When Massachusetts teenager Conrad Roy was found dead in his truck in 2014, in a Kmart parking lot, it was ruled a suicide. But then the police investigating his passing discovered text messages sent to Roy by his 17-year-old girlfriend Michelle Carter, and noted the onslaught of words encouraging him to take his own life. That's the case that I Love You, Now Die: The Commonwealth Vs Michelle Carter delves into, splitting the details across two parts — with the first charting the prosecution's side of the story, and the second focusing on the defence. It's a tragic and complicated case, and it's also one that inspires a plethora of questions, all of which filmmaker Erin Lee Carr handles with sensitivity. That shouldn't come as a surprise, as she did the same with 2017's Mommy Dead and Dearest as well, which stepped through the now well-known murder of Dee Dee Blanchard and its links to Munchausen syndrome by proxy.
Whether you're a Queenslander hoping to hop over the border for a mid-year holiday, or a resident of the rest of the country eager to soak in the Sunshine State's splendours once winter hits, don't go making plans anytime soon — with Queensland's borders possibly remaining closed until September. While the state has been relaxing its COVID-19 restrictions in recent weeks — including allowing non-essential trips out of the house, then permitting small in-home gatherings and letting restaurants, cafes and pubs reopen — Queensland hasn't changed its stance on its locked-down border. And, as Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk revealed this morning, that's not likely to happen in the short term. Speaking to ABC News Breakfast, the Premier said "we want to welcome as many domestic tourists as possible to Queensland", but that isn't on the cards as yet because "there is still community transmission in Victoria and New South Wales". The Premier also explained that the border situation will be reviewed at the end of each month, and that she's aware that people are starting to ponder their plans for the June–July school holidays; however she noted that it's likely "things will look more positive towards September". Asked about opening up travel to other states without community transmission — that is, allowing Queenslanders to visit Northern Territory, Western Australia and South Australia, and permitting residents of those regions to visit Queensland — the Premier advised that she "could see that happening before New South Wales and Victoria, but that's a matter for the premiers there as well". https://twitter.com/BreakfastNews/status/1262137356460539904 The Queensland Premier's comments come a few days after her New South Wales counterpart Gladys Berejiklian called for borders between Australian states to be reopened — and just a day after the NSW Premier singled out Queensland specifically, saying "I don't want to be able to say to people I'm allowed to go to Auckland before I can go to Brisbane". As part of the national three-step roadmap out of COVID-19 lockdown announced by Prime Minister Scott Morrison earlier this month, some interstate travel is earmarked to return in step two, while all interstate travel would be allowed in step three — however, while it's the Federal Government's aim to implement all three stages by July, each step has to be put in place by every state individually. Over the past week, Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria each moved to the first stage of eased coronavirus restrictions in different ways, with the same approach likely to apply to interstate travel. To find out more about the status of COVID-19 in Australia and how to protect yourself, head to the Australian Government Department of Health's website. Top image: Tourism and Events Queensland
Here at Concrete Playground, we try find the best of what's happening in our city. The brilliant thing that makes this job so easy is when people around us are so forward-thinking and creative, it doesn't take long for us to hear about them. Lost Movements is a project we have been following for some time now, run by a handful of passionate people who try to expose and promote the arts in as many ways as possible. The team brings together visual art, performance art, music and even burlesque under one roof in a treat for the senses. The Lost Movements warehouse parties are an example of a small idea taking off in a big way; since its inception, LM has grown to incorporate a zine and a frequent competitive art night called Scribbleslam. The LM team have recently embarked on a new project with their new warehouse HQ, Found. We spoke to Lost Movements mastermind Lincoln Savage (the dude even has a cool name) about LM and Found, and what to expect from the team this year. Describe the initial inspiration for Lost Movements? The concept has evolved and grown a lot since the first idea of bringing different arts together into the events. Initially I would say that we were driven by the desire to try something different from what was happening at the time around Brisbane. Since its inception, how has LM grown and what has been its impact on the Brisbane cultural landscape? It started as a warehouse party thrown together by a few people that went quite well. Over its life various people have contributed, which has influenced the direction, ultimately leading to the incorporation as a community organisation. It has given many musicians, performers and artists a chance to experiment and share their work with a larger audience. The collaborative environment nurtured by LM has also been beneficial the emerging arts in Brisbane. What are the plans for Lost Movements this year? This year I hope to keep experimenting and innovating, I think this is one of the most important things for what we are trying to do. With the new home slowly coming together it is opening up a lot of doors to create more serious experimentations with what can be done in a live environment. There are some interesting projects in the works involving gesture reactive projection mapping which we can hopefully implement in conjunction with the live events. Tell us about your new project, Found? Found is kind of the next step for all of these things. It is a venue dedicated to the emerging arts, music and also my personal direction in the use of technology to support creative expression. What is different about Found that you hope people connect with? It is a step away from the established norm of how we experience venues in Brisbane. We hope to provide something different by experimenting with the performer-audience interaction. What do you think is currently inspiring about the Brisbane art scene? Right now Brisbane feels like it is on the edge of shifting the culture away from pubs and Valley binge drinking culture to nurturing original live music, performances and experimental venues. There are a few people that I have been watching, including the guys over at Lucid putting on Daydream on February 15 — keep an eye out for that one. Tell us about some artists that you think are worth checking out Gus Eagleton is the first artist to hit the walls at Found; he is killing right now. Guido van Helten is a local currently in Iceland putting together some amazing works as well.
How many ways can getaways go wrong? In The White Lotus, each season brings a new list of chaos — and the show isn't done sending characters off to exclusive resorts to deal with whatever life throws at them just yet. The show's third season will arrive in February 2025, but there's already more on the way after that, with HBO announcing that season four has been greenlit as well. Accordingly, before anyone even watches a second of The White Lotus season three — which'll stream from Monday, February 17 Down Under — season four has been locked in. There's no word yet on which destination will follow Hawaii, Sicily and Thailand, however. There's also no details on who'll be in the series' fourth cast, and if any familiar faces will return. While the world waits for more information about season four, season three is worth getting excited about, too. A new batch of travellers is checking in, and a third The White Lotus hotel is ready and waiting. As Lisa from BLACKPINK says in both the initial look at footage from season three in a broader HBO trailer and in the anthology hit's first teaser, "welcome to The White Lotus in Thailand". A getaway at a luxurious hotel is normally relaxing, but that isn't what vacationers find in this show. It was true in the Hawaii-set first season in 2021, then in season two in Sicily in 2023, each with a largely different group of holidaymakers. Based on the sneak peek at season three, that's of course going to be accurate again in the third season's eight-episode run. Walton Goggins (Fallout), Carrie Coon (Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire), Jason Isaacs (The Crowded Room), Michelle Monaghan (MaXXXine), Leslie Bibb (Palm Royale) and Parker Posey (Mr & Mrs Smith) are among the folks checking in season three, alongside Sam Nivola (The Perfect Couple), Patrick Schwarzenegger (Gen V), Sarah Catherine Hook (Cruel Intentions) and Aimee Lou Wood (Sex Education). Families, couples and friends on getaways: they're all covered by the above cast members. And as Monaghan exclaiming "what the fuck is this place?" indicates, they're in for some chaos. Bad feelings, seeking pleasure but finding pain, threatening to drink oneself to sleep: alongside guns, dancing, judgemental pals, missing pills, snakes, monkeys, ambulances, complaints about gluten-free rice and a body bag, they're all featured in the teaser as well. From season one, Natasha Rothwell (How to Die Alone) is back Hawaii spa manager Belinda, who advises that she's there on an exchange program. Season three also stars Lek Patravadi (In Family We Trust) and Tayme Thapthimthong (Thai Cave Rescue) as one of The White Lotus' owners and security guards, respectively. Where the Mike White (Brad's Status)-created, -written and -directed satire's first season had money in its sights and the second honed in on sex, eastern religion and spirituality is in the spotlight in season three, which also co-stars Nicholas Duvernay (Bel-Air), Arnas Fedaravičius (The Wheel of Time), Christian Friedel (The Zone of Interest), Scott Glenn (Bad Monkey), Dom Hetrakul (The Sweetest Taboo), Julian Kostov (Alex Rider), Charlotte Le Bon (Niki), Morgana O'Reilly (Bookworm) and Shalini Peiris (The Ark). Check out the first teaser trailer for The White Lotus season three below: The White Lotus returns on Sunday, February 16 in the US, which is Monday, February 17 Down Under. At present, the series streams via Binge in Australia and on Neon in New Zealand. The White Lotus season four doesn't yet have a release date — we'll update you when one is announced. Images: HBO.
There's no shortage of markets happening around Brisbane — pick a day, pick a spot, and you'll likely find a bunch of stalls selling a range of wares. One thing that you won't usually come across, however, is a market dedicated to authentic Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts, crafts and experiences, which is what the two-day-only Meeanjin Markets is offering. After its first run earlier this year, the city's first all-Indigenous market is back, just in time for the festive season. Taking place at Reddacliff Place, the markets will highlight the work of local Queensland creators, while also celebrating the sights, sounds, creativity and flavours of the Australian bush. That means there'll be dance, music and workshops — as well as plenty to buy. Drop by from 9am on Friday, December 7 and Saturday, December 8.
You'd think that after seven books, eight films, just as many video games, a real-life MOOC that lets you study magic and 17 years of worshipping a fictional teenager, we'd have run a little dry on news about Harry Potter. Instead, this week has featured news of a West End play, a spinoff film trilogy, and new material being written for the '2014 Quidditch World Cup'. It seems like the wizarding world is still very much alive, and nowhere more so than the Universal Studios Harry Potter theme park in Orlando. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter was first established in 2010, but this year sees its first major expansion effectively doubling its size. The upgrades include a surprisingly functional Platform 9 3/4, a full Hogwarts Express experience, and most spectacularly of all, a Gringotts ride that replicates the ornate mayhem of the characters' dramatic expedition in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. It was announced today that the ride will include high-def animation, 3D projection, live special effects courtesy of Bellatrix Lestrange and the Death Eaters, incredibly realistic (if not kind of anti-Semitic) Gringotts goblins and — best of all — a 60-foot dragon. Hurtling through the bank vaults on a rickety old cart just like the one in the film, Escape from Gringotts is definitely a ride for the hardcore fans. And, though it's a world away from our local equivalents like Dreamworld or Movieworld, it's worth keeping in mind if you're ever up for spilling a few galleons on flights to the States. Via Variety and MTV.
Remember watching the skaters and thinking you could compete with the cool kids? It seems you may have a chance when I Used to Skate Once returns for 2 nights starting June 23. With a sweet new lineup of artists including big names Anthony Lister, Courtney Brims, Jude Robinson, Liam Bhats, you'll be in the gang in no time. The Outpost’s modest art/music show has developed quite nicely over the years, and become an annual exhibition for all sorts of talent. With each artists' skate decks up for grabs, you better wear your toughest shoes, as things might get nasty 'cause these babies are limited edition. Tunes will be pumping, with The Royal Headaches, Martyr Pirates, The Chokes and McKisko rocking the night. You better 360 flip that shit into The Zoo this Thursday. Skaters gon’ skate.
Australian design student Alexander Vittouris has managed to not only design an all-bamboo velobike, but has also incorporated the natural growth process of bamboos in the design of a fully sustainable vehicle, the Ajiro Bamboo Velobike. The Monash University student's design was a finalist at the 2011 Australian Design Awards. He uses the term 'growth mobility' to describe the incorporation of the "strength and rapid growth of bamboos" in the final structure of his design. Vittouris borrows from the principals of arborsculpture, or 'tree shaping' techniques, whereby the shape of a tree or plant is controlled and instructed by various techniques (leaf trimming, wiring and pruning, for example). In this case, Vittouris has used an inner skeleton structure that the bamboo grows around. He says the manipulation technique used becomes economical and environmentally-friendly, in comparison to the cost of metal and energy exerted in assembling a traditional bicycle frame. In his Australian Design Awards entry, he writes: "The skeleton frame is then proposed to be reused, for future plant generations as an ongoing cycle. In this case, the manipulation and intervention is more akin to a farming process, whereby bamboo plants need time for thorough establishment to form the required energy mass to produce new culms."
If you spend your time with a delightful four-legged companion, then you've probably discovered one of their frequent thoughts: everything that humans can do, dogs should be able to do too. Alas, that statement can't always apply. No matter how much your cute pupper wants some chocolate, we all know that it just can't have any. Your barking bestie can get into the Halloween spirit, though, thanks to Paws & Relax's Doggy Howloween party. This calls for costumes — of the cute, creepy and canine-sized variety. Don't skimp on your doggo's outfit, because there are prizes to be won. In a spooky day out for you and your pooch, there'll also be a haunted maze, stick or treat, bobbing for tennis balls and a chance to get a snap of the fright-themed occasion. If you need further pupper supplies, you'll also be able to browse dog-themed stalls. It all takes place from 10am on Saturday, October 26, with tickets on sale now. Sessions are split into canine size, letting little woofers get the run of the Eagle Farm spot from 10am–12pm, allowing big pooches to tear through the place from 12–2pm, and welcoming everyone from 2–4pm. Tickets cost $25 for two hours, and if you love dogs and Halloween but don't have a dog to bring along, humans without pets can attend for $5.
Usually when you head out to see a show, you grab a bite to eat beforehand — whether you tuck into something quick at home before you leave or hit up a restaurant on your way to the venue. That's not the case with Communal Table. At this world premiere performance, which hits Brisbane Festival between for four days this September, having dinner is all part of the fun. The latest venture from Dancenorth, the production weaves a shared meal into the proceedings, with food, wine, conversation and dance all on the agenda. The Communal Table name isn't just symbolic, so prepare to sit down with 87 other folks, enjoy a shared Mediterranean feast and make a few new friends — all while enjoying performances choreographed by eight of Australia's top dancemakers.
We enjoyed the tenth annual Bicycle Film Festival last year, and the 2011 instalment is already brewing. But obviously, there can be no film festival without films – that’s where you, dear cycling-and-film-making reader come in! BFF want you to make a bike film and be a part of the global event. Submitting an entry is free, and films can be of any style, as long as they’re bike-related. With the festival travelling to over 25 cities worldwide, successful entries are guaranteed some great exposure, and being an entrant will give you a great excuse to attend the screenings, parties and other events that make up the festival itself. If you’re in need of some inspiration check out the BFF trailer below, or consider using your bike in the film-making process. Entries close on April 1 so get your camera and get on your bike!
This Is Not Art is Newcastle's premier independent arts and media festival, where the emphasis is on collaboration and experimentation. It is a testing ground for new ideas, an opportunity to mingle with industry professionals and fellow artists in order to re-invigorate your artistic passion and develop new skills. An umbrella sheltering a number of festivals, this year TINA is home to the Crack Theatre Festival, National Young Writers' Festival, Critical Animals and Electrofringe. Between, the festivals boast workshops, performances, round table discussions, interactive events and a sleepover. A forum for showcasing, networking and inventing, TINA is a festival targeted at launching a generation of aspiring artists and fostering the creativity of local communities. Capping off a weekend of bold and dynamic events, don't miss the epic closing party hosted by Electrofringe and featuring a swag of emerging electro artists from Melbourne, Sydney and Newcastle spinning danceable tunes and experimental beats.
The Amazing Type-Writer iOS app from Doormouse Manufacturing gives typing on the iPhone a vintage feel by re-creating the look and sound of typing on an antique typewriter. Keeping true to the old-school aesthetic, users can't backspace and some of the more modern symbols, such as the @ sign, won't function. This might be a little frustrating for some, but now you know how your older relatives felt when they had to send out birthday invitations to all their buddies. You'll just have to type over your mistakes and pray that it's legible. This ability to type over existing writing also means you can make tonnes of different patterns and scribbles. According to Doormouse Mfg, the app has "combined the latest in mobile pneumatic tubes technology with the highest-quality digital micro-swingarms available." This means that you'll be able to shift the carrier all over the screen and mark your letter however you like. After you've finished your masterpiece you can save it to your own camera roll, e-mail it, or post it in a public gallery. Perhaps best of all, you can select other people's pieces from this gallery and re-interpret or ruin their works however you like. This gives you the potential to post your own questions or thoughts, and see how many people will respond to it. This app will be perfect for pensioners who miss the good old days, overly-ambitious hipster poets, or people who want to send creepy letters to their ex-girlfriends. Two dollars won't get you much nowadays, but it will buy you the endless joy of having your own nifty little typewriter in your pocket. A limited amount of these are available through iTunes.
Vibrant colours, beautiful patterns and exquisite forays into symmetry, Looking Thrice is a brilliant and eye catching series of works from rising Australian artist, Natalya Hughes. Since showcasing her work at notable exhibition spaces (GOMA, Queensland University Art Museum, Artbank), Natalya has been working on the paintings that will be featured in Looking Thrice, with a series that draws inspiration from Japanese woodblock prints, helping her create deftly patterned abstractions. The works vary from paintings to sculpture, many of which are fresh from being showcased at Beam Contemporary in Melbourne. The exhibition will be running until the 14th of June. Looking Thrice is highly recommended to those looking for highly stylised and visually stimulating work.
In a bid to contain the spread of COVID-19, the Australian Government is urging Australians to stay at home. In a statement made last night, Tuesday, March 24, after a national cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said everyone should remain in their homes "unless it's absolutely necessary you go out". The Prime Minister clarified that it was acceptable to go out to buy basics and for medical needs, to exercise in small groups and to go to work when you cannot work from home. The announcement also included an expanded list of non-essential indoor venues that must close. While pubs, clubs, gyms, indoor sporting venues, cinemas, casinos and places of worship were forced to close on Monday, galleries, museums, libraries, auction and open houses, all indoor health clubs, fitness centres, yoga, barre and spin facilities, saunas, bathhouses and wellness centres, amusement parks, arcades, beauty therapy, tanning, waxing, nail salons and tattoo parlours all have until midnight tonight, Wednesday, March 25 to shut up shop. Bars, restaurants, cafes and food courts can still offer takeaway and delivery only, and hairdressers can continue to operate if appointments are limited to less than 30 minutes. Outdoor personal training and bootcamps can also continue with a maximum of ten people, weddings with no more than five and funerals with ten or less. Visits at your home should also be kept to a minimum with very few guests. Last week's advice of "do not travel abroad" has also evolved into a blanket ban on all international travel, except for compassionate reasons, health workers and other essential work. The Prime Minister said that "no one should be getting on a plane and going overseas", but the ban would officially come into place today after it has been signed off by the Health Minister. Australian airlines had already slashed their flights significantly, with Qantas and Jetstar cutting their international flights by 90 percent until at least the end of May, and Virgin Australia suspending all international flights from March 30. At the meeting, Australia's Chief Medical Officer reiterated the sentiment that these measures will be in place for a prolonged period — previously predicated to be at least six months — saying, "we have to change the way we interact as human beings in our society for quite a long time as this virus will be with us for quite a long time." The Australian Government also urges anyone that does leave their house to follow its social distancing guidelines.
Australia is in for a big hot summer of music tours — a hefty end of spring, too — with everyone from Post Malone and The Weeknd to Taylor Swift and The Chemical Brothers on their way Down Under. Also on the list: Foo Fighters, who have a date with a heap of Aussie stadiums, and are about to release more tickets. It's times like these that you can add catching the Dave Grohl-fronted band to your calendar, with the group embarking on their first headline tour of Australia since 2018. It's also their first visit Down Under since drummer Taylor Hawkins passed away in March 2022. Foo Fighters were last in Australia that same month and year, playing a huge Geelong show to help launch Victoria's post-COVID-19 lockdowns live music program. The band unsurprisingly took a break from touring after Hawkins' death, only returning to live gigs earlier in 2023. On this tour, they're playing Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, with additional tickets becoming available due to changed production information — so, it's likely that the band's setup won't take up as much space as initially thought — and going on sale at 3pm AEDT on Friday, October 13. [caption id="attachment_903613" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Scarlet Page[/caption] Picking up the sticks: ex-The Vandals, Devo, Guns N' Roses and A Perfect Circle drummer Josh Freese, taking on the likely-daunting task of being the touring drummer in a band led by Nirvana drummer Grohl. Freese's stint with the band was announced in May, ahead of their first tour dates. When they hit our shores, the new-look Foo Fighters will weave in tunes from their new record But Here We Are, which released in June. Of course, all the hits from across their career will get a whirl, with their current setlist including everything from 'This Is a Call', 'Big Me' and 'Monkey Wrench' through to 'Learn to Fly', 'The Pretender' and 'Best of You'. And, yes, 'Everlong', because it wouldn't be a Foo Fighters show without it. [caption id="attachment_903618" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Jo via Wikimedia Commons[/caption] 'I'll Stick Around', which is also on the list, isn't just a song title from the group's first album. Given that their new tour comes 28 years after that debut release in 1995, it perfectly sums up Foo Fighters' longevity. Over the years, they've made it Down Under a heap of times, released 11 studio albums including the just-dropped But Here We Are, and made 2022 horror movie Studio 666. When they take to the stage again in Australia, they'll do so with Queensland punk act The Chats in support on a stack of dates, Manchester's Hot Milk also playing with them on the east coast, Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers doing Melbourne and Body Type in Adelaide. FOO FIGHTERS AUSTRALIAN 2023 TOUR DATES: Wednesday, November 29 — HBF Park, Perth, with The Chats and Teenage Jones Saturday, December 2 — Coopers Stadium, Adelaide, with The Chats and Body Type Monday, December 4 — AAMI Park, Melbourne, with Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers and Hot Milk Saturday, December 9 — Accor Stadium, Sydney, with The Chats and Hot Milk Tuesday, December 12 — Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane, with The Chats and Hot Milk Foo Fighters are touring Australia in November and December 2023, with additional tickets going on sale at 3pm AEDT on Friday, October 13. Head to the tour website for further details. Top image: Mr Rossi vi Wikimedia Commons.
The World's End is the final film in Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg's Three Flavours Cornetto Trilogy — named for the Cornettos that make an appearance in each film. The film stars Pegg and Nick Frost as childhood best friends Gary and Andrew, both unhappy with their adult lives, trying to recapture their youth in one epic pub crawl, ending at The World's End. But if you've seen Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, you'll know that this isn't going to be just any pub crawl — along the way, they uncover a group of aliens plotting to invade Earth and have to stop them from turning the entire human race into robots. It's been getting some pretty good reviews overseas, with the Guardian calling it "a double-whammy of funny and clever" and a "good-natured sci-fi comedy of male mid-life discontent". The World's End is in cinemas on August 1, and thanks to Universal Pictures, we have ten double in-season passes to give away. To be in the running all you need to do is subscribe to our newsletter (if you haven't already) and then email hello@concreteplayground.com.au with your name and address.
How does a theatre production recreate Charles Darwin's famous voyage on the HMS Beagle, and do justice not only to the real-life tale of discovery, but the creatures the scientist came across? Dead Puppet Society's involvement in The Wider Earth might just give the answer to that question away. And we're not just talking about using shadows and felt to recreate everyday animals, either. Expect the delicate flutters of longhorn beetles and the slow lumbering of ancient tortoises to come alive on stage — and the naturalist's journey from the Andes through the Amazon to the Galapagos Islands as well. On the human side of things, expect a cast that includes Margi Brown Ash, Tom Conroy, Lauren Jackson and Thomas Larkin to bring a piece of history back to life in a lively a coming-of-age narrative. Plus, not only does The Wider Earth celebrate its world premiere season in Brisbane from July 9 by letting a real-life quest play out with 30 custom-created puppets and eight actors — it also boasts a collaboration between two of Australia's leading musical creators, too. Singer-songwriter Lior and producer Tony Buchen have joined forces to ensure that the sounds of this adventure are as magical as the underlying story.
Conscious consumerism and shopping sustainably are hot topics at the moment. That's where independent markets come in handy — aside from the joy of uncovering rare, one-of-a-kind (or, at least, one of a small number) finds, they're also great for discovering quality vendors that specialise in ethical practices and products. And when it comes to rolling out the creme de la creme of local producers every season, the Finders Keepers market knows its stuff. For over a decade, the twice-yearly mini-festival has been championing small-scale producers. So, sustainable shoppers and knick-knack connoisseurs, we've got some good news — Finders Keepers is back for another season. The first stop on its autumn/winter circuit is Sydney, running from Friday, May 3 to Sunday, May 5 — just in time for you to snag the perfect Mother's Day gift. It's then popping up in Brisbane between Friday, June 21 and Sunday, June 23, before wrapping up in Melbourne across Friday, July 12–Sunday, July 14. As always, Finders Keepers has pulled together a high-calibre of art, fashion, beauty and design stalls. And, to help you figure out which ethical vendors to make a beeline towards, we've trawled through the huge Finders Keepers directory to find eight brands doing good for the world — and making even better products. [caption id="attachment_718857" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Finders Keepers. Captured by Mark Lobo.[/caption] YALU APOTHECARY Yalu Apothecary will be gracing the markets this year with its simple ethos — nurture with nature. This philosophy perfectly captures its offerings of sustainable, handmade beauty products. Yalu Apothecary promotes holistic wellness with specialty naturopathic herbal tea blends, crystal-infused botanical perfume oils, face masks and bath products. The products are handcrafted by Rhiannon Mapstone, who sources the finest natural and organic botanicals from local gardens in Australia and from around the globe. Skip the damaging chemicals of mass-produced beauty products and opt for a Yalu perfume, made with pure plant essences, organic infusions and supercharged with crystal healing power. Yalu Apothecary will be at the Sydney and Melbourne markets this season. MISTER TIMBUKTU Secretly hoarding two draws dedicated to activewear for all days of the week? Yep, we're guilty too. Make your yoga tights habit a positive one by grabbing a pair from Mister Timbuktu — an apparel store saving plastics from landfill and the ocean and turning them into outdoor and fitness apparel. A simple yet brilliant idea, Mister Timbuktu began as a crowdfunded debut collection before officially launching in June 2018. In addition to being a recycled and high quality material, these plastics use less energy, water and chemicals to produce compared to traditional fabric. The business ensures ethical and sustainable practices all the way from above-minimum wage for its factory workers in Indonesia to home-compostable bags for deliveries. For stylish and sustainable active threads, Mister Timbuktu will be open at all three city's Finders Keepers markets. CORNER BLOCK STUDIO Avoid scraping Blu Tack off the walls of your rental at the end of each lease and display your favourite artworks in a frame from Corner Block Studio. This modest store combines innovation with handcrafted woodwork to bring you simple and stylish adjustable frames for your artwork. Whether you want to display your band poster, record covers or beautifully illustrated coffee table books, Corner Block Studio has a frame for every purpose. With respect to the planet, all products are made from recycled Australian hardwoods that have been reclaimed from decommissioned buildings. Each piece is crafted in Brisbane and features unique characteristics in the timber, so you'll walk away with a one-of-a-kind frame. Corner Block Studio will be popping up at the Brisbane and Melbourne markets. EARTH FIBRE Take a piece of the gorgeous Australian natural environment home with Earth Fibre. Each handcrafted piece tells a story of the colourful landscape. Creator Michelle Ohara uses various mediums, carefully selected from the Glass House Mountains area in the Sunshine Coast, to produce her collection of eclectic designs. She utilises the local flora to make her goods, including seeds, environmental earth fibres, paper fibres, wood and environmental weeds. You'll find baskets woven from garden waste, small books made from seed pods and botanically dyed scarves made using leaves. Michelle leaves it to nature to put an individual stamp on each of her designs — with no trace of the chemicals or materials that you might find in goods made in a factory. This season, you'll find Earth Fibre at the Brisbane Finders Keepers market. POSIE Posie provides an alternative to the mountains of mass-produced candles packed with chemicals. Co-founders Ashleigh Sampson and Casie Brooker started the brand from a shared passion for travel, design and the simple things in life — and each candle blend is reminiscent of the people, places and paths that they've encountered in their journeys. The candles are designed and made using 100 percent soy wax and their individual scents come from natural fragrances and essential oils. Each candle is hand-poured into a recycled container in Posie's Byron Bay studio. By working and sourcing materials locally, Sampson and Brooker ensure that every Posie candle upholds their core principles of fair, cruelty-free and sustainable trade. You can pick up a Posie candle for your home at the Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane markets. [caption id="attachment_718864" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Homelea Lass via Pintrest[/caption] HOMELEA LASS Baby, it's cold outside. Fight the oncoming winter temperature drop with cosy, snuggly crocheted textiles from Homelea Lass. Pick up a thick blankie to snuggle in on the couch or a gorgeous snood and matching beanie for all your outdoor winter adventures. Or, better yet, you can become your own grandma with a DIY crochet kit and keep warm inside while you make your own woollies. As an Australian farmer and maker, owner Lynda Rennick is passionate about supporting the Aussie farming industry — which is why she uses 100 percent Australian-grown and -processed merino wool. Homelea Lass keeps business sustainable with its use of locally sourced and ethical materials and tools, too. You'll be able to snag these cosy crochets at Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane markets. NZURI ORGANICS Avoid incorporating harsh chemicals into your skincare routine by switching to products by Nzuri Organics. Founder Nadine Shuma ensures that each and every handcrafted product is made with certified organic, raw materials. From body butters to hand creams, Nzuri provides organic solutions for everything from your face to your feet. Nadine is Tanzanian-Australian and her brand incorporates beauty routines and ingredients from Tanzania, along with locally sourced organic ingredients of the highest quality. Accredited by Choose Cruelty Free, Nzuri Organics' products are handmade and all containers are either 100 percent recyclable or biodegradable. Nourish your skin by giving Nzuri Organics a visit at the Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane markets. [caption id="attachment_675445" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Finders Keepers. Captured by Samee Lapham.[/caption] ARCADIA SCOTT Reusable travel cups are all the rage nowadays. They're much better for the environment, a lot of cafes offer a discount on your morning cuppa if you use one, and they just look so much better than a plain disposable cup — it's a win, win, win. If you're yet to jump on the bandwagon, or you just want to upgrade to something more aesthetically pleasing, stop by Arcadia Scott's stall. The self-taught potter creates a range of ceramic pieces in her Melbourne studio including bowls, vases and adorable glazed travel cups. Each item is handmade, giving your purchase a unique edge — which is exactly why you came to an independent art fair, right? Arcadia Scott will be popping at the Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane markets. Finders Keepers will be at Sydney on Friday, May 3 – Sunday, May 5, Brisbane on Friday, June 21–Sunday, June 23 and Melbourne on Friday, July 12–Sunday, July 14. Entry is $5 and your ticket is valid across the entire weekend. Visit the website here for more information and to find open hours for your city. Top Image: Finders Keepers. Captured by Samee Lapham.
After putting on a spectacular footballing show as the host of the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup — and the Matildas making history in the process — Australia will next roll out the green carpet for the 2026 Women's Asian Cup. The Asian Football Federation has given the Aussie bid for the event the go-ahead, meaning that the country will host two major women's soccer tournaments in the space of just three years. Get ready for a sea of green and gold again. Australia has welcomed the Women's Asian Cup to our shores before, back in 2006, with the tournament taking place in Adelaide. In 2026, you'll be able to check out the football action in New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia. All three states were put forward as locations during the bidding process. And yes, that means that the tournament won't head to other parts of the nation — so there'll be no games in either Victoria or South Australia, notably. Twelve countries will compete in the 2026 Women's Asian Cup — including Australia, of course, with the hosts automatically qualifying. So, the Matildas will get another moment to shine on home soil in a major contest. China will also compete, defending their title from the last edition in 2022, which took place in India. The Tillies were knocked out in the quarter finals — and were runners up in 2014 and 2018. Back in 2010, we won the competition, our only time as champions so far. "Securing the AFC Women's Asian Cup is a testament to our nation's dedication to football. It is not only a victory for the sport but for every Australian, offering significant economic and cultural benefits," said Anter Isaac, Chairman of Football Australia, about hosting the 2026 tournament in a statement. "We are profoundly honoured to host the 2026 edition of the AFC Women's Asian Cup™. This decision reflects the global football community's confidence in our capability to deliver outstanding events. Following the resounding success of last year's FIFA Women's World Cup™, we are eager to create another tournament that celebrates women's football and inspires a new generation," added James Johnson, CEO of Football Australia. Exactly when the in 2026 the Women's Asian Cup will take place hasn't been locked in as yet, so you can't mark your calendar just yet. The Matildas next play in Australia at the end of May and beginning of June, hosting two games against China in the lead-up to the 2024 Paris Olympics. At the latter, in July and August, they're in the same group as Germany, Zambia and the US. During the team's next Aussie leg, goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold and Mackenzie Arnold and coach Tony Gustavsson will also hit the stage at Vivid Sydney 2024 to talk all things Tillies. [caption id="attachment_912895" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Matildas: The World at Our Feet[/caption] The 2026 AFC Women's Asian Cup hasn't yet announced its exact dates — we'll update you when they're revealed. Head to the AFC website for more details in the interim. Images: Tiffany Williams / Football Australia.
Valley Fiesta is back for another year with a packed program, which once again means oh-so-many bands and musos filling oh-so-many Fortitude Valley spaces with tunes. Also returning: live music on King Street in Bowen Hills, which the Fiesta is clearly counting as the Valley for this occasion. And, that soundtrack will accompany a second fiesta that's coming back for the second time: the King Street Food Fiesta. Stocking up on sustenance is always a smart idea to start any festival, so Valley Fiesta is beginning with an entire celebration dedicated to tasty bites just like it did in 2022. King Street's eateries will get in on the action, serving up tasting plates from $8 featuring their signature dishes right in front of their venues. Running from 5–10pm on Friday, November 3, this food wonderland wants you to get wandering around the precinct, tucking into whatever tempts your tastebuds from nachos, bao and chicken wings to dumplings, cheese and charcuterie, and pasta. Venues taking part include Xin Chao, El Camino Cantina, Super Combo, Fat Dumpling and Bar Gusto, with Il Verde setting up a spritz bar, plus Archie Brothers' Cirque Electriq doing pizzas and cocktails. You'll also be listening to live tunes across two stages, with a focus on talents such as Taitu'uga — Talking High Chief, Kuzco and Lucy Korts. That same spotlight will see King Street also play host to Brisbane artists, and line the road with new art. Food images: Markus Ravik.
Summer is well under way and 2015's just rocked up to the party — what better way to celebrate than with an ice cold beverage. We've searched, navigated and tested the best of Brisbane's new bar scene and the report card is looking good (though beer goggles may have caused easier marking). From rooftop bars to beer gardens, live music venues to secret hideaways, we present the ten best new bars of summer 2015. BROOKLYN STANDARD The first thing we noticed stepping through the CBD laneway door simply marked 'BAR' was the blast of cold air conditioning. Perfection. Take the stairs down to Brooklyn Standard, your newest CBD summer hideout. With a killer live music lineup, American beers and free table pretzels, it seems sometimes the coolest summer bars can be found underground. Eagle Lane, Brisbane WOOLLY MAMMOTH ALEHOUSE Mammoth indeed! This whopper of a venue didn't just take over the Mustang Bar. Upstairs connects through to the old Woodland/Coniston Lane stage now known as Mane Stage. The equally large 'green room' behind it has become just that— the Garden Bar; a Hamptons-style tropical oasis with greenery, clashing patterns, white wood and Pimms on tap. Use the fake green to play bocce or engage in game of giant jenga. During the day, the space is bright and airy — the roof shutters open to let the best of Brisbane's sunshine in. 633 Ann Street, Fortitude Valley SOLEIL POOL BAR The area once known as Bacchus pool bar has recently underwent a makeover and relaunched as Soleil Pool Bar, a new summer spot in South Bank to be enjoyed by Brisbanites from sunrise to sunset. Tan on the pool deck or lounge around the main bar while DJs spin summer soundtracks of and a team of mixologists stir, shake and serve a brilliant array of cocktails. Soleil invites you to enjoy a poolside party vibe with a little bit of glamour as Brisbane settles in for a summer of fun in the sun. Rydges South Bank, corner of Grey and Glenelg Streets, South Bank GYPSIES WAGON We love a good bar in suburbs, and there is none hotter than Gypsies right now. Space-wise, the intimate diner consists of a dining room out front, and a bar, lounge and ample boardgames in the back. Take your pick from craft beers, bourbon-based cocktails, and of course, the signature Pisco Sour. Sometimes staff can make or break a venue, and Gypsies Wagon have nailed the perfect mix of friendly and knowledgeable, creating a welcoming space that's not at all intimidating. Let it be known, you may not make it out without a spot of Fireball Whisky. 3/281 Pickering Street, Brisbane BUFFALO BAR There's a new cowboy in town and he's serving up plenty of exactly what you hoped for — buffalo wings. Chow down on your choice of 12 flavours of wings with celery sticks and blue cheese sauce while sipping on the finest US craft beer, whisky and custom cocktails. New bars mean new surprises, and when we turned up there was a rockabilly three-piece nailing it in the corner. If you want your drinks al fresco, take it out back to the big beer garden. 169 Mary Street, Brisbane COMMUNAL BAR AND EATHOUSE Been to Brisbane Square lately? Yeah, you know that daggy space under the library? The shop spaces have been gutted and one side has just opened as Communal, with wood-fired pizza, burgers, share plates, cocktails jugs, craft beer and four white wines on tap (yes, on tap. It’s a thing now, catch up). The other side is now home to Meat & Eat, Chow Down and Cafe Brisbane. Time to gather your friends and #getcommunal. 266 George Street, Brisbane City NEXT HOTEL Take the elevator to level four. We've found your new favourite rooftop. Overlooking Queen Street Mall, this openair rooftop is the perfect place to catch the last rays set beyond South Bank. Get a snack, grab a cocktail, and pretend to talk on the phone as though you've flown in from somewhere far away and are here for important business over the weekend — yep, make yourself at home. And if you're game, take a dip in the lap pool. Go on, we dare you. 72 Queen Street, Brisbane YARD BIRD Because one food-serving, craft beer-peddling ale house is never enough, the fine folks at Yard Bird have added to its flock. Yard Bird Paddington also offers the same lunch and dinner meals patrons of the Fortitude Valley hang-out have come to know and love. We're talking chicken wings, pizzas, burgers and nachos, among other Tex-Mex nibbles, all made to be washed down with one of the eight beer and cider tipples on tap — or thirty or so others in the fridge. 208 Given Terrace, Paddington UP ON CONSTANCE Finally Brisbane. Finally we are starting to build a solid collection of rooftop bars. With an average of 263 days of sunshine per year, it seems silly that we hadn't thrown the tops off them all earlier. Up on Constance sits at the top of the new Tryp Hotel in Fortitude Valley, so start downstairs with a tasty feed at Chur Burger before heading on up for some topless drinking. 20 Constance Street, Fortitude Valley THE TRIFFID Just hearing about The Triffid makes us wants to pump our fists in the air. Former Powderfinger bassist John Collins has helped turn an old commercial aircraft hangar into a state-of-the-art music venue with a firm focus on bringing the best international, national and local acts to its stage. Talk about a win-win all round. You'll catch us having a sneaky bev and burger in the beer garden before the show. 7-9 Stratton Street, Newstead MILK FACTORY KITCHEN AND BAR It seems live music is having another heyday in Brisbane. The Milk Factory is doing it all — music, food, drinks — with a nautical twist. Let your inner pirate choose from one of the many rum-based cocktails and set sail for Japan, then Hawaii, then perhaps Korea with an ever-changing world-inspired menu. We wish we could say they only support pirate-rock bands, but that would be going overboard (sorry). 48 Montague Road, South Brisbane
It seems that 2020 is the year of staying local, although you don't need us to tell you that. For months so far — and for months to come — we're all making the most of our own backyard. We're eating local, and supporting local businesses. We're all travelling and holidaying throughout Queensland, too. And, whether you prefer a yeasty brew to cap off your week or a few cocktails whenever the mood strikes, you can drink the state's finest tipples as well. We're always keen to highlight local folks doing great things, of course — and, to showcase homegrown brewers and distillers, we've teamed up with our mates at BWS to celebrate a few of the best. Here are six must-try Queensland drops that you can pick up at your nearest BWS.
Given that The Simpsons Australia episode was more of a Fosters ad than anything else, it sounds clunky to claim 'beer is back Down Under'. When did it leave? So let's settle for the idea that brewers have lifted their socks in the wake of the return of cocktail culture. Hell, the Old Growler is pretty much a hops-filled speakeasy, beer festivals seem to be going off like fireworks on Guy Fawkes Day and home brewing is slowly being wrestled from the cold, dead hands of the river folk. Oh, and Coles now owns a microbrewery, Steamrail, that's exclusively stocked at their Liquorlands across the country. The times they are a-changing. But, with a flood in the market, where should you be directing your attention before the sun cuts back its working hours and we're all staring down those few unmentionable months of winter? Here is a list of (mostly) local beers you've probably glanced over on a menu but may not have taken the risk, forgone your beloved Coopers and forked over those extra $3 for a taste. Let's try them together. Robot Ninja Lager Rice lager is a great way to ease into the wonderful world of craft beer — fruity, light and round, this offering from the Victorian brewery Kooinda is inspired by Tokyo City and the proof is on the palate. Plus, it is something new. You can pretty much taste everything in this tipple (the website even claims a bubble-gum finish), but it is surprisingly smooth and a go-to on those hot afternoons. Though, be warned: this one masks its 4.6 percent booze content with a ricey backbone and shouldn't be treated lightly. For a more traditional rice lager, try out the Koshihikari Echigo Beer. Four Pines American Pale Ale Four Pines comes out of Manly, and offhand there is nothing in their range that isn't worth a look. The kolsch is an absolute winner, but their pale gets on here by virtue of its wide appeal. They use an unusual amount of hops in here, so expect a mouth-filling flavour, but the softness of the pine and bite of the grapefruit wrangle it in and make it a very versatile food match… Admittedly I'm thinking pub food here, but heck go with it. Murrays Angry Man If you are looking for something a little bit more familiar (yes I'm talking to all of you smashing-Sierra-Nevadas-like-its-going-out-of-fashion people) in a pale ale but still interested in broadening those horizons, try out the Murrays Angry Man. It's got a bit more punch and hop, aka bitterness, and will suit a blokier pallet — I swear I am not just running with their ridiculously awesome strong man versus kangaroo label here — but there is still plenty of complexity to the flavour. Keep a few in your fridge and order some unadvisedly hot Thai curry for your next Thursday in. Emerson's Pilsner New Zealand does do a few things well, and one of them is pilsner — in this case German pilsner. Emerson's is a well-balanced beer with a healthy smack of nectarine and then (which those of you easily overwhelmed by ales will appreciate) a long, dry finish that makes this one taste like… well... beer, essentially, which is nice. A clean, crisp mouth-wetter with a few surprising flavour notes to get your tongue wagging. Stone & Wood Jasper Ale It is still an ale, but its not going to blow your socks off with an overwhelming burst of vanilla or pineapple. The Jasper is a great crowd pleasingly thirst quencher, and it is sold in pints which is good news for everyone! Most people who identify as non-beer-likers are actually just not that into hops, but that doesn't mean you have to forgo the whole drink. Plenty of people enjoy peat free whisky, and in the same vein beers that let the malt sing and tone down the hops, like this one, will make a convert of you in no time. For the rest of us, true believers, this deep-red Jasper Ale kicks off fruity, finishes nutty and is very restrained on the carbonation front so it won't fill you up. Young Henrys Newtowner An Australian pale (i.e. they use Australian hops), this critter came out for the 150 years of Newtown celebrations and remains only available in the Inner West — which makes it the perfect excuse for a trip to King Street. Young Henrys is easily one of the most talked about local breweries and this English summer ale is a fair bit drier than their other regular pours, with a golden look and refreshing finish. Head over to The Courthouse for a long lunch with this one before summer's end. Murray's Moon Boy Golden Ale This is a beautifully gentle beer that should have spent all summer teamed up with your favourite pineapple-filled burger. It didn't did it? Do not mistake gentle for wishy-washy or tasteless; there is a lot of wheat in this baby, so expect a dry finish, and there is fruit there too. And if the option to drink a beer with a maroon-sweated, bespectacled werewolf man for a logo doesn't get you high-tailing it to the Trinity Bar on Crown Street, then I feel like I don't even know who you are anymore, man. Feral Brewing Hop Hog If this was 'Ten Beer Names to Appreciate Before the End of Summer', all of them would be from Feral Brewing. These WA beer freaks don't stop at making great beer, no, no; they then give them names like The Raging Flem, Runt and a whole selection of hogs. The Hop Hog is simply a great beer, but there is nothing simple about it: big on the hops, well balanced by malt, and somehow the whole room smells like pine when the top's off. Feral reminds us that some tastes can't be luck and someone, somewhere must know exactly what they are doing. Seriously, hop on a hog. Hargreaves Hill ESB Serious beer drinkers need only apply for this one, an Aussie twist on the Extra Special Bitter (this is normally an English speciality) that brought this Victorian brewery some serious international attention a few years ago. There are hops aplenty, a rich toffee-like malt and tropical wonders on the nose. Yes, I am an unabashed fan of this beer. If you're looking for a bit more oomph, pair it up with sherry casked single malt and sip away the next 45 minutes of your day. Sinha Stout Okay, so stouts aren't particularly summery, but they also aren't particularly Sri Lankan, which is where this mochaccino-worthy bevvy hails from, so go with it. First up, it is smooth (look at how this thing pours into a glass; it's like they've managed to bottle the voice of Laurence Fishburne), and then you sip it and suddenly you've gone to that place Irish Coffee promised but never delivered. It is 8 percent, but honestly, you don't even notice. Well, not while you're drinking it at least. Try this one out for a flavour kick at the end of your next dumpling session at Uncle Mings. Like anything, your appreciation of beer grows in direct proportion to the amount you pop in your gob, so get yourself off to an upcoming beer festival or check out the website of a brewery near you for the grand tour. Yes, it will smell like yeast. Yes, that is pretty much the smell of warm horse feed. Yes, you'll love it. Or else, we'll see you in the beer garden.
2024 is the year that Supernormal will stop being a one-city restaurant, with the famed Melbourne eatery from acclaimed chef Andrew McConnell making the leap to Brisbane. The expansion has been in the works since 2022; however, those plans have just gotten bigger. While one new venue from McConnell is great, two is even better — which is what 443 Queen Street in the River City CBD will welcome. Perched between the Queen Street Mall and Howard Smith Wharves, the site that the culinary figure is turning into his Brissie base sits on the riverfront, boasting views of the Brisbane River and the Story Bridge. It's the kind of location that you want to make the most of, so McConnell is. Alongside Supernormal, Bar Miette will set up shop. [caption id="attachment_867912" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Supernormal Melbourne[/caption] McConnell and Jo McGann have announced that the watering hole will sit on street level, so above Supernormal — but still benefit from that riverside perch and those vistas. Accordingly, while you're getting comfortable at the European-inspired terrace bar, you'll be in a killer spot whether you're stopping by for breakfast or cocktails. Operating seven days a week, starting with morning coffees, Bar Miette will feature an indoor-outdoor and a relaxed vibe. From the curved bar, not just your caffeine fix and boozy concoctions — including a hefty wine list — but also brekkie dishes, salads, seafood and charcuterie will be on offer. [caption id="attachment_867911" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Supernormal Melbourne[/caption] While either venue has an exact launch date as yet, they're slated to open midyear. On staff at both venues: Jason Barratt (Paper Daisy, Rae's at Wategos, Attica and Stokehouse) as Executive Chef and Alex Tuckett (Frida's Field at Nashua, Harvest at Newrybar, Pilu at Freshwater) as Venue Manager. Aesthetics-wise, Vince Alafaci and Caroline Choker of Sydney's ACME were already on design duties for Supernormal Brisbane, and are also doing the honours for Bar Miette. "The spaces are coming together beautifully, and we cannot wait to share these equally extraordinary, yet very different, offerings in the coming months. Bar Miette is classically European and a fitting juxtaposition to Supernormal," said McConnell about the two openings. Both Supernormal and Bar Miette will hero local produce from Queensland farmers and fishers — and also foragers — with Supernormal seating around 120 diners both inside and out — including in a private dining setup. While the menu hasn't yet been revealed, Supernormal Brisbane restaurant will plate up contemporary Australian dishes that also take inspiration from McConnell's time in both Hong Kong and Shanghai. Fingers crossed that Melbourne's marinated claims, New England lobster rolls, Hunan-style beef tartare and whole roasted flounder make the jump. Supernormal Brisbane and Bar Miette are set to open at 443 Queen Street, Brisbane in mid-2024 — we'll update you with an exact launch date when one is announced. For more information about Supernormal Melbourne, head to the restaurant's website. Images: Supernormal Melbourne, Nikki To / Jo McGann / Kristoffer Paulsen.
In a world of twitter-inspired books and movies, and everyone buzzing about Google+, the humble text message is often overlooked. The appropriately named British artist Tracey Moberley is doing her best to rectify that. Moberley has released an autobiography, Text-Me-Up!, drawn from the 55,000-plus texts she has ever received. She can even remember the very first one, received during lunch in Manchester in 1999. Many would cringe at the idea of revealing their text history to the public, others might wonder how many pages can be filled with "Where r u?" The book isn't Moberley's only text-message based art. In 2001 she released 2,000 helium balloons with her mobile number and a text attached, inviting responses from complete strangers. Her current project asks people who receive a text message from her to commemorate the event by sticking up a pink plaque, challenging the common view of the text as a purely utilitarian and disposable piece of communication.
If you've ever seen Nick Cave play live, you'll know he's not just a musician — he's a storyteller. And a powerful one. His shows have always given fans a glimpse into the highs and lows of his life — including the suffering that came with 2016 album The Skeleton Tree — with performances that are moving, intense and masterful. So it's not hard to see how the Aussie music legend created his newest show: Conversations with Nick Cave. Performing without his band the Bad Seeds (with which he's produced 16 albums), Cave will take the stage for an intimate show of conversation and pared-back solos of his most prolific songs on the piano. Ever wanted to ask him a question? These shows will give you the chance. Cave says that the conversational nature of the shows enables people to open up easily. "The audience tends to ask more challenging, revealing, playful and ultimately serious questions," he says. "You never know what you are going to get. They can be fearless and they can go deep." It's already toured the US and Ireland and will make its way around smallish venues in Australian and New Zealand throughout January next year. The show will start in rural Victoria before making its way down to Hobart, up to the Sydney Opera House (for his first show there since 2013) and then the Gold Coast and Brisbane. It'll then finish off the national tour with stops in Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth. CONVERSATIONS WITH NICK CAVE 2019 TOUR DATES Saturday, January 5 — Performing Arts Centre, Wangaratta Sunday, January 6 — Odeon Theatre, Hobart Tuesday, January 8 — Sydney Opera House, Sydney Friday, January 11 — HOTA, Gold Coast Saturday, January 12 — Brisbane City Hall, Brisbane Saturday, January 19 — Melbourne Town Hall, Melbourne Tuesday, January 11 — Adelaide Town Hall, Adelaide Wednesday, January 23 — Perth Concert Hall, Perth Conversations with Nick Cave will tour Australia in January 2019. Tickets go on sale at 9am on Thursday, October 18 (Sydney here and everywhere else here). Image: Christie Goodwin.
87. Just hold onto that number for a moment. We’ll come back to it. In the meantime, some science, for it is in the science of Concussion where this movie shines brightest. Science, and specifically statistical analysis, is not a precise art. It recognises that there will always exist the possibility of chance being the driving factor behind any set of results. Accordingly, for a theory to gain credence, it must first secure what is known as statistical significance – a minimum threshold above which results are deemed to be more than coincidence. But what if the only way for you to meet that threshold – the only way to prove to the world that you were right – was for people to die? Such was the fascinating (if also deeply disturbing) dilemma facing Nigerian-born American forensic pathologist Bennet Omalu in 2002. Omalu had been called upon to autopsy a beloved former NFL player named Mike Webster, and concluded that the cause of Webster's death was cognitive disfunction resulting from repeated and severe blows to the head – a condition Omalu ultimately named chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). Put another way, Omalu theorised that playing NFL was akin to almost guaranteeing some form of brain damage. Webster’s case alone, however, was not enough to prove CTE’s existence. Omalu needed a minimum of three, and since CTE could only be established post-mortem, he had to wait for more NFL players to die in order to test it. Of the many tragedies outlined in Concussion, perhaps the most confronting is quite simply how little time Omalu had to spend waiting. Concussion, then, is to football what The Insider was to cigarettes, with the National Football League playing the role of Big Tobacco. The Outsider, in fact, would have made an equally appropriate title for this film, because if being Nigerian in America wasn’t already hard enough on Omalu, the NFL’s attempts to brand him 'the man who wants to kill football' rendered him about as un-American as could be imagined. And yet he persisted, and such is the substance of this tale. As already indicated, the science of Concussion is compelling and extraordinary, matched only by the performance of its leading man, Will Smith. Sporting a disarming smile and an impressively consistent accent, Smith puts in his best performance in years – a fine accomplishment made all the more impressive given the less-than-spectacular script he had to work with. Concussion, in its efforts to render this a one man vs the world saga, spends far too much time dealing with Omalu’s home life and not nearly enough grappling with the two biggest questions raised by his research: how much did the NFL know, and how long did they know it? For a film about the extreme, even fatal impacts in NFL, Concussion lands an unreasonably soft blow against the corporation that kept these dangers a secret from its players. Which brings us back to the number 87. That’s where the count now stands in terms of deceased former players who’ve tested positive for CTE. Even more shockingly, that’s 87 out of a total of 91 tested – a statistical return of 96%. Concussion tells merely the opening stages of a story that is still alive and well to this day. Tragically, that's more than can be said of many of the characters who’ve taken part in its telling. As such, while the film is undoubtedly confronting, it's not nearly critical enough. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Io6hPdC41RM
Not long ago, we saw the online sensations of planking, owling and other bizarre poses in memes and photos on our Facebook and Instagram feeds. The latest postural fad? ‘#Mamming;’ a trending campaign that encourages women to get mammograms during October’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The idea is for ladies (and gents, with a little creativity) to rest their busts on random surfaces and objects and pose as if they were doing the most ordinary thing in the world. Snap it, tag it, throw it up on the 'gram and voila! You have ‘mammed’. By imitating the mammogramming position on things like cats and photocopiers, mamming cleverly embraces the awkwardness of the procedure and creates a solidarity front against the nasty disease. Prevention is always the best cure, so hopefully it will inspire women "to ‘mam’ where it matters most — the doctor’s office". This isn’t the weirdest thing we’ve seen. Compared to other well-intentioned but gone horribly wrong campaigns like ‘Motorboating Girls for Breast Cancer Awareness’ and ‘Go Braless for Breast Cancer Day’, ‘#Mamming is witty and refreshingly funny. The promotional video posted last week features the campaign founders (one of who is a breast cancer survivor) and Jillian Bell from The Comedy Channel’s Workaholics. Quickly becoming a viral hit, #Mamming has spurred hundreds of clever Instagram posts that are worth checking out for a chuckle. Or if you want to try it yourself, go ahead. It’d make a good story at your actual appointment.
Queenslanders, if you've spent the past two years dreaming about when you might be able to next venture overseas, well, of course you have. It's been a long stretch without international travel — and until only recently, without easy travel around Australia, too. So today, Wednesday, January 19, brings a big dose of good news, with Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announcing that quarantine requirements for double-vaccinated travellers from overseas will be ditched from this weekend. With the Sunshine State expected to hit the 90-percent double-dosed rate among folks aged 16 and over sometime this week, that change to the international travel rules will kick in at 1am Queensland time on Saturday, January 22. It'll mean that people who've had two COVID-19 vaccine jabs can enter the state from overseas and won't need to spend 14 days in quarantine from that point onwards. They will still need to undergo a rapid antigen test within the first 24 hours after arrival, however. BREAKING: Fully vaccinated international travellers can enter Queensland without quarantine from 1am on Saturday 22 January with a rapid antigen test required within the first 24 hours. Unvaccinated international arrivals will be required to undertake 14 days quarantine. — Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) January 19, 2022 While this'll obviously apply to Queenslanders who've been elsewhere around the globe during the pandemic and are now coming home, it'll also cover locals going on overseas holidays — because that's been permitted by the Federal Government since last November. So, Brisbanites, that international getaway you've been planning in your head now just got a whole lot easier. Your suitcase does look mighty tempting now, we know. And, the list of places that Australians can fly to grew considerably in the last few months of 2021 — Qantas even brought forward some of its planned international flights, in fact. For the unvaxxed, the mandatory 14-day quarantine requirement remains in place for international travellers — including Queenslanders going on holidays and then returning home. Queensland's international border rules will change at 1am AEST on Saturday, January 22. For more information about Queensland's border policies and border passes, head to the Queensland Government website.
If Wonderland's 2014 run had a breakout hit, it was I Want to Know What Love Is. If you saw it then, you were ahead of the trend. If you missed out, one of your friends has probably raved about to you in the year since. The reason everyone was talking about it — and still is — is simple: the show takes 800 anonymous love stories submitted by you, your friends and your exes, and then turns them into a theatre performance. Long-buried memories and bedroom fantasies become on-stage declarations, as do crushes, conquests and secret confessions. Here, you really will find out what love is.
Gaze upward, unblinking, for a nerve-rending, mind-blowing display of unprecedented proportions as the skies above the Brisbane River glow, pulsate and shudder with bangs, whistles and crackles in a marvel of noise and colour, fuelled by black powder. Bringing an end to the Brisbane Festival, the Sunsuper Riverfire will be an extravagant finale to an already extravagant three weeks. With a sound track of pumping live music and wonders of militaristic genius from ARH Tigers and Black Hawk helicopters to Super Hornets demonstrating the power of technology, this Riverfire is set to be the biggest yet. With the spectacles of the Golden Casket Light Sphere providing beauty to go with the calculated chaos, the event will steal your breath and make your heart skip a beat; a truly phenomenal affair. Festivities kick off at 12 noon, make sure you get a good spot to catch all the amazing attractions!
Don't stop MELT now — it's having a good time celebrating late great Queen frontman and queer icon Freddie Mercury. Across one crazy little show, Killer Queens will task five fantastic female performers to step into the singer's shoes (and shorts, leather jackets and leotards) to give his legendary music a new interpretation. Sure, you've been rocked by 'We Are The Champions', 'Another One Bites The Dust', 'Somebody to Love' and 'Bohemian Rhapsody' before, but you haven't heard them sung like this. Playing for one night only, on Friday, July 5, the production combines prog rock, heavy metal, vaudeville, astonishing vocals and camp theatrics — and throws in a few tracks by other glam rock stars, like Prince and David Bowie, too. Image: Wikimedia Commons.
There's no shame in picking up a cheap bottle of whiskey. You're a little strapped for cash and in need of a nightcap, so what? You can knock it back all the same. As much as we'd love it, we can't all be Don Draper kickin' back on some Blue Label. But, now there might be a way to get the best of both worlds. This new device currently blowing up on Kickstarter claims transform your horrid cheap whiskey into something delectable in just 24 hours. Get ready for some serious life hacking. After six years of development, a group of Portland entrepreneurs named Time and Oak have created what they call Whiskey Elements — nifty little devices to stimulate the ageing process of whiskey (or at least make it seem that way). Each 'Element' is a small customised oak stick that is to be placed in a bottle of whiskey. After being submerged for a single day, your drink will taste richer and more complex while having much less toxins. The process has roughly the same effect as three years of ageing. Taking this one step further, the Elements have different variations to ensure a unique custom taste. You can choose from classic oak, vanilla, maple, smoky or peaty options and create a different flavour of whiskey altogether. It's a concept which must seem appealing to a lot of people. The Whiskey Elements Kickstarter campaign has surpassed its goal seven times over. Though the developers were only shooting for US$18,000, they've already received over $150,000 in pledges. The crowdfunding effort is open until next week, so you still have an opportunity to contribute and get your hands on some tasty, tasty whiskey. Though the lower level pledges only ship within the US, you can pick yourself up a starter pack for $24 plus delivery. If you ask us, that's not a bad price to trick your way into Don Draper levels of luxury. Via Springwise. Photos via Whiskey Elements.
He may be best known as the frontman of Thirsty Merc (and writer of the Bondi Rescue theme song), but Rai Thistlethwayte is something of a musical polymath. He's been writing and performing tunes since the age of 15 and attended the prestigious Sydney Conservatorium of Music. As well as his songwriting and singing talents, he plays the piano and guitar. In his career he's performed as a solo artist, as part of numerous jazz combos, as a member of the session group on The Voice and as a keyboardist for American rock god Joe Satriani's touring band. That's not to mention his stints as a teacher and mentor at APRA's annual songwriting conference. It's fair to say Rai knows what he's doing — and anyone lucky enough to catch him this month is in for a tour de force of top-quality musicianship. On top of his Sydney gig, he's playing up the coast at The Kent Hotel in Newcastle on Friday, November, 13 and at The Seabreeze Hotel in Nelson Bay on Saturday, November 14. Or, head (very far) west and catch him at the Griffth Leagues Club on Friday, November 27. For the latest info on NSW border restrictions, head here. If travelling from Queensland or Victoria, check out Queensland Health and DHHS websites, respectively.
When Sunset Song opens, Chris Guthrie (Agyness Deyn) reclines in a field of wheat, her golden locks matching the crops around her. The young Scottish woman both stands out and blends in — and as her gentle narration tells of her heart beating in this land, it's clear that no other option is possible. Just as the ground around her will be plucked bare during the harvest and then grow another bounty, repeating the same cycle over and over again, so will her tale continue to wither and blossom. Chris is the daughter of a farmer, and as resilient as the rural patch of earth she can't tear herself away from. It's that concept of strength and endurance that sits at the heart of Terence Davies' latest feature, which the writer-director adapts from the 1932 Scottish novel of the same name. Time passes, as the filmmaker stresses in the changing colours of his nature-filled visuals, in circular shots that sweep around the property, and in elegant transitions between pivotal moments. And still, as both tragedy and happiness flavour Chris' days, she remains. Set in the early 1900s, the particulars of the plot test that notion, starting with Chris' cruel father (Peter Mullan). When he's not imposing his might upon Chris' brother (Jack Greenlees), he's forcing himself upon her mother (Daniela Nardini) and creating more mouths to feed as a result. After a series of tragedies, it's his shadow Chris tries to escape – not by giving up her home, but by bringing it back to prosperity. Then she starts to notice local lad Ewan (Kevin Guthrie). But just like everything around them in a time characterised by poverty and blighted by the Great War, their romance will change with the seasons. With the quiet, devastating The Deep Blue Sea the last listing on Davies' resume, the British filmmaker is no stranger to simmering stories that whisper their emotions. In fact, his 40-year career is full of them. Sunset Song doesn't shy away from its condemnation of the ways in which men shape Chris' existence, nor from celebrations of her determination to fight to make her own choices. Nevertheless, his approach remains as subtle and low-key as ever. Indeed, it's his masterly way of drawing strength from episodic events and understated sentiments that makes the sensitively crafted film seethe with such potency. The patient pace and painterly images mark the feature as one of Davies' best, but it's his perceptive casting choices that likewise prove pivotal. Better known as a model, Deyn brings a composed but never passive or impenetrable air to her protagonist that couldn't encapsulate the underlying narrative better. Guthrie's previous screen credits may be similarly sparse, but there's a sense of rawness simmering within his character's struggle to choose strength over weakness. Never dwarfed by Mullan's intensity, together their performances capture just the balance of harshness and beauty that this moving tale demands.
Brewing up beers on Helen Street in Teneriffe for almost a decade now, Green Beacon Brewing Co has obviously become known for its selection of yeasty beverages. It's also built up a reputation for throwing shindigs, too — oyster parties, block parties, Oktoberfest parties, you name it — so to celebrate hitting nine years in action, it's unsurprisingly hosting a birthday bash. You know what you'll be drinking here, of course: beer, beer and more beer, naturally. Green Beacon's brew pub will be pouring its usual tipples; however, it'll also be pairing them with live tunes and a selection of lawn games. Giant Jenga and giant Connect 4 go down well with a brew or two — and if you don't believe us, here's your opportunity to find out for yourself. Head by from 12pm on Saturday, January 29 — and there'll be a raffle and birthday merch to win as well, because this birthday party isn't just about the host. Images: Kgbo via Wikimedia Commons.
When you plaster giant, ornate portraits of beautiful women across the walls of nine-storey buildings, you're bound to get a name for yourself. Accordingly, Melbourne street artist Rone has become quite the sensation. Since bursting onto the local scene in the early 2000s, his work has been shown in London, New York, San Francisco, Miami and Hong Kong. Now, he's returning to where it all began for his first Australian show in two years. From October 24, Rone will present 11 new, large-scale portraits in — and on — an abandoned office building on Little Collins Street. The exhibition, Lumen, will be created with the help of lighting designer John McKissock, as the artworks will be illuminated from the building's decrepit, black walls. The artist will also create a 12-metre high mural on the building's ventilation tower. Adding to the creepy feel of the whole thing, the building has actually been slated for demolition, and it will presumably still be knocked down once the exhibition is over. Rone has an ongoing interest in transforming these kind of derelict and forgotten places. He's initiated similar projects in Mexico, Louisiana and New Orleans in the past. "Each of these places have, in recent times, been deeply affected by natural disaster, crime or debilitating economic situations," said the artist. "There is a genuine sense of community in these places, people embrace and appreciate what I'm doing." While Little Collins Street is a far cry from the Mexican city of Juarez, it's just as easy to understand Rone's fostering of local community in this latest Melbourne project. His mural at Rue & Co is still a much-loved icon of the CBD; people converge on it to take photos, drop their jaws in awe and meet friends for delicious Korean fried chicken. This support for the artist is evident in his other projects too. He's just been hand-selected by Jean Paul Gaultier himself to create installation works for the NGV's latest exhibition, and the Melbourne Festival has just plastered his art across one of the city's trams. Make sure you get a chance to check out this epic exhibition while it lasts — this guy's in high demand. Lumen will be on show on Level One, 109 Little Collins Street, Melbourne from October 24 to November 9. For more information, see the website.
Another Silo Arts event? Already? Seems like you were just enjoying one the other evening, hey? Don’t worry you haven’t lost the plot. As they say, time flies and there’s no rest for the wicked... so on to the next! Those musical gods behind Silo are at it again bringing performers of an amazing calibre to our town. Lapalux and oOoOO are both producers who have been given the responsibility of bringing Barsoma to life on Friday. And given their combined capabilities, mixes, and reviews, you can be sure their version of life will be otherworldly and intense. The UK’s Lapalux is hard to put in one little box. It’s much easier to define his sets emotively through the hazy, happy and sonic highs they are said to result in. Similarly, oOoOO’s type of music can vaguely be described as a love child between pop and indie culture. However defining it too carefully would be a disservice, you’re much better off seeing him mix Southern hip-hop and witch house live and deciding yourself. Supporting them on the night will be Brisbane’s own Motion Picture Actress and Elroy 4.0, plus a whole host of supreme musicians. So don’t even think about skipping this event due to Silo Arts fatigue, now is not the time or place to come down with it – then again, I doubt any time will be.
What makes for the perfect T-shirt? Style? Feel? Price? Organic cotton? Ethical manufacturing? Sydney-based label PERSON is promising to deliver on every front, after getting their Kickstarter campaign over the line with two days to go. Having spent 15 years designing, measuring, snipping and stitching as tailors and couture experts, the PERSON team decided that it was time for a tree-change. They wanted to go organic. But scary price tags and scarecrow-ish apparel proved unenticing. So they put their scissors together and came up with the 'perfect Tee'. It's a 100 percent high-quality organic T-shirt that's made to designer standards but will be sold at wholesale prices — from $55 a pop. Planning to set themselves up not only as creators and manufacturers but distributors too, the PERSON crew will supply their products to shoppers directly, eliminating the expenses associated with the middleman. They're using globally certified organic Prima cotton, which is super-soft and is made via environmentally-sustainable methods. Plus, every T-shirt will be produced in Sydney, meaning that a close eye can be kept on quality control. Four designs for men and six for women are currently in the portfolio, offering a range of sleeve-lengths and neck-styles (from V to scoop), and an array of colours. A $10 pledge buys four limited edition PERSON postcards, $30 earns a pair of organic pillow cases and $55 means one perfect Tee.
Usually, it's the early bird that gets gourmet bites to eat, farm-fresh produce to line the cupboards, and an enjoyable stint of browsing and shopping at Milton Markets. If you'd like to head along later in the day, you normally need to wait until Christmas. But this westside market also hosts seasonal shindigs whenever the weather changes, and it's giving everyone a sleep in at its spring event. When Seasonal Flavours returns to Cribb Street on Saturday, September 11, it'll be doing so at twilight. As otherwise happens on a Sunday morning, more than 150 stalls will descend upon the corner of Cribb and Little Cribb streets to sell tasty wares and other assorted products. From 4–10pm , you can wander through massive fig trees to join them. You can listen to live music and sip sangria and ginger beer at pop-up bars as well. If fresh seasonal fruit gets your stomach grumbling, you can stock up here. If vegan eats do as well, you'll be in luck again. And if you're fond of flowers, expect to find more than a few of those as well. Entry costs $2, as does parking — and if you're wondering why the event has jumped to an afternoon and evening time slot, that's because Milton Markets Christmas in July event was affected by Brisbane's last lockdown.
Yesterday triple j breakfast hosts and all-round legends Matt and Alex broke morning commuters hearts by announcing they'll be leaving the station at the end of the year. And while we're super saddened by the news, as with every teary professional departure comes the silver lining: a blowout leaving party. And Matt and Alex's is going to be a big one. Not content with a Woolies cake and a case of beer in the ABC offices, the pair are taking their sayonara soiree around the country for 5 Raves in 5 Days. They'll visit Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, bringing with them a slew of Aussie artists for DJ sets. Among the guest DJs are Client Liaison, The Preatures, Gang of Youths, Montaigne, Lisa Mitchell, Ball Park Music and more. The whole thing kicks off next week (so soon!) on Monday, November 28 in Perth before wrapping up on the Friday in Brissie. The best part? They're all free. It's gonna be a big week. Here's the lineup. MATT AND ALEX'S 5 RAVES IN 5 DAYS Monday, November 28 — Amplifier Capitol, Perth DJ sets by: Drapht, Mosquito Coast, San Cisco and Tired Lion Tuesday, November 29 — Fat Controller, Adelaide DJ sets by: Bad//Dreems, Jess Kent, Luke Million, Tigerilla and Trials Wednesday, November 30 — 170 Russell, Melbourne DJ sets by: Bec Sandridge, Client Liaison, Gretta Ray, Illy, Japanese Wallpaper and Olympia Thursday, December 1 — Beach Road Hotel, Sydney DJ sets by: Gang of Youths, Lisa Mitchell, Montaigne, One Day DJs, The Preatures and triple j presenters Friday, December 2 — Oh Hello Car Park, Brisbane DJ sets by: Amy Shark, Ball Park Music, Confidence Man, Feki feat. Gill Bates, The Jungle Giants
One thing is for sure: Avenue Q is not your average puppet show. It follows the story of recent college graduate Princeton, who moves to a drab apartment on the colourful street of Avenue Q in New York to follow his dreams. As they say, if you can make it there, you can make it anywhere. Along the way, Princeton meets the girl next door, Kate, the neighbourhood Republican named Rod, an internet sexpert called Trekkie and Lucy, who has a bit of a street corner reputation. They help him along the way, teaching him the ways of the Big Apple, as well as discovering what Princeton was meant to do with his life. This Tony Award-winning act has circled the globe, and finally returns to Brisbane stages after sell-out shows of the past. While the whole escapade is one big nod to Sesame Street, the target audience is nostalgic, quarter-life-crisis-having adults, and the show is not recommend for children. Hit songs from the soundtrack include 'Everyone’s A Little Bit Racist' and 'The Internet Is For Porn'.
You might have thought King George Square looked pretty fine during the day, and maybe a tad finer at night, but it's at twilight City Hall really shows off its colours. And what better backdrop to shop the evening away with, especially when the King George is filled with some of Brisbane's best designers and makers. The regular Brisbane Twilight Market shows off a sizeable array of stalls, all staffed by some pretty nifty and talented local artists. There will be an eclectic selection of handmade clothing, accessories, leather goods, paper goods, homewares and more on show. This market is all about sound, smell and sales — live music will provide a soundtrack to the evening, and expect to be hit with that spring flowerbed smell that always lingers when there's a soap stall around. Food stalls and a free craft workshop are also on the agenda, with the markets held on June 1, September 7 and December 1. Each event runs from 4pm – 9pm, so take along some cash and stock up on all things crafty. Image: BrisStyle.
Looking for an excuse to start making holiday plans? A massive flight sale with one million discounted fares on offer will do the trick. For a week, Qantas is slinging cheap tickets across its domestic network, spanning 60-plus routes — and prices start at under $150 one-way on more than 30 of them. Getaway dates vary, but winter is the ideal time to make a booking for one inescapable reason: when we're all spending more time rugged up indoors to escape the chillier weather, who isn't dreaming of their next break away from their own four walls? The sale runs until 11.59pm AEST on Sunday, June 30, 2024, but the usual caveat applies: you'll want to get in quickly to nab a bargain (and, as always, if fares sell out earlier, you'll miss out). Whether you're a Sydneysider thinking about a Gold Coast jaunt, a Melburnian keen to finally hit or return to Tasmania or a Brisbanite eager to make a date with The Whitsundays, you have options. Indeed, you can get from Sydney to the Gold Coast for $109, Brisbane to the Whitsunday Coast from $129 and Melbourne to Hobart from $149. Other routes and fares include Adelaide to Melbourne from $139, Launceston to the Gold Coast from $199, Sydney to Cairns for the same price, and Sydney to Perth for $339. Business class flights are on sale as well, if your budget can stretch that far. Trips to and from Ballina, Newcastle, Mildura, Albury, Coffs Harbour, Kangaroo Island, Townsville, Tamworth, Rockhampton, Port Macquarie, Alice Springs, Uluru and Darwin are also on the sale list. Inclusions-wise, the sale covers fares with checked baggage, complimentary food and beverages, wifi and seat selection. Qantas' one million seat sale runs until 11.59pm AEST on Sunday, June 30, 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.
Whether for a drink, a bite to eat, a stint at the casino or to spend the night, heading to Treasury Brisbane has always involved heading to two neighbouring George Street spots. Until now, that is — with the inner-city venue branching out to a third location perched over the Brisbane river. Called Will & Flow, the new bar marks Treasury's first off-site location, although it isn't far from the casino and adjacent hotel. From midday on Friday, November 20, Brisbanites can mosey down to the Queen's Wharf precinct, where the overwater watering hole sits between the QUT Gardens Point CityCat stop and the Goodwill Bridge. On the menu: coffees during the day, cocktails after work and bites to eat from morning till evening. You can start with a fruit bowl or ham and cheese croissant before 11am — and then snack on chipotle crab buns, roasted king prawns, oyster and mussel-filled platters, scallops with bechamel sauce, and four types of pizza. Yes, seafood is a big feature. For dessert, there's even a chocolate peanut butter pizza, which comes topped with strawberries and marshmallows. And, as for what you'll be sipping, the drinks lineup also includes smoothies, wines, spritzes, Queensland beers, and other boozy concoctions such as espresso martinis, lime and lemongrass margaritas, and a 'State of Origin negroni'. Obviously, you'll be consuming all of the above with scenic views over the river to South Bank. Will & Flow is available for events, too, which'll benefit from the same waterside vantage. Visitors can choose between both indoor and outdoor seating, and the latter is bound to be mighty popular. That said, in line with current social-distancing requirements, visitors won't have too much company to start with, with the bar catering to 130 patrons either seated or standing up cocktail-style. The overwater bar is the second to open in Brisbane's inner city in the past couple of years, following Mr Percival's over at Howard Smith Wharves — aka the last big new precinct to open its doors. Find Will & Flow in the Queen's Wharf precinct, between the QUT Gardens Point CityCat stop and the Goodwill Bridge — open Thursdays from 6.30am–9pm, Fridays and Saturdays from 6.30am–10pm, and Sundays from 6.30am–9pm.
Genuine medical condition or convenient excuse for bad behaviour? Sex addiction has become a controversial affliction, but Thanks for Sharing comes firmly down on the former side of the argument. The directorial debut of Stuart Blumberg, who also co-wrote the Oscar-nominated screenplay for The Kids Are All Right, explores the travails of a number of sufferers linked by their attendance at a sex addicts support group. The youngest member of the group is Neil (Josh Gad), who ruins his promising career as an emergency room doctor when he is caught filming up the skirt of his supervisor. After he appears in court on sexual harassment charges, he is directed to attend the support group for his addiction, where he meets the slick, charismatic Adam (Mark Ruffalo) and the group's de facto leader, the somewhat smug Mike (Tim Robbins), a middle-aged man who has battled multiple addictions and come out the other side with a beatific demeanour and a gentle cynicism. Low on self-esteem and fond of lying and defensive wise-cracking, Neil initially struggles to complete the work prescribed by the group, but is forced to confront the truth of his situation when he is adopted as something of a mentor to a new recruit to the group, the self-destructive Dede (Pink, credited as Alecia Moore). Meanwhile, Adam starts seeing the driven Phoebe (Gwyneth Paltrow), but is reluctant to reveal his past after she tells him her last relationship disintegrated because her ex was an alcoholic. Adam seeks guidance on this new development from Mike, whose estranged son Danny (Patrick Fugit), is suddenly back in town. Danny has battled a drug addiction but views the group therapy with suspicion and even hostility, leading to an uneasy truce with Mike, who suspects his son may not be as rehabilitated as he claims. Not everything in Thanks for Sharing works — a subplot involving Adam's ex-girlfriend Becky (Emily Meade) is a melodramatic misfire. It also has a curiously dated look and an often daggy sense of humour at odds with the potentially edgy material. Yet there's much to admire here, including the strong central storyline and the committed performances. Josh Gad, recently the only good thing in the disastrous Jobs, is again terrific, while pop star Moore is an absolute revelation, bringing both a convincing toughness and a poignant vulnerability to the role of Dede. While Thanks for Sharing doesn't shy away from the potentially life-wrecking consequences of its characters compulsions (a scene where Mark Ruffalo fights his urges in a hotel room is particularly effective), ultimately this is a much softer film than the similarly themed Shame. That's not a failing however; more a reflection that Blumberg's film is just as interested in the makeshift community that forms amongst the addicts as the often harrowing details of their addictions. https://youtube.com/watch?v=1jg6oroeg7s
For an art gallery that has garnered recognition by showing the remnants of a suicide bomber made from dark chocolate and X-rays of people having sex, it seems unsurprising that the first art and music festival from Hobart's Museum of New and Old Art would be entirely unconventional and a bit of an enigma. Dark MOFO is an 11-day celebration of art in its many splendid forms. You could describe it as a world-class music festival featuring such local and international superstars as The Presets, Martha Wainwright, You Am I and The Drones. But Dark MOFO is much, much more than your garden-variety music festival; MONA is offering a full-on assault of the senses with a smorgasbord of concerts and performances, interactive artworks and giant installations popping-up all over Hobart. There is Canyons and visual artist Daniel Boyd's audiovisual extravaganza 100 Million Nights, a curated film festival at the State Cinema, the new MONA exhibition Red Queen and even a massed nude swim on the night of the Winter Solstice. According to creative director Leigh Carmichael, these performances and artworks will celebrate the very thing Hobart is most reviled for: the cold and dark. Oh and did we mention that MONA is offering $100,000 worth of free flights? In order to attract interstate visitors, MONA have promised to pay for roughly 600 return flights to Hobart, ensuring that this groundbreaking new festival can be enjoyed by art enthusiasts across the country. Dark MOFO will run from June 13-23, with new exhibitions, performances, locations and general mayhem being announced almost weekly from the Dark MOFO website. Check it out to find out more about the festival and apply for your own free return flight to Hobart.
Greater Sydney, all of Victoria and the entirety of South Australia are currently in lockdown; however, since southeast Queensland's last stint of stay-at-home conditions ended in early July, the Sunshine State has avoided the same fate over the past few weeks. But, that doesn't mean that life has completely returned to normal. Some restrictions remain in place, masks are still required in Brisbane and, due to a positive COVID-19 case that visited the city from Sydney while they were infectious, the list of exposure sites is growing again. You know the drill from here, because naming locations and venues that positive coronavirus cases have visited is key element of Queensland's containment strategy, and has been since early 2020. The list has been expanding in recent days, and includes one big and notable venue — one that's been named an exposure site a few times now. Westfield Chermside, aka the biggest shopping centre in Brisbane's north, is the highest-profile location to join the list over the weekend. A positive case visited Chermside on Thursday, July 15, Tuesday, July 20 and Friday, July 23, with several specific shops within the centre identified as exposure sites. On Thursday, July 15, three barber shops are listed: Tommy Gun's from 12.62–12.58pm, Jimmy Rod's from 12.58–1.09pm and Col Naylor between 1.09–1.30pm. Healthyworld Pharmacy on level one is also listed on the same date, between 1.45–2.10pm. All four venues are close contact spots, which means that you need to get tested ASAP and then self-isolate, regardless of whether you receive a negative result, until you're advised otherwise by Queensland Health. Also falling into the same category: the men's department in David Jones on Friday, July 23, between 10.40–11.20am. https://twitter.com/qldhealthnews/status/1419235604122849285 A number of locations at Chermside also come under the casual contact category, which requires getting tested ASAP and then self-isolating until you receive a negative result. That applies to the St George Bank ATM on Thursday, July 15 from 12.45–1.15pm, all of David Jones excluding the men's department on Friday, July 23 between 10.40–11.20am, and the Little Sparrow Cafe from 12–1pm on Friday, July 23. And, if you were just at the shopping centre at all on Thursday, July 15, Tuesday, July 20 and Friday, July 23, you're a low-risk contact — and you must get tested, but self-isolation is only necessary if you have symptoms. Other places of note currently named as exposure sites include Niku Ramen, the Prince of Wales Hotel and Burger Urge in Nundah, as well as Woolworths in Banyo — for the full list, head to the Queensland Health website. As always, the usual advice regarding COVID-19 applies anyway. So, requests regarding social distancing, hygiene and getting tested if you're feeling even the slightest possible COVID-19 symptoms in general are still in effect, as they have since March 2020. Queensland currently has 26 active cases as last reported on Sunday, July 25. For more information about the status of COVID-19 in Queensland, head to the Queensland COVID-19 hub and the Queensland Health website. Top image: Google Maps.
For one week each September, Brisbane becomes Australia's live music capital. When BIGSOUND hits the city, it seems like every venue in Fortitude Valley is packed to the rafters with bands, industry folks and music-loving punters, all enjoying the latest and greatest the country's music scene has to offer. And given this year's complete lineup, expect that to be the case once again. This year, BIGSOUND will play host to 147 acts across 18 venues between September 3–6. As always, it's a hefty bunch. Mojo Juju, These New South Whales, Adrian Eagle and Cry Club join a bill that already includes the likes of Bad//Dreems, Electric Fields, SCABZ, Outright, Milan Ring, LOSER, Tones & I and Tasman Keith, plus EGOISM, Stevan, Laura Imbruglia and Concrete Surfers. Yes, the list goes on. Attendees can expect to get cosy in smaller spaces including Black Bear Lodge and Heya Bar, tap their toes at big stages like The Zoo, The Brightside, and Crowbar, and enjoy the night air at outdoor spots such as The Valley Drive In, The Elephant Hotel and Ric's Big Backyard. And, on the talking heads front, this year's guests include keynote speaker Terry McBride, CEO and co-founder of Nettwerk Music Group, which includes Canada's largest independent record label, artist management and music publishing company; British TV and radio presenter Abbie McCarthy, from BBC Music Introducing, Radio 1 & 4 Music, and Good Karma Club; and ultra dedicated Fyre Festival producer Andy King. This is a conference as well as a festival, after all — although, you can choose to hear wise words of wisdom, dance all night, or both. Past BIGSOUNDs have showcased everyone from Gang of Youths, Flume, Tash Sultana and Courtney Barnett to San Cisco, Violent Soho, Methyl Ethel and The Jungle Giants, so its program is usually a very reliable bellwether of current and up-and-coming talent. Even better — the festival's four-night $85 (plus booking fee) Rainbow Pass nabs you access to 270 music showcases at the 18 venues. To view the full BIGSOUND 2019 lineup, visit the event's website. BIGSOUND 2019 runs from September 3–6 at various venues around Fortitude Valley, Brisbane. For further details, visit bigsound.org.au. To discover what to do, see, eat and drink while visiting Brissie for the annual event, check out our weekender's guide to Brisbane during BIGSOUND.
