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realtorjamier · 6 months

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Things to Do in January in the DMV!

If you’re prone to the post-holiday blues, we’ve got some ideas for January rejuvenation, starting off with a New Year’s Day run or hike and ending with a Monster Jam. Whether you’re a car fanatic, a gamer, or a yogi devotee, you won’t have to hibernate this January.

January 1

New Year’s Day 5K

Run a 5K on New Year’s Day! Start the new year with a healthy activity and set a precedent for the rest of 2023. Ashburn, Bethesda, Reston, Gaithersburg, Arlington, and several other cities in the D.C. area will offer up their streets for a cold-weather frolic into fitness.

January 1

First Day Hikes in Maryland First Day Hikes in Virginia

If hiking is more your speed, check out the First Day Hikes (ranger-led or self-guided) available as part of a nationwide initiative led by America’s State Parks.

January 1 to February 12

Winter Lantern Festival Lerner Town Square 8025 Galleria Drive Tysons, VA

If you missed experiencing this dazzling landscape of lights in December, there’s still time to see it. Over 1,000 Chinese lanterns – all handmade by artisans – display their light and warmth for your amazement and for great photo ops!

January 3 – 22

Wicked The Kennedy Center 2700 F St NW Washington, D.C.

What happened in the Land of Oz before Dorothy arrived? The Broadway sensation tells the story of a misunderstood young woman with emerald-green skin and her bubbly blonde friend. This is the untold true story of the Witches of Oz. Check the website for specific days and times.

January 5 – 8

Super MAGFest Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center 201 Waterfront Street Oxon Hill, MD

MAGFest (Music And Gaming Festival) celebrates video game music, gaming, and the gaming community with the goals of education, appreciation, and preservation of the culture and history of video games.

January 6

Dancing with the Stars MGM National Harbor 101 MGM National Ave. National Harbor, MD

The live Dancing with the Stars tour will recreate the most memorable dances from the program’s previous seasons and showcase brand new never-before-seen routines.

January 6 – 8

Jurassic Quest Fredericksburg Expo and Conference Center 2371 Carl D. Silver Pkwy. Fredericksburg, VA

This family friendly event allows people to interact with life size animatronic dinosaurs, including the T-Rex and 50-foot long Megalodon! It’s a huge hit for both kids and adults.

January 12 – 16

Interfusion Festival Crystal Gateway Marriott 700 Richmond Hwy. Arlington, VA

Founded in 2016 under The Institute for Integrative Wellness, this festival includes educational offerings in positive psychology, meditation, and expressive arts. The Interfusion Festival aims to bring awareness of practices that may help combat mental health crises.

January 16

Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration Richard Montgomery High School 250 Richard Montgomery Drive Rockville, MD

Join the City of Rockville for the 51st annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration. Performances and awards recognizing Rockville community members who carry on King’s legacy.

January 20 – 29

Washington Auto Show Walter E Washington Convention Center 801 Mount Vernon Place, NW Washington, D.C.

More than 600 new car models from over 35 manufacturers will display their engineering prowess. This year will include an all-new EV Pavilion, classic cars, exotics, and more. VIP tours will be led by award-winning automotive writers, and there will be a special exhibit area for live painting of “art” cars. The Washington, D.C. Auto Show is the largest public show in the nation’s capital.

January 22

Lunar New Year Parade Near Gallery Place – Chinatown Metro Stop Washington, D.C.

Celebrate the Year of the Rabbit with Mayor Muriel Bowser and the Mayor’s Office on Asian and Pacific Islander Affairs (MOAPIA). The afternoon will feature colorful, traditional performances topped off with a fireworks finale.

January 28

Mandy Patinkin in Concert 5301 Tuckerman Lane North Bethesda, MD

Emmy-winning TV star and Tony-winning Broadway legend, Mandy Patinkin’s BEING ALIVE is a collection of many of Patinkin’s favorite Broadway and classic American tunes. From Irving Berlin to Stephen Sondheim, from Cole Porter to Harry Chapin, Patinkin takes you on a dazzling musical journey.

January 28 – 29

Monster Jam Capital One Arena 601 F St., NW Washington, D.C.

If action-packed motorsports are your jam, you’ll enjoy watching world-class driver athletes competing in intense competitions at Monster Jam. The trucks’ engines generate 1,500 horsepower due to a supercharger that forces air and fuel into the engine. The Monster Jam Pit Party (requiring a separate admission ticket) allows you to see these massive trucks up close and participate in Q & As with the drivers.

[BONUS]: February 4

February First Saturday | Fire in Ice Downtown Frederick, MD

So it’s technically not a January activity but it’s close enough and it’s much too exciting to leave out! From in-store tastings to gallery openings to vendor exhibitions, there’s tons to explore in this unique event as Frederick is turned into a winter wonderland. Visitors can also explore more than 100 ice sculptures all over town!

#jamierichards #realtorjamier #realestateagent #realestate #realestatetips #things to do #things to do in january #january #activities in january

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whatsonmedia · 11 months

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Thursday Thrills: Begin with a Summer Festival Extravaganza!

August is here, and the festival fever is on! From lively music gatherings to mouthwatering food fests events and mesmerizing cultural events, this month has it all. Embrace the fall vibes, soak in the magical ambiance, and let August lead you on an unforgettable journey of discovery. Step out and savor the best of this vibrant season! LooseFest 5 – 6 Aug 30,000 partying loving festival people are in for the time of lives this weekend when Loosefest opens its arms, welcoming back the return of one of the North East's biggest summertime festivals. Making this one of the best northern dance-music explosions of the weekend, the takeover comes to life on one of Newcastle’s luscious green spaces in Town Moor. The promoters have spared no expense on hosting this two-day festival extravaganza. From the festival outstanding production, multiple arenas, super delicious street food, beverages to keep you well-oiled and all the usual festival delights. Then there is the incredible line-up which includes an elite collection of dance-music globe-trotting DJ royalty, spanning from the UK with a mix of international global music artists. LooseFest brings together a stellar lineup of electronic music, featuring Sub Focus, Dimension, Ben Hemsley, Hot Since 82, Judge Jules, Horse Meat Disco, and more. With multiple arenas and the addition of headliner Sean Paul, this event promises to be the ultimate dance music extravaganza! LooseFest 2023 is the ultimate way to spend a summer's weekend in one of the UK’s most vibrant cities, without the hassle of out-of-town travel and camping in the mud. Make sure it's on your festival to do list! Its where we’ll see you in the Toon! www.loosefest.com Tickets & More Info> www.loosefest.com 51st State Festival 5 – Aug London, get ready for the ultimate dance music extravaganza! This weekend, the 51st State Festival returns for its eighth year, taking over its new home at Copthall. With a sensational lineup of global superstar DJs and live dance music artists, this one-day non-camping festival celebrates the core roots of house music. From classic house to tech house, afro house to garage, and soul to dancehall, the pioneers from Chicago, New York, Detroit, London, and beyond come together to create an electrifying atmosphere. The festival boasts impressive stage productions, ample food and drinks, and all the festival essentials for a fantastic experience. Prepare to be blown away by DJ sets from the likes of Roger Sanchez, Barbara Tucker, Ratpack (CLASSIC House Set), Catz ‘N Dogz, François K, Dj Jazzy Jeff, Norman Jay, Todd Terry, and many more. This promises to be one of the biggest and best daytime festivals of the summer, leaving you breathless and buzzing for weeks to come. Don't miss the dance music highlight of August in the capital! Tickets & More Info> www.51stfestival.com Wilderness Festival 3 – 6 Aug Experience the ultimate outdoor festival vibe at Wilderness Festival, set against the stunning backdrop of Cornbury Park in Oxfordshire. This boutique music affair promises four days and nights of non-stop entertainment, allowing you to unleash your inner wild side. With a thoughtfully curated lineup of music, theatre, arts, and comedy. In addition this event is a spectacular extravaganza not to be missed. The star-studded music lineup includes The Chemical Brothers, Christine and the Queens, Fatboy Slim, Sugababes, Confidence Man, and many more, ready to keep you dancing and tapping your toes. Choose from various camping styles to suit your preferences and indulge in delectable treats from a wide array of top street food stalls. With a well-stocked bar to quench your thirst, you can party the weekend away and be a part of the vibrant Wilderness Festival family. Join us for an unforgettable experience where nature's finest meets festival style! Tickets & More Info> www.wildernessfestival.com 90s Fest 5 Aug This Saturday, prepare to embark on a musical journey back to the 1990s at Sheffield's Dom Valley Bowl. 90s Fest, a thrilling one-day outdoor festival, is all set to celebrate the iconic music from that era. From dance floor fillers to the neon glow sticks, get ready to relive the golden era of the 90s with your best retro attire and immerse yourself in the unforgettable soundtrack that touched countless souls. This supercharged event brings together an incredible lineup of artists who ruled the 90s music scene. Expect to groove to the beats of 2 Unlimited, Andy Whitby, Anne Savage, Armand Van Helden, Artful Dodger, BK, Baby D, and many more. With names like DJ Luck & MC Neat, DJ Sammy, Danny Rampling, and Fergie, the nostalgia will be overflowing. Get ready to rave and dance to your heart's content as these legendary artists take the stage in the heart of summer. 90s Fest promises bucket loads of nostalgia and memories, making it a can't-miss event for any music lover looking to experience the magic of the 90s once again. Tickets & More Info> www.90sworld.co.uk Love Summer Festival 3 – 7 Aug Plymouth is hosting one of the finest small independent festivals set in the Heart of South Devon. Now in its 12th year of production, the festival keeps it small enough to be friendly but still big enough to have a proper bangin' five-day party. What sets this festival apart is its intention to be low-key, achieved by limiting overall admissions, yet offering a mega lineup of homegrown and UK DJs. This is one festival where you can experience the most fun for an extended weekender, all under £100! The line-up features Dave Pearce, Danny Rampling, The Mouse Outfit, Morgs, The Fusion Project, Dave Moore, Nick The Kid, Andy Morrison, Loui TT, Kev Dread, Alex palmer, Moda, Ras Lazy, Sunday Club, DMC, Devil Man, Gravital, The Mayhaps,Aybee, Che & Leona, Natty Roots and many more Tickets & More Info> www.lovesummerfestival.com Coloursfest 5 Aug Attention Glasgow ravers! Prepare for an electrifying experience at this iconic festival, where hardstyle music takes center stage, and the beats will make your heart race. Returning for over two decades with five incredible arenas of mind-blowing production, this event is a must-attend for true music aficionados. Get ready to dance to the thrilling sounds of hard dance, hands-in-the-air trance, and energetic EDM. The lineup is packed with top-tier artists, including Showtek, D-Block & S-te-Fan, Darren Styles, Sefa, Sub Zero Project, David Rust, and NRG Trax. But that's not all! Brace yourself for mind-blowing performances by Olly James, Shugz, Billy Gillies, Ciaran McAuley, David Forbes, and Mark Sherry, adding even more power to this hard-hitting event. Tickets & More Info> www.braeheadarena.co.uk Green Gathering 3 – 6 Aug What> If you a festival lover who wants four-days of low impact living in a gorgeous location beside the river Wye on the Welsh border then Green Gathering is right up your alley. Featuring over 100 live acts, including dozens of workshops, and things for little ones to do. Plus, crafts and ethical stalls. Scrumptious vegetarian food, and a menu of locally made beer, cider and mead. The weekends line-up features Indian Man, Salena Godden, Mobius Loop, The Trouble Notes, Pete (THE Temp) Bearder, Ask My Bull, Solar Love Society, The High Breed, Satin Beige, Psycho-Acoustic Goat, Of Ghosts and Other Forms, Benjamin Yellowitz, Moan, Mal Webb and Kylie Morrigan, Kangaroo Moon, Hoopy Frood, Komposa, Lé-Lé, Dj Fly Fox, Hannah Scott, Talis Kimberley, Izzie Derry, Tetchi, Inspeckta Veg and More Tickets & More Info> www.greengathering.org.uk Reggae Land 5 – 6 Aug Reggae Land 2023 is set to be bigger and better than ever before as it moves to the legendary “The Milton Keynes National Bowl”. Featuring a heavyweight line-up of artists from across the reggae and dub spectrum, the festival promises to be a true musical extravaganza. Amongst the performers, you'll find red-hot new stars, enduring pioneers, and plenty of legends, all ready to take the stage in a family-friendly and authentic Caribbean wonderland. Featuring a line-up of international and home-grown globetrotting artists including Sean Paul, General Levy, Natty Campbell, Trojan Sound System, Shy FX, Dub Pistols, DJ Killa Kutz, Don Letts, Nicky Blackmarket, MC Magika, Congo Natty, Mungos Hi-fi, Macka B & The Roots Ragga, Top Cat, Blak Prophetz, Freddie McGregor Tickets & More Info> www.reggaeland.co.uk Read the full article

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izatrini · 1 year

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51st Festival (FKA 51st State) announces full details on its 2023 ... - Essex Magazine

51st Festival (FKA 51st State) announces full details on its 2023 ... Essex Magazine http://dlvr.it/SkHlW3

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isthespiceoflife · 5 years

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Summer - rain or shine!

This year’s 5th annual 51st State Festival boasts a line-up only a true music head could’ve curated. Not surprised this takes place in London (@Trent Park). Join the fun, Aug. 3!

Mark (Ronson) x Q-Tip (The Abstract)? You’ve got to RSVP n’ not miss this one baby! Guaranteed. good. music.

OK, sure I didn’t go YET, but I’m def going before summer’s over. Don’t let me have to tell how it WAS. Plus, for FREE “First Saturday’s”, you’ve got no excuse.

Hey, here’s a proven combo in Freddie Gibbs x Madlb for their latest, Bandana LP. Peep their “Crime Pays” video here.

Upcoming Tour Dates: 6/25 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Roxy

6/27 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Roxy

7/6 - New York, NY @ MoMA PS1 Warm Up

7/20 - Chicago, IL @ Pitchfork Music Festival^

8/16 - Orpund, Switzerland @ Royal Arena Festival

8/17 - Portugal @ Paredes De Coura Festival

8/31-91 - Philadelphia, PA @ Made in America Festival

8/25 - London, UK @ Maiden Voyage Festival (DJ Set)* *= Madlib performance || ^= Freddie Gibbs performance

Half the battle’s done by this show just being @Hollywood Bowl! Plus, Leon’s the truth across the room world, n’ if you’ve never heard of Rhye, bring a date (pun intended) on July 5, they’ll get OPEN.

Reggae on the Boardwalk at Coney Island launched on Sunday, June 9. Peep their page to get more info, but there’s only a few selective dates to blaze up di fya near the ocean. It’s a roots ‘ting, ya nah go get it! And don’t forget: Wu 6/16!

June 22-23, join SHAPE in Los Angeles, to hear n’ be a part of discussions on the future of entertainment n’ filmmaking, w/5G being the focus. Here are your speakers.

Don’t forget, the “Women’s World Cup 2019″ is on, n’ some of these gals are kicking ass more than a ball! Full schedule here.

RSVP to be a part of this “Colors of Progress” evening (food, cocktails, etc), where on June 27 @Alley in NYC from 6:30-9p, a panel discussion will outline the future of LGBT issues, worldwide.

Every Friday @The Met, in NYC of course -- explore the rooftop, the exhibits, music, art n’... if you’re into vogueing -- yes vogueing, June 11 (Tuesday), there’s that too!

La Luna 2019 baby! This Sat, border of Queens/Brooklyn @Knockdown Center, from 4p-4a. It’s going to be an experience for your eyes, of course our ears n’ best believe, some noses - hint . sniff . hint LOL!

When the workload’s just getting to ya...ditch it! Just don’t get caught, on ya...uh..ummm.. “lunch-break” for this Ditch Day Party - RSVP for secret location, June 28.

The exhibit “Brave New Views” is the tasteful clash of art and music, so join the opening party (in LA on Fri, July 19 @HVW8 Gallery) by clicking to RSVP!

Well, for this year’s “Grace Jamaican Jerk Festival” you might be overwhelmed by the number of jerk chefs/outlets on this Sunday, July 21st (heatwave postponed!) in NYC. Keep an eye out for “Kingston Grill” (+ of course, “Peppa’s”), but that’s for jerk chicken only! When it comes to ‘festival’ -- “Yogi’s Restaurant” n’ don’t pass up the mac n’ cheese from, “Chef Elvis”! Music for this year’s line-up includes Bunji Garlin, Capelton, Christopher Martin, Fay-Ann Lyons, n’ Sheensea!

SummerStage took flight last week, but don’t worry -- you’ve got ‘til October to catch one of their FREE concerts/shows, like this family-friendly, “Youth Matinee” one above: FELA! The Concert @Rumsey Playfield, Central Park (July 31) from 11a ‘til 12noon. June 11 (see below) is Kes The Band n’ others, which will be as lit on a Tuesday (bring ya cooler!) you’ll ever remember being!

As well as on Sun, July 28 (@Playstation Theater) they’re back! in NYC, this time NOT free boi!

Can’t believe you’ve never heard of Omar Apollo? He’s “So Good” best believe! Traveling anytime soon? Catch him outside the States, to see him LIVE (tour dates below).

6/12 - Oslo, Norway @ BIA

6/13 - Copenhagen, Denmark @ Huset-KBH

6/14 - Berlin, Germany @ Badehaus

6/16 - Cologne, Germany @ Yuca

6/18 - London, UK @ Village Underground

6/20 - Barcelona, Spain @ Sidecar

6/21 - Madrid, Spain @ Sala El Sol

6/22 - Ourense, Spain @ Cafe & Pop Torgal

6/24 - Paris, France @ Le Pop-Up du Label

6/25 - Amsterdam, Netherlands @ Cinetol

6/26 - Brussels, Belgium @ La Machine

8/1 - Chicago, IL @ Lollapalooza

BRIC presents: Protoje, Jah9 + MORE on Thurs, June 27 @Prospect Park Bandshell. Showtime is 7:30p, but if U know anything about these FREE NYC shows in the park during summer -- esp. for reggae’s feature night, the lines get loooooong! So keep in mind, gates open @6:30p. Plus, there’s ‘yoga on dub’ so bring those yoga mats! On Weds, as a warm-up to this big headliner show on Thurs, Protege’s teaming-up with NYC collective, Everyday People n’ giving a sneak (private) preview of his In.Digg.Nation Collective camp of artists -- Sevana + Lila Iké, including himself. Intimately. Somewhere in NYC, shhhh...

Rosario Dawson & Abrima Erwiah invite you to celebrate the launch of “Style Kingdom” -- a new collaboration with Bloomingdale's. Friday July 19, cocktails 6-8p w/music by DJ Uproot Andy + light bites by African Chop House (exclusive live performance). Where? The Carousel on 1 @Bloomingdale's 59th St, NY.

This is gonna be HUGE, even if you don’t like working-out! It’s a Fitness Festival, by Properl Co:Labs. Try it!

Or, not LOL! Working out that is, to some stellar performers such as Ciara, Charli XCX, Lucy Hale, Chromeo (live DJ set) and more! Santa Monica “Barker Hanger”, July 20-21. No, it’s not FREE. But wait, there’s more LOL! Go to WWW.PROPELCOLABS.COM chose the day you want to come then type in TBCLG100 under the GA tickets at checkout - VIP Passes!

After one listen to “Angel” you might wanna catch this cat, FINNEAS even if it’s just to witness him singing it LIVE (see dates below):

NORTH AMERICAN TOUR DATES: 07/06 – Summerfest – Milwaukee, WI 07/21 – Diplo’s Mad Decent Block Party Festival – Foxborough, MA 10/04 – 10/06 – Austin City Limits Music Festival – Austin, TX

What a perfect excuse to leave NYC n’ head out to the Hampton’s for 4th of July weekend -- by visiting a HUGE 50K sq. ft pavilion for the “Market Art + Design” opening @Bridgehampton Museum, Friday July 5-7 (open to the public on Saturday)! Here’s a preview...

Smino drops his sophomore LP, NOIR. There’s some fire in there, for sure. But you can always catch him LIVE too, see below.

7/20 - New York, NY @MoMA PS1 + 8/3 - Chicago, IL @Lollapalooza

Quantic’s (DJ) dates below w/Bonobo, as he drops his single n’ same titled LP, Atlantic Oscillations.

07/06 – Chicago, IL @ Lakefront Green ^ 08/02 – Denver, CO @ Air & Space Museum ^ 08/03 – San Francisco, CA @ The Midway ^ 08/17 – Brooklyn, NY @ Avant Gardner ^

If U think Calypso Rose was trouble on the stage @coachella this year past in April, don’t miss the living legend, Mighty Sparrow, Friday (July 5) from 7-9p in Queens, NY @Springfield Park.

Say no more right? In the L.E.S., as part of the “Essex Market” takeover of lower Manhattan! RSVP to indulge if U will...and did U know this month (June) was designated “NYC Music Month”? Everything’s FREE, except for the MTA’s fare that’s probably raising!

Don’t miss these legends -- yes, without these cats, a lot of megastars out of Cali would’ve never been inspired. Long Beach Dub Allstars hit Brooklyn Bowl in BK, on Sat, July 27 w/The Aggrolites + Mike Pinto. Ska in ya...

With the 30th anniversary of Spike Lee’s “Do The Right Thing” showing @BAM from June 28-July 4, your fav Spike movie deserves a celebration.

In BK, on July 28 there’s a man who knows how to rock the mic -- intelligently at that, swooping down @99 Scott Ave. There’s even more BBQ-type outdoor vibes before (June 16, Father’s Day!) in the same space, w/Biz Markie, Danny Krivit n’ more...but bro, Jay Electronica has the gift of gab!

“Step Up” - an ICI Benefit event (July 13 in LA @Clarence Studio), so yo -- no freebee here, but for a great cause, spend $ to eat some delish yardie food from 6-8p, then tunes from FOUR selectors/musical entities (8p-12a)!

Homegirl KOFFEE’s blowing TF up! Peep her Upcoming Tour Dates below! 6/26 - Antwerp, Belgium @ Olt Rivierenhof

6/28 - Dortmund, Germany @ Junkyard

6/29 - Paris, France @ La Maroquinerie

7/2 - Geneve, Switzerland @ L'Usine

7/3 - Padova, Italy @ Sherwood Festival

7/5 - Koln, Germany @ Summerjam Festival

7/6 - Roskilde, Denmark @ Roskilde Festival

7/7 - Berlin, Germany @ Yaam

7/10 - Karmar, Sweden @ Öland Roots

7/12 - Dour, Belgium @ Dour Festival

7/13 - Zurich, Switzerland @ Rote Fabrik

7/14 - Burtenbach, Germany @ Sunrise Regge & Ska Festival

8/4 - Montreal, QC @ Osheaga Festival

9/12 - New York, NY @ The Gramercy

9/13 - Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Steel

Key Upcoming GoldLink Tour Dates: 8/24 - Brooklyn, NY @AFROPUNK

9/12 - New York, NY @Madison Square Garden*^

9/29 - Miami, FL @AmericanAirlines Arena*^

10/7 - Morrison, CO @Red Rocks Amphitheatre*+

*w/ Tyler, The Creator || ^w/ Jaden Smith || +w/ Blood Orange

Peep the dates above, watch the video below -- a British lad’s coming to your city n’ you’ve gots to go! UK’s AJ Tracey isn’t trying to win U over, in Europe he’s already won, so it’s just a matter of time...

Not m/any other African artists outshine or build anticipation more than Burna Boy, n’ w/his “African Giant Tour” ongoing, in support of his upcoming new LP, same title.

So you’ll def wanna see why (two dates in Brooklyn - 7/19 @Prospect Park Bandshell for “BRIC’s Bud Light Music Series” + 8/10 @Coney Island Amphitheater for “Interswitch One Africa Music Fest”)! Check out his latest “Anybody” video further below.

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scotianostra · 4 years

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Happy 51st Birthday Scottish film director and writer Lynne Ramsay.

For such a talented filmmaker Ramsay as very few productions under her belt, with just made four features in two decades, each in their way a masterpiece. There are a few factors in this, she is known to be difficult to work with, admits to being a perfectionists, and if you try to meddle in the way she does things, she will walk out on the film, as she did with on the indie western Jane Got a Gun. She just didn’t turn up on the first day of filming, too me this must have taken guts and shows her as a strong woman.

The fallout around this cost her a reported half a million pounds, and probably offers of other work, not that she is worried about the work. The rest of the fallout was her marriage, which fell apart just before she gave birth to her daughter, she spent four years after this in Greece, licking her wounds and bring up her daughter, who has recently started school.

Born in Glasgow on 5th December 1969, Ramsay studied photography at Napier College, Edinburgh. In 1995, she graduated from the National Film and Television School in Beaconsfield, England, where she specialised in cinematography and direction.

If you want a nitty gritty film set in Glasgow in the early 70's look for Ratcatcher, a cracking film, and what a debut for Ramsay, it won her many fans and she deservedly picked up many awards including the Carl Foreman Award for Newcomer in British Film at the BAFTA Awards, the Sutherland Trophy at the London Film Festival and the Silver Hugo for Best Director at the Chicago International Film Festival, I can't believe it's almost 30 years since it's release. Ramsay followed this up with the excellent Morvern Callar based upon the writer Alan Warners brilliant novel, set in a remote Scottish town. Hollywood came calling after this and she wrote the screenplay and directed We Need to Talk About Kevin, which took on the difficult subject of a school shooting. It won many admirers and Scottish based actress Tilda Swinton was nominated for a golden globe for the film.

Ramsay has been offered many scripts to films in the states, but she says " ....through the years I've been sent scripts.......but it's always all packaged and ready to go, and that just isn't me. Do you know what I mean?

In 2017 Ramsay directed and co-wrote the screenplay for her most successful film to date, You Were Never Really Here which stars three time oscar nominee Joaquin Phoenix as mentally scarred ex military and FBI vet, go watch it, it deserves an Oscar, but I doubt it will be recognised for the brilliant film it is. On 8th October 2013, Ramsay was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Edinburgh for her contribution to British film. The good news is it looks like a long time project for Lynne is finally getting there, set in 1980s Glasgow, I Feel Fine centres on “teenager Jonny White who becomes embroiled in crime and drug addiction. When a bounty is placed on his head for a crime he didn’t commit, White must get to the safe haven of rehab in order to stay alive.” The film stars last weeks birthday “boy” Gary Lewis, with fellow Scots Billy Boyd and Texas singer Sharleen Spiteri. David Tennant was originally penned in to be among the cast but it appears he has been dropped.

Lynne Ramsay is a strong woman in a male dominated world and I shall leave the last words to her on that subject.....

“..I get questions about what it's like to be a woman film-maker, and you don't get that question a lot if you're a man. I don't really go there because I can't really define what I bring to films as a woman.”

#Scotland #scottish #filmmaking #film writing #director #birthday #strong woman

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enkisstories · 3 years

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Kirsten: “I haven’t forgotten everything, honored Tohunga. I distinctly remember that we didn’t even have an interior WC when I was a kid. So I defintely see your point when you say the Monarchists were more talk than deed!”

Lia: “Neither have I, and my family is one of the most powerful of Sulani! We may have less QoL than Detroit, but the important thing is that the gap between the richest and the poorest is very small.”

Hank: “What were you having for status symbols?”

Lia: “I can’t speak for everyone, but in my kid’s school they currently value boxed games over digital downloads and one child’s german Settlers of Catan boardgame with wood and cardboard, instead of our version where the game pieces are made from sea shells. American blue jeans… baseball caps… jamaika rum... and of course the power to select which band will perform at the Ohan’ali festival.”

Hank: “That would move crime from theft to smuggling. Ah, I see now why your police consists of mermaids! The ordinary citizen would not notice any of that shit, and therefore think that there is no crime at all.”

Lia: “That’s how it used to be, yes. But there were also increasingly annoying cases of nepotism.”

Kirsten: “I say there were! In the USA I got taught that a narrow wealth gap also results in less incentive to put in effort.”

Lia: “Some of us see it that way, yes. They are ready to disband the nation and join yours as the 52nd state. This faction is led by Alika’s wife, Mele Kahananui.”

Rika: “Oh, no! So the war tears apart families even when nobody dies…”

Lia: “Normally I’d agree with you, but not when comes to this couple! They are pretty shrewd, and I wouldn’t put it past them to have wormed their way into different factions to up their chances at coming out on top.”

Hank: “So we have the socialist monarchists and the greener grass next door movement, but they may actually be a family enterprise, check. Who else?”

Footnote: The 51st state would be Jericho (pending). Many androids also have double USA/Sixam citizenship, just in case things go downhill again.

#sims4 raftchallenge #sims4 designedbycyberlife #sims 4 #sims4 #the sims 4 #sims4 dbh gameplay #tw politics

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outsideculture · 7 years

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51st State Festival

Calling itself a ‘vital festival’ for lovers of US house, garage, soul, disco and Caribbean sounds, 51st State looks to both sides of the Atlantic for this one-day event in the northest of north London. While we wouldn't call it 'vital' by any stretch of the imagination, if you're after a festival that showcases the musical genres that make up the landscape of London - from house music to reggae, dub to UK Garage - 51st State is your ticket. Representing New York, Kenny Dope, Louie Vega and Masters At Work will head up the main stage, while DJ Luck & MC Neat, Artful Dodger and Shola Ama, with a little bit of luck, will take you through the night on the Back To 95 arena. Oh and get this, the festival is based near Cockfosters, so if finally visiting London’s most comical tube station doesn’t entice you, we don’t know what will.

Lineup includes: Masters At Work • DJ Luck & MC Neat • Kenny Dope • Byron Stingily • Channel One Sound System • Todd Terry • DJ Sneak • Derrick Carter

Tickets: £45

Where: Cockfosters Rd, Enfield, EN4 0PS

When: Saturday 5th August 12:00 - 22:30

#festival #dj #garage #house #electronic #music #culture #51st state #carribean #indie #rnb

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aaymeirah-writes · 5 years

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Capri Telephone game 15 entry

(This game was #15: Switcharoo and played on the captive prince discord where one member would write/draw something within an hour then pass it on the next to write/draw something based off of that prompt. Figured I might as well post my written part of the game.)

1st official Unification day-

“It’s tacky,” Laurent announced, standing at Damen’s side and observing the new commemorative statue of Damen and him, silver and golden, holding intertwined hands high and each planting a sword in the ground and to the side. Raised on a stone platform, it sparkled in the sun.

“Well, it obviously doesn’t do you justice,” Damen eyed Laurent significantly then gestured to the slim silver statue of him.

“Obviously.”

“Do you like it your Highnesses?” The master crafter who oversaw the production of this statue approached them cautiously.

“It’s lovely,” Damen told him, resisting the urge to elbow Laurent in the side when he snickered.

3rd official Unification day-

“When I told Vannes that she could arrange some celebration to commemorate the joining of Akeilos and Vere, I didn’t realize it would become a tradition,” Laurent grumbled good naturedly. Damen laughed fondly.

“Vannes and Nikandros pushed for this, in near complete agreement. How could we withstand?”

“Fair enough.” Hand in hand, they stepped before the silver and gold statue to officially open the celebrations.

5th official Unification day-

“It’s odd seeing so much celebration on a former battlefield,” Damen said cautiously. Over the years, the events at Marlas had hardened into a comfortable scar between them, but that didn’t mean it couldn’t still pull at odd moments.

“Indeed, but look at what we’ve done! Vere and Akeilos blending, slowly rejoining!” Laurent replied, for once slightly drunk. Whether it was from the free-flowing drink or the mad, festive atmosphere was open to debate.

“You’re in a good mood.”

“That horrid statue just got knocked over!”

“What, how?” Damen asked, puzzled. It was solid gold and silver, welded firmly to a stone base in turn planted in the hard-packed earth. Laurent merely smirked.

50th official Unification day-

“It is with bittersweet sadness, yet complete confidence in Our Heir that we officially abdicate and pass the throne to him. After his transition into power, we shall retire, confident that this Kingdom is in good hands.” The Kings of this Unified Kingdom announced. Silver haired and crinkle-skinned, they were still hale and clear-minded, so this decision came as a shock to those not in the know.

51st official Unification day-

“Do you think we made the right decision, giving the throne to August?” Damen asked, reclining with Laurent on a couch behind a curtain, giving them the illusion of privacy.

“He is a good man; he’ll lead the Kingdom well. Considering the sheer number of children you sired, this prevents a succession war. He’ll continue our good work.”

“You’re right of course,” Damen said, pulling Laurent into a one-armed hug. “Besides, this gives us more time to just be together.”

“And that was your main motivation to agreeing to this.”

“We most certainly aren't young anymore. And think of this, you only have to see that tacky statue of us once a year when we visit the capitol.” Laurent went silent in thought.

“I lied.”

“Oh?”

“I quite like that statue.”

“Really,” Damen stated, skeptical.

“I had a reputation to maintain!” Laurent protested. Damen laughed;

“Fair enough.” Laurent turned to look at Damen, this man who, against all expectations and fights in their early years, had found a lasting place in his heart.

“It doesn’t do you justice though.”

Damen kissed him. “Obviously,” he replied once they separated, “I think we’ve shown our faces enough for tonight, I can think of a few other things I’d rather be doing.”

“Things?” Laurent asked archly.

“You know exactly what I mean lover.”

600th official Unification day-

“Welcome to the long-standing tradition of Unification day. Today we celebrate the joining of two Kingdoms, Akeilos and Vere over six hundred years ago by King Damianos and King Laurent. Their decision for peace between these two ancient nations has paved the way for Our glorious kingdom to become the strong, independent nation it is today.

“In honor of this milestone, this statue, made in the days of the Kings themselves, has been recovered and restored to its former glory. And as your Queen, I am proud to reveal it here at New Marlas Pavillion.” A cheer went up from the crowd of thousands as she pulled off a tarp to reveal a statue of two young mean in period clothing, silver and golden, holding intertwined hands high and each planting a sword in the ground and to the side. A cloth banner was draped over their arms, proclaiming the special, 600th celebration of Unification day.

“Let the celebrations begin!” the Queen said proudly.

#captive prince #lamen #Damen #laurent #telephone game #fanfic #fluff #lamen fanfiction #damianos of akeilos #laurent of vere #writers on tumblr #my writing #aaymeirah-writes

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blackkudos · 4 years

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Jazmine Sullivan

Jazmine Marie Sullivan (born April 9, 1987) is an American singer-songwriter from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Her debut album, Fearless, was released in 2008 to commercial and critical success. It is certified gold in the US. The album contains her debut single "Need U Bad", produced by Missy Elliott, a reggae-inspired song. A cover version of her second single "Bust Your Windows" that was made on Glee in 2009, boosted her career in the popular culture industry. At the 51st Grammy Awards in 2009, Sullivan received nominations for Best New Artist, Best Female R&B Vocal Performance, Best Traditional R&B Performance, Best R&B Song and Best Contemporary R&B Album.

Sullivan released her second studio album, Love Me Back, in 2010. The album was critically well received and surpassed the success of her debut, earning her another Grammy nomination for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for the lead single "Holding You Down (Goin' in Circles) at the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards in 2011. The album debuted at number 17 on the Billboard 200 chart. Love Me Back has sold over three million copies. She is one of the female R&B artists to simultaneously have two albums in the top ten of the Billboard 200 and have two singles in the top five of Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, as well as in the history of the Grammy Awards to have three simultaneous Grammy-nominated singles, with "Need U Bad", "Bust Your Windows", and "Lions, Tigers & Bears", all of which also topped the charts. Fearless is the longest-running number one album by a female R&B artist in the history of the US Album Charts.

After taking a three-year break, Sullivan announced her third studio album, Reality Show, in 2014. The album was later released on January 13, 2015. It became Sullivan's best-selling album and peaked at number one at the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. Reality Show was her first studio album to be released under RCA Records and earned her three Grammy Award nominations, including Best R&B Album, and a NAACP Image Award, which was NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Song. The lead single, "Let It Burn", became her first song in the US to sell over one million digital copies within a week of its release. Her concert tour, The Reality Show Tour, visited North America and concluded with finale concerts at the House of Blues in March 2015.

In 2010, Sullivan was named Rising Star by Billboard. At the 2009 and 2016 NAACP Image Awards, Sullivan was nominated for Outstanding New Artist and Outstanding Female Artist. In 2018, her single "Bust Your Windows" was listed at number 140 on National Public Radio's The 200 Greatest Songs By 21st Century Women. Sullivan cites singers Brandy, Changing Faces, Kim Burrell, Lauryn Hill, and Dorinda Clark-Cole as her main influences and inspirations.

Life and career

1987–2006: Early life

Jazmine Sullivan was born on April 9, 1987 to Don and Pam Sullivan. Her mother is a former backup singer for Philadelphia International Records. When she was five years old, her father landed a position as a curator for the city's Historic Strawberry Mansion in the Strawberry Mansion section, and her family moved into the historical landmark.

Sullivan is a 2005 graduate of the Philadelphia High School for the Creative and Performing Arts where she was a vocal music major. Sullivan began singing as a contralto in the children's choir, and later in the adult choir. Sullivan's exposure to secular music was initially limited.

2003–2009: Career beginnings and Fearless

At fifteen, Sullivan signed to Jive Records. She recorded an album, which was never released, and she was eventually dropped from the label. Sullivan provided vocals for Kindred the Family Soul's song, "I Am", as well as background vocals on the song "Party's Over", and the title track to their 2003 debut Surrender to Love, and it was during this session she first met rapper Missy Elliott, who would go on to produce both the majority of her debut album, Fearless, and tracks on Love Me Back. Sullivan wrote and recorded with producers Cool & Dre titled "Say I" was given to Dre's then-girlfriend Christina Milian for her third album, So Amazin'. The song became the lead single, peaking at #13 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, as well as #21 on the Hot 100. Sullivan's breakthrough song, "Need U Bad", was released in May 2008. The song, which featured additional vocals by Missy Elliott and Sandy "Pepa" Denton of Salt-n-Pepa, later debuted at number 37 on the Billboard Hot 100 and spent a total of 34 weeks atop of the Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs altogether.

Sullivan's debut album Fearless was released on September 23, 2008. At the time, she wrote and composed many of its songs and served as the album's executive producer alongside Missy Elliott, Salaam Remi and Peter Edge. The album received production from Elliott, Remi, Stargate, Carvin & Ivan, Jack Splash, and Fisticuffs. Fearless debuted at number 1 on the Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums and at number 6 on the Billboard 200. Sullivan followed her début single with the release of the second single from Fearless, "Bust Your Windows", which reached number 4 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and number 31 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming her most successful single on that chart to date. "Bust Your Windows" appeared on the debut episode of the Fox hit television show Glee and was also nominated for a Grammy for Best R&B Song. In 2014, Stevie Wonder claimed he considered "Bust Your Windows" a classic song. "Lions, Tigers & Bears" was released as the album's third single in December 2008. It scored her third consecutive top ten on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, reaching #10, and garnered some mainstream success by reaching number 74 on the Billboard Hot 100. Sullivan later pursued success in the United Kingdom when she first released "Dream Big" as a single in the UK on February 2009. The song was later released as the fourth and final single from the album in April 2009. The album has a gold certification by the Recording Industry Association of America, and has sold more than 510,000 copies in the United States.

Sullivan was featured on a song entitled "Smoking Gun" with Jadakiss on his third studio album The Last Kiss. She was also a supporting act for fellow American R&B singer Maxwell on his 2008 US tour and was the opening act for Ne-Yo's 2009 Year of the Gentleman Tour. She additionally appeared on Ace Hood's second studio album, Ruthless, on the song "Champion". She went on to headline a few dates with Ryan Leslie, before participating in the Essence Music Festival in June 2009. That same year, Sullivan appeared in commercials for Cotton Incorporated. Additionally, Sullivan made a guest appearance on Snoop Dogg's tenth studio album Malice n Wonderland on the song "Different Languages".

2009–11: Love Me Back

Sullivan began working on her second album, Love Me Back, in 2009. Producers contributing to the album included Missy Elliott, Lamb, Ne-Yo, Anthony Bell, Los da Mystro, Ryan Leslie, and Salaam Remi, who was also a major contributor to Fearless. Songs recorded for the album include "Love You Long Time", "Don't Make Me Wait" (a tribute to Prince), "Redemption", "Excuse Me", "Good Enough", and the reported sequel to "Bust Your Windows" titled "You Get On My Nerves", which was co-written by Ne-Yo. The album was completed in June 2010 and released on November 30, 2010. The album debuted at number 17 on the Billboard 200 and sold 57,000 copies in its first week.

In an interview with National Public Radio, Sullivan explained that the album was about her personal experiences, stating:

The album's lead single, "Holding You Down (Goin' in Circles)", was released on July 10, 2010. The song debuted at number 60 on the Billboard Hot 100. The music video for the song premiered on August 30, 2010. The song would later be nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance in 2011. The album's second single, "10 Seconds", was released to radio airplay in late September, and debuted at number 15 the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. The song was later released for digital download on October 25, 2010. An accompanying music video was later filmed and was released on November 12, 2010.

In early December 2010, Billboard honoured Sullivan as the 'Rising Star' for 2010. She later announced that she was working on her third studio album.

2011–present: Hiatus and Reality Show

In January 2011, Sullivan announced via Twitter that she was indefinitely leaving the music industry saying, "I promised myself when it wasn't fun anymore I wouldn't do it. And, here I am. I'm not saying I won't ever sing again in my life because I don't believe that. But in this moment… right now… [I] got some things to figure out". On October 7, RCA Records announced it was disbanding J Records along with Arista Records and Jive Records. With the shutdown, Sullivan (and all other artists previously signed to these three labels).

In 2014, she returned to music with the announcement of her new album, Reality Show. In an interview with Billboard, Sullivan described her return as inevitable, saying she "...can't escape [her] calling". She based Reality Show on watching reality shows during her hiatus which inspired the namesake. The album consists of 14 songs, and features production from Key Wane and Salaam Remi. The lead single "Dumb", featuring American rapper Meek Mill, was released on May 12, 2014. The song debuted at number 45 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay. The second single "Forever Don't Last" was released on September 16, 2014. It debuted at number 10 on the Adult R&B Songs.

On January 13, 2015, Jazmine Sullivan released Reality Show to widespread critical acclaim, with the album reaching #1 on the Billboard R&B Albums and #2 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. Reality Show sold 30,000 copies in its first week. Slant Magazine commented, "Despite what the rasp in her voice might suggest, Sullivan clearly sees herself as something other than R&B's next great queen of pain. Her central themes—love and self-image—don't stray far from genre convention, but her musical versatility and keenly observed characters make her one of the most captivating artists in R&B today." The album earned Sullivan three Grammy Award nominations for Best Traditional R&B Performance and Best R&B Album.

In 2016, Sullivan was featured in the visual album "Endless" by Frank Ocean. Sullivan lent her vocals to four songs from the album: "Alabama", "Wither", "Hublots", and "Rushes". Sullivan was the lead writer for these four songs on Mary J. Blige's album Strength of a Woman, and sang backup vocals on the first three of them: "Thick of It", "Set Me Free", "Glow Up", and "Thank You." ("Strength of a Woman" album liner notes). She in partnership with fellow American singer Bryson Tiller released "Insecure" for the soundtrack for the second season of the HBO series of the same title.

In 2019, Sullivan was featured on Pentatonix’s Christmas collection The Best of Pentatonix Christmas on the group’s cover of “Joyful, Joyful”.

Musical style and artistry

Sonically, Sullivan's voice alternates between "modern productions" and a "1980s-influenced sound" which music critics say gives her "old-school hip hop sound". Her vocal range is identified as mezzo-soprano. Her voice has a solid agility in all registers and is well connected between an A2 and a G5. InStyle said that she has a "raspy voice". She describes her writing style as "flashbacks", in reference to her songs about failed relationships that were both physically and emotionally abusive. Her music displays her responses to these relationships famously with her song "Bust Your Windows". She likes to write about how she is feeling, which in turn, taking a day or up to a month to complete. During the recording of the album Reality Show, Sullivan spent so much time revising and re-recording, that the producers had to force her to release the album to prevent a delayed release. Sullivan is well known for writing her own songs which amplifies her universal critical acclaim from critics and fans.

Awards and achievements

At the 51st Annual Grammy Awards in 2009, Sullivan was nominated for awards in the categories of Best New Artist, Best Female R&B Vocal Performance, Best Traditional R&B Performance, Best R&B Song and Best Contemporary R&B Album. The success of her debut album Fearless saw Sullivan nominated for three BET Awards in the categories of Best New Artist, Best Female R&B Artist and the Centric Award, but only winning the Centric Award. She was also nominated for the Outstanding New Artist award at the NAACP Image Awards.

At the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards, Sullivan was nominated for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance and Best R&B Song for her song, "Lions, Tigers & Bears". In 2010, Sullivan won the Rising Star award at the Billboard Women in Music. At the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards, "Holding You Down (Goin' in Circles)", the lead single from her second studio album Love Me Back, earned her a Grammy nomination for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance in 2011. Released in 2015, Sullivan's third album, Reality Show, sold thirty thousand copies in the first week. Reality Show earned her three Grammy nominations and two NAACP Image Awards for Outstanding Female Artist and Outstanding Song for "Let It Burn".

At the 49th NAACP Image Awards, Sullivan was nominated for Outstanding Song for "Insecure", a song that she and Bryson Tiller collaborated on for the soundtrack of the second season of the HBO series of the same name. Sullivan's most notable song "Bust Your Windows" was listed at number 140 on National Public Radio's list of The 200 Greatest Songs By 21st Century Women.

Discography

Fearless (2008)

Love Me Back (2010)

Reality Show (2015)

#04/09

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marcloveskylie · 5 years

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Kylie Minogue Sunday Times interview in full. (Thanks to Darren Nixon)

Kylie Minogue interview: the pop star talks love, regret and new beginnings ahead of playing the Glastonbury ‘legends’ slot

Kylie Minogue is glowing. Of course she is. As the blue-eyed, blonde princess of pop music and golden girl of pop culture, idolised by millions since the 1980s, Minogue, I imagine, floats around in a perpetual state of looking luminous. She has also been dancing in front of our photographer for an afternoon and, as she puts it, “should be glowing after all that make-up!” It’s not just the make-up. On the brink of releasing a new album, the gig of her career, her 51st birthday and with the thrill of a new man, she is happy. “I could say nothing and you could read everything,” she laughs, pointing to her smiling face. “I’ve met someone who I feel good with. It feels right.”

Post-shoot, Minogue sits upright and cross-legged on a sofa in our east London studio, her 5ft frame wrapped in a barely-there slip dress. Much has been written about her dabbles with Botox, something she admitted in 2009, but today she looks beautiful and natural — faint lines on her face, yet still miles younger than 50. She speaks so softly that I strain to hear her and she answers many questions with a giggle. On the surface, dainty and delicate. Underneath, nerves of steel. “None of this was handed to me,” she says, “but this was my destiny. I was meant to do it.”

The first music I remember was a 1989 VHS tape of Kylie’s videos. Aged five, I watched nothing else for months. Fever (2001) and Aphrodite (2010) — the CDs scratched from overuse — made up much of the soundtrack to my clubbing twenties. Interviewing her is an excruciating test, as I attempt to maintain professionalism while trying not to touch her face. (Full disclosure: when we hug at the end, I scream a bit. She doesn’t mind.) But aren’t we all Team Kylie? In 2005, when, at the age of 36, she revealed her breast cancer diagnosis, support from fans and the press came in floods. When her highly public relationships end, it is always her the world sides with. She is, perhaps, the only non-Brit considered a “national treasure” by the tabloids — The Sun ran a campaign in the early Noughties to have her bottom listed as a World Heritage Site on the grounds it was an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Brand Kylie has mastered the near impossible: triumphing for three decades, with gold- and platinum-certified records, scandal-free and to global adoration. She’s still considered both a reigning disco diva and a bubbly, Aussie girl next door. Underestimate her at your peril, though. Being Kylie, she says, “takes a lot of work, graft and insecurity — not always what the wrapped-up end product looks like. There have been times when I’ve thought, ‘I just can’t.’ But you’ve got to take the knocks because they’re always coming. It ain’t all roses.” A pause. “But maybe otherwise it wouldn’t be as sweet in the end.”

She values her private life as “precious”, and admits that she has “sacrificed some anonymity”, no doubt because her romances have been tabloid fodder for years. Her most high-profile relationship was with INXS frontman Michael Hutchence from 1989 to 1991. In 1997, long after they broke up, he committed suicide. For four years, she dated the French actor Olivier Martinez, who supported her through her cancer diagnosis and chemotherapy (“Olli was there all the time,” she said in 2006). They broke up in 2007, but were rumoured to have reignited their romance in 2017, claims that she has never addressed. Then there was an engagement to the British actor Joshua Sasse. The two started dating in 2015 and that December she told Desert Island Discs that Sasse, then 28, was “my love”. They announced their engagement in February 2016, but broke up 12 months later; last September, he married an Australian entrepreneur. It strikes me as sad, but her steeliness quickly reappears.

You’ve had your heart broken, I begin. “I don’t know about heartbroken,” she flashes. “I’ve made mistakes.” Such as? “I regret lying to myself. Like, ‘This is OK,’ and doing the merry dance. When that honest bit inside of you knows, but you’re busy covering it up? I regret doing that. It’s not fair on yourself. And yet I think we’ve all been there, we’ve all done it. But I don’t see myself doing it again. I’ve met someone who I feel good with.” She has been dating Paul Solomons, the 45-year-old creative director of British GQ, for just over a year. When talk turns to him, she lights up. “I can feel my face going,” she says. “People say, ‘Your face changes when you talk about him,’ and it does. Happiness. He’s an inspiring, funny, talented guy. He’s got a real-life actual job! It’s lovely.”

Their weekends are generally spent in her Knightsbridge home, watching documentaries on Netflix — “We liked the Ted Bundy Tapes. I was too scared to watch them on my own” — or listening to podcasts — “Have you heard Dear Joan & Jericha [Julia Davis and Vicki Pepperdine’s mock agony-aunt podcast]? I’ve literally creased myself to that, it’s so inappropriate.” He does most of the cooking. “He’s got me cooking too, actually. He’s the first to do that. It can no longer be the family joke that I can’t cook.” Her family are all still in Australia. Her parents, Ron and Carol, worked as an accountant and dancer respectively, and her younger sister, Dannii, followed in Kylie’s showbiz footsteps as a pop star. She also has a younger brother, Brendon. They are a close family who text daily and speak frequently. I imagine they are overprotective about any new boyfriends. Minogue tells me that the first time Solomons met her clan was spending last Christmas with them. “They [already] could tell I was good within myself. They liked him before they met him, and they liked him more after they met him.”

Her Australian accent is still distinctive, but she has lived in London since the early 1990s, when Soho was her stomping ground. “I was really deep in London nightlife back then,” she says. Now, generally, the only time she’s up until the early hours is when she’s on tour. Her last big night out was her 50th birthday party, a year ago, at Chiltern Firehouse, complete with performances by Rick Astley and Jake Shears. “I went to bed at about 5am, but probably had no more than a glass of champagne all night. I was talking and dancing and high on life. The icing on the cake was that I had my special someone to share it with.”

It’s remarkable that Minogue has the stamina to dance until 5am at an age when many women are experiencing the menopause. Indeed, she’s already been there, done that. As is common with younger breast cancer patients, her menopause was medically induced when she had treatment, to suppress her oestrogen levels. On Desert Island Discs, she stated that she would love to start a family. It’s a difficult subject to broach, but I wonder if she feels the chance to have children has passed. “I can definitely relate to that,” she answers. “I was 36 when I had my diagnosis. Realistically, you’re getting to the late side of things. And, while that wasn’t on my agenda at the time, [cancer] changed everything. I don’t want to dwell on it, obviously, but I wonder what that would have been like. Everyone will say there are options, but I don’t know. I’m 50 now, and I’m more at ease with my life. I can’t say there are no regrets, but it would be very hard for me to move on if I classed that as a regret, so I just have to be as philosophical about it as I can. You’ve got to accept where you are and get on with it.”

Born and raised in Melbourne, she attended acting school in her home town and became a superstar at 18 as Charlene in the Australian soap Neighbours. Charlene’s wedding to Jason Donovan’s Scott in 1987 was witnessed by 20m viewers in the UK. Despite no formal singing or dancing training, she left the show to pursue music, and her debut album, Kylie, released in 1988, was No 1 in the UK for six weeks. She has since released 13 more studio albums, as well as dozens of compilation, live and remix records. Next month she is releasing Step Back in Time, her latest greatest hits album. All the big hitters are on there: Spinning Around, I Should Be So Lucky, Confide in Me. She doesn’t have a favourite, but points to Where the Wild Roses Grow (1995) and All the Lovers (2010) — “just glorious”. She had to brace herself, she says, to listen to some of the older tracks. “I recorded Locomotion when I was 18 or 19. I was so young and I felt so young.” She shakes her head in bewilderment.

Minogue has just finished the Golden Tour, six months of shows in Europe and Australia. “I don’t know how much time I’ve got before my showbiz hips and knees start to protest,” she laughs. “They’ll be like, ‘You’ve been treading those boards for a long time, we think you should slow down a bit.’ ” This summer, along with gigs in London, Manchester and even Scarborough, she will take to the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury in the Sunday afternoon “legends” slot, previously filled by the likes of Dolly Parton, Barry Gibb and Lionel Richie. It is particularly poignant as she was set to perform there in 2005, but her cancer diagnosis meant that she had to pull out. She sang at the festival in 2010, as a guest of the Scissor Sisters, but has never performed solo. “I’m bound to cry,” she says. On stage? “It’s going to happen. When I was meant to be there, I watched it from Australia. I was dealing with much bigger things back then, but when I’m there it will take me back to when I wasn’t there. But I’ll work through that.”

She confirms there will be guests joining her on stage, but won’t tell me who. Dolce & Gabbana designed the Greek goddess-inspired costumes for her Aphrodite: Les Folies tour in 2011, but her on-stage style now is “more human, more real”. “But even Elvis had a few diamantés on him,” she continues. “Come on! I’m thinking of it as a big sing-along. It’s daytime, so you can’t have the lights, effects and lasers that I normally have. I think the simplicity is part of what makes that slot so magical. Dolly Parton just walked on out. Lionel Richie just walked on out. I mean, I’ll sashay on out.”

Minogue’s manager then intervenes. The car is waiting and the star has somewhere to be. “I keep threatening my team that I’m going to retire,” she winks, safe in the knowledge that there are decades left of her career. And, with that, she sashays out. Glowing.

Step Back in Time is released on June 28

#Kylie Minogue #the one and only kylie

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abitterlifethroughcinema · 6 years

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The Wrap, Part II: Return of the Curse of the Creature’s Ghost!

Film Reviews from the 51st Annual Sitges Fantasy/Horror Film Festival

Lucas A Cavazos

It would be of utmost denial to oneself to not take part in the occasional puff of marijuana and/or odd glass or two of red wine whilst shuffling about Sitges during this type of festival. I tell you, in this gayest of cities (and yes, I mean that in both senses of the word), nothing says loving like soaking up sun and guts while having the right side of your brain open. To quote Henry Miller…”The aim of life is to live, and to live means to be aware, joyously, drunkenly, serenely, divinely aware.”

And it is in that vein, I present to you the latest film starring Nicolas Cage, Mandy ###-1/2…Could it be that Nicolas Cage might actually have something interesting to offer now that he’s well past 50 and ready to go beyond simple nut job roles and wannabe-buff, action hits and flops? Last year, this festival premiered the currently in-run and VOD film called Mom and Dad with Selma Blair, and if that was a thing of fun and delight, which is was, this film is much more darkly mirrored and rife with psychedelic imagery, and it must be discussed. To note, it does contain ye olde, ubiquitous screaming-whilst-having-a-psychotic-fit Cage scene, doubt ye not! Set in turn of the decade 80s, Red (Cage) and Mandy (Andrea Riseborough) have removed themselves from the majority of society and live a life of slight isolation, that is until one day, Mandy is abducted by some occult-like sect with grave intentions. Linus Roach (Priest) plays Jeremiah Sands, a man who can call forth demons and demonic creatures, and when psychedelia meets rancour, flames go up and and as they do, someone in them, as well. This is where the film turns into a contemplative narrative tale on revenge and turmoil, highlighted by a tinge of hallucinogens and wasp venom, and I cannot begin to tell you how eerily creepy it is to see Linus Roach after so many years in a role like this that sends chills down your spine in ways that create sheer panic and disgust. Watching Cage take revenge is a joy and wonder, and it should be noted that the film won two of the Sitges 51st Official Selection Awards for Best Director, which went to Panos Cosmatos and Best Actress going to Andrea Riseborough, who also comes up a bit later down below. A piece of rogue psychedelic modern art on celluloid if ever there was one, tinges of Wes Craven, Heavy Metal cartoon imagery and sleep paralysis demons make this Nic Cage vehicle one of the best things he has done in simply years.

Making my way over to The Retiro in the heart of bustling Sitges to screen the noir-like film The Dark ###, I realised that I was late and upon arrival, I was quickly ushered upstairs and had to make do with a single chair propped up next to an upstairs balustrade. The Dark is an eerie piece that preys on the power of the unknown to scare the viewer into wanting to know more about its strange characters…and then the film reveals those secrets in flashback. Despite its title, there is very little in relation to darkness other than the tone of the film and its narrative of teen spirit gone horribly awry. In a former entry, I spoke of how a screened premiere entitled Zoo had encroached upon fresh zombie territory, and until recently as just over a decade ago, zombie cinema was a mostly contained affair, and reserved to a select grouping of films annually. That all changed with the mid-noughties and this latest entry into its subject matter baits us with unexplained tidbits, starting when a one Josef Hofer (Karl Markovics), described as armed and dangerous, makes his way to a rather haunting locale, where death finds him in the form of Mina, perma-resident of this cursed abode in Devil’s Den, a forestal area with a history of hauntings and Mina is that person/monster haunting those very woods. But then she discovers Alex, a blind and also-scarred teen who had been Hofer’s captive, and together the two make off for a disturbing adventure, which borders on heartfelt while also sadistic. If anything, this piece certainly toys with emotions and good cinema ought to do just that.

The Sitges Fantasy/Horror Film Fest is divided into many distinct sections, such as the main Official Selections, Noves Visions,which promotes newer filmmakers and diverse subject matter, Melies Feature and Short Film sections, Asian Focus, Animated Fare, The Orbita promoting mixed big budget and indie fare, Fanastic Discovery Features promoting obscure (and often deeper) cinema, the B and Z-grade fare of the Midnight X-Treme selections, as well as, the Critics Jury Selection. All of that to say that there is nary a specific genre within the fantasy film/horror movie genres that is NOT touched on by this film festival. Winner of the Orbita Award for Best Picture went to the US studio outfit entitled American Animals ###-1/2 and what an astounding effort it provides its audience into a peek at the rather modern mindset of the ageing millennial. Telling a 2004 real-life story by British director Bart Layton, he of the haunting 2012 film The Imposter, this 2018 effort documents how four white youths from good, hardworking families failed to fully realise a masterminded effort to steal one of, if not, the world’s most valuable book. The multi-volume Audubon Society’s Birds of America, not to mention Darwin’s first edition copy of On the Origin of Species were just two of the books to be included in a heist that Transylvania University students Spencer Reinhard and Warren Lipka (played to perfection by Barry Keoghan and Evan Peters) foolishly decided to rob from the special collections library department. To say that the subject matter is mid-level at best might be a tad harsh but only just so; that said, the way Layton maps out the mental state of these middle-to-upper middle class boys should give all of us a hint as to where these boys, and millions like them, are coming from. The plan of a heist is bred with the idea that their spoiled lives have hindered their true creative identities, and so to tell the story, the director secured interviews with the actual perpetrators and spliced that with top grade talent re-enacting the actual events. The film cannot be heralded as a thing of wonder, as it truly details the dumbest snafu of a heist ever on American soil. But what it succeeds in showing is that insecurity, lack of identity, and seeds of doubt are rife amongst today’s young adults, and if we are not fomenting stronger individuals as siblings, educators, parents, et al…we will continue to create these spoiled races of highly non-autonomous individuals. Give them some tough love, for goodness sake. Worthy of a view for any parent or educator.

AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT…Lars Von Trier, he of the Dogme 95 cinema movement and so many odd, jarring and sometimes good celluloid pieces…see Celebration and this film as examples please…he of the “understanding Hitler, I’m a Nazi” joke he pulled a few years back at Cannes, which then had him banned for half a decade, premiered his latest work last week at Sitges. It a doozy of a film that garnered some decent attention and a European and Spanish distributor, for sure. It’s been a hot minute since we’ve seen Matt Dillon on the big screen, and the brief time with Uma Thurman at the film’s beginning is a dark scene of beauty…and then not. Here’s the thing, as always we are dealing with the tortured mindset of a Scandinavian director who seethes out his demons onto celluloid, but that alone does not make it exceptional art, although I truly believe he thinks it is. In turn, I truly believe that von Trier is quite likely a mitigated sociopath. That said, while there is a bit of reverential awe to his masterful ways of movie manipulation, it is his use of dark comedy that sets this film apart from other recent fare he has brought us. Matt Dillon plays the titular character and while amusing at first, he soon grows languidly repetitive and chauvinistic, and while there are scenes of comedic brilliance, such as an OCD-related clean up job that leads to an incident with a policeman or the bang-down job he does trying to dispose of bodies in a freezer, it is impossible for this student and teacher of history to not associate the fact that we are watching a man, a DANISH man no less (do your research as to why I emphasise that, chirren) play out his darker inner recesses for our viewing interest, but it surely makes me aware that we are also likely dealing with his pathos. That’s what really makes The House That Jack Built ###-1/2 really scary.

Lastly this entry, Nancy ###-1/2 brings up the actress Andrea Riseborough again, and I would like to note that often at awards season and ceremonies, actors get rewarded for an individual work, which often plays testament to all the other work they’ve done in their field that year. As Riseborough won Best Actress at this year’s Sitges Fantasy/Horror Film Fest, I believe this piece was much more deserved than the aforementioned Mandy for that award. I also find it compelling that she as an actress chose to make two, back-to-back films about tortured women with their names as the movie titles. Nancy is a quasi-failed career woman tending to her mum who suffers from some neural disorder and who is unintentionally suffocating her daughter with complaints and stress…but when mum dies suddenly, what is Nancy to do but discover that she was likely abducted years earlier and soon begins to associate herself with a long lost child case never resolved that might fit her theory about herself, however strained it is. What ensues is a emotional tour de force involving the parents of the long missing child, played to award-level precision by J. Cameron Smith as Ellen and Steve Buscemi as her hubby Leo. When Nancy sets up an appointment to meet with them, they take a shining to her at once and while awaiting DNA results, take her in to stay with them, including with her cat to which Leo is allergic. As scenes go by, even though this might be more in order in an indie film fest rather than here at Sitges, you also understand that the fantastical elements lie in the mind of the titular woman, as well as, in director Christina Chloe’s softly brutal touch. A film meant for those who understand healing and suspension of (dis)belief, Nancy gives Andrea Riseborough a chance at becoming a celebrated actress to emulate.

#abitterlifethroughcinema #sitges film festival #mandymovie #TheDarkFilm #americananimals #the house that jack built #NancyFilm #matt dillon #steve buscemi #nicolas cage

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