GoneTrending

Turns out, even a khal-turned-demi-god is still susceptible to COVID-19. According to Entertainment Weekly, Aquaman star Jason Momoa, 42, has officially tested positive for COVID-19. The diagnosis comes shortly after attending the London premiere of Dune, in which the star was surrounded by people giving him a lot of “aloha.” Momoa shared the news via Instagram, uploading a video on to his story explaining how he presumed his catching COVID-19 happened and assuring his fans he’s “doing fine.”

“I got hit with COVID right after the premiere. There was a lot of people I met in England, so got a lot of aloha from people. And who knows? Either way, I’m doing fine.” Momoa said. “Thank you for all your concerns and love .. Mahalo for all the love and support.”

While staving off death and/or being intubated at the hospital should be reason enough to get the COVID vaccine, some people need that little extra nudge, and Tim Meadows is happy to give it to them. In a hilarious new PSA from Urologists United for Vaccination Education, the former SNL star joined a group of doctors who hammered home one of the not so great side effects of being infected with COVID-19: erectile dysfunction.

In the video that seeks to protect “future boners,” Meadows explains how terrible his life would be if couldn’t get an erection. “If I couldn’t have one, it would be devastating — and, kind of boring,” he says to the camera before cutting over to a team of medical professionals who run the erectile dysfunction numbers.

“What are you guys doing? Go get the vaccine. We’re talking about your future boners here, OK?” Meadows urges before hashtag #SaveTheFutureBoners pops across the screen.

As for how effective the PSA will be, who knows? There is still a sizable amount of Americans who have refused to get the COVID vaccine even as the highly contagious Delta variant tore through the unvaccinated population with startling speed and deadliness. That said, if even a small number of dudes (or their partners) are made aware that they’re at risk of never getting a boner again, and it prompts them to get the vaccine, the effect can be exponential. In short, it’s not really about the size of the video’s views, it’s how people use it.

(Via The Wrap)

For years, former Roc-A-Fella Records partners Dame Dash and Jay-Z have been on shaky, uneven footing stemming from the label’s contentious split in 2005 when Jay-Z walked away from the partnership for a position as President of Def Jam. However, it seems that Jay holds less ill will toward his former partners than many of them hold toward him, as he gave a series of shout-outs during his Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame induction speech, including to third Roc founder Kareem “Biggs” Burke as well as Dame.

“Shout-out to Dame,” he said. “I know we don’t see eye to eye, but I can never erase your accomplishments. And I appreciate you and I thank you for that.”

That proverbial olive branch has apparently prompted Dame to consider reconciliation according to Page Six, which he told, “I’m glad he said it for the culture. We need to squash everything. So hopefully if that was an extended [olive branch], I’ll spin one back.”

However, the feisty mogul did set one condition for a possible reunion. “I have no beef with [him] if [he has] no beef with me,” he elaborated. “Let’s get the lawyers out of it then. Let’s talk like men, but I definitely appreciate it.”

Of course, the lawyers were introduced to the mix earlier this year when Dame reportedly attempted to sell Jay’s debut album Reasonable Doubt — the point of contention in the initial Roc split (although Dame blames other factors) — as an NFT. However, as it turned out, Dame was more interested in off-loading his stake in the now-defunct brand, which Jay tried to buy at a price Dame “deemed unacceptable.” Jay still sued to stop the sale, saying in court records, “Dash can’t sell what he doesn’t own. By attempting such a sale, Dash has converted a corporate asset and has breached his fiduciary duties.

The original trio of founders met over the summer to try and hash out their differences after a judge denied Dame’s request to block the meeting, but as yet, it appears they still haven’t buried their respective hatchets. Jay’s shout-out could be the first step toward getting the brash Harlem hustler back to the negotiating table.

Franz Ferdinand found their way into the music mainstream in 2004 with “Take Me Out,” and they’ve maintained a consistent career in the years following. Now, they’re taking a look back with a new career-spanning greatest hits album, called Hits To The Head. That drops next year on March 11, and ahead of then, they’ve shared one of the two new songs from the album, “Billy Goodbye.” (The other new song is “Curious.”

The band’s Alex Kapranos says of compiling the collection:

“It’s the same as writing a set-list for a festival: you want to play the songs you know people want to hear. The hits. Bring the hits to the head. The heart. The feet. That means obvious singles, but also songs you know have a special meaning for both band and audience like ‘Outsiders.’ We also added two new songs, recorded last year: ‘Billy Goodbye’ and ‘Curious,’ both co-produced at the last stage with Stuart Price. I have friends who believe you’re somehow not a ‘real’ fan if you own a best of rather than a discography. I disagree. I think of my parents’ record collection as a kid. I loved their compilation LPs. I am so grateful that they had Changes or Rolled Gold. Those LPs were my entrance point. My introduction.”

Listen to “Billy Goodbye” above and find the Hits To The Head art and tracklist below.

1. “Darts Of Pleasure”
2. “Take Me Out”
3. “The Dark Of The Matinee”
4. “Michael”
5. “This Fire”
6. “Do You Want To”
7. “Walk Away”
8. “The Fallen”
9. “Outsiders”
10. “Lucid Dreams”
11. “Ulysses”
12. “No You Girls”
13. “Right Action”
14. “Evil Eye”
15. “Love Illumination”
16. “Stand On The Horizon”
17. “Always Ascending”
18. “Glimpse Of Love”
19. “Curious”
20. “Billy Goodbye”

Hits In The Head is out 3/11/2021 via Domino. Pre-order it here.

At this point, it’s very clear that Courtney Love is going to speak her mind. When she feels like Olivia Rodrigo is ripping her style? Absolutely. Hole reuniting? Absolutely not. So needless to say some fans of the hit television show Succession — which critics like The New Yorker‘s Naomi Fry argue might be the best sitcom on right now — were wondering her perspective on the show’s use of Nirvana’s “Rape Me” in the most recent episode.

It was a pretty clever sync, with upstart son Kendall Roy blaring the song during a company-wide town hall meant to quell unrest after details about covered up sexual assaults within the ranks had come to light. Clearly, Love thought the use was good enough to clear the song’s use in the show, but she followed up with a post on social media praising the way the writers of the show utilized the song, and how it dovetailed with Kurt’s own agenda.

“I was in the room watching (agog) as this song was written in about an hour, and I’ve never been so proud of approving one of Kurt’s songs,” Love wrote in an Instagram Story. “This cue in Succession is as if they truly understood KC. What he was screaming his heart out … without specifics … about. I’m sure wherever he is he’s proud of this. #rapeme #kurtdcobain #nirvana #disruption #myfavoriteinsidesource.”

Well, there you have it. Courtney approved!

Seven-piece experimental rockers Black Country, New Road are quickly becoming one of indie music’s most buzzworthy bands. Their 2021 six-track project For The First Time caught the attention of jazz and math rock lovers alike, creating a sizeable following for the band. Though it’s been less than a year since the release of their last project, Black Country, New Road are set to return in 2022 with another studio album, which they’ve just previewed with another brand-new track.

Black Country, New Road’s next LP is titled Ants From Up There and its announcement arrived alongside the lead single “Chaos Space Marine.” But this week, the band is back with yet another single. Titled “Bread Song,” Black Country, New Road’s new track takes listeners on a six-minute emotional ride through sparse, atmospheric soundscapes with poetic words.

In a statement about the new song, the band’s vocalist Isaac Wood said:

“We wanted to do the first chorus with no time signature. I went to see Steve Reich do Music For 18 Musicians and there’s a piece where a bar length is determined by the breadth of the clarinet player, they just play until they run out of breath. I wanted to try that with the whole band, where we don’t look at each other, we don’t make too many cues, we just try and play without time — but together.”

Listen to Black Country, New Road’s “Bread Song” above.

Ants From Up There is out 2/4/2022 via Ninja Tune. Pre-order it here.

This week in pop music saw some big releases. Ed Sheeran dropped his anticipated fifth studio album, Camila Cabello teamed up with Myke Towers and Tainy for a fiery tune, and Conan Gray gives a reason to get up and dance.

Each week, Uproxx rounds up the best new pop releases. Listen up.

Ed Sheeran — “Overpass Graffiti”

Ed Sheeran is undoubtedly one of the most successful pop musicians of the last decade, so it was a big week for pop music when he dropped his album = (Equals). His synth-heavy track “Overpass Graffiti” arrived as his latest single, showing the singer pivoting to a slightly different, ’80s-inspired sound. Speaking about the album as a whole on its release day, Sheeran said: “This is my favourite album I’ve made, I’m so proud of it. Thank you to all the wonderful people who worked on it with me. To the fans, I hope you love it as much I do, it’s been a long journey to this point.”

Camila Cabello — “Oh Na Na” Feat. Myke Towers, Tainy

Following up on her comeback single “Don’t Go Yet,” Camila Cabello pivots to a Reggaeton-inspired sound with her new track “Oh Na Na.” Tapping Puerto Rican rapper Myke Towers along with Puerto Rican producer Tainy, Cabello fires off a radio-ready hit with a hip-shaking rhythm.

Conan Gray — “Telepath”

After his latest lovelorn single “People Watching,” Conan Gray turns things up a notch with his thumping track “Telepath.” The up tempo song features cascading keys and eerie synths, creating a driving tune that’s just spooky enough for Halloween.

Faouzia — “Puppet”

Rising Moroccan-Canadian pop singer Faouzia returned with her second empowering anthem of the year, “Puppet.” The euphoric single takes disco to the next level, layering her captivating voice over a fluttering beat. “‘Puppet’ is a song about challenging relationship dynamics as a woman, taking charge, and shamelessly being yourself,” Faouzia said about the new single. “I want young girls around the world to know that they don’t need to change who they are for anyone, and that someone that loves you shouldn’t ask you to be someone you’re not.”

Benee — “Doesn’t Matter”

It’s been just about a year since New Zealand musician Benee dropped her debut album, Hey U X. Now returning with the solo single “Doesn’t Matter,” Benee leans on her honeyed vocals to deliver an anthem that gets real about mental health over endlessly dreamy guitar chords. “I wrote ‘Doesn’t Matter’ during one of these periods when I felt truly overwhelmed, anxious, and stuck,” she said. “I was diagnosed with OCD, which actually helped me understand myself better. This song ponders on what it would be like to feel truly carefree and how much easier life would be.”

Snoh Aalegra — “Do 4 Love”

After taking the world by storm with her 2021 album Temporary High In Violet Skies, Snoh Aalegra was tapped by Spotify to take on a cover of Bobby Caldwell’s 1978 track “What You Won’t Do For Love.” Aalegra shows off her velvety voice by turning the original jazzy track into a slow-burning ballad teeming with emotion. “If you ever been to one of my shows in the past you know this song is special to me,” she said about the cover.

Yaeji — “Year To Year” Feat. OHHYUK

Korean-American producer Yaeji stepped back into the spotlight with a pair of collaborative singles with her friend and fellow producer OHHYUK. The track “Year To Year” is a gyrating slow jam that showcases both musicians’ talents for atmospheric soundscapes alongside Yaeji’s hypnotic lyrical delivery. “When I was feeling a bit stuck and stagnant with music, Hyuk helped me find the joys of creating again, and this was my first time collaborating with someone so closely on music,” Yaeji said about the song.

Shygirl — “Cleo”

Returning to offer up some new music following her groundbreaking 2020 EP Alias, Shygirl drops the alluring single “Cleo.” The sultry single sees Shygirl singing about feeling like a movie star and features a dance floor-ready beat and cinematic synths that conjure all the glamor of the silver screen.

Chvrches — “Killer”

Chvrches may have just dropped “2021’s scariest album” Screen Violence, but they’re now back in time for the spooky holiday to serve up a few more exclusive tracks. Adding the song “Killer” to their discography, Chvrches continue their album’s horror story as vocalist Lauren Mayberry sings of struggling with mental health over cutting synths.

Kylie Minogue, Jessie Ware — “Kiss Of Life”

Both Kylie Minogue and Jessie Ware brought disco into the new decade with their previous albums. Now, they’ve teamed up to form an unstoppable pair for the incredibly fun tune “Kiss Of Life.” The groovy track plays on both singers’ talent for flirty and pristine anthems, proving that disco is far from dead.

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

Death and Co. have pretty much conquered the current high-end bar scene in America. The throwback vibes of bartenders in bowties and suspenders pouring stone-cold classic cocktails (along with more experimental, truly innovative cocktails) have caught the attention of drinks novices and experts alike. It helps that their famed cocktail book, Cocktail Codex, is amazingly educational and accessible.

One of the group’s premier offerings is their hotel in Denver’s uber-trendy RiNo neighborhood, The Ramble Hotel. The hotel is built around the beauty of the lobby bar, with echoes of Death and Co.’s style visible in everything from the bar carts in every room to the courtyard garden to the coffee shop to the on-property speakeasy.

It’s all pretty amazing. But this is a series about hotels, not bars. And The Ramble Hotel stands on its own as a boutique property that delivers serious comfort while allowing you to really enjoy the space, the neighborhood, and whomever you end up sharing it all with. Let’s dive into what makes this the place to stay the next time you’re in Denver.

WHY IT’S AWESOME:

This is easy. You can get a seat at a Death and Co. bar on a first-come, first-serve basis without the elitist reservation systems of New York or Los Angeles (Death and Co.’s two other locations). You’re getting the same sky-high quality service and cocktails in a bit more laidback and accessible setting. That’s a big win for a cocktail experience as dialed in and desired as Death and Co.’s.

We’ll get into the rooms a little later. The second biggest draw is the location of this property. You’re in the heart of Denver’s hippest, sexiest neighborhood, RiNo. All the breweries you want are within walking distance, the street art scene alone is worth a long stroll, and almost every resto, dive, and bar are within a stone’s throw. This is where you need to be if you’re visiting Denver and want to really dive into what makes the Mile-High city so damn cool right now.

IN-HOUSE FOOD + DRINK:

This is pretty self-explanatory. Take your time and talk with the bar staff in the main lobby bar. You’ll find the cocktail that might become your new favorite. Or you can really dive into the ridiculous whiskey menu and get pours of super rare stuff. Or you can chat up the local sitting next to you for some serious local tips on where to go next — even if that’s your room upstairs.

While the coffee shop (DC/AM) and the Garden (open in the courtyard for imbibing and eating) are both on point and fun times, the on-site restaurant is the real draw. Super Mega Bien is a fusion of Latin American flavors served from roaming Dim Sum carts. The spot was dreamt up and executed by James Beard-nominated chef Dana Rodriguez. It’s one of those places that just vibes perfectly with the Death and Co. aesthetic while feeling very unique. Don’t sleep on the roasted beets topped with peppadews, lemon crema, and toasted pepitas, the lamb barbacoa (roasted in banana leaves) tacos, and whatever special is on offer when you walk in the door.

AMENITIES:

• Double-wide walls and high-performance windows to minimize noises
• Wide plank hickory flooring
• Antique Persian rugs
• Curated Bar by Death & Co.
• French Press Coffee: Locally roasted and ground daily
• Operable Windows
• Makeup Vanities
• Television Streaming
• Free Wifi: Fast enough to seamlessly stream movies
• Custom furnishings
• Plush pillow and top mattress

ROOM TYPES:

Standard rooms come with a king, queen, double queen, and accessible versions with spacious bathrooms, large showers, and antique brass fixtures.

The suites offer a small seating area and king bed with a slightly larger bathroom with baths and showers alongside all the tile and brass.

There’s a Pied-å-Terre suite for anyone looking for a little extra room and the ability to self-cater. The sprawling suite offers a loft experience with views across Denver, separate living and sleeping quarters, and plenty of room to invite some new friends up for a party.

The last room you can stay in is the Bunkhouse. The small room comes with all the comforts and amenities of a standard room but has stacked bunk beds for you and a friend. It’s fun and costs a little less than grabbing a double queen. It’s great if you’re fine with someone sleeping above or below you.

THE BEST THING TO DO WITHIN A 15 MINUTE WALK:

There are a million things that could go in this slot. We’re only barely exaggerating. Luckily, the hotel offers a whole section of their website to help you dig into RiNo with 40 options for coffee, restos, bars, breweries, and shopping all with a few minute’s walk.

If you’re looking for a real sense of the area’s culinary scene, then start at Denver Central Market. The 14,000 sq. foot food hall has local vendors for self-catering right next to great street art installations next to a very long list of eateries and drinking stops. Grab a bespoke ice cream from High Point Creamery and walk around until you find the next amazing morsel of food.

THE BEST THING TO DO/EAT/DRINK WITHIN A $10 CAB RIDE:

Larimer Square is the best bet. The small pedestrianized street is all about food, drink, and art while being a short Uber or taxi ride away. The vibes are definitely a bit more touristy than RiNo while still keeping a very Denver feel (you can’t miss the Denver Broncos banners everywhere).

Rioja is a great place to grab some seasonal and local fare in a very Mediterranean setting. The venison loin with a wild blackberry sauce and chanterelles is a particular highlight, along with the chicken fried sweetbreads and a killer goat cheese tart.

There’s a cool vinyl bar nearby and Bao Brewhouse is a good drop-in spot for spot-on bao all washed down with some great local beer.

BED GAME:

7/10 — While the bedclothes are pretty well weaved, the pillows were a bit hard (for me) and the mattress was a little soft (again, for me).

SEXINESS RATING:

10/10 — This is where the pretty people of Denver go to be seen, drink the best cocktails, and hook up. Grab a seat at the bar in the lobby and assuredly someone worth talking to will be seated next to you on either side.

INSTAGRAMABILITY:

8/10 — While this is a very photogenic property during the day, it’s very dark at night. That makes it pretty hard to ‘gram if you want to catch those dope vibes when the sun goes down. That being said, you should be looking to engage with the people at the bar once the lights dim anyway. So… maybe put the phone away?

BEST SEASON TO VISIT:

Denver is a very four-season city. Hot but not stifling in the summer, plenty of turning leaves and cool, dry temps in the fall, rain and sun in the spring, and a winter season that’s full of snow and apres-ski vibes. You really can’t miss.

IF I HAD TO COMPLAIN ABOUT ONE THING:

This might be a bit personal, but the standard rooms don’t really have anywhere you can work. There’s no desk and chair in the room, which forces you into the lobby if you want to get anything done. That’s fine in that it means your room is just for fun times. Still, it was a bit annoying.

Also, the water pressure wasn’t the greatest. It was fine in the shower but middling in the sinks.

BOOK HERE:

Rooms start at $360 for a standard room per night and go up in price significantly for suites and by season.

Check availability here.

We’d like to acknowledge and honor the original peoples of this land, the Arapaho, Cheyenne, Núu-agha-tʉvʉ-pʉ̱ (Ute), and Očhéthi Šakówiŋ nations.

After Succession star Kieran Culkin hosts this weekend’s Saturday Night Live, the sketch comedy show is getting a double dose of Marvel. On November 12, Loki star Jonathan Majors will host with musical guest Taylor Swift. A week later, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings star Simu Liu will step in as host with musical guest Saweetie.

While Majors is becoming a, well, major part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe as he gears up to fully become Kang the Conqueror in Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania following his well-received performance in Loki, the actor will actually be on hand to promote his upcoming Netflix film, The Harder They Fall. In the Western film, which starts streaming November 3, Majors plays a ruthless outlaw who won’t stop until he hunts down his former partner played by Idris Elba.

As for Liu, he’ll be coming in riding high on his breakout performance in Shang-Chi. After employing a dual streaming and theatrical release for Black Widow that resulted in Scarlett Johansson suing Disney, Marvel rolled the dice by making Shang-Chi a theatrical-only release, and it delivered. Big time. Shang-Chi‘s box office was so huge that Venom: Let There Be Carnage actually moved its release date up after rumors that Sony would punt it into January. Meanwhile, any and all talks of Eternals getting a Disney+ with Premier Access release went out the window as it became clear that Marvel movies have enough juice to pull in audiences even during a pandemic.

(Via Saturday Night Live on Twitter)

Harry Potter: Wizards Unite took a lot of what made Pokemon Go so popular, put a Harry Potter theme on top of it, and looked to see if fans of the series ran with it. While there was definitely some initial interest around the game, it never reached the same level of popularity as Pokemon Go and unsurprisingly it fell out of mainstream discussions fairly quickly.

Having said that, Harry Potter: Wizards Unite did still have a community that played the game. One report stated that it managed to make about $40 million in profits since releasing back in June 2019. The problem is that compared to Niantic’s larger title, Pokemon Go, it was a failure. As a result, once the current storyline is completed, the game is going to be shut down.

Anyone still interested in playing it will have until the end of Jan. 2022, but make sure to download it before Dec. 6, 2021. Niantic explained its decision to shut the game down on its blog.

We launched Harry Potter: Wizards Unite more than two years ago, bringing together a community of witches and wizards from all over the globe in an epic quest to put an end to the Calamity and keep the wizarding world safe. In the coming months, we’ll be concluding the story and closing the game on January 31st, 2022. Players can read more on our Harry Potter: Wizards Unite blog for full details on what they can look forward to leading up to the finale, including a variety of in-game events, new content and gameplay changes.

Not all games are meant to last forever. Our goal with Harry Potter: Wizards Unite was to bring the magic of the wizarding world to life for millions of players as they stepped outside and explored their neighborhoods. We accomplished that together, delivering a two-year narrative story arc that will soon complete.

While Niantic is correct that no game is meant to last forever, they must be pretty certain that nobody is going to miss the game to be shutting it down so quickly after the conclusion of its story. Even games that aren’t being supported anymore will frequently keep servers up long after the game is finished so any current players can continue playing the game.

We have to wonder what this means for any future games Niantic will release. They recently released a Pikmin AR game called Pikmin Bloom and are also working on a similar game for Transformers. If these don’t manage to bring in record profits the way Pokemon Go have, will they be forced to share a similar fate as Wizard’s Unite? We hope not. Games, no matter the quality, shouldn’t be able to disappear so quickly.