Finally, the warmer months are here! Winter is great and all, but it is always exciting to finally feel the sun’s warmth and enjoy some much-needed time outdoors. However, the return of summer also means you would need to conduct a quick review of your apparel. Although everyone’s style may differ, there are always essentials you need to complete your look and stay trendy. So, what essentials do you need in your wardrobe this summer? Here are a few ideas for you!
A white shirt
The usual presumption is that black goes with everything. Black is versatile, but wearing a black outfit in summer can be quite uncomfortable, especially when temperatures are high. Fortunately, a white shirt can do the same for you. You can wear a white shirt with just about anything. For instance, a white linen shirt is a great option if you want to layer it in your outfit to keep things casual. Or, you can pair it with a cute black leather skirt for a classy style for date night. Regardless of the style of your shirt, you would find that you can pair just about anything with a white shirt. Additionally, white is a great color to wear during summer because it helps keep the body cool by reflecting light instead of absorbing it.
Denim shorts
What’s summer without showing some skin? Summer gives you a chance to strut your walk and show your beautiful legs. That’s why you need a pair of shorts this summer. A pair of denim shorts are a great choice as you can wear them with any style and color shirt. These pieces are essential because they help you stay cool during hot days and can be used to create different attires. For example, you can create a very laid-back look by wearing your denim shorts with a pair of sneakers or flat sandals. Yet, those same shorts could be a great brunch or late-night attire if you include a pair of heels or knee-high booties (especially if your shorts are quite short). There are also various lengths and designs you can choose from, so you would find something that suits your fashion sense.
Boyfriend jeans
Admittedly, you may not be too keen on wearing shorts. Or, perhaps, it’s not your style. If that’s the case, you should consider including a pair of boyfriend jeans in your summer wardrobe. Unlike regular jeans or skinny jeans, boyfriend jeans are more convenient for summer. These jeans are way cooler than regular ones, lighter, and more fun. Additionally, their baggy feel gives you a more comfortable and airy feel, which you need during summer. They are also convenient for both casual and casual-formal attires. However, do remember to get them in shades of light or faded denim for a more summery loo
Open toe shoes
After spending months wearing socks, stockings, and boots, it’s time to let your toes wriggle in the sunlight. Also, due to the warm weather, you wouldn’t want to deal with sweaty feet and the issues that come with it. Open-toe shoes such as sandals, slippers, and everyday slides are options you should consider when putting together your summer outfit. Shoes like Birkenstock Gizeh are timeless and stylish pairs of shoes you would need every summer. According to Bustle, open-toe shoes such as ancient Greek style sandals, square-toed heel sandals, platform sandals, and elevated flip-flops are also must-haves trending this summer.
Sneakers and flat ballet shoes
Despite the need for open-toe shoes in summer, you can’t completely ditch your sneakers or flat ballet shoes. Open-toe shoes may not be ideal for some occasions or may not be your style. Besides, wearing such shoes all the time can get pretty boring. So, you can switch it up by incorporating sneakers and flat shoes into your outfits. Sneakers add a bit of chic and sass to your outfit— which is definitely what a summer outfit is all about. Due to their various styles and colors, ballet flat shoes serve as a great alternative to wearing heels but still looking formal or casual-formal. Be sure to select fun colors besides black to give off a summer look.
Denim jacket
It may seem odd to include a jacket option when discussing the essential clothing items for summer. But you need a denim jacket during summer, and here’s why. Denim jackets offer versatility. For instance, if you’ve got on a strappy dress or cute crop top, a denim jacket can serve as a stylish form of layering to add to your look.
Although the weather is a bit warmer in summer, it can get chilly at night or in the morning. Temperatures may also drop due to the occasional summer rains. A denim jacket is an excellent source of warmth. It isn’t as thick as a winter jacket and can complement any outfit.
Maxi dresses
Of course, as the days get longer, the dresses get shorter. However, besides cute and patterned summer dresses, you should consider getting yourself a maxi dress this summer. Despite their length, there’s something so summery about maxi dresses. These dresses aren’t body-hugging, tight, or restrictive. The length of maxi dresses does little to remove its style or functionality during the summer. Maxi dresses hang loosely on your body, giving you an airy and comfortable go-to outfit. Additionally, they come in various patterns, colors, and styles for any occasion and to keep up with summer vibes.
A staple summer tote bag
Cute cross bags and mini-bags are in vogue this summer, but you need a staple tote bag for a more functional look when you go out. Think about it; you need many things when you go out, like your water bottle, sunscreen, sunglasses, make-up, and so much more! It would be difficult putting all that in your cross bag. With your summer tote bag, you can keep all your items and do so with still. Tote bags are also easy to carry, so you wouldn’t feel uncomfortable.
So, there you have it! It’s time to have fun in the sun with some style. Be sure to get these essentials this summer.
When it comes to engaging with online casinos, there is a lot of room for risk in the hobby. However, if you truly love casinos, then it is far better to ensure that you know exactly how you can most effectively protect yourself while engaging with the hobby. This article aims to highlight some of the best tips to help you ensure that you are able to protect yourself effectively.
Start with a Plan
As with almost any important task, you should always start with a plan when trying to learn how to defend yourself online and gamble responsibly. There are plenty of elements that you should consider including in this plan in order to keep yourself safe. After all, you never know what is going to end up being vital to protecting you from disaster.
There are plenty of tools that can help you to develop this plan and set in some more concrete terms for it. For example, you might want to consider utilizing a time management tool in order to outline how long you are spending on the online casino and how much time you are allowed to spend on the site.
Set Firm Limits and Stick to Them
Once you have a plan set out, you should use it to quickly and methodically generate some hard limits for you while you are engaging with online casino sites such as Les Ambassadeurs. These firm, unavoidable limits allow you to bring a little more control to your engagement with these online casino sites.
Some of the most important limits you are going to be able to set are the limits you should be placed on how much you can spend on the casino. This solidly laid-out budget makes it far more difficult for you to make impulsive purchases. Plus, these limits can help you to visualize how much you have spent on the casino and how much more you have available before you have to break away and stop playing.
Always Keep a Buddy Nearby
Finally, another fantastic way to help ensure that you are on your best behavior is to have a buddy with you whenever you engage with online casinos. This buddy system ensures that you are never making decisions entirely alone, which theoretically helps to ensure that you make more informed and less impulsive decisions.
There are more benefits to having a friend around, too. The opportunity to spend some quality time with someone you care about is a brilliant thing, not to mention the fact that you are spending time engaging with your hobby with the company.
On top of that, you might be able to have a little more fun with your online casino experience if you and your buddy are able to throw yourselves into the process of spending time with one another. After all, it can be a lot of fun to compete with one another to see who can do better in certain games.
If you’ve heard anything about the first weekend of Primavera Sound 2022, you know that things got off to a rocky start. Despite the unbelievably stacked lineup, there were complaints about the lack of water access and huge queues, not to mention the cancellation of several performances, most notably that of The Strokes, who are still set to headline later on Friday. (Clairo, PinkPantheress, and Holly Humberstone are among the artists who will no longer be performing this weekend, however, with Hurray for the Riff Raff taking Clairo’s spot.) The situation seemed to have improved on the second and third days of the festival, or at least people came more prepared. Having camped out at the main stages for most of the night on Thursday, the only difference I noticed was the water bottles intermittently being thrown into the air. (Two of them happened to land on me, so your chances of not getting dehydrated aren’t that low – though the sea of plastic left behind wasn’t a nice image at the end of the night.) As for music, my day started with a lot of dry post-punk before turning more and more in the direction of pop. Here were six memorable moments from the first day of Weekend 2.
The Colour in Dry Cleaning
Credit: Eric Pamies
A couple of songs into Dry Cleaning’s Thursday evening set at the Binance stage, the screen that zeroed in on Florence Shaw’s near-static yet uniquely captivating performance turned black-and-white, as if to say: We get the vibe. Dry Cleaning may not be the darkest or most inventive of the recent wave of talky UK post-punk bands, but people certainly like to think of them as the talkiest. Their music stews in a way that requires patient listening, and Shaw’s deadpan delivery and absurdly specific non-sequiturs aren’t exactly easy to follow when the volume of the instruments threaten to drown out her hushed vocals – but that’s not to say that the band sounds joyless in a live setting. If anything, their set was a reminder of the simplicity that belies their songs, as well as the dynamism that often makes them so thrilling. The bass, of course, did much of the heavy lifting, but it was Tom Dowse’s guitar theatrics that stood out, his energetic performance contrasting that of Shaw, which was evocative in a much more elusive way. It was hard to discern a narrative out of the whole thing, but one couldn’t imagine it any other way; if it left you feeling less curious and confused, would it really be a Dry Cleaning show?
Squid Face the Sunset
Credit: Eric Pamies
I assume bands don’t have a lot of say in what stage they get to perform at a festival, but it must have been someone‘s decision to get Squid to play the Cupra stage just as the sun was about to set. (This is my attempt at not turning this into another spiel about post-punk, which was especially tempting after seeing Dry Cleaning and Squid back-to-back. Suffice to say, their performances couldn’t have been more different, unless you want to compare them to the night’s headliners.) Regardless, the timing was billiant. At the beginning of the set, the sun would still burn your eyes if you were to turn around as they rolled through some of their more chaotically driving tracks. The lines from ‘Boy Racer’ set the dystopian scene – “As the sun sets, on the Glaxo Klein/ Well it’s the only way that I can tell the time” – and the synchronicity had a chilling effect. Showcasing their fusion of post-punk, krautrock, and jazz, the band oscillated between the simmering intensity of their more well-known tracks and dronier, more avant-garde passages that made their dynamic builds all the more invigorating. With drummer/vocalist Ollie Judge’s unhinged performance at the helm, the band closed out with the blistering one-two-punch of ‘Pamphlets’ and ‘Narrator’, and their surroundings were irrelevant by that point – the stage was the only place you could lock your eyes at.
Remembering Interpol
Credit: Christian Bertrand
I don’t have much of an emotional connection to Interpol’s music, but I was hoping their melodic approach to post-punk would win me over to balance out the last two bands I saw. As someone who doesn’t remember them at the peak of their popularity, I’m still not sure how a band like Interpol, whose aesthetic is so minimal and their music equally haunted and spare, could get quite so big. Seeing them play one of Primavera’s main stages made me appreciate the cinematic sweep and ambition that clearly set them apart, but that’s something I also enjoy whenever I put on Turn On the Bright Lights. It still didn’t hit me; if anything, their professionalism detracted from the parts of their performance I found evocative, with the notable exception of ‘Pioneer to the Falls’.
Yet it did help me understand the sentimental appeal their music holds, even if, for me, it’s not tied to a particular era of indie. There are, of course, songs by them I recognize and have grown to like. But there are just two I love, and both have different memories attached to them. I’m one of those people who were introduced to ‘PDA’ through Rock Band 2, so I have a particular fondness for the song, even if the lyrics now only sound more absurd, even downright stupid. The other is ‘Slow Hands’, which I enjoy because it’s catchy and doesn’t make sense to me. So when those were the final songs in the band’s set, and both old fans and casual fans like myself were singing along, it’s not a moment I’ll forget. It’s not often that I get to be that guy.
Gorillaz’s Feel-Good Set
Credit: Clara Orozco
Gorillaz drew one of the biggest crowds last weekend at Primavera, and this Thursday night was probably just as crazy. Being there the second time, it wasn’t hard to see why. The hits kept coming throughout the duration of their crowd-pleasing set – which was significantly longer than any other I saw that day – yet it didn’t feel dependent on them. They were balanced out by newer songs as well as tracks that didn’t turn into massive sing-alongs, but even those songs were so colourful and layered that they became a portal to the group’s ever-expanding world. You didn’t need to be amazed by Damon Albarn’s vocal performance (I really wasn’t) in order to get sucked in, not even during the first half that was focused around songs where he takes center stage. There were so many different factors at play – from the visual spectacle of the show itself to the crowd’s reactions – that it was pretty overstimulating at all times. When guests started coming in later on, including Mos Def/Yassin Bey (who also made a cameo during Khruangbin’s earlier set) as well as De La Soul, it couldn’t be clearer that this was just one giant party. But whereas last week it must have been a euphoric note to close the weekend off, this time felt like only the beginning.
Dua Lipa’s Future Nostalgia Shines Bright
Credit: Christian Bertrand
When Future Nostalgia became a pandemic hit, it was tied to a promise that couldn’t yet be fulfilled. “I used to spend so many nights on my own/ I never knew I had it in me to dance any more,” goes one notable line on ‘Love Again’, and I probably wasn’t the only one who never thought they’d be dancing to the album’s brilliant fusion of disco and contemporary pop with other people. At the Pull & Bear stage on Thursday, Dua Lipa herself admitted there was a time when putting on a show like that didn’t feel like a possibility, which of course meant that it had to be even more extravagant and euphoric. Having already toured the album across the world, the pop star and her crew of dancers quickly turned the show into a non-stop dance party that served as a loving (and knowing) tribute to pop’s past with a hint of where it might be headed.
Despite all the excitement, I had doubts as to whether Dua Lipa would have enough material to fill a headlining set, even though Future Nostalgia plays like a greatest hits collection. I’d almost forgotten she had huge hits from her first album (don’t blame me – even her latest album seems like a century ago), all of which became big sing-alongs. If those songs didn’t make a fan out of you at the time, the way Lipa injected them with the commanding presence that defines Future Nostalgia was more than enough to keep the whole show infectious. She also showcased more recent singles like ‘Fever’, her duet with Belgian singer Angèle, who made a rare onstage appearance, as well the ‘Cold Heart’ remix; if you’re not a fan of the latter one, either, it was still rousing to hear a crowd of young fans singing the lyrics to Elton John’s ’Rocket Man’ while Lipa held up a rainbow flag.
Compared to other pop singers who took the stage at Primavera and operate at the edges of the mainstream – Charli XCX, Rina Sawayma, Caroline Polachek – you might think Lipa’s music has the least amount of personality, but her show, which wasn’t without surprises, proved otherwise. After all, how many pop stars would pick out a member from the audience and dedicate a song to them before delivering the lines, “We don’t know how to talk/ But damn, we know how to fuck”? She also made the bold decision of extending ‘Boys Will Be Boys’, an anthem about male violence (“…but girls will be women”) and transforming it into another dance track that included an interpolation of ‘Hollaback Girl’. It could have easily fallen flat, but like everything else about Lipa’s performance, it felt like a long-overdue celebration.
Tyler, the Creator Howls Into the Night
Credit: Clara Orozco
When you go see Tyler, the Creator, you expect to have a wild time. Few rappers have a catalog as enviable as Tyler’s, and at this point, his show is made for arenas. But even if the stage design was more pared back than it might have been in a non-festival setting, transporting us somewhere far out in the woods, it was still one of the most spectacular and insane shows I’ve ever seen. As soon as he charged into the hard-hitting ‘Sir Baudelaire’ with pyrotechnics erupting onstage, you could feel the heat – and it wasn’t long before it was actual flames that rose up from the floor. Throughout, Tyler balanced the constant intensity with a rawness that was just as gripping. As he served up highlights from Flower Boy, IGOR, and Call Me If You Get Lost, as well as some of early fan favorites, his flow careened from unhinged to precise, his energy vulnerable and chaotic. Whatever character he embodied, the audience responded with the kind of fervour you wouldn’t expect that late into the night, from the tender ‘See You Again’ to rousing sing-alongs like ’EARFQUAKE’ and ‘I THOUGHT YOU WANTED TO DANCE’ that came towards the very end of the show. The connection was palpable, and Tyler embraced it as much as he kept pushing it to another level.
Lizzo has released a new song called ‘Grrrls’, which will appear on her upcoming album Special. It’s produced by Benny Blanco, Blake Slatkin, Ilya, Max Martin, and Pop Wansel. Give it a listen below.
Special is set for release on July 15 via Nice Life/Atlantic. Lizzo announced the album with the single ‘About Damn Time’, which she performed along with the title track on Saturday Night Live.
Joyce Manor have returned with their sixth LP, 40 oz. to Fresno, out now via Epitaph. The follow-up to 2018’s Million Dollars to Kill Me spans 9 tracks and was produced by Rob Schnapf (Elliott Smith, Tokyo Police Club), who also produced the band’s 2006 album Cody. It was mixed by Tony Hoffer (Beck, Phoenix) and features Tony Thaxton of Motion City Soundtrack on drums. “This album makes me think of our early tours, drinking a 40 in the van on a night drive blasting Guided By Voices and smoking cigarettes the whole way to Fresno,” vocalist Barry Johnson said in a statement. The singles ‘Gotta Let It Go’ and ‘Don’t Try’ preceded the record.
Time Bend and Break the Bower is the debut album by Irish singer-songwriter, poet, and performer Sinead O’Brien. Out now via Chess Club Records, it includes the previously released singles ‘There Are Good Times Coming’, ‘Girlkind’, ‘Like Culture’, and ‘Holy Country’. “The story of the album is built up in layers; one song giving context to the next,” O’Brien explained in a statement. “I thought about becoming undressed; testing my ideas, my voice. Working myself out across themes of identity, curiosity, creative process. Experimenting with the form and shape of language, using tone and delivery to get to the immediate centre of what I am saying. The record opens and closes with poems, these tracks have a really clear direction – a form which is set apart from the ‘songs’. I hold stops in different places, moving emphatically through the lyrics, changing the meaning. No punctuation – only the voice mapping out the way.” Read our Artist Spotlight interview with Sinead O’Brien.
Grace Ives has released her new album Janky Star, which follows 2019’s 2nd. Out now via True Panther/Harvest/EMI, the LP was previewed with the singles ‘Loose’, ‘Angel of Business’, and ‘Lullaby’. The Brooklyn-based artist made the record Star with co-producer Justin Raisen in Los Angeles. “Some people go through a version of something called rejection therapy, where they ask for things they simply can’t have,” Ives said in a press release, adding: “Everyone has a shitty star tattoo/stick n poke, that’s never perfect, or is rough around the edges. A beautiful thing to think about is that stars on earth look like blobs but in space really defined structures.”
Shearwater’s first new album in six years, The Great Awakening, has arrived via the band’s own Polyborus label in partnership with Secretly Distribution. Following 2016’s Jet Plane and Oxbow, the LP features the previously shared tracks ‘Xenarthran’, ‘Aqaba’, and ‘Laguna Seca’. “It was nice to not have any ambitions at all of making any kind of radio single or something that was supposed to be conventionally appealing in any way,” singer Jonathan Meibur said in an interview with Under the Radar. “Because we’d crowd-funded the record and we didn’t have a record label, we were beholden to no one really, except for the people who’d funded it. I did want to give them something that they would recognize as being Shearwater in some way and hopefully like. But beyond that, we’re extremely free and I just didn’t care. We tried to make something that we enjoyed and that felt interesting.”
Neneh Cherry has issued The Versions, a new LP featuring reimagined versions of her songs performed by a range of artists who have a personal connection with her music. The 10-track record features collaborations with Sia, ANOHNI, Jamila Woods, Sudan Archives, Kelsey Lu, Honey Dijon, Seinabo Sey, Greentea Peng, and Tyson, as well as Cherry’s version of ‘Buffalo Stance’ with Robyn and Mapei. The album follows 2018’s Broken Politics.
Other albums out today:
Elucid, I Told Bessie; BTS; Proof;The Range, Mercury; Jessie Buckley & Bernard Butler, For All Our Days That Tear The Heart; Steve Reich, Reich/Richter; Sam Gendel, SUPERSTORE; µ-Ziq, Magic Pony Ride; The Dream Syndicate, Ultraviolet Battle Hymns And True Confessions; Yann Tiersen, 11 5 18 2 5 18;Liss, I Guess Nothing Will Be the Same.
Pharrell Williams, Tyler, the Creator, and 21 Savage have teamed up for a new song. It’s called ‘Cash In Cash Out’, and you can listen to it below.
“I knew the track was aggressive, and it doesn’t let up,” Williams said in an interview with Apple Music 1’s Zane Lowe. “So it’s like those are the two. It’s like letting two pit bulls loose. Ravenous. Two ravenous wolves. Tyler went crazy. He had done that verse before he put his last album out.”
Earlier in the week, Williams announced the special guests for his Something in the Water Festival, which include Tyler, the Creator, 21 Savage, Clipse, Justin Timberlake, Q-Tip, SZA, Anderson .Paak & The Free Nationals, J Balvin, Dave Matthews Band, Roddy Ricch, Ozuna, Pusha T, and more. The festival takes place on Juneteenth weekend in Washington, DC.
There is no doubt that we all want to look classy when it comes to attending different events like office parties, club parties, weddings, and other occasions. There is a common perception as people think that wearing expensive branded dresses can make them look good however this is not true. We need to come out of this perception that our overall appearance depends on the price of the dress we wear.
Fashion is always about wearing the outfit that suits you the best and you should feel confident about whatever you wear. In this blog, we have discussed some important suggestions that can help you look classy. So, let’s explore the details:
Know Your Personal Statement
It is crucial to know your personal statement as to whether you like to wear soft shades or bold ones. There is no harm in trying something new that seems the latest fashion trend however keeping your statement in mind is important. For example, if you have a short height, a long maxi with high heels can look perfect.
The body shape also matters a lot as if you have a slim body, it means that you can try any outfit confidently but fat girls need to stay cautious in this matter. So, it will be good if you create a personal statement in which you will always feel confident. Trying new shades of lipstick will be fun so you can try them.
Bold Patterns and Prints
If your age is from fifteen to twenty-nine, wearing bold patterns will make you look cool and you will enjoy the vibe. However, there is no age limit in general for wearing these colors as long as you love wearing them. Bold red and dark blue colors are in trend these days and you can wear a maxi, long coat, or short frock depending on your choice.
However, you can save money by visiting the supersales website where you can buy fashion products at discounted prices. You can find anything you like on the supersales website especially if you are looking for stylish jackets, denim, shoes, or party dresses.
Avoid Being Over Boarded with Accessories
If you want to look decent then you’ll need to skip some accessories like extra chains, rings, or bracelets. These days, one or two items of jewelry are in trend so you can wear earrings with one ring. If you do not have matching earrings, you can go for contrasting ones. Puravida Bracelets has some great fashion accessories to check out.
Light Makeup is Always Recommended
When you are done with the outfit, the next step is to do makeup and it shouldn’t be unnecessarily bright. You should simply apply a concealer on the face for hiding all spots and scars. After applying concealer, you should apply a light base that should be one tone lighter than your complexion.
Later on, you can apply shades on your cheeks and mascara on eyelashes to make them look bigger. It would be better if you avoid shiners and dark lipstick because they can add an over touch to the face. Light makeup adds a natural touch and you will look stunning.
Wear a Watch
You should wear a watch because it adds an elegant touch to the personality. It is up to you which type of watch you like the most, however large dials are in trend these days. If you are wearing a golden dress, you can wear a matching watch with a golden strap or chain.
Style up Your Hair
Hair styling is obviously crucial because, without it, the overall look will be incomplete. Hair styling should be done as per the dress you wear if you are wearing a long maxi, a messy hair bun will look classy with it.
However, if you need to wear a short frock, you can keep the hair open and they will surely enhance the appearance. In short, these are a few suggestions that can help you look perfect at every event.
There are many reasons why people love cannabis products. Some enjoy the psychoactive effects of THC, while others appreciate the medicinal benefits of CBD. Whatever the reason, there is no doubt that marijuana products are becoming increasingly popular around the world. In this blog post, we will explore some of the main reasons why people love cannabis products!
1. Cannabis products provide relief from various medical conditions
To many people, cannabis is more than just a plant that gets you high. It’s also a natural medicine that can provide relief from various medical conditions. For example, cannabis has been shown to be effective in reducing pain and inflammation, as well as nausea and vomiting.
Cannabis products are also said to improve sleep quality and help you rest better. Moreover, at Area52.com you can read more about how THC affects your dreams. And if you’re struggling with mental health issues such as anxiety or depression, cannabis products may be able to help you as well.
Some people even use cannabis to boost their creativity and productivity. So if you’re looking for an alternative treatment option, cannabis is definitely worth considering.
2. Cannabis products are non-addictive and do not produce harmful side effects
If you’re looking for an all-natural way to relax and enjoy yourself, cannabis products are a great option. Unlike some other substances, marijuana is non-addictive and doesn’t produce harmful side effects. This makes it a safe choice for those who want to enjoy its benefits without having to worry about becoming addicted or experiencing negative health effects.
Cannabis products are also popular because they offer a wide range of benefits. For example, marijuana can help to relieve pain, reduce anxiety, and improve your sleep. Additionally, cannabis products can be used in a variety of ways, so you can find the method that works best for you. Whether you prefer to smoke, vape, or use edibles, there’s a cannabis product that’s right for you.
3. Cannabis products come in many forms, including edibles, tinctures, topicals, and concentrates
When it comes to consuming cannabis, there are many different options. You can eat it in the form of an edible, drink it as a tincture, apply it topically, or smoke/vape it. No matter how you consume cannabis, you’re bound to enjoy the experience.
Cannabis edibles are becoming increasingly popular because they offer a more subtle high. Tinctures are also gaining in popularity because they’re easy to dose and offer a long-lasting high. Topicals are perfect for those who want the medicinal benefits of cannabis without experiencing any psychoactive effects. And finally, concentrates are perfect for those who want a powerful high that only lasts for a short period of time.
4. Cannabis products are affordable and can be purchased from dispensaries or online retailers
What’s not to love about affordable cannabis products? You don’t have to spend a lot of money to enjoy the benefits of marijuana. In fact, many people find that cannabis is more affordable than other forms of medication.
Plus, with the legalization of recreational marijuana in some states, it’s easier than ever to purchase cannabis products. You can even buy and grow cannabis seeds for home cultivation purposes. Zamnesia Seedshop offers almost a mind-blowing selection to choose from.!
Lastly, the main reasons people love cannabis products are because of the many benefits they offer. Cannabis products can help with a variety of issues such as pain relief, anxiety, and insomnia. They are also non-addictive and have very few side effects. If you are considering trying cannabis products, be sure to do your research and talk to your doctor first. Good luck!
Primavera a la Ciutat, the week-long series of events that takes place between the two weekends of Primavera Sound 2022 (plus the welcome day on June 1), might as well be its own festival. With around 200 performances hosted across multiple venues in Barcelona, it’s a great chance to see bands you might have to miss during the main event, particularly given the schedule conflicts that often arise, or those that aren’t scheduled to perform at Parc del Fòrum. It’s not as easy as walking over from one stage to another, though. Even with priority tickets, and depending on how organized each venue is, finding the right queue (let alone getting in) proved complicated. I can’t imagine what it would be like to try to go from venue to venue on the same night.
Although there were artists I wish I could have caught – Fenne Lily, Kero Kero Bonito, Jehnny Beth, Penelope Isles, Erika de Casier, Yasmin Williams, Philip Sherburne – I’m happy with the venues I picked for each day. For me, Primavera a la Ciutat was a one-of-a-kind opportunity to see artists I’ve interviewed live for the first time, in a setting that was often less chaotic and more intimate. The pairings of notable Artist Spotlight alumni seemed almost tailor-made to suit my tastes: Cassandra Jenkins and Sinead O’Brien! Pom Pom Squad and Magdalena Bay! King Hannah and Los Bitchos! (Okay, that last one makes sense – they’re on the same label.) They all delivered very different kinds of performances, but none left me disappointed. Here were some memorable moments from this year’s Primavera a la Ciutat.
Taking a Deep Breath With Cassandra Jenkins
Credit: Jen Steele
Over the past month, I’ve started taking to meditation. A lot of what they say about it is true: it’s a wonderful way of tuning in to your surroundings, becoming more aware of the rhythms of your body, and accepting reality as it is. I’ve learned that it’s not about eliminating fear or stress, but rather steadying yourself in the present. Yet one aspect I don’t often hear much about is that, more than a solitary form of contemplation, it can also be a unique kind of dialogue – be it with an instructor, who might just be a voice in an app, or a part of yourself you previously didn’t have access to. Either way, it’s a challenge to give yourself over, to quote Cassandra Jenkins’ ‘Crosshairs’, to “someone entirely strange.”
Ever since its release last year, the New York singer-songwriter’s excellent album An Overview on Phenomenal Nature has had a deeply calming effect on me, but now the word “meditative” means something more. On the first stop of her European tour, Jenkins translated that quality effortlessly to the stage. Even if not every person was all that familiar with her music (likely) or didn’t end up being swayed by it (unlikely), her rapport with the audience was immediate and warm. “Where are you from?” she asked after opening with ‘American Spirits’, and simply cheering felt awkward – just like that, the show had become a conversation. After playing ‘New Bikini’, a song about the healing power of water, she turned the subject to swimming in Barcelona. (A bit later, she uttered the word “water” after taking a sip from her bottle, and some brave person lept at the chance: “It cures everything!”) She explained that ‘Hailey’ was inspired by a friend who posted a hot photo on Instagram, then asked if anyone in the audience was named ‘Hailey’. “This song is for you if you’re being shy about it,” she said (also likely).
Though minimalist, her album utilizes a range of gorgeous instrumentation to create a dreamlike soundscape; I was curious to see how it would work with a three-piece band. The structure and presentation of the songs made up for part of that gap: short waves of ambiance seeped in between songs, while voice recordings filled out the space between others. She played her “first-ever guitar solo” during ‘Michelangelo’, sped up ‘Hailey’, and debuted a new track that sounded more raucous and driving than the rest. She stretched her vocals a bit more in subtly mesmerizing ways.
But if part of Jenkins’ performance was about bringing herself and everyone else in the room on the same level, the two most breathtaking moments transcended that connection: a hauntingly beautiful rendition of ‘Ambiguous Norway’, for which she experimented with a half-moon tambourine, and the unifying closer ‘Hard Drive’. Her saying “Get the tears out” felt less like an instruction than a friendly warning; after the final 1, 2, 3, I was one of the several people who did. Maybe she saw them too. But after she walked off the stage, I also saw one group of friends turn to each other, gushing about how moved they were. Pretty strange.
Sinead O’Brien Bends Time
Credit: Chloe le Drezen
Cassandra Jenkins and Sinead O’Brien’s approach to sound, poetry, and performance are vastly different, but they both attend to each of those elements in a way that made for a dynamic pairing at the Sidecar on Monday night. If the flow of Jenkins’ set mirrored the rise and fall of a breath, O’Brien’s was more like the tightening of the chest or the clenching of a fist: all tension. Her tangled words clung like wire to guitarist Julian Hanson and drummer Oscar Robertson’s driving post-punk grooves, and even with her right there on the stage, it wasn’t any easier to make meaning out of them, or to boil them down to a single feeling – fury? confidence? hope? – than hearing them through headphones.
If there was a wall between her and the audience, though, O’Brien wasn’t afraid to break it. “It’s nice to play songs from the album [Time Bend and Break the Bower, out Friday],” she said, before correcting herself: “Come on, it’s not nice. It’s amazing!” Despite her almost nonchalant stage present, she delivered her songs with a fierce intensity and focus that clearly captivated the audience, thanks in part to their strong, sticky hooks. “The future of Irish music!” one guy exclaimed, and O’Brien graciously allowed him to repeat it through the mic. Then, as if to prove his point, closed out with a performance with the most danceable, euphoric track on the LP, ‘Like Culture’. As she walked off the stage, you were left wondering where the time went.
Hell Yeah for King Hannah
I have seen dozens of shows at Primavera so far, but King Hannah’s set had more guitar solos in it than all of them combined. (Granted, I haven’t gone to any of the King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard shows.) The Liverpool duo are known for the swampy, ominous brand of alt-rock showcased on their captivating debut I’m Not Sorry, I Was Just Being Me, and though they could make an impact through mood alone, they put their focus is on dynamics – and that really made their songs explode at La (2) de Apolo on Tuesday night. At times, Craig Whittle’s guitar sounded like a solar flare; at others, and often within the same song, it was more like the center of the sun. He’s not the kind of guitarist who’ll trust his gut and churn out a guitar solo just for fun; each one was delivered with almost pointillist precision.
That kind of attention to detail was impossible to ignore and seeped into every part of King Hannah’s performance. Though Hannah Merrick’s vocals rarely rose above a smoky whisper, they were mesmerizing and textured, each inflection studied but no less strange and evocative. She said no words except to greet the audience, and even that felt like breaking the fourth wall – anything more would probably ruin the experience. But, joined by a bassist who was full of energy and a drummer who effectively recreated the album’s slow-burning grooves, King Hannah gave a riveting performance just being themselves.
Their sense of humour came through on the LP’s title track, as did their natural chemistry, which was evident even though they barely made eye contact; when the desert echo of Whittle’s guitar met Merrick’s voice, the effect was spellbinding. The “hell yeah” refrain on ‘Go-Kart Kid’ led to the biggest release of the set, but closing with the heartfelt ‘It’s You and Me, Kid’ and making it hit even harder was the right choice. King Hannah’s music has been compared to PJ Harvey and Nick Cave, both of whom have headlined Primavera; watching them live, I couldn’t help but imagine them one day taking the main stage, too.
Los Bitchos Throw a Fiesta
Credit: Clara Orozco
When Los Bitchos named their debut album Let the Festivities Begin!, they meant it in a pretty straightforward way. You could go on about how the London band’s music is a unique blend of sounds from around the globe – Turkish psych, Latin American cumbia, Peruvian chicha – but at the end of the day, it’s supposed to be fun. So of course people were excited when they came onto the stage, dancing and jumping around with every song and time signature shift – it’s the kind of party where everyone’s invited. While the album is festive but maintains a pretty laid-back, almost polished vibe, Los Bitchos really ramped up the energy for the live show, simply by kicking up the distortion, punching up the bass (which sounded especially sick), and running through each section at a slightly quicker pace. Serra Petale offered a bit of background on songs like ‘Lindsey Goes to Mykonos’ and ‘I Enjoy It’ – a song about a night out at a trap club in Uruguay, whose chorus became “Come to Primavera!” – but for the most part let the imagination run wild. Los Bitchos’ mostly instrumental music is the kind you can set a movie to, but their show was an exuberant party all about the here and now.
Cheering for Pom Pom Squad
Credit: Christian Bertrand
Pom Pom Squad could have opened their live show with the haunting, ‘Mr. Sandman’-esque bell tones that open their debut album, but as the first act to play at Poble Espanyol on Wednesday, the band immediately charged into the brutally self-empowering ‘Lux’, both the punkiest and most compelling song on Death of a Cheerleader. It was a significant performance for Mia Berrin and her band; they were playing their biggest crowd yet. “Who’s excited for Phoenix?” she said at one point. “I went to see them in how high school with my mom. And now I’m here.”
That excitement infused every part of her performance, which maintained the playfulness and camp aesthetic that permeates the album while cutting back on its ’60s pop stylings and cinematic presentation. At the same time, the band doubled down on the raw, infectious energy of their music, which shined through on highlights like ‘Head Cheerleader’ and ‘Cake’. The vulnerability of Berrin’s songwriting was amplified, too, particularly when she ran through some of her earlier songs, including Ow‘s crushing ‘Heavy Heavy’, which ended with an ear-piercing scream. When she introduced the final song by saying it’s kind of a sing-along, I was fully expecting the dramatic ‘Crying’, the one single from the album they hadn’t yet showcased. Instead, they delivered a powerful rendition of ‘Until It Stops’, which came out a few months after the LP. People might have been surprised to find themselves singing such morbid lines as “You’re only laughing ’til you cry/ You’re only living ’til you die” after being promised a party, but that’s the Pom Pom Squad way – you cheer, you think about death, and then you cheer again.
Magdalena Bay Lose Control
Credit: Christian Bertrand
Given the conceptual nature of Magdalena Bay’s debut album, Mercurial World, I assume a lot of theoretical questions came up when figuring out how to channel the duo’s seemingly endless DIY world in a live setting. Perhaps the most obvious one: Where do we start? Or, How do go about communicating the incomprehensible nature of time in the span of 40 minutes? There are also, of course, many technical considerations that come into play, and that includes sound quality. This was an issue for them on Wednesday. When Mica Tenenbaum started singing ‘Dawning of the Season’ through her headset mic – clearly a nod to the 2000s pop star aesthetic – it didn’t work, and neither did the microphone she then picked up from the stand. Not for a second, not for a verse, but for the entirety of the first song and most of ‘Secrets (Your Fire)’. (The fans helped out with that one, because “everybody needs a little help from time to time.”) It was frustrating. But when sound suddenly lept out of that mic, Tenenbaum and the whole audience beamed with joy, like a butterfly suddenly bursting from its cocoon. The surprise factor alone was enough to boost the energy of the performance.
It still didn’t sound perfect. Tenenbaum’s vocals were too low in the mix, and the bass was deafeningly loud. (This wasn’t only a problem during their set.) Mercurial World is one of the most immaculately produced albums of 2021, and I have no doubt the group put great care and attention into their live show. If anything, the sound issues highlighted how immersive and interactive their Y2K-inspired visuals are – few acts even attempt anything close to that nowadays. Even if you couldn’t hear her saturated vocals on ‘Follow the Leader’, the bunny headpiece Tenenbaum wore evoked the eerily robotic aesthetic in a way the song alone couldn’t. With Magdalena Bay, it’s always one foot in the past, one foot in the future.
‘Chaeri’ was the undeniable standout of the performance. Listening to the song on the way to the venue, I was reminded just how emotional it is. It’s no surprise it resonated so much with the audience, who were singing along way before Tenenbaum guided them through the last part: “3, 4, down to the floor/ Lose control/ A little more.” By this point, Magdalena Bay had almost fully regained control, and ‘Chaeri’ moved me like no other time. It might seem strange to pick their performance as one of the highlights of the night, given that more established acts like Khruangbin, Ride, and Phoenix all delivered solid sets that I’m sure left no fan unsatisfied. Of course they did – they’ve done this a hundred times before. But Magdalena Bay (like Pom Pom Squad before them) had something to prove, and they almost missed their shot. But at the end of the day – or maybe the beginning? – they really came alive.
Big Thief have cancelled their two upcoming shows in Israel. Last week, the band announced two concerts in Tel Aviv on July 6 and 7 along with a statement originally posted in 2020, when the shows were supposed to happen, explaining that they wanted to play in Tel Aviv because it was bassist Max Oleartchik’s hometown.
“We are well aware of the cultural aspect of the BDS movement and the desperate reality of the Palestinian people,” the band wrote. “In terms of where we fit into the boycott, we don’t claim to know where the moral high ground lies and we want to remain open to other people’s perspectives and to love beyond disagreement. We understand the inherently political nature of playing there as well as the implications. Our intention is not to diminish the values of those who support the boycott or to turn a blind eye to those suffering. We are striving to be in the spirit of learning.”
After receiving considerable backlash online, the band has now said their decision to cancel the performances stems from having “constant dialogue with friends, family, BDS supporters and allies, Palestinians, and Israeli citizens who are committed to the fight for justice for Palestinians.” Clarifying their original statement, they explained: “When we spoke of loving ‘beyond disagreement’ and not knowing ‘where the moral high ground lies,’ that was in specific reference to playing shows in Israel during a time when BDS is calling for a cultural boycott. This was not in reference to the Israeli occupation and the displacement of Palestinians.”
“Our intent in wanting to play the shows in Tel Aviv, where Max was born, raised, and currently lives, stemmed from a simple belief that music can heal,” they continued. “We now recognize that the shows we had booked do not honor that sentiment. We are sorry to those we hurt with the recklessness and naïveté of our original statement on playing Israel and we hope those who were planning to attend the shows understand our choice to cancel them.” Find the full statement below.
Barby, the Tel Aviv where Big Thief had been scheduled to perform, addressed the in a statement calling the band “cowards” and “spineless musicians who are afraid of their own shadow” (via The Observatorial).
Joyce Manor have returned with their sixth LP, 
Grace Ives has released her new album 
Shearwater’s first new album in six years, 
Neneh Cherry has issued 
