What to Read, Watch, and Listen to this Weekend...
And Oldster Friday Link Roundup. PLUS: "The Oldster Top 10," Cliff Chenfeld's monthly playlist of new songs.
I tend to read, watch, and listen to a lot of Oldster-adjacent content. Every other Friday I’ll pass some of it along to you in a Link Roundup like this one. If you like what you’re reading here, please hit the ❤️ button to give Oldster a boost in the algorithm.
A tremendous amount of work goes into publishing Oldster—mine, and that of my contributors. Paid subscriptions keep Oldster going, and allow me to keep paying essayists and interviewers. Thanks to all who support my work here! 🙏
Whoopi Goldberg Has Unfinished Business - Jeremy O. Harris in Interview.
Belated happy birthday wishes to Neil Diamond, who turned 85 in late January. Here he is doing karaoke with Hugh Jackman, star of Song Sung Blue about a beloved Neil Diamond tribute act.
How Laura Dern Became a ‘Fearless’ Health Advocate for Her Late Mother [Diane Ladd] - Sofia Lodato in Oprah Daily.
Halle Berry Isn’t Backing Down - or how I learned that California governor Gavin Newsom vetoed the Menopause Care Act. Monica Corcoran Harel in NYMag/The Cut.
Hey, now you can watch The Oldster Variety Hour on March 4th at Joe’s Pub, OR from the comfort of your home, where ever that may be. Get yourself a remote video ticket for just $10, and watch it either live, or on your own time for up to a week later.
The Fascinating Life and Music of Roland Hayes 1887-1977 - at the Beethoven Festival Orchestra site, a profile of the late “Black Caruso.”
I’m so happy Shrinking is back on Apple TV. In Season 3 they really delve into Harrison Ford’s character’s progressive Parkinson’s Disease, with Parkinson’s sufferer Michael J. Fox joining the cast.
When Bruce Springsteen (Hank Azaria) Met Michael Stipe (Michael Shannon): Both actors pay homage to rock ’n’ roll greats onstage. - Melena Ryzik in The New York Times/Arts.
RIP Sly Dunbar. 60 songs - Will Hermes: New Music + Old Music
Keeping it 100: A century into celebrating Black History, we’re still here - Oldster Questionnaire taker Bridgett M. Davis.
Why Patti Smith Matters author Caryn Rose—who wrote “Patti Smith Only Cares About Doing the Work” for Oldster—has just published Three Chords and Blessed Noise, a chapbook about covering last year’s 50th anniversary tour for Smith’s seminal record, Horses.
I’m 98 and I’ve Had 3 Facelifts. Here’s what I learned—and what I think about the current facelift discourse. - Joan Kron in Allure.
Menopause, Writer’s Block, and Being a Late Bloomer: I’m supposed to believe my womanhood is ending but instead, I have been handed a new beginning - at Electric Literature, Roxane Gay’s contribution to The Big M: 13 Writers Take Back the Story of Menopause, a great new anthology edited by Dr. Jen Gunter and Lidia Yuknavitch.
I Went to a Sleepaway Camp for Adult Women to Make Friends - Kayla Webley Adler in Elle. (h/t Delia Cai)
The Menil Collection’s educational videos about art, architecture, philosphy and more. (hat tip Pat Coakley)
Letting the Old Woman In: Are you ready for your biggest challenge? - Myrna Blyth in Editor's Journal by Myrna Blyth.
The Childfree Elders Project: “Help us celebrate the lives of folks aged 60 and over” - James Glazebrook and Zoë Noble on The Elders Project.
Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About My Uterus But Were Afraid to Ask - Mary Elizabeth Williams had me on her wonderful podcast, Patient. from Mary Elizabeth Williams
The Murder of The Washington Post - Ashley Parker in The Atlantic.
Interesting new newsletter/podcast (and pun in title): HIP REPLACEMENT: A weekly conversation between generations X, Y, and Z hosted by Ben Dietz and Kyle Raymond Fitzpatrick.
How about you? Got any recs? Books? Shows? Movies? Music? Plays? Podcasts? Art shows? Places to travel to? Restaurants? Remedies? What’s good?
🚨And now it’s time to put some new music into old ears. 👂 Here’s the monthly Oldster Top 10 by Modern Sounds radio host Cliff Chenfeld: (PS Last August, at Oldster’s 3rd birthday party I played the Modern Sounds playlist and everyone loved it. Several guests asked me to share the Spotify link.)
Welcome to the Oldster Top 10, where we listen to hundreds of new songs each month to find some wonderful new tracks from noteworthy artists who may not have caught your attention. It’s hard to find the great new music amongst the tonnage, but we are here to make music discovery much easier for you. You can find all of these songs on the Modern Sounds playlist on Spotify. Enjoy!
Sault – Good Things Will Come After The Pressure – Cool, groovy, soulful chill new song from the mysterious British collective.
Midlake – Eyes Full Of Animal – Timeless, captivating glimmering rock from a band who have never quite crossed over but have been making eminently listenable records since their almost breakthrough “Roscoe” in 2006.
Bruce Springsteen – Streets of Minneapolis – Get up, Stand up, Stand up for your right.
Brandi Carlile – Church and State – Another superstar weighing in with a rallying call to fight the power.
Railroad Earth with Daniel Donato – Keep Your Eyes Wide Open – Under-appreciated Americana band who are celebrating their 25th anniversary team up with rising guitarist Donato for a powerful, cautionary tale.
Altin Gun - Neredesin Sun – The world’s best Turkish Psych Rock band radically reimagine an old, traditional Turkish song.
Arctic Monkeys – Opening Night – The most streamed indie rock band of all time on Spotify are back with an understated song featuring Alex Turner’s always distinctive vocals.
Durand Bernarr – Overqualified – The winner of the 2026 Grammy for Best Progressive R+B Album hasn’t received a lot of play but you can change that.
Leisure – Let It All Out – 21st century Yacht Rock just keeps growing in popularity and these New Zealanders know how to deliver that glossy sheen.
Melody’s Echo Chamber – The House That Doesn’t Exist – Atmospheric evocative pop that creates a dreamy vibe.
Hopefully there’s enough Oldster-adjacent content here to keep you occupied through the weekend. If you like what you’re reading here, please hit the ❤️ button to give Oldster a boost in the algorithm.
Thanks as always for reading and commenting thoughtfully, and for all your support! I really couldn’t do this without you. 🙏 💝
-Sari
I LOVE that travelers heart image 🫀
Great list as always. My rec: Just finished FLESH by David Szalay. Sad. Remarkable.