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The Smile Is ‘Deep In Recording’ A New Album, After Teasing Some Songs At Recent Shows Together

The Smile, a group led by Radiohead members Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood, have officially announced that they’re in the process of recording a follow-up album to 2022’s debut, A Light For Attracting Attention.

The reveal was made at the end of a new email from the band. “More North American tour dates for when we are let out of the studio,” it read. “we’re deep in recording, week 7.”

They’ve also teased a handful of songs, including “Bodies Laughing,” “Friend Of A Friend,” and “Colors Fly,” while on tour in Europe, per NME. Additionally, The Smile is set to embark on a summer tour across North America. More information is available here.

Continue scrolling for a complete list of new dates.

06/21 — Mexico City @ Auditorio Nacional
06/22 — Mexico City @ Auditorio Nacional
06/25 — Austin, TX @ ACL Live at The Moody Theater
06/26 — Austin, TX @ ACL Live at The Moody Theater
06/29 — Miami, FL @ James L. Knight Center
06/30 — St Augustine, FL @ The Saint Augustine Amphitheatre
07/02 — North Charleston, SC @ North Charleston Performing Arts Center
07/03 — Asheville, NC @ Thomas Wolfe Auditorium
07/05 — Richmond, VA @ The National
07/07 — Forest Hills, NY @ Forest Hills Stadium
07/08 — Philadelphia, PA @ Franklin Music Hall
07/10 — Pittsburgh, PA @ Stage AE
07/11 — Cleveland, OH @ Agora Ballroom
07/14 — Québec City @ Festival d’été de Québec, Parc de la Francophonie
07/15 — Laval, QC @ Place Bell
07/16 — Ottawa, Ontario @ RBC Bluesfest, LeBreton Flats
07/19 — Kansas City, MO @ Midland Theatre
07/20 — Chesterfield, MO @ The Factory
07/21 — Chicago, IL @ Pitchfork Music Festival, Union Park

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The Final ‘Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves’ Trailer Doesn’t Want To Fight An Owlbear

You know what’s been fun? Every single Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves trailer. The last one before the movie’s release on March 31st is no exception, gleefully frolicking in devil-may-care banter and the kind of high adventure that brings you way too close to the face of an owlbear.

Look, by this point you either want to see it or you don’t, but a few more quips between Chris Pine and Michelle Rodriguez couldn’t hurt to seal the deal. The questing looks appropriately epic, and Hugh Grant appears to have teleported his Paddington Bear 2 character into a magical fantasy realm. Plus, the trailer wants you to know that people are having an absolute blast with this flick.

The only thing the trailer doesn’t have is a time machine to tell your middle school self that, one day, Dungeons and Dragons will be one of the coolest things on the planet. Maybe leave out all the other stuff going on in the future. No need to give yourself a panic attack before gym class.

The explosion of popularity for the RPG has been an astonishing transformation from the basements of the 1980s. Thankfully, absurdly great podcasts like Worlds Beyond Number and shows like The Legend of Vox Machina should tide you over before Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves critically rolls onto screens.

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The Trailer For The Venice Hit ‘Monica’ Promises A Family Drama With A Slew Of Powerhouse Performances

Italian writer/director Andrea Pallaoro clearly goes for quality over quantity. He’s made only three films in ten years, but all of them (Medeas, Hannah, and Monica) have been critical hits which feature the phrase “an intimate portrait” in their synopses. His latest was hailed out of Venice for exploring a trans woman‘s return to a complicated family situation, seeking some kind of connection from a mother who literally does not recognize her anymore.

Here’s the official synopsis:

Monica is an intimate portrait of a woman who returns home after a long absence to confront the wounds of her past. Reconnecting with her mother (Patricia Clarkson) and the rest of her family for the first time since leaving as a teenager, Monica (Trace Lysette) embarks on a path of healing and acceptance. The film delves into Monica’s internal world and state of mind, her pain and fears, her needs and desires, to explore the universal themes of abandonment and forgiveness.”

Lysette looks dynamite here, and Clarkson looks like she’s doing the Clarkson thing of being awesome in every single thing she’s in.

Monica, which also stars Joshua Close, Adriana Barraza, and Emily Browning, is set for limited release from IFC Films on May 12th.

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Tom Brady Has Purchased An Ownership Stake In The Las Vegas Aces

The Las Vegas Aces have had quite the past 12 months, as they won their first championship under first year head coach Becky Hammon, with A’ja Wilson collecting her second MVP award in the process.

This offseason, they added Candace Parker in what has become a two-team arms race with the New York Liberty, who added Jonquel Jones, Breanna Stewart, and Courtney Vandersloot to create a clear top-two in the WNBA entering the 2023 season. On Thursday, the Aces made another big name addition, but this time to their ownership group, as Mark Davis and the team announced the recently retired Tom Brady has purchased an ownership stake in the team. Both Davis and Brady released statements on his acquisition of a stake in the team.

“Since I purchased the Aces, our goal has been to win on and off the court, explained Davis. “Tom Brady is a win not only for the Aces, and the WNBA, but for women’s professional sports as a whole.”

“I am very excited to be part of the Las Vegas Aces organization,” said Brady. “My lovefor women’s sports began at a young age when I would tag along to all my older sisters’ games – they were by far the best athletes in our house! We celebrated their accomplishments together as a family, and they remain a great inspiration to me.

“I have always been a huge fan of women’s sports, and I admire the work that the Aces’ players, staff, and the WNBA continue to do to grow the sport and empower future generations of athletes. To be able to contribute in any way to that mission as a member of the Aces organization is an incredible honor.”

Davis is among the “new-money” WNBA owners, in that he purchased the Aces fairly recently and, like Joe Tsai in New York, has a very different approach to spending than some of the long-time WNBA owners. Those factions have started butting heads over things like player travel, with Tsai and Davis pushing to change league rules that disallow teams from providing chartered flights to games. The addition of Brady figures to only add to what the Aces will be able to do financially, as well as giving them another big name to promote the team.

Given the recent growth of the WNBA, it wouldn’t be surprising to see more ownership moves in the near future as more people are starting to view the league as a unique investment opportunity in sports considering the opportunity for continued growth, where buying in now could pay considerable dividends in the future.

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Cameron Crowe Will Pave Paradise To Put Up A Joni Mitchell Biopic

When he got the chance to conduct a dream interview with Joni Mitchell for Rolling Stone in 1979, Cameron Crowe led off by asking her if there were any myths about her she wanted to dispel. She answered that, “I do have this reputation for being a serious person. I’m a very analytical person, a somewhat introspective person; that’s the nature of the work I do. But this is only one side of the coin, you know. I love to dance. I’m a rowdy. I’m a goodtimer. Mind you, I haven’t seen too many good parties since I left my hometown. People go to parties here mostly to conduct business.”

Genius. Poet. Desperate for a good shindig.

Hopefully that personality shines through if Crowe and Mitchell get their biopic off the ground. According to Above the Line, the pair have been collaborating to bring her life story to the big screen. From the report, it sounds like that collaboration is akin to a ghost writer relationship with Mitchell advising and providing input while Crowe is the one putting pen to paper with plans to also producer and direct.

If they can get the project off the ground and into production, it would mark a return to feature filmmaking for Crowe, whose last film was 2015’s Aloha. Although his Roadies series at Showtime was cancelled after one season, acting as conduit for Joni Mitchell‘s autobiography sounds firmly in Crowe’s personal, creative sweet spot. With any luck, they’ll be able to announce that it’s all happening.

(via Above the Line)

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Elton John Only Recently Learned The True Meaning Of His 1972 Hit ‘Rocket Man’ Thanks To Its Co-Writer

In the more than half-century since “Rocket Man” first shot its way to the top of the charts, it would be safe to assume that Elton John has performed the song hundreds — if not thousands — of times. The tune has become so synonymous with the artist that it was used as the title of the 2019 John biopic. But it turns out that the singer-songwriter had no idea what he was warbling about.

As NME reports, John and his longtime songwriting partner Bernie Taupin recently sat down to discuss their famous collaboration, including “Rocket Man.”

“‘Rocket Man’ was our first-ever Number One record I think,” John explained. “It was a pretty easy song to write a melody to because it’s a song about space so it’s quite a spacious song.”

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That’s when Taupin chimed in with a story that surprised even John:

“It was actually a song inspired by Ray Bradbury from his book of science-fiction short stories called The Illustrated Man. In that book, there was a story called The Rocket Man, which was about how astronauts in the future would become sort of an everyday job… so I kinda took that idea and ran with it.”

A surprised John admitted: “Do you know, I never knew that.”

Do “Tiny Dancer” next!

(Via NME)

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Beyoncé And Adidas Reportedly Have Mutually Agreed To End Their Ivy Park Partnership

Beyoncé and Adidas have mutually agreed to end their partnership, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Beyoncé will retain ownership of her Ivy Park brand.

It was first reported in February that the partnership was troubled; according to internal earnings documents reviewed by The Wall Street Journal, the Ivy Park brand had underperformed under Adidas to the tune of a $200 million loss. When the partnership was first signed in 2019 after Ivy Park moved from TopShop, it was expected that Beyoncé’s name would bring in the sales — however, while Adidas expected $250 million in sales, it only brought in around $40 million.

The Journal‘s also reported creative differences between Adidas and Parkwood, the title under which Beyoncé operates her disparate business ventures, as fans expressed their disappointment in the Ivy Park offerings over the past year. According to THR, “Beyoncé is excitedly looking to reclaim her brand, chart her own path, and maintain creative freedom” of the brand going forward.

The end of the Ivy Park partnership is the latest in a string of rough patches for Adidas over the past year, as well. In October of 2022, Adidas also ended its partnership with Kanye West after the rapper made a series of antisemitic remarks in several interviews. The company’s CEO told the company early this year that Adidas is projected to lose nearly $1.3 billion in sales of Yeezy merchandise, although it also reached an agreement with him to sell remaining inventory without the Yeezy branding.

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Bartenders Reveal The Single Best Sips Of Tequila They’ve Ever Had

Whether you’re a fan of bourbon, dark rum, gin, vodka, or tequila, have you stopped to consider all the sips you’ve tried over the years? It’s not a simple task — though you likely only remember the sips that were truly awful and a few of the most amazing ones.

Today, we’re much more interested in the latter than the former. The sip that changed everything. Specifically, we’re talking about a single sip of tequila that bartenders deem their “best ever.”

Keep reading to see all of their timeless picks!

Mijenta Blanco

Mijenta Blanco
Mijenta

Ricardo Cubais, director of food and beverage at Zachari Dunes on Mandalay Beach in Oxnard, California

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $40

The Tequila:

The best sip of tequila I’ve ever had is Mijenta Blanco. The name “Mijenta” is a reference to the Spanish phrase “mi gente” which translates to “my people”. This flavorful, sustainably-produced tequila was crafted to be enjoyed with “your people”.

Tasting Notes:

Mijenta Blanco has some nice notes of honey and the small batch refinement process really enhances the flavor of agave. It’s a very sippable tequila too.

Tequila Ocho Plata 2020 La Loma

Tequila Ocho Plata 2020 La Loma
Tequila Ocho

David Tyda, co-owner of BARCOA Agaveria in Phoenix

ABV: 40%

Average Price: Limited Availability

The Tequila:

Tequila Ocho Plata 2020 La Loma. One of the best sips of tequila I’ve ever had was the La Loma batch Tequila Ocho Plata. It was affordable enough to be your daily driver. The kind of tequila you’d sip on a Tuesday or make a margarita with, but knockout delicious enough that you could break it out during parties and blow people away with how refined and elegant it was.

Tasting Notes:

It was extremely agave forward but had citrus, brightness, a little pepper, and this kind of mouthwatering quality to it.

Patrón El Alto

Patrón El Alto
Patrón

Donny Largotta, beverage director at Gansevoort Meatpacking in New York City

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $180

The Tequila:

Patrón El Alto is undoubtedly my favorite tequila to sip. I’ve always been a fan of reposados because they are so easy on your palate, and there isn’t any lingering after-burn.

Tasting Notes:

One sip of El Alto gives hints of caramel, vanilla, and dried fruit. It’s one of the cleanest yet smoothest finishes from a tequila without any mixers needed.

Fortaleza Winter Blend

Fortaleza Winter Blend
Fortaleza

Charles Crisp, beverage manager at InterContinental in San Diego

ABV: 45.7%

Average Price: $115

The Tequila:

One of my favorite tequilas would definitely be Fortaleza Winter Blend. Only about 11,000 bottles were bottled at cask strength of 92.6 proof. The tequila is aged in American Oak for six months, then matured for a final six months in used French Oak Marsala wine casks.

Tasting Notes:

The final result features notes of baking spice, butter, vanilla, and herbs with a toffee-like finish. This is the perfect sipping tequila for any special occasion.

Siete Leguas Reposado

Siete Leguas Reposado
Siete Leguas

Guillermo Bravo, bartender at Vol. 39 in Chicago

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $60

The Tequila:

Siete Leguas Reposado. I had it a very long time ago and I remember thinking, “this is what aged tequila is supposed to taste like.” Not those overly vanilla bomb tequilas. It’s supposed to have previously used bourbon barrel notes. It’s not supposed to taste the way the candle aisle of a Walmart smells.

Tasting Notes:

Fairly herbal with subtle notes of caramel, cracked black pepper, and wintry spices. Spicy, sweet, and highly sippable.

Codigo 1530 Origen

Codigo 1530 Origen
Codigo

Garth Poe, bar manager of Easy Bistro & Bar in Chattanooga, Tennessee

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $300

The Tequila:

Codigo 1530 Origen. This extra a ñejo tequila is aged six years and has tons of character from the barrel. This brand distills from 3 times the amount of agave used in normal tequila production which results in a slightly sweeter product while remaining additive free.

Tasting Notes:

This tequila is bursting with bold flavors like toasted vanilla beans, cinnamon, dried fruits, cracked black pepper, and rich oaky wood.

Tequila Ocho Plata

Tequila Ocho Plata
Tequila Ocho

Adnan Kahn, food and beverage director at FireLake Grill House & Cocktail Bar in Chicago

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $50

The Tequila:

I always love Tequila Ocho Plata. This 100% Blue Agave tequila is known for its collectability as the label reveals the year each batch was made as well as the field where the agave was harvested. This single-estate tequila is just as flavorful as it is collectible.

Tasting Notes:

It features very crisp, clean, pepper and citrus notes. It’s a highly flavorful, nuanced tequila you’ll crave after only one sip.

Siembra Azul Reposado

Siembra Azul Reposado
Siembra Azul

Stephen Hood, assistant food and beverage operations manager at The Notary Hotel in Philadelphia

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $70

The Tequila:

I would have to say the best sip of tequila I had would have to be Siembra Azul. The blanco is amazing however the Reposado is in a league of its own. If I’m out and I’m in the mood for tequila and I see Siembra Azul I’m going for it.

Tasting Notes:

This highly complex tequila is known for its aromas of vanilla beans, oak, and cracked black pepper and a palate of cooked agave, caramel, vanilla, cinnamon, and oak.

Fortaleza Blanco Still Strength

Fortaleza Blanco Still Strength
Fortaleza

Alex Barbatsis, head bartender at The Whistler in Chicago

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $55

The Tequila:

When it comes to tequila, I like it strong. Fortaleza Blanco Still Strength comes in at a whopping 46% ABV, much higher than most sipping tequilas. This blanco comes right from the still and into the bottle. A little goes a long way, so a bottle will last you a long time. It also works great as a small dose in a cocktail. Try adding a 1/4 oz to your next margarita, you’ll be wowed by the results.

Tasting Notes:

This complex tequila is earthy, herbal, vegetal, and filled with flavors like cooked agave, vanilla beans, cracked black pepper, and citrus zest.

Tapatio 110

Tapatio 110
Tapatio

Will Krepop, beverage director at Wiggle Room in New York City

ABV: 55%

Average Price: $56

The Tequila:

Tapatio 110. At 110 proof with a great peppery spice to it, it absolutely shines in citrusy tequila cocktails. This is the highest proof allowed in the tequila world and it still manages to be complex, flavorful, and highly warming.

Tasting Notes:

Awesome notes of cinnamon and black pepper compliment a core of cooked apples with a hint of caramel.

Siete Leguas Blanco

Siete Leguas Blanco
Siete Leguas

Alex Cuper, beverage director at El Che Steakhouse & Bar in Chicago

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $55

The Tequila:

I think my favorite sip of Tequila I have ever had was Siete Leguas Blanco. It is very sentimental to me for many reasons. The broadest reason is that it was the Tequila that showed me you can sip a blanco tequila without it tasting disgusting and bitey. I also had it for the first time with one of my best friends in the world, who explained to me that he and his dad and family would sip this in Mexico at the end of long days, and that is pretty much what we were doing at the restaurant we worked at the first time I had it.

Tasting Notes:

It is such an expressive and bright tequila with great lime a salinity quality but also carries a richness that I adore. It is not a “lean” tequila.

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Tommy Wiseau’s ‘Room’ Follow-Up, ‘Big Shark,’ Features, You Guessed It, A Giant Shark In Terror Mode

Even if you haven’t seen The Room, you probably know what it is, or what it isn’t, because it’s not a very good movie. But it’s one of those cult favorites with a fanbase that grew over time and steadily made Tommy Wiseau a god-like figure for campy movies. And you know, he’s gonna do it again!

It might seem surprising, but Wiseau actually hasn’t made another movie since The Room in 2003. He will often host screenings of The Room around the country, but he had yet to make a feature-length follow-up to his “hit” movie, that is until Big Shark, the upcoming disaster film about a giant shark. He has done some voice acting, though.

Big Shark is not a sequel to Big Fish, though that would have been a really good concept. Instead, Big Shark seems to take the idea of Jaws with the CGI budget of Sharknado and mix it with…Rocky, maybe? It’s actually kind of hard to tell. The movie follows three firefighters named Georgie, Patrick, and Tim (good firefighter names) as they battle a…big shark. That’s really all the information that has been provided, but it gets the point across.

Wiseau himself stars alongside Isiah Laborde and Mark Valeriano. While the movie was originally rumored to star Wiseau’s friend and Room collaborator Greg Sestero, it seems like does not appear in the trailer. Hopefully, there is no bad blood between them, as they already have a pretty rocky relationship as is.

Big Shark (the more you read it, the more the title just makes sense) will get a limited release this summer in various cities across the country: New Orleans on April 28th and 29th, San Francisco on May 5th and 6th, Los Angeles on June 2nd and 3rd and in New York City on August 10th, 11th and 12th. A perfect lead-up to Shark Week.

Check out the trailer for Big Shark above.

(Via Variety)

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Melania Trump Is Reportedly Still ‘Angry’ About The Stormy Daniels Affair And Has No Sympathy Over The ‘Arrest’ Fallout

As Donald Trump awaits a possible indictment for his alleged hush money payment to Stormy Daniels to cover up an affair with the adult film actress, Melania Trump is reportedly still angry about the fact that her husband apparently cheated on her shortly after she gave birth to their son Barron. According to a new report, the former First Lady is attempting to remain positive, which involves not engaging with her husband’s current legal troubles.

“She remains angry and doesn’t want to hear [the alleged hush money payment] mentioned,” a source told PEOPLE. “She is aware of who her husband is and keeps her life upbeat with her own family and a few close friends.”

As for whether Melania is concerned with her husband being arrested, like her infamous jacket, she doesn’t seem to care. “She doesn’t sympathize with Donald’s plight,” the source told PEOPLE before detailing how the couple are keeping up appearances at Mar-a-Lago:

While the source tells PEOPLE that Melania and Donald live in separate quarters of their Mar-a-Lago estate, the two are still often spotted eating dinner together or attending events at the private club.

“She does very well with all of her socializing duties,” the source continues. “They still see friends for dinner at the club, but live separately and do what they want on their own. They don’t spend that much time together.”

It should, however, be noted that part of Trump’s legal defense is to claim that the hush money payment was not related to his presidential campaign, and therefore, isn’t a violation. Instead, a former attorney for Trump claims that he was worried about Melania learning about the affair and leaving him.

Although, a public divorce would’ve been bad for Trump’s campaign, too, so not exactly the best strategy.

(Via PEOPLE)