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The cultural impact of football on modern gaming

Our Culture Mag & Partners
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The cultural impact of football on modern gaming

Football stands out as a powerful force that unites people across continents, yet its global impact and unification now extend well beyond stadiums and team jerseys. Today, the digital landscape is alive with games inspired by football culture and fandom, blending the thrill of sport with the electrifying world of online casinos. Among these innovations, penalty unlimited illustrates how football’s core mechanics are transforming online gaming, especially in spaces where adrenaline and rapid decision-making reign supreme.

This blend of high-energy sports themes, interactive betting, and instant rewards does more than captivate long-time fans—it draws in a diverse mix of casual and competitive players. Discover how football shapes online gaming culture, exploring why tournaments, penalties, and dynamic rewards continue to inspire virtual gameplay and foster intense player engagement.

How football mechanics shape the modern gaming experience

The unmistakable elements of football—penalties, crosses, tackles, and dramatic tournament finishes—have become central inspirations for both game design and video casino experiences. Game developers draw from realistic football mechanics to craft immersive digital environments that satisfy those seeking strategy alongside spectacle.

In online casinos, penalty-themed games like the game Penalty Unlimited bring the thrilling tension of decisive match moments straight to players’ screens. These games demand quick reflexes and split-second decision-making under pressure, closely replicating the excitement of real-life penalty shootouts that football fans love. In each round, luck combines with skill, creating suspenseful gameplay and the constant possibility of victory.

Why do penalties thrive in fast-paced casino gameplay ?

Penalty shootouts exist at the crossroads of luck and mastery, embodying the broader trend in football of merging athletic prowess with mental agility. For those drawn to skill-based and strategic gameplay, recreating penalty scenarios means rewarding sharp instincts and quick thinking. Every shot carries weight, building anticipation even when matches last mere seconds.

Casino platforms naturally favor concise, thrilling sessions. Incorporating penalties leverages football’s universally recognized drama, allowing both newcomers and experienced players to engage without steep learning curves. This mechanic builds momentum and deepens fan engagement through repeated moments of victory or near-miss.

How do tournaments and competitive play amplify excitement ?

Online tournaments have embraced the competitive spirit found in football’s greatest championships. These leagues mirror traditional brackets, pitting skilled participants against one another in mini-games that echo the knockout stages of major cups. Players compete for leaderboards, badges, or cash prizes—each round reflecting the journey to glory pursued by legendary clubs and athletes.

Tournament structures foster a sense of community among participants, capturing the social aspect of football culture within digital spaces. Supporters rally behind avatars and strategies, much like fans cheer for their favorite teams. The popularization of players and clubs extends into the leaderboard, generating ongoing storylines, rivalries, and opportunities for spirited interaction.

Exploring trends : why do sports-themed games captivate such varied audiences ?

The boundary between watching football and participating blurs when game designers infuse authentic mechanics and motifs from sports into casino settings. As the cultural phenomenon of football endures, its power to attract a wide audience is renewed through accessible, interactive features and rewarding gameplay loops present in digital arcades worldwide.

Several trends explain this growing appeal. Interactive betting, instant feedback via rewards, and the surge of high-adrenaline action cater to nearly every play style—from risk-takers chasing quick outcomes to strategists savoring calculated moves.

Interactive betting and immediate gratification set the pace

Today’s tech-savvy participants crave constant stimulation and feedback, a desire satisfied by instant reward systems built into sports-inspired casino titles. Whether spinning a wheel or taking a shot during penalties, results appear immediately, creating a loop that heightens excitement and encourages repeat play.

Dynamic wagering in real time channels the unpredictability of live matches. Those who enjoy adapting on the fly find extra depth and immersion, reminiscent of actual sporting arenas.

Appealing to both casual and competitive spirits

Football’s universal rules and widespread reach make it accessible to all. In games like penalty unlimited, designers ensure controls are quickly understood, even by individuals unfamiliar with complex gaming systems. Simple mechanics offer an inviting introduction, removing barriers for new users.

For those with a competitive edge, there are ample opportunities to master timing, refine strategies, and climb public leaderboards. This dual approach promotes growth and replayability, attracting the full spectrum of personalities seen in the global sporting community.

  • Quick-access play modes replicate the swift decisions made during real matches.
  • Skill-based bonuses entice expert and motivated gamers to return regularly.
  • Tournament ladders encourage consistent participation and long-term involvement.
  • Immersive visuals and soundtracks recreate the energy of stadiums for added authenticity.
  • Ongoing events build anticipation and reinforce shared goals within fan communities.

The lasting influence of football on online gaming culture

Worldwide, football continues to serve as both inspiration for online casino and video games and as a symbol of cultural unity. Its traditions and unforgettable moments seamlessly transition into engaging digital content, keeping established supporters invested while welcoming newcomers.

As gaming platforms evolve, expect ongoing innovation in leveraging football themes : smarter AI, deeper personalization, and greater integration of the social rituals associated with matches and tournaments. Supported by passionate communities and creative adaptations, this partnership will only strengthen, ensuring that football’s global impact and unifying spirit remain influential throughout the digital age.

Tame Impala Shares Video for New Song ‘Dracula’

Konstantinos Pappis
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Tame Impala Shares Video for New Song ‘Dracula’

Tame Impala has dropped a new single called ‘Dracula’, the latest preview of his forthcoming album Deadbeat. “The night is almost over, I still don’t know where you are The shadows, yeah, they keep me pretty like a movie star/ Daylight makes me feel like Dracula,” Kevin Parker sings on the bouncy, eerily cinematic track, which comes with a music video directed by Julian Klincewicz. Check it out below.

In addition to the new single, which follows previous cuts ‘End of Summer’ and ‘Loser’, Tame Impala has detailed a UK and European tour for 2026. Find those tour dates below, too.

 

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10 Albums Out Today to Listen To: Geese, Cate Le Bon, Jeff Tweedy, and More

Konstantinos Pappis
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10 Albums Out Today to Listen To: Geese, Cate Le Bon, Jeff Tweedy, and More

In this segment, we showcase the most notable albums out each week. Here are the albums out on September 26, 2025:

Geese, Getting Killed

Getting Killed album coverWhile listening to Geese’s revelatory new album, Getting Killed, I kept thinking about Leonard Cohen’s assertion that “there’s something arrogant and warlike about putting the world in order.” The record wastes no time pointing to the carnage all around while spending most of it in a fervid, ludicrous freefall that fills the gaps between the bizarre chaos of 2023’s 3D Country and Cameron Winter’s solo album Heavy Metal. It rides a car with a bomb in it, becomes the car, becomes the road going nowhere. The fact that its lawlessness feels so graceful makes it one of the best records of the year. Read the full review.

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Cate Le Bon, Michelangelo Dying

CateLeBonLPSlv-Michelangelo Dying requires patient listening, but like most of Cate Le Bon’s most albums, it has a strangely restorative effect. Its glacial pace is soothing, letting its aqueous textures unfurl underneath Le Bon’s tender voice. “I’ve made the panic of impermanence matter,” she sings on the more fast-paced ‘Body as a River’, succumbing to the waves of grief and making it feel worth the journey. Le Bon made the album with collaborator Samur Khouja, explaining, “Thereʼs this idea that you could do everything yourself, but the value of having someone you completely trust, as I do Samur, be your co-pilot allows you to get completely lost knowing youʼll get pulled back in at the right moment. We have come to quietly move as one in the studio.”

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Jeff Tweedy, Twilight Override

Twilight OverrideJeff Tweedy’s eclecticism shines through his sprawling new solo album, Twilight Override. Spanning 30 tracks, the triple record features contributions from Sima Cunningham, James Elkington, Liam Kazar, Macie Stewart, and his sons Sammy and Spencer Tweedy. “When you choose to do creative things, you align yourself with something that other people call God,” Tweedy reflected. “And when you align yourself with creation, you inherently take a side against destruction. You’re on the side of creation. And that does a lot to quell the impulse to destroy. Creativity eats darkness.” He added: “Sort of an endless buffet these days—a bottomless basket of rock bottom. Which is, I guess, why I’ve been making so much stuff lately. That sense of decline is hard to ignore, and it must be at least a part of the shroud I’m trying to unwrap. The twilight of an empire seems like a good enough jumping-off point when one is jumping into the abyss.”

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Doja Cat, Vie

Vie album coverDoja Cat’s fifth studio album, Vie, has arrived via Kemosabe and RCA Records. Recorded over a period of three years at France’s Miraval Studios, the record was led by the August single  ‘Jealous Type’. Steeped in ’80s influences, the “pop-driven project,” as Doja Cat described it in an interview with V magazine, is centered around love. “This album is very much about love in a way that reflects how I want it to be in the future — my hope, my hopefulness. What I hope it could be,” she said. “Because I remember there was a time when people were talking about wanting to be with each other, and it seems to have gotten a bit more vapid and just sort of like, not real … Not loving, not romantic.”

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Neko Case, Neon Grey Midnight Green

neon grey midnight greenVibrant, expansive, and deeply compelling, Neon Grey Midnight Green is Neko Case’s first solo LP since 2018’s Hell-O. She primarily recorded it at her own Vermont studio, Carnassial Sound, with additional sessions in Denver, Colorado with the PlainsSong Chambe Orchestra and in Portland, Oregon with Tucker Martine. “There are so few producers who are women, nonbinary, or trans,” Case said. “People don’t think of us as an option. I’m proud to say I produced this record. It is my vision. It is my veto power. It is my taste.”

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Emily Yacina, Veilfall 

Veilfall art by Ben StyerAround the time that Emily Yacina was making her latest album, Veilfall, she was hosting “death-themed salons in an LA bookstore, during which strangers are encouraged to open up about their experiences with death and how it affects their lives.” (For some context, read our 2022 interview Death, Intimacy, and All the Things.) This openness extended to the collaborative nature of the LP, which features producers Charlie Brand (Miniature Tigers) and Jonnie Baker (Florist), Gia Margaret, Oliver Hill (Coco), and Cameron Wisch (Porches). Yacina tackles mortality with graceful vulnerability – “Death laughs at denial and pours it back into the earth/ Know I’ll be thinking of your smile when I’m crawling through the dirt,” she sings on ‘Clarity’ – resulting in a set of songs that are way more than just melancholic.

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Sprints, All That Is Over

All That Is Over SPRINTS album coverSprints have followed up their 2024 debut Letter to Self with a feverish new album called All That Is Over. The band’s sophomore LP was written and recorded while the band was still on a hectic schedule off the success of their first album. “There was just so much happening and so much to process,” Karla Chubb reflected. “I was going through a big breakup with my partner who I’d been with for eight years, Colm had left the band, we’d really progressed into being professional musicians, and I was at the start of a new relationship. But then you’d look outside, and it’s like the world has never been uglier. I was writing every day because there was so much going on.”

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Amanda Shires, Nobody’s Girl

nobody's girlAmanda Shires is back with Nobody’s Girl, marking her first album since her divorce from Jason Isbell. “Nobody’s Girl is what came after the wreckage, the silence, the rebuilding,” the Nashville singer-songwriter said in a press release. “It’s about standing in the aftermath of a life you thought would last forever and realizing no one is coming to save you.” As disarmingly personal as it is beautiful, the album was record in Los Angeles and Nashville with Lawrence Rothman, Fred Eltringham, Jimbo Hart, Joe Kennedy, Julian Dorio, Dominic Davis, and Zach Setchfiel.

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Robert Plant, Saving Grace

Saving Grace album coverRobert Plant has released a new album, Saving Grace, his first LP since the 2021 Alison Krauss collaboration Raise the Roof. Led by a cover of Low’s ‘Everybody’s Song’, the album also features renditions of songs by artists such as Memphis Minnie, Moby Grape, Blind Willie Johnson, The Low Anthem, Martha Scanlan, and Sarah Siskind. Plant produced the album and recorded it with a band that features vocalist Suzi Dian, drummer Oli Jefferson, guitarist Tony Kelsey, banjo and string player Matt Worley, and cellist Barney Morse-Brown.

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crushed, no scope 

'no scope' album artworkcrushed – the duo of Temple Of Angels’ Bre Morrell and Weekend’s Shaun Durka – expand their blurry, sugary strain of dream pop on their debut album, no scope. Leaning into the poppier tendencies of their 2023 extra life EP, they enlisted Jorge Elbrecht (Japanese Breakfast, Weyes Blood, Hatchie) to round and flesh out the songs, magnifying the feelings of loneliness and malaise underneath. “‘Cwtch’ is a Welsh word meaning an embrace with a sense of offering warmth and safety, a safe place,” Durkan said of the poignant early single. “I wrote the song during a period where I was really struggling to ‘live life on life’s terms’. A time when learning new ways of coping with difficult feelings felt like an enormous challenge, and returning to self destruction sounded like returning home.”

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Other albums out today:

Mariah Carey, Here For It All; Olivia Dean, The Art Of Loving; Tom Skinner, Kaleidoscopic Visions; Joy Crookes, Juniper; Young Thug, UY Scuti; White Reaper, Only Slightly Empty; Bitchin Bajas, Inland See; Sydney Sprague, Peak Experience; Sam Prekop, Open Close; Fred Armisen, 100 Sound Effects; Piotr Kurek, Songs and Bodies; M. Sage, Tender / Wading; Purity Ring, Purity Ring; Coach Party, Caramel; glaive, Y’ALL; Sloan, Based on the Best Seller; Piotr Kurek, Songs and Bodies; Fani Konstantinidou, Undertones; Rosa Anschütz, Sabbatical; Hatis Noit, Aura Reworks; cheryl e. leonard, near the bear; Xexa, Kissom; Daffo, Where the Earth Bends; Night Tapes, portals // polarities; Rochelle Jordan, Through the Wall; Robert Lax, Living in the present; Molly Grace, Blush; Donny McCaslin, Lullaby for the Lost.

Ice Spice Shares New Single ‘Baddie Baddie’

Konstantinos Pappis
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Ice Spice Shares New Single ‘Baddie Baddie’

Ice Spice has returned with a new single, ‘Baddie Baddie’. The pounding track was produced by the longtime collaborator RiotUSA and samples M.I.A.’s 2012 hit ‘Bad Girls’. Listen to it below.

Billed as the beginning of a new era, ‘Baddie Baddie’ marks Ice Spice’s first solo release since Y2K!: I’m Just A Girl (Deluxe). Earlier this year, the rapper made her film debut in Spike Lee’s Highest 2 Lowest.

FKA twigs Releases New Single ‘cheap hotel’

Konstantinos Pappis
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FKA twigs Releases New Single ‘cheap hotel’

FKA twigs has confirmed that EUSEXUA Afterglow, which is not a deluxe edition of January’s EUSEXUA, will be released on November 14. today, twigs has shared the ethereal, shapeshifting first single from the sequel, ‘cheap hotel’, alongside a Jordan Hemingway-directed music video featuring the Clermont Twins. Check it out below.

The Best Music Festival Brands for Ravers Who Want to Rep EDM Culture to the Max

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The Best Music Festival Brands for Ravers Who Want to Rep EDM Culture to the Max

From dusty dancefloors to midnight light shows, festival fashion isn’t just about what you wear, it’s about what you stand for. In a world where music is more than a sound and style is more than a trend, the right gear can say everything without saying a word.

Whether you’re stomping rail-side at a bass-heavy drop or gliding through psychedelic dreamscapes, what you wear to a festival is a part of your identity.

As Armin van Buuren once said, “In the end, music remains our only constant in this world of chaos.” For the EDM faithful, repping the culture goes beyond playlists and party nights; it’s a lifestyle. These festival fashion brands bring that vibe to life, each in their own unique way. Some get close. One gets it right.

Here’s a rundown of the best music festival brands for ravers who want to represent EDM culture to the absolute max.

1. Scummy Bears: The Only Choice for Ravers Who Live Loud

If EDM is your heartbeat and festival grounds are your second home, Scummy Bears should be your first stop. This isn’t just a brand. It’s a movement.

Born from bass created for all, Scummy Bears is everything rave culture stands for: defiance, energy, and unapologetic self-expression. Since emerging from the underground in 2016, this brand has been serving up alt fashion that actually represents the crowd, not the mainstream. Think goth grit meets neon chaos, with just the right splash of absurdity.

Their drops go far beyond surface-level aesthetics. With official collaborations with artists like Sullivan King, Kompany, and Midnight T, each collection is infused with artist-driven authenticity. From pashminas wide enough to double as blankets (and soft enough to rub your face in) to mesh tops, cloaks, bodysuits, jerseys, and more, this brand doesn’t miss.

Why Ravers Love Scummy Bears:

  • Premium fabrics with unisex, body-diverse fits that actually feel good.
  • Artist collabs that hit harder than the mainstage bass.
  • Pashminas are so wide and soft, they might replace your comfort blanket.
  • Edgy, alt-inspired graphics that never water down the vibe.
  • A community-first identity that embraces everyone, no gatekeeping here.

From dubstep pits to gogo glam, Scummy Bears is what you wear when you want to be the rave, not just attend it. If Daft Punk was right when they said, “Music is the soundtrack of your life,” this is the uniform for it.

2. Culture Kings: Streetwear With Festival Flair

Culture Kings is no stranger to the music scene. Best known for their streetwear roots, they’ve become a go-to for festival-goers who want bold, mainstream-friendly looks with a touch of rave-ready energy. Their drops often draw from psychedelic visuals, vintage aesthetics, and oversized silhouettes that mirror the loose, expressive nature of music festivals.

There’s no denying that Culture Kings pieces photograph well, especially under festival lighting. They offer a wide selection of vibrant fits, and their brand is popular among those who want to blend in with today’s urban-trendy aesthetic.

That said, they tend to lean more fashion-first than culture-deep. If you’re someone who “feels the energy,” as Skrillex puts it, but still prefers a TikTok-approved look, Culture Kings fits that middle ground.

3. iEDM: The Conscious Raver’s Choice

Dedicated solely to rave and EDM fashion, iEDM hits all the right notes for fans who care about the bigger picture. Their collections are handcrafted and eco-friendly, offering everything from trippy hoodies and kaleidoscopic sets to sustainable accessories that nod to underground ideals.

One of their standout points is their artist collaboration model. Unlike mass-manufactured brands, iEDM ensures that its partner creators are directly supported. This makes them a fan favorite for ravers who want their dollars to mean something.

That said, while their catalog is extensive, many of their visuals play heavily on classic rave tropes, meaning you’ll find plenty of psychedelic fractals, glow-in-the-dark details, and neon galaxy themes. It works, but it doesn’t necessarily surprise.

Still, if sustainability is your jam and you want wearable art that speaks to the EDM soul, iEDM gets a respectful nod.

4. Suspex Rave Wear: Small-Batch Style With a Conscience

Suspex is a lesser-known gem, but one that’s carving its place in the ravewear universe. This small, sustainability-forward brand specializes in exclusive, limited-run festival fashion. Think bold bodysuits, cutout tops, tie skirts, and reimagined silhouettes that blur the lines between functional and fierce.

They shine most when it comes to inclusivity and ethical production. Their values resonate deeply with the conscious corner of the rave scene, those who want their fashion to mirror their morals.

While their catalog is smaller than the rest, the pieces are crafted with care. Expect innovation over quantity. Their designs are edgy, though often less loud in print compared to larger brands. If you’re into one-of-a-kind looks that align with a mindful ethos, Suspex is worth checking out.

Conclusion: Wear the Music, Don’t Just Hear It

EDM isn’t just sound, it’s energy, identity, and rebellion wrapped in basslines and strobes. The brands you choose to wear can either echo the chaos of that world or mute it down.

Some brands ride the wave of EDM culture. Others create the wave.

Scummy Bears stands out not just for what they make, but for why they make it. They’re not trying to translate EDM into fashion; they’re speaking its native tongue. From their official artist collabs to their boundary-breaking silhouettes and unfiltered attitude, this brand lives where the beat drops hardest.

So if you’re ready to wear your culture like a second skin, the choice is obvious. Throw on your jersey, wrap up in that ridiculously soft pashmina, and hit the floor. The scene doesn’t start when the DJ plays; it starts when you show up.

Alix Holloway Celebrates Five-Year Anniversary of AH Arts Gallery in New York

Abbie Wilson
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Alix Holloway Celebrates Five-Year Anniversary of AH Arts Gallery in New York

AH Arts, the fine art gallery and full-service advisory firm in New York City founded by Alix Holloway, is celebrating its five-year anniversary this year with an exhibition opening in November. 

Since its inception in 2020, AH Arts has established itself for its expertise, integrity, and transparency, helping art collectors navigate the complex world of Modern, Post-War, and Contemporary Art. Specializing in a bespoke curated approach, AH Arts functions as both a trusted art advisor and a private secondary market dealer. The firm’s core mission is to source the right works for each client and offer them at the best price, a process rooted in deep listening to client interests and leveraging scholarly expertise. 

“Our aim is to be your most trusted and approachable resource in the industry,” says AH Arts founder, Alix Holloway. “From presentations of curated selections to extensive market analysis and targeted strategic planning, everything we do is designed to help you navigate the art world – not only when buying and selling artwork, but also by providing the ongoing support that ensures your collection maintains lasting value while in your care.” 

Holloway, whose career spans almost two decades in the secondary market, notably at the renowned James Goodman Gallery, brings a rare blend of deep art historical knowledge, keen market insights, and established relationships. She is particularly adept at “uncovering hidden gems” – sourcing long sought-after works of art and skillfully negotiating on behalf of clients. Her impressive track record includes navigating transactions for works by major artists from a 1932 Picasso painting to de Koonings and Lichtensteins, to Kusama Infinity Net paintings. A graduate of New York University with a master’s degree in visual arts administration, Holloway’s commitment to integrity and professionalism safeguards collectors. AH Arts performs thorough market analysis and due diligence, illuminating an otherwise opaque industry to guide, educate, and protect clients for a meaningful and enjoyable collecting experience. 

In an increasingly digital world, AH Arts champions the irreplaceable value of seeing a work of art in person and the power of one-on-one connection with a trusted advocate. Holloway speaks to Our Culture Mag about her unique exhibition program, relationship building in the art world, and creating enjoyable art collecting experiences that meet the needs of our time.

What prompted you to start AH Arts after your tenure at the James Goodman Gallery?

Alix Holloway: James Goodman was an incredible mentor and believed in supporting young art dealers. I spent 10 years at the gallery; it was a small family business and when he passed away at 90 years old in 2019, the plan was always to close. We spent 2020 methodically winding down operations. With his family’s and his estate’s full support, I began a new chapter from this historic program. The gallery wrote letters (printed and mailed letters) to all our clients encouraging them to continue to work with me. It was such an opportunity to build from that foundation. From this archive and wealth of information, I work in much the same capacity with many of the same clients buying and selling blue-chip art on the secondary market.  

How did this all start as a summer passion project from 2015 to 2018?

This period was a real high point in the market, and for me, the art world began to feel overly commercial. I needed balance and partnered with a young gallerist, Celine Mo (who I still work with today), and curated two-person shows at her then Bushwick space of emerging artists. It was a great experience for me to learn the grit of exhibition programming and gain confidence as a curator. She later helped me at art fairs with James Goodman, and we both developed this deep understanding of each other’s topography. This enabled us to seamlessly work together when I opened AH Arts at our shared space at 242 West 22nd Street. 

How has it grown over the years?

For me, relationships are pivotal, and nothing is more important than working with good people. It takes time to nurture, develop, and establish deep roots – so that when a client is considering selling from their collection, I am top on their call list. My manageable seasonal exhibition program complements this agenda and creates meaningful touchpoints. Over the years, I have experimented with new projects, including curating a show with Adelson Galleries in Palm Beach in 2023 and participating in Master Drawings New York uptown earlier this year. A deep love of art historical research is what drives me back to secondary market work and keeps me enthralled every day. Cultivating connoisseurship is an ongoing process. 

(George Rickey in the garden)

You show art in a modern house. This shows fine art in an intimate setting. Why does this work for you, presenting art within and ‘beyond the white cube’ experience?

I adore my space – it’s a modern townhouse on a residential tree-lined block in Chelsea, not an anonymous and expansive warehouse. It was a deliberate choice. There is the ground floor gallery with a downstairs that houses the library, storage, and a small workspace. Upstairs are shared offices. There is even a beautiful private garden in the back. Since we tend to be open only by appointment (outside of two seasonal public exhibitions held in May and November during the marquee auctions), we don’t get walk-in traffic the same way like other Chelsea galleries do. Visitors arrive with clear intentions and are pleased to stay longer. When so much of the art world is reduced to PDF previews and passing art fair conversations, it’s a pleasure to engage in deeper exchanges about art, collecting, and cultural life.

Where does the magic lie in 20th century art, in your opinion? I love that it was made during an analogue era.

It is amazing the perspective and appreciation of time that having kids gives you. I had twin boys in 2021, and curated an exhibition the following Spring titled MOTHER & OTHER, inspired by depictions of women and motherhood in 20th Century Art. Motherhood is certainly a theme that goes back centuries, but one that can feel incredibly relevant. That is the magic of art – human connectivity – whether it’s historic or contemporary, great art speaks to humanity’s collective experiences. 

Who are some 20th Century artists that you love showing at AH Arts? Calder comes to mind. So does Lichtenstein.

I’ve sold some incredible Alexander Calders, and we held a solo show at James Goodman Gallery in 2014. Also, from my tenure there, Roy Lichtenstein is an artist I dealt with in-depth, and am completely fascinated by. The Lichtenstein Foundation’s online catalogue raisonne is an extraordinary resource, and I cannot wait for his retrospective to open at the Whitney Museum next year. At the moment, I have a Lichtenstein sculpture and two works on paper that have been in private collections for decades. One drawing was a wedding present from the artist to the current owner in 1979, the year it was created. The other is a large to scale drawing for his monumental outdoor sculpture, the Mermaid, which resides outside the Miami Convention Center. It was a gift to the architect who advised on the structural aspects of the project, one of the artist’s first works of that scale. 

Another artist I am enamored with and always thrilled to get on consignment is Rauschenberg. Every time I look at his work, I discover something new. I had a terrific 1960s transfer (one of the rubbings where he finds photographs in printed media on the street then uses a solvent to transpose the image to the paper, making a visual collage of sorts). The Rauschenberg Foundation came to closely examine the piece at the gallery, and they were able to identify the exact images from magazines at the time that had been transferred. Rauschenberg’s art was a direct response to the world around him, blurring the lines between art and life, famously stating, “I try to act in the gap between the two.” The market for his work is also quite interesting, varying dramatically based on series, period, and medium, yet consistently achieving stronger results through private galleries than at public auctions. Some works inherently perform better at auctions, while others benefit from the reflective pace of private sales.

(James Rosenquist)

Tell us about your exhibition program. What fall show do you have opening in November? What can we expect to see?

You will have to come to find out, or at least join my mailing list. Each public show features a range of paintings, sculptures, and works on paper from the last 100 years. Some exhibitions of new acquisitions tend to focus on an idea or cultural moment, while others draw connections across periods or media. My inventory is constantly changing, and the works in November’s exhibition will be just a selection. Currently, I have work by a few Italian Modern Masters, including Burri and Pomodoro, as well as a terrific Boetti embroidery, and paintings by Abstract Expressionists, like Gottlieb, Motherwell, and Riopelle. In terms of scale, I have a small early Rosenquist painting and a late diptych painting by the artist that measures 14 feet wide. It really runs the gamut.

What events do you have lined up for the fall?

I just hosted a pre-performance reception for a young dance company called Hivewild. I have served on their board of directors for seven years, and it is remarkable to see how they’ve grown. This September, the company performed an evening length premier for three nights of nearly sold out shows at New York Live Arts, just down the street from the gallery. Contemporary dance is a real interest of mine. I also serve on the Development Committee and co-chair the Young Leaders Circle at the Joyce Theater, which is launching an underwriting fundraising campaign this Fall for DYPTIK and their New York Debut at the Joyce. We’ll likely host something for the theater at the gallery in late October. I am always thrilled by opportunities for cross-disciplinary collaboration. 

In addition to my Fall exhibition, I have been invited to speak on a few panels. I am quite involved with the alumni council for my Master’s program in Visual Arts Administration at New York University. I will be in dialogue with fellow alumni in a colloquium for current students titled Art Advising & Working with Collectors on October 10, followed by a Salon Talk forum hosted by Gallagher Insurance titled Young Innovators in the Art World on October 15. There is certainly more to come. 

For more information, visit ahartsllc.com. 

How Photo Booths are Shaking Up in the Instagram and TikTok Era

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How Photo Booths are Shaking Up in the Instagram and TikTok Era

Events today aren’t just about rounding up the lads and lasses, they’re about making it a night people won’t stop chatting about. In the age of Instagram and TikTok reels, the humble photo booth has bounced back in style. Once a nostalgic feature in your local Tesco, arcades or at train stations, photo booths have grown into mainstays at weddings, launch parties, runway shows, and parties.

From Nostalgia to Necessity

Photo booths used to be charming, retro novelties, the kind of quirky add-on people stumbled into at their friend’s 30th birthday party. Now, they’re central to event planning. Couples book them as wedding party entertainment, while fashion brands and tech companies rock up with sleek, branded mirror booths like those offered by Supreme Photo Booths to spark social buzz. Why they’re an absolute must is ’cause they can mash the old-school with instant online action: guests leave with a physical printout and a shareable clip for their gram.

The Insta + TikTok Effect

Social media has flipped the script on how we measure event success. A packed dance floor to Mr. Brightside is mint, but an Instagram slideshow or viral TikTok can keep the buzz going indefinitely. Photo booth hire comes with custom overlays for printouts, GIFs, and boomerang-style clips—tools designed to make every guest their own content creator. In this way, photo booths no longer just snap memories; they manufacture moments designed to trend.

Style Meets Tech

Pause readers know that style is as important as experience. Modern photo booths aren’t clunky boxes shoved in a corner — they’re sleek installations with LED lighting, touchscreen interfaces, and minimalist or fully themed backdrops. Some setups even merge with virtual reality, allowing virtual props or all-in digital playgrounds. The result: a blend of fashion, technology, and culture that feels at home at any social club birthday party or high-profile event.

Why They Matter Now

As event culture shifts further toward sharing, photo booth hire has carved out its role as a hybrid entertainment and marketing instrument. For hosts, they’re more than fun — they’re a brand statement. For attendees, they’re a chance to grab their best look, make a cool story or reel on the spot, and take home a tangible piece of the night.

Album Review: Geese, ‘Getting Killed’

Konstantinos Pappis
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Album Review: Geese, ‘Getting Killed’

In the 1965 documentary Ladies and Gentlemen… Mr. Leonard Cohen, which follows the singer-songwriter around the age of 30, a TV interviewer asks what Cohen means when he says he tries to wake up in a state of grace. He describes it as “that kind of balance with which you ride the chaos that you find around you,” adding, “It’s not a matter of resolving the chaos, because there’s something arrogant and warlike about putting the world in order.” I kept thinking about his use of the word warlike as I spun Geese’s revelatory new album, Getting Killed, which wastes no time pointing to the carnage all around while spending most of it in a fervid, ludicrous freefall that fills the gaps between the bizarre chaos of 2023’s 3D Country and Cameron Winter’s solo album Heavy Metal. It rides a car with a bomb, becomes the car, becomes the road going nowhere. Until seeing that Leonard Cohen clip, I had trouble figuring out why its lawlessness felt so graceful: there’s something Godlike about it. 

1. Trinidad

Geese may be positioned as young luminaries salvaging rock ‘n’ roll for the new generation, but they make one thing clear: their music is hardly effortless. Not just because they’ve proved themselves more than a group of prodigious post-punks, as Projector gave some the impression, but because they’re so quick to squander the genre’s easy tricks. In place of any kind of swaggering riff, ‘Trinidad’ staggers about, as actual geese might, portending chaos. Before repeatedly shouting the JPEGMAFIA-assisted refrain, “There’s a bomb in my car!” Cameron Winter begins by singing the words “I tried,” adding in a “so hard” as a haunted double echoes the exhaustion. The threat is a jolt of adrenaline, sharpening his pen as well as his emphatic intonation. The apocalypse is well underway: “Nothing’s been said for four and a half days/ When that light turns red I’m driving away.” Here the double swirls over Winter’s lead, panned to mirror the voices in his head, as the rest of the band gestures toward what might only be called self-implosion.

2. Cobra

If you heard ‘Taxes’ before the album’s release, its most quotable line, “There is only dance music in times of war,” will spring to mind when ‘Cobra’ comes on. Having fervently established these are times of war, Winter sings, over a woozy jangle, “Baby, let me dance away forever.” Far from joyously rebelling, though, he’s entranced with no semblance of control, stuck in eternal obedience before defiantly despairing, “You can make the cobras dance/ But not me.” The double meaning of the opening line dawns on you: “Let me dance away forever.” Dispel the curse.

3. Husbands

The album’s first substantial groove, but compare that to IDLES’ ‘Gift Horse’, another equestrian-themed track from another Kenny Beats-produced album, Tangk: This is not about how fast and muscular his horse is, about “Look at him.” It’s not about making people move, either. The punishing bass and jumbled percussion, instead, evoke just how arduous it is to get ahead, tracing the weight on the singer’s body: “There’s a horse on my back/ And I may be stomped flat/ But my loneliness is gone.” Maybe not, he concedes – maybe no amount of pressure can numb the gnawing feeling out of existence. “And if my loneliness should stay/ Well, some are holiest that way.” You’ve probably heard that rationalization from a disaffected, hard-working man in your life; unless, of course, it’s buried in your head. 

4. Getting Killed

A Ukrainian choir sample stands in for everybody in the world – a cacophony over which Winter can’t hear himself talk, so he must belt out one of his most impassioned performances, treading the line between operatic and just frantic. Yet underlying it is a professed emotional bankruptcy – “I can’t even taste my own tears/ They fall into an even sadder bastard’s eyes” – that could push any lover away. The loneliness allows him to indulge in escapist tendencies that illuminate and lend credence to the album’s title: “I’m getting killed by a pretty good life.” There’s a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it cut in the middle of the track that sounds like losing your mind for a small second, then falling inconspicuously back into the rhythm of that same life that almost snapped you out. 

5. Islands of Men 

Guitarist Emily Green and bassist Dominic DiGesu stab at their instruments as if trying to force the truth down our throats: “You can’t keep/ Running away/ From what is real/ And what is fake,” Winter sings, accusatory but unable to extricate his own narrator from the delusion. As if literally responding to Winter’s call, the band literally stops, again, halfway through, then picks up the slow-burn, letting Winter’s poetic improvisations take the back seat while occasionally aligning in holy harmony. Instead of Winter’s voice, it’s for once the high piano notes and touches of brass that serve as harbingers of ecstasy. Not even he can outrun them. 

6. 100 Horses

Unlike ‘Gift Horse’, the stomp of ‘100 Horses’ is not sleek – it’s skronked-out, trashy, borderline violent. Still, the song – even as Winter hilariously clarifies that it’s “maybe 124” – is nothing short of bombastic, getting fired up on the sarcasm and dance, two things he still has the absolute freedom to practice in times of war. “He said that I would never smile again, but not to worry,” he sings, referring to one General Smith, and you can practically see the nervous grin on his face. “For all people must stop smiling once they get what they’ve been begging for.” Some people have been begging for an album like Getting Killed,  that captures the current feeling of a burning circus without sounding, for a lack of better word, cringe – Geese deliver because they’re good at cringing at the world around them while sounding absolutely serious. “We have danced for far too long and now I must change completely” is not the best marketing pitch, but it’s one hell of a closer. Grooveless Geese could still kill it.

7. Half Real

The change comes in the form of the album’s first (sort of) ballad, one that sways with the force of Winter’s idiosyncratic and humorous spirituality, contending, “You may say that our love was only half real/ But that’s only half true.” He tries to find some grace in the beatific arrangement, but a lobotomy sounds more worth it for the price. When another voice joins him in pleading to “get rid of the good times too,” you cannot doubt the heart of this record. You won’t be able to get it off your mind, either. 

8. Au Pays du Cocaine

The song hews closest to the ragged lullabies of Heavy Metal, but nothing on that album was quite so emotionally or musically direct, if only to highlight its own obliviousness. When Winter’s voice shrinks to declare that he’s alright (way less convincing than the preceding “It’s alright”), you can’t help but feel the defeat, never more pronounced than when he sings, “You can change and still choose me.” The guitar line sounds like sunshine sparkling on waves, the rhythm almost like a breeze. Fake, obviously – he’s standing on a sinking boat – and the reality of his desperation is just as unassailable. He realizes he can’t run away from either, so he must believe.

9. Bow Down

The narrator must transform again: “I was a sailor and now I’m a boat/  I was a car and now I’m the road.” (On the title track, he was “a TV on the road.”) This is the band’s ragtime depiction of hell, reaching the point of mania where even the singer’s close circle sounds bemused by his self-talk, each musician going off on their own unhinged tangent. 

10. Taxes

When ‘Taxes’ dropped in July, it felt like a first taste of Getting Killed’s unique lunacy. As the penultimate track on the album, it almost sounds like a comedown, a moral reckoning. Compare the way Winter sings “Now I’m in hell” on the previous song to the utter resignation with which he sentences himself there. At this point, there’s no telling what the difference is between defiance and despair, not even when he intones, “Doctor, doctor! Heal yourself!” What’s clear is that any sort of faith beyond the self has been crushed; he’s not clinging to love. “I will break my own heart from now on,” he belts, barely piecing himself together.

11. Long Island City Here I Come

Equal parts percussive workout and spiritual catharsis, ‘Long Island City Here I Come’ reveals the album’s origins as a series of jams, and you can easily imagine Geese stretching this one back out to 10 or even 20 minutes (as if they need more convergence with the world’s biggest jam band). But it’s also the sound of a band (or a frontman urging his band) pummeling towards uncertainty, through total annihilation. In a spectral vision, Winter is told “a masterpiece belongs to the dead.” Which means it belongs to the scared and nervous, who may well find home in Getting Killed. 

Francis of Delirium Release New Single ‘Little Black Dress’

Konstantinos Pappis
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Francis of Delirium Release New Single ‘Little Black Dress’

Francis of Delirium have returned with an explosive new single, ‘Little Black Dress’. It marks the Luxembourg band’s first new music since last year’s Lighthouse. Check it out below.

“Coming home fresh off a tour opening for bôa, playing to all these kids excited about guitar music, and heading into the Blondshell dates, I wanted to put out a song that captures the energy and messiness of playing live and being on stage,” Jana Bahrich said in a statement. “It’s a song about the anticipation of going out, the hope, the desperation, and the ultimate disappointment.”

Revisit our Artist Spotlight interview with Francis of Delirium.

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