Category Archives: New Utopia

Members of Yes, Renaissance, Utopia, Hawkwind, Focus, District 97 and more all feature on a new prog Christmas album. A Prog Rock Christmas will be released on Cleopatra Records.

The collection has been masterminded by Yes bassist Billy Sherwood and features a host of prog luminaries covering a host of seasonal favourites. It also features a guest performance from legeendary actor Malcolm McDowell singing You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch! The full tracklisting is:

1. Run With The Fox Jon Davison2. Christmas Lights Kasim Sulton3. Carol Of The Bells Steve Morse4. The Twelve Days Of Christmas Annie Haslam5. Wonderful Christmastime Billy Sherwood & Patrick Moraz6. I Believe In Father Christmas Martin Turner7. Fairytale Of New York Leslie Hunt & Robin McAuley8. O Come All Ye Faithful Sonja Kristina9. A Christmas Song Thijs Van Leer10. Youre A Mean One, Mr. Grinch Malcolm McDowell11. Linus & Lucy (Charlie Brown Christmas Theme) Geoff Downes [CD ONLY]12. Silent Night Nik Turner & Simon House [CD ONLY]13. Happy Christmas (War Is Over) John Wetton [CD ONLY]

A Prog Rock Christmas is available as CD or a limited edition red or white vinyl.

It can be ordered here.

More here:

Members of Yes, Renaissance, Utopia, District 97 and more on Prog Xmas album - Louder

To celebrate Bjrk hitting the cover of Dazed, the Icelandic genius has taken over Dazed Digital and Dazed Beauty, inviting you into the world of Cornucopia, the experimental theatre show that Bjrk has brought to London this November.

It was billed as Bjrks most elaborate staged concert to date. Based on the music from her 2017 album Utopia, the Cornucopia residency at New Yorks The Shed is perhaps the closest youll get to stepping inside the Icelandic musicians idiosyncratic inner-world, complete with hyperreal elements, bespoke instruments, and avant-garde costumes, all motifs that have come to define the artists lore over the years.

Back in May, Bjrk described the live show as about females supporting each other, and its through this distinctly matriarchal framework that Cornucopia, which is now touring the UK and Ireland, thrives. The show is set across three yonic constructs made of fleshy, pink surfaces, and enveloped in a wall of spaghetti-like curtains that, paired with digital projections of flowers and fauna, create a fuzzy, dream-like shield between the artist and her audience.

Surrounding her is Viibra, an all-woman flute septet made up solely of Icelandic musicians, who double as Bjrks backup dancers. Occasionally, they step inside a custom-made reverb chamber, a cylindrical booth on the side of the stage thats meant to evoke the sound of singing alone on a quiet, rural walk.

Collaboration has always been a key part of Bjrks vision, and Cornucopia pulls together artists from across all creative disciplines, including the Hamrahlid Choir from Iceland; Viibra, an all-woman flute septet; Reykjavik-based musical director, Bergur Thorisson; Manu Delago, a London-based percussionist; Shane Myrbeck, the architect behind the husk-like reverb chamber; and the experimental gospel artist, serpentwithfeet.

Yet despite her various alliances with musicians, producers, visual artists, fashion designers, filmmakers, and inventors, Cornucopia is one coherent, personal vision, characterised by a world where humanity finds balance with nature. If Cornucopia is intended as a primordial, Edenic world, then Bjrk is its Gaia.

Below, we speak to the artists who worked with Bjrk to make Cornucopia happen.

How did you get started working with Bjrk?

serpentwithfeet, musician: She released the album Utopia, which had Blissing Me on it, and asked me to do a remix. Obviously, I was honoured. Its my favourite song from the album. I wanted this song to feel like our conversations. So often weve talked together about boys, and we drink coffee, or go out for lunch together. I wanted the remix to feel as easy as our friendship has been.

Bergur Thorisson, musical director: I actually just got a phone call like, Hey, are you available to work with Bjrk tomorrow? and Im like Wow, sure, I can probably move stuff around.

She came to me back in 2016 and she said that she wanted some flutes. I said, Sure, how many flutes do you want? and she said, Can we get 12 Icelandic girls (who are) professional flute players? There are 300,000 (girls) that live here, so thats a pretty tough one, but I managed to find 12 for the album, and we did a bunch of rehearsals in a cabin. It was a really beautiful experience and she made the most beautiful music for the flute players and we rehearsed and recorded it. We called them Flute Fridays and wed go to the bakery to pick up some baked goods. Later, we did a bit of experimenting with fewer flute players and it turned out seven was the perfect number for tour.

Manu Delago, percussionist: That goes about nine years back now. She saw me on YouTube then and contacted me. I recorded for her album Biophilia, then on Vulnicura, and Ive been playing drums and percussion in her band ever since.

How did Bjrk approach you for Cornucopia?

serpentwithfeet: She told me she was going to be doing that show at The Shed a year before it happened. She asked me if Id be open to it, and Im like, Whatever it is, just count me in, I will not be busy. It came around, and she suggested doing Blissing Me. I was honoured, flattered, and terrified, because its someone Ive been such an admirer of since I was a child. To not only be able to perform it at this new venue for nine nights, I couldnt really wrap my mind around.

Manu Delago: It grew out of her Utopia tour, so it was a natural step. Its an extended live version of Utopia, but its by far the most visual and choreographed show. Before, I was wearing normal clothes and now, Im wearing designer suits. Its like a whole other world with the choreographer, the set designer, and the director.

Shane Myrbeck, architect: It started with a funny email from Derek, her manager. He said she wanted an acoustic room to sing in without traditional stage applications. He described it as a reworked acoustic chamber. And from the moment I got that email I thought, This is amazing, because its pretty far-out. The whole idea of touring with another room as a set piece is unprecedented.

The whole idea of touring with another room as a set piece is unprecedented Shane Myrbeck

How did she describe the reverb chamber?

Shane Myrbeck: In the old recording studios, before they had any digital effects processing or anything, a lot of these old recording studios world actually have these chambers in the basements. There would just be these stone rooms in the basements. Its actually the most analog and acoustic form of reverb.

That was kind of our precedent and I just thought that the idea of taking that to the stage was really lovely. Imagine getting an email like that, of course youre immediately like, yes, of course its possible.

Can you tell me about the 50-man Hamrahlid Choir?

Bergur Thorisson: I used to be in that choir actually, and Bjrk too. Its a legendary choir thats been going on for 50 years, with the same conductor. Shes this amazing, now-old woman whos kind of like Bjrk. She has this power over people and you instantly just know she knows what shes doing. I had experience working with the choir so it was kind of smooth sailing. But, of course, we were taking 50 kids on tour.

When I took the choir to New York, we only had a months notice. We had to buy the flights and they had three days to decide if they were going to go or not. Of course, its not ideal in so many ways but what happens when everything is so last minute is that everyone is on their toes and thats when the real magic happens.

The shows started in May, which is when many members in school had their exams. We thought, Wow, were probably gonna get like ten of them to say yes, but then almost every single person in the choir made arrangements. They were doing their exams in the embassy in New York, and because of the time difference, they had to show up in the middle of the night and were studying between shows. It was just beautiful to see how much they really wanted to do it and they had so much fun and you know that.

serpentwithfeet: The most salient point is that she had her choir director, her former teacher, bring her choir. I think that's really powerful, to include something from her past in her present. I think that is a very feminine thing, to constantly be thinking about inclusion, and constantly making space for all of your different selves at once. That's something women have had to do and men forget to do. I just really enjoyed seeing that dynamic.

Can you tell me about the instruments you developed for the show?

Manu Delago: It started in the bathtub, basically. The instrument I play is called a calabash, which is sort of a gourd from Mali, but we developed it so Im not only playing one, Im playing five of these calabashes, and Im playing them in a tank of water so they are floating on water, basically playing all of these beats and percussion sounds in the water, and there is a lot of water splashing.

I presented it to her with me at home in my bathtub. I mean, I was outside the bathtub, but the instruments were inside. I was filming it with my iPhone. Obviously, the idea needed more space, its not something you can easily do at home.

The next step was finding something in the rehearsal space to create something similar. I think we used some IKEA storage boxes you know, the plastic ones? We filled them with water and then the set designer developed a specific water tank to fit into the overall Cornucopia design.

Viibra: In the fall of 2018, four of us were involved in a project centered around the circle flute. The idea behind this circular instrument, which consists of four interconnected C-flutes, is to create an acoustic space for the audience within the circle. We told Bjrk about the instrument and she showed great interest in including it in Cornucopia. After bringing it to a rehearsal there was no turning back, it fitted perfectly for the song Body Memory. Bjrk stands in the circle while we perform the song, and thus becomes its audience as well as performer, obviously. We love the fact that in the show, the flute comes flying from above before we start playing Body Memory, and we feel very interconnected while playing it.

Do you have any funny anecdotes?

serpentwithfeet: We just had a lot of fun. We both laughed and giggled doing these songs. That to me, was the funny thing. It wasnt a fake performance, but an extension of our friendship. It was a lot of fun to speak about boys to a room of 1,200 people every night.

Bergur Thorisson: She started talking about, you know, Were going to have a choreographer and have them dance, and Im like, You know we already found seven Icelandic flute players that are ready to go on tour, that are all female and now you want them to learn the music by heart and dance at the same time?

We sat down with the flute players and told them they had to dance, and they were like Okay, we can memorise the music, but the steps cant be that complicated. What theyre doing right now is a full flat dance routine. Its not easy, and doing that while playing and memorising all the music is absolutely insane.

Viibra: Despite the fact that we have a lot of experience as classical flutists, touring within a setting like this is new to us all. It has been a bit hilarious observing us becoming used to sharing the stage with an iconic pop star like Bjrk, dancing something that none of us has a previous professional experience in while playing like there is no tomorrow. A funny highlight for us was receiving compliments about our dancing from Childish Gambino.

Did anything go wrong?

Viibra: When we were to play an outdoor concert in Rome and ended up waiting ready in costumes for an hour with the flutes outside in a thunderstorm and pouring rain. In the end, the Italian army declared it unsafe to proceed with the concert due to the storm, but fortunately the concert was rescheduled a month later and was held under calm weather conditions.

Shane Myrbeck: I remember at the opening night, her performance was so elaborate. It was almost a dress rehearsal. But when she walked up the stairs to the stage you could see that she paused for a bit. And afterwards, at the after party we were talking to her and she said: I got on stage and I realised I couldnt walk up the stairs. The dress was so contraining. I thought of everything! I calibrated all of the projection mapping, I had these crazy 30-foot electronic base cannons, the water procussion, the reverb chamber and I never thought to try on the dress. I figured that of all the things that would go wrong, it wouldnt be the dress.

Can you describe your experience on Cornucopia?

serpentwithfeet: It was electric. Being backstage, and doing my shimmy-shake before I go on to get ready was always electric; seeing her start the show and listening to people scream when she does their favourite songs. I particularly love Hidden Place, that was a song that really struck me as a kid, so to hear this new arrangement for choir at the show, I was just floored.

Whats Bjrk like to work with?

serpentwithfeet: Shes really great at giving space for people to be the best version of themselves. I think an artist of her size, an artist who has done such legendary work as she has, could flex a certain way, and could ask their collaborators to be less dynamic, or to follow this specific rubric. She never made me feel that way, there was no prescribed path for me, she gave me lots of room to do what I wanted to do. It's really humbling, and terrifying.

Again, this is somebody who Ive admired, giving me space. It really set a mark for me that at that level, you don't have to be rude and you don't have to be territorial, or paranoid. She couldve been like, Whos this new guy performing at my event? I need to know exactly what he's doing. And I'm like, Im sticking by your side while Im doing this song. But she gave me room and options. It was so generous of her. This experience is embossed in my memory forever.

She never made me feel that way, there was no prescribed path for me, she gave me lots of room to do what I wanted to do. It's really humbling, and terrifying serpentwithfeet

Viibra: Shes a unique and warm person. She has an incredible ability to get the best out of everyone she works with, shes amazingly creative and she provides a safe space for her collaborators to be creative within.

Manu Delago: When the group got bigger, she got a bit closer with her immediate surroundings, like James (Merry) and her daughter. But when everyone wants a piece of you, you get more and more introverted, and seek your privacy in a way.

Shane Myrbeck: She does have her hands in everything. The fear would be that person would be very controlling, but she was just amazingly collaborative! It was just such a joy to discover. She was very willing to hear ideas and to be swayed when you can make a good case.

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The entire history of Bjrk's Cornucopia, as told by its artists - Dazed

The show featured an important message on climate change.

Bjrk included a message from environmental campaigner Greta Thunberg in her London show yesterday evening.

Bjrk, who brought herCornucopia Tour to Londons O2 following its debut in New York Cityearlier this year, played a message from Thunberg during the show and projected the wordsImagine a future. Be in it across the stage.

In what one fan described as a lush, breathtaking show filled with important messages about the environment,Bjrk played songs from Cornucopia alongside a sting quartet, choir and flute ensemble. She also included some of her older hits including Isobel and Venus as a Boy.

You can see some images and video from the set below:

Bjrk recently announced that she would be releasing a new box set of Utopia, which will come with a set of 14 handmade birdcall flutes.The album was originally released in 2017 and formed the basis for her current stage show.

In a statement, Bjrk explained the idea behind the new box sets unusual accompaniment: utopia is so much about birdsong and sonically the mutation between synth/bird, bird/flute, flute/synth. she wrote. air like that was a theme through all of the album. so i got very excited when i found these handmade wooden flutes imitating precisely particular birds. and i guess wanted you guys to have an opportunity to share that with me.

In other news, Bjrk, Fever Ray and The Knifeall remixed each other on a new 12 earlier this month. The new vinyl was released via One Little Indian Records on November 1.

For the new release, Bjrk has remixed Fever Rays 2017 track This Country, using its refrain of this country makes it hard to fuck as its title and repeated motif.Fever Ray and The Knife, meanwhile, have come up with their own versions of Bjrk track Features Creatures, which appeared on her 2017 album Utopia.

In a four-star review of Utopia upon its release in 2017, NME wrote: Utopia is where art, real life and deep experimentation intersects, and its utterly compelling.

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Bjrk included message from Greta Thunberg in breathtaking London show last night - NME Live

In 1985, a squid from another dimension appeared in New York and killed 3 million people with a psychic blast. I feel like I have a decent idea of what that psychic blast must have felt like, because its how I feel after noting all of the Easter eggs and comic references in the fifth episode ofHBOs Watchmen series.

Here are all the Easter eggs from Episode 5, and we will update the list with any that are missing.

DOOMSDAY CLOCK ON THE RADIO

When the episode opens, we hear a snippet of a news broadcast where the anchor mentions that the Doomsday Clock has been set at one minute to midnight. The Doomsday clock is a real-life metaphor for how close humanity is to man-made global catastrophe. In the comic, it was set at this time right before Ozymandias unleashed his squid on New York, as well soon see.

A JERSEY CARNIVAL

Young Looking Glass/Wade Tillman and his fellow proselytizers are attempting to convert sinners at a carnival in Hoboken. In the graphic novel, Jon Osterman and Janey Slater visit a similar carnival in New Jersey before his transformation into Doctor Manhattan.

WHORES' DEN

The group leader calls the New York-New Jersey area a whores den, echoing Rorsarchs famous all the whores and politicians will look up and shout Save us! ...And I'll look down and whisper No, quote.

WATCHTOWER

The Watchtower is a Jehovah's Witnesses publication, but its fitting that it would feature in the Watchmen series.

THE VEIDT METHOD

One of the people Wade passes by as hes looking for someone to convert is reading what appears to be an issue of Tales of the Black Freighter, complete with an advertisement for Adrian Veidts much-promoted workout routine, The Vedit Method. This same comic appeared in the graphic novel.

PALE HORSE POSTER

Pale Horse, as well be reminded later in the episode, was the name of the band that was playing in Madison Square Garden the night of the squid attack.

KNOT TOPS AND KATIES

The group Wade ends up talking to are Knot Tops, a gang who frequently appeared in the graphic novel. Theyre known for their distinctive hairstyle and use of a drug called KT-28s, or Katies for short. One particular Knot Top is wearing a shirt that says Katies on it, which really underlines the connection.

SINATRA DRIVE

As Wade screams in the middle of the carnage, we zoom out past Sinatra Drive, a real street in Hoboken, just as Ol Blue Eyes classic New York, New York starts playing. Again, a little on-the-nose, but it works

THE SQUID

Not really an Easter egg, but theres our first live-action glimpse of the infamous squid. The 2009 Zack Snyder movie swapped the squid for an imitation of Doctor Manhattans power gone haywire.

OPPENHEIMER, THE MUSICAL

As part of the return to New York ad, we see a glimpse of a couple who have apparently just seen the hit new Broadway musical based on Robert Oppenheimer, the father of the Atomic Bomb.

PROMETHEAN CAB CO.

In the background of the Broadway shot, theres a sign for the Promethean Cab Co., which also operated in the original graphic novel.

"LITTLE FEAR OF LIGHTNING"

The title of the episode is a twist of a quote from Jules Vernes Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, If there were no thunder, men would have little fear of lightning. Presumably, it refers to Wades discovery later in the episode that the inter-dimensional squid isnt real, meaning he shouldnt really have a reason to fear lightning.

BEANS!

As Looking Glass, Wade rolls up his mask partways and eats beans straight from the can, which is extremely Rorschach-core.

AMERICAN-HERO STORY

While eating his beans, Wade watches the next episode of American Hero Story, which once again features Hooded Justice and another Minutemen-era hero, Captain Metropolis. The two were rumored to be lovers, as the show portrays.

SMILEY-OS

Back at his day job, Wade watches some kid try a new cereal with a name and logo that brings Watchmens iconic smiley face button to mind. The camera even zooms out from the button, echoing the way the first issue of the comic begins and ends with a zoom in or out from the Comedians blood-stained button.

PET CLONING AND PET KILLING

Wades ex-wife works at a lab where they clone peoples pets. Less advanced versions of this service actually exist in the real world, but in Watchmens reality, the technology stemmed from some of Veidts advances that allowed him to create Bubastis, his genetically modified Lynx. Lady Trieu further developed the technology, as seen in the previous episode. Also, the way the little puppy is unceremoniously incinerated resembles the sad way Bubastis met her end in the original comic, when she was disintegrated in Veidts attempt to stop Doctor Manhattan.

NOSTALGIA

One of Veidts many business ventures in the comic was Nostalgia, a brand of cosmetics and perfumes. The drugs Will gave to Angela share the same name, but if Veidts old Nostalgia was supposed to evoke the comfort of the past through a fondly remembered scent, the pills, which Trieu Pharmaceuticals created,are literally memories in medicinal form.

DOES IT EVER END? OF COURSE IT DOES.

At the support group, Wade contradicts Doctor Manhattans final words from the graphic novel, when he tells Vedit that Nothing ever ends. However, later conversations in the episode imply that Wade doesnt exactly believe the optimism hes selling.

TECHNICALLY, DOCTOR MANHATTAN WON VIETNAM

The United States lost the Vietnam War in the real world (although the conflict did catastrophic damage to Vietnam and many surrounding countries), but in Watchmens reality, Doctor Manhattan won the war in two months. Vietnam would eventually become a state.

STEVEN SPIELBERGS PALE HORSE

As we learn, inWatchmen's 1992, Steven Spielberg made a movie about the Dimensional Incursion Event, titled Pale Horse because of the band that was playing Madison Square Garden when the squid attacked. Its described as being black-and-white except for certain flashes of color, like a little girls red coat. This would seem to imply that, in Watchmens reality, Spielberg made Pale Horse instead of the gripping Holocaust drama Schindler's List, which is similarly in black-and-white and came out in 1993.

TOBACCO IS OUTLAWED

Just a minor detail, but apparently tobacco is outlawed in Robert Redfords America.

THE WALL OF TVS

The 7th Kavalry sit Wade in front of a wall of TVs, which is an obvious visual allusion to Veidts wall of TVs in his Antarctic lair, where he learned about the success of his gambit to unite the world against his squid invader.

WHERES THE ORIGINALITY IN THAT? NO, WERE GONNA DO SOMETHING NEW.

In October, showrunner Damon Lindelof told SYFY WIRE that he thought it would be super-duper lame to adapt the original Watchmen, and repeat all of the original graphic novels beat for TV, which is why he instead decided to create a sequel of sorts. Senator Keenes promise that the Kavalry isnt planning to just drop another squid on the world seems like a sly wink at Lindeloffs adaptation.

I LEAVE IT ENTIRELY IN YOUR HANDS

When letting Wade know that the decision to watch his video or not is his choice, he quotes the very last line of the graphic novel, when The New Frontiersmans editor Hector Godfrey tells his hapless employee Seymour that the choice of what to pull from the crank box and put in the paper is up to him. Seymour has Rorsarchs journal in front of him when Godfrey says this meaning that in both instances, the truth behind Veidts plan is about to be revealed.

UTOPIA

While telling President Redford his plan in the pre-recorded video, Veidt invites Redford to be his partner in building a Utopia. Hes almost certainly talking about the better world he wants to build, but its worth noting that in the graphic novel there was a movie theater with that name in New York right by where the squid first appeared. The theater, which was renamed New Utopia after the Dimensional Incursion Event, was probably owned my Veidt Enterprises, and showed lots of old sci-fi movies to subconsciously prime people for the idea of alien invaders.

Veidt launches himself into the sky and he suddenly appears on the surface of one of Jupiters moons. (This would appear to debunk the theory that hes on Mars with Doctor Manhattan, though it still seems likely that Doctor Manhattan has something to do with Veidts captivity). In order to write his SAVE ME! message out of the broken, frozen bodies of his deceased servants. Its similar to the moment in Tales of the Black Freighter, the graphic novels comic-within-a-comic when the protagonist uses the bloated bodies of the dead to create a buoyant life raft for himself. Its not quite as literal, but Veidts message is also a life raft of sorts.

I DID IT!

After assembling his message, Veidt throws up his hands and yells I did it! This is the same thing he says after news reports reveal his plan with the squid did, in fact, bring an end to the Cold War.

YOUR GODS ABANDONED YOU

Upon returning back to his manor estate, Vedit comes face-to-face with The Game Warden. Much of the Wardens character is still a mystery, but it seems increasingly likely that Doctor Manhattan created this facsimile of human life, as he implied he might in the final moments of the comic.

DOCTOR MANHATTAN IS HOODED JUSTICE???

Panda, who by all accounts appears to be the idiot of the Tulsa Police Department, is telling Red Scare his theory that Doctor Manhattan was Hooded Justice. That this was a real fan theory that got written up by a number of entertainment news sites is embarrassing.

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Every last Easter egg and comic reference in Episode 5 of HBO's Watchmen - SYFY WIRE

Alex BernsteinCar and Driver

If youre old enough to remember when California was the land of Corvettes, youre probably worried about the size of your prostate. In the 1960s, Corvettes were as much a part of the California dream as sunshine, beaches, and bikinis. Surf bands, like Jan & Dean and the Beach Boys, topped the charts by selling the world an idealized West Coast lifestyle, a utopia where fuel-injected Stingrays raced Jaguar E-types from Sunset and Vine all the way to Dead Mans Curve. And all the Jag could see were the Stingrays six taillights.

Californias sunbaked love affair with the Corvette lasted well into the 1970s, but as the states baby boomers aged and became more sophisticated, they moved on from Americas sports car in droves. They turned to more refined and often faster machines from Japan and Germany, including the turbocharged iterations of the Toyota Supra, Mazda RX-7, Nissan 300ZX, and the current unofficial sports car of the Golden State, the Porsche 911.

Porsches stranglehold on Californias sports-car market is so strong, the swanky Orange County enclave of Newport Beach has been nicknamed New Porsh Beach: 911s are everywhere.

Chevy, however, has just fired an armor-piercing round. A bunker buster. The 2020 Corvette Stingray is different. And its good enough to reclaim California from the grip of the imported sports car. Moving its engine to the middle has not only taken its performance to new heights, but the sports cars image has been catapulted from mouth-breathing, tire-smoking semimuscle car to supercar disruptor in a single bound. This is the first Corvette since the early 1970s without the baggage and stigma of its past indiscretions, a lineage that has included everything from leaky T-tops to floppy chassis to junky interiors. Clean slate. If youre under 40, the Corvette isnt an old mans car for the first time in your life.

Alex BernsteinCar and Driver

The C8 shows what this company can brew when it puts its corporate heart into something.

Yes, it still has a pushrod V-8 for now, but its 490-hp (the $1195 performance exhaust takes that up to 495) 6.2-liter V-8 and quick-shifting eight-speed dual-clutch automatic are as refined as they are responsive, even when ensnarled in L.A. traffic. And when equipped with the $5000 Z51 Performance package (which includes the optional exhaust), this rear-wheel-drive machines launch control makes the most of having 60.6 percent of its weight on the rear rubber. It gets off the line like no other Corvette. The Stingray Z51 shoots to 60 mph in 2.8 seconds and through the quarter-mile in 11.2 seconds at 122 mph. It even betters the 60-mph runs of the quickest 650-hp C7 Z06 and 755-hp C7 ZR1, both of which blazed their rear tires for the first few gears. But more importantly, it matches the far more expensive 992 version of the 911 Carrera S through the quarter-mile.

With the optional FE4 magnetorheological dampers, it also sticks to a skidpad at 1.03 gs, handles with a lightness that defies its 3647 pounds, and stops from 70 mph in 149 feet. Did we mention that its as quiet and comfortable as any grand tourer we can think of, rides with a silken compliance, and has two cargo holds? As we said in our first test, This is a car you can drive anytime, anywhereincluding clear across the countrywithout it tiring you out. And dont let its weird squared-off steering wheel scare you. It works just fine, and that wall-like cabin divider that houses the climate controls may look like an ergonomic nightmare, but it isnt. While the plastic bodywork means it still smells like resin inside, the quality of the materials is vastly improved and the seats hug and support you as the palm trees pass like telephone poles.

And then theres the price. All this mid-engine goodness starts at just $59,995. What you get is a V-8 supercar that costs less than a base 718 Boxster. Corvettes have always aced value and performance tests, but moving the engine has created a different sort of Stingray. Now theres an American sports car set up to send more than a few Porschephiles into Chevy stores, a Corvette thats ready to retake the Coast.

Send feedback and thoughts to editors@caranddriver.com or join Backfires.caranddriver.com

Specifications

2020 Chevrolet Corvette

BASE PRICE$59,995$67,495

ENGINE TYPE490- or 495-hp 6.2-liter V-8

TRANSMISSION8-speed dual-clutch automatic

C/D TEST RESULTS (Z51 coupe)60 mph: 2.8 sec-mile: 11.2 sec @ 122 mphTop speed (mfr's claim): 184 mphBraking, 700 mph: 149 ftRoadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 1.03 g

EPA FUEL ECONOMY (C/D EST)Combined/city/highway: 19/16/26 mpg

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2020 Chevrolet Corvette: Car and Driver's 10Best - Car and Driver

We adored Sex Education when it first came out on Netflix earlier this year. And as the new series is coming up soon, we thought wed answer the question on everyones lips: where on earth is Sex Education filmed?

When the show which centres on high-school student Otis, who unexpectedly becomes a sex guru for his fellow students despite having little experience first aired on Netflix, there was much confusion surrounding the setting.

The landscape shots showcased beautiful greenery and countryside, while scenes of the grand school, Moordale, were characterised by big lockers, letterman jackets and sports teams, leading to much debate about whether this was a British or American-filmed show.

In fact, most of the filming for the first series took place in the stunning Wye Valley in Wales, with the opening shot spanning over the River Wye. The scenes set at Moordale Secondary School were filmed at the former campus of the University or South Wales in Caerleon, Newport. The grandiose building, which used to house thousands of students, serves as the perfect fit for the Anglo-American hybrid style.

Otis and Jeans distinctive Scandinavian-style red and white house can be found in Symonds Yat East, and was actually a B&B. Meanwhile, the bridge Otis and his flamboyant best friend Eric often walk is the Old Railway Bridge at Tintern, part of the gorgeous Wye Valley Walk.

But thats not to say the show is actually set in Wales. Writer Laurie Nunn said in a video interview that the location and particularly the school is not necessarily meant to be a real place. "Its a utopia where these teenagers exist," she said.

There was much debate about why a British school seemed so American, with many people suggesting this decision was made to appeal to American audiences. The real reason? Nunn and director Ben Taylor took inspiration from classic high-school movies like Mean Girls and Ten Things I Hate About You. They thought that having a heightened and slightly fantastical concept a teenage sex therapist in a secondary school needed a heightened setting to match.

Sex Education first aired in January 2019 to huge critical acclaim, and Netflix announced that it was on track to receive 40 million viewers in four weeks. The story follows Otis (Asa Butterfield), the son of sex therapist Jean (Gillian Anderson), who with the help of bad-girl Maeve (Emma Mackey) and best friend Eric (Ncuti Gatwa) starts a clandestine sex therapy clinic for fellow students from an abandoned toilet cubicle at his school.

The second season kicks off in the new year, and follows Otis from where we left him after he had just kissed new girlfriend Ola and was finally starting to explore his own sexuality. Well also see misunderstood bully Adam as he enrols in military school, and well catch up with fellow Moordale students Aimee, Lily and Jackson. Netflix has also announced that well see some new characters welcomed into the fold. For more season 2 spoilers, we've got you covered with everything you need to know.

We cant wait so in the meantime, we might be booking a trip to the Wye Valley

Catch up on the first season of Netflix's Sex Education here.

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Where is Sex Education filmed? - goodhousekeeping.com

What is your idea of the perfect utopia for kids? Where would you want to see your younger loved ones spend their summer? Regardless of where you choose, your loved ones belong in a place where they are respected, loved, and appreciated. My idea of the perfect utopia for kids is far more than any physical place. A utopia is more of how you feel rather than where you find yourself. That utopia is Camp Uncommon.

Camp Uncommon is a camp that runs over the course of the summer and prioritizes children in elementary and middle school from impoverished neighborhoods. Camp Uncommon serves children from a number of cities such as Boston, Camden, New York, Newark, Rochester, and Troy. Camp gives children the opportunity to venture outside of their neighborhoods and connect with other kids who, in most cases, become lifelong friends. Camp Uncommon first began in the summer of 2016 at Colby College, but has since changed locations to Poyntelle, Pa.

Camp Uncommon is split up intofour different sessions to accommodate as many kids as possible.The goal this past summer was to share the experience with overone thousand kids, which is now the largestnumber of kidsthey have ever served in camp history. In previous years, they have only had about 500 kids over a span of two weeks, butthey believe so strongly in theirmission of giving children the best summer ever thatthey continue to groweachyear.

Children who attend Camp Uncommon engage in various activities throughout the course of the summer such as hiking, nature discovery, athletics, arts, and STEM courses. Alongside the various physical activities the kids take part in during their time at camp, they are also immersed in character building activities such as Discovery and Morning/Evening Summit. Discovery takes place every other day during the span of two weeks and focuses on self reflection as well other values of the day such as empathy, gratitude, wisdom, and honesty. Camp Uncommon prioritizes making kids summer enjoyable, but also insightful so they can become young leaders the following school year.

Camp Uncommonnot only benefits the kids who attend, but also helps employees with their future by building qualities needed for adulthood, college, and teaching. Most employees at Camp Uncommon are teachers themselves, or are getting involved with teaching as a career. Camp Uncommon is under Uncommon Schools so most people find themselves with an opportunity to have a career in teaching after their first or second summer with Camp Uncommon. Aside from this career opportunity, Camp Uncommon also employs high school juniors as junior counselors, which is a good way for them to gain a recommendation for college applications and a paying job for the summer.

In my own experience, Camp Uncommon has strengthened my college application, given me a new perspective on life, and has granted me with life-long connections that I cherish.My coworkers similarly believe Camp Uncommon has made a difference in their lives.

Its made me a more responsible and aware person in my professional life, said Louis Copin. Its made me more comfortable in who I am and expressing who I am no matter who is around me.

Working at Camp Uncommon has encouraged me to step out of my shell, and network with different people, which ultimately made me trust myself more and give new things a try, Tyriq Presely added.

Camp Uncommons ultimate goal is to provide the best summer for as many kids as possible every year.More information about the camp can be found on their website and Instagram page.

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How one camp is changing the lives of many - The McDaniel Free Press

The designer and artist shares the behind-the-scenes stories on creating iconic looks, Instagram filters, and masks for the musician

Its 10.30am in Brussels, where James Merry is in his hotel room getting ready to watch Bjrk rehearse for the first night of her ambitious, hi-tech Cornucopia tour. Its on a scale weve never done before, he says of co-creative directing the mammoth production. There are different layers, moving screens, choreography and new visuals. It was a huge undertaking, and Im really proud of the result.

For the next month, hell travel with Bjrk across Europe to oversee the tour production. Were traveling mainly by train for environmental reasons, but its so much nicer, he tells me. I have a serious phobia of flying, it knackers me out! Its a far cry from his day-to-day life in Iceland, where he lives just a stones throw away from Bjrk a small detail which demonstrates the strength of their creative relationship, which began in 2009 when Biophilia was merely a creative seed.

Despite self-describing as a creative child, Merry says he truly became an artist after meeting Bjrk. Prior to that, he spent time making butterfly paintings under the direction of Damien Hirst, but his photographic memory led to him taking on more of an admin role and cataloguing the butterflies. Now, his creative mind is encouraged to wander; not only does he create spectacular masks and accessories for Bjrk, the duo works closely on various visual projects to bring ethereal, beautiful visions to life.

Here, Merry delves deep into their shared archive and reveals the stories behind their career highlights.

The first mask I made for Bjrk was latex; it looked a bit like a stingray, and it was actually a birthday present for her. We did two album covers for Vulnicura: one with Inez and Vinoodh and another with Andrew Thomas Huang. The Huang cover we shot on Bjrks birthday in Iceland, and she ended up wearing the mask in the Family video. Then, the first live performance was at the Governors Ball in New York. We had this crazy, neon moth-shaped dress by Nikoline Liv Anderson, and Bjrk was looking for a mask to wear with it. At the time, she was sending lots of photos of moths, so I disappeared into my room and embroidered a mask and it snowballed from there.

At first, I said I would make a new mask before each concert which I did, but it was too much! Sometimes finding a shape, structure and material that works will take months of prototyping and testing. Other times, I get to the hotel the day before a show, pull the kettle and TV off the desk, make a little studio and make a new mask in two days without sleeping. It varies to both extremes, but I see the masks as pieces of fruit; our day-to-day work is the tree, roots and branches, but sometimes these headpieces pop up as little bonuses.

This was my first significant project with Bjrk. We put together a team but we were overseeing it, and then Scott Snibbe kind of took over as producer later on. Everything felt well, it still does especially exciting and fresh; it was my first time properly traveling everywhere. We went to the National Geographic Explorers Convention in Washington DC as part of our research, which is like a series of mini TED talks. We were like the best university students ever; we went to every talk with our notebooks and pens in our hair. The CEO said, Nobody has ever attended every single lecture like you guys have!

My background is in academia I studied Ancient Greek, so I really enjoy the research. Even with creative stuff, half the fun is in researching a bone, a flower, a mushroom. I remember at one point Bjrk wanted to write a song with a magnetic pendulum, so I just built one of those in the garage. We actually lived in Puerto Rico we made this little Biophilia research station on the beach and had friends and collaborators stay there. My driving license is actually Puerto Rican, which surprises people!

Bjrks team is small; its quite punk and DIY, so were all quite good at taking on different roles. Were enthusiastic about new things, so well start a new project and say: Oh okay, Ill become a virtual reality person! With Bjrk: Digital we had virtual reality videos in our lap, but not many people had headsets. I play a lot of computer games and am tech-literate but I dont have one in my living room its not there yet, so the exhibition was a way of allowing people to try VR for the first time.

It was also intentionally a work-in-progress in almost each city we premiered something new. It was amazing to be in the room; it was this kind of silent disco vibe, but people were gasping, crying, and talking to Bjrk. As a fan, its such a unique way to have this private concert some of the videos are just these 360 camera recordings of Bjrk performing eight inches from your face. We hadnt reckoned for those reactions, so it was cool to watch.

Around Vulnicura, Bjrk was feeling embroidery as a textural reference for the album. I had embroidered gifts for friends in my 20s, but around that time I picked up a Nike sweater and embroidered an Icelandic flower and some moss onto it. People messaged me wanting to buy them, so I decided I wanted to make more, but not mass-produce I always resisted that.

Humberto (Leon) from Opening Ceremony got in touch to commission a capsule collection, so I ended up going to New York it sold out in two days! After that, I started making two or three and selling them through Instagram, but I want to get back into it next year: its basically breathing new life into vintage sweaters with a needle and a thread, so its hugely eco-friendly. James Blake actually bought a few, sometimes he wears them during performances!

I made lots of new pieces for Utopia, but I also started exploring new crafts. One was sculpting, casting, and painting silicone by hand to make these face pieces; the other was hand-cutting and polishing metal to make more sculptural headpieces. I was on-set for the Biophilia and Vulnicura cover shoots, but I was more involved with Utopia; it was me, Bjrk, and Jesse Kanda. Its a shocking, amazing image I love it.

We had done a few shoots beforehand with (make-up artist) Hungrys makeup, my silicone facepiece and this wig, this hairstyle that Bjrk imagined for the character; this funny, wild animal-like hair on the side of the head. We did a few test shoots to form this character, but Jesse took it to the next level. Bjrk always has very specific visual references; she knows how to feed you these seeds, but she lets you grow your own plant. Shes all about nurturing, and bringing the best out of you.

I usually try and make Bjrk a new mask ahead of filmed interviews, but with her Instagram Live Q&A for Dazed, I thought it would be cool to do it digitally. I taught myself to properly sculpt in 3D and use the augmented reality software for the filter; I released that mask just in time, so Bjrk wore this digital headpiece that was then available to the public. On these train journeys, Im actually sculpting a new filter that I can hopefully release before Christmas. I really want to make digital versions of all of my old masks!

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James Merry on his all-time fave Bjrk collaborations - Dazed

Gift ideas for the music lover who wants everything, from Frank Zappa to Ty Segall

Published Nov 20, 2019

BjrkUtopia Bird Call BoxsetFor those inspired by the 2017 birdsong-influenced album Utopia, iconoclastic singer Bjrk offers up this collection of 14 handmade bird call flutes, photo book and a USB containing the album, bonus track, video clips and, of course, bird call training videos.Order it here

Velvet UndergroundThe Complete Matrix TapesThese legendary and oft-bootlegged performances have been available in various forms over the years, but this new set finally brings the complete holy grail of live VU recordings to vinyl, sprawling the 2015 collection across eight LPs.Order it here

Factory RecordsUse Hearing Protection: Factory Records 1978-1979/Factory: Communications 1978-1992Factory Records remains most famous for shepherding Joy Division and New Order into the world. But this pair of new sets, released to honouring the pioneering label's 40th anniversary, showcases the breadth of their roster. Use Hearing Protection: Factory Records 1978-1979 reproduces FAC catalogue numbers 1 through 10, while Factory: Communications 1978-1992 reissues the 2009 compilation on eight LPs.Order them here

Mute RecordsSTUMM433Not only did Mute Records find 50 artists from across the label's history to record "covers" of John Cage's landmark, silent composition "4'33" including Depeche Mode, Yann Tiersen and the Afghan Whigs but they're also giving away all profits to the British Tinnitus Association and Music Minds Matter charities in honour of Inspiral Carpets' Craig Gill.Order it here

Prince1999 Super Deluxe Box SetThe occasion is dubious the 20th anniversary of the record's title, not its release. But new material included in this ten-LP, plus DVD, supersedes the questionable timing. 35 unreleased recordings, a new concert film and a lyric and photo book from imperial-phase Prince make this a must have.Order it here

Frank ZappaHalloween 73Frank Zappa famously loved Halloween, and put on a special show for the holiday until he retired the tradition in 1984. These two sets capture the 1973 iteration, which went down in Chicago, and are accompanied by a Zappa Halloween mask and matching gloves.Order it here

Ozzy OsbourneSee You on the Other SideThe Ozzman cometh once more in this massive 24-LP collection that houses every studio album Osbourne recorded, plus all the requisite B-sides, live cuts and demos a completist could want. See you on the other side, indeed.Order it here

Ty SegallPig Man Lives Volume 1The ever-prolific Ty Segall offers up a decade's worth of demos in the form of this four-LP box set. Designed for "the freak, the fan, the head," the set is sure to offer new nuances to the finished studio versions, plus a few new rarities to dig into.Order it here

Jimi HendrixSongs for Groovy Children: The Fillmore East ConcertsBand of Gypsys was the only official document of Hendrix's time with Buddy Miles and Billy Cox, but the record was pivotal, inspiring the whole of funk rock. The four shows from which the original record was created are presented here, unedited across eight LPs for the first time.Order it here

Check out other music- and film-related gift ideas courtesy of theExclaim! Gift Guide.

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Gift Guide: The Best Box Sets of 2019 - Exclaim!

In more than two decades, 3,200 young men have participated in Mentoring Teen Males in the Hood.Mentor Cameron Miles gets on the young men's nerves and makes them do pushups and read. It's all part of a mentor's dedication to turning boys into confident and responsible adults."If it is to be, it's up to me," is part of a mantra on being self-reliant. The young men are ages 8 to 18."At first, it was, like, 'What am I in here for?'" said peer leader Gershom Bossiwa.Many participants say they had the same initial reaction but got used to meeting on Saturdays at New Shiloh Baptist Church in west Baltimore. The church donates the space. Miles is the director of the mentoring program."I want them to be capable of standing on their own two feet," Miles said.An important component of the program is exercise. If participants fool around or get in trouble, they can expect to do pushups. The idea of the program is to broaden their expectations and horizons. "We always want to show them positive role models and what is possible," Miles said.Tutoring in math, reading and writing and recently, a cooking class, can be expected. There is a STEM camp in the summer and field trips to historic places in Baltimore and across the country that include tours of colleges and universities. "That was the biggest thing I take away: the exposure of getting out of Baltimore City and seeing the world is bigger than your neighborhood and street," said Dorrian Gross, a previous participant.Gross is now an IT technician, managing systems for embassies around the world. Other former participants say they also benefited. "I used to be shy and have a lot of anger. I didn't want to be bothered," said Shawn Harlee, who is now a home improvement construction worker.Harlee says the environment changed him. "Because if you're quiet, Mr. Miles will point you out (and say), 'Hey, talk.' It started making me open up more," Harlee said."You can feel (Miles') energy. When he talks to you, he wants the best for you, for what you're doing in your situation," said Malik Frazier, also known as DJ Cheubs."I don't want to paint a utopia. We have lost several to gun violence," Miles said.He said their obituaries keep him and his volunteers focused. "I call them kings, but I'm quick to remember they are children. They will remember our example, not our advice," Miles said.The program is also about coming back and giving back. In fact, one young man said it helped him think globally and led him from west Baltimore to the Peace Corps."The trajectory of my life increased significantly, especially coming from right off Pennsylvania Avenue," said Imhotep Simba.Simba recently returned home after spending two years working in Ecuador. He and other adult men come back to help mentor the younger guys.Donations help fund the activities. When the teens graduate from the program and move to college or trade school, they receive $2,000 toward their education.

In more than two decades, 3,200 young men have participated in Mentoring Teen Males in the Hood.

Mentor Cameron Miles gets on the young men's nerves and makes them do pushups and read. It's all part of a mentor's dedication to turning boys into confident and responsible adults.

"If it is to be, it's up to me," is part of a mantra on being self-reliant. The young men are ages 8 to 18.

"At first, it was, like, 'What am I in here for?'" said peer leader Gershom Bossiwa.

Many participants say they had the same initial reaction but got used to meeting on Saturdays at New Shiloh Baptist Church in west Baltimore. The church donates the space. Miles is the director of the mentoring program.

"I want them to be capable of standing on their own two feet," Miles said.

An important component of the program is exercise. If participants fool around or get in trouble, they can expect to do pushups. The idea of the program is to broaden their expectations and horizons.

"We always want to show them positive role models and what is possible," Miles said.

Tutoring in math, reading and writing and recently, a cooking class, can be expected. There is a STEM camp in the summer and field trips to historic places in Baltimore and across the country that include tours of colleges and universities.

"That was the biggest thing I take away: the exposure of getting out of Baltimore City and seeing the world is bigger than your neighborhood and street," said Dorrian Gross, a previous participant.

Gross is now an IT technician, managing systems for embassies around the world. Other former participants say they also benefited.

"I used to be shy and have a lot of anger. I didn't want to be bothered," said Shawn Harlee, who is now a home improvement construction worker.

Harlee says the environment changed him.

"Because if you're quiet, Mr. Miles will point you out (and say), 'Hey, talk.' It started making me open up more," Harlee said.

"You can feel (Miles') energy. When he talks to you, he wants the best for you, for what you're doing in your situation," said Malik Frazier, also known as DJ Cheubs.

"I don't want to paint a utopia. We have lost several to gun violence," Miles said.

He said their obituaries keep him and his volunteers focused.

"I call them kings, but I'm quick to remember they are children. They will remember our example, not our advice," Miles said.

The program is also about coming back and giving back. In fact, one young man said it helped him think globally and led him from west Baltimore to the Peace Corps.

"The trajectory of my life increased significantly, especially coming from right off Pennsylvania Avenue," said Imhotep Simba.

Simba recently returned home after spending two years working in Ecuador. He and other adult men come back to help mentor the younger guys.

Donations help fund the activities. When the teens graduate from the program and move to college or trade school, they receive $2,000 toward their education.

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Mentoring Teen Males in the Hood helps thousands of Baltimore youth - WBAL TV Baltimore