The entertainment world buzzed with excitement this week as three heavy hitters—Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons, the Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown, and the Brooklyn noise-rock trio Model/Actriz—earned thunderous applause from critics and audiences alike. From concert halls to movie theaters to sweaty club stages, these projects landed with the kind of impact that makes you sit up and listen. Here’s the rundown on why these three are dominating the cultural conversation in late April 2025.
On April 16, the New York Philharmonic kicked off a series of performances of Antonio Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons at Lincoln Center, a program that’s been packing seats and drawing gasps. The baroque masterpiece, composed in 1720, got a fresh jolt under the baton of guest conductor Simone Young. Her take leaned into the music’s vivid storytelling—those chirping birds, rustling leaves, and icy shivers woven into the violin solos. Critics called it a revelation, with the orchestra’s principal violinist, Frank Huang, earning praise for a performance that was both razor-sharp and soulful. The Philharmonic’s official release noted that the concerts, running through April 20, sold out within hours, a testament to the enduring pull of Vivaldi’s 300-year-old work. Audiences left humming, some even spotted mimicking the violin’s trills on their way to the subway.
Meanwhile, moviegoers were glued to their screens for A Complete Unknown, the Bob Dylan biopic that hit theaters on April 18. Directed by James Mangold, the film stars Timothée Chalamet as the folk icon during his electrifying early-’60s rise. Chalamet’s performance, down to the nasal drawl and restless swagger, has been hailed as a career-defining turn. The film doesn’t just skim Dylan’s surface—it digs into the chaos of his shift from acoustic troubadour to electric renegade, capturing the 1965 Newport Folk Festival uproar in gritty detail. Major outlets reported packed screenings in New York and Los Angeles, with Searchlight Pictures announcing on April 19 that the film grossed $12 million in its opening weekend. Fans lined up for midnight showings, some clutching dog-eared copies of Dylan’s Chronicles like it was a holy text. The film’s soundtrack, featuring Chalamet’s own renditions of “Blowin’ in the Wind” and “Like a Rolling Stone,” climbed streaming charts by April 20, per Billboard’s latest report.
Across the river in Brooklyn, Model/Actriz shook things up with their debut album Dogsbody, which dropped on April 14 and kept the buzz going all week. The noise-rock outfit, led by frontman Cole Haden’s feral charisma, delivered a record that’s equal parts menace and melody. Tracks like “Mosquito” and “Donkey Show” blend jagged guitars, industrial beats, and Haden’s unhinged vocals into something that feels like a punch you didn’t see coming. The band’s label, True Panther Sounds, confirmed on April 15 that Dogsbody hit number one on the indie charts, fueled by a sold-out release show at Warsaw in Greenpoint. Critics raved about the album’s raw energy, with one major review calling it “the sound of a city fraying at the edges but refusing to break.” By April 21, the band announced a North American tour, with tickets for their May 10 Bowery Ballroom gig vanishing in minutes.
This week wasn’t just about flash—it was about substance. The Four Seasons reminded audiences that genius doesn’t age. A Complete Unknown proved a biopic can cut deeper than nostalgia. And Model/Actriz showed that rock’s still got a pulse, loud and unapologetic. Each project, in its own way, grabbed the spotlight and held it. The Philharmonic’s final Four Seasons show was set for April 20. A Complete Unknown expanded to 2,500 theaters nationwide on April 22. Model/Actriz’s next Brooklyn show is slated for May 10. The crowds keep coming, and the cheers keep getting louder.