The motivation behind BY.ARTISANS isn't simply to add a new tipple to everyone's must-sip list, even if that is the aim of every distillery. For this West End-based brand, getting attention on Queensland-born artistry and Sunshine State-made products is a key reason for being. Tempting eyes towards its soon-to-open Jane Street flagship won't be hard — the slick, sleek, minimalist-leaning venue, which favours natural tones with pops of greenery and silver distilling equipment around the place, instantly stands out. "The name BY.ARTISANS reflects our commitment to craftsmanship, shining a light on the artistry and dedication behind every creation," explains Co-Founder Ginn Lai. "There are no shortcuts — each product is hand-made in small batches with carefully sourced ingredients and a focus on quality." "We wanted to create a space that challenges the preconceptions of a distillery, and offers something new and unexpected," added fellow Co-Founder and Brand Director Alexander Lotersztain said. BY.ARTISANS is launching its distillery on Thursday, November 28, 2024 — and it isn't just somewhere where spirits are made and drunk. Also part of the setup: a cafe that'll serve a curated range of food and a creative haven, where tasting rooms and the bar sit beside an event space, a retail space and room for workshops. "We have created a retreat that embraces the community, emphasises the space's multi-functionality, and is warm and welcoming during the day and at night," continues Lotersztain about an address that mirrors the pared-back aesthetics of the brand's Signature Gin, which comes in a eye-catching white bottle. "The retail space, too, has a curated selection of amazing homewares and objects from local artists and designers." As for the Signature Gin, a small-batch drop that goes heavy on native botanicals, it's been crafted under the guidance of BY.ARTISANS's third Co-Founder Alexander Bell, who is also the resident Master Distiller — and a chemical engineer. Expect to taste lemon myrtle, cinnamon myrtle, lavender, wattleseed and eucalyptus, all in a tipple made in a still designed to be one of the country's most energy-efficient by Bell. "This is a first-of-its-kind distillation system, capable of producing not only spirits but also a diverse range of essential oils and hydrosols from local botanicals," he notes. "What sets our distillery apart is its versatility. We use the same equipment to produce spirits of exceptional quality as we do to craft lifestyle products such as bespoke soaps, candles and natural dye merchandise — all while minimising our energy and resource use." Find BY.ARTISANS at 99 Jane Street, West End, from Thursday, November 28, 2024 — open 10am–late Thursday–Sunday. Head to the distillery's website for more information. Images: Florian Groehn.
Death is a very tricky subject, and one that theatre masters POST attempt to conquer in Oedipus Schmoedipus. A theatre piece like no other, this Frankenstein-style performance strays from the conventional play structure to present something far more unique and grizzly. With the finest of stitching, this play's challenging script brings together the dismembered death scenes from 200 pieces of literature in an absolute manifesto of death. This latest performance by POST draws snippets, characters, dialogues, and scenes from the best of western canon. Using the words of these old plays, poems, and stories — from Shakespeare to Shaw — POST bring to life a performance that is deeply unsettling and daringly original. Ambitiously scripted, this tongue-twister of a performance is a brilliant marriage of black comedy and dramatic death. It's part of the World Theatre Festival's scratch series showcasing work in development, so at the end you'll have the opportunity to provide feedback that will help shape its next stage of life.
If it feels like you've been seeing a lot of Benedict Cumberbatch lately, there's a reason for that. On screens big and small, the British actor has featured in no fewer than five movies in 2021. Thanks to The Power of the Dog, he even looks poised to collect an Oscar for the best of them — and, with Spider-Man: No Way Home, he's also a significant part of the flick that's certain to be crowned the biggest box office hit of the entire year. Cumberbatch popped his Doctor Strange cloak back on in the hit web-slinging movie and, as anyone with an interest in the Marvel Cinematic Universe will know — anyone who watched No Way Home, too — he's set to reprise the role next May. That's when Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness will reach cinemas, in what's both a sequel to 2016's Doctor Strange and the 28th movie in the MCU. As the just-dropped first trailer shows, this new dive into the mystic arts promises to live up to its name. In No Way Home, Doctor Strange was asked to cast a spell to make the world forget it knew Spider-Man's true identity — and that had big repercussions in that film, exposing the MCU to the multiverse. Those consequences will flow over to Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, as will trippy Inception-style imagery, Strange's brooding demeanour and Marvel's usual world-in-peril shenanigans. Few MCU movies ever just feature one of the franchise's superheroes, so a post-WandaVision Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) also pops up — alongside Benedict Wong (Nine Days) as Wong, Rachel McAdams (Game Night) as Strange's ex Dr Christine Palmer and Chiwetel Ejiofor (Locked Down) as fellow Master of the Mystic Arts Mordo. In one of Marvel's nice pieces of symmetry, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness marks the MCU filmmaking debut of acclaimed Evil Dead franchise director Sam Raimi — the man who helmed the original three Spider-Man movies in the 00s, way back before the Marvel Cinematic Universe was even a glimmer in the comic book company's eye, and obviously long before Doctor Strange and Tom Holland's Spider-Man became pals. Check out the Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness trailer below: Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness releases in cinemas Down Under on May 5, 2022. Images: Photos courtesy of Marvel Studios. ©Marvel Studios 2022. All Rights Reserved.
Another summer, another EDM sweatfest. While its more well-behaved, boutique festival cousins have been dropping off one by one over the last few years, Future has only upped the ante, with this year's giant lineup boasting more than 200 artists. And sure, wrestling with singlet-clad bros fistpumping to Avicii isn't everyone's idea of fun, but while you're waiting for the beat to drop there's a load of other international and local artists to check out in the meantime. There's Drake of course, who recently dropped his surprise mixtape, If You're Reading This It's Too Late, '90s legends The Prodigy, German techno pioneer Sven Väth, and irresistibly catchy pop artist Kiesza. Locally, watch out for Brisbane management company Mutual Friends, who manages producers along the likes of Young Franco and DJ Butcher, Sydney stalwart DJ Deckhead (whose Drake stunt exploded on social media), and house producer Acaddamy, who has played alongside Disclosure and Dusky. Plus, Darude's going to be there. So if you've ever wanted to see 'Sandstorm' dropped by the dude who created it, this is your big chance.
There's nothing quite like getting spirited away by a Hayao Miyazaki movie. Studio Ghibli isn't short on enchanting on-screen wonders hailing from a range of filmmakers, but the Japanese animation house's best-known co-founder truly does make films like no one else. Since 2013, however, fans have had a Miyazaki-shaped gap in their lives, ever since the director's last feature The Wind Rises reached screens. In fact, the movie maestro even announced his retirement, but thankfully changed his mind quickly. Since news that director wasn't farewelling filmmaking came to light, no new Miyazaki-directed features have hit screens as yet — but that's finally changing in 2023. After gifting the world a short trailer for the now-open Studio Ghibli theme park, the filmmaker will release his latest full-length effort midyear in Japan. Fingers crossed that it arrives Down Under around the same time. That film? How Do You Live, which has been in the works ever since it was announced that Miyazaki was returning from his short-lived retirement. Few details have been unveiled since, but Ghibli has just locked in that July 14 Japanese release date, and dropped a poster. The new feature film from director Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli has been announced! HOW DO YOU LIVE (tentative title) opens in theaters in Japan on July 14, 2023. https://t.co/fHnLM6epTS — Studio Ghibli (@GhibliUSA) December 13, 2022 As reported by Variety, How Do You Live is believed to be based on a YA book from 1937 by Genzaburo Yoshino, and to focus on a 15-year-old boy. Ghibli films are always about journeys of some sort, and this one is expected to hone in on its central teen's efforts to understand the meaning of life, and cope with poverty, via advice from his uncle in a journal. How Do You Live will mark Ghibli's fifth film since Miyazaki's last feature, following Isao Takahata's The Tale of the Princess Kaguya, page-to-screen treat When Marnie Was There, gorgeous French co-production The Red Turtle and the CGI-animated Earwig and the Witch. おはようございます。 pic.twitter.com/ayRkppbmT1 — スタジオジブリ STUDIO GHIBLI (@JP_GHIBLI) December 12, 2022 The movie gods are clearly shining upon 2023, and every film lover's must-watch list now has a couple of spectacular entries for the new year — with My Neighbour Totoro, Spirited Away and Howl's Moving Castle icon Miyazaki's new flick set to drop around the same time as Wes Anderson's latest Asteroid City. Like that film, it's easy to predict that How Do You Live might premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in May ahead of its Japanese release — and ideally hit the midyear film festival circuit Down Under (aka the Sydney Film Festival, Melbourne International Film Festival and New Zealand International Film Festival). There's no trailer for How Do You Live yet, but you can get excited by revisiting the trailer for Miyazaki's The Wind Rises: How Do You Live will release in Japan on July 14, 2023. The film doesn't yet have a release date Down Under — we'll update you when one is announced. Top image: How Do You Live poster, Studio Ghibli.
2021 swarmed with historic achievements for women in film, including Nomadland's Chloë Zhao becoming the first woman of colour and only second woman ever to win the Oscar for Best Director, that category's nomination of two female filmmakers for the first time in its then 93-year history and the Cannes Film Festival awarding the Palme d'Or to a woman — Titane's Julia Ducournau — for only the second time. But before all of that, Kosovo-born writer/director Blerta Basholli achieved something at the Sundance Film Festival that'd never been done either: winning the US fest's World Cinema Dramatic Competition Grand Jury Prize, Audience Award and Best Director gong for Hive. It was a well-deserved feat for a movie that'd stick in memory even without such an achievement, and it's easy to see why Sundance's jurors and viewers responded with such a show of support. A powerhouse of a true tale that's brought to the screen with a devastatingly potent lead performance, Hive is simply unshakeable. In Basholli's first feature, to peer at star Yllka Gashi (Kukumi) is to look deep into a battler's eyes. Hive directs its attention her way frequently. The also-Kosovan actor plays Fahrije Hoti, a woman who has never been allowed to stop fighting, although the men in her patriarchal village would prefer she'd keep quiet. They wish she'd just attend to her duties as a mother and do what's expected. They think she should be a silent, compliant wife, although there's a significant problem with that idea. With her husband missing for years due to the Kosovo War, she can't be a meekly obedient spouse even if that was in her nature — which it isn't — because the man she loves is gone, no sign of him either dead or alive has been recovered, and she's trapped in limbo as she waits, tries to keep caring for her family and endeavours to go on. Those dismissive, misogynistic attitudes flung at Fahrije by her community join the litany of roadblocks that she's forced to rally against with every word, thought and breath she has. In her husband's absence, her father-in-law Haxhi (Çun Lajçi, Zana) is eager to maintain the status quo, but Fahrije has been trying to make ends meet anyway, all in a town — and amidst a male-dominated culture — that couldn't be more unsympathetic to her plight. She isn't alone, however, with many of the locale's other women also widowed due to the conflict, and similarly expected to survive without upsetting traditional gender roles. So, with the beehives that she dutifully attends to unable to keep providing enough income to pay her bills, the enterprising Fahrije and her friend Nazmije (Kumrije Hoxha, The Marriage) decide to start a female-run co-operative to make and sell ajvar, a pepper relish. A picture of stinging resilience, unflappable fortitude and baked-in sorrow, Gashi is phenomenal as Fahrije. Not only does Hive keep gazing her way but, thanks to the raw compulsion of her performance, viewers eagerly do the same. The skill required to play stoic but also persistent, passionate and simmering with internalised pain can't be underestimated, and watching Gashi navigate that balance like it's the only thing she knows — because, for Fahrije after her husband's disappearance, it now is — is affecting on a gutwrenching level. Lived-in fury and resolve buzzes through every facet of her portrayal, all as the woman whose shoes she's walking in weathers derision, violence and attempted sexual assault for daring to dream of attempting to support herself. It comes as no surprise that various film festival prizes have been sent Gashi's way among Hive's collection of accolades, with ample merit. Such masterful and moving work is never an actor's alone, though — and, behind the lens, Basholli puts in just as magnificent an effort in making Fahrije's story, and Gashi's performance along with it, so commanding and all-consuming. Both the filmmaker and her lead play with reality, drawing upon the real-life Hoti's stirring and inspiring experiences; however, Hive could never be mistaken for a standard biopic. Basholli's script may trace a familiar narrative arc, as many tales of rallying against adversity and oppression do, but nothing about her film feels as if its beats are being faithfully hit to chart a straightforward path and evoke an easy emotional reaction — not at any time, and not even once. Instead, the meticulous care that's been put into every exactingly staged and observed scene is evident at every moment, resulting in a movie that's not just rousing but thoroughly lived-in. Understated in its style and unfurling of its story alike, if the blistering Hive shares similarities with any other features, it's with the work of Basholli's fellow Kosovan filmmakers who've also used their movies to grapple with the impact of the war, the way women have historically been treated, the dynamics within relationships as a result, the reality of life in the post-conflict Balkan republic and/or bits of all of the above. Perusing the country's list of Academy Award submissions paints that picture clearly, including 2014's Three Widows and a Hanging, 2018's The Marriage and 2019's Zana — all films that are as culturally specific about their setting as any can be. But, again, Hive is its own achievement. Perhaps it's more accurate to see Basholli's film as building upon the portrait that past features have started to shade in of her homeland, complete with its own layers and colours. It also adds to the snapshot-within-a-snapshot that've depicted what it means to be a woman on Kosovan soil as well. Defiance, determination, sporting both in the face of dispiriting and overwhelming forces that want the opposite of what's truly in your best interests, rebelling against convention and the patriarchy, doing just what needs to be done: that's what pulsates through Hive, Gashi's performance and Basholli's directorial choices. So does a shatteringly astute exploration of wading through grief so thick that it may as well be an ocean — of honey or ajvar, take your pick. That's where this deeply resonant film's intimate stares in its protagonist's direction pierce even sharper, seeing everything she's feeling, and just her in general, when so few in her midst will. It's why its scenes of Fahrije and her fellow widows disregarding everything they're told, soldiering on despite the backlash they receive physically and emotionally, and just sitting and making their pepper relish are so fierce and unforgettable, and yet also hopeful, too.
In this very time, in this very galaxy, someone is usually on a screen somewhere talking about the force. It might've been three years now since a Star Wars movie hit cinemas — 2019's Star Wars: Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalker, to be exact — but Disney+ has been filling the gap with The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett. And if you still need more intergalactic drama in your streaming queue, Obi-Wan Kenobi will soon be here to help. Your new hope for another step into the Star Wars realm, the six-part series hits Disney+ from Friday, May 27, with Ewan McGregor (Halston) once again donning the iconic Jedi master's robes. As both the original Star Wars trilogy and the prequel films showed, however, it's impossible to tell Obi-Wan's story without also stepping into the tale of a certain padawan-turned-sith — and the latest Obi-Wan Kenobi trailer makes that plain in a big way. The fact that Anakin Skywalker-slash-Darth Vader (Hayden Christensen, The Last Man) is a part of the series isn't new news, but it's a key focus of this sneak peek anyway. Initially, Kenobi is reminded about his time training Anakin when he approaches Owen Lars (Joel Edgerton, The Green Knight) about trying to do the same with young Luke. Before the trailer is out, though, the familiar suit and sounds of Darth Vader take centre stage. Disney+ dropped the new sneak peek as part of May the Fourth celebrations. Yes, the force is clearly still with this franchise. It's been 45 years since a little movie called Star Wars — now known as Star Wars: Episode IV — A New Hope — first hit screens, and the George Lucas-created space-opera franchise has been with us ever since, including through prequels, sequels, spinoffs, theme parks and, as of this week, meditation apps. Timeline-wise, Obi-Wan Kenobi is set ten years after Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the Sith, and bridges the gap in its namesake's narrative between the prequels and the OG Star Wars flicks. So, that means following the fallout after Anakin's turn to the dark side and reinvention as Darth Vader, and also chronicling the fact that Obi-Wan is now being pursued across the galaxy. Following on from the show's initial teaser back in March, the new trailer another glimpse at the Empire's search for Obi-Wan, and also includes Kumail Nanjiani (Eternals) — who, based on appearances here, could be playing a jedi. Also set to pop up in the series: Bonnie Piesse returning as Beru Lars, plus Moses Ingram (Ambulance), Indira Varma (This Way Up), Rupert Friend (The French Dispatch), O'Shea Jackson Jr (Just Mercy), Sung Kang (Fast and Furious 9), Simone Kessell (1%) and Benny Safdie (Licorice Pizza). Check out the full trailer for Obi-Wan Kenobi below: Obi-Wan Kenobi starts streaming via Disney+ on Friday, May 27. Top image: © 2022 Lucasfilm Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
If you managed to nab a ticket to Paul Kelly's Making Gravy tour in Melbourne last year, then you were one of the lucky ones. If you weren't and have been lamenting ever since, you can stop. The songwriting legend has just announced that he'll be performing the show all over again this December, in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. As in 2017, you can expect to hear a stack of songs from Kelly's four-decade long career. Listen out for all the hits, from "Dumb Things", from the album Live, May 1992, to "Love Never Runs On Time" from Wanted Man (1994). The Christmas classic "How To Make Gravy", first released in 1996 on an eponymous EP, is on the menu, too. Chances are, you'll also hear some tunes from Kelly's new album, Nature. Due out on 12 October, it features poems by Dylan Thomas, Walt Whitman, Sylvia Plath, Gerard Manley Hopkins and Phillip Larkin, alongside original poems and songs. Last year, his 23rd studio album, Life is Fine, topped the ARIA Albums Chart, becoming the first of his albums to do so. Kelly won't be hitting the road alone: he's inviting a bunch of special guests. He'll be joined by Angus & Julia Stone, playing tunes from 2017 album Snow, Alex Lahey at all shows, with Angie McMahon and D.D Dumbo joining the lineup in Sydney, and Mojo Juju jumping on board in Melbourne and Brisbane. All three shows are outdoors and all-ages. Paul Kelly Making Gravy presale tickets will be available from 2pm on Monday, August 20. General sales will kick off at 10am on Thursday, August 23. Paul Kelly Making Gravy will hit Sydney's Domain on Saturday, December 15; Melbourne's Sidney Myer Music Bowl on Friday, December 14; and Brisbane's Riverstage on Friday, December 21. Image: Cybele Malinowski
What's better than one buttery, flaky croissant that's been called "the finest you will find anywhere in the world" by The New York Times? A three-course croissant degustation that riffs on that tasty pastry. That's what Lune Lab is all about, with the dining experience by Lune Croissanterie making the leap to its South Brisbane store from November. The Melbourne-born bakery only set up shop in Queensland in August this year, marking its first venue beyond its hometown. That was great news for pastry lovers in general, but adding its Lune Lab dining experience obviously takes things up a few notches. For your $75 ticket, you'll start with a traditional croissant, served fresh out of the oven. Next, you'll eat a savoury course — the details of which you'll find out on the night — before going sweet to finish things off. You'll also get two hours of unlimited non-alcoholic beverages, and you can add a glass of champagne as well. It's a far fancier experience than just picking up croissants at your local bakery, clearly, and it all takes place in Lune's bar overlooking 'The Cube', aka its raw production kitchen. So, you'll be eating croissants and croissant-based dishes, and also watching Lune's chefs in action. Because Lune is about pastries, this is brunch and lunch affair — with sittings every Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 9.30am and 12pm. Lune Lab is held in two-month seasons, with its first Brisbane run taking place from Friday, November 5–Sunday, December 19. You can grab tickets from 7.30pm AEST on Thursday, October 28. [caption id="attachment_830354" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Image: Kim Liew, @kimmyyliew. This image is a sample only, from Melbourne's Lune Lab sessions, and doesn't represent what'll be on the menu in Brisbane.[/caption]
It doesn't snow in Brisbane. Sometimes, if it gets cold enough, the skies can whiten around the Granite Belt; however, that isn't Brissie. For eight days in Fortitude Valley, however, you will be able to surround yourself with the best thing that winter has to offer without leaving the city — and there'll be 50 tonnes of the stuff, in fact. Yes, all that snow will be real. You'll find it at The Prince Consort as part of the venue's returning Snow Week, and it'll be falling from the sky from Tuesday, June 27–Tuesday, July 4. The Wickham Street spot is turning into a winter wonderland, because it's that time of year. And, it's hosting a heap of snow-themed festivities to help you make the most of the event. Fancy a round of Snow (Drag) Queen Bingo? Have an ugly sweater you'd like to bust out at a party dedicated to terrible woollen wares? Fancy pretending you're at a ski resort? They're all options throughout the week. So is attending a shindig dedicated to Canada, to celebrate Canada Day — poutine included. Also on offer: nooks to get cosy in, live tunes and DJs, and special food menus to suit the occasion. Rugging up is recommended, obviously.
Seeing the Great Barrier Reef sits on every Australian's bucket list, especially given the thriving underwater expanse is under threat from climate change. And while most of us have been content to simply swim, snorkel or sail through it — or stay in the Whitsundays and gaze out at it from a sandy beach — visitors to Queensland's far north will soon be able to spend a night underwater. Prepare to sleep under the sea at Reefsuites, the Great Barrier Reef's very own underwater hotel. It's not the first space of its type around the world — a resort in the Maldives, submerged villas in Dubai and a room at an African hotel all boast similar experiences — but it will be the first at this Aussie natural wonder. Due to open at a yet-to-be-revealed date this summer and built into a new floating pontoon called Reefword, Reefsuites will feature two underwater rooms that can sleep four in total, with guests able to choose between king double or twin single options. A stay onsite includes all meals and beverages, a night dining experience under the stars, a guided snorkelling tour and a semi-submarine tour. Of course, that's all well and good, but it's the floor-to-ceiling views of the Great Barrier Reef and its marine life that are the real drawcard — not only in the bedrooms, but in the attached private ensuites. Enjoying all of the above will start from $749 per night per person, so it doesn't come cheap — to the surprise of no one. If you'd be happy to sleep above sea level, that's also available on the pontoon's upper deck, catering for 28 people at $595 per night. As for the $8 million Reefworld pontoon itself, it's a partnership between Cruise Whitsundays and the Queensland Government, and will have the capacity to host 300 visitors per day. Measuring 12 metres by 45 metres, it'll be located at Hardy Reef off Airlie Beach, and will feature an underwater observatory. A hub for diving and snorkelling, it'll also offer guests access semi-submersible vessels. Announcing the project, Queensland Tourism Industry Development Minister Kate Jones noted that Reefworld and Reefsuites will add something new and unique to the popular tourist hotspot. "This will give more people the chance to see the Great Barrier Reef and will allow tourists to experience this natural wonder in new ways." The aim, of course, is to ramp up tourism, with an extra 60,000 visitors per year expected thanks to the new attraction. For more information about Reefsuites, visit the Cruise Whitsundays website. Images: Cruise Whitsundays.
Tents at the ready: when 2023 ends and 2024 begins, there are few better ways to spend it than dancing and camping at southeast Queensland's Woodford Folk Festival. This isn't just a fest. It's a pop-up Moreton Bay village filled with live music, arts and culture. And it's returning for another year with a heap of well-known Australian — and Brisbane — names. Throwing back to the late 90s and early 00s, Regurgitator, Custard and Resin Dogs will all take to the Woodford stage between Wednesday, December 27, 2023–Monday, January 1, 2024 at Woodfordia on the Sunshine Coast. Also hailing from Brissie, along with plenty of the festival's attendees each year: Kate Miller-Heidke. Woodford 2023–24's roster of talent includes Ben Lee, Gretta Ray, Isaiah Firebrace and Kasey Chambers as well, on a list that spans more than 400 acts and 1834 shows. So, across the fest's 27 performance spaces, there'll be no shortage of things for the expected 120,000 people attending to see at Woodfordia's 500-acre parklands space (which now boasts a lake) — whether they're among the 25,000 folks who can stay onsite or just hitting up the event for the day. Accordingly, whoever piques your interest, or even if you're just keen on a Woodford experience — for the first time, tenth or 36th, because that's how many fests the event has notched up now — prepare to catch a heap of bands, wander between arts performances and get a little muddy, all around 90 minutes north of Brisbane. As always, the fest's lineup also features circus, cabaret, yoga, dance, comedy, spoken word, poetry, comedy, films, workshops, bars, cafes and restaurants. Keen to have a chat while your clothes was at The Blak Laundry? Learn to weave baskets with Kris Martin? Get giggling to talents curated by Sandeep Totlani? Hit up the Queer Ball's third year? They're some of the other standouts. Tickets are already on sale, with more highlights from the 2023–24 lineup below — and you can check out the full list of acts and activities on the Woodford website. WOODFORD 2023–24 LINEUP HIGHLIGHTS: Regurgitator Custard Resin Dogs Ben Lee Kate Miller-Heidke Isaiah Firebrace Kasey Chambers Mo'Ju Gretta Ra Odette Yirrmal A.Girl AFRO DIZZI ACT Felicity Urquhart & Josh Cunningham The East Pointers Haiku Hands Leah Flanagan Borroloola Cultural Songwomen featuring Dr Shellie Morris AO Bumpy FourPlay String Quartet Yirinda Charlie Needs Braces Mitch King DancingWater ALPHAMAMA Jack Davies & the Bush Chooks Charm of Finches Dougie Maclean Assynt Ryan Young Hannah Rarity Dallahan Lisa O'Neill Andy Irvine Making Movies Rizo Božo Vrečo The 2023–24 Woodford Folk Festival runs from Wednesday, December 27, 2023–Monday, January 1, 2024 at Woodfordia on the Sunshine Coast. For more information, head to woodfordfolkfestival.com Images: Woodford Folk Festival via Flickr.
In 2005 Nickleback released a song that was hailed the second greatest graduation song of all time — after Vitamin C — whilst simultaneously the most likely to cause stress-related hair loss. It was called 'Photograph', and its cult following of haters was almost as populous as the Maggi-sponsored curls on Chad Kroeger’s head. Rest assured, photography has redeemed itself in the eight years since the song's release, and there’s no stronger point of evidence than this year’s Queensland College of Art Photography Honours Graduates and their lovechild exhibit, Back & Forth. To celebrate their exhausting, and possibly painful years at university, they’ll be showing off their most marvellous photographic creations for one week at Griffith’s in house Webb and Project Galleries. The opening and probable-party will hit off from 6pm on November 14, ensuring a night of celebration, appreciation of talent and creative kahootz. Show some support as these talents dive feet first into the real world, party popper in one hand, camera in the other.
Oh, what a day. What a lovely day! Why? Because the first trailer for Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga has just zipped into existence. Get ready for Anya Taylor-Joy (The Super Mario Bros Movie) in the title role, Chris Hemsworth (Thor: Love and Thunder) co-starring and iconic Australian director George Miller steering the show for the fifth instalment in his dystopian Mad Max franchise. When Furiosa hits cinemas in May 2024, it will have been nine years since Mad Max: Fury Road did the same and became the best action movie of this century so far — and the best Australian flick of the same period, too. That delay means nothing given that there was a 30-gap between 1985's not-so-great Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome and Fury Road's triumphant arrival in 2015, however. More Miller extending his passion project is always worth waiting for. Shot in Australia, Furiosa also arrives after Mad Max: Fury Road proved a six-time Oscar-winning hit, but will add a standalone tale to the saga this time. Yes, it's an origin story. Yes, it dives into the background of the character so memorably played in Fury Road by Charlize Theron (Fast X). Yes, enlisting Taylor-Joy is another casting masterstroke. Furiosa's storyline follows the younger Furiosa as she's taken from the Green Place of Many Mothers, ends up with a biker horde led by Warlord Dementus, and then gets caught in the middle of a war being waged with the Citadel's Immortan Joe — all while trying to escape and get back home. And, as the just-dropped first sneak peek shows, the look and feel is all classic Mad Max. Miller not only directs but co-writes with Mad Max: Fury Road co-scribe Nico Lathouris, while Alyla Browne (The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart) and Tom Burke (Living) are also among the movie's stars. A heap of Miller's other behind-the-scenes collaborators are back, including production designer Colin Gibson, editor Margaret Sixel, sound mixer Ben Osmo, costume designer Jenny Beavan and makeup designer Lesley Vanderwalt, all Fury Road Oscar-winners. Check out the trailer for Furiosa below: Furiosa releases in cinemas Down Under on May 23, 2024.
Twelve fine-diners and casual eateries run by former MasterChef Australia judge George Calombaris have closed their doors as his restaurant group Made Establishment goes into voluntary administration. While Yo-Chi — the group's frozen yoghurt company — will continue trading as usual, seven Jimmy Grants, as well as Hotel Argentina, Gazi, Hellenic Republic Brighton and the newly opened Crofter Dining Room and Elektra have all "stopped trading immediately". The move comes months after Calombaris' restaurants were rocked by wage scandals, with the company admitting employees were underpaid by $7.8 million. While hundreds of workers will be impacted by the closures, Made Establishment's newly appointed administrators, KordaMentha, said in a statement that "employees have been paid all outstanding wages and superannuation up to the date of the appointment". According to KordaMentha, "declining trade across venues" and "difficult trading conditions in the hospitality industry...due to the expansion of the on-demand economy via services such as UberEats and Deliveroo" were also reasons for Made Establishment's voluntary administration. Calombaris himself responded to the appointment and closures via a post on Instagram, in which he said "I truly regret it has come to this". "The last few months have been the most challenging I have ever faced," Calombaris said in the post. "At this time, while personally devastated, I remain thankful to my family, friends, the MADE team, our loyal and regular customers". https://www.instagram.com/p/B8YEzVgFVgR/ All 12 of Made Establishment's restaurants and eateries will remain closed while the administrators seek alternative operators for the venues.
It was one of the best new shows on television — well, streaming — in 2022. It's the reason that everyone has been exclaiming "yes chef!" for the past six months. It's also the source of your beef sandwich obsession, deliciously so. And, it just picked up star Jeremy Allen White a shiny Golden Globe. That'd be The Bear, the first season of which ranked among the most stressful but stellar ways to spend four hours-ish last winter. Expect the show to repeat the feat when the chilly season hits this year, too, because that's when this dramedy gem will return for its second season. The Bear was renewed for season two before the show even made its way Down Under, after debuting in the US in June, then reaching Australia and New Zealand via Disney+ at the end of August. Whether audiences here will experience a delay again in 2023 is yet to be seen — hopefully not, given that it's now an established success — but either way, the series will return in America during our winter. FX's The Bear S2 premieres early summer, with 10 episodes. Only on @hulu. 🐻🥫#TheBearFX @TheBearFX pic.twitter.com/Y5QUBTlzcj — FX Networks (@FXNetworks) January 13, 2023 US network FX, which screens The Bear stateside, announced the news on social media — confirmed that season two will run for ten episodes. That's two extra servings of chaos surrounding Carmen 'Carmy' Berzatto (White, Shameless) and his culinary endeavours. While season one already saddled him more than his fair share of troubles and struggles, there's no way that season two is going to a cruisy dream for the kitchen ace. If you missed the first season, it jumped into the mayhem after Carmy took over The Original Beef of Chicagoland, his family's business, after his brother Mikey's (Jon Bernthal, We Own This City) suicide. Before returning home, the chef's resume spanned Noma and The French Laundry, as well as awards and acclaim. Accordingly, trying to bring that fine-dining level of meticulous to a neighbourhood sandwich shop didn't go smoothly. That's just the beginning of the story, in a series that truly conveyed what it's like to work in the hospitality industry — including navigating a restaurant kitchen's non-stop intensity. Yes, the mood is anxious from the outset, with The Bear's creator Christopher Storer (who also has Ramy, Dickinson and Bo Burnham: Make Happy on his resume) starting the series as he definitely meant to go on, but still expertly managing to balance drama and comedy. Also a crucial part of the show: the rest of the impressive cast, such as Ebon Moss-Bachrach (The Dropout) as Richie, aka Cousin, aka Carmy's brother's best friend; Ayo Edebiri (Dickinson) as new sous chef Sydney; Abby Elliott (Indebted) as Carmy's sister Natalie, aka Sugar; and Lionel Boyce (Hap and Leonard), Liza Colón-Zayas (In Treatment) and Edwin Lee Gibson (Fargo) among the other Original Beef staff. You've now got a few months to perfect your sandwich-making skills, ready for The Bear's second helping. Check out the trailer for The Bear season one below: The Bear streams via Disney+. We'll update you with an exact season two release date when one is announced. Read our full review of season one.
During winter, Rocklea's Brisbane Night Markets celebrated all things fire and ice. Now that spring is in the air, the westside spot is turning its attention to one of Queensland's favourite foods. We're a state that loves mangoes so much, we've nicknamed one of our beers after them — so a festival dedicated to the tropical stone fruit is obvious, really. Every Friday night between September 20 and October 11, the Brisbane Night Market Mango Festival will celebrate mangoes in every form imaginable. Sure, you can tuck into the fruit like you've always done — or you can snack on mango-glazed popcorn, eat a mango pie, lick your way through mango gelato, and tuck into a Cajun chicken and mango salsa pizza. To drink, you can sip mango daiquiris, mango margaritas and mango beer. Prepare to hear the word 'mango' a lot here. There'll be other mango-themed fun, spanning mango-centric games and entertainment — plus a mango-eating competition, naturally. Listen to live music, browse the market stalls and, if you have a few mango-coloured items in your wardrobe, wearing them won't hurt. Entry costs $2.50, the regular Brisbane Night Markets fee, with the festival running from 4–10pm across four Friday evenings.
Since Studio Ghibli was formed back in 1985, the team behind the Japanese animation powerhouse have been more than a little busy. They've crafted twenty films that have captured the hearts and minds of cinema-going audiences. They've also made 1993 TV movie Ocean Waves, this year's co-production The Red Turtle, and a whole heap of shorts and television commercials. Plus, they worked on a handful of video games, as well as a British stage production of Princess Mononoke. What's missing from that hefty list of enchanting entertainment? An ongoing small screen series, which is something that Studio Ghibli only turned its attention to recently, in fact. Based on the Swedish children's fantasy book of the same name, Ronja the Robber's Daughter (or Sanzoku no Musume Rōnya) is a 26-episode effort co-produced by the studio and directed by Gorō Miyazaki, who also helmed Tales from Earthsea and From Up on Poppy Hill. As his name suggests, yes, he's the son of legendary My Neighbour Totoro, Spirited Away and Howl's Moving Castle filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki. The show tells the tale of the titular young daughter of a professional thief who grows up exploring a forest filled with mythical creatures. Then Ronja meets Birk, a child from a rival tribe, who forces her to think about her dad's line of work, as well as family, friendship, love and understanding in general. We know what you're thinking: it sounds like classic Ghibli. Ronja the Robber's Daughter actually aired on Japanese TV in late 2014 and early 2015, so the fact that the animation studio has made a television show is kind of old news. But, the Asian Television Award and International Emmy Award-winning series has just been picked up by Amazon, and is finally making its way to broader audiences in an English-language dubbed version released on its Amazon Prime service. On the one hand, even with Gillian Anderson headlining the American voice cast as the show's narrator, dubbed versions of Ghibli films aren't quite the same as the originals. On the other hand, getting to see a Ghibli television series in any form is a reason to rejoice. If their movies can spirit your imagination away, just think what 26 instalments of a TV program can do. There's no word yet as to whether Aussie viewers will get the opportunity to watch Ronja the Robber's Daughter — and if so, how and where — though hopefully this is a step in the right direction. And with Ghibli scaling back their film efforts (and Hayao Miyazaki announcing his retirement, while also working on a computer-animated short and a magical forest park), it's definitely something to look forward to.
Every music festival has its own distinctive traits and drawcards, no matter who happens to be hitting the stage. Held on the banks of the Murray River, Strawberry Fields is no different. Fancy escaping into nature to listen to live and electronic acts, wander through art installations and hit up a bush spa? That's all on this fest's bill. Taking place across the weekend of Friday, November 17–Sunday, November 19 in Tocumwal, New South Wales, this year's Strawberry Fields has just unveiled its lineup, and it's full of impressive names. DJ Seinfeld, Denis Sulta, Todd Terje, Moodymann, Ezra Collective, Booka Shade Moktar and Barkaa are just some of the talents on the list — and yes, it goes on. Fred again's besties and frequent collaborators Joy Anonymous are on the lineup to bring that same brand of euphoric dance music to the regional weekend-long party. Plus, Strawberry Fields' range of extra-curricular activities will be returning. You'll be able to soak away your stresses — not that you should have any at a music fest — at the bush spa. The Moroccan Bedouin lounges and tea ceremonies will be running in the festival's Mirage Motel space, plus the glamping options are back to make your weekend as lavish and as low-maintenance as possible. Also, if you happen to be born on this year's festival dates, you can register to score a free ticket. Happy birthday to you indeed. Strawberry Fields lays claim to being one of the country's most sustainable festivals. It is powered by biodiesel fuel as well as solar power, its rewash revolution system has diverted over 100,000 single-use plastics from landfill, composting toilets are provided and all transport is carbon offset via Treecreds. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Zh_5l4SgXk STRAWBERRY FIELDS 2023 LINEUP: DJ Acid Pauli Adam Pits B2b Lisene Baby G Bini Bria b2b Evie Claire Morgan Darcy Justice Dee Diggs Deepa Denis Sulta DJ Bone DJ Fuckoff DJ Mell G DJ Pgz DJ Seinfeld DJ Vm Doppel Eli & Fur Elli Acula Handsdown Hausm8s In2stellar Jamz Supernova Jazmine Nikitta Kerry Wallace Kia Manami Moktar Montana Moodymann Muska Jen Mzrizk Other Worlds Other Sounds Phil Stroud Pretty Girl Roza Terenzi b2b D Tiffany Sam Shure Stüm Todd Terje Uone Wax'o Paradiso b2b Lauren Hansom Yi Lum Yikes Live Amadou Suso Barkaa Big Wett Booka Shade Bricky B Carissa Nyalu Children Of Zeus Cinta Close Counters Denni Ezra Collective First Beige Flewnt Foshe Jesswar Jitwam Joy (Anonymous)) Just Emma Kerala Dust Kyoshi Mindy Meng Wang 王萌 (Solo) Mindy Meng Wang 王萌 & Tim Shiel Minyerra Oden & Fatzo Quarter Street Radhey Gupta Roy Blues Sleep D Slowmango Snow Bros Squid Nebula Sweely The Lahaar Vv Pete Wulumbarra Showcases Still Here @ The Grove Bricky B Dj Vm Denni Flewnt Wulumbarra Minyerra Carissa Nyalu Strawberry Fields takes place at Tocumwal, New South Wales, from Friday, November 17–Sunday, November 19. The final release of tickets go on sale at 9am on Friday, July 18. Head to the festival website for further details. Images: Duncographic
There comes a time every year when we must officially commence the sad countdown to the end of hot summery days and start preparing for our inevitable winter hibernation spent under a blanket watching Netflix. But fortunately, 2018 has more than proved it has a few sunny weeks left, even if summer is well and truly over. To help you absorb the maximum amount of vitamin D into your body before the sun officially sets on warmer climes, we've teamed up with the summer aficionados at Magnum to provide some inspo for things you can do to make the most out of the handful of sunny days we have left. This year, Magnum collaborated with three incredible Australian designers to take its creamy delights to the next level. The sartorial brains behind Romance Was Born, Bec and Bridge and By Johnny were all invited to co-create their own limited edition ice cream flavours to encapsulate their labels' unique styles — and most importantly, to help us savour summer in a stylish way. Romance was Born swirled tangy raspberry with rich chocolate truffle sauce to create a vibrant nod to its otherworldly fashion. Johnny Schembri of By Johnny created a homage to his simple silhouettes in the form of a hazelnut, slightly salted vanilla number. And Bec and Bridge upped the ante on the classic caramelly dulce de leche as a nod to effortless European style. Here's how to worship the last of those summery vibes — fashionable Magnum in hand. SPEND A LAZY DAY BY THE WATER When summer is officially over, it's those long lazy days spent by the sea that we miss the most. So, pack your towel, a sensible amount of SPF, a selection of fresh fruits and a sneaky box of dulce de leche Magnums by Bec and Bridge in a cooler bag, and make the most of the warm days where you can justify spending an entire day laying in the sun. Be sure you invite that one responsible adult friend who brings a waterproof speaker and an esky full of cool drinks so you can fully honour the sun gods by listening to some sweet beats. Where? Wylie's Baths in Sydney, St Kilda Beach in Melbourne and Stradbroke Island near Brisbane. INDULGE IN A LITTLE ALFRESCO DINING AND A MOVIE While the weather permits, there are plenty of amazing spots to indulge in some outdoor dining — extra points if you support your local food scene by picking an eatery that's cosy and family-owned. Enjoy a hearty meal, but forgo any decadent dessert. Instead, pick up a box of By Johnny hazelnut salted vanilla Magnums so you can have one while you stroll to the cinema to catch one of the many amazing Oscar-nominated films that are still showing. If there's still stomach room, be the envy of your fellow choc-toppers, when you whip out another secret squirrel Magnum during the previews. Where? Hayden Orpheum in Sydney, The Astor Theatre in Melbourne and New Farm Cinemas in Brisbane. PICNIC AMONG THE FLOWERS Savour the remaining warm afternoons by gathering some close friends, finding a sunny spot in the park and summoning all your foodie powers to create the most exquisite picnic to say goodbye to summer once and for all. Think mismatched picnic blankets, wicker baskets filled with a few bottles of rose and a world of delectable treats. Take your spread to the next level by investing in an array of cheeses (you can never have too many), a selection of cold cuts from a local deli, a few punnets of fresh berries and — for something a little wild — an esky full of raspberry chocolate truffle Magnums by the lords of whimsy at Romance was Born. Where? The Botanic Gardens in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. Savour the last days of warmth outside and with a luxe Magnum in hand.
When it was announced back in 2016 that Moulin Rouge! was being turned into a stage musical, fans around the world thought the same thing in unison: the show must go on. Since then, the lavish production premiered in the US in 2018, then hit Broadway in 2019, and also announced that it'd head Down Under in 2021 — and if you're an Aussie wondering when the latter would actually happen after all the chaos of the past two years, the same mantra thankfully applies to its upcoming Melbourne season. Originally set to debut in August — a date that was obviously delayed due to lockdown — Moulin Rouge! The Musical will now make its Australian debut at Melbourne's revamped Regent Theatre on Friday, November 12. It'll do so as a newly minted Tony-winner, too, after picking up ten awards earlier in October, and also becoming the first-ever Aussie-produced show to win the Tony for Best Musical. Based on Baz Luhrmann's award-winning, Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor-starring movie — which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year — the stage musical brings to life the famed Belle Époque tale of young composer Christian and his heady romance with Satine, actress and star of the legendary Moulin Rouge cabaret. Set in the Montmartre Quarter of Paris, the film is known for its soundtrack, celebrating iconic tunes from across the past five decades. The stage version carries on the legacy, backing those favourites with even more hit songs that have been released in the two decades since the movie premiered. The musical comes to Melbourne in the hands of production company Global Creatures, along with the Victorian Government. The Government is also a big player behind the Regent's upgrade works, having dropped a cool $14.5 million towards the $19.4 million project. It co-owns the site, along with the City of Melbourne. Moulin Rouge! The Musical's spectacular spectacular Melbourne season is set to stick around for a while, with tickets currently on sale until early April. You might want to get in quickly if you're keen on heading along, though — when pre-sale tickets were put up for grabs back in February for the original August dates, they broke the Regent Theatre's record for the most pre-sale tickets sold in a single day. Moulin Rouge! The Musical will hit The Regent Theatre, at 191 Collins Street, Melbourne from Friday, November 12. For further details or to buy tickets, head to the production's website. Moulin Rouge! The Musical image: Matthew Murphy.
Even if you enter Bridge of Spies unaware of its director, it soon becomes obvious that Steven Spielberg is at the helm. Tom Hanks popping up on screen, as he did in Saving Private Ryan, Catch Me If You Can and The Terminal before this, offers one such indication of the man behind the camera, although the clues certainly don’t stop there. The way the story is handled, the heavy-handed score that tells audiences what to feel rather than trusting the storytelling to do so, as well as the almost overbearing sense of righteousness that infuses every scene, all do plenty to give away the Spielberg touch. Under his guidance, the actor many likely wish was their dad lives up to that fantasy as an ordinary, upstanding guy driven by a desire to do what's right. Hanks’ character, the real-life James B. Donovan, is a tax lawyer taken out of his comfort zone, yet always guided by his strong moral compass. He's asked by the government to undertake the unpopular role of representing Rudolf Abel (Mark Rylance), a Soviet agent found on U.S. soil, at his controversial and highly publicised espionage trial. Next, Donovan is tasked with negotiating Abel's return to his homeland in a trade for captured American operatives. And yes, for anyone wondering about the movie's name, at one point the spies really do stand on a bridge – although the film's moniker speaks more to the network that springs up between warring sides. As he journeys to the unsafe streets of post-WW2 Berlin to broker a deal, Donovan's involvement must remain secret and officially unsanctioned — at least as far as the public and the record of the time are concerned. Accordingly, Bridge of Spies never misses the opportunity to bluntly idolise its protagonist, nor stress the strength of his character as he rallies for a person, an approach and good old-fashioned due process when no one around him will share his views. That's not to say that any of these points are unreasonable, or that the praise isn't earned. It's just that Spielberg, initial screenwriter Matt Charman, and script tinkerers Ethan and Joel Coen (yes, the brilliant minds behind Fargo, The Big Lebowski and Inside Llewyn Davis) rarely let the story breathe beyond their laudatory viewpoint. Given that they certainly take their time unraveling all the necessary information and intricacies, it's an approach that proves both distracting and disappointing. Of course, Spielberg crafts a polished film regardless, and one remarkably visually textured from its almost silent opening. Hanks, too, remains a likeable, reliable lead. The real star of the show though, other than the actual events that the movie didn't need to depict in such an emotional fashion, is Tony and Olivier award-winning theatre actor Rylance. If the rest of the feature seems to strive to simplify something complex for the sake of sentiment, he's proves the humanised and genuinely heartfelt opposite. Audiences could be forgiven for wishing that the rest of the film followed his lead, and was more like Spielberg's blistering Munich and less like his sappy War Horse. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-2x3r1m2I4
Come November, if you're keen on travelling to a galaxy far, far away, you won't need to visit your local cinema. Disney is getting into the streaming game and, when it launches its new Disney+ platform, it'll do so with the first-ever live-action Star Wars spinoff television series, The Mandalorian. One of the most anticipated shows of the year on this (or any other) planet, The Mandalorian follows a lone gunfighter who hails from the planet Mandalore and roams the outer reaches of the universe. His bullet-slinging antics happen far from the prying eyes of the New Republic, with the series set after the fall of the Empire — that is, after the events of Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi but before Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens. If the basic premise isn't enough cause for excitement, then the stacked cast will help — it includes Game of Thrones' Pedro Pascal and Breaking Bad's Giancarlo Esposito, plus Nick Nolte, Gina Carano, Carl Weathers, Ming-Na Wen, and none other than iconic director and occasional actor Werner Herzog. Behind the scenes, The Mandalorian also boasts plenty of big names, with The Lion King's Jon Favreau calling the shots (as the program's creator, writer, showrunner and executive producer), and Taika Waititi among its series' directors. Waititi will also voice a new droid, called IG-11. After announcing the show last year, Disney has been keeping the details as secret as possible; however, if you've been keener than Han Solo in any cantina in the galaxy to get a glimpse — here's your chance. With the Mouse House holding its huge D23 convention over the past weekend, the company has just dropped its first trailer for the series. You can't include Herzog among your on-screen talent without making use of his inimitable voice, which this initial clip does perfectly, reminding us that bounty hunting is a complicated profession. Of course, that's not all that's in store — check out the initial preview below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOC8E8z_ifw The Mandalorian will hit Disney+ when it launches Down Under on November 19.
Mention Caxton Street and a few things automatically spring to mind: the football stadium, pubs and seafood, to be specific. No matter how you feel about sports or even booze, the roadway's regular ode to the ocean's finest is always worth a trip to Paddington — and yes, the Caxton Hotel Seafood Festival is back for 2022. This street party loves everything from fish and prawns to oysters and calamari — and tunes, brews and a good time all round as well. On the culinary side of things, expect seafood galore on the menu on Sunday, May 1, plus all the drinks that the Caxton Hotel serves to wash it down with. Also on the agenda: two stages of live music, food trucks, pop-up bars and fun in the hotel's beer garden. The aforementioned pub is driving the whole shindig, with the watering hole a fest staple since the event first launched more than a quarter-century ago. In fantastic news for your beer- and seafood-stuffed self afterwards, the fest also happens to fall on the Sunday before the Labour Day public holiday.
With croissants and pains au chocolat staples of its menu, Rise Bakery is fond of French fare, baking that affection not only into its OG Sanctuary Cove venue, but into its Portside spinoff since mid-2023 as well. The team behind the patisserie isn't content with running just one Gallic-inspired eatery in this patch of Brisbane, however. Soon, Hamilton's riverside precinct will also be home to Parisian-influenced brasserie Mademoiselle from the same crew. Rise Bakery's Harry Ohayon and Maxime Bournazel have replicating classic French eateries in their sights for their second Portside spot, which doesn't yet have an opening date. When it begins welcoming diners through the door, Mademoiselle will serve up traditional dishes — think: rotisserie meats and salads, for starters — given a modern twist. "Our vision is to create a warm, inviting space where people can enjoy long lunches, hearty dinners and Sunday roasts with their loved ones," said Ohayon [caption id="attachment_940766" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Rise Bakery[/caption] The aim for the vibe is comfortable and cosy, but with luxe touches across the 245-square-metre booth-filled space, such as marble tops and stone. Sydney-based architect Tom Mark Henry has designed the fitout, which also heroes bold hues. If the concept is a success, the hope is to roll it out beyond Portside, including more Brisbane locations and at the Gold Coast. But each won't be exact copies of the other, with tailoring menus to suit each community that Mademoiselle calls home also the plan. The French restaurant joins an ever-growing list of new additions to Portside as part of the inner-north spot's current $20-million revamp. Not just Rise Bakery but also Fosh, Rosé Gelateria and Birds Nest Yakitori set up shop at the Hamilton precinct in 2023. Portside Social, a gastropub from the Newstead Social crew, is also on the way, as is Italian restaurant Sbagliata and burger joint Dumbo. And, Little Saigon Eatery is among the newly announced restaurants, marking the Vietnamese street food-slinging venture's second Brisbane venue. [caption id="attachment_778600" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Kgbo via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] Find Mademoiselle at Portside Wharf, 39 Hercules Street, Hamilton in the near future — we'll update you when an opening date is announced. Top image: Bastion Photography by Paul A Broben.
We all know Bond. Yes, James Bond. Since his introduction into the world in 1953, audiences have fallen in love with 007, whether he's chasing a plane on horseback, sledding down a snowy hill on a cello case (beautiful woman in tow), or performing his famous bridge jump. Perhaps the most iconic images of Bond involve his famous cars that pair ever-so nicely with his high-speed life of covert operations. Car dealership Evans Halshaw has traced 007's most iconic cars to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Bond and in honour of the latest James Bond movie, Skyfall. Here are ten of Concrete Playground's favourite James Bond vehicles. For the full collection of images made by Evans Halshaw check them out here. There's everything from his Aston Martin DB5, which was featured in six Bond films, to his most recent car, the Land Rover Defender which appears in Skyfall.
If finding out when and where Groovin the Moo is taking place in 2024 didn't get you pumped enough, here comes the next piece of exciting news: who'll be taking to the large-scale touring music festival's stages this year. The just-dropped lineup spans a hefty and impressive list of talent, including Wu-Tang Clan's GZA, Spice Girl Melanie C doing a DJ set, The Kooks, The Beaches and Alison Wonderland. Stephen Sanchez, Armani White, Kenya Grace, King Stingray, DMA's, Jet, The Jungle Giants, Mallrat and San Cisco are all also on the bill, alongside Hot Dub Time Machine, Mura Masa, Claire Rosinkranz, Jessie Reyez, Meduza and The Rions — and more. Six states and territories, six locations, six reasons for a road trip: that's the setup. Largely taking tunes beyond Australia's capital cities, Groovin the Moo will traverse the country in April and May, again hitting up South Australia, the Australian Capital Territory, Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia. In New South Wales, festivalgoers also have a new location to head to, with Groovin the Moo making a major move in 2024. Instead of taking place at its previous site in Maitland, the fest will pop up in Newcastle, with Foreshore Park its new home. The change comes after feedback from attendees, especially regarding transport and accommodation. In all other states and territories, the festival will settle into the same spots as last year — starting at Adelaide Showground, then hitting Exhibition Park in Canberra and Bendigo's Prince of Wales Showgrounds. After the Newcastle spot, Groovin the Moo will move on to Sunshine Coast Stadium Precinct, then Bunbury's Hay Park. Carla From Bankstown and Mowgli May are on hosting duties at Groovin the Moo 2024, and there's still some names to come, with the Triple J Unearthed, Fresh Produce artists and community programs yet to be announced. [caption id="attachment_938500" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Gilbert Sanchez[/caption] Groovin the Moo 2024 Lineup: Alison Wonderland Armani White The Beaches Claire Rosinkranz DMA's The Grogans Gza (Wu-Tang) & The Phunky Nomads Hot Dub Time Machine Jacoténe Jessie Reyez Jet The Jungle Giants Kenya Grace King Stingray The Kooks Mallrat Meduza Melanie C DJ set Mura Masa DJ set Nerve & Friends (Ecb & Cloe Terare) The Rions San Cisco Stephen Sanchez Hosts: Carla From Bankstown Mowgli May Triple J Unearthed, Fresh Produce artists and community programs still to be announced Groovin the Moo 2024 Dates and Venues: Thursday, April 25 — Adelaide Showground, Kaurna Country, Wayville, South Australia Friday, April 26 — Exhibition Park in Canberra (EPIC), Ngambri and Ngunnawal Country, Mitchell, Australian Capital Territory Saturday, April 27 — Bendigo's Prince of Wales Showgrounds, Dja Dja Wurrung Country, Bendigo, Victoria Saturday, May 4 — Foreshore Park, Awabakal Land, Newcastle, New South Wales Sunday, May 5 — Sunshine Coast Stadium Precinct, Kabi Kabi and Jinibara Country, Warana, Queensland Saturday, May 11 — Hay Park, Wardandi Noongar Country, Bunbury, Western Australia Groovin the Moo will tour Australia in April and May 2024, with tickets on sale from Tuesday, February 6 at 12pm local time for Newcastle and the Sunshine Coast, 2pm local time for Bendigo, 3pm local time for Wayville, 4pm local time for Bunbury and 5pm local time for Canberra. For more information, head to the festival's website. Groovin the Moo images: Jordan Munns.
A decade has sashayed away since Bianca Del Rio won the sixth season of RuPaul's Drag Race. After emerging victorious over Australia's own runner-up Courtney Act, the drag queen and comedian has been conquering Down Under stages ever since. Among multiple tours over the past ten years, the fabulously quick-witted talent last brought her Hurricane Bianca whirlwind this way in 2022 — and she'll next break out her devilish snark and timing in 2025. The global favourite keeps building upon her massive past decade or so, with the dimple-cheeked performer doing everything from tours upon tours to hitting the West End stage in the musical Everybody's Talking About Jamie and also popping up in the film version as well. Then there's 2016 comedy Hurricane Bianca and its 2018 sequel Hurricane Bianca: From Russia with Hate, plenty more appearances on various Drag Race seasons and specials, web specials, music videos and even an episode of Celebrity Family Feud. Accordingly, you know what to start watching in preparation for Del Rio's Dead Inside gigs in Brisbane — although, as you'll know if you've seen her live before, there's nothing like seeing her in the flesh. Del Rio's 2025 visit will break out the cutting insults — plus her larger-than-life persona in general — across two nights from Tuesday, January 28–Wednesday, January 29 at Fortitude Music Hall.
It might just be Australia's brightest festival, and it's returning to light up Alice Springs once again. That'd be Parrtjima - A Festival In Light, which will deliver its sixth annual program between Friday, April 9–Sunday, April 18 — returning to the autumn time slot it established in 2019. After a chaotic 2020, which saw the event postponed to September due to lockdowns and restrictions — and offer a virtual tour, too — the fest has big plans for 2021. First revealing last month that it'd be back this April, the event has now unveiled its full lineup. Dazzling light installations feature heavily across the Alice Springs CBD's Alice Springs Todd Mall, as well as at tourism and conservation facility Alice Springs Desert Park Precinct just out of town, anchoring the festival's free ten-day public celebration of Indigenous arts, culture, music and storytelling. This time around, the event is corralling its program around the theme 'future kultcha', with a particular focus on "intergenerational wisdom told through light, interactive workshops, art, music, films, performance and the spoken word". Taking care of the light side of things are 'Landing Kultcha', which'll use light tubes of different lengths, span 20 metres in length and provide quite the entranceway — plus 'Grounded Kultcha', which will project an animated sequence of curated artworks onto the sands of Alice Springs Desert Park. [caption id="attachment_799418" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Artist's impression of 'Merging Kutcha'[/caption] There's also 'Merging Kultcha', which features a train of five illuminated camels; 'Tailoring Kultcha', with light and textiles used to transform Todd Mall; and 'Harvesting Kultcha', an interactive game for all ages that's inspired by the constant movement in a honey-ant nest. Or, thanks to 'Revolving Kutcha', there'll be shields, coolamons and skateboards, including one large central piece that'll range between six to eight metres high, plus eight other two-metre-tall sculptures. As it always does, the festival's main attraction will glow far and wide. Once again, a huge artwork will transform a 2.5-kilometre stretch of the majestic, 300-million-year-old MacDonnell Ranges, showering it with light each night of the festival. The installation is being called 'Spirit Kultcha' this year, and it'll include a soundscape by Electric Fields. [caption id="attachment_799417" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Artist's impression of 'Landing Kutcha'[/caption] More than 55 artists are involved with the full Parrtjima program, which spans live music from Electric Fields and Casey Donovan, as well as Miiesha, MusicNT's Divas, Jimblah, Bow and Arrow, Dobby, OKA, Ziggy Ramo and Shellie Morris. If you're keen to listen to a few talks as well, the speaker list includes writer Bruce Pascoe, artists Jungala Kriss and Raymond Walters Japanangka, and Professor Marcia Langton AM — and films such as 50s classic Jedda and musical comedy Bran Nue Dae are on the movie lineup. Attendees can also dine under the stars at the Alice Springs Desert Park Precinct, thanks to a dinner that's a first for the fest. Of course, Parrtjima is just one of Northern Territory's two glowing attractions in 2021, with Australia's Red Centre lighting up in multiple ways. The festival is a nice supplement to Bruce Munro's Field of Light installation, which — after multiple extensions — is now on display indefinitely. If you're keen to start making Parrtjima plans, remember to check out the Northern Territory's COVID-19 border restrictions first. Parrtjima – A Festival in Light runs from April 9–18, 2021 around Alice Springs in the Northern Territory. For more information, visit the festival website. Top images: Rachel Wallace, Greg McAdam, Lachlan Dodds Watson.
Last year, David Walsh, founder of Tasmania's Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) first announced plans for an epic five-star hotel — among other things — on the site of the iconic Hobart gallery. Now, it's one step closer to becoming a reality, with Walsh submitting a development application for approval. The Hotel at MONA — which has changed it's name from HoMo to Motown — has been described as the next phase of growth for the museum, which, since opening in 2011, has become one of Tasmania's biggest draws. So now that the wheels are officially in motion, what exactly can visitors (and locals) expect from the proposed addition to the Berridale site? And what other changes do Walsh and co. have up their sleeves? Well, a lot. The hotel, designed by architect Nonda Katsalidis and Walsh, will be built on the museum's current site in Berridale. With rooms elevated over the Derwent River, it's designed to look like an inverted suspension bridge, though in a statement released by MONA, it's described as "a shopping trolley that looks a bit like an inverted suspension bridge". Motown will consist of 176 rooms, including a number of special 'experience' rooms developed by a selection of internationally renowned artists. Rooms facing the northeast will enjoy a view of Kunanyi/Mount Wellington, while rooms facing southeast will look up the river towards Claremont and Otago Bay. It looks nuts. It will also have its own three-storey library to house Walsh's collection of rare books and manuscripts ("a growing nerd fest of bibliophilic paraphernalia") and an indoor theatre with seating for over 1000 people. Most notably, there will also be an outdoor stage and amphitheatre complete with playgrounds designed by textile artist Toshiko Horiuchi MacAdam, American sculptor Tom Otterness and design studio Daily tous les jours. Back inside, there'll be a new bar and 180-seat restaurant, and with MONA already home to the acclaimed Faro — which has its own bespoke James Turrell installations — we can expect it to be impressive. Speaking of Turrell, the world-famous artist, who's best known for his artworks combining light, space and psychology, will be designing the hotel's spa alongside Serbian performance artist Marina Abramović. We don't think there are going to be any of your run-of-the-mill hot stone treatments or mani-pedis here. And how do you get to the colossal hotel, which is perched on the edge of the River Derwent? By Venice-style water taxis, of course. With construction hoping to kick off relatively soon the building is expected to be completed by 2024 — although the plans still need to be approved by the Glenorchy City Council. It's an ambitious project with an equally ambitious price tag: around $400 million. We'll be keeping an eye on this one. Motown is slated for completion in 2024. For more information, head to the MONA website.
Dark Mofo, as the Tasmanian winter solstice festival's name might suggest, has a penchant for that which is usually relegated to the shadows. This is now more true than ever with the announcement that Ulver, one of Norway's premier black metal bands, making the crossing to indulge our dark habits come June. Kritstoffer Rygg, lead vocalist of the self proclaimed "pack of Vikings", has called their addition on the line up "a trip extraordinaire and no doubt a once in a lifetime opportunity for Ulver". They'll take the stage at the Odeon Theatre in Hobart on June 15. Ulver are known in their native Norway, and around the world, for their experimental take on an often misunderstood genre. Since their formation in 1993, the group has pushed the boundaries in their music, blending elements of electronica, industrial, and symphonic sonics to create a unique sound. Their 2016 album, ATGCLVLSSCAP, experiments with driving rhythms and binding guitar riffs echoing on the tracks, creating an album that builds a mood rather than simply telling a story. This kind of experimentation makes them the perfect fit for a festival about the darker side of things. Last year's Dark Mofo festival featured the Hymns to the Dead event, which boasted a lineup of international death and black metal bands. The event, which took place a week before the winter solstice, a day that celebrates rebirth cycles, mythologies and mysticism in many ancient cultures, and Ulver's announcement on the 2017 program looks to similarly pull the audience into a hypnotic that promotes a deeper exploration of the more sinister side of our existence. Dark Mofo, taking place between June 8 and June 21 in Hobart, is not only a celebration of art, music, and all things aesthetically pleasing. The festival explores themes of mythology and nature, darkness and light, death and renewal, and takes its audience on a trip that delves into the deeper mysteries of our world. Including Ulver on the bill adds a certain dark, ethereal element to the program. Image: Ingrid Aas.
Your home bar game is about to level up a few notches, regardless of wherever your own mixology skills are at. Maybe Sammy —aka the Sydney bar that took out 11th spot in last year's World's 50 Best Bars list — has just dropped a new line of premium signature bottled cocktails that'll basically turn your living room into a world-class drinking destination. Two years in the making, and created by Maybe Sammy's crack team of shakers and stirrers, each of the three new releases comes pre-batched, ready to chill and pour. There's the tequila-based eucalyptus gimlet jazzed up with grapefruit bitters and mango, and a chic take on the negroni that's infused with jasmine. Or, opt for the floral notes — and pepper and cedar, too — of the chamomile martini. Each comes with tailored serving instructions so you can enjoy the drink exactly as the experts intended, whether that's in a frozen martini glass garnished with a lemon twist, or tumbled into a rocks glass with a wedge of orange. The Maybe Sammy crew has taken care of all the hard work for you, experimenting with various plant infusions and testing and fine-tuning its way to some premium top-shelf cocktails. Which, as anyone with a kitchen cupboard full of random, almost-full spirits and liqueurs can agree, is a very handy thing. The new cocktails are all available as 100-millilitre solo serves, as well as by the 500-millilitre bottle. You can also snap up a gift pack featuring small serves of all three drinks. Maybe Sammy's new eucalyptus gimlet, jasmine negroni and chamomile martini cocktails are each available by the single-serve 100-millilitre bottle ($18) or the 500-millilitre share bottle ($69). Head over to the bar's website to order, with home delivery available Australia-wide.
Master sommelier Madeline Triffon describes Pinot Noir as 'sex in a glass', while winemaker Randy Ullom calls it 'the ultimate nirvana'. One of the most challenging grapes in the world of vinification, it's also one of the most surprising and rewarding. No wonder Bottle Shop Concepts — the good folk who bring Game of Rhones our way — are coming back to town with Pinot Palooza, an epic travelling wine festival celebrating all things Pinot Noir. This time round, Brisbane wine connoisseurs will have the chance to sample more than 100 drops from Australia and New Zealand's best producers over not one, but two full days. Expect drops from Victoria's Curly Flat (Macedon), Tassie's Josef Chromy, and Ata Rangi and Pegasus Bay from NZ — and that's just the first few leaves on the vine. Whether you're a newbie who wants to start with something light and inviting, or a Pinot pro ready for the biggest, most complex mouthful on the menu, there'll be an abundance of selections at either end — and plenty along the spectrum, too. You'll even be able to vote for your favourite. If, at any point, you need to take a pause in your tasting adventures, you'll be catered for. There'll be food from Blackbird, beer from Young Henrys and Stone and Wood, frosé and cider. Plus, the epic Burgundy Bar will be back, a kind of Pinot Noir mecca where you'll be able to sample some seriously good (and spenny) bottles at cost price. Expert sommeliers will also be on hand to help you make selections. What's more, those keen to fuel their brains (as well as their tastebuds) can spot $100 for a VIP pass. The VIP day will be held on Saturday, October 14 and, with your pass, you'll get a food voucher, an extra special glass of wine and a one-on-one with one of the event's sommeliers, who will personally curate your Pinot experience for you. Pinot Palooza will hit Lightspace in Fortitude Valley on October 14 and 15, with the VIP day being held on the Saturday and general admission on the Sunday. General tickets are $60, which includes tastings and a take-home crystal Plumm RedB glass.
To pull off a great music festival there are three key aspects you really need to get right — lineup, location and licensing. With that in mind, let's all take a moment to welcome Jungle Love. Queensland's newest boutique festival has gone above and beyond to nail all three. Located at Lake Moogerah — an hour drive from Brisbane's Southside — Jungle Love is a music, culture and nature festival that focuses more on making memories and experiences than drops, moshing and bangers. The lineup alone is an immaculate curation of Queensland's best performers, all hand-picked based on their ability to woo a crowd. Sure, they might not be on high rotation at Triple J or be the most blogged about, but they certainly know how to deliver outstanding shows. Featured on the bill are Moses Gunn Collective, The Jensens, Closure In Moscow, Dubmarine, LeSuits, Bec Laughton and a heap more. So, while location and lineup get big ticks, licensing gets a bigger one — Jungle Love is BYO. There's no need to be stressed about inflated drink prices, just grab a slab of tinnies and be on your way. Just be responsible and don't bring glass — we don't need a few dickheads to ruin it for everybody. The inaugural Jungle Love takes place from November 20-21 with the Saturday night an all-out fancy dress — don't forget! There are limited tickets available, check out the full lineup and sign yourself up here.
Nothing says classic pre-pandemic Brisbane like spending four whole days eating and drinking your way up and down James Street. This July, nothing will say post-lockdown Brissie quite like that, either. Yes, the James Street Food and Wine Trail is finally back in-person, and will take over New Farm once again — this time without last-minute at-home pivots, which is what happened to last year's event, sadly. If you're a Brisbanite with a healthy appetite, there's now only one place to be between Thursday, July 28–Sunday, July 31. Take your rumbling stomach and its yearning for something scrumptious down to the well-known stretch of shops — and then fill it with tasty treats. Over JSFWT's 2022 run, the New Farm precinct it calls home will become a culinary wonderland again, and highlight the gastronomic delights of the area. That includes devouring delicious dishes and drinks, of course, regardless of what kind of food, beverage or event takes your fancy. And, it also boasts a whole day of market activity. Whenever you decide to head by, you can hop on the trail. Follow the roadway to a feast of dishes and drinks; think: a Lebanese pizza party at Gerard's Bar to start things off on the Thursday, an evening by The Green's leafy surroundings on the Friday, plus a four-course champagne lunch at Essa on the Saturday. Then, come Sunday, more than 32 businesses will unleash their wares on Market Day, which'll take over the entire street. There'll be at least 19 food stalls and 13 bars, spanning everywhere from Gemelli, sAme sAme and Biánca to SK Steak & Oyster, Hellenika and Mosconi. Because Gelato Messina is in the vicinity, the dessert fiends will be doing two special dishes, too, while Essa will join the fun with caviar and frozen vodka, plus fried chicken and truffle rolls. Also on the agenda at the picnic-style Market Day event: live performances and live music. No wonder the road will be closed between McLachlan and Arthur Streets, to make room for five live music stages, tables across the roadway and craft workshops. James Street Food and Wine Trail returns to James Street, New Farm from Thursday, July 28–Sunday, July 31. For more information, head to the JSFWT website.
Summer in Australia must've treated Kesha well at the beginning of 2025, because she's repeating the trip in 2026. Last January, the pop star ventured Down Under for two gigs, playing a House of Kesha show in Sydney and also the Australian Open's music lineup in Melbourne. In February 2026, she's taking to the stage at a series of headline concerts around the country, including in Brisbane. The two-time Grammy-nominee is bringing The Tits Out tour this way, with her Australian gigs part of the biggest headline run of Kesha's career so far — which kicked off in July 2025 in the US and also has European shows locked in for March 2026. [caption id="attachment_1015395" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Ryan Bakerink/FilmMagic[/caption] With ten top-ten singles across her career so far, plus six albums under her belt — 2023's Gag Order and 2025's Period among them — Kesha has no shortage of tunes to draw upon live. 'JOYRIDE', 'TiK ToK', 'Only Love Can Save Us Now', 'Your Love Is My Drug', 'Take It Off' and 'We R Who We R' are among the tracks on her current setlist. In the River City, she's playing Riverstage on Thursday, February 19. [caption id="attachment_975223" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Brendan Walter[/caption]
Between 1919 and 1948, Oscar Micheaux made 44 films, few remain in existence today; a tragedy, because each film was reportedly infused with a burning passion for social reform and passionate social commentary. As the first African-American filmmaker, Micheaux was always going to be a trail blazer. He fought against stereotypes and aimed to raise the profile of African-Americans in a period of extreme racism and prejudice. The Gallery of Modern Art is hosting a retrospective of Micheaux’s work, playing some extremely rare films, some of which were landmark pieces of cinema at the time of production. On display are three silent films and four sound films. Each holds a piece of Micheaux’s creative spirit and desire for a better world. Check out the GOMA website for a list of films and session times. These films may never be screened in Brisbane again, so they are a rare treat for any cinephile.
In the rainforest at the back of Cairns, you'll find locals cooling off at much-loved swimming hole Stoney Creek. Whether you want a quick dip not too far from town or to hike your way to a waterfall further afield, this series of private swimming holes has all your swim cravings covered. It's just a short walk from the carpark in Barron Gorge National Park to the first pool perched underneath a small footbridge. Swim here or continue down the left side of the creek adjacent track past a series of swimming spots before reaching the spilling waters at Old Weir Falls. If you're keen for even more mountain action, head back to the footbridge after a swim at the falls and take the right side track up to Glacier Rock. [caption id="attachment_832593" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Tourism Tropical North Queensland[/caption]
Cafes, bars and restaurants aren't generally known for being lucratively profitable (unless you're a celebrity restaurateur, say, or a certain hospitality juggernaut in Sydney). But Cost Price Cafe is taking it to the other extreme — it makes zero profits. The cafe, which launched in March this year, serves uni students and workers alike from its truck in Marshall Park. The prices of its items are fluid, changing every fortnight. At present, it's selling small coffees for $2.50, large for $3, tea for $1 and biscuits for 50 cents. There's no extra charge for alternative milk or an extra shot and you also get a 20-cent discount if you bring in a reusable cup. The items are costed as such to cover wages, ingredients and other essentials — but if the cafe sells more than expected and "makes a profit" the price of the items will decrease. And owner Leonie Bucher expects that they will — she explains in a graph on the cafe's Facebook page that if the cafe consistently sell 150 coffees a day, the price will go down to $1.48. To maintain transparency, you'll be able to monitor the current price of coffee — as well as the cafe's other costs — on its Facebook page. It's a bold idea, but here's hoping you'll be able to swing $1 coffee sometime soon. Find Cost Price cafe Marshall Park, Kelvin Grove Road, Kelvin Grove, Brisbane. It is open from 6.30am to 11.30am, Monday to Friday. For more info, visit costpricecafe.com.au.
Brisbanites, if catching a train is on your agenda over the upcoming slate of public holidays, you might want to rethink your travel plans. TransLink has announced that track work will take place over Easter, the weekend following Anzac Day and the Labour Day long weekend, with a number of stations closing as a result. Buses will replace rail services in the affected areas. Across Easter, the impact is thankfully minimal — trains won't run between Darra and Springfield Central for the three-day period between Friday, April 19 and Sunday, April 21, affecting four stations on the Springfield line. Between Saturday, April 27 and Sunday, April 28, it's the Ferny Grove line's turn, impacting the entire 14-station route from Ferny Grove to Central. It's over the three days between Saturday, May 4 and Monday, May 6 that more Brisbanites will be affected, with major track works sparking closures on the Beenleigh, Gold Coast, Cleveland, Ipswich-Rosewood and Springfield lines. Everything from Roma Street to Yeerongpilly will shut on the first two routes, the stations between Roma Street and Murrarie will do the same for folks headed Cleveland way, and all stops from Roma Street to Corinda will be out-of-action for those travelling west. The works will address a number of issues, including lowering a track at Springfield station, replacing rails between Bowen Hills and Windsor, replacements at Roma Street station and general maintenance across the lines. If you're thinking that this'll add some time to your journey, you're absolutely right. Travellers have been advised to factor extra time — up to an extra hour each way over the Labour Day weekend — into their trips. For more information, and to check train and bus timetables, visit the TransLink website. Images: Ash Kyd/ Denisbin via Flickr.
Already home to a natural landmark that can be seen from space, as well as a luminous installation that brightens up the night sky, the Northern Territory is about to add another stellar sight — and site — to its list. From next year, Australia's Top End will make history when it becomes the first privately-owned location outside of the United States to launch NASA rockets. The US National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Goddard Space Flight Center/Wallops Flight Facility is partnering with the NT's Arnhem Space Centre, SBS reports, with private outfit Equatorial Launch Australia receiving the contract to provide temporary launch facilities in the southern hemisphere. Four rockets, measuring approximately 15 metres high, are expected to launch from the spaceport next year according to the ABC, with each spending around 15 minutes in suborbital space. Their purpose: scientific investigations. Already a lure for tourists, it was Arnhem Land's distinctive landscape and geographical location that reportedly proved an attraction — with NASA clearly taking the Top End moniker literally. The ASC is located in Nhulunbuy, around 700 kilometres east of Darwin. While NASA won't take off from the site until next year, it's expected that the ASC will be ready to launch small rockets by the end of this year. Even better — the centre is planning to launch spaceflights in 2020. The news comes as Australia keeps stepping up its space game — or reigniting it after closing down the Australian Space Office back in 1996. The federal government announced formed the Australian Space Agency in 2018, and revealed that it'd be headquartered in Adelaide from this year. In a statement, ASA Head Dr Megan Clark AC said that "NASA's interest in conducting a sounding rocket campaign in Australia shows the increasing importance of commercial launch activities from Australia". Via: SBS/ABC. Image: NASA/Bill Ingalls.
Rock legend Patti Smith will soon see her most iconic pageturner made into your newest binge watch. The 68-year-old's immortal Just Kids memoir is being made into a Showtime miniseries. The best bit? Smith is producing and co-writing the series — alongside Penny Dreadful showrunner John Logan. Announced at this year's Television Critics Association press tour, Showtime’s new series will follow Smith's National Book Award-winning memoir detailing her years spent living in New York City with photographer Robert Mapplethorpe. No cast or release date has been announced, but uppity predictions will inevitably flow over the next few months. Costumes though: It goes without saying, the series already has one hell of a script. Smith, whose sequel memoir M Train is set to hit shelves on October 6, is keen to delve further into her own NYC youth with the series. “A limited series on Showtime will allow us to explore the characters more deeply, enabling us to develop stories beyond the book and allow a measure of unorthodox presentation,” said Smith in her media statement. “The medium of a television limited series offers narrative freedom and a chance to expand upon the themes of the book.” Via Flavorwire.
After 32 years of hosting live tunes — including from local favourites such as Resin Dogs and Screamfeeder, Aussie greats like Nick Cave and Silverchair, and international acts including The Pixies and The Black Keys — The Zoo is saying farewell to Brisbane's music scene forever. The team behind the venue announced the heartbreaking development via social media, advising that the Ann Street spot was bidding farewell due to "rising operational costs and decreasing returns". "As passionate music fans and proud members of the community, it's impossibly hard to share the news that after nearly 32 years of live music, The Zoo will be closing its doors on July 8th," the statement begins. "Sadly, the financial reality of keeping music venues afloat in 2024 is all too stark. The Zoo reached its highest ticket sales in its 32-year history last year, yet this was still not enough to combat rising operational costs and decreasing returns," it continues. View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Zoo (@thezoo.bne) "As a music venue, we try our best to keep venue hire costs as low as possible for artists and promoters, which means that the financial risks are on the venue, and we depend on bar sales for profit. The cost of supplying alcohol is rising, and bar sales are going down, likely due to a mix of lifestyle changes and cost of living stress for our patrons." "The hard truth is that we've been running at a loss for over three years. Despite exploring every avenue available to us, we could not secure the level of support needed to surmount the continued financial strain. We have no choice but to call last drinks for both of our beloved music venues." While Brisbanites have until Monday, July 8 to head along to The Zoo for the last time, its sibling bar Stranded — the punk-inspired cocktail spot that opened in 2022 — will close up on Monday, May 6. So, this news brings two massive changes for Fortitude Valley. It isn't an overstatement to say that Brisbane won't be the same without The Zoo, which has been a go-to venue for gigs, and one of the city's most famous, for its three-decade-plus run. "To our loyal punters and past performers, we thank you for the great times we've shared; the decades of dancing, singing and moshing. The kindness of our community of music lovers is a gift The Zoo team has cherished," the closure announcement also notes. "We hope you'll continue to support local live music and keep the scene alive in Brisbane and nationwide. We encourage you to advocate for live music, to implore our government and music bodies to do everything they can to prevent more venues from closing their doors due to the industry-wide financial pressure that is decimating venues across the country." Shows were scheduled for after The Zoo's shutdown date, with ticketholders set to be contacted. Current co-owners of Cat Clarke, Luke 'Boo' Johnston and Shane Chidgzey added a pizzeria, launched Stranded and started a bottle-o during their run — and, in collaboration with OG co-founder Joc Curran, also celebrated the venue's 30th birthday with a massive festival with 100-plus artists in 2022. [caption id="attachment_873288" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Luke Henery[/caption] The Zoo will close at 711 Ann Street, Fortitude Valley on Monday, July 8, 2024. For further information and to buy tickets in the interim, head to the venue's website. Stranded will close at 3 Winn Lane, Fortitude Valley on Monday, May 6, 2024. Images: Cat Clarke / Luke Henery.
Not much has felt typical about 2022 in Brisbane so far, thanks to COVID-19 outbreaks and wild weather — but when you're competing for music trivia glory at one of the city's beloved regular events, you'll be basking in a nice stint of normality. Yes, Not On Your Rider is back for another year, all to keep us entertained in one of the best possible ways: by creating a music quiz show filled with well-known faces, staging it live and inviting Brisbanites to play along. TV hits like Spicks and Specks and Never Mind the Buzzcocks are entertaining to watch on-screen, of course — and fun to play along with from the comfort of your own couch as well — but they always leave even their biggest fans wanting more. If you've ever wished that you could show off your own music trivia knowledge in the same kind of setting, and not just down at the local pub with your mates, that's where Not On Your Rider comes in. This music trivia game show is hosted by The Creases' Aimon Clark, and features Velociraptor's Jeremy Neale and The Grates' Patience Hodgson as team captains — and it happens live at either The Triffid or The Fortitude Music Hall. Also, while the two on-stage teams are always filled with musos, comedians, drag queens and other guests, anyone can buy a ticket, sit at a table and answer questions along with them. Previous events have boasted folks from Powderfinger, Ball Park Music, The Jungle Giants, Dune Rats, DZ Deathrays, The Kite String Tangle, Butterfingers, Last Dinosaurs and more, because you never know which music figures might be involved on the night. And as for the quiz itself, it's accompanied by chats about the music industry, plus other mini games involving attendees. NOT ON YOUR RIDER 2022 DATES: Thursday, March 17 — The Triffid with Sarah McLeod, Ben Ely and Steven Bradbury Thursday, May 26 — The Triffid with Ben Lee, Shad Wicka, Jen Boyce and Ben Ely Friday, July 8 — Birthday extravaganza at The Fortitude Music Hall with guests TBC Thursday, August 25 — The Triffid with guests TBC Thursday, September 22 — The Triffid with guests TBC Thursday, October 27 — Halloween show at The Triffid with guests TBC Saturday, December 10 — Christmas show at The Fortitude Music Hall with guests TBC Updated May 20.
When word arrived that NOTA is closing its doors in Brisbane's inner west after six years on Paddington's Given Terrace, bad news thankfully wasn't the only thing on the menu. The beloved restaurant will say goodbye in August 2024, with co-owners and chefs Kevin Docherty and Sebastiaan de Kort instead turning their attention to Newstead's Allonda, which they opened in 2022. But when the pair dropped this development, they also revealed that NOTA's site will have a new eatery calling it home mighty soon. Docherty and de Kort played it coy with specifics about the future of the heritage-listed space that was previously fine-diner Montrachet's old Paddington digs, after the French eatery moved to King Street in Bowen Hills — because what'll reside there next isn't their news to share. Enter fellow chef Dario Manca, who has announced the impending arrival of Attimi by Dario Manca. Come September 2024, the popular Brissie address will transform into an Italian fine diner that also takes its cues from Michelin-starred dining in Europe. Manca should know a thing or two about the latter, with a total of 16 of the coveted symbols featuring across his career so far. He started out at Villa Crespi under Antonino Cannavacciuolo, in fact, and has worked beneath Gordon Ramsay and teamed up with Heinz Beck. Manca's resume also includes Sydney's Pilu at Freshwater, being mentored by Giovanni Pilu. "When unique spaces like this become available, you want to do the best thing you can for the community, to make sure it continues to flourish, and that's why I jumped on it when I heard NOTA was looking for a successor to keep the flame on," explained Manca. His vision for the site is to give patrons an intimate experience, with Attimi set to seat just 28 people, while taking their tastebuds on a tour of Italy. He'll also be pushing boundaries with an experimental menu — and endeavouring to turn every meal in the abode, which'll still keep NOTA's design elements mixed with his own touches, into an unforgettable visit. Expect two set menus to be a drawcard on weekends, with one described as a "quick Italian tour" with eight courses and the other spanning 12 dishes. Whichever you pick, you'll be sticking with the established lineup, although dietary requirements will be catered for. From Tuesday–Thursday, a la carte dining will also be on offer, skewing more casual. So will stopping by for focaccia and arancini — given an Attimi spin — among other bites on the footpath. And as for NOTA's bar, it's staying around, but will be smaller and cosier. Drinks-wise, naturally Italy is in the spotlight, covering skin-contact wines and rare beers. "The idea of no-choice set menus is still a little bit out there for Brisbane, but I really feel like there's been proof in the pudding in other restaurants that have thrived over the past few years. I am really looking forward to showcasing to Brisbane how this can be a great and standard way of dining," said Manca. "It's very important to me that Brisbane understands we are looking at an experimental way of dining, having fun and enjoying blending tradition with playful innovation." "I want people to feel like anything is possible when it comes to food when they dine at Attimi, and for guests to enjoy a moment of magic and surprise — and that's why I called my restaurant Attimi, which means 'moment' in Italian," he continued. Attimi by Dario Manca will open at 224 Given Terrace, Paddington sometime in mid-September 2024. We'll update you with more details, including an exact opening date, when they're announced. Find NOTA Restaurant & Wine Bar at 224 Given Terrace, Paddington until Saturday, August 3, 2024— open 6pm–late on Tuesday–Thursday (last booking at 7.30pm), then 12–2pm and 6pm–late (last booking at 8pm) Friday–Saturday. NOTA images: Markus Ravik.
Here's a night out to take a chance on in 2023: the return of MAMMA MIA! The Musical. My my, how can you resist seeing this Greek-set onstage party on its latest tour of Australia, whether you're a musical fan, an ABBA devotee or perennially keen to indulge in 70s nostalgia. The stage show's comeback was first announced in 2022 and locked in for a Sydney stop, but now it has just added Brisbane and Melbourne dates as well. By now, the hit production is well-known around the world, including from previous Aussie runs. It has spawned not one but two movies, too. And, its tale of a young bride-to-be's quest to find her father before her wedding will liven up Sydney Lyric from May, QPAC's Lyric Theatre in Brisbane from August and the Princess Theatre in Melbourne from October. Here we go again with one of the biggest jukebox musical hits of the past quarter-century, as seen by over 65 million people worldwide so far. This restaging of the popular 2017 production will unfurl its romantic chaos — and 22 ABBA tracks — with Elise McCann playing Donna Sheridan, after she played Ali in the 2009 season. Sarah Krndija (9 to 5 The Musical, Cruel Intentions: The 90s Musical and Friends! The Musical Parody) steps into Sophie's shoes, while Martin Crewes (Handa's The Phantom of the Opera on Sydney Harbour), Drew Livingston (War Horse) and Tim Wright (New Amsterdam) play her three potential dads. The story, as theatre audiences have enjoyed since 1999, follows 20-year-old Sophie, who is about to marry her fiancé Sky on the fictional Greek island of Kalokairi. It's her dream for her dad to walk her down the aisle, but courtesy of her mother Donna's old diary, she learns that her father could be one of three men: Sam Carmichael, Bill Austin or Harry Bright. [caption id="attachment_890628" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Sam Bisso[/caption] Calling all dancing queens, obviously — with that track, the titular number, and everything from 'Money, Money, Money', 'Thank You for the Music', 'Super Trouper' and 'The Name of the Game' to 'SOS', 'Does Your Mother Know', 'Waterloo' and 'Knowing Me, Knowing You' featuring (and 'Take a Chance on Me', 'The Winner Takes It All' and, of course, 'I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do', too). The new Australian run hails from producers Michael Coppel, Louise Withers and Linda Bewick, plus Helpmann Award-winning director Gary Young, choreographer Tom Hodgson and musical supervisor Stephen Amos. MAMMA MIA! THE MUSICAL 2023 DATES: From Wednesday, May 24 — Sydney Lyric Theatre, Sydney From Sunday, August 6 — QPAC Lyric Theatre, Brisbane From Wednesday, October 4 — Princess Theatre, Melbourne MAMMA MIA! The Musical tours Australia from May 2023. For further details or to buy tickets, head to the production's website. Images: James D Morgan.
He captured imaginations and made his artistic mark with big-screen hits like The Royal Tenenbaums, Moonrise Kingdom and The Grand Budapest Hotel. And, he once designed a Milan cafe that resembled one of his film sets. Earlier this year, he also released his gorgeous stop-motion animated movie Isle of Dogs — but that's not all that acclaimed director Wes Anderson has for fans in 2018. Known for his visual distinctive style and fondness for symmetry, Anderson has also taken his creative vision into the art world, playing museum curator alongside his partner, set designer and illustrator Juman Malouf. As announced back in February, the pair have been invited to put together an exhibition for Vienna's Kunsthistorisches Museum, which you've got to admit looks like it's been plucked from a dreamy Anderson flick itself. Called Spitzmaus Mummy in a Coffin and Other Treasures, the exhibition is set to kick off on Tuesday, November 6, 2018 and run until April 28, 2019. The creative couple were given a task that plenty would envy: trawling through the Kunsthistorisches Museum's more than four million objects, and selecting their favourites from the incredibly broad collection of in-house artifacts. The end result includes items from all 14 of the museum's collections, which span old master paintings, Greek and Roman antiquities, Imperial coins and more. Pieces like historical musical instruments, suits of armour, foreign antiques, carriages and sleighs will be accompanied by a fully illustrated catalogue — sure to be a swoon-worthy piece of art in its own right. And if you're not planning to be in Austria while it's on, maybe start thinking about heading to Italy. After its initial Kunsthistorisches run, the exhibition will travel to the Fondazione Prada in Milan at a yet-to-be-announced date. Here's a sneak peak of what's in store. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vTQI6Vw5nY Image: Wes Anderson and Juman Malouf in the Picture Gallery, Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna © KHM-Museumsverband .
Ever since Gauge opened its doors in South Brisbane back in 2015, Brisbanites have been talking about its black garlic bread, tasting menu and stripped back yet still luxe feel. Before August is out, you'll be able to turn your chatter to Essa, too. Opening on Robertson Street, the new Fortitude Valley restaurant is the latest venture from ex-Gauge chef Phil Marchant, who is bringing a focus on local produce and harvest-driven dishes to a striking split-level space just off James Street. Launching on Friday, August 27, Essa sees Marchant take up head chef duties, while also co-owning the new eatery with entrepreneur Angela Sclavos. Marchant's aim: to highlight the work of the farmers, hunters and providores he's sourcing his ingredients from, to give classic techniques a modern twist and to give diners a multi-sensory experience. On the menu, that approach translates to dishes that endeavour to pair the familiar with the surprising, as well as a big focus on raw, pickled, smoked and wood-fired meals. So, you can expect to tuck into pickled and fire-burnt kohlrabi, wood-fired beetroot, and wild venison tartare paired with toasted buckwheat and hibiscus. Or, from the grill, organic pork chops come served on the bone, or there's the spatchcock quail with brown butter, caper leaves and salt bush. And, for dessert, mandarin sorbet and Jerusalem artichoke cream buns will tempt your tastebuds. Essa also does set menus for $92 a head, which is a requirement if you're dining in a group of eight or more. Drinks-wise, wine and cocktails sit pride of place. Both lineups have been curated to pair well with the restaurant's dishes, but if you're particularly keen on something light but inventive, The Love Bird — which combines rose, strawberries and white chocolate, and uses a milk wash technique — provides a handy indication of the types of beverages on offer. Enjoying the surroundings is also part of the Essa experience, with the decor skewing industrial but relaxed. A brass mesh window sits at street level, exposed brickwork and steel alcoves are a feature, and seating includes leather lined banquettes. The dining space on the building's middle level features a bar decked out with green Verde Alpi stone, too, while the upstairs space uses a leafy garden as a background. Essa will open at 181 Robertson Street, Fortitude Valley on Friday, August 27 — operating 4pm–late Tuesday–Saturday.
Reminiscent of those glow-in-the-dark stars we pasted over our ceilings as kids, the creatures featured in the upcoming 'Creatures of Light: Nature’s Bioluminescence' exhibit each shine with an eerie, natural light. The exhibit, held at the New York American Museum of Natural History, will contain live bioluminescent organisms, as well as scale models. Bioluminescence, the production of light by a living organism, looks like something out of a sci-fi movie but is in fact an essential function, allowing these animals to catch prey. On occasion, it may also catch a mate or two. Open from March 31, 2012 to January 6, 2013, the exhibit will explore the astounding variety of ways nature uses living light. Attendees can expect to bask in the glow of fireflies, mushrooms, scorpions, and much more. [via Wired]
Is Black Mirror a sci-fi flight of fancy or a realistic window into the future? Does it take humanity's increasing reliance upon technology to the fictional extreme, or predict what's about to happen? Whichever train of thought you subscribe to, if you're a fan of the Charlie Brooker-created series, you've probably jumped at every possible chance to immerse yourself in the television series. First, there was the interactive Black Mirror exhibition that popped up in London. Then came a super bleak board game. Now there's a retro-style video game as well. Hot on the heels of the program's just-released choose-your-own-adventure movie, Bandersnatch, comes your chance to mash buttons while diving into Black Mirror's twisted realm. The video game is called Nohzdyve, and it's seen in the series' new flick. It's one of the hit titles created by Colin Ritman (Will Poulter), the programmer that Bandersnatch's 19-year-old protagonist Stefan (Fionn Whitehead) first idolises, then buddies up to. The two become colleagues at games development company Tuckersoft when Stefan tries to turn his own dream game into a reality. Avid Black Mirror fans will have spotted that Nohzdyve is a reference to the first episode of the show's third season, Nosedive, aka the Bryce Dallas Howard-starring tale about a world where social media controls life's ups and downs. It's also the episode that was turned into the aforementioned board game — and, clearly, it's one of the series' instalments with the most glaring real-world parallels. In Bandersnatch, the Nohzdyve video game was made in the 80s, which means that social media obviously doesn't rate a mention. Instead, the game involves falling through the sky while collecting eyeballs and avoiding buildings. If you're keen to play it, Nohzdyve can be downloaded from the Tuckersoft website; however there is a catch. It will only run on a downloadable emulator that recreates the ZX Spectrum home computer system from 1982 (aka a British equivalent to the Commodore 64). Still, if you've already worked your way through Bandersnatch's interactive story — deciding what path Stefan's tale takes, picking between branching narrative arcs, and looping back again and again to find all of the endings — you can trade one type of Black Mirror game for another.
