Hey, it’s Jess. 👋
Yesterday, someone asked if I’m always out doing stuff because of my job. And honestly, it’s more like I got this job because I'm always out doing stuff. I wasn’t always like this, though.
My family now asks, "What do you have going on today?" instead of "Do you have plans tonight?" because I’m always doing something. However, when they ask me who I'm going with, the answer is most of the time, myself. When I was younger, I often missed out on many things simply because I didn’t have anyone to go with. That changed in my early 20s when I lived in LA. My music taste didn’t exactly match that of my friends (shoutout to my alternative/indie people), so instead of missing shows, I started going alone.
The first time I remember doing this was to see Mark Foster from Foster the People at The Sayers Club. It was the night before my 21st birthday, so it was a big night for me (all my friends were a year older), but none of my friends wanted to go. I mustered up the courage to head to Hollywood alone and handed over my “ID” at the door (listen, I was there for the music, not the drinks). The bouncer looked up, gave me a look (oh no), but then said, “Hey! It’s almost your birthday. Happy 25th.” I laughed, and when he asked why I was there alone, I explained my situation. We chatted a bit as he led me inside.
I stood by the bar with my water, awkward but proud of myself for showing up. When Mark started playing, I cried, not because I was sad, but because I was so happy that I hadn’t missed it. During intermission, the bouncer (shoutout to Cado) came back and asked how the show was going. I said, “Incredible. I can’t believe I’m seeing Mark this close up.” He smiled and said, “I’ll do you one better. Want to meet him?” My jaw dropped. Of course, I did.
You don’t get moments like that when you wait around for company. You might not always end up with a story, but you’ll never regret doing something you were excited about.
So my suggestion this week: do something solo. Go see a movie, try that new restaurant you bookmarked on IG, or maybe even hit up Do615’s 13th Birthday Party in Nashville on Dec 4. You never know. Maybe you’ll meet your Mark Foster, end up in a Lifetime movie (story for another time), or at the very least, have an awesome time (and zero FOMO).
That’s my spiel for today. Let’s get on to more stuff!
THIS WEEK IN MUSIC NEWS & TOURS 🎤
Tate McRae surprised us all by announcing a deluxe edition of her album So Close to What. The tracklist is still under wraps, but it's set to drop on November 21.
In the spirit of the season, Sam Fender donated his entire Mercury Prize winnings to Music Venue Trust, a charity working to keep small venues alive for future generations.
Hayley Williams is having a Bachelorette (okay, well, a bachelorette-themed tour). She’s also fighting for fair ticket pricing, ensuring fans (not scalpers) get first dibs.
Hilary Duff is back, baby. Her new single “Mature” has been all over my feed, and she’s officially playing her first live shows in almost a decade.
Fresh Start Festival has revealed changes and updates for its 2026 edition. Go on. Take a first look at the lineup!
Tour Announcements
- Train – The pop-rock favorites are back on the road with hits from "Drops of Jupiter" to "Hey, Soul Sister", plus a few surprises in store.
- Carlos Vives – The Latin legend’s Tour al Sol will take fans on a musical journey “from sunrise to sunset,” celebrating the rhythms that move with the sun.
- Jack Johnson – The SURFILMUSIC Tour pairs laid-back acoustic sets with surf film screenings and eco-minded vibes.
- Silversun Pickups – Their Tenterhooks tour will showcase new material alongside alt-rock classics you'll definitely reminisce about.
- Ben Rector – Symphonies Across America kicks off February 27, blending fan-favorite hits with full orchestral arrangements.
- Sabrina Claudio – Promoting her new album Fall in Love with Her, this tour promises sultry vocals, moody visuals, and pure R&B elegance.
MEMBER’S ONLY 🔥
You know us. We’re all about helping people do stuff. And one of our favorite ways to do that? Through our editorials and city guides. Every week, our teams across the country create lists, guides, and insider recs for people who want to explore, eat, drink, and make memories without overthinking it.
We recently helped Seattleites celebrate "National Pizza with the Works Except Anchovies Day" (yes, that's a real thing today) with a roundup of the city’s cheesiest slices, shared fall date ideas in Nashville, built a holiday bucket list for Chicago, mapped the best Blackout Wednesday bars in Dallas, spotlighted tamale season in San Antonio, and lit up Kansas City with the best holiday light displays.
Want to check out the editorials in your city?
Head to your local DoXYZ site and scroll to the bottom of the page and see “Latest from DoStuff.” We’ve got fresh guides in every market.
DoTell: Where YOU tell us 💬
Ya’ll, we got some great answers from last week's question: “What’s one cool, weird, or unforgettable thing about your hometown?”
Here are some of the responses:
- In my hometown of Chattanooga, Tennessee, I’m not sure which cool, weird, unforgettable thing to choose to mention to y’all but I’ll go with the Sculpture Fields. Google that and you may think you’re at Burning Man but nope just the cool weird hood in my hometown. - Sara
- I live in Chicago now, but I grew up in Salem, OR and Salem is the Capitol of Oregon.The interesting part about my hometown is that the Capitol building itself has a Pioneer that is an 8 and a half ton bronze statue covered in gold leaf standing on top of the building. It looks especially majestic on a sunny, clear day with the mountains in the distance. You can check its Wikipedia page here. -Rene
- I grew up in Starkville, MS. We have a song called "Starkville" by Indigo Girls. Also, Jonny Cash got arrested here for picking flowers and spent a night in county jail. Ended up making a song about it called "Starkville City Jail" I know the house where he was picking the flowers in front of, right down the road from my grandma. Now we have the Flower Pickin' Festival every year to commemorate the event. -Zach
- In Austin, 1.5 million Mexican free-tailed bats spiral out from under the Congress bridge just after sunset, forming a moving black ribbon across the sky. Less obvious about Austin is that both a cat and a very cool homeless dude named Leslie ran for mayor. Stubbs (cat) won in spirit and Leslie ran three times, finishing in 3rd place one year. If you want to celebrate Leslie Day on Mar 8th you need to wear a thong and a boa. - Todd
- I'm from Spokane, Washington. The motto of Spokane is "Near nature, near perfect". Moving to a much larger city like Nashville has put into perspective how much I miss being so immersed in nature on all sides and I've been trying to find little pockets here that make me feel that way again. One thing that most people don't know about is Spokane is the creator of Father's Day. It also holds the world's largest 3on3 basketball tournament in the world. - Mackenzie
- One cool thing about the town I live in (Silverlake) is that it's super eclectic, very friendly to all races, sexes, genders, etc. Amazing music town with tons of great bands and tons of great vegan food for me and my wife to enjoy. Silverlake is awesome. - Ron
- Jerry from Arlingtong, wanted us to know that Arlington is home to the Heavy Metal Hall of Fame. The space even doubles as a museum and live music venue! You can check out the highlight here.
- Shoutout to Gina from Chicago who says there’s too much cool and weird in that city for an email!
WIN SOMETHING 🎁
Okay, listen up, this one’s huge.
We’re giving away passes to Wild Horses 2025, one of the most anticipated festivals of the year. Think live music and big skies.
If you’ve ever dreamed of the perfect weekend with your favorite bands and your best friends, this is your sign. Don’t sleep on it. Enter to win now.
That’s it for this week.
Now go send one of these events or giveaways to your group chat and be everyone's coolest friend!
Jess ✨
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