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Music Festival Must-Haves

It’s summer, and that means it’s the season of music festivals! From Lollapalooza to Coachella, we’re gearing up to spend some long weekends outdoors, dancing the day away with our favorite artists. Here are five things you can bring to ensure you don’t wipe out before the encore.

Keep Yourself Above 10%

When you’re jostling with thousands of dusty concertgoers, it’s easy to lose track of the crew you came with, making your smartphone that much more essential.

But unless the festival grounds have charging stations, you also have to worry about your phone battery. Or do you?

Bring a portable battery or if you’re with a big crew, invest in the best solar generator to keep your squad connected. It’s perfect for festivals, camping, tailgating, and when you need some extra juice to keep you connected in the great outdoors. Take Lorde’s advice and “turn it on in a new kind of bright.”

Hydrate

Festivals are often exhausting, and with temperatures hitting record highs, it’s more crucial than ever to keep yourself hydrated.Skip the long lines at the beer tent and bring yourself a reusable bottle to keep your system cool.

Regular sips throughout the day will maintain your energy throughout the day. If you are planning on drinking, it’s also a smart way of mitigating that nasty hangover on the second day of the festival.

Is your fanny pack filling up? Look for a collapsible container that won’t take up too much space after you’ve replenished.

Sun Protection

Speaking of the heat, a little SPF goes a long way in combating the sun. If you’re soaking it up with Sheryl Crow or vibing with Vance Joy in the Saturday Sun, you’d better bring some protection for your body’s largest organ.

Re-apply generously throughout the day—your skin will thank you. So will your selfies, unless you want to look beat red in your photos!

Ready for Rain in July 

It’s not just the sun that can damper your fun. When the storm clouds gather, be ready with a poncho or two. As every Gaga or Grande stan knows, you have to be resilient when the rain comes. A quick-dry towel and a light raincoat will keep you dancing in the front row, flicking off every drop.

Blanket

Maybe Erykah Badu is running 45 minutes late to her show. Maybe you’re not interested in seeing the next band. Or maybe you need to sit down and take a breather. That’s when it’s time to spread out a blanket and take up some space on the lawn.

It’s a great way to relax and recharge in the middle of a long day. If you’re coming to the shows solo, it’s also a fantastic way to make new friends.

Be Prepared

As with any multi-day event, a little preparation goes a long way. When you’re partying hard, sometimes the slightest inconvenience can be a total buzz kill. With the essentials we listed, you’ll be ready for all the elements, so you can stay relaxed and enjoy what you broke into your savings account for: the music.

DraftKings Announces Retail Sportsbook Plans at Bay Mills Resort & Casino

DraftKings has announced plans to open a temporary retail sportsbook.  The pop-up location will be at the Bay Mills Resorts & Casino in Brimley, Michigan. The plan is to be open late June, 2022.

The American company cited the need to give its growing fanbase a taste of in-person sports betting. The temporary location will include sports betting via human ticket booths. It will also include six self-service kiosks with the same appeal as the company’s mobile sportsbook app.

The new establishment is temporary but it is part of a larger plan to open a permanent retail sportsbooks in late 2022. DraftKings sees this temporary location as a way to gain experience in the market. It should serve as a foundation for the company’s future retail sportsbook.

The future permanent locations will include more amenities. There will be more self-service kiosks, live ticket booths, and large video walls will complete the new locations. The opening  of the temporary location will be marked by special celebrations by DraftKings and Bay Mills Resort & Casino.

Partnerships Facilitating DraftKings Expansion

The new location will be part of DraftKings’ 2020 agreement with Bay Mills Resort & Casino. The two collaborated on an agreement to give the mobile sportsbook company access to Michigan sports bettors.

DraftKings’ Chief Business Officer, Ezra Kucharz, noted that the partnership will allow the company to capitalize on the opportunities available in Michigan. More importantly, it will be one more opportunity for the company’s efforts to provide Michigan residents with the top-tier experience. h DraftKings is known to have excellent customer service.

Michigan residents have expressed an interest in online sports betting. Unlike many others in the US, the local laws already support limited casino locations. Before DraftKings arrived in Michigan, roughly one-third of the population had placed legal bets via mobile phone. DraftKings enhanced the betting experience for Michigan residents by making it more innovative, immersive, and entertaining. The new location is an extension of the enhanced gaming experiences. Michigan residents will now have more entertainment options.

The plan to open a retail sportsbook follows the announced partnership with UK-based BetBlocker. A partnership designed to promote safer play technologies. DraftKings customers can now customize gaming restrictions on any device using BetBlocker’s free software.

DraftKings’ partnership with BetBlocker symbolized the company’s commitment to responsible gaming. The company is expanding its S.E.R.V.E.S. (Service, Equity, Responsible Gaming, Vitality, Entrepreneurship, and Sports) program. There will be a new emphasis on responsible gaming ethos.

Is a Mobile Casino Better Than an In-person Casino?

Many will be enticed to bet due to the new opportunity for  in-person sports betting. However, the current trends in the industry are toward online sports betting. Reality suggests that it is all a matter of convenience for different kinds of punters. From being considered a passing fad, mobile casinos have risen to dominance. Given the increased internet and smartphone usage, online betting appears to be the future of sports betting.

Many casinos have developed iOS and Android apps. They also have online platforms that are accessible without the use of apps, which means that customers no longer have to go through the tedious process of downloading time-consuming apps.

Other advantages of mobile casinos include the availability of bonuses. In most cases, online platforms offer better deals than traditional casinos. They are also more convenient as well. One can bet from anywhere and at any time as long as they have an internet connection. Online gamblers also have more freedom to switch platforms for better odds.

Mobile casinos are not without flaws. Ease of access may provide some the opportunity to engage in risky behavior. Most proactive gambling legislation include stringent guidelines to safeguard the population from irresponsible gambling.

Online casinos are also chastised for having a limited number of slots. Some casino games have yet to be simulated in order to create software versions. Online gamblers miss out on such games, making their gaming experience less enjoyable than that of in-person gamblers. Online gamblers may miss out on games that cannot be played on smaller screens in some cases.

This realization is one of the primary motivations for DraftKings’ decision to open a retail sportsbook at the prestigious Bay Mills Resort. Operating a retail sportsbook is one way for Michigan residents to compensate for the various online casinos’ shortcomings. It will also help to promote the brand and strengthen its position as a sports betting company. It represents the company’s progress and foreshadows a bright future.

Album Review: MUNA, ‘MUNA’

In the fourth track of their new self-titled record, synth-pop trio MUNA – consisting of LA natives Katie Gavin, Naomi McPherson, and Josette Maskin – considers what it means to forge a new path. “If we’d kept heading the same direction,” ponders Gavin, the lead singer, “Would we be home by now?” After their standout 2019 record Saves the World, their career took a turn when they were dropped by their major label just as the pandemic began, but rather than hitting the brakes the band hurtled forward into new music and a poppier sound. To release an eponymous record this far into their career is an admirable act of self-definition; as their debut since being signed to Phoebe Bridgers’ label Saddest Factory, this project maps change, heartbreak, and self-discovery, blending lilting Americana and vibrant disco. 

The album’s opener, ‘Silk Chiffon’, features Bridgers herself, and serves as the breezy pop embodiment of lazy afternoons and youthful freedom; the hook “Life’s so fun, life’s so fun/ Got my mini skirt and my rollerblades on” went viral on TikTok last year, with users affixing it to clips of coffee runs and pastel sunsets. Gavin’s vocals are both wistful and contented as she charts the slow fade of summer days, with faintly garbled harmonies running behind acoustic guitar to create the feeling of plunging into cool water before rising into the sunshine. Yet if this track is drenched in ebullience, the next song, ‘What I Want’, provides a sharp sonic contrast, with an explosive drum track and shimmering ‘90s keys. The chorus ushers in synths that leap and thump in flashes, like shafts of light shooting from a disco ball. “I want the fireworks/ I want the chemistry,” Gavin declares, fantasising about a night of elation at a gay club.

MUNA carves a space of total acceptance and thrilling adventure, traversing a sparkling cosmos of pop. ‘Runner’s High’ opens up a bubbling electronic landscape as sounds shift like tectonic plates; synths shudder in the manner of small earthquakes, and the end of the chorus sweeps in like an eruption, with drums pounding and pulling back. Buzzing with a kind of trapped energy, the track delicately balances urgency and hesitation: “Didn’t stay for the fight,” Gavin sings, “Honey you should see me fly.” Such earnest self-examination is notable also in ‘Kind of Girl’, an early single steeped in Americana; Gavin’s vocals take on a country twang as she proclaims, “I’m not some kind of minor trope/ Who’s never gonna change,” adding, as if as an afterthought, “That’s so/ Derivative.” Violins steal in and reinforce this lyrical sincerity, quivering behind slide guitar. Though production can be sparse, this record never lacks depth. 

‘Handle Me’ pushes MUNA’s lyrical skill further, playing with cliches of female physicality and appearance to create a softly subversive anthem. “Bend me back and send me flying,” sings Gavin in the second verse. “I’m not gonna break, I promise.” This kind of confidence soars in ‘No Idea,’ another ‘90s club track with energetic synths and irresistible bass which opens with the declaration: “She is not a scene on your movie set/ She is not a mirror in which you reflect/ Yeah, she is of material substance.” Even as they swing from delicate acoustic production to full-blown disco, MUNA’s boldness never wavers.

The end of the record sees no deterioration in either MUNA’s eloquence or sonic playfulness, and previous single ‘Anything But Me’ is the epitome of both. “You’re gonna say that I’m on a high horse,” Gavin drawls amid marching drums and gritty electric guitar. “I think that my horse is regular-sized.” Having waded through the murky depths of grief and uncertainty to finally seize upon self-assurance, MUNA finds independence rather than loneliness: “We’ve paid in pain/ Now we’ll keep the change/ The blame is for the birds,” Gavin reflects in airy falsetto in ‘Loose Garment’. Final track ‘Shooting Star’ shrugs off the weight of the past and dips into new love, wary of the danger of being “hung over the moon, stranded in space.” Country guitar creeps in again as synths and strings emerge and dissolve like light passing over water. 

What becomes clear in this record is that, regardless of the route or the destination, MUNA are enjoying the ride. As if moving with the tides, their sound transforms throughout the project, but at its core is vibrant pop that grasps tirelessly at freedom. Perhaps it is not about returning home, but, as Bridgers declares in the closing track of her record Punisher, seeking “a new place to be from.” MUNA makes that place, wherever it is, seem undeniably inviting.

poolblood Shares New Shamir-Produced Single ‘twinkie’

poolblood, the moniker of Toronto artist Maryam Said, has shared a new single called ‘twinkie’, which was produced by Shamir, via Next Door Records. Check out its accompanying Emma Cosgrove-directed visual below.

“‘twinkie’ is a song I wrote about the tenderness of time, time as a source of love, and the way time is the ultimate parent,” Said explained in a statement. “Starting over is as sweet as a golden sponge cake. The song is about starting over, so it was great timing to have Emma and I shoot the video while the flowers were blooming.”

Pianos Become the Teeth Share New Single ‘Skiv’

Pianos Become the Teeth have shared a new single, ‘Skiv’, lifted from their upcoming album Drift – out August 26 via Epitaph Records. The track follows lead offering ‘Genevieve’, and you can listen to it below.

“[Skiv] is one of my favorite songs we have ever done,” guitarist Mike York commented in a statement. “It’s slow and brooding and feels uncomfortably dry at times. This song feels like what a 3 AM night feels like to me after having too much to drink.”

Ty Segall Releases Cover of The Mantles’ ‘Don’t Lie’

Ty Segall has released the latest single from his forthcoming LP “Hello, Hi”, which is due out July 22 via Drag City. Following ‘Saturday Pt. 2’ and the title track, ‘Don’t Lie’ is a cover of a song by The Mantles, which originally appeared on the Oakland band’s 2009 self-titled debut. Give it a listen below.

“Hello, Hi” will follow last year’s surprise-released Harmonizer, as well as Segall’s recently released soundtrack to the Matt Yoka documentary Whirlybird.

Well Wisher Share Video for New Song ‘Need You Around’

New Jersey indie-punks Well Wisher have signed to Egghunt Records, marking the announcement with a single called ‘Need You Around’. It’s taken from a forthcoming album that’s due out in the fall. Check out the song’s accompanying video below.

“‘Need You Around’ is about fragility and the need for others’ love,” lead singer Natalie Newbold explained in a statement. “After playing a pretty isolating solo show in Jersey City, I wrote it in my head on the drive home. The song is largely for my partner and visual collaborator, Jenna Murphy. The rain was really coming down that night, just pouring, and it was sometime in late Spring; I hadn’t really eaten very much, so needless to say, my ride was a little uncomfortable. As I spiraled through the looping highways of North Jersey to get home, all I could think about was getting there, curling up in bed with Jenna, and how the whole debacle made me feel so grateful for her comfort, safety, and love.”

Well Wisher released their debut album, This Is Fine, in 2018.

PONY Releases New Song ‘Did It Again’

PONY, the Toronto pop-punk outfit led by Sam Bielanski, has dropped a new single called ‘Did It Again’. “It highlights how well we can mask our emotions, even right up to the moment that we break down,” Bielanski said in a statement, commenting on the single’s cover artwork. Check it out below.

‘Did It Again’ follows PONY’s debut LP, TV Baby, which came out last spring. Earlier this year, Bielanski joined the cast of the My Little Pony series Tell Your Tale, voicing the character of Jazz. Next month, they’ll be accompanying Fucked Up on their David Comes to Life tour.

Check out our Artist Spotlight interview with PONY.

Peach Fuzz (New Group Featuring Raffaella and Samia) Announce Debut EP, Share New Song

Peach Fuzz is a new supergroup featuring Raffaella, Samia, Sara L’Abriola (Hank), and Victoria Zaro (Ryann). Today, they’ve announced their debut EP, Can Mary Dood the Moon?, which comes out July 22 via Psychic Hotline, the label founded by Sylvan Esso’s Amelia Meath and Nick Sanborn. It was produced by Sachi DiSerafino (Joy Again), Jake Luppen (Hippo Campus, Lupin), and Caleb Hinz (Baby Boys). Check out the new single ‘Hey Dood’ below, along with the EP’s cover art and tracklist.

Raffaella dropped her latest single, ‘BUICK’, earlier this month on Mom+Pop. Samia followed up her 2020 debut The Baby with the Scout EP last year.

Can Mary Dood the Moon? Cover Artwork:

Can Mary Dood the Moon? Tracklist:

1. Hey Dood
2. Shaking the Can
3. I Saw the Moon
4. Mary’s Gone Crackers

R.E.M. Announce 40th Anniversary Reissue of Debut EP ‘Chronic Town’

R.E.M. have announced a reissue of their debut EP, Chronic Town, in honour of its 40th anniversary. Featuring songs like ‘Gardening at Night’, ‘Wolves, Lower’, and ‘1,000,000’, the new edition is due for release on August 19 (via I.R.S./UMe) on CD, picture disc, and cassette.

The reissue comes with liner notes by the original producer Mitch Easter. “One might fancifully say that Chronic Town was the sound of an expedition, ready for anything, setting forth,” Easter said in a statement about the EP, which followed the band’s breakout 1981 single ‘Radio Free Europe’. “If R.E.M.’s ‘Radio Free Europe’ single was a signpost, the Chronic Town EP was the atlas.”

Chronic Town EP Cover Artwork: