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Mdou Moctar Adds A Headlining North American Tour To Their 2022 Schedule

A few months ago, it was revealed that standout Niger rock group Mdou Moctar would be joining Parquet Courts on their 2022 tour. Now, while the African band finds themselves on this side of the ocean, they’re going to go ahead and have a North American headlining tour of their own, as they announced today.

The group will be on the road with Parquet Courts from February 27 to March 18, but now they’ve added some solo dates before and after that run. They have shows in Rhode Island and Virginia on February 24 and 26, and then they have another run of shows in late March, including a stop at Tennessee’s Big Ears Festival.

This comes after a big year for the band: Many publications (like Uproxx) thought Afrique Victime was one of 2021’s best albums and they even found themselves on Barack Obama’s year-end list of favorite music.

Check out the full list of Mdou Moctar’s upcoming tour dates below.

02/24 — Providence, RI @ Columbus Theatre
02/26 — Charlottesville, VA @ Jefferson Theatre
02/27 — Asheville, NC @ The Orange Peel *
02/28 — Athens, GA @ Georgia Theatre *
03/02 — Atlanta, GA @ Variety Playhouse *
03/03 — Birmingham, AL @ Saturn *
03/04 — Nashville, TN @ Cannery Ballroom *
03/05 — St. Louis, MO @ The Pageant *
03/07 — Lawrence, KS @ Liberty Hall *
03/08 — Omaha, NE @ The Waiting Room *
03/10 — Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue *
03/11 — Milwaukee, WI @ Turner Hall Ballroom *
03/12 — Chicago, IL @ The Riviera Theatre *
03/13 — Detroit, MI @ MOCAD *
03/15 — Millvale, PA @ Mr. Smalls Theatre *
03/16 — Cleveland, OH @ Agora Theatre
03/17 — Toronto, ON @ Queen Elizabeth Theatre *
03/18 — Montreal, QC @ Corona Theatre *
03/19 — Lyndon, VT @ Northern VT State
03/20 — Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground
03/21 — Woodstock, NY @ Colony
03/22 — Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
03/24 — Winston-Salem, NC @ The Ramkat
03/25 — Knoxville, TN @ Big Ears Festival
04/01 — Antwerp, BE @ Het Bos
04/02 — Brussels, BE @ AB-club
04/03 — Köln, DE @ Bumann
04/04 — Amsterdam, NL @ Paradiso Noord
04/05 — Eindhoven, NL @ Effenaar
04/06 — Brighton, UK @ Komedia
04/07 — Birmingham, UK @ Hare & Hounds
04/08 — Dublin, IE @ The Sugar Club
04/09 — Belfast, UK @ Ulster Sports Club
04/10 — Glasgow, UK @ Drygate
04/11 — Leeds, UK @ Brudenell Social Club
04/12 — Manchester, UK @ YES
04/14 — London, UK @ Earth Theatre
04/15 — Roubaix/Lille, FR @ La cave aux Poètes
04/16 — Paris, FR @ Le Hasard Ludique
04/17 — Nijmegen, NL @ Doornroosje
04/18 — Hamburg, DE @ Molotow
04/19 — Copenhagen, DK @ Alice
04/20 — Gothenburg, SE @ Nefertiti
04/21 — Oslo, NO @ Blaa
04/22 — Stockholm, SE @ Fasching
04/23 — Malmö, SE @ Plan B
04/24 — Berlin, DE @ Frannz Club
04/25 — Leipzig, DE @ UT Connewitz
04/26 — Prague, CZ @ Meetfactory
04/27 — Linz, AU @ Kapu
04/28 — Zurich, CH @ Fabrik
04/29 — Mannheim, DE @ Feuerwache
05/01 — Oostende, BE @ De Post
08/06 — Mysłowice, PL @ Off Festival

* with Parquet Courts

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Bartenders Shout Out Beers They’re Drinking This January

With a new year comes new resolutions and the promise of trying new things — new foods, new hobbies, new adventures. It’s also a great time to get started on a goal of trying new beers. When better than the top of 2022 to expand your beer-loving palate? (Or you could take PBR’s advice for what to try!)

The winter is filled with a seemingly endless supply of bold, robust, spiced, and deeply warming beer offerings. So we asked a handful of our favorite bartenders to tell us the beers they plan to drink this January, with temperatures plunging. Keep reading to see all of their selections.

Alaskan Smoked Porter

Alaskan Smoked Porter
Alaskan Brewing

Steven Hirschauer, bartender at the Responsible Glutton in San Diego

ABV: 6.5%

Average Price: $10 for a 22-ounce bottle

Why This Beer?

Alaskan Smoked Porter is a seasonal and limited release that also brings a sense of nostalgia. There’s just enough smoke and sweetness that pairs well with rich holiday foods while not overwhelming the smoked nature of things.

Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald

Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald
Great Lakes

Katherine Ball, mixology director at Black Button Distilling in Rochester, New York

ABV: 6%

Average Price: $11 for a six-pack

Why This Beer?

I love to cozy up with an Edmund Fitzgerald Porter by Great Lakes Brewing Company. The bittersweet chocolate-coffee notes are delicious and perfect for a chilly winter night.

Cigar City Maduro

Cigar City Maduro
Cigar City

Juliana Ortiz, food and beverage manager at The Vinoy Renaissance in St. Petersburg, Florida

ABV: 5.5%

Average Price: $11 for a six-pack

Why This Beer?

Cigar City Maduro is a decadent brown ale with chocolate, toffee, and espresso flavors, it has a silky texture with woody aromas that make it a delicious beer for those seeking extra warmth.

St. Bernardus Abt 12

St. Bernardus Abt 12
St. Bernardus

Nick du Mortier, lead mixologist at Bar Pendry in Chicago

ABV: 10%

Average Price: $14 for a 750ml bottle

Why This Beer?

St. Bernardus Abt 12 is a Belgian abbey ale, and, oh, does it feel like a malty caramel treat to savor. It has a heavy sipping quality to it. I like that I can take my time drinking it because it’s even better as it approaches room temperature.

Troegs Mad Elf

Troegs Mad Elf
Troegs

Christopher Devern, lead bartender at Red Owl Tavern in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

ABV: 11%

Average Price: $16 for a six-pack

Why This Beer?

Mad Elf by Troegs with its cherry, chocolate, and spices is my pick. Made in Pennsylvania, this eleven percent festive beer has flavors that remind me of a cherry pie. This is definitely a great beer to sit inside with and enjoy on a cold day.

Protip: Try it with dessert.

Deschutes Jubelale

Deschutes Jubelale
Deschutes

Sean Ingenthron, bartender at Park Hyatt Aviara Resort, Golf Club & Spa in Carlsbad, California

ABV: 6.7%

Average Price: $12 for a six-pack

Why This Beer?

My favorite accessible winter-style beer is the Jubelale from Deschutes Brewing. It is an English strong ale and it has notes of cocoa and toffee. It is rich and flavor-forward. It fills you up perfectly on cold, winter days.

Maplewood Brownie Points

Maplewood Brownie Points
Maplewood

Mark Phelan, beverage director at 16″ On Center in Chicago

ABV: 5.3%

Average Price: $9 for a four-pack of 16-ounce cans

Why This Beer?

Brown ales are my go-to when the temperature starts to dip, as their malty profile and extra body hold up well to sweater weather while staying lean enough to enjoy more than one. One of my favorites is Maplewood’s Brownie Points, which adds a little vanilla for an added layer of cold-weather flavor.

Samuel Adams Winter Lager

Samuel Adams Winter Lager
Samuel Adams

Marla White, lead bartender at Lona Cocina & Tequileria in Fort Lauderdale, Florida

ABV: 5.8%

Average Price: $10 for a six-pack

Why This Beer?

Samuel Adam’s Winter Lager is a seasonal beer that is released nationally around the time the weather starts to turn colder. Once the later months of the year approach and the sun goes down a little earlier, you know you can look forward to this seasonal rotation. The cinnamon, ginger, and orange flavors remind me of the comfort of gingerbread or carrot cake.

Founders Breakfast Stout

Founders Breakfast Stout
Founders

Jamie Shaw, beverage manager at Stella of New Hope in New Hope, Pennsylvania

ABV: 8.3%

Average Price: $11 for a four-pack

Why This Beer?

I’m not a huge beer drinker, but I do look forward to winter for enjoying a good coffee stout or porter when the weather gets cold. It’s nice to sip on something rich and really flavorful. Founders Breakfast Stout is one of my favorites because of its dark chocolate, coffee, and bold malt flavors.

Goose Island Bourbon County Stout

Goose Island Bourbon County Stout
Goose Island

Brandon Gomez, bar manager at Cuyama Buckhorn in New Cuyama, California

ABV: 14%

Average Price: $14 for a 16.9-ounce bottle

Why This Beer?

Goose Island Bourbon County Stout is hands down the special release winter beer I look forward to every year. It is barrel-aged for more than a year. It is a healthy (depending on the release) 12-15 percent ABV and we serve it in both 4-ounce and 8-ounce snifters. It has a sweet raisin and caramel flavor, which is followed by a smokiness from the barrel aging.

This drink’s almost more like a dessert wine than a beer.

Left Hand Nitro Milk Stout

Left Hand Nitro Milk Stout
Left Hand

Daniel Bedoya, bartender at HOWM Cocina & Cocktails in New York City

ABV: 6%

Average Price: $10 for a six-pack

Why This Beer?

A beer I look forward to in winter is definitely the Left Hand Nitro Milk Stout. Not only bold and complex with delicious coffee notes but it also has a beautiful mouthfeel. It’s a great beer to drink on its own. Or if you’re feeling adventurous, mix it into a cocktail.

North Coast Old Rasputin

North Coast Old Rasputin
North Coast

Lee Noble, lead mixologist at Art in the Age in Philadelphia

ABV: 9%

Average Price: $12 for a four-pack

Why This Beer?

The rich dark flavors of North Coast Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout, combined with its higher alcohol content, make for a great belly warmer for cold nights. It’s dark, chocolatey, and bold enough for the bitterest of winter evenings.

Belching Beaver Peanut Butter Milk Stout

Belching Beaver Peanut Butter Milk Stout
Belching Beaver

John Tran, restaurant manager of BluSky Restaurant & Bar in Anaheim, California

ABV: 5.3%

Average Price: $5 for a 12-ounce can

Why This Beer?

I get a mixed response to this beer, but I absolutely love Belching Beaver Peanut Butter Milk Stout out of San Diego. To me, it’s the peanut butter cup of beers, but something about it reminds me of my childhood when I would tear into those chocolate packages and shove the pieces in my mouth as I ran off to play with my friends.

The flavors of the dark rich beer take me to a place of nostalgia and just makes me happy.

Three Floyds Robert The Bruce

Three Floyds Robert The Bruce
Three Floyds

Zach Wilks, bartender at Anthony’s Chophouse in Carmel, Indiana

ABV: 6.5%

Average Price: $9 for a six-pack

Why This Beer?

Robert the Bruce from Three Floyds in Munster, Indiana might be my favorite beer of all time. It’s super malty and hearty with a great note of malt and dried fruit. It starts sweet and caramel-like and finishes with a bitter note that balances everything out.

In my opinion, it’s one of the best beers made in the United States.

Spiteful God Damn Pigeon Porter

Spiteful God Damn Pigeon Porter
Spiteful

Andrew Bone, manager at Devereaux in Chicago

ABV: 8.2%

Average Price: $19 for a 22-ounce bottle

Why This Beer?

Porters are best in cold weather and one I have a proclivity for their flavors, chocolate, coffee, vanilla. Here in at Devereaux, we serve the God Damn Pigeon Porter from Spiteful, all that plus a higher ABV to keep you toasty through the winter.

Guinness Stout

Guinness Stout
Guinness

Samantha Montgomery, beverage specialist and national brand ambassador at Bardstown Bourbon Company in Bardstown, Kentucky

ABV: 4.2%

Average Price: $10 for a six-pack

Why This Beer?

I am such a sucker for a Guinness Stout in the winter. It’s the nostalgia of growing up watching my dad and his friends drink it around the table playing cards, the coziness of a dimly lit Irish pub on a cold winter night, and the way it drinks, of course, dark and smooth. I know that rich, heavy stouts are all the rage these days, but I prefer Guinness for its light-body and easy drinkability.

Unibroue Maudite

Unibroue Maudite
Unibroue

Matthew Nathanson, director of restaurants at The Godfrey Hotel Hollywood in Los Angeles

ABV: 8%

Average Price: $11 for a four-pack

Why This Beer?

When the weather gets cold, I love a Belgian dubbel, such as Unibroue’s Maudite (from Quebec). It’s amber-colored and malty without the bitterness associated with darker beer styles.

Monopolio Lager Negra

Monopolio Lager Negra
Monopolio

Vanessa Consiglieri, bar manager at Botanico Gin & Cookhouse in Coconut Grove, Florida

ABV: 5.5%

Average Price: $10 for a six-pack

Why This Beer?

When the cool weather starts to roll in, I look forward to drinking Monopolio Lager Negra. And it’s because it has a very strong classic, dark, and Pilsen flavor. It’s refreshing, malty, and great for cold-weather drinking.

Harpoon Winter Warmer

Harpoon Winter Warmer
Harpoon

Cassie Stockbridge, bartender at Lobby Bar at The Godfrey Hotel in Boston

ABV: 6%

Average Price: $10 for a six-pack

Why This Beer?

Harpoon’s Winter Warmer is something I look forward to every year. It’s the perfect ale on a cold and snowy night. Every sip tastes like the perfect blend of holiday spice. It reminds me of my grandma’s homemade ginger snaps.

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The Lakers Had ‘Covert Interest’ In Discussing A Russell Westbrook Trade, But It’s ‘Extremely Unlikely’ One Happens

The Los Angeles Lakers are in a fight to get a top-6 spot in the Western Conference and avoid the play-in tournament for the second year in a row. As of today, the team sits 20-19, which puts them in seventh place and jostling with two other teams — the Denver Nuggets and the Dallas Mavericks — that are all 10.5 games behind the 1-seed.

While Anthony Davis is out with a sprained MCL, the team has struggled to meet its lofty expectations even when everyone is on the floor. Their paths to getting better via a trade are limited, as Davis and LeBron James are presumably untouchable and the roster possesses a ton of guys on minimum deals. Still, there are a handful of guys who Los Angeles could try to trade, and according to Sam Amick of The Athletic, the franchise did its due diligence in trying to find a trade for the most high-profile of the bunch.

Amick reports that the Lakers made some calls about a potential deal involving offseason acquisition Russell Westbrook, but it does not sound like anything got too far off the ground.

All of which explains why sources say the Lakers showed some covert interest in discussing a possible Westbrook trade with rival executives earlier this season. A deal appears extremely unlikely before the Feb. 15 trade deadline, if only because his deal that was once seen by so many as untradeable is such a massive obstacle. But inside the Lakers, it seems, there is some recognition that this hasn’t gone as (James and Davis had) planned.

It had been reported earlier this season that L.A. discussed a trade for the former league MVP internally, but nothing beyond that. Westbrook only has one year remaining on his contract after the 2021-22 campaign, as he has a player option for next season that will pay him a little more than $47 million. It is worth mentioning that he’s been traded three times since it with into effect with the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2018 — first to the Houston Rockets, then to the Washington Wizards, and then to the Lakers — but it’s hard to imagine a trade where the Lakers could turn him into a player who can help without having to move other potential trade chips, like Talen Horton-Tucker or Kendrick Nunn.

On the year, Westbrook has averaged 19.5 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 8.1 assists in 35.8 minutes per game, and is one of two Lakers players who have suited up in every game this season.

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Gunna’s ‘Drip Season 4’ Tracklist includes Tracks With Chloe Bailey, Drake, And More

The rollout for Gunna’s new mixtape, Drip Season 4, appears to be going smoothly. Just days after he announced the tape’s imminent release date — this Friday, January 7 — he revealed the elaborate cover art. Now, he’s also revealed the tracklist, which not only includes the previously released single “Too Easy” featuring Future and the remix with Roddy Ricch but also contains the collaborative track with Chloe Bailey he teased while refuting the dating rumors that circulated after he and the pop star were spotted at a basketball game together.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CYUQvwWJOxY/

In addition to the above-mentioned tracks, there will also be guest appearances from a number of longtime collaborators and friends such as 21 Savage, Drake, G Herbo, Lil Baby, and Young Thug, as well as new collaborators Kodak Black and Yung Bleu. Clocking in at 20 tracks, the tape follows the contemporary trend of longer releases to generate more impressive streaming numbers.

Drip Season 4 will be Gunna’s first solo release since 2020’s Wunna, although he was extensively featured on the YSL Records compilation Slime Language 2 alongside the rest of Young Thug’s label signees. Ahead of the project’s release, the Atlanta native called it the final Drip Season tape.

Drip Season 4 is due 1/7 via 300 and Atlantic. You can pre-save it here.

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Michelle Know The End Is Near In Their Buoyant Single ‘Expiration Date’

Six-piece NYC-based collective MICHELLE captured hearts with their 2018 debut album Heatwave. Continuing to hone their refined harmonies and wistful melodies, MICHELLE are just weeks away from releasing their sophomore LP AFTER DINNER WE TALK DREAMS, which they’ve already previewed with the wonderfully catchy tunes “SYNCOPATE” and “MESS U MADE.” Now, MICHELLE share another taste of their upcoming release with the new buoyant track “EXPIRATION DATE.”

Composed of musicians Sofia D’Angelo, Julian Kaufman, Charlie Kilgore, Layla Ku, Emma Lee, and Jamee Lockard, MICHELLE’s track “EXPIRATION DATE” takes the collective’s already awe-inspiring vocals to new heights. Over twinkling keys and R&B-inspired percussion, MICHELLE’s three singers deliver swirling melodies about enjoying a relationship while it still lasts.

Shortly after the release of their AFTER DINNER WE TALK DREAMS and playing a few shows in the UK and Europe in February, MICHELLE are slated to hit the road with non-other than Mitski on her sold-out 2022 tour. They’ll open for the singer for a month-long stretch in March with stops in cities like Detroit, Nashville, and NYC. Ahead of their upcoming dates, MICHELLE were able to take the stage in 2021 opening for Arlo Parks and Gus Dapperton in venues across the US.

Listen to “EXPIRATION DATE” above.

AFTER DINNER WE TALK DREAMS is out 1/28 via Canvasback Music/Transgressive. Pre-order it here.

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David Byrne And Yo La Tengo Cover Yoko Ono For A Ben Gibbard-Curated Tribute Album

Yoko Ono has been on people’s minds lately thanks to her appearance in the Get Back Beatles documentary, which makes now a great time for Ocean Child: Songs Of Yoko Ono, a newly announced tribute album curated by Ben Gibbard. David Byrne and Yo La Tengo’s collaborative cover of “Who Has Seen The Wind?” was shared today, and the project also features Amber Coffman, Death Cab For Cutie, Deerhoof, Japanese Breakfast, Jay Som, Sharon Van Etten, Stephin Merritt of Magnetic Fields, Sudan Archives, Thao, The Flaming Lips, US Girls, and We Are King.

Gibbard says of the project:

“[The album] was born out of both love and frustration. The ‘love’ part is pretty obvious; It is the seemingly bottomless well of inspiration and enjoyment Yoko Ono’s music has provided me and I must assume everyone else present here on this compilation. The ‘frustration’ part, on the other hand, goes back decades.

As an advocate, the tallest hurdle to clear has always been the public’s ignorance as to the breadth of Yoko’s work. To put it into context; This is an artist whose output has run the gamut from avant-garde to bubblegum pop, often across a single album. For years, it has been my position that her songwriting has been criminally overlooked. She has consistently created melodies as memorable as those of best pop writers. As a lyricist, she has always written with poignance, sophistication and deep introspection.

Some of her best songs have been covered and compiled here by a generation-spanning group of musicians for whom her work has meant so much. It is my sincere hope that a new crop of Yoko Ono fans fall in love with her songwriting due in some small part to this album we have put together.”

Van Etten also wrote on Twitter, “When I was first asked to choose a Yoko Ono song to cover, I almost said no. Am I able to honor her? Did I always understand her vision? She is someone who deserves to be honored and understood. And although I feel there is still so much to learn from her and about her, I extend my humble take on a song that has brought me to tears by its candid simplicity, innocence, and longing in hope that my rendition will bring new ears upon her magnificent, challenging music.”

Additionally, Gibbard and journalist Jenny Eliscu are co-hosting a podcast connected to the album, which is set to feature “in-depth discussions of Ono’s music and legacy with many of the artists featured on the new album.” A trailer for the podcast was shared today:

Listen to the Byrne and Yo La Tengo rendition of “Who Has Seen the Wind?” above and find the Ocean Child: Songs Of Yoko Ono art and tracklist below.

Ocean Child Songs Of Yoko Ono
Canvasback Music/Atlantic Records

1. Sharon Van Etten — “Toyboat”
2. David Byrne and Yo La Tengo — “Who Has Seen The Wind?”
3. Sudan Archives — “Dogtown”
4. Death Cab For Cutie — “Waiting For The Sunrise”
5. Thao — “Yellow Girl (Stand For Life)”
6. US Girls — “Born In A Prison”
7. Jay Som — “Growing Pain”
8. Stephin Merritt (of Magnetic Fields) — “Listen, The Snow Is Falling”
9. Deerhoof — “No No No”
10. We Are King — “Don’t Be Scared”
11. The Flaming Lips — “Mrs. Lennon”
12. Japanese Breakfast — “No One Sees Me Like You Do”
13. Yo La Tengo — “There Is No Goodbye Between Us”
14. Amber Coffman — “Run Run Run”

Ocean Child: Songs Of Yoko Ono is out 2/18 via Canvasback Music/Atlantic Records. Pre-order it here.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

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Nick Young Used A ‘Karate Kid’ Reference Upon Learning Malik Monk’s Right Arm Was Also ‘Strictly For Buckets’

Over his past six games, which includes five starts, Malik Monk has been scorching hot, averaging 20.7 points on 73.1 percent true shooting (.566/.455/.900 split). His versatile scoring has been a tremendous boon to the Los Angeles Lakers’ offense, and he’s formed a dynamic partnership with LeBron James.

Against the Sacramento Kings Tuesday, he scored 11 of his 24 points in the fourth quarter and knocked down a trio of threes to help Los Angeles snag its third consecutive win.

Apparently, he’s borrowing a philosophy from a former Lakers shooting guard that might be helping him torch the nets these days. According to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, Monk doesn’t have any tattoos on his right arm because it’s ‘strictly’ for ‘buckets’, the same sentiment Nick Young announced years ago.

When Young was alerted of this parallel, he turned to The Karate Kid to summarize the dynamic.

“I’m Mr. Miyagi and he’s LaRusso,” Young told McMenamin via text. “The power of the no tat on the right arm is like wax on, wax off for buckets”

Young’s four years with the Lakers was certainly an electric tenure, one that saw him average a career-high 17.9 points and shoot 38.6 percent beyond the arc during the 2013-14 season. Like Young, Los Angeles is probably hoping Monk sticks around for a while and continues to pour in buckets with the arm that’s designed strictly for them.

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Kanye West Says He Is Planning Another Show At Madison Square Garden This Month

Kanye West is planning his return to Madison Square Garden this month, according to a video that was uploaded to social media in which he tells a fan as much while posing for pictures during a night out. While leaving a restaurant in New York City, Kanye stops just before getting into his car to take a few pics with nearby fans, while off-camera, someone can be heard asking him, “When we getting another MSG show?” It’s muffled, but Kanye can be heard saying what sounds like “this month.”

Kanye’s last show at the Big Apple venue was in 2016 for the Life Of Pablo tour, where he reportedly sold $780,000 worth of merchandise in just one night. He also debuted his album there earlier that year in a combination fashion show/release party for The Life Of Pablo. Unfortunately, since then, his widely publicized endeavors have included more awkward campaigning as a smokescreen for Republican candidates who hoped he’d play spoiler for the Democratic vote than touring behind new music.

However, with the listening parties for his latest album, Donda, taking over stadiums in Atlanta and his native Chicago and his recent Free Larry Hoover concert showcasing a renewed passion for performance, it’s not entirely impossible that he’ll be able to follow through and deliver a similar concert experience for longsuffering New York City fans.

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What’s The Deal With That Huge Wookiee Bounty Hunter On ‘The Book Of Boba Fett’?

As The Mandalorian proved, the new crop of Star Wars series on Disney+ are not afraid to dip into other mediums. Season 2 saw Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson) and Bo-Katan Kryze (Katee Sackhoff) make the jump from The Clone Wars animated series to live-action, and now, The Book of Boba Fett is pulling from another popular source: the Marvel Comics.

In the latest episode, “The Tribes of Tatooine,” a massive Wookiee bounty hunter appears to stare down Boba Fett, whose claim to Jabba the Hutt’s throne is challenged by the deceased space lizard’s twin cousins. While the character doesn’t speak or reveal his name, fans of the Doctor Aphra comic book series immediately recognized the hulking Wookiee known as Black Krrsantan. Via Wookiepedia:

Originally captured from his homeworld Kashyyyk and trained by the infamous Xonti Brothers as a gladiator, Krrsantan later became a ferocious bounty hunter. He was regularly hired by the crime lord Jabba the Hutt and at one point, was hired by Darth Vader during the Galactic Civil War to track down and capture an agent of the Emperor.

As you can tell by the description, Black Krrsantan has a similar background to Boba Fett, who seemed to recognize the Wookie and referred to him as a “gladiator.” So there’s a chance the two have crossed paths before, but if they haven’t, it sure looks like a showdown is in their immediate future.

In the meantime, Star Wars fans were freaking pumped to see Black Krrsantan make his live-action debut, and the reactions started pouring in on social media shortly after the second episode of Book of Boba Fett hit Disney+.

(Via Wookiepedia)

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Thom Yorke And Jonny Greenwood’s New Band, The Smile, Shares ‘You Will Never Work In Television Again’

At the very end of 2020, Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood shared an open letter to his fans reflecting on the difficult year without live music. Greenwood said he hoped to have the opportunity to start making music again. But instead of working on a new Radiohead release, Greenwood and Thom Yorke decided to form the side project The Smile along with Sons Of Kemet’s Tom Skinner. The new band made their debut during a livestream back in May and they’ve now officially dropped their first-ever single.

Clocking in at just under three minutes, The Smile’s new track “You Will Never Work In Television Again” is a fuzzy introduction to their music. Propulsive drums drive the song forward as Yorke’s musings melt over a wall of washed-out guitar riffs.

Those who tuned into their Glastonbury festival livestream last May have already heard eight of The Smile’s songs, but the band has another opportunity for fans to get an exclusive preview of their upcoming music. The Smile will host three more livestreams later this month within a 24-hr period at Magazine London. The livestream will see The Smile peforming to a seated audience in the round on January 29 and 30. The first livestream will kick off at 3 pm EST, with another performance a few hours later at 8 pm. Their January 30 set will begin at 6 am EST.

Listen to The Smile’s debut single “You Will Never Work In Television Again” above.