After years of talk about the idea of a two-night WrestleMania, it finally happened this year, but under very specific circumstance that (knock on wood) are unlikely to be repeated. The COVID-19 pandemic meant that they couldn’t have the originally planned event at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, and also that the Hall of Fame Ceremony and NXT TakeOver were cancelled entirely, creating extra space and a desire for a show that wouldn’t go on as long in one big chunk, since the experience of watching it with no live, cheering crowd was already going to be weird enough.
But now that the seal has been broken on a two-night Mania, it’s easy to wonder if that might become the standard. At least one person at the top of WWE likes the idea. Triple H, both a Hall of Famer and the Executive Vice President of Global Talent Strategy & Development at WWE, was asked about it and definitely likes the idea.
As Triple H pointed out on Corey Graves’ official WWE podcast, After the Bell, WrestleMania has become such a big multi-day event anyway, that taking it to two nights makes a lot of sense, even if it might prove hard to schedule.
I think it was much more enjoyable than the 8 hour extravaganza. I think at some point that’s probably what it should be. It’s just become so big…it started out as a concert that ended up being a festival, and it’s this week-long thing. Thursday would have been Hall of Fame. Friday was SmackDown. Saturday was going to be TakeOver. Sunday would’ve been WrestleMania. Monday would’ve been Raw. It’s a week-long festival, and I think that big main stage attraction needs to be those two nights…that’s a major shift and that doesn’t come easy.
You can talk about scheduling complications all day, but if Triple H thinks it should happen and it doesn’t happen, the obvious assumption is that Vince McMahon is against the idea. And that’s understandable. He created WrestleMania, after all, and he’s not the biggest fan of new ideas that didn’t come from him. Still, now that the idea’s in the air, a two-night Mania might be inevitable.
Car Seat Headrest is armed with gas masks in their latest videos and ready for whatever this year has in store for them. The group is ushering in a new era four years after their last LP, Teens Of Denial. Car Seat Headrest has previously shared the tracks “Can’t Cool Me Down,” “Martin,” and “Hollywood.” Now, the group has debuted their upcoming record’s stunning, seven-minute centerpiece, “There Must Be More Than Blood” with an acoustic video.
“There Must Be More Than Blood” arrives mid-way through Car Seat Headrest’s upcoming LP, Making A Door Less Open. The single boasts vocalist Will Toledo’s signature coarse vocals and the song’s accompanying video is a quarantine-style commentary on the current state of the world.
The band’s “Martin” visual touts Toledo, dressed as his alternate ego Trait, in a full hazmat suit washing dishes for the video’s entirety, and “There Must Be More Than Blood” is its acoustic follow-up. Sporting the same gas mask, Toledo sits in his room and strums along to the acoustic track on guitar. “There must be more than blood that holds us together / There must be more than wind that takes us away / There must be more than tears when they pull back the curtain / Of this much I am certain,” he sings.
Watch the “There Must Be More Than Blood” video above.
Making A Door Less Open is out 5/1 via Matador. Pre-order it here.
Festival season would have been upon us if a global pandemic hadn’t spread. But while Coachella may be postponed and several others canceled, Warner Music Group is aiming to cure the festival blues. The group announced the virtual PlayOn Festival in support of the World Health Organization. The online festival boasts some of today’s hottest artists like Cardi B, Ed Sheeran, Charli XCX, and more. Now, PlayOn Fest has more exciting news in the works. Upon sharing the set times for each artist, PlayOn Fest has added even more musicians to its star-studded lineup.
Touting the catchphrase, “Music is not cancelled,” PlayOn fest aims to have performances by some of today’s chart-topping musicians. Along with sets from artists like Anderson .Paak, Lil Uzi Vert, and Death Cab For Cutie, PlayOn Fest tapped Lizzo and Brandi Carlile to join the lineup.
After securing the full lineup, PlayOn Fest has shared the entire three-day schedule. Friday kicks things off with a set from Ed Sheeran, then ends the night with The War On Drugs. But, after The War On Drug’s set, there will still be music all through the night. Coldplay appears on the livestream at 3:45 a.m. and continues the endless stream of music. Saturday’s midnight slot arrives as a tribute to Nipsey Hussle. PlayOn Fest will stream the late rapper’s Victory Lap release performance. The entire festival concludes mid-day Monday with a final set from Wallows.
Check out the PlayOn Fest full schedule above.
The three-day event kicks off 4/24 at 12 p.m. EDT. Watch it here.
Some of the artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Tom Brady is getting used to life in his new digs. The future Hall of Fame inductee left the New England Patriots this past offseason, opting to head to Tampa Bay and become a member of the Buccaneers. There is, obviously, a major adjustment period that is going to come with this — he’s learning a new playbook, the tendencies of new teammates, the demands of new coaches, all that stuff.
There’s also the less obvious stuff, like the fact that Brady is becoming a member of a new community. This leads to cool things, like getting new neighbors and learning new restaurants, but can also lead to some weird situations, like an incident that occurred on April 7.
According to TMZ, Brady went to the home of his new offensive coordinator, Byron Leftwich, for a sit-down after joining the team. The issue is that Leftwich and his neighbor, a man named David Kramer, have homes that look pretty similar to one another, and as Kramer told it, this led to Brady walking into his home on accident.
“I literally was just sitting here and I watch this tall guy just walk into my house,” Kramer told TMZ. “He didn’t even look at me. He just like dropped his duffel bags down on the floor and just kind of like looked up at me and I’ll never forget the look on his face.”
Kramer — who found the incident funny — said that Brady was unsurprisingly in shock over the mix-up, and that after he apologized, he picked up his stuff and bolted out of the house. Brady isn’t exactly known for his speed, but if there was ever a time to show off the wheels, I suppose this was it.
Charli XCX has been making an album with real-time input from her fans online, and now she has followed up “Forever” with her latest How I’m Feeling Now song, “Claws.” The track features contributions from 100 Gecs member Dylan Brady, who produced and co-wrote the song, and with whom Charli has collaborated on a number of occasions.
CLAWS IS OUT NOW ARTWORK BY @CWYNARS THANK YOU FOR ALL THE LOVE FOR THIS SONG & FOR HELPING ME MAKE MY CREATIVE DECISIONS ON THIS ALBUM IT MEANS THE WORLD TO ME THAT UR ALL INVOLVED STREAM CLAWS HERE https://t.co/z2JSORPedZpic.twitter.com/lGbXoVCK1b
In a recent Zoom meeting with fans, Charli discussed some ideas she has for the song’s upcoming video: “I’ve got two ideas. One involves me in a bikini on a scooter, and one involves me making out with Huck, my boyfriend, on a green screen for the whole video, kind of inspired by Shawn Mendes and Camila [Cabello] when they made out on Instagram, because that was really hot and fun. So those are the reference points, but we’ll see which one happens.”
It’s not clear which idea she is going with at this point, as she has posted photos in recent days that suggest either one could happen.
Charli also recently spoke about the nature of How I’m Feeling Now as a whole, saying in an interview, “The songs on this album aren’t literally about being in quarantine and being isolated, but […] all of the work I’m creating, whether it be the music and the production and the artwork, it is all indicative of the time we’re in, because it’s all that I can do. […] It felt like — and don’t take this out of context — for me, and the kind of artist I am, and the kind of fan base I have, it was kind of the perfect time for me to make something that could comment on this and get everybody involved.”
Listen to “Claws” above.
How I’m Feeling Now is out 5/15.
Charli XCX is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
A24’s Midsommar auction doesn’t begin until April 27, but don’t bother saving your kronas: you’re going to get outbid by Ariana Grande.
The pop star revealed her intention to buy the instantly-iconic flower dress worn by Florence Pugh in the 2019 horror movie on Instagram, writing, “I’m crying / also I’m bidding as soon as possible.” She tagged the Little Women actress, who replied, “DO IT! Halloween will never be the same.” But Grande, who always goes all-out for October 31 (this Twilight Zone costume is a mood) was one step ahead of her: “I WAS ALREADY PLANNING TO HAVE IT MADE ANYWAY BYE.” She has competition, however.
me, to myself: dont bid for the midsommar may queen outfit dont bid for the midsommar may queen outfit don’t bid for the midsommar may queen outfit don’t bid for the midsommar may queen outfit don’t bid for the midsommar ma pic.twitter.com/YUtMFhnrQH
Watch Taylor Swift swoop in at the last second and out-bid them both.
Anyway, this isn’t the first time Pugh and Grande have bonded over social media. Earlier this month, Pugh addressed the negative comments she’s received online over the 21-year age gap between her and her boyfriend, Scrubs star Zach Braff. “I am 24 years old. I do not need you to tell me who I should and should not love, and I would never in my life tell anyone who they can and cannot love. It is not your place,” she said, captioning the video, “Being hateful is not trendy.” Grande had Pugh’s back and, uh, chest?
If you feel like out-bidding Grande or Halsey for the 33-pound Midsommar dress, described as “the original 10,000-silk-flower May Queen gown from Midsommar‘s fiery finale,” or any other piece of A24 merchandise for a good cause, head here.
As the NFL becomes more and more of a pass-first league, teams are always looking to build a defense that prevents opponents from letting it fly. A great way to do this is to stockpile Edge talent, and fortunately for teams that have a need at that position heading into the 2020 NFL Draft, they’ll have plenty of options.
The latest edition in our tiered Big Board series takes a look at some of our favorite Edge players available. There is a very obvious No. 1 player here — spoiler alert: it’s Chase Young — but heading into Days 2 and 3 of the draft, there are guys who have what it takes to make an impact at the next level, even if they’re not a finished product just yet.
Tier 1
Chase Young: Arguably the best prospect in the entire 2020 NFL Draft, Young is an absolute beast on the edge. He had a preposterous 21 tackles for loss with 16.5 sacks for Ohio State last year despite the entire world knowing they needed to send help his way if able. He has the measurables and the skillset to be a dominant edge rusher in the NFL for a decade-plus.
Tier 2
K’Lavon Chaisson: The second edge rusher expected to go in this year’s class is the LSU outside linebacker, who had 60 tackles, 13.5 TFLs and 6.5 sacks as he burst on the scene this season for the Tigers after missing most of the 2018 season with an ACL tear. He’s got tremendous get off on the edge and bounced back well from that injury to show that he’s worthy of a first-round pick. He’s a superb athlete and if he taps fully into his potential could be a serious problem at the NFL level.
Tier 3
A.J. Epenesa: Scary size and length — 6’5, 275 pounds — dude just looks like he should be an All-Pro defensive end. As technically sound as you’ll find coming out of college and quite powerful, Epenesa put up big numbers the last two years, racking up 86 tackles with 30.5 TFLs and 22 sacks. Is hardly the quickest guy at the position, nor is his bag of tricks on pass rushes all that deep. The power he is able to generate, though, is special, and he know how to use his hands. So smooth that you wonder if things just come easily to him or if he’s not trying, but man, he could be a load if properly coached up. Hey, on that note…
Yetur Gross-Matos: Another guy who passes the eye test: 6’5, 266 with arms that look more like helicopter propellers. Has some weird tape in that he struggled against a number of good teams Penn State played last year, but had his best games against bottom feeders and, for some reason, Ohio State. Good flexibility for a guy of his size, he’s still a bit of a work in progress in terms of diagnosing plays and having a plan beyond his initial plan — James Franklin has stressed that he believes Gross-Matos’ best football is ahead of him. Quite talented, though, and productive the last two years: 94 tackles, 34.5 TFLs, 17 sacks.
Zach Baun: Can just copy and paste everything that gets written about Wisconsin edge rushers and apply it to Baun. Not the most physically imposing guy — 6’2, 238 pounds — but his motor is startling, his football IQ is off the charts, and he puts himself in position to make plays. Was everywhere for the Badger defense his senior year, accruing 75 tackles, 19.5 TFLs, and 12.5 sacks. If he can overcome his merely ok athleticism, he can do some things in the league.
Marlon Davidson: The big Auburn defensive end had some wondering if he needed to move inside as he was up to 303 pounds at the Combine, but there’s some question about whether he has the size to stick as a tackle. We’re putting him with our Edge group because he’s a gifted pass rusher (7.5 sacks a year ago for Auburn) and most seem to peg him as an end in either a 3-4 or 4-3 scheme. There’s serious buzz about him cracking into the first round, as he’s a great athlete for his size and has tremendous burst off the ball to go with great strength.
Tier 4
Joshua Uche: A dynamite athlete, Uche is still a bit of a work in progress out of the University of Michigan. Hasn’t played a ton of football, seems like he could be the type of guy who gets molded into a pass rusher. Of his 33 tackles last year, 10.5 were for loss and 7.5 registered as sacks. A quick and twitchy rusher who lacks the size you might like (6’1, 245 pounds), Uche isn’t a plug-and-play guy, but you see the flashes of a potential situational nightmare.
Julian Okwara: Exciting prospect. Okwara mixes the physical profile you want from an NFL DE (6’4, 252 pounds) with the flexibility and burst to eat up opposing offensive tackles and a switch that never is flipped off. A broken left fibula prematurely ended last season, and as such, he had 19 tackles, seven TFLs, and five sacks in nine games. As long as he doesn’t consistently get overpowered by offensive linemen at the next level, he’s a guy who can stick around for some time.
Darrell Taylor: The Tennessee standout led the Vols in sacks and tackles for loss last season (8.5 and 10.5, respectively) and is a phenomenal athlete. He’s got the prototypical build with the mixture of speed and strength teams want out of a rush linebacker, and the big question for him is putting it all together. It wouldn’t be a surprise to hear his name called relatively early on Day 2 because his highs are very high and some defensive coach is going to be convinced they can tap into his full potential and make him a star.
Curtis Weaver: Weaver presents one of the Draft’s oldest conundrums, in that the Boise State end was highly productive at the college level thanks to a great motor and technique, but lacks the high-end athleticism desired by the NFL. He’ll likely be a later-round pick due to that, but based on college production, he absolutely belongs on the board.
Terrell Lewis: Lewis is red-flagged by some teams due to his medical history and that will push him down boards as he missed most of 2017 and 2018 due to injury (upper arm and ACL). However, he’s a terrific athlete and a great frame at 6’5, 262 with some room to fill that out if needed. Adding more strength would benefit him and some team in the mid-to-late rounds will be intrigued enough by the raw talent and potential to take a risk on his injury history and relatively low experience at Alabama.
Top Dawg Entertainment is the rare rap brand that is as closely connected with its origins as it is with the success of its respective pieces — pieces like Kendrick Lamar, Jay Rock, Schoolboy Q, SZA, and more. The label holds an annual charity concert in Watts, the hometown of TDE founder Anthony “Top Dawg” Tiffith and rapper Jay Rock, giving away toys for the community’s kids while allowing residents the opportunity to see the sort of live show they might not ordinarily get the opportunity to.
During the ongoing coronavirus crisis, though, Top Dawg — the man and the label — stepped up big, announcing today that Tiffith has committed to covering a month’s rent for seniors residing in the city’s various housing projects, including Imperial Courts, Jordan Downs, and Nickerson Gardens, where Tiffith grew up. The donation totals around $86,000 and covers 311 units, ensuring that one of the most vulnerable groups in an already vulnerable area can stay safely at home.
Top Dawg Entertainment has also been holding a fan appreciation week, releasing a collection of new tracks since Monday, including the long-awaited returns of both Ab-Soul (with his “Dangerookipawaa Freestyle“) and Isaiah Rashad (with “Why Worry“), as well as tracks from Zacari (a cover of “This Woman’s Work“) and today’s releases from SiR (“Rapper Weed” featuring Boogie) and Kembe X, who is managed by TDE’s Moosa (“Off The Leash“).
Amid the buckets of new Netflix offerings for May, multiple comedy specials will arrive to deliver some laughs during these difficult times. That line-up includes Jerry Seinfeld, who will drop his second (although still rare) stand-up special for the streaming giant on May 5. Expect him to keep mining everyday life for humor in the minutiae, while the title of this special, 23 Hours To Kill, and the teaser, suggest a diversion into James Bond-land. The villain who’s taunting Jerry in the above promo bears (what I assume is) an intentionally lukewarm resemblance to Christoph Waltz, who portrayed Blofeld in 2015’s Spectre, but the mood here is much more Austin Powers than anything serious.
Will the Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee host take on villains during this stand-up special? Netflix’s press materials don’t reveal the answer to that question while favoring a more straightforward description. That is, we’ll see Seinfeld offering his trademarked “sharp angles on everyday life, uncovering comedy in the commonplace” from NYC’s Beacon Theater, where he (obviously) filmed this special several months ago. Even though the promo shows him maneuvering to outsmart a villain, the onstage portion of this teaser moves to a bit that we’ve already seen associated with Jerry Seinfeld. He riffs on a subject — gaps underneath bathroom stalls — that previously surfaced (through the mouth of George Costanza) in a 1995 Seinfeldepisode, “The Postponement.”
I’m choosing to believe that this subject’s repetition, which has been noted elsewhere and will be recognizable to die-hard Seinfeld fans, is meant to work some magic. There must be a reason why Netflix chose to highlight this bit from the special in a teaser, right? Maybe it’s a message that Jerry will insert some welcome nostalgia that might transport us all back to a simpler time. Clearly, this special was filmed before our current situation, but if there’s anything that Seinfeld’s talented at doing, it’s inviting us to fixate upon seemingly insignificant details to find humor in unexpected places. That’s comfort-comedy, and a meditation upon the absurd, if you will, but we’ll see how far into the past Jerry Seinfeld dives when this special arrives on May 5. For now, enjoy this spiffy poster.
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