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Entertainment




The effect of COVID-19 on the Muncie DIY scene

As summer draws near, music festivals and artists typically blast social media and their websites with promotional videos and pre-sale ticket options. But social distancing guidelines issued to stop the spread of COVID-19 — a disease that has taken the lives of more than 323,000 globally — has taken center stage. Although many fans are sympathetic to the regulations, they are bummed at the slew of music festivals and concerts that are either being cancelled or postponed. Many are worried about the long-term impact of the pandemic on the music scene.


X Lovers deserve more appreciation

With dreamy, soft vocals over a relaxed electronic beat, it’s difficult not to fall head-over-heels in love with pop duo X Lovers. This duo consists of London Jackson and Jacob Ames. They are childhood best friends who met in fourth grade in their hometown of Nevada City, California, and have been inseparable since then. Jackson is the vocalist and tends to most of the songwriting while Ames produces all their music. They are stars on the rise and — in my eyes — they deserve more appreciation. 



An update on the movie industry

The past few weeks have affected the movie industry in a variety of ways. Ever since stay-at-home and shelter-in-place orders were put in place, theaters across the world have shut down indefinitely without any assurance of when they’ll reopen. With the closing of theaters, many films that were to be released in the months between March and July have either been assigned new release dates or pushed back indefinitely. Not only have movie studios and those who work on films been greatly affected, but theaters themselves have been taking major blows after being forced to shut down. With the quarantine put in place and no definite answer for when it will be lifted, the movie industry has had to learn how to roll with the punches and adapt to a new world.


Five best post-apocalyptic novels to read while in quarantine

Each day feels more like we’re living in a strange apocalyptic movie. Everything in life is canceled and grocery stores are completely out of paper products. In the midst of these strange times, many of us have endless downtime to catch up on movies and TV shows we’ve been wanting to watch. Another great opportunity to keep ourselves occupied while we’re all sitting at home keeping our distance from one another is the chance to catch up on some books we’ve been intending to read. 




LGBTQ-friendly music for your Valentines day

Every year, Feb. 14 rolls around to provide the world with a very particular feeling; the feeling of pressure, love, disappointment, and a certain capitalistic expression of love and devotion that we cannot seem to shake. No matter what the 14th brings you, at least we have love songs. In particular, the industry has recently been booming with queer love songs that deserve recognition and could accompany you and a loved one or significant other this Valentine’s Day. 


More than just brawlers: these are the cutest ‘Smash Ultimate’ characters

Over its 20-year history, Smash Bros. has gone beyond a simple fighting game. Smash Bros. brings Nintendo icons to a celebration of gaming history that transcends anything Masahiro Sakurai had originally envisioned. There is no other franchise where global phenomenons like Final Fantasy, Street Fighter, and even Metal Gear Solid can all cross paths and present a small piece of their historical influence. Truly, Super Smash Bros. is the most ambitious crossover of all time. So with a new roster addition arriving to the Switch, we decided to take a look at the current selection of characters and decide which of these fighters could also win on the runway.