Remember the Alabama Shakes–the best band of 2011. At the heart of the band is guitarist and singer Brittany Howard, described by my wife as “a cross between Janis Joplin and Amy Winehouse” when we saw them performing live in early December at the Mercury Lounge in Manhattan. Probably the best live gig I’ve seen in a while. At the Mercury Lounge we stood for long periods just staring at Howard working the mic. The rest of the band can play too. Anyway, in the video above you can see another one of Alabama Shakes more recent live performances–and Howard’s talents as a performer–captured on video. Go see them before they’re really famous.

Further Reading

À qui s’adresse la CAN ?

Entre le coût du transport aérien, les régimes de visas, la culture télévisuelle et l’exclusion de classe, le problème de l’affluence à la CAN est structurel — et non le signe d’un manque de passion des supporters.

Lions in the rain

The 2025 AFCON final between Senegal and Morocco was a dramatic spectacle that tested the limits of the match and the crowd, until a defining moment held everything together.