We Speak Indie Artist

ENTER THE WORLDS OF STEVEN SPIELBERG’S NEW FILM AT THE SXSW “READY PLAYER ONE”

Published

9 years ago

March 4, 2018

umeektv

A Ready Player One poster shows a young man holding a virtual reality headset with his fist raised, surrounded by other characters against a futuristic city background.

In anticipation of the March 29 release of Steven Spielberg’s new action adventure, “Ready Player One,” attendees at this year’s South by Southwest (SXSW) Conference and Festivals can step into the immersive “Ready Player One” Experience with VIVE VR. A two-story, city block takeover of Brazos Hall, the event runs from Friday, March 9, to Sunday, March 11, and will showcase the sights, sounds and atmosphere of the film, including exciting virtual reality (VR) content from HTC VIVE.

Prior to the official opening, there will be a special press preview of the Experience on Thursday, March 8, with special guest appearances.

The Experience begins from the outside, where the exterior of Brazos Hall will be transformed into the Stacks, the vertical trailer park where people live in the real world of 2045. Upon receiving their personal RFID wristband, guests will enter the venue through Wade Watts’ Van, the hideaway of the film’s young hero, and, from there, be transported into the OASIS, where the real action begins.

The first floor of the Experience is chock full of things to do:

• Visitors can browse at Avatar Outfitters, offering the Hot Topic “Ready Player One” Pop-Up Shop. Guests will have a chance to score officially licensed gear, including exclusive t-shirts, caps, jewelry, backpacks, collectible pins and other cool accessories, as well as fan-favorite Funko Pop! vinyl figures and Copper, Jade and Crystal key sets, and much more, all available for purchase.

• Guests can try out the “Ready Player One” Avatar Creator by VIVE to choose their new digital identity, and then send the avatar to their personal email.

• Drop into 2045’s hottest nightclub, The Distracted Globe, where infinity mirrors create the impression of being gravity-free for a cool photo op, and guests can enjoy “Ready Player One”-themed specialty cocktails.

• From the stage: ‘80s trivia happy hours and nightly artist performances, with special guest DJs and performers, including a WaveVR DJ set by Tye Sheridan, who stars in “Ready Player One”; Them Jeans; FM-84; Bird Peterson; and a special performance by a surprise guest.

• On Saturday, March 10, the SXSW Film Festival will hold its 25th Edition party, celebrating the anniversary of the film festival, at the Experience.

• On Sunday, March 11, the venue will hold a livestream, “Ready Player One” LIVE at SXSW, powered by Twitch and IMDb, hosted by Aisha Tyler and correspondent Alex Correa. The stream will be live on www.twitch.tv/twitch and www.imdb.com/readyplayerone and will feature some of the stars and filmmakers from “Ready Player One,” including cast members Tye Sheridan, Olivia Cooke, Lena Waithe, Win Morisaki, Philip Zhao and Ben Mendelsohn; screenwriter Zak Penn; and author/screenwriter/co-producer Ernest Cline.

Level up to the second floor of the venue, where visitors will find themselves in the Stacks.

• All guests will be invited to try out HTC VIVE’s VR versions of classic arcade games and experiences inspired by the universe of “Ready Player One.”

In addition to all the happenings in Brazos Hall, Atom Tickets will be outside offering an opportunity to purchase advance tickets to the film on Atom. Those who do are able to jump ahead in line to enter the Experience.

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We Speak Hip-Hop

‘Visions of Optimism’: Supreme Da Almighty Brings a Fresh Perspective to Hip-Hop

Published

4 days ago

October 29, 2026

MJ Savino

Fantasy album cover showing two hooded figures with glowing blue eyes sitting in front of a split scene: a fiery hellish landscape on the left and a bright heavenly scene with angels and golden gates on the right, with a large glowing blue eye above them.

Hip-hop has always evolved through experimentation, and Supreme Da Almighty brings that mindset to his 2026 album Visions of Optimism.

Across 16 tracks, Supreme blends his own ideas, lyrics, and production with AI, resulting in a project that explores different sounds without abandoning its hip-hop foundation. The album stretches from soothing and melodic moments to energetic beats, creating a diverse musical experience filled with emotion.

Supreme’s connection to the culture runs deep. Along with being a producer, he is a promoter for legendary Snowgoons and the founder of The Supreme Da Almighty Show, giving him a perspective on hip-hop that goes beyond simply making records.

That experience comes through on Visions of Optimism. Conscious influences meet uplifting themes, rich musical arrangements, and modern production ideas throughout the project.

Instead of choosing between hip-hop tradition and new technology, Supreme Da Almighty brings the two worlds together. Visions of Optimism feels like exactly what its title suggests: a positive look toward where music can go next.