#b project 7th anniversary

[jujumin-translates]

Event | 7th Anniversary: All Actors Aboard! | PR 1: An Important Notice from Veludo Town

Izumi: (Well then, now that I’m done with outside work for today, I’ll do some shopping for dinner and then head home.)

Sakuya: Director!

Tenma: Good work.

Izumi: Good work to you too. Huh, did you guys have a leaders’ meeting?

Tsumugi: We all happened to have the day off, so the four of us went out together.

Izumi: Fufu, how nice. Where did you guys go?

Banri: We’ve been hangin’ around Chiyomi Station.

Tenma: There are a lot of shops in that area due to the redevelopment.

Izumi: Oh yeah, I remember seeing something about that on TV recently.

Sakuya: There were so many big commercial places and stylish restaurants that we could’ve spent the whole day there!

Izumi: Wow… Ah, they just opened a new theater there too, didn’t they?

Tsumugi: They did. I would’ve loved to see a play if the timing was right, but unfortunately, nothing was running at the moment.

Izumi: I wonder what kind of theater it is. Maybe I’ll be able to go there soon too.

Banri: If that’s the case, then we can give ya our recommendations of the places we found today. We’ll send ‘em to ya on LIME.

Izumi: Thanks!

*Phone buzzes*

Izumi: Huh, it’s the manager. I wonder if he has some kind of shopping request or something.

*Beep*

Izumi: Hello. Ah, I just got to the station, but is there something you want me to buy?

Manager: “S-S-S-S-S-So-b-b-b-b-b-b-ba.”

Izumi: Soba? But we just had curry udon yesterday…

Manager: “C-Chi…!”

Izumi: …Jjigae?

Tenma: Oh, are we having Korean food tonight?

Manager: “Abababa!”

Izumi: Can you please calm down? C’mon, take a deep breath!

Manager: “Phew-- haah-- phew-- haah--.”

Izumi: Have you calmed down? Now, about your dinner reque--.

Manager: “Now’s not the time! Anyway, please get back as soon as you can!”

*Beep*

Izumi: He hung up. He seemed kind of panicked, I wonder what’s wrong.

Banri: It’s the manager, so it’s prolly nothin’ we need to worry about.

Izumi: Hmm, I mean, that’s possible, but… he said to hurry home as soon as possible, so we should probably get going.

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

*Door opens*

Izumi: We’re home.

Manager: Director! What took you so long!?

Izumi: What’s got you so panicked?

Manager: T-This…!

Izumi: A neighborhood notice? Umm… contact us to schedule a neighborhood-wide clean-up…

Tsumugi: Ah, when is it? Maybe I can help out this next ti--.

Manager: Not that! Futher down!

Izumi: Notice of the discovery of a lost cat…

Sakuya: Waah, I’m glad they found it!

Tenma: Maybe it’s a cat that Misumi knows. I’ll ask him about it, just in case.

Manager: I’m glad about that too, but that’s still not it! The thing after that!

Izumi: Umm…

Izumi: “Notice of the Redevelopment of the Veludo Station Area Project”...!?

Banri: For real? We were just talkin’ about the redevelopment of the Chiyomi Station, and now this.

Sakuya: That’s incredible timing…!

Tenma: I didn’t even realize there was talk of redeveloping the area around Veludo Station…

Tsumugi: Ah, it looks like there will be an information session being held soon.

Manager: Director, can you attend the session on the company’s behalf?

Izumi: Understood. I’ll go.

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Izumi: (Phew, I heard them talk about it at the information session, and I kind of got an idea of it, but�� I still feel like I don’t really know what it is exactly.)

Izumi: (In the meantime, I’ll have to head back home and share the information with everyone.)

???: Um… Excuse me, would you happen to be MANKAI Company’s Taichibana-san?

Izumi: I am… And you are--?

Okimoto: My apologies. I am Okimoto, board chairman of the Veludo Town Promotion Association.

Ekinaga: And I am Ekinaga, the person in charge of the railroad company. Thank you very much for participating in today’s information session.

Okimoto: We apologize for doing this right after the session, but do you have any time to spare at the moment?

Izumi: Yes, I do, but…

Okimoto: Actually, there is something we’d like to discuss with you--.

· • —– ٠ ✤ ٠ —– • ·

Izumi: Looks like everyone’s here.

Sakyo: Yes, everyone is present.

Izumi: Well then, let’s begin.

Izumi: I’m sure you’ve all already heard the rumors, but the redevelopment project for the area surrounding Veludo Station has been decided on.

Izumi: I went to the information session on it today and I have some information to share with you guys.

Tsuzuru: Redevelopment, huh… so like what happened with Chiyomi Station?

Sakyo: Chiyomi Station, huh? I was just there recently and a lot sure had changed since I was a student.

Omi: Oh, that’s right, that’s around where you went to high school, isn’t it, Sakyo-san?

Azuma: Chiyomi High, correct?

Azami: That delinquent high school, huh…

Citron: Ooh! Did you have the tan-ran, bontan, regent delinquent style!? (1)

Sakyo: …Shut your damn mouths.

Izumi: Originally, they just planned to rebuild the building of Veludo Station and the surrounding deteriorating buildings, but…

Izumi: Veludo Way has recently become more lively, with more and more people visiting the area, and it seems that they have now proposed a community revitalization project.

Hisoka: …There have been leaks at the station recently.

Misumi: Seems like the station staff would have a hard time during a typhoon~.

Yuki: Plus the ticket gates are old. There’s always something wrong with at least one of them.

Itaru: That reminds me, I used the stations for the first time in a while yesterday, and one of the trains was broken down and undergoing maintenance. That’s def not good cost performance.

Tasuku: And compared to a few years ago, there are a lot more people here, even on weekdays.

Homare: I see, no wonder there is talk of redevelopment.

Izumi: So far, the major changes would just be around Veludo Station and the plaza in front of the station.

Izumi: It looks like the roads will be cleaned up and various shops will be attracted along the tracks.

Izumi: The theaters of Veludo Way are historic, so they said they basically wouldn’t touch them.

Chikage: Wow, I appreciate their understanding and consideration of the essence of Veludo Town.

Muku: I’ll admit, I’m a little relieved. It’s not like everywhere is going to change.

Izumi: And today at the information session, there were no objections to anything said and it seems that the necessary explanations and approvals have already been given to the necessary parties.

Izumi: It looks like they’re going to move forward with it, but it will be a few more years before construction and such begins, and it will be done over the course of several years.

Kumon: I wonder what it’ll be like~. I can’t wait!

Taichi: I hope they build a massive movie theater or something!

Izumi: And… I actually have one more important thing to report. These are the documents, but…

Guy: “About the Redevelopment Project Commemoration Event”…?

Izumi: With the announcement of the project, they are going to have a commemorative event around the station to promote the future while enjoying the current Veludo Town.

Izumi: And-- MANKAI Company will be the ambassadors and navigators for that event.

Sakuya: HUH!?

*Flashback*

Izumi: You want us…?

Izumi: I’m honored, but… there are many other well-known theater companies, so why us?

Okimoto: Well, you are one of the most well-established ones on Veludo Way…

Okimoto: And the real reason is because of your contributions to the community, such as being on the cover of “VELUDO” and helping out the local community.

Izumi: (Well, it seems like the steady activities that we took for granted have paid off…)

Izumi: …Thank you so much! Please let us do it!

*Flashback end*

Izumi: …I accepted the job on my own. Sorry.

Kazunari: What are you saying, Director-chan!? That’s like totes incredible!

Juza: Yea, ‘course we’re gonna accept.

Masumi: It’s okay, I’ll do anything for you.

Sakuya: This means we get to give back to Veludo Town! I’ll do my best too!

[ Next Part ⇢ ]

• • •

T/N:

(1) This is a very dated sort of Japanese delinquent style. Tan-ran and bontan are variations of the top and pants of the traditional gakuran uniform respectively, and regent is a type of hairstyle that’s basically what I guess would be considered a pompadour hairstyle in English.

[udo0stories]

Photo by Bel Pedrosa – CC BY-SA 2.0 This month marks the 25th anniversary of Venezuela’s Bolivarian Revolution, despite ongoing efforts by the US to undermine the socialist project. President Nicolás Maduro's government has made the US acknowledge its authority, even though the US still claims that the 2015 National Assembly is the only democratic institution in Venezuela. The US is now reviewing candidates for the upcoming Venezuelan presidential election. While this is still interfering, the US hasn’t been able to overthrow the government. Recently, Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado appeared before a US congressional committee, showing the US is seeking a reliable ally. Republicans hope she will collaborate with them, while Democrats may have their own plans. Opposition to the socialist government is made up of various small groups, each tied to a leader like Machado's Vente Venezuela party. The US spends millions annually on what it calls “democracy promotion” in Venezuela. USAID has pledged $50 million to influence the presidential elections later this year. Despite Washington's efforts, there's no unified opposition in Venezuela yet. Still, the US continues to try to pick who should lead Venezuela.   Farewell to Venezuelan “interim president” Juan Guaidó The last person considered for the top job in the empire was Juan Guaidó, who is now in trouble. Even though he was well-liked as Venezuela's "temporary president" abroad, people in his own country didn't support him, and he was removed by his own opposition group in 2022. The US and its friends gave Guaidó and his friends control of some Venezuelan assets, like a company in Colombia and an oil franchise in the US, even though they weren't supposed to. They used these businesses to make themselves rich but ended up ruining them. The Venezuelan attorney general says they stole about $19 billion. Guaidó didn't seem like a strong leader, and it turns out he wasn't. But the new person in the running looks good in pictures and is good at speaking. Plus, they can speak English well. Machado auditions before the “bipartisan roundtable” The House Foreign Affairs Committee had a discussion on February 7th about "The Fight for Freedom in Venezuela." Maria Salazar, the committee chair, was very supportive of María Corina Machado, the main opposition presidential candidate. Salazar emphasized that Machado is the only opposition candidate they support, saying there's "no plan B!" During the discussion, Machado described Venezuela as the "largest torture center in Latin America" under the Maduro government, accusing them of intentionally worsening people's lives. When asked about solving Venezuela's issues, Machado said she would focus on opening up markets. However, it wasn't mentioned that the economic sanctions she supported had closed off markets and hurt Venezuela's citizens, especially the less fortunate. Machado comes from a wealthy family. Machado also mentioned she wouldn't tolerate a system of impunity like the one under Nicolás Maduro and Diosdado Cabello's leadership. While Nicaragua wasn't initially discussed, Machado pledged to support a transition there too. This prompted concerns from the Perú Libre party, reflecting leftist views in Latin America, who see Machado as a threat to continental peace. Machado’s political baggage Machado has a controversial past in politics. Back in 2002, she supported a short-lived coup against Hugo Chávez by signing the Carmona Decree. Although she was granted amnesty for her involvement, she has been linked to other coup attempts. She was also involved in promoting violent protests in 2014 and 2017, aiming to overthrow the government, and has even called for a US military intervention. In 2014, Machado was prohibited from running for public office in Venezuela because she served as a diplomat for Panama to testify against Venezuela at the Organization of American States. Initially, she refused to challenge this decision in the Supreme Court, which she deemed illegitimate.

However, when the US sought to use her disqualification as a reason to impose sanctions, she complied and took her case to court. Despite her efforts, she remains disqualified from holding public office. Other congressional initiatives In December, Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL) introduced House Resolution 911 naming Machado as the "official presidential opposition candidate." This move interferes with another country's affairs and ignores the opposition in Venezuela, which doesn't see Machado as the only valid candidate. On January 30, after Machado's appeal to restore her eligibility failed, Republican Senators Marco Rubio, Rick Scott, and Bill Cassidy urged Biden to reimpose sanctions on Venezuela to uphold US credibility. That day, the Biden State Department revoked sanctions relief on Venezuelan gold sales and threatened to do the same for gas and oil. Earlier, the Congressional Research Service stated that US sanctions on Venezuela didn't achieve regime change but caused severe human suffering, the same crisis Machado blames on the Venezuelan government. How popular is Machado off of Capitol Hill? Top analysts recognize Machado as the most well-known opposition politician in Venezuela and the most popular one. However, she doesn't have unanimous support within the country. Venezuelan sociologist Maria Paez Victor, now living in Canada, says Machado is disliked by many in the opposition. "She is widely disliked because she strongly supports more sanctions, which have led to a lot of suffering." Machado's opposition primary had issues. She won with an unusually high 92%, but the process excluded some parties and had irregularities, like being run by her own organization instead of the national authority. The US press often calls it "an" opposition primary, not "the" opposition primary, hinting at its questionable nature. The Venezuelan Supreme Court later suspended the results due to these irregularities. Machado’s prospects Maduro hasn't officially announced his candidacy, but it's widely expected that he'll be the choice for his party. Machado insists that elections must include her, a sentiment supported by the European Union, which won't recognize the election without her participation. According to the Orinoco Tribune, the White House isn't overly concerned about the opposition candidate in Venezuela. Biden official Juan González emphasizes the importance of the electoral process over the specific candidate. There are indications that the White House might be anticipating a Maduro victory and planning to reject the election results. In the past, the U.S. declared the Venezuelan presidential election fraudulent well in advance and even threatened sanctions against an opposition candidate. The controversy surrounding Machado's eligibility for elections seems manufactured, with little relevance to her as a far-right opposition figure. Washington likely knew she wouldn't be allowed to run due to past issues. This situation is likely a strategy to cast doubt on the upcoming election and discredit it if Maduro emerges as the winner.  

[omcqin]

Daily Current affairs of 17th Jan 2023

Practice daily Current affairs and give quiz for assess your knowledge. Today you can study current affairs of 17th Jan 2023 and this is suitable for almost all type of government competitive exams.

Daily Current affairs for 17th Jan 2023

Q1: What organisation just released a "Survey on Dietary Supplements"? A. FCI B. FSSAI C. NITI Aayog D. Union Health Ministry AnswerAnswer FSSAI Q2: What group published the "Global Risks Report 2023"? A. World Bank B. World Economic Forum C. International Monetary Fund D. Asian Development Bank AnswerAnswer World Economic Forum Q3: Who is the author of the ‘Revolutionaries- The Other Story of How India Won Its Freedom’ Book? A. Amit Shah B. Sanjeev Sanyal C. Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit D. Manoj Soni AnswerAnswer Sanjeev Sanyal Q4: Which is the first European country to have a Reciprocal Access Agreement with Japan? A. Germany B. UK C. Italy D. France AnswerAnswer UK Q5: Which state launched the ‘shared school bus system’ and agriculture response vehicle scheme? A. Meghalaya B. Assam C. West Bengal D. Bihar AnswerAnswer Meghalaya Q6: Google on 15 January 2023, celebrated which birth anniversary of Indian wrestler Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav, also known as Pocket Dynamo, with a doodle? A. 97th B. 98th C. 99th D. 100th AnswerAnswer 97th Q7: Who announced a new ‘Aarogya Maitri’ project for developing nations on 13th January 2023? A. Piyush Goyal B. Dharmendra Pradhan C. Manoj Sinha D. Narendra Modi AnswerAnswer Narendra Modi Q8: Indian Railways has announced on 14 January 2023, to run the ‘Bharat Gaurav Deluxe AC’ tourist train to strengthen relations between India and which country? A. Bhutan B. Pakistan C. Nepal D. Myanmar AnswerAnswer Nepal Q9: On 14 January 2023, who launched the “Geospatial Hackathon” to promote Innovation and Start-Ups in India’s Geospatial ecosystem? A. Devendra Singh Rana B. Manoj Sinha C. Dr Jitendra Singh D. Piyush Goyal AnswerAnswer Dr Jitendra Singh Q10: India announced the donation of 12,500 doses of pentavalent vaccines to which country on 15 January 2023? A. Peru B. Paraguay C. Cyprus D. Cuba AnswerAnswer Cuba Now Try Quiz of Jan Current Affairs 2023 Attention: You must prepare daily current affairs of January 2023 for Quiz, so you can rank better and motivate for your upcoming government exam comptition.

Also practice other's day current affairs of Jan 23

- Current affairs of 1st Jan 2023 - Current affairs of 2nd Jan 2023 - Current affairs of 3rd Jan 2023 - Current affairs of 4th Jan 2023 - Current affairs of 5th Jan 2023 - Current affairs of 6th Jan 2023 - Current affairs of 7th Jan 2023 - Current affairs of 8th Jan 2023 - Current affairs of 9th Jan 2023 - Current affairs of 10th Jan 2023 - Current affairs of 11th Jan 2023 - Current affairs of 12th Jan 2023 - Current affairs of 13th Jan 2023 - Current affairs of 14th Jan 2023 - Current affairs of 15th Jan 2023 - Current affairs of 16th Jan 2023 - Current affairs of 17th Jan 2023 - Current affairs of 18th Jan 2023 - Current affairs of 19th Jan 2023 - Current affairs of 20th Jan 2023 - Current affairs of 21st Jan 2023 - Current affairs of 22nd Jan 2023 - Current affairs of 23rd Jan 2023 - Current affairs of 24th Jan 2023 - Current affairs of 25th Jan 2023 - Current affairs of 26th Jan 2023 - Current affairs of 27th Jan 2023 - Current affairs of 28th Jan 2023 - Current affairs of 29th Jan 2023 - Current affairs of 30th Jan 2023 - Current affairs of 31st Jan 2023 Current affairs 17th Jan 2023 https://youtu.be/DJ6miWpkm8Y Read the full article

[sinful-liesel]

B-PROJECT 7th Anniversary✨

[bakersstreetirregulars]

Editorial: About the Radio Silence

Hey everyone, Editor here. I know I’ve been less than active for a relatively long time, as evident in the lack of coverage of newer Cookies since Pizza Cookie and events such as Spooky Ghost Stories. Now, before I scare anyone about my inactivity that usually foretold the closing of other similar CR News accounts on multiple platforms, the Baker’s Street Newsblog isn’t dead. It’s just been on another on-off hiatus for a while as I went through university finals and summer break, especially from this past summer as I tended to some personal stuff on my end about an internship that’s bound to start soon as I head off my summer break.

I just need to get that out of my head. I just need to rediscover my rhythm. Re-calibrate my work-life balance. Find my cloud and fine-tune my wings a bit so I can take off with grace again. Once I do, I’ll get back up to speed and return with a clean slate. I even have multiple agendas for the blog and other concepts that I have lined up pending post-hiatus:

A new pinned post with a proper Editor and Staff roster introduction (and an understandable legend that tells you who’s commentating)

Opening recruitment on said planned pinned post for the CRK guild I currently own on the Pure Vanilla server

A second blog that acts like a reference archive for more-permanent Cookie Run concepts such as Cookies’ stats, repeating event overviews, and game mode reviews. This would be all under the same pretense as this blog of having a lot of the content commentated on by canon Cookies and a few of my own OC Cookies. (Tentatively starring three Strawberry Crepes, a couple crows, a raven, and my representative/assistant)

Re-organizing a Discord server to turn it into a public archive and research hub (this action is being taken in the wake of the Wildberry team ending their own operations on Twitter and Tumblr, and removing any ways into their own CR research Discord server) to gather details for recent CR update contents, generate tips to help others in Cookie Run as a whole, to function as a hub for my guild in Cookie Run: Kingdom and any future CR games to go live such as Witch’s Castle, Project B, and Oven Smash, and for viewers like you to hang out and have a second form of contact with me just in case something happens again that results in me being inactive again

☁️ Yours Truly, DerpyToad, AKA your cloud-flying Editor of the Baker’s Street Newsblog ☁️

Current News Outline

If the entry has a ✅, clicking on it will redirect you to a finished post. If the entry has a 📝 next to it, you’ll still be redirected to the intended post, but it may be subject to future editing. Crossed-out items have been canceled from my schedule due to lacking time, expiry/irrelevance of such events, or are irrelevant remnants from a previous update as the newest one launches.

CROB - 7th Anniversary: Together at Wish Camp!

Patch Notes - Half 1 ✅

Cannoli Cookie (New Epic Cookie)

Quenchy (New Epic Pet)

Wish Badges (Title Event)

Wish Camp Treasure Hunt (Secondary Event: Identical to S8 Infinity Chests) ✅

Red Pepper Cookie’s Red Hot Sunfire Fist (Epic Costume)

Cannoli Cookie’s Honeybear Camper (Super Epic Costume)

Butter Pretzel Cookie’s Starlight Painter (Super Epic Costume)

Ice Birdie’s Waltz of Ice Sculptures (Epic Costume - Assumed $9.99 Package)

Cannoli Blanket Jelly Set (Epic Jelly Shape Set)

Pastel Meringue Cookie & Currant Cream Cookie’s Rare Halloween Costumes

Halloween Lobby Design

Gold Ticket Update (Max Tickets = Automatic Conversion to 2,000 Coins for Extra Gold Tickets)

Coffee Cookie (New Special Cookie - Returning from Kakao) -> Invite a Friend Event

Trophy Survival (Half 2 - Bonus Event)

Eternal Wish Meteor (Half 2 - New Legendary Treasure)

S’more Cookie (Half 2 - New Epic Cookie)

S’more Cookie’s Honeystar Camper (Half 2 - Super Epic Costume)

Sugar Swan Cookie (Latest Legendary Cookie)

CRK - The Lost Golden City

Patch Notes (Half 1) ✅

Patch Notes (Half 2) ✅

Burnt Cheese Cookie (New Epic Cookie)

Golden Cheese Cookie (New Ancient Cookie)

Black Raisin Cookie (Featured Epic Cookie)

Olive Cookie (New Epic Cookie)

Mozzarella Cookie (New Epic Cookie)

Clotted Cream Cookie (Featured Super Epic Cookie)

Vial of Raging Dunes (New Epic Treasure)

Explorer’s Monocle (New Epic Treasure)

World Exploration Update - Episode 17: The Lost Golden City & Episode 18: Goddess of Eternal Gold

Error Busters (Secondary Event)

Mozzarella Cookie’s Virtual Mine

Hatching Snapdragon Cookie ✅ (Being held here until the Crepe Archives posts about the Sugar Gnome Laboratory)

Light of Abundance Nether Gacha

Crimson Coral Cookie (Latest Super Epic Cookie)

CRK: Icicle Yeti’s Winter Song

CROB: Holiday Training Academy

This formatting style will replace the pinned post soon.

CROS

First Impressions ✅

Brixity

Global Launch (8/24) & CROB/CRK Collab ✅

Active Coupon Codes

ALWAYSS2BIKEKIWI - CROB - 300 Crystals and Kiwi Cookie’s “Back to Basics” Rare Costume (Assumed 1/30 - 12/31)

CRK Seasons Active

Hall of Encounter - Grand Charcuterie Board of Relaxation (9/26 - ?????

Guild Battle - Destiny’s ???? Season ? (??????)

Kingdom Pass/Arena - Earnest Wish Season 2 (9/6 - 10/3)

Daily Gift Cookie: Red Velvet Cookie 🍰

Cookie Alliance - Season 23? (?????)

Tower of Sweet Chaos - Season 16 (8/28 - 10/23)

Kingdom Event Update Pass - Gold Pass (9/26 - ?????

Super Mayhem - Inactive

Tropical Raids - Inactive

Squirrel Shop - Inactive

Special Event - Error Busters! Season 2 (pending… season 1 ends soon)

CROB Seasons Active

Guild Run - Pending…

Land’s End - Pending… (9/26 -

Champions League - Crowberry Season ? (Pending…)

Grand Champions League - Inactive

Raid Run - Gloomfeeder Season 3 (9/25 - 10/26)

Random Breakout Challenge - Escape from the Oven -> Next: Crazy Doughnut Ball

Friendly Run - Inactive

Custom Run - Inactive

Team Fight - Active

Gacha Banners Active

CROB: Costume Banner #1 - pending…

CROB: Costume Banner #2 - pending…

CROB: Jelly Shape Set Banner #1 - pending…

CROB: Jelly Shape Set Banner #2 - pending…

CRK: Chance Up: Burnt Cheese/Black Raisin/Fettuccine/Clotted Cream (10/19 - ?????

CRK: Super Epic Cookies - Inactive

CRK: Guest Cookies - Inactive

CRK: Ancient/Legendary/Dragon Cookies - Golden Cheese Cookie (9/26 - ?????

CRK: Epic Cookie #1 - Inactive

CRK: Epic Cookie #2 - Fettuccine Cookie (10/19 - ?????

CRK: Epic Cookie #3 - Olive Cookie (11/3 - whenever Fettuccine’s closes)

CRK: Legendary Costumes - Inactive

Cookies and Other Content Released, Featured, or Buffed from the last 2 Updates

——— A Mermaid’s Tale 👑

Sea Fairy Cookie

Black Pearl Cookie

Sorbet Shark Cookie

Captain Caviar Cookie

Peppermint Cookie

Squid Ink Cookie

Crimson Coral Cookie

Frilled Jellyfish Cookie

Aquamarine Cookie

Gold Citrine Cookie

Mystic Opal Cookie

——— The Lost Golden Kingdom 👑

Golden Cheese Cookie

Burnt Cheese Cookie

Black Raisin Cookie

Vial of the Raging Dunes

Explorer’s Monocle

Clotted Cream Cookie

Fettuccine Cookie

Mozzarella Cookie

Olive Cookie

——— Together at Wish Camp: 7th Anniversary 🔥

Cannoli Cookie

Quenchy

S’more Cookie

Eternal Wish Meteor

Butter Pretzel Cookie

Petit Conté

Pastel Meringue Cookie

Creamtese

Currant Cream Cookie

Black Pinnypine

Red Pepper Cookie

Paprika Punching Bag

Gim Cookie

Goblin Wisp (by association)

Banana Cookie (by association)

Banana Lion

Bear Coin Bank

Flaming Sweet Potato

Paradise Compass

Melon Dynamite

Eternal Wish Meteor

——— Trip to Paradise 🔥

Blue Slushy Cookie

Icy Birdie

Moon Rabbit Cookie

Moon Mortar

Sugar Glass Cookie

Nectar Delight

Wind Archer Cookie

Windcatcher

Sugar Swan Cookie

Sugar Cube Cherub

Aurora Sugar Feather

Butterfly Brooch

Coffee Cookie

Mocha Delight

Editor’s Editorials

Cookie Run: Braveverse Teaser (Coming tentatively February 2024)

In the Shadows of the Dunes Review

Shining Glitter Cookie: Outfit Poll (poll expired)

Cookie Run: Witch’s Castle Preview (Coming tentatively sometime in 2023)

Cookie Run: Tower of Adventures Preview (Launch date unknown)

Cookie Run: Tower of Adventures - Second Trailer (Playtest scheduled for mid November on Google Play Games)

DevLive 2022 (For Reference)

Last Cookie Standing Episode 1: “For the Good of the Team” - Episode Breakdown

Last Cookie Standing Episode 2: “Desperate Times, Desperate Measures” - Episode Breakdown

Special Ask Events

The competitors on “Last Cookie Standing” are open for your asks.

[korgbelmont]

Choices Insiders July 2021

Ramble Alert!!

Undercut Due to length of post

We know you all miss Laws of Attraction, but don’t worry. Gabe, Aislinn, and the crew will return July 7th! We'll see you in court. ⚖️

Glad it wasn’t on hiatus for long, I wasn’t sure what to make of this book before it’s release because Court stuff isn’t up my alley, but I am enjoying this, it has great Love Interests who are likable if you don’t romance them as well, shall be interested to see how the big case unfolds.

Enjoy time with Sam and the twins as you take your relationship to the next level in The Nanny Affair 2. Now available for all players!

I enjoyed the first book and am enjoying this one so far, I think Jordan is a fun character. Curious to see how everything unfolds especially with that scene at the beginning.

Last month was the anniversary of our BLM representation post. Click here to read the updates on our promises and the progress our studio has and will continue working to make.

I read that when it came out and saying that they were going to be doing more gender and race custom Love Interests of characters isn’t what I was expecting to see. 

We also released our LGBTQ+ survey! We want to hear from you ��

I wasn’t overly impressed by that survey, simply because I wanted to choose multiple answers on questions you could only pick one. Will be curious to see what impact this makes though.

Since almost the start of Choices, The Royal Romance is a series we've held close to our hearts. After six fantastic (and dare we say applelicious ) books, it feels surreal to close this chapter with one final book. One last adventure is coming this July in The Royal Finale.

I enjoyed the original trilogy, but the Royal Heir kind of took things a bit too far and essentially turned the characters into parodies of themselves. I will be giving the finale a miss.

1. Why did my favorite book go on break? We at Pixelberry strive to do everything in our power to make sure our teams of writers, programmers, artists, producers, and QA testers stay physically and mentally healthy. Sometimes a mid-book break is necessary so a team can produce the best book possible without crunching.

I can understand this, especially if a book becomes popular, there will end up being that pressure. So it’s better to take a break .

2. Is Shipwrecked a VIP and single love interest book? Yes! Shipwrecked will be our next VIP book. It follows the daring storyline of your MC and a single love interest who are stranded together on a deserted island.

I had a feeling this was going to be a single LI book, but I stand by what I said before that they should have said it was VIP in last months email.

3. What other genres can we expect to see this year? Lions, tigers, and bears, oh my! Well, maybe not that exactly, but we do have some mysteriously horrifying, romantic, and suspensefully sassy storylines on the way! Check the calendar below for more info.

Wildlife book maybe, amongst others?? Not sure what else to say on that.

Not really got much else to say on Royal Finale and Shipwrecked.

The Unexpected Heiress - From what I’ve seen in regards to posts, this is meant to be very good. I will definitely give this one a go once it releases.

Queen B 2 - New book set in a college releasing in the month of the new academic (I see what they’re doing :p). I did enjoy book 1 and am very curious to see what direction this one will take in regards to everything going on with Kingsley and then the mysterious X.

Wake the Dead - Genuinely don’t know what to expect from this book, not in regards to plot, characters, any of it. All I can say is that the image of the different types of Zombies they released a few months ago reminds me of Resident Evil creatures. Do think it is fitting that they chose October for the projected release.

Crimes of Passion -  Think I have said all I can in my posts about this book (check my thoughts and theories page). Looking forward to this, always enjoy a good mystery.

Later this year, (you're all the first to hear about it) we've got a new book, Surrender, in the works! What do you think it could be about?

With only a title to go on and not even an image, I have no clue what to say on this.

Then, over the next few months, prepare yourselves for adventure, mystery, drama, horrors, and thrills. And yes, we’ll have some hot new sneak peeks to share that you won't want to miss. In fact, we just got our hands on this art from our upcoming zombie book Wake the Dead:

I don’t know why, but when I saw this, I thought it kind of looked like the city in the film Priest. I’m guessing it’s meant to be some sort of stronghold that was built in the wake of the apocalypse or something. We shall have to see.

We’ve seen your messages and understand things have been light the past few months, but we took a quick peek at the rest of this year and 2022, and promise what’s to come is 100% worth the wait. We hope you all have a relaxing and enjoyable summer.

I did see a post where they said about aiming for more releases in 2022. It’s understandable that there hasn’t been much in 2020 and this year with the pandemic. Looking forward to seeing what they come up with.

That’s all for this month, stay safe everyone!!

[begitalarcos]

Hey guys

Sorry I’ve been away so much. Lately I’ve been suffering from what’s called cervicogenic migraines. Basically pain in my neck and head that hurts no matter what I do. My doctor thinks the nerves in my spinal cord are being pushed or something cause my neck and shoulder muscles are so tense and sore.

I dunno. It hurts to sit, stand or lay down. If I breathe in too deep, yawn or cough it feels like someone’s sitting on my chest and pressing their fist into the back of my head. I’ve been trying to make an appointment with a lymph drainage specialist (apparently that’s who I should see for this) but with COVID she’s been really backed up.

On a lighter note it’s my 7th wedding anniversary on Monday and my wonderful husband bought me a freaking car as a gift. It’s a little white smart car, he bought it used and only could cause we finally sold our two broken cars to someone who wanted project cars. But regardless I was still surprised. Been practicing driving on and off and I’m getting better each time.

My husband is hopeful I’ll have my license before winter starts (but who knows)

Hopefully I can get back in the groove of things with making sets again soon, I’ve been working on like 12 different videos on and off for awhile now. Be nice to get something posted for y’all soon.

Anyhoo hope you’re all doing well.

Much love

- B

[auckie]

can you inform me of the kennedys curse

the kennedies keep dying. all sorts a messed up ways. assasinations, overdoses, plane tricks. here’s some deep lit about the matter. educate yourself, and stay safe out The Kennedy curse refers to a series of deaths, accidents, and other calamities involving members of the American Kennedy family. The alleged curse has primarily struck the children and descendants of businessman Joseph P. Kennedy Sr., but it has also impacted family friends, associates, and other relatives. Political assassinations and plane crashes have been the most common manifestations of the curse. Events that have been cited as evidence of a curse include: Kennedy deaths- August 12, 1944 – Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. died when the BQ-8 aircraft he was piloting accidentally exploded over East Suffolk, England. (A BQ-8 was a B-24 Liberator converted into a radio-controlled flying bomb. For more information, see Project Anvil).May 13, 1948 – Kathleen "Kick" Kennedy, formally known as Kathleen Cavendish, Marchioness of Hartington, died in a plane crash in France. August 9, 1963 – Patrick Bouvier Kennedy died of infant respiratory distress syndrome two days after his premature birth on August 7th (the 20th anniversary of his father's rescue after the sinking of PT-109).November 22, 1963 – U.S. President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas by Lee Harvey Oswald. In 1964, the Warren Commission concluded that Oswald was the lone assassin, but, in 1979, the United States House Select Committee on Assassinations (HSCA) concluded that the assassination was the result of a conspiracy and that Oswald did not act alone. June 5, 1968 – On the night of his victory in the California Democratic presidential primary, U.S. Senator Robert F. Kennedy was shot by Sirhan Sirhan in the Ambassador Hotel; Kennedy died the following day. April 25, 1984 – David A. Kennedy died of a drug overdose in a Palm Beach, Florida hotel room. December 31, 1997 – Michael LeMoyne Kennedy died in a skiing accident in Aspen, Colorado. July 16, 1999 – John F. Kennedy Jr. died when the plane he was piloting crashed into the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Martha's Vineyard. The crash was attributed to pilot error and spatial disorientation. His wife and sister-in-law were also on board and also died. September 16, 2011 – Kara Kennedy died of a heart attack while exercising in a Washington, D.C. health club. Kara had reportedly suffered from lung cancer nine years earlier, but she had recovered after the removal of part of her right lung. May 16, 2012 – Mary Richardson Kennedy committed suicide on the grounds of her home in Bedford, Westchester County, New York. August 1, 2019 – Saoirse Roisin Kennedy Hill died of an accidental drug overdose at the Kennedy Compound in Hyannis Port, Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Other incidents November 1941 – Rosemary Kennedy, age 23, struggled to read and write, and she suffered from mood swings, seizures, and violent outbursts. In an attempt to cure or treat his daughter (or, more likely, to keep her under control and avoid the potential for social embarrassment and political damage to the family), Joseph Kennedy secretly arranged for her to undergo a prefrontal lobotomy, which was seen as a promising treatment for various mental illnesses. Instead of saving Rosemary, the now-discredited procedure left her mentally and physically incapacitated. Rosemary remained institutionalized in seclusion, in rural Wisconsin, until her death in 2005. October 3, 1955 – Ethel Kennedy's parents, Ann and George Skakel, died in a plane crash in Oklahoma. December 19, 1961 – Joseph P. Kennedy Sr. suffered a massive stroke which left him paralyzed on his right side. He also struggled with aphasia, which severely affected his ability to speak. June 19, 1964 – U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy survived a plane crash that killed one of his aides as well as the pilot. The senator was pulled from the wreckage by passenger (and fellow senator) Birch Bayh. Kennedy spent five months in a hospital recovering from a broken back, a punctured lung, broken ribs, and internal bleeding. Following the crash, Bobby Kennedy remarked to aide Ed Guthman: "Somebody up there doesn't like us." July 18, 1969 – Ted Kennedy accidentally drove his car off a bridge on Chappaquiddick Island, resulting in the drowning death of 28-year-old passenger, Mary Jo Kopechne. In his televised statement a week later, the senator said that on the night of the incident he wondered "whether some awful curse did actually hang over all the Kennedys."January 23, 1973 – Alexander Onassis, stepbrother of John F. Kennedy Jr. and Caroline Kennedy, died from injuries sustained in a plane crash in Athens, Greece. His sister, Christina Onassis, blamed the Kennedy curse. August 13, 1973 – Joseph P. Kennedy II was the driver of a Jeep that crashed and left his passenger, Pam Kelley, paralyzed. Fellow passenger, brother David A. Kennedy, was injured. November 17, 1973 – Edward M. Kennedy Jr., age 12, had his right leg surgically amputated as a result of bone cancer. He underwent an experimental two-year drug treatment to cure the cancer. April 1, 1991 – William Kennedy Smith was arrested and charged with the rape of a young woman at the Kennedy estate in Palm Beach, Florida. The subsequent trial attracted extensive media coverage. Smith was acquitted. So like, if count duckula isn’t a child, is he like immortal and super old? Did he have parents who were a draculas too and they died? Did the guy who wants to kill him kill them or did they die in a plane crash.

[sagehaleyofficial]

HERE’S WHAT YOU MISSED THIS WEEK (1.8-1.14.20):

NEW MUSIC:

·         Record Store Day went on social media to unveil its 2020 date, which is set for April 18th. Last year, a special edition turntable manufactured by Crosley Radio was available at select record stores.

·         Green Day took to social media to share a GIF announcing their new track “Oh, Yeah” will be released later this month. Additionally, they also confirmed a rumored tracklist that was anonymously sent to a fan earlier this month.

·         Spanish Love Songs announced the release date of their third studio album, Brave Faces Everyone, on February 7th via Pure Noise Records. The band also released a new single “Kick” with an accompanying music video.

·         New Found Glory announced that they are looking to include fans in filming a new music video. Recently, guitarist Chad Gilbert took to Instagram to tease that the band have been working on a new album, which will follow up their 2017 release, Makes Me Sick.

·         Silverstein announced a release date for their next studio album, A Beautiful Place to Drown. They also dropped their latest single off the LP, “Infinite,” featuring Underoath and The Almost musician Aaron Gillespie.

·         In a very recent interview, Senses Fail vocalist Buddy Nielsen revealed what he thinks will be the title of the band’s eighth album, calling it Hell is in Your Head. The frontman also talked about the relationships between this new album and their 2006 record, Still Searching.

·         Evanescence dropped a music video for their cover of Fleetwood Mac’s song “The Chain,” which was featured on the soundtrack for the video game Gears of War 5. Singer Amy Lee also lent her vocals to the game’s launch trailer just prior.

·         The 1975 announced the debut of a new song titled “Me & You Together Song,” set to drop this Thursday. Their fourth studio album, Notes on a Conditional Form, was then pushed back from its original release date on February 21st to sometime in April.

·         Halsey took inspiration from country music in her latest single “You Should Be Sad” off her upcoming album Manic, dropping this Friday. She revealed on Twitter that the track was inspired by some of her favorite female artists of the genre, namely Carrie Underwood.

·         Creeper announced the release date for their upcoming album, Sex, Death and the Infinite Void, along with a brief tour in the UK. The band teased fans on Twitter prior to the announcement by posting a series of periods and short videos.

·         PVRIS dropped a haunting acoustic version of their song “Hallucinations,” originally the title track of the band’s latest EP. Singer Lynn Gunn also shared it on her own Twitter feed, saying “It’s chill.”

·         The upcoming film Birds of Prey is getting its own soundtrack, appropriately titled Birds of Prey: The Album. The soundtrack features Halsey, K. Flay, a collab by Megan Thee Stallion and Normani, and more internationally-acclaimed female artists.

·         Paramore frontwoman Hayley Williams teased what could potentially be a lyric from her upcoming solo project debut, Petals for Armor, releasing January 22nd. Clues of the new project surfaced on Instagram and city streets with a release date for some time this month.

·         A recent video shows Halsey in the studio with Bring Me the Horizon’s Oli Sykes and Jordan Fish. It appears that the video is referencing her new song for the Birds of Prey soundtrack titled “Experiment on Me.”

·         Alexisonfire dropped a new single titled “Season of the Flood,” which marks their third new song in 10 years and premiered on BBC1’s Rock Show. Last year, the band dropped two singles, “Complicit” and “Familiar Drugs.”

·         Point North’s new song, titled “Into the Dark,” just dropped, featuring current tour mate and Sleeping with Sirens‘ singer, Kellin Quinn. The bands are currently on tour with Set It Off and Belmont.

TOUR ANNOUNCEMENTS:

·         Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival announced the lineup for the festival’s 2020 dates. This year’s headliners include Tool, Lizzo, Tame Impala, Miley Cyrus, Bassnectar, Flume, Oysterhead, Lana Del Rey and Vampire Weekend.

·         The Almost frontman Aaron Gillespie recruited his Underoath bandmate Tim McTague to join him on stage during a show at the Orpheum in Tampa. Gillespie shared photos of the evening, touching on the “unnecessary friction” at The Almost’s formation in 2005.

·         In anticipation of their upcoming release Father of All… next month, Green Day announced that they want to host a wild party at a fan’s house. In a video posted to Instagram, Billie Joe Armstrong talked about wanting to play in one very lucky fan’s backyard in California.

·         Halsey announced the dates for the North American installment of her Manic World Tour. It was also announced that CHVRCHES, Omar Apollo, blackbear and PVRIS will all join her on select dates of this tour.

·         Circa Survive announced that Polyphia and Gouge Away will join them on their Blue Sky Noise 10-year anniversary tour. The band took to social media to announce the supporting cast for the tour.

·         Billie Eilish, Gwen Stefani with Blake Shelton, Aerosmith and Lizzo will all take the stage at this year’s Grammy Awards on January 26th. R&B songstress Alicia Keys will again host the ceremony.

·         Post Malone was announced to headline the “Bootsy on the Water” pop-up event at one of this year’s Super Bowl kick-off parties in Florida. Fans have the opportunity to see the rapper live, but tickets range from a hefty $1,000 to $150,000.

·         The Maine announced their second edition of 8123 Day to celebrate their 13th anniversary as a band. The event will offer fans fun opportunities such as an online scavenger hunt, contests, new merchandise and more.

·         My Chemical Romance’s return show grossed nearly $1,500,000, making history as the highest-grossing show at the venue ever. A Paradigm agent, Matt Galle, spoke with Variety last December about how everything came together.

·         Joe Rogan, Jim Jefferies and Whitney Cummings are joining forces to appear at Stand Up for Australian Fires, the Australia wildfires benefit show taking place on January 26th. Proceeds from the show, co-produced by Kevin Lyman and Joe Sib, will go to Wildlife Warriors.

·         After announcing their first full U.S. headlining run last month, Sleep On It finally announced the opening acts for the “Pride and Disastour.” The band’s upcoming tour, which kicks off at the end of February, will be supported by Bearings, Between You and Me and Neverkept.

·         Sleeping with Sirens revealed a stacked co-headlining run with the Amity Affliction kicking off in April. The tour will begin April 15th in Reno, Nevada, and conclude May 23rd in Milwaukee with support from Stray from the Path and UnityTX.

OTHER NEWS:

·         The Maine drummer Pat Kirch married his longtime partner Shacara Nemetz, with his bandmates, family and friends in attendance at the ceremony. Last September, the couple also announced they were expecting their first child together.

·         One talented drummer took on the challenge of combining 50 My Chemical Romance songs in 10 minutes. The fan in question, Sage Duvall, is a member of Florida-based indie band Raggy Monster and impressively recorded it all in one take without the use of a click track.

·         Bad Religion announced the release of their new book, “DO WHAT YOU WANT: The Story of Bad Religion,” which is set to drop on August 20th by Hachette Books. The autobiography is a deep examination of the band’s four decades in rock music.

·         Music IP investment company Hipgnosis Songs acquired 157 songs from alternative icon Tom DeLonge‘s catalog. “All the Small Things” and more Blink-182 hits were reportedly acquired.

·         Ice Nine Kills joined numerous musicians in fundraising to help put an end to the Australian wildfires plaguing the country. The band is selling a T-shirt featuring a kangaroo dressed as horror icon Freddy Krueger, with all proceeds going towards Australia’s relief efforts.

·         The upcoming film Birds of Prey revealed its second official trailer, which may reveal what happens to Jared Leto‘s Joker character. Recently, lead actress Margot Robbie, who plays Harley Quinn, confirmed that Leto would not be in the film.

·         Featuring a red, black and white color palette, Vans’ latest “I Heart” shoe collection recently hit their online store. The line showcases the phrase “I heart boys, I heart girls” in a continuous pattern.

·         Neil Peart, iconic drummer and lyrical voice of legendary Canadian prog-rock act Rush, has passed away. Rolling Stone reported that Peart had succumbed to aggressive brain cancer at age 67 after a brave three-and-a-half-year-long battle.

·         The Umbrella Academy fans were surprised last week when the comic series appeared as a question on the game show Jeopardy!. The show is currently hosting its “The Greatest of All Time” tournament, which has three record-breaking former contestants playing.

·         Blink-182 joined the relief effort toward stopping the Australian bushfires by releasing a new merch collection. Proceeds from the shirts will go towards Australia Zoo, which is giving medical help and rehabilitating to sick, injured and displaced wildlife in the country.

·         Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker is partnering with Barrett-Jackson to sell a few of his vehicles to the highest bidder. There will be three cars up for sale – a 1941 Cadillac 62 Series convertible, a 1960 Cadillac Coupe Deville and a 1972 Chevrolet K5 Blazer.

___

Check in next Tuesday for more “Posi Talk with Sage Haley,” only at @sagehaleyofficial!

[x0401x]

Music Natalie Interview with Jin

The reason why he took the span of five and a half years to “reload” KagePro.

Jin announced a new album on November 7th, Mekakucity Reload. Mekakucity Reload is the latest work of the multi-media project developed by Jin, Kagerou Project. This album is a work that he is releasing about five and a half years ever since Mekakucity Records went on sale in May 2013. Why did Jin, who had declared the completion of Kagerou Project back when Mekakucity Records was released, create an album with the name “Mekakucity” at this timing? Here, Ongaku Natalie has asked Jin himself the motive behind his producing of KagePro music once again with the new work “Mekakucity Reload”, which looks back at the walk of five and a half years.

Translations Index >>

“There was simply not enough music for KagePro.”

──In the interview from when the album Mekakucity Records hit the shelves back in May 2013 (see: Jin (Shizen no Teki-P) Mekakucity Records Interview), Jin-san, you announced the conclusion of Kagerou Project’s music compilation.

Yes. It’s already been five years and a half.

──At first, I was dumbstruck when I heard that Jin-san had released an album with the name “Mekakucity” in it.

After I finished making the two other albums, Mekakucity Days and Mekakucity Records, I thought to myself about quiting making music for once. Thankfully, even as KagePro’s musical compilation had ended, the novels and comics were still on-going, so I thought of concentrating on the literary field and on writing, and that’s how I spent these five and a half years. And so, I’d been experimentally writing a light novel that I hadn’t yet announced to everyone and making a series with a mangaka sensei (see: NIRVANA, A JinxSaiyuki Talk). As I progressed with writing the continuation of the KagePro novel editions, I started thinking that there was simply not enough music (for KagePro).

──In the interview from five and a half years ago, Jin-san, you said that you “weren’t thinking about publishing any more volumes of the novel or manga”, but in the end...

I didn’t finish them back then at all, huh (laughs). I ran and ran, yet I didn’t get any closer to the goal I had planned. I also got asked stuff like, “Won’t you make music anymore?” whenever the novels or comics came out, and I had the feeling that the number of things I could express through music increased as the story went deeper. So the truth is that I had been thinking, “I want to make ‘KagePro’ music again” since about two years ago, but I wasn’t able to arrange the environment or conditions for it at all. Once they were ready, I completed “Mekakucity Reload”.

──The light novel version of “Kagerou Daze” ended as its eighth volume hit the shelves in December 2017, and the completion of the comics was already announced as well. I got a devilish impression when you revived the music version of KagePro in that timing.

Hahaha. That’s indeed true. It just happened to be this timing simply because I thought I should properly move the pivot leg from literature to music once I got to the stage of finishing writing the novel. There was also the fact that I didn’t have enough skill to properly make music while writing the novel, and that I wanted to focus on the songs and only write lyrics if I was going to do music.

──After taking five and a half years concentrating on the literature, were there any changes when you turned towards the music again?

I think the portrayals in the lyrics changed a lot. Everything, even descriptions, are part of the work in a novel, but in lyrics, you don’t need to explain every single thing like, “I did that” and, “This happened to you”. Within the way of expressing words through lyrics, which doesn’t have a right answer, I reflected really hard about how to express what I deem as the right answer.

──You say that, but you were still able to write lyrics five and a half years ago, right?

That’s right, but before I would write the lyrics occasionally thinking things like, “There might be better words for this”, and continued making songs while shaking off this kind of anxiety. In contraposition, I’m proud to have written the lyrics of this album with words that I myself am satisfied with. Of course, it’s placed as one of the works of KagePro, but I believe it’s also a work that people who are discovering KagePro will be able to enjoy. If I were a listener, I think I would end up keeping a distance because you can’t quite have fun with it if you don’t know the previous songs. But each of the songs recorded into this album are properly established as a single song, and I feel that I was able to manage this because I focused on my writing work.

“Hatsune Miku probably hates me.”

──Jin-san, during the period of five and a half years in which you have been devoting yourself to your writing work, there were several changes in the scene that had NicoNico Douga as its center, such as the alteration of style in the media mix works that represent KagePro and the uprising of Vocaloid culture during the tenth anniversary of Hatsune Miku’s selling. How do you, Jin-san, view these kinds of movements?

As a user, I really like NicoNico Douga, so of course I’ve always been keeping up with the trends. There’s something I’d wanted to tell Natalie-san regarding Hatsune Miku’s tenth anniversary of two years ago. To tell the truth, I got an offer for an interview from Natalie-san of the “Hatsune Miku’s 10 Years” project (see: Hatsune Miku’s 10 Years ~The New Sights She Has Showed Us~), but I ended up declining it...

──Why did you decline?

The contents of the interview, as the name of the project says, were to “talk about Hatsune Miku”, but in the first place, I thought Hatsune Miku probably hates me.

──What do you mean?

Putting it in a simpler way, the community of Hatsune Miku culture probably doesn’t think well of me. I actually didn’t even have an account in NicoNico Douga until just before announcing KagePro’s first track (“Jinzou Enemy”, which was uploaded to NicoNico Douga in February 2011). For starters, I didn’t have a computer and didn’t have contact with the internet at all. When my band broke up and I was left with no one to sing even though I had the musical compositions, I began using Vocaloids, which a friend of mine had taught me about. From that point on, I prepared the original story and characters, used Vocaloid and announced the series, and that was a differing stance from other Vocalo-P’s (Vocaloid producers). Something I myself noticed upon coming in contact with NicoNico Douga is that Hatsune Miku exists in the heart of Hatsune Miku Culture as a character. But at the heart of my series, there was no Hatsune Miku.

──Jin-san, this is because your series has Vocaloids singing the songs of original characters, right?

Yes. That’s why, even though I use Hatsune Miku, I wonder if I have the right to say anything about Hatsune Miku culture, and I really had the feeling that I’d be raining on the parade if I said anything. So I declined the offer. The only thing I wanted to put out there is that, while staying active as “Jin”, I came to really like the video submission site culture in which I started using Hatsune Miku. I also enjoy it a lot as a user, and many writers whom I admire are there. Of course, I read all of the reports of “Hatsune Miku’s 10 Years” (laughs).

──Thank you very much. During the interview, including the parts that were not in the manuscripts, you often became the topic, Jin-san.

I won’t dare ask in what context I came up (laughs), but I’m extremely honored. After all, I myself have received motivation from my Vocalo-P senpais, so I thought that it’d be great if I could grant some sort of motivation to other creators.

“I don’t want humans in ‘originals’.”

──Regarding stopping your literary work for now and resuming your musical activities, the way that you are now, Jin-san, I think you also had the option of making a series other than KagePro with your music.

I felt that I wouldn’t be able to make KagePro stuff anymore if I ended up starting something new. Even though I’d said five and a half years ago that I was going to “finish KagePro”, there are people who have always continued to cheer for KagePro in this five-and-a-half-year period, and I was simply able to discover countless ideas for songs while writing the novel. So I wondered if making KagePro stuff to my utmost wouldn’t be one of the logical choices. There are indeed things I want to do other than KagePro, but I can make them happen another time.

──Anything you obsess with when using Vocaloids? Your own play-and-sing is included in the Limited Edition B of this album, so you have many forms of expression now, right?

When I’m making KagePro songs, as expected, the image that first comes to mind is of Vocaloid. The uploaders of “uttattemita” videos on NicoNico Douga call their own melodies “originals”, but I have this feeling that I “don’t want human beings in what I call ‘original’”. Like, as long as there’s just a story, characters and philosophy, I don’t need anything else. For example, if I were to play and sing a song settled for the protagonist, there’s an instant in which it sounds to me like I myself am the protagonist. That’s not what I want to aim for.

──Then, Jin-san, what are the intentions behind your presenting of play-and-talk livestreams?

That’s kind of a secondary work (laughs). After all, I sing songs that already have their proper originals. Also, the ways you convey things between when you have people watch videos and when you have them listen to you live in a broadcast are completely different. This is something intuitive, but the feelings of “thank you” that I receive after people listen to my own songs become even stronger. Because of this as well, I tried including my own play-and-sing to this album as an extra.

“Additional Memory merged the philosophies of the two of them.”

──Please let us hear about the songs included in Mekakucity Reload. The musical composition of the song Additional Memory, which has already been uploaded to video sharing sites, has turned out as a mash-up piece of the KagePro songs that had been published in the past, which has been making the fans smile from ear to ear.

Additional Memory is a song I started making out of the thought of creating a work that would blend Lost Time Memory, Ayano no Koufuku Riron and Summertime Record. Specifically speaking, when I thought of the next stories of KagePro, there was a need to cross Lost Time Memory with Ayano no Koufuku Riron. It’s not in the sense of making the two characters meet or something like that, but I started wanting to make a song that merged their philosophies. As I did this, regarding the sound, since Lost Time Memory doesn’t have piano in it, I felt like creating a dialogue between it and the piano sounds that were the main feature in Ayano no Koufuku Riron.

──Then, what was the reason for you to think of adding Summertime Record to this?

The season pictured in KagePro is summer, so when I thought of inserting a phrase that would give it a summer feeling, I came up with a melody that was a variation of Summertime Record. After all, Summertime Record is a song that sings memories of, “Our childhood was fun, huh”, and if anything, Additional Memory is a song about regret. I used it while sprinkling a bit of dark taste to the originally bright melody line.

──Each character in KagePro has a song with them as motifs, so weren’t there any difficulties in combining them?

I solved that merely with subtraction. This also has to do with what I discussed just now about “concluding things with a single song”, but I think having countless characters showing up in one song causes quite a bit of anxiousness to the people listening as well. I was certain that there were things that could be conveyed even without saying them, and Ayano-chan is the only one who appears in Additional Memory, so I wrote the lyrics by cherishing a simple love letter-like image. I’ve been checking the reactions of everyone with my heart racing ever since the video was uploaded, and there are lots of fans who properly read between the lines, so I felt that what I’d wanted to convey was transmitted to them.

──It’s not just in the sound, but in the video as well, several parts that link up with the past KagePro were provided. What kind of advance arrangements did you have with Sidu-san, who produced the video?

It had been a while since the last time I had Sidu-san make a video, but we didn’t talk about revisions of what had happened until that point in our preparatory meetings. It was like, “Let’s work together again with a new song.” and, “Yes.” (laughs). I felt Sidu-san’s fervorous feelings for KagePro even without her putting it into words, so I basically requested her, “I think the videos have Sidu-san’s worldviews, so I want you to pull it along”.

“If it were five years ago, I most likely wouldn’t have written this.”

──Amongst the recorded songs, there are many that connect with the novel version and the manga version of KagePro, such as Shissou Word and Wasurete Shimatta Natsu no Owari ni, and only Remind Blue has a slightly different disposition, right? Its musical composition seems to look back at the story of KagePro, and the viewpoint is portrayed as from the future.

Up until now, the KagePro songs have been cherishing the subjectivity of children a lot. They were the world as seen by children, and sang the emotions of children themselves. What’s clearly different in Remind Blue is that it sings as if from the position of an adult recalling the past. There’s always been the feeling of “wishing to properly turn the Mekakushi-dan members into adults” within me, that’s why I’d wanted to show this side of it to everyone through the song called Remind Blue.

──Speaking of which, the song Summertime Record, which is included in the previous album Mekakucity Records, also has lyrics of which the contents reminisce to the past, right?

Summertime Record has an image of growing up but remembering the past while still being in one’s young years. In contraposition, Remind Blue looks back to one’s youth after it ended completely, you see. My intention was that I wanted to write about how the characters also properly grow up. But I think that, in majority, I became able to write about it because I myself properly turned into an adult. If it were five years ago, I most likely wouldn’t have written this.

──Remind Blue is a song that has one of the Mekakushi-dan members, Shintarou, as its protagonist, but will the grown-up figures of the other characters also be depicted from now on?

I still can’t talk about it for certain, but what I’m thinking is I want to show everyone a story that will be like a “future saga”. I believe I’ll most likely be able to write a novel of it and we might make a manga as well. I also have ideas for a KagePro spin-off and I wanna make a series of videos... Of course, to match up with these, I’ll create a new album too.

──You already have plans for a media mix project.

Yes. In order to develop the next conceptions, with the current timing, in which the novel and the manga have ended, I’ve brought in the song Remind Blue. I’ve reloaded it with this album, so I want people to look forward to the “gunfire” that is to come from now on.

“I was able to create this work because I had my own experiences.”

──The one in charge of the art of the manga annexed to the album’s Limited Edition A was the other member of ZOWLS, Saiyuki-san, who is making NIRVANA together with Jin-san.

There’s a proper meaning to the theme portrayed in this manga and in the fact that I had Saiyuki-sensei draw it. About three years ago, I was really depressed, and there was a time in which I could no longer see any meaning in creating works. During this time, I had a talk with Saiyuki-sensei. Saiyuki-sensei is someone who works with Comic Gene, which serializes the manga version “Kagerou Daze”, and I had read his series, so of course I listened to his talk. Back then, Saiyuki-sensei invited me like, “Why don’t we do something together?”... At that time, my emotional condition that was enough to make me think that I’d “end up being hated by the whole world”, so I was really saved by him coming to talk to me. I truly think that my being able to create music like this right now is thanks to Saiyuki-sensei.

──You also talked a bit about that when mentioning Hatsune Miku, but Jin-san, why do you end up thinking that you’re “hated by the people around you”? Seeing it from the sidelines, you’re a creator who has achieved great success with the media mix “Kagerou Project”, so I think many people have approved of your series.

I wonder why (laughs). I know that there are many fans who cheer for me. Still, I’m a person who was pretty negligent with my surroundings in order to create my work; for example, I haven’t been keeping in touch with my friends from the countryside for the longest time and am not called over to graduate’s reunions, and even having said so, I don’t have that many friends... Sorry, this kind of turned into a depressing talk.

──No, no.

After I started KagePro, I became able to sense that the people surrounding me were keeping a little distance. As the project gradually turned into a big deal and I became busier by the day, there was a time when I thought, “The only one within a 2m distance from me is my pillow”. If I went outside of those 2m, there would be a lot of people and I’d probably have been able to make lots of friends, but I somehow had a sense of estrangeness and wasn’t the one to reach my hand out to others.

──And then Saiyuki-san was the one who extended his hand to you.

Yes. As soon as he talked to me, I asked Saiyuki-sensei, “I’m bashed by a lot of people, you know? Are you okay with that?”. Even so, Saiyuki-sensei said, “Let’s do something together”.

──So, after this invitation, the manga NIRVANA, which Jin-san and Saiyuki-san are writing as the unit ZOWLS, was born, right?

Yes. NIRVANA was a story in which the protagonist, Hitotose Yachiyo, set out on a journey to gather companions named “The Twelve”, but this time, the contents are aware of the subjects from the manga that I had Saiyuki-sensei draw and of the connections between people. The contents are about each of the Mekakushi-dan members are thinking, “What is a friend?”, and I think it’s a manga that I was able to write because I had my own experiences. It’s a very worthwhile reading, so I want the people interested in it to read.

“I’ll write the best melodies in the world.”

──From what you have said, Jin-san, I got the impression that your situation is doing well obviously because you have arranged yourself an environment in which you are able to focus on your productions.

I’ll say this because I can now: the truth is that I created Mekakucity Records in a really tumultuous period. I’d wanted to take more time to make an album, but the adults around me would say things like, “Compromise is necessary in order to publish your work”. Back then, I thought, “It’s definitely not like that” (laughs). I was certain that one can definitely take time to create a work without compromise that would leave them thinking they did everything they could, and I believe I actually managed to do that with this work, Mekakucity Reload. At present, I can say for sure that I’m unable to create any works beyond it and I could muster all that’s important out of me. I think it turned out as the best album, full of songs I myself like.

──You said you were devoted to your writing, and the strength of your characteristic melodies did not weaken at all, but rather, they even gave off a feeling that they became more powerful.

It might sound cheeky of me to say this, but deem myself to be the human being who writes the best melodies in the whole world. It’s not like I’m saying that I’m awesome, but that I’m the one who knows my own taste best, so if I’m able to write melodies that fit this taste, the best melody should be born from that.

──I see.

I’m merely making melodies that I myself like the most into songs and having everyone listen to them, right? As I made music like this, I met lots of people who had me thinking that their hobbies are the same as mine, so as long as those people are looking forward to it, I believe there’s meaning in my continuing to make music.

[fy-skz]

[TRANS] "New Music Narrative Will Unfold"...Stray Kids. 18th~25th New Song Video Relay Reveal

From this coming 18th until the 25th, Stray Kids will reveal videos containing the sound of their new songs in a relay and unfold a new musical narrative.

JYP Entertainment made fans happy with the news of Stray Kids’ comeback this coming 25th to commemorate their 1 year anniversary with the release of their new mini album ‘Clé 1 : MIROH’. JYP, who revealed a teaser video alerting of Stray Kids’ comeback on the 6th, revealed an additional video 'Stray Kids 'Clé 1 : MIROH' UNVEIL Teaser' at 12AM of the 7th, marking the entrance into the comeback countdown.

Said video contained contents explaining the new album ‘Clé 1 : MIROH’ teasing project, where videos will be revealed in order from the 18th to the 25th. Fitting with the unfolding of new music, Stray Kids also prepared a new teasing project.

Starting on the 18th, Stray Kids will reveal their new album’s side track teaser video ‘UNVEIL “ TRACK’ and their 1 year anniversary and new album release celebratory video ‘UNVEIL THE MIROH’ online, taking the veil off of their ‘Clé 1 : MIROH’ project.

Within the name of their new album, 'Cle' is French for ‘key’. If this is put together with ‘maze’ the album ‘Clé 1 : MIROH' is born, and how the first page of Stray Kids’ new musical narrative ‘Clé 1’ will be written is attracting attention.

Stray Kids, who made their official entrance into the music industry and released their first mini album ‘I am NOT’ and title track ‘District 9’ through their debut showcase on March 25th, 2018, released their second mini ‘I am WHO’ in August, and their third mini ‘I am YOU’ in October, and participated in the lyrics and production of all tracks on all albums, showing a solid path of growth.

Starting with the ‘2018 Soribada Best K-Music Awards’ in August, the '2018 MGA (MBC Plus X Genie Award)', '2018 AAA(Asia Artist Awards), '2018 MAMA(Mnet Asian Music Awards)', ‘2019 Korea First Brand Awards’, ‘33rd Golden Disk Awards', '2019 Seoul Music Award', and the ‘Gaon Chart Music Award’, Stray Kids swept the rookie awards and held the honor of the ‘Rookie Award 8-Crown King’.

Aside, Stray Kids is also experiencing their hot global popularity as well. Starting with Thailand on January 19th of this year, they are in the middle of their first overseas showcase tour ‘UNVEIL TOUR ‘I am…’, having gone to Jakarta on 1/26, Melbourne and Sydney on 2/21 and 24th respectively, and on 4/27 they will stop by Manila before opening their tour in 3 cities across the U.S in May.

Stray Kids will perform on 5/15 at the New York 'New Jersey Performing Arts Center', the LA ‘Pasadena Civic Auditorium’ on the 17th, and the Houston ‘Revention Music Center’ on the 19th for a total of 3 showcase tour dates. Having sold out all three dates, Stray Kids verified their status as the ‘new K-Pop generation’s representative idol’. They are receiving even more attention for selling out in America, the Home of Pop, despite it being their first overseas showcase tour. Source: OSEN Translation: Candace @ FY!SKZ ; take out with full credit

[jimbephotography]

BLOOM Film Premiere

BLOOM The Return | A Visual Love Poem

             ☆●●●●●☆●●●●●☆

                   "BLOOM The Return |

              A Visual Love Poem" -the film

Created by Olubodé Shawn Brown & directed by Sekou Luke.

We are an experiential learning community of artists and producers, The BLOOM Creative Collective.

We have come together to learn from each other, inspire each other with our stories and support each other's creative endeavors.

——

Join us on Wednesday June 26th

BLOOM's 10th Anniversary & Premiere of

"BLOOM The Return | A Visual Love Poem," This film is the first film project of the Creative Collective and a story of a family that comes together to imagine The Return. The narrative is ascension from what was holding down to awakening to a new life.  And being that it is also the 400th year since the first Africans were brought to this country as property known as slavery. In defiance of that there will be a celebration of BLOOM'S 10TH year & World Pride 2019

——

The evening also offers visual presentations and performances from the Creative Collective

ADVANCE TICKETS:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/bloom-creative-collective-showcase-premiere-tickets-61538509338

——

https://www.facebook.com/bloomcelebration/videos/2373309919603453/

When: Wednesday June 26th

Where: The LGBT Center

208 W 13th Street b/w 7th & 8th Aves in Manhattan

Time:6:30PM - 9PM.

Light libations to follow

#BloomTheReturn #BloomSoulJourney

#BlackFilmSpace

#BlackPride #PrideOfColor #TrueColors

#BlackFilmMakers

#FilmMakersOfColor

#PrideFilmFestival

           ####

[sinceileftyoublog]

Live Picks: 5/11-5/20

Jess Williamson; Photo by Kari Rosenfeld

BY JORDAN MAINZER

I’ll be in London from tonight until the 19th, so I wanted to get you covered until the 20th!

5/11: Shabazz Palaces, Empty Bottle

When we saw Shabazz Palaces at Riot Fest last year, we noticed the headiness and understated nature of the set in comparison with other sets at the festival. Seeing them in a small venue, in contrast, is ideal.

Experimental hip hop band Leaf Set opens. Jill Hopkins of Vocalo Radio DJs before the show.

5/11: Kem, Anthony Hamilton, & Eric Benet, Wintrust Arena

The R&B Super Jam tonight at Wintrust Arena features a diverse lineup. There’s quiet storm artist Kem, who mixes spirituality and love on albums like Intimacy. There’s the best known, neo soul singer Eric Benet. And then there’s Anthony Hamilton, whose Back To Love remains one of the best R&B albums of the decade and who often finds himself collaborating with hip hop artists, unlike the other two. Whether they play together or alone or a mix of both, it’ll be sure to be a great show.

5/11: Loma & Jess Williamson, Schubas

Loma, the band consisting of Shearwater’s Jonathan Meiburg and Emily Cross and Dan Duszynski from Cross Record, has only their self-titled debut, which we enjoyed very much. In a headlining set, they should be able to play most or all of it. The extent to which they replicate live an album that’s loaded with effects and nature sounds is to be seen.

Jess Williamson follows up 2016′s great, stark Heart Song with something much more expansive. Cosmic Wink, out today, is her Mexican Summer debut. It’s inspired by her move from Texas to California, new love, and the death of her dog. “When I don’t know what home is, I can turn into your arms,” Williamson sings on album closer “Love On The Piano”. It’s a sweet sentiment, but the rest of the album, despite the romance, still has those Texas high and lonesome qualities--it was recorded there, after all. Opener “I See The White” recalls some of the more melancholy tracks on Angel Olsen’s My Woman, while the Rhodes-laden “Wild Rain” is desolate and emotive.

Williamson will also be doing an in-store performance and signing at Shuga Records at 5 P.M.

5/11: Bing & Ruth, Constellation

The last time we saw ambient classical collective Bing & Ruth, they put us in a trance playing their great No Home of the Mind. Sine then, they’ve released an EP, Dorsal, as well as a single, the gorgeous “Quebec (Climber)”, released as part of the upcoming Stadiums & Shrines 10th anniversary compilation Dreams.

TüTH, the industrial project of Disappears bassist Damon Carruesco, opens. Brent Heyl DJs before the show.

5/11: Meat Wave, Catapult Records & Toys

Here’s what we wrote about Meat Wave when they opened for Hot Snakes at Thalia Hall back in March:

“If you’ve read us for the past few years, you know we love the songs and shows ever-ascending local heroes Meat Wave, having covered three different sets of theirs. Their last full-length release was 2017′s The Incessant, but earlier this year, they released two new songs, one-minute stomper 'Shame' and creepy slow-burner 'Dogs At Night'. Subtle, but still just as pummeling; their set should contain a lot of the latter, and not much of the former. Be thankful for that.”

Local two-piece punk band Drilling For Blasting and UK grunge band Strange Planes open.

5/11 & 5/12: Lizzo, Aragon

I’ve been a fan of Minneapolis hip hop artist Lizzo since her 2013 debut Lizzobangers, which she followed up in 2015 with Big GRRRL Small World. The former established her as a dexterous, hyperactive MC with a feminist tilt. She showed off her singing chops on the latter. But her 2016 EP Coconut Oil and tracks she’s released recently see her going in many different directions. The title track to the former is soulful and infused with gospel, while new tracks like “Truth Hurts” and “Fitness” are some true Lizzo bangers.

Fleetwood Mac worshipers Haim headline.

5/12: Helen Money, Hungry Brain

Cellist Alison Chesley is classically trained, but that’s right where formality ended. She started Verbow with Jason Narducy and then, after Verbow broke up, was a session musician in Chicago. But it wasn’t until her first solo album Helen Money and her subsequent adoption of the moniker that she truly started pushing the cello to its limited. Fast forward to 2016, and Chesley released her magnum opus Become Zero. Featuring Neurosis’ Jason Roeder and Rachel’s Rachel Grimes, Become Zero is a true mash of genres, bending the lines between experimental noise and metal while Chesley used digital processing for the first time. It was to great effect, as she made an album as full of sorrow and empathy as harsh soundscapes.

She plays with Peter Maunu and Carol Genetti, who play an opening set of their own.

5/12: Moritz von Oswald, Smartbar

Moritz von Oswald was one of the most influential 90′s dub techno producers, having done great work with both Basic Channel and Maurizio. Over the past 10 years or so, he’s branched out under his own name, whether with Detroit pioneers Carl Craig and Juan Atkins, by himself, or with the Moritz von Oswald Trio, his project with Sun Electric and Vladislav Delay. (I’m particularly fond of their album Fetch.) The Hamburg master should give a fantastic DJ set.

Deep techno DJ Olin and TEXTURE Detroit resident and founder Soren and Jacob Park open.

5/12: Speedy Ortiz, Subterranean

In 2015, Speedy Ortiz followed up their great debut Major Arcana with the even better Foil Deer. Supporting that album, they improved tenfold as a live band. When they went to record what would become their third album Twerp Verse, the 2016 U.S. presidential election happened, and they scrapped the strictly personal stuff and went political. Sadie Dupuis and company have always been political from a social and feminist perspective, but not so outspoken as on Twerp Verse. Musically, the album is consistent with Dupuis’ solo project Sad13, embracing the synth and Dupuis’ ever-improving voice over the wiry guitars for which the band first became known.

Local hero Nnamdi Ogbonnaya and Ohio band Didi open.

5/12: Vijay Iyer Sextet, Constellation

Vijay Iyer is captivating by himself and in duo form. So performing his sextet material (last year’s great Far From Over) with a steady band (besides a set of rotating drummers) should be a captivating live show. The band includes horn players Graham Haynes, Steve Lehman and Mark Shim alongside bassist Stephan Crump and drummer Marcus Gilmore.

There are two shows: one at 8:30 P.M. and one at 10:00 P.M.

5/13: Bill MacKay & Ryley Walker, Cafe Brauer

They’ve already turned upside-down one wholesome holiday. Whose to say they won’t do it at Mother’s Day Brunch at the Lincoln Park Zoo? Over/under on Walker banter about yoga pants stands at 2 jokes.

Walker’s release shows for his new record Deafman Glance, out next Friday, are on 5/18 and 5/19. We previously wrote that Deafman Glance is “an arty record, subdued, embracing of free jazz and minimal synth music as much as folk.”

5/13: Obituary, Pallbearer, & Skeletonwitch, Metro

Obituary’s self-titled album, released last year, wasn’t just a return to form. It’s one of their best records, one that stands to refine the death metal tropes the band has been exploring from the get-go, from the swirling riffs of “Kneel Before Me” to the stomping “Lesson In Vengeance”. The songs should sit well beside the band’s catalog.

Last year, Pallbearer followed up their breakout album Foundations of Burden with the divisive Heartless. We liked but didn’t love Heartless. Either way, whatever you think of the band, they’re becoming better and better live. They just released a new single, “Drop Out”, and mini-documentary to go along with it, as part of Adult Swim Singles Program. It’s your typical track from the Arkansas band: lead singer Brett Campbell goes full-on Ozzy Osbourne, while the divide between the sky high electric guitars and guttural electric bass is larger than ever.

Despite turning over band members quite a bit, Ohio metal band Skeletonwitch is remarkably consistent, from 2011′s great Forever Abomination to 2013′s Serpents Unleashed. They release their sixth full-length Devouring Radiant Light in July and have released a single, the epic and black “Fen Of Shadows”. It showcases new vocalist Adam Clemans (who first appeared on their 2016 EP The Apothic Gloom) while reminding you why you’ve always loved the band: the dynamism between guitarists Nate Garnette and Scott Hedrick.

German thrash metal band Dust Bolt opens.

5/14: Damien Jurado & The Light, Lincoln Hall

Singer-songwriter Damien Jurado has been popping up here and there since the 90′s to release an occasionally jaw-dropping, brilliant record, like 2003′s Where Shall You Take Me? or the trilogy of Maraqopa, Brothers and Sisters of the Eternal Son, and Visions of Us on the Land. A week ago, he released his 13th studio album, the gentle The Horizon Just Laughed. While it might not have the psychedelic leanings of his best work (save for “Silver Timothy” sibling “Florence-Jean”), it’s sparse and gorgeous nonetheless.

Afro-folk singer-songwriter Naomi Wachira opens.

5/15: Justin Townes Earle & Lilly Hiatt, SPACE

Justin Townes Earle played City Winery back in February. Here’s what we wrote about him then:

“The Justin Townes Earle of 2018 may not be as exciting as the same singer-songwriter who released the mighty one-two punch of Midnight at the Movies and Harlem River Blues almost 10 years ago, but he’s got so many good songs across his discography that it’s almost better to see him live than take a deep dive into his discography. He quietly released his 7th album, Kids in the Street, in 2017, and it’s probably his best since Harlem River Blues, but you know the crowd’s gonna cheer the loudest for 'They Killed John Henry' and 'One More Night in Brooklyn'.”

Nashville singer-songwriter Lilly Hiatt recruited a new band for her third album Trinity Lane, and it’s her best record yet. With John Condit on guitar, Robert Hudson on bass, and Allen Jones on drums and production by Michael Trent of Shovels & Rope, Hiatt has found the perfect sound for sad stories like “The Night David Bowie Died” and honky tonk jams like “See Ya Later” alike.

5/16: Asking Alexandria, The Forge

Back in January, Asking Alexandria co-headlined the Riviera with Black Veil Brides. They co-headline The Forge with Black Veil Brides this time. Here’s what we wrote about them then:

“British metalcore band Asking Alexandria perhaps peaked with 2016’s The Black. While their new self-titled album, released last month, is an interesting departure in their sound, opting for more straightforward, melodic hard rock, it makes you miss the band’s louder moments.”

Scottsdale metalcore band Blessthefall open.

5/16: Rival Consoles, Empty Bottle

Persona, the latest album by Rival Consoles, is purportedly inspired by the Ingmar Bergman film of the same name. What’s more obvious is its obsession with perception, space, light, and darkness. His use of analogue-heavy synths, acoustic and electric instruments, and effect pedals creates a sonic world that travels faster than the speed of light between beauty and ugly. Songs titled like “Unfolding” do what their title suggests, slowly developing into a beat. The title track skitters, “Memory Arc” attacks like a monster, and “Phantom Grip” loops ominously. And then there’s Nils Frahm collaboration “Be Kind”, a truly light moment on a record, and one that exemplifies the spirit of shared label Erased Tapes.

Local experimental acid house project Africans With Mainframes opens.

5/16: Jean-Michel Blais, Constellation

Quebec composer and pianist Jean-Michel Blais has been slowly rising over the past few years. His debut album II was followed by an especially inspired collaboration with CFCF on last year’s Cascades EP, four tracks of original material and one John Cage rework. Today, he releases his second solo effort Dans ma main, which sees him combine his usual piano-led intimacy with synthesizer textures.

5/16: Power Trip & Sheer Mag, Reggie’s

Dallas thrash metal band Power Trip just released a collection of their earliest non-LP recorded material, showing the raw areas from where they came. 2013′s Manifest Decimation was their debut, but it was last year’s Nightmare Logic that brought them beyond the metal spheres to spots like a co-headlining tour with Sheer Mag.

As a live band, Sheer Mag stood out even before they released their best songs. Now that they’ve released the tracks, they’re on top of the world. Last year’s proper debut Need To Feel Your Love was an effective juxtaposition of 70′s radio rock with radical politics, accessible and loud enough to land on our top albums of the year list. 

Orange County hardcore band FURY and DC punks Red Death open. The same bill plays Empty Bottle on 5/19.

5/17: Prong, Bottom Lounge

Groove metal legends Prong are still going strong. Albums like the excellent Carved Into Stone and last year’s Zero Days show that the band is still capable of telling a musical story from start to finish while making room for meaty riffs and complex arrangements, holding up alongside their 80′s and 90′s work.

New York alt metal band Helmet co-headlines.

5/17: Josh Rouse, SPACE

Josh Rouse’s best record is 1972, which combined 70′s songwriting and production techniques with personal, political songwriter. Love in the Modern Age is the 80′s equivalent. Is it as successful? Of course not. But the similarity between the two albums makes me think Rouse will play lots of 1972 favorites.

Synth pop singer-songwriter Deanna Devore opens.

5/17: Marc Ribot, Art Institute of Chicago

Marc Ribot is one of the most creative guitarists around. I’ve seen him do a one-man score to Charlie Chaplin’s The Kid, play with his Ceramic Dog band, and jam with Los Lobos’ David Hidalgo. This time around, he’s doing an in-gallery solo performance at the Art Institute of Chicago in response to the paintings of Ivan Albright, presented in association with the exhibition Flesh: Ivan Albright at the Art Institute of Chicago.

5/17: Wye Oak, Thalia Hall

The Louder I Call, the Faster It Runs completes Wye Oak’s transition from raw, guitar-and-drums folk band to expansive synth rockers. Front woman Jenn Wasner’s pop project Dungeonesse and solo project Flock of Dimes as well as Wye Oak’s previous two albums, Shriek and Tween, are clear predecessors to the new record, the band’s best since Civilian. Natural and unbridled, it shows the least restrained version of Wasner and percussionist Andy Stack. The title track’s interweaving arpeggio synths and squawking guitars are the perfect soundtrack to a song poking fun at those trying to find order within chaos. The vocal-driven, cinematic “My Signal” and layered, washy “You Of All People” round out the album’s highlights.

Philadelphia indie rockers Palm open.

5/17: Charly Bliss, Empty Bottle

Charly Bliss frontwoman Eva Hendricks told us regarding the band’s live show, “Our live show is probably the most important aspect of making music for us, so we always want our shows to be as satisfying and fun as possible!” Their debut album Guppy (one of our favorites of 2017) was already fun and continues to satisfy well into 2018. There’s a reason this show is sold out.

Punk band Skating Polly opens.

5/18: Objekt, Smartbar

We haven’t heard much from avant techno genius Objekt since his great 2014 debut Flatland--apart from a few singles here and there. Maybe he has new material. What better place to debut it than Smartbar? Mixes of his old material works, too.

Pre-party for the Movement festival in Detroit. Stripped-down techno DJ Helena Hauff headlines. Local busy and prolific DJ Justin Aulis Long opens.

5/18: Raekwon the Chef, Promontory

Raekwon is responsible for some of the best rap albums ever, whether as a member of the Wu-Tang Clan or solo. Next Friday, he’ll be playing solo hits and Wu Tang Clan songs with the Mo Fitz Band backing him up. Though he may start with tracks from his most recent album The Wild, he should eventually delve into 36 Chambers and Cuban Linx classics, perhaps even performing for other Wu-Tang members, dead or alive.

Raekwon also is somehow playing another set this night at Bourbon on Division. DJ Ryan Ross opens that one.

5/18: Fever Ray, Metro

A Fever Ray show is not to be taken lightly, since Karen Dreijer doesn’t play very often, either as a part of The Knife or with her solo project. Plunge, last year’s follow-up to 2009′s self-titled album, was a stunning achievement. It was one of our favorite albums of last year due to its outspoken politics, frank sexuality, and chaotic beats. She revealed her live band members in a video for standout “IDK About You”.

There are two shows: one at 6:00 P.M. and one at 10:00 P.M.

5/19: TesseracT, Metro

British band TesseracT prove that djent prog metal can actually be tasteful in addition to good. Their masterpiece, 2013′s Altered State, was cohesive and actually beautiful at times, particularly thanks to vocalist Ashe O’Hara. Over the past two albums, including last month’s Sonder, the band has reunited with old vocalist Daniel Tompkins. While his vocals are more cliche whiny than O’Hara’s, the band’s instrumentation remains vital.

Australian metal guitarist Plini and rockers Astronoid open.

5/19: Pig Destroyer, 3 Floyds

Alexandria grindcore masters Pig Destroyer last left us in 2012 with their opus Book Burner. It was fast, violent, and truly dangerous-sounding. Next Saturday, they’re one of many bands playing 3 Floyds’ Dark Lord Day, which we’ve covered twice. To a drunk crowd wanting to hear favorites, expect them to...well...bounce all over the place.

Death metal band Dying Fetus headlines. The abrasive Revocation, blackened thrashers All Hell, jazz-metal outfit Brain Tentacles, and blackened doom two-piece Canyon of the Skull also play.

5/19: Elizabeth Cook, City Winery

Two years ago, we caught singer-songwriter Elizabeth Cook admirably perform songs from her latest release Exodus of Venus, an album inspired by death and tragedy. Over the past year or so, however, she’s been performing lots of new songs that should be out on a new record this fall. She should pepper them into her back catalog next Saturday.

Singer-songwriter Caleb Caudle opens.

[soo-sex]

U-KISS 2nd Solo & Unit Album

U-KISS’ 7th full-length album, featuring Soohyun and Hoon's solo work, U-KISS’ single "FLY," and more.  Contains Soohyun’s 2nd solo single "I'll Be There" released in July, U-KISS’ 14th single "FLY" released in October, Hoon’s second solo single "Anniversary" released in January, as well as songs from U-KISS members during the past year, including "YOURS" released before Soohyun’s military service.  In addition, new songs especially for this album are scheduled to be recorded by the 4 currently-active U-KISS members. And for this year's album, in celebration of the 7th year of Japanese activities and the 10th anniversary of their debut, there’ll be a special project to select an album title from members of the official fan club "KISSme JAPAN"!  Details will be announced on the fan club site after 2/1 (Thursday).

Album Title:   TBD (to be determined)  Special project to select the title of this album from fan club members

Release Date:   March 21, 2018

Format & Price: CD + 2 DVD (AVCD-93851 / B ~ C, 5,500 yen + tax) CD + 2 Blu-ray Disc (AVCD-93852 / B ~ C, 6,500 yen + tax) CD only (AVCD-93853, 3,000 yen + tax) CD only + special cover for Mu-Mo store (AVC1-93854, 3,000 yen + tax) 

Scheduled Contents: SOOHYUN – "I'll be there" SOOHYUN – "STORY feat. JUN" SOOHYUN – "WILD & TOUGH feat. JUN" U-KISS – "FLY" U-KISS – "Beginning" U-KISS – "Prologue" SOOHYUN – "YOURS" HOON – "Anniversary" HOON – "Rain" (and about 4 new songs)

Total around 13 songs

[kyleartsociety]

What a drawing. This is my 7th Godzilla Crossover Fan Art. This time it’s “Godzilla and the X-Men”. I drew the X-Men at the bottom, Godzilla and the two mutant Kaiju (Krystalak from Godzilla: Unleashed and Sildron from Ultraman Dyna) and on top are the villains. If I plan on making a movie of Godzilla and the X-Men, the villains will form an alliance, together they must destroy Godzilla with their own mutant monsters/kaiju. But Godzilla is not alone he has the X-Men backing him up and they must work as a team to defeat the villains and save the world. This project was inspired by Steve Blum (the voice of Wolverine) took a picture of himself with Godzilla at San Diego Comic Con, with the celebration of Godzilla’s 65th Anniversary. So I took that opportunity to draw this picture and I’m happy how it turned out. Also, Incase you didn’t know actor of Professor Charles Xavier, Patrick Steward gave Godzilla his Lifetime Achievement Award in 1996. What i can tell is @blumspew and @sirpatstew are Godzilla fans. (at Wantagh, New York) https://www.instagram.com/p/B-pb_LoAAkD/?igshid=1m2zjqp3arixr

[amazestuff]

THE 2017 IS OVER SOON! CONGRATULATION IT WASN'T BAD FOR US. BUT FOR MANY IT WAS! LET'S NOT FORGET HOW LUCKY WE ARE. WHAT'S GOING ON AROUND THE GLOBE ISN'T AMAZING! LET'S FACE IT AND START LEAVING THE BUBBLE. Thank you, dear friends, participants, partners, and collaborators of A MAZE. for making our #positivechaos possible.

Thank you for making our work such an adventure. We wish you much love, health, and happiness.

I hope we'll see you and your friends again at A MAZE. / Berlin – the 7th International Games & Playful Media Festival. Save the date: April 25th to 29th, 2018, during gamesweekberlin. Speaker invitations are being sent out right now. The location is set. Our first announcement will be released in mid-January.

All we're missing is you. So don’t forget to secure your festival ticket for A MAZE. / Berlin. We're selling Early Bird Tickets until December 26th. And submissions for A MAZE. Awards are open until February 4th.

Next year we'll be celebrating the 10th anniversary of A MAZE. What we’ve all achieved since then is absolutely timeless. The democratization of tools. The dedication of impassioned people doing amazing work. The widespread movement of creators who are experimenting and building playful environments. The breaking with conventional games. Speaking of which, congratulations once again to the winners of the A MAZE. Awards in Berlin and Johannesburg.

A MAZE. / Berlin Awards: Most Amazing Game Award – Everything by David O’Reilly Long Feature Award – Orwell by Osmotic Studio Digital Moment Award – Everything is Going to be Ok by Nathalie Lawhead Human Human Machine Award – Word After Word by Jonah Warren Collider Award – FRU by Through Games Audience Award – VinylOS by Josef Who? and Jonas Bo!

A MAZE. / Johannesburg Awards: Pinkest Game Award – after HOURS by by Bahiyya​​ Khan​​ and​​ Claire​​ Meekel​​ Most Thought-Provoking Game Award – Window Washers by Thomas ​​Mathew,​​ Annika​​ Morris​​ and​​ Dan Park Weirdest Game Award – Pomg by Stuffed Wombat

Other amazing stuff we want to share with you, that happened last in 2017.

Game Jam in Havana. Festivals in Berlin and Johannesburg. Registration of Pty Ltd in order to expand our projects in Africa. Pop ups in Pristina 
at Dokutech, in Kharkiv at Plan B and and in Berlin at Tincon. A MAZE. Music is collecting mixtapes by game designers and sound designers.

Thank you for all your contributions this year. It's been a pleasure helping you reach your goals, and we’re looking forward to contributing to making all your wishes for 2018 come true. On behalf of the A MAZE. Team, I wish you another amazing new year.

Stay amazed,

Thorsten S. Wiedemann, director of A MAZE.