team. “What about you, Y/N? What’s been your favorite job so far? And what do you hope to perform in in the future?”

Luke had to stifle a laugh when Y/N started to speak. “Well, actually-“ That was a Spencer-ism. Her fingers started to whirl as she spoke, her mouth moving at the speed of light while she regaled the team with her favorite job so far, Cinderella, and the piece she hoped to perform in the coming years. “It’s a cliché for a dancer in theater, but I would love to play Giselle in the titular ballet.”

“I’ve never heard of it,” Luke said. “What’s it about?”

She began to ramble about a peasant girl falling in love with a nobleman during the middle ages, who dies of a broken heart after learning that her lover is betrothed to another. “It has such a rich history, first performed at the Ballet du Théâtre de l'Académie Royale de Musique at the Salle Le Peletier in Paris, France on Monday June 28, 1841, with Italian ballerina Carlotta Grisi as Giselle. It was an amazing triumph and was staged all around Europe, Russia and the United States.” Her eyes lit up as she spoke. This is why Spencer fell in love with her, Luke thought to himself. She knew anything and everything about nearly every ballet imaginable, whether she performed in it or not, and she relished imparting what she knew to others; after many trials and tribulations, Spencer had found his equal.

@coveofmemories @sexualemobitch @jamiemelyn @unstoppableangel8 @iammostdefinitelyonfire26 @hogwarts-konoha @rmmalta @lukeassmanalvez @yoinkpeter @the-slytherin-ice-queen

#spencer reid #spencer reid x reader #spencer reid fanfiction #spencer reid fic #dontshootmespence #his equal

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