• Love Story

    My Dermatologist Pile on the Acne Shame: Personal Essay

    Photo Illustration: Siobhan GallagherPhoto Illustration: Siobhan Gallagher I could’ve avoided some deep scars (and a serious self-confidence knock) if I had trusted the dermatologist who initially prescribed spironolactone for my cystic acne. But instead of planting that seed of trust, she recoiled in horror at my swollen breakouts, leaving the air in that little exam room thick with judgment. That was years ago. But recently, when a friend left her acne consultation defeated from being told, “You’re too pretty to have pimples.” Dermatologists can offer invaluable guidance when over-the-counter acne remedies aren’t cutting it, but how providers talk about skin conditions can have sizable mental health consequences, and we all…

  • Dating Skills

    Courteneers and Shame added to Yours and Owls Line Up – Backseat Mafia

    Courteeners, Manchester’s iconic indie-Britpop torchbearers, are gearing up for their first-ever Australian festival performance at Wollongong’s Yours and Owls this March. With seven studio albums to their name—most recently Pink Cactus Café (2024)—the band has secured their place among UK rock royalty. Known for festival anthems like Not Nineteen Forever, Are You In Love With a Notion?, and Bide Your Time, their global festival resume spans Glastonbury, Reading & Leeds, Fuji Rock, and Lollapalooza. Now, it’s time for Aussie fans to catch the Britpop heavyweights up close. South London post-punk disruptors Shame are set to deliver their adrenaline-fueled shouty anthems, bringing their blend of wit, chaos, and catharsis to the…

  • Dating Skills

    Shame Announce Australia and New Zealand Headline Shows, Join Fontaines D.C. on Tour – Backseat Mafia

    UK post-punk firebrands Shame are making their way Down Under, stepping in as support for Fontaines D.C. on their upcoming Australia and New Zealand tour. The London five-piece have also announced their own headline gigs in Sydney, Melbourne, and Wellington. Once hailed by The Guardian as “2018’s angriest, shoutiest young British guitar band,” Shame have undergone a seismic shift in sound with their latest album, Food for Worms. A breakneck blend of raw emotion and sonic experimentation, the record sees the band shed their post-punk roots for something altogether more expansive. Produced by legendary studio maestro Flood (known for his work with U2, PJ Harvey, and Nick Cave), Food for…