The week after bassist Melissa Auf Der Maur resigned from Hole, Courtney Love – her former band mate, boss and cosmic sister – sent her a fax (it was 1999) saying that she wished, as a songwriter and one quarter of the group, she had given “25%” of her creativity to the band. It’s a jab that’s not unfounded at least musically. Auf Der Maur’s preferred music tastes were heavier, more dissonant and male than Hole’s guttural pop- noise-rock. A 90s playlist that turns up early on in her memoir Even The Good Girls Will Cry includes Helmet and White Zombie. One of her named contributions to Hole is Use Once And Destroy, a heavy stoner rock number that owes more to Kyuss than Hole’s normal sound.
However, according to her book, Auf Der Maur gave it 100% but it was in the form of emotional support rather than musical. She is drafted into Hole just 4 months after the overdose of bassist Kristin Pfaff and five months after the suicide of Kurt Cobain, she brings levity into a situation reeling from darkness and death. In the 2011 documentary Hit So Hard, guitarist Eric Erlandson says: “Melissa bought some sunshine to the band.”
But, it turns out, it was more complicated.
At the top of the book, Auf Der Maur casts herself as a born empath, a Pisces, a fatalist and an ‘observer’ both metaphorically and literally: she is a photographer who describes her lens as “armour”. For her time in Hole her sturdy, assured bass playing becomes a metaphor for the supporting, grounding role she plays for others. It was a role she was groomed for, growing up in Montreal she was known as ‘Nick’s daughter’, her father being a local celebrity, a journalist, raconteur and man about town. She has a complicated relationship (older friend, mentor, caretaker) with him. At least twice in the book she compares her father to Love – both are gregarious, with an impenetrable public persona and a softer side only Auf Der Maur was privy to.
The first shows that she plays with Hole, in the wake of Cobain’s suicide, are legendary for their exhilarating, quasi-sacrificial nature: Love on the edge of public grief, communing with the spirit of her dead husband through lyrics that somehow predicted the situation. Teetering between brilliant and car-crash theatre, Love would often verbally confront the audience. Auf Der Maur describes these gigs as “gladiatorial” with the band holding the vulnerable, exposed Love through the music. Auf Der Maur sees that moment matter-of-factly: Love as a widow, a single parent acting out stages of her grief on stage. It’s in stark contrast to the world who saw Love’s refusal to play the “sad widow” archetype as proof she had a hand in her husband’s murder.
In Hole, Auf Der Maur is an empathetic balm to a band collapsing in on themselves. In parallel to her playing the ‘good daughter’ to Nick in Hole she is Horatio, the good sister to Love’s bad, the mysterious red head to Love’s blonde. It’s not long before Love herself tries to Henry Higgins her into some sort of rock queen dilettante.
But who was Melissa? Even The Good Girls Will Cry is in part a tragedy about the erasure of self for the ‘greater good’. Later when she goes against her instinct and joins The Smashing Pumpkins, she plays with the image of being captured in a bell-jar: a kept creature, observed by others. It seems appropriate.
Auf Der Maur’s heart’s desire is the lo-fi, DIY creative community she finds as a teenager in Montreal. Turned off by the corporatisation of alternative rock that she observes after she joins Hole, she leans into the emotional needs she intuits her bandmates need from her, placing the other parts of herself on hold. While her life as a celebrity is painted with duality: the eccentric parties full of James Dean-ish actors and strippers covered in whipped cream, paired with her lonely antiseptic home life as the band record the follow up to Live Through This, Celebrity Skin in 1997. Her closet ally, drummer Patty Schemel, had quit the band by this point, after their autocratic new producer Michael Beinhorn replaced her drum parts with a session player. And the passage about Auf Der Maur recording her bass and vocal parts alone, to the backing drum track played by this ‘ghost drummer’ makes for depressing reading, contrasting starkly with the codependent ‘band family’ who played the Live Through This shows.
The book frames itself in many dualities, not just between Love and Nick. From the 90s alternative scene which is caught between the cardinal sin of ‘selling out’ and getting big (Auf Der Maur notes Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong tell Love that Cobain killed himself because he realised he had killed punk rock. Love says Armstrong had ‘got it’) to boyfriend Dave Grohl who wants to settle down and start a family but also sees himself as a progressive rock star.
Auf Der Maur writes best when describing the quasi-religious ecstasy of music. “I grew accustomed to the underlying sadness and loneliness in the people who gathered there,” she writes incisively about rock crowds, “they seemed both lost and found at the same time”. Or the star-crossed relationship between her parents.
As she walks from one high intensity situation to another, Auf Der Maur’s strategy is to disassociate and mask her feelings with a very 90s stoicism. There are thoughtful passages where she questions why she always finds herself around such high drama and questions her own culpability in it all. When she finally realises she has to completely cut ties with her glossy former life and its incestuous scene to find herself again, you feel a sense of relief, glad she doesn’t become another casualty of the era.
Even The Good Girls Will Cry demythologises the fantasy of the 90s with a deflating honesty. It also makes you want to listen to certain records from that time again. But maybe not Celebrity Skin.
There’s so much music coming out all the time that it’s hard to keep track. On those days when the influx of new tracks is particularly overwhelming, we sift through the noise to bring you a curated list of the most interesting new releases (the best of which will be added to our Best New Songs playlist). Below, check out our track roundup for Wednesday, February 11, 2026.
Kim Gordon – ‘Dirty Tech’
Kim Gordon has shared ‘Dirty Tech’, the second single from her forthcoming album Play Me. Unlike the dreamier ‘Not Today’, it finds her back in sardonic spoken-word mode, uttering lines like, “I like it when you talk dirty tech to me.” In a press release, she explained: “I was kind of musing about, is my next boss going to be an AI chatbot? We’re the first ones whose lights are going to go out – not the tech billionaires. It’s so abstract that people can’t comprehend.” Thankfully, Kim Gordon is great at communicating the abstract and making it sound all the more absurd.
Ekko Astral – ‘lil xan goes to washington’
Ekko Astral have announced their second LP, the beltway is burning, with a track titled ‘lil xan goes to washington’. It comes out April 22, and trust me, you’re going to want to mark your calendars. The new single should be proof enough. “In times when Nicki Minaj is tight with the president, it feels right that Lil Xan becomes a lobbyist,” the band’s Liam Hughes explained. “This song was pulled out of thin air in the studio while most of the album was written and ready to record beforehand. We only had the lyrics finished for this one. But once we started messing around, the music wrote itself in minutes, and we all knew we had something special.”
Flea – ‘Thinkin Bout You’ (Frank Ocean Cover)
Flea’s upcoming album, Honora, features a few covers, including a take on Frank Ocean’s ‘Thinkin Bout You’ that’s out today. Last fall, the Red Hot Chilli Peppers bassist posted a video of him playing the song on trumpet for his son Darius, but the recording is lush and wistful, fleshed out by Anna Butterss’ upright bass and Nate Walcott’s string arrangements. “Channel Orange! When that record came out, it really blew me away,” Flea shared. “I listened to it ten million times. It was something I just couldn’t stop listening to. I loved it so much and still do. Just one of those real watershed moment records for me. “Thinkin Bout You” is one of the many great songs on that record, and I thought it would be fun to play on trumpet.
“Then I went to Nate Wolcott, who plays keyboards on Honora on several tunes,” he continued. “He did that string arrangement for me. He stepped up to the plate and really did something beautiful. I just wanted to get the honest beauty of the melody because it’s a great song.”
Victoria Monét – ‘Let Me’
Victoria Monét is back with new music. ‘Let Me’ is a lavish R&B tune produced by Camper, with help from Jeff “Gitty” Gitelman, Branden “B Mack” Rowell, and Cashmere Brown. It’s artfully stretched out to nearly five minutes, ensuring it takes less than a full listen for the hook to get stuck in your head. I’m confident I’ll be hearing this one in a variety of different settings, and I won’t be mad about it. I might even let myself hum along.
Kevin Morby – ‘Javelin’
Kevin Morby made an album with Aaron Dessner as a producer, and it’s called Little Wide Open. The breezy first single, ‘Javelin’, comes with a video starring Morby and comedian Caleb Hearon, cameos by Katie Crutchfield and Tara Raghuveer. “This is a song I wrote about being in love with someone you keep circling around the globe, relentlessly traveling through the air and down highways, and then returning home alone to middle America,” Morby said. “[Amelia Meath, of Sylvan Esso and Mountain Man] shines here, with her incredible vocals. I had invited her into the studio and asked that she create a backing choir out of just her voice – but her presence is so special that her ‘backing vocals’ can’t help but take the lead.”
Lowertown – ‘I Like You a Lot’
New York duo Lowertown have announced a new album, Ugly Duckling Union, with the nervously infatuated lead single ‘I Like You a Lot’. The new track “was written about the hope of a new crush, and the intoxicating feelings of admiring and fantasizing about someone from afar,” according to the band. “Loving someone without yet knowing them, and being filled with the idea of the potential time spent together. This thinking can become obsessive and compulsive, almost like a sickness taking over the body, but maybe not in a particularly bad way. It is also about the insecurity and the uncertainty about these feelings being reciprocated or un-reciprocated.”
Hiss Golden Messenger – ‘In the Middle of It’
Hiss Golden Messenger has a new album on the way. I’m People, the follow-up to 2023’s Jump for Joy, is out May 1, and it’s led by the sprightly folk rock jam ‘In the Middle of It’. Having written it in a corner room of the El Rey Court hotel, MC Taylor referes to it as a “Santa Fe song,” citing “Highway 10 through the desert towns, Los Angeles to El Paso … Art Bell’s Coast to Coast droning from a bunker in the middle of Nevada. Ghosts and UFOs and vagabonds. The engine sings out over the long lightning fields. In the middle of it: the country, the story, the relationships.”
Mei Semones – ‘Koneko’
Before releasing her debut LP Animaru last year, Mei Semones impressed us with 2024’s Kabutomushi EP. Today, she’s announced another EP, Kurage, comprised of three songs all featuring guest contributors. The first single, ‘Koneko’, is an exquisite duet with her friend, the British-Brazilian singer-songwriter Liana Flores. “I wrote this song about my first time in London in April of 2025,” Semones recalled. “I was staying with Liana, and the imagery in the lyrics is inspired by our time together: we walked along the canal, drank tea, ate strawberries and cookies, played with her cat, and went to the park to look at the birds 🙂 I hope that the song will make people smile and remind them of the pureness of a good friend <3.”
Frost Children and Ninajirachi – ‘Sisters’
Frost Children and Ninajirachi have joined forces for a new single, ‘Sisters’. It’s basically an updated version of ‘Sister’, the affecting title track from Frost Children’s 2025 LP. A few months ago, Frost Children remixed Ninajirachi’s ‘Fuck My Computer’.
Gladie – ‘Brace Yourself’
No Need to Be Lonely, another reason to be stoked. Gladie’s upcoming album (that’s the title in italics) comes out in a little over a month, and today they’ve shared another killer single, ‘Brace Yourself’. According to the band’s Augusta Koch, it’s “a song about worrying about the health of a friend I love. Moments like that tend to shake you and can sometimes completely reorient you to what is actually important. It’s so easy to get trapped in the monotony of day to day life and focus on things that don’t actually matter, Brace Yourself is about trying to pay more attention to the things that do.”
Melvins and Napalm Death – ‘Tossing Coins Into the Fountain of Fuck’
Melvins and Napalm Death’s collaborative album, Savage Imperial Death March, will be released on April 10. Sharing a name with the bands’ Savage Imperial Death March tours from 2016 and 2025, the LP was tracked at Melvins’ Los Angeles studio, with Buzz Osborne (vocals/guitar) and Dale Crover (drums) joined by Napalm Death’s Barney Greenway (vocals), Shane Embury (bass), and John Cooke (guitar). “Napalm Death are one of my favorite bands ever,” Osborne shared. “It was an absolute pleasure and a dream come true to do this collaboration with them. We wrote songs together. I would write a riff and we would learn it and record it right there. They wrote stuff, and we would learn it immediately as well. It was truly a 50/50 partnership.” You can tell that was the case by its first single, ‘Tossing Coins Into the Fountain of Fuck’.
Greenway added: “Funny how life turns out sometimes… collecting hard-to-find Melvins 7-inches on Bleecker Street in 1989 and then touring twice and doing an album with them within the following 35 years. Had a great time with it all, and nice to work with fellow travelers in the Melvins who also couldn’t care about pandering to “demographics.” I felt myself almost babbling lyrically during the recording, and that alone made for very fun recording times.”
E L U C I D & Sebb Bash – ‘Make Me Wise’
E L U C I D has dropped a new track from I Guess U Had To Be There, his album-length collaboration with Swiss producer Sebb Bash. The swirling, eerie ‘Make Me Wise’ follows last month’s ‘First Light’.
CarlaJ. Easton – ‘Oh Yeah’
CarlaJ. Easton has announced her third album, I Think That I Might Love You, due May 8, with the ebullient new single ‘Oh Yeah’. Produced by Howard Bilerman, the record was inspired by her time making the film Since Yesterday: The Untold Story of Scotland’s Girl Bands, and includes co-writes from Simon Liddell (Frightened Rabbit, Poster Paints), Hen Hoose’s MALKA (Hen Hoose), Glasgow’s Man of the Minch, Canadian singer-songwriter Brett Nelson, and Hefner’s Darren Hayman.
Touch Girl Apple Blossom – ‘The Springtime Reminds Me Of…’
Is it too early to think about springtime? Even if you think so, Touch Girl Apple Blossom’s jangly new single might change your mind. It leads the Austin band’s debut album Graceful, which arrives May 15 via K/Perennial. That’s certainly good timing!
Tinariwen – ‘Imidiwan Takyadam’ [feat. José González]
Hearing Swedish singer-songwriter José González on a Tinariwen single is a pleasant surprise; the only other guest on the Tuareg musical pioneers’ upcoming LP Hoggar is Sudanese artist Sulafa Elyas. González sings in Spanish on the acoustic lament ‘Imidiwan Takyadam’, about which Tinariwen’s Ibrahim Ag Alhabib shared: “Friends, look at what is unfolding before us. This is a song I wrote long ago, yet today its echo feels stronger than ever. It speaks of our people, the Tamasheq, scattered across distant lands, slowly losing the threads of their culture and their ancestral heritage. It is a call to memory and to conscience — a reminder not to forget our brothers and sisters who endure suffering under the tyranny of short-sighted and foolish leaders.”
Cashier – ‘Part From Me’
Louisiana band Cashier’s debut EP, The Weight, is coming March 13 via Julia’s War Recordings. New single ‘Part From Me’ is hooky, but there’s a jagged tension that’s in line with its subject matter. “I had a lot of fun writing this song,” Kylie from the band said. “Musically, it’s a love letter to singing, and a celebration of rock guitar. I was trying to find something playful for the verses, and I created this melody that goes back and forth with the guitars. Lyrically, the song seeks connection, exploring the distance between two people; the push and pull of coming back around to each other, but the connection never quite making it – like when two magnets repel – and the invitation to be/not be a part of another person’s life.”
Elder Island – ‘Pink Lemon’
Bristol trio Elder Island have announced their third LP, Hello Baby Okay. ‘Pink Lemon’ is a pleasantly groovy jam about the often “disparagingly mundane rhythm of our daily lives. Or, as the band tells it: “‘Pink Lemon’ is about escaping monotony and dreaming of being whisked away from the everyday. We wanted it to sound like old analogue holiday photographs, with a sun glare on the image, the light and warmth of golden moments. We used classic 90s filters (famously used by Daft Punk), like the Mutronic Mutator and the Electrix Filter Factory, to bring in a slight vintage character, but kept the focus on letting the bright, silky guitar riff shine for that sunny, soul-pop feel.”
Tenderness – Day of Atonement [feat. Deep Throat Choir]
Tenderness – the London-based solo project of Katy Beth Young – has shared a mournful new single, ‘Day of Atonement’, featuring Deep Throat Choir. “‘Day of Atonement’ is a kind of collage of images and sounds and dreams and different relationships,” Young said of the track, which is taken from her debut album True. “I wanted the song to be both abstract and tangible, in the way that dreams can be. It’s a bit of an outlier for me –I usually try to write towards clarity, but this song is more impressionistic because it’s about parts of myself that I struggle to look at squarely, which are experiences around care and codependency and addiction. The recording was made from many layers with a huge bed of drones by Euan, Jim White-inspired drums from Olly, melancholy pedal steel by Harry and improvised, ethereal backing vocals by some of my friends from Deep Throat Choir.”’
If you’re feeling overwhelmed in Nioh 3, there’s a good chance you’re not switching stances enough. Combat in Nioh 3 is brutal and deliberate, and using the right stance at the right time can help you dodge attacks, manage Ki, and land heavier hits. There are three stances in the game, and each one changes your moveset, attack attributes and how much Ki each action uses. High stance hits hard and punishes enemies, but it costs more Ki. The mid stance offers a balanced mix of offense and defense and is the one you start with, while the low stance trades raw power for speed, quicker movement, and faster Ki recovery. So, to stay on top of combat, here’s how to change your stance in Nioh 3.
Nioh 3: How to Change Stance
To change your stance in Nioh 3, you need to be in Samurai mode, as stances are exclusive to this mode. So if you’re in Ninja mode, press the Right Trigger (R2/RT) to switch to Samurai mode before switching stances. Once in Samurai mode, hold the Right Shoulder button (R1/RB) to bring up the stance prompts on the bottom-right of the screen. While holding the button, press the input for the stance you want:
Low Stance – X (PlayStation) / A (Xbox) / Shift + Mouse Scroll Down
Mid Stance – Square (PlayStation) / X (Xbox) / Shift + Left Click
High Stance – Triangle (PlayStation) / Y (Xbox) / Shift + Mouse Scroll Up
On PC with a controller, the inputs use the same layout as Xbox. You can switch stances on the fly, making it easy to react to enemies during a fight. As previously mentioned, each stance changes your moveset, attack speed, damage output, and Ki use. High stance deals heavier damage but drains more Ki, Low stance boosts mobility and Ki recovery, and Mid stance balances offense and defense.
Nioh 3: How to Unlock Additional Stances
After you start changing stances in Nioh 3, you’ll notice that not every stance is available right away. You start out with the Mid stance, and the High and Low stances need to be unlocked using Samurai skill points. You can earn your first Samurai skill point during The Hamamatsu Incident by finding a Samurai’s Lock near the first Shrine in the mission. Samurai’s Locks can also be found in chests or by interacting with Chijiko. Now, to unlock a stance in Nioh 3:
Open the Main Menu.
Select Acquire Martial Skills/Ninjutsu.
Navigate to the Samurai Skill Tree.
Spend a skill point on High Stance (top of the Samurai icon) or Low Stance (bottom of the Samurai icon).
Once unlocked, you can switch to them anytime in combat using the R1/RB button plus the stance button. For more gaming news and guides, be sure to check out our gaming page!
New York duo Lowertown have announced a new album, Ugly Duckling Union, which is set for release on May 22 via their new label home, Summer Shade. The nervously infatuated lead single, ‘I Like You A Lot’, is out now. Check out a video for it below, and scroll down for the album cover and tracklist.
The new track “was written about the hope of a new crush, and the intoxicating feelings of admiring and fantasizing about someone from afar,” according to the band. “Loving someone without yet knowing them, and being filled with the idea of the potential time spent together. This thinking can become obsessive and compulsive, almost like a sickness taking over the body, but maybe not in a particularly bad way. It is also about the insecurity and the uncertainty about these feelings being reciprocated or un-reciprocated.”
I interviewed Lowertown in 2021 for an Artist Spotlight, and then again the following year for an inspirations feature around their debut LP, I Love to Lie. I don’t think they’ve ever done anything nearly as conceptual as Ugly Duckling Union, which is described by a press release as “the conceptual world of Dale the duckling protagonist and his companions as they attempt to band together to defeat LBH, a tyrannical media corporation set on separating and isolating in their pursuit of control.” It also comes with a playable Minecraft world, a handbook, plush dolls, and drawn comics by Doctor Nowhere (Silas Orion).
The new album was fully written and recorded by Olivia Osby and Avsha Weinberg. “Our home has been the people who make us feel understood, and the music that makes us feel understood,” Osby reflected. “I feel like Avsha and I have just been two misfits doing stuff together, and I feel like this music is for people like us—it’s for the misfit toys.”
Ugly Duckling Union Cover Artwork:
Ugly Duckling Union Tracklist:
1. Mice Protection
2. Worst Friend
3. Echo of Desire
4. Forgive Yourself
5. Big Thumb
6. Cover You
7. I Like You A Lot
8. (I Like To Play With) Mutts
9. DIPSH*T
10. Anything Good Takes Blood
11. Found A
12. Some Things Never End
Here’s one of the best press release leads I’ve seen in a while: “pink balloons went pop, and now everything’s in black and white.” Ekko Astral, the Washington, D.C. punks who broke out with 2024’s pink balloons, have announced their sophomore album. It’s called the beltway is burning, and it’s out April 22. The dancey, discombobulating lead single, ‘lil xan goes to washington’, comes paired with an Alec Pugliese-directed music video. Check it out and find the album artwork and tracklist below.
“In times when Nicki Minaj is tight with the president, it feels right that Lil Xan becomes a lobbyist,” the band’s Liam Hughes said in a statement. “This song was pulled out of thin air in the studio while most of the album was written and ready to record beforehand. We only had the lyrics finished for this one. But once we started messing around, the music wrote itself in mintues, and we all knew we had something special.”
Jael Holzman: “We always intended for the songs on this album to tell a fictional story based on real events. Some of this material dates back a decade to when Liam and I first met in college. But by the time we hit the studio, we had a feeling it would be more like a historical document.” Holzman has also published a personal essay accompanying the announcement via Medium.
The beltway is burning was written and recorded by Holzman, Hughes, and Miri Tyler, who, as the band recently announced, is leaving the project. Featuring the previously released single ‘Horseglue’, the album was produced by Jeremy Snyder and mastered by Carl Saff.
1. body generation
2. lil xan goes to washington
3. horseglue
4. beltway [feat. pop music fever dream]
5. wmata
6. this is not a call to action but a lamentation on the situation
at hand (or capital riot)
7. elegy for a system [feat. big girl]
8. lovesick american romance
9. dude with guitars
10. sandler ’36
11. blood mountain
12. comet ping pong
Kevin Morby has announced a new album: Little Wide Open arrives May 15 via Dead Oceans. The follow-up to 2022’s This Is a Photograph was produced by Aaron Dessner. It’s led by the breezy, radiant new single ‘Javelin’, which comes with a video starring Morby and comedian Caleb Hearon; there are also cameos by Waxahatchee’s Katie Crutchfield and Tara Raghuveer. Check it out below.
Little Wide Open features contributions from Justin Vernon, Katie Gavin, Lucinda Williams, Mat Davidson, Meg Duffy, Oliver Hill, Rachel Baiman, Stuart Bogie, Tim and Andrew Barr, Benjamin Lanz, Colin Croom, and Tom Moth. “Little Wide Open is set to a backdrop of tangled highways, towns with populations less than 100,000, roadside crosses, a rock and roll romance, coupling butterflies, being an American entertainer, Econoline vans, and more,” Morby explained in a press release. “This is, without a doubt, the most personal and vulnerable album I’ve ever made. Aaron did a heroic job of holding me back from throwing too many tricks at the songs and letting my stories stand a bit naked. Despite its title this album is in fact, very wide open.”
One of the collaborators on ‘Javelin’ is Amelia Meath, of Sylvan Esso and Mountain Man. “This is a song I wrote about being in love with someone you keep circling around the globe, relentlessly traveling through the air and down highways, and then returning home alone to middle America,” Morby said. “[Amelia] shines here, with her incredible vocals. I had invited her into the studio and asked that she create a backing choir out of just her voice – but her presence is so special that her ‘backing vocals’ can’t help but take the lead.”
Little Wide Open Cover Artwork:
Little Wide Open Tracklist:
1. Badlands
2. Die Young
3. Javelin
4. All Sinners
5. Natural Disaster
6. 100,000
7. Little Wide Open
8. Cowtown
9. Bible Belt
10. I Ride Passenger
11. Junebug
12. Dandelion
13. Field Guide for the Butterflies
Orlando is often known as the theme park capital of the world, attracting millions of visitors to its iconic destinations like Walt Disney World, Universal Studios, and SeaWorld. However, there’s more to Orlando than thrilling rides and magical experiences. The city is also a vibrant hub for art, culture, and live entertainment, offering a range of activities that appeal to a diverse audience. Whether you’re an art lover, theater enthusiast, or theme park fan, Orlando has something to offer. Here’s a guide to exploring Orlando’s rich cultural offerings, from its museums and galleries to live performances and unforgettable theme park experiences.
Orlando’s Vibrant Art Scene
Orlando may be best known for its theme parks, but its art scene is growing and thriving. The city features a variety of museums and galleries showcasing everything from contemporary art to historical treasures.
Museums in Orlando
For art lovers, a visit to the Orlando Museum of Art is a must. Known for its collection of American art, contemporary works, and rotating exhibitions, this museum is one of the city’s cultural gems. You can find everything from landscapes and sculptures to modern mixed-media pieces, offering a diverse range of visual experiences.
Another top destination for art enthusiasts is the Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art. Located in Winter Park, just outside Orlando, this museum houses one of the world’s most extensive collections of Tiffany glass. Visitors can also enjoy works from American artists from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, making it a fascinating stop for anyone interested in American art history.
For a dose of contemporary art, check out the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. While it’s best known for its live shows and performances, the center also hosts rotating exhibitions and art installations that explore the intersection of art and performance.
Art Galleries
In addition to museums, Orlando’s galleries are a fantastic way to experience local art. The Gallery at Avalon Island is a top spot for contemporary works, showcasing local and regional artists. You can also visit the Urban Art District in downtown Orlando, where murals and public art installations bring color and creativity to the streets. Whether you’re looking to purchase a piece of art or simply admire the talent of local artists, Orlando’s galleries are well worth exploring.
Live Shows and Performing Arts in Orlando
Orlando isn’t just about visual art—it’s also home to a vibrant performing arts scene. From Broadway shows to local theater productions, the city offers a wide range of live performances to suit all tastes.
Broadway and Theater Performances
The Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts is one of the city’s most prominent venues for live performances, including Broadway-style shows, ballet, concerts, and opera. This state-of-the-art venue brings world-class performances to Orlando, making it a must-visit for theater lovers. You can catch traveling Broadway shows, as well as local performances, throughout the year.
For more intimate theater experiences, the Mad Cow Theatre offers a variety of productions, from classic plays to contemporary works. Located in the heart of downtown Orlando, this theater is perfect for those looking to enjoy a night of live drama in a cozy setting.
Dinner Shows and Interactive Experiences
For a fun and unique twist on live entertainment, Orlando offers several dinner shows that combine food with theatrical performances. Medieval Times, Pirates Dinner Adventure, and The Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue are all popular options that provide a night of entertainment, laughter, and delicious meals. These interactive shows are especially great for families, offering an unforgettable experience while you enjoy a meal.
Music and Dance Performances
Orlando’s music scene is also something to behold. Whether you enjoy classical music, jazz, or contemporary tunes, the city offers venues and festivals that showcase live performances year-round. House of Blues at Disney Springs features live music from a variety of genres, while local venues like The Social and The Abbey offer everything from indie rock to electronic music.
Theme Parks: Orlando’s Main Attraction
Of course, Orlando’s world-renowned theme parks are a major draw for visitors, and no trip to the city would be complete without experiencing at least one of them.
Universal Studios and Its Attractions
Universal Studios Orlando is a must-visit destination for thrill-seekers and film buffs alike. With attractions like The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Jurassic Park, and Transformers, Universal offers a range of experiences that immerse you in some of Hollywood’s most iconic movies. The park’s combination of thrilling rides, live-action shows, and themed dining options makes it a favorite among families and adults alike.
If you’re planning to visit Universal Studios, having a Universal Studios credit card can make your trip even more enjoyable. The Universal Studio credit card offers a chance to collect points for exclusive perks, including discounts on park tickets, merchandise, and dining, making it a great choice for visitors looking to save while enjoying the park’s many attractions. Additionally, cardholders can take advantage of special offers like VIP experiences and early entry to the parks, ensuring a premium experience.
Walt Disney World Resort
No Orlando visit would be complete without spending time at Disney’s four theme parks: Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Each park offers unique experiences, from meeting beloved Disney characters to enjoying cutting-edge rides and live shows. Whether you’re exploring the magical kingdom or experiencing futuristic attractions at EPCOT, there’s something for everyone at Disney World.
SeaWorld Orlando and LEGOLAND Florida
If you’re looking for more adventure, SeaWorld Orlando offers an exciting combination of animal exhibits, thrilling rides, and live shows. LEGOLAND Florida is perfect for families with young children, offering LEGO-themed rides, interactive attractions, and fun, hands-on experiences. Both parks offer unique experiences that add to Orlando’s theme park magic.
Cultural Experiences Beyond the Theme Parks
While the theme parks dominate Orlando’s tourism scene, there are plenty of other cultural experiences to enjoy. For those looking to explore beyond the attractions, Orlando offers a range of unique cultural activities.
International Drive and ICON Park
International Drive, one of Orlando’s most famous streets, is home to numerous attractions, including The Wheel at ICON Park. This 400-foot observation wheel offers stunning views of the city and is a great way to experience Orlando from above. Visitors can also explore Madame Tussauds Orlando, the SEA LIFE Orlando Aquarium, and the Museum of Illusions for a fun day out.
Cultural Festivals and Events
Orlando hosts a variety of cultural festivals throughout the year, such as the Orlando International Fringe Theatre Festival and the Orlando Film Festival. These events showcase the city’s diverse arts scene, providing opportunities to enjoy local performances, films, and cultural celebrations.
Combining Culture and Adventure: A Balanced Orlando Itinerary
To make the most of your Orlando experience, consider combining cultural activities with thrilling theme park adventures. Here’s a suggested itinerary:
Day 1: Art and Museums – Start your day at the Orlando Museum of Art, then explore the Morse Museum of American Art in Winter Park. In the afternoon, enjoy a live show at the Dr. Phillips Center.
Day 2: Theme Parks and Entertainment – Spend the day at Universal Studios, using your Universal Studios credit card for discounts on tickets and dining. End the day with a dinner show or a visit to the House of Blues for live music.
Day 3: Cultural Experiences and Nature – Visit the Orlando Science Center or take a relaxing stroll through Leu Gardens before catching a performance at the Mad Cow Theatre.
The Location of Lines: The Prints of Sol LeWitt 1970–2005 will be presented at the Cristea Roberts Gallery 6 March – 16 April 2026, marking the first London exhibition dedicated to the American artist in eight years. The show brings together more than twenty prints spanning three decades, offering a focused look at a medium that became central to LeWitt’s practice.
While LeWitt is widely associated with wall drawings and modular cube structures, printmaking played a crucial role in the development of his ideas. From 1970 onward, he embraced techniques including woodcut, screenprint, linocut and etching, using repetition and variation to test the expressive possibilities of line and colour. Over the course of his career, he produced nearly 300 editioned print projects, extending the logic of his conceptual approach into collaborative and highly crafted graphic works.
The exhibition highlights how these prints were not secondary to his better-known installations but integral to his exploration of instruction and seriality.
New York’s art scene refuses to slow down for winter. Here are four shows for your enjoyment this February:
Eugène Atget: The Making of a Reputation at the International Center of Photography (29 Jan – 4 May)
This exhibition takes a fresh glance at Eugène Atget’s career, spotlighting the crucial role photographer Berenice Abbott played in building his legendary status following his death. Atget (1857-1927) spent decades photographing Paris in the early morning hours, capturing grand buildings, street scenes, storefronts and workers in a distinctive diffuse light that renders everything more enigmatic. His work documented a city on the brink of massive change, preserving neighbourhoods that would soon be demolished for modernisation.
Jongsuk Yoon: Azalea Spring at Marian Goodman Gallery (6 Feb – 21 Mar)
This marks Jongsuk Yoon’s first New York exhibition, featuring large-scale paintings and works on paper that blur the line between memory and imagination. Born in South Korea and trained in Germany, Yoon creates what she calls “landscapes of the soul”: immersive colour fields bursting with pinks, reds and yellows that capture springtime memories of azaleas and mountains. Her intuitive approach ditches traditional horizons and viewpoints, instead enveloping you in pure colour and sensation.
Makinti Napanangka: The Embodied Archive at D’Lan Contemporary (10 Feb – 20 Mar)
Makinti Napanangka (c.1922-2011), a Pintupi woman from the Western Desert, created some of the most striking work in Australian Indigenous art despite significant physical challenges. Working first with impaired vision, then restored sight, and finally with an aging hand, each phase brought a distinct visual style. Her early works feature tactile tangles of desert-hued blues, purples and oranges, while later pieces show delicate, light-filled compositions and kinetic interlaced lines that echo the movement of ceremonial hairstring skirts.
John Akomfrah: Listening All Night To The Rain at Lisson Gallery (11 Feb – 25 Apr)
The U.S. premiere of John Akomfrah’s acclaimed work from the 2024 Venice Biennale focuses on Canto VI, a multi-channel film tracing independence movements and uprisings across Africa and Asia from the 1940s to the 1970s, alongside the parallel history of women’s liberation. The British artist weaves together archival footage, newly filmed material and tableaux to explore post-colonialism and resistance. Drawing its title from Chinese poet Su Dongpo’s meditations on political exile, the exhibition positions listening itself as a form of activism, telling stories of migrant communities in Britain through layered narratives.
Haderlump is one of Berlin’s hottest tickets, one of the most attended shows, and if there’s a place where the industry actually respects the clock, it’s at a fashion week capital. Looks like the Big Four aren’t the only key stops anymore. With the brand’s new store in the city opening just two months ago, Johann Ehrhardt, the man behind it all, went for something clear, tailored, and sharp.
Many designers find their inspiration in stuffy studios over espresso-fueled sketches. Not Ehrhardt, though. He managed to find his for Fall 2026 with a big moving box in hand. Don’t worry, he’s not going anywhere, Berlin has a lot more coming. But his friend did. Specifically to Leberstraße 65 in the Schöneberg district. Uncomfortable brown cardboard boxes may not scream “creative breakthrough,” but the address had more to offer. It’s the birthplace of Marlene Dietrich, after all. So, what does one do? Snap photos of the building, the street, the stairwell, and start mentally casting every friend who can dance or act. Voilà, the true Dietrich effect.
The collection took place at the Wintergarten Varieté theater, the place to be in the 1920s, where Dietrich learned the ropes, long before Hollywood came along and slapped the international-star sticker on her. For the lineup, Ehrhardt decided models alone weren’t enough. Naturally, he also tapped actors, dancers, some of the theater’s staff, and even John Carlsson to play the piano. Fair enough, considering the collection’s roots. Varius. Not the roots, the name. Haderlump’s new collection was titled “Varius”, which is Latin for… well, various and diverse, just like Germany’s favorite black-and-white actress.
The collection felt like a sharp, modern rewrite of Dietrich’s wardrobe, everything she wore, and eventually turned into her signature. Strong tailoring, power suits, structured blazers, floor-sweeping coats, and of course, the Marlene pants, made famous back in the 1930s for their high waist, wide leg, flowing fabrics, and basically being her second skin. Ties had bigger ambitions and returned as tops. Boxy jackets arrived drenched in abstract knitting. Drapes spilled from leather vests all the way down to the toes. Collars, built from two crossed panels, melted into the waistline. Red, blue, and green flashed through a disciplined palette of black, brown, gray, and white. Tanned leather, strict denim, heavy wool, and soft lace. A very good-looking power play, actually. And let’s not forget, Haderlump only flirts with deadstock fabrics. Turns out, fewer options just meant better choices. Whether Ehrhardt’s method is easier is up for debate, but it’s definitely sharper.
