According to Page Sixand TMZ, Styles watched the Canadian actress Taylor Russell perform in The Effect at London’s National Theatre on Wednesday, August 9, and the two fueled dating rumors at the afterparty.
“Styles could be seen greeting Russell and wrapping his arm around her. Seemingly in response to the gesture, the Bones And All star placed her hand on the former One Direction member’s arm,” Page Six relayed. “At one point, the pair turned to each other and were captured smiling and laughing.”
An unnamed source told the outlet that it appeared as if Russell and Styles “were holding hands” when he visited Russell’s dressing room.
TMZ additionally relayed, “We’re told Harry left the shindig after a while, jumping into the back of a car by himself while carrying Taylor’s stuff. However, sources say Harry’s ride pulled up to the stage door not long after, with Taylor jumping in the back seat before pulling off.”
DJ Khaled has announced his next album, Til Next Time, as well as the release date for its first single, “Supposed To Be Loved.” “Supposed To Be Loved” is due on Friday, August 11 (that’s tomorrow), and will feature Future, Lil Baby, and Lil Uzi Vert — three artists with whom Khaled has worked extensively in the past. The announcement was made with an over-the-top trailer featuring Khaled and his sons playing golf, with Khaled chipping in an impressive (and unlikely) shot and cartoonishly whacking a drive all the way to Rome.
DJ Khaled and Future have a plethora of songs together going back a decade beginning with “Bitches & Bottles (Let’s Get It Started)” from his 2012 album Kiss The Ring. That song also featured Lil Wayne and T.I. Since then, they’ve collaborated over a dozen more times, including on last year’s God Did single, “Big Time,” which also featured Lil Baby. Future also teamed up with SZA on “Beautiful.”
Lil Baby popped up a few more times in Khaled’s discography, starting with 2019’s Father Of Asahd. He featured on two songs on that album, “You Stay” featuring J Balvin, Jeremih, and Meek Mill, and “Weather the Storm” With Meek Mill. On God Did, he had another two features, “Big Time” and “Staying Alive” with Drake.
However, “Supposed To Be Loved” will actually mark DJ Khaled’s first time working with Lil Uzi Vert, who was the first rap artist of 2023 to reach No. 1 on the Billboard 200.
“I have no idea what lies ahead for The E Street Band, because no one does. I’m only saying that it felt like a group of people singing and playing like they might not have many more parties like this in the future,” Hyden wrote. “I couldn’t help but choke up a little during the encore when at the end of ‘Glory Days’ Bruce called Little Steven over to the microphone and asked if he wanted to go home. … It was unanimous: Nobody wanted to go home.”
It ain’t over yet.
The second leg of their headlining North American tour will carry into December. Next up is Wrigley Field in Chicago on Friday, August 11. Springsteen will cram in two dates at Philadelphia’s Citizens Bank Park (August 16, 18) and two more in Foxborough, Massachusetts (August 24, 26) before returning home to East Rutherford, New Jersey to play MetLife Stadium on August 30, September 1, and September 3.
If you’re planning on attending any of them, plan for Springsteen to hit the stage around 8 p.m. local time. According to setlist.fm, doors at Chicago’s Wrigley Field opened at 5:30 p.m. before Springsteen and The E Street Band began their set at 7:55 p.m. on Wednesday night (August 9). Similarly, they are said to have taken the stage from 7:50 p.m. to 10:40 p.m. in Italy on July 25.
The finale for this leg is scheduled for December 12 at Chase Center in San Francisco, California. See all of the remaining dates here.
Ratboys are set to release their fifth studio album The Window this month, and the singles, like “Black Earth, WI” and the title track, have been bewitching so far. Now they’re back with the track “Morning Zoo.”
“Morning Zoo” is a blissfully twangy celebration with immediately stunning lines: “I look myself in the eye / I wake up every morning / I kill my thoughts with a knife / Then blow a kiss to the silence,” Julia Steiner sings. It fits gorgeously amongst the previously released ballads, whose lyrics are similarly startlingly revelatory. The Window is shaping up to be a mesmeric indie rock masterpiece.
“The lyrics are meant to express the frustration and confusion that comes along with hanging out at a personal crossroads, where every day feels the same and the same big questions keep nagging at you from the back of your head,” Steiner said about the song in a statement. “It’s that small, lingering feeling of numb indecision, of pesky anxiety — like disassociating at a stop sign or weighing all your biggest hopes and fears while stuck behind the longest freight train you’ve ever seen.”
Listen to “Morning Zoo” above.
The Window is out 8/25 on Topshelf Records. Find more information here.
Barbie joined the Billion Dollar Club during Greta Gerwig’s birthday weekend, but Oppenheimer — the “-enheimer” in Barbenheimer — is no slouch at the box office, either. The Christopher Nolan film is up to $578 million, making it one of the 10 highest-grossing R-rated movies ever.
On Wednesday, Oppenheimer passed Fifty Shades of Grey to enter the top 10 at the worldwide box office. The list is topped by Joker ($1.074 billion), followed by Deadpool 2 ($785.8 million), Deadpool ($782.8), The Matrix Reloaded ($741.8 million), It ($701.8 million), Detective Chinatown 3 ($686.2 million), Logan ($619.1 million), The Passion of the Christ ($612 million), and The Hangover Part II ($586.7 million). Oppenheimer is also #10 on the domestic list ($238 million), just ahead of Beverly Hills Cop. Number one? The Passion of the Christ, starring inexplicable box office draw Jim Caviezel.
“The film I wanted to make couldn’t have been done smaller,” Nolan told the Independent about Oppenheimer. “It’s not about money, it’s not about budget – the magnitude of the story is what attracted me to it.” He added, “The fact that Oppenheimer and his fellow scientists couldn’t completely eliminate the possibility that they might set fire to the atmosphere and destroy the entire world, but still triggered the test – the idea of someone taking that risk on behalf of all of us and all our descendants. There’s nothing bigger than that.”
Oppenheimer won’t become Nolan’s highest-grossing movie — that would be The Dark Knight Rises with over $1 billion — but the fact that a three-hour drama for adults is nearing $600 million is maybe more impressive.
Upon the 2021 release of Ian Sweet’sShow Me How You Disappear, songwriter Jilian Medford told Uproxx the album came about because she “had just reached a dark place” and writing it captured her “trying to heal from something traumatic.”
Medford released her Star Stuff EP in 2022, but on Thursday (August 10), she reappeared to give Show Me How You Disappear its full-length follow-up. Sucker will arrive on November 3, and if the lead single is any indication, she’s in a much better place.
“Your Spit” arrived alongside a Brittany Reeber-directed video simultaneous with the album announcement, setting an uninhibited tone. In the video, Medford goes solo to the movie theater. While surrounded by couples making out, she sings of craving the same passion: “Kiss me like you mean it / Kiss me like you’re leavin’ / Your spit tastes different.”
“‘Your Spit’ is about the joy and fear that surrounds new relationships. The excitement that’s also accompanied by doubt. But I’d be lying if I didn’t say the song is just mostly about making out,” Medford explained in a statement.
She also added to context to the album as a whole, stating, “Show Me How You Disappear was written during a really difficult period of my life after reckoning with a mental health crisis. I survived that very moment in my life through writing that record, and the extreme urgency to heal is reflected in the songwriting. With Sucker, I felt more capable to take my time and experiment without being totally afraid of the outcome. It wasn’t life or death — it was just life, and I was lucky to be living it.”
Watch the “Your Spit” video above, and check out the Sucker cover art and tracklist, as well as upcoming Ian Sweet tour dates, below.
08/11 — Seattle, WA @ Neptune Theatre #
08/12 — Denver, CO @ Paramount Theatre #
08/17 — Los Angeles, CA @ Skirball Cultural Center
08/22 — Brooklyn, NY @ Elsewhere – Rooftop $
11/09 — London, UK @ Pitchfork Music Festival London
# with Please Don’t Destroy
$ co-headline with Why Bonnie
Sucker is out 11/3 via Polyvinyl. Find more information here.
After weeks of relentlessly hammering Donald Trump every chance he gets, Chris Christie switched things up a bit by aiming his brutal New Jersey fire at a new target: Ron DeSantis.
While appearing on Fox News, which has given DeSantis a noticeable amount of favorable coverage headed into the Republican primary, Christie took a minute to mock the Florida governor for falling so far behind in the polls that he’s now tied with Christie. That dynamic is all the more embarrassing because it’s happening in New Hampshire where DeSantis has spent a significant amount of time trying to build momentum for his flailing campaign that’s already seen a spat of layoffs and resets as he attempts to calm the concerns of donors who want DeSantis to stop doing “stupid stuff.”
“In just the last two days there were two more polls that have come out that now have me tied for second with Governor DeSantis, one at 11% and one at 9%, so we feel like it’s really moving in our direction,” Christie told Bret Baier via Mediaite. “Our momentum is going the right way, Governor DeSantis is going in the wrong direction, and so first job is to get past Governor DeSantis here in New Hampshire. We’ve now caught him, now we need to pass him, and then we’re gonna take on Donald Trump one-on-one.”
When Baier pointed out that Trump is consistently “up 20, 30, 40 points” in the polls, Christie waved off those concerns.
“The campaign hasn’t begun yet, Bret. The campaign’s gonna begin when you and Martha get on that stage with the rest of us two weeks from tonight,” Christie said. “The idea that the American people are really focused on this race right now in the middle of vacation season in August around America is kind of silly.”
The Phoenix Suns made the biggest trade acquisition of the deadline back in February, dealing Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, and picks to Brooklyn to bring Kevin Durant to the desert. That didn’t yield the postseason run they were hoping for, as they got dumped out of the second round by the eventual champion Nuggets in a series that showed the Suns they needed to make some more changes this summer to add the needed depth around Durant and Devin Booker.
While most were thinking about role player depth, the Suns were thinking about adding another star and went out and got Bradley Beal from Washington, sending Chris Paul back in return. That meant free agency was about trying to add that role depth on a budget, and they did about as well as one could’ve hoped signing a number of vet minimum deals, albeit there is one major question still unanswered on this roster. With Durant, Booker, Beal, and Deandre Ayton back (although, not for a lack of trying to trade him) and a solid supporting cast on paper, the Suns are among the favorites in the West. How it all comes together remains to be seen, but for a franchise that once was rarely willing to spend, the start of the Mat Ishbia ownership era has been a welcome sight in Phoenix.
Here we’ll grade out the Suns offseason moves from the Draft, free agency and contract extensions, and on the trade market.
Draft: LOL
James Jones laughs at the concept of the Draft. The Suns traded every second rounder they had in the Beal deal and have since given up even more pick swaps to ensure the few years they do have a first, they’re guaranteed for just about the latest possible pick. It’s hard to argue with the premise though when you can pair Booker and Durant (and now Beal), but their draft strategy (or lack thereof) does mean they have to nail the vet minimum market every year.
Free Agency/Contract Extensions: B+
The good news this year was the Suns were, without question, the most coveted destination for players signing a minimum deal, and that meant they were able to scoop up some legitimately strong rotation players. In the opening hours of free agency they had signed Drew Eubanks, Keita Bates-Diop, Chimezie Metu, and Yuta Watanabe, while re-signing Josh Okogie and Damion Lee. Their biggest signing though was adding Eric Gordon, who has long been a rumored Suns target but finally lands in Phoenix after being waived by the Clippers prior to the start of free agency. Gordon gives them a legit sixth man option off the bench, something they lacked last year, and the rest of the roster has filled out nicely. Eubanks is a solid Jock Landale replacement, after he got big money in Houston, while Bates-Diop seems likely to step into the Torrey Craig role on the wing. Metu is more frontcourt depth, Okogie brings them some needed defensive versatility in the backcourt and on the wing, and Watanabe joins Lee as good floor-spacing options off the bench. They also made a lottery ticket signing with Bol Bol, who has tantalizing abilities but has never fully put it together. He won’t have a ton of opportunity in Phoenix, but that also could be good for him to have limited minutes to go all out without worrying about pacing himself. Given the resources they had, the Suns did well this summer. The only issue is they still haven’t really addressed the whole “not having a real point guard” thing, which is why they will stay at a B+. They have plenty of capable ball-handlers, but it remains to be seen if handing Booker and Beal the keys to run the offense almost entirely will yield the maximum output.
Trades: A
Anytime you can trade for a very good player without having to give up a great asset in return, you’ve done very well for yourself. Beal is an upgrade over this current version of Chris Paul, who just was not able to have the needed impact last year in the postseason, leaving Booker and Durant with an immense creation burden on offense. Beal will not replace Paul’s ability to orchestrate an offense, but his ability to play on and off the ball and impact the game as a scorer is far ahead of where Paul is right now. It will be interesting to see how he and Booker handle the lead guard duties, as losing Paul and trading Cameron Payne to the Spurs leaves them without a real point guard. I expect there to be some bumps along the way, but the potential of this team offensively is truly incredible. Aside from keeping the offense flowing enough to keep guys like Ayton and [insert fifth guy out there] engaged, Beal’s impact as three-point shooter is the main question that will determine how effective this offense will be. He had a better year last year (36.5 percent from three), but after coming into the league as a sharpshooter has seen his efficiency dip over his career (as he’s gotten much more effective inside the arc). His ability to apply rim pressure will be huge for an offense that’s lacked it, but given Booker and Durant’s propensity for operating in the midrange, Beal figures to get ample opportunity in catch-and-shoot situations as well. If he’s elite at that as he was early in his career, this offense will be a true nightmare. If not, it will take at least a little bit of the bite out of it.
While the Beal trade was big, not trading Ayton is almost just as interesting. He did not see eye-to-eye with Monty Williams and it was widely assumed he’d be gone, but with Williams gone and Frank Vogel apparently all-in on Ayton, he has a chance at a fresh start in Phoenix. Getting Ayton to buy in will be, in my opinion, Vogel’s biggest task. Ayton is the only player on the roster capable of anchoring the defense, and he and Durant have the potential to be an elite frontcourt defensive tandem (Durant’s defense has been widely underrated for some time). However, that only works if Ayton’s engaged and that’s a real question as he figures to get even fewer touches with Beal taking Paul’s place on the roster. If he can buy in to being a dominant cleanup man around the rim, finishing lobs and attacking the glass on offense and being a strong rim protector on the other end, the Suns will be a true force. If not and he sulks, their defense could be a bit flammable.
The Suns are rightfully a favorite entering the year, but this isn’t a roster without flaws or a team without questions. They also probably aren’t done making moves, as I would expect them to seek out a point guard at some point before the deadline (or buyout market) closes. For now, they’re as fascinating a group as there is in the league and, if nothing else, they’ll be very fun to watch and see how it all comes together.
London boasts so many great places to stay that it can seem daunting to find the one for you. If you’re looking for an experience fit for a king (or queen), The Stafford London is where it’s at. Nestled in the city’s prestigious St. James Square, this sophisticated “home away from home” style property offers a lavish palace-like experience to all who walk through its doors. Best of all, the actual Buckingham Palace is just an eight-minute walk away.
For me, that idyllic location is the hotel’s greatest feature. Situated at the dead end of a passageway, the lack of traffic — and therefore, noise — makes it the perfect place to lay your head and get some solid rest right in the middle of one of the world’s busiest cities. High-end boutiques (John Lobb, Lock & Co. Hatters, and Havana Cigar Exchange to name only a few), traditional pubs, and the world-renowned Berry Bros. & Rudd Fine Wine & Spirits shop are just steps from the hotel’s door. A few more steps away and the Royal Parks can be accessed via a “secret” tunnel just across from the hotel.
It’s hard to decide which of the following takes the cake as the hotel’s best feature. Its palatial suites? Iconic bar? The quaint fireplace for sipping high tea next to? Don’t worry, I’ll get to all of that.
WHY IT’S AWESOME
The Stafford
Simply put, there’s so much to love about The Stafford London. From the moment I walked in, I was overloaded with traditional British charm — think Victorian decor, high tea, and caffeinated beverages by a roaring fire all in a suite larger than my apartment. The hotel’s location in the heart of the city makes exploring easy as hell coupled with its neighboring location to the Royal Parks and Green Park tube station.
For food and wine lovers, enjoying a traditional British meal at the hotel’s on-site restaurant, The Game Bird, is a must. For vegetarians like myself, I recommend the mushroom Scotch egg and cauliflower risotto. Though meat eaters can enjoy a full smoked & cured fish menu, venison, game bird pigeon pie, and so more. Guests can also savor a bottle of champagne alongside a full caviar menu. Or better yet, you can sneak away to the hotel’s iconic American Bar without ever leaving the front door. The Stafford’s wine cellar also boasts some serious history, which I’ll get to in the next section.
Gatehouse suites offer private terraces with breathtaking city views, and, apparently, the hotel also has an on-site gym outfitted with Technogym equipment. But for once, I actually didn’t make it there. Oh, and the property is pet-friendly (dog lovers, rejoice).
IN-HOUSE FOOD + DRINK
The Stafford
A meal at the hotel’s all-day dining space, The Game Bird, is not to be missed. Expect elevated British fare produced from seasonal locally-sourced ingredients. Dishes range from signature pigeon pie to roasted root vegetables to steak and ale pudding and beyond. Prior to dinner, hitting Champagne Bar for a bottle of bubbles is always a good idea. Or start the night with a refreshing Americano at the American Bar with the promise of a stellar start to the evening.
The hotel’s best on-site food and beverage feature is the iconic American Bar, which has been an institution since its opening days. Expect well-made classic cocktails (martinis, anyone?) served up by Italian mixologists in a dimly lit room, lined with autographed photos of celebrities, and a variety of booze-forward posters and decorations.
The bar also serves up a variety of burgers, lobster subs, and other hearty pub fare, as well as a full oyster menu and snack menu. Wine aficionados, The Stafford’s got something for you, too. The hotel’s on-site wine cellar is home to over 8,000 wines from the world’s most beloved regions (Bordeaux, Burgundy, and beyond) stored in its 380-year-old cave, which was used as an air-raid shelter during the Second World War.
AMENITIES
The amenities will vary depending on which room or suite level you chose at The Stafford. Here’s a start of what to expect during your stay:
On-site restaurant and cocktail bar
24-hour concierge
Pet friendly
Kids services
Free WiFi
Gym
Room Service
Meeting rooms
Fireplace (depending on room level)
ROOM TYPES
The Stafford
Home to 107 accommodations, The Stafford offers four types of rooms and seven types of suites to choose from. Basic room types include Main House Classic Queen and Main House Classic Queen, both of which are also available in Deluxe versions. Main House rooms are individually decorated and feature marble bathrooms. Accommodations on the ground floor are found in the former Carriage House, each boasting the name of a famous horse.
The Stafford
Suites range from Junior, Main, Penthouse, and one-bedroom Gatehouse suites, which are scattered across different corners of the property. My Mews Master Suite included a separate (very large) common area with a couch, sitting chairs, and table, as well as a mini bar, large TV, and window overlooking the cobblestone street. The bedroom was equipped with a massive bed, ensuite bathroom, and in-room vanity. (Bonus amenity: Guests staying in the Mews Master Suites for two or more nights receive a free airport transfer to London Heathrow upon checkout.)
THE BEST THING TO DO WITHIN A 15-MINUTE WALK
The Royal Parks
One of the hotel’s biggest draws is its central location, meaning that a ton of the city can be enjoyed within a 15-minute walk of the hotel. However, accessing the Royal Parks and Buckingham Palace via the “secret” tunnel just across the street from the hotel is probably one of the coolest amenities. Sure, the tunnel is open to anyone who finds themselves on the street, but its direct location across from The Stafford makes it feel almost hotel exclusive.
Bonus points — The Green Park tube station is right through the tunnel, meaning getting to other neighborhoods in the city is super easy.
BEST THING TO DO/EAT/DRINK WITHIN A $20 CAB RIDE
Some of the city’s best neighborhoods — including Mayfair, Soho, and Covent Garden — are all within walking distance (and most definitely a $20 cab ride) from the hotel. If I had to choose one of the above, I’d probably say skip the big-brand shopping and overly packed streets of Soho and go to Covent Garden instead. The area’s smaller boutiques are much more interesting to peruse, and the neighborhood’s wine bar, The 10 Cases, offers some of the best deals in London. Wine friends, I drank a bottle of Nicolas Potel Nuits-Saint-Georges 2005 with a friend for just 85 pounds!
BED GAME — 10/10
The Stafford
I’m honestly not sure if there’s such a thing as a bed larger than a California King, but if there is, that’s what my suite at The Stafford had—or at least that’s what it felt like. The pillows were the perfect balance between firm and plush. And the only thing better than actually leaving the bed was leaving it for the ensuite bathroom, complete with a heated toilet seat and floors. 10/10.
SEXINESS RATING — 7/10
If we were rating luxury here, the rating would undeniably be 10/10. And luxury is always sexy. However, The Stafford’s “Old World” elegance could come off as a bit stuffy to those looking for a more “trendy” experience. However, the dimly lit cocktail bar and comfy AF bed are seriously redeeming qualities. 7/10 (upped to a 7.5 if a bottle of room service champagne is included).
VIEWS & THE PICS SPOTS
The Stafford Hotel
So, if you’re in the The Stafford Park Suite, the view is obviously a 10/10 thanks to the private rooftop terrace. However, for everyone else, the jaw-dropping views are pretty absent. That said, I really enjoyed the view out my living room window onto the cobblestone street below, which was incredibly charming. Save for the fact that at night what was most visible was the dude working in his apartment across the way.
Rating: 6.5/10
BEST SEASON TO VISIT
There’s really not a wrong time to visit London or stay at The Stafford. I visited in November, just as the city was lighting up for Christmas, and the hotel really played into the cozy vibes of the season (fireside cappuccinos downstairs, FTW). Staying in the spring or summer would’ve been great too as the neighborhood is incredibly charming to walk around — and strolling through the Royal Parks without 10 layers of clothing definitely would have been pleasant!
IF I HAD TO COMPLAIN ABOUT ONE THING
The classic British decor/Victorian style of the rooms is a bit antiquated and at times can come off a bit too old-fashioned. Though as someone visiting London, I found it quite charming, particularly with regards to the location of the hotel. Additionally, my suite’s living room had the facade of a fireplace that didn’t currently function. Had I been able to start a fire in my room, the sexiness factor easily would have gone up two solid points!
BOOK HERE:
Expect to pay $489 for a standard room, $771 for a Carriage House Room, and upwards of $1,040 for a suite (more on weekends).
There is no way you can still watch DJ Khaled’s over-the-top social media videos and come away thinking he isn’t in on the joke. If you do, then the trailer for his next album, Til Next Time will hopefully finally relieve you of that mistaken notion. As ridiculous as his social media videos can get, he goes even bigger here, tapping his current obsession with golf and combining it with his usual motivational volubility.
He not only chips in an exceptional shot from fairway, but then he also smacks a drive completely off the course and around the globe, proving he’s got a sense of humor about all this. He’s joined on the links by his two sons, who look to have a firm handle on the basics. The trailer clocks in at around four minutes, reflecting his maximalist production tendencies, while the beat playing in the background promises an epic, cinematic bent to his next project.
According to a press release, the Til Next Time is Khaled’s first album under his joint venture with Def Jam, and its first single, “Supposed To Be Loved” featuring Lil Baby, Future, and Lil Uzi Vert, is dropping this Friday, August 11.
Watch DJ Khaled’s Til Next Time album trailer above.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
