#sunny leone new song | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

riaaanna · 2 months

Text

On the Trail of Queen Live in Manchester (1973 - 1986)

Just in case I haven't mentioned it enough (lmfao) I spent about fifteen months in Manchester which was amazing! I've been home for only two months and it pains me to say that I already miss it. Despite its constantly horrendous weather I do hold this place dear in my heart and so did Queen throughout their touring days!

So while I was there I spent some time to visit all six venues in Manchester where Queen once played live. Now if you think I only got this idea on the last few weeks while I was still in Manchester, you're right lmao. Short daylight during winter time, venue constructions, etc... well at least I could say I was there where Queen was!

All date links below are to queenlive.ca. Images of live shows are from there as well (unless otherwise mentioned), please click date links for the sources. Thank you Bob!

1. Opera House (26 Nov 1973)

Queen first played in Manchester at The Opera House when they supported Mott the Hoople on tour! Its first name was The New Theatre when it opened in 1912. It started off as a cinema, momentarily a bingo hall, then back to a theatre in 1984. (Ticket stubs credits to Martin of queenconcerts).

Just my luck of course, the one time I'm around the area and had the idea to drop by Queen's gig venues in the city, the place seemed to be under massive construction and didn't look pretty at all. (Except that it was where the premiere of a musical using Kylie Minogue's songs so they've got posters of it there which was nice cause I love Kylie!). The idea came up on a whim, when my friend Kumi dropped by to visit me in Manchester and I suddenly had the thought of visiting past venues. We happened to be closest to Opera House at that time, and it happened to be where Queen played here the first time! It was nice so I took it upon myself to continue the rest of the exploration around Manchester.

I reckon they must have mostly finished the construction by now but I'm not there anymore, so here's a nicer picture of what it looked like a year ago! (📸 Trevor West)

Anyway, the place wasn't really on my usual route, I would have had to go out of my way to get there if it weren't for meeting up with my friend, so this was all I could get. I wish I had been there sooner to see what it really looked like! Still, gave me chills to be there where Queen was playing... FIFTY years ago then.

youtube

The best part? We have surviving audio of the show! (Lots more shows on the channel by Leon, if you like it go subscribe!)

2. University of Manchester (20 Mar 1974)

Fair warning this is gonna be a long one... their next gig in Manchester was at the University of Manchester! (Look at that gorgeous old building on a rare sunny day!)

Or, at least, I assumed it was there, because the original listing and every other source I look up only says "University". While I couldn't find any specific record in the University of Manchester's archive (I know, what a failure), I didn't think it was any more likely to be in Manchester Metropolitan University, or even the Royal Northern College of Music (which was only established in 1973 combining the Royal Manchester College of Music and the Northern School of Music). I asked Bob of queenlive.ca if he knew exactly where, but he didn't, and he UNO-reversed me to tell him if I ever finally find out where, which of course I haven't lmfao.

So gigs in the University nowadays are almost always around Manchester Academy at the Student Union. I tried doing a bit of detective work... The Academy's website has a Roll of Honour page listing the famous artists who ever played there and I found more questions instead of answers. On the 1974 page, there is no Queen, but there are others. They listed Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel playing there on 21 March, a day after Queen's gig. I looked it up, and it seems everywhere else their gig was listed as "Manchester University" too. I thought okay that looks consistent, that's how they used to refer the place! But then on the same page, they listed ELO playing there on 18 Feb. I looked that up too, and turns out ELO's gig on that date was not in Manchester University, but it was in Free Trade Hall in Manchester. So was it a mistake on that page, and does it mean the page is unreliable? I would email them but their contact just goes to the Student Union. So I don't even know anymore, but in conclusion, I'm about 70-80% sure that Manchester University refers to this place, and you can decide if that's enough to go along with.

So firstly, the photos above are not mine I'm sorry! I now regret that I take going past these buildings every day for granted and never took my own photos of them from outside. But those are nice pics of mostly students queueing for a gig in the evening, which still blows my mind that it was such a regular thing there. Big positive culture shock. There are four different venues in Manchester Academy. There's Manchester Academy 1, 2, and 3, which are all in the building in the left photo (📸 Joseph Bradshaw). Then there's Manchester Club Academy, which is a smaller venue and is actually inside the Student Union building itself on the right photo (📸 Trevi Yeung).

What I did take some photos of are the inside! Last year I watched Sam Ryder in Manchester Academy 1 and Go_A (from Ukraine!) in Manchester Club Academy. I don't know which of these was the one Queen played in. Of course it's possible that it was an entirely different venue that's been demolished or reconstructed, but this was as close as I could get to where Queen (probably) once played live.

3. Palace Theatre (30 Oct 1974)

Palace Theatre! Another building I pass every single day on Oxford Road, just across Manchester Oxford Road Station. I also never actually went in there unfortunately, I never really found anything playing that I was okay spending a lot of money for, the whole year, and eventually that was the case until I left Manchester. The building first opened as "The Grand Old Lady of Oxford Street" in 1891 and is one of the main theatres in Manchester.

This is the second time that year where Queen played in Manchester! Palace Theatre is also home to an iconic show in Queen's history because according to queenlive.ca:

This is the beginning of Queen's first full-scale European tour. Tonight are the first performances of new songs from Sheer Heart Attack: Now I'm Here, Flick Of The Wrist, In The Lap Of The Gods, Bring Back That Leroy Brown, and In The Lap Of The Gods...Revisited (Stone Cold Crazy had already been performed as far back as 1970).

youtube

And you can listen here for those first performances above!

4. Free Trade Hall (26 Nov 1975) (x2!)

Unlike the other venues in Oxford Road I don't often pass this building. In fact, I think it's actually closer to the Opera House but I didn't realize it at that time. And it's not like I've never been around that area, but at first glance this wouldn't have registered as a concert hall in my head!

There's a nice article about Free Trade Hall here telling its history and how it became a concert hall. It was apparently a historical site, built to commemorate "the repeal of the Corn Laws in 1846" (idk man, but it has to do with pushing towards free trade, as the name suggests). It was also the site of the Peterloo Massacre in 1816, which was marked by the red plaque on the building. I'm not British so I was learning all this for the first time when I looked it up.

But anyway, at some point it became a concert hall and Queen played here in 1975. On the same day they played two shows, at 6 PM and 9 PM. Imagine that happening nowadays! But here's the actual best bit about the show they played here (the first one), according to queenlive.ca:

This show is the first known instance of Brighton Rock being played live, and it contains a superb Brian May guitar solo.

There were actually several shows before this one where Brian probably actually first started playing Brighton Rock Live, we just don't have a recording of it, hence the first known instance. But even so, that settles it, easy as that, of the six venues in Manchester this is my favourite and I claim this mine. And how lucky was I to have lived just around there!

youtube

And here's the aforementioned show, Brighton Rock truly did not disappoint!!!

5. Manchester Apollo (26-27 Nov 1979)

Remember what I said about last-minute ideas and short daylights... this was it. I think this is the furthest I went to visit and take pictures out of the six venues in Manchester. It wasn't that late but it was dark (I'll never get used to that) and there was nothing on, so that was what I got, on the left. Photo on the right (📸 Ed Dro) is when it was nice and sunny with a decent queue for a show!

Apparently it first opened as a cinema and variety theatre before it started to host concerts in 1960s, one of them being The Beatles, and it just became a proper concert venue since then.

Queen played two nights for the Crazy tour (ticket stubs credits to Martin of queenconcerts). And on the second night, according to queenlive.ca: "Liar is performed tonight, its first performance since May 1978." Very proud that Manchester was once graced by the almighty Crazy Tour, and the presence of Liar alone for me is enough indication of what must have been a fantastic show.

6. Maine Road (16 Jul 1986)

Last but absolutely not least! This place is what used to be Maine Road stadium and home to the Manchester City Football Club in 1923 - 2003. This is also a thing btw, just because I lived in Manchester my friends and relatives expected me to suddenly become a football fan. I only know that Manchester United and Manchester City exist, but that is literally it.

When I first looked up this place, I realized this was in Moss Side, and it was so near to where I lived (after I moved out of the student flat)! I couldn't believe how close it was that I could actually just stroll there to such an monumental place. But I already paid for a yearly buss pass so I took the bus for two stops lmfao.

The first picture is what it used to look like in 1991 (from Manchester Evening News). As you can see, it was a huge stadium cramped and surrounded in lots of housings. In 2003 the Manchester City left, and the stadium was demolished. The area is now a housing site, with a circular "centre spot" marking the centre of where the stadium used to be.

I tried to record the engraving on the stone, which reads: "The Centre Spot, heart of Manchester sport, music, and culture. 1923 - 2003. Maine Road - from Moss Side to the world."

On the other side of the circle, if you zoom in to the picture behind where I stood, there's another part of the engraving which is apparently the Manchester City chant which reads: "Listen and you will hear us singing..."

As you can see, this was apparently a legendary stadium in the sports world, or something like that, which makes it stand out from the rest of the venues Queen played in in Manchester. About seven years after the last time they played, they came back with Magic Tour bigger than ever. This was certainly a special one, and it's not just me saying it! According to queenlive.ca:

A few weeks later the Manchester Evening News reported in a piece entitled "Friends of the Fans" that Queen awarded a plaque to Manchester City football club and its fans to recognize the concert. It read: "In honour of one of the best concerts we have held, the reception we received and audience participation was unsurpassed."

Lots of audience bootleg sources for this one but here's a video source of the show:

youtube

And those are the six venues! Now before we close, here's a fun bonus. I've just read this fun fact as I was writing up this post and putting in sources from queenlive.ca:

It's a slight coincidence that Queen played in Manchester on November 26th in three different years - 1973, 1975, and 1979.

I thought huh that's nice. Then I went back to my photos folder to select which ones to upload. Then I looked at the date on the file names, and I thought wait a minute. 20231126?? Lmfao??

Don't mind my silly selfies but guys. I cannot make this shit up. The one day I cramped in most of these visits, only excluding Opera House (the first day I got a lightbulb moment for this "tour") and University of Manchester (kind of doesn't count lol), I did it all on 26 November 2023, without even realizing that it was the same date Queen played in Manchester in three different years. I was pretty much celebrating their anniversaries without knowing. What a nice item to add in my list of Queen coincidences. (#1 on that list is still Roger Taylor in Eurovision.)

This is the end! I don't believe any of you will be reading this sentence by now. 😂 But if you are, whether you read all that or just skimming through, thank you for sticking around! This was a silly little personal tour but I really enjoyed visiting them and sharing the experience. More posts of my time abroad to come. Hopefully soon! (as I always say.)

#queen band #freddie mercury #brian may #roger taylor #john deacon #Ri goes to UK #Manchester #Youtube

29 notes · View notes

aquariumgirls · 8 months

Text

ok so i have an idea for a fic/series abt the turtles revealing themselves to the public and becoming new most beloved heroes n shit BUT. its also gonna be set in 2023 (current year) and so im getting some hesdcanons written down basically.

STARTING W BIG RAPHIE!

- raph is 20, has been on hrt for 5 years and works at a daycare in the hidden city ^_^ (donnie synthesized it bc they do that for leos hormones and their own as well)

- shes very shy going outside at first bc shes big (over 8ft tall!!) amd spiky but everyone sees her as the big softy she is immediately :] and well. if anyone says anything bad abt her theyll have to deal w her three menaces of little siblings

- she has a hello kitty tattoo on her forearm

- princess peach is her biggest style inspiration! she mends and hems her own clothes to fit around her shell and knits sweaters every winter and donates them to clothing drives

- cried at the amount of people who said "hi barbie!" to her both before and after seeing the barbie movie

- infiltrates leos twitter lives to pick him up by the scruff of his neck to make him go to bed and people go absolutely nutty abt it (basically: OMG SHES SCRUFFING HIM LIKE A KITTEN, LMAOO GET SCRUFFED IDIOT, LOVE HOW SHE TREATS HER SIBLINGS LIKE UNRULY CATS)

- diagnosed Big Dog Energy by twitter

- does makeup asmr lives on twitter and youtube bc people tell her that her voice is nice

- most active on her youtube channel which is mostly her annoying her little siblings (in her words: they've been annoying me for my whole life, time for payback)

- theres a meme of her standing in donnies doorway menacingly. she's holding a blanket. the caption was "im going to get burrito'd someone write my obituary"

- posts pictures of their siblings when they've been burrito'd. even april isn't safe

- one time april stole raphs phone and showed a photo of raph burrito'd instead

- pinned tweet is her crying over a nearly 7ft tall teddy bear plushie someone gave to her as a thanks for saving the world

- she has a custom build a bear

- fosters puppies and kittens frequently! has two foster fails. one is a greyhound named alice who she raised from a bottle baby, and another is a gigantic maine coon named ghost bc he's all white and blind. ghost wraps himself around her neck like a living fur scarf. the cat is absolutely massive btw stretched out heslike half her size

NEXT IS...NEON LEON

- leo is 19 and shooting up like a weed (7ft 2)

- frequently uses mikey and donnie as armrests to be annoying (donnie will bite him. leo is undeterred)

- has a sick ass bionic arm courtesy of donnie! always makes arm and a leg jokes w donnie bc theyre both menaces

- works at run of the mill :] may or may not have a crush on a certain bunny waiter...

- is actually very good at customer service

- is the second most active online, and the most open w his face and being seen in public! cried when a kid said that he was their hero and is haunted by the videos of it

- tried to steal a duck in broad daylight.

- dresses like a modern eboy sorry.

- has (almost) as many piercings as donnie! almost. doesn't have snakebites, but has a septum piercing, eyebrow piercing and hangs little earrings and general things from his mask tails!

- every time hes in the background of a video, he default dances. it doesn't matter where he is, whos recording, he *knows*. its become a meme

- casually refers to cj (who is 17, almost 18) as his son. refuses to elaborate

- can be found basking in central park when its sunny enough, usually alongside mikey

- loves to say "me n donnie are actually identical twins you just can't tell bc we're turtles"

- has a yt channel where he covers songs, usually glam rock

NEXT................DONATELLO W A BOOK IN THEIR HAND

- 19 like leo (04 babies RIIIIIIIISE)

- scarcely goes outside in the daytime but when they do they're usually in the most extra outfits they have. ("if i have to be forced into the sun, i may as well dazzle!)

- people kept asking them if they went to barbie or oppenheimer. they went to barbie, duh?

- has so. many. piercings. snakebites, septum, bridge, cheek piercings, eyebrow. half their face is metal

- unsuprisingly modern cybergoth.

- wardrobe is either black clothes or purple clothes.

- genius built is an actual fully fledged company now, and they are very proud! and also they make a lot of money. (they donate most of it to charity, because eat the rich)

- is the frequent victim of 0.5 pictures bc of their snoot

- has a joke asmr channel (plague doctor tells you that you're dying asmr, carpenter finds bees in your walls asmr, sickly victorian child begs you for money asmr)

- is Tall. they seem much taller bc theyre lanky as hell (6ft 7)

- frequently speaks at colleges, except when people hear that purple is speaking at their college they dont expect a Goth As Hell Turtle with a snoot to rival a borzoi. most people guess their aesthetic incorrectly and donnie thinks its hilarious

- there are compilations of them smiling/laughing over the internet. the most common one is them laughing so hard they can barely breathe after someone called leo "lame-o-nerdo"

- is most frequently spotted at the local target. they like trinkets

- one time a guy tried to flirt w them and they politely redirected him towards leo

- came out very nonchalantly on a live. donnie was texting someone in the bg of one of leos lives and the chat kept asking omg what r they smiling at!! and they looked up and said "my girlfriend duh" and when people started saying YOU LIKE GIRLS??? they started directly into the camera w a vaguely confused expression for 10 seconds straight before saying "of course i like girls??? im a lesbian??" and three echoing voices shouted "I THOUGHT YOU WERE AMERICAN"

- the clip went viral. obviously.

- theres a clip of donnie biting an entire watermelon and it exploding

- is actually very open to taking photos w people ^_^ loves it when kids come up to them and say they look cool/shiny. never fails to make them cry

LAST BUT DEFINITELY NOT LEAST.......MIKEYYYYY

- 18! though he doesn't really care bc its not like he can vote anyways

- puts graffiti up on the weirdest places

- accidentally mentioned knowing rupert swaggart on twitter. also accidentally revealed that his dad is lou jitsu which made splinter get a twitter

- has a tattoo sleeve in progress that works around his mystic scarring and also sketched out hamato clan tattoos for his entire family which they then all got

- suprisingly has less tattoos than leo. but unsuprisingly less than donnie, who went absolutely batshit.

- favorite tattoo is his tattoo of karai on his shoulder

- apprentice tattoo artist in the hidden city, also made his own hot sauce (and was the first turtle to go on hot ones. never broke a sweat ofc unlike raph who almost immediately started crying from the spice)

- was dared by leo to scream "IM MAKING FUCKINH MACKING CHEESE IN THE MICHEAL WAVE" from a rooftop. he did it, recorded it, and pinned it on twitter

- lethal puppy eyes can and will be used on anyone and everyone. its how he gets away w so much

- small still (5'11)

- sometimes shows up on leos song cover channel along w donnie

- posts recipes on twitter and instagram

- instagram is literally just pictures of food

- loves to go sunbathing and will sit in a quiet park for hours

- ate an entire orange, peel and all, in front of st least 12 children as a dare

- no piercings but has silly bandz hooked onto his mask

- visits local art colleges frequently

- showed up on donnies joke asmr channel (the video was my little brother reads an entire cookbook front to back while i lay dead on the floor. raphs cat decided to start kneading donnies shell halfway in and then promptly loafed on them for the rest of the video while mikey tried very hard not to laugh)

- met beyoncé. cried.

GROUP HCS.

- leo and donnie will take off their respective prosthetics as jokes often. leo will offer someone a hand and detach his arm. donnie has thrown their leg at people. more than once. theres compilations of it. theres an unexplained no context video on leos twitter of donnie in the living room, detaching their leg, opening a hidden compartment and then proceeding to shake out nearly a thousand fake plastic spiders along with a truly uncountable amount of batteries. the video ends with donnie snapping their head towards the camera and shouting "DON'T REVEAL MY SECRETS DIPSHIT" before lunging at leo

- theres multiple videos of the disaster twins being a disaster as raph slowly approaches from behind them, scruffs them like cats and then flings them over her shoulder like particularly unruly sacks of flour. theres also compilations of her holding her siblings under their arms like cats. donnie seems to be the most receptive to it, bc they could be angrily ranting snd then raph picks them up and they just. dangle. pupils dilated and content to be carried off.

- theres a video of raph gnawing on an impressively large tree branch in the woods, illumimated only by a phone flash. she looks almost guilty in it.

- mikey took a video of his three aquatic siblings in the rain and titled it "turtle zoomies"

the video shows raph contentedly soaking in the rain, tail swishing in a particularly deep puddle. leo and donnie are chasing each other at inhuman speeds while chirping. raph looks at the camera and smiles before donnie runs into her, to which she then decides it's time for cuddles. leo runs at the camera and the video ends.

- donnie showed up on leos song cover channel and covered both world is mine (obviously) but also to the hellfire by lorna shore, metal screams and all. people have begged them to make their own song cover channel but they just said "why make my own when i can just steal my brothers?"

- the turtles accidentally revealed having mafia ties ala big mama ("oh yeah we have a mom too! not by birth though. big mama!" "THE FUCKING LEADER OF THE SPIDER MAFIA??" "the WHAT.")

SORRY THIS IS REALKY LONG

#tmnt #rottmnt #tmnt hc #rottmnt hc #rise of the teenage mutant ninja turtles #teenage mutant ninja turtles #long post #postings #raphael hamato #leonardo hamato #donatello hamato #michelangelo hamato #rise raph #rise leo #rise donnie #rise mikey

13 notes · View notes

xxsycamore · 2 years

Text

𝐵𝐼𝑅𝒯𝐻𝒟𝒜𝒴 𝐹𝒪𝑅 𝒯𝒲𝒪

A/N: Happy Birthday, dear @queengiuliettafirstlady !! This is my gift for you, a person who not only happens to share a birthday with her ikepri best boy, but also is just as big of a sunshine as him. I've already sent all my wishes to you, but I want to tell you once again that you're one of the nicest, strongest, most loving, most creative people I know - I LOVE YOU JULIE!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! ❤❤❤🎉🎉🎉

luke randolph x reader (who shares the same bday as him)

rating: G

tags: Surprise Birthday Party, Birthday cakes, fluff, humor, featuring also Leon, Yves, Jin as well as the other princes!

wordcount: 1,482

masterlist

It's a new day in Rhodolite and you welcome it with a lazy yawn, stretching out the luxurious 9 hours of sleep from your well-rested muscles. You snuggle closer to your boyfriend Luke, caressing him gently in order to wake him up.

You've been told by Leon to go into the garden first thing in the morning today… Well, judging from the position of the sun which is seeping in warm rays through the window's curtains, it's a little before noon already. But, you're sure the ever-so-thoughtful Leon has already taken Luke's laziness into consideration. And, just because it is highly contagious, your own as well.

The mass of entangled sheets and amber hair locks produces a deep bear-like rumble. Instead of disturbing the slumber of a beast, you feel like you're merely teasing a cute napping bear cub, so you continue.

Luke opens his gentle green eyes at last, droopy and heavy with sleep, and eyes you with the cutest pout on his lips. You can't see how his expression changes when he shoves you close to his chest in a cuddle, but you're guessing that pout is fast to melt away to a content, lazy smile.

Only for the pout to return anew when you remind him that you two have to get out of bed and get ready.

After helping each other get dressed and nearly dozing off a couple of times in the meanwhile, you and Luke are entering the sunny garden at last. Leon has instructed you to head towards the resting area with the sofas, so that's exactly in which direction you tug Luke by the hand. Seeing the bright smile on your face as you walk by his side, he is hardly able to complain about being dragged into everything as long as it includes you.

The idle conversation you have with him soon gets forgotten because of the sight in front of you. You blink in confusion, and from the corner of your eye you catch Luke being equally as puzzled.

The resting area in the garden has been transformed into some kind of party venue - colorful garlands hanging from the surrounding tall rosebush-lined fences, tables with food and drinks placed around….and, a mini-crowd. A mini crowd of princes.

Leon is first to notice you approaching and claps his hands with a smirk on his face. Amidst the sudden chaos you failed to notice the two chairs-no, thrones?!- situated right in the middle. Until Leon drags you to them, and respectively, Luke gets dragged as well.

He prompts you to take a seat on the makeshift thrones and as he does, the mini-crowd starts singing the familiar lines of Happy Birthday to You, Happy Birthday to You!

You gasp in realization and turn your head to Luke, who is gasping as well. When it sinks that it is, indeed, your birthday today, which means it is Luke's birthday, too - you stand up from your throne to throw your arms around your boyfriend. Under the sounds of the cheerful tune, Luke's excitement gets the best of him and he gives you a quick kiss on the lips - which earns a round of applause to finish the song with, along with a whistle that you recognize as Jin's.

Yves barely waits for the song to finish until he adapts that painfully familiar but always funny expression of utter shock on his beautiful features.

"Both of them? THEY BOTH FORGOT?!"

Jin pats Yves' shoulder soothingly through laughter. "That's what we are for, isn't that right?"

Your gaze is shifting from one person to another, still fairly surprised.

"Would anyone explain what is happening here? Why are we sitting in this?"

While you're busy asking, Clavis has snuck behind you and you only catch a glimpse of what looks like a paper crown being lifted and then placed on your head, Luke receiving the same treatment in another second. Leon is quick to answer, rolling his shoulders at you like it's obvious.

"Just preparing you two for the life of Rhodolite's King and Queen. The celebrations are going to be much more lavish that that, you know."

Similar to your initial reaction before, this time you and Luke sigh in unison. Is this really necessary? With the coronation ceremony being just behind the corner, there are already enough reminders of the busy times that are ahead of you. Luke reads the good intentions behind Leon's humorous explanation, and smiles.

"Maybe we can get away with much less hassle… if I'm a King I should be able to change the rules-"

"Luke, no."

Everyone laughs at Licht's sudden concern expressed in a flat voice. Jin finishes off where Leon started while helping himself to a drink from the table.

"We figured you two would prefer a celebration held in a more narrow circle. A quick talk with Sariel and he let us prepare this for you." Seeing that you're just on the verge of exploding in gratitude, Jin raises his hand to tell you to hold on.

"If I were on you, I wouldn't hurry with the thank-you's before I've seen it all. Service, please!"

Despite Yves' obvious displeasure about being bossed around, upon Jin's signal he pushes a food cart into view. On top of it is one of the most beautiful pastries Yves has created so far - and you're definitely not exaggerating because of the sudden realization of what exactly it is. It's a two-tier cake - not just a cake, a honey cake, the best cake flavor known to humankind, at least according to you and the man sitting next to you. Somewhere between the fascination of the mouthwatering aroma and the cute little edible bumblebees on top, you don't know just when did you get up from your seat to give Yves a big hug, not letting him finish the verbal presentation of the cake. Soon, the weight of Luke is on Yves' shoulders as well, sending the poor fifth prince through a whirlwind of emotions, his ego being stroked but his cheeks turning pink with all the attention.

Behind your back, you can hear the bunch throwing a fit about Yves taking all the love and gratitude for himself… though, they should've seen it coming when honey is mentioned in front of the royal couple.

Feeding Luke cake is a delight to your heart. And Luke feeding you cake in return is equally as such, as it is a delight to your belly. Even if it's a little embarrassing in front of the guys, you feel comfortable in Luke's presence as it almost feels like it's only the two of you when he looks into your eyes like that - the rest of the world is quick to blur away. The party seems to be just beginning, because music comes to your ears and an invitation for dance is quick to come - from none other than Leon. You turn to your boyfriend to ask if it's alright, and he mutters something among the lines, "you're lucky that I'm still busy with the cake." But that's only for show, you figure, because he leans in close to your ear to whisper something.

"I want you only for myself later…"

Cheeks starting to burn on an instant, you stare at him for cues - is this about dancing? Or is he trying to say something else…?

Your boyfriend is only giving you his most adorable expression, fork in his mouth, as he prompts you to go.

Leon's gentlemanly lead clears off your mind just a little, and Jin whisking you away right out of his grasp for another dance is putting laughter in your mouth. Having fun from the bottom of your heart, the only reason that you'd ever want this party to have an end could possibly be in order to be alone with Luke again. To slow dance in some more private part of the garden, when the sun drops low and the soft candlelight is all around you, or even later on, when smiling faces bid you goodnight and Luke takes you by the hand, leaving the garden in the same fashion as you came there.

Or, even later than that, much later, when you're done fighting the nervousness and the excitement, and you present your gift to Luke, revealing that truly, you've remembered what day it is all along. And maybe the curious little you who had accidentally found his own gift for you a few weeks prior but kept quiet, would manage not to cry out of happiness a second time. The tightening of your belly on the thought of all those strong emotions that your boyfriend, soon-to-be-husband evokes in you, makes you question how such happiness is possible. For now, you decide to breathe in deeply, and let your heart be light as you enjoy yourself to your heart's content today.

Taglist: @arsnovacadenza @ale-teodora @kimi00twin @otomelady @privilegedpancake @g-kleran @pumpumnnnp @thesirenwashere @ravenarld @kimmy-banana @devonares @animeworldsposts @randomanimatedhusbandoseeker @galaxyprison @sadshaxk @starshards26 @pro-cat-stination @acethephoenix256 @ikevamp-shrine-2 @nad-zeta @crystal13unny @keen19thcenturygoatsstudent @lordsister @ikemen-banshou @ikemenlover24 @themysticalbeing @canaria-blackwell @otome-scribbles @rhodolitesrose @fun-ghoul-neela @salty-fed-up-bitch @cilokgoang @kpop-and-otome @queen-dahlia @kisara-16 @chaosangel767 @ikemenlibrary @queengiuliettafirstlady @aurora-morning @aquagirl1978 @violettduchess @gilbertvonobsidian let me know if you want to be tagged/untagged!

#Ikemen Prince #IkePri #Ikemen Prince Luke #IkePri Luke #Luke Randolph #ikemen prince fanfiction #ikepri fanfiction

74 notes · View notes

darkacademiablues · 2 years

Text

Thank you @icarusinfreefall for tagging me💙

rules: Make a new post and spell out your URL with song titles, then tag as many people as there are letters in your URL!

d - Doin Time - Lana Del Rey

a - American Idiot - Green Day

r - Rolling In The Deep - Adele

k - Knockin on Heaven’s Door - Guns n roses / Bob Dylan

a - Arabella - Arctic Monkeys

c - Cardigan - Taylor Swift

a - Apocalypse- Cigarettes After Sex

d - Dream On - Aerosmith

e - Everything’s Not Lost - Coldplay

m - Matilda - Harry Styles

i - I Will Follow You Into The Dark - Death Cab For Cutie

a - Are You Bored Yet? - Wallows, Clairo

b - Back To Black - Amy Winehouse

l - Light My Fire - The Doors

u - Use Somebody - Kings Of Leon

e - Empty Wallets - 5 Seconds Of Summer

s - Sunny Afternoon - The Kinks

I tag:

@oscar-still-wildin @sam-t-a @gracechristo @andy-is-trying @riasmoon @peakyfockinblinders @itmaylooklikedisaster @meginthedarkacademia @circehelios @betweenthemustypages @juneacademia @da-rk-ac-ad-em-ia @sixescrow @skiesandflowerss @blue-spectors @lilacat @oscar-still-wildin

41 notes · View notes

thedivergingpaths · 11 months

Text

Birthright in Conquest

Corrin has grown up within an isolated palace in Nohr alongside his younger brother and sister, Leon and Elise.

Leo will soon be making his debut at the main palace, but one night shortly after Corrin's birthday King Garon comes to visit.

King Garon's visits are few and far between, but on this night Corrin is going to be allowed to officially join the court. There had been troubles for years amongst the nobility, and the ongoing conflict with Hoshido, but Corrin was finally going to debut as one of Garon's children to the whole of Nohr.

Leo and Elise are jealous, but happy that their sibling will be free to stand alongside Prince Xander and Princess Camilla.

Everything begins to go wrong on the journey from the Northern Castle to the heart of Nohr, Castle Krakenburg. A group of Hoshido soldiers, seeking to break the seals crafted by King Garon's late wife, Arete, meet the traveling party.

Corrin is recognized and whisked away to Hoshido, where Queen Mikoto greets them as a mother. Corrin's world collapses, but things seem...nice though odd in Castle Shirasagi.

The oldest three royals are cordial, but distant. Ryoma is frequently away from the castle, and Hinoka frequently patrols the borders. Takumi speaks with soldiers that make Corrin's skin crawl.

It all comes to a head when Corrin's dragon is released one sunny day. Mikoto promised them a chance to understand what they are, and then the castle town is in ruins.

A woman singing a mournful song and dancing with water calms them, and with the help of a repentent ninja and the youngest princess, Corrin absconds from Hoshido through a glowing lake.

In the depths of Valla, Corrin learns Azura's name and the about how Anankos has throttled Hoshido. Nohr attempted to fight back years ago with Queen Arete, but she perished and Azura was taken to Hoshido. Corrin was taken in retaliation, and possibly other reasons Azura is unsure of, though she knows Corrin has ties to Valla because Mikoto does.

The destruction of Valla left Mikoto thralled to the fallen dragon Anakos, and with her magic, the royal family has either been thralled or sworn fealty to a new dragon god.

Corrin desperately wants to go home to Nohr, to be with their siblings, but they also can't abandon their newly discovered Hoshido family. How could they live with themselves if they let Hoshido be truly devoured? Their time there was not horrid - and they made tentative friends in the ninja Kaze and the princess Sakura.

Corrin resolves to return to Nohr with Azura, who is nervous to be back in a nation she only remembers pieces of.

There are no lovely reunions, because Hoshido has invaded Nohr and Nohr is putting up a violent resistence.

Corrin manages to get in touch with Elise and her retainers, and after getting in touch with some allies and leaving news for the other siblings that they are alive, but outside of the war effort, the group returns to Valla.

They come across Arete and Sumergai's spirit, and while they are able to fight them off and escape Valla again, Corrin learns the truth of their parentage and of Azura's lineage.

Corrin has a crisis they decide to put off for later - a child of a mad god? That can be dealt with when the world isn't burning.

The group returns to Hoshido, to try and stop and the war and invasion at its...well, human source. They aren't strong enough to take on Anankos himself yet.

Mikoto and Takumi have remained in the palace, and they reject peace. Corrin is forced to kill their mother, and Takumi falls in battle trying to awaken Corrin's feral dragon. They do not have a dragonstone, and thus no real control, but when Takumi falls and Mikoto is dead, Corrin remains human but grieving.

Princess Sakura and her retainers appear, and while it's a bad situation, Sakura knows Corrin was given no choice. They gather more allies in trying to track down other royals in Hoshido - Camilla and Hinoka are fighting at the front lines in Hoshido, and Ryoma is deep in Nohr crossing blades with Xander. Kaze defects and Corrin decides that before anyone else dieds, they neee to take care of Anankos. Just dealing with the human element didn't work, after all.

Before they can return to Valla, Hinoka appears and challenges them to a battle. Kaze is killed defending Corrin, Hinoka is fatally wounded and dragged away by her loyal retainer, Setsuma. Azama defects and joins Corrin's troupe.

Corrin and co dive into the lake at Castle Shiragasi, and plunge into Valla, moments before Leo rides in with a battalion. Prince Xander is dead and Leo is fleeing Prince Ryoma, who vanishes before there is a confrontation at the castle.

Corrin fights through Valla spirits, barely able to keep everyone well and fighting. Several die before they make it to Ryoma. The fight with Ryoma is brutal, and Sakura sacrifices herself to save Corrin and stop Ryoma, but Ryoma is too far gone and deals a near fatal blow to Corrin.

Corrin goes feral, and tears Ryoma apart before separating from the remaining party.

Azura attempts a pursuit, but more Vallite soldiers block the way and delays the party's reunification.

Corrin finds the feral dragon Anankos, and a fight rattles the fallen nation. Anankos should win, but Corrin's allies appear to help.

When Anankos falls, Corrin does not revert to human form. Instead, the power ebbing fron Anankos is absorbed by Corrin and they thrall all within Valla to them.

On the surface, the thralls are released, and the remainint heads of nations begin planning to deal with the lurking threat. They are tattered, but perhaps they can build a strong enough army before Corrin's power grows out of control...

Especially since the thralls may not be so loyal, as Azura uses her Vallite lullaby to frequently lull Corrin to sleep and rest and is, perhaps, trying to free them all.

A sleeping dragon is still a dragon, however.

Check out these earlier drabbles, one for Shadow Dragon and Minerva and Michalis' swapped roles (Macedon's Twist of Fate) and the other for a fractured rescue (Time is Note Linear) of the Awakening timeline!

It's funny how I was originally going to have these be prompts but they became one-shot botes instead haha. I should probably proof before posting but I just finish so here y'all go

** DO NOT USE AI ON MY WORKS **

#fire emblem #my fanfiction #fire emblem fates #long post #my commentary #corrin #azura #ryoma #hinoka #elise #leo #takumi #mikoto #anankos #fanfiction #fe14

4 notes · View notes

blacktopmemories · 1 year

Text

Playlist for Saturday, May 6, 2023

Wednesday - “Turkey Vultures” Feist - “Borrow Trouble” Pearl and the Oysters - “Space Coast” Faye Webester - “Cheers (To You and Me)” The Avett Brothers - “Laundry Room” Elephant Revival - “Peace Tonight” Good Old War - “Over and Over” Caroline Rose - “Miami” Jana Horn - “The Dream” Belle and Sebastian - “Give a Little Time” Sunny Day Real Estate - “Killed by an Angel” The Appleseed Cast - “Here We Are (Family in the Hallways)” Pedro the Lion - “Bad Diary Days” Kevin Devine - “You’re My Incentive” Mylar - “Hobby Horse” Miniaturized - “Gemstone” Franklin Gotham - “Too Late for Goodbye” (Julian Lennon cover) Maggie Rogers - “Begging for Rain” Rogue Wave - “Siren’s Song” Kings of Leon - “I Want You” José González - “Teardrop” The New Pornographers - “Cat and Mouse with the Light” Temples - “Cicada” Laveda - “Surprise” Cold War Kids - “Fear and Trembling” The Strokes - “All the Time” xo - b. To download or stream the show, click here!

#radio #college radio #the core #rutgers #rutgers university #music #playlists

3 notes · View notes

newmusickarl · 2 years

Video

youtube

Album & EP Recommendations

Last Night In The Bittersweet by Paolo Nutini

I must admit I had completely forgotten all about Paolo Nutini’s existence. It may have only been eight years since the Scottish singer-songwriter last released an album, but that was long enough for him to fade out of my memory altogether. That’s not for disliking his music either – although I wasn’t overly keen on his debut These Streets, there were plenty of moments on his subsequent releases, Sunny Side Up and Caustic Love, that I played a lot at the time. However, in today’s current climate of hypersonic music release schedules, taking eight years out is a big risk as there’s no guarantee you’ll be able to get back the same spot that you left behind. Thankfully for Paolo though, just a few songs were all it took to instantly remind me of why he was always such a heralded songwriter.

Whilst his last two records saw him evolve from his soul-pop origins to explore more diverse sonic landscapes, bringing in elements of jazz, country and R&B, Paolo takes things even further on his fourth album, Last Night In The Bittersweet. Across the album’s expansive sixteen track odyssey that clocks in well over an hour, he bounces between those previously deployed stylistic traits, but also throws in a few new ones as well – most notably new wave, indie rock and ambient electronica. It all makes for a dazzling, eclectic and richly textured listen, however it’s not without a few niggles.

That said, none of those niggles appear in the first part of the record, which is simply one of the best opening six track runs you’ll hear all year. Opener Afterneath begins ominously before Paolo’s vocal screeches engulf the space, carrying with them strong shades of Zeppelin-era Robert Plant. From there the track rumbles on like a freeform jam session, overlaid with Paolo’s hypnotic spoken verse and snippets of 1993 classic crime film True Romance (which Tarantino even gets a songwriting credit for here). It’s a startling beginning to the record, as Paolo then brings things back to more familiar territory with stunning soulful rock track Radio, with its glistening guitars and spine-tingling, repeated cries of “I want love.”

Lead single Through The Echoes is up next, an exquisitely crafted, stripped back love song where Paolo’s heartfelt vocals are the star of the show. Acid Eyes then might be my early favourite from the record, with its instantly memorable refrain and jangly melancholic guitars, sounding a bit like Because of the Times-era Kings of Leon. Stranded Words is then branded as an interlude but is a great track in itself, with Paolo’s Celtic tones speaking softly in a hymnal-like way over some quiet synths. Subsequent track Lose It then rounds off this incredible opening run, entering from the other end of the spectrum as a raucous guitar-driven rock track but with a tinge of gospel thrown in too.

After that though, the album does become decisively more hit and miss. Although some people will enjoy the playful throwback sounds of Petrified In Love, I really can’t get on with it at all. And then whilst tracks like Abigail, Heart Filled Up, Shine A Light and Julianne all have their moments too, they don’t light up the record in ways not already generated by the other tracks.

However, there are still plenty of gems lurking in the mid-latter half of the record too. Everywhere starts off quiet and subdued before erupting into a huge crescendo of soaring guitar riffs and soulful cries. Children of The Stars is then a wonderfully mesmeric bluesy number whilst Desperation is a pulsating Strokes-esque jittery rock track, which culminates in probably the album’s finest guitar passage. The album then eventually draws to a close with epic penultimate track, the seven-minute-long ballad Take Me Take Mine. Once your ears have wandered through its labyrinth of spacey synths and dreamy guitars, Dylan-inspired acoustic track Writer then ends the record on a heartfelt and reflective note.

My overall takeaway from this record is that you get the sense Paolo is just having fun with different sounds, and this album reflects that. The album art is even Paolo sat in a room with an array of instruments around him and that really is the record’s whole vibe - like you’re sat in a room with him as he’s playing you these songs. As a result, it can often feel more like a collection of songs than a cohesive body of work, with a strong sense of Paolo essentially just showing you what he’s been making in his time off, sometimes jumping between styles in a quite jarring fashion - but these are ultimately only minor issues.

Whilst it may be a little too long and far from perfect, on the 11 or 12 tracks where it does hit, you’ll be completely swept away by the raw brilliance of Paolo’s vocal and songwriting talents. In a quiet week for album releases, you can do much worse than an hour or so with Last Night In The Bittersweet.

Listen here

Seven Psalms by Nick Cave

Elsewhere this week, Nick Cave finally released his EP of Psalms that he wrote over lockdown. Whilst it may just be Cave sharing his words of wisdom with some subtle sonic backing from Warren Ellis for 10 minutes, fans of the pair will still no doubt enjoy these short but sweet compositions.

Listen here

Tracks of the Week

Part of the Band by The 1975

The big return this week was that of indie-pop superstars The 1975 with the first intriguing taster to their upcoming new album, Being Funny In a Foreign Language. When the lead single to their last record turned out to be the heavy 90s punk inspired track People, it did seem to open the door for the Manchester outfit to really make whatever songs they wanted – they weren’t just an indie-pop band anymore.

That said, I was still very much expecting this new single to be more in keeping with their traditional sound, especially given the mixed reception to their last album, Notes On A Conditional Form. But keeping true to themselves, this one is yet another sharp left turn – an artsy, string-tinged and quite understated track, with frontman Matty Healy lyrically found in a contemplative and nostalgic mood. If you heard this on chart radio you would probably think it was a mistake, as it is far from the typical return single you’d expect from one of the biggest pop bands on the planet.

And whilst I’m not completely enamoured with the song yet, I’m just grateful that The 1975 continue to throw curveballs like this, ignoring conventional troupes and defying public expectations at every chance they get. One thing is for certain, I’m keen to hear what’s next.

Listen here

Hate by Loyle Carner

Also making his highly anticipated comeback this week was UK rap superstar Loyle Carner, with his hard-hitting new single, Hate. Usually friendly, calm and collected, this song finds Loyle in an angry and defiant mood, as he puts the world to rights over racial inequality and injustice against an infectious piano-driven beat.

Listen here

Can’t Forget by Low Island

Over the last 12 months, there has arguably been no new band killing it quite like Low Island. Having delivered one of the best debut albums of 2021, they kept that strong momentum going with their excellent Just Another Dreamer EP released earlier this year. Now this week saw them release the brilliant first single from their forthcoming sophomore album, Life In Miniature. Charged with their electro-pop sound and lyrics surrounding the fear of growing up, it all eventually erupts into a scintillating guitar solo at the song’s climax. A sensational track from a band presently operating at the absolute top of their game.

Listen here

Eleanor by Hot Chip

Also out this week, Hot Chip continue the build to their forthcoming eighth studio album, Freakout/Release. This one features a typically playful melody, catchy chorus and some trancey dance synths, but with dark lyrics at the heart about suffering through unimaginable pain. Eight albums in and Hot Chip continue to sound as fresh and vibrant as ever.

Listen here

Passenger by Boston Manor

And finally this week, Blackpool rockers Boston Manor served up the infectious second single to their upcoming new album Datura and it is a typically rapturous anthem built on a huge chorus and some blistering heavy riffs.

Listen here

#paolo nutini #radio #live in the bittersweet #life in the bittersweet #nick cave #warren ellis #the 1975 #part of the band #loyle carner #hot chip #low island #boston manor #new music #best new music #album recommendation #song recommendation

8 notes · View notes

greaterstokesawareness · 1 year

Text

My RECAP: Brian Stokes Mitchell at Lincoln Center Open House weekend, October 29, 2022

[Brian Stokes Mitchell performs at Lincoln Center's Open House Weekend in celebration of the re-opening of David Geffen Hall after renovations. All events during the open house were free and open to the public. Stokes performed a six-song set in the Leon and Norma Hess Grand Promenade. October 29, 2022.]

Links: Lincoln Center Open House website (x), YouTube playlist with my videos of the show (x)

Every new show is my favorite, that's okay right?

Every time I've seen Brian Stokes Mitchell perform in person it has been really special in a new and different way, which seems so unlikely, but I swear it happens every time. This time, the setting was Lincoln Center's Open House in honor of the re-opening of the newly renovated David Geffen Hall. There were free events and performances all weekend long in all of the different performance areas of the new building. Stokes was set to perform in the Leon and Norma Hess Grand Promenade, which is a fancy way to say he was on a little stage in the lobby outside the new Wu Tsai theater on the second floor of the building. Side note: We had already bought tickets to an upcoming performance on November 4th in Worcester, Mass when this free opportunity popped up, but honestly, there was no way I was going to miss a chance to see Stokes sing and I'm so glad I didn't.

A pretty perfect day

It was a gorgeous fall day on the Connecticut shoreline and my best friend and fellow Stokes aficionado and I ate some sandwiches as we waited for the train in the afternoon sun. New York City was slightly warmer; sunny and 65 and perfect. We emerged from the dark and closeness of the subway into the warmth of the autumn sun and smack in the middle of a little farmer's market. 10/10 experience folks. We managed to get into David Geffen Hall at around 3:15 for Stokes's 5:00pm show. There was a fun 3-piece strings band called Time for Three playing in the Grand Promenade when we walked in, they closed their set with a cover of "Stand By Me" that had some seriously cool pizzicato.

When the Time for Three crowd dispersed, we made our way to two chairs right in front of center stage. We had drinks and chatted with the folks around us for about an hour before it was time for the show to start. Stokes was joined by pianist Joseph Thalken and went right into a 6-song set, that lasted just under an hour.

Set list:

I, Don Quixote

Feeling Good

A Wizard Every Day

Wheels of a Dream

I Was Here

Impossible Dream

Some highlights of the highlights

I don't know how this short 6-song set ended up being one of my favorite shows I've ever attended, but it was truly a special little moment in time. A few highlights: first of all, we both felt a bit unhinged about being perceived by Stokes. I don't know if he remembered us from being in the audience (and literally right in the front) at three other shows this year, but it was really fun to get little nods and points during one of our faves "A Wizard Every Day" (x) and during "Impossible Dream." (x) Like please roll the tape, because I took videos of every song and I will be using these moments as meditation and therapy on days when I feel down. They were just pure light. As I've said on here before, Stokes just has a way of making you feel like singing songs at 1,000% just for you is the most important work he'll ever do, you can just feel that and it's really beautiful. Another cool moment was getting to hear him sing "I Was Here." (x) I hadn't heard this song live before and it was so good.

"Well I will not flicker and die like an ember / Too many men flicker and die / I will leave something behind to remember / Somehow I must.."

When Stokes sang these lines with his whole chest it was, oh I don’t even know how to express it, immediate! soaring! towering! I definitely have a new appreciation for that song now. I usually listen to the re-written version that was included in the Lights on Broadway children's book (x), but from now on I'll be giving the original equal listening time.

These were just a few highlights, but I can honestly say every new show I've been fortunate enough to go to has been my favorite including this one. I say this with zero hyperbole, it's been the joy of my life to attend these Stokes shows this year and as I find myself sitting in each different audience, I can feel my mind wrestling with itself, between paying as close attention as possible and wandering off picturing the whole scene from above in sheer awe that I'm even there at all.

When the show ended, we drifted out to the balcony on cloud nine, taking in the early evening city views and further absorbing the show. We decided to forego the subway and walk to a cool restaurant we read about some blocks away. On the way, we happened to pass by the Winter Garden and ended up buying last minute tickets to The Music Man. We got to see Sutton and Hugh in one of my favorite musicals ever, which was just the best possible way to cap off a pretty amazing day. This is honestly what I always hoped being a grownup would be like ♥️

-- DL, 11/8/22, @itslucyhenley

#brian stokes mitchell #lincoln center #broadway #musical theater #greater stokes awareness #greater stokes awareness: my recap #greater stokes awareness: author's note

3 notes · View notes

dankusner · 2 months

Text

1994 The U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled that a parody that pokes fun at an original work can be considered “fair use.”

Music 'What aDay, What aDay' Erykah Badu's Birthday Bash brought together generations of talent. BY ERIC DIEP Erykah Badu si for everyone.

With her birthday approaching, the singer entered "the Level 53 Final boss" era, atagline for her birthday bash concert on Saturday. But the prior week, she offered a deeply thoughtful explanation of why she's for the people.

Badu is famously spiritual and draws from her African ancestry to make connections, becoming aguiding light for her fans.

When DART announced an initiative to honor the Dallas legend with her very own Badu Bus, she was asked in a WFAA interview about the significance during Black His- tory Month of having her face on a bus in the city where she grew up—acity where her ancestors couldn't have taken a seat on the bus.

"That's why I chose the seat at the front. Not only ma I ta the front, Iam also at the back and ni the middle," she said ni the video. "Irepresent every single human being ni this city. Those who made mistakes, those who had to overcome trag- edy. The happy, the sad, the rich, the poor. I represent al people." On abusy Saturday night ni Deep Elum, the Dallas faith- ful came ot The Factory for her annual birthday bash, ni what has become atradition, to celebrate the fashion icon and the queen of neo-soul. The sold-out show promised a night of entertainment with hosts Bootz and Nayrok and performances by Rapsody, The Alchemist and Larry June.

The four-time Grammy winner's birthday bashes have become aperennial occurrence ni Dallas since at least 2013, when she celebrated with a concert at the Granada Theater. In the past, the lineups have been stacked with special guests and celebrity friends including Dave Chappelle, Jada Pinkett Smith and WILLOW, Marc Rebillet, André 3000, Yasiin Bey, Talib Kweli, Leon Bridges, Raekwon, Bun B, Bgi- XThaPlug and more. At last year's concert, Badu received the first-ever Key to Deep Ellum from the Deep Ellum Foun- dation. The event recognized the importance of her artistic inspiration to artists and creatives worldwide, as the historic neighborhood celebrated 150 years. Between 20-minute sets that were well-paced, playful banter between the hosts about how many times they were hitting That Badu her cannabis line ni collaboration with Cookies) backstage, and a twerk contest, this was arguably the best night for first-time birthday bash goers - who seemed ot fil pu hte majority of hte room. As soon as the venue doors opened, someone burned smudging sage to clear the space of bad energy. One of her merch items leaned into metaphysics humor: "I Got a Crystal Shoved Up My As At an Erykah Badu Concert & Al I Got Was This Lousy T-Shirt."

The tone was set from the beginning. The concert felt like afestival jammed-pack into afour- hour block. The artists seemed ot respect the fact they weren't the star of the show, but gave their best. Rapsody teased the album she's been working on for the past four years with her new single "Asteroids." Widely considered one of the most lyrical MCs, she busted rhymes with no help of abacking track, and showed off her vocal range by using different voices and flows for her songs with BLK ODYSY. The "Dear Rapsody, Where's the Album?" campaign si start-

youtube

#Youtube

0 notes