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Modest Mouse Fill Their 2022 Schedule With New North American Tour Dates

At the end of 2021, Modest Mouse announced a brief run of 2022 tour dates for April. Now, they’ve gone ahead and made that tour far more substantial by expanding it but a bunch of new dates, so the tour now runs from April to August.

Things kick off in Baltimore on April 18 before running through North America until early June. Then, in July, the band will be in Europe before returning to North America in August for some West Coast shows. For most of these dates, Modest Mouse will be joined by UK indie rock group The Cribs.

Check out the full list of tour dates below.

04/18 — Baltimore, MD @ Rams Head Live *
04/19 — Charlottesville, VA @ Ting Pavilion *
04/20 — Charlotte, NC @ Charlotte Metro Credit Union Amphitheatre *
04/21 — Knoxville, TN @ Knoxville Civic Auditorium and Coliseum *
04/23 — North Charleston, SC @ High Water Festival
04/24 — Birmingham, AL @ Avondale Brewing Company *
04/25 — Atlanta, GA @ Tabernacle *
04/26 — Louisville, KY @ Iroquois Amphitheater *
04/28 — Tulsa, OK @ Tulsa Theater *
04/29 — Spicewood, TX @ Luck, Texas *
05/01 — Memphis, TN @ Bealse Street Music Festival
05/14 — Las Vegas, NV @ Tony Hawk’s Weekend Jam
05/19 — Eugene, OR @ The Cuthbert Amphitheater *
05/20 — Reno, NV @ Grand Theatre at Grand Sierra Resort *
05/21 — Pasadena, CA @ Just Like Heaven
05/23 — Denver, CO @ Mission Ballroom *
05/24 — Kansas City, MO @ Grinders KC *
05/25 — Maryland Heights, MO @ Saint Louis Music Park *
05/27 — Lewiston, NY @ Artpark *
05/28 — Asbury Park, NJ @ Stone Pony Summer Stage *
05/29 — Allston, MA @ Boston Calling
05/30 — Portland, ME @ State Theatre *
06/01 — Montreal, QC @ Mtelus
06/02 — Toronto, ON @ History
06/03 — Grand Rapids, MI @ GLC Live at 20 Monroe *
06/04 — Chicago, IL @ Aragon Ballroom *
06/05 — Cleveland, OH @ Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica *
06/07 — Lafayette, NY @ Beak & Skiff Apple Orchards *
06/08 — New York City, NY @ Summerstage in Central Park *
07/01 — Stockholm, SE @ Lollapalooza Stockholm
07/03 — Werchter, BE @ Rock Werchter
07/07 — Madrid, ES @ Mad Cool Festival
07/13 — Ostrava, CZ @ Colours of Ostrava
07/16 — Paris, FR @ Lollapalooza Paris
08/19 — Portland, OR @ Pioneer Courthouse Square
08/20 — Portland, OR @ Pioneer Courthouse Square
08/22 — Vancouver, BC @ The Orpheum
08/24 — Edmonton, AB @ Edmonton Convention Centre
08/25 — Calgary, AB @ Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium
08/29 — Boise, ID @ Idaho Botanical Garden

* with The Cribs

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The Best ‘Mellow Bourbons’ Under $50, According To Bartenders

There are many sides to the bourbon equation. On one side you have the unicorn bottles that drinkers rarely stumble upon and are often marked up far beyond their sticker prices. On another, you have value bottles that are perfect for mixing your favorite cocktail. Let’s not forget the mid-range bottles, the bottom shelf dwellers, and the straight sippers that you can pour on the rocks or drink neat.

In other words, the bourbon world is complex and varied. There’s usually something for every level of whiskey drinker (often at a wide range of price points).

Today, we’re turning our attention to value bourbons that are also considered “mellow.” These are the bourbons that are affordable but don’t burn from nose to finish. Or, you know… bourbons that actually taste good but won’t break the bank like those aforementioned unicorns.

In an effort to help you stock your home bar cart for the foreseeable future, we’ve asked some of our favorite bartenders to tell us their go-to value bourbons (they’re all under $50) based on mellow, easy-drinking nature alone. Keep scrolling to see their picks.

Buffalo Trace Bourbon

Buffalo Trace
Buffalo Trace

Alejandro Mendoza, restaurant and bar manager at Hotel SLO in San Luis Obispo, California

ABV: 45%

Average Price: $24

Why This Whiskey?

Buffalo Trace Bourbon is the absolute best bang for your buck. High corn in the mash gives it a smoothness unlike any other. It’s great on its own, but perfect to mix with. It’s a personal favorite of our hotel GM as well as my base spirit for most of my whiskey-based cocktails.

Woodford Reserve

Woodford Reserve
Woodford Reserve

Lewis Caputa, lead bartender at Rosina Cocktail Lounge in Las Vegas

ABV: 45.2%

Average Price: $35

Why This Whiskey?

Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon is hard to beat. This is my standard go-to when it comes to mellow value bottles. I am a fan of chocolate and vanilla when I have bourbon and the notes that this bourbon has are second to none.

TX Bourbon

TX Bourbon
Firestone & Robertson

Zak Reynolds, bartender at The Harper in Fort Worth, Texas

ABV: 45%

Average Price: $48

Why This Whiskey?

I’m into the TX Bourbon from Firestone & Robertson. While you get the tobacco and leather initially, if you add a splash of water, it’s like the whole thing turns into a delicious pillow for your body. It’s definitely hard to beat for the price.

Old Forester 86

Old Forester 86
Old Forester

Tim Foley, general manager of Edera Italian Eatery in St. Louis

ABV: 43%

Average Price: $24

Why This Whiskey?

Old Forester 86 is my favorite everyday bourbon. I love the oak and vanilla notes and really enjoy the spiciness it pulls from the rye in the mash bill. It’s great by itself or mixed and without the guilt on a Tuesday night.

Evan Williams Single Barrel

Evan Williams Single Barrel
Evan Williams

Lee Noble, mixologist at Art in the Age in Philadelphia

ABV: 43.3%

Average Price: $28

Why This Whiskey?

Off the top of my head, Evan Williams Single Barrel Vintage is a great value and surprisingly silky and chocolatey. It’s surprisingly cheap for such a high-quality, mixable, sippable expression.

Bulleit

Bulleit
Bulleit

Subhash Sankar, head mixologist at Alaia Belize in San Pedro Town, Belize

ABV: 45%

Average Price: $29

Why This Whiskey?

Bulleit Bourbon is my pick. The bourbon is made from a mash that’s about two-thirds corn and one-third rye. Medium amber in color, with gentle spiciness and sweet oak aromas. The mid-palate is smooth with tones of maple, oak, and nutmeg. The finish is long, dry, and satiny with a light toffee flavor.

Old Forester 100

Old Forester 100
Old Forester

Robert McCarthy, bartender at Seven Square Taproom in San Francisco

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $21

Why This Whiskey?

Old Forrester 100 is my go-to bourbon. It has great tobacco, leather, oak, and vanilla notes. It doesn’t drink like a 100-proof whiskey. It’s mellow and very easy to sip.

Evan Williams Black Label

Evan Williams Black Label
Evan Williams Black Label

Mark Phelan, beverage director of 16″ On Center in Chicago

ABV: 43%

Average Price: $15

Why This Whiskey?

Evan Williams Black Label is my favorite bang-for-your-buck bourbon. At 43 percent ABV, it’s softer on the palate but still has great flavor for sipping neat all for a price that’ll have your wallet smiling back at you.

Old Grand-Dad

Old Grand-Dad
Jim Beam

John “Fitzy” Fitzpatrick, spiritual advisor at Warren American Whiskey Kitchen in Delray, Florida

ABV: 43%

Average Price: $22

Why This Whiskey?

Old Grand-Dad (both the 80 and 100 proof) is still a spirit that often gets scoffed at by whiskey newbies but is revered by those that have tasted endless amounts of bourbon. There is something about this bourbon’s bold, sweet but nicely balanced flavor profile that blows me away every time I consider it’s a “cheap” whiskey.

I almost don’t want anyone else to know how good this bourbon is. Let’s keep it to ourselves.

Larceny Small Batch

Larceny Small Batch
Larceny

Ally O’Keefe, Bartender at The Bower in New Orleans

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $25

Why This Whiskey?

Larceny has a lot of complexity and backbone to it. Flavors of crème brûlée, butterscotch, and baking spice are balanced by notes of charred oak and black pepper. It’s a great sipping bourbon, and the higher proof and bold palate make it stand out in cocktails where some other value bourbons might get lost.

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‘Euphoria’ Keeps Getting More And More Popular, Even When It’s Up Against The Super Bowl

This year’s Super Bowl between the Los Angeles Rams and Cincinnati Bengals was watched by 112.3 million viewers, making it the highest rated Big Game since the 2015 game between New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks. That’s a lot of people, obviously, but it didn’t put a dent in the ratings for Euphoria. In fact, the latest episode of the HBO series, which aired the same time as the Super Bowl, was its biggest yet.

Euphoria hit another series high with episode six of its second season on Sunday,” Variety reports, “drawing 5.1 million viewers across HBO and HBO Max, a 20 percent increase from last week and up 45 percent from the season average.” Season two was already literally 100 percent more popular than season one — it’s even higher now.

Per HBO, on Sunday, “Euphoria ranked as the #1 title on HBO Max in the US for the 5th week in a row and the top series globally (including HBO Max viewership in Latin America and Europe.) Euphoria was the #1 most social and #1 most talked about broadcast when excluding the Super Bowl. Episode one is now tracking at 16.7 million viewers across platforms, just over 2.5x the average audience of season one (6.6 million viewers per episode).”

If HBO is worried that the Game of Thrones spin-off might bomb, well, it’s not too late to put Sydney Sweeney and Zendaya in Targaryen wigs. Just in case.

(Via Variety)

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Craft Beer Experts Share Their Absolute Favorite Session Beers For Winter

Porters, barrel-aged stouts, and strong ales are great in winter. But they’re… a lot — heavy, thick, and often high in ABVs. That’s where session beers come in.

If you’re new to this term, “session beer” refers to a beer with a lower ABV. They usually sit between two and five percent and can touch on everything from stouts (Guinness is only 4.2 percent ABV) to lagers to IPAs to ales. Anything you might have a few of in any give beer-drinking “session.”

To help you find the best session beers to drink as winter wanes, we asked some well-known craft beer experts, brewers, and beer professionals to tell us their picks for the best wintry session beers. Keep scrolling to see all of their picks!

Live Oak Hefeweizen

Live Oak Hefeweizen
Live Oak

Kevin Smolar, lab manager at Sun King Brewery in Indianapolis

ABV: 5.3%

Average Price: $9 for a six-pack

Why This Beer?

Wheat beers were the first style that got me into craft beer. That love for them fell by the wayside over the years but was rekindled the first time I tried Live Oak’s Hefeweizen. It’s a perfect example of the style. The blend and balance between the banana/bubblegum esters and the clove phenols are outstanding. The wheat in it comes through with such a fresh, sweet flavor that I ask for this beer anytime I know someone traveling through Texas.

It’s a great year-round beer but there’s something about it during the cold, Indiana winter that just makes me happy.

Barrel + Beam Petit

Barrel + Beam Petit
Barrel + Beam

Garth E. Beyer, certified Cicerone® and owner and founder of Garth’s Brew Bar in Madison, Wisconsin

ABV: 5%

Average Price: Limited Availability

Why This Beer?

Petit by Barrel + Beam is a farmhouse saison that is the perfect winter sessionable beer. Everything about it is low-key but super refreshing and it lifts the spirits up during the cooler months. It has a very slight hoppiness to it while holding notes of morning dew and barnyard.

Jack’s Abby Post Shift Pilsner

Jack’s Abby Post Shift Pilsner
Jack

Joe Connolly, director of Springdale Beer Co. in Framingham, Massachusetts

ABV: 4.7%

Average Price: $9.50 for a four-pack of 16-ounce cans

Why This Beer?

I’m sticking to pilsner this season. German styles with snappy hop character can stand up to real hearty flavors without alcohol intensity. I’m still enthralled by the tweaks the team at Jack’s Abby Post Shift Pilsner has made this year, which is pouring better than ever with a huge cap of foam.

Little Dry Creek Broken Arrow Altbier

Little Dry Creek Broken Arrow Altbier
Little Dry Creek

Ryan Pachmayer, head brewer at Yak & Yeti Brewpub and Restaurant in Arvada, Colorado

ABV: 5.5%

Average Price: Limited Availability

Why This Beer?

Little Dry Creek Brewing’s Broken Arrow Altbier is a newer one for me. It’s difficult to balance an Alt beer and this brewery does a fantastic job of it. The hop bitterness is firm but doesn’t distract from the maltiness or drinkability of the beer. A very complex and delicious offering from a newer brewery.

Nola Brown Ale

Nola Brown Ale
Nola

Indy Grap, brewer at Urban South Brewery in New Orleans

ABV: 3.9%

Average Price: Limited Availability

Why This Beer?

NOLA Brown Ale from NOLA Brewing has a low ABV but a big flavor. Warm and cozy, this beer is the perfect come-down from a busy holiday season. It also goes well with a shot of whiskey if you have had a particularly stressful time.

Guinness Draught

Guinness Draught
Guinness

John Montes De Oca, co-head brewer at Barebottle Brewery in San Francisco

ABV: 4.2%

Average Price: $8 for a four-pack of 15-ounce cans

Why This Beer?

When in doubt, I always reach for a Guinness Draught. It’s light, creamy, and refreshing. It has hints of roasted malts and chocolate to help quell your sweet tooth. Even though it is dry and has a pretty low ABV, it feels heartier than most other beer, making it a great transition from big bombastic winter beers to springtime IPAs and lagers.

Chuckanut Helles Lager

Chuckanut Helles Lager
Chuckanut

Chris Hotz, research and development brewer at Ballast Point Brewing in San Diego

ABV: 5%

Average Price: Limited Availability

Why This Beer?

I would define a session beer as anything five percent or below and is easy drinking. Chuckanut Helles Lager meets that definition and has proven its worthiness with a handful of GABF medals. This beer is less hoppy than a pilsner while still highlighting the bready maltiness from high-quality Pilsner malt.

There is nothing to hide behind in a beer like this and is representative of the quality of the brewing and brewers at Chuckanut Brewing.

Writer’s Pick: Pilsner Urquell

Pilsner Urquell
Pilsner Urquell

ABV: 4.4%

Average Price: $10 for a six-pack

Why This Beer?

In our opinion, there’s no wrong time of year for a crisp, refreshing, well-balanced pilsner. And there are few better than the classic Czech-made Pilsner Urquell with its slightly malty, sweet, and dry flavor. It pairs just as well with wintry activities as it does with steamy, humid summer days.

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Whoops! A Conservatives-Only Dating App Has The Same Name As A White Supremacist Website

Where to begin with Peter Thiel? The right-wing venture capitalist and “scourge of Silicon Valley” exploited a middle-class tax break to make billions for himself, helped destroy Gawker, and earlier this month, announced that he was leaving Meta (that’s good) to support pro-Donald Trump candidates in the 2022 midterm elections (that’s not great). “It’s bordering on fascism,” Thiel’s biographer, Max Chafkin, told Time about the PayPal co-founder’s philosophies. “He is hostile to the idea of democracy. That’s pretty scary when you consider the role the companies that he’s been involved in play.”

Speaking of fascism…

Axios reports that Thiel is forking over “$1.5 million into a seed round for a new conservative dating app called The Right Stuff,” which will “be catered to conservatives living primarily in big, progressive cities” and “feel like any other standard dating app,” just with more Confederate flags. The same number of fish photos, though.

If “The Right Stuff” (which was created by Trump’s ex-political aide John McEntee), sounds familiar, that’s because it’s also the name of a “neo-Nazi, Holocaust denial, and white nationalist conspiracy theory” website founded by Mike Peinovich. Hmm.

Here’s how the New Yorker described it in 2017:

Once an obscure blog about “post-libertarian” politics, the site is now a breeding ground for some of the most florid racism on the Internet. One of its pages is set up to accept donations, in dollars or bitcoins; another is devoted to “fashy memes,” songs and images that extol fascism in an antic, joking-but-not-joking tone. The podcasts — amateurish talk shows hosted by bilious young men who make Rush Limbaugh sound like Mr. Rogers — are not available on iTunes, Spotify, or any other major platform, and yet collectively they draw tens of thousands of listeners a week.

We didn’t know how good we had it with the Jeremy Renner app. The Right Stuff is expected to launch this summer.

(Via Axios)

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Kanye West Takes ‘Accountability’ For ‘Harassing’ Kim Kardashian And Sharing Screenshots

Over the past week, Kanye West has drawn plenty of attention for his posts goading ex-wife Kim Kardashian and her new boyfriend Pete Davidson. His all-caps tirades included accusations that Kardashian tried to kidnap their children and prevent him from seeing them, while she tried to get him to address their family issues privately. However, today, he deleted those posts and appeared to take a new tack in dealing with the situation.

“I’ve learned that using all caps makes people feel like I’m screaming at them,” he wrote in the caption of a new, more moderate-seeming post. “I’m working on my communication. I can benefit from a team of creative professionals, organizers, mobilizers and community leaders. Thank everybody for supporting me. I know sharing screen shots was jarring and came off as harassing Kim. I take accountability. I’m still learning in real time. I don’t have all the answers. To be good leader is to be a good listener.”

Totally aside from making people feel like he’s yelling at them, Ye had also lashed out at longtime collaborator Kid Cudi for being friendly with Davidson while referencing his demand that Billie Eilish apologizes to Travis Scott, and even offered to pay comedian Michael Che to leave Saturday Night Live where he works with Pete. Hopefully, this new post means he’s turned a corner and found a better outlet for his frustration than social media.

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Is ‘And Just Like That…’ Comedian Che Diaz Truly Funny? Sarah Jessica Parker Is Reportedly Staying Diplomatic

Ah, Che Diaz. I initially wasn’t wild about the And Just Like That… character who romanced Miranda Hobbes and ended up being vilified through memes. The character, portrayed by Sara Ramirez, was only part of what made the HBO Max revival feel more like a horror show that initially planned, but Che made things interesting. Much moreso than if Miranda had cheated on Steve with another character as the show originally intended. Yet is Che, who is both a stand-up comedian and a podcaster, actually funny? Ehhhh, not really.

And when Sarah Jessica Parker visited Watch What Happens Now to speak with Andy Cohen, she reportedly wasn’t feeling the question. That part doesn’t appear in the above clip, but via Vanity Fair and The Wrap, Parker stayed mum on her true feelings. “I feel that I’m not in a position to declare whether Che’s comedy is funny or not,” Sarah Jessica declared. “Nor does it matter what I think.”

Fair enough, Che can stay a villain for the ages, but above, Sarah Jessica did address how showrunner and head writer Michael Patrick King led the charge on conveying Samantha’s absence through text massages. And as for why Carrie didn’t swiftly take action after finding Big on the ground (after his heart attack), SJP argued that it was a moment of “suspended animation.” She added, “It’s this moment where everything stops, and whatever collapsing of time that happens does not stop her from taking care of somebody in a fashion that you would want and expect from your partner.”

Well, that’s a perspective, for sure, but perhaps Big simply needed to die, so that Carrie could be propelled into living. You can watch the full video above.

(Via Vanity Fair & The Wrap)

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My Morning Jacket Has Set Dates For An Extensive Tour Across The US

My Morning Jacket is hitting the road for an extensive new tour in 2022, with special guests Madison Cunningham, Indigo de Souza, and Joy Oladokun. This tour will see the band perform their first hometown live show in six years in Louisville, Kentucky, as well as the return of their all-inclusive concert, My Morning Jacket’s One Big Holiday. One Big Holiday will take place over the course of three days in March and will see them joined by their favorite bands and artists, including Brittany Howard, Lord Huron, Black Pumas, Washed Out, and more.

The rest of the tour will kick off on April 19th at the Orpheum Theatre in Memphis, Tennessee and will continue until September 24th at the Orion Amphitheatre in Huntsville, Alabama. On June 24th, they will perform an intimate concert at Iroquois Amphitheater in their hometown with support from River City Drum Corps and Kiana & the Sun Kings. Proceeds from this show will benefit Change Today, Change Tomorrow, a Louisville-based non-profit working to fight racial injustice in education, access to healthy food, and proper health care. On June 25th, My Morning Jacket will headline Louisville’s Waterfront Park, joined by Louisville Leopard Percussionists and Producing A Kind Generation.

For their upcoming tour, My Morning Jacket has partnered with PLUS1, with $1 from each ticket supporting social justice, mental health and climate-conscious non-profits.

Check out My Morning Jacket’s upcoming tour dates below.

03/02 — Cancún, MX @ Moon Palace – My Morning Jacket’s One Big Holiday
03/03 — Cancún, MX @ Moon Palace – My Morning Jacket’s One Big Holiday
03/04 — Cancún, MX @ Moon Palace – My Morning Jacket’s One Big Holiday
03/05 — Cancún, MX @ Moon Palace – My Morning Jacket’s One Big Holiday
04/19 — Memphis, TN @ Orpheum Theatre *
04/20 — Knoxville, TN -@ Knoxville Civic Auditorium *
04/22 — Raleigh, NC @ Red Hat Amphitheater *
04/23 — N. Charleston, SC @ High Water Music Festival ‡
04/24 — Miramar Beach, FL @ Moon Crush Festival ‡
04/27 — Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall Lawn *
04/28 — Dallas, TX @ The Factory in Deep Ellum *
04/29 — Austin, TX @ Moody Amphitheater *
05/01 — Atlanta, GA @ Shaky Knees Music Festival ‡
06/21 — Cleveland, OH @ Jacobs Pavilion ^
06/22 — Pittsburgh, PA @ Stage AE ^
06/24 — Louisville, KY @ Iroquois Amphitheater **
06/25 — Louisville, KY @ Louisville Waterfront ***
06/28 — Rochester Hills, MI @ Meadow Brook Amphitheatre ^
06/29 — Columbus, OH @ Kemba Live! ^
07/01 — Madison, WI @ Breese Stevens Field ^
07/02 — Chicago, IL @ Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island ^
08/11 — Seattle, WA @ Marymoor Park †
08/12 — Bend, OR @ Hayden Homes Amphitheater †
08/14 — Palo Alto, CA @ Frost Amphitheater †
08/16 — Santa Barbara, CA @ Santa Barbara Bowl †
08/17 — Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Forever Cemetery †
08/19 — Taos, NM @ Kit Carson Park †
08/23 — Dillon, CO @ Dillon Amphitheater †
08/24 — Dillon, CO @ Dillon Amphitheater †
08/26 — Morrison, CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre †
08/27 — Morrison, CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre †
09/16 — New Haven, CT @ Westville Music Bowl †
09/19 — Charlottesville, VA @ Ting Pavilion †
09/20 — Wilmington, NC @ Live Oak Bank Pavilion †
09/22 — Asheville, NC @ Rabbit Rabbit †
09/23 — Nashville, TN @ Ascend Amphitheater †
09/24 — Huntsville, AL @ Orion Amphitheater †

* with Madison Cunningham
^ with Indigo de Souza
† with Joy Oladokun
** with River City Drum Corps and Kiana & the Sun Kings
*** with Louisville Leopard Percussionists and Producing A Kind Generation
‡ festival performance

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Spafford Shares Their Guide To Phoenix, Just In Time For M3F Music Festival

Spring is around the corner (finally!), which means weekly beach trips, fruity cocktails, and outdoor adventures are soon to make their return to our everyday lives. Perhaps the most exciting springtime staple of them all is the slew of music festivals to come in 2022.

One of the first festivals on the spring lineup is M3F — a non-profit festival in downtown Phoenix, Arizona happening on March 4th and 5th. The two-day event, which donates 100 percent of proceeds to charity, will feature performances by ZHU, Leon Bridges, Kaytranada, Jungle, Parcels, Spafford, A R I Z O N A, Bryce Vine, Surf Mesa, and a whole gang of other highly recognized artists.

It’s safe to say M3F is worth making the weekend trip to Phoenix for on its own. But if you’re visiting the “Valley of the Sun” for the festival and you’re looking for the best things to eat, do, and see while you’re in town — you know, when you’re not raging to ear-blasting music in a crowd — keep reading below. Spafford, a Phoenix-based band on the M3F lineup, is giving you the rundown on their favorite local (and local-adjacent) gems.

Brian Moss — Guitar

Salazar Bros

Phoenix, Arizona Guide
Via Davin N. & Yelp

I’ve been lucky to live across the street from Salazar Bros for many years and probably have consumed more burritos from this hole-in-the-wall than any other since I moved to Arizona in 2003. Their food has always been consistently great quality, super-fast, and muy delicioso.

Go for the California Burrito — sour cream on the side and an orange Fanta. Ask for the red salsa.

Salt River

Phoenix, Arizona Guide
@andydilling

Salt River is one of my favorite places to go when I need nature fast. There are many pull-offs and recreation areas leading all the way up the river with beautiful views of the mountains that surround it. My family’s favorite spot is Coon Bluff. It is great for hiking, fishing, and swimming. There is a great chance you will run into wild horses as well!

Highly recommended if you’ve never been.

Jordan Fairless — Bass

Childs-Irving Power Plant

Phoenix Guide
Via USDA

When you really want to get out and beat the heat or spend a few days camped out in close proximity to some hot springs, there is no place like Fossil Creek and the old Childs-Irving Power Plant. It’s a little bit of a drive from Phoenix but worth it on a hot summer day.

Amazing waterfalls, a journey to a hot spring, what’s not to love?

LoLo’s Chicken and Waffles

One of my favorite memories is going to LoLo’s Chicken and Waffles down the street from Last Exit Live before shows. Being a southern boy from Tennessee, it’s hard for me to turn down fried chicken and Kool-Aid! I suggest the Tre Tre with a large jar of Red Kool-Aid.

Nick Tkachyk — Drums

Cartel Roasting Co.

If you want a delicious, house-roasted pick-me-up and a modern, hip environment to hang out in, Cartel Roasting Co. is the spot. It’s in the heart of downtown Tempe with all the cool kids to look at and espressos to dump down your gullet.

Kiwanis Park

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What I love about Kiwanis Park is how huge it is. It’s like three parks in one! It’s full of active people doing active stuff. It even has a lake with ducks and fish in it!*

*You can pretty spend an entire afternoon at Kiwanis Park. With sports amenities like a baseball diamond, basketball courts, batting range, soccer fields, softball fields, swimming, tennis courts, urban fishing, and volleyball courts, you’ll never run out of things to do. Not to mention, the picnic tables and open grass areas make a great place to enjoy lunch before heading into the M3F music festival.

Worth Takeaway

Phoenix Guide 2022
Worth Takeaway

You gotta try the crispy chicken sandwich and banana pudding at Worth Takeaway! It’s a mom-and-pop sandwich shop in downtown Mesa equipped with its own merchandise. You can see me wearing their “kindness club” tee.

Andrew “Red” Johnson — Keys

Chino Bandido

Chino Bandido is one of the BEST restaurants in the valley! It’s a perfect blend of Asian and Mexican food. Don’t forget a snickerdoodle for dessert!*

*The restaurant’s blend of traditional flavors from Mexican and Asian cuisines — with menu items like jerk fried rice, burritos, and combination rice bowls — is beloved for being deeply satisfying. Sounds like the ultimate festival hangover cure.

Desert Vista Trailhead

Phoenix Arizona Guide
City of Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department

My favorite hike in the valley is the Dixie Mountain Loop from the Desert Vista Trailhead. It’s about a five-mile loop and if you go mid-week you usually have the trail to yourself. If you’re lucky, you might see the owl in its nest.

Dobbins Lookout

Phoenix Guide 2022
City of Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department

One of the best places in Phoenix to catch a sunset is Dobbins Lookout on top of South Mountain. The drive up and down is a little sketchy, but the views are totally worth it!

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A Lot Of People Tuned In To The ‘Book Of Boba Fett’ Finale

The season one finale of The Book Of Boba Fett drew in a lot of fans when it dropped last week. The total viewership clocked in at 1.5M U.S. households during their tracking period, which is Wednesday to Sunday. In comparison, The Mandalorian, Disney+’s other Star Wars show, pulled in 1.1M for its second season finale in Dec. 2020, which is 36&

Boba Fett’s explosive finale (literally) was directed by action movie legend Robert Rodriguez and written by Star Wars fan favorite Jon Favreau and Noah Kloor. The finale brought this chapter of Fett’s book to a close, by bringing Mando back together with his BFF Baby Yoda aka Grogu.

“The momentum and excitement for the first season of The Book of Boba Fett certainly carried through to the finale,” said Cole Strain, Samba TV’s Head of Measurement, which tracks viewer data and demographics. “In fact, the 1.5M U.S. households watching the debut season’s finale through the weekend was 36% higher than The Mandalorian’s season two finale. Disney has done a great job creating strong original content that keeps viewers engaged and coming back for more.”

While the reviews for Boba Fett haven’t been amazing, the show did receive some praise for some of its comedic elements and plot points, thanks to Amy Sedaris. Still, Disney has not announced if there will be a second season of Fett’s adventures, or if this particular book has been closed.

On the other hand, production of season three of The Mandalorian expected to begin any day now.