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Gloria Brancatisano / May 27, 2022

Crowded House add new dates to 2022 Australian tour

It's been more than a decade in the making...

After rescheduling their huge national tour, Crowded House are going one better – adding a stack of new dates to the October/November run.

The tour will continue the celebrations of the band’s ARIA Award winning album Dreamers Are Waiting – which began earlier this year – and will see the band take to stages around the country, kicking off in Darwin before wrapping up the tour in Perth at the end of November.

Crowded House recently   unveiled a new lineup featuring founding members Neil Finn and Nick Seymour, alongside producer and keyboardist Mitchell Froom, guitarist and singer Liam Finn, and drummer Elroy Finn. It is only the band’s third Australian tour during the last 15 years.

The band’s April  Dreamers Are Waiting  Australian tour dates played to full houses, rapturous audiences, and widespread critical acclaim, including a star turn at Bluesfest during Easter. 

Crowded House 2022 Tour Dates

• October 29, 2022, – Convention Centre, Darwin NT **NEW SHOW**
• November 5, 2022, – Sirromet Wines, Mt Cotton QLD **NEW SHOW**
• November 8, 2022, – WIN Entertainment Centre, Wollongong NSW **NEW SHOW**
• November 11, 2022, – Stage 88, Canberra ACT **NEW VENUE & DATE**
• November 12, 2022, – Bimbadgen, Hunter Valley NSW
• November 17, 2022, – MyState Bank Arena, Hobart TAS
• November 19, 2022, – Mt Duneed Estate, Geelong VIC
• November 25, 2022, – Kings Park & Botanic Garden, Perth WA
• November 26, 2022, – Kings Park & Botanic Garden, Perth WA
• November 27, 2022, – Kings Park & Botanic Garden, Perth WA

For onsale times, see below

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Formed in Melbourne in 1985 out the ashes of New Zealand’s Split Enz by Neil Finn, Paul Hester, and Nick Seymour, Crowded House’s self-titled debut album went on to global success thanks to international hits like ‘Don’t Dream It’s Over’ and ‘Something So Strong’. Those songs and many that followed are still resonating with audiences today – the former in particular being one of the most covered songs of the last two decades.

The band’s first incarnation lasted from 1985 through 1995, produced four studio albums, and enjoyed success worldwide. This lineup said farewell to the world on the steps of the Sydney Opera House in 1996 with a now legendary performance in front of 150,000 people. 

In 2005, following the tragic death of founding member Paul Hester, Neil and Nick felt compelled to bring Crowded House back. With a fresh lineup and a handful of new albums in hand, in 2016 Crowded House was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame.

Now, album number seven, Dreamers Are Waiting adds another brilliant chapter to the everlasting Crowded House story.

Crowded House 2022 Australia Tour Ticket Info:

Onsale for all new shows **except Mt Cotton**:

• My Ticketmaster Presale: Tuesday 31 May @ 12pm (local) – Thursday 2 June @ 12pm (local) Live Nation Members Presale: Tuesday 31 May @ 12pm (local) – Thursday 2 June @ 12pm (local) General Onsale: Thursday 2 June @ 1pm (local)

Onsale for Stage 88 Canberra show:

• My Ticketmaster Presale: Monday 6 June @ 10am (local) – Tuesday 7 June @ 10am (local) Live Nation Members Presale: Monday 6 June @ 10am (local) – Tuesday 7 June @ 10am (local) General Onsale: Tuesday 7 June @ 11am (local)

Onsale for A Day On The Green at Sirromet Wines, Mt Cotton show:

• My Ticketmaster Presale: Thursday 2 June @ 1pm (local) – Friday 3 June @ 1pm (local) A Day On The Green Members Presale: Thursday 2 June @ 1pm (local) – Friday 3 June @ 1pm (local) General Onsale: Friday 3 June @ 2pm (local)

Want a memento? Grab a collector ticket!

A collector ticket is a souvenir, 3D-style ticket which not only gets you into the event, it also serves as a treasured keepsake to be kept well after the festival is over.  

Collector tickets are only made available for selected events and can be purchased through the normal purchase processes – be sure to select a “Collector Ticket” when choosing your ticket type. 

Collector tickets can only be delivered to fans via mail, and cannot be sent as Print-at-Home or E-Tickets, or collected from outlets or the venue. Collector Tickets are not available to those without a valid Australian address.  You must provide an Australian postal address to receive Collector Tickets.

Crowded House will take their seventh studio album Dreamers Are Waiting around Australia in October and November 2022. Tickets are on sale via Ticketmaster.com.au.

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How do I purchase Accessible tickets for Crowded House’s Australian tour?

If you need to purchase Accessible Seating for Crowded House’s 2022 Australia tour dates, please fill out our  Accessible Seating Request Form  here   and our Accessible Seating team will be in contact as soon as possible to help with your booking.

Please include as much information as possible – including the number of wheelchair, accessible, and/or companion card tickets you would like to purchase – to assist our team in locating the best seats for you. Please note: by submitting this form, your tickets are not guaranteed.

If you need to talk to a Customer Service Representative, please call  1300 446 925.  Please note, this phone number is reserved for patrons with accessibility requirements and companion cardholders and can not process any other ticketing requests.

For more information on Ticketmaster’s Accessible Ticket Bookings, please head here

Make sure you have a My Ticketmaster account

Get the basics covered before tickets go on sale by logging in and checking your Ticketmaster account ahead of time. If you don’t have a Ticketmaster Account then make sure you sign up in advance –  Ticketmaster.com.au .

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Stick to one window while you’re in the Waiting Room and when you’re being pushed through the Smart Queue and always resist the urge to refresh.

Hitting the refresh button means you’ll lose your place in the queue and, as frustrating as it can get, patience is the only way to win this game. Ticketmaster is equipped with sophisticated systems that are designed to manage and process ticket purchases as quickly as possible. The queuing system that appears on your screen will place you at the front of the line as soon as possible.

Remember: there are a lot of fans

We’re expecting this to be a very popular event. When a popular event goes on sale there are hundreds, and sometimes thousands, of customers all attempting to purchase tickets at the same time. Tickets are sold as long as seats are available, and when an act is as popular as Crowded House, sometimes they go very quickly.

Be sure to follow the above tips to ensure you have the best chance of snapping up some tickets.

Crowded House will take their seventh studio album Dreamers Are Waiting  to Australian stages in October and November 2022. Tickets via Ticketmaster.com.au.

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Crowded House

• November 19, 2022 Setlist

Crowded House Setlist at Mount Duneed Estate, Geelong, Australia

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Tour: Dreamers Are Waiting Australian Tour 2022 Tour statistics Add setlist

• Distant Sun Play Video
• World Where You Live Play Video
• To the Island Play Video
• Fall at Your Feet Play Video
• Pineapple Head Play Video
• Playing With Fire Play Video
• Message to My Girl ( Split Enz  cover) Play Video
• Into Temptation Play Video
• When You Come Play Video
• Private Universe (with Maistrato ) Play Video
• Weather With You (with Maistrato ) Play Video
• Four Seasons in One Day (with Maistrato ) Play Video
• Sister Madly ( with Bob Marley & The Wailers' "Three Little Birds" snippet ) Play Video
• Don't Dream It's Over Play Video
• Something So Strong Play Video
• Better Be Home Soon Play Video

Note: Whatever You Want, It’s Only Natural, Mean to Me and Chocolate Cake were printed but not played due to bad weather

Edits and Comments

14 activities (last edit by RockerFanV , 27 Nov 2022, 05:45 Etc/UTC )

Songs on Albums

• Better Be Home Soon
• Into Temptation
• Sister Madly
• When You Come
• Don't Dream It's Over
• Something So Strong
• World Where You Live
• Distant Sun
• Pineapple Head
• Private Universe
• Fall at Your Feet
• Four Seasons in One Day
• Weather With You
• Playing With Fire
• To the Island
• Message to My Girl by Split Enz

Complete Album stats

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• Artist Statistics
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Festival Time!

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A Day on the Green Geelong 2022 setlists

Crowded House Gig Timeline

• Nov 15 2022 Tamworth Regional Entertainment Centre Tamworth, Australia Add time Add time
• Nov 17 2022 MyState Bank Arena Hobart, Australia Add time Add time
• Nov 19 2022 A Day on the Green Geelong 2022 This Setlist Geelong, Australia Add time Add time
• Nov 20 2022 Harvest Rock 2022 Adelaide, Australia Start time: 9:30 PM 9:30 PM
• Nov 22 2022 Rod Laver Arena Melbourne, Australia Start time: 8:25 PM 8:25 PM

11 people were there

• dvnielbalaz
• hummingbird88

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<div style="text-align: center;" class="setlistImage"><a href="https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/crowded-house/2022/mount-duneed-estate-geelong-australia-73bf9e81.html" title="Crowded House Setlist A Day on the Green Geelong, Dreamers Are Waiting Australian Tour 2022" target="_blank"><img src="https://www.setlist.fm/widgets/setlist-image-v1?id=73bf9e81" alt="Crowded House Setlist A Day on the Green Geelong, Dreamers Are Waiting Australian Tour 2022" style="border: 0;" /></a> <div><a href="https://www.setlist.fm/edit?setlist=73bf9e81&amp;step=song">Edit this setlist</a> | <a href="https://www.setlist.fm/setlists/crowded-house-6bd6ae3a.html">More Crowded House setlists</a></div></div>

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[url=https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/crowded-house/2022/mount-duneed-estate-geelong-australia-73bf9e81.html][img]https://www.setlist.fm/widgets/setlist-image-v1?id=73bf9e81[/img][/url] [url=https://www.setlist.fm/edit?setlist=73bf9e81&amp;step=song]Edit this setlist[/url] | [url=https://www.setlist.fm/setlists/crowded-house-6bd6ae3a.html]More Crowded House setlists[/url]

Tour Update

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Crowded House announce rescheduled Australian tour dates

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The band will return to Australia this November

As Crowded House fans in Geelong, Hunter Valley, Canberra and Hobart are well aware, Neil Finn tested positive for COVID last month, rendering the band unable to complete the final dates of their Australian tour.

The band were already committed to returning to Australia to ensure their Perth shows could go ahead at full capacity, and today have announced almost the full run of rescheduled dates.

They will return this November, with six dates locked in to just about wrap up a tour that has once again reminded us just how brilliant these songs are and shown us just how good this latest iteration of the band is.

Canberra fans stay tuned: promoters report that there will be an announcement regarding the postponed Royal Theatre show coming soon.

The tour comes on the back of last year's Dreamers Are Waiting , the seventh Crowded House album and first since 2010.

Original members Neil Finn and Nick Seymour remain in the band, with Finn's sons Elroy and Liam now onboard, as well as producer and keyboardist Mitchell Froom.

Catch the band at the following shows.

Saturday 12 November – Bimbadgen, Hunter Valley (with Boy & Bear and The Waifs) Thursday 17 November – Mystate Bank Arena, Hobart (with Julia Stone) Saturday 19 November – Mt Duneed Estate, Geelong (with Angus & Julia Stone and The Waifs) Friday 25 November – Kings Park, Perth Saturday 26 November – Kings Park, Perth Sunday 27 November – Kings Park, Perth

Your existing tickets from last month are still valid, you don't need to do a thing. If you can't make the new dates, get in touch with the point of purchase for a refund.

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Crowded House Announce Sirromet Wines

CROWDED HOUSE UNVEIL NEW DATES AND LOCATIONS AS THEY EXTEND THEIR DREAMERS ARE WAITING AUSTRALIAN TOUR INCLUDING A DAY ON THE GREEN IN QUEENSLAND SIRROMET WINES, MOUNT COTTON – SATURDAY 5 NOVEMBER CROWDED HOUSE have today announced 7 new Dreamers Are Waiting Australian tour dates for this October and November, with the acclaimed band adding to their recently rescheduled shows as the tour continues to grow. Roundhouse Entertainment, in conjunction with Live Nation, is thrilled to announce that these new shows also include a day on the green at Sirromet Wines, Mount Cotton on Saturday 5 November. THE TESKEY BROTHERS and THE WAIFS will join CROWDED HOUSE at Sirromet Wines, in what will be a day on the green’s 50th show at the stunning Queensland winery. Tickets for a day on the green at Sirromet Wines, Mount Cotton go on sale on Friday 3 June at 2.00pm local time from Ticketmaster . “We’re very excited to be celebrating our 50th show at Sirromet Wines,” Roundhouse Entertainment Promoter Michael Newton said . “We’ve done nearly 500 a day on the green shows in the past 21 years and some of our very best have been at Sirromet since our first show there in 2006. It’s a venue that our patrons love and we look forward to many more great concerts there in the future.” These additional dates have been added to an extensive itinerary which includes a day on the green shows at Bimbadgen, Hunter Valley on 12 November and Mt Duneed Estate, Geelong on 19 November. CROWDED HOUSE released their seventh studio album, Dreamers Are Waiting , last year, featuring the singles Whatever You Want, Playing With Fire, To The Island, Love Isn’t Hard At All and Sweet Tooth . These shows will also feature the band’s unforgettable hits, including Don’t Dream It’s Over, Something So Strong, Four Seasons In One Day, Distant Sun and Weather With You. Joining CROWDED HOUSE at the Sirromet show will be Melbourne four-piece THE TESKEY BROTHERS – one of the hottest Australian bands to emerge in the past decade, with four hit albums, including the chart-topping live album, Live At The Forum – and much-loved Australian trio THE WAIFS , who are celebrating their 30th anniversary in 2022. Their classic singalong hits, including London Still, Lighthouse and Bridal Train , burst with nostalgia and memories that they’ve collected through three decades on the road together. CROWDED HOUSE’s April Dreamers Are Waiting Australian tour dates played to full houses, rapturous audiences and widespread critical acclaim. The Guardian said, “ A joyous and long-awaited return ”, The Age stated, “ Half concert, half singalong, Crowded House filled the Bowl with love ” and The Advertiser Adelaide proclaimed, “ There’s a commitment to the purity of pop, the marriage of lyric and chord to create something close to perfect. ” It is only the band’s third Australian tour during the last 15 years. Don’t miss your chance to experience CROWDED HOUSE live as they perform legendary anthems from the band’s 35-year career, along with fresh new music. There are still tickets remaining for a day on the green at Hunter Valley and Geelong. Tickets for the new dates go on sale Friday 3 June at 2.00pm local time from Ticketmaster . CROWDED HOUSE TOUR DATES DREAMERS ARE WAITING TOUR A DAY ON THE GREEN Sat 5 November 2022 *NEW SHOW* Sirromet Wines, Mount Cotton, QLD Lic. All Ages With The Teskey Brothers and The Waifs Sat 12 November 2022 *NEW DATE* Bimbadgen, Hunter Valley, NSW Lic. All Ages SELLING FAST With Boy & Bear and The Waifs Sat 19 November 2022 Mt Duneed Estate, Geelong, VIC * NEW DATE* Lic. All Ages SELLING FAST With Angus & Julia Stone and The Waifs All event information adayonthegreen.com.au For complete tour, ticket and VIP Experience information, visit: crowdedhouse.com livenation.com.au IMPORTANT INFORMATION Patrons are advised to purchase tickets only through authorised ticket sellers. We cannot guarantee any ticket purchase made through any means other than the official ticketing agents listed on the a day on the green, Live Nation and winery’s websites TICKETING AAMI CUSTOMER PRE-SALE (A DAY ON THE GREEN SHOW ONLY) Via AAMI Events and Experiences Runs from: Tuesday 31 May, 12.00pm local time for 48 hours or until pre-sale allocation exhausted A DAY ON THE GREEN MEMBERS PRE-SALE via adayonthegreen.com.au/register Runs from: Thursday 2 June, 1.00pm local time for 24 hours or until pre-sale allocation exhausted TICKETMASTER PRE-SALE Via Ticketmaster Runs from: Thursday 2 June, 1.00pm local time for 24 hours or until pre-sale allocation exhausted GENERAL PUBLIC ON SALE – DREAMERS ARE WAITING TOUR Tickets on sale Friday 3 June at 2.00pm local time From Ticketmaster & 136 100 IMPORTANT INFORMATION Patrons are advised to purchase tickets only through authorised ticket sellers. We cannot guarantee any ticket purchase made through any means other than the official ticketing agents listed on the A Day On The Green, Live Nation and winery’s websites EVENT INFORMATION a day on the green is Licensed All Ages. Strictly no BYO alcohol. Food will be available on site or BYO. Under 18 patrons must be accompanied at all times by a responsible adult. For a totally relaxing, stress-free day, leave the car at home and travel by bus. This is the preferred a day on the green transport option. For all transport and event information, go to adayonthegreen.com.au TRANSPORT For a totally relaxing, stress-free day, leave the car at home and travel by bus. This is the preferred a day on the green transport option. For transport enquiries go to Con-X-ion at con-x-ion.com Mt Gravatt Coach & Travel at mtgcoach.com.au Coach transport from a variety of locations and shuttles from railway stations are available. Southern Cross Transit at southerncrosstransit.com.au or (07) 3813 8900 ABOUT A DAY ON THE GREEN 2022 marks the 21st season of a day on the green , which started in January 2001. After nearly 500 shows and more than 4 million happy patrons, the a day on the green experience of good food, fine wine and great music in magnificent locations remains unrivalled and is firmly established as one of Australia’s most popular and premier outdoor concert events. Sign up here to become an a day on the green member to keep up to date on all the latest tour information and access pre-sale offers, competitions and more. crowdedhouse.com facebook.com/crowdedhouse instagram.com/crowdedhousehq adayonthegreen.com.au a day on the green is proudly presented by Roundhouse Entertainment, AAMI, Gold 104.3, Bay 93.9 & Geelong Advertiser (Geelong), WSFM 101.7 & Triple M 102.9 (Hunter Valley) and Triple M Brisbane & Triple M Gold Coast (Mount Cotton). Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures have honoured and celebrated the role of music and songlines for over 60,000 years. Roundhouse Entertainment acknowledge and pay respect to all Traditional Custodians of Country, including the lands on which we work, and our artists create and perform.

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Crowded House add more dates to ‘Dreamers Are Waiting’ tour

The majority of the original shows have sold out

Crowded House have announced an additional four dates for their ‘Dreamers Are Waiting’ tour, their first Australian tour in 12 years.

• READ MORE: Crowded House reborn: Neil Finn talks ‘Dreamers Are Waiting’, their most experimental album in decades

The shows – in support of their recent album ‘Dreamers Are Waiting’ – will see Crowded House play concerts in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth throughout April, with Middle Kids onboard to support. Tickets for shows in Perth, Melbourne and Sydney are already sold out, with additional tickets released for the previously sold-out Adelaide show.

Today (February 17), Crowded House declared they would be playing past the tour’s original last show at Bluesfest – where they join a lineup featuring Paul Kelly , Midnight Oil , Jimmy Barnes and more – adding four more dates to the run.

The new shows include two additional days at A Day On The Green in Geelong and the Hunter Valley – inclusive of the original Bowral edition of the touring festival, where The Teskey Brothers will serve as the opening act – as well as performances in Hobart and Canberra. Find all existing and new tour dates below.

Crowded House were set to headline Bluesfest’s 2020 edition  before it was cancelled due to COVID-19 and subsequent restrictions. The 2021 festival was also cancelled , just one day before it was set to go ahead.

The ‘Dreamers Are Waiting’ tour kicks off in Perth on April 1. Tickets for the four new shows go on sale at 11am AEDT on Thursday February 24.

Recommended

Last November, Crowded House picked up an ARIA award for Best Adult Contemporary Album for ‘Dreamers Are Waiting’, marking their 12th ARIA overall and their first since they were inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2016.

Bluesfest 2022 will also see The Cat Empire perform their final-ever show with their original lineup, playing a headlining set on opening night .

Crowded House’s 2022 Australian tour dates are:

APRIL Friday 1 – Perth, Kings Park and Botanic Gardens Saturday 2 – Perth, Kings Park and Botanic Gardens Sunday 3 – Perth, Kings Park and Botanic Gardens Tuesday 5 – Adelaide, Adelaide Entertainment Centre Friday 8 – Melbourne, Sidney Myer Music Bowl Tuesday 12 – Sydney, Aware Super Theatre Wednesday 13 – Sydney, Aware Super Theatre Saturday 16 – Bowral, Centennial Vineyards (A Day On The Green) Sunday 17 – Byron Bay, Bluesfest Tuesday 19 – Hobart, Mystate Bank Arena (new show) Thursday 21 – Canberra, Royal Theatre (new show) Saturday 23 – Geelong, Mt Duneed Estate (A Day On The Green) Sunday 24 –Hunter Valley, Bimbadgen (A Day On The Green) (new show)

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Crowded house postpone geelong ‘a day on the green’ show this weekend.

Award-winning icons Crowded House's frontman Neil Finn is currently in self-isolation.

As COVID continues to run rampant throughout the country, Crowded House has today announced the postponement of the final four dates on their Australian ‘Dreamers Are Waiting Tour’, as Neil Finn tested positive to COVID-19 yesterday and is now self-isolating.

“I am absolutely crushed to have to postpone the last four shows of our Australian tour as I tested positive yesterday morning for Covid. In these very difficult conditions for touring, we were staying in our bubble and observing very strict protocols but somehow the virus still slipped through. I am relieved to be only experiencing mild symptoms at this stage and grateful for the protection that my triple boosted vaccination is providing,” Neil Finn said.

“I am so sorry to disappoint our fans this coming week, but rest assured we will be back to make good.”

Keep up with all the festival news, reviews and interviews  here .

Crowded House was due to perform at Hobart’s Mystate Bank Arena tonight, Canberra’s Royal Theatre on April 21, and A Day On The Green dates at Mt Duneed Estate, Geelong on April 23, and Bimbadgen, Hunter Valley, on April 24.

Rescheduled dates, also including the band’s three sold-out Perth shows, will be announced soon. All existing ticket holders will be notified of rescheduled dates via the official ticketing agency and are requested to retain their tickets. Original purchases will be valid for the new dates without the need for exchange.

The long-standing and much-loved vehicle for the songwriting talents of Neil Finn, Crowded House have gone from strength to strength since its formation in Melbourne 1985 out of the ashes of New Zealand’s Split Enz by Neil, Paul Hester and Nick Seymour.

Revelling in the success of their latest album Dreamers Are Waiting, in which the Crowded House lineup comprises founding members Neil Finn and Nick Seymour alongside producer and keyboardist Mitchell Froom, guitarist and singer Liam Finn and his younger brother, drummer Elroy Finn, so far the Dreamers Are Waiting tour has received glowing reviews, with The Guardian saying, “A joyous and long-awaited return to Australia” and The Age saying, “Half concert, half singalong, Crowded House filled the Bowl with love”.

For complete tour information, visit:  www.crowdedhouse.com  &  livenation.com.au

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Is It Safe in Moscow?

Stanislav Solntsev / Getty Images

When you visit Moscow , Russia, you’re seeing one of the world’s largest, and most expensive, capital cities . While there is a history of violent crime against foreign journalists and aid personnel in Russia, a trip to Moscow is usually safe for mainstream travelers. Most tourists in Moscow only face potential issues with petty crime, though terrorism is also a concern. Visitors should stick to the principal tourist areas and abide by the local security advice.

Travel Advisories

• The U.S. Department of State urges travelers to avoid travel to Russia because of COVID-19 and to "exercise increased caution due to terrorism, harassment, and the arbitrary enforcement of local laws."  
• Anyone exploring more of Russia should avoid "The North Caucasus, including Chechnya and Mount Elbrus, due to terrorism, kidnapping,   and   risk of civil unrest." Also, travelers should stay away from "Crimea due to Russia’s occupation of the Ukrainian territory   and   abuses by its occupying authorities."  
• Canada states travelers should use a high degree of caution in Russia due to the threat of terrorism and crime.  

Is Moscow Dangerous?

The Moscow city center is typically safe. In general, the closer you are to the Kremlin , the better. Travelers mainly need to be aware of their surroundings and look out for petty crime. Be especially careful in tourist areas such as Arbat Street and crowded places like the Moscow Metro transit system. The suburbs are also generally fine, though it is advised to stay away from Maryino and Perovo districts.

Terrorism has occurred in the Moscow area, leading authorities to increase security measures. Be more careful at tourist and transportation hubs, places of worship, government buildings, schools, airports, crowds, open markets, and additional tourist sites.

Pickpockets and purse snatching happen often in Russia, perpetrated by groups of children and teenagers who distract tourists to get their wallets and credit cards. Beware of people asking you for help, who then trick you into their scheme. Don’t expect a backpack to be a safe bag bet; instead, invest in something that you can clutch close to your body or purchase a money belt . Always diversify, storing some money in a separate location so that if you are pickpocketed, you'll have cash elsewhere. Keep an eye out for thieves in public transportation, underground walkways, tourist spots, restaurants, hotel rooms and homes, restaurants, and markets.

Is Moscow Safe for Solo Travelers?

Large cities like Moscow in Russia are overall fairly safe if you are traveling alone, and the Moscow Metro public transit is a secure and easy way to get around. But it is still a good idea to follow basic precautions as in any destination. Avoid exploring alone at night, especially in bad areas. You may want to learn some basic Russian phrases or bring a dictionary, as many locals don't speak English. However, in case you need any help, there are tourist police that speak English. Also, exploring with other trusted travelers and locals or on professional tours is often a good way to feel safe.

Is Moscow Safe for Female Travelers?

Catcalling and street harassment are infrequent in Moscow and the rest of Russia and females traveling alone don't usually have problems. There are plenty of police officers on the streets as well. Still, it serves to stick to Moscow's well-lit, public areas, avoid solo night walks, and use your instincts. Women frequenting bars may take receive some friendly attention. Females can wear whatever they want, but those entering Orthodox churches will be required to cover up. Though women in Russia are independent, domestic violence and other inequality issues take place regularly.

Safety Tips for LGBTQ+ Travelers

Russia is not known as a gay-friendly country. However, Moscow is one of the more welcoming cities with a blooming LGBTQ+ community and many friendly restaurants, bars, clubs, and other venues. Hate crimes in Russia have increased since the 2013 anti-gay propaganda law. Openly LGBTQ+ tourists in this conservative country may experience homophobic remarks, discrimination, or even violence, especially if traveling with a partner. Also, while women hold hands or hug publicly—whether romantically involved or not—men should avoid public displays of affection to prevent being insulted or other issues.

Safety Tips for BIPOC Travelers

Moscow  and other big cities in Russia have sizable populations of various cultures, so discrimination against BIPOC travelers is rarer than in other parts of the country where it can become dangerous. Some people living in Russia who are Black, Asian, Jewish, and from other backgrounds have experienced racial discrimination and violence. Tourists won't usually experience overt racism but may be the recipients of some stares. If anyone should bother you, be polite and resist being taunted into physically defending yourself.

Safety Tips for Travelers

Travelers should consider the following general tips when visiting:

• It's best not to drink the tap water. If you do, boil it before drinking, though showering is safe and the amount used to brush teeth is generally not harmful. Mineral water is widely drunk, especially at restaurants, and if you prefer not to have it carbonated ask for “ voda byez gaz” (water without gas).
• If you need emergency assistance in case of fire, terrorism, medical issues, or more, dial 112 in Russia for bilingual operators.
• Be judicious about taking photographs, especially of police or officials. This can potentially bring unwanted attention to yourself by members of law enforcement who won’t mind asking to see your passport. Also avoid snapping photos of official-looking buildings, such as embassies and government headquarters.
• Carry your passport in as secure a manner as possible. If you get stopped for any reason by the police, they can fine or arrest you if you don't have the document with you. Also, keep photocopies of your passport, the page on which your travel visa appears, and any other documents that relate to your stay in Russia.
• Use official taxis only and steer clear of illegal taxi companies, especially at night. Ask your hotel to call a reputable taxi company.

U.S. Department of State. " Russia Travel Advisory ." August 6, 2020.

Government of Canada. " Official Global Travel Advisories ." November 19, 2020.

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Crowded House Postpone Remaining Four Dates On Sell-Out Australian Dreamers Are Waiting Tour

“I am absolutely crushed to have to postpone the last 4 shows of our Australian tour as I tested positive yesterday morning for Covid. In these very difficult conditions for touring, we were staying in our bubble and observing very strict protocols but somehow the virus still slipped through. I am relieved to be only experiencing mild symptoms at this stage and grateful for the protection that my triple boosted vaccination is providing.I am so sorry to disappoint our fans this coming week, but rest assured we will be back to make good.” -Neil Finn

These 4 shows are: Hobart’s Mystate Bank Arena tonight, Canberra’s Royal Theatre on April 21, and A Day On The Green dates at Mt Duneed Estate, Geelong on April 23, and Bimbadgen, Hunter Valley, on April 24.

Rescheduled dates, also including the band’s 3 sold out Perth shows, will be announced soon. All existing ticket holders will be notified of rescheduled dates via the official ticketing agency and are requested to retain their tickets. Original purchases will be valid for the new dates without the need for exchange.

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Things to do in Moscow for First-Timers

Updated December 14, 2017

// By Margherita

Last August, a dream came true for both myself and Nick – we visited Russia for the first time. We joined the 13-day Waterways of the Tsars cruise with Viking River Cruises, travelling from Moscow to St Petersburg (with some cool stops in between). Here’s our first post, with lots of interesting things to do in Moscow for first timers!

My Moscow Dreams

I’ve always liked to think that Moscow was my first trip ever. My father visited the (then) Soviet capital in 1986, and returned with a mini-bearskin hat and stories about that mysterious country – ‘a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma’ , as Churchill famously defined it.

My dad told me stories, and I dreamt. I dreamt the multicoloured domes of St Basil’s, the crenellated walls of the Kremlin, the metro stations – my dad described them as ‘real underground palaces, with marble and chandeliers’ – I even dreamt of visiting GUM, the legendary department store on Red Square, with luxurious stuccos and dusty, empty shelves.

Moscow fascinated me so much that I imagined I could see it from my bedroom window. Looking east, beyond the station of Milano Lambrate, I could see a dozen red, blocky apartment buildings, and imagined it was Moscow. Deep within myself I knew they weren’t Socialist high-rises, it was Milano Due, the utopic ‘city of the future’ built by Berlusconi at the dawn of the 1980s.

That is probably why when we first visited Moscow last August, the city looked familiar. Many people describe their first visit to New York as a kind of deja-vu, after having seen the city in so many movies. Moscow gave me exactly the same feeling. Because, in a way, I had already been there.

Not just through my dad’s tales and my own childhood daydreaming – but also through books. I walked alongside Dr Zhivago in the streets of post-revolutionary Moscow. I sat next to Anna Karenina as she travelled to the city. Most of all, I walked down the Arbat and flew over the roofs of the city with my namesake heroine, Margarita .

Yet, Moscow eluded us for years , until we finally landed at Sheremetyevo airport one hazy morning, after two aborted landings because of thick fog. From the very first minute, it felt familiar – yet surprised us in ways I couldn’t imagine. No book or photograph prepared us for the magnificence of the Kremlin cathedrals, for the dazzling beauty of the city at night, for the extravagance of the Metro stations.

If you follow our blog regularly, you’ll know that we rarely write about ‘must-sees’ – instead, we try to delve deeper and find unusual things to see and do in the towns we visited. However, as this was our first time in Moscow, we decided to focus on the essentials, and compiled this guide of things to do in Moscow with first timers in mind. (I’m sure we’ll be back to explore the city further)

6 Things to do in Moscow for first timers

1)red square.

Red Square is Moscow’s main landmark , and the place where – I guess – 99% of people begin their exploration of the city. Imagine my joy when we were about to cross the gates into the huge square that I had so often pictured in my mind.

I could glimpse the multicoloured domes of St Basil’s on the far side , but it wasn’t the sprawling expanse I knew – something was blocking my sight. Two huge grandstands for a forthcoming festival of military bands had been erected right in the middle of Red Square, taking up most of available space.

The rest of the square was packed with tourists, it was a very hot day, and I’m sure you can imagine my disappointment.

So, just a little piece of advice for you. If you want to see Red Square in all its sprawling magnificence , make sure there’s no event going on in the square – apparently, events happen very often. We got a couple of messages on social media from people that also found Red Square all blocked up because of concerts or other festivals.

Facing St Basil’s (or the grandstands, in our case), the right hand side of the square borders the Kremlin walls, and near there you’ll find Lenin’s Mausoleum . After having seen the embalmed corpse of Mao in Beijing and Uncle Ho in Hanoi, we were looking forward to visiting Vladimir Ilich – but sadly, we missed the opening times.

On the left hand side of the square there’s  GUM , the same department store that my dad had visited 30 years previously, finding it dusty and empty. During our visit, the afternoon light shone through the glass domed ceilings, over white marble floors and whitewashed walls.

Diners clinked glasses in cafés and the store windows were packed with luxury clothes and accessories. And of course, on the far side of the square, St Basil’s was as dazzling as ever, the five domes five different jewels over the sapphire sky.

A little curiosity for you – the ‘Red’ in Red Square has nothing to do with Communism. The word Krasnaya used to mean ‘beautiful’ in Old Russian, and got the meaning ‘red’ only in more recent times. So, Red Square is also Beautiful Square.

Red Square was a bit of a disappointment, but the Kremlin exceeded all our expectations. The word Kremlin means ‘citadel’ – myself and many others were convinced that the Kremlin would be a simple city palace, but it’s in fact a walled city within a city , with palaces, churches, gardens and two helipads so Mr Putin can get to work without needing to brave the horrid Moscow traffic.

The Kremlin feels like a place that belongs to a parallel world. Everything looks tidy and perfect. Guards in huge hats and manicured uniforms patrol the streets, whistling if you dare cross away from the zebra crossing – yet, strangely, it’s absolutely fine to climb over the Tsar Bell, the largest bell ever cast at a weight of 480 tons.

The Tsar Bell never tolled, and the Tsar Cannon standing right next to it, the largest cannon ever made, never fired a single shot. Go figure.

The most beautiful location in the Kremlin is stunning Cathedral Square , surrounded by several churches with glistening golden domes. We only had time to visit two – Cathedral of the Assumption , where the Tsars were crowned, and Cathedral of the Archangel , final place of rest of several tsars and their families.

3) Moscow Metro

The Kremlin has been the home of Russia’s rulers for centuries. During Communist times, the power was in the hands of the people (or at least, that’s what they were told). In the late 1920s, Stalin ordered the construction of a monumental underground system – a ‘Palace for the People’ , that would fulfil the need for propaganda and intra-city transportation at the same time, as Moscow grew non stop.

Nowadays, the Moscow metro is developed over 12 lines – one circular and 11 radial . An apocryphal tale states that when Stalin was shown the Metro plan, no circular line was contemplated. Stalin placed his teacup on the paper, leaving a round brown mark – naturally, the leader was praised for his brilliance, and that’s how the circular line was born. All lines are colour coded, and the circular line is brown.

The Moscow Metro is not only stunning to look at – it also works amazingly well, and it’s super cheap. It runs from 5 to 2 am, every 20 seconds in peak hour, and a single ride only costs 50 roubles and has no time limit. That means you can spend the whole day touring this stunning system of underground palaces, spending less than a euro.

Each station is decorated differently – no station signs are visible from inside the trains, so Muscovites can tell where to get off by looking at the station’s decoration. Some of the most stunning include Mayakovskaya on the Green Line, Ploshchad Revolyutsii on the Blue Line and  Komsomolskaya, Novoslobodskaya and Kiyevskaya along the Circular (Koltsevaya) line.

I had read about the Arbat so many times in books , that I couldn’t wait to visit it for myself. It is one of the oldest surviving streets of Moscow , connecting the city centre with the boulevard ring. It was once one of the main thoroughfares into town from the West, before becoming home to the nobility first, then to artists and Soviet officials.

These days, the Arbat is not Moscow’s ‘Boulevard St Germain’ anymore – most of the mansions lining it were destroyed to stop Napoleon’s advance in 1812. There are actually two Arbats in Moscow now – the Old Arbat is pedestrian , so it’s still a wonderful place for a walk and some people-watching. There are several souvenir shops but being the heart of the tourist city centre, I’d give shopping around here a miss.

Towards the end of the street there’s an Alice in Wonderland themed cafe (a slice of Tokyo in the center of Moscow?) which could be an interesting spot for a coffee. Or you could check out New Arbat , just parallel, the home of administration and bureaucracy during Soviet times.

5) Cathedral of Christ the Saviour

Even if you’re not one for churches, you’ll agree with me that the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour is a spellbinding sight , with its golden domes and white marble frame set against the sky, and the Moskva river flowing right on its side.

To make matters even better, the Cathedral has a really interesting history. It was erected in the 19th century, after the victory against the Napoleonic Army. A convent was evacuated to make room for the church, and one of the sisters – enraged after having been evicted – claimed that no building erected on that site will ever stand for more than 50 years.

The Cathedral was eventually consecrated in 1883 – and in 1931, 48 years later, it was demolished by Stalin to make room for the ‘Palace of the Soviets’, a monumental building that was going to be topped by a huge statue of Lenin. WW2 halted construction, and after Stalin’s death the construction site stood unfinished for decades – the gaping hole for the foundations was turned into the world’s largest open-air swimming pool.

The ‘current’ Cathedral of Christ the Saviour was built between 1995 and 2000. 50 kilos of gold were used for the domes. Will it last for more than 50 years? Only time will tell.

6) Memorial Museum of Cosmonautics

If like me you’re a fan of Communist architecture and iconography , you’ll be spoilt in Moscow. In the past, we visited Communist sights in Warsaw , Vilnius and Bratislava – but really, they’re nothing compared to Moscow.

From kommunalka apartment blocks to Stalin’s Seven Sisters (huge 1930s skyscrapers housing hotels, apartments, offices and universities), from the Metro to statues and plaques everywhere, Moscow has plenty of relics from the Communist period – after all, it was the capital of the Communist world.

I could spend weeks touring all sights of Communist Moscow – to be honest, we are already planning a trip back for this very reason. If you only had time to visit one Communist sight, make sure it’s the Memorial Museum of Cosmonautics . The entrance to the museum is in the base of the Monument to the Conquerors of Space , which is by far THE MOST AMAZING monument we’ve ever seen. I mean, check it out.

The museum itself makes for a very interesting visit for everyone interested in the space race. It houses the first satellite ever to be launched, the embalmed bodies of two space dogs, a full-scale reproduction of space station Mir, space suits and lots more interesting exhibits. We visited on a guided tour with Viking Cruises, which was a great idea as it was really hard to understand the function of some objects otherwise.

The Memorial Museum of Cosmonautics celebrates a time when people dared to look at the stars and dream that one day, we might actually uncover this great mystery. Sure, political implications (on either side of the wall) were behind it all, not some romantic dream – but 55 years from Gagarin’s first flight, space news are often relegated to the bottom of newspaper pages.

Perhaps we have way too many problems on this planet to worry about exploring others. Exploring the Museum, I wished that one day we’ll be able to set out and uncover the biggest mystery of all once again.

Moscow with Viking Cruises

We visited several of the sights mentioned in this list on tours run by Viking River Cruises as part of our Waterways of the Tsars cruise. The Kremlin tour, Moscow city tour (by public transport or bus – naturally we opted for the latter) and a traditional music concert were included in the tour price, but we also took additional tours to the Museum of Cosmonautics and around Moscow by night , both of which we enjoyed a lot.

Our accommodation was on the Viking Truvor , moored in Moscow’s North River terminal near   Rechnoy Vozkal station on the green line, making it possible to reach the centre in half an hour to explore the city independently. All meals are served on the boat, and transport to/from the boat is always provided during tours. Trust me, on a Viking cruise you won’t go hungry!

A great benefit of exploring Moscow with Viking were the excellent local guides , who shared their knowledge with us and gave us ideas on how to make the most of our free time in such a big, sprawling city. We spent three days in Moscow, but we are sure we will be back!

We would like to thank Viking Cruises for having welcomed us aboard the Waterways of the Tsars cruise.

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Katt Williams Wants to Show You the Receipts

After setting the internet aflame earlier this year when he slammed several other comedians in a viral interview, he plans to say more of what’s on his mind in a rare live special on Netflix.

By Elena Bergeron

Reporting from Ponte Vedra Beach and Jacksonville, Fla.

In the crowded landscape of athlete podcasts , “Club Shay Shay,” hosted by the retired N.F.L. star Shannon Sharpe, mostly served sports fans and observers of Black Hollywood since it started in 2020 with interviews with DaBaby and Deion Sanders.

That was until Katt Williams appeared on the show in January and for nearly three hours delivered an incendiary, rollicking and, at points, curiously uplifting interview that pervaded the internet like nothing else this year. Williams accused other big-name comedians of stealing jokes and movie roles from him, riffed on why partying with Diddy (or Jeffrey Epstein or Harvey Weinstein) is a bad idea, asserted that he read 3,000 books a year as a child and claimed that at 52, he was capable of running a 40-yard dash in less than 5 seconds.

The interview has been viewed more than 67 million times on YouTube, numbers that put it on par with Joe Rogan’s blazing episode with Elon Musk, the industry high-water mark for video podcasts. Its most outrageous moments have been shared, excerpted and spoofed on so many other platforms that even that figure understates its impact. According to Williams, who said he wrote out his part of the dialogue in advance, it’s just what happens when he sets the record straight.

“I’m quite likely to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help me God,” he said during the interview.

Beyond raising Sharpe’s numbers, the spot helped Williams move tickets to his “Dark Matter” tour and got the PGA interested in hosting him at T.P.C. Sawgrass, the golf course that serves as a playground for pros and that most others will see only by plugging in “PGA Tour Golf” into their PlayStations. On the course, in between shots, he says he made his nuclear-option remarks carefully, responding to rumors — in some cases, told by people he spoke up about — that have dogged him for years about drug use, erratic behavior and arrests (though, he said, no convictions). “I thought that I had worked out a way of breaking the internet, and I felt pretty confident,” he said with a Mr. Rogers level of thoughtfulness. “So I wrote it kind of like a one-man movie, with the intention of its outcome. And — —”

“You’re great, Katt,” a man trills as he passes in his golf cart.

“ Thank you so much,” Williams replies, then pulls to a stop.

“If I let it go at this point, they can actually rewrite history,” he says. Few things unnerve him more than a poor chronicling of facts. That’s probably because few people are better at weaving narratives that seem too incredible not to be true, like when he describes how he taught himself to fall asleep in exactly 59 seconds. (“It wasn’t something I knew I needed but it’s changed my [expletive] life!”)

The things that make Katt Williams such a great raconteur — he is diligent about numbers, inexhaustible in his curiosity and meticulous about his delivery — have made him a persistent presence in comedy since he emerged from the standup world over 30 years ago, through regular appearances on the improv sketch show “Wild ’N Out” and as a scene-stealing dervish in movies like “Friday After Next.” That his improbable rise from homelessness to one of the most prolific, and profitable, comics of his generation isn’t looked on as a feat of craft and yeoman effort, well, that was a record that needed straightening. Williams grabbed even the furthest corners of the internet to do so, and now that he’s got everyone’s attention he is gearing up for the ultimate told-you-so — “Woke Foke,” set to air globally on Saturday. It’s Netflix’s second-ever live special after Chris Rock’s last year .

Williams, who does not work his material in clubs partly because of the looming threat of joke-stealing, has been prepping his material on a 100-date arena tour where audiences were not asked to lock away their phones. It seems a sure way to spoil the act he and Netflix are banking big on. It’s also a show of extreme faith in his current set, and will make for a high-wire debut for the roughly 25 percent of new material he’ll deliver live in Los Angeles.

“ He’s one of the most exceptional improvisational comedians of our time,” says Robbie Praw, Netflix’s vice president of standup and comedy formats. “He does often change his material close to tapings, which is a key reason why he was the perfect person to be our second live special. Because there is something super exciting about that. When there’s no script, there’s no net.”

Or as Williams himself puts it, “The benefit of Katt Williams live is that you don’t, in any way, know what he’s going to say.”

THOUGH HE USUALLY PLAYS golf alongside the retired athletes he’s friends with or someone from the tour crew, today Williams plays this round effectively solo. An assistant named Rhonda trails him in a separate cart driven by a cigar-smoking bodyguard. Later, he calls out to Rhonda, who dutifully takes photos when Williams points up at the trees that rim a rippling green, where two bald eagles have alighted on branches near their nest. “Look at that,” Williams marvels through an open-mouthed grin.

Over the round, he’ll point out a peregrine falcon swooping in to feed, stop in the middle of a fairway to show Rhonda and a caddie a woodpecker that has gotten thisclose to severing a branch, and sprint across one tee box to stand under a magnolia tree and catch its wafting perfume. He’s got dozens of them lining his 100-acre farm, he says.

That sprint to the magnolia, and several more full-speed runs from fairway back to the golf cart, each have the same track-star form he showed in an Emmy-winning cameo on “Atlanta” that ended with his character bolting from the house where he’d kept both his girlfriend and an alligator illegally. Williams displayed that same running form when he showed up at the Dallas Cowboys’ facility in February and ran a 40-yard dash in 4.97 seconds. His claim on Sharpe’s podcast seemed suspect until Williams clocked the time in front of an audience, while wearing Dior sneakers.

Williams left his home in Ohio at 13 over a religious dispute with his parents and landed in Miami, where he says he supported himself stealing car radios and cleaning restaurants. His stint in a homeless encampment introduced him to addicts, many of whom had once been high-functioning professionals. The extent to which those stories informed his reaction to the drug rumors is in the numbers, too. He still does 100 push-ups and 100 sit-ups a day. That 40-yard-dash time, it’s denial through demonstration.

To those who accuse him of using, he says, “at some point, even as an idiot, you’re going to have to acknowledge that these drugs should be taking some toll on me. At some point, I shouldn’t be better and faster and stronger because of them.”

Williams has an allegiance to numbers typically reserved for athletes and actuaries, and it’s apparent in the quantifiable way he breaks down his sets. “I try to write the seven to 10 most [expletive] things that I think,” he says, “and I try to make that into the comedy show.” An hourlong special comprises 10 to 12 stand-alone pieces, which usually leaves him looking to add a bit or two as he’s writing. For this run, he says he’s needed to pare down what started as a 90-minute set.

On the road, Williams hones an act by watching footage of the previous night for the first 30 or so dates. “My job is to let this guy know, ‘Hey, you’re looking old out there, like, you going to work this stage?’” he says, adding that he’s most often not refining the words but the delivery — a bigger gesture, a different tilt of his head.

Williams has been writing and performing and refining in this way for 37 years, ever since he won a standup competition in Ruskin, Fla., at 16. The prize was a five-minute opening slot on a tour that featured Richard Jeni, Jeff Foxworthy and Dan Whitney, later known as Larry the Cable Guy.

“He respects the craft,” says Mo’Nique, who is touring with Williams for the first time on “Dark Matter.”

“He respects the ones that came before him. He respects those doors being open. He respects the obligation of, the craft of being a comedian.”

HIS REVERENCE FOR JOURNEYMEN COMICS , those who prove their mettle on live stages night after night, fueled many of the shots Williams took during the Sharpe interview at funnymen who no longer work the circuit, or those who had gotten specials without a lengthy road history. He felt assured in his criticisms, and that there wouldn’t be effective retaliation, he says, “because there’s no big dogs for them to call other than Chappelle, and Chappelle would never cross me. Dun dun dun dun, and then he did!”

Williams is referring to Dave Chappelle’s response to the beefs onstage, saying, “Katt is one of the best painters in the game. So why are you drawing ugly pictures of us?”

Though the question stung (Williams referred to Chappelle as “the king”), Williams stood by his attack: “If I came to tell you a beautiful story, I would have painted you a beautiful picture. I was trying to paint a story of a group of ugly [expletive] that would do things that would hurt you and uplift them, even though they didn’t need to do that. And then instead of helping you or befriending you, that they would,” he pauses to let out a disbelieving sigh, “go so far as to steal from you if they couldn’t emulate you and then lie about you.”

While waiting for the foursome ahead to finish a late-round hole, Williams entertains the question of whether art can be competitive. “History is just a collection of the people that did things the best,” he says between drags of a prerolled joint. Williams brings up Mozart and Chopin, masters who have been studied for centuries.

That’s his aim in comedy, he says. “I will, without question, be one of the greatest comedians that ever lived just because of the body of work.”

Williams means for his 12 specials to be assessed as a whole. It’s a yearslong conversation with an audience that began in 2006’s “Pimp Chronicles Pt. 1,” his electric big-league introduction that built to a flaming indictment of a different celebrity, Michael Jackson, two years before the pop star’s death and a decade before the “Leaving Neverland” documentary.

His more recent specials have skewed toward topics that tend to send people down conspiracy rabbit holes. On a 2023 Marc Maron podcast episode, Williams said he swapped out about half of the material in his 2022 “World War III” special after touring and receiving notes from Netflix about the show’s darkness, which he said was “turned up viciously high” around race and religion. The set still hit one of its funniest peaks in a riff on how the Nazis became such a fearsome military — by producing and consuming methamphetamine. He told Maron he’d be happy if listeners Googled whether that was true.

The night after his round of golf, Williams’s sold-out audience at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville looks perfect for national election polling. There are women in extended-size bodycon dresses, men in Tommy Bahama-esque shirts and couples in matching satin short sets, carrying yard dogs filled with frozen rum runners to their seats.

Williams works through a brisk set, zipping darts at Diddy and Ron DeSantis, with a knockdown bit about white slavery. When it’s done, lounging in a locker room where Chet Baker’s version of “My Funny Valentine” rings out against the tiles, Williams suggests that the live Netflix show might delve into touchier topics, if they exist. “I can’t discuss, maybe, Israel and Palestine and Iran until live?”

The key to skirting flammable topics and still landing a laugh, he says, is “no matter what joke I’m telling or who the focus of that joke is, the thing that you’re supposed to get from it is that my heart is in the right place. But I see what I see.”

Elena Bergeron is an editor and writer in the Culture section of The Times. More about Elena Bergeron

Inside the World of Comedy

The White House Correspondents’ Association dinner has occasionally featured some great stand-up comedy. Colin Jost’s set will not join that list, our critic writes .

The pandemic dealt a major blow to improv in New York, but a new energy can be seen in performances throughout the city .

Kevin Hart became the 25th comic  to receive the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor from the Kennedy Center.

The joke writers for awards shows are a corner of the showbiz work force that tends to remain in the shadows. The job requires skill, self-awareness and even diplomacy .

Comedians, no strangers to tackling difficult and taboo subjects with humor, are increasingly turning their attention to the climate crisis .

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5 most popular pedestrian streets in Moscow (PHOTOS)

1. Red Square and Nikolskaya Street

Red Square view on the GUM store (right) and the Historical Museum (left)

Surely, anyone coming to Moscow, especially for the first time, is eager to get to Red Square. Until 1930, a tram used to run along it, but now it is completely free for pedestrians to roam around. The distance from the entrance to Red Square from the Historical Museum and up to the Kremlin embankment is just over 700 meters. So, leisurely walking, while taking selfies in front of the Mausoleum, Spassky Tower, GUM and St. Basil's Cathedral, you can spend 15-20 minutes there. 

Lights at Nikolskaya Street

From Red Square you can go to Nikolskaya Street, one of the most decorated and brightly illuminated in Moscow - even at night it is incredibly bright thanks to thousands of lights. In general, the atmosphere of Christmas and New Year can be felt here even in summer. 

Moscow Printing House (now home to the History and Archives Institute)

There are bars and restaurants at every turn, as well as historic buildings, such as the former Ferrein Pharmacy and the pseudo-Gothic Moscow Printing House (now home to the History and Archives Institute). By the way, the entirety of Nikolskaya Street used to be filled with booksellers - precisely because of the proximity of the printing house. 

Tretyakovsky Driveway

After walking along Nikolskaya, almost to Lubyanka Square, turn into an arch, and you will find yourself in the Tretyakovsky Driveway, which also, despite its name, is pedestrian. You can walk through it almost all the way to the Bolshoi Theater and the famous Detsky Mir ("Children's World") store, which has a wonderful observation deck on its roof. 

Arbat, most famous pedestrian street in Russia, not only Moscow

The name of the Arbat Street has become so commonplace that almost every city in Russia calls its central pedestrian streets the "local Arbat". Its length in Moscow is a little over a kilometer, and at the beginning and end are handily located subway stations. Arbat used to be filled with street artists, musicians and shops with souvenirs - ushankas and matreshkas depicting Lenin and Stalin. Now the souvenirs have moved to stores in the middle of the street, making room for passersby. 

The Tsoi's Wall at Arbat

There are many sights on the Arbat - all the houses are historical, so there are museums of various famous people (including Alexander Pushkin). In addition, the Arbat has the historic Vakhtangov Theatre, restaurants for every taste - and one of the most interesting locations of underground Moscow - "Tsoi's Wall". Fans of the band "Kino" and its late frontman Viktor Tsoi leave their tags there. In the lanes of Arbat there is a unique monument to the Russian avant-garde - a cylindrical house by architect Konstantin Melnikov.

Street artists at Arbat

Muscovites often call the street "Old Arbat", as in the 1930s, during Stalin's general reconstruction of Moscow , another one appeared - Novy (New) Arbat street. But unlike the narrow, cozy "old" one, Novy is a big freeway. For a long time it was called Kalininsky Prospect, so many Muscovites who grew up in the Soviet Union sometimes still call it that. 

Crowded Arbat street

3. Lavrushinsky and Klimentovsky Lanes

Tretyakov Gallery is situated at Lavrushinsky Lane

Another must-see experience in Moscow is the Tretyakov Gallery, which houses the most important works of Russian painting, including, for example, Ilya Repin's painting "Ivan the Terrible and His Son Ivan on November 16, 1581" (popularly "Ivan the Terrible Kills His Son"). Here's a quick guide to the main canvas if you only have an hour of time. 

Lavrushinsky Lane

After walking the halls of the gallery, you’ll want to get some fresh air. Lavrushinsky Lane along the gallery's buildings is pedestrian. Here you can walk leisurely to the Vodootvodny Canal embankment, drink a fashionable Moscow raf coffee in one of the coffee houses in Shmelev Square, and then cross Bolshaya Ordynka Street to Klimentovsky Lane.

Klimentovsky Lane, view on the St. Climent's Church

This street is literally full of restaurants and open-air terraces. Here you should go inside one of the most beautiful churches of the city - St. Clement's Church. (And at the same time try to see if McDonald's burgers are different from its clone, the fast food chain Vkusno i Tochka ).

Restaurants at Klimentovsky Lane

4. From Vorobyev to Krymskaya Embankments 

Cable cars above the Moskva River

For those who prefer long walks, right in the center of Moscow, there is a nice 8-km route. It can be started from the Vorobyovy Gory metro station, where there is a cableway over the Moskva River. There are convenient paths for pedestrians, runners, and cyclists on the embankments.

Dancing square as part of Pushkinskaya Embankment

Even snobby Muscovites love to walk in this area on weekends - passing by Neskuchny (literally 'Not Boring') Garden, Gorky Park, where you can stop for coffee and wine, visit another festival or Garage Museum of Contemporary Art.

Andreevsky pedestrian bridge and Embankment of Gorky Park

Then continue along the embankment in Museon Park with fountains and benches. Or go to the New Tretyakov Gallery, where the Russian art of the 20th century is on display, including works by Kasimir Malevich.

Embankment of the Museon Park

Then pass the pedestrian Patriarchal Bridge and walk along the new GES-2 House of Culture and the scandalous "Big Clay N4" sculpture. And finish the long walk at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. 

5. Shkolnaya street

Two-story Shkolnaya street

Not far from the center, in the east of Moscow, Shkolnaya Street has recently become pedestrian. In contrast to the tall neighboring business centers, this two-story street looks impressive.

Moscow is truly city of contrasts

Once upon a time, Rogozhskaya Yamskaya Sloboda was located here. In the 19th century, it was one of the gateways to the city, where numerous trade carts and coachmen stopped. And up to now the typical gates for horses and carts remained in the old houses. By the way, until the 17th century this street was called Telezhnaya (telega is a cart in Russian), and then became the 1st Rogozhskaya, and only in Soviet times, Shkolnaya (literally, 'school street'). 

Gates for horses and carts at Shkolnaya street

To enhance your enjoyment of old Moscow, one should definitely go to the Spaso-Andronikov Monastery, literally across the street. It is home to one of the oldest churches in Moscow, the Spassky Cathedral, which has preserved fragments of frescoes by medieval iconographer Andrei Rublev. The monastery also houses the Museum of Ancient Russian Culture and Art .

Spaso-Andronikov Monastery and Spassky Cathedral (center)

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