Month: July 2025

A stunning new turntable from Pro-Ject Audio celebrates legendary rock band AC/DC with a striking lightning bolt design. The innovative audio masters, known for vibrant home audio systems packed with crystal-clear sound technology, pay homage to the Aussie “Thunderstruck” rockers just days after the 45th anniversary of one of the best-selling albums of all time, 1980’s classic Back in Black. AC/DC’s lightning bolt logo delivered a jolt of inspiration to its designers, Pro-Ject Audio said, adding that the group’s “iconic font & lightning bolt gave us the idea for this very special turntable design.”

An acrylic sub platter and heavy glass platter make up the bolt-shaped record player, assuredly unlike anything in your rotation. The luxe record player, outfitted with a pre-adjusted Ortofon 2M Red MM cartridge. is nothing short of perfect to brush up on the band’s discography as the Angus Young-led outfit tours Europe this summer.

The platter itself is more than just enticing to look at: It offers a view of the record player’s many precise parts, all the while delivering the “tightest and most accurate playback speeds,” which might just mean that hard-charging classics like “Shot Down In Flames” or “Highway to Hell” have never sounded better.

What the company calls a “unique” 8.6-inch spring acrylic tonearm helps set the pace for the $1,699 limited-edition record player, which is available now for pre-order and ships this coming October. The audio company notes the chart-topping rock band’s “electrifying sound and high-energy performances” made them legendary (whether with OG frontman Bon Scott or current lead singer Brian Johnson, a debate for another day).

In addition to its streamlined, utterly badass look, the sleek turntable’s heavy platter offers zero resonance upon playback, all the better to get the most out of legendary tracks like “For Those About to Rock (We Salute You).” The heavy platter design sidesteps the “flaws of plastic or lightweight construction,” the audio brand notes. To turn that covetable sound quality into a real part of your record collection and listening set-up, visit Pro-Ject Audio now for more information on how to pre-order this soon-to-be-rare turntable.

Oakley is envisioning the shades of the future with the brand’s latest bold frames, the Plantaris Ti. An eye-catching evolution of the Oakley Plantaris silhouette, the “future-forward” titanium sunglasses aim to channel “Oakley’s vision for 2075” in a new, ultra-limited release.

The sporty shadesmaker is pausing from heralding rapper Travis Scott as the company’s “Chief Visionary” and hyping Meta-branded AI glasses with the help of Patrick Mahomes to drop a flashy, sci-fi-inspired design that channels last year’s Moonveil collection and the metal and leather MUZM Mars shades.

The Plantaris Ti features adjustable temples and a removable nose cone that allows for a quick transformation for the wearer. Its temple design and clear silicone tips are “inspired by frog legs,” according to the brand, and feature a vein-like internal structure.

A lightweight premium titanium frame encases the frame’s wire skeleton, upgrading the original silhouette for next-gen comfort and style. The eyewear is further bolstered by Oakley’s Prizm Lens tech, which optimizes visuals by enhancing color and contrast. 

The Oakley Plantaris Ti is available beginning July 31, exclusively on Oakley.com.  

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The 2025 Calgary Stampede reached a red-hot zenith as Cowboys Music Festival and Maxim teamed up for an unforgettable Maxim VIP Experience—a first-of-its-kind, ultra-exclusive nightlife event hosted at the brand-new Cowboys Park.

Presented by Cowboys Music Festival (CMF) and powered by Maestro Entertainment and H Events, the Maxim VIP Experience brought together an international guest list of celebrities, influencers, and tastemakers for a red-carpet affair that redefined western luxury on July 10.

More than 100 stunning models hosted the evening, welcoming guests into a lavish western-luxe world filled with premium bottle service, branded activations, elevated hospitality, and non-stop live entertainment. The fusion of Stampede spirit and upscale nightlife made it the must-attend night of CMF 2025.

With special performances from top-tier artists including Maren Morris, Jordan Davis, and surprise appearances throughout the evening, the energy was electric from start to finish.

The Maxim VIP Experience marked a bold new chapter in CMF’s 29-year legacy as Canada’s most iconic music and nightlife event. From the roar of the crowd to the shimmer of the spotlight, Cowboys Park was the place to be—and July 10 will go down as one of the most fun-filled nights in Calgary Stampede history.

More than three decades into a celebrated run of barrel-aged beer, Goose Island’s Bourbon County Stout manages to keep things more than interesting and plenty flavorful, as the just-announced 2025 lineup assuredly attests.

First brewed and released in 1992 to celebrate 1,000 batches of Goose Island beer, the innovative Chicago brewery continues to find new ways to put its already-stellar Imperial Stout through the ultimate test: Aging in hardy wooden barrels sourced from the bourbon trail. Billed as the original barrel-aged stout, Goose Island’s hotly anticipated series continues to take place of pride among the best new microbrews, at least if its annual enthusiastic reception is to be believed.

Six intensely flavorful releases deliver variety and originality to the Bourbon County Stout family, led by Bourbon County Brand Original Stout. The OG Stout starts with Goose Island’s original recipe and is further aged in an impressive combination of freshly emptied Buffalo Trace, Heaven Hill, Wild Turkey and Four Roses bourbon barrels for an average of 12 months. With a decadent mouthfeel and what the brewery calls flavors ranging from caramelized sugar to vanilla, the 2025 take on a time-tested favorite should prove a toasty fall and winter sipper.

The distinct barrel aging process behind each beer, the original included, reflects the famed brewer’s commitment to innovation, the company said. “The Bourbon County Brand Stout family tells a story of metamorphosis—where barrels, time, and innovation evolve a true original,” Goose Island noted.

Just as impressive and covetable is 2025’s Bourbon County Brand Double Barrel Stout, which spends time in Heaven Hill bottled-in-bond bourbon barrels. Every decision, including ingredient selection and barrel selection “reveals a new facet of Original Stout,” Goose Island said, calling out the “nuanced complexity” of the whiskey that graced the barrels before Goose Island stout beer. “The rich sweetness of the stout pairs beautifully with subtle rye whiskey influences from the 10-year-old barrels,” said Connor O’Driscoll, Heaven Hill’s master distiller.

It was far from the only distinct barrel aging choice used by Goose Island: Parker’s Heritage 10-year 17th edition rye whiskey barrels were used to age the 2025 Bourbon County Brand Reserve Stout, delivering rye spice, plus flavors including marzipan and dried fruits. Just as engaging and sumptuous is Bourbon County Brand Cherries Jubilee within the 2025 lineup, delivering subtle baking spice and “the essence of cognac-soaked cherries” after time spent in freshly dumped bourbon barrels, Goose Island notes.

The lineup takes further aim at rich dessert beers with 2025’s Chocolate Praline Stout, as the brewery says, “Goose Island’s imperial stout undergoes an incredible transformation within the barrel,” absorbing the character of the wood itself and developing notes of toffee, fudge and marzipan in the process.

Proprietor’s Stout, meanwhile, is finished with some unlikely yet utterly delicious ingredients: Pistachios, cassia bark, walnuts and honey add intense depth of flavor and a deep caramelized body for “comforting warmth, … and a subtly sweet finish,” thanks to the inspiration of brewer Colby Magratten, who likened the beer to flavors of homemade baklava and the beehives of her aunt’s Rhode Island home. The lineup certainly delivers plenty of rich character and decadent quality ahead of the brisk fall and winter months.

In a further twist, the lineup’s Original Stout is now available in 10oz. bottles for the first time, while other selections are offered in 16.9oz. bottles and on draft. To add any one of the richly crafted, limited-edition Goose Island Bourbon County Stout releases to your own beer cellar, visit Goose Island for purchasing information and availability.