Somehow, we have finally arrived at the (unofficial) last weekend of summer. Depending on your Labor Day Weekend plans, this week's Friday Five has something for everyone. Need some new music for your beach playlist? Check. Want to stay inside and binge some new TV? We've got that, too. So go out and enjoy that last taste of summer!
Abhi vs. The Universe
There’s no better way to kick off this list than with one great, final beachy album for the (potentially) last beach weekend of the summer. Abhi the Nomad dropped his newest release Abhi vs. The Universe, and it’s definitely got some tunes that’ll pair well with the sand and some drinks. The vibe of the music is relaxed enough that you can just play it straight through on a hot, summer day, but if you want to cherry-pick songs to add to a playlist, some of our favorites are “Flower Baby” and “Mexico.” Most of the tracks are just very fun, with a mix of rap and chill beachy vocals accompanied by some funk-inspired instrumentals and beats. Plus, the subject matter is mostly about partying in some way, shape, or form, so there’s really nothing better to soundtrack your Labor Day Weekend.
What We Do In The Shadows Season 3
In case you’d prefer to just relax on your couch binging TV this weekend, FX and Hulu have you covered once again. What We Do In The Shadows is back for its third season, and the Taika Waititi gem appears to be just as funny as ever. Based on the very underrated movie, the show is a mockumentary following a group of vampires living in modern day Staten Island. Based on the trailer, the group seems up to its usual shenanigans, as the four main vampires attempt to blend into modern society, accompanied by their human “familiar.” This season, there’s also a battle over a throne, which should provide some good comedic drama. The show is incredibly light and funny, which is always welcome in our TV lineup. And if you haven’t seen it, that just means you have two extra seasons of great television to catch up on!
The Night House
If you’re looking for thrills and terror instead of laughs this weekend, Night House might be more your speed. The psychological horror movie starring Rebecca Hall is more intense than our usual movie selections, but it’s getting great reviews so far, and is definitely a movie you’ll want to see in theaters if you can. There are a lot of typical, creepy, mysterious haunted lakehouse-horror movie tropes -- but with a twist. The trailer alone is terrifying, at least if you aren’t a huge horror fan, filled with jump scares and bloody footprints. Horror as a genre is always better if you can see it in a room full of other people, and The Night House is no different. Not to mention, it features Sarah Goldberg, one of our favorite performers from the excellent HBO comedy Barry. While you might have to sleep with a nightlight on after seeing this one, we think it’s worth it.
Nandi Bushell & The Foo Fighters
11-year old Nandi Bushell became an internet sensation during the pandemic for her incredible drumming skills, as well as her passionate yelling while drumming. Among the many fans she picked up was none other than David Grohl, himself famously a drummer before fronting the Foo Fighters. Earlier this year, they had a virtual “drum battle,” but that doesn’t come close to what the duo pulled off over the weekend, when Nandi got to play with the Foos at their show in Los Angeles. Living every kid’s dream, Nandi got pulled up on stage, had the crowd chant her name, and got to play on the band’s most famous song, “Everlong.” To top it all off, she absolutely crushed the performance. Grohl was ecstatic for the entire song, and they made sure to give Nandi plenty of the spotlight, including a moment to let her scream it out. If you’re only going to watch one thing on the internet this week, make it this -- it’s fun, uplifting, and truly just rocks.
Chungkong Art
This week, we wanted to highlight an artist that brightens up our feed, as well as our actual workspace, with Chungkong Art. The Netherlands-based graphic designer creates awesome minimalist versions of movie and concert posters, stripping away a lot of the noise and focusing on the essence of the subject. He posted his version of the Palm Springs poster this week, which of course was one of our favorite films of 2020. The poster is so simple, but boils down a lot of the movie, and features the iconic pool floats. Across all the posters, he uses pops of bright color, often highlighting major imagery from the plot, along with the director and a major line from the script. So many major film posters are (obviously) incredibly commercial, so it’s awesome to have someone work to turn them into real art. This isn’t an ad, but we already have a couple of his posters on our walls, and definitely recommend taking a look at his shop if you want to spice up your workspace!