On December 15, 2025, on a chilly Monday night in New York City, I found myself standing in a familiar venue, Mercury Lounge, waiting for Ella Mai to take the stage for her first U.S. headline show in over two years. There was something special about knowing she was returning to the same place where she once played her first headline show in NYC—it felt like a full-circle moment, not just for her, but for the fans who have been following her journey for years. Despite the col

Last Wednesday, on October 29, 2025, at my favorite NYC venue, Mercury Lounge, the Violent Dream Tour brought us all back to the Tumblr days. If you were around in 2014, you know Johnnie Guilbert, maybe not by name, but you know him. Johnnie was THEE Tumblr boy. When you think of "e-boy", you picture Johnnie. Since then, he has developed a platform across all socials, from Tumblr boy to Youtube icon, and now music frontman. Johnnie delivered emotional sets built for the small