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Serious Travel Pros Name Their Favorite Road Trip Stops For Summer 2021 And Beyond

Although domestic travel around the U.S. is rapidly awakening from a long slumber, global travel options are still pretty scarce. International travel remains up in the air as the pandemic continues in many parts of the world, especially those where vaccines have not yet penetrated. That leaves hungry travelers with (mostly) local options, which means 2021 might be the summer for the ultimate road trip.

To that end, we reached out to some travel pros to find out their ideal summer road trip stops, both in the United States and beyond. While spontaneity is typically a key piece of the iconic road trip experience, planning ahead is vital in our current situation. National parks have reservation systems for day use, much less camping. Some Indigenous Nations still have closed borders, meaning you may have to find routes around (this is especially pertinent when traveling in the Southwest). And with a lot of people frothing to get out there on that open road, hotels, Airbnbs, and campsites are getting booked up now — particularly in high-demand national parks and destinations around the country.

With all of that in mind, the recommendations below are just that, “recommendations.” You’ll need to do your research, plan for contingencies, check on local conditions, and interrogate for yourself whether a destination is ready for your visit. Now… onto the experts!

The Blue Ridge Parkway — Erin McGrady

The Road Trip:

If you’re anywhere east of the Mississippi, my top pick for a cool road trip this summer is The Blue Ridge Parkway, especially the section near Asheville, North Carolina. But I’m biased because I live here.

The Place To Stay:

I’ve always wanted to stay at Asheville Glamping. I keep meaning to make a stay-cation out of it but haven’t done so yet. But I’ve heard and seen really cool things about the place.

The One Can’t-Miss Experience:

One thing you’ve got to do while you’re here is to check out a sunrise or sunset from an overlook along the Parkway. That, and get a beer at any one of the awesome breweries in town. There are so many to pick from. A few of my favorites are Wedge Brewing Co., Burial Beer Co., Wicked Weed, and Zillicoah Beer Co.

Pacific Coast, San Francisco to Seattle — Joe Sills

The Road Trip:

Ditch the crowds at Big Sur for a more rugged experience on the north route of U.S. 101. This roughly 1,000-mile journey along the coast is bookended by two cities brimming with food and music, while the road itself takes travelers through one of the more remote coastal regions in the country. Towering redwoods, breaching whales, and nearly endless views of powerful Pacific surf have lodged this route in my dreams since the onset of the pandemic.

NorCal and Oregon south of the Umpqua are particularly perfect places to stroll over the sands unbothered — while you’re hopped up on Dutch Bros. Coffee, whose tiny stands of caffeinated hype populate the outposts of civilization along the way.

The Places to Stay:

You can Airbnb or glamp your way up the coast, but few feelings compare to early mornings beneath the redwoods, in the rainforest, or along the beach. Try booking a campsite at California’s Humboldt Redwoods State Park, Oregon’s Sunset Bay State Park, and Pacific Beach State Park before soaking in temperate rainforest hot springs at Sol Duc Hot Springs Campground in Olympic National Park.

The One Can’t-Miss Experience:

Cape Flattery at Neah Bay: This cliffside trail on the tribal lands of the Makah is a short but unforgettable immersion into a land that time seems to have forgotten. Make time to spend a few hours soaking in the sea spray, wildlife, and foliage in this deeply impactful place.

Calgary to Jasper, Alberta — Andrew Gunadie

The Road Trip:

With the Rocky Mountains, turquoise-blue rivers and lakes, and wildlife sightings at every turn, Alberta, Canada is built for road trips. One of my favorites is the journey from Calgary to Jasper, passing through Banff, Lake Louise, and the Icefields Parkway along the way.

The Place To Stay:

Halfway through your journey, spend a night at Glacier View Lodge, an all-inclusive hotel that offers a VIP experience that includes a tour of the Athabasca Glacier, stargazing, and incredible dining on-site. Add a stop at the Columbia Icefield Skywalk with a glass-bottom platform if you dare!

The One Can’t-Miss Experience:

Once you arrive in Jasper, you’ve got to spend a day at Maligne Lake, a 45-minute drive away. Take a boat cruise or canoe out to Spirit Island, one of the most iconic and picturesque (not to mention sacred) locations in Canada. Wrap up your day with a meal at The View Restaurant which has one of the most stunning patios in Jasper.

Baja California, México — Noami Grevemberg

The Road Trip:

Once the majority of us are fully vaccinated and travel restrictions have lifted, a mass of people will be taking to the skies to hit their favorite quarantine-longed-for vacation spots. Crowded airports, surging airfare, and tightly-packed tourist destinations will make an epic road trip even more enticing.

Baja is an incredible destination for those looking to escape the winter chill, but a summer road trip and food tour down the peninsula, with fewer travelers and near-empty beaches, is certain to shake off the post-quarantine blues. Winding one-lane roads, epic views of the empty coastline, white sandy beaches, giant cacti, and sleepy fishing villages — no matter how many times we’ve made the trip down, we keep going back for more.

The Place To Stay:

One of the best parts of a Baja road trip is driving through miles and miles of giant cacti. As you make your way down through Baja Norte, hours after the highway leaves the coast, you’ll find yourself in Cataviña, nestled right in the middle of the peninsula. Spend a night camped in this magical desert and you might think you’ve woken up on another planet, with towering saguaro and giant cardón cacti (the largest cactus in the world), scattered amongst massive boulders and gigantic rock formations.

The One Can’t-Miss Experience:

Continuing south, after crossing the checkpoint into Baja Sur, you’ll arrive in Guerro Negro. First stop, Tacos El Muelle. This unassuming food truck is run by incredibly friendly locals serving up some of the most mouth-watering fish and shrimp tacos this side of the Gulf. The next stop as you make your way down the peninsula is El Rey Del Taco in Loreto. Get your fix of pescado y camarón, but don’t miss out on the tender cabeza y lengua tacos. Google says they’re open from nine to three, but trust me, you’ll want to get there early, they close whenever they run out of the day’s catch. When you finally make it down to the cape, stop at Fish Tacos Santo Chilote in Todos Santos and order the el molcajete for a meal you’ll never forget.

Once you’ve eaten your fill, head over to Cerritos beach and rent a surfboard and take lessons from a local surfer. Or make your way east to Cabo Pulmo National Marine Park for epic diving and snorkeling along the oldest coral reef on the west coast of North America.

Iceland’s Ring Road — Kinga Philipps

The Road Trip:

Iceland’s entire Ring Road … all the way around. It’s the motherload of changing landscapes from glaciers and icebergs to whale watching, hot pot thermal pools, sweeping canyons, fiords, rugged beaches, volcanos, more waterfalls than you thought you could see in a lifetime, and a continental divide you can dive. Late April is a great time as it offers good driving conditions, great scenery, and no crowds. Plus, Iceland is open to tourists with some common-sense requirements for arrival.

The Place To Stay:

We rented a van from Kuku Campers to have the ultimate freedom to roam. It’s also a wonderfully affordable option as Iceland is expensive for hotels and meals. The van comes with a camp kitchen so you can cook your meals and campgrounds are plentiful.

The One Can’t-Miss Experience:

Skip the overrated Blue Lagoon and instead source GPS coordinates for “hot pots,” which are natural hot springs. You can find these on blogs. Many of them are remote and off the beaten path in spectacular settings. In ten days we found about 12 of them and never once had to share.

Eastern Sierra Nevada Mountain Range — Mike Schibel

The Road Trip:

The Eastern Sierras is absolutely one of the most spectacular places in the world with a fascinating history and breathtaking beauty. Using highway 395 as a road map there are many options to camp, hike, fish, and swim. Not to mention ghost towns and lively small towns to sample local delights. Anyone looking for an adventure needs to hit these open roads. There are hikes for all experience levels, plenty of lakes to jump in, and multiple hot springs to soak in. What else do you need?

The Place To Stay:

I prefer to sleep outdoors camping or vanlife under the stars. Camping near Rock Creek Lake at East Fork or Big Meadow campgrounds is my favorite. Both are located on Rock Creek, a perfect spot for a morning or afternoon dip. Big Meadow is all first-come sites where East Fork does have several spots you can reserve ahead of time.

The One Can’t-Miss Experience:

Jumping in a lake anywhere in the Eastern Sierra is a must and so is dipping in a hot spring. Wild Willys is a popular hot spring and can get crowded. If you venture north on 395, Travertine hot springs are five minutes off the highway and a perfect place to soak.

Denver, CO to Santa Fe, NM — Emily Hart

The Road Trip:

If I’m not road tripping to a National Park, I’m probably headed to New Mexico. “What’s in New Mexico?” my friends often ask. “Why do you always go there?” “I thought it was just a barren desert.” It is magic, I tell them. Just magic. One of the first solo trips I went on after moving to the Colorado front range was to Santa Fe. It’s a route I still travel multiple times a year, and it’s always just as beautiful as the last time.

I start on Highway 285 heading south from Denver, traveling through the high country of Fairplay (South Park City), Buena Vista, and Salida. A short detour to the east and you’re in Great Sand Dunes National Park, then I continue on into New Mexico towards Taos. Spend some time enjoying the culture and vibe in Taos, then head on the low or high road to Santa Fe. The low road hugs the scenic Rio Grande, while the high road winds through historic villages, art galleries, and the famous Chimayó chapel.

Once you’re in Santa Fe you can head back north towards Abiquiu (Georgia O’Keeffe country), the hot springs around Jemez, Bandelier National Monument, and Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument are all great spots for a half-day or day trip from Santa Fe.

The Place To Stay:

There are so many options on this route: from the cabins of Mt. Princeton Hot Springs outside of Buena Vista to the many casitas to rent in Santa Fe. Northern New Mexico — and especially Taos — is full of vintage trailer rentals, yurts, and even a community of Earth Ships (its world headquarters are conveniently located just outside the city).

The One Can’t-Miss Experience:

I always recommend driving to Abiquiu on your way to or from Santa Fe to visit the otherworldly rock formations. Plaza Blanca (the White Place) is a free privately-owned natural area with trails that take you within the most beautiful white rock formations. It is on the property of Dar Al Islam and generally open to the public.

Just further down is Ghost Ranch, a retreat and education center that offers trail rides, hiking, museums, and nightly cabin rentals. Chimney Rock Trail is a favorite, with views that rival any National Park.

Cascade Loop, Washington State — Zach Johnston

The Road Trip:

While I like to go on and on about the Olympic Peninsula, Washington State has another great loop road. The Cascade Loop starts off in Seattle on the Salish Sea and heads north and eventually east on Highway 20. The road takes you deep into the Cascade mountains and through North Cascades National Park (one of the most underrated national parks, in my humble opinion). The road travels through high alpine mountains and meadows and then dips into the high desert, grasslands, and the lush Columbia River as you take Highway 155 south. Finally, you start heading back west towards Seattle on Highway 2, passing through the Wenatchee River Valley, Leavenworth, and more alpine wonder in the Cascade range.

Over the course of a few days, you’ll hit seaside beaches, alpine meadows, farmland as far as the eye can see, arid desert, and rolling grassland. Oh, and mountain after mountain peak with a few volcanoes thrown in too. You cannot beat this route as a road trip.

The Place To Stay:

Camping really is the way to go. Book ahead with services like Recreation.gov to find the spots that work for your trip.

Though, I’d argue that it’d be worth spending a night in Leavenworth (there are plenty of accommodation options at every level). It’s a very unique Germanic Alpine village with a crazy amount of charm, great beerhalls, plenty of trails, and white water runs on the Wenatchee River.

The One Can’t-Miss Experience:

At the intersection of Highway 155 and Highway 2, you’ll find one of the coolest geological sites in America. Dry Falls used to be five times bigger than Niagra Falls — it was 3.5 miles wide and 400-feet tall at its biggest drop. That is, it a massive fall that’s well, dry. The lack of water creates a dramatic canyon landscape. Overall, it’s one of those places that makes you feel small as you ponder what a waterfall this huge must of been like to behold, and how deafening it must have been as all that water roared past.

Editors Pick: The North Shore Of Oahu — Steve Bramucci

Photo by Brent Storm on Unsplash

The Road Trip:

This isn’t your typical road trip entry, but it’s one I adore nonetheless. The entire drive around the island of Oahu is a joy, but I could drive the North Shore’s famed “Seven Mile Miracle” every day for the rest of my life and never get tired. If you’re looking for more clear parameters to your route, let’s say: Haleiwa to Laie. That’s 29 miles… what’s the minimum for a road trip? 30? Can we round up?

(More realistically, you’ll likely be embarking from Honolulu which makes it 50 miles and if you really want to do the whole thing right you’ll also tie in a trip to the isolated Makaha Valley on the West Coast, plus tack on some East Coast meandering. That turns the whole adventure into a more traditional multi-day road trip.)

Anywayyyyy, the point is that Oahu’s North Shore is both A) one of the planet’s true natural wonders and B) a place where you most certainly need some sort of transport (a bike at the very least). Because there’s no one “beach” — there are dozens to enjoy. The most famous among these is Pipeline, the most widely-known surf break on the planet. But if you even want to watch the action there you’ll want to fuel up with a shrimp truck plate lunch first and that takes a little getting to.

See? It’s a road trip!

There is endless debate about which truck is best and plenty who say, “they’re all mostly the same.” This is nonsense. Loyalty is valued highly on the North Shore and picking your shrimp truck falls under that header. I personally dig on Giovanni’s — with its tagged-up truck and serious emphasis on garlic. You can certainly take my word, but if you love shrimp and garlic, you should try a few and discover where your own loyalties lie.

Not sure how I got so sidetracked about shrimp, but have we talked about surfing yet? If Pipe is breaking at all and you don’t know FOR DEAD CERTAIN that you belong there, it means you definitely don’t belong there. That’s not a “you flew here, we grew here” a localism thing, I mean it as an “if you aren’t good enough to surf a certain wave, you can seriously endanger yourself and others”-thing. Better to watch at Pipe (unless it’s flat) and mosey down the road a little to surf Turtle Bay (at the Turtle Bay Resort) — one of my favorite waves that can still hold size while also being one of the breeziest takeoffs on the North Shore.

Meaning your chance of coming up from a pummeling with coral in your thigh like Aldous Snow in Forgetting Sarah Marshall is slim (though this is the break and resort where they based that scene!).

Okay, we’ve gone off on another aside here. This is why the Seven Mile Miracle is such a perfect road trip destination — there are endless asides, countless beaches to visit, so many damn surf breaks, hikes, climbs, cliff jumps, and tons of hearty food to help you fuel your adventures.

The Place To Stay:

Malaekahana Beach Campground offers some of the cheapest and best accommodations along the North Shore for intrepid souls. Great place to park your van, if you’re doing the vanlife thing. In fact, I’d say you should just fully live out of the van for a few days without leaving the site (okay, maybe leave to get more shrimp and plate lunches).

If you save money through your trip and are ready to splurge, Turtle Bay Resort, famously featured in Forgetting Sarah Marshall, is undergoing a massive renovation post-COVID that will tie the property more thoroughly than ever to both its Indigenous Hawaiian heritage and the legacy of North Shore surfing. I’ve seen the photos of the new bungalows and… if you have the means, they are sure to provide a truly decadent travel experience, with the beach literally at your doorstep.

Turtle Bay is slated to reopen on July 1st.

The One Can’t-Miss Experience:

I would say surfing, but if you don’t surf, Honolulu is a better place to learn to surf from scratch. Instead, I’ll vote that you go to Waimea Bay on a mellow day and jump off the rocks into the water. Or maybe the “can’t miss” should be food-related? Get a brekky burrito at Kono’s Haleiwa and there’s at least a 50-50 chance you’re waiting for your pulled pork gut bomb next to a pro surfer. Then grab some pie from Ted’s Bakery, another gem. Or you could head down to Laie and get the moko loco from the Hukilau Cafe, which was used often in the movie 50 First Dates.

Okay, final answer — let’s bring it back where we started: Go to Pipeline. Not to surf, but to soak in the scene. To bask in the vibe of the most beautiful people in the world gathering together on a single beach to see some of the best athletes alive do their thing. It’s a wild scene and a fun one. A definite “can’t-miss” experience, especially if there’s a contest on or the waves are firing.

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What’s On Tonight: ‘Cruel Summer’ Gets Reckless, And ‘Fatma’ Defies All Ordinary Expectations

Cruel Summer (Freeform, 9:00pm) — This new series heads into Week Two. The story goes down in the 1990s and follows the aftermath of a popular teen going missing. When a seemingly unrelated shy student suddenly becomes massively popular, well, things look pretty strange. This week, Jeanette’s reckless behavior is fueling concerns from family and friends.

Fatma. (Netflix series) — An ordinary-seeming cleaning lady goes searching for her missing husband and inadvertently ends up murdering someone. Subsequently, she becomes a killer while no one is the wiser. Yessir, it’s always the quiet ones.

Young Rock (NBC, 8:00pm) — Dwayne suffers a college-football setback due to a devastating injury, and wondering if dreaming big and hard work might all be a waste (it most certainly is not).

Kenan (NBC, 8:30pm) — The Annual Atlanta hair show has arrived, and Kenan is feeling all of the pressure due to reminders that this was dear to Cori’s heart.

Philly D.A. (PBS, 9:00pm) — The D.A.’s resolved is tested by the murder of a cop, and this could lead Krasner to actually seek the death penalty.

Prodigal Son (FOX 9:00pm) — Malcolm’s trying to stay away from Martin, but Jessica’s not playing the same game while digging into the past for her tell-all book.

Black-ish (ABC 9:00pm) — A discussion about relationship deal-breakers leads Dre to realize that he’s given up too much in life.

Mixed-ish (ABC 9:30pm) — Paul gives Harrison dating advice (after he’s spotted out with a love interest) that goes haywire while Alicia is feeling insecure.

Supergirl (CW, 9:00pm) — Supergirl must be saved from the Phantom Zone, and time-travel’s got something to do with the cure. What does this have to do with Kara’s home in 2009?

Mayans M.C. (FX, 10:00pm) — This biker drama’s in a darker third gear with club members wrestling with various personal and professional demons. This week, Miguel uncovers information related to Dita’s death, and he’s disturbed.

Chad (TBS, 10:30pm) — This comedy takes a similar approach to Hulu’s PEN15 with SNL veteran Nasim Pedrad taking on the title role, that of a 14-year-old boy, and this week, Chad joins the Asian Appreciation Club and discovers K-Pop.

The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon — Michael Che, Roger Daltrey, Nicki Nicole; Lunay

Late Night With Seth Meyers — Ed Helms, Michelle Buteau, Sen. Jon Tester

In case you missed this pick last Tuesday:

Sasquatch (Hulu series) — So officially, this is a documentary series, although the Duplass Brothers are behind the project, so you gotta know that the show’s approach will be anything but straightforward. The series promises to dig into a gruesome triple homicide that was allegedly carried out by Bigfoot back in the 1990s. Investigative journalist David Holthouse promises to tell the craziest story that he’s ever heard, even after his undercover dives into Nazi groups and violent gangs. He heads back to the Redwoods (and the infamous Emerald Triangle) in search of the truth about those homicides, and somehow, there’s a bunch of cannabis involved, and that could directly be tied to the murders? This title arrives on April 20, so that (and the tone of the trailer, with distorted voices and a purposefully over-dramatic approach) probably tells us a lot.

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Elissa Mielke Details Her Upcoming Folk Rock EP ‘Finally’ With The Melancholic ‘Trying’ Video

Elissa Mielke is no stranger to the music industry. After growing up in Canada and leaning into the Toronto music scene (she even starred in one of The Weeknd’s videos), Mielke moved to LA in 2019 and began focusing on her own musical journey. She spent the last two years writing and recording music, and Mielke is finally ready to unveil her aptly-titled EP Finally.

On Tuesday, Mielke returned to share a new lyric video to her acoustic ballad “Trying.” The visual came pared with a first look at the singer’s Finally cover art, as well as the EP’s official release date, which is slated for mid-June.

In a previous statement about the EP and her songwriting process, Mielke wrote:

“Writing songs has helped me navigate, survive and gloop through so many strange, dark, or confusing times. Even when I’ve been deeply discouraged about finding ways to share my music, grieving, struggling through isolation (or one of 3 concussions-oops!), sitting at a piano always makes some invisible thing click, heal, clarify. I can often address my inner critic with clarity through music in a way I can’t otherwise, and through writing I can dialogue with fear instead of running away. […] These songs already did what they needed to for me, so now I just hope that listening to any songs I put out in the future offers you any feeling of what making them offers me.”

Check out the Finally EP’s cover art below and watch Mielke’s “Trying” lyric video above.

Mom + Pop

Finally is out 6/11 via Slashie/Mom + Pop. Pre-order it here.

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Adam Silver Missed The Mark Saying The Derek Chauvin Verdict Represented ‘A System We Can Believe In’

A week ago, a jury in Minneapolis found former police officer Derek Chauvin guilty on all three charges — second degree murder, third degree murder, and second degree manslaughter — for killing George Floyd by kneeling on his neck for nearly nine minutes. For NBA players, who had spent last summer leading and participating in protests following the murder of Floyd, the response was mostly one of relief, that finally a guilty verdict had been handed down to an officer filmed on camera killing a Black citizen.

As many noted, far too often the officers involved in such incidents get lesser charges or walk altogether, which only further exemplifies the way the system is built to fail Black Americans. For Chauvin to be convicted provided less a sense of victory than a sense that finally some accountability was handed down — many, including LeBron James and Karl-Anthony Towns, made sure to note this was accountability, not justice, as justice would’ve been George Floyd being alive and getting his day in court for any alleged criminal activity, rather than being murdered in the street.

On Tuesday, an interview with NBA commissioner Adam Silver was published by Time, in which he was asked for his reaction to the Chauvin verdict.

“I had a sense of pride in our system,” Silver said. “It was an opportunity for me to reflect and realize that there’s a reason why, despite its flaws, our country is so special and unique and great. Here was a tragedy that played out on video for the American public, but with an ultimate outcome that at least people could say, as terrible as this killing was, we do have a system we can believe in, where justice is meted out fairly.”

For the commissioner of a league that has had players step up to be such vocal leaders in calling for systemic change to say this provided him a “sense of pride in our system,” is simply a major misstep on his part. You could say there was a sense of relief or even happiness that there was finally accountability handed down for such an action, but to say it means we have a “system we can believe in” when players have been pointing out regularly how that is far from the case simply misses the mark for what this comment should’ve been. A system where an officer murders someone and is then convicted of murder is still a system with major flaws, because a functional system — a system that everyone can believe in — is one where brutality and violence from the state doesn’t disproportionately impact a portion of the population.

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Squid Are Fed Up With Propaganda On The 8-Minute Single ‘Pamphlets’

Experimental UK group Squid have a new album Bright Green Field dropping next week, and they’ve previewed it previously with singles like “Paddling.” Now they’re back with another advance look at the record before it drops next week (on May 7), returning with “Pamphlets.” The 8-minute track establishes a quick and consistent pace early before embarking on a frenetic post-punk journey.

Squid drummer and lyricist Ollie Judge says of the song, “It’s about all the rubbish right-wing propaganda you get through your front door. It imagines a person with that as their only source of news being taken over by these pamphlets.”

The band also previously said of their upcoming album, “This is the debut album we’ve always wanted to make and without a doubt the most ambitious thing we’ve ever done. We can’t wait for you to hear the whole thing. And especially to be able to play it to you in person…….”

Listen to “Pamphlets” above. Squid has also announced their first-ever US tour, so find all of their upcoming dates below.

09/07 — Brighton, UK @ Concorde 2
09/09 — Bristol, UK @ Marble Factory
09/10 — Manchester, UK @ Albert Hall
09/23 — London, UK @ Printworks
09/24 — Birmingham, UK @ The Crossing
09/25 — Nottingham, UK @ Rock City
09/27 — Newcastle, UK @ NUSU
09/28 — Glasgow, UK @ SW3
09/29 — Belfast, UK @ Empire
09/30 — Dublin, IE @ Button Factory
10/03 — Cardiff, UK @ Tramshed
10/04 — Southampton, UK @ 1865
10/05 — Exeter, UK @ The Phoenix
10/07 — Amsterdam, NL @ Paradiso
10/08 — Brussels, BE @ Botanique
10/09 — Paris, FR @ Trabendo
10/11 — Cologne, DE @ Bumann & Sohn
10/12 — Hamburg, DE @ Molotow Skybar
10/15 — Malmo, SE @ Plan B
10/16 — Stockholm, SE @ Melodybox
10/18 — Berlin, DE @ Berghain Kantine
10/19 — Prague, CZ @ Underdogs’
10/21 — Munich, DE @ Heppel & Ettlich
10/23 — Zurich, CH @ Bogen F
10/24 — Düdingen, CH @ Bad Bonn
10/25 — Milan, IT @ Magnolia
10/25 — Bologna, IT @ Locomotiv
10/28 — Barcelona, ES @ Upload
10/29 — Madrid, ES @ Independence
10/30 — Vigo, ES @ Masterclub
11/09 — Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s
11/10 — New York, NY @ Mercury Lounge
11/12 — Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Tavern
11/13 — Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle
11/17 — Los Angeles, CA @ Moroccan Lounge
11/19 — Santa Ana, CA @ Constellation Room
11/20 — San Francisco, CA @ Rickshaw Stop
11/22 — Portland, OR @ Doug Fir
11/23 — Seattle, WA @ Crocodile

Bright Green Field is out 5/7 via Warp Records. Pre-order it here.

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‘The Daily Show’ Roasted Fox News For Its Absurd Burger-Ban Freakout And Subsequent On-Air Retraction

The Daily Show is offering up its thoughts and prayers to Fox News because the network is going through a truly terrible time right now. Not only is the imaginary federal hamburger ban that some of their conservative hosts have been pinning on President Joe Biden all weekend not real, they now have to admit that their faux outrage over this anti-red-meat conspiracy was born out of their inability to fact-check fake news.

To understand just how devastating this whole return to journalistic integrity has been, we need to go back to the beginning. On his Friday afternoon show, Fox personality John Roberts incorrectly reported that a 2020 study from scholars at the University of Michigan and Tulane University was serving as the basis for Biden’s climate plan, a plan that included cutting consumption of red meat to just 4 pounds per citizen a year. That’s just one hamburger a month!

Before Fox realized that the study was actually done independently and well before Biden was even elected president, hosts from other shows jumped on the meat-eating bandwagon. Some bemoaned the fact that this meant “no burgers on July 4th” and “no steaks on the barbie.” Some even imagined the elites still enjoying their prime cuts while cosplaying as a conservative Marie Antoinette, shouting “Let them eat kale.” As the anger over this nonexistent government cutback grew, people like Donald Trump Jr. and some Republican governors began retweeting Fox’s warning of vegetarian authoritarianism. The red meat banned seemed primed to become yet another talking point for Biden’s right-wing opponents.

And then, in a shocking turn of events, Roberts appeared on his Monday show to admit the whole thing was false. The study was done years before Biden announced a plan to tackle climate change as president and it did not mention Biden or a government-mandated meat ban. So how did Fox News connect the two? It seems someone at the network is a fan of The Daily Mail, a British tabloid that linked the study to Biden for unknown reasons. Once one Fox News host shared that information as fact, the rest jumped on board, which lead to Roberts finally issuing an on-air retraction.

Fortunately for Roberts and crew, The Daily Show knows just how difficult admitting to fueling a misinformation campaign (intended to spark distrust and hate towards our government) is for the network that once had a host hide in the bushes to catch a migrant family crossing the border. This is a hard time for Fox News, and during hard times, The Daily Show is here.

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Guapdad 4000 Adds A Flirtatious Verse To Sainvil’s Amorous ‘Ashley’ Video

Alama Records R&B singer Sainvil has been steadily building an audience since being signed to the label in 2019 — becoming the label’s first R&B singer in the process. His latest single “Ashley” may help kick his recognition up a notch thanks to its bootylicious video and a timely appearance from guest rapper Guapdad 4000, who’s in the midst of a breakout of his own after releasing the heartfelt album 1176 with Illmind.

Sainvil explained the inspiration behind his new single in a press release, saying, “I named the song after a crush I had on a gorgeous girl named Ashley when I was a kid. This song is about appreciating and uplifting the Queens that teach, love, protect, and fight for us Black men. Something they can have fun getting dressed to all summer, but ultimately celebrates and disarms colorist notions among a group of beautiful people.”

Guapdad, meanwhile, has been enjoying an increased degree of attention thanks to his ode to his own heritage, “Chicken Adobo,” which compares a woman’s love to the heartwarming taste of a favorite Filipino dish.

Watch Sainvil’s “Ashley” video featuring Guapdad above.

Guapdad 4000 is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

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Lil Baby And Megan Thee Stallion Command An Icy Kingdom In Their ‘On Me (Remix)’ Video

It’s been a few months since Lil Baby released his fan favorite track “On Me,” but he didn’t stop there. As a special treat for his listeners, Lil Baby tapped Megan Thee Stallion to hop on a remix of his Platinum-certified track. To celebrate the collaboration’s release, the two rappers team up to share an icy video.

The vibrant visual, directed by Mike Ho, positions Megan and Lil Baby as the rulers of an ice kingdom. It opens with the two rappers delivering the track’s lyrics in front of an ice palace. But when it comes time for Megan to launch into her verse, the rapper is suddenly seated atop an erupting volcano, continuing to rap amid the flowing lava.

Megan’s feature on the track arrives on the heels of her announcement that she’ll be taking an indefinite hiatus. Last week, a series of vague social media posts detailed that Megan will be “recharging” as a result of “the demands of the Hot Girl lifestyle.” Her posts also noted that the rapper “has now entered a period of regeneration to prepare for what’s next” and that her management team would be handling all of her social media for the time being.

Watch Lil Baby and Megan Thee Stallion’s “On Me (Remix)” video above.

Megan Thee Stallion is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

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‘Citizen Kane’ Lost Its Perfect Score On Rotten Tomatoes, Making ‘Paddington 2’ The New Greatest Film Of All-Time

It’s been a rough week for Herman J. Mankiewicz, better known as MANK. The Netflix film bearing his name won only two of the 10 Academy Awards it was nominated for, Best Cinematography and Best Production Design, which is still one more Oscar than Citizen Kane won in 1942. (It famously lost Best Picture, then called Outstanding Motion Picture, to the dreadfully boring How Green Was My Valley.) Mank’s masterpiece with Orson Welles is also no longer part of the 100% Club on Rotten Tomatoes, which would annoy the two writers if they knew what the internet was and weren’t long dead.

Of the 116 reviews for Citizen Kane on the critical aggregation website, 115 are positive and one is negative. That one was published 80 years ago in the Chicago Tribune under the headline, “Citizen Kane Fails to Impress Critic as Greatest Ever Filmed.” (As noted by Boing Boing, it was written by Mae Tinée, a “collective pseudonym then used by the paper’s film critics.” Get it?) Why was it added to Rotten Tomatoes in 2021 (it was updated between late-February and mid-April)? It’s unclear, but my theory is that Welles owed money to the grandfather of someone who works at Rotten Tomatoes.

Here’s an excerpt:

“You’ve heard a lot about this picture and I see by the ads that some experts think it ‘the greatest movie ever made.’ I don’t. It’s interesting. It’s different. In fact, it’s bizarre enough to become a museum piece. But its sacrifice of simplicity to eccentricity robs it of distinction and general entertainment value.”

Paddington 2 is a better film than Citizen Kane. I already knew this, but now it’s official.

(Via Boing Boing)

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Tom Cruise Reportedly Saved A Co-Star From A Spinning Helicopter Blades Back In The 1980s

Tom Cruise is suddenly making loads of headlines lately, which is bound to happen when one dangles from a speeding train like it’s no big thing. Due to shooting that particular scene in Yorkshire, by the way, Tom’s also in the news over at the The Daily Mail, which published photos of him apparently saving a cameraman from falling off the train, possibly even saving the guy’s life. Well, it wouldn’t be the first time that Tom has pulled such a feat, and The Sun has details of a 1987 incident from the Cocktail set, where he literally saved his leading lady’s life.

That actress would be The Karate Kid‘s Elisabeth Shue (seen recently in The Boys and Cobra Kai), who had been filming the “horse riding on the beach” scene with Tom, and a helicopter nearly spelled Elisabeth’s demise. The Sun‘s report comes from a Facebook gathering of Crew Stories, which includes aerial camera operator Bill Bennett’s account of how Elisabeth and Tom had paused filming to receive director’s notes after a few takes. Elisabeth had apparently turned to run back to the part of the beach where they were shooting, and she nearly collided with spinning helicopter blades.

Tom tackled her, saving her life, and writer Mike Timm saw the Facebook post and alerted Mission: Impossible 7 director Chris McQuarrie. In turn, he mentioned it to Tom, who confirmed the story as truth. Here’s part of Bennett’s description:

“Tom saw where Elisabeth was going,” he added. “Tom is a pilot, rated in both airplanes and helicopters, and instantly saw the danger. He lunged after her, but only was able grab her legs, tackling her to the ground. “He rolled her over, dragging her at the same time, and you could see the momentary anger on her face while she was yelling “Why did you do that?”

“But by that time he is pointing at the tail rotor which is now a couple feet away, screaming at her that she almost died. At that point she turned white, and he pulled her back towards the front of the helicopter and they walked away. All of us in the helicopter, we’re quite shaken up by the close call, but there was nothing to be said. Tom had, in that instant, truly saved her life.”

Yikes. Cruise can be seen back in action on the big screen when Top Gun: Maverick arrives on November 19, 2021, followed by Mission: Impossible 7 on May 27, 2022.

(Via Daily Mail & The Sun)