#nyc-full-flavor

[ibedressin]

Dress up time no 4!! Date to Momoya NYC

Absolutely worth the hype...I've been to a few of the places from foodie IGs and some aren't great. Momoya is the exception the sushi was nice and fresh even though I'm not big on sashimi I really enjoyed it here. The desserts!? THOSE!?!? Like you gotta make space for them. The matcha toast and parfait are so delicious. The toast isn't dry at all the bread is super moist and the flavors are so good. As for the parfait it came with a small booklet explaining the flavor and story behind it which I loved. I kinda want to collect them all.

I got so full but I need to come back for dinner some day. I'm glad I wore what I did it was comfortable and stylish af which is always a goal for me when dressing up!

[jungle-angel]

Show Me Your Firetrucks (Bob Floyd x Reader)

Summary: You, Bob, the Daggers and the kids get to experience an event in Bob's hometown that's been happening for the last 22 years

Notes: This fic is dedicated to the civilians and first responders of NYC, those who are still with us and those who were called home on that fateful day. To the firefighters, police and first responders, we are forever grateful for your service. (The music that inspired this fic can also be found here, I highly suggest listening to it while you read along).

Cheyenne Falls, Oklahoma

September, 2023

You and Bob were a little less than pleased at the prospects of having to get up so early, your children still at the age when they needed sleep and with them just having started school, which hadn't made anything easier.

Auggie and Patrick excitedly ran into the firehouse where Bob's brother, Sean and his teammates all worked. Both of them ran to their uncle who eagerly scooped them right up off the ground in a big hug.

"Uncle Seanie I ate a bug at school!!" Auggie exclaimed proudly.

"Oh did it taste like chicken?" he teased.

You laughed but Bob rolled his eyes. Typical of his older brother who had always told Bob that bugs tasted like chicken when he was little.

"Well hello, little brother of mine," Sean greeted rather cheerfully. "I see Auggie inherited the male line's shit eyesight."

"Yeah and that was only after he ran into the screen door and broke it two years ago," Bob chuckled.

You, Bob and Sean watched as Auggie and Patrick ran around the firehouse garage, wanting to try on the helmets, boots and jackets that were far too big for either of them. Sean's wife, Zoe, had come down the stairs from the loft just a few minutes later in a pair of ripped jeans and a navy blue t-shirt bearing an NYFD logo.

"Did we miss anything?" Natasha yawned as she walked in with her and Cole's son, Gabe.

"Nope, you haven't missed anything yet," Bob chirped.

"Good because I haven't had coffee yet and the ghoul is driving me crazy."

"Hey I'm going to the donut shop across the street for coffee, does anybody want anything?" Zoe announced.

Everyone put in their orders, including yourself and by the time Rooster, Rusty and the boys had all shown up with Baby Carrie in tow, Zoe was back with your orders.

"Looks like we've got some future firefighters in the family," Rooster remarked, adjusting four month old Carrie in his arms.

"Oof, I shudder at the thought," Bob answered.

Sean snorted and stifled a laugh but went stiff when Bob gave him the dreaded look as a warning not to say anything else.

"Alright, alright, alright!" Hangman announced loudly as he strode in with one twin girl on each of his hips. "I come bearing my trophies!!!!"

He set a giggling Missy and Molly both down on the concrete floors, their little sandaled feet flapping as they chased after their cousins. Mickey showed up with Isabella, Sebastian and Rodrigo some moments later, Coyote following with Paloma, Carla and Baby Tiago while Payback and Maverick were the last to arrive with their own kids and Amelia. Missy and Molly ran straight for Geneva and Neveah while TJ remained happily perched on his father's shoulders. Maverick's two little adopted ghouls were excited beyond words when they saw all the firetrucks and equipment on full display.

"I have never seen a bunch of kids so excited like this before," Sean chuckled as more people began to gather in the fire station.

"Doesn't even begin to describe it," Penny told him. "That's all they play with at home is toy firetrucks."

Everyone shared a few good laughs and caught up with each other over the coffee and donuts that Zoe had brought back. Soon, the whole station was almost full of people, some who were close to Bob and others who were just ordinary members of the community.

"Looks like it's gonna be a good ride this year, little brother," Sean remarked.

"I know," Bob chuckled as he sipped on the cinnamon flavored coffee. "We've got almost everybody in town here and more."

Sean nodded with a bit of a wistful look in his eyes, remembering Joe's two brothers, Stephen and Christopher who had been in New York, one a firefighter and the other a police sergeant. Though both had survived, Sean knew too well that there were others who had not been as lucky.

"Hey," Joe greeted happily as he strode up to his sons. "You two numbskulls ready? Michael's got ants in his pants from waiting in the police cruiser with the K-9."

"We'll get the kids ready Dad," Bob told him.

Joe and his sons both hugged each other tight. "This one's for your uncles," he croaked.

Bob met up with you and the kids to help get ready for the ride. "Am I gonna do good Daddy?" Auggie chirped.

"You will Auggie," Bob laughed, putting the much too large fire helmet on his son's head. "Just remember what Uncle Sean and Chief McKenzie tell you ok?"

Auggie nodded, pushing his glasses onto his nose as his little hands helped button the tiny little jacket that Chief Dan McKenzie had found for him and some of the other children who had come to join the ride.

Father Daly, the firehouse chaplain, led everyone present in a short prayer, giving the blessing for the ride, praying for the souls of the departed and those who were still in the line of work. When he had finished, the brass bell in the yard began to ring loudly, signaling for everyone to jump in the trucks.

"Bye Daddy, we'll see you later," Auggie chirped as Bob lifted him into the cab of the truck with Sean and Chief McKenzie.

"Bye buddy, I'll see you when we get to the city," Bob said, giving his son a kiss before the doors were shut.

You, Bob and the others each jumped into a truck, the kids all riding in the cabs or in the backs with the other firefighters. You gave each other a look, his hand gripping yours tightly as the trucks began to roll out of the station, the sirens going as soon as they were part of the way down the road.

You and Bob hung onto the back rails as the truck rolled down the road with the long line of firetrucks and police cars not far behind. The wind rushed through your hair as the procession rode through Cheyenne Falls, heading towards Oklahoma City. So many others from in and around town had come to stand on the streets, cheering everyone on and to show their support.

You and Bob had never experienced anything like this before, the exhilarating feeling filling you both from head to toe. Bob held your hand even tighter as you hung on, ready for the 110 miles into Oklahoma City, side by side with the man you loved.

[popcultureoverdosed]

Blood Blockade Battlefront is New York at its Finest

NYC often gets a bad rep. Most people either see it as a smelly hellhole filled with crime and crappy attitudes or a breeding ground for hipsters and vapid socialites. People only see what they want to see without looking at the whole picture. This makes Leonardo's all-seeing eyes of God all the more important. Instead of lumping NYC into a box, he sees it for what it truly is; a chaotic blend of volatile elements.

The storytelling of Blood Blockade Battlefront is pure chaos from beginning to end. Leonardo is thrown into a world of highly deadly scenarios with very little breathing room in between. Each episode focuses on a moment in the character's life. One episode will focus on Leonardo befriending an amnesiac monster who loves burgers and another will feature a brigade of Charlie's angels-esque spies who happen to be invisible werewolves. It's the type of show that always keeps you on your toes because you never know what to expect. Some have criticized the show for its lack of an overarching plot and treat it as if that's inherently bad. Blood Bloockade isn't the type of show that needs a complex narrative. Its biggest appeal is simply seeing its eccentric cast interact with each other. Its episodic nature made watching it a breeze since viewers are never overwhelmed with too much information.

Worldbuilding is done at a casual pace where background lore is only given when it's relevant to what's currently happening. Since most characters are already well familiar with the lore, they usually cut the small talk and get straight to the action. In this way, the narrative mirrors New Yorker's aversion to beating around the bush. Show don't tell at its finest. We need more shows that just get to the point. Rie Matsumoto, director of season 1, feels a bit different about the story than I do, though. She inserted two original characters, Black and White, a pair of siblings who share a character arc that Intersects with Leo's. Under normal circumstances, this would have been an incredibly bad move. Filler in anime tends to feel pointless and just detracts from the story. Luckily, Rie Matsumoto made sure that the filler didn't feel like filler. It was fun watching the mystery surrounding the sibling duo unravel with each episode. It eventually culminated in a finale that was nearly an hour long. Matsumoto took a huge risk with her bold decision, but she definitely stuck the landing.

The production values of the show are also top-notch. Pretty much every episode is a reminder of why studio Bones is such a beloved company. They seriously put their key animators to work in both seasons. The fluidity of the fight scenes always left me impressed. Character designer Toshihiro Kawamoto did a great job at bringing Yasuhiro Nightow's art to animation with his iconic style. I love how even when Toshihiro is adapting someone else's character design, his style still shines through.

Special mention needs to be given to composer Taisei Iwasaki because he really killed it with this soundtrack. It's an eclectic blend of jazz, RNB, hip-hop, rock and more genres that perfectly captures the vibe of a busy New York City. Each track is a different flavor of the city and made me feel at home. The soundtrack truly embodies the chaotic feel of the show and captures its occasional serene moments perfectly.The true musical highlights are the openings and endings. BBB is one of those shows where you feel compelled to watch the full episode because the opening and ending are too good to skip. They're all incredibly upbeat songs that make you wanna stop everything and dance. Sugar song and bitter step is one of my favorite anime endings because of it's colorful animation and cheerful aura.

Blood Blockade Battlefront is the type of show that can really resonate with native New Yorkers. We see all the highs and lows of the city almost every day and you have to be just a little bit crazy to appreciate NYC for what it is.

[collegetennisoriginstory]

Oooh if you do end up going the NYC route for Tobin, there is a place that immediately makes me think of them. It's not specific to New York, but there's a French based Gelato Boutique called Amorino and they have very few stores in the US - like 20ish? total - and 3 of them are in Manhattan.

They have a ton of different non-traditional flavors of gelato and when they serve it, they shape them into flowers on the cone or in the cup. Could absolutely see a NYC-based Tobin and MC going on dates there, trying out different flavor combos - especially ones that don't make any sort of sense but make for a pretty flower - maybe grabbing some macarons to share on the train ride back.

(Also love the idea of MC being super impressed by the place - maybe talking to D about it? - and G being kind of confused by the novelty because there's literally more of those shops in Paris than there are in all of North America 💀)

AHH HELLO THIS IS ADORABLE. THANK YOU <3

I could absolutely see Tobin and MC goofing around in a gelato store and Tobin charming their way into getting a billion samples. Also them making up bullshit about the different flavors "this one tastes like going to a park at lunch hour with an office colleague you have a crush on".

Also love the idea of MC being super impressed by it and gushing about it, only for G to semi-jokingly, semi-competitively say "wait till you see the ones in Paris".

(And then for MCs who are into kissing, there could be the potential cuteness of...)

After going through about 18 different free samples, bickering (or 'intellectual discussion', as Tobin calls it), Tobin and MC finally settle on the flavor they want to buy. Then, with their respective gelato scoops in hand, they head out of the shop and head for a recently-vacated bench under a big tree.

Their 'intellectual discussion' continues as they dig into their scoops, big broad grins on their faces as they battle against the afternoon sunshine to finish their gelato before it melts.

Tobin finishes first, and dips their spoon into MC's cup, only to be playfully smacked in the arm. "I'm helping," they protest, managing to steal one more spoonful before being elbowed away.

MC finally finishes their scoop with a small contented sigh. "Man, that was good," they say, leaning back. "You know what would be better?"

Tobin smirks knowingly, and opens their mouth to speak.

MC cuts them off. "It would be better if I had my whole scoop of gelato instead of being robbed in broad daylight by someone I thought I trusted."

Tobin dissolves into surprised laughter. "I thought you were going to say something sappy about wanting to kiss me," they protest, still snorting.

"Someone's very full of themselves," MC says, grinning. A second later, before Tobin has had the chance to fully form the frown on their face, MC laughs and pulls them in for a kiss.

When they finally pull apart, Tobin's almost-frown has turned into a broad smile. "Gotta say," they lick their lips, then wink. "You're my favorite flavor."

[spaceorphan18]

On my rewatch. Season 2 had a totally different vibe to season 1. I think the music of 2 (especially the warblers stuff and increase in use of Kurt, Mercedes Santana to sing solos and duets) meant season 2 smashed it.

It does!

I actually think all of the seasons have a different vibe from each other, and each season feels like a sequel to the previous season instead of one, long story? Idk, does anyone else feel like that?

Even Season 1 kind of splits itself into two -- the first part being a biting and somewhat dark satirical look at the nature of show choir in high school - as seen from the teacher's POV (and with an 80s flavor to it). Where as the second half kind of leans into the drama of the HS kids a bit more, and leans into the more magical side of musical magical realism.

Season 2 just kind of knows that it's popular in its place in time, and kind of uses that to its advantages. It does rely on more popular music of the time, as well as doing a pretty decent job of juggling all of the high school drama that's going on. It shifts from being a smaller story about a HS teacher, and kind of moves into being a big, gay show without going to niche with it (like it kind of will in the later seasons).

Season 3 is a mess - but mostly is about getting these kids graduated and wrapping up Rachel Berry's high school story.

Season 4 is trying to be two different shows at once - Glee The New Class and Glee The College Years

Season 5 doesn't know what it wants to be and is just a bunch of crackiness to drown out grief, until the last arc where it's Glee NYC.

Season 6 kind of comes full circle and goes to fourth wall breaking satire again.

[adcgios]

minatozaki   sana .     she / her .     cis   woman .      ›      spotted   at   the   met   steps   ,   mai   morisaki   ,   most   likely   listening   to   don't   wanna   be   your   girl   by   wet   with   their   airpods   pro   .   the   twenty   seven   year   old   gained   quite   a   reputation   ,   known   to   be   -shallow yet +magnetic to anyone   who   knows   them   .   you'll   easily   spot   them   when   you   hear   about   heartbreakingly   delicate   flowers   embroidered   on   smooth   velvet   ,   the   quiet   moments   in   the   early   morning   lit   by   a   lazily   rising   sun   ,   the   heart-quickening   dips   and   chest   expanding   swells   in   a   symphony   &   empty   perfume   bottles   meticulously   aligned   on   a   shelf   ,   followed   by   parfums   de   marly   delina   exclusif   .   latest   nepoupdates   article   talks   about   how   her   first   world   tour   was   suddenly   cancelled   only   a   few   shows   in  —   could   it   have   something   to   do   with   the   photos   taken   of   her   arriving   at   well   known   rehab   facility   ?   ,   but   i   guess   any   reputation   is   good   reputation   .

* * triggers : depression , death , drug abuse

( ⌗ 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒔 )

— ❛ 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘴𝘪𝘤𝘴. ❜

full name :  mai morisaki  birthday :  september 28  age :  twenty7  gender : cis woman   pronouns : she / her   orientations :  bisexual & biromantic

— ❛ 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦. ❜

faceclaim :  minatozaki sana  hair :  currently chocolate brown  eyes :  dark brown  height :  5 ' 5 "  piercings :  sana canon + nipples 🤭  tattoos : tba

— ❛ 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺. ❜

positive traits :  magnetic , kind - hearted , ambitious , loyal , honest  negative traits :  naive , easily - overwhelmed , impressionable , gullible  mbti :  isfj  big three :  libra sun , taurus moon , aries rising  likes :  bows , anything strawberry flavored or heart shaped , classical music , fluffy blankets , all dogs on planet earth  dislikes :  liars , waking up early , the papparazzi , dark chocolate

( ⌗ 𝒊𝒏 𝒅𝒆𝒑𝒕𝒉 )

— ❛ 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥. ❜

♡  when people say that kids end up like their parents, mai is the prime example, to a degree. her dad is a "rockstar" ( giving very much tom delonge ), lead singer and guitarist while her mom was a well-known principal ballerina for the new york city ballet. it was no surprise that she picked up their hobbies as a child, going on tour with her dad and participating in ballet classes whenever close to home — ballet and music become her first and second loves early in life ♡  her mom died when she was sixteen, leaving behind two people whose lives completely turned inside out overnight. neither of them knew how to cope, so they both turned to things that weren't necessarily the most healthy for them. she turned her focus to dance, practicing more and being completely invested in her ballet career for the next six years. it was three weeks before her audition for the nyc ballet that the long hours or rehearsal and unhealthy focus had the effect she'd been warned against for so long — the smallest injury derailing her entire life yet again, effectively ending her professional ballet career. she was aimless for months, feeling like she was once again floating listlessly through life. it took dozens of therapy sessions and one of her friends with a recording studio to bring her back to life again. when the song went viral online, it reinvigorated her love for music she'd nearly forgotten ♡  while she had finally settled, her dad had done the opposite, his slow spiral taking a nosedive when he nearly overdosed in the middle of one of her first concerts. being so dependent on each other for so long, it didn't take even a moment's consideration before she was flying back home to take care of him, checking him into rehab as quickly as she could and making sure he was comfortable and cared for. it was this incident that the papparazzi caught on camera, branding her as a troubled star with no regard for her fans. she was initially angry about the story, but if it kept her dad's reputation safe, then she was willing to take the fall for him (she's just a girl who loves her dad and i think thats so beautiful .. and sad ) ♡  she's been making music for the past handful of years (im adjusting sabrina's release timeline because i can), her most successful being her most recent album titled emails i can't send, and while the titular track is completely fictional, she's gone on record to say that the other songs are almost all inspired by people in her life <3 oh and she Definitely wears the little outfits sabrina wears oh my god theyre so dreamy imagine them on sana im gonna pass out fr ♡  when it comes to friendships, mai gets attached very easily, despite knowing that its definitely a bad idea. she's loyal to a fault (as seen in her protection of her dad), and will be the first to take a secret to the grave. she holds on to people as tightly as she can because she lives in a constant state of fear that they'll be gone if she doesn't 😀 all she wants is for her friends to be happy and will go to extreme lengths to make sure of it — aka she's not afraid of getting into a confrontation if its in defense of someone she cares about, even if who she's fighting is Also someone she cares about ♡  romance-wise, she is FULLY a hopeless romantic, but i hate to admit it .. my girl has insane imposter syndrome 😭🤚 will constantly ask if her partner still likes her, 'would you love me if i was a worm' type beat. isn't paranoid enough to go through someone's phone, but is silently always second-guessing every conversation and if she said something that gave them an ick or a reason to want to leave aha we love an anxious girlie! is also VERY affectionate, loves pda even though she'll pretend like she doesnt, is extremely touch starved so will 100% try to be touching her partner at all times (think holding hands, playing with fingers, back hugs in the kitchen, etc) haha loves with her whole heart every time i feel bad for her actually

— ❛ 𝘩𝘤 𝘥𝘶𝘮𝘱. ❜

♡ sleeps with a stuffed cow she named moo moo when she was 5, carries a handful of lollipop in her bag at all times just in case (for emergencies!), hiccups when she cries, cries when she's drunk, cries when she's sober, cries a lot actually, has personalized photos and ringtones for everyone in her contact list, cant ride a bike but will happily sit on the handlebars, watches baking tiktoks religiously but burns everything she tries to make, turned down hosting snl because she knew she wouldnt be able to differentiate people laughing at her and people laughing with her, has a tote bag collection — buys them whenever she sees a cute one, can get so engrossed in songwriting and recording that she loses track of time (common), eats cough drops like candy even when she's not sick, loves smelling like dessert (vanilla, fruity scents, etc) & has a king charles spaniel puppy named chiffon (named after the sanrio character)

— ❛ 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴. ❜

♡  opposite she looks nothing like me, so why do you look so happy? now i think i get the cause of it; you were holding out to find the opposite

exes that ended on bad terms due to your muse finding someone different, someone who wasn't like mai at all. relationship ended abruptly with little communication between the two

♡  bad for business he's good for my heart but he's bad for business, tears me apart when he grants my wishes. all of my friends think i've gone crazy, but they don't know me like my baby

friendship to flirtationship to relationship — the timeline could either be in the past or the future, but this is someone who mai thinks very highly of both as a person and as a partner ( ignore pronouns in lyrics, gender of muse doesn't matter )

♡ i'll also be filling mai's wanted tag, but i figured i'd get the 2 songs i'm obsessed with up there! i'm of course also interested in the usual, like childhood best friends, enemies, frienemies, fwb (she's bad at those tbh), industry friends, etc

[goose-books]

3 for Anna and Errans, and also 20 and 21 :3

i meant to remember to answer these before the last day of pride month. and then! anyway,

3. How did your oc discover themself? Did something cause them to question, or did they always know?

(godsong WIP page with links) (for context, anna is god's specialest girl ever and the main character, and she's a transfemme nonbinary lesbian. errans is a minor side character with terrible sideburns and transmasc unswag)

anna grew up in a city where priests have a special gender and pronoun, and she was designated a priest at age 11 by the gods, so her transness started as sort of an occupational thing; she was like, "okay, i'm priestgender," and then progressed to, "wait, i like this gender stuff." you are allowed to be priestgender and also another thing, and getting to explore her presentation at the temple lead to the realization that her Other Thing was womanhood (nonbinary-flavored). more a sister than a woman etc <3

as for the lesbianism, i don't think that was ever a discovery for him; there's no homophobia in ivander and his parents are in a bisexual polycule, so i think he just always knew his future person would be a woman. (i say "person" because ivander doesn't have legal marriage, but there is a religious equivalent if you want to dedicate yourself to someone long-term; otherwise you can just do Whatever. city that is absolutely bursting with gender and fruitiness)

errans i'm less sure about dskhfkdsfkdsnfsd. i know he came out as trans when he was around sixteenish; i think he knew he was bisexual first, and the image coming to me is errans experiencing the "do-i-want-to-date-that-guy-or-be-that-guy" about someone he probably never actually spoke to. i don't get a vibe like he ever loathed being a woman, more so that eventually he just realized he could simply be a man. for free. and was like. "well this is clearly so much more what i'm supposed to be doing"

now i'm thinking about awkward teenage errans and his awkward genvy crushes. god bless him

20. Have your ocs helped you in self discovery? How?

sigh. well i have to tell the story don't i. POV: you are [max], age 12, working on the first iteration of the story that will become TMR (my on-hiatus YA transgender evil-faerie high fantasy). you give the character who will become moon marigold all of your uncomfortable feelings about your body, feelings that are certainly not physical dysphoria because you are cisgender. about a year or so later, you realize that this WIP is full of cishet white people (i have since remedied this), and you should really add some diversity. hey, moon's got weird body feelings! what if you made her genderfluid? that sounds great! you are not thinking at all about where those weird body feelings may have come from or how this may reflect on anything at all.

POV: you are [max], still age 13ish, and you've got a new WIP (it's my also-on-hiatus NA monsters-in-NYC thing). you are going to put a binary transgender person in it. not for any specific reason. you just wanted to. who can say why. certainly not you. anyway you've never done this before and you are a little nervous because how can you, as a cisgender person, accurately represent a trans character? you muse about how to write dysphoria as you dress up for an orchestra concert, in an outfit that is extremely feminine. halfway through, you get derailed by crying real tears about said feminine outfit, because now the boy who sits beside you in the orchestra will know that you are a girl (because your long hair and name clearly couldn't have tipped him off beforehand). could you draw on this experience to describe dysphoria, you wonder? or maybe that other time you cried in the shower? but that's bad and wrong, isn't it? because you're cisgender. so comparing your own... whatever this is... to dysphoria would be an APPROPRIATION of dysphoria! how villainously cis of you! how horrible! you'll have to figure out some other way to write this character.

...anyway. thank you to moon and augustus for that. my kings my brothers in arms. and they BOTH do arson in their respective WIPs, so maybe i have another plot twist in my future?

21. Free ramble card wee

FREE RAMBLE WEE... hmm, well, since i've already touched on it a little in this ask, one of the most interesting things about worldbuilding for godsong is that most of the major settings don't have homophobia/transphobia/misogyny the same way that our world does. (i say most because ambergris is stuck in misogynyville. it's probably fine and i bet she won't get violent.) i honestly didn't think super hard about this; i just wanted to write a high fantasy world where women and nonbinary people and bisexuals and lesbians can hold positions of (sometimes corrupt) power, or where the chosen one can be a transfemme lesbian whose issues aren't transphobia but how to complete her quest.

except then i realized that not having homophobia/transphobia/misogyny invites so many other questions about the social fabric of a society. i mean, the modern legal concept of marriage is rooted pretty solidly in heterosexual relationships wherein women move from one family to another, right? so if gender relations are entirely different, do these places even have marriage? do these places even have gender? this is something i'm still figuring out (and honestly, if anyone has suggestions for media that pokes at this kind of thing, i'd love to hear them!). the two main cities in godsong are ivander (a theocracy) and farria (a democracy with a new revolution every tuesday), and i've been playing around in my head with some of the differences--for example, in ivander, being trans is generally considered holy, because the city's patron god is many-gendered; in farria, being trans is something nobody thinks twice about, because everyone is focused on Just Getting By. in ivander, there are at least three defined genders (man, woman, and priest) which can all overlap. in farria, gender doesn't define social relations so much as a parallel hierarchy of military and/or governmental power--eg, farria's very own neopronouns marc antony isn't afraid of "emasculation" in the gender sense, because xir gender is "if you like me you're gay," but xe's terrified of emasculation (for lack of a better word) in the sense of being seen as weak/submissive. in farria these things are way less connected than they are in our world. i'm still working out a lot of the details, but it's been a lot of fun to think about :3

wow that sure was a free ramble. thank you for the asks rook i love you so much <3

(pride asks!)

[asagi-red-wolf]

Why didn’t AHS: NYC get months of promotion like the other seasons?

Why didn’t AHS: NYC ever get an actual trailer and the teaser trailer was only aired a few WEEKS before it started airing?

Why is AHS: NYC getting this really odd release schedule of airing two episodes a week for five weeks instead of one for ten, and airing at 10 and 11 rather than 10 and, say, 9, to make up for that, for people who can’t stay up past prime time? (working parents for example)

Why did AHS: NYC take a hard left turn away from sensationalism, bizzareness, batshit insanity, and Gays being backgrounded and stereotyped, to an almost jarringly grounded crime serial with an almost 100% queer cast that looks at queerness through- especially for the time period- a realistic and human lens? Why are all the charectors so quiet and down to earth rather than the typical bombasticness that AHS is known for?

Why is this season, in every way, so unlike the others?

Maybe because it’s “too gay”

Like yes AHS has always had queerness as a focus, background or center, but this is the first time when queerness is THE story- it isn’t a flavoring, it isn’t a side story, it isn’t a detail, it’s THE entire focus- and it’s not Gaystreaming- the practice of making gay stories for straight audiences- either, it’s not bombastic or stereotyping or titillating, it’s queer stories based on reality, it’s queer stories based on actual queer experiences and not just what can also be marketed to the cis hets, and it’s also the first time that out of an ensemble cast, there are just zero straight stories, even in Asylum and Cult, where the central charector’s story was heavily involving her lesbianism, there were plenty of other stories going on around it that had just as much focus- if not more- that were entirely straight, but NYC doesn’t have that

It also doesn’t have the inherent weirdness and explosive sensationalism of AHS’s normal seasons- as I mentioned before- it’s just..... realistic? Like even the seasons without supernatural elements to them were just so extreme, it was easy to brush off as fictional, but NYC is toned down to the point that it’s arguably not even horror, but a crime thriller, and that’s a HUGE first for AHS

I wonder if Ryan Murphy did this season without the network’s full support and now they’re stuck with it so they’re just trying to “Get rid of it”, thus the lack of promotion and the minimalized broadcast, they’re airing it the way they would a show with low ratings that they’re trying to dump before the prime season of TV starts

I wonder if, with having two more seasons locked in, Ryan Murphy either insisted on doing this story, or was given carte blanche to do anything he wanted and he said “here” and then the network went “um...” but couldn’t really take it back at that point, so now FX has this Thing they don’t really want or believe in but have to air in some capacity so they’re just doing it in the most minimal way they can

It’s just so strange of these factors to line up if they’re really a coincidence- the type of story and the way it’s being aired/promoted

It’s also worth noting that Ryan Murphy is very driven by current moods/interests/events, that’s why Cult even exists at all, and it doesn’t surprise me that Pose- an equally queer-focused show set in NYC’s gay culture in the 80s/90s, just ended, and the next season of anything he’s able to air is.... also a queer-focused show set in NYC’s gay culture in the 70s/80s... so I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s bothered by the current climate related to queerness in this country and/or missing Pose and felt the need to write this story

I’ll be interested to hear, when his contract with FX eventually ends, how much he had to go through to get AHS: NYC to happen

Ofcourse, there’s always the possibility that I’m being too cynical

There’s always a chance that this toned down approach is just a one-off experimental thing like 1984 was- 1984 also being very toned down in comparison to usual

There’s always a chance that the lack of promotion was more to do with a combination of not having the show ready in time to promote it fully and not being 100% sure when it would be done so not sure when it would air, and the show having such a loyal, dedicated fanbase that at this point they didn’t feel the need to advertise alot- I read an article claiming that to be the cause

There’s always a chance that the double release schedule has more to do with the show coming out so late in the year compared to the last few seasons, wich trended much earlier on, and FX wanting it to be fully finished before TV’s winter breaks began, wich at the 10 week schedule, would be pushing the envelope awfully hard, and AHS hasn’t taken a seasonal break in years, likely for good reason

There’s always the chance that none of this is malicious or intentional and I’m just cynical at the ripe old age of 27 because Networks Hate Gays and I’m used to that, and I really hope that’s what it is

But I tend to believe otherwise

[kneelbeforeclefairy]

Newsies fandom, you know what I love about you? Most of you, I imagine, are not from NYC. I venture most of you haven't been here. And you talk about all these places and neighborhoods and landmarks in your fics and headcanons....and you can tell some of you have done your research (EXHAUSTIVLY) and some toss numbered street names at things and call it a day. (Which is FINE by the way. ) And new york has changed SO much since 1899. Newsies square is long gone, the streets themselves have been changed, buildings have been demolished. But you can tell you're all trying to get the FLAVOR of the city down, and who's to say who's wrong or right, when so much time has passed. And these places are just names to you, so everyone interprets what Central Park and the Bowery and the harbour feel like to them, and everyone's got their own ideas, and it's kind of amazing seeing the differentiations and people making headcanons about my beloved city, both today and a hundred years ago. No two are alike.

But what I LOVE. is that all of you. Every single one of you. Has gotten Brooklyn right. I don't know if the movie and/or musical does a good job at selling the VIBE or if everyone just arrives on the same conclusion. Brooklyn is....well it's like that.

Brooklyn is the Texas of boroughs. It used to be its own city, and it hasn't forgotten that. If Brooklyn detached from the rest of NYC it would be the fourth most populace city in the US. Brooklyn has more people than any other borough. It has more people than some STATES. And every single one of those people is batshit insane. Everything in Brooklyn is batshit insane. You either love Brooklyn or you hate it. It's full of people who are either tenth generation brooklynites, or transplants from two years ago, but they all defend their borough thoroughly. They see the world through the eyes of Brooklyn. Some don't like to leave it too often. Every single one of them would object on the grounds of Brooklyn.

And no one else wants to GO to Brooklyn, it's just too damn far, and no matter how you slice it you have to go through another borough to get there, especially from Queens which is GOD DANM ATTACHED, so you wind up never interacting with Brooklyn. And it's not like there's nothing there. Brooklyn is pretty cool sometimes. There's SHIT out there. But every time you go there you gotta take a ridiculous journey on multiple trains, or a bus across a bridge, or WALK ACROSS A BRIDGE or take a fucking ferry? Which is a thing now? Which is cool? I guess? But it's still a fucking ferry and who has time for that unless you already live near a ferry stop. And an hour and a half later you've moved ten miles and you're in fucking BROOKLYN and there's an independent coffee shop, a bougie bakery, and a Catholic church, and if you take ONE WRONG turn you wind up in the creepy part of Brooklyn, which is actually all parts of Brooklyn, sandwiched in between the gentrification, and there you will find a series of creepy warehouses with graffiti that runs from God damn art to mildly disturbing for reasons you can't explain, and in every one of those warehouses is an absolutely terrible performance art piece, a pretentious gallery, or cultural appropriation. And no matter how deep you go there will be an Italian guy to yell at you.

And every time I GO to Brooklyn, which I endevor not to do, I have a good time, don't get me wrong, but some Brooklyn shit happens. What is Brooklyn shit? I can't describe it. Brooklyn shit. Everything that happens in Brooklyn is so FUCKING Brooklyn. I've been to Brooklyn more in the past month than I have been all year, and every time I go to Brooklyn, some Brooklyn shit happens, and I come out like a war veteran going "I'm not afraid of Brooklyn....it's just everything in it that makes me nervous."

[sobeautifullyobsessed]

Hi, how are you? This is kind of a random question but I was looking for a sweet romcom to watch and I was like, hey, maybe I ask you what YOUR favourite romantic comedy is?

What an AWESOME question, Nonny! Thank you so much for asking. And as it's my usual style to be shamelessly extra, I'm gonna list my top five and hope that my enthusiasm will be effective enough to sway anyone reading this to give some of them a viewing.

Moonstruck - Romance & immediate attraction that strike like a thunderbolt out of the blue, set in an Italian-American community in NYC. Flavored by the backdrop of the opera La Traviata and a full December moon, this tale of finding a second great love moves like a whirlwind.

And each time I watch it, I'm transported back to my grandparents' home by the same sights, textures, and indelibly Italian traditions I experienced in my childhood.

10 Things I Hate About You - A brilliant, witty retelling of Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew, set in a high school in the grunge era '90's. Young Heath Ledger, whose charisma is off the charts. An excellent soundtrack of contemporary music--with the addition of Cruel To Be Kind, which incorporates a key line from the play itself.

Roxanne - A modernized version of Cyrano de Bergerac, with Steve Martin (who also wrote the screenplay) as the dashing but bulbously-nosed Fire Chief of a small Colorado resort town, who falls hard for Daryl Hannah's visiting astronomer. It's a glory of words, words, words, with poetry that inspires passion. Proof that love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind.

And speaking of Daryl Hannah, I must give an honorable mention to the delightful Splash, a rom-com retelling of The Little Mermaid.

Bridget Jones's Diary - A modern woman's quest to find love despite a lifetime of disappointments. Bridget is 1,000% relatable (at least to this Hopeless Romantic😁). Patterned after Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice, it has one of the greatest they-finally-kiss scenes of all time, with a closing line by Bridget's Darcy that is so frickin' sexy, you just have to melt (while wishing your partner would say that same to you).

Honorable mention to the sequel, Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason.

Mamma Mia!/Mamma Mia, Here We Go Again! - How can I not make this a two-fer, with all the amazing opportunities to sing out loud, so so many ABBA hits? Plus, Colin Firth in a white dress shirt. And then a wet Colin Firth😁. But seriously, these films & their soundtracks have provided me inspiration for chapters of multiple fics. Most recently (relatively speaking) Andante, Andante--which proved pivitol for setting the mood for the lovemaking in Chapter 17 of Of Magic, Miracles, and Moonlight.

I actually cried when I saw it sung in the movie the first time (oh heck, every time now) because it so captured the feelings I wanted to evoke that first time that my OFC, Teyla, and Stephen made love.

Thank you again, dear Nonny, for this chance to share some of my favorite romantic flicks! In fact, I have about fifeteen others I could easily add to the list, but perhaps I can elaborate upon them another day.

[savage-kult-of-gorthaur]

"NO PLAIN FARE HERE...FABULOUS FLAVOR" -- MEAT, MEAT, & MORE MEAT!

PIC(S) INFO: Spotlight on CD booklet front and back cover art to "Sheboygan," the second full-length album by NYC-based noise rock band KUNG PAO, released under Maduro Records in 2002. Sleeve cover photo by Tim Spellman.

Sleeve cover artwork/graphic design by Chovie D. and Lumpy.

"No plain fare here! Reach for a filet Buckaroo, front of grill. Sure, it's that same old favorite, minute steak -- but different. It's spread with mustard, rolled around dill pickle, broiled. Fabulous flavor."

-- KUNG PAO, "Sheboygan" album cover art

Source: www.discogs.com/release/3924441-Kung-Pao-Sheboygan.

[ramenhaven]

Tsukemen at Okiboru, NYC. Chicken and fish broth full of flavor and perfect noodles made in house.

[pulsdmedia]

The Week Ahead 5/7-5/13

The sun is shining for the most part, and we’re taking full advantage by filling our calendars with all the fabulous things happening this week. And food. So much good food...

$119 Spring Bash: A 3 Hour Premium Open Bar & Food Gala

Returning for another year of drinks, eats, & delights for a great cause, The Annual Young Professionals Committee's (YPC) Spring Bash is ready to serve up ample deliciousness to benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters of NYC! In addition to masterfully-mixed & poured libations, sip on blissful liquids from beloved brands like élevé Water, Ghia, and Recess, taking a break to devour dreamy cookies by Maman, ooey-gooey Rainbow Grilled Cheeses by Toastieland, Jet's Detroit-Style Pizza, Oishii Berry, and then some - not to mention as much ice cream as you can stomach, so come hungry! Gather your foodie friends, arrive ready to indulge, and celebrate giving a helping hand - let's do it!

Electric Dream Days With Mercedes-Benz

Calling all car lovers! It's time to electrify New York City! Experience the all-new, all-electric, Mercedes-Benz vehicle portfolio at Mercedes-Benz Manhattan! Pick any car in their electric fleet and take it for a test drive in the city. Plus, unlock some amazing exclusive offers & freebies for joining. You'll definitely feel like the coolest person around!

$75 Ticket To An All You Can Pasta Festa! A Food, Wine, & Cocktail Festival

What better way to live la dolce vita and celebrate the arrival of warmer months than by diving into handmade, authentic Italian pasta, luscious wines, top-notch cocktails, and countless Italian bites at Eataly? The night will be abundant with flavor as you twist and twirl your way through every pasta under the sun and sniff and swig a wide array of vinos and cocktails, encouraging cheers of "salute" with every sip. You'll swoon over the Ravioli ai Piselli (house-made ravioli filled with calabro ricotta and spring peas with a lemon butter sauce), while the Penne con le Melanzane (Afeltra penne pasta salad, roasted eggplant, cherry tomato, ricotta salata, and basil) is an unbeatable Spring classic. Top off this wonderful evening with fresh Gelato - this is how you do dreamy decadence, Italian-style...

Gallery Opening Party

Anthology Editions is proud to present an exhibition of photographs by Patrick D. Pagnano in celebration of the release of his book Empire Roller Disco. Join for an opening party and groove to the tunes of the legendary Empire Rollerdrome DJ “Big Bob” Clayton, browse their pop-up (by celebrated record & roller skate store, The Shop), and grab a drink to go with your copy of Empire Roller Disco.

Texas Chili Cook Off

The time has finally come that you've long been waiting for: The Texas Exes New York Chapter is bringing back their famous Chili Cookoff to New York City! Get ready for a foray of fare as New York City's best Tex-Mex institutes go head to head - think Pig Beach, Stout, Hill Country, Horns Hook, Javelina, Mellers Sports Hub & Grill, Cooleys BBQ, Salsa Pistolero, King David's Tacos, and Whole Foods, all churning their riffs on the heartiest, most addictive chilis. You'll even get the chance to vote for your favorite! In a gorgeous outdoor space & within rustic interiors at Pig Beach BBQ, you'll get lost in flavors, adding in some velvety Queso & endless swigs of ice-cold beers, wines, and potent cocktails! Live music, tailgate games, amazing prizes, and a surprise Kendra Scott trunk show exhibiting her newest pieces will add even more revelry to the shenanigans. The heat is on - don't miss a bite...

Skincare Masterclass

Join Alex Yanez, National Education Manager for SK-II for a skincare masterclass! Bloomingdale's experts will create a personalized routine, tailored to your skin concern. Learn how to transform your skin at home with unique tips from our most awarded, best-selling Beauty Essence. Plus, receive a special gift with your $400 purchase.

[empiriical]

new to baccano! && need a quick run-down? look no further!

i try my best to make writing with my muses accessible, regardless of your knowledge && interest in their source material, but sometimes the bigger picture isn't super clear from their bios, so i'm going to hit on the important worldbuilding points that are relevant here! there will be a lot left out — this is what i will primarily reference in threads while not explaining in full elsewhere. anything not included here will have explanations in individual muse pages.

A SUMMARY

baccano! is a story that follows alchemists fleeing their home && becoming immortal, rival mafia familes && various other criminal organizations, a trainjacking, && strange players from all walks of life coming together in a ruckus that spans three hundred years.

TERMINOLOGY

IMMORTALITY. a state of being affecting certain humans, rendering them, in some way, unable to be killed. this comes in two different flavors: complete immortality (does not age, all wounds instantly heal themselves, && immediate revival upon death), imperfect immortality (instant healing && revival but will age && eventually die). immortality is achieved by consuming a liquid called the liquor/elixir of immortality, or by some, the grand panacea. there is both a complete version && an incomplete version, which will give the two different results. the only way an immortal can be killed is by being devoured by another, a process that involves placing the right hand upon the other's head && thinking "i want to eat"; the immortal's body is absorbed into the hand, && all knowledge && memories are transferred to the surviving immortal. all immortals can be devoured, but only complete immortals can devour others.

THE MAFIA. pretty self explanatory, but for our purposes, there are three factions to know about: the gandor family, based in little italy in nyc, the russo family, based in chicago, && the runorata family, based in new jersey. the mafia originated in sicily, && prioritizes firearms as their primary weaponry.

THE CAMORRA. an organization similar to the mafia, that originated in naples. the martillo family is based between little italy && chinatown in nyc, && primarily use knives as their weapon of choice. they don't take kindly to being called the mafia.

HOMUNCULUS. a man-made being created through alchemy. perfect homunculi are confined to the flask they're created in, && are fully omniscient && omnipotent, as well as immortal. they can choose to trade either vision of space or vision of the future in exchange for physical freedom. imperfect homunculi are not born with knowledge, && though they can be killed, they do not age or die of natural causes. immortal homunculi, made from the cell of an immortal, are like the imperfect kind, but possessing the full abilities of a complete immortal. water-consciousness homunculi operate as a hivemind; their true form is a liquid, && they possess "vessels" that are linked within their mental network.

THE TIMELINE

the story of baccano! takes place in three time periods, although the bulk of the narrative is in the 1930s, with the 1700s && 2000s acting as a prequel && sequel.

1705-1711 taking place in lotto valentino, italty, this part of the story follows the original group of alchemists who eventually travel to north america on the advena avis && became immortal.

1930-1935 takes place mostly in new york city, with some of the action occurring in chicago && some on the flying pussyfoot, a transcontinential express train running from chicago to nyc. follows members of the mafia, the camorra, && a number of independent players && gangs who come together across various events, as well as some of the alchemists from the 1700s. many new immortals are created during this time.

2001-2003 takes place in other parts of the world, primarily in a northern european village && on two cruise ships traveling between nyc && japan. primarily follows the immortal alchemists && as well as a few of the immortals from the 1930s, && some new players as well.

THE SOURCE MATERIAL

baccano! is a series of light novels by ryohgo narita, first debuting in 2003. the first three novels were adapted into an anime that aired in 2007. the series is close to completion, with the 23rd && final novel indefinitely postponed. if you're interested in getting into the series, the anime is a good place to start — it's not legally available to stream anymore, but it's out there if you look (feel free to ask me about it). alternately, you can jump right into the novels, as outlined below...

volume 1 — 1930 the rolling bootlegs

volume 2 — 1931 the grand punk railroad: local

volume 3 — 1931 the grand punk railroad: express

volume 4 — 1932 drug and the dominos

volume 5 — 2001 the children of bottle

volume 6 — 1933 (first) the slash — cloudy to rainy

volume 7 — 1933 (last) the slash — bloody to fair

volume 8 — 1934 alice in jails: prison

volume 9 — 1934 alice in jails: streets

volume 10 — 1934 peter pan in chains: finale

volume 11 — 1705 the ironic light orchestra

volume 12 — 2002 (side a) bullet garden

volume 13 — 2002 (side b) blood sabbath

volume 14 — 1931 another junk railroad: special express

volume 15 — 1710 crack flag

volume 16 — 1932 summer: man in the killer

volume 17 — 1711 whitesmile

volume 18 — 1935-A deep marble

volume 19 — 1935-B dr. feelgreed

volume 20 — 1932 winter: the time of the oasis

volume 21 — 1935-C the grateful bet

volume 22 — 1935-D luckstreet boys

[90363462]

Fan Poll: Top 5 Rap-Metal Songs of All Time

No Linkin Park or Limp Bizkit to be found

Rap-metal songs typically go one of two ways. They're either borderline unlistenable, or they fucking smack. The line can be incredibly fine, so anyone who wants to sift through the pantheon of hip-hop and metal crossover needs to bring some latex gloves and a mop — you're gonna get bombarded with a lot of hot garbage. Among the muck, though, are some truly badass anthems.

We asked our readers to pick the very best one, the greatest rap-metal song of all time. Below, are the top five vote-getters ranked accordingly. You might not see who you expect to find.

Over the years, Slipknot's music has become way less overtly influenced by hip-hop, but back in the day, those elements were definitely wrapped up in their sound. "Spit It Out" is the foremost example, a track from their debut where the Nine funnel their chaos into a rigid rhythm that's punctuated by Clown's metallic thwack. Corey Taylor's vocals are in full rap mode here, firing at Gatling gun speed and screeching to a choppy near-halt during the "Spit! It out!" hook.

Korn have two full-on rap-metal songs on Follow the Leader. One of them is "All in the Family," a cringy, drunken collab with Limp Bizkit's Fred Durst that Jonathan Davis now calls "the worst Korn song ever." The other is "Children of the Korn," an actually awesome bass-thumper that blends west coast rap production with Korn's bottom-heavy nu-metal bounce, and features a spirited guest appearance by Ice Cube. Listen to this one.

One of the most common answers to this poll was simply, "Anything on the Judgment Nightsoundtrack," the trailblazing 1993 movie score that paired 11 different rock groups — including Slayer and Faith No More — with various top-name rappers for original collaborative songs. Onyx, the chaotic Queens group who carried themselves with a hardcore sense of menace, were fittingly buddied up with fellow New Yorkers Biohazard, and the fruits of their local labor clearly still slaps to this day. Indeed, the movie's title track is way more memorable than the flick itself.

You can't talk rap metal without giving the genre's titans their flowers. While every band on this list has obviously dabbled in the fusion of hip-hop and heavy metal, Rage Against the Machine based their entire sound around it, and no song in their discography better represents their fire-spittin', hard-hittin' flavor better than "Killing in the Name." The riff is rock & roll, the energy is metal, but the attitudeis pure, unvarnished hip-hop. "Fuck you, I won't do what you tell me!"

This just has to be No. 1, doesn't it? Anthrax's version of "Bring the Noise" is the song that synthesized rap and metal together for the first time, and then made it a national movement when the NYC thrashers got Public Enemy's blessing for a proper collab, which they celebrated by touring the country together after the single dropped in 1991. This was years before nu-metal, so it has that vintage late-Eighties sound, but the track still feels timeless anytime it comes on today and wreck's someone's party speakers. The noise keeps on being brought.

[thebowerypresents]

STS9 Take Brooklyn Steel on a Voyage on Friday

STS9 – Brooklyn Steel – September 13, 2023

When they still went by the full name Sound Tribe Sector 9, what the band did was right there in their moniker: sonic voyages that get way out there and most certainly beyond, thanks to a delectably competent blend of space rock, jam-band jazz, electronic music, drum ’n’ bass, psychedelia, EDM and other flavors that push all over the place but doesn’t sprawl. Today, they simply go by STS9, but the mission is the same: Get out there, get wild, blow some minds, blow a lot of minds.

We don’t get STS9 in NYC that often. This weekend’s Brooklyn Steel stand was their first multinight run here since before the pandemic. And that meant that it was time to get down, good ’n’ proper, and on Friday, the first of two nights in Brooklyn, the five-piece served a little bit of everything over two sets.

They’re almost all instrumental, except for some occasional vocal effects or samples from sung or spoken-word records they incorporate. Crucially, and somewhat unique among electronica-shot-through rock bands, they resist the sometimes-jam-band-y urge to let individual solos dominate how the music progresses. STS9 have always been an all-at-once unit that shifts and contorts and rocks and freaks out as one, a moving beast. This helps make their songs feel like, yep, voyages. Most tunes begin either with slow builds that eventually surge to shattering peaks or they get right into your face from the jump, then lightly confound expectations by morphing into different modes before resolving or shifting into other tunes entirely. 

Friday’s two sets pulled tunes from so many different corners of what STS9 do, although the common thread was often massive, dance-it-off payoffs, one after the other. “New Dawn, New Day” — with its vocal sample of Nina Simone’s “Feelin’ Good” — was all vibe-y groove. “Wika Chikana,” by contrast, didn’t pick any one groove at all, loving on its gnarly syncopation like a Frank Zappa carnival ride atop New Orleans funk. 

“Vapors” — late in the second set — was a jittery video-game soundtrack, starting as heavy space-rock and then setting loose its drummers into propulsive untz-untz territory. “Move My Peeps,” a favorite of this writer’s, built layer upon layer of synths and other sonics to begin spectral and then, as it dynamically upshifted, menacing. The deliberate, woozy “F. Word” sounded trip-hop, but its rhythm turned so stabbing and slashing that it built toward something more industrial-stomp. 

Each of these was a little voyage, none too short to feel impatiently explored, none too long to feel formless or trudging. We were totally spent by the time they wrapped up things with a whirring, emotional “Circus” in the encore slot, but we’d have been for hearing what another hour could bring, too. —Chad Berndtson | @Cberndtson

Photos courtesy of Hillary Safadi | @hillasafadi