In recent years, online entertainment has undergone a dramatic transformation. The widespread adoption of streaming services has revolutionized how we engage with media, and the exciting potential of virtual reality (VR) is reshaping our interactive experiences.
The Rise of Streaming Services
The rise of streaming services has transformed the entertainment industry. Platforms such as Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+ have enabled access to a wide range of content anytime, liberating viewers from traditional broadcast schedules. This shift has offered viewers unparalleled convenience and variety and led to the production of diverse, high-quality content tailored to specific audiences. As a result, streaming services have significantly influenced the entertainment landscape, reshaping how we consume movies, TV shows, and live events.
The availability of streaming services has not only made it more convenient for viewers to watch their favorite shows but has also led to an increase in binge-watching, where entire seasons can be watched in one go. Furthermore, the personalized recommendation algorithms these services use have made it easier for users to find new content that matches their interests, enhancing the viewing experience.
The Impact of Streaming on Traditional Media
The rise of streaming services has significantly impacted traditional media by challenging the dominance of cable and satellite TV. As more consumers cut the cord in favor of streaming, traditional broadcasters have experienced a decline in viewership and advertising revenue. This shift has compelled many traditional media companies to adapt by launching their own streaming platforms — such as Disney+ and HBO Max — to stay competitive.
In addition, streaming services have significantly impacted the creation and distribution of content. Many production studios now prioritize digital releases over theatrical ones. This shift has changed not only the way content is delivered but also how it is produced, placing greater emphasis on high-quality, serialized storytelling to appeal to the binge-watching culture.
The Emergence of VR
Virtual reality has emerged as a groundbreaking technology, offering immersive experiences that transport users to entirely new worlds. Initially popularized through gaming, VR has expanded its reach into various sectors, including education, healthcare, and entertainment. The development of affordable and accessible VR headsets, such as the Oculus Rift and PlayStation VR, has made this technology more mainstream, allowing a broader audience to experience its potential. As VR continues to evolve, it promises to redefine how we interact with digital content, providing a level of immersion and engagement previously unattainable.
Virtual Reality: The Next Frontier in Online Entertainment
As the next frontier in online entertainment, VR is poised to revolutionize how we consume and interact with media. Unlike traditional forms of entertainment, VR offers a fully immersive experience, placing users at the center of the action. This technology enables viewers to explore virtual environments, participate in interactive storytelling, and engage with content in a more personal and dynamic way. From virtual concerts and sports events to immersive movie experiences, VR is set to transform the entertainment landscape, offering new and exciting ways for audiences to connect with their favorite content.
Current Applications of VR in Entertainment
Its versatility and potential are being showcased through its use in various entertainment applications. In the gaming industry, VR has led to the creation of more immersive and interactive experiences, enabling players to physically engage with virtual worlds. Beyond gaming, VR is being embraced for virtual concerts, allowing fans to enjoy live performances from the comfort of their homes. Also, it is making significant strides in the film industry as filmmakers experiment with 360-degree storytelling to craft more engaging narratives. These diverse applications underscore how VR enhances entertainment by providing unique experiences that traditional media cannot match.
The Future Potential of VR
As technology advances, VR is expected to become even more immersive and accessible, with improvements in graphics, haptic feedback, and wireless capabilities. This will open up new opportunities for VR in various fields, including social interactions, education, and professional training. In entertainment, we can anticipate more sophisticated and interactive experiences, such as fully immersive theme parks and virtual tourism. As it continues to evolve, VR will undoubtedly play a significant role in shaping the future of digital entertainment, offering experiences that are more engaging, interactive, and personalized than ever before.
From Casinos to Consoles: The Shift to Online Platforms
The digital revolution has significantly changed the entertainment landscape by moving traditional activities from physical venues to online platforms. This shift can be seen in the gaming industry, where consoles and PCs have become the primary means of interactive entertainment.
The casino industry has also adapted to this change, with platforms like BetMGM offering a wide range of casino games at BetMGM online. Going digital has not only made these activities more accessible, but it has also introduced innovative features and experiences that were previously unthinkable. As a result, users can now enjoy a wide variety of entertainment options from their homes, reflecting the broader trend of digitalization in the entertainment sector.
Exploring the Variety of Online Entertainment Choices
As we navigate the ever-evolving landscape of digital entertainment, the variety of options available online continues to expand, offering something for everyone. From the convenience and flexibility of streaming services to the immersive experiences provided by virtual reality, the digital realm has transformed how we engage with content. Online platforms have brought traditional activities, such as casino games, into the online space, further diversifying the entertainment choices at our fingertips.
The wide range of options caters to diverse interests and preferences and highlights the innovative spirit that drives the future of entertainment. As technology continues to advance, the possibilities for online entertainment are boundless, promising even more exciting and engaging experiences ahead.
Bovada, one of the biggest black market gambling websites in the US, will no longer accept new registrations in Michigan and Colorado. Existing customers have a limited time to withdraw their account balances through crypto.
Michigan sent a cease and desist letter to the Costa Rica-based sportsbook in May. Bovada had until June 12 to exit the Wolverine State. Colorado sent the company a similar letter at the start of June.
Both states promised to follow up with legal action should Bovada fail to exit their markets. The offshore betting website ignored the warnings for seven days. However, on June 21, it closed new sign-ups in Michigan and Colorado.
After the recent threats of legal action, Bovada will no longer operate in these states: New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Michigan, Colorado, Nevada, West Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia.
We Want You Out
Before 2018, Bovada was arguably the biggest offshore sportsbook in the US. Online sports betting was illegal across the country. Americans had to opt for an offshore sportsbook to bet on the Super Bowl, March Madness, and other sports sporting events.
After the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the PASPA Act in 2018, states gained the power to regulate sports betting. Thirty-eight jurisdictions have since then legalized sports gambling, from New York to Connecticut.
States with legal gambling laws don’t want black market sportsbooks to operate within their jurisdictions. And they’re now showing seriousness in taking action against black market operators like Bovada.
Brandt Iden, a senior executive at Fanatics Sportsbook, says Michigan has every right to chase away offshore operators.
“The regulated market can’t thrive if the illegal market is still there,” he said. “Michigan has taken the first step and I encourage other regulators to do it.”
A Victory for Regulated Gambling Operators
A blow to Bovada is a win for regulated sportsbooks across the US. Offshore operators take customers away from legal online betting websites. They also rob states of tax income and expose Americans to potential data theft.
If you’re thinking about betting on sports online, check out the websites discussed by casinos.us. The platform has a comprehensive list of legal alternatives to Bovada in all the states where Bovada is no longer active.
Legal websites offer every sport and league offshore operator feature. Some of them even provide better odds and bonuses. Add the safety aspect and there’s no reason you should risk your data in the hands of a black market company.
What happens if you already have an account at Bovada? If you live in the restricted states, you can withdraw your balances through Bitcoin or another cryptocurrency.
Where Bovada still operates, customers can withdraw their money through a variety of banking options.
More Legal Trouble for Bovada
Bovada’s list of cease and desist letters from US state regulators keeps piling up. After Michigan and Colorado sent their legal warnings, Connecticut followed with a similar legal document.
In July, West Virginia sent the Costa Rican company a cease and desist letter, a week after Massachusetts promised to take a similar legal move. Some state officials want the federal government’s intervention in kicking out black market operators out of the country.
Last year, Federal operators shut down an illegal gambling operator linked with money laundering in Las Vegas. Owned by former minor baseball player Wayne Nix, the ring included casino employees at MGM Grand. Nix admitted to running the gambling operation. He will be sentenced in September.
While the FBI has all the resources needed to take down black market operators, states tend to shy away from involving the Feds in state issues. This explains why no state has come out to ask for the federal government’s help officially.
What’s next for Bovada?
In 2022, Bovada had over 10 million customers across the US, Canada, South America, and Europe. The casino and sportsbook have been around for over two decades. Now, its future is at stake.
Bovada is located in Costa Rica and has licenses in both Costa Rica and the Comoros: its parent company has a license from the Anjouan Gaming Board in the Comoros.
While Bovada has gambling licenses, they do not allow it to operate in the US, Canada, or most European nations. It needs licenses from each jurisdiction where online gambling is legal to be considered a genuine operator.
For reasons known to the company, Bovada would rather restrict players from new gambling markets than apply for licensing. You see, most of the sportsbooks in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Ontario have been operating in Europe for years.
When these North American jurisdictions opened up legal gambling, they applied for licensing immediately. Bovada continued to operate in the shadows hoping state regulators wouldn’t take legal action.
As pressure mounts on the company to exit the US, Bovada has a huge decision to make. It can apply for licenses in states where gambling is legal. There’s no guarantee it will be granted licenses. Or it can exit the U.S. market entirely.
Choosing Your Next Gambling Website
If you have been using Bovada for sports betting in the US, you should probably look for a safer alternative. The feds are unlikely to come after you. However, Bovada has been suspending U.S. accounts left, right and center.
For the best mobile betting experience, find a licensed sportsbook in your state. Almost every state now supports mobile betting. A licensed bookmaker makes you aware the company is valid and not a fraud.
Choose a reputable sportsbook. A great reputation usually means a sports betting site has fair bonuses, comprehensive sports coverage, quick payouts, and competitive odds. Feel free to compare odds on several websites before you place your bets.
Another feature to check is the availability of live betting. Wagering on a match while it’s happening is exciting and can be profitable. This is especially true if you wager at a site with lots of bonuses.
Some features like live sports streams, parlay boosters, and crypto support aren’t compulsory. But they can elevate your betting experience.
Online casinos are like a virtual Disneyland for adults. People spend hours having fun with games like slot machines, blackjack, and poker. Some people change their lives by winning huge jackpots online.
Despite that, online casinos shouldn’t be mistaken as a source of income. They’re a place to have fun with pocket change after a busy week. If you would like to try out mobile casino games, the review by iGaming.com can help you find the best casino sites in the US.
While today’s gambling platforms have beautiful websites and hundreds of games, they have come a long way since their invention in 1994.
Here’s a brief history of iGaming websites and why they’re growing rapidly worldwide.
The Birth of Online Casinos–1994
Microgaming, an Isle-of-Man-based software provider, created the world’s first online casino in 1994. In 1996, Cryptologic created the first online gambling site with a secure payment system.
Banking security was a big deal. It helped popularize online casinos rapidly in countries where the industry was legal back then. Statisticians estimate that online casinos generated more than $1 billion in 1998, four years after their launch.
This happened despite the industry’s limited features. Online gaming at the time lacked many of the features you can find in today’s online casinos: Clear graphics, bonuses, mobile games, and game variety.
Licensing and Regulation—1994 to Present
Antigua and Barbuda created the first online casino regulatory body in 1994—the Free Trade and Processing Act. This attracted the interest of investors in Europe and North America who applied for the first bunch of licenses.
Canada’s Kahnawake Gaming Commission was launched in 1996 to regulate online gaming in protected territories. In the next decade, Australia, Malta, and the UK launched regional regulatory bodies.
This marked a new age for online gaming companies because the industry skyrocketed globally. By 2008, the iGaming sector was generating $21 billion, 20x the figure a decade prior.
Online gambling regulation is usually a matter of state concern. Countries like the UK and Sweden have gambling regulators. Some countries provide international licenses, which can be used globally.
In Malta, casinos can acquire a license to operate in every location where online gambling is permitted. In the US, casino operators need a license from the state before they can operate.
Not every state permits online gaming. New Jersey, Rhode Island, Michigan, and Pennsylvania regulate online casinos. However, many states only support sports betting.
Web Design and Development
Since the first casino websites in the 1990s, web developers have been experimenting with how casinos look. The first generation of gambling websites was text-based and used minimal visuals. You had to download games before you could play them.
As the industry progressed, advancements like Adobe Flash and CSS designs made websites more intuitive. You could play slots with the support of Adobe Flash. The website looked fancier and menu items worked.
Website design took a turn for the better after the launch of HTML5 in 2014. Not only did it kill Adobe Flash but it also eliminated the need to download casino games.
Developers began making no-download websites and games. They also utilized CSS and graphics design to create beautiful, fast, and intuitive websites. Today, every online casino comes with 3D graphics and intuitive search features.
Games and Software Providers
When online gambling began, everyone wanted to play popular Las Vegas games. These included slot machines, roulette, blackjack, and poker. It didn’t matter that slots have dated graphics and low payouts. People just wanted to have fun.
Over the years, casino games have evolved so much that they’re better than anything you can find in Nevada. From variety and design to payout rates and features, online slots blow Las Vegas slots out of the water.
Today’s online slots have an average payout rate of 96%. They have intriguing features like wilds, multipliers, scatters, bonuses, and jackpots. What’s more, they’re beautiful and sound amazing.
Of course, casino games are not created equal. Many operators work with 20+ software providers to offer variety to their players. Companies like NetEnt, Betsoft, IGT, Scientific Games, Blueprint Gaming, and Big Time Gaming are at the forefront of revolutionizing iGaming.
Another feature that makes modern slots so popular is that they’re safe. Software providers use Random Software Engines (RNGs) to trigger winning symbols. Almost every casino game has RNG software.
Banking and Withdrawals
In the early days of online gaming, you had to use bank transfers or physical checks to deposit your money. Cards like Visa and MasterCard soon became available but they charged high fees and would often decline gambling payments.
It took the invention of mobile payment apps to elevate online gaming to the next level. Companies like PayPal, Skrill and Neteller lowered the transaction cost and boosted payment speed so much that they’re still the standard way of depositing money today.
Depending on your casino, you can deposit through various banking options. Some, like PayPal and Apple, process payments fast. They have tight security and work in multiple countries.
Bank transfers are still a popular payment option at online casinos. But people used to cash out large amounts of money. Crypto, a new entrant to the online gaming space, is spreading quickly thanks to its advanced security and transparency features.
Security and Trustworthiness
Security has always been an important measure for determining whether to join an online casino. In the beginning, we didn’t have a Secure Socket Layer (SSL). That means some casinos in the mid-90s operated with unsafe websites.
Also, casinos have lax security tools to help you secure your account. Gambling sites began taking security seriously towards the end of the last century. Cybercrime became a thing, leading developers to creative cybersecurity measures.
Today, no one joins a casino without reviewing its security features. A valid license is the first sign of a trustworthy gambling site. An encrypted website with account protection features makes it secure. However, people prioritize top-rated websites with a record of data protection and quality services.
As both a friend group and as a band, Lunar Vacation take leveling up seriously. Gep Repasky and Maggie Geeslin have been sharing musical ideas ever since becoming best friends in eighth grade, making demos in their bedrooms and going on the road before adding Connor Dowd on drums, Matteo DeLurgio on keys and percussion, and Ben Wulkan on bass. After touring in support of their dreamy, inviting 2021 debut Inside Every Fig Is a Dead Wasp, the band’s five members started living under the same roof – and sharing a single bathroom. Wulkan turned the living room into an ad-hoc studio where Lunar Vacation wrote and demoed their just-released sophomore album, Everything Matters, Everything’s Fire, which also meant they had to practice a greater degree of trust, communication, and vulnerability. Repasky hardly had to talk about the emotional turmoil that inspired a lot of the songs and led to a psychiatric hospitalization – everyone was there to witness it. Untangling those mixed feelings – despair, resentment, warmth, optimism – into an indie rock record was not an easy process, but it seems to have come organically. Produced by Drew Vandenberg, Everything Matters, Everything’s Fire doesn’t progress the band’s sound by making it more pristine or in any way perfect, but rather finding the right pace: it builds up, steadies itself, hurries, lets go. Everything Matters might be the opposite of nihilism, but it’s an embrace you have to open yourself up to, even if it burns a little.
Following our Artist Spotlight interview, we caught up with Lunar Vacation’s Gep Repasky and Maggie Geeslin to talk about their house, Yo La Tengo, running, and other inspirations behind their new album.
The Lunar Vacation house and garden
Maggie Geeslin: Coming off the Fig album tour cycle in 2022, we were kind of living at our parents’ houses, Gep and I had just graduated college, Matteo graduated. We were all in this floating space where we were touring so much that it was fine if we were sort of placeless. After that tour ended, we realized we’d probably have a year with some shows but mostly focusing on making the next record. We didn’t have a solid process for writing together yet, so we were like, “Why don’t we all just move in together?” Ben dropped out of NYU music school to come live with us and be in the band full-time, which was kind of the start of this album era. Ben is a really great engineer, he has his own studio, so he spearheaded the demoing process. I think Gep found the house on Apartments.com—
Gep Repasky: Or something like that. [laughs]
MG: We found it pretty quickly and were like, “Alright, let’s do it!” It’s kind of not really meant for five people, but we make it work.
GR: Talking about the house feels like just talking about our friendship – it feels like a metaphor for it. This was the first time we’ve all been under one roof, especially after touring – it was crazy to go back to the same place together and we’re like, “Well, we literally can’t escape one another.”
Did you debate the decision at all?
MG: I think it was more out of necessity because we all needed a place to live. Also, it makes the rent cheaper because there’s five people in one house that’s not really meant for five people. That was a huge incentive. Also, we knew we needed to make an album, but didn’t know where to start, so it seemed like the best way to jump into it.
GR: Like, we were making demos in the living room, so everyone had a chance to share ideas. It felt like more of an open invitation for any demos or opinions, which wasn’t the case with our last album. With our first album, I feel like we imposed a lot of boundaries and rules, even if we didn’t realize it. And by “we,” I mean also me, because I was definitely pretty protective over some of the songs. But I learned to stop being so… I don’t know, annoying?
MG: Protective.
GR: Yeah. I used to feel – sometimes I still feel this way – like, “Yup, this is the last good song I’ll ever make. It’s over. It’s done. Well, now I’ll have to get a corporate job.” But trying to get away from that idea was literally opening up the process to everyone, being more vulnerable, laying it all out and not being so secretive and worrying about, “Is it gonna transform into something I don’t like anymore? It is gonna lose its magic?” But that’s just not true. It made all the songs better, and it made all of us better at what we’re doing.
Was it a slow process?
MG: Oh, yeah. It took us like four months to even get started demoing. We were all settling into a pretty new phase of life. Gep and I were trying to work in the real world for the first time since graduating college and going on tour, and we all had to get different part-time jobs. We still wanted to prioritize the band, but we had to pay rent and we weren’t playing shows, so we had to get other jobs. I feel like there were a few months of us just figuring out how to exist, but in January 2023, we locked in and made a plan, listened to a bunch of old demos and ideas, and scheduled more time to write together. From January to about July last year, we were writing. And then we booked studio time in December, so we had a few months where we toured for a month and let the songs sit a little bit. Because it kind of got to the point where we were overworking them, trying out so many different versions. Our manager was like, “I think you guys should just let it breathe a little bit.” Same with our producer, Drew. He helped us tie it all up and finish it in the studio in December. It was definitely a year-long process.
In terms of the vulnerability, Gep, was it a learning curve for you?
GR: Yeah, definitely a learning curve. I don’t know if I’m a full control freak, but I definitely like to be in control. All of it was learning to trust everyone on a different level. We already had the baseline trust with everyone, but I feel like we just needed to reach a higher level. Living together was part of that, sharing songs was part of that, and we now split all the songwriting credits and everything equally, which we didn’t do in the past, either. Now, fully, everything is equal. I feel like we’ve totally leveled up as friends and as a band. It was a necessity for us to keep growing and for everyone to feel good about what we’re doing.
Maggie, a term that you used in the bio is “homemakers.” What does it mean for you to make a home together while being in a band?
MG: I think it really goes along with what Gep was saying about leveling up as friends. We live together and make music together, but we’re not doing that 12 hours a day, you know? Our garden is part of the inspiration too. Matteo definitely took the lead on being like, “We have a front yard, let’s try to grow food,” and everyone tended to it and put thought into it. While we were writing, there were a lot of times when three of us, or whoever, would step out into the garden, look at everything, and talk about the music. You can have the whole metaphor for music and nature, and I’ll save that for people who know about that, but just letting things grow – we all did a lot of growing during this time. Gep and I got into a lot of crafts. I learned how to crochet, Gep learned how to make rugs, I’m learning how to sew right now. I feel like we didn’t just want to occupy this space, but really live in it and be intentional with every part of our lives together.
It’s difficult – we’re sharing one bathroom and one kitchen for five people, so part of homemaking is that we had to make a bathroom cleaning schedule that’s taped inside a cabinet, and you have to check off what you do. Part of homemaking is our communication, too. You can be a passive roommate and ignore people when they’re not cleaning their dishes, or you can be straightforward, like, “Hey, you need to clean this up,” or, “Hey, I’ve emptied the dishwasher for the past three days, can you do it?” I feel like that really fed into how we communicate on tour and how we communicate when we’re writing – trying to be respectful but also straightforward, so we can all be closer.
Science (Gep’s cat)
GR: Science will always be an inspiration to me because he’s the first animal that was really mine. We had dogs growing up, but they were family dogs, more my parents’ dogs. I’m not sure if I had Science the last time we talked?
MG: Yeah, I think you did. That was 2021.
GR: So maybe I did. But honestly, he’s just getting older. I got him when he was six, and he turned nine this year. I don’t want to be dark, but it kind of makes me think about death sometimes. He can’t talk to me. He can’t be like, “Hey, I’m feeling bad and need to go to the vet.” The only way I know is if he hides from me or won’t eat. I’ve kind of had to take on a parental role, which is amazing because I feel like he’s my kid, but it makes me sad because he literally could die any second, and I have to be okay with it. He’s gonna die, probably, before me, and I know it’s gonna be such a horrible loss to experience. It sounds so dumb, but sometimes I’m like, “I can’t die yet because he’s there.” You know what I mean? Sometimes I’m like, “I need to die,” but Science is there, and I cannot. He is my world. I just love him so much.
MG: You also got him at a time – I feel like a lot of this record is about mental health and trying to get better and accept things. Ever since Gep got Science – I mean, I’ve lived with Gep and Science even before we all moved in together – I feel like Gep will be like, “I’m feeling really depressed, but I have to live for Science.”
GR: It’s true. I literally am like, “Yup, sorry, I can’t dip out on that guy.”
MG: But since we’ve all moved in together, he’s kind of become like the band’s pet, and he really spreads his love around. He’s such a good guy; he’s in my room right now. Whenever Gep is gone, I’m his Gep. [laughs] We told Leo, who did the art, if he wanted to incorporate Science in some way, because he’s kind of like the band’s mascot now. So, there’s a little cat on our record cover. And there’s a red moon – ever since we started working with Leo on our song ‘Unlucky’, which was before Fig, he’s included a red moon on everything we’ve done. So, we ended up with a cat and a moon, which feels like our two little symbols.
GR: We’ve never met Leo in person.
MG: Only over the phone.
GR: But he was sending cats, and we were like, “Oh my God, this is Science!” And he was like, “Yes!” I feel like he spearheaded that. I loved that he was so into it, and I was like, “Wait, this is a good thing.” I would love Science to be memorialized in everything we put out in the future.
MG: He’s a symbol of peace, honestly, and being loving and chill.
GR: He is literally the symbol of everything good. That’s why he inspires me.
In the credits, you call him “the greatest cat who ever lived.”
GR: I fully believe that. For my job, I cat-sit and dog-sit, so I’m around animals all the time. There are some close seconds, but no one holds a candle to Science. He’s perfect. And he’s only hissed at one or two people, and they were bad omens. He just picks up the vibes.
The grocery store
You reference the grocery store on the song ‘Bitter’, which is probably the most self-critical song on the album. Were you working at one at the time?
GR: Yeah, I did. I feel like the grocery store as an umbrella, so many of the songs are under that. A lot of the songs are about the demise of a relationship, and it was a relationship I had with someone I worked with. When that went to shit, I had to quit and couldn’t be friends with some of my coworkers – they say never date coworkers, and then you actually do it and it’s like, “Wait, this is gonna work out.” And then it’s so horrible and you have to quit your job and find a bunch of new friends.
A lot of the songs came from that: ‘Bitter’, and also ‘Just for Today’ has that grocery store vibe because I would get really depressed working there. There were times where I was just stocking cans, and I was like, “I hate my life.” Not even because I was stocking cans, but it just gave me too much time to think sometimes. It was good when I was at the register, talking to people. It felt really good to be social; I was forced to be very friendly and social, and that was nice. I feel like if I hadn’t worked there, this album wouldn’t have happened because so many of those songs are about my relationship or the grocery store life intertwining with my other life.
MG: Yeah, Bitter’, ‘Just for Today, ‘Tom’ – because ‘Tom’ was about one of your coworkers you had a crush on, but then he’s gay. John [J. Andrews], who did the video for it, basically told the story through the animation. But you working at the grocery store – when we moved into this house, we all had to get part-time jobs, and that’s the job that Gep got. Just experiencing post-college, post-pandemic, you’re being a social person again, and I feel like a lot of those interactions got you to start writing again.
GR: ‘Tom’ is all good though, because I love my coworker who that’s about. No bad vibes there. Some of the other songs detail not-so-fun experiences, but that’s life.
Yo La Tengo
What aspects or era of the band were you drawn to?
MG: Definitely And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside Out. That record stood out to me. Gep was in a Yo La Tengo phase, which got me into it, and then Ben. That was a band that all five of us, who all listen to different things, could rally around and be like, “This rocks.” They record themselves now, and they just do whatever – sometimes they have 10-minute-long, ripping songs that are super distorted, and the next song will be a gentle lullaby. That was really inspiring for us. It showed that to be a band, all you have to do is be people who make music together. You don’t have to stick to a genre or be a happy band or a sad band. Because we started making music so young, some of the songs we made when we were 16 people still request, and they’re really upbeat and surfy, and sometimes we don’t feel like playing them. Seeing a band with so much variety is just really validating.
To get into the technical stuff, their drum sounds were a big inspiration on a lot of our songs, especially ‘Better Luck’. The guitar sounds, too, the spacey distortion mixed with a lot of country-like pedal steel. They’re just not afraid to be simple, and that’s something we needed to let ourselves do in order to serve the songs. Like I said, we overworked them, and sometimes it’s like, “Let’s just play this like a Yo La Tengo song.” They’re like a band’s band. We also got to see them live. We had a serendipitous moment when we were driving into Pittsburgh, we were opening for Rubblebucket at this venue called Mr. Smalls – we’re getting in the day before the show, and I was like, “Oh my god, Yo La Tango is playing here tonight.” I texted the venue guy and was like, “Hey, this is Maggie from Lunar Vacation. Any way you have some spots for the Yo La Tengo show tonight?” He got us all into the show, which was pretty amazing.
GR: I feel like using that phrase, “Let’s just Yo La Tengo it,” it’s like, let’s just chill out and not think too hard, just jam on it and see where it goes. I feel like that was a good mantra to have in our heads, because it’s not like we were taking specific things from certain songs. It was just the overall vibe and aura of Yo La Tengo. That was a fun reminder for all of us to come back and stop overthinking.
Tascam M-308
I’m assuming this is the mixer you used to demo the album?
MG: Yeah, Ben bought it on Facebook Marketplace for pretty cheap. He brought it to our house, and then they had a bigger board, so we took that one as kind of our band board. Every time we demoed, it was either just Gep’s iPhone demos that we were going off of in the studio, or we’d gone straight into a computer through Ableton or something. With this record, we really wanted it to sound more organic and warm, and I feel like that board was kind of the gateway to achieving that, making the demos feel that way right off the bat instead of waiting 12 months until they sounded like that in the studio. The warmth of plugging straight into a board and mixing in an analog way is something we hadn’t really explored much on our own. That was one of those things that made it a lot easier and instantly sound nice. We needed that to get started with the writing process and to imagine the soundscape.
Running
GR: I love to run, and I figured that out last year. I feel like it gave me a lot of time – maybe a little too much time – to think through things I was stressed about or thinking about. It just made me feel better. When you go on a run, you’re kind of forced to finish. It’s been so hot so I haven’t been running as much as I used to, but running just makes you feel so good. You have to come back somehow, and I love the idea of putting yourself in a situation where you have to complete whatever task you’ve set yourself. Not even in a rigid way, but just like, “I can’t chicken out.” When you run, it’s so cathartic, and sometimes I would cry when I ran, too. I went through a bad, weird breakup, and running really helped with that. I would just take an hour or however long it took and maybe try and get my frustration or anger out by running, and then I’d go really fast, and maybe I’d slow down, but I would always want to keep going. And I feel like by the end of it, I would always be crying about something – in a good way.
It helped me really think about my health. I don’t drink anymore, which is good. Also, making sure to eat regularly and not just be like, “I’m going to smoke cigarettes and then go for a run because they cancel each other out, and I don’t have to have dinner.” Like, what is that? That makes no sense. So I was learning how to incorporate running into my life in a healthy way. It just gets your ideas flowing and makes you feel less worried about your entire life, you know.
MG: In general, all of us living together, we don’t drink that much, and then when Gep stopped drinking, we really didn’t drink much as a household. If we’re in such close quarters, if one person starts taking care of themselves, it’s a chain reaction. Ben and Matteo go on runs together, and Gep running really inspired me to start running; I also love to ride my bike. It’s so easy when your friends are doing it. But it’s funny, Gep, what you said, you write these songs to get over situations and process them, but that doesn’t stop once you finish writing the song. You have to deal with that in another way, and I feel like running is how you dealt with it – and going to therapy.
That could be its own inspiration, I’m sure.
GR: Oh my God! We can’t even begin to talk about that because it’s so layered.
A baby nylon guitar
You play it on several songs on the album, including ‘Sick’, ‘Better Luck’, ‘Tom’, and ‘Just for Today’. Is it usually the starting point for songs?
GR: Literally, yes. Getting that nylon guitar changed my life. It was only $119 from a guitar shop near our house. It’s just a Yamaha, super basic, chill, small guitar.
MG: Is it a child’s guitar? It’s really small.
GR: I think it is. It’s so tiny, but I love it because usually the necks of nylon guitars are huge, but this one neck is super small. That guitar helped me write on the road, and there’s one song I actually wrote in the car while we were touring in late 2022. I wrote ‘You Shouldn’t Be’ in the car, and it was completely different. It had three extra chords that made it sound so different. Ben would be like, “Oh, this demo you sent two months ago that’s ten seconds or whatever — I have a whole idea for it.” Basically, he took out two chords, and then he and Matteo made the drum beat – it blows my mind! That’s my favorite drum beat, it’s so freaking cool. They were like, “Look what we did! I think this could be ‘You Shouldn’t Be,’” and I was like, “Whoa, I love it.”
The second song I wrote on that tour was ‘Fantasy’. I wrote it at our friend Violet’s house in Tennessee. It was such an easy, fun way to keep writing. It’s so versatile, and it’s easy to tune the strings to different tunings. I love the warmth of the nylon; it has the most beautiful sound in the entire world. And I love that we could put it on the record so much because I was worried it had intonation issues or just wouldn’t fit the vibe. But it worked really well, like ‘Just for Today’, there’s the nylon picking in the back while the main guitar lead is electric. Having that guitar has made me less scared to write songs and got me out of my songwriting rut.
Another song that features the nylon guitar, although Ben is credited with playing it, is ‘Erase All the B’s’, which is probably my favorite on the album right now. How did that one come about?
GR: I think that’s probably my favorite song ever. It came out of that relationship dwindling. The day after everything happened, I picked up my guitar, and I was dog-sitting, too. I was literally dog-sitting and house-sitting 30 minutes away from everyone, so I was in this empty house, alone, so sad. I did not know what to do, I felt so horrible. I feel like those were just the first chords that came to mind, and the song basically wrote itself. I really didn’t have to do that much, it just came out. There’s a reference to a song called ‘It’s Hard to Get Around the Wind’ by Alex Turner, the lead singer of Arctic Monkeys. The song is on a soundtrack he did for a movie called Submarine that I love. And that song always made me feel so upset because it’s really depressing, but that line, “Trying to get to heaven in a hurry,” I would always think about that, especially when I was feeling really depressed. I was like, “I’m trying to get to heaven in a hurry.” So that line just came out, and the chorus, too, was just like, “This has nothing to do with me.” Because the situation was fucked up, that’s all I’m gonna say. I could not have done anything to prevent it, it was out of my control. And I feel like that goes along with accepting what happened and try to move on.
That also translates to the way we recorded it, because the whole song was done in one take. Which is crazy, because we’d never done that before, and all us are very picky about our parts. The fact that we could agree on one take – and the vocal take, too, which I was nervous about because I usually like to double the vocals or harmonize. But once we did it, we were like, “That’s it. That’s the feeling of the song.”
MG: We played it one night after dinner; we went back into the studio and tracked it probably like 17 times. Then we all went in the control room and listened to all of them. Drew, our producer, was like, “I have one that I think should be the one. You guys listen and pick which one you think should be the one.” And it’s the one that ended up on the album. I will say, though, everything is tracked in one take, but Ben’s nylon guitar, there was a day when Gep was sick—
GR: Oh, that’s right.
MG: Drew, our producer, really wanted a little bit of extra guitar in the chorus, so Ben tracked the nylon because Gep was gone. He was like, “You can’t hear it, but you can feel it.” I was like, “Okay, whatever!” [laughs] But that song we knew was very special. I almost feel like we were afraid to touch it because Gep’s demo was just them singing with a guitar. So we were like, “How do we honor this but also make it fit into the record?” We talked about a lot of different ways to do it in the studio, and Gep at some point was like, “I don’t even want to do it.” And then we ended up just playing it like we would play it. We didn’t practice any parts or anything; everyone just got in front of their instrument of choice, dialed in a tone, and then we just played it like we were sitting in our living room, just playing along to it.
GR: That song I think came out of the most sadness and despair. I feel like that song coming out of that was a little guiding light, you know?
MG: Also, in general for all the songs, but especially that one because it’s so emotional – because we all lived together when Gep was going through that stuff, I feel like we all witnessed it and understood the lyrics and material more than usual because we were so close to Gep, both physically and emotionally. We were alongside them while they were going through that, and I feel like you can really hear it in everyone’s playing in that song. Even though it’s really simple, it’s almost like everyone is sympathizing with you as they’re playing. We all knew – it used to be just me who knew what every lyric is about because I was best friends with Gep, but now I feel like everyone knows what every lyric is about. We understand a lot deeper than we would have before, and I think that really helped everyone shape their parts.
MG: I feel like that could apply to every song. Because we’re living together, everyone has all the context for the songs, and I was less scared to talk about them. I still get insecure when I talk about it because I’m like, “I feel dumb,” but it was nice that everyone was on the same page.
What was your reaction to that particular song, Maggie, and how did you feel when you were recording it?
MG: I honestly felt very proud, because I feel like the situation – it could have been like a revenge song. You could have gone Taylor Swift mode.
GR: Like a diss track, something really spiteful and mean.
MG: Gep wrote it one day after everything went down, and just that chorus of “What’s it got to do with me?” – when we play it live, it’s “Nothing’s got to do with me” – but it also feels very heavily intertwined. It’s about that messed-up relationship situation, but it also feels like it’s about Gep’s mental health journey and what they went through last year, which – our rooms are literally right next to each other, and we’re also just very close in general. I probably cried when I heard it. There are some songs that Gep sends that make me cry, even from when we were 16. I don’t think I’ll ever forget recording it, because there was that point where Gep was like, “I don’t even know if we should record it,” and I’m so happy we did because I’ll never forget what it felt like to be in the room with everyone, just playing and having no plan. We just felt really together. Even though that song is about a specific situation, it will probably resonate with a lot of people, and it definitely resonated with me, even though something like that hasn’t happened to me. It almost felt sacred. You have something beautiful, and it’s like, what are you gonna do with it?
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity and length.
FINNEAS has shared a new song, ‘Cleats’, taken from his upcoming sophomore LP For Cryin’ Out Loud!. Following the previously released title track, the single arrives with a music video directed by Isaac Ravishankara. Check it out below.
For Cryin’ Out Loud!, the follow-up to 2021’s Optimist, is out October 4 via Interscope.
Atlantic City, once the East Coast’s premier gambling destination, is undergoing a cultural renaissance. The city’s casinos, facing competition from online platforms and changing consumer preferences, are reinventing themselves to appeal to a younger, more digitally-savvy audience.
The city’s transformation goes beyond simply updating game offerings. It’s been a complete overhaul of the casino experience. Casinos are fusing cutting-edge technology, immersive art installations, and curated soundscapes to create spaces that are as much about the ‘gram as they are about the gamble.
From Slot Machines to Social Media Moments
“The new generation of casino-goers isn’t just looking for a chance to win big – they’re seeking shareable experiences,” explains Grant Lucas, Managing Editor of PlayNJ, a leading resource for New Jersey’s gambling scene. “Atlantic City’s casinos are responding with Instagram-worthy installations and interactive spaces that blur the lines between gaming, art, and entertainment.”
Take, for example, the Ocean Casino Resort’s collaboration with local artists to create a series of neon-lit, interactive sculptures throughout the gaming floor. These pieces not only serve as eye-catching backdrops for selfies but also integrate with a mobile app that allows visitors to manipulate the light displays in real-time.
Soundtracking the Casino Experience
Music has always been a part of the casino ambiance, but Atlantic City is taking it to the next level.
The Hard Rock Hotel & Casino has introduced “Sound of Your Stay,” a program that allows guests to curate their own in-room playlists or even borrow a Fender guitar to jam in their suite.
Gone are the days of generic background music. Instead, carefully curated playlists transition throughout the day and night, matching the energy of the crowds and creating a more dynamic atmosphere.
Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality
Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa is at the forefront of integrating virtual and augmented reality into the traditional casino experience.
Visitors to their VR lounge can experience immersive gaming that goes beyond conventional slot machines or table games, stepping into fantastical worlds where the stakes are high and the environments are as unpredictable as the next hand dealt.
“This is all about creating a multi-sensory experience that’s differentiated,” Lucas notes. “Virtual and augmented reality technology allows casinos to offer something that online platforms cannot replicate with a fully immersive and physical experience.”
Something for the Foodie Generation
Recognizing that millennials and Gen Z value unique dining experiences, Atlantic City’s casinos are reimagining their culinary offerings.
Bland buffets and uninspired cafes are a thing of the past, replaced with a culinary experience of pop-up restaurants, secret speakeasies hidden within the casino floors, and fusion cuisines. Properties like Caesars Atlantic City are partnering with celebrity chefs and local food artisans to create dining experiences that are destinations in themselves.
Resorts are creating curated experiences designed to be shared on social media and food blogs.
A Cultural Hub in Atlantic City?
As Atlantic City’s casinos continue to evolve, they’re positioning themselves not just as gambling destinations, but as cultural hubs. Art installations, live music venues, and interactive technology are becoming as integral to the casino experience as the games themselves.
According to Lucas, “what we’re seeing is a redefinition of what a casino can be.” So as Atlantic City continues to reinvent itself, it may well become a model for how traditional entertainment venues can stay relevant in the digital age.
Foxing have dropped their self-titled album via their own Grand Paradise label. The follow-up to 2021’s Draw Down the Moon includes the previously released singles ‘Greyhound’ and ‘Hell 99’. “I think it’s the most introspective album in terms of our band itself,” Conor Murphy said in our interview. “It’s kind of the band looking in the mirror more so than me individually. With past albums, just lyrically speaking, there’s a lot of personal deep-dive stuff – whether it’s about growing up, sexuality, depression, religion, or whatever the themes are. With this album, I feel like the vast majority of the songs are still written personally, but they’re more about the experience of this band’s career.”
Porches, the musical project led by NYC’s Aaron Maine, has returned with a new album called Shirt. Out now via Domino, the follow-up to 2021’s All Day Gentle Hold ! was preceded by the singles ‘Rag’, ‘Joker’, ‘Itch’, and ‘Crying at the End’. It’s “part angsty fantasy, part confessional melodrama,” according to a press release, “a rock album that oscillates between reality and make-believe to reflect both the innocence of suburban youth and the frayed reality of adulthood. A fusion of chaotic impulses, insatiable desires, and a perpetual yearning, Shirt plays with the tension between one’s person and persona – the weight of your dreams crashing up against your reality.”
Lunar Vacation, Everything Matters, Everything’s Fire
Lunar Vacation have followed up 2021’s Inside Every Fig is a Dead Wasp with a new LP titled Everything Matters, Everything’s Fire. Produced by Drew Vandenberg and released on Keeled Scales, the record features the advance singles ‘Set the Stage’ – which came with a Finn Wolfhard-directed video – ‘Set the Stage’, ‘Sick’, ‘Tom’, and ‘Fantasy’. “Our last album was super produced, manicured,” guitarist and vocalist Maggie Geeslin said in a statement. “This one’s organic. We embraced mistakes; it made the work even better.”
Allegra Krieger, Art of the Unseen Infinity Machine
Allegra Krieger has unveiled a new album titled Art of the Unseen Infinity Machine, following up last year’s I Keep My Feet on the Fragile Plane. Ahead of its release, the New York singer-songwriter shared the singles ‘Came’, ‘Never Arriving’, ‘Into Eternity’, and ‘Roosevelt Ave’. She wrote much of the album in the months that following her escape after multiple lithium batteries combusted and set fire to the e-bike shop on the ground floor of her Chinatown apartment building. The collection is “more outward looking, more questioning,” Krieger explained. “These songs are obviously extremely personal. But they also sucked the whole world in.”
Floating Points has released a new album, Cascade, via Ninja Tune. It follows Mere Mortals, Sam Shepherd’s first ballet score made in collaboration with the San Francisco Ballet, as well as Promises, his 2021 collaborative album with Pharoah Sanders and the London Symphony Orchestra. “I’m just constantly chasing challenges,” he remarked. “I always want to keep things moving and go all in on things that excite me. Whether that’s working with a 100-piece orchestra on a ballet or on a laptop on my own.” The singles ‘Birth4000’, ‘Del Oro’, ‘Key103’, and ‘Ocotillo’ arrived ahead of the release.
New York City-based songwriter and poet Wendy Eisenberg has issued a new LP, Viewfinder, via American Dreams. The follow-up to 2021’s Bent Ring includes the previously shared tracks ‘HM’ and ‘Lasik’. “A viewfinder is the window through which a photographer looks onto a preview of their image before it is captured,” a press release notes. “It’s easy to forget this in the age of the smartphone, to have been defamiliarized from the process of manipulating a proper camera. Some viewfinders, severed from the camera’s capturing lens, distort the angle by which a tableau is made legible. The prelude and its final form are thus related but non-identical. Our ways of seeing, of course, are always approximate. What we know of what we look at arrives in us slantwise, refracted through the singularity of experience.”
Suki Waterhouse’s latest album, Memoir of a Sparklemuffin, has arrived via Sub Pop. The 18-track double album, which follows 2022’s I Can’t Let Go, was promoted with the singles ‘My Fun’, ‘Faded’, and ‘Blackout Drunk’. “I came across the Sparklemuffin – which is wildly colored, does this razzle-dazzle dance, and its mate will cannibalize it if she doesn’t approve of the dance,” Waterhouse explained in a statement. “It’s a metaphor for the dance of life we’re all in. The title felt hilarious, ridiculous, and wonderful to me.”
Los Angeles shoegaze/noise rock outfit julie have come through with their debut LP, my anti-aircraft friend, out now via Atlantic Records. The band – Alexandria Elizabeth on vocals and bass, Keyan Pourzand on vocals and guitar, and Dillon Lee on drums – previewed the album with the singles ‘very little effort’ and ‘clairbourne practice’. “It’s us becoming more vulnerable, and more accurate with the emotional expression,” Lee said in press materials. “Some of the songs in the earlier days are a bit more guarded or timid. Now we’re more confident in what we want to do.”
Ginger Root – the California-based project of Cameron Lew – has released a new record, SHINBANGUMI. Featuring the early tracks ‘No Problems’, ‘Better Than Monday’, ‘All Night’, and ‘There Was a Time’, it marks his third full-length and first for new label home Ghostly International. “In terms of instrumentation and musicality, it’s the first time that I felt very confident and comfortable with what everything should be comprised of,” Lew explained. “On the more personal side, I’m coming out of the last four years of writing, touring, and living as a different person; SHINBANGUMI is a platform to showcase my new self.”
Other albums out today:
Snow Patrol, The Forest Is the Path; Tindersticks, Soft Tissue; LSDXOXO, DOGMA; Nada Surf, Moon Mirror; My Brightest Diamond, Fight the Real Terror; Kal Marks, Wasteland Baby; Chastity, Chastity; Worlds Greatest Dad, Better Luck Next Time; Gia Ford, Transparent Things; TR/ST, Performance; Bad Moves, Wearing Out the Refrain; Colin Stetson, The love it took to leave you; London Grammar, The Greatest Love; Hello Mary, Emita Ox; Chilly Gonzales, Gonzo; Lily Kershaw, Pain & More; Dora Jara, No Way to Relax When You’re on Fire; Fousheé, Pointy Heights; ionnalee, Close Your Eyes; Sarah Davachi, The Head as Form’d in the Crier’s Choir.
Becoming a therapist is a rewarding yet challenging journey, one that requires dedication, compassion, and a strong understanding of human behavior. Whether you’re just starting your education or are close to entering the profession, it’s important to be prepared for the realities of this career. From navigating education and licensure to developing effective communication skills, future therapists have much to learn to provide the best care to their clients. Here are some useful tips that will help you on your path to becoming a successful therapist.
Navigating the Path to Becoming a Therapist
Becoming a therapist involves completing rigorous education, gaining experience, and obtaining the necessary credentials. Professionals can pursue different licensures depending on their area of focus, such as Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), or Licensed Addiction Counselor (LAC). Each licensure requires meeting specific education and clinical hour requirements. Aspiring LPCs, for example, often work under LPC supervisors, who provide guidance and oversight during the required supervised practice hours. Whether we are talking about LPC supervisors in Colorado or any other place. this supervision is crucial for developing practical skills and navigating complex client issues. Ultimately, the licensure you choose will define the scope of your practice and the types of clients you can serve, shaping your career as a therapist.
Understand the Licensing Requirements
Therapists must be licensed to practice, and the requirements vary by state and country. It’s important to familiarize yourself with the licensure requirements early on so that you can plan accordingly. In most cases, therapists must complete a set number of supervised clinical hours, pass a licensing exam, and meet continuing education standards throughout their career.
Stay organized by keeping track of your supervised hours and documentation. It’s also helpful to connect with licensed professionals who can offer guidance on navigating the licensure process. Remember, earning your license is just the beginning—keeping up with renewals and staying informed about changes in regulations is a critical part of maintaining your professional status.
Develop Strong Communication Skills
As a therapist, your ability to communicate effectively is essential to building trust and understanding with your clients. Active listening, empathy, and clear communication are the cornerstones of successful therapy. Future therapists should focus on honing these skills through both academic training and practice in real-life situations.
Active listening involves more than just hearing words—it requires understanding the emotions and intentions behind what clients are saying. Practice being fully present during conversations, asking open-ended questions, and reflecting what you’ve heard to ensure clarity. Additionally, develop a non-judgmental attitude, as clients need to feel safe sharing their thoughts and feelings without fear of being criticized.
Practice Self-Care and Set Boundaries
Therapists often deal with emotionally heavy topics, and it’s easy to become overwhelmed by the stress of helping others. To avoid burnout, it’s crucial to prioritize your self-care and establish healthy boundaries. This means recognizing when you need a break, seeking support from colleagues or mentors, and managing your workload to prevent exhaustion.
Setting boundaries with clients is equally important. While building rapport is essential, maintaining a professional distance ensures that you can offer objective advice and avoid becoming too emotionally involved. Future therapists should learn to balance empathy with detachment, allowing them to offer support without sacrificing their emotional well-being.
Embrace Lifelong Learning
The field of therapy is constantly evolving, with new research, treatments, and methodologies emerging regularly. As a future therapist, it’s important to commit to lifelong learning to stay updated on the latest advancements in the field. Continuing education is not only required for licensure renewal but also essential for offering the best care to your clients.
Attend workshops, conferences, and seminars to expand your knowledge and stay informed about the latest trends in therapy. Reading professional journals, and books, and engaging in peer discussions can also help you remain current in your practice. Being open to learning will allow you to integrate new techniques into your therapy sessions and provide your clients with the most effective treatments.
Seek Supervision and Mentorship
Supervision and mentorship are invaluable tools for any future therapist. Supervision provides an opportunity to discuss challenging cases, receive feedback, and improve your clinical skills. Most licensure processes require a certain number of supervised hours, but even after meeting these requirements, ongoing supervision can help you grow as a therapist.
A mentor, on the other hand, can offer guidance on career development, ethical dilemmas, and personal growth within the profession. Find someone you respect and trust to serve as a mentor, whether it’s a professor, licensed therapist, or a colleague. Their insight can help you navigate the challenges of being a therapist and provide emotional support during difficult times.
Cultivate Cultural Competence
Cultural competence is a vital skill for therapists, as clients come from diverse backgrounds with unique experiences and perspectives. Understanding how culture, race, gender, and socioeconomic status affect mental health is essential for providing effective therapy. Future therapists should prioritize learning about different cultures and how to approach therapy with cultural sensitivity.
This involves not only educating yourself but also being open to learning from your clients. Each client’s experience is unique, and being able to adapt your approach to meet their needs is crucial. Avoid making assumptions based on a client’s background, and always be willing to listen and learn from their perspective.
Becoming a therapist is a meaningful and fulfilling career, but it requires thorough preparation, ongoing learning, and personal resilience. By prioritizing education, developing strong communication skills, and seeking mentorship, future therapists can build a solid foundation for a successful practice. Additionally, practicing self-care, embracing cultural competence, and preparing for ethical challenges will help you navigate the complexities of the profession. With the right mindset and commitment, you’ll be well on your way to making a positive impact in the lives of your future clients.
There are films, and then there are Wes Anderson films. His symmetrical frames, pastel color palettes, and quicky characters are not only a distinctive niche, but also a cultural phenomenon. It is now being copied everywhere, from films and TV to advertisements and social media. But what is it about Wes Anderson’s aesthetic and narrative approach that has made such a mark on our visual culture, inspiring copycats plenty?
The Wes Anderson Style: A Cultural Trademark
The core of Wes Anderson’s appeal is the craftsmanship that births his movies. The Royal Tenenbaums, moonrise Kingdom, and the Grand Budapest Hotel are visual symphonies composed of perfect shots, vintage-inspired color palettes, and eccentric set designs. The characters in these movies inhabit structured, dreamlike worlds that combine melancholy and playfulness. What is more, even the most bizarre narrative elements are meticulously planned and wrapped in melancholic humor.
However, Anderson does not bet solely on aesthetics, as his narratives often explore themes of family, loneliness, and human connection. It is this combination of visual excellence and deep emotional connection that has made Wes Anderson a trademark of the film industry. A trademark that has spilled over into other industries and created more copycats than there are slot machine variants.
The Rise of Wes Anderson Copycats
Fans and those envious of Anderson’s style have tried to replicate it time and time again. It has infected TV with shows like Pushing Daisies and a Series of Unfortunate Events taking the form of whimsical, pastel-coated gems. But movies such as The Grand Seduction and Submarine have also upped the ante.
However, movies and TV are not the only ones that have gone all-in on Wes Anderson’s style. Advertising agencies around the world have tried to capitalize on the style’s popularity, thus trying to sell everything from soft drinks to cars. Symmetry, vibrant compositions, and ironic humor have been behind various commercials for IKEA, H&M, and even insurance companies. What is more, there are entire websites built around Anderson’s style, with some covering surprising topics. By far, the most surprising ones are online gambling operator sites that build their UI and color scheme not around traditional gaming but around pastel colors and playful symmetry.
The Social Media Explosion: #WesAnderson
Beyond TV and film, Anderson’s style has gone viral on multiple social media platforms. The age of Instagram and TikTok, where users tag pictures of symmetrical landscapes, pastel-colored street corners, and retro-inspired outfits with #WesAnderson. Everyday scenes are reinterpreted through the Anderson lens, turning the mundane into something cinematic. This social media trend thus highlights the visual vocabulary Anderson has introduced into pop culture, inspiring both professionals and amateur creators.
The Wes Anderson phenomenon represents the democratization of Anderson’s style, where anyone with a smartphone can try their hand at creating a “Wes Anderson moment”. The accessibility of this aesthetic, based on framing, colors, and mood, allows people to participate in a form of global visual homage.
The Impact on Cinema and Television
While not everyone directly copies Anderson’s style, as that would be a silly gamble, there are now expanded possibilities for whimsical, stylized storytelling in mainstream media. This shift is evident in the growing acceptance of quirky, visually striking narratives that combine humor and heart while also emphasizing meticulous production design.
Some of the most famous directors who have been inspired by Anderson are Quentin Tarantino, Martin Scorsese, and Tim Burton. But these imitations go beyond poker face copying; they pay homage to the directive brilliance of their original creator. This copying is sometimes a risky gamble, as gritty narratives like The Crown and Breaking Bad permeate our pop culture.
Copycats or Creative Evolution?
Have you ever noticed how every casino looks sort of the same? While that is not exactly true, especially if you consult industry experts, there is some truth to it. The truth is that certain styles simply work. They tickle our artistic taste buds and leave us wanting more, which can also be said of the Wes Anderson style. It is, therefore, a bit difficult to distinguish between copycats and creative evolution.
A great example is the TV show Russian Doll, which borrows certain aspects of Anderson’s narrative structure and visual quirks while fusing them with a more rounded and existential tone. Anderson is, therefore, the ante bet of new storytelling possibilities. While labeling someone as a copycat is easy, diving into the nuances of their creation and seeing them as a part of creative evolution is difficult.
The Legacy of Wes Anderson
Just as distinguishing copycats from creative evolution is difficult, so is understanding the legacy of Wes Anderson. He will continue to inspire new generations of filmmakers, marketers, and social media users. His impact on culture is profound and a lighthearted morsel of creativity that opens up a universe of delight. It is impossible to say just how the story of Wes Anderson’s creation will end, but it is destined to be an interesting and memorable journey all the same.
As online casinos continue to grow in popularity worldwide, one key factor that makes them appealing to a diverse audience is the wide range of currencies they accept. For players from different countries, being able to use their local currency or a preferred international option is essential for a smooth and convenient gambling experience. Online casinos today accept a broad variety of currencies to cater to their global audience. Whether you’re playing from Europe, Asia, or the Americas, there’s likely a currency option that fits your needs. Let’s explore the most common currencies accepted by online casinos and how they work.
USD (United States Dollar)
The U.S. dollar (USD) is one of the most widely accepted currencies in the online casino world. Given that the United States has a large and active gambling market, many online casinos cater to American players by allowing transactions in USD. Even international casinos outside the U.S. often accept the dollar due to its global status as a dominant reserve currency.
Players who use USD will find it easy to make deposits, withdrawals, and bets without the need for currency conversions, which can save time and reduce costs associated with exchange rates and fees.
EUR (Euro)
The euro (EUR) is another major currency widely accepted in online casinos, particularly those catering to European players. Given the European Union’s large market, most European-based and international online casinos offer the option to deposit and withdraw in euros. Whether you’re playing from Germany, France, Spain, or Italy, you’ll likely be able to use the euro as your default currency.
Choosing EUR as your preferred currency can be beneficial, as it helps avoid any conversion fees that might apply if you were to use a different currency in a European-based casino.
GBP (British Pound Sterling)
British players represent a significant portion of the global online casino audience, and as such, the British pound (GBP) is frequently accepted at both UK-based and international online casinos. Thanks to the UK’s well-established online gambling regulations, many operators specifically cater to this market, making the pound a standard currency choice.
For UK players, using GBP eliminates the hassle of currency exchange and ensures that the deposited amount remains consistent with what is shown in the account.
CAD (Canadian Dollar)
Canadian players enjoy a thriving online gambling scene, and the Canadian dollar (CAD) is commonly accepted at most online casinos that serve this market. Canadian-friendly casinos often feature CAD as one of their primary currencies, allowing players from Canada to deposit, withdraw, and wager without worrying about exchange rates or additional fees.
Given the country’s openness to online gambling and the increasing number of casinos targeting the Canadian market, CAD is becoming a more prominent currency in the online casino industry.
AUD (Australian Dollar)
The Australian dollar (AUD) is also widely accepted by online casinos, especially those that focus on Australian players. Many Australian-friendly online casinos offer AUD as a currency option, which makes it easier for players from Australia to gamble without needing to convert to another currency. With strict gambling regulations in Australia, casinos that accept AUD often provide transparent and fair practices to ensure a safe betting environment for Australian players.
Cryptocurrencies (Bitcoin, Ethereum, and more)
In recent years, cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), and Litecoin (LTC) have become popular payment options in online casinos. Many online platforms now cater to cryptocurrency users by allowing deposits and withdrawals in digital currencies. Crypto casinos are attractive to players due to the anonymity, security, and fast transaction times that cryptocurrencies offer.
For players who prefer decentralization and privacy, using Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies offers a seamless experience, often with lower fees and quicker processing than traditional currencies. Some casinos, like www.bitcoingames.com, are exclusively crypto-based, meaning they only accept digital currencies.
Currency Conversion and Exchange Rates
For players using a currency not directly supported by their chosen online casino, automatic currency conversion may be offered by the platform. However, it’s essential to be aware that currency conversion usually comes with fees or varying exchange rates, which can impact the amount of money available for betting or withdrawing.
Many casinos clearly display any fees associated with currency conversion, and players are encouraged to review these details before completing transactions. Using your local or preferred currency when available helps avoid these extra costs.
Conclusion
Online casinos accept a wide variety of currencies to cater to their global user base, from major currencies like USD, EUR, and GBP to regional options like AUD, CAD, and even cryptocurrencies. This broad acceptance makes it easier for players to participate without the need for cumbersome currency exchanges or fees. Whether you prefer traditional currencies or digital ones, it’s important to choose an online casino that offers your currency to ensure smooth and cost-effective transactions. Always check the currency options available before registering or making a deposit to ensure your gambling experience is as convenient as possible.
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