Since The Weeknd is performing at the Super Bowl Halftime show, I thought it’d be nice to post a little guide to his discography for anyone interested in looking to do a deep dive into his work. I would’ve posted this the day of the event, but I assume that some people would probably like to go through it over the weekend.
This shares a direct overview of his released material, talking about his career and the background of the music, the videos, the meanings and all. I’ve written this from a pop perspective, keeping in mind that his history might be fairly new for general pop fans.
I also go into the storyline of the red suit character, if your interested in catching up on that narrative before the Halftime show (which will continue the story), I’ve listed the chronological order below followed by an explanation of that narrative.
I wanna be clear that the interpretations/theories are not conclusive. Abel rarely shares the metaphors or meanings behind his music. This is based on widely based on fan discussion/mutual interpretation. Fans can feel free to expand on anything in the comments.
It is important to know about Abel's backstory to get a certain perspective of where he’s coming from, especially when discussing the songs that deal with substance abuse. These recent articles cover his early years really well and share an up-to-date point of view of his success.
Variety 2020
Billboard 2021 - Also a good source for getting to know his team.
So, an essential TL;DR is this: Abel Tesfaye came from a broken home, he was born to Ethiopian immigrant parents who split up when Tesfaye was less than seven. He then lived with his mother and grandmother, only rarely seeing his father but having a nice impression of him. His drug addiction started as soon as he was a high schooler, he turned to shoplifting to pay for this need of various substances. Soon he dropped out of high school, leaving his home the same weekend, which would later inspire his stage name, The Weeknd. The name is reference/homage to the weekend his life changed.
Quick side note, I didn’t think this post would nearly reach the character limit. So I’ve cut out excess detail and lists of producers (with the exception of After Hours since we’re in that era).
Table of contents

1. XO.
2. House of Balloons.
3. Thursday.
4. Echoes of Silence.
5. Trilogy.
6. Kiss Land.
7. King of the Fall.
8. Beauty Behind The Madness.
9. Starboy.
10. My Dear Melancholy.
11. After Hours.

XO.

XO is the record label that The Weeknd and co. created in order to publish the first mixtape (House of Balloons) and the ones that would follow afterwards. XO has a lot of meanings that have to do with what went into the music and what still goes into it. XO is what the fans call themselves, popularly with the phrase XO Till We OD (shortened to XOTWOD); another way of saying “we’re ride or die for The Weeknd and his team.”
While some argue that it could mean anything since there isn’t clear meaning to it, fans continue to associate the abbreviation with ecstasy (X) and oxycontin (O). That definition stems from XOTWOD, fans assume it’s true because of the team’s history of drug usage. While others take it as it’s classical definition “hugs and kisses” because of the consistent lyrical nature of The Weeknd’s songs.
Overtime the definition of XO is simply known as: the fans, the crew, and the label. The Weeknd is more than just one person, he comes with XO. For the sake of clarity in this writeup, I’m going to refer to his crew as XO and the fans as “the fans.”
XO still serves as a record label, the current roster is The Weeknd, Belly, Nav, and Black Atlass. It remains The Weeknd’s record label and was his first label before becoming a subsidiary of Republic Records.
Throughout his career, The Weeknd has worked with Illangelo, a Canadian producer who’s work the fans adore. Carlo “Illangelo” Montagnese was one of main the producers on The Weeknd’s Trilogy, he’s credited on each track. The fan base claims his work to be some of the most notable artistry in The Weeknd’s discography. Their work together continued with Beauty Behind The Madness, Illangelo worked on seven tracks for that album. He then returned for After Hours working on another seven tracks.
DaHeala, another Canadian producer, is another significant factor in The Weeknd’s music. Jason “DaHeala” Quenneville worked as lead producer on Kiss Land. He returned to work on six tracks for The Weeknd’s Beauty Behind The Madness, including the hit Earned It. DaHeala returned as a writer for six of the songs on Starboy. Then DaHeala worked on nine After Hours tracks, and worked as the only producewriter alongside The Weeknd for bonus tracks Missed You and Final Lullaby.

House of Balloons.

Didn't wanna make this NSFW, so here's the super clean edited cover

This is a happy house. We’re happy here. (House of Balloons/Glass Table Girls)

One of the most iconic title tracks of all time. House of Balloons is about a lifestyle of drugs, sex, and partying; all in effort to drown out self-doubt. It comes from a place of wanting to make it big while doing what you can to survive, all while pretending everything’s alright. The mixtape describes various sorts of women, how they’ve had impacted the life of someone who’s already down on his luck.
Fans often refer to House of Balloons as The Weeknd’s best work. The mixtape was the first introduction the world got of XO, and it was one hell of a way to make an impression. It’s personal for the fans and Abel because it’s the only piece of work known to be based on his life. At the end of the day he’s a songwriter, with many of his albums he creates scenarios and world that he likes to explore through the music. But House of Balloons is known to be based entirely on his life. It remains The Weeknd’s most critically acclaimed work.
House of Balloons was crafted through the influences of Hip-Hip/Indie-Rock with the main focus on R&B. Through the genius of Ilangelo, the record was—and is—mesmerizing capturing the essence of a lifestyle that The Weeknd described as “anti-everything.”
House of Balloons assisted The Weeknd in gaining the attention of Republic Records, which would then host The Weeknd’s own label XO. Though hesitant at first, XO decided to partner with Republic after the co-founding brothers Monte and Avery Lipman kept coming back to Toronto solely for The Weeknd.
House of Balloons received three videos, The Knowing, Wicked Games and Twenty Eight. The Knowing was the very first video The Weeknd made, so of course it’d be something other-worldly; it essentially reflects the song itself but in a sci-fi setting. Twenty Eight represents Abel’s life after fame but also his remorse of letting captivating women into his life.
Fun fact— House of Balloons is an actual place in Toronto, it was where him and his crew lived after he dropped out of high school. They’d host parties, call girls, do drugs, and to make it less depressing they’d fill it with balloons.

Thursday.

Valerie on the cover

Welcome to the other side. (Life of the Party)

Thursday consists of the same themes as HoB; sex and drugs. But there’s a twist, he’s in a semi-relationship with this girl Valerie. She’s the only one on his mind, even though they meet only one day of the week, any guesses on what day that could be? Through The Weeknd’s phenomenal voice and the insane production, we’re also presented with this story of a toxic relationship where Valerie used to have the upper hand but she no longer does when she falls for The Weeknd.
While Thursday isn’t entirely about the relationship of The Weeknd and Valerie, it consists of reflections to Abel’s life after the release of House of Balloons. The song Rolling Stone notably has a double meaning, in which Abel asks his fans if they’ll stick with him when he gets mainstream appeal and decides to change his sound.
The track Valerie wasn’t on the original release of Thursday, it added when Trilogy was released. Ending the mixtape with Heaven or Las Vegas meant that The Weeknd’s actions with and without Valerie were a result of his fatherless childhood, making him push anyone away. That meaning behind Thursday doesn’t change when Valerie is added to the track list, it just means that both want the toxic relationship back.
The Zone (feat. Drake) was the first feature The Weeknd had on any of his work, the video for it was released in November of 2012. Rolling Stone had also received a video in October of 2012. Both were directed by The Weeknd and reflect the two different aspects of Thursday. The Zone has Valerie living it up in the House of Balloons. And Rolling Stone has The Weeknd doing a photoshoot for Trilogy, reflective of the song itself.
Fun Fact— the female voice heard in Lonely Star is The Weeknd’s, he pitched his voice to make it sound like a woman’s.

Echoes of Silence.

Diana on the cover

Laisse tomber les filles. Un jour c'est toi qu'on laissera. [Leave the girls alone. One day it’ll be you they will leave.] (Montreal)

Out of a dark introductory into the early life of The Weeknd, Echoes of Silence is the darkest work of his Trilogy. Let’s be honest the story here isn’t entirely ethical at times but makes for one hell of a mixtape.
Similar to Thursday, Echoes of Silence follows a storyline. After accumulating success, The Weeknd gains the attention of various women. There was this one woman (D.D.) who he liked but she initially rejected him (Montreal). The woman came back to him for his fame status and evidently fell in love with him (Outside), but now that he’s got the upper hand he treats him like a groupie (XO/The Host) and lets... bad things happen to her; she’s gotta pass a test before she can get with him. This test is either drugs or his crew (Initiation). He ultimately tells this woman that he’s not exactly longterm-relationship material, perhaps because her love is temporary (Same Old Song), because he’s Next. With the end of Echoes of Silence (originally ending on the title track) the listener is left to wonder why The Weeknd left her if he’d simply want her to stay.
As a side note— Initiation should not be condoned. It remains true that The Weeknd is a songwriter and the progression of time has changed perspectives. But a song that makes such suggestions as Initiation should not be ethically/morally claimed or celebrated.
The mixtape follows The Weeknd’s lifestyle after he’s gained all this success, he’s still the same person but now he’s gotten everything he wanted. Some tracks such as The Fall continue to emphasize his journey into stardom and his acceptance of fame being temporary. With the added Till Dawn (Here Comes The Sun), The Weeknd acknowledges the changes in his life, realizing that the old lifestyle is no longer there for him or his past lovers.
Echoes of Silence is known as an underrated gem of The Weeknd’s discography, it’s well received by fans and critically acclaimed but often brushed under the rug in discussion of his work. A lot of fans and casual listeners play the mixtapes through Trilogy rather than their respective albums. This often leads to people not playing EoS either at all or only the first few tracks, this is predominantly due to the nature of the compilation being nearly three hours long.
Fun fact— D.D. is a cover of Michael Jackson’s iconic Dirty Diana. Fans have named the woman in Echoes of Silence Diana because of this track. Various theories argue that the mixtape itself is based on the Dirty Diana itself with exaggerations of the truth, or whether or not it’s a story The Weeknd crafted based on the song.

Trilogy.

Rolling Stone video doubled as a shoot

You don’t know what’s in store. (High For This.)

Trilogy is a compilation of The Weeknd’s mixtapes, House of Balloons, Thursday, and Echoes of Silence. These three mixtapes were released 3-4 months apart from one another for free digital download in 2011, they gained quite a lot of attention from various industry executives.
Prior to the release of Trilogy, The Weeknd featured on Drake’s Take Care with Crew Love. The song was Abel’s first exposure to a Rap crowd/Rap fans, more people began listening to his music after the release of Take Care. The Weeknd then featured on Wiz Khalifa’s Remember You, which served as the second single off Wiz Khalifa’s O.N.I.F.C. Following those two releases, The Weeknd released Wicked Games as the first single off Trilogy.
Trilogy was formed after The Weeknd came under Republic Records’ management. The compilation album reached a debut/peak position of 4 on the Billboard 200 while reaching number one on the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. It’s a well received album with the highlight said to be House of Balloons, which arguably went on to influence various sorts of R&B music of the 2010s.
Videos for Trilogy

Kiss Land.

Iconic

I went from starin' at the same four walls for 21 years. To seein' the whole world in just 12 months. (Kiss Land)

Kiss Land is based on The Weeknd’s tour life. Visiting unfamiliar places gave Abel horror movie vibes. A guy who used to own the city (Toronto) he lived in is now a small fish in the ocean of the entire world. The Weeknd’s first studio album was a great introduction into the sound he would soon get well acquainted with.
While continuing the R&B sound with the essence of Dark Wave, the album explores emptiness and regret throughout the lyrics—or what pop fans could categorize as dark pop—. The Japanese aesthetic used for various videos and the single covers/booklet reflects the themes of feeling overwhelmed by such a loud world that there’s no point in being if you don’t belong.
The album explores the real-world and the women in it as well as regrets regarding past actions, namely letting go of women who could’ve been the one in Adaptation. The Weeknd attempts to find that satisfaction in other women and past lovers, but accidentally falls for a sex worker in Belong To The World. With Wanderlust he accepts and expresses that love in the modern world isn’t entirely possible. While continuing to tour the world he enjoys these new experiences with XO (Live For feat. Drake), as well as the new women in his life (Kiss Land). And when he’s back home, he accepts the loss of the relationship he cherished.
Kiss Land debuted and peaked at number two on the Billboard 200. It was fairly acclaimed but gained a massive cult following. There were four videos for made for the album, the title track, Belong To the World, Live For (feat. Drake), and Pretty. Those four songs received interesting visuals that kept up with their respective themes while Belong To the World/Kiss Land got visuals that matched the aesthetic of the album. To this day fans ask Abel for a part two to the horror-movie-inspired album after he said it’s the only album he would have a sequel for.
Videos for Kiss Land
Fun Fact— The video for Kiss Land on YouTube is an extremely edited version of the actual video shot for the song. The directors cut further explores the erotic-horror themes if the album.

King of the Fall.

King of the Fall 2020 cover (even though I talk about three other songs here)

Driving by the streets we used to walk through like a triumph. (King of the Fall)

These next few song were released between the Kiss Land and Beauty Behind the Madness era. Some fans would classify them as part of the Beauty Behind the Madness era—I’d say the same tbh—but they stand apart on the basis of success and acclaim. It’s a transition between The Weeknd being an underrated R&B musician to being a mainstream artist with massive recognition and appreciation.
The first of these four songs is King of the Fall. A fan favourite and a standout in The Weeknd’s discography. This is one of The Weeknd’s few Rap tracks, it gained a lot of attention within the Rap sphere. It was the way in which XO would announce that they’ve made it, little did they know that this was just the start.
Prior to the release of Beauty Behind the Madness (BBTM), The Weeknd gained mainstream attention. The Weeknd’s exposure to mainstream music was uphill, it wasn’t overnight. The first taste of BBTM came from Often, a song that reflected the themes of sex that Abel was known for. The track was released more than a year before BBTM’s release and had made it onto the trackless unlike King of the Fall. Slowly but surely The Weeknd gained exposure, his main sources of exposure were through a collaboration and a soundtrack.
Most pop fans heard about The Weeknd through his hit collaboration with Ariana Grande, Love Me Harder. The collab was made through Republic when The Weeknd said he wanted more than what he had gotten through Kiss Land. Ariana and Abel had formed a real bond cough The Hills cough, their bond assisted the song in becoming a memorable hit for both artists. Love Me Harder was a top ten hit on the Billboard Hot 100.
Later that year, The Weeknd was featured on the Fifty Shades of Grey soundtrack with Earned It, as well as Where You Belong. Earned It became a massive hit peaking at 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and receiving an Oscar nomination for The Weeknd; a massive milestone for XO. Earned It kept up with Abel’s signature lyrics but the production differed heavily from the sort of R&B he was known for.
Videos from that era

Beauty Behind the Madness.

I can hear this image

I'm that ***** with the hair singin' 'bout poppin' pills, fuckin' bitches, livin' life so trill. (Tell Your Friends)

Following the success of Love Me Harder and Earned It, the Beauty Behind the Madness era began with The Hills. This was The Weeknd’s first number one on the Billboard Hot 100. Along with the video, The Hills became an addictive classic. The production and lyrics mirror a mature version of the sound that was originally found on Trilogy. It was truly in keeping with The Weeknd’s character, the only difference was his haircut.
Next came Can’t Feel My Face, a Max Martin production that differed greatly from anything The Weeknd put out in the past. In past songs, Abel had expressed his fear of losing his following if he went mainstream simultaneously asking his fans if they’d stay. He repeats that sentiment in the Can’t Feel My Face video. The sound has changed, the lyrics stay the same but now he’s a pop-star. The song became a hit as it reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100. With this massive bop previous fans still stayed, The Weeknd becoming a pop singer didn’t at all alter his image or sound; he mastered it.
In The Night and Acquainted were released as singles on the same day, the were the only singles to come after the release of Beauty Behind The Madness. The former received a music video treatment that followed the theme of the song itself while also starring Abel’s girlfriend at the time, Bella Hadid. Acquainted was robbed of a video even though Abel had shown off the fact that a video was in development; the song kept in the tone of The Weeknd’s work prior to BBTM.
Beauty Behind the Madness captures a Hollywood-based reality that The Weeknd came to understand: the dark aspects of your life will continue to follow you wherever you are. Real Life, Losers (feat. Labrinth), Tell Your Friends, Dark Times (feat. Ed Sheeran), and Prisoner (feat. Lana Del Rey) all capture a nihilistic view of a dream achieved.
Most of the videos of Beauty Behind The Madness have a mysterious white man. He’s featured in The Hills, Can’t Feel My Face, and Tell Your Friends. That man represents the devil. Throughout his journey in those videos, (The Hills) Abel runs into the devil after his car crash, (Can’t Feel My Face) he’s at the club then lights him on fire. The significance behind the fire could be selling his soul to the devil, BBTM is about Hollywood and a popular Hollywood myth is that celebrities sell their souls to the devil in exchange for fame. So in the Can’t Feel My Face video, Abel changes his sound to Pop (from R&B) thus leaving his signature sound in order to become famous, everyone starts enjoying his music once he’s sold his soul.
Then we see The Weeknd burying himself in Tell Your Friends, perhaps leaving the old Abel behind after the deal with the devil. However, instead of thanking the devil, Abel takes his revenge and shoots him. But wait, there’s more! The album trailer for BBTM features the devil burning a billboard with The Weeknd’s face on it, revealing Beauty Behind The Madness. HOWEVER, the final cut for the video features the devil being arrested while The Weeknd watches. This is a more realistic form of karma that the devil gets.
Videos for BBTM

Starboy.

Filled with bops

If I could, I'd trade it all, trade it for a halo. And she said that she'll pray for me, I said, "It's too late for me.” (Ordinary Life)

After the massive success of Beauty Behind the Madness, there was a lot of hype around what The Weeknd would do next; evidently he decided to explore Pop. The fandom he had gained wasn’t entirely based in the Pop sphere, his fans consisted of general Rap fans, but Starboy attracted the Pop audience.
Initially, most of his older fans couldn’t get behind Starboy, it differed greatly from the previous sound. It was crazy to think that the guy who made Trilogy managed to make such a Pop-centric album. But this was Abel expressing his versatility.
Since this is where most pop fans found out about Abel’s work and became fans I won’t talk too much about the singles, rather more about the album itself. His work with Daft Punk cemented this album in an efficient mix between Pop and R&B, where Beauty Behind the Madness was more R&B with Pop, Starboy was considered Pop with R&B.
Beyond the genres, Starboy explores two evident themes. One being his life with fame and recognition. The next being his love life in Hollywood, this aspect of the album came from his relationship with Bella Hadid which ended after the release of the album.
The cross became the symbol for that era and appeared in the album’s photoshoot as well as the videos. There was never any conclusive word on the use of the cross but there are various theories about it, something to note is that Abel was raised Christian, it could perhaps be a reflection of his past.
The cross he uses to destroy his accolades (Starboy video) is assisting him rather than something that’s holding him back. Abel’s upbringing was rough but now he’s celebrating it rather than feeling bad for himself. The cross continues to come up in the Party Monster video, this time it’s in the party house he’s making his way through. Then it shows up in the video for Reminder, this time in the form of his merch, the people wearing it are perhaps representative of his fans. Then we see it in the False Alarm video, both Abel and the girl are wearing it; the notable thing being that Abel holds his cross up before dying. Then in the brilliant video for Secrets, after giving up on the girl he’s with he leaves the building to find a giant cross. And finally in the I Feel It Coming video, The Weeknd sports a shiny cross necklace, and Daft Punk find it years and years after Abel froze.
The videos tell us that the cross is an evident piece of his story. This could mean that his past will always be with him, no matter what sort of fame he’s experiencing he’ll always be who he once was.
Also, I’m gonna take this moment to once again the genius that is the Secrets (both the song and the video). Yes it’s my favourite song/video off of Starboy but it’s so underrated.
Videos for Starboy, Secrets video bottom right
Fun Fact— Most demos of the tracks on Starboy weren’t as pop as they became, they started off R&B but became pop after production.

My Dear Melancholy.

Note the comma

They said our love is just a game, I don't care what they say. But I'ma drink the pain away, I'll be back to my old ways. (Privilege)

Oof (but in a good way, this whole thing is a bop). For this one I’m gonna talk extensively about The Weeknd’s relationships, which personally feels really invasive but it’s but it’s essential when talking about these sad boy anthems. Beyond that I’d just like to state that though they are part of the narrative both Bella Hadid and Selena Gomez deserve respect/privacy.
So when it comes to Pop music fans I think it’s safe to say that we all know a lot about this one. My Dear Melancholy (MDM) came after the very public relationship of The Weeknd and Selena Gomez. However it’s not just about Selena, some songs reflect his relationship with Bella Hadid (whom he got back with a month after MDM’s release).
My Dear Melancholy consists with The Weeknd’s exploration/mastery of merging Pop and R&B together. The EP was praised by fans for its lyrics and production, many went on to theorize that it was his most personal project since House of Balloons. The EP was the shortest album to reach number one on the Billboard 200.
My Dear Melancholy and fan conspiracies; name a better duo. The first theory being that the EP is entirely about Selena Gomez which wasn’t too much of a mystery since the lyric “I almost cut a piece of myself for your life” exists. Not only did MDM come after Abel’s relationship with Selena Gomez but also after his relationship with Bella Hadid. As far as fans were aware those two relationships were the most important relationships Abel had ever been in.
In theory, the songs about Bella and Selena can be categorized. Call Out My Name, Try Me, and Privilege are likely about Selena. Wasted Times, and Hurt You are likely about Bella. Leaving I Was Never There to act as an introspective look into The Weeknd’s life, basically making him hop back on his vices for comfort.
Another popular theory was that My Dear Melancholy was the first of another trilogy. This rumour was widely believed due to the comma at the end of the title on the album cover. But the fans soon gained a real reason to believe this theory, since the CEO of XO (the record label), Sal had liked an Instagram post that featured the cover and alleged date. Since Trilogy is a fan favourite this conspiracy spread like wild fire, so much so that fake titles and covers were made. The name of this trilogy would be: (1)My Dear Melancholy, (2)We’re Alone Together, (3)Abel.
Only one song served as a single for the EP. Call Out My Name was released nearly two months prior to the actual release of the album, it debuted/peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100. The mysterious video captures The Weeknd in various atmospheric places that reflect the tone of the EP, a haunting yet unexplained reality that the listener is to reflect on.
From the cover, to the music, to the video, to lyrics, My Dear Melancholy is an introspective reflection of heartbreak.
Call out my name video

After Hours.

Talented, Brilliant, Incredible, etc.

My darkest hours. (After Hours)

After Hours comes after success but references two lows in The Weeknd’s life. The album welcomes darkness and leads the listener towards a dead-end. The Weeknd’s past two albums (Beauty Behind The Madness and Starboy) ended on hopeful notes, they left the listener with a sense of hope but all hope his lost with After Hours.
Fans compare After Hours to House of Balloons—a rare occurrence considering House of Balloons’ acclaim—arguing that both albums are on the same level. Debate continues on whether or not both albums are on the same caliber. The belief that After Hours stems from reality does a lot to help its side of the argument.
The era began with Mercedes-Benz commercial that featured Blinding Lights, that was our first taste of the everlasting bop. Heartless was premiered on an episode of Memento Mori hours before its release on the 27 of November (2019), Blinding Lights was released two days later. Both videos were as brain melting as promised and the served as the tip of the iceberg.
After Hours was released nine days after COVID-19 was declared a pandemic, there was a massive risk in releasing an album that would not have a lot of promotion after it’s release (other than magazine coverage). There was no telling whether or not people would pay attention to the album during the height of the fear surrounding the pandemic, but it was a massive success. After Hours debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, with singles Heartless and Blinding Lights topping the Billboard Hot 100.
The album is layered with haunting productions that remains predominantly R&B but dives deep into Pop with some of the tracks. Max Martin produced the massive hit Blinding Lights as well as In Your Eyes, Save Your Tears, Hardest to Love, and Scared to Live which samples Elton John’s Your Song. Other notable producers include Metro Boomin who worked on the hit Heartless as well as Escape from LA, Faith, and Until I Bleed Out. With Kevin Parker on the interlude Repeat After Me.
Beyond the production are the narrative driven lyrics. In theory the album references two significant events in Abel’s life, his second breakup with Bella Hadid and his arrest in Las Vegas. The latter was due to his misbehaviour; in January 2015 he punched a cop in Vegas, lmao. Which means that After Hours is a recollection of The Weeknd’s first few years in LA. He merges the concept of his breakup with the idea of being an upcoming star, feeling free in the city of lights all while diving deep into the meaninglessness of those lights.
While After Hours starts with loneliness and a second chance it leads up to Abel returning to his vices of lust. In Alone Again his loneliness caught up to him and he’s asking for a second chance. He acknowledges his mistakes and situation in Too Late/Hardest to Love, in Scared to Live his ex then returns to him for a second time. He remembers his past ways in Snowchild and the way in which it lead to better days, but where do you go after such highs? In Escape From LA he faces the superficial reality of Hollywood, glad that he got that he got back with his ex, while continuing to question if it’s worth it. But he fucks up the second chance when she pulls up to the studio.
Who is she? Much like the other mysteries surrounding The Weeknd’s music, we may never know. Is it all more of The Weeknd’s songwriting ability or is it driven by reality? Fans found a merge between the two to be more accurate, After Hours is about heartbreak and a return to the vices that held The Weeknd back.
Heartless is when The Weeknd is once again back to his ways, he may have been in a serious relationship but after throwing that away he spirals back to the way he once was. It’s sad but it’s one hell of a song. Speaking of brilliant songs, Faith is when Abel admits that he’s back on his vices, he states that he needs his ex back with him till the end; he’s back to self-loathing.
So when he says he’s blinded by the lights, there’s two meanings to it. The Faith outro tells us that he’s in a car with flashing lights, a cop car (as confirmed by Abel) to be exact. Then Blinding Lights tells us that while he’s watching the bright lights of Vegas pass him by he calls out for the girl that he regrets losing. That is the peak of the After Hours narrative. He’s behaving badly over the loss of the girl he loved and is now at the worst position trying to find her and gain her trust for a third time.
Following Blinding Lights is In Your Eyes, this is where The Weeknd vows not to judge her; he can see right through her but will never do anything to make her upset. Does this mean their back together? Not exactly. Save Your Tears details a sort of moving-on that The Weeknd isn’t ready for but tries to help her move on, blind to his own inability to move on. Does it work? Not really. Repeat After Me (Interlude) shows that he’s still trying to convince himself that he’s unfazed by the loss of a meaningful relationship.
Then you hear a true masterpiece. The title track is a spiral into true regret and an apology for his actions, he admits that his ex girlfriend is the only reason he lives. In a dark lonely city she’s the only one keeping him sane. But his pleas fail, Until I Bleed Out is when The Weeknd no longer wants her in his life so much so that he wants to erase his memory of anything related to her. The bonus tracks then echo the final sentiment.
It’s one sad ass album, ain’t it. But here’s where the Red Suit Character comes in.
Shoutout to the makeup department
The album isn’t the only narrative to follow with After Hours. The videos for the album follow their own sort of narrative. The story follows an unnamed guy that goes by “red suit character” according to The Weeknd.
There’s a lot of confusion and endless theories surrounding this character’s story, after The Weeknd confirmed that it’s about a decent into Hollywood culture it makes more sense… kind of. I’m gonna discuss the storyline without talking about the movies that have influenced it, this way the focus remains on the character.
The order of these videos is Heartless / Blinding Lights / Blinding Lights (Live on Kimmel)* / After Hours short film / In Your Eyes / Until I Bleed Out / Snowchild / Too Late / Live at AMAs* / Save Your Tears
*Though all live performances could count as part of the narrative, these one relate directly with the videos that follow.
He’s is first seen in Vegas with Metro Boomin (Heartless), intoxicated on various substances. He dives deeper into his high until he licks a frog, after that he faces the true effects of this high. He’s frightened by the result and runs far away from Vegas. (Blinding Lights) He’s then found in LA, where he’s dancing in the street, hypnotized by the singer, beat up by guards, and races past all those bright lights in his Benz. Ultimately realizing the shallowness of the Los Angeles fantasy.
(Blinding Lights Live on Kimmel) We then find him performing Blinding Lights live, while he attempts to find more reason in within the madness city; he couldn’t find it on the streets so he goes to the stage. (After Hours short film) Even then there’s no meaning to anything in the city, he mindlessly wanders into the depth of the subway where he’s dragged by the reality of it all and ends up possessed. (In Your Eyes) After being possessed he chases the woman whose boyfriend he just murdered, she runs into a club falls deeper into the After Hours fantasy, in a successful attempt to defend herself she beheads the red suit character and dances all over LA with his head, iconic behaviour.
(Until I Bleed Out) Then in an ethereal dreamscape, red suit character finds himself in a House of Balloons. He’s trying to escape, but the people there keep pulling him in; he’s getting higher while observing Glass Table Girls. He spirals into the antarctic, the other side of the world. From Heatless to this point in his story, his vices lead him back to the lowest point in Abel’s life. Is it Hell, Heaven or Las Vegas? (Snowchild) He relives his career up until the point where his story began. Considering he’s dead, his life basically flashed before his eyes.
(Too Late) LA girls find the red suit character’s head and live their best life. They wanna have sex with him so they find the best boy parts by calling up a stripper who could be the body. The stitch the head up with the body and do what they want. But now he’s brought back to life. (Live at AMAs) He’s had work done… He went in to get his nose fixed and the doctor said “you sure that’s all you want?” The red suit character’s face is healing while he tries to celebrate his life on top of a bridge.
(Save Your Tears) Surrounded by a masked cult he debut’s his new face. Do they like it? Are they impressed? Not instantly, their masks translate no expression so how’s he to know? Is any of this worth it? Nope red suit character continues to die inside. He finds a maskless girl in the crowd, she’s lively unlike the rest; but even then, nothing on the inside nothing on the outside. He wants death again, somehow a second chance with this city is still pointless. He tries to kill himself via the girl and himself but it’s all a facade; theatrics.
His story continues but that’s all we know so far.
The videos make a lot of film references. This post by explain these references very well, as well as past album references here (part one) and here (part two).
After Hours is inspired by a lot of movies, since Abel is in fact a cinephile. The main movies that inspired the aesthetic and storytelling are believed to be Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998), Casino (1995), Joker (2019), Uncut Gems (2020), and After Hours (1985). The album tells two sad narratives but remains one of The Weeknd’s best works yet. He’s expanded his videography and enhanced the interest of people who casually enjoy his music and of course his fans.
But the era isn’t over, by the time this is posted his Super Bowl Halftime show is yet to happen. And it’ll continue the red suit character’s story.
Videos for After Hours (so far)
Fun Fact—The Heartless video features a reference to Thursday. When he’s trying to run from Vegas, a sign behind him flashes “Heartless / Heaven or Las Vegas.” This could be a reference to Abel running from his past, after all Heartless is about him returning to his vices.

END.

Thank you for reading this, again, I didn’t realize it would end up being this long. But I hope this this served as a nice refresher for any fans who wanted to revisit Abel’s work before the Super Bowl.
And I really hope that anyone interested in getting into his music finds this helpful. Once again, the theories/interpretations mentioned aren’t conclusive, they’re widely based on fan discussion/mutual interpretation.
Due to the character limit I couldn’t add too links to the albums, so here are some artist links.
Apple Music | Spotify | YouTube | The Weeknd’s Shop | Tidal | Genius

Prince Rainier III (1923-2005)
Rainier’s mother, Princess Charlotte, was actually illegitimate. Her father Louis II, getting older and with no legitimate children, legitimized her and made her his heir. She never took the throne, and in fact renounced her rights to her son, Rainier, the day before his 21st birthday.
Rainier became the Sovereign Prince of Monaco upon the death of his grandfather in 1949.
During WW2, Rainier served in the Free French Army. During the 40s and 50s he was in a long term relationship with the French film actress Gisele Pascal. Rainier’s sister, Princess Antoinette, wanted her own son to ascend to the throne, and spread rumors that Pascal was infertile. The rumors along with her treatment by the press and public ended their relationship.
After the war Monaco, a country who made its money primarily as a gambling origin, was in crisis as wealthy Europeans found their funds diminished after the war. To restore Monaco’s treasury Rainier decided to promote Monaco as a tax haven, and he personally took control of SBM (the company who owns the Monte Carlo Casino, Opera, and Hostel de Paris) in 1964. Prince Albert still retains a large share of the company and profits from it today.
Marriage:
Everyone knows this one. Rainier married American film star Grace Kelly in 1956.
Their marriage is rumored to have been turbulent. It is said that Grace struggled with adjusting to royal life, regretted ending her film career, and that Rainier had extramarital affairs. Her children have stated that though she was a loving mother, they spent more time with nannies than with their parents.
Grace's dress is iconic, but here you go if you want to revisit some photos from that day.
Rainier smoked up to 60 cigarettes per day, and in the last years of his life his health steadily declined. On March 8th, 2005 he entered the hospital for a lung infection and by the end of the month he was on a ventilator suffering from renal and heart failure. On March 31st he officially announced his son Albert, as regent, and on April 6th he died.
The Constitution
Monaco’s constitution stated that Monaco is a constitutional monarchy ruled by the hereditary princes of the Grimaldi. If the reigning prince were to die without leaving a male heir, Monaco, according to the treaty, would be incorporated into France. In 2002, realizing he had a 43 year old bachelor son, Rainier amended the constitution to allow the crown to pass to his daughters should Albert not marry.
Grace, Princess of Monaco (1929-1982)
Grace was born in Philadelphia to an affluent and influential family. Her father was an Olympian and a Democratic nominee for Mayor of Philadelphia and was appointed by President Roosevelt as National Director of Physical Fitness. Her mother taught physical education at the University of Pennsylvania and coached women’s athletics at Penn.
Her Uncle, George Kelly, was a Pulitzer prize winning dramatist, screenwriter, and director and used his influence to gain Grace admission to the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York. Grace became one of the biggest movie stars of her generation.
In 1955 she was sent to the Cannes Film Festival and invited to appear in photos with Prince Rainier. After a year-long courtship, they were married in 1956.
Grace was not allowed to continue her acting career after her marriage. She instead devoted herself to her role as Princess, become heavily involved with the Red Cross of Monaco and the Rainbow Children Coalition.
On September 13, 1982, Kelly was driving back to Monaco after spending time at her country home. During the drive she had a stroke, lost control of her vehicle, and drove off the mountainside. She died a day later.
An article on their relationship
Prince Albert II (b. 1958)
Prince Albert is one of the wealthiest royals in the world with a net worth at more than $1B. He attended Amherst College in Massachusetts, studying political science, economics, music, and English literature, and completed his education with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science. He toured Europe in 1979 as part of the Amherst College Glee Club.
Albert competed in the bobsleigh for five consecutive Winter Olympics on behalf of Monaco, and was their flag bearer at the 1988, 1994, and 1998 Olympics. He is also a judo black belt.
He became Prince of Monaco when his father died in 2005.
Marriage:
Prior to his marriage his status as a bachelor was a hot topic of discussion. He was known to date well-known fashion models and actresses, however at age 53 had never married. It was rumored that Albert was gay, something he expressed great frustration with in the press. In 2006 he attended the opening ceremony of the Torino Olympics with South African swimmer Charlene Wittstock. They were engaged in 2010, and married in 2011.
There are rumors that Charlene tried to flee the country the day before their wedding. It is reported that the future bride, after discovering Albert may have fathered yet another child during their relationship, attempted to flee as many as three times before their wedding, however was always intercepted at the airport. It is also said she attempted to seek refuge at the South African embassy, and that officials in Monaco ended up hiding her passport so she could not leave the country.
Moreover, during their wedding, Charlene openly cried at parts, and Prince Albert was caught on camera begging her to kiss him. Honestly, she looked pretty miserable the whole time. The palace has denied all of these claims.
During their honeymoon, they stayed in separate hotels
Here's everything you ever needed to know about their wedding
Watch it
Prince Albert is passionate about the environment and an avid sportsman. Prince Albert speaks French, English, German, and Italian. He speaks English with basically no accent thanks to his American mother.
Illegitimate Children
In 2005, the day before Prince Rainier died, Albert publicly acknowledged he had fathered a son out of wedlock. In 2006, he confirmed he had also fathered a daughter. These children were barred from the line of inheritance because of a 2002 constitutional amendment requiring an heir’s parents to be married.
Alexandre (b. 2003)
Alexandre’s mother (Nicole Coste) was a flight attendant for Air France and met Prince Albert when he was a passenger on a flight. He asked for her number, the beginning of a years-long affair. The relationship ended at the insistence of Prince Rainier. Albert visited Alexandre and Nicole often, however when he refused to acknowledge Alexandre publicly, Nicole sold an interview and pictures to the media. Albert was in mourning for his father and made no public comment, but later did acknowledge paternity. Alexandre and Nicole live in France at an estate given to them by Albert.
Jazmin (b. 1992)
Jazmin’s mother, Tamara, met Albert while working as a waitress. Albert knew of Jazmin and visited her, however did not acknowledge her publicly until she was in high school to protect her identity. In 2006 the French magazine Voici published photographs of Jazmin and her mother on a visit to Monaco, outing her as Albert’s daughter. She has attended events with Albert and Charlene, and is listed as a sponsor for her father’s royal foundation.
An interview with Jazmin
Princess Charlene (b. 1978)
Born in Zimbabwe, Charlene’s family relocated to South Africa in 1989. She represented South Africa at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, finished fifth in the 4x100 meter relay.
Albert and Charlene met at the Mare Nostrum swimming competition in Monaco in 2000, however were not seen together until 2006.
Charlene converted to Roman Catholicism for her wedding, and has learned French and Monegasque after her move to Monaco. She is an ambassador for the Special Olympics, patron of the South African Red Cross, and is passionate about sport.
In recent news, she completed “the crossing” water bike challenge, a 180 kilometer water bike race for charity.
An interview with Charlene and Albert on the 1st birthday of their twins
Albert and Charlene have 2 children:
Hereditary Prince Jacques *twin* (b. 2014)
Princess Gabriella *twin* (b. 2014)
Gabriella was born 2 minutes before her brother, however because of the constitution her brother will inherit the throne. They are super sweet together and you see them at events often.
Princess Caroline of Hanover (b. 1957)
Caroline is the eldest child of Rainier and Grace Kelly, however because of the constitution her brother, Albert, sits on the throne of Monaco. She served as de facto first lady of Monaco until the marriage of Albert and Charlene.
Until the birth of her niece and nephew she was heir presumptive to the throne, although she had only held that title since 2005 after the change of the constitution to include female heirs.
Caroline received her French baccalaureat in 1974, and received a degree in Philosophy from Sorbonne University. She is fluent in French, English, Spanish, German, and Italian. Her hobbies include horseback riding, swimming, and skiing.
Marriages:

• Marriage 1: Philippe Junot

Married Phillippe, a Parisian banker, in 1978. The couple divorced in 1980 with no children.

• Marriage 2: Stefano Casiraghi

Married Stefano in 1983, the sportsman heir to an Italian industrial fortune. The two had to marry in a civil ceremony rather than a religious ceremony because Caroline, a Catholic, was divorced. Caroline was 3 months pregnant at the time of their wedding.
They have three children:

1. Andrea Casiraghi (1984)

• Married to Tatiana Santo Domingo and has 3 children

1. Charlotte Casiraghi (1986)

• Married to French producer Dimitri Rassam and has two children

1. Pierre Casiraghi (b. 1987)

• Married to Beatrice Borromeo and has 2 children

Note: The Casiraghi’s are all very beautiful and very fashionable but I don’t want to go much into them here because they are so far down the line of succession. They’re fun to follow for their fashion if you have the time to check them out.

• Marriage 3: Prince Ernst August of Hanover

Married Ernst August, a Prince, in 1999. They have one daughter, Princess Alexandra.
Caroline is thus a Princess twice-over, through her family and through her husband. She and Ernst August have been separated since 2009 however are still legally married, thus she retains the title of Princess Caroline of Hanover.
Read about all of her weddings here
See her speaking in English around 12:00 here
Princess Stephanie (b. 1965)
Stephanie was in the vehicle with her mother when Grace died. She suffered a fracture of the neck.
She has studied classical dance and piano, and competed in gymnastics and horse riding. She interned at Christian Dior and debuted as a model in 1984. She has a swimwear and perfume line, and owns cafes and stores in both Monaco and Barcelona. She also has sold more than 2 million copies of her song, Ouragan, and sold 1.5M copies of her album Besoin. She recorded “In the Closet” with Michael Jackson, however is listed as “mystery girl” in the credits.
Marriages/Relationships:

• Marriage 1: Daniel Ducruet

Stephanie married her former body guard, Daniel Ducruet, in 1995. When Rainier learned of their relationship Daniel was not only still his employee, but had a pregnant girlfriend too. Stephanie gave birth to their two children “out of wedlock” because Rainier refused to grant permission for them to marry, however eventually relented. The two divorced a year later after Ducruet was photographed naked with a stripper.
Read more
They have two children:

1. Louis (b. 1992)

• Married Marie Chevallier in 2019

1. Pauline (b. 1994)

​

• Relationship 2: Jean Raymond Gottlieb

Stephanie and Jean never married, however have a child together. He was Rainier’s Head of Security. She did not identify him on the birth certificate and it was not confirmed that he was Camille’s father until she confirmed it herself on her Instagram.
More about Jean
​

• Marriage 3: Franco Knie

Stephanie met elephant trainer (yeah, you read that right) when she presented him with the award for “best animal tamer” at the Monaco Circus Festival in 1997. Franco, a decade older than Stephanie, was married with two children at the time. Franco left his family for Stephanie, moving her and her three children into his circus caravan in Zurich. Marrying in 2001, their relationship lasted 18 months until their divorce.
An interview with Stephanie in English in 1990
Why is he a Prince and not a King?
From vogue:
It goes back deep into the history of Monaco. Monaco has always been a tiny nation, and, for protection, allied itself with (or, at some points, was flat-out annexed by) big powerful countries, with big powerful rulers—aka kingdoms, or, a nation ruled by a king or queen. So Monaco’s rulers styled themselves as prince and princess. That, by definition, made the nation a principality, or one ruled by prince or princess.
Regardless, Albert actually plays a bigger role in the day to day operations of the country than most of his European peers. Legislative power is divided between the Prince who initiates the laws, and the National Council who votes on them. Executive power is retained by the Prince, and he has full judiciary powers.
Jewels
See their tiara collection
I think the Ocean Tiara, gifted to Charlene for her wedding, is particularly interesting. You either love it or you hate it.
The Grimaldi Curse
What do you think?

It has been said that the Mountain West conference is “At the Peak,” and to me, nothing illustrates that more, than the fact that there are 12 teams competing in the only NCAA Division 1 conference that sponsors e-sports. Of course, since the matches are played head-to-head, Boise State has an advantage because they tint the monitors blue, and play with all blue avatars; an advantage that is confirmed in their winning of League of Legends and Overwatch, but with the Spring season being cut, next year the Mountain West has announced that they will be playing Mario Kart 8, for the Nintendo Switch. Due to the large amounts of people in the Mountain West cities suddenly having $1200 burning a hole in their pocket, every store that sells Nintendo Switch has sold out of their allotment; yes, even, Amazon. So, thus the conundrum becomes: How can these players, prospects, and ordinary people practice in order to “git gud” as the gamers would say? Well, that’s where I come in. For, you see, since I am allowed out on the streets again, finally, due to both my prison sentence being cut short, and my work being determined to be “essential,” I had the time to scope out some places. Alas, while my cough and fever are not improving as much as I had hoped since I last got back from Italy, I did manage to find some time to visit all of the Mountain West cities in order to find the easiest place to get a Switch and Mario Kart 8 location. For simplicity’s sake, I am going by the football stadium since it’s a well-defined point in most locations – San José State fans, the football stadium is that big ovoid building at the corner of E Alma Ave, and S 7th St… It’s the place where the people aren’t on Saturday’s is September. Should you get hungry during your travels, I have also managed to find a some breakfast locations in the same vicinity

Mountain

Air Force

Okay, so I lied a little; I tried to get into the university, but, unfortunately the men with guns wouldn’t actually let me get beyond the gate on S Gate Rd, and I was still a little jet-lagged having just gotten in from Frankfurt after having woken up for my 0610 flight for the Linate to Frankfurt leg (stupid weather prevented the flight from Denver to ABQ, but my loss is your gain). So, while this may not be the closest, it certainly will fit the bill. Tyler-Jay Rowland who lives at 3075 Navigation Drive, in Colorado Springs was more than willing to help out, especially since his son, Jeremiah, was grounded for a month for staying out after curfew two weekends in a row. As the falcon flies, this location is 5.2 miles away; in a car, it’s not too much further than that.

Boise State

Now, I don’t, technically, hate the way that Boise is laid out with the river running right through the center of town, but even though Maci Drew lives in the Clearwater Apartments, unit 323, which is in a straight line, only a quarter of a mile from the stadium, you will have to go the Exxtramile, to get to her apartment. Also, she would like me to point out, that times for a waitress like herself are a little rough, so please, if you’re hungry, skip Taco Bell, and eat at the Bar Gernika in downtown Boise, right next to the Central Plaza and Century Link Arena. “We have wifi” she said.

Colorado State

This is, by far, the most remarkable location; I had completely forgotten that they moved to an on-campus stadium, so I initially went to the Hughes Stadium location, and found a big pile of dirt. And not much else – well, if you exclude the trees that formed a nice line, that brought me back to my college days. Having corrected my too old Garmin in-car GPS, I found Tim Thatcher on 604 Balsam Ln; he’s a little deaf, so you might need to knock like you are ram-ing down the door. He bought the Switch after his wife of 35 years died to help him grieve and spend his retirement, “but it’s just making me too sad lately, and I’ve never been very good at vid’ya [sic] games. I still don’t know how I’m supposed to save the princess when she’s trying to beat me… That reminds me of my princess, who I lost last year. She was so kind, we met in high school, I had an onion on my belt as was the style in those days. They didn't have any white onions, because of the war. The only thing you could get was those big yellow ones.” I’ll be honest, at this point I started zoning out because, again, fever. He honestly looked really sad as I was talking to him, so you might want to try to cheer him up, since he’s just a lonely guy bein’ a dude. In a straight line distance, you’re only going .3 miles, and it’s not too much further by car.

New Mexico

This is by far the closest location to the stadium. The UNM Lobo Club is a non-essential business in the state of New Mexico, and UNM and the Athletics Department realized that funding would need to be cut dramatically throughout the state, and with the sweetheart deal they got from the legislature this year, they decided to close all athletic facilities, including the Maloof building, home of both Eddie Nuñez’s office, and the Lobo Club. I suggest using the side door closest to the field level entrance of the stadium. That’ll take you to the weight room; an alarm will go off, the code is “1892” the year the football team first played (interesting tidbit: the marching band was founded in 1889, the same year as the university); from there enter the main hallway, and go to the first door on the left after you pass the restrooms. The last time I was there, they had a vending machine that dispensed free Mountain Dew; I was howl-ing with laughter after I found that. Also, if you see Señor Manta, say “Hola!” he’s been down on his luck since his family were killed in the accident, and now he wanders the street like a lone Lobo.

Utah State

It was like a bomb went off. No one was around; maybe they were busy playing Farmer, or having a bonfire out in the dirt behind the stadium, wit their brown-eyed girls, but Jeff Field’s dorm room, Aggie Village Community building 17, first floor, third window from the right (he leaves it unlocked, so don’t worry about access) has a Switch just sitting there on the bed, as though he borrowed it from someone, but never managed to return it before he left. Go on, take it, just say that it was yours and he left it, no one will check.

Wyoming

Cowboys and Cowgirls are just different, I guess; I could not find a Nintendo Switch in town for the life of me. I found many Switchblades, Light switches, and many wooden rods, so I took my horse down to Cheyenne, and found a recently laid-off Subway Sandwich Artist called Dom, who knew just where to look. He directed me to 803 West 21st St, Suite B. He told me, “yeah, the guy who runs this storefront, has a little son, about 6 years old. He keeps a Switch in his desk’s keyboard tray for when he picks his son up from school.” Because of the ordeal in Laramie, I asked him to clarify, and he did, “yeah… Nintendo switch.” He said as he looked around shiftily. If that doesn’t work you can always try Suite C, I heard they stock Switches… oh wait, not that kind.” I was going to ask him for more information, but he entered what looked like an abandoned brick building just passed the railroad tracks, “You didn’t see me,” he said. And I also didn’t hear the gunshots that went off as I walked back to my car.

Table View

School	Distance Driving (mi)	Straight Line Distance (mi)	Drive/Drone Difference	Variance (from all schools)A
Air Force	8.44	5.22	3.22	0.047
Boise State	1.00	0.282	0.718	1.069
Colorado State	0.420	0.312	0.108	1.792
New Mexico	0.206	0.191	0.015	1.920
Utah State	0.444	0.305	0.139	1.751
Wyoming	47.90	40.69	7.21	4.894

A: Variance is calculated based upon DDD’s distance from the standard deviation of DDD… Why DDD? Because, DDD is King.

West

Note: SDSU currently does not field an Esports team; I am including them because it seems likely that they will in the near future

Hawai’i

Hawai’i is interesting because the Honolulu airport has a much better open air location than the El Paso airport; there’s a water path, it’s weird man, it reminds me a lot of the Tiki Room at Disn… oh, yeah, Hawai’i, Polynesia, that makes sense. Anyway, the stadium is home to the largest swap meet’s I’ve ever seen. Unfortunately, I did not find any Switches, but I did find a guy swapping Macadamia Nut cookies for a few dollars, so naturally, I bought some. It started to rain, so even though many people are Rainbow Warriors or Wahine, as the women prefer to be called, I am not. I stopped in at the ‘Aeia Public Library for a spell, and my phone was dead, so I needed a place to charge for a bit. The nice librarian, Akela (“it means graceful,” I was told. After I asked, “like the wolf-spirit in Hindi myths?”), pointed out, that, “We loan out all sorts of stuff here; pots, pans, sewing machines. Believe it or not, we even rent out video game systems. Our most popular is probably the Nintendo Switch, but we also have a couple of Xbox’s and PS4’s.” I guess I looked very shocked because Akela continued, “with the military surrounding us, we, the library system, get a lot of goods from contractors who don’t want to have a lot of their goods shipped back to the mainland.” Seeing how much it cost to ship out, I completely understood, and bid ¬¬Akela aloha, and failed the Hawai’I test by passing out at the nearest Embassy Suites, in Kapolei, if I remember correctly (I probably don’t, I was tired).

Fresno State

A nice cow brought me to Clovis. Much like what happened in Las Vegas, it was not the cool one, but instead the one in California. She (I saw udders), brought me specifically to 264 Clovis Ave, and said, “what you seek, from my master, is in there.” I’m not sure if it was my fever, jet-lag, a combination of them, or something else entirely, but then the cow vanished as though she was just a thing on the internet. A stray puppy passed by me in downtown, so that was probably the highlight of the trip.

Nevada (Reno)

Look, I’ll be honest, Reno to me always makes me feel like I’m going to be leaving the city without one or both of my kidneys. I don’t know why I expect Renoirs to chew my body like a Pack of Wolves, but there you are. Diedre Thomas of 128 Keystone Ave, fell on hard times. She poured herself a glass of vodka, neat, and said, “you can have anything you want,” she paused briefly to wink at me, “for the right price.” I specifically enquired about the Switch, “Anything,” she replied. She pulled out what appeared to be a small glass bowl that looked like an incense holder, and a baggie of chalk dust, and… Oh my god, she was going to smoke cocaine. Anyway, as she pulled out the pulled out the baggie, I hastily took my leave. I then went to the airport and went to my next stop….

Nevada – Las Vegas

Can you believe parents still bring their children, like elementary school aged children to Las Vegas. And it’s not the cool Las Vegas, in New Mexico, it’s the one in Nevada; well, I guess, technically they bring their kids to Paradise, and not Las Vegas, but c’mon man, there isn’t that much difference. Anyway, head to the Excalibur hotels because Carla, the housekeeper said that on average 3 Switches get left by guests every day. I then felt really depressed while walking around the hotel, so I left to check out the Mirage, where I normally stay on these Mountain West trips. I also learned that if there’s one thing that freaks me out more than the throngs of people walking the Strip, it’s when there’s nobody around. Once the new stadium gets completed it will be vastly easier to get to the casino than at the current location.

San Diego State

I stayed with Dominic, at his house of Friars Road. I was starting to feel sick to my stomach with the lack of green chile, so it was so enjoyable to spend time with a fellow New Mexican (and my roommate junior year). He took me on a little tour: Balboa Park’s stadium (home of the former Harbor Bowl, and the first tie in UNM Football history), the USS Midway, and Ocean Beach. I had forgotten about the assignment until I looked down at my feet and found a working Switch. When it was still there after an hour, I borrowed a small boat, realised, I need a bigger boat and headed out to the Ocean. Having claimed rights, I then put it back, so you might also find it.

San José State

Look, there are a lot of people who depart from the San Jose Airport. The kids who travel on these flights are slightly scatter-brained because of the adrenaline of taking a plane ride (and passing through the checkpoint), and leave some of their electronics, and I found a shoe! A shoe! Who only puts one shoe on and then walks-off? It was an adult shoe, so it’s not like a child/toddleparent left it, no, someone made a conscious decision to leave their shoe… Maybe it was a protest? Anyway, just tell the guy that you left your Switch at the checkpoint, if he asks you what color it was say, it had yellow grips that slide off, but the screen was bounded by black.

Table View

School	Distance Driving (mi)	Straight Line Distance (mi)	Drive/Drone Difference	Standard Deviation (all schools)A
Fresno State	4.46	3.28	1.18	0.644
Hawai’i	1.420	0.696	0.784	1.001
Nevada (Reno)	2.410	1.69	0.720	1.067
Nevada – Las Vegas (SBS)b	18.426	8.93	11.258
Nevada – Las Vegas (NVS)c	2.125	0.590	1.535	0.391
San Diego State	9.861	8.08	1.78	0.252
San José State	6.575	4.60	1.975	0.164

A: Variance is calculated based upon DDD’s distance from the standard deviation of DDD… Why DDD? Because, DDD is King.
b: Sam Boyd Stadium
c: New Vegas Stadium (Allegiant Field)

Conclusion

Even if the stores are sold out of Switches, there are always places you can go to get them, some are definitely within walking distance of your house, maybe even right next door. If you do choose to do that, there are a few things to keep in mind: 1. Milk 2. Eggs, specifically from Natural Grocers, if they still have member pricing. 3. Chicken thighs
Wait, that was my grocery list for last week.

1. Basque food is amazing.
2. The addresses are real, any businesses mention are real; the people mentioned or alluded to (with exception to the person who has an office in Clovis, CA; and Dominic in SD) are fake.
3. No, I do not know who lives at the addresses, and unless you can look it up in the phone book, I recommend that you don’t either. Please don’t bother them.
4. No, I am not sick… I have a lingering cough from allergies to junipemesquite pollen.
5. I have not visited Colorado Springs/Fort Collins/Laramie/Reno/San José/Honolulu, yet.
6. Information for the other cities comes from my memory
7. I remember when Park MGM was the Monte Carlo
8. Is Secret Pizza still at the Cosmo? I don’t remember seeing it the last time I was there, but that might have been because I was on the wrong floor.
9. Toss a coin to your witcher.
10. Normal people stop listing things at 10, but
11. This list goes up to 11.

1. A public gathering of more than 10 people is not allowed. We either postpone or celebrate special occasions with only the closest family of not exceeding 10 whose practicing social distancing. When bored at home, my dog and I go out for a stroll along Promenade des Anglais. It is a paved walkway along the coastline of Nice.
2. The rules around masks on the French Riviera during COVID-19 It is compulsory to wear masks on all forms of public transportation, plenty of shops, and some public buildings. Now it isn’t compulsory to wear one in public spaces like streets, beaches, parks, and gardens. Though advised, it isn’t compulsory – but I for one am not going to risk my health – so I recommend you wear one whenever you step out the door of your home (or rental). For an unforgettable escape – we recommend you head to the Nice-Ville station to Menton. It’s a forty-minute train ride with breathtaking scenery. In Menton, you can wander around the little lanes of the old town, marveling at its historical cathedrals and basking in the sun while hiking up the road to the Cemetery of the Old Château. If you have extra time before curfew it’s tranquillity is the perfect sanity reset.
3. Social Distancing on the French Riviera during COVID-19 Keeping a 1.5-meter distance and strict hygiene measures remain one of the best practices you will be asked to be followed. Frequent hand washing and sanitising has become a daily routine for most. I always remind myself to keep my distance especially when I spend my lunchtime enjoying Monaco. If you have time, head to the very top of the city to see the botanical gardens and daydream amongst the gardens – while basking in the breathtaking views of the ever alive Mediterranean.
4. Limited Venues. Netflix is boring on holidays, especially when you are just a quick escape to the museums, cinemas, and bars of Monaco. But knowing coronavirus can be lurking anywhere, it’s will be hard to find open venues to entertain yourself. Be sure to plan and book ahead to avoid disappointment. If possible, visit the stamp museum at Monaco and the infamous Casino de Monte-Carlo.
5. No sports matches or concerts. Referring to number one on this list, to minimise health risk, mass gatherings are still forbidden and will likely stay banned until October. So this is the time to watch the replays of those favourite matches and concerts.
6. Travel Certificate. If you’re in Paris, there’s an attestation in Paris Metro at a rush hour: 6.30 am – 9.30 am and 4 pm – 7 pm. You kind of have to provide a travel certificate that your journey is work-essential. Outside rush hour though, 7.30 am-9.30 am and 4.30 pm-7.30 pm, there is no requirement for a form. ( Some streets do not allow cars! )
   So where is the one of safest places to be during this outbreak?
   

Updated - 7/10/20
127 Hours
12 Monkeys
12 Years a Slave
1941
2001: A Space Odyssey
28 Days Later
28 Weeks Later
2 Fast 2 Furious
2 Guns
300
300: Rise of an Empire
30 Days of Night
42
47 Ronin
About Last Night (2014)
About Time
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter
A Clockwork Orange
A Cure for Wellness
Admission
A Dog's Purpose
A Good Day to Die Hard (Extended Edition)
Air Force One
A Knight's Tale
Alien
Alien: Covenant
Alien (Director's Cut)
Alien3
Alien3 (Special Edition)
Alien Resurrection
Aliens
Aliens (Special Edition)
Aliens Vs. Predator: Requiem (Uncut)
Alien vs. Predator
Always
American Gangster (Extended Edition)
American Graffiti
American Made
American Reunion (Unrated)
American Sniper
A Million Ways to Die in the West (Unrated)
An American In Paris
Annabelle
Apollo 13
Appaloosa
Aquaman
Argo
A River Runs Through It
Armageddon
Army of Darkness
As Above, So Below
A Scanner Darkly
Assassin's Creed
A Star Is Born
A Streetcar Named Desire
Atomic Blonde
Atonement
Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery
Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me
Austin Powers in Goldmember
A Walk Among the Tombstones
A Walk to Remember
BACKDRAFT
Back to the Future
Back to the Future Part II
Back to the Future Part III
Bad Moms
Bad Times at The El Royale
Bad Words
Batman
Batman: Mask of the Phantasm
Batman: The Killing Joke
Batman & Mr. Freeze: Sub Zero
Batman & Robin
Batman Begins
Batman Forever
Batman Ninja
Batman Returns
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (Ultimate Edition)
Battle for the Planet of the Apes
Battle of the Sexes
Battleship
Beasts of the Southern Wild
Beautiful Creatures
Beetlejuice
Being John Malkovich
Beneath the Planet of the Apes
Ben Hur
Better Living Through Chemistry
Big Fish
Birdman
Blackhat
BlacKkKlansman
Black Mass
Black Swan
Blade
Blade: Trinity (Rated)
Blade II
Blade Runner (Final Cut)
Blade Runner 2049
Blast from the Past
Blazing Saddles
Blockers
Blow
Blue Jasmine
Blumhouse's Truth Or Dare (Unrated)
Born on the Fourth of July
Bram Stoker's Dracula
Bridesmaids
Bridge of Spies
Brooklyn
Bruce Almighty
Bullitt
Caddyshack
Can't Hardly Wait
Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie
Casablanca
Casino
Casper
Cast Away
Central Intelligence
Chappie
Charade
Chariots of Fire
Children of Men
CHiPs
Chronicle
Citizen Kane
Clash of the Titans
Clash of the Titans
Cloud Atlas
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
Colossal
Con Air
Conquest of the Planet of the Apes
Constantine
Contagion
Contraband
Cool Hand Luke
Cowboys & Aliens
Crazy, Stupid, Love
Crazy Rich Asians
Creepshow
Crimson Peak
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Dallas Buyers Club
Daredevil (Director's Cut)
Dark City
Darkest Hour
Darkman
Dark Shadows
Das Boot (The Director's Cut)
Date Night (Extended Edition)
Dawn of the Dead - Unrated Director's Cut
Dawn of The Planet of The Apes
Dead Man Down
Death Becomes Her
Demolition Man
Despicable Me
Despicable Me 3
Detroit
Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo
Dick Tracy
Die Hard
Dirty Harry
Disobedience
District 9
Doctor Dolittle
Doctor Zhivago
Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story (Uncut)
Dog Day Afternoon
Dolphin Tale
Dolphin Tale 2
Dr. Seuss: The Lorax
Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas
Dr. Seuss' The Lorax
Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
Dracula (1931)
Dracula Untold
Drive
Driving Miss Daisy
Due Date
Dumb and Dumber
Dumb and Dumber To
Dune
Dunkirk
Elf
Empire of the Sun
End of Watch
Enemy of the State
Enough Said
Entourage
Escape from the Planet of the Apes
Evan Almighty
Everest
Exodus: Gods and Kings
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close
Eye in the Sky
Fallen
Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
Far and Away
Fast & Furious
Fast & Furious 6 - Extended Edition
Fast Five - Extended Edition
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
Field of Dreams
Fifty Shades Darker
Fifty Shades Darker (Unrated)
Fifty Shades Freed
Fifty Shades of Grey
Fifty Shades of Grey
Fight Club
Final Destination 5
Focus
Forgetting Sarah Marshall (Unrated)
Frank & Lola
Frankenstein
Freddy vs. Jason
Free State of Jones
Friday the 13th
Fright Night
Full Metal Jacket
Game Night
Gangster Squad
Gattaca
Geostorm
Get Hard
Get Out
Get Smart
Gifted
Gigi
Girls Trip
Glory
Godzilla
Godzilla, Mothra, and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack
Gone in 60 Seconds
Gone with the Wind
Goodbye Christopher Robin
Goodfellas
Grand Hotel
Grandma's Boy
Grand Prix
Gran Torino
Gravity
Green Lantern
Green Lantern: Emerald Knights
Green Zone
Gremlins
Gremlins 2: The New Batch
Groundhog Day
Grudge Match
Grumpy Old Men
Hail, Caesar!
Hancock
Hanna
Happy Death Day
Happy Feet
Happy Feet Two
Happy Gilmore
Hardcore Henry
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Harvey
Hellboy II: The Golden Army
Her
Hidden
Hitchcock
Hitman: Agent 47
Hitman (Uncut)
Holiday Inn
Home
Hook
Hop
Horrible Bosses
Horrible Bosses 2
Hot Fuzz
How the Grinch Stole Christmas: The Ultimate Edition
How The West Was Won
How to Train Your Dragon
How to Train Your Dragon 2
I, Robot
I, Tonya
I Am Legend
Identity
In Bruges
Inception
Independence Day: Resurgence
Inglourious Basterds
Inherent Vice
Insidious: Chapter 2
Insidious: Chapter 3
Interview With the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles
In the Heart of the Sea
In the Name of the Father
Into the Storm
Isle of Dogs
IT
It Could Happen to You
J. Edgar
Jack the Giant Slayer
Jason Bourne
Jaws
Jennifer's Body (Unrated)
Jerry Maguire
Jersey Boys
JOBS
Johnny Mnemonic
Jonah Hex
Journey to the Center of the Earth
Joy
Jumanji
Juno
Jupiter Ascending
Jurassic Park III
Justice League
Keeping Up with the Joneses
Kick-Ass 2
King Arthur: Legend of the Sword
Kingdom of Heaven (Director's Cut Roadshow Version)
King Kong
Kingsman: The Golden Circle
Kingsman: The Secret Service
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
Knight and Day
Kong: Skull Island
Krampus
Kung Fu Panda
Kung Fu Panda 2
Kung Fu Panda 3
Last Action Hero
Lawrence of Arabia (Restored Version)
Leave No Trace
Legend
Legend (2015)
Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole
Legends of the Fall
Les Miserables (2012)
Let's Be Cops
Lethal Weapon
Liar Liar
Life of Pi
Little Fockers
Live Die Repeat: Edge of Tomorrow
Logan
London Has Fallen
Lonely Hearts
Lone Survivor
Lost River
Love Actually
Lucy
Machete
Madagascar
Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa
Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted
Mad Max: Fury Road
Magic Mike
Magic Mike XXL
Mallrats
Mama
Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again
Mamma Mia! The Movie
Man of Steel
Maps to the Stars
Mars Attacks!
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World
Max Payne (Unrated)
Maze Runner: The Death Cure
Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials
Meet Joe Black
Me, Myself and Irene
Megamind
Megan Leavey
Memoirs of an Invisible Man
Message in a Bottle
Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates
Million Dollar Baby
MindGamers
Miss Congeniality
Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous
Mistress America
Monsters vs. Aliens
Monte Carlo
Moon
Moonrise Kingdom
MORGAN
Mortal Kombat
Moulin Rouge
Mr. Deeds
Mr. Peabody & Sherman
Mrs. Miniver
Murder on The Orient Express
Mutiny on the Bounty
My Best Friend's Wedding
My Girl
My Girl 2
My Summer of Love
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
National Lampoon's Vacation
Natural Born Killers
Neighbors
Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising
New Year's Eve
Nightcrawler
A Nightmare on Elm Street
A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge
A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors
A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master
Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child
Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare
Freddy vs. Jason
Wes Craven's New Nightmare
Nights in Rodanthe
Ninja Assassin
Nocturnal Animals
North By Northwest
Notting Hill
Oblivion
Ocean's 11
Ocean's 8
Ocean's Eleven
Ocean's Thirteen
Ocean's Twelve
Office Space
Once Upon a Time in America
Open Season
Open Season: Scared Silly
Our Brand is Crisis
Outbreak
Pacific Rim
Pacific Rim Uprising
Pan
Pan's Labyrinth
Panic Room
Paper Towns
Papillon
Papillon (2019)
Parker
Paul (Unrated)
Pearl Harbor
Penguins of Madagascar
Phantom Thread
Pillow Talk
Pitch Black - Unrated Director's Cut
Pitch Perfect
Pitch Perfect 2
Pitch Perfect 3
Pitch Perfect Sing-Along Edition
Planet of the Apes
Planet of the Apes
Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping
Predator
Predators
Predestination
Pretty Woman
Pride & Prejudice
Prince of Darkness
Prisoners
Project X
Prometheus
Psycho (1960)
Public Enemies
R.I.P.D.
Rampage
Ready Player One
Real Steel
Rear Window
Red Sparrow
Repo Man
Riddick - Unrated Director's Cut
Rise of the Guardians
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Risky Business
Robin Hood: Men in Tights
Robin Hood (Unrated)
Rock of Ages
Run All Night
Rush
Rush Hour
Rush Hour 2
Rush Hour 3
Safe House
San Andreas
Savages
SCARFACE ('83)
Schindler's List
Scott Pilgrim vs. The World
Search Party
Seeking a Friend for the End of the World
Serenity
Seven
Seventh Son
Sex and the City: The Movie
Sex and the City 2
Sgt. Bilko
Shaun of the Dead
Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows
Side Effects
Sing
Singin' in the Rain
Sisters (Unrated)
Sixteen Candles
Skyscraper
Sleepless
Slither
Slumdog Millionaire
Smallfoot
Smokey and the Bandit
Smokin' Aces
Smokin' Aces 2: Assassins' Ball (Unrated)
Snatch
Snatched
Snowden
Snow White & the Huntsman
Son of God
Space Jam
Spartacus
Speed
Speed Racer
Spider-Man (2002)
Split
Spotlight
Spy (Unrated)
Starship Troopers
Stephen King's IT
Steve McQueen: An American Icon
Stoker
Storks
Street Fighter
Street Kings
Sucker Punch
Suicide Squad
Suicide Squad: Extended Cut
Sully
Sunshine
Superman: The Movie
Superman Returns
Super Troopers
Super Troopers 2
Surf's Up
Swordfish
Table 19
Tag
Taken (Extended Cut)
Tammy
Taxi Driver
Ted (Unrated)
Ted 2 (Unrated)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 3
Teen Titans Go! To The Movies
Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
Terminator 4: Salvation
Thank You For Your Service
That Thing You Do!
The Accountant
The Adjustment Bureau
The American President
The Animatrix
The Apparition
The A-Team
The Aviator
The Bag Man
The Beguiled (2017)
The Big Lebowski
The Big Red One
The Birds
The Birth of A Nation
The Blind Side
The Blues Brothers
The Bodyguard
The Book of Eli
The Boss (Unrated)
The Boss Baby
The Bourne Identity
The Bourne Legacy
The Bourne Supremacy
The Bourne Ultimatum
The Breakfast Club
The Bridge On the River Kwai
The Butterfly Effect
The Campaign
The Cell
The Chronicles of Riddick - Unrated Director's Cut
The Color Purple
The Conjuring
The Counselor
The Croods
The Danish Girl
The Darkest Minds
The Dark Knight
The Dark Knight Rises
The Day After Tomorrow
The Day the Earth Stood Still
The Departed
The Deep
The Descendants
The Devil's Advocate
The Devil Wears Prada
The Dirty Dozen
The Exorcist
The Fast and the Furious
The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift
The Fate of the Furious
The Fate of the Furious - Extended Directorís Cut
The Fifth Estate
The Fisher King
The Five-Year Engagement
The Fountain
The Frighteners
The Fugitive
The Girl on the Train
The Good Lie
The Goonies
The Grand Budapest Hotel
The Great Gatsby
The Great Race
The Great Wall
The Green Mile
The Grey
The Gunman
The Guns of Navarone
The Hangover
The Hangover Part II
The Hangover Part III
The Heat
The Help
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (Extended Edition)
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (Extended Edition)
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (Extended Edition)
The Host
The Hulk
The Huntsman: Winter's War - Extended Edition
The Ides of March
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
The Incredible Burt Wonderstone
The Incredible Hulk
The Intern
The International
The Internship
The Interview
The Iron Giant (Signature Edition)
The Jerk
The Judge
The Karate Kid (1984)
The Last Samurai
The Last Starfighter
The Legend of Tarzan
The Legend of Zorro
The Lego Batman Movie
The Lego Movie
The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part
The LEGO Ninjago Movie
The Light Between Oceans
The Longest Day
The Longest Ride
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (Extended Edition)
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (Extended Edition)
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (Extended Edition)
The Losers
The Lost World: Jurassic Park
The Lucky One
The Maltese Falcon
The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
The Man with the Iron Fists
The Mask
The Mask of Zorro
The Matrix
The Matrix Reloaded
The Matrix Revolutions
The Maze Runner
The Meg
The Mountain Between Us
The Mule
The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor
The Mummy (1999)
The Mummy (2017)
The Mummy Returns
The Natural
The Neverending Story
The Nice Guys
The Notebook
The Nun
The Nut Job
The Nut Job 2: Nutty By Nature
The Old Man & The Gun
The Other Guys
The Other Woman
The Phantom of the Opera
The Pirates! Band of Misfits
The Place Beyond the Pines
The Predator
The Prestige
The Professional
The Professional (Extended Cut)
The Proposal
The Purge
The Quick and the Dead (1995)
The Revenant
The Right Stuff
The Rocky Horror Picture Show
The Runaways (2010)
The Sand Pebbles
The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
The Shape of Water
The Shawshank Redemption
The Smurfs
The Snowman
The Sting
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
The Theory of Everything
The Thing (1982)
The Thing (2011)
The Time Traveler's Wife
The Town
The Train Robbers
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
The Tree of Life
The Watcher
The Way, Way Back
The Wedding Singer
The Wizard of Oz (1939)
The Wolfman (Unrated)
The World's End
The X-files: I Want To Believe (Special Edition)
They Live
The Young Messiah
They Shall Not Grow Old
This Is 40
This is Where I Leave You
This Means War
Thoroughbreds
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Tim Burton's Corpse Bride
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
Tiptoes
TMNT
To Kill A Mockingbird
Tombstone
Training Day
Trainwreck
Transcendence
Trash
Trolls
Trouble With The Curve
Troy
Trumbo
Turbo
Twister
Two Weeks Notice
U-571
Unbreakable
Unbroken
Unforgiven
Unknown
Unsane
Unstoppable
Upgrade
Vacation
Van Helsing
Veronica Mars
Vertical Limit
Vertigo
V for Vendetta
Videodrome
Walk the Line
Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps
Wanted
Warcraft
War Dogs
War for the Planet of the Apes
Watchmen
Water for Elephants
Waterworld
We're the Millers
Wedding Crashers
Where the Wild Things Are
Wild
William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet
Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory
Wonder Woman
Woody Woodpecker
Wrath of the Titans
Yes Man
Yogi Bear
Your Highness (Unrated)
Zathura

The Monegasque, “Shit-Fest Investigative Committee” is headquartered in a small office in a refurbished apartment, with the Monte Carlo casino insight. The apartment is in shambles, trails of wires and extension cords, computers, and monitors surround a bed.
Thérèse looks at the information they’ve complied, charted in a board, connected by pins and string. A screenshot of the, “I’ve Shit Myself” video sits at the center, surrounded by images of Kote, Luigi LeBlanc, and the web traffic at the time of Shit-Fest 2020.
Thérèse: Have they responded to the communique?
Alphonso: No it’s- I don’t know, it’s ridiculous.
Thérèse: It’s been three months.
Thérèse bites her lip, her eyes widen, confused as to why they never responded, then she realizes.
Thérèse: We are a thousand percent sure they received the communique?
Alphonso: Yes, they definitely got it.
Thérèse taps her feet in anxiety, crosses her arms and stares back at the corkboard.
Thérèse: What if there’s more here.
Alphonso: Thérèse.
Alphonso says annoyed, yet sympathetically. ​
Thérèse: Well what else is there? We still can’t explain the massive web traffic, and the man presumably behind the video, Kote is still in England.
Alphonso: Well that's our next step, England, maybe the communique with them will pan out.
Thérèse opens her mouth to speak but catches herself, not to sound like a broken record.
Thérèse: Well yeah, it’s just, I don’t understand why they won’t respond we have him, he was being searched for months, the center of French media. Yet here we are being ignored.
Alphonso: Just calm down, there’s a logical explanation we aren’t seeing.
Thérèse: Yes! There is, there something more here, in some way, I don’t know how but-
Alphonso: You always have these fucking theories, I don’t even know how you fucking got this job!
Thérèse: Alphonso! There’s a distinct lack of public servants in Monaco, some of us, you and me, need to step up. Just-
She sighs.
Thérèse: Just listen to me, my theory isn’t fact and neither is yours. We just need more info, try to get into contact with the British Government.
Alphonso: Of course.
Thérèse stares back at the corkboard, the dusty photos, the thin strings connecting it all. She can hear the sounds of the Mediterranean behind her, people walking past, laughing, unknown to the investigation that lurks overhead.

With Spring Break starting on Friday, I wanted to share this week's of events early so those who are leaving Blacksburg for the week can enjoy some local fun before they leave and also help those staying behind (hand raised, that's what I did every year in college).
So here's this week's 21 events: 1. Women's Lacrosse: William & Mary vs. Virginia Tech Indoor Practice Facility, Virginia Tech Wednesday, March 4, 2020, 4:00 - 6:00 PM Admission: Free Watch the Virginia Tech Women's Lacrosse team compete against non-conference and in-state opponent William & Mary. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=540289
2. College Baseball: Marshall University vs. Virginia Tech English Field, Virginia Tech Wednesday, March 4, 2020, 4:00 - 7:00 PM Admission: Free Watch the Virginia Tech Baseball Team compete against non-conference opponent Marshall University. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=540294
3. Men's Basketball: Clemson vs. Virginia Tech (Senior Night & Home Finale) Cassell Coliseum, Virginia Tech Wednesday, March 4, 2020, 7:00 - 9:00 PM Individual Ticket: $30.00, StubHub.com starting at $6.00 The Virginia Tech Men's Basketball hosts ACC conference opponent Clemson University in their 2019/2020 regular season home finale. This game will serve as Senior Night. Halftime entertainment will be provided by the Red Panda. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=535891
4. Comedy Night with Headliner Sonya White McClain's at First & Main, Blacksburg Wednesday, March 4, 2020, 8:00 - 9:30 PM Admission: $10.00 Bonkerz Comedy Club - Blacksburg presents Comedy Night featuring headliner Sonya White with comedian and professional wrestler Tate Griffen. Sonya White is based in Chicago, IL and originally from Virginia. White’s observational comedy is enhanced by dead-on impersonations and appropriate sound effects. Both her comedy stage show and her one-woman show, “Airing Dirty Laundry,” are based on real-life experiences and her fond, but irreverent, interactions with friends, family and the world at large. Must be 18 or older to enter. She has combined southern charm with big city street smarts to create a show that won her multiple appearances on CBS’ “Star Search”, a promo spot on NBC’s "Last Comic Standing 4" and CMT'S production “Southern Fried Chicks”. Sonya has also appeared on Oxygen’s “Girls Behaving Badly", been featured on “Comcast Comedy Spotlight Roadtrip 2002” and at The U.S. Comedy Arts Festival 1999 which was aired on HBO, E, and Comedy Central. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=540878
5. The Jared Stout Band Duo in Concert McClain's at First & Main, Blacksburg Thursday, March 5, 2020, 6:00 - 9:00 PM Admission: Free Enjoy the music of Jared Stout and Robby Carden. Jared Stout is a musician based in Blacksburg, VA playing all the music under the sun. Enjoy him and his band performing a firm variety of country, pop, rock, R&B, folk and many others. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=540716
6. Public Lecture: The Oldest Green Seaweed: Come and Taste One Billion Years of Evolution” Museum of Geosciences, Virginia Tech Thursday, March 5, 2020, 7:00 - 8:00 PM Admission: Free The Museum of Geosciences at Virginia Tech presents a public lecture titled "The Oldest Green Seaweed: Come and Taste One Billion Years of Evolution”. Virginia Tech paleontologists have discovered the oldest green seaweed yet, over 1 billion years old! This is the first presentation for the general public. Enjoy brief presentation about this important discovery followed by a hands-on, meet-the-scientists reception. There will be examples of ancient and modern seaweeds and even some seaweed you can taste! Admission is free and preregistration with [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) is appreciated, but not required. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=540797
7. FLIP Fabrique: “Blizzard” Moss Arts Center at Virginia Tech, Blacksburg Thursday, March 5, 2020, 7:30 - 9:00 PM Adult Tickets (based on seat location): $25.00-$55.00, Students with ID and Youth 18 and Under: $10.00 FLIP Fabrique takes you on a crazy, poetic, and gentle journey in the dead of winter and invites you to lose yourself in a moment of complete wonder. "Blizzard" is the story of a group of friends, each one different from the other, like snowflakes, exploring the awe and wonder of a winter storm. Through the lens of their very special and intimate relationship with winter. With some of the most exciting circus performers of the moment, all original music performed live, and breathtaking visual poetry, "Blizzard" is taking the stage by storm! Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=517713
8. Women's Tennis: NC State vs. Virginia Tech Burrows-Burleson Tennis Center, Virginia Tech Friday, March 6, 2020, 2:00 - 5:00 PM Admission: Free The Virginia Tech Women's Tennis team hosts ACC conference opponent NC State. Virginai Tech's Shiran Arol Wiegand's home country of Israel will be highlighted. The match will include trivia and facts about Israel with a prize pack winner. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=540975
9. Leslie Brooks in Concert India Garden Restaurant, Blacksburg Friday, March 6, 2020, 6:00 - 8:30 PM Admission: Free Leslie Brooks is a singer-songwriter, performing solo with guitar, playing jazz, folk, blues, rockin' country and popular favorites. She has played the best venues in a 16-state area, as well as in Norway and Monte Carlo. Opened for Heart, James Taylor, Bob Margolin and Willie Nelson to name a few. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=540524
10. Kat Mills in Concert Eastern Divide Brewing, Blacksburg Friday, March 6, 2020, 6:00 - 9:00 PM Admission: Free Kat Mills is a songwriter, folk singer, guitarist, community cheerleader and seeker rooted in GenX habits, nodding to 60s and 70s troubadour traditions, and openly commenting on the aches and triumphs of the moment. She was a founding member of acclaimed newgrass band, Grass. Kat is currently based in Blacksburg VA and touring as a solo singer and songwriter throughout the East and beyond. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=540971
11. Waltz Disney Dance Old Dominion Ballroom, Virginia Tech Friday, March 6, 2020, 7:00 - 11:00 PM Admission: Free Ballroom Dance at Virginia Tech presents the Waltz Disney Dance in their first dance of the semester. All of the music played will be from Disney. Dress up to show the spirit or just wear some jeans, they don't discriminate. Admission is free and no experience is necessary. There will be free snacks and drinks and a Viennese Waltz dance lesson for beginners. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=540977
12. Men's Tennis: NC State vs. Virginia Tech Burrows-Burleson Tennis Center, Virginia Tech Saturday, March 7, 2020, 12:00 - 4:00 PM Admission: Free The Virginia Tech Men's Tennis team hosts ACC conference opponent NC State. There will be a raffle for Bull & Bones Gift Card. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=540974
13. Play: Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens Warm Hearth Village Center, Blacksburg Saturday, March 7, 2020, 3:00 - 5:15 PM Saturday, March 7, 2020, 3:00 PM and 7:00 PM, Sunday, March 8, 2020, 8:00 PM Adults: $12.00, Seniors: $10.00, Students: $10.00 New River Stage presents the play "Oliver Twist" by Charles Dickens with six performances. This adaptation is a fast moving melodrama about the adventures of an orphan redeemed from a cruel life of poverty and crime. The cast is made up of 14 local actors playing over 30 roles and will include original music by Anna and David Smith. The play is recommended for ages middle school and up due to depictions of child abuse, domestic abuse and stage violence. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=538797
14. 2020 Wild Life Dinner Camp Tuk-A-Way, Blacksburg Saturday, March 7, 2020, 5:00 - 8:00 PM Adults: $10.00, Kids Ages 5-12: $5.00, Kids Age 4 & Under: Free Craig Valley Gospel Fellowship presents the 11th Annual Wild Life Dinner. Enjoy a great dinner with lots of wild game options including deer, turkey, bear, squirrel rabbits and more. In addition, non-wild game meats will also be offered including chicken and pork in addition to sides. There will also be music, raffles, door prizes, great fellowship and music. Proceeds benefit the Craig Valley Gospel Fellowship Church. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=540877
15. St. John Neumann Academy's 2020 Casino Knight German Club Manor, Virginia Tech Saturday, March 7, 2020, 5:30 - 10:30 PM Admission: $45.00 Picture an elegant evening at the Virginia Tech German Club, all of the energy of a Las Vegas casino, fantastic prizes, a fabulous silent auction, delicious food and great music at St. John Neumann Academy's annual Casino Knight promises to be a fabulous evening. The admission price includes: $10,000 in "play money" for casino games including Roulette, Black Jack, Craps and Texas Hold’em, five prize tickets for fabulous raffle prizes, heavy hors d’oeuvres & delicious pasta stations, a magic mirror photo booth, and more. All proceeds support student scholarships and needed curriculum materials. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=540790
16. March Jazz Jam Tea & Jam Cafe, Blacksburg Saturday, March 7, 2020, 7:30 - 9:30 PM Admission: Free Tea & Jam Cafe presents the March Jazz Jam. Bring your instrument and jam with some local jazz legends in the tea shop. This month the jam will be led by Bob McGraw the front man of local jazz group Wine and Roses. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=538273
17. The Floyd Radio Show March Edition with The Deer Creek Boys, Paul Brown & Terri McMurray Floyd Country Store, Floyd Saturday, March 7, 2020, 7:30 - 10:00 PM Advance Tickets: $12.00, Day of the Show: $15.00 This month’s guests include the Deer Creek Boys, Paul Brown and Terri McMurray and The New Macedon Rangers. The Floyd Country Store brings together a new variety show every month celebrating American roots music. A series of guest hosts will perform original radio plays, comedy bits, ads, jingles, music and more. Each show features the finest old-timey musical acts, from storytelling banjo players to flatpicking guitarists to hard-driving string bands. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=540038
18. Prime Time Wine Series Beliveau Farm Winery, Blacksburg Sunday, March 8, 2020, 12:00 - 5:00 PM Admission: $15.00 The Prime Time Wine Series is Beliveau's biannual "mini wine festival". Each of the participating local Virginia Farm Wineries will offer intimate tastings lead by the wine maker or owners so you are guaranteed a unique experience. The two guest wineries are Zephaniah Farm Vineyard out of Leesburg, VA and Brix & Columns Vineyards in McGaheysville, VA. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=536128
19. Women's Tennis: Georgia Tech vs. Virginia Tech (International Women's Day Celebration) Burrows-Burleson Tennis Center, Virginia Tech Sunday, March 8, 2020, 1:00 - 4:00 PM Admission: Free The Virginia Tech Women's Tennis team hosts ACC conference opponent Georgia Tech. The match will celebrate International Women's Day with a giveaway of Virginia Tech scrunchies for the first arriving fans. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=540976
20. Sunday Blues & Brews (and Bloody's) with The Woogemen Eastern Divide Brewing, Blacksburg Sunday, March 8, 2020, 3:00 - 6:00 PM Admission: Free Eastern Divide Brewing and the New River Blues Society present the first Sunday Blues & Brews (and Bloody's) with The Woogemen. The Woogemen are a New River Valley group playing a true variety of all genres of music. In addition to food and their craft beers, Eastern Divide will be offering Bloody Marys for this event. The New River Blues Society formed to help keep traditional blues alive in the New River Valley and surrounding area. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=540882
21. Elkhorn and Eight Point Star in Concert Odd Fellows Building Lodge #20 (Wilson Avenue), Blacksburg Sunday, March 8, 2020, 7:00 - 10:00 PM Admission: Free The Rays of Joy series presents Elkhorn and Eight Point Star with the Blacksburg Drone Orchestra in concert. Elkhorn is a mesmerizing, sound-scapey guitar duo of acoustic 12-string picker Jesse Sheppard (Philadelphia) and electric player Drew Gardner (New York), touring to support their newest album of instrumental vignettes, “The Storm Sessions". Eight Point Star is a New River Valley-Roanoke collective gathered around old-time and improvisational fiddler Mike Gangloff and bluesy fingerstyle guitarist Matt Peyton that draws on traditional and international roots to create a sound all their own. Admission is free, but donations are appreciated. Link: http://www.nextthreedays.com/FeaturedEventDetails.cfm?E=539369
For all those traveling, drive and travel safely, and for those staying in Blacksburg, there's still fun you can enjoy! Have a great rest of your week!

I posted some pics the other day of my 2013 trip to the Monaco GP. Someone mentioned they were interested in some practical tips for the race as they planned to tick it off their bucket list. Here are some that I wrote up a few years back.
How much will it cost me?
So, it’s not a cheap exercise – but it doesn’t have to bankrupt you unless you want it to.
Tickets are expensive (more on that later), however the rest of it really isn't too bad. You can dial it up & down as much as you want. I'll base this on the assumption that the person reading it is a normal human being, and won't be requiring helicopter transfers from Nice airport to The Fairmont Hotel. Some indicative costs below:
2/3 star hotel with sea views (staying within 15 mins train of Monaco): <€150/night 5cl beer at the track (which you can drink in the stands): €5 Ham sandwich/kebab at the track: €4 Train from Nice: €5 Two course lunch & some drinks at a half-decent restaurant in Monaco: €35pp Team hat/shirt: €30-40
Sweet. Where do I sit? Well, you need to buy grandstand tickets - there is no such thing as general admission & you cannot see the track from anywhere in Monaco except the grandstands (or secteur rocher - I'll get to that) - there's hoarding everywhere to block views.
Widely regarded as the "best" views are Stand K1 "high". This is the first stand at Tabac corner on the harbour, seated at the back of the stand (high up). It has views of Nouvelle Chicane, the run into Tabac, Tabac corner, and the entry into Swimming Pool. If you’re in the back row, you can also stand up & peer over the edge onto the main straight. The only downside is you are not quite so close to the cars. I did K1 "low" in the very front row, and while you don't quite get the panoramic views that the upper seats get, you are literally 2m from the cars as they go past at 160km/h. And if Max Chilton punts Pastor Maldonado into the wall in front of you, you get a face full of dust & a carbon fibre winglet off a Williams F1 car to keep
Anywhere in Stand K is brilliant as you have the widest views of the track, a screen, and you're right across from the boats which is a pretty iconic Monaco GP view.
Also great was Stand B - Casino Square. You are sitting directly opposite Casino Monte Carlo, again with a screen right in front of you. The cars are not as quick through here, but regardless of how many times you've seen the race on TV, it is a bizarre sight to see F1 cars going through what is usually a busy carpark. The sound here (IMO) was much louder & better too - must have been all the echoing off buildings etc.
The best way is to jump on YouTube and look for views from various stands - you'll get a good idea pretty quickly (in French the word for grandstand is ‘tribune’ – so search “Monaco grand prix tribune k” for example). I would definitely recommend stand K & B (in that order) - maybe do a mix i.e. stand B on Saturday, Stand K on Sunday. I’m sure the other stands are fine, however I have no experience with them so can’t say.
Note: when you buy Saturday & Sunday tickets, you get tickets for Thursday Free Practice included for no cost.
Budget up to €700pp for tickets if doing a full weekend.
Book directly through the Automobile Club Monaco website (www.acm.mc) - it is a horrible website, the ticketing UX sucks balls, and it only seems to work on Internet Explorer but persevere. They will send your tickets via registered post to your address & mine came in about Jan/Feb (ahead of the May race).
Hmm....not sure I can justify spending $1k pp on tickets.
No problem, there is another option. Secteur Rocher is a rocky hill near La Rascasse, and you can buy tickets to that for about €70 I think. There is no allocated seating so it's first in best dressed (meaning you'll need to get there early), however it has great (albeit a bit distant) views of the track and excellent views of the pits.
How do I get around while I’m there?
To get to Monaco, take the train. It costs €5 each way, trains leave every 15mins or so, and it only takes 10-15mins. The last train leaves Monaco at around 11.30pm.
It’s then only a short (but steep) walk from the train station to the grandstands, and everything’s clearly signed. The little ticket machines at the station are super easy to use too.
The roads are pretty diabolical on this weekend (the Cannes Film Festival is usually on around the same time 30mins up the road so you have all these people there at once) so buses are out, and a cab between Nice & Monaco apparently costs €250 each way on race weekend. If you have a bigger budget, helicopter transfers are easy to come across & aren’t as expensive as you might think (probably comparable to a cab).
Once you’re in Monaco, just walk everywhere. It’s tiny. The great thing is you can watch quali in the stands, then walk a few hundred metres to a myriad of half-decent (and sensibly priced) restaurants to have lunch/drinks while you wait for the next session to start.
Where do I stay?
If you have the budget, stay in Monaco if you can. While getting around is super easy, it would have been easier to just wander back to the room at the end of each day. I wouldn’t pay €500 a night or anything, but if you can get something for, say €200-250 I’d do it. That might be a bit optimistic though.
Otherwise, the obvious answer is Nice, but to be honest I (personally) would prefer to stay in a smaller town. I stayed in Villefranche-sur-Mer, but you could try Eze, Cap Ferrat or Bealieu-sur-Mer. They’re just a bit quieteprettier than Nice. Villefrance was nice & relaxed – plenty of places to eat & drink but no hustle & bussle. It was good to leave hectic/noisy Monaco behind at the end of each day and just chill in a nice quiet little town. Pretty much just look at the map & pick a town that looks nice. As mentioned, landing a sea-view room during GP weekend for under €150 is achievable (in any of the towns a few minutes outside Monte Carlo).
What else is there to do there?
Shitloads. The track opens to the public after each session (around 6pm) and then opens to traffic at 7pm. The restaurant La Rascasse turns into this massive party that spills out on to the road/track…DJs, drinks, the whole box & dice. Hundreds & hundreds of people there.
All the restaurants and bars are packed & have plenty on. There’s stuff going on in the street (merchandise, Lotus had a stand where you could drive their sim, live music in the street), beers everywhere. Lots to see.
You can go up to Casino Square, which can only be described as a circus on Saturday night. I’m not kidding, it is wall to wall rich kids posing in supercars. You are standing there watching a 20yr old kid rolling past the casino in an orange Aventador (on Kuwaiti plates…meaning he has shipped it over from Kuwait for the weekend), just wondering to yourself “who are these people?!” Young girls driving McLarens, Veyrons, SLRs, an Aston One77, Ferraris, you name it. You know the most recent Batmobile? That was there. As was a RR Phantom painted in camo green. It’s mental.
You can take a walk along the yachts & be surprised at how depressing the yacht parties look. It’s basically a bunch of rich dudes with Russian hookers all looking bored with each other, or some Poms who all bought tickets to the same VIP yacht package awkwardly trying to have a good time but failing.
You probably can’t go to any of the nice restaurants or bars. They are generally private events for special people only…I watched people getting turned away from Buddha Bar while playboys and socialites breezed in. Gotta be a part of the club. 
Is everyone there millionaires?
Nope. The crowd were mostly just genuine F1 fans from all over the world. LOTS of Aussies. My missus was a bit worried about what to wear thinking everyone was gonna be dressed up…nope.
All the billionaires are segregated in their viewing terraces or yachts.
You can generally tell who the special people are – they are always tanned, have perfect teeth. The men wear Hublot Big Bangs/AP Royal Oak Offshores, and the smoking hot women are dressed head to toe in Chanel. They are all a bunch of wankers to be honest, the whole “look at how rich I am” thing is amusing for about 10 minutes and then it becomes sad.
Monaco is a procession why would I want to go there herpa derpity derp it's the worst race on the calendar
Oh shut up, who cares. It’s an utterly brilliant spectacle & the atmosphere is amazing. You see the cars hammering around the track, and then when you’re walking the circuit 2hrs later & you cannot believe that they actually allow this race to happen. Like cigarettes or the IOMTT road race, if the Monaco Grand Prix was invented today you would be laughed out of the room for suggesting it. It is an absolutely absurd event that should be celebrated for existing in 2018.
Any other tips?
Yeah, after the race, head down to the paddock area near the pit entry/La Rascasse. They open it up to the public around 5.30/6pm. You will be able to walk into the paddock area. You’ll see drivers, team bosses, celebrities, media, etc. I said a quick hello to Michael Douglas, Christian Horner, Adrian Newey, Esteban Gutierrez, Sergio Perez. Saw DC, EJ, Brundle & co filming their post-race shows. And shook Mark Webber’s hand & congratulated him on his podium.
If you've ever said to yourself you'll go to the race "one day", you absolutely must do it.

As we are in the home stretch to EDCLV, it seems like a good time for the usual "know before you go" infodump. Vegas veterans can skip down to PARKING as there are new policies that will be in place just in time for EDC.
CASINOS • You must be 21 with a .gov ID to drink, go to a nightclub on the Strip, gamble, or even loiter in the "gaming areas" (Walking through is fine but don't stand and watch table games or sit at a slot machine.) Casinos do. not. play. when it comes to this - people lose their jobs for serving alcohol to underage people and underage gambling is 'handcuffs and a call to Metro' bad.
• Do not take photos of the "gaming areas." It's not illegal but basically every casino has rules against it and getting 86'd out of your accommodations on a major event weekend will ruin your trip real quick. The occasional selfie or quick shot isn't going to draw much attention but, say, periscoping a walking tour of the gaming areas or recording your friend's epic craps run is going to get you a talking to.
• Bare chests and bikini tops (and bottoms) are frowned upon by casino security so make sure you have an opaque cover up for walking across/through public areas. Restaurants can have even more strict dress codes (Even the casual places.)
ALCOHOL • Open containers are A-OK on the Strip proper with a couple caveats: 1) No glass containers. 2) Packaged alcohol (i.e. stuff you buy from a CVS or Walgreens) cannot be opened or consumed within 1000 ft. of the point of purchase or any other place that sells packaged alcohol. This is generally most pertinent to those staying downtown as the distance basically means you have to take a purchase all the way back to your room to open/drink it.
GETTING AROUND • Uber and Lyft do legally operate in Vegas. However, they operate under regs very similar to the taxis in Vegas (See below) and Uber rates in Vegas are the highest in the US due to how short the average trip distance is. Be also aware that surge multipliers can be absolutely obscene here.
• Taxis & TNCs can only pick-up/drop-off at designated locations in the resort corridor or at the airport (taxi stands/TNC drops) so please don't be that person trying to jump into a stopped cab on a corner or trying to get an Uber to pick you up from in front of the Bellagio fountains.
• As a pedestrian, stay out of the roadway. There are plenty of pedestrian bridges and outside of intersections with marked crosswalks, LV Blvd and the major cross street are designed for maximum vehicle volume and zero pedestrians. If you find yourself jumping a fence or tightroping a curb alongside traffic, you have fucked up.
• Relative distances on the Strip can be very misleading. Going from one place to another place at a casino "next door" or "across the street" can be a brisk 15-20 minute walk.
PARKING Ok, here's the doozy: In a bald-faced move to increase revenue so a handful of c-level execs can get fat bonuses the interest of providing "convenient, safe and secure parking," MGM Resorts is instituting paid parking at its casinos just in time for EDC attendees to arrive. The only way to get out of paying is to either be a NV resident or have the required tier level in MGM's player's club, M Life. Parking fees are completely separate from the daily resort fee but MGM is kind enough to allow you to roll the parking fees into your room bill.
EDIT: Thanks to OH2AZ and ReddGold for pointing this out - reservations made before May 12 are exempt from paying for parking.
If you are staying at Monte Carlo, Luxor, or Excalibur: self parking is $8/day and valet parking is $13/day
If you are staying at Aria, Bellagio, Mandalay Bay/Delano, MGM Grand, Mirage, or NYNY: self parking is $10/day and valet parking is $18/day
If you are staying at Circus Circus: self parking is still complimentary but valet parking is $13/day
Go here for all of the gory details.

First, let me say thank you to all of our wonderful readers, users, subscribers, lurkers and whoever happens to stumble bum into our little islands, /Oahu and /Honolulu, in the vast ocean of the Innernet. Hope 2017 was good to you and hope 2018 will be even more better...so...to rock it in properly, here's a handy dandy guide I've put together using a variety of sources.
Please verify the information on your own and be aware, there may be changes for any kind of reason. If there are any mistakes or if you'd like to add your own, post a comment here or shoot me a PM.
Your 2017 Guide to the Best New Year’s Eve Events and Fireworks in Honolulu - From Honolulu Magazine
Eighth Annual New Year’s Eve Party of the Year
SATURDAY, DEC. 30 ­AND SUNDAY, DEC. 31
Party your way into the new year with a two-day festival featuring the electro-pop duo behind “Roses,” “Closer” and “Something Just Like This.” One ticket gets you access to The Chainsmokers concert at Aloha Stadium on Saturday, followed by a countdown to 2018 at Aloha Tower on Sunday with more than 30 bands and DJs on nine stages (including Walshy Fire of Major Lazer), Eat the Street food trucks and, of course, a spectacular fireworks display.
Saturday: Aloha Stadium, 99-500 Salt Lake Blvd., ‘Aiea, 5–10 p.m., all ages; Sunday: Aloha Tower Marketplace, 1 Aloha Tower Drive, 7 p.m.­–2 a.m., 18 and over; $135–$300, purchase tickets here.
Hideout NYE
SUNDAY, DEC. 31
Start 2018 right dressed in all-white at The Laylow Hotel’s New Year’s Eve masquerade. Mingle with mysterious guests (thanks to complimentary masks!) out on the open-air lānai and by the pool while you listen to live performances by DJs Revise and Tittahbyte and get your drink on at not one, but two, bars.
2299 Kūhio Ave., 9 p.m.–2 a.m., $50 for the first 200 guests, $75 at the door, purchase tickets here.
Majestic! New Year’s Eve Cruise
SUNDAY, DEC. 31
All aboard Atlantis Adventures’ Majestic! for a New Year’s Eve with an ocean view of the Waikīkī fireworks, delicious appetizers, celebratory party favors and a complimentary glass of Champagne for a toast at midnight.
Pier 6, 1 Aloha Tower Drive, 10:30 p.m.­–12:45 a.m., $173, purchase tickets here.
Monte Carlo Casino Night at 53 By The Sea
SUNDAY, DEC. 31
Try your hand at being James (or Jane) Bond for a night at 53 By The Sea’s glamorous New Year’s Eve party. This black-tie-optional event features casino favorites such as blackjack, craps and roulette, live music, a cigar lounge, a martini bar and a view of the Waikīkī fireworks from the terrace lānai. Each ticket includes casino cash, hors d’oeuvres, drink/cigar tickets, a Champagne toast and party favors.
53 Ahui St., 9 p.m.­–1 a.m., 21 and over, $150 per person, $250 per couple, purchase tickets here.
New Year’s Eve Celebrations at Hilton Hawaiian Village
SUNDAY, DEC. 31
Best known for its Friday-night fireworks in Waikīkī, the Hilton Hawaiian Village outdoes itself with its New Year’s Eve show. The resort invites both visitors and locals to the Great Lawn for live entertainment by Henry Kapono and contemporary surf-rock band Dukes of Surf, a four-course dinner, cultural activities and an impressive fireworks finale over the lagoon.
2005 Kālia Road, 7–11 p.m., all ages, kama‘āina rates: $206 (child) or $256 (adult), purchase tickets here.
New Year’s Eve Masquerade Party at SKY Waikīkī
SUNDAY, DEC. 31
Start the new year with a bit of mystery at SKY Waikīkī’s annual New Year’s Eve Masquerade Party. Dress to impress in cocktail attire and a mask for a night of hosted appetizers, an open bar featuring Ketel One Vodka cocktails and Veuve Clicquot Champagne and, best of all, a room full of masked strangers. Listen to a live performance by L.A.-based DJ William Lifestyle as you watch Waikīkī’s iconic fireworks show from the top.
2270 Kalākaua Ave., 19th Floor, 8 p.m., 21 and over, $150­–$300, purchase tickets here.
New Year’s Eve Pineapple Drop at Mililani Town Center
SUNDAY, DEC. 31
Forget watching the Times Square ball drop on TV—you can see a 12-by-6-foot pineapple drop in person, right here on O‘ahu. The Mililani Town Center pineapple will drop at 7 p.m. HST (midnight in New York), making this one New Year’s Eve party that you can bring your kids and even your grandparents to. Listen to live music by Mike Love and Maunalua, win prizes in the #WeAreMililani selfie contest, be a part of a massive group dance to the “Electric Slide” and more.
95-1249 Meheula Parkway, #193, Mililani, 2–8 p.m., free, click here for more information.
NYE 2018 Presidential Suite Party: Kaleidoscope
SUNDAY, DEC. 31
Say goodbye to 2017 in style at the Moana Surfrider’s exclusive New Year’s Eve soirée. This ultra-luxe private party takes place in the hotel’s Presidential Suite on the penthouse level with an unobstructed view of the Waikīkī fireworks. The evening begins with live performances by local artists Starr Kalahiki and Taimane and a variety of cirque performers. Keeping with the kaleidoscope concept, the party’s theme and its menu will change every hour.
2365 Kalākaua Ave., 9 p.m.–2 a.m., 21 and over, $750, purchase tickets here.
Rock-A-Hula Midnight New Year’s Rockin’ Eve Show
SUNDAY, DEC. 31
Skip the typical New Year’s Eve parties for this midnight edition of Rock-A-Hula that takes you on a musical “Hawaiian Journey” from the 1920s to today. With Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson and Katy Perry tribute artists, hula and fire-knife dancers, a gourmet dinner and fireworks visual effects on the big screen, this show will have you rockin’ into the new year.
2201 Kalākaua Ave., Building B, Fourth Floor, 9:45 p.m.–12:45 a.m., all ages, $61 (child)­ to $185 (adult), kama‘āina rates available, purchase tickets here.
Star of Honolulu 2017 New Year’s Eve Cruise
SUNDAY, DEC. 31
Sail into the new year on this midnight cruise featuring live entertainment, party favors and a prime view of the Waikīkī fireworks. Your choice of either a three- or five-course steak-and-lobster dinner comes with a Champagne toast to 2018.
1 Aloha Tower Drive, 10:15 p.m.­–12:30 a.m., $89­–$257, purchase tickets here.
The Countdown 2018 at Stripsteak Waikīkī
SUNDAY, DEC. 31
Dance the night away at this New Year’s Eve party hosted by renowned nightlife veterans Blaise Sato and Flash Hansen and featuring sounds by DJs Delve and Hooligan on the Grand Lānai of the International Market Place. Stripsteak will offer a special New Year’s Eve dinner menu with final seating at 8 p.m. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Hawai‘i Chapter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
2330 Kalākaua Ave., #330, 10 p.m.–2 a.m., 21 and over, $20–$50, purchase tickets here.
Ring in 2018 with These Fun New Year Cultural Celebrations in Honolulu - From Honolulu Magazine
First Day Hike
MONDAY, JAN. 1, 2018
The first sunrise of 2018 is at 7:09 a.m. Join more than 700 people who hike to the top of Makapu‘u Point Lighthouse Trail to greet the new year. There’ll be a pū (blowing of a conch shell) followed by an oli blessing and taiko drummers. You’ll be hiking in pitch darkness, so bring a flashlight and arrive before the gates open at 5:30 a.m. to claim a parking spot. It might get chilly and windy at the top of the trail, so bring a light jacket.
Makapu‘u Point Lighthouse Trail
Hatsumōde 2018
MONDAY, JAN. 1, 2018
Usher in good luck for the new year with your first temple or shrine visit in 2018. This Japanese custom is called hatsumōde. Listen to the sounds of taiko drums, eat ozoni mochi soup (a New Year’s soup with mochi rice cake and seasonal vegetables), then let the Japanese shishi lion lightly bite your head for good luck. Pro tip: Park your car for free at Damien Memorial School and catch a complimentary shuttle to the event.
Free, midnight to 5 p.m., Hawai‘i Kotohira Jinsha – Hawai‘i Dazaifu Tenmangu, 1239 Olomea St., (808) 841-4755, e-shrine.org
Hatsumohde New Year Celebration
MONDAY, JAN. 1, 2018
If you’re planning to stay up late, visit the Daijingu Temple of Hawai‘i between midnight and 3:30 a.m. to receive a blessing from a Shinto priest. You can buy a lucky amulet and a paper fortune to bring you good luck in 2018. Expect 6,000 people there. If you want to arrive earlier to beat the crowd, there will be a blessing on Dec. 31 at 10 and 11 p.m. Parking is available in the shrine’s parking lot and at the Boy Scouts parking lot across the street.
Free, midnight to 4 p.m., The Daijingu Temple of Hawai‘i, 61 Pū‘iwa Road, daijingutemple.org
Fukubukuro
SUNDAY, DEC. 31, 2017–MONDAY, JAN. 1, 2018 (INTERNATIONAL MARKET PLACE)
MONDAY, JAN. 1, 2018 (ALA MOANA CENTER)
Fukubukuro is a Japanese New Year’s Day custom in which retailers fill bags with mystery items and sell the bags at a discounted rate. At Ala Moana Center and International Market Place, you can take part in the tradition. For example, a mystery bag selling for $50 will contain at least $100 worth of merchandise. Here’s how it works: You can visit the participating stores, including Kate Spade New York, Godiva, Eden in Love and Reyn Spooner, to pick up a mystery bag. Sorry, you can’t open the bag until after you buy it. What’s inside? It’s a surprise! Expect limited quantities and long lines, so plan to hit up your favorite stores early.
Price varies, 9:30 a.m.–9 p.m., Jan. 1, 2018, Ala Moana Center, alamoanacenter.com/en.html
Price varies, 10 a.m.–10 p.m., Dec. 31, 2017 and Jan. 1, 2018, International Market Place, shopinternationalmarketplace.com/holidays
New Year’s ‘Ohana Festival
SATURDAY, JAN. 14, 2018
Celebrate the Year of the Dog at the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawai‘i’s ‘Ohana Festival. This is a kickoff event to celebrate the 150th anniversary of gannen mono, the first Japanese immigrants to settle in Hawai‘i. There’ll be a craft fair, keiki games, food booths and more. Pro tip: Park your car for free at the University of Hawai‘i’s parking structure, then catch a complimentary shuttle to the festival.
Free, 10 a.m.–4 p.m., Mō‘ili‘ili Field, jcch.com/events/2018-new-years-‘ohana-festival
LIST: New Year's Eve events across Hawaii to ring in 2018
K5 / HNN
Oahu Fireworks Displays
Aloha Tower Marketplace Display times 9 p.m., 10 p.m., 11 p.m. and midnight.
Barge fronting Kahala Avenue 10:30 p.m.
Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort Lagoon 11 p.m.
Offshore barge, Waikiki 12 midnight
The Kahala Hotel & Resort 12 midnight
Four Seasons Resort Oahu at Ko Olina, Coves 1 and 2 12 midnight
Turtle Bay Resort 11:59 p.m.
Oahu New Year's Eve Events
Mililani Town Center Pineapple Drop
After a two-year hiatus, the beloved Pineapple Drop welcomes the new year with the lowering of a giant illuminated pineapple. The man-made pineapple stands at 12 feet tall and six feet wide, and lights up with more than 2,500 bulbs. The parking lot between Consolidated Theatres and Chilis opens to attendees at noon with entertainment, lion dances and activities to follow.
The pineapple will be lowered at 7 p.m. to coincide with the New York City NYE Ball Drop.
8th Annual Party of the Year
This two-day event begins on Saturday Dec. 30. Headline group The Chainsmokers will perform at Aloha Stadium on Saturday. All ages welcome. Then revelers will return Sunday to celebrate the start of 2018.
The best 2017 New Year's Eve parties and events in Hawaii - Hawaii Magazine
OAHU
New Year’s Eve 2018 at Buho Cocina y Cantina
Who needs a New Year’s Eve bash when you can have a fiesta? Set in the heart of Waikiki, this chic Mexican restaurant opens its rooftop bar as 2018 makes its arrival. Honolulu-based DJ Toma will be providing the night’s soundtrack, while you enjoy margaritas and authentic Mexican cuisine. 21+, starts at 10 p.m., $50 general admission tickets, 2250 Kalakaua Ave., fifth floor, Waikiki, buhocantina.com.
New Year’s Eve Celebration: The Seven Kingdoms at RumFire
Party oceanfront around the Sheraton Waikiki’s pools with a perfect view of the midnight fireworks. Couple this with a constant mix of DJs, live entertainment and the famous RumFire bar for an unforgettable night. 21+, 8:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m., $120 general admission tickets, VIP packages and separate Champagne Room bookings available, 2255 Kalakaua Ave., Waikiki, rumfirewaikiki.com.
New Year’s Eve 2018 Masquerade Party at Sky Waikiki
You’ll find the best view of Waikiki at Sky Waikiki’s rooftop lounge. An upscale dress code is strictly enforced at this New Year’s gala (men must wear collared shirts, pants and dress shoes), and masquerade masks are highly recommended. Food and drinks will be on sale all night long, with the hosted bar featuring Ketel One Vodka and Veuve Clicquot Champagne. 21+, 8 p.m. to midnight, $200 general admission tickets, 2270 Kalakaua Ave., 19th Floor, Waikiki, skywaikiki.com.
Star of Honolulu’s New Year’s Eve Midnight Cruise
If you’re looking for a different way to ring in the New Year, consider boarding the Star of Honolulu at the Aloha Tower Marketplace. While sailing beyond Diamond Head and down the Kahala Coastline, enjoy a three-course dinner, a view of the Waikiki fireworks and onboard entertainment. All ages, 10:15 p.m. to 12:30 a.m., $195 general admission tickets, 1 Aloha Tower Dr., Honolulu, starofhonolulu.com.
8th Annual Party of the Year
Party with the masses at Aloha Tower Marketplace with 30 bands and DJs, featuring Walshy Fire of Major Lazer. There will also be food trucks and the island’s largest fireworks show. Choose the Sunday-only pass at $45 for general admission, or get a two-day pass ($135 early general admission) and attend The Chainsmokers concert the night before on Dec. 30, too. For more information, visit tickets.nyehawaii.com.
Where to party on New Year’s Eve - Frolic Hawaii
8th Annual Bud Light New Year’s Eve Party of the Year
7 p.m.
Aloha Tower Marketplace, 1 Aloha Tower Drive
$45-150
Tickets
More than 30 bands, musicians and local entertainers are performing on seven stages and venues throughout Aloha Tower Marketplace. There’ll be lots of libations, as well as food from Eat the Street food trucks. The night’s capped off with a stellar fireworks display above historic Aloha Tower.
New Year’s Eve 2017 Great Lawn Gala
7 p.m.
Hilton Hawaiian Village, 2005 Kalia Rd.
$300
Tickets
Hilton Hawaiian Village’s New Year’s Eve celebration features performances by Hoku Hanohano Award-winning Henry Kapono and Dukes of Surf. You can also enjoy a four-course set dinner—sashimi salad, Pacific crab and kabocha pumpkin bisque, petite filet mignon and butter-poached Maine lobster, and chocolate tasting trio—and a fireworks finale to top off the evening.
Tiki Drop 2018 Waikiki New Year’s Eve Party
7 p.m.
Tiki’s Grill & Bar, 2570 Kalakaua Ave.
$79 plus tax and tip
Tickets
The annual Tiki Drop Party overlooks Waikiki Beach, with two live bands, a DJ, dancing and great views of the fireworks. The full dinner menu is available along with a special prix fixe menu featuring a filet mignon and petite Tristan lobster tail duet. Oceanfront Dining VIP and Oceanfront Lanai VIP party packages are also available if you want to bring the whole gang.
New Year's Eve Pineapple Drop
2 to 7 p.m.
Town Center of Mililani, 95-1249 Meheula Pkwy.
Free
Live entertainment starts on the Kanikapila Stage at 2, Mike Love and Maunalua headline from 5:15, and a countdown synced to the New Year's Eve ball drop in New York's Times Square begins at 6:59. At 7 p.m. Mililani's famous lighted pineapple drops, leaving plenty of time to go find another NYE party somewhere. Free Pineapple Drop lightup fidget spinners with $25 purchase.
Bill Maher’s 7th Annual New Year’s Evening of Comedy
7:30 p.m.
Blaisdell Concert Hall, 777 Ward Ave.
Tickets from $45.50
Tickets
For the seventh year in a row, Bill Maher will be ringing in the New Year on Oahu. This evening of comedy will be extra special this year because Maher will be performing alongside actor and Grammy-nominated standup comedian Bob Saget (Full House) and comedic impersonator Reggie Brown as Barack Obama.
SKY Waikiki – New Year’s Eve Masquerade Party
8 p.m.
SKY Waikiki, 2270 Kalakaua Ave.
$150-300
Tickets
Masks are highly recommended for this annual event. Tickets include hosted food offerings—including duck pot stickers, jalapeno poppers, crab dip crostini and more—a hosted bar and entertainment by guest DJ William Lifestyle. VIP reservations are also available and include exclusive dining offerings with hosted bottle service.
Under the Sea
8 p.m.
Moana Surfrider, A Westin Resort & Spa, 2365 Kalakaua Ave.
$125
Tickets
Ring in 2018 with a splash with the Moana’s “sea-tacular” New Year’s Eve party. The evening features Polynesian dancers and fire knife shows, live music by Taimane and Manoa DNA, fun kids’ activities, an oceanfront fireworks show and more. VIP cabanas and tables are available for an elevated NYE experience.
The Seven Kingdoms
8:30 p.m.
Sheraton Waikiki, 2255 Kalakaua Ave.
$120
Tickets
Revel in the night at Sheraton Waikiki’s “Seven Kingdoms” NYE extravaganza. Dress to impress and enjoy amazing oceanfront views of the midnight fireworks. Complimentary validated parking is good for up to four hours.
Hideout NYE
9 p.m.
Hideout at The Laylow, 2299 Kuhio Ave.
$50
Tickets
Embrace 2018 at the Hideout’s New Year’s Eve masquerade. This party’s taking place at the pool deck, since the two DJs and two bars will be too much for the open-air lanai and firepits to handle. Tickets include complimentary masks, tasty appetizers and a champagne toast, so all you need to bring is your best white attire.
Monte Carlo Casino Night
9 p.m.
53 By The Sea, 53 Ahui St.
$150
Tickets
You can bet on a great night at this black-tie event. Enjoy gourmet hors d’oeuvres, live music, a martini bar, cigar lounge, dancing, raffle prizes and more. Play your hand at the High Rollers table and ring in 2018 in style.
Hawaiian Brian’s Crossroads Soulgasm
9 p.m.
Hawaiian Brian’s Crossroads, 1680 Kapiolani Blvd. (concert room to the left)
$10
Tickets
Celebrate the new year with a House, Funk and Soul party! This party features award-winning musician, producer and DJ Cevil of thePeople’s party. There'll be goodies and giveaways from 9 to 10 p.m., so go early. There’s no better way to ring in 2018 than with some feel-good vibes.
Kahala Masquerade Ball 2018
9 p.m.
The Kahala (Maile Ballroom, poolside under the stars), 5000 Kahala Ave.
$250
Tickets
Sip on champagne and ring in 2018 in style at The Kahala. The evening kicks off with buffet-style food stations in the Maile Foyer from 9 to 11 p.m., with bar service and a nightclub and dancing area. Then, continue the party poolside with live music, a photo booth and midnight fireworks. Event tickets include complimentary tiaras, beads and festive hats at check-in, and noisemakers will be distributed at 11:30 p.m. Complimentary parking is included.
Addiction’s Winter Ball 2018
9 p.m.
The Modern, 1775 Ala Moana Blvd.
$40 (pre-sale), $60 (general admission)
Tickets
Count down to 2018 with DJs and dancing. Enjoy a VIP champagne reception at 9 p.m.; presale tickets are available until Dec. 29. To book your table reservation or for more information, visit [email protected].
Buho Cantina
10 p.m.
Buho Cocina y Cantina, 2250 Kalakaua Ave.
$50
Tickets
Celebrate under the stars at Buho Cantina’s rooftop venue. Ring in the New Year with DJ Toma and an epic annual bash! Dress to impress; for VIP reservations, contact [email protected].
Dave & Buster’s New Years Eve Family Fun
5 p.m.
Dave & Buster’s Honolulu, 1030 Auahi St.
$39.96 or $46.26
Tickets
Enjoy food and fun with the whole family to ring in the New Year! Designed for families, this event is from 5 to 8 p.m. and attendees can choose between two food-and-games package options. They include an appetizer buffet, dessert, unlimited soft drinks, Power Cards, a video ball drop to ring in 2018 and more.
AAA Hawaii Offers Tipsy Tow Service For New Year’s Eve
To help remove drinking drivers from the road, AAA Hawaii is offering its Tipsy Tow service during New Year’s Eve. The service is available from 6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 31, until 6 a.m. Monday, Jan. 1. Tipsy Tow is available in the areas served by AAA Hawaii.
AAA Hawaii encourages party-goers to plan ahead for a sober ride or use a designated driver if attending a gathering. But if those plans fall through, motorists, bartenders, restaurant managers, party hosts or passengers of a drinking driver may call 1-800-222-4357 for a free tow home of up to five miles. Callers simply tell the AAA operators, “I need a Tipsy Tow,” to receive the free tow and ride home. A regular AAA Hawaii-contracted roadside assistance service truck will be dispatched. Tipsy Tow is unique in that it provides a driver with the option of a safe ride home for themselves and their vehicle instead of driving while intoxicated.
Callers need to keep in mind that the service excludes rides for passengers, is restricted to a one-way, one-time ride for the driver and the destination is limited to the driver’s residence. Reservations are not accepted. Drivers can expect to pay the rate charged by the tow truck contractor for rides beyond five miles.
“We want motorists to be aware of the high crash risk from drinking and driving associated with the holiday and encourage them to think twice about getting behind the wheel if they have been drinking,” said AAA Hawaii’s General Manager Liane Sumida.
According to Hawaii state data, impaired driving continues to present a significant problem in Hawaii and poses a danger to public safety. Of the state’s 95 traffic fatalities in 2014, 52 (55 percent) had alcohol and/or drugs in their system. Nationwide, in 2016, crashes claimed 37,461 lives, and 28 percent died in crashes involving drunk drivers. An average of one alcohol-impaired driving fatality occurred every 51 minutes, according to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA).
New Year’s Eve traditionally is a time for home parties, as well as outings to restaurants and bars, and other excursions and gatherings. These activities contribute to a relaxed atmosphere and more drinking, according to Sumida.
“It takes only one or two drinks to slow physical and mental skills and affect vision, steering, braking, judgment and reaction time,” Sumida said. “Drivers should be aware that the law enforcement agencies are using extra patrols to look for drinking drivers during the holiday.”
Drinking drivers frequently don’t plan for other ways to get home because they are concerned about retrieving their vehicle. They cite the expense of taxis and time inconvenience as the major reasons they don’t use alternative transportation, according to AAA Hawaii. Today, more options are available including designated sober drivers, public transit and ride-hailing services.
People convicted of driving under the influence could lose many of the most important things in their lives, such as family, job, dignity and money. AAA Hawaii estimates that a first time DUI conviction can cost approximately $15,688 or more in fines, penalties, restitution, legal fees and insurance costs.
AAA Hawaii advises those who celebrate New Year’s Eve to keep themselves and others safe and avoid DUI arrests by following these safety tips:

• Always plan ahead to designate a non-drinking driver before any party or celebration begins.
  
• At social events, designate non-drinking drivers who can get everyone home safely.
  
• Never serve alcohol to those under age 21. It’s illegal and dangerous.
  
• Never ride as a passenger in a car driven by someone who was drinking alcohol – even after one drink.
  
• Call a friend or family member for a ride home if you’ve been drinking.
  
• Keep a cab company or sober ride telephone number in your cell phone and wallet so you can call for a ride home.
  
• As a party host, offer non-alcoholic drink alternatives and provide a gift to guests who volunteer to be designated drivers; provide overnight accommodations to guests who’ve been drinking.
  
• Take the car keys away from friends and relatives who have been drinking.
  
• If you encounter an impaired driver on the road, keep a safe distance and ask a passenger to call 9-1-1 (or pull over to a safe location to make the call yourself).
  
• Remember: prescription, over-the-counter medications and illegal drugs also can impair your ability to drive safely.
  

Although Tipsy Tow is offered by AAA Hawaii and other AAA clubs, it is not a nationwide program. Check with your local AAA club for availability. Visit PreventDUI.AAA.com for impaired driving facts, transportation alternatives and expert advice. AAA encourages visitors to Take the Pledge to drive drug and alcohol-free.