When we watched The Fifth Element almost 20 years ago (yes, it's been almost 20 whole years), we didn't dare imagine that we could have Bruce Willis' flying car with autopilot mode. Thankfully, we're not quite at the flying car stage in history, but self-driving cars are most definitely a thing. Still can't imagine getting in a car without a driver? You better get used to the fact — and fast. US ridesharing company Lyft (a major competitor to Uber in the States) is teaming up with General Motors to test out self-driving cabs. On real life customers. The trial doesn't have a confirmed location yet, but it will be offered as an option to punters in one of the cities Lyft services sometime in 2017. According to The Wall Street Journal, customers will have the opportunity to choose a self-driving or human-driving car when ordering one from the Lyft app. The app will also allow passengers to contact customer support if something goes wrong, and to tell the car when to go and when it can leave after they've reached their destination. The partnership comes after GM invested a cool $500 million in Lyft a few months ago, and it signals the entry of driverless cars into the mainstream. They'll be testing out their self-driving Chevrolet Bolt electric taxis in the trial — the first time they'll be placed on public roads. Watch out, world. Via The Wall Street Journal.
Travelling to the Sunshine Coast in less than a hour is the kind of thing that beach-loving Brisbanites dream of, but if a new proposal receives the go-ahead, it could soon become a reality. Put forward by 26 Federal Coalition MPs in Queensland, the North Coast Connect project would see high-speed rail introduced between Brissie and Nambour. Say goodbye two-hour train trips and road journeys, and hello a CBD-to-beach jaunt in 45 minutes. If successful, the plan would involve improving and upgrading the existing Brisbane to Beerburrum line, laying new lines from Beerburrum to Nambour, and building a 40-kilometre line from Beerwah to Maroochydore. To be delivered by development companies Stockland, Smec, Urbis and KPMG, it'd mark the first time the Sunshine Coast's actual coast was connected to Brisbane. As for the super-fast part, trains would be trains required to travel between 150 to 200 kilometres per hour. At present, the proposal has passed its first hurdle, securing government funding to develop a business case. Just one of three projects chosen from a shortlist of 11, the North Coast Connect will receive a share of $20 million to progress their planning — contingent on contributing their own funds and raising others. From here, the next step will involve assessment by Infrastructure Australia in the hopes of accessing $10 billion in federal cash. The ultimate aim is for the rail line to be operational between Brisbane and Nambour within five years. Via Brisbane Times / Sunshine Coast Daily. Image: Andy Hay via Flickr.
It's been a heck of a long time coming, but retail giant Amazon will this week open the doors to the first of its automated grocery stores in Seattle, USA. As reported by CNBC, the Amazon Go concept is out to shake up the retail industry, by doing away with the queues, checkouts and registers of traditional grocery stores. Instead, customers scan their Amazon Go app upon walking into the store, cameras and sensors are used to track which products are taken from the shelves and make their way into a virtual shopping cart, and shoppers are charged accordingly and emailed their receipt after leaving. But while it all sounds pretty nifty, there's always a swag of hype surrounding Amazon's new technologies and launches, and lately the company seems to have had some issues bringing them to fruition. The Seattle store was scheduled to open to the public back in early 2017, but was delayed for testing nearly a year due to kinks in the automated check-out technology. There has been speculation that Amazon is aiming to open bricks-and-mortar stores in Australia as well, namely its grocery service Amazon Fresh. But given the long-overdue launach of Amazon's Australian online retail service late last year, we won't hold our breath waiting for the Amazon Go concept to arrive Down Under for a little while. Via CNBC.
We all know that the cinemas are an air-conditioned haven during the hot summer months; a dark space where you can enjoy some visual story telling in peace. What about during school holidays? Kids running around screaming, babies crying, teenagers sneaking in and then making out right next to you – it can be horrendous. So, why not try something a little different and, um, get outside! Yes, yes, I know that’s where the sun is, but the Ben & Jerry’s Open Air Cinema is the perfect place to spend an afternoon or an evening. Also, you have a month to enjoy it! The cinema is showing recent hits and some cult classics. It is 18+ (no kids or kissing teens), you can BYO food (cutting costs) and you can even bring your dog! Awesome. Also, Emma Louise will be performing on the opening night! Get online and check out what’s screening and when – be sure to buy tickets in advance, this little set up won’t be a secret for long.
It is almost alarming how many bands have emerged in Australia recently. The talent has been astounding, the songs are sure-fire hits, and the shows are selling out. Another band to add to the mass is Brisbane group, Sorry Socrates, who have garnered a following locally, and are set to make waves across the nation. The Brisbane foursome formed early last year, and have since become old hands in the Brisbane gig scene, entertaining revellers with their dance/punk combo and playing alongside fellow Queenslanders, Teleprompter, Tourism, and Glass Towers. Their sound is self-confessed Doom Pop, drawing on influences from Bloc Party – so much so that their new single ‘Rome’ has been mastered by Guy Davie, the man behind Bloc Party’s magic. The track is the epitome of their discography so far, and is their first official recording – and a bloody good one at that. It all kicks off at Lambda, with a launch party and shenanigans with supports Myth and Tropics, and Cake Shop. See them before they outgrow their locale or it’ll be you who’ll be saying sorry.
Every last trilby-wearing tween celebrity, former President's daughter and your smug, smug US-based friends will be rubbing their paws together after this afternoon's Coachella festival lineup announcement. Running over two weekends from April 10–19, the Californian festival has delivered its usual jaw-dropper of a lineup. Leading the charge on both Saturday nights will be Travis Scott — who was set to perform in Australia this summer at the cancelled Sandtunes festival — while Frank Ocean will be doing the honours on Sundays. Fridays, however, will be led by the recently reunited 90s rock icons Rage Against the Machine. Elsewhere, a bonafide metric fucktonne of squealworthy acts fill out the rest of the bill — Lana Del Rey, Flume, Calvin Harris, FKA Twigs, Run the Jewels, Charli XCX and Fatboy Slim to name a few. Anyway, let's be honest, you haven't truly read any of those words — you'll be wanting this: https://www.instagram.com/p/B613-zinSA0/ Weekend one is already sold out, but presale tickets for weekend two are available from 7am AEDT, Tuesday, January 7. You can signup for access over at the website. Coachella runs from April 10–12 and 17–19 at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California. Find out more info and register for tickets at coachella.com.
‘Drawing is the honesty of the art. There is no possibility of cheating. It is either good or bad,’ said Salvadore Dali. Most visual artists would agree, there is no escaping with a drawing, no blending and bright colours to distract the viewer; it is complete honesty on a page. Jugglers’ Art Space is paying homage to the art of drawing with the Marie Ellis OAM Prize for Drawing. Open to artists from around Australia, this prize invites entrants to test the boundaries of drawing; moving beyond the conventions of illustration and sketching, to unleash their passion on the page. The artist who does this most effectively will be solidly rewarded with a $4000 prize for their efforts. The Marie Ellis OAM was established to recognise the contribution of Marie Ellis, a long-term resident and dressmaker in Fortitude Valley, located in the exact spot where Jugglers now sits. Marie contributed to the arts, craft and design scene in Brisbane, and worked with disabled children through the Girl Guide movement in Australia. For her service she was awarded an Order of Australia Medal, and Jugglers’ continue to keep her memory alive through this prize for drawing each year.
We here in Brisbane are blessed with a glorious river (albeit browned in the January floods) and aren't afraid to show it off. Riverfire is back as usual to kick off the Brisbane Festival, and is ready to show that the Brisbane River hasn't lost any of its sparkle. Everyone celebrates Riverfire differently: some get drunk, some watch the fireworks from the couch, but the keenest among us push through hundreds of people at Southbank to snag a good spot. It's one of those nights that shows the camaraderie of Brisbane's people and the love we have for our city (and partying!). Every year promises a bigger and better fireworks display than the last and this year is no exception. Those crafty buggers from Brisbane Festival have assembled what is said to be a cracker of a team to design and create a spectacular scene, with music blasting over the top of a special effects light show. No matter what way you do it, make sure you see Riverfire and support the little river that could.
If you're one of millions of people worldwide watching American TV series Breaking Bad religiously and needing to avoid spoilers — or perhaps you're just sick of hearing friends rave about the show on social media — then your (#firstworld) problems can now be put to ease. Popular internet streaming website Netflix has debuted a new app that can block Breaking Bad spoilers from social media feeds. Spoiler Foiler is programmed to black out "danger" words (namely, words related to plot) from your Twitter feed, maintaining the mystery and suspense of plot developments for the wildly popular television series. Once fans have caught up with the episode, they can then safely return to their regular feed with the ability to read everything people had to say. Sure, this isn’t the first solution we’ve seen to the issue of social media killjoys. But at the moment it is certainly the most effective. Browser/hashtag-filtering is time consuming and not always foolproof. And abstinence from social media? Well that's just way too extreme. The Netflix app can be easily activated by logging into the Spoiler Foiler website using your Twitter account. Surely it'll just be a matter of time before this concept is extended to other popular series. Until then, rant away! We just won’t be listening. Via PSFK.
Forget The Big Bang Theory — in The Flight Attendant, Kaley Cuoco well and truly leaves her long-running stint in the popular (and just-finished) sitcom behind. Exactly what her character does for work won't come as a surprise given the mini-series' title, but the fact that she wakes up in a Bangkok hotel room next to a dead body and then finds FBI agents on her trail when she returns to New York sparks a mighty big mystery. If it sounds familiar, perhaps you've read Chris Bohjalian's 2018 novel of the same name. Before it even hit bookstores, Cuoco's production company snapped up the rights to turn it into a thrilling TV show. Accordingly, it's clearly a passion project for the actor and executive producer, and promises to treat audiences to an array of twists and turns.
From continually churning out top professional surfers to scoring a mention in the best surfing heist film ever made, aka Point Break, Australia's surfing prowess is well recognised around the world. Now our island continent has another wave-riding feather in our cap, with a stretch of Sunshine Coast coastline being named the latest World Surfing Reserve. Spanning a four-kilometre area at Noosa — including the beaches and five surf breaks between Sunshine Beach and the Noosa River — it's only the tenth spot on the planet to earn such honours. And, as a land girt by sea (as our anthem reminds us), it's Australia's third entry on the list. Sydney's Manly beach was selected in 2010, while the Gold Coast joined the swell in 2016. World Surfing Reserve status is awarded by the Save The Waves Coalition, with partners National Surfing Reserves Australia and the International Surfing Association, after launching the initiative in 2009. As well as aiming to preserving wave breaks and their surrounding areas, the scheme recognises and works to protect the surfing reserves on an environmental, cultural, economic and community level. It was Noosa's "beautiful pointbreaks and visionary coastal conservation," that got it over the line, according to the WSR announcement made at the dedication ceremony for the ninth reserve in Punta de Lobos, Chile. If heading to the popular Queensland spot wasn't already on your summer itinerary, you now have another reason to channel your inner Johnny Utah and head north for a splash in the sun. Via the ABC. Image: Yun Huang Yong via Flickr
Maybe you lived through the 90s rave scene. Perhaps you spent every weekend enjoying club life in the 00s. Or, you might just wish you were old enough to have ticked both boxes. Ministry of Sound was around to see both, and now it's revisiting the experience — bringing back its massive Testament parties for another year, this time touring them around Australia over two weekends. If cutting loose like you've travelled back in time is your ideal way to mark absolutely anything, then you'll want to make a date with Testament when it hits up Brisbane. For two nights on Friday, August 4 and Saturday, August 12, the event will have you making shapes to 90s and 00s bangers in Warner Laneway. It's a choose-your-own-adventure type of affair, so fans of old-school tunes can hit up the session dedicated to 90s house, rave, trance and garage tracks, and lovers of 00s electro and breaks get their own shindig. Leading the bill at the 90s party are Barbara Tucker, Inner City, Phil Hartnoll and Tall Paul, while The Bloody Beetroots, Digitalism, Freq Nasty and Stanton Warriors are their 00s counterparts. On the Brisbane-specific leg of the national tour, Barking Boy, Darren Briais, Jen E, John Course, Mark Dynamix, Matt Kitshon and Rousey are also on the 90s bill. Fleshing out the 00s: Goodwill, Groove Terminator, Jaime Doom from Bang Gang Deejays, Kid Kenobi, Matt Nugent, Rasp, Shredlock, Skool of Thought and Chris Wilson.
Did you love playtime as a kid? I did. No restrictions on your imagination, just a designated time to be and to create. We didn’t always create masterpieces, but getting a finger painting up on the fridge wasn’t always the intended result. Forgive me if I go a bit too deep right now, but maybe the loss of playtime as we have grown older has made us lose a bit of our internal creativity. I give full credit to artists that can make playtime into all-the-time. As without them our world would be incredibly dull. The Institute of Modern Art is hosting an exhibition based on the notion of ‘infantile regression’. This exhibition will feature artwork that is rough, vivid, juvenile and cheeky, as each artist is encouraged to revisit their early infant creativity, unbridled, unrestrained, uninhibited. Playtime features work from Jenny Watson, Otto Muehl, Peter Robinson, Justene Williams, Steve Carr and Jake and Dinos Chapman. Each artist brings a unique interpretation to the theme and helps make the exhibition truly unique.
It is just all happening at our state galleries right now: Matisse, Yayoi Kusama, and now the distinct and beautiful work of Eugene von Guerard. For those philistines who are not aware of von Guerard’s work (like me, prior to researching this article), he is considered one of Australia’s most important colonial landscape painters. Born in Vienna, von Guerard trained as an artist throughout Europe in the early-mid 1800s spending time in Rome, Naples and Dusseldorf. Then, in 1852, he migrated to Australia, finding his artistic inspiration in the Australian landscape. Focussing mainly on Victoria, where he was based, he depicted the amazing forests of Gippsland and the Otways, the crater lakes of Victoria's volcanic Western District and the peaks of the Kosciuszko plateau like no other painter at this time. Von Guerard had a keen interest in the geography, geology and vegetation found in Australia, which was so different to his homeland. His depictions were so detailed and well developed that they are still hold environmental significance today. This is the first dedicated exhibition to Eugene von Guerard since 1980 and includes not only his paintings of the Australian landscape, but also landscapes from New Zealand and Europe. The exhibition includes sketches and never before seen works by this significant artist.
Nothing makes us feel so alive as to see others die. This starkly confronting line comes from Leo Carax's new surrealistic film, Holy Motors, and is resemblant of the tone and style of the whole story. Carax's first feature film in 13 years, Holy Motors is an abstract expression of a heightened reality. It follows the life of Monsieur Oscar, a roving assassin played expertly by Denis Lavant, who meanders between varying identities and lives - whether that be a family man, a monster or a captain of industry. The film is set between dawn and dusk, yet follows no clear linear progression, instead exploring the irrational nature of the human subconscious. Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian awarded the film a whopping five stars and described it as "wayward, kaleidoscopic, black comic and bizarre; there is in it a batsqueak of genius, dishevelment and derangement; it is captivating and compelling". It first appeared at this year's Cannes Film Festival and although it has received some mixed reviews, it has largely been received as a cinematic delight and created a mass of critical excitement. Other notable performances in the film include the slender blonde chauffeur, Celine, played by Edith Scob, the sultry Eva Mendez as Kay M, and Kylie Minogue, whose character is believed to represent the struggles in the protagonist's career. The most important thing to note in Holy Motors is to not look for one simple meaning - although we can safely say that it is at least in part about the significance of human role-playing as we journey through life. Concrete Playground has ten double passes to giveaway to see Holy Motors. To go in the running, subscribe to Concrete Playground (if you haven't already) then email your name and postal address to us at hello@concreteplayground.com.au
After a shitty, watery start to Brisbane’s year, the punk and hardcore scene kids have lifted themselves off inner-city benches and combined their musical talents to cause a ruckus. The Flood is happening August 13 and aims to raise much-needed funds whilst also providing attendees with a ‘flooding’ great time (heh). Organised by Kill The Music, the day includes a marathon bill to see punk lovers go all afternoon and night, plus there will be stalls selling zines and promoting good causes. The heavy lineup includes Quiet Steps, Fires Of Waco, Headaches, Thickskin, We Set Sail, Marathon, Inside The Whale, Waiting Room, Done For, and The Open Sea. As all money raised is going towards producing a compilation LP that features all these local bands, so you should probably attend because it’s not often you are given the opportunity to party for a good cause and a good time.
Most musicians avoid day jobs like the plague. But not singer-songwriter Gregory Alan Isakov. Back home in Colorado, he's a full-time farmer, who hits the touring circuit in between sowing seeds, harvesting crops and wandering around the land he loves. But he's carved out some time to come our way this autumn, armed with his fifth studio album (seventh in total), Evening Machines. Up until this release, Isakov was an indie musician with his own label, Suitcase Town Music, and a recording studio on his farm — and he managed to sell 370,000 records all on his lonesome and share stages with the likes of Iron & Wine, Ani DiFranco and Passenger. This time, though, he's teamed up with Dualtone, simply because he was curious to see how working with a bigger label would unfold. Hitting The Triffid on Wednesday, March 6, Isakov will play a bunch of new tunes, plus a selection of the tracks that have won him his loyal following, like 'The Stable Song', 'Big Black Car' and 'If I Go, I'm Goin''. To purchase tickets to Gregory Alan Isakov's only Brisbane performance, head here. Plus, you can go in the running to win a trip to Denver, Colorado to see Isakov perform at Red Rocks Amphitheatre. To enter, head this way. Images: Israel Nebeker/Rebecca Caridad.
Felt butter. Felt SPAM. Felt condoms. Snuggle up to your groceries in this new, adorable installation from London artist Lisa Sparrow. Taking over a Bethnal Green cornerstore, Sparrow has stitched, stuffed and hand-priced hundreds of Coke cans, milk bottles and Men's Health magazines to stock the shelves with her latest artwork. Partly crowdfunded by Kickstarter, the Cornershop project took eight months to put together, realising the contents of an entire Bethnal Green shop in felt (with a tiny bit of lycra and plastic detailing). Crafting canned goods, confectionery, alcohol, toiletries, frozen food, cigarettes, ice cream, chewing gum, newspapers and magazines, Sparrow posted up the full inventory on her blog. While by no means an entirely never-done-before idea, it's pretty damn cute. The store will stick around for the month of August at 19 Wellington Row, then move to Brighton in October. Channeling artists like Sarah Lucas, Tracey Emin and Michael Landy with their embracing of the humble store, Sparrow's obvious penchant for nostalgia shines through felt Extra gum packets and felt Fanta. "[The corner shop] is something that's disappearing with the growth of supermarkets, and the loss of the corner shop has adversely impacted our high streets and communities," said Sparrow. "I hoped that this project would remind people just how much the corner shop cemented life in local communities." But the Cornershop Project isn't merely a vessel for shining a light on consumerism; Sparrow's work often makes a big statement on art audiences (and their undeniable hierarchy). "The Cornershop is a tactile project and I felt it was important to create some art for communities that normally find themselves excluded from mainstream art," Sparrow told Dezeen. Opening doors to all art enthusiasts, the Cornershop Project includes sewing workshops for children and people with neurological disabilities. "I chose felt because it's a naive, almost childlike material that everyone comes into contact with at a young age when first they start to sew," Sparrow explains. "It's a very forgiving fabric that's approachable and is available in a huge range of colours. It was just the right material to give the pieces saturation, stroke-ability and a uniform appearance." Sparrow introduces the often underapplauded realms of craft to the more recognised world of contemporary art. Mainly working with felt and wool to tackle the politics of consumerism, Sparrow has crafted food many times before — a movement she's called 'feltism' and 'craftivism' — crafting everything from felt cigarettes to oversized giant felt burgers. Alongside reams of huge group shows — over 35 including the annual 'Modern Panic' exhibition in London and Nottingham's City Art Institute of Mental Health Exhibition —the London artist was notably shown alongside Banksy in the Victoria and Albert Museum's touring street art exhibition 'Urban Take-Over' in 2013. So whip out that cuddly credit card, let's go shopping. The Felt Cornershop will be open until 31 August in Bethnal Green, London before moving to Brighton in October. Via Dezeen.
The amazing minds of the Studio Ghibli team had to start out somewhere, right? Tokyo is the home of to some of the worlds most creative and prestigious art schools producing many amazing artists of our culture and time. QUT is hosting the Tokyo: Peer to Peer art series, showcasing student work for the Tokyo University of the Arts as part of an international work exchange. The exhibition will be an innovative outdoor projection series supporting ‘the moving image’ and all its forms including film, television, art and new media. This digital canvas is a new initiative to encourage experimental and emerging artists. You don’t have to travel the world to find fine art - just pop on over to QUT and get introduced to the art world’s future greats. Sayonara!
Mandatory across all of Victoria (from tonight) and encouraged elsewhere when you cannot maintain social distancing (on public transport and at supermarkets, for example), face masks have become a part of everyday life for many Australians. There are plenty of shops across the country selling them now, but if you want to make yours a touch more unique, Petflair is here to help. The company is selling custom face masks with your pet's adorable fluffy (or not-so-fluffy) face on them. Whether you have an iguana, schnoodle or misanthropic cat, you can get their face emblazoned on a mask for all your fellow grocery shoppers to see. The masks are made to Department of Health and Human Services guidelines with three layers — a 100 percent polyester outside layer and 100 percent cotton face and filter-pocket layers — and come in ten different colours, including pastel pink, yellow, red, blue and black. They'll set you back $39.95 each — or two for $70 — with free shipping across Australia. Because of high demand, Petflair is only taking orders until 4pm on Wednesday, August 5 and shipping may take three-to-four weeks. So, you may need to get another couple of masks in the meantime (we've got some suggestions here). As an added bonus, the company is giving a portion of profits to charity Pound Paws, which helps pounds and rescue centres rehome animals across Australia. If you're set for masks, Petflair also makes towels and bathers with your pet's face on it. You'll be more than ready for a summer of social distancing on the beach if you get a set of these with Fido on them. Petflair is selling its custom print pet masks for $39.95. Orders must be submitted by 4pm on Wednesday, August 5. Top image: @dobiejax
After announcing they'll be playing sets at six European festivals this summer — their first live shows since 2012 — Radiohead have added a string of headline shows to their year, carving out a very neat 2016 world tour. So neat in fact, that's it's a little on the sparse side. That is to say that there are no Australian or New Zealand dates listed on their 2016 schedule as of yet (even after we checked and refreshed the page nine times). Instead, the band will do a series of May dates in Amsterdam, Paris and London, before heading to Barcelona's Primavera Sound, Iceland's Secret Solstice, Switzerland's Openair St Gallen and Lisbon's Nos Alive festivals. They'll then move onto New York, LA, Japan, Berlin for Lollapalooza and Mexico City. And although their website says these are "all the headline shows that the band will play in 2016", we're not taking that as an absolute, and will continue to cross our hopeful little fingers that a Australasian date or two gets added to the list. Not to be too forthcoming, but November would be perfect. No pressure. Radiohead have yet to announce a new album, but you can view all their 2016 tour dates at their website, W.A.S.T.E.
Facial hair is inspiring everyone these days. I would even go as far as saying moustaches in particular are peaking in trend more so now than in 16th century France. It really is amazing what a little growth on the upper lip can encourage, and Moustache Magazine is proof. Moustache Magazine is a publication for the local creatives. They’ve been soaring the social media scene for a little while now and finally, after months of submissions and a big bag of build up, the count down is over: issue one launches this Friday with a huge party at Alloneword. It’s going to be an amazingly eventful night with entertainment for any eyeballs. A specially mixed nebulous set by Clothes and Things will feature as well as interactive live art showcases, live fashion, and as expected, false moustaches. The magazine is an entirely visual publication attributing the hidden and unique creative talent in Brisbane. Finally, something for the locals! The party is getting some serious hype so be early if you want to make it in the door as venue capacity is 200. You really must dash.
If you've been dreaming of a frosty cold winter — a reprieve not only from a record-breaking summer, but a hotter-than-usual autumn, too — it's time to recalibrate your expectations. As it does every quarter, the Bureau of Meteorology has released its climate outlook for the June to August period, and the forecast favours two words that Australians are all too used to: warm and dry. Just like last season, if you call mainland Australia home, there's a very good chance that you'll experience winter temperatures that are a whole lot warmer than the median. Apart from the far north of Queensland, as well as isolated spots in Western Australia and the Northern Territory, the whole country is tipped to endure maximums at least 60 percent higher than normal. For the east and west coasts, that figure goes up to 80 percent. Nights are also likely to be toastier than average, especially for WA, the northern NT, parts of Queensland, eastern New South Wales, and most of Victoria and Tasmania. If you're wondering exactly what's in store, then it's worth keeping the usual daily temps across the period in mind — and remembering that they'll be exceeded. In Sydney, that means the mercury will soar above a 17-degree maximum in June, a 16.4 top in July and a 17.9 max in August, while Melbourne can expect temps above 15.4, 15.7 and 16.3 in the same months. In Brisbane, the standard tops range between 22–23.3, and in Perth it spans 18.4–19.4. Once again, farmers are in for not-so-great news. The three months are set to be drier than average for much of Queensland, NSW, Victoria, southeast South Australia, northern Tasmania, the NT, and northern and far southwest WA — and, for everywhere else, the chances of either being wetter or drier are roughly equal. If you're wondering what's behind this forecast, El Niño–like warmth has been having an impact in the central tropical Pacific Ocean, and a drying effect on Australia as a result. That's actually expected to reduce slightly over winter, but the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD), or Indian Niño, will spark its own dryness. Combined with higher atmospheric pressures, it all makes for a lack of rain and a spike in warmth. It's becoming a familiar story. Let's not forget that in 2018, overall, Australia copped its third-warmest year ever. If this year's winter is set to favour hotter than usual temps, and less rain than usual as well, things aren't shaping up well for spring and summer.
In repentance for all the times you've ordered take away and slumped on the couch feeling like the worst, you can now do the exact same thing while feeling like the best. On Friday, July 15 Uber is teaming up with OzHarvest and a horde of celebrity chefs to design and deliver a range of gourmet ice creams for a good cause (sorry Gelato Messina, you're out of the gang). The guys at OzHarvest hope to deliver 100,000 meals for vulnerable Aussies to help them get through the harsh winter season. The profits from a $15 half-litre tub of ice cream will provide five square meals to struggling Aussies — and one indulgent meal to yourself. George Calombaris, Matt Moran and Neil Perry have all signed up, and each has designed a custom ice cream flavour. There are no prizes for guessing that George's has an amazing Greek twist — it's called Caramel and Walnut Baklava Smash. Matt Moran has wisely gone with the deliciousness of banana with his Banoffee Crunch and Neil Perry will be scooping Spiced Cookie and Caramel Swirl. They all sound bonkers, which is a good thing because distribution is randomised. All you have to do is jump on the app between 11am and 5pm on Friday and press the ice cream button for ice cream delivered straight to your door. If only all things in life were that simple. Check out their service areas on their website. Like all of Uber's extracurricular pursuits, demand will be high. But if you miss out, just buy an ice cream and donate to OzHarvest directly over here.
Surfing and gig-going have always been two of Australia's best-loved pastimes, and last year we scored a festival celebrating the best of both worlds. And, now, it's back for its second round of autumnal beachside festivals. Returning this March and April, The Drop festival will cruise around the country as it follows the Aussie leg of the World Surf League (WSL) Championship Tour and it's bringing a banging little lineup of musical gold along for the ride. Surfing the festival wave for 2019 are brother-sister folk band Angus and Julia Stone, the perennially pastel indie pop duo Client Liaison and NSW surf rock band Hockey Dad, along with other local legends The Jungle Giants and Alex the Astronaut. Held on the first weekend of each area's surfing event, The Drop is set to grace some of the Australia's most iconic surf spots, each outing featuring a locally focused offering of food, drink and culture, to match the tunes. As well as heading to the official WSL events in Torquay, Margaret River and Coolangatta, this year, the festival will also kick off Surfest Newcastle and Vissla Sydney Surf Pro in Manly — both WSL Qualifying Series events. THE DROP FESTIVAL 2019 LINEUP Angus and Julia Stone Client Liaison Hockey Dad The Jungle Giants* Alex the Astronaut * Ball Park Music will replace The Jungle Giants in Newcastle THE DROP FESTIVAL 2019 DATES Newcastle, NSW — King Edward Park, Saturday, March 16 Manly, NSW — Keirle Park, Saturday, March 23 Coolangatta, Qld — Queen Elizabeth Park, Saturday, April 6 Torquay, Vic — Torquay Common, Saturday, April 20 Margaret River, WA — Barnard Park, Busselton, Saturday, June 1 The Drop tickets are currently on sale for $95. For more info, visit thedropfestival.com.au. Images: Miranda Stokkel.
Facebook might have spawned its fair share of hook-ups over the years, but now the site's taking the whole matchmaking thing to the next level. As announced by CEO Mark Zuckerberg at the company's annual F8 developer conference, a new Facebook feature for dating and relationships is just around the corner. According to Facebook's blog post about its latest technology announcements, the dating service is designed to improve the experience of meeting new people. You'll be able to use it to create a dating profile (separate to your regular one, thankfully), which will then throw you potential love matches, based on information about your mutual friends, preferences and things you might have in common. Users will also be able to scout out compatible matches through Facebook's 'Groups' and 'Events' features. The service is being built as we speak, with testing slated to kick off later this year. Other nifty new Facebook services announced at the F8 conference include a blood donations registrations feature for communities in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, and new ways of sharing to your 'Stories'. Also in development is a 'Clear History' feature, which will show you what websites and apps send Facebook your information, and enable you to switch off the process going forward. It's a feature that might make users feel more secure after the Cambridge Analytica privacy breach.
2023 marks six years since Revel Brewing Co set up shop on Oxford Street in Bulimba, and started both brewing and pouring its beers. And, when the end of the year hits, it will have been two years since these purveyors of yeasty beverages opened their second location in in Morningside, a sprawling spot in a century-old riverside factory in the Rivermakers precinct. They're usually the only two places you'll find the brewery doing its thing — except during the 2023 Brisbane Comedy Festival. Fancy a brew while you're giggling? Until the end of May, Revel has launched a pop-up bar outside Brisbane Powerhouse. It's a first for both — Revel's first time at Brisbane's annual laughfest, and the first time that the event has boasted its own bar at all. And, it's one of only a few places where beer lovers can sip a brand-new brew whipped up just for the occasion: the aptly named Laughing Lager, a limited-release drop that's on tap at the Revel Bar, plus BCF's hubs at The Tivoli and Fortitude Music Hall. With the Revel Bar making itself at home on the Powerhouse Plaza until Sunday, May 28, Brisbane Comedy Festival attendees can also kick back under strung-up lights and grab a bite from a range of food trucks. Eating and drinking here should be familiar — the space just hosted the first Night Feast markets back in March, which will return again in October.
When I think ‘comedy festival’, I immediately start getting my grandma rant on. I mean seriously, the amount of comedians at festivals who derive their work from unintelligent vulgarity and shock rather than actually being funny at all is a depressingly high amount... Kids these days, am I right? One comedian keeping it real is Frank Woodley. You just have to look at the guy to know that he is going to be hilarious. Wide-eyed and long limbed, Woodley combines the perfect mix of slapstick, classic stand-up and musical comedy to keep you endlessly entertained. Performing a series of 60-minute solo shows as part of this year’s Brisbane Comedy Festival, his random segues and liquid limbs are sure to take you on a confusing yet side-splitting journey. Nourish your inner child and giggle yourself silly with this goofy and hilarious guy.
Writer-director Sarah Polley's follow-up to the much-loved drama Away From Her, Take This Waltz follows the story of a freelance writer Margot (Michelle Williams) as she meets a rickshaw driver from Toronto, Daniel (Luke Kirby). Margot shares with him an uncontrollable sexual chemistry, and when they realise they live just across the street from each other, the bombshell is dropped: Margot is happily married to sweetheart husband Lou (Seth Rogen), a gentle and caring cookbook writer. Margot finds herself in a complex and conflicting situation, not knowing whether her comfortable routine with her husband, whom she still loves, is enough in the face of the fiery desire of her alluring neighbour. She finds herself frequently trying to bump into the young man and testing the limits of her resolve by having late night pool dips and sipping margaritas with him, yet not actually acting on the attraction. Far from being a shallow display of trivial conflicting desires, the movie poignantly illustrates the internal dilemma of whether familiarity and comfort will suffice when they come up against the temptation of exotic sex, romance and art. Williams gives a heartwarming and evocative performance, making audiences sympathise and identify with her plight. Similarly moving displays from Rogen and Kirby work to make this film a heartwarming and complex production, which is a must-see for romantics and cynics alike. Concrete Playground has five double passes to giveaway. To go in the running to win tickets to Take This Waltz, make sure you're subscribed to Concrete Playground then email your name and postal address to us at hello@concreteplayground.com.au
So. Your iPhone 6 keeps dying at 28 percent battery, apps have started quitting unexpectedly and the home button has just stopped working. It must be time for the new iPhone to come out. Just as iPhones everywhere start living our their convenient two-year life expectancies, Apple announced the details of the brand new iPhone 7 (and iPhone 7 Plus) in San Francisco overnight. Design-wise, it looks pretty much the same; the new model is the same size and shape and the home button hasn't disappeared (although it isn't clicky anymore) — the biggest change to the look is that it comes in some v sleek new colours (like "piano jet black"). Oh, and it'll have two cameras and be water resistant. Of course, Apple is calling this the best bloody phone they've ever invented. In their words it has the "best performance and battery life ever" (well, you'd hope so), "immersive" speakers (how immersive) and "the most powerful chip ever" that will make it twice as fast as the iPhone 6. But enough with the brand speak. Here's seven details about the new iPhone 7 in dot point form that you can use for prime water cooler convo at work today. THERE WILL BE NO HEADPHONE JACK — WE REPEAT, NO JACK FOR HEADPHONES But you knew this was gonna happen already and have mourned the fact that you will ever have headphones on you at all because you will surely lose these wireless ones immediately. Apple's new-age headphones are called AirPods and they'll connect with all your Apple devices wirelessly. Siri will also live inside them, so you'll also be able to talk to them and get her to do stuff without touching your phone. Apparently they'll last up to five hours. IT WILL HAVE NOT ONE, BUT TWO REAR-FACING CAMERAS Why on Earth do you need that? To shoot a photo for one of those 'shot on my iPhone' billboards, of course. The iPhone Plus will be both a wide-angle and telephoto lens, and supposedly the phone will take a photo will both of them, and then allow you to choose your depth of field when editing, which is pretty cool. The regular iPhone 7 has had a bit of an upgrade too with a larger ƒ/1.8 aperture, which should make those sexy low-light photos a little more hi-res. IT WILL COME IN NEW FIERCELY-NAMED COLOURS LIKE PIANO JET BLACK In what seems way overdue, Apple are finally doing an all-black iPhone. Both matte black and a shiny piano jet black options will join silver, gold and rose gold. IT'S GONNA BE WATER RESISTANT Your long history of seeing off your iPhone in a death bed of rice may be over. The new model will be the first iPhone to be splash, water and dust resistant. THE HOME BUTTON LIVES! Sorta. Everyone thought the home button was going to be tossed out on this model — and while it still looks the same, the button isn't going to be clicky anymore. It'll be more of a touch situation (i.e. non-clicky). Apparently it'll still feel like it clicks though. YOU'RE GONNA HAVE HEAPS MORE STORAGE Everything can stay. Those cats at Apple have very generously doubled the storage so that the phones will be available in 32GB, 128GB and 256GB. Because 16GB was a crock anyway and we all know it. YOU'LL BE ABLE TO PLAY SUPER MARIO Even if you're not planning on upgrading your phone, just make sure you update to iOS 10 when it's released on September 13. According to The Verge Nintendo will release a new Super Mario Run — and it will only be available on iOS. The iPhone 7 will be available from September 16, and keen beans can pre-order from September 9 here.
If your blood's boiling over human rights abuses, inequality or environmental destruction, there's never been a better time to let the world know. As of yesterday, your activism can not only help the cause, it can also get you access to free concert tickets. That's because Danny Rogers has launched Global Citizen Tickets Australia. Even if you don't know Danny Rogers by name, chances are you probably like him already. Or like what's he done. His achievements include co-founding both St Jerome's Laneway Festival and And Publishing and managing Gotye. Here's how it works. You choose a cause and get active online. You might give time, donate money, write letters, sign petitions, start protests or spread the word via social media. Every action earns points and, once they've accumulated, you submit an entry to win a pair of tickets. An array of bands has signed up, including big names like Bruce Springsteen, Cold Chisel and Pearl Jam, and medium-sized names such as DD Dumbo, Tigertown and Asta. "More and more people are coming on every day," Rogers told themusic.com.au. "Bernard Fanning reached out to Hugh [Evans, Global Poverty Project CEO] about a month ago, putting his hand up to be an ambassador. But it’s not really about how big you are, the idea is that anyone can be a part of it ... I think it’s got such a great message and it’s also a really positive way for the music industry to work together on something.” Via themusic.com.au.
It is often said that drawing is the ultimate artistic skill. It reveals the abilities of the artist to produce an image with the most simple of tools, the marker (pencil, charcoal, graphite) and the blank page. The new summer exhibition at GOMA ‘Matisse: Drawing Life’ is the most comprehensive exhibition of Henri Matisse’s drawings and prints ever mounted. It reveals that even before he added colour and paint, Matisse could make amazing imagery with merely a brush and a canvas. This exhibition brings together works from international, national, and private collections to reveal the breadth and depth of the drawings Matisse created. It reveals the style that Matisse developed in his works, and how this evolved. Alongside the exhibition there is a film program and although Matisse’s engagement with cinema was limited, there are a number of films showing the artist working in his studio. This is could be one of few chances to see the amazing scope of Matisse’s artistic skill.
No matter what our television screens told us about the 21st century, it looks like we probably won't gain access to hoverboards, robot maids or teleporting stargates any time soon. Sorry guys. However, recent news from the US may offset every other sci-fi-based hope that has been dashed by the underwhelming reality of 2013. NASA has just announced that it is dropping US$125,000 on the development of a 3D food printer. Yes, you heard right, a sort of inkjet for pizza. And they're actually starting with pizza. The 'universal food synthesiser' will be designed by mechanical engineer Anjan Contractor (who has already constructed a chocolate printer, the likes of which you can play with at the Sydney Powerhouse Museum event Eat the Collection) and turn powder into a three-tiered space-age Italian snack. While it may not exactly rival your local woodfired joint, the advantages of this technology could have galactic consequences. First, because powder has a longer shelf-life than organic food (it can last for decades), astronauts will be able to survive epic interplanetary voyages. The 15-year journey to Mars, for example, would be much more bearable with some powder and a printer than it would be with stale Weet-Bix and rock-hard peanut butter. But the designer of the universal food synthesiser has even higher hopes for his machine that could have an impact right here on Earth. Contractor imagines a world where every kitchen contains a 3D food printer stocked with nutritious meals bought cheaply from the local grocery store. A future where powder enables the full flourishing of human life. Indeed, he believes that the synthesiser could end world hunger. It's crazy that TV never told us about that. Via Quartz.
Be honest: have you actually read any of those books mouldering on your shelf? Are you even half the erudite, Dickens-toting literatus you claim to be? Are you in truth a filthy commoner? Or is it a simple matter of not being able to access your tomes, because they are stacked so poorly? If so, Chris Cush of Brooklyn-based Cush Design Studio has the answer for you: the wall-mounted Balance Bookshelf, a shelf system that literally weighs the books you've read against those you're yet to read. Cue book face-off, as you compete against yourself in the ultimate quest for knowledge. The two shelves in Cush’s design take five to ten average-sized books, so you can swap them out to the already-read side as you finish them, and balance the read side with all the novels and biographies you’re excited to get into. It’s a visually pleasing and practical innovation that could just save your intellectual reputation, as well as encourage you to keep expanding your literary repertoire. Methinks having a public display of your reading life would also encourage you to plan ahead, look out for new books and generally include reading more in your daily life. Books are, after all, such a miraculous thing. They put the collective experience of human culture at our fingertips. On my unread shelf would be: Gravity's Rainbow, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, and A Confederacy of Dunces. On the just-read shelf: Play the Harmonica for Fun and Profit. Combining the clean, simple elements of pine wood platters, black twine and black steel pipe fittings (the red version is also very fetching and contemporary), Cush’s design is something to prettify and add interest to your lacklustre apartment walls. Etsy has all the deets for how you can score this baby for your digs, and be sure to check out his other minimalist interior design offerings. Soon you'll be inspired to host a literati party, and inevitably, your fancypants guests will catch sight of this wonder of storage, and have all their elaborate linguistic skills reduced to but a single lexeme: Ermahgerd. Via PSFK
Have you ever woken up in the middle of the night, in your cosy bed in your warm, above-ground room, and thought “There’s really not enough human remains in here. I wish I could take this doze underground to the world’s largest grave”? Macabre napper, you're in luck. Airbnb is running a competition to win a romantic night for two, deep in the catacombs of Paris. Yes the catacombs, which are currently the resting place for 6 million skeletons and presumably their angry, angry ghosts. This cosy little corner of death could be your own little getaway on the spookiest night of the year: October 31, Halloween. Airbnb are flying the winners out to Paris and putting them up for a night in the ‘combs. They’ve confirmed there will be a real mattress, so no bedding down amongst various femurs. The prize also includes dinner with a private concert, a catacombs tour, and a spooky storyteller to really lend the whole ‘night in a tomb with walls made of the dead’ experience some chilling ambiance. Next morning, you will become the only living person ever to wake up in the Paris catacombs (allegedly). Tres bien. Airbnb have reportedly paid $450,000 to rent the tunnels for the night, which kinda checks out — the tunnels are, of course, a huge tourist attraction with lines for entry frequently around the block. This isn't the first time Airbnb has tried to scare your pants clean off, between this terrifying stay at the end of a ski jump, or this luxurious, perilous night you could have spent dangling at 9000ft in a cable car. The scariest part of this particular Airbnb stay though? The listing doesn’t have internet access. OooOOooOOooOO. Enter the contest here.
Sick of searching for that one last kebab joint on your weekend walks home? Say hello to our city's new food trucks, ten mobile restaurants which will deliver snacks to the streets of Sydney. The ten trucks will offer a diverse range of gourmet tastes for patrons, with everything from tacos to steamed dumplings. Furthermore, there will even be a take on modern Australian cuisine from Stuart McGill, former sous chef at the globally acclaimed restaurant Tetsuya's. Vegetarians will also be pleased with one truck, Veggie Patch, that will serve up veggie burgers and veggie chips, while the truck itself runs on vegetable oil and proudly displays a herb garden on its roof. City of Sydney's Late Night Economy Manager, Suzie Matthews, says that the trucks will serve food "at random places and at random times." There will also be the development of an online app, as well as social media pages to let people know when and where the trucks will be appearing. Food trucks applicants to took their ideas to the City of Sydney last year, where they underwent a Masterchef-esque testing process that included a one hour cook-off. They also presented their business plans and backgrounds, and ten successful applicants were eventually chosen. This is one government initiative that all Sydneysiders will welcome with open arms and open mouths. Stop salivating and check out the video below for a sneak preview, with the real trucks expected to arrive in the next few weeks. The ten new Sydney food trucks are: • Agape • Al Carbon • Bite Sized Delights • Burger Theory • Cantina Mobil • Eat Art Truck • Let's Do Yum Cha • Taco Truck • Tsuru • Veggie Patch https://youtube.com/watch?v=jwuhf9J6lHs
The term 'underground' gets thrown around a lot in modern culture. Anything outside the mainstream genre can fall under the vast umbrella of underground arts. And what a beautiful big umbrella it is. Everyone's huddling under it! If underground arts really was an umbrella, Mark McGuire would be the rain causing noisy droplets to fall around all us. Yep, he's the music man. Recognised as one of the central figures emerging from the American underground music scene he developed an entirely unique method of live looping and introduced a network on tone, melody and free form modification. In Brisbane for the very first time, McGuire will perform at The Judith Wright Centre for first Syncretism event of the year. Also featuring Brisbane's own Black Realm with their very distinctive audio vision, the night promises to be an intimate performance showcasing some of the best electronica and experimental music. For fans of live looping this is a night not to be missed. Head down to the Judy this Thursday to catch the talented player/songwriter mastering his craft.
Waking up and hearing the rain cascade over your roof, drizzle down your windows and water your plants sounds like heaven to most of us. To the cyclists among us, on the other hand, maybe not so much. Riding in the rain isn't the most desirable (or safe) way of getting to work, but for some it's the only way. So various bike umbrellas have been developed over the years (including this shocker), but here's one that might actually work. LEAFXPRO is a brand new leaf-style umbrella for your bike, looking for funding on Kickstarter. Designed with aerodynamics and ergonomics in mind, the windscreen-shaped umbrella hopes to keep you nice and dry on your way to work.You can even pick the colour from 'storm colours' to 'advanced colours'. Yep, deep breaths. The LEAFXPRO aerodynamics work to pull the water away from your body as you ride, and can be installed on any bike. We're a little worried about the visibility factor with that frontal shield, but we'd have to take it for a test run to make the call. And from the looks of the promo video, you'll need to unclip from the umbrella when you're locking up your bike — so you might get pretty wet anyway. Available for pre-order on Kickstarter, the umbrellas are going for about £99 — about $195AUD, pretty steep stuff when you add shipping. But with the amount you're likely to drop on Uber every time in rains, it might pay for itself. Maybe. Via Cycling Weekly.
Despite being many kilometers and continents away from the country of Croissants, berets and good wine, Brisbane has its fair share of Francophiles. Thankfully once again, from 16 March to 3 April, this group of accent loving people can leave their adopted homes of the faux Eiffel Tower in Milton and Brisbane’s Hermes boutique and head to Palace Cinemas to enjoy the annual French Film Festival presented by the Alliance Française. A chic French themed party will mark the opening of the festival, where attendees will be treated to canapés, wine and the screening of Potiche. The movie, which contains a stellar cast including Catherine Deneuve, Gérard Depardieu and Fabrice Luchini, was last year chosen to appear at both the Toronto International Film Festival and Venice International Film Festival. Other standout movie events from the festival include the 22 March screening of Angele and Tony, with a guest appearance from elegant French actress and Ambassador of French Cinema – Next Generation, Clotilde Hesme, as well as showings of crime thrillers Sphinx, White as Snow and documentary The Arrivals. Finally, the French are known for their bourgeois lifestyle as much as they are for their cheese and baguettes, so what better way to end the festival than with a fashion and love themed evening and showing of YSL & P.Berge l’Amour Fou, the story of Yves Saint Laurent and his glamorous life?
Lock up your children: the Sanderson sisters are back and they're wreaking havoc again, as this witchy trio are known to. Twenty-nine years after Hocus Pocus first cast a spell on audiences, the beloved flick is getting a sequel — arriving on Disney+ this month, on Friday, September 30, and with a new full trailer to prove it. The latest sneak peak at Hocus Pocus 2 follows an initial teaser back in June, and the results are the same: more witchy mayhem as originally seen in 1993; more Bette Midler (The Addams Family 2), Sarah Jessica Parker (And Just Like That...) and Kathy Najimy (Music) getting spooky; and oh-so-much nostalgia this time, of course. In this second effort, Winnie, Sarah and Mary Sanderson are unleashed in modern-day Salem again, and things naturally get chaotic. As the trailers show, the magical siblings make a reappearance thanks to a different threesome — a trio of teenage pals who, early in the initial trailer, are told that "it's on the 16th birthday that a witch gets her powers". Cue a black cat, a book of spells, chanting in a graveyard and big The Craft vibes. Soon, cue Winnie, Sarah and Mary as well. Story-wise, Hocus Pocus 2 naturally follows what happens next, as the Sandersons try to unleash their child-eating ways — and the high schoolers who conjured them up attempt to stop them before dawn on All Hallow's Eve. It's been 29 years since someone last lit the black flame candle which resurrects the 17th-century sisters in the movie's world, just as it has in our own, and the witches aren't happy about it. That said, in this new sneak peek, the Sandersons also get an origin story. So if you've always wanted to know more about the sisters, here's your chance — and Ted Lasso's Hannah Waddingham factors into it. Hocus Pocus 2 also features Sam Richardson (The Afterparty), Doug Jones (The Shape of Water), Whitney Peak (Gossip Girl), Belissa Escobedo (American Horror Stories), Lilia Buckingham (Dirt), Froyan Gutierrez (Teen Wolf) and Tony Hale (Veep). While the original film was directed by Kenny Ortega — before the filmmaker gave the world the High School Musical movies — this one has Dumplin', Hot Pursuit and The Proposal's Anne Fletcher behind the lens. And yes, the Mouse House's streaming platform sure does love dropping seasonal-themed movies at the appropriate times. Here's hoping this one turns out better than last year's Christmas-focused Home Sweet Home Alone, though, when it hits the platform just before the scariest month of the year. Check out the full trailer for Hocus Pocus 2 below: Hocus Pocus 2 will be available to stream via Disney+ on Friday, September 30. Images: Matt Kennedy. © 2022 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
The steely gaze and warrior-like stance of Kristen Visbal's legendary bronze statue Fearless Girl have made their home in our own Federation Square. Erected in time for International Women's Day on Friday, March 8, the work is a limited-edition reproduction of the famous sculpture, which was first installed facing off against Arturo Di Modica's Charging Bull in New York's Wall Street. The statue depicts a small girl, with hands on hips and chin in the air, looking boldly into the distance. First commissioned by investment company State Street Global Advisors and appearing on International Women's Day in 2017, she's since become a symbol for female leadership and gender diversity in the workplace — although, not without some criticism. Many, including Di Modica himself, called the statue as a 'publicity stunt' created by a company that itself only had a small number of female executives. The statue was, late last year, relocated to a spot across from the New York Stock Exchange. https://twitter.com/StateStreetGA/status/1072588598388633602 One of just four in the world, our Fearless Girl — commissioned by law firm Maurice Blackburn and superannuation funds Hesta and CBUS — will make her home in Fed Square for the next three years, in an effort to inspire conversations about gender rights and equality. Aside from New York, the only cities to have played host to one of the statues are Oslo and Cape Town. Find 'Fearless Girl' at Federation Square until March 2022.
It's been a weekend tradition for decades, and one that your stomach has no doubt thanked you for: checking out some live tunes in Fortitude Valley, then tucking into whatever tummy-settling food you can get your mitts on in the early hours of the morning. But if you're heading to a gig at Ann Street's iconic The Zoo, there's no need to wait until after the music stops to grab a feed — because the venue is launching its own pizzeria. That'd be Zoopreme Pizzeria, which'll start serving up slices on Saturday, January 15. The Zoo has given its kitchen a big revamp and this is the end result, with chef Luigi De Santo doing the honours. "If my mother finds out I make pizza with pineapple, I won't be allowed to come home to Napoli, but I'm am very happy to join The Zoo family," said De Santo. "I am very passionate about making pizza and I'm very excited to create delicious pizzas for Zoopreme Pizzeria." [caption id="attachment_839239" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Will Johnstone[/caption] De Santo's menu will span Italian classics, as well as a few varieties that'll boast nods to the local music scene. If you can remember The Zoo's kitchen setup in the 90s — or you've heard about it — there might even be a couple of off-menu specials that take their cues from those times. To order the latter, you'll need to ask at the bar. Zoopreme Pizzeria will operate during The Zoo's gigs for now, but will also allow non-ticket holders in from 11.30pm–2.30am — so you can grab a late-night feed even if you're not scoping out the venue's stages that evening. In the near future, the aim is to do takeaway and delivery orders, too, and to operate outside of the venue's events. To get things started, The Zoo is launching Zoopreme Pizzeria in the most fitting way: with a pizza party. Head by on opening night for slices and tunes by Totally Unicorn, Being Jane Lane and Cooper Reilly from Bad Neighbour. Entry is free, there'll be pizza and drink specials until 2.30am, and you'll get a slice for free as well if you arrive between 6.30–7.30pm. Find Zoopreme Pizzeria at The Zoo, 411 Ann Street, Fortitude Valley, from Saturday, January 15 — operating whenever The Zoo is open and hosting gigs. Top image: Luke Henery.
There's something about summer ending that gets everyone thinking about getaways, even if everyone's favourite holiday season won't be back for another nine months. Thankfully, autumn, winter and spring are still mighty fine times to leave your daily life behind for a weekend, few days, or a week or so. To help make those yearnings for a break become a reality, Qantas has just-dropped week-long sale. You'll need to be dreaming about jetting off to somewhere in Australia, and you'll also want to travel from April. Dates vary depending on the route, but some have fares available up until mid-December — so you can book in another summer holiday after all. In total, more than one million discounted flights are on offer. Whether you're a Sydneysider thinking about a Gold Coast jaunt, a Melburnian keen to spend part of winter in Tasmania or a Brisbanite eager to hit The Whitsundays, you have options. And, on 34-plus routes, one-way flights will cost you under $150. Everywhere from Queensland's tropics to the Apple Isle's cities are covered, and from Perth to Sydney, too — alongside all the other state capitals, Newcastle, Coffs Harbour, Broken Hill and more. The two cheapest options, as tends to be the case on most flight sales, are the Sydney–Ballina and Melbourne–Launceston routes at $109. Other highlights include Adelaide to Kangaroo Island for $139 — and Sydney to the Sunshine Coast, Melbourne to Albury and Brisbane to Mackay all for $149. The sale runs until 11.59pm AEDT on Monday, March 11, so you'll want to get in quickly to get a bargain. And, as always, if fares sell out earlier, you'll miss out. Inclusions-wise, the sale covers fares with checked baggage, complimentary food and beverages, wifi and seat selection. Qantas' red tail sale runs until 11.59pm AEDT on Monday, March 11, 2024, or until sold out. Feeling inspired to book a getaway? You can now book your next dream holiday through Concrete Playground Trips with deals on flights, stays and experiences at destinations all around the world.
Now in his tenth year of making music, Nicolas Jaar was previously known for his 'blue-wave' minimal techno. But at a young 24 years, Jaar has already progressed in style. Darkside moves away from anything he's created on his lonesome. Collaborator Dave Harrington, a multi-instrumentalist from Brooklyn, might have previously said he prefers making music that's sad. But speaking from his hotel room in icy Oxford, Jaar concedes that Darkside isn't dark at all; it has an electro-psyche-jazz sound all of its own. Right now, Darkside are in the UK as part of the Psychic world tour alongside their recently released debut album of the same name. Receiving rave reviews from both critics, and, well, ravers, Psychic scored two 'Best New Track' slots with Pitchfork after the 11-minute opener 'Golden Arrow' was released as a free download in August. But Jaar refuses to get carried away by critics and their reviews. Because, as he says, there'll always be those who love your music and others who hate it. For Jaar, it's about taking fans to a new place. "The only hope for musicians is that we're communicating something," says Jaar, coming over all Alice in Wonderland. "I just hope that people are able to fall into the small worlds that we try to create." Harrington originally played with Jaar as part of his touring live band. But after jamming together between gigs, the duo quickly morphed into Darkside back in 2011. Now they're back to where it all began — on tour — and Sydney and Melbourne are next on their list of places to wow. Darkside are at their best when heard live. but there's no use in predicting how their sets will pan out. Though their drawn-out electronica is likely to have us fall down the rabbit hole, each of their performances are different. "We try to improvise every night because we're doing this so much, and we're playing so many shows," says Jaar of their live performances. "We feel like, if we change it up here and there every night we'll slowly get to a better understanding of what we're trying to say. And as musicians we're getting better and better." Darkside's Psychic world tour has sold out shows across Europe. And since Jaar sold out his solo gigs at 2013's Sydney Festival, their Hi-Fi and Palace Theatre gigs are expected to go the same way. After all, in the year that's passed, the duo's evolving sounds have only garnered more fame. And don't expect that to slow down any time soon. It appears we can expect even more from Darkside over the coming year. "We're hoping to write a new record," says Jaar. Sadly, they've not as yet begun writing: "We're thinking about it." For now we'll have to settle with Psychic and their upcoming live shows. But who are we kidding; we couldn't ask for more. Darkside play Sydney's Hi-Fi on Wednesday, April 2, and Melbourne's Palace Theatre on Friday, April 4 (tickets for both via Oztix). Thanks to Modular, we have one double pass to give away in each city. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), then email us with your name and address. Sydney: win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au Melbourne: win.melbourne@concreteplayground.com.au https://youtube.com/watch?v=d8NaWT0WvEE
Whether it's after a hard day at the office, a hard morning of exercise or a hard evening of heavy drinking, there are few sweeter reliefs than an ice cold beer. And thanks to Pat's Backcountry Beverages, you can brew your own beer whenever and wherever you so desire with these tasty, transportable sachets. Simply pour the packet of beer concentrate in a special carbonation bottle, add water and shake, and you have yourself the world's most convenient six-pack. Perfect for campers and hikers, the Alaskan company assures its customers that they haven't sacrificed transportability for taste, claiming that the sachets will give you the "same great taste you're used to in a premium micro beer". To find out more have a look at this demonstration video and get brewing.
Australia's most sinister festival, Dark Mofo, is back for its seventh year and is set to be as boundary-pushing as ever, with its full lineup announced today. As always, the festival will take place in the lead up to the winter solstice, exploring connections between old and contemporary mythology through art installations, performance, talks and music — all taking place in the darkness of Tasmanian winter. Hosted by the Museum of Old and New Art (MONA), Dark Mofo will takeover most of Hobart between June 6–23, showcasing a melting pot of artists, creatives and thinkers who dwell in the shadows of mainstream culture. Just-announced musicians include FKA Twigs — who's also bringing her experimental dream pop to Vivid Sydney this year — New York-based composer Nicolás Jaar, American singer John Grant and multi-instrumentalist Roger Eno. Other highlights of the music program include an audiovisual 'soundbath' by Sigur Rós; an international metal program, featuring Brazil's Mystifier; and the return of Night Mass — a ritualistic series of multi-venue, late-night parties featuring Sampa the Great, FAKA and Empress Of. These musicians and creatives join those announced in the first lineup drop last week, which included boundary-pushing speakers in the Dark + Dangerous Thoughts program, artists Ai Weiwei and Mike Parr, and singer and actor Sharon Van Etten. [caption id="attachment_716526" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Saeborg, Pigpen. Courtesy of Dark Mofo and the artist.[/caption] The festival's dark and quirky arts lineup has grown, too, with the addition of a latex-filled installation and performance by Japan's Saeborg and an immersive group exhibition — of ten international artists, including Canada's Cassils, USA's Paul McCarthy and India's Shilpa Gupta — inside the former Forestry Tasmania Building. The award-winning building — which once housed its own forest — is just one of many new venues to join this year's program. Come June, revellers will also be able to party inside the Old Hobart Blood Bank, the Avalon and Odeon theatres, the Old Davey St Congregational Church and aboard a floating natural wine bar, dubbed Natty Waves. Of course, all the festival favourites are set to make a triumphant return, too. You'll be able to drink and eat amongst inverted crosses and candles at the Winter Feast, try not to freeze during the very cold Nude Solstice Swim and absolve your sins at Night Mass. Dark Mofo returns to Hobart from June 6–23. Pre-sale tickets are available from 6pm on Monday, April 15 with general tickets on sale from midday on Tuesday, April 16. For more information, and to check out the full lineup, head to the festival website. Images: Andy Fraser; Meagan Streader, Response VII — Partition III, photo by Sam Whiteside; and All This Coming and Going, Terrapin.
There are some big, green changes afoot in the ACT, with the nation's capital today — Wednesday, September 25 — legalising the possession and cultivation of cannabis for personal use. The ACT Parliament gave a green light to the bill put forward by Labor backbencher Michael Pettersson, called Drugs of Dependence (Personal Cannabis Use) Amendment Bill 2018, which allows residents over the age of 18 to possess up to 50 grams of dry cannabis (or 150 grams of wet) and to have two cannabis plants growing at their house, with a maximum of four per household. The new laws, which are set to come into effect from January 31, 2020, aren't clearcut, however. You still won't be able to buy, sell, give or even share marijuana under the new laws — which means your only option is to grow your own. The ACT's Chief Police Officer Ray Johnson told the ABC Radio earlier today (via The Canberra Times), that even sharing a joint would be considered 'drug supply'. "If there's evidence that someone is providing cannabis to someone else, that's supply and that's an offence," Johnson said. Cannabis will still remain an illegal drug under Commonwealth law, which means that Canberrans risk fines and prison time for possessing the drug. At the moment, it's unsure how ACT police offers will react, as they have the ability to enforce both ACT and Commonwealth laws. It's also possible the Commonwealth could overrule the ACT decision, as it did with the Territory's same-sex marriage decision back in 2013 (yes, the ACT independently legalised same-sex marriage before any other jurisdiction), saying the ACT's law was inconsistent with the Federal law. You also can't smoke in public places or around minors, and, just as before, there'll also be penalties for any minor caught with cannabis, for driving under the influence and, importantly, artificial cultivation. Which means, any cultivation with the aid of light or heat is still illegal — so you won't be able to set up a hydroponics system in your cupboard or basement a la Pineapple Express. So, while things are looking suitably murky for now, if all proceeds as expected, Canberrans will be able to light up from early next year. It'll be interesting to see if this influences laws in any other states or territories. The ACT's Drugs of Dependence (Personal Cannabis Use) Amendment Bill 2018 is set to be signed in on January 31, 2020. We'll let you know if anything changes. Via The Canberra Times
In a delightfully clever combination of old and new, Rich Neeley has been taking actual vintage books and giving them new lives as iPhone chargers. The book chargers feature a subtle adapter for iPhones/iPods through the front cover, and then connect to a power source through a wire which runs behind the book's binding. Neeley travels around Southern California with his wife on book hunting excursions, where they dig up old treasures or Rich to feature in his work. These have included books from as far back as 1914, as well as a copy of the classic Alice in Wonderland. Priced at around $50 from Rich's Etsy store, these will make a great gift and add a little convenient charm to any home. [via CoolHunting]
