Hayley Williams released new music with a project that’s not Paramore, so we should probably check if Paramore fans are doing OK. Meanwhile, Power Snatch’s EP 2 dropped on August 12, 2026, six months after EP 1 appeared on Bandcamp. Williams formed Power Snatch with producer Daniel James, possibly around 2025.
The four-track EP features addictive lo-fi, bedroom pop, electro-indie beats and hooks, layered under Williams’ hazy vocals. In a way, it’s reminiscent of her solo debut Petals for Armor. Williams seems to experiment with softening and blurring her vocals outside of her work with Paramore. There, she’s notably sharp, crisp, and almost brash.
After years of that Paramore style, it’s nice to hear Williams branching out and exploring all her musical interests. But of course, Paramore fans need to go through the regular ritual of speculating whether or not the band has broken up for good.
Over on the Paramore subreddit, fans posted a discussion of Power Snatch’s new EP. With the release of a second set of songs, fans are now wondering if this is Hayley Williams’ new band. Does Power Snatch herald Paramore’s demise? Why didn’t Zac Farro’s solo project inspire the same panic? Could it be that Williams, as a musician, is simply doing whatever she wants to do and it’s really not that deep?
Hayley Williams and Daniel James’ Second Ep for Power Snatch Earns High Praise From Fans
An initial discussion began in February when EP 1 dropped. The post asked point-blank, “so what’s the deal with Power Snatch???” and the responses were surprisingly not as doom-and-gloom as expected. Not like they were when Williams dropped her latest solo album, and Paramore wiped their social media presence for a bit.
Commenters brought up other bands who had side projects while still in their primary group. These included Davey Havok and Jade Puget of AFI, Dan Campbell of The Wonder Years, Stephen Christian of Anberlin, and Chester Bennington and Mike Shinoda of Linkin Park.
“It seems like this new collaboration goes back to at least July 2025, so it’s probably something they’ve been working on/planning/talking about for a while now,” one person commented. “It’s very possible to have more than one project going at a time.”
Meanwhile, on Bandcamp, supporters are showering Power Snatch’s second EP with praise. “Incredible. Astounding. Infatuating,” one user wrote. Another commented, “Forever in awe of the pure talent. Thank you for bringing real music back. Thank you for writing about what everyone is thinking. And for giving us all a safe place to feel our emotions in their fullest form.”
It looks like Paramore fans are going to be OK after all, and Hayley Williams is hitting it out of the park once again with this latest creative project. Still, you gotta love it when the top comment on the Power Snatch discussion is an edited image of Lenny from The Simpsons updating a sign reading “0 Days Without Speculation On Paramore’s Demise”.
Drake got hit with the goth girl allegations after his date with Pinkchyu. However, the Toronto rapper has receipts to prove he’s been down bad for them since his Degrassi days.
In early August 2026, Drake made a 20v1 stream appearance as part of Stake’s ninth anniversary celebration. During the event, Pinkchyu—a content creator and cosplayer—won the game show. As part of her winnings, Drake promised he’d buy her mom a new house.
At one point, Pinkchyu got Drake to bark for her, which led to a lot of chatter online. Some of the conjecture implied that this was Drake’s goth girl awakening, but that’s not true. In an X/Twitter post you can see below, Drake proved he’s long been aware of the goth baddies.
Drake posts an old photo of him with a goth girl via IG
“This s**t not new,” Drake wrote on his Instagram story, alongside a screenshot of him on DFegrassi as a teenager, standing next to an actress who was all gothed out.
Interestingly, in a previous interview with Bobbi Althoff, Drake yet again proved his fascination for goth girls. “I don’t know if the world is ready to accept what I feel is my dream – what is my, like partner,” he said. “Because I feel like it’s some, like, tweaked-out goth, tatted all over.”
Look, you can say a lot of things about Drake, but you can’t say he’s lying about simping for goth girls.
Drake really is buying a house for Pinkchyu’s mom
As for that promise to buy Pinkchyu’s mom a house, the content creator told TMZ he was dead serious. “I think she’s just really grateful,” she told the outlet. “I do [OnlyFans] and a lot of the money I have I do take care of my family, like, help my sisters. I’m half Mexican, so we’re all really, really close, and so obviously she’s like over the moon.”
Pinkchyu was also asked if she and Drake hooked up. “No, no, no. We just had a lot of conversations,” she said. The OF creator added that she and Drake are “complete opposites,” but that was “wonderfully kind.” His generosity made her “really happy,” she added.
Notably, adult film actress Lily Phillips—who also participated in the 20v1—echoed Pinkchyu’s sentiments. “I’ve never met a nicer celebrity. He is so down to earth, so goofy, so silly, so funny,” she told The Tab. “He is the same with everyone, whether you’ve got a million followers like me or you’ve got zilch.”
Marilyn Manson is headed back to court. The shock rocker will face a jury trial in November 2027 over a sexual assault allegation case that was previously thrown out.
The legal battle stems from a lawsuit brought by a former employee of Manson, Ashley Walters. In 2021, she accused Manson of several infractions that allegedly took place in 2010 and 2011.
In response to the new trial date ruling, Manson’s attorney, Howard King, said they were “confident the case will never get to trial after the court hears our upcoming motion for summary judgment,” per Metal Injection.
Manson has denied all the allegations against him
In her lawsuit, Walters accused Manson of sexual assault, sexual harassment, and sexual battery. She also alleged infliction of emotional distress and accused him of violating multiple California civil codes.
The case ended up being dismissed in May 2022. A judge ruled, at the time, that it exceeded the statute of limitations. The judge also found the lawsuit to contain “too few facts.” Over a year later, in December 2023, Walters and her lawyers filed a revised version of the lawsuit. In December 2025, two years later, the case was dismissed again, due to the statute of limitations.
One month later, in January 2026, Walters returned to court and refiled her lawsuit again, due to AB 250. This is a recently passed California law that creates legal space for her lawsuit. The law establishes an updated time frame for adult sexual abuse survivors to temporarily revive a case that could otherwise exceed the statute of limitations in California.
Manson’s petition to have this case dismissed was denied
Fast forward a few months—to June 2026—and a California judge denied Manson’s request to have the case dismissed. During that hearing, a member of Manson’s legal team, Alexa Foley, argued that Walters’s evidence did not “meet the standard of showing she was physically restrained during her alleged sexual assault.” This would mean that AB 250 could not apply to this particular case. The judge didn’t agree.
“This was not unexpected. It’s a clear invitation for a summary judgment motion,” King told Rolling Stone at the time. “The judge telegraphed explicitly that we’re not at the right stage of the case yet.” Walters’ lawyer, Bina Ahmad, had a different take. “We are obviously pleased,” she told the outlet. “We truly take the inspiration to keep fighting from our client. She’s the brave one.”
At this time, Manson’s attorneys do not appear to have commented on the new trial date.
Oftentimes, a band performs such a jaw-dropping live version of one of your favorite songs that it stains your love for the original. From then on, whenever the track comes up, you admit, “It’s still good, but that live version was the best version.” I’ve been here plenty of times and can tell you, these 90s alt-rock songs won’t hit the same after you hear the live version.
“drain you” by nirvana
Undeniably, “Drain You” is the perfect centerpiece of Nirvana’s Nevermind. The album served to break grunge into the mainstream upon release. The low-to-high middle section of “Drain You” contains elements of a wall-of-sound shoegaze effect.
On October 30, 1992, Nirvana headlined the Reading Festival in England. At the beginning of the show, Kurt Cobain, sporting a hospital gown, was rolled onto the stage. In the gown, Cobain and Nirvana delivered the best possible version of “Drain You”. Noticeably, the band’s signature raw sound is showcased more than on Nevermind. Cobain had mentioned on various occasions his displeasure with the album’s production quality.
Officially released in November 2009, Live At Reading contains many tracks that are superior to their original album versions, including “Blew”.
“undone – the sweater song” by weezer
In 1994, Weezer’s debut single became an instant fan favorite ahead of their debut full-length release. On August 25, 1994, the band performed “Undone – The Sweater Song” on Late Night with Conan O’Brien. For many, this was their first impression of the new band. Weezer has a distinct geek rock image, and this performance connected the dots for many fans. This is more like a visual debut of the band, and it fueled album sales.
This live version is slightly different from the album version, as the opening features overlapping stories and phrases. Rivers Cuomo, bassist Matt Sharp, and guitarist Brian Bell ad-libbed stories, expressions, and phrases in the opening. This is missing in the original version, which is simply an exchange between Matt Sharp and a longtime friend of the band.
“sucked out” by superdrag
Often referred to as a one-hit wonder, Superdrag deserves much more recognition than that. They were a major influence on the next decade of emo, rock, and punk. Superdrag’s popularity waned in the late 90s due to a major-label merger. Sadly, they were dropped in the process along with countless bands and artists. The band was also ahead of its time, which played a role.
Their 1996 single “Sucked Out” peaked at No. 17 on the Modern Rock Charts. On September 3, 1996, the band performed the hit single of Late Night with Conan O’Brien. Lead singer and guitarist John Davis includes a closing guitar solo that should’ve been on the original track.
Dungeons and Dragons recently revealed a ton of plans for the future of the TTRPG, including a return to some of the game’s most popular locations and characters with the D&D Icons line.
D&D Icons Will Return to Greyhawk, Dragonlance, and The LEgend of Drizzt
Screenshot: Wizards of the Coast
Dungeons and Dragons certainly laid out an ambitious plan for the coming year or so for the TTRPG brand. In addition to returning to classic campaign settings and partnerships with World of Warcraft and Star Wars, the team also teased collaborations with some of the game’s most iconic creatives from over the years.
Actor and D&D enthusiast Joe Manganiello took the stage during the event to unveil D&D Icons and tease some upcoming work with D&D heavy hitters like Tracy Hickman, Luke Gygax, and R.A. Salvatore.
D&D Icons is a new initiative led by Joe Manganiello that pairs legendary creators and visionaries with the D&D team to shape the future of the game. Icons will touch everything from setting guides and adventure modules to accessories and beyond, all in close collaboration with the studio.
he first three major collaborations that will come out of the D&D Icons initiative include:
Dragonlance, with Tracy Hickman – Dragonlance is returning, with co-creator Tracy Hickman working with the team to give this storied setting a new, epic treatment.
Greyhawk, with Luke Gygax – Greyhawk is coming back as well. Luke Gygax is working from his father Gary Gygax’s previously unreleased notes to build classic Greyhawk experiences planned for 2027, seen partly through the eyes of the archmage Melf.
Drizzt Do’Urden, with R.A. Salvatore – No D&D Icons lineup would be complete without the creator of the game’s most enduring character—R.A. Salvatore. His Drizzt books have hit the New York Times bestseller list more than 20 times, selling over 50 million copies in a dozen languages.
Drizzt holds a special place in the world of D&D, and we’re excited to bring the most legendary drow the Forgotten Realms has ever seen back to the table.
No specific products were actually announced during the teaser, so it’s a little hard to know what to expect. It sounds like the end results could be anything from sourcebooks, campaign settings, new crossover novels, or other merchandise.
Hopefully as the year plays out more details will be revealed about the first real products available as part of the D&D Icons lineup.
Be sure to check back soon for lots more news and updates on Dungeons and Dragons.
Dungeons and Dragons is available now at local game shops and digitally through D&D Beyond, Roll20, and similar online services.
Nearly 30 years after its original console launch, this PlayStation 1 era fighting game is now available to purchase on Nintendo Switch 2 and PlayStation 5.
Touki DenShou Angel Eyes Releases on Nintendo Switch 2 and PS5 August 13
Touki Denshou Angel Eyes was originally an arcade exclusive in 1996, but a home console version soon followed in 1997 when Tecmo released a PlayStation port of the game. The home console port also added intros and endings for each character to beef up the game’s Story Mode.
The title launched in a similar time frame to Dead or Alive, which greatly overshadowed it. Unlike Dead or Alive, Touki Denshou Angel Eyes did not go on to spawn a franchise and follow up titles after its release. Despite that, it’s still an interesting piece of fighting game history for retro gaming fans to revisit.
Players can choose their fighter from the “Eight Angels” and battle their way to the top to become the ultimate “Archangel” in this retro fighting game.
“The game is fully loaded with home-console exclusives like “STORY” and “TRAINING” modes!! Experience the ultimate evolution from the arcade original—dive in and enjoy “TOUKI DENSHOU ANGEL EYES” today.” The game supports single player and local 2 player PvP fights.”
The Console Archivesd version of the game is available now in the Nintendo Switch 2 and PS5 digital storefronts for $11.99. If you are unable to find the game listed in the online store, please be aware that these products may not be available in your area.
Longtime PlayStation fans may also recall a previous port of the title making its way to the Japanese PlayStation Network’s Game Archives during the PlayStation Portable and PlayStation 3 era back in 2008.
As always, the Console Archives edition will also come equipped with some modern conveniences and quality-of-life improvements:
customizable button layouts
rapid-fire settings
multiple save points
Additional options include screen layout adjustments and filters that recreate the the nostalgic atmosphere of CRT TVs, allowing players to customize the visual experience to their preference.
Touki Denshou Angel Eyes is just the latest in a long list of retro titles that Console Archives have resurrected this summer. Other recent highlights include Doraemon, TRAG, The Legend of Kage, and Master of Monsters: Disciples of Gaia.
Be sure to check back soon for the latest retro gaming news and updates.
The Console Archives edition of Touki Denshou Angel Eyes is available now on Nintendo Switch 2 and PlayStation 5.
Anya Taylor-Joy became widely known for her role as chess prodigy Beth Harmon on The Queen’s Gambit, but would you guess that she’s a raver at heart? She definitely doesn’t make it obvious just by looking at her. But in an interview for the September 2026 issue of Ellemagazine, she admitted that she’s always been drawn to intense experiences.
Her interest in rave culture began at 15 years old, she said, after years of ballet training. The rigidity of classical ballet didn’t work for her anymore, and she needed somewhere to break free. “That’s a pretty good split of my personality, to be honest,” said Taylor-Joy. “Ballet class and deep, dark techno.”
For her 30th birthday, she described pulling a party together in two days for a Wednesday in L.A. She gathered 200 people in one place and threw her own “culty” warehouse rave. Her friends DJed “pretty intense techno,” she said, “which I realized is not everyone’s cup of tea, but they got into it.”
According to Taylor-Joy, she partied that night until 1:30 in the morning, got two hours of sleep, then woke up and went to Coachella. After that, she went back to L.A., packed, and headed out on a cross-country road trip. That’s the intensity with which she approaches every aspect of her life and work, she explained. So, it kind of makes sense that she’s into heavy, dark, feel-it-in-your-chest EDM.
Anya Taylor-Joy Describes Living Among the Rave Culture in Berlin as ‘The Healthiest I’ve Ever Been’
But Anya Taylor-Joy hasn’t limited herself to just listening to intense techno. In 2015, she was featured in the music video for Skrillex’s remix of GTA’s “Red Lips”. It’s definitely not the heaviest techno remix ever, but that’s not what people go to Skrillex for, is it? However, it still served to shine a spotlight on Taylor-Joy, as she made her major film debut in The Witch that same year.
While filming The Queen’s Gambit, however, Taylor-Joy experienced one of the “healthiest” times of her life. She credited that to living in Berlin for six months, and submerging herself in the rave culture there.
“In Berlin, it doesn’t have to be unhealthy,” she said in a 2022 appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show. “So my version of it, which I genuinely think was the healthiest I have ever been, was I would wake up on a Sunday, I’d have brunch, I would go to the club, I would dance for about eight hours, not talk to anybody, go home, eat a bowl of spaghetti, and wake up at four o’clock in the morning and go to work.”
Sir Brian May of Queen is not a fan of AI artwork, and he’s not mincing words. The legendary rock star/Doctor of Science took to social media to share an AI rendering of Queen’s eighth studio album, The Game, which did not turn out even remotely accurate.
“I just had to share this with you guys,” he wrote in the post. “I asked Meta AI to show me what the cover of The Game album looked like. This is what it gave me! Good job, eh?” His skepticism is fair, as the rendering is kind of creepy and adds a fifth member, for some unexplained reason
May continued, “So this is the kind of intelligence that will soon be ruling the world??! Well, great. Maybe this is the time to realise we don’t actually need AI!!!”
He then paused the sarcasm and took a more sober tone. “But I’m now very serious,” he said. “I believe the price we are about to pay for this ‘inevitable’ development is way too high. We must not allow these hideous Data Centres to be built in the UK. They will destroy our beautiful country, like they are already destroying beautiful America.”
Finally, May closed his message by directly addressing the United Kingdom’s Prime Minister, Andy Burnham. “Dear Andy — you must stop it now. Before it’s too late.”
The comment section of May’s post has been full of fans praising his position. “AI is going to ruin us, and we have revolted as humans for wayyy less in history,” one person replied. “Why leaders are just sitting on their hands is beyond me. I got a zero on an assignment because I refused to use the prompted AI to help me formulate a response. AI MUST BE CONTAINED!”
“Thank you for highlighting this problem that many choose to ignore when generating their own AI posts, let alone taking jobs away from real graphic designers and artists,” someone else added.
While the replies have been overwhelmingly supportive, at leats persondid offer a slightly different perspective. “Do not forget that AI can also do wonders in the medical and tech branch,” they explained. “But being careful with personal use of AI should be the bare minimum we expect from people.
Kathleen Hanna and Adam “Ad-Rock” Horovitz have released their first song together, and it’s a Justin Bieber cover. The punk rock pair recorded a cover of Bieber’s 2016 song “Let Me Love You”. It will appear on the Contra-ICE compilation album, ICE OUT. The benefit album features 47 tracks of unreleased songs, spoken word, and comedy.
This selection of tracks was curated by the non-profit organization Build Art Make Change (BAMC). The organization’s founder, Dali Colorado, released a statement about the powerful album.
“Contra-ICE is not only an album,” the statement began, per NME. “It is not only a collective, it is a cultural infrastructure built to support frontline organizations, amplify immigrant voices, and mobilize creatives who believe that love is not passive; it’s organized.”
A major theme of the compilation seems to be “love over fear,” which Colorado mentioned in the statement. The album also features tracks from Fred Armisen, Adrian Quesada, Tom Morello, Jello Biafra, and the Guantanamo School of Medicine, Tropa Magica, and more.
Kathleen Hanna and Ad-Rock’s Justin Bieber Cover Transforms Into a Sugary-Sweet Pop-Rock Jam
This cover of “Let Me Love You” takes Justin Bieber and puts him through a bubble-grunge machine. The result is Kathleen Hanna’s familiar vocal style transforming a thumping pop song into a twee-adjacent rock jam. It’s sweet, simple, and hits just right. But the transformative power of its production also adds a heartfelt note to lines like “Never let you go / Never let you down”.
Hanna and Ad-Rock’s Bieber cover was produced by longtime Beastie Boys collaborator Mario Caldato Jr. Additionally, it features contributions from Money Mark, Fredo Ortiz, and Frank Figueroa.
Notably, proceeds from the album will go directly to “frontline powerhouses,” as mentioned on the Bandcamp page. These include the National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON) and Unión del Barrio “to defend labor rights and protect community-built wealth.”
Physical album copies are available to pre-order on Bandcamp or SoundsGood. ICE OUT will release on October 2, 2026, as a digital album, double LP vinyl, and CD. More information about Build Art Make Change can be found on the organization’s website.
Photo by Rabbani and Solimene Photography/Getty Images
Epic Games has revealed a Persona Fortnite collab in a new Fortnite Override teaser trailer. The short clip shows Persona 5’s protagonist entering the Battle Royale, confirming that we will be getting a Joker Fortnite skin in Chapter 7 Season 4.
Fortnite Persona Trailer Reveals Joker Skin For Chapter 7 season 4 Override
Screenshot: Epic Games
Epic Games has announced that a Persona Fortnite collab is coming to the game soon in a new Override teaser trailer. The short clip shows Persona 5’s protagonist inside the Battle Royale, confirming that we will be getting a Joker Fortnite skin in Chapter 7 Season 4 on August 20.
The Persona Fortnite crossover was revealed through a Fortnite Override ARG that Epic Games recently launched on Discord. Players have had to “hack the lobby” by entering various passwords connected to upcoming gaming collaborations. For the Persona 5 teaser, the correct password was “TakeYourHeart,” which is a direct reference to the calling cards used by the Phantom Thieves in the Atlus RPG.
Joker’s inclusion also lines up with previous Chapter 7 Season 4 datamine leaks claiming that the Persona 5 protagonist would be joining Fortnite this year. However, the new trailer is the first official look at his upcoming skin in the upcoming Fortnite Override season.
When Is the Persona Fortnite collab release date?
Screenshot: Epic Games
The Persona Fortnite collab release date is August 20, 2026, alongside the launch of FortniteOverride Following the reveal, popular dataminer ‘SamLeakss‘ confirmed that that the Joker Skin will be included in the Fortnite Chapter 7 Season 4 Battle Pass. Although at the time of writing, Epic Games has not officially announced this.
It’s also currently unclear whether the crossover will feature other Phantom Thieves or additional Persona 5 cosmetics. Characters such as Morgana, Ann Takamaki, and Ryuji Sakamoto would all make sense as a Fortnite Item shop bundle, but Joker is the only character confirmed for the battle royale so far.
Screenshot: Epic Games
Epic Games is revealing a different gaming collaboration every day in the lead-up to Fortnite Override. So far Sonic, 99 Nights in the Forest, Tetris and now Persona have been confirmed for Chapter 7 Season 4 – which is now confirmed to be gaming legends-themed.
For now, players can expect the Joker Fortnite skin to arrive when Chapter 7 Season 4 launches on August 20. Epic Games will also likely reveal the full Persona Fortnite cosmetic set before the new season goes live.
2026 has been Ella Langley’s year. The country star released her sophomore album, Dandelion, on April 10, 2026. With this release, Langley earned a No. 1 album along with three chart-topping hits. While singles “Be Her” and “I Can’t Love You Anymore” went to No. 1 on the Country Airplay chart, another single went to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. “Choosin’ Texas” has spent a staggering seventeen weeks at No. 1, the fourth-longest No. 1 run in the chart’s history. Additionally, it broke the record for the most weeks at No. 1 for a non-holiday song by a woman.
With this newfound stardom come incredible perks. For instance, Langley recently launched her own energy drink. Also, Langley is the face of American Eagle’s Spring and Summer denim campaigns. Another perk of stardom is performing renditions of your own songs on The Tonight Show, performed by none other than a high-profile Hollywood star.
During a segment on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, the host refers to an audience suggestion box. A fan requested Langley’s chart-topping hit, “Choosin’ Texas”. Fallon brilliantly enlisted actor Matthew McConaughey and indie folk band The Last Bison. Together, they delivered a bluegrass cover of the No. 1 hit song.
How mCCONAUGHEY WAS THE PERFECT FIT
Matthew McConaughey is a notable Texas resident, raised in the Lone Star State and currently living in Austin. He’s a leading public figure in Texas as the owner of Austin FC, the city’s professional soccer club. The actor is also a professor at the University of Texas and is often seen at sporting events supporting the school.
Ella Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas” is about a guy from Texas. In the song, she attempts to get the guy to fall in love with Tennessee. This plan fails when he runs into an old flame from Texas. McConaughey is famously known for his Texas accent, so his rendition of the No. 1 song is a perfect pairing. Jimmy Fallon himself joins in, singing along while playing a washboard. McConaughey is strumming a mandolin, while The Last Bison provides a complete bluegrass backing band.
Langley took to social media, sharing the cover on her Instagram story with the caption “I may never recover from this”. As if Langley’s hit needs any more help holding the top position, this viral rendition gives it an extra boost to maintain its placement.
Matthew McConaughey’s upcoming rural crime thriller The Rivals of Amziah King hits theaters later this month.
Well, folks, Hell has officially frozen over, and there’s “Smoke on the Water”. Deep Purple founding guitarist Ritchie Blackmore has reunited with his former bandmates after a decades-long feud.
On Wednesday, Aug. 12, the musician hopped on stage with the band during their show at Jones Beach in New York. Together, the guys treated fans to a rousing rendition of “Smoke on the Water”, according to a report from Variety.
At the end, Deep Purple singer Ian Gillan praised his ex-bandmate to the crowd. “A couple of days ago I got a message from a local lad… saying ‘I only live around the corner, do you mind if I come and jam with you?’”
He continued, “It was an absolute pleasure to have back on stage the founding member, the great legend, the immortal Ritchie Blackmore. Thanks, Ritchie. I have to say, it was a great pleasure. I’ll see you in the bar.”
Deep Purple was inducted into the Rock Hall in 2016, but Blackmore was not present for the ceremony
Blackmore co-founded Deep Purple in 1968. He left in 1975, but then returned in 1984. Nearly a decade later, he had a falling out with the rest of the band. It was so bad that he left again and didn’t even reunite with them when the band was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2016.
Interestingly, Blackmore had spilled the beans about his Deep Purple reunion the night before the show. He let it slip during a social media livestream with his wife, singer Candice Night. “It’s gonna be interesting,” he said. “I have not played rock music in 25 years.”
“It is a secret, and I don’t want anybody to know, but I’m probably going to go up and do an encore with the band, Deep Purple,” Blackmore continued. “But you can’t tell anybody, and I know this will be kept a secret. Won’t it?”
Blackmore also shared how the reunion came about. “I sent my AI pigeon to Ian Gillan in Portugal, where he lives at the moment, and I said, ‘How would you feel if I got up just for an encore on one of the songs. Don’t want to intrude.’”
He continued, “I said, ‘No pressure, just kind of old times’ sake.’ You know, I’m 81 now. So (Gillan) seemed to like the idea, put it to the band, got a thumbs up, and it looks like we might be doing that.”
It’s unclear whether Blackmore’s reunion with Deep Purple will lead to more collabs, or if this was just a one-off.
Irish dancing is global. Unlike the niche folk concerns of pole-battering Morris men or their Irish analog, Mummer men, Irish dancing broke containment long ago. Thanks in part to 90s stage sensations Lord of the Dance and Riverdance, the sport (yes, it’s competitive) is popular in surprisingly diverse locales across the world.
Brittonic photographer Chloé Kerleroux went looking for the Gaelic art form this spring, and found it in Liege, Belgium, in the form of the WIDA World Championships and International Feis. Global participants of all ages competed in the sport’s various dances (soft shoe reel! Slip jig! Hard shoe!) for the top honors.
Camaraderie, intensity, massive hair—Irish dancing has it all. We spoke to Kerleroux to find out more.
VICE: I know it’s international, but the girls that you photographed, are they all Irish? Because they all look Irish, if I’m honest. Chloé Kerleroux: I was a bit more [apprehensive] about photographing the dancers if I couldn’t find their parents, and a lot of them were with their coach. The kids from Ireland, England, and maybe Germany were with their family because it’s not far. But my camera was also just a bit more interested in them. I love the faces of small Irish people—they’re so cute.
What did your days with these dancers actually look like? They were long days spent wandering between the different competition halls, where everything follows a very specific structure: the days dedicated to team competitions, those reserved for solo events, the corridors turned into warm-up spaces, the preparations, the hair and makeup, the naps between performances, cafeteria breaks, the makeshift dressing rooms, and then, finally, the awards ceremonies. You begin to recognize the same faces and understand the unique rhythm of the competitions, with long stretches of waiting punctuated by a few minutes of incredible intensity.
What did you make of the look? I associate Ireland with a certain melancholy, a bit like Brittany, where I’m from. I love the contrast between that atmosphere and the bold aesthetic of the costumes: the vibrant colors, the sequins, the intricate embroidery, the elaborate hairstyles. These kids are maybe… not, like, Willy Wonka, but you know, it’s kind of an unreal world when you see them. The first time [you see them it’s] like ‘Oh wow.’ The outfits are extreme—in a good way—and I’m drawn to highly visual worlds, especially when they stand in contrast to their surroundings.
Being from Brittany, are you interested in Celtic stuff? When my father was alive, he would always go salmon fishing in Ireland. So I have some memories of going with him, and he loved the culture. So it’s familiar to me—it feels like home. I like the strong personality of people where the weather is bad, the rain is heavy, and it’s hard to live there.
Were the parents pushy at all? Did the kids all want to be there? I genuinely felt joy from the children and an incredible amount of support from their parents. Some of the teams from outside Europe appeared to be in a stricter environment and under more pressure, but that’s also cultural. The parents weren’t present, so I can’t really comment on their role. Once the competitions were over and the pressure had lifted, I saw those same dancers laughing, playing, and simply enjoying being together. The coach of one of those teams read a beautiful letter to the dancers before they went on stage.
What else surprised you about this Irish dancing thing? I was surprised by how difficult it was to enter this world as an outsider. It has its own codes, its own rhythm, and is a very close-knit community. But once I was welcomed in, I felt a level of solidarity and kindness that I hadn’t expected.
What struck me most was the emotional whirlwind that runs through these competitions. Within a few minutes, people go from stress to joy, from disappointment to euphoria. The dancers celebrate each other’s successes as much as their own, and the sense of belonging is incredibly strong. While shooting, I found myself crying with them because the emotions were so contagious.
Music journalism is going to the wall, and places for sensible, well-informed, nuanced takes on the latest releases are dwindling. So we thought we might as well put the final nail in the coffin.
You might argue that nobody reads record reviews anymore. Tell that to the trembling, sleep-deprived publicist forced to turn up at a Bel Air mansion this week with a fistful of Xanax in both hands and a printed copy of a Pitchfork 0.0 under one arm.
“I’m sorry Mr. Tyga, but they’re suggesting the very existence of your new record $TARFACE has made the world a worse place.”
Obviously I haven’t actually listened to this album. Instead, I laid back and imagined the above playing out like that endlessly retooled scene from Downfall, except when Hitler’s entourage have to tell him he’s lost the war, and they’re all about to die trapped like rats in a cavern underground, their voices and sobs are slathered in AutoTune, as a spectral Keyboard Cat jauntily hammers out “POWDERED DREAMS” over the bunker intercom.
This, as we’ve seen this week, is the power of the music press in 2026. To reduce the audible output of an artist’s soul to a meme.
What are the protocols for giving a record 0.0, anyway? Does Pitchfork have nuclear launch codes that need to be triple co-signed before the lowest possible score is authorized? And while the warhead was armed, did no one think to point out that the suggestion that “$TARFACE places the listener in their own personal Cronenberg film” unintentionally makes the record sound pretty sick?
Then again, what do I know, I’m not a real reviewer; my process for allotting scores is to roll a bejeweled polyhedral D&D dice and then tear down people’s dreams accordingly. I almost felt bad for savaging Dresden Dolls and Twenty One Pilots last week, but now I’m feeling that maybe I was a little too merciful. Go get the arsenic, I won’t make the same mistake again.
Matty Healy, Jack Antonoff, Bo Burnham, Lucy Dacus, Julien Baker, Maya Hawke, Cameron Winter, Alex G, and Christian Lee Hutson are all meant to be somewhere on Lost Weekend—a roster one sad girl on X described as “the Avengers of the psych ward.” It’s been a few years since I last visited a mental health facility, but I doubt too many in-patients are jamming to the new Phoebe Bridgers album. This is music for people who don’t have much wrong with them at all, beyond a chronic case of being ghosted by men that text all in lower case.
What’s that, you want more? OK, basically, this record confirms Phoebe’s status as the definitive songwriter of our parasocial moment. There are lyrical observations and anecdotes so personal they border on self-doxxing. The magical friction that every great (or even just good) record needs comes, amid this onslaught of relatability, from jarring nods to her celebrity existence—dating Paul Mescal, appearing in the new Robert Pattinson movie, etc. The effect on the listener is a form of delusional projection symptomatic of our modern derangement (comorbidities might include grippy socks as a fashion statement and treating DSM diagnostic criteria like star signs).
7/10 RAM’D ASS
Channel Tres Enigma POV Alta Music Group
It was a “hard relate” from me when I learned that the idiosyncratic thump of this new Channel Tres record was born from him watching The Wiz (1978) and breaking down in tears. I had a similar crash out while watching the Sixth Sense (1999) after one my school friends died. Sure, I didn’t make any music afterwards—let alone a record of soulful, uninhibited tech-rap—but I guess they’re different films. The big realization for Tres was that “the characters had everything they were searching for all along and that the Wiz was just a man.” While the main guy in Sixth Sense is literally dead and will never be able to speak to anyone he loves ever again. Still, this album is bouncy enough to get Bruce Willis dancing, even if the only person who can see him is that kid who looks like he’s trapped in a Southern Gothic painting.
6/10 LEE HARVEY OSMENT
Getdown Services Massive Champion Breakfast Records
Listening to the kitchen sink surrealism of the second Getdown Services record, I immediately thought of a viral tweet I saw earlier this week claiming that “pound for pound the UK might be the funniest place in the world”—engagement-bait that has naturally been QT’d hundreds of times, along with assorted footage of the eccentric chaos that passes for life in my comedy nation which somehow used to rule a quarter of the planet. Any one of these replies could be subject matter for this Somerset duo, who pan the dirty stream of everyday life and come out with gold. They might be best described as LCD Soundsystem for people who’ve just pawned their actual sound system and, unfortunately, have no way to listen to this record.
6/10 FRANK BLACK PUDDING
Maidenhead Maximum Clonage Self-released
I’m not just reviewing this because the band share a name with my hometown, but because a part of me is still trapped in the church hall where there were weekly all-ages shows. When I hit play on the purgatorial trash metal of Maximum Clonage, a ghostly moshpit consumed this teenage interzone of corpse paint and body odor, which I fear I’ll never truly escape despite disowning any music with even the hint of a blast beat the second I hit puberty.
4/10 BEVERLEY NIGHT SHIFT
James Ellis Ford Lost in Another World Domino
If I had a near-death experience like James Ellis Ford (who was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer with only a 30 percent survival rate) and my life flashed before my eyes, would it be as impressive as his: starting out in an avant-pop band before becoming a member of certified bloghaus royalty, making symphonic rock with Alex Turner from the Arctic Monkeys and some other guy, producing many of the best albums of the last 20 years, and now releasing a beguiling new solo record of oblique pop songs? The answer, obviously, is no. It would just be a collection of idiotic reviews, full of jokes and digressions, signifying nothing.
8/10 LAIKA ROLLING STONE
The Script The User’s Guide to Being Human BMG Records
Step 1: Come out of the womb covered in blood, shit, and piss, which are coincidentally the constituent ingredients of this new record by The Script.
Step 2: Learn to walk, talk, feed yourself, and make music (optional extras: develop taste and/or an artistic sensibility, have experiences which provide you with interesting things to say about the world).
Step 3: Die. There are some deluded souls who truly believe they deserve more from life than this. Those people ought to spare a thought for The Script, who never progressed past Step 1.
Subnautica 2 fans who can’t get enough of the game can now opt into the Experimental Build audience if they want to get early access to new features and help provide even more feedback on the game.
Subnautica 2 Rolls Out Experimental Mode For Xbox Insiders
Subnautica 2 launched its early access period earlier this year in May 2026 and players have had all summer to explore the depths try to survive. There have already been a handful of big updates that added new features and improvements to the game, but Unknown Worlds is far from finished.
As Subnautica 2 continues to collect feedback, test out new features, and evolve; the team is preparing to invite more players to check out the game’s experimental builds to help test out the newest updates.
As of today, Subnautica 2 Experimental is now available through the Xbox Insider Program, giving players the opportunity to experience upcoming updates early and help shape the future of the game alongside the team at Unknown Worlds.
The Experimental preview gives players access to in-development content before it’s released to all players. These builds allow the development team to gather valuable feedback, identify issues, and refine upcoming features with the help of the community.
Players who are considering checking out Subnautica 2 Experimental should keep these points in mind:
You’ll need to own Subnautica 2 or have access through an active Game Pass subscription.
Experimental builds contain content still under development and may be less stable than the regular version.
Experimental players can only play multiplayer with other Experimental players.
Saves are version-specific. Experimental saves cannot be used in the Stable version, and Stable saves cannot be used in Experimental.
How To Join the Subnautica 2 Experimental Group
On your Xbox Series X|S Console or Windows PC, sign-in and launch the Xbox Insider Hub app (or install it from the Store if needed)
Navigate to Previews > Subnautica 2 Experimental
Select Join
Wait for registration to complete, then you’ll be directed to the Store to install Subnautica 2 Experimental
The original Subnautica was in early access for around three years, so it will be very interesting to see how long Unknown Worlds continues to tinker with the sequel before the team is ready to officially call it finished.
There are likely still many updates to come, so fans should expect lots more as the year continues. Be sure to check back soon for lots more Subnautica 2 news and updates as the game’s early access period continues to evolve.
Subnautica 2 is available now in early access on PC and Xbox Series consoles.
Epic Games has announced Fortnite Sprite Spree Week, a five-day event featuring increased spawn rates for some of the rarest Sprite variants. The event kicks off with Mythic Sprite Hours on August 15 before featuring a different Fortnite Sprite variant every day through August 19. Here is the full Fortnite Sprite Spree Week schedule and when every Sprite Hour starts in your region.
Fortnite Sprite Spree Week Schedule and Start Times
Screenshot: Epic Games
Fortnite Sprite Spree Week kicks off with Mythic Sprite Hours on Saturday, August 15. Unlike the rest of the event, Mythic Hours will be split into two separate two-hour sessions featuring increased spawn rates for the rare Zero Point and Grim Sprites.
The rest of Sprite Spree Week runs continuously from August 16 through August 19, with each day focusing on a different Sprite variant for 24 hours. For example, Galaxy Hours starts on August 16 before being replaced by Holo Hours the following day.
During Sprite Spree Week, Sprites will no longer cost Sprite Dust to resummon, Campfires will grant boosted XP, Sprites will level up twice as fast, and players can earn Lucky Locators. Here is a quick overview of the complete Fortnite Sprite Spree Week schedule:
Date
Sprite Event
Duration
August 15
Mythic Hours
Two separate two-hour sessions
August 16
Galaxy Hours
24 hours
August 17
Holo Hours
24 hours
August 18
Cube Hours
24 hours
August 19
Gem Hours
24 hours
Epic Games is hosting Sprite Spree Week to help players complete their Sprite Collections before Fortnite Chapter 7 Season 3 ends on August 19. So, if you are still missing rare Galaxy, Holofoil, Cube, or Gem Sprites, this will be one of your best opportunities to find them.
That said, keeping track of the busy schedule can be confusing, especially since each event starts on a different date in some regions. For your convenience, we have created easy-to-read tables outlining when every Fortnite Sprite Spree event starts and ends worldwide.
Fortnite Mythic Sprite Hour #1 Start Times
Screenshot: Epic Games
Region
Date
Time
Pacific Time (PT)
August 15
11:00 AM–1:00 PM
Mountain Time (MT)
August 15
12:00 PM–2:00 PM
Central Time (CT)
August 15
1:00 PM–3:00 PM
Eastern Time (ET)
August 15
2:00 PM–4:00 PM
Brazil (BRT)
August 15
3:00 PM–5:00 PM
United Kingdom (BST)
August 15
7:00 PM–9:00 PM
Europe (CEST)
August 15
8:00 PM–10:00 PM
Turkey (TRT)
August 15
9:00 PM–11:00 PM
United Arab Emirates (GST)
August 15–16
10:00 PM–12:00 AM
China (CST)
August 16
2:00 AM–4:00 AM
Japan (JST)
August 16
3:00 AM–5:00 AM
South Korea (KST)
August 16
3:00 AM–5:00 AM
Australia (AEST)
August 16
4:00 AM–6:00 AM
New Zealand (NZST)
August 16
6:00 AM–8:00 AM
Fortnite Mythic Sprite Hour #2 Start Times
Region
Date
Time
Pacific Time (PT)
August 15
6:00 PM–8:00 PM
Mountain Time (MT)
August 15
7:00 PM–9:00 PM
Central Time (CT)
August 15
8:00 PM–10:00 PM
Eastern Time (ET)
August 15
9:00 PM–11:00 PM
Brazil (BRT)
August 15–16
10:00 PM–12:00 AM
United Kingdom (BST)
August 16
2:00 AM–4:00 AM
Europe (CEST)
August 16
3:00 AM–5:00 AM
Turkey (TRT)
August 16
4:00 AM–6:00 AM
United Arab Emirates (GST)
August 16
5:00 AM–7:00 AM
China (CST)
August 16
9:00 AM–11:00 AM
Japan (JST)
August 16
10:00 AM–12:00 PM
South Korea (KST)
August 16
10:00 AM–12:00 PM
Australia (AEST)
August 16
11:00 AM–1:00 PM
New Zealand (NZST)
August 16
1:00 PM–3:00 PM
Fortnite Galaxy Hours Start Times – August 16
Screenshot: Epic Games
Region
Event Dates
Start and End Time
Pacific Time (PT)
August 16–17
6:00 AM–6:00 AM
Mountain Time (MT)
August 16–17
7:00 AM–7:00 AM
Central Time (CT)
August 16–17
8:00 AM–8:00 AM
Eastern Time (ET)
August 16–17
9:00 AM–9:00 AM
Brazil (BRT)
August 16–17
10:00 AM–10:00 AM
United Kingdom (BST)
August 16–17
2:00 PM–2:00 PM
Europe (CEST)
August 16–17
3:00 PM–3:00 PM
Turkey (TRT)
August 16–17
4:00 PM–4:00 PM
United Arab Emirates (GST)
August 16–17
5:00 PM–5:00 PM
China (CST)
August 16–17
9:00 PM–9:00 PM
Japan (JST)
August 16–17
10:00 PM–10:00 PM
South Korea (KST)
August 16–17
10:00 PM–10:00 PM
Australia (AEST)
August 16–17
11:00 PM–11:00 PM
New Zealand (NZST)
August 17–18
1:00 AM–1:00 AM
Fortnite Holo Hours Start Times – August 17
Screenshot: Epic Games
Region
Event Dates
Start and End Time
Pacific Time (PT)
August 17–18
6:00 AM–6:00 AM
Mountain Time (MT)
August 17–18
7:00 AM–7:00 AM
Central Time (CT)
August 17–18
8:00 AM–8:00 AM
Eastern Time (ET)
August 17–18
9:00 AM–9:00 AM
Brazil (BRT)
August 17–18
10:00 AM–10:00 AM
United Kingdom (BST)
August 17–18
2:00 PM–2:00 PM
Europe (CEST)
August 17–18
3:00 PM–3:00 PM
Turkey (TRT)
August 17–18
4:00 PM–4:00 PM
United Arab Emirates (GST)
August 17–18
5:00 PM–5:00 PM
China (CST)
August 17–18
9:00 PM–9:00 PM
Japan (JST)
August 17–18
10:00 PM–10:00 PM
South Korea (KST)
August 17–18
10:00 PM–10:00 PM
Australia (AEST)
August 17–18
11:00 PM–11:00 PM
New Zealand (NZST)
August 18–19
1:00 AM–1:00 AM
Fortnite Cube Hours Start Times – August 18
Screenshot: Epic Games
Region
Event Dates
Start and End Time
Pacific Time (PT)
August 18–19
6:00 AM–6:00 AM
Mountain Time (MT)
August 18–19
7:00 AM–7:00 AM
Central Time (CT)
August 18–19
8:00 AM–8:00 AM
Eastern Time (ET)
August 18–19
9:00 AM–9:00 AM
Brazil (BRT)
August 18–19
10:00 AM–10:00 AM
United Kingdom (BST)
August 18–19
2:00 PM–2:00 PM
Europe (CEST)
August 18–19
3:00 PM–3:00 PM
Turkey (TRT)
August 18–19
4:00 PM–4:00 PM
United Arab Emirates (GST)
August 18–19
5:00 PM–5:00 PM
China (CST)
August 18–19
9:00 PM–9:00 PM
Japan (JST)
August 18–19
10:00 PM–10:00 PM
South Korea (KST)
August 18–19
10:00 PM–10:00 PM
Australia (AEST)
August 18–19
11:00 PM–11:00 PM
New Zealand (NZST)
August 19–20
1:00 AM–1:00 AM
Fortnite Gem Hours Start Times – August 19
Screenshot: Epic Games
Region
Event Dates
Start and End Time
Pacific Time (PT)
August 19–20
6:00 AM–6:00 AM
Mountain Time (MT)
August 19–20
7:00 AM–7:00 AM
Central Time (CT)
August 19–20
8:00 AM–8:00 AM
Eastern Time (ET)
August 19–20
9:00 AM–9:00 AM
Brazil (BRT)
August 19–20
10:00 AM–10:00 AM
United Kingdom (BST)
August 19–20
2:00 PM–2:00 PM
Europe (CEST)
August 19–20
3:00 PM–3:00 PM
Turkey (TRT)
August 19–20
4:00 PM–4:00 PM
United Arab Emirates (GST)
August 19–20
5:00 PM–5:00 PM
China (CST)
August 19–20
9:00 PM–9:00 PM
Japan (JST)
August 19–20
10:00 PM–10:00 PM
South Korea (KST)
August 19–20
10:00 PM–10:00 PM
Australia (AEST)
August 19–20
11:00 PM–11:00 PM
New Zealand (NZST)
August 20–21
1:00 AM–1:00 AM
How Long Does Fortnite Sprite Spree Week Last?
Screenshot: Epic Games
Fortnite Sprite Spree Week lasts five days, beginning with Mythic Sprite Hours on August 15 and ending with Gem Hours on August 20 at 6 AM PT. However, Mythic Hours is the only event that won’t remain active for an entire day. Instead, Epic Games will host two separate Mythic Sprite Hour sessions on August 15.
Galaxy, Holofoil, Cube, and Gem Hours will each last 24 hours, giving players considerably more time to hunt down the variants missing from their collections. Each event immediately leads into the next one, so the featured Sprite variant will change every day at 6 AM PT.
Sprite Collections Will Carry Over to Fortnite Chapter 7 Season 4
Screenshot: Epic Games
Although Chapter 7 Season 3 ends on August 19, players won’t lose their current Sprite Collections when the new season begins. Epic Games has confirmed that collected Sprites will carry over to Chapter 7 Season 4 alongside the new Sprite Garden feature.
Sprite Spree Week is therefore a final catch-up event rather than the last opportunity to use your collection. With Galaxy, Holofoil, Cube, and Gem variants receiving their own 24-hour events, players should have a much better chance of filling the remaining gaps before Fortnite Override launches on August 20.
When you get a tattoo, you’re likely doing it under the assumption that every tool and bottle of ink being used is sterile and bacteria-free. That may not be the case.
The FDA has confirmed the findings of previous studies that found roughly one-third of tattoo ink jars and permanent makeup ink contained living bacteria that could potentially end up stabbed into your skin with a needle.
The FDA’s new findings combined results from four previous investigations conducted between 2018 and 2024. Overall, 35.4 percent of the unopened inks contained bacteria. Even products that were labeled as sterile were not sterile, as 30.5 percent of 118 supposedly sterile samples were contaminated.
Researchers identified more than 250 bacterial isolates representing 94 species, including 34 classified as potential human pathogens; some of them included Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which can cause severe infections in people with weakened immune systems, and Bacillus cereus, a bacterium that is often associated with food poisoning.
FDA Researchers Found Bacteria in More Than a Third of Tattoo Inks
To be clear, this doesn’t mean that one-third of tattoos are going to lead to an infection. The study doesn’t say that any of these contaminated products can actually make anyone sick. All it’s doing is demonstrating that bacterial contamination is widespread enough that an infection arising from any of these inks could possibly be explained by the ink itself and not because the tattoo artist didn’t follow proper procedure.
For as much as the researchers have looked into contaminated tattoo ink, they still don’t know exactly how or when the contamination happens. They found no consistent patterns that reliably predicted whether a bottle of tattoo ink, whether it was labeled as sterile or not, was actually contaminated.
Feel free to get that tattoo you’ve been planning, but do it knowing that this entire industry wherein ink is permanently etched into your flesh with a needle should probably have a bit more oversight during its manufacturing process than it currently has.
Oxytocin is the hormone associated with the good vibes and positive emotions we’re all chasing: love, trust, bonding. Scientists just found that it might have a secondary role in helping the brain quickly get back to those positive feelings by making us realize that scary things maybe aren’t that scary and probably aren’t actually trying to hurt us.
According to research published in the journal Brain, researchers in Japan studied a small group of oxytocin-sensitive neurons in the brains of male mice, located in the paraventricular thalamus, the part of the brain that processes stress, motivation, and emotional behavior. The researchers suppressed the neurons, making the mice less social, less interested in being around animals they were unfamiliar with, and they had trouble learning that a place they had previously received an electric shock was now a safe space.
Scientists Found a Brain Circuit That Links Oxytocin and Fear
When those neurons were activated, they produced the opposite effect. The mice froze less after returning to the previously dangerous spot. The effect didn’t last long, though. And it didn’t make them much more sociable. All this is helping researchers understand that oxytocin isn’t just an all-natural love potion number nine.
Its effects may be situational, dependent on where and when it acts in the brain, and different neural circuits can either encourage social or antisocial behavior.
Oxytocin may be associated with positivity and good vibes, but researchers have not yet found a way to constantly activate it so we are in a perpetual state of bliss. But what the research did find is that oxytocin could help the brain to figure out when the stuff we fear isn’t really worth our time and energy, which itself could be a pretty useful discovery.
After select influencers and press had the chance to battle in New York City for a special Mewtwo, Pokemon GO is now offering the rest of the playerbase the chance to encounter a perfect Mewtwo wherever they are.
How To Catch MAxed Out Mewtwo in Pokemon GO
It may be hard to believe it but Pokemon GO has been around for a full decade at this point. To help celebrate the major milestone, the mobile game has been hosting a variety of exciting events and activities throughout the whole summer.
The latest major celebration comes in the form of a new chance for every player to earn a very special encounter with Mewtwo.
As part of the 10th anniversary celebration, Trainers around the world will be able to enjoy free Timed Research leading to an encounter with a Mewtwo with maxed-out stats and a Special Background. Mewtwo caught from the Timed Research will also have the third Mega Level unlocked for Mega Mewtwo Y.
The special free Timed Research is available Wednesday, August 12, at 4:00 p.m. PDT through Sunday, September 6, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. local time. In order to secure the special encounter, the tasks associated with this Timed Research must be completed and their rewards must be claimed before Sunday, September 6, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. local time.
Luckily, the Timed Research is a very simple one:
Catch 10 Pokémon – 1 Master Ball Power up Pokémon 10 times – 500 Mewtwo Mega Energy Overall Reward – Mewtwo (100 IV) Encounter
Players should definitely log in and take advantage of this bonus right away while it is available. It will be very interesting to see if this special opportunity helps bring lapsed players back to the mobile game. Mewtwo is a very special Pokemon to many fans and Gen I events tend to get special attention from nostalgic gamers.
Although Pokemon GO doesn’t have nearly the same dedicated player base that it had during its first year, there are still plenty of active players who will be excited to add this 100 IV Mewtwo to their collection to help commemorate the 10th birthday of the game.
A ton of features have been added to the mobile app over the years, so lapsed players who hop back in for this Timed Research may find a very different experience than what they had left behind.
Be sure to check back soon for lots more Pokemon GO news and updates.
Pokemon GO is available now in mobile devices in most regions.
Look, it might seem impossible to impress your nerdy math rock friends with music knowledge, but it’s not. In fact, I want to help you with some album recommendations.
Math rock is a genre with a complex reputation. It has roots in bands like King Crimson and Yes, which sounds kind of wild when you hear modern math rock. Then there’s the fact that many math rock bands flat-out reject the classification.
Still, the fans are very dedicated, and if you want to prove you’ve got a little knowledge of the sounds, these are the four albums I recommend you get familiar with.
‘Ruin Everything!’ by We Versus The Shark
Hailing from Athens, Georgia—just outside of Hotlanta—We Versus The Shark is a math rock band I feel is terribly underrated. They formed in the early 2000s and have put out several albums and EPs over the past two decades.
The band plays a version of math rock that’s kind of chaotically grungy, but no less melodic. Start at the beginning, though, with their debut record, Ruin Everything! It’s a deep cut, but it’s still pretty accessible.
‘Autumn of the Seraphs’ by Pinback
Pinback is not exclusively a “math rock” band. They’re indie rock, and they’re a very important and formidable indie rock band. You should definitely listen to their early stuff, regardless of this list.
But, for the sake of the list, I’m recommending you check out their 2007 record Autumn of the Seraphs. It’s, by far, their most math rock project. It’s got that complex timing, lovely melodies, and a fair use of fuzzy guitar tone. Also, refreshingly rhythmic.
‘What Burns Never Returns’ by Don Caballero
Don Caballero were groundbreaking for math rock. The (mostly) instrumental band formed in Pittsburgh in the early 90s and had a major impact on the genre, as well as indie rock overall.
Their first couple of albums are really good, but the concentrated version of their sound really comes from the third record, What Burns Never Returns. It’s quirky and off-time and paced so curiously.
Honestly, it makes a great soundtrack. I was jamming this the other day while driving through town running errands, and it just gave me so much Main Character energy. The cinematic qualities are palpable.
‘The Book About My Idle Plot on a Vague Anxiety’ by toe
There has long been a huge math rock scene in Asia, with the Japanese band Toe (or toe) being one of the more prominent acts.
What really stands out about toe is how they utilize emo elements. There is a lot from the emo musical blueprint that shows up in math rock. Particularly in guitar parts and melodies. Toe has that, but they emphasize it in a way that almost hides the math rock. Pretty soon, you’re listening to some of the best math rock ever written, and you didn’t even know it.
You should roll through toe’s entire discography at some point, but until you get there, start with their 2005 debut, The Book About My Idle Plot on a Vague Anxiety. It’s a masterpiece.
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